2020-07-03 - Arrested Development

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Arrested Development
Summary:

Natsuna Sakurada is fondly nicknamed Super Sakurada by the press; she is a legendary, high-powered, kickass woman who also happens to be Chief of the Tokyo Police. That nickname's become a little ironic lately, though, as years of crimes unmanageable by anyone but magical girls have badly tarnished her record. She's secretly a fan and ally of the magical girls who constantly make her look incompetent at her job... and has strongly suspected some of their secret identities for a long time.

Something pushes her over the edge, and Super Sakurada the Akuma is born. Born, and determined to out the identity of the magical girl she was the biggest fan of, yet also she who has embarrassed her most...

...She is the one named Sailor Moon.

Who:

Akko Kagari, Usagi Tsukino, Mami Tomoe, Michiru Kaioh, Takeo Akamizu, Rei Hino, Haruka Tenoh, Endo Naoki, Niramo Umokeshi, Fumiko Inoue, Fuu Hououji

GM: Pink Moon Stick

Where:

Tokyo Metropolitan Building, Shinjuku

OOC - IC Date:

7/3/2020 - 09-10-15


<Pose Tracker> Pink Moon Stick [Admin] has posed.
<SoundTracker> Papillon - Miraculous Ladybug OST https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9PNcZPMz5k

LATE LAST NIGHT

The call ends as abruptly as a click. No, more of a clunk. There was even the slightest ring of a hard-struck bell.

Natsuna gazes down at her cell. She marvels, briefly, at the thought that the phone on the desk of the Mayor of Tokyo is so low-tech that it would make that sound as he slammed it back into its receiver. Or, possibly, it is so hi-tech that it has a retro OPTION to punctuate his hang-ups with a digitized sound effect.

The takeaway is the same. What a pretentious asshole.

She swings her feet onto her desk, pops her hands behind her head, and broods. It turns out that the mayor -- he doesn't rate the capital M when she's alone with her thoughts -- doesn't still have to be on the line for his rage to bark in her ears.

She has a headache.

"Kaitou Jeanne stole her fiftieth painting tonight! What an anniversary! Meanwhile some jewel thieves were dumped at the precinct all wrapped up with a pretty pink bow!"

Don't those two kind of... balance each other out?

"Your tenure has made a mockery out of my police force!"

'His' police force. Crime is down, under her leadership, a trendline that goes through more than one mayor. Or, well, unsolved crime is down. Explainable crime is down. Mysterious incidents are way up, it's true.

"Three years ago children still played cops and robbers! Now my streets are filled with kids in skirts declaiming love and justice! No one wants to be Super Sakurada! They all want to grow up to be Super Moon!"

Sailor Moon...

She closes her eyes.

"This has gone on long enough! You're a miserable excuse for a Superintendent General! Your record of bringing in these vigilantes is a BIG FAT ZERO! Either bring one of them to justice tomorrow... or bring me your resignation instead."

Natsuna slams her fist on her desk so hard that the cell phone screen in it cracks. She leaves it behind as she spins off her chair and strides furiously across her office to an empty wall.

*click*

No ringing undertone this time, just a hidden button. The wall flips, revealing a cross between a fan shrine and a murder board. Push-pins and yarn and pictures, many of them selfies with posing (or blurrily escaping) figures beside her. Also, not a few crane game plushies, hung gently, hung with pride. All manner of magical girls are represented here.

She's been their biggest fan for years.

Natsuna gazes at her collection, feeling hot tears gather in her throat. "I won't do it," she whispers hoarsely. "I can't."

But in her heart of hearts, she knows that isn't true.

She could.

She hasn't made a particularly careful study of the secret identities of the magical girls of Tokyo. Why not?

Because it is difficult in the same way that so many incidents have become inexplicable, and because she feels a certain professional courtesy, and because... she hasn't really wanted to. But... she's been their mostly-unseen, mostly-forgotten colleague for so long. And they are, mostly, children, and not terribly clever or careful children at that.

She has her suspicions. Not for everyone, but... for a few.

Especially her favorite. Over the years, THAT contemplation has been indulgent rather than investigative. It's so impossible. What a juxtaposition. Silly, really, to even consider.

She traces a well-manicured finger along the plushy of Sailor Moon's tiara. Then she removes it. Removes herself, letting the wall flip back to its plain side.

Resignation... the most prominent female authority figure in Japan -- one of the most famous, an icon, in some ways, though she's tried to get the press to calm down. But even if it makes her uncomfortable, it doesn't make it untrue. The female Chief of Police resigning in disgrace will be letting down thousands of little girls, to whom she too is a symbol. Doesn't she have a duty to them, also?

Slipping a hand into her jacket pocket, she takes out her badge and gazes at it.

"I can't," she repeats, but she isn't sure which she can't do anymore. She can't expose a magical girl. She can't let the whole world down by resigning. Both. Rage at being put in this position washes over her, hot red rage, competing with black black bleakness. "It... it isn't fair."

Her fingernails bite into the leather surrounding metal she still spit-shines proudly every night.

It ISN'T fair. All these years she's cleaned up after the magical girls, supported them from the shadows, filed dump trucks worth of paperwork more or less on their oblivious behalf, and every night they get to go home and sleep in their beds, unaccountable to the mayor, the people of Tokyo... probably not even their parents. Meanwhile, she is ridiculed beneath the spotlight. Day after day after day after day.

Somewhere along this line of thought, her inner voice became a man's. Sonorous. Commanding... capable. Like she used to be. Like she deserves to be...

"You deferred every dream for this one," she tells herself... he tells her. "The first female Superintendent General of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police... tirelessly working to protect her city... you deserve respect. Accolade. Honor!"

She can't see the office anymore. She's only seeing red. Certainly she can't see a violently violet moth landing on her badge.

"It's too late," she growls. "I've made my choice."

