2018-09-18 - Hope Floats 2
| Hope Floats 2 | |
|---|---|
| Summary: Having helped Hikawa Shrine set up their pop culture entry to one of the Kanda Matsuri parades, it's time to present it. But there's a small problem... Majestia's float seems to have a mind of its own! | |
| Who: Yumi Ohzora, Kasagami Araki, Steven Universe, Fuu Hououji, Mikoto Minagi, Setsuna Meioh, Signum Yagami GM: Hotaru Tomoe | |
| Where: Akihabara Electric Town | |
| OOC - IC Date: 9/18/2018 - 05-15-2015 | |
<Pose Tracker> Hotaru Tomoe [Infinity Institute (7)] has posed. <SoundTracker> FESTIVAL DRUMS YO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZagsLrNzg3I
The Kanda Matsuri is the festival of the Kanda Myojin Shrine which enshrines three deities: Daikokuten - the god of good harvest and matrimony, Ebisu - the god of fishermen and businessmen, and Taira Masakado - a feudal lord of the 10th century who was revered and deified. Over the years, the Kanda Festival came to be a celebration for the wealth and good fortune of the people. (Source: https:'www.japan-guide.comee3073.html)
The streets are packed.
It is a madhouse, as befits one of the largest Shinto festivals of the year in Tokyo. Grownups are shoulder to shoulder, and every square centimeter of space between storefront and actual street is mashed in with people, and then some... more folks are pressed to the windows from the inside, and still more creating a sort of fringe of flesh along the edge of the road where they're spilling into it. Children are underfoot -- the lucky ones on shoulders -- to watch one of Kanda Matsuri's famous and fabulous parades.
There's a lot to see. Virtually everyone in the actual parade is dressed up in historical Japanese raiment of some kind, samurai-era and older, much of it religious. There are horses. There are horseback archers, actually, that's a competition this weekend. There are lots and lots and lots of priests. There are musicians and dancers and -- you name it.
There are also floats. Floats with characters from popular folk stories.
And then there's Majestia.
"Gyahahahaa!" cackles Grandpa Hino, the priest of Hikawa Shrine, as he, along with a long-haired hakama-wearing dude who looks like the priest of surfboards, tow the flower-festooned, red-gold-and-blue icon of superheroes. They aren't the only pop culture float -- it's becoming a thing -- but the floating, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade-scale superheroine is certainly the largest.
It's getting a lot of attention, mostly of the cheering kind, especially as the parade winds through Akihabara. Not that this seat of Tokyo modernity isn't a dramatic juxtaposition to all the historical stuff, but... if Majestia had a fandom capital within Tokyo it would probably be here.
Grandpa yells into the crowd: "Evil succeeds..."
And a heartening number of people yell back, "ONLY WHEN GOOD PEOPLE DO NOTHING!"
Visual Aid: http:'miraculousladybug.wikia.comwikiFile:CTEd1-UWEAA75xz.jpg_large.jpg -- only, you know, a la the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, which is to say, rubber, bulbous, and ludicrously gigantic. Also, covered in flowers.
OOC: Majestia is the BFverse's Superman. You know who she is and what she stands for, no matter how much of a shut-in or alien you are; her cultural saturation is 100%. OOC: If you were at Hope Floats 1, you can optionally be a volunteer IN THE PARADE on another one of Majestia's tug ropes, attached to the balloon. Otherwise you're in the crowd, here to see the parade! <Pose Tracker> Yumi Ohzora [Infinity Institute (11)] has posed.
Having worked hard on helping at the shrine, Yumi Ohzora left in a good mood--and obviously has to come and see the result, along with... okay it's a parade, it's just fun anyway. But she didn't sign up to join the parade proper for... kind of a lot of reasons. Instead, she's braving the crowd, and--
...Is really glad she's not alone in it with all these people around. "Ah, Mikoto-chan, they're coming through--"
Not that she can necessarily be heard over the cheering, as she joins in with a cheer of her own as it all goes. She has prepared for this!! She has: water, medicine, snacks for the cat (Mikoto; Tama isn't going into a crowd to get stepped on!), a hand-fan for the heat, spare glasses, tons of things!!
...And most notably, 'A Mikoto'.
"Isn't it cool to see all this... here, of all places?" Yumi asks her friend. "And you know, she does look really good..."
She stands out in the crowd some for her height, but is still packed in with all the others, though... closer to the edge of the crowd such as she can manage, but c'mon, it's super crowded. "It's a pretty good spot too, right?"
<Pose Tracker> Kasagami Araki [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
A chance to get out on the town with someone she loves? During the festival of wealth and good fortune? Well, Kasagami could use a bit of all three of those things, and so she's out in the crowd watching the parade!
The young woman has basically elbowed her way to the front of the viewing area through the adults on the side of the road, though still gives plenty of room for young kids to get the best view! Totally unintentionally, mind. She definitely doesn't smile happily at seeing happy young kids with their families enjoying the parade, oh no.
She's decided to go with tradition given the important occasion, dressed in a black and red kimono. Most of the top is black down to the waist, where a motif of dark red flowers, mostly roses intermix with a little bit of gold. Her hair is up in a bun with (blunt) knives to keep it in place rather than chopsticks. Around her middle? A rainbow patterned obi, breaking her up usual dark color scheme.
Oh, and the boots are still there.
Kassie leans into the figure she's come here with.
"Oh man, look at that armor, Setsu-chan! It's so well kept! Could you imagine, marching behind Lord Oda wearing that!? Ahhhh, I wish I was any good at archery!" Laments the young woman half heartedly, all smiles.
And then, Majestia. Kasagami blinks, and then whistles. She doesn't join in on the grand yell. She has to have some dignity here.
"Now that is how you get a crowd excited!" A slow nod. Kasagami can feel the energy of the crowd, and it's exciting, even if she's not the one leading it.
<Pose Tracker> Steven Universe [Juuban Public School (6)] has posed.
Wow... she got way bigger than expected!
An evening's hard work has paid off. A float stands tall, or rather, floats tall. Just watching it inspires him. "Man... it must be cool up there in the sky like that! Wonder what we all look like from down here to her?"
Naturally, Steven Universe was ecstatic to sign up for further assistance to help Grandpa Hino, especially after the gift. He has of course fashioned a wristband and has clasped the charm to it. This was a festival about good fortune, right? It would be a good time to show it! And what would a festival be without dressing up, huh? The boy heard peopel were going to be wearing traditional outfits, so he donned his own!
Those seen at the sakura viewing festival would recognize his attire-- a A hakama, black bottom, gray-silver top. a myriad of petals in differing shades of metallic pink swirl on one side of the chest and arms as if o nthe wind.
He would have worn something further appropriate, but this is the only one he has so far!
That didn't get holes vaporised in to it like swiss cheese.
"Yeah!" The boy cheers at the cry of the slogan! The boy laughs heartily, enjoying the sights, sounds of the crowd, and drums beat as they go. He has chosen to man a tug rope. He seems to be handling it very well for someone his size. "This is so cool! I gotta take pictures at some point!"
A callout toward Grandpa. "Ah, ones that parade is over, what happens to the floats anyway?" He imagines the flowers are removed and the structure underneath is saved, maybe? Or does she get a super cool sendoff and floatsin to space?! Nah, might cause littering. Space littering...?