With every flutter of its fragile wings, she feels everything so much more intensely. Fear and fury. Righteous rage, and hideous hatred. It's building and building, and soon she's going to explode...

"Your choice... to protect them at your own expense... surely you know what they call you, around the Mayor's office."

She does know. "Loser Sakurada," she rasps out. A bitter tear fights its way out of her eye -- unthinkable here, in the office, the seat of her power, of all police power in Tokyo. A place where tears would deal a fatally feminine blow to the position she had to render herself all but sexless to achieve. It burns her skin as it drips down her cheek.

"But you don't have to be," he reassures her, crooning in a fatherly tone. "Choose yourself for once in your life, Natsuna."

This is not the first time she's been given that advice. Her mother, her sister, her partner -- back when she was in the position to have a partner on the force. Various other would-be romantic partners, usually right before their relationship fell apart. Her therapist. It rings uncomfortably with the kind of truth that only wisdom can bring.

"Choose yourself... and I can give you the power to fix everything. You get your life back, and all you have to do is force your greatest ally and greatest enemy to face the mirror the same way you have, every single day, all this time. And then the Mayor will have to call you by your proper title again..."

Suddenly a terrible clarity snaps into place. And the moth dissolves into the badge.

"Super Sakurada," she agrees, and now they speak with a single voice.

---

TODAY -- A WHILE AGO

It is almost comically straightforward to make the grab. The only element of challenge comes from her target's beau, who has suspicious eyes. Suspicious of the world, alert to all threats. TOO suspicious for a boy his age... which makes HER suspicious.

In the end it's too difficult to separate them. She doesn't have all day. So, she simply takes them both. One moment, a boy and a girl are enjoying a stroll through the park.

The next, their arms are pinned at their waists by gigantic metal handcuffs -- one cuff per person, connected between them by a heavy chain.

And a moment after that, they're both unconscious.

"You're under arrest," growls Super Sakurada, "Usagi Tsukino. And... whoever you are."

---

NOW

Late afternoon.

Not EVERY screen in Tokyo is filled with this image, as it isn't a hijacked signal, but rather the biggest news of the day -- but most of them are. We interrupt your regular programming to bring you this special report, and all of that. The press were even invited, though they're being kept at a distance, down at ground level... the live feed from the close-up camera is HERS.

It is trained squarely on the cell which hangs in midair, strung between the twin towers of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building like a fly in a spider's web. The bars are too heavy too break, and too narrow to slip through, but more than wide enough for their contents to be clearly visible to a sufficiently tightly framed shot.

The camera sweeps across them -- Usagi Tsukino and Haruka Tenoh -- then tightens further, to an ultra-super-close-up of Usagi alone. One that follows her, wherever she goes within the metal box. Not that there's much of anywhere to go.

"Bear witness, Tokyo!" Super Sakurada yells through a patrol officer-style megaphone, from her perch below them, in midair. She can fly now, apparently. Her everyday business suit has transformed into a fusion of militaristic and heroic aesthetics, the internal struggle of her heart writ large, now, upon her once strong -- now mighty -- frame; the harsh lines of a police dress uniform paired with a cloak that belongs on Majestia's shoulders, only it's emblazoned, on the back, with Japan's own Rising Sun. "Your days of venerating heroines of mystery are numbered! How can someone claim to stand for justice when they evade responsibility for their actions at every turn! Today, I will unmask no less a figure than... Sailor Moon!"

The giant cuffs binding Usagi and Haruka fade out of existence, leaving them free to act... though not free to leave. No mere mortal is going to be able to escape that magical cell. And even if they did... they're suspended high, high in the air. Even the thirty-second floor is dizzyingly far below them, let alone the proper ground.

Super Sakurada glares up at them -- at her. Natsuna's face is almost unrecognizable, twisted as it is by a mixture of rage and grief. Mostly rage, at this point.

"Go on," she orders. "Save yourself."

COMBAT: Pink Moon Stick transforms into Super Sakurada!
<Pose Tracker> Akko Kagari [Infinity Institute (10)] has posed.

"YaaaaaAAAAAAAAAH!"

There is a blur of purple and green and pale, polished white through the air. It soars down like a rocket from a broom, flying high in the air, and there is a certain intent to its movement. A certain intensity, a stunning grace, and--

--oh, no, it's a sixteen year-old girl falling feet over butt through the air, one hand slammed down onto her witch's hat, and screaming up at the wide-eyed, glasses-wearing girl on the broom. "Lotteeeeeee!" Akko Kagari whines. "I LIED! I CAN'T FLY WITHOUT A BROOM! I CAN'T FLY WITHOUT A BROOOOOOOOOM!"

She drops down towards Super Sakarada, feet kicking in the air, and the Shiny Rod -- the key to ancient sorceries, sought by many for centuries -- is clutched to her chest like a teddy bear. Lotte looks down, blinking her eyes.

She considers, for a moment, then wails: "G-Good luck, Akko!"

"Waaaaah!"

The witch slams down into the ground in front of Super Sakurada. She hits in a three point stance. Those three points are her jaw, her left shoulder, and her left knee. She sproings up, then lands on her butt, and points the Shiny Rod at Super Sakurada. Light gleams off the tip of the polished wood, gleaming an aquamarine and briefly becoming a cross.

"I'm not going to let you get away with unmasking someone! That's just--oogh, hey, does anyone else get a bit dizzy after that?" She jabs the Shiny Rod at her, and then she tries to stand up. "Ow, ow, ow--okay--okay, I just need a minute, hold your horses for like 30 seconds--"

COMBAT: Akko Kagari has used Just Gimme a Breather on Pink Moon Stick.
<Pose Tracker> Usagi Tsukino [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.


"This is the first time you've seen me in my summer uniform - ne?" Usagi strolls besides Haruka Tenoh. Her posture hunched like she is having trouble looking directly at him, hands conjoined around her schoolbag.

She's currently wearing the Juuban soft button down blouse, sans the vest, and blue-green plaid skirt. "Don't you think it makes me look more dignified?"

Usagi tries to steal a glance at his eyes. But it is so difficult... if she looks directly at him. He'll know she's looking directly at them. And then maybe he'll just know, that she's trying to discern the identity of the Moonlight Knight.

"That much... more mature..."

As she continues to try to imply it, without outright saying it, what she wants.

Out of the corner of her eye though, she notes that Haruka isn't... looking at something. Curious, since it almost always seems like he's paying attention to her, she finds herself asking.

"Hmm... what are you looking at Haru-?"

Usagi Tsukino is most certainly looking at him, which is why she is completely oblivious until the moment of contact when the metal ring of the handcuffs encircles her arms and waist. "AH-HUAH!?"

Her school bag drops to the ground, and a first year high school girl slumps into unconsciousness within the confines of its restraint.

-=-=-

Usagi Tsukino slowly drowses awake, in a daze. The first thing she sees is the blue of the skyline, and the glass of skyscrapers. Raising up her chin over her shoulder, the next thing she sees is a glimpse of Haruka's face, as she mumbles, "Ah ya..." A drowsy titter, "...I'm flying with Haruka-san."

Usagi allows her eyes to close again, as if she were simply content with this, as a giggle escapes her lips, "You're holding me so tightly..." She half-complains, suddenly squirming within her handcuff. "... it's too much."

Then suddenly her eyes flare open, as Usagi looks down down through the bars of the cage. A squeak of alarm as her legs suddenly press against the bars and her small form just presses up hard against her fellow cell mate.

"W-What's going on!? Why are we so high up!?"

The megaphone draws her attention, immediately. "I-Is that?"

Certainly Usagi remembers Natsuna Sakurada, and not just from the time she accepted the key to the city...

... like this though? Her dread only grows

As she listens though, her alarm is dialed up to an eleven, as she vilifies those who evade responsibility, and promises to unmask no less than...

"WHAT?!"

The handcuffs come free, and in the void space of not having that feeling like something is holding her, she feels even more vulnerable suspended this high up. The flooring little more than metal slats that allows her to see her doom that much more clearly, so many stories below. Without the safety net of being transformed, she has a distinct feeling of vertigo.

With the speed of fear, she's clinging to Haruka instead, pressing herself up against his strong back.

"I-I'm sorry! I accept responsibility! Please forgive me! I confess-"

BGM Change: Pursuit(Caught) - Ace Attorney OST - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wP1DJ_D4chA

The girl begins to sob immediately

"-I ate the last slice of cake in the refrigerator! Even though Mama said it was for Chibi-Usa-chan! I didn't start my summer homework until the last day of the break - and got none of it done! And I was tardy a lot of days last term because I kept hitting snooze on my alarm! And... I went into Rei-chan's room and read so much of her manga without asking permission! AND- AND-"

Her voice hiccups, before it picks up into a low pitched whine, "-ONE TIME I THINK I WENT THROUGH A TURNSTILE WITHOUT PAYING!"

She's genuinely uncertain on that last one. That time is all fuzzy to her. She just thinks a friend took both of them through one once while she was upset.

Wait...

Is it possible she's genuinely confused about what kind of responsibility Sailor Moon needs to take? Or is this just a girl who is understandably terrified at being suspended so high up and unable to produce what Super Sakurada wants? Either way she certainly seems sincere enough in her contrition...

"PLEASE DON'T THROW ME IN PRISON!"


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

The biggest news of the day. Mami Tomoe spotted it on her patrol, through a screen, and her eyes widened in alarm. In that moment, she could've been any number of girls surprised at the news; who would expect something like this? But she disappeared from that crowd, stepping to the back of those watching a screen and spiriting herself away into an alley.

Unmasking Sailor Moon, of all people--

Golden drills lift in an unseen wind as golden light surrounds a seemingly ordinary girl in an alley. Golden eyes stare forward, into necessity--and ribbons start to bloom.

-=-=-

"I can't let you do that!"

A voice cuts across the distance, a girl in blonde stepping out from a rooftop at which she pauses, to stare up seriously at Super Sakurada. "Some justice can only be found in the shadows! If Sailor Moon were really here, and you really unmasked her--what would happen? Her enemies--"

Akko happens. Mami pauses. She pauses, and notices Usagi stirring, and hears her... speaking. Yes, speaking. That's the word.

"See!?" Mami says, recovering herself. "That girl you've caught is terrified!"

...Mami knows Usagi entirely too well to think she's faking...

"Let them go!"

Mami has no weapons out at the moment, just a pointing hand out, and her black-and-yellow-and-white magical attire on, the flower hatpin gleaming gloriously.

COMBAT: Fuu Hououji transforms into Wind Knight!
COMBAT: Mami Tomoe transforms into Puella Mami!
COMBAT: Niramo Umokeshi transforms into Sourisi!
COMBAT: Michiru Kaioh transforms into Sailor Neptune!
<Pose Tracker> Sailor Neptune [Infinity Institute (12)] has posed.

"Thirty seconds? Alright."

Who said that?

Sailor Neptune. She steps one pace past Akko with a click of the heel and gazes upon that towering figure, resplendent. Crisp.

How did she get here?

NEARBY, an emergency exit door quietly clicks shut.

"Sakurada-san," says Sailor Neptune. "No - Superintendent-General. I wish to speak to you on one of the matters of which you have spoken."

RESPONSIBILITY.

"You have borne a great burden upon your shoulders... and it must seem that there are others who do not do so, yet act freely, without restraint or limitation. Even if we may tell ourselves that every one holds their own story..." Neptune's arms fold, loosely, and her head tilts forwards, just a little, her eyes lidding. "It is with ourselves that we must endure."