Cool idea though.
<Pose Tracker> Fuu Hououji [Infinity Institute (10)] has posed.
Normally, Fuu would be among the onlookers for the Kanda Matsuri parade. Normally, she doesn't even take part in the preparations for it ... but she did in this case, and as such - given how many people it takes to guide a balloon of Majestia's size - she volunteered to help out again. She's actually in gi top and hakama of her own, and somebody who wasn't looking too closely might mistake it for her archery uniform.
Not that Fuu would wear her archery uniform for a festival, but the colors are the same as the outfit she wore at the tournament. No protective gear, though, save tying the sleeves back so they aren't loose to get snagged on a rope or anything.
Fuu raises her own voice in returning the cheer led by Grandfather Hino, her smile bright and energetic. That's the thing about Shinto festivals: the energy of them is infectious, and it takes a dedicated effort *not* to get into the spirit of things. Or at least, that's Fuu's own experience with such things. The energy of the crowd and the cheer of her comrades-in-balloon-steering mix within her heart, and she couldn't really divert her thoughts elsewhere if she wanted to. Not right now.
<Pose Tracker> Mikoto Minagi [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
... evil succeeds only when good people do nothing.
Mikoto Minagi, amidst the crowd, does not return Grandpa Hino's cheer. She looks down, for a moment.
But when she looks back up - up, up - to Yumi, she's smiling again. Despite her small size, the case on her back and her resistance to getting shoved about makes her excellent at giving Yumi a little room to breathe, in the crushing crowd. It's not much, and she herself is wrapped up right next to her, an arm around her waist to avoid losing her in the shift and the shuffle, but it's surely helpful.
Despite all her efforts to be civil to Signum and Vita... she would rather be around Yumi, right now. She doesn't like the idea of being alone with those two. It seems like a bad idea. Yumi's a centreing force, and besides, Yumi would get knocked around in a crowd this big. Mikoto doesn't want Yumi to get crowded by a bunch of strangers and knocked over!
Being crowded by Mikoto is a much better idea. Probably. She doesn't have any better ideas for how to be a good brace for her friend. Even in her own brand-new kimono - a pastel blue affair decorated with clouds, red sash and yellow ribbon, a cute cat-faced purse hanging down at a hip - she's still got sure enough footing. The geta don't bother her at all.
"Festivals are fun!" She chirps, enthusiastic. It's hard to hear Yumi over the din of all the noise here, but Yumi's voice is familiar, and Mikoto can pick it out even amongst the cheers and chatter of so many strangers. "And we helped!"
They mastered the art of the air blower, and now the world must fear them.
Mikoto smiles, brightly. "Yup! Good spot, good floats! And look!" She waves with her free hand, wildly, towards the parade. "STEVEN! FUU!" It's just one voice, ringing out amongst hundreds, but she tries. She laughs, and grins, waving fiercely. "YEAH!!"
She's cheering for her friends, instead.
<Pose Tracker> Setsuna Meioh [Infinity Institute (U)] has posed.
Setsuna Meioh taps a geta-clad foot in time with the festival drums. Every so often her arm bumps gently into Kasagami's, their kimono sleeves brushing. "Is the crowd always like this?" It's her first time at the Kanda Festival, and while she's more or less gotten used to the way Tokyo teems, this is another level altogether. "We'll need to arrive earlier for the next parade, to spare other peoples' ribs and your elbow." A glance from the corner of her eye.
The quiet smile follows quite naturally. "I have the loveliest date at the parade." She leans in, too, and follows the pointing. Her own kimono features a shippou pattern, silver on a jade green that's shades darker than her usual cascade of a ponytail. "But would you trade the sword for a bow?" she teases. "And to march behind someone... that doesn't sound like the Kasa-chan I know."
Then it is Setsuna's turn to point, although the sheer size of Majestia makes it a little unnecessary. It's not the float she points at, though. "There are Hououji-san and my copilot, under Majestia..." and a cheer from not far agrees, in a familiar voice. The advantage of height... "And is that... Mikoto-chan and Yumi-chan?" Her point converts to a wave in their direction. It is decidedly nice to spot both of them in such cheery circumstances.
<Pose Tracker> Signum Yagami [None] has posed.
Signum is, on her end of things, carrying a great burden. But it's as light as a feather, just like duty itself...!
That is to say that Signum is among the group pulling the ropes that keep Majestia from escaping into the air and possibly getting caught on Tokyo Tower, which - while not the worst thing to ever happen to Tokyo Tower - would certainly be embarrassing for all concerned. More to the point she is wearing a set of reasonably credible samurai armor (cosplay edition), along with having put her pink hair up in a top knot, as far as can be told. She seems to be silently and immensely pleased at this turn of events.
<Pose Tracker> Hotaru Tomoe [Infinity Institute (7)] has posed.
The cheers get louder and louder. The energy of the crowd is buoyant, and so is Majestia.
The float is flying sort of vaguely parallel to the ground, only high in the air above everyone's heads, until she isn't. Weirdly enough, the tension in the pull ropes doesn't change, but gradually -- almost too gradually to notice, at first -- she starts to shift upright, until those underneath her can mostly see the bottoms of her mighty feet.
And then they begin to shrink.
No -- they begin to rise.
In the same moment that the pull ropes tug free of every hand, too-quickly soaring out of reach, Signum's ears pop, and Mikoto's nose itches, and Yumi breaks out into a sweat behind her ears.
There are shouts of surprise, and some laughter, as Majestia pulls up, up and away.
Until she doesn't.
Her head tilts down a little, towards her chest, revealing that the painted-on smile on her face has turned into a frown. And her eyes are dripping with obsidian energy.
The float, which has been moving in the syrupy, slow, deliberate way that a giant airy parachute does -- suddenly accelerates sharply downwards. Her knee is bending. Her hands are clenching into fists, to either side, to brace her landing.
She's going to hit the street, and inevitably impact quite a lot of people on it, in moments.
Fortunately for them...
BGM SWAP! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gsfS1asj3o
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe transforms into Majestia!
<Pose Tracker> Yumi Ohzora [Infinity Institute (11)] has posed.
Unlike Mikoto, Yumi is in more modern garb for the moment; dark gray jeans, a deep pink tanktop, a black collared shirt of great fabric with long sleeves, to keep the sun off of her arms. Most notably is a wide-brimmed black hat (not pointed), a few braclets; walking around clothes that nevertheless have a touch of something. She has a much bigger purse than Mikoto though, a long-strapped thing that hangs at about her hip, and she is easy to keep hold of, even if in practice they make for kind of a big contrast. ...Yumi is happy to have Mikoto here, too--not just because she likes her, or because she can keep her out of trouble, but--
Well, she feels saver in a big crowd like this with a friend, and a certain cat refused to get anywhere near this, instead taking up a spot somewhere higher to watch and pretend she doesn't care. She has wrinkled her noise at the float more than once.