"And yet," says Sailor Neptune. Her head lifts upwards. "You have protected this city, the greatest in a precious world. You have stood for the law, and for justice. And so, Superintendent General! I will ask you, on behalf of the new age!"

Her voice raises upwards. "Of what do you accuse these two? Is justice only a cloak like the one round your shoulders, to be cast off when it becomes too difficult and too burdensome? You have taken this upon yourself - and you have discharged it beautifully."

Neptune straightens upwards. "If that burden is too great -- then you have the right to set it down! But by what right do you have to terrify this young girl, this callow youth? By what right do you say to every growing heart within this city, this nation, this world: When responsibility grows to be too much... simply discard it! Do whatever you want!"

Her left hand curls into a loose fist. "On behalf of a new age, I cannot allow this. Let them loose! Set the burdens aside if you must - but do not cast them in the mire. You do not have the right to injure the future thus!"

<Pose Tracker> Takeo Akamizu [Ohtori Academy (12)] has posed.

Takeo was doing what he normally does at this particular time of day. He's pre-eating. That is, he is eating a snack of dubious quality before he makes his way to some form of delicious, at least to him, dinner. He is in the process of tossing a frito into his mouth when he walks past a television that is broadcasting the scene. He casually walks past giving it no mind, nearly oblivious really.

That is until a small rabbit pokes out of his backpack, grabs his ear and points vehemently at the television.

"OW!" Takeo says rubbing at his ear and then glaring at Merlin. "Ya know. I still wish you were a horse."

Merlin folds his bunny arms and taps a bunny foot before pointing, with an ear, at the television.

Sighing, Takeo tosses another frito into his mouth and looks at the Television. He listens to the officer in charge make her declaration and tilts his head. "Oh. Well. Snap crackers. Why didn't you say so Merlin?"

Wishing, not for the first time even today, that he could shrug off Morgana's curse and talk (More likely yell), Merlin bunny facepalms and gestures to the TV again.

Right. I guess it's time to Armor up." Takeo says and upends the whole bag of frito's into his mouth.

A quick transformation later, and soon the scene where others arriving, and one Usagi and Haruka are being held is visited by none other than the Chevalier, Lancelot. He slides to a stop atop Sparkles, who then rears as he points a finger to the Police Chief. "Stop!" He cries the woman. "You've got the wrong girl Chief! I know this girl, and lemme tell you, she eats waaaaaaay too many donuts to be Sailor Moon!" he nods sagely, remembering the last time they shared a box of donuts. Or rather, she ate the donuts and he enjoyed .... One. "So! Let her go! The evidence speaks for itself!"

He nods sagely and says quietly to Sparkles, "There. Ya see. Solved without fighting and deductive reasoning."

Sparkles rolls her eyes and blows a tuft of her main out of her eye.

<Pose Tracker> Rei Hino [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.

From somewhere, over the course of hours, a transmission...

> Usagi, you have to tell me ALL ABOUT IT!

> I'm stuck here cleaning the back room all afternoon I demand every. Detail.

> Don't hold out on me!!!

> Usagi?

> Are you still busy or something??

> Hey, is everything okay?

There's another message she's typing on her phone the next time she gets a moment to visit it, brushing her broad miko sleeves back so she can actually type, but --

BREAKING NEWS, her phone declares.

The broom in her other hand clatters to the ground - and she's out of the shrine office before Yuuichiro can even ask whether she's okay.

-=-=-

"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!"

Atop a well-maintained city streetlight, suddenly there is Sailor Mars, one knee curled up and a hand pointing straight at the woman with a rising-sun cape. "You're a defender of justice! How can you justify holding innocent youth in a cage just to make them answer for these things which bother you so much?!"

A hand splays out, towards the quailing Usagi: "Look at her! She's one of those people we save, Sakurada-san!" This is not -- strictly speaking -- a lie. "You -- and I -- we are defenders of justice in this city! Are you so dissatisfied with our part that you would turn around and terrorise our schoolmates for some paltry revenge..?!"

"In the name of Mars - I'll chastise you!"

COMBAT: Rei Hino transforms into Sailor Mars!
COMBAT: Sailor Mars has used In The Name Of Mars! on Pink Moon Stick.
COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu transforms into Chevalier Knight Lancelot!
COMBAT: Pink Moon Stick perfectly dodges 0 Fatigue damage from Akko Kagari's Just Gimme a Breather, taking 0 Fatigue damage!
Critical Dodge!  Pink Moon Stick's Fade and Flash abilities activate!
COMBAT: Pink Moon Stick braces 0 Fatigue damage from Sailor Mars's In The Name Of Mars!, taking 0 Fatigue damage!  Sailor Mars is
Psyched!  Pink Moon Stick's Block and Parry abilities activate!  Pink Moon Stick is Taunted!
COMBAT: Akko Kagari transforms into Shiny Akko!
<Pose Tracker> Haruka Tenoh [Infinity Institute (12)] has posed.

"You know, I was thinking you'd grown a centimeter," Haruka agrees amiably. "Maybe it's just the uniform."

He's in a summery outfit himself today. The black sport jacket and white dress shirt combination is conventional enough in theory, but the lapels on the former are unusually narrow, and the deeply unbuttoned mandarin collar contributes to the casual mood of the attire. The pants are grey with a subtle monochrome plaid, and the choice of simple black sneakers in lieu of dress shoes trades 'elegant' for 'hip'.

"Say, Odango," Haruka begins. "You're acting a little strange today. Is there something you--" That's where he cuts off, just barely noticing the danger before Usagi.

The giant cuff pinches his arms to his side, and Haruka's arms reflexively strain at it. Not to break it; to reach inside his jacket.

One of the reasons Haruka likes to wear jackets is that she likes to be able to carry around her transformation pen without people wondering if she's happy to see them. It's a sin for a track star to wear loose pants. And purses don't really fit her aesthetic, so...