"Yeah!" Yumi answers Mikoto with a smile back, and laughs, waving back when she sees Setsuna Meioh and Kasagami too. She even recognizes a certain rope-holding Yagami--
Yumi realizes the balloon is rising at exactly the time she notices the sweat; a feeling, a chill that she understands as she looks up and sees the change in the balloon. "O-oh come on," she answers at first, and sees--acceleration. "Mikoto-chan--" Yumi is already reaching into her satchel for her phone, tapping away until--
A white wooden staff, gently spun and tipped with a green crystal is in her hand, and she... ducks down to make herself less obvious. The staff is some six feet tall, though. "Staff of Lost Ivy," she whispers, "Hear me!"
A brilliant column of green light accompanies the finishing of the chant, inaudible in all the noise, and when it passes a tall girl in black is there--her draping attire and pointed hat the clear mark of a Witch, her green leather-gloved hand on the staff as she holds it up. "Oh, no you don't--"
She starts to trace runes with her free hand quickly, sharply concentrating, "Separation from what you seek--" She thrusts forward her implement, "Barrier!"
A circle appears beneath Majestia, widening suddenly to become a rune-inscribed barrier that... might prevent the balloon from hitting ground, that might sap strength from the sudden dark power ahead.
"You can't use Majestia for evil!" she shouts, "That's... seriously not appropriate!!" But what's the cause?
COMBAT: Yumi Ohzora transforms into Witch Ivy! COMBAT: Yumi Ohzora has used Weakness Hex on Hotaru Tomoe.
<Pose Tracker> Steven Universe [Juuban Public School (6)] has posed.
As Steven trots along holding his anchoring line, it isn't Mikoto's voice that gets his attention, but her wild waving! "Hiiii Mikoto!" he calls out, though it may not reach her due to the din of the event surrounding them. It was obvious he was calling to her, however! Yumi of course, gets a wave as well! He didn't get much of a chance to talk to her assembling the float, but see she is doing good lately makes him feel better!
A likewise wave is given toward Setsuna and Kasagami as he passes near them. This feels pretty spectacular now that friends are here! They all will enjoy this event together! When he--
"Ow! Oh no!" A zzzzzzzip noise comes from his hand, the boy recoils his hand, looking at it momentarily. A bad rope burn for certain. But that isn't important at the moment. What is, is that Majestia has caught a gust or something and has ripped free of everyone!
"What will we do?! How will we get it back down-- oh."
That float didn't have that face before. He knows because he helped decorate it. That isn't normal.
And she is coming down for a landing. "AH! RUN!" he shouts toward everyone. Little time is left to react, though, the descent is unnaturally quick. But that old saying Grandpa totes around holds true.
With what speed he can muster, Steven runs to where he suspects the impact will happen, and interposes himself between that spot and the crowd. "Brace for impact!" he yells, and with a swipe of a hand, a large sheath section of a Bubble Shield appears in a wide frontal arc in front of him and as far as he can extend it.
That shockwave is going to be immense, but perhaps if he can deadn it, people might survive!
COMBAT: Steven Universe transforms into Serious Steven! COMBAT: Steven Universe has used Repelling Shield on Hotaru Tomoe.
<Pose Tracker> Kasagami Araki [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
Kassie might just lean right into every brush, her good eye occasionally peeking back to Setsuna with a look of absolute adoration. For all of about five seconds, when she's suddenly crossing both arms and turning to face her love indignantly!
"First of all, elbows are a natural hazard if you're in between me, the most beautiful woman in all of Tokyo, and a pristine view of the best parade in the city!"
Kassie, without a self aware word, steps briefly back to allow a trio of elementary schoolers to rush by shouting Majestia catch-phrases.
She may also enjoy using her muscles and heigh to her advantage. Still, she all but chokes as she suddenly points at her love! Points right at Setsuna!
"Never! My family are swordsmen and women of the highest skill! May our lovely archers hone their craft to perfection, but to cut apart an arrow in flight true mastery! I would much rather lead with boots stomping into mud alongside metal than high on a horse with nothing but twine and wood to defend myself with!" Comes Kassie's dignified response!
And then teeth grit! "And come bring that old conquerer back, I will suplex him to the pages of history if he tries to make me a vassel!" Twitch! There's a nerve struck, and yet Kasagami is using the crowd's excuse to press closer to Setsuna.
Blink. "Steve-kun! Nice outfit! Fuu-chan! That's right, you need to be in the action! Hey Yumi-chan, enjoying the festival!? Huh? Miko-chan?" Comes Kassie's various greetings to those she knows, the young woman energetically casting her gaze and warmth to her friends. Before she can start harassing-slash-encouraging them, though, there's a much floatier problem in the works.
Yumi gets to the point though, and Kassie winks to Setsuna. The young woman steps back into the crowd for a brief moment, only to suddenly leap amidst the swell of festival-going humanity into the air! She lands upon a bike rack dramatically, her kimono-clad form accentuated with a rose-petal coat upon her back. The light and scent of Ohtori surround her, further filled with that of roses.
Even as she grips one of the blunted knives from her hair bun in one hand, she scowls at the falling Majestia float! She could try to cut the thing, but that would make the problem worse! Peering at that frowning Majestia-face, Kassie does the only thing she can think to do.
She reaches behind her, tears off a bunch of roses from her back, and then holds her hand up high! Opening her hand slowly like a blooming rose, she sucks in a breath, and blows! A small cascade of rose petals are flittered into the sky as if to add to the barrier and bubble of Yumi and Steven!
COMBAT: Kasagami Araki transforms into Crimson Rose Duelist! COMBAT: Kasagami Araki has used Fluttering Petals on Hotaru Tomoe.
<Pose Tracker> Fuu Hououji [Infinity Institute (10)] has posed.
As the rope pulls out of her hands, Fuu remembers that she'd thought about wearing gloves for this. Maybe not her archery tabs, but something -
Wait, *everyone* is losing their hold on those ropes? Fuu blinks, turning to look up at the balloon. Then starting to back away, staring in entirely genuine shock, the pain of fresh rope burns forgotten. She drops into a protective crouch, one arm up to cover her face - while her other hand dives into the side of her hakama, grabbing a pouch she'd tucked away just in case.
She's out of the crowd's view just long enough to call on her powers, but the voice of the Magic Knight of Wind rings out, "WINDS OF ADMONISHMENT!" There's a brief gust at street level before a powerful updraft billows up around Majestia, less the normal binding whirlwind and more a stubborn refusal to yield ... and then the Wind Knight rises back to her feet, her armor still solidifying post-transformation.
"Whatever force seeks to disrupt this joyous festival with terror and mayhem," she calls out, "know that there was *no* correct float or balloon to target. But this, certainly, was your *worst* choice!"
COMBAT: Fuu Hououji transforms into Wind Knight! COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has used Winds of Admonishment on Hotaru Tomoe. COMBAT: Signum Yagami transforms into Cloud Knight!
<Pose Tracker> Signum Yagami [None] has posed.
Signum keeps marching forwards. Marching! Marching in a parade. Part of the group now. Not set apart, however exalted. One of them. One of them all! Part of this nation and its society. If there are rough spots, then they would be sanded off. All will be well, and all manner of things will be
drawing
up
Signum's immediate response is to frown slightly as she turns her head upwards and beholds that something dark glows in the eyes of Majestia. Signum lets out a small gasp. She reaches up to her neck. She clutches at the pendant beneath her armor.
The pendant... that is the portable form of the Armed Device, Laevatein!!