"Damn it," Haruka complains faintly, his elbows locked against his sides, unable to bend them more than a few inches. In two stages he drops, first to his knees, and then right over onto his side.

-=-=-

Haruka awoke before Usagi; maybe his larger body metabolizes dark magic faster, who knows. He stares with those sharp eyes at the new and not improved Super Sakurada, back to back with his much smaller fellow captive. When Usagi starts talking about flying with him, he assumes she's awake now.

"It's not exactly flying," he says grimly. "Be careful what you say, you're on--"

Usagi's fantasy continues, and Haruka realizes he's talking to nobody awake. He sighs in resignation.

As the cuffs drop away, Haruka takes a step to catch his balance, lifts a fist to the level of his chest and rubs at that arm to restore circulation. He never took his gaze away from Super Sakurada. He's cool, after all. And it's starting to click for him that he was just collateral damage. Anybody with Usagi at the time would have gotten the other cuff.

"You really--" he begins to reply derisively, but Usagi suddenly glomps onto him, causing his eyes to bulge mid-heroic banter as the sudden shift in weight gently tilts the cage and nearly causes Haruka to lose his footing on the bars. He grabs the ceiling bars with one hand and exhales with relief.

Eyes shifting to look behind himself at the girl clinging to the back of his jacket, Haruka grows increasingly amused at the string of confessions.

"Do you get it now?" he calls down. Reaching back to rotate Usagi around to hold onto his side so she's more visible he jerks his head at her. "Sailor Moon isn't here."

Usagi feels Haruka's hand crush her shoulder meaningfully at that comment.

"Just don't do anything," he says under his breath. "They're all here, see?" He smiles in particular to see Mami Tomoe, his old foe.

Looking down to Sailor Neptune, he gives a Gallic sort of shrug. What's he supposed to do?, his eyes say? He didn't lock himself in a cage with another girl.

<Pose Tracker> Endo Naoki [Juuban Public School (12)] has posed.

Super Sakurada and Akko are not the only people who are discovering the wonders of flight.

There is also Endo Naoki, who flies now. The knight emerges from the skyline of Tokyo, rising from the earth in a streak of purple light that heads toward the Tokyo Metropolitan Building. He slows as he approaches the airspace that Sakurada occupies, unwilling and wary of pressing any further.

"Hey!" He calls, his voice joining the rest shouting out in protest. "Isn't this a little too much?"

Endo's eyes slant toward the boy and girl and the cage-the latter who appears to be quite distressed by her predicament. Usagi Tsukino, he decides, probably agrees that this is excessive.

"This isn't justice!" Endo continues, "You can't just put people in the sky!" The boy shrugs his sword from his shoulder with a wobble, leveling it at the woman hovering above once he's steadied again. "Set them free!"

COMBAT: Endo Naoki transforms into Barrier Jacket Zerstörer!
<Pose Tracker> Sourisi [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.

Shortly after the airwaves of most major news networks started to report upon the suspended cage squarely in Shinjuku, a masked heroine is quickly making her way across the rooftops towards the Metropolitan Government Building. A frown is deeply etched on her face as she thinks about the three victims of all this.

Not only was one of those in the airborne prison known to Sourisi, but there's also the Akuma Villian who made the cage in the first place. A fatherly detective speaks occasionally of all the good work that Natsuna has done for Tokyo, and for La Papillon to be able to reach out to her and twist Natsuna's desires?

It shows just how far his power can reach.


Sourisi's boots kick off the pavement as she reaches grounds of the twin towers, catching up to the other magical defenders of Tokyo who have come to the defense of one accused to be Sailor Moon. The idea of Usagi Tsukino being Sailor Moon being laughable. Usagi is sweet yet...something of a klutz while the Pretty Soldier of the Moon is known for her grand speeches!

"I really think you're going really ahead of the process here, Superintendent-san! A televisied trial is only good for ratings, not true justice. Besides that, you're endangering innocent lives doing this. Isn't the police supposed to protect the public?" Sourisi points a gloved hand towards Super Natsuna, trying to appeal towards the woman has been an inspiration for her father.

Maybe reasoning can reach through her magically clouded judgement?

COMBAT: Fumiko Inoue transforms into Serpentina Ruse!
COMBAT: Sourisi has used Beseech the Police on Pink Moon Stick.
<Pose Tracker> Serpentina Ruse [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.

This just in: an Akuma is trying to reveal the identity of Sailor Moon by harming innocent civilians that she somehow mistook for her. In other news, a snakelike Magical Girl has (hopefully not) been seen hopping from rooftop to rooftop and gliding like Mary Poppins using a parasol! "Of all the..." she grumbles, "...how could it come to something like this? Is everybody really that vulnerable? Is that how easily we're corrupted? Super Sakurada falling victim and making more victims?"

Serpentina Ruse finally arrives, but stays mostly in the shadows. It does not look like her fight - other Magical girls are here, more capable ones, and they have already made their speeches - but... She scans the area for Ladybug. If she's not here, Serpentina may have to track down the Akumatizing butterfly afterwards. Then she glances Sourisi, nodding to her if Sourisi can see her. Maybe everything is handled after all. Still, backup is nice to have, right?

<Pose Tracker> Fuu Hououji [Infinity Institute (10)] has posed.

For all that the Magic Knight of Wind has been fairly unguarded with her own identity (her enemies already knew who she was and how to find her in any case), she's learned to respect that plenty of magical girls have Good Reasons to keep their civilian names separated from their magical personae. So when word gets around that Super Sakurada, famed head of the Tokyo police force, is on TV and threatening to unmask Sailor Moon? That's not something Fuu can ignore - not out of her own long-held curiosity about who the other girl actually is, but out of respect for that secrecy.

Rather than landing atop a street light (Sailor Mars stuck that landing better than she could, and picked the absolute best one for the purpose to boot), the Magic Knight of Wind alights on the roof of a bus shelter, a subtle updraft whittling some speed away from her descent so that the impact won't break anything. And while the Wind Knight does produce her bow and quiver, even going so far as to nock an arrow - she does not attack.

"Chief Sakurada," she calls out, "this isn't you. This isn't who you should be, who you want to be. It's true that we magical girls keep our identities secret, but so many of us *need to* - Sailor Moon among them. Even if you had the right girl up in that cage, forcing her to reveal herself ... *that* is a crime in its own right."

COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has used Gentle Chiding on Pink Moon Stick.
COMBAT: Pink Moon Stick dodges 0 Fatigue damage from Fuu Hououji's Gentle Chiding, taking 0 Fatigue damage!  Critical Hit!  Pink
Moon Stick is Quipped!  Pink Moon Stick's Fade and Flash abilities activate!
COMBAT: Pink Moon Stick braces 0 Fatigue damage from Sourisi's Beseech the Police, taking 0 Fatigue damage!  Pink Moon Stick is
Quipped!  Pink Moon Stick's Block and Parry abilities activate!
<Pose Tracker> Pink Moon Stick [Admin] has posed.

The press start running chyrons like

SUPER SAKURADA SNAPPED! POLICE CHIEF HOLDING TERRIFIED SCHOOLGIRL HOSTAGE

so Usagi's tears, crocodile or otherwise, may be getting her some cover. Sakurada's camera, however, is relentless in its pursuit of her, and follows her across the cell, until the shot contains her tearful face AND Haruka's chest, which she is crying upon.

Sakurada herself has long marveled at the juxtaposition between Usagi and Sailor Moon, and is prepared for this reaction. Her rage is unmoved.

"You're quite capable of escaping from this situation, Sailor Moon... don't drag it out to gain sympathy!"

But her defenders, as they arrive, make some excellent points. In particular, Sailor Mars' -- that Usagi is one of the people they SAVE, and Sourisi's -- that lives (innocent or not) are being put in danger. Deep within, her tormented heart wavers. (Akko does, indeed, have time to get up.)

Regrettably, Akumatization does not so easily loosen its grip upon its victims, once the process is complete. With every heartbeat, fury spikes within her.

"How dare you judge me!" she shouts back at Mami and Fuu. "You think I, and other officers, don't have enemies? We protect one another -- and we will protect you as well!"

Her eyes narrow at Sailor Neptune. "I'm under orders from the Mayor. You seem like someone who understands duty... so don't talk to me about 'simply discarding things' when they become unbearable. Nothing about this is simple or easy. The real world never is."

At last Super Sakurada blurs forward, and the space between her and Mami Tomoe vanishes in an instant. Along the way, she pulled a nightstick from beneath her cape. Now, she brings it down...

...with a light tap on Mami's left shoulder...

"You!"

...then the right shoulder, faster than thought...

"Are hereby!"

...then the top of Mami's head...

"Deputized!"

...oh no.

Mami's outfit mostly stays as it is, but its yellow transforms to blue. Also, a matching police cap replaces her ordinary beret (complete with floral hatpin, now placed centrally above the sharply angled brim, rather than at the side), and a golden police deputy badge sprouts on her chest, right over her heart.

And although she's still very much Mami Tomoe, everyone else (except, of course, for Superintendent-General Sakurada) is suddenly, in her eyes, a criminal. A criminal in the midst of committing the most serious crime of an attempted jailbreak. And criminals... must be stopped.

Super Sakurada isn't done; zipping like a pinball of justice between victims, she gets Endo next (blue hat, blue raiment, gold badge), then Lancelot (blue hat right on top of his great helm, his silver-blue armor stays the same, gold badge pops out over his heart).

By the time she's done, the odds have gotten a lot more even. Or, all things considered, even worse than that...

But she's got more: pulling a pair of cuffs out, she flings it at Sailors Mars and Neptune. It engorges massively as it approaches them, until -- as occurred to Haruka and Usagi, earlier today -- falling over them like twin lassos. Twin lassos that will bind them together, connected by a few heavy links in between. A quick reaction, however, will save their arms from being pinned to their sides, when the cuffs tighten, then lock. The main difference between this situation and wearing a belt, mobility-wise, is the 'being attached to someone else' part.

Actually -- she pulled out THREE pairs of cuffs. Serpentina Ruse (shadows or no; evidently she's been spotted) and Sourisi, plus Akko and Fuu, will shortly find themselves cuffed together in pairs as well.

"You're all under arrest until this is over!" Super Sakurada declares. "If you won't save yourself, Sailor Moon, maybe you'll save your friends!"