The sword blooms in her hand even as the Staff of Lost Ivy is called forth and a stern assessment of barricade is drawn by someone else, someone in the crowd. Signum swings Laevatein to the side, the clothing she has beneath her costume armor shifting - rustling - forming - getting tangled up - sitting weirdly -
Signum feels one of her coat-tails pop out but is otherwise mostly in her Tomoe-gozen armor even now. "..." Acceptable, she thinks, even as the scent of roses fills the air. Wind pulls the float up and Signum realizes -
<Primary inflatable aerostat detected,> Laevatein reports to her. Laevatein has been a little more relaxed lately too. Laevatein has no idea what a parade float is. <Consideration: Direct impact may cause rupture and loss of aerostat pressure.>
Signum narrows her eyes and grimaces.
Then she swings the blade round in a slow circle, holding it upraised and letting that grimace grow. For she can remember the actions of many dramas. She steps backwards with powerful steps that she does not even glance at, letting her belaying rope remain wrapped around one upper arm. (<Risky> is Laevatein's assessment.) Drawing the creature - the float -
And then she takes in a deep whoosh of a breath and shouts a strong word of defiant challenge at the thing!
COMBAT: Signum Yagami has used HORA! on Hotaru Tomoe. COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe perfectly braces 10 Fatigue damage from Yumi Ohzora's Weakness Hex, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Brace! Hotaru Tomoe's Block and Parry abilities activate!
<Pose Tracker> Setsuna Meioh [Infinity Institute (U)] has posed.
Setsuna's smile doesn't widen as Kasagami defends the pride of her elbow, her sword, and her, well, pride, but there's a certain sparkle in garnet eyes. "Mm, of course, what was I thinking," she murmurs, and the low brook of her voice could not be smoother.
She's enjoying the parade, in her quietly observational way, though Setsuna can tell that when the evening is over and she can retreat to the peace of Meioh Tower she will be glad as well. "Even though I know she won't, it looks like Majestia could float off with all the people attached to her at any moment." She shares the thought with Kasagami because it amuses her.
It gets a lot less amusing very shortly.
Majestia climbs and climbs, and Setsuna cranes her head back to follow. "Maybe the crowd is always like this, but I assume the floats aren't?" Then that face looks down with its angry frown and obsidian eyes, and a shudder-suppressing Setsuna needs no further confirmation. She just needs her Lip Rod, and into a silken pocket one hand goes.
For Kasagami, a quick look and a wry comment. "Another date, another youma."
With the crowd's eyes upward, she crouches and there's an obscuring crackle of violet -- the kimono flutters away and to the ground, beneath a springing Sailor Pluto!
"The children came for joy, not this horror!" She sweeps the graceful length of the Garnet Rod in a looping overhead arc and it bleeds power from the Orb, an expanding blur that thins and blows upward into a sparkling half-shell that chases Kasagami's rose petals to the other shields, adding its repelling force to the efforts of Yumi and Steven.
COMBAT: Setsuna Meioh transforms into Sailor Pluto! COMBAT: Sailor Pluto has used Garnet Dome on Hotaru Tomoe. COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe counters 13 Fatigue damage from Kasagami Araki's Fluttering Petals, taking 13 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Hotaru Tomoe's Reverse and Tactician abilities activate! COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe's counterattack, Might of Majestia, interrupts, doing 0 Fatigue damage to Kasagami Araki! COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe braces 14 Fatigue damage from Steven Universe's Repelling Shield, taking 6 Fatigue damage! Hotaru Tomoe's Block and Parry abilities activate! COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe counters 5 Fatigue damage from Fuu Hououji's Winds of Admonishment, taking 16 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Fuu Hououji is Psyched! Hotaru Tomoe's Reverse and Tactician abilities activate! Cripple applied to Hotaru Tomoe! COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe's counterattack, Might of Majestia, interrupts, doing 0 Fatigue damage to Fuu Hououji! COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe braces 7 Fatigue damage from Sailor Pluto's Garnet Dome, taking 3 Fatigue damage! Hotaru Tomoe's Block and Parry abilities activate! Exhausted applied to Hotaru Tomoe! COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe dodges 8 Fatigue damage from Signum Yagami's HORA!, taking 5 Fatigue damage! Signum Yagami is Psyched!
<Pose Tracker> Mikoto Minagi [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
"Stevennn!" Mikoto calls out, seeing Steven's gaze if not quite catching his words.
There are more familiar voices, calling out. "Setsuna!" Mikoto calls back, grinning widely. "Kasagami!" Her waving prowess is turned on them instantly.
She might have done more - waved them over, spent the day with them - except...
Her nose itches. She sniffs, nostrils flaring. "Yumi -" MIkoto says, a note of warning to her voice, but Yumi has felt it just as well. Perhaps it's a boon for her tall friend that the shorter girl beside her has no compunctions whatsoever about being seen, as she unshoulders her sword-case and draws the blade with smooth motions.
By the time the menacing aura of Miroku has met open air, everyone is a little too occupied with the float which appears quite set on crushing them.
She is not a shield, but a blade. The terrified crowd will find no aegis in her. There is no good option, in this fraction of a second, for Mikoto Minagi, who does one specific thing very well.
Sometimes, all there are are bad choices.
She screams as she springs high into the air, swinging her blade in vertical arc to catch Majestia's foot and carve right through it.
COMBAT: Mikoto Minagi transforms into HiME Mikoto! COMBAT: Mikoto Minagi has used Obsidian Blade: Devastation on Hotaru Tomoe. COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe braces 16 Fatigue damage from Mikoto Minagi's Obsidian Blade: Devastation, taking 7 Fatigue damage! Mikoto Minagi is Psyched! Hotaru Tomoe's Block and Parry abilities activate!
<Pose Tracker> Hotaru Tomoe [Infinity Institute (7)] has posed. <SoundTracker> Come A Little Bit Closer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVkkE9AaCs
Thanks to Mikoto, it becomes quickly obvious that Majestia is no longer rubber filled with air. Or at least, if she is rubber filled with air, it is massively, magically reinforced rubber. In any event: she is tough, the sharp of Miroku fails to penetrate her foot and winds up twisting to the flat instead. And she is resistant to momentum in opposition, because -- surprise -- besides being big, she is, as she ought to be -- strong.
And she has gravity on her side.
Witchy magic, pink shields, rose petals, whirlwinds, garnet barriers, they all make contact -- and begin to strain. Motes of light and power pour off of each oppositional force in beautiful, concentric ripples. Majestia herself has no such corresponding effect -- it's just her apparently unstoppable knee or fists or boot, depending on where people are placed, getting bigger and bigger and bigger as they get closer and closer and closer, an inch at a time, until all anyone can see is the red, gold or blue patch of float that they have chosen to plant themselves against.
The pressure builds and builds between the descending float and those who have rushed to stop it -- the air feels like it's heating up, breath comes only in short, sharp gasps -- the ground starts shaking -- the concrete between each magical girl's feet starts to spiderweb and give --
-- The flowers on Majestia, so lovingly and painstakingly placed by volunteers, are no match for this strain, and all at the same time they explode into petals that immediately and instantly get caught in the zone of contact between girls and float, adding another, beautiful layer to the conflict --
-- Even at this slowed rate of touchdown, which is buying time for people to get out of the way, her impact would be devastating. She has to be stopped -- she has to be sent back where she belongs --
Up, up and away.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used Superhero Landing on Sailor Pluto. COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used Superhero Landing on Signum Yagami. COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used Superhero Landing on Fuu Hououji. COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used Superhero Landing on Kasagami Araki. COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used Superhero Landing on Steven Universe. COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used Superhero Landing on Yumi Ohzora. COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used Unstoppable Force on Hotaru Tomoe. COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe accepts Hotaru Tomoe's Unstoppable Force, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Hotaru Tomoe is Reinforced by Hotaru Tomoe! COMBAT: Sailor Pluto braces 33 Fatigue damage from Hotaru Tomoe's Superhero Landing, taking 14 Fatigue damage! Sailor Pluto's Block and Parry abilities activate! COMBAT: Kasagami Araki fails to brace Hotaru Tomoe's Superhero Landing, taking 41 Fatigue damage! COMBAT: Steven Universe braces 17 Fatigue damage from Hotaru Tomoe's Superhero Landing, taking 25 Fatigue damage! Steven Universe's Block and Parry abilities activate! COMBAT: Yumi Ohzora braces 23 Fatigue damage from Hotaru Tomoe's Superhero Landing, taking 19 Fatigue damage! Yumi Ohzora's Block and Parry abilities activate! COMBAT: Signum Yagami perfectly dodges 45 Fatigue damage from Hotaru Tomoe's Superhero Landing, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Dodge! Signum Yagami's Fade and Flash abilities activate! COMBAT: Fuu Hououji braces 24 Fatigue damage from Hotaru Tomoe's Superhero Landing, taking 20 Fatigue damage! Fuu Hououji's Block and Parry abilities activate!
<Pose Tracker> Yumi Ohzora [Infinity Institute (11)] has posed.
It is definitely a boon for Yumi that Mikoto is willing to just handle things; it's what they have to do. ...But where Mikoto is a blade...
Yumi is a shield, as best as she can be. She at least knows they aren't alone, but in the sheer press of Majestia, she can't actually see the others very well. Her barrier crackles, but as the balloon comes down more and more fiercely, Yumi can feel the heat. She flicks her wrist and then is holding both hands up to reinforce a second barrier, trying as best she can to not be crushed outright, though her breath turns to wheezing with the effort of it. The heat, the pressure, it's exhausting--
And the flower petals fall. Yumi can feel the shade of a feeling from her artifact, a sadness at this turn of events wordless and strange--
"This isn't... right!" she calls back, and for that moment is in touch with her power, with understanding, lifting her staff back upward. As she does, its crystal gleams brilliantly and a green beam, tinged with white, erupts forward, passing through Yumi's shield as if it were nothing, surging with power that meets darkness with spectral green fire.
COMBAT: Yumi Ohzora has used Sacred Ray on Hotaru Tomoe.
<Pose Tracker> Mikoto Minagi [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
Miroku - Miroku - is turned aside, and Mikoto knows in that moment that the float cannot just be rubber, any more. She snarls, and hand reaches out to grasp at the edge of her foot, where two lines of rubber meet in a seam. She uses the purchase to flip herself up onto the broad rubber curve of Majestia's foot.
It's the safest place to be right now.
It's also the only place she can do this: pulling her sword about in revolution, once, twice, three times, before she twists and brings it down as if planting it into the earth. There is a crackle of terrible energy as it strains against what cannot be rubber, and Mikoto sets her teeth as she forces all her staggering strength into the blow.
All she has to do is pierce it, and air pressure should do the rest. She doesn't know the science behind it, but she's seen enough balloons lose their air to know the practice.
Mikoto knows her position is not as advantageous as it seems as she sets to piercing the float below her feet. She doesn't hesitate. Right now she's just worried about Yumi, and Setsuna, and Kasagami, and Steven, and Fuu, and the civilians.
(She is not particularly worried about Signum, but Mikoto has to save her to save the rest of them.)
She has to make sure this thing doesn't land on them. She'll deal with personal consequences later.
COMBAT: Mikoto Minagi has used Obsidian Blade: Destruction on Hotaru Tomoe.
<Pose Tracker> Steven Universe [Juuban Public School (6)] has posed.
As much as he didn't want this to happen, seeing his friends leap in to action all at once is a sight he always enjoys seeing. It is like the Crystal Gem Expanded Universe! Name is a working title.
The boy watches Mikoto launch herself far, far up to counterattack, and her blade near bounce off. A normal float would have been rent asunder. Then again it was obvious this was anything but the moment it decided to attack.
"We gotta hold the line!" he shouts to his comrades. Sailor Pluto and Kasagami's contributions are duly noted. Fuu and Yumi's as well.
As for the person that just shouted, she pings as faimilar, but as far as he knows, he doesn't know any samurai magical girls.
...
...Why aren't there more samurai magical girls in Japan?
The enemy float exerts a terrible pressure as it closes in on landing. WHen first experienced, Steven is forced to a knee, the collision with the pavement causes spidery cracks, and though the chaos drowns it out, Steven can be seen crying out in pain for a moment, before forcing himself back up.
"Please stop!" he yells through the carnage. THe Gem Child puts a hand to his side, and summons his mother's shield, which he promptly shield-tackles in to place more powerful leverage in to his shield line!
It is the best he can do! In this instance, he is made to protect civilians. Others will have to do the attacking until it gets closer.
Hopefully it doesnt actually get closer.
COMBAT: Steven Universe has used Shield Slam on Hotaru Tomoe.
<Pose Tracker> Kasagami Araki [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
"...The crowd's energy is usually more uplifting than the floats are violent. I'm not sure this is a good change of pace!" Offers Kassie briefly to her beloved before all heck breaks loose.
Another date, another youma, and yet there's a crowd! With a smirk to Pluto, she grinds her bootheel into the bike rack she's perched upon!
"A King and her allies cannot allow this glorious celebration of martial prowess, history, and the joy it brings to kids to be brough low! Frown all you like, we won't back down!" Pointing her knife into the air, she strikes a heroic pose, her rose coat missing a sleeve yet the Duelist remaining defiant in the face of the Majestic threat before them!
Yet, for all her efforts, the pressure mounts. She blows and goes red in the face as she sends up blisters and blisters of those dark red roses, soon both hands cupped to offers them to the heavens! Yet the falling heat and weight of the Majestia Float has the Duelist's efforts rebuffed and the bike rack first shattering and twisting under her feet! She's back to the concrete, and even bent knees can't prevent her from being forced into a rent of the concrete cracking below upon her boots. So much above and the resulting wind-force has parts of her kimono shredding, and her bones almost audibly creaking under the descending float! It's almost enough to crush, and yet, the Duelist perserveres despite how much this falling behemoth of a Majestia takes out of her!
The much, much bigger boot of Majestia descending cause her far more worry however!
Every muscle aches, and she can feel the pure weight that seems to want to crush her with pure power alone. That feeling, that single realization in Kasagami has her eyes widening in rage. She draws her second dagger, and...slams it into the ground?
Two heels end up on the hilt, and then she tries to leap towards a descending boot! She does a flip in the air, and aims both feet upwards! Spirals of rose petals fall as she tries to oppose the oncoming pressure! But not for long, she's aiming to kick off and back to the ground this time, slightly more defensively after her initial rose-clash with the float.