COMBAT: Pink Moon Stick has used Deputized! on Mami Tomoe.
COMBAT: Pink Moon Stick has used Deputized! on Endo Naoki.
COMBAT: Pink Moon Stick has used Deputized! on Lancelot.
COMBAT: Pink Moon Stick has used Cuffed Together on Sailor Mars.
COMBAT: Pink Moon Stick has used Cuffed Together on Sailor Neptune.
COMBAT: Pink Moon Stick has used Cuffed Together on Akko Kagari.
COMBAT: Pink Moon Stick has used Cuffed Together on Fuu Hououji.
COMBAT: Pink Moon Stick has used Cuffed Together on Sourisi.
COMBAT: Pink Moon Stick has used Cuffed Together on Serpentina Ruse.
COMBAT: Akko Kagari cleanly braces 11 Fatigue damage from Pink Moon Stick's Cuffed Together, taking 2 Fatigue damage!  Akko Kagari
is Quipped!  Akko Kagari's Block and Parry abilities activate!  Tangle applied to Akko Kagari!
COMBAT: Lancelot has adjusted his boss levels. He is now ready to take on 2 opponents!
COMBAT: Sourisi braces 7 Fatigue damage from Pink Moon Stick's Cuffed Together, taking 6 Fatigue damage!  Critical Hit!  Sourisi
is Quipped!  Tangle and Trap applied to Sourisi!
COMBAT: Lancelot accepts Pink Moon Stick's Deputized!, taking 0 Fatigue damage!  Critical Hit!  Lancelot is Cheered!  Blind
applied to Lancelot!
COMBAT: Mami Tomoe has adjusted her boss levels. She is now ready to take on 2 opponents!
COMBAT: Mami Tomoe accepts Pink Moon Stick's Deputized!, taking 0 Fatigue damage!  Critical Hit!  
COMBAT: Serpentina Ruse dodges 6 Fatigue damage from Pink Moon Stick's Cuffed Together, taking 9 Fatigue damage!  Critical Hit!
Serpentina Ruse is Quipped!  Serpentina Ruse's Fade and Flash abilities activate!  Tangle applied to Serpentina Ruse!
COMBAT: Endo Naoki accepts Pink Moon Stick's Deputized!, taking 0 Fatigue damage!  Blind and Diversion applied to Endo Naoki!  
COMBAT: Endo Naoki has adjusted his boss levels. He is now ready to take on 2 opponents!
COMBAT: Fuu Hououji counters 5 Fatigue damage from Pink Moon Stick's Cuffed Together, taking 5 Fatigue damage!  Fuu Hououji is
Quipped!  Tangle and Trap applied to Fuu Hououji!
COMBAT: Fuu Hououji's counterattack, Trick Arrow Shot, partially gets through, doing 9 Fatigue damage to Pink Moon Stick!  
COMBAT: Sailor Mars counters 6 Fatigue damage from Pink Moon Stick's Cuffed Together, taking 6 Fatigue damage!  Critical Hit!
Sailor Mars is Quipped!  Sailor Mars's Reverse and Tactician abilities activate!  Tangle and Trap applied to Sailor Mars!
COMBAT: Sailor Mars's counterattack, Searing Serpent, partially gets through, doing 14 Fatigue damage to Pink Moon Stick!  
COMBAT: Sailor Neptune fails to brace Pink Moon Stick's Cuffed Together, taking 12 Fatigue damage!  Critical Hit!  Sailor Neptune
is Quipped!  Tangle and Trap applied to Sailor Neptune!
<Pose Tracker> Lancelot [Ohtori Academy (12)] has posed.

Lancelot blinks a few times at Super Sakurada's speed. As he is deputized he slides off Sparkle's back and shakes his head and then slowly turns toward the collection of Magical girls. He then rolls his shoulders and starts to walk toward Sailors Mars and Neptune. "You heard the Chief ladies." he holds out his hands to the side and twin bolts of lightning flash from the sky toward them. As if it was nothing, he snatches the bolts of lightning out of the air creating twin cracks of thunder. The lightning solidiefies into the gleaming white blades of the Demon's bane; Arondight. He snaps them to the side and then rushes forward.

As he closes in he points with the left blade at Neptune and cries out; "LIGHTNING BLAST!" Then leaps and double slashes the bright white blades at Sailor Mars with a cry of; "LIGHTNING SLASH!" The blades crackling with pure blinding lightning. He slides to the side, the blades leaving a trail of electricity in their wake and the boy crouches. He looks right at the two Sailor Scouts, and tenses, prapred to leap at them again, lightning crackling and bursting around him...

COMBAT: Lancelot has used Lightning Slash on Sailor Mars.
COMBAT: Lancelot has used Lightning Blast on Sailor Neptune.
<Pose Tracker> Mami Tomoe [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.

Mami keeps her eyes on Sakurada. She might have said a good bit more to that idea, that the police might protect them too--but before Mmi can respond, can address the 'real world' she mentions to Sailor Neptune...

Blur. Tap. "Wh--"

Deputized! Mami is now in blue, and her hat changes. Her badge appears. And as she looks round, she begins to frown at those assembled and present, stern. Her chin lifts. Her hat keeps the perfect angle of its brim even as she turns to regard the field. "Criminals..."

Mami looks down over Akko and Fuu, handcuffed together, and has an impassive kind of expression, a glint in her golden eyes. "Speaking of crimes," she says, "Jailbreak is a serious offense! I won't stand for such lawlessness in my city!"

Mami throws out her hand at Akko and a set of ribbons bursts into being to go right at her arms and face, "You'd be less dizzy if you sat down!"

To Fuu, however, the blonde jumps. She just leaps right off the building, and as she falls, guns manifest ahead of her, a semi-circle of golden glory that fires straight for Fuu--or rather, straight for her feet. It won't hit anything too important...

If Fuu moves quickly, anyway.

COMBAT: Mami Tomoe has used Velare on Akko Kagari.
COMBAT: Mami Tomoe has used Tiro Circle on Fuu Hououji.
COMBAT: Akko Kagari fails to dodge Mami Tomoe's Velare, taking 15 Fatigue damage!  Mami Tomoe is Psyched!  Blind applied to Akko
Kagari!
COMBAT: Fuu Hououji braces 21 Fatigue damage from Mami Tomoe's Tiro Circle, taking 9 Fatigue damage!  Fuu Hououji's Block and
Parry abilities activate!
<Pose Tracker> Endo Naoki [Juuban Public School (12)] has posed.

Bop, bop, bop. Endo doesn't have time to react as Super Sakurada's nightstick when it touches down, not even to raise a hand in defense.

When he rises again he is DEUPTY ENDO, more blue than purple, and equipped with an authoritative cap. Also still with a giant sword, which wobbles indecisively in the air-until he swipes it decisively to point at the magical girls on the ground below.

"Stop right there!" He calls, seized by a sudden change of heart. "Trying to break these hardened, heartless criminals out of jail!?" Isn't that too much!?" In particular the pair of Sourisi and Serpentina Ruse has earned his ire (due to their IMMENSE GUILT), and Endo begins to descend toward the street and the two former allies.