COMBAT: Kasagami Araki has used Kassie Kick on Hotaru Tomoe.
<Pose Tracker> Signum Yagami [None] has posed.
The ground rumbles. Signum shifts into a lower-set stance as she watches the vast icon of Majestia. The strike of the black sword reveals to Laevatein what is going on here. Laevatein is quiet about this even as the Armed Device reassesses what the h*ck this thing is. Signum watches it and does not worry or think.
Her mind is clear and smooth, like water running down a brook.
"Such a massive entity," Signum murmurs to herself.
She rolls her shoulders as she draws back her trusty blade. Magenta light gathers around her as she contemplates for a moment. The one advantage here is that she can act strategically; Majestia (?) is not moving with lightning speed. Signum can hear. Think. Feel.
And...
"Haaah--"
STRIKE!
Signum rises upwards, her accumulated spiralling and countercyclical gathering of mana rising up beneath her, the flaming energy shading towards a distinctly orange cast. She is moving slowly, as if she were chopping wood, when she executes her forms. Each blow must hold massive upward force!
It also makes it easier to follow what she's doing, which may help keep what crowd has not fled enraptured. Or is that a down side...
COMBAT: Signum Yagami has used Shiden Issen! on Hotaru Tomoe. COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe fails to brace Kasagami Araki's Kassie Kick, taking 37 Fatigue damage! Stagger applied to Hotaru Tomoe! COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe perfectly counters 22 Fatigue damage from Yumi Ohzora's Sacred Ray, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Counter! Hotaru Tomoe's Reverse and Tactician abilities activate! COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe's counterattack, Might of Majestia, interrupts, doing 0 Fatigue damage to Yumi Ohzora! COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe perfectly dodges 62 Fatigue damage from Mikoto Minagi's Obsidian Blade: Destruction, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Dodge!
<Pose Tracker> Sailor Pluto [Infinity Institute (U)] has posed.
All these shields -- Pluto strains to keep hers up and scans the others, and the faces of her bulwark comrades, through an increasing pressure-haze. There's a heaviness to the air she struggles to breathe, a feeling like it won't quite fit properly in her lungs, and she has to keep trying for a new breath over and over. Majestia keeps coming, terrifyingly huge rubbery boot blotting out the sky overhead, and now that Sailor Pluto has thrown her lot in with the helpless citizens and festival-going children and other attendant mahou she must strive to keep that boot from squashing them all.
Sweat beads on her brow, her knees quiver -- long muscles flex -- and she holds her stance and holds her power aloft at the cost of great effort, and the boot of Majestia comes closer through a burst of falling flowers. Her lips compress to a line, then she shouts as Kasagami takes a terrible downward pummeling. "Kassie!" is all she has time for, though, because her love burns fierce and won't let even so crushing a blow keep her down long. Her heart rises again as the duelist does.
Sailor Pluto feels a twinge, even as she releases the shell of power and gathers its descending motes for a more aggressive sort of defense. People she knows worked hard on this float she's about to target with as much destructive power as will fit into a single plutonic fireball.
But she is the sort of magical girl to follow through with attacks that make her feel guilty. And so with a "Ha!" to speed it on its way, she releases the blast at Majestia, taking care to aim well away from her sword-bearing friend Mikoto and the rising cosplay samurai with the very real blade, as well as her girlfriend.
COMBAT: Sailor Pluto has used Garnet Blast on Hotaru Tomoe. COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe braces 11 Fatigue damage from Sailor Pluto's Garnet Blast, taking 9 Fatigue damage! Sailor Pluto is Psyched! Hotaru Tomoe's Block and Parry abilities activate! COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe decisively counters 15 Fatigue damage from Steven Universe's Shield Slam, taking 5 Fatigue damage! Steven Universe is Psyched! Hotaru Tomoe's Reverse and Tactician abilities activate! COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe's counterattack, Might of Majestia, interrupts, doing 0 Fatigue damage to Steven Universe! COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe partially dodges 7 Fatigue damage from Signum Yagami's Shiden Issen!, taking 27 Fatigue damage! Signum Yagami is Psyched!
<Pose Tracker> Fuu Hououji [Infinity Institute (10)] has posed.
Something was going to give, and it seems that 'something' is - first of all - the flowers which were affixed all over Majestia's form. Given her own involvement in that project, there's more than a little bit of 'all that work, *wasted*?!' in the Wind Knight's wince - but still, better the flowers (much as she hates to admit it) than the magical girls.
But the ensorcelled balloon (or possessed, or whatever's going on) is still trying to crush them. Magical girls (and boys), civilians still in harm's way, anyone or anything underneath. The Wind Knight braces as best she can against the descending force, hearing more than seeing her allies rallying against the pressure which threatens to overwhelm them - and hearing them fight spurs her on to keep resisting as well, with all the strength she can muster. And what she lacks in muscles ... she makes up for with willpower and magic.
"STORM-DANCE OF KAMAITACHI!!" she calls out, gathering the wind once more and channeling it upwards as well as around, twisting it into a slashing whirlwind worthy of the sickle-weasels of folklore. She still hasn't had enough of an opening to try bringing *her* sword to bear, the way Mikoto and Kasagami are attempting to slash or pierce Majestia's giant inflatable form - but still, this is a *balloon*, no matter what magic is at work. You'd think wind magic would have at least *some* advantages against a balloon.
COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has used Storm-Dance of Kamaitachi on Hotaru Tomoe. COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe braces 13 Fatigue damage from Fuu Hououji's Storm-Dance of Kamaitachi, taking 20 Fatigue damage! Hotaru Tomoe's Block and Parry abilities activate!
<Pose Tracker> Hotaru Tomoe [Infinity Institute (7)] has posed.
Yumi's gorgeously verdant beam of light strains, merging with Sailor Pluto's garnet blast until they're tangled and entwined like a plasma globe's rays hitting the edge of its combining sphere -- and Majestia inches closer -- Steven strains with all his might -- Fuu's wind explodes with strength -- Kasagami kicks off of her --
-- and she finally stops, and begins to move in reverse.
Right out of the way of Miroku, who plunges into the ground like a hot knife through butter, the unexpectedly fast-moving hilt nearly slipping out of Mikoto's grasp. How unusually uncooperative of it.
Signum follows up on this breath of air, and pushes Majestia up -- and up again -- and finally she goes flying with tremendous speed.
From above, she does an immense flip, pulling out of that 'superhero landing' pose, and 'lands' in midair with her hips and shoulders square, her chest thrust out proudly, the mighty golden M sparkling in the light.
The crowd is too big to move out of the way quickly and quite a few of them are just whipping out cell phones and filming the 'show'.
But when Majestia slams her fists together, creating a huge shockwave that shatters all the upper-story windows between it and the magical girls on the ground, sending deadly shards of glass rushing downwards, they start to get the idea.
Cue stampede. In Tokyo, on one of the most crowded days of the year, it's a significant threat.
OOC: Every round, there will be two peoples' worth of rescuing civilians. This round it's protecting people from shattered glass falling. Any two of you are welcome to represent this with csys attacks as normal, as long as they're appropriate to your action (a Free is fine). COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used Shockwave on Fuu Hououji. COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used Shockwave on Sailor Pluto. COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used Shockwave on Signum Yagami. COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used Shockwave on Kasagami Araki. COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used Shockwave on Steven Universe. COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used Shockwave on Mikoto Minagi. COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used Shockwave on Yumi Ohzora. COMBAT: Yumi Ohzora counters 6 Fatigue damage from Hotaru Tomoe's Shockwave, taking 19 Fatigue damage! Yumi Ohzora's Reverse and Tactician abilities activate! Diversion, Stagger, and Stun applied to Yumi Ohzora! COMBAT: Yumi Ohzora's counterattack, Witch's Mirror, partially gets through, doing 7 Fatigue damage to Hotaru Tomoe! COMBAT: Kasagami Araki perfectly dodges 25 Fatigue damage from Hotaru Tomoe's Shockwave, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Dodge! Kasagami Araki's Fade and Flash abilities activate! COMBAT: Steven Universe braces 11 Fatigue damage from Hotaru Tomoe's Shockwave, taking 16 Fatigue damage! Steven Universe's Block and Parry abilities activate! Diversion and Stun applied to Steven Universe! COMBAT: Sailor Pluto partially dodges 6 Fatigue damage from Hotaru Tomoe's Shockwave, taking 22 Fatigue damage! COMBAT: Mikoto Minagi partially dodges 5 Fatigue damage from Hotaru Tomoe's Shockwave, taking 21 Fatigue damage! Mikoto Minagi's Fade and Flash abilities activate! Stagger applied to Mikoto Minagi! COMBAT: Signum Yagami perfectly counters 27 Fatigue damage from Hotaru Tomoe's Shockwave, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Counter! Signum Yagami's Reverse and Tactician abilities activate! COMBAT: Signum Yagami's counterattack, Panzergeist, interrupts, doing 0 Fatigue damage to Hotaru Tomoe! COMBAT: Fuu Hououji perfectly dodges 27 Fatigue damage from Hotaru Tomoe's Shockwave, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Dodge! Fuu Hououji's Fade and Flash abilities activate!
<Pose Tracker> Kasagami Araki [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
"I'm fine!" Kassie offers to her beloved, just before blasts, blades, wind, and the spiraling force of Signum reaches the sky! Her boots kick off, and back she goes with a wonderful view of the Majestia floating upwards! Grin!
"Never underestimate the boots of a King!" She mutters to herself, self-satisfied.
Which fades swiftly as she careens down, flipping back over to try to make a smooth landing. This involves angling away from the remaining crowd, back to shatter her hair-knife utterly, and skidding towards a building to a stop with one knee bent down as she finally pauses.
A big deep pause, a sigh, and she looks up!
Only to spy a giant 'M' thrust out in brilliant light that's all but searing, and the float to smack her powerful hands together and have that crash of glass fall!
"Watch out!" Howls Kassie. She can't really help the crowd, still recovering from her leap as she is, but she manages to duck, dodge, and kick up the conveient trash can nearby to keep herself free from the oncoming shards, for the most part! Her final duck and roll behind a parked car has glass shards careening down, and her rose-covered back is peppered vaguely with debris as she stays down, trying to get a sense for fellow mahou and civilians alike!
Huddling behind the car, Kassie peers, and reaches into her tattered kimono. Kissing the sharp blades she pulls out, she spares a glance to Ivy and the young man holding up that shield.
"Fly true for the sake of the innocent!" She mutters, and flings them upwards at the Majestiyouma!
COMBAT: Kasagami Araki has used Thorns of the Bloody Rose on Hotaru Tomoe.
<Pose Tracker> Yumi Ohzora [Infinity Institute (11)] has posed.
Even with the fact that Majestia is still so present, still so scary, Yumi can feel nothing but relief at the fact that she starts to move the opposite way. ...Though as she does, she can't help but see a gigantic uperheroine instead of the nice, fun balloon she helped inflate, feel a drain as she sees the undoing of that afternoon.
...Also she feels incredibly exhausted when Majestia sparkles, certain that whatever happens next, it's not going to be pleasant. But before she can stop and dwell, before she can complain, before she can even look around at her allies and friends and some who are both--
"That's not good--"
There's a brief instant where she makes a design in the air, and green runes erupt before her to intercept the shockwave--but the barrier she creates breaks in moments, sending the witch stumbling back, flinching at the damage that comes through. While Mikoto worries about her, Yumi immediately imagines what the glass would do to people on the ground. There's no time to waste--relying on her staff, Yumi throws up both hands, "Destruction seeking freedom, find only bondage!" As she chants an incantation, green light erupts from the buildings that are starting to shatter, spectral vines and ivy erupting in an effort to try to hold some of the glass, force it back into the buildings proper--
Leaving Yumi in the path of what's coming herself. "Come on--!"
COMBAT: Yumi Ohzora has used Ivy Binding on Hotaru Tomoe.
<Pose Tracker> Steven Universe [Juuban Public School (6)] has posed.
It feels like his shoulder is going to dislodge at any moment! The pressure the float is exerting downward is staggering! And when it seems Steven cannot remain standing any longer and must give--
It stops.
Rather, it lessens, but to the degree compared to what it was feels like an immense weight has gone away. And it has, as the boy's allies have sent the float packing! And off it sails...!
Wait, it just stopped. Oh boy. "Go...! Go! Run!" the boy calls. People all around merely gawk and watch in awe. Some retreat, but many record the event, or find it some sort of spectacle. How wrong they are. A wave of sonic energy peals out, throwing many off their feet and in to buildings or the sidewalk painfully. Steven is no exception. He dropped his guard as Majestia went sailing.
The boy gets pitched into a group of onlookers nearby.
And then the glass and debris rains down from the upper stories of the tall buildings around. "Look out!" the boy calls, grasping with a firm hand and throwing his shield upward. Mid-sail, he makes a separating gesture with his hands, and the shield expands several times its normal size. The boy holds it in place hovering above with his hands outstretched.
"Let's get you to cover! Hurry!" he says to the people underneath the pink casted light as it shines through the shield.
COMBAT: Steven Universe has used Big Blocker on Hotaru Tomoe. COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe fails to brace Steven Universe's Big Blocker, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Steven Universe is Psyched! COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe neatly dodges 8 Fatigue damage from Yumi Ohzora's Ivy Binding, taking 2 Fatigue damage! Stun applied to Hotaru Tomoe! COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe fails to brace Kasagami Araki's Thorns of the Bloody Rose, taking 24 Fatigue damage! Blind applied to Hotaru Tomoe!
<Pose Tracker> Sailor Pluto [Infinity Institute (U)] has posed.
Garnet and green filter together and Pluto sends a nod Yumi's way. "It's good to see you again, Witch of Lost Ivy," she calls across the battlefield, and resolves to try and catch up sometime when they're not occupied with a massive haywire superhero.
Why would Majestia need to leap tall buildings when she can just shatter them so casually? The air sparkles with danger and Sailor Pluto dances as best she can, but the shards are as many as raindrops. She emerges from a tight twirl with a pained cry caged behind her lips, razor-sliced skirt folds fluttering. Ivy and Universe strive to protect the panicked crowd, and Pluto eases somewhat to know the festival-going children are in such hands.
For her part, she will see this supersized disaster driven off. Empty windows make platforms for the senshi as she ascends, bound by bound, to Majestia's level -- well, one of Majestia's many, many levels. Her final leap, one leg long and the other knee tucked high before her, carries her into the wide open air and toward the primary-colored hero gone massively wrong, with the Garnet Rod a silver whir overhead.
Just before she makes contact she brings its potent rotational force down, so that Majestia can feel the full force of her rebuffing, intending to spring off and clear after.
COMBAT: Sailor Pluto has used Pendulum Blitz on Hotaru Tomoe. COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe braces 23 Fatigue damage from Sailor Pluto's Pendulum Blitz, taking 10 Fatigue damage! Sailor Pluto is Psyched! Hotaru Tomoe's Block and Parry abilities activate!
<Pose Tracker> Mikoto Minagi [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
Here's the thing about rubber: it can be slippery. And perhaps that might not have been a problem, had Majestia stayed on her inexorable path. But she suddenly changes direction, and Mikoto yelps as all her overwhelming force sends her crashing to the earth. The red cord is almost not enough counteractive friction to keep Miroku in hand, and it is only Mikoto's iron grip which sees her crashing down beside it, landing on a knee.
She hisses out a frustrated breath from between grit teeth, tongue clicking against the back of them. Mikoto pushes herself to her feet, and sets to wrenching Miroku from the ground. But it has embedded itself so deeply, as if she had set her terrible strength to skewering the earth instead of Majestia herself.
Mikoto growls as she wrenches at her sword. It is a sound which only grows more agitated as Majestia poses, as her fists come together. She has only moments to react. If she would just leave her blade, she could get away. She does not.
A moment before the shockwave hits proper, she pulls it free, leaps away. It is an unsteady jump, made erroneous in her haste, and she hits the ground before it is done trembling. She staggers as she catches her footing, snarling up at Majestia.
As soon as she is steady on her feet again, she charges forward and springs upwards, entirely like a cat in pursuit of a bird on the wing, her sword arcing up to cleave down against Majestia's broad calf as she screams.
Mikoto isn't familiar enough with the classics to know why it's called an Achilles tendon, but if Majestia is magic now, maybe that same logic applies. It didn't work the first time - or the second - but perhaps it will the third. She has one trick, and when it doesn't work, her only solution is doing it even harder.
COMBAT: Mikoto Minagi has used Obsidian Blade: Dauntlessness on Hotaru Tomoe. COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe decisively counters 30 Fatigue damage from Mikoto Minagi's Obsidian Blade: Dauntlessness, taking 10 Fatigue damage! Mikoto Minagi is Psyched! Hotaru Tomoe's Reverse and Tactician abilities activate! COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe's counterattack, Might of Majestia, interrupts, doing 0 Fatigue damage to Mikoto Minagi!
<Pose Tracker> Fuu Hououji [Infinity Institute (10)] has posed.
For a moment, as Majestia is pushed back into the air, the Wind Knight wonders if that was actually it - but as soon as the flip begins, that fragile hope is shredded. For all Grandfather Hino's efforts, for all the love that everybody put into preparing the giant balloon for this parade, whatever dark powers animated Majestia to oppose them are still not being dispersed, dispelled, or dissuaded. And to use such a great symbol of justice and hope and goodness to do it ...
'Unfair' doesn't even *start* to come anywhere near close to it.
The shockwave erupts from the fists striking each other; windows - *far* too many windows - shatter, shards of glass cascading down onto the street and everyone in it. The Magic Knight of Wind doesn't have any way to stop all of that glass from hurting people; fortunately, some of her allies *can* - and do. She can't spare a wave or even a word to Yumi or Steven, though, instead scrambling to avoid the falling glass; somehow, she manages to avoid getting hurt by the myriad shards.
And in the wake of it ... an opening.
She finally manifests a weapon, namely her bow and quiver; the latter has barely finished forming when she pulls an arrow forth, nocking it to her bowstring and drawing back. She's almost too focused to feel the breezes that she gathers around herself, but she's fully aware of the magic as she focuses her will. And instead of shouting, she whispers with focused intent:
"Gale Arrow!"
Only with the wind gathered behind her shaft can she hope to drive the arrow into the superheroic balloon turned adversary - but gather the wind she does, and her arrow flies, accelerated and steadied and guided by the magic wrapped around it.
COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has used Gale Arrow on Hotaru Tomoe. COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe perfectly dodges 27 Fatigue damage from Fuu Hououji's Gale Arrow, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Dodge! COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has saved her current combat state for later! COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has saved her current combat state for later! COMBAT: Sailor Pluto has saved her current combat state for later! COMBAT: Steven Universe has saved his current combat state for later!
<Pose Tracker> Signum Yagami [None] has posed.
The shockwave forms and washes through the air with glorious and dreamlike leisure. (Relative to Signum, at least, who perceives things in a sharp way when she is in the 'zone' - and now, she certainly is.) In her heart, she's kind of enjoying this, and would take away the 'kind of' if this was out in some forest or industrial hell-zone where there weren't a bunch of innocents nearby.
"Panzergeist!" she declaims as the shockwave almost reaches her. Laevatein glitters and she is surrounded by a platonic solid elongated to encompass her tall body, the force rippling past her and bopping her back to bump against a building. She grits her teeth even as the field fades, and gazes down.
"People of Tokyo!" she calls. "Move with purpose!"
Hopefully that helped at least cut down the stampede factor. For this moment Signum cannot worry more than that, even as glass falls down like cold and glistening petals of snow or ice. Her head tilts forwards.
"Schlangeforme," Signum speaks. Laevatein acknowledges with a double-sparkle and she proffers the sword forwards as the blade kind of... falls apart, apparently.
"O icon of great heroine," Signum addresses. "You act not of your own will, but by those who would seek to use your image. Grant us the strength by your example that we may overcome your challenge!" (She then glances around for a moment, half-hoping for a TV camera. She is certain Hayate is watching.)
"And..."
Signum snaps up the hilt of Laevaetein. The sword, breaking up into its snakelike form, seems to suddenly sparkle to life - wrapping around like serrated wire to attempt to subject the mighty golem to the bane of many a superhero since superheroes were born: Getting tied up with a single loop around the center torso and arms!
Arrows fly. A blade as dark as Laevatein is shiningly bright is wielded. Rod - staff - shield! (Signum notes with passing approval that the witch on the ground seems to have shared her idea. Multiple binder points increase the chances of immobility.) Her eyes snap up to the vast heroine.
"Cease this!" Signum shouts, brow tightening with intensity!
COMBAT: Signum Yagami has used Schlangbaisen Schneiden on Hotaru Tomoe. COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe cleanly braces 17 Fatigue damage from Signum Yagami's Schlangbaisen Schneiden, taking 3 Fatigue damage! Hotaru Tomoe's Block and Parry abilities activate! Tangle applied to Hotaru Tomoe! COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has saved her current combat state for later! COMBAT: Mikoto Minagi has saved her current combat state for later! COMBAT: Yumi Ohzora has saved her current combat state for later! COMBAT: Signum Yagami has saved her current combat state for later!