The first swing of his weapon sends a dozen baseball-sized spheres of light streaking out from the blade, a dozen tiny meteors that preceed his arrival. They cut through the air, homing in on the two magical girls below and crashing into the ground in a shower of miniature explosions around Sourisi.

Endo finishes his descend after, dropping to the ground with a swing of his sword toward Serpentina.

"Surrender now or you're going to jail--in the sky!"

COMBAT: Sailor Neptune fails to dodge Lancelot's Lightning Blast, taking 26 Fatigue damage!  Critical Hit!  Lancelot is Psyched!
COMBAT: Endo Naoki has used Asteroid Eilen on Sourisi.
COMBAT: Endo Naoki has used Blauverschiebung on Serpentina Ruse.
COMBAT: Sourisi braces 28 Fatigue damage from Endo Naoki's Asteroid Eilen, taking 23 Fatigue damage!  
COMBAT: Serpentina Ruse perfectly counters 37 Fatigue damage from Endo Naoki's Blauverschiebung, taking 0 Fatigue damage!
Critical Counter!  Serpentina Ruse's Reverse ability activates!
COMBAT: Serpentina Ruse's counterattack, Cobra's Hood, interrupts, doing 0 Fatigue damage to Endo Naoki!  
COMBAT: Sailor Mars fails to dodge Lancelot's Lightning Slash, taking 22 Fatigue damage!  
<Pose Tracker> Akko Kagari [Infinity Institute (10)] has posed.

Akko blinks once at Usagi Tsukino. Then, her expression screws up, and she says: "Um... I think you're not supposed to confess or people realize you did something you shouldn't have! That's how you get away with crimes, like the time I wrote 'DIANA WUZ HERE' underneath the missing cherry tarts in Infinity's cafeteria!"

Somewhere, Ursula Callistis's eyebrow twitches. She has her work cut out for her.

Her eyes turn towards Mami, then to the others. She sighs with relief, then she finishes standing up. Her knee creaks a little. And then she looks back over her shoulder, peering at the people who suddenly get turned into police. Akko's eyebrow twitches. "H-HEY! That's not nice! You--WAAAGH--"

A handcuff slams into her, and sticks her to the Wind Knight. She looks at her, then looks back at her. "Uh--"

She only really half-caught that Mami got hit by something. As a result, she is rather surprised to seeing a blue-garbed Puella Magi, and sending ribbons at her. They catch her, wrapping around her arms and legs, and she makes a face. "Aaah, no, I'm not a Christmas present! That's not faaaair!"

She does, however, have the Shiny Rod gripped. She thrusts it out towards Mami -- and then there is a brilliant blue glow. Then, one of the air conditioning units on the side of the building is covered in that glow. It lifts up -- yanks away from the piping, which sends water spraying out every which way -- and hurtles towards the Puella Magi's side.

"C'mon, you gotta snap out of it!" Akko yells at her.

COMBAT: Akko Kagari has used Time to Cool Off on Mami Tomoe.
<Pose Tracker> Usagi Tsukino [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.


Super Sakurada demands that she not drag this out, and Usagi looks quite distressed. The reality is that she thinks Super Sakurada is simply accusing Sailor Moon of being a bad role model for her many offenses. Yet it's clear that she wants her to transform. And Usagi is about to give just to prevent anyone from getting hurt.

Haruka's hand squeezes her shoulder, she can feel the strength in those fingers. It's insistent, and Usagi just finds herself recomposing herself under the weight of that urging. Brought to the side, her eyes look up at Haruka and it's clear she's about to say 'But-!' It's like she's accepted the jig is up. The law has her, even if the law has been Akumatized.

The word is never said though, because Haruka murmurs at her. "I..." And Usagi finds herself looking at Mami, at Mars, at Shiny Akko...

Denying who she is. Defending her identity. Saying they won't allow her to be unmasked. Though Akko's comment on her not confessing briefly causes her expression to grow abstracted, like 'You know that's a good point.'

Usagi's admiration over Michiru's speech gets a ??? at the word callow, though she says everything else about responsibility so elegantly that she decides it must mean good things.

Then Lancelot causes her mouth to separate in an expression of discontent anger. Her eyebrows narrowing. A vein bulging. She's about to bleat out any number of indignant responses about how much she eats.

Yet Sourisi and the Magic Knight of Wind bring her back to a more relaxed state. "I get it." She murmurs back quietly. "I won't act rashly."

Before she then increases her volume, "Everyone...! Please... save me!"

Even if she's scared for herself. And scared for them, she seems content to leave it to so many people that she admires.

That idea goes wrong so quickly though, as suddenly one... two... three, they become her deputies. "Wait - no - stop! Mami-san please don't listen to her! They're not criminals at all!" And then handcuffs the others together. "No! If you do that then-!"

And all of it is just to bait her into transforming. Usagi's eyes sparkle, remembering the Dark Kingdom. How many plots were undertaken where other people got hurt just because they were after her - or the Legendary Silver Crystal?

"Please! I don't know why the Mayor is ordering you to do this but..."

Usagi doesn't know what she's feeling at first seeing Super Sakurada and her Deputies other than distress over the situation. Yet there's another feeling tugging at her, welling up as she sees Super Sakurada forcing Mami, Endo, and Lancelot to fight at her side.

"... is... is this what you really want?"

It's a question that's asked with no small amount of sadness. Right now, she needs to put her cheek against Haruka's shoulder just to have the strength to not transform immediately. "I never thought... it'd be so hard... to do nothing."

She takes a few long moments trying to find the strength to keep doing nothing, trying her best to feel strong in this situation before opening her eyes and calling out, "Sailor Mars-! I know what I said before but... don't worry about me! Just..."

She hesitates.

"... save them." One might think she's referring only to the deputies, but it isn't long before she adds, "Save her too."


<Pose Tracker> Usagi Tsukino [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.


Super Sakurada demands that she not drag this out, and Usagi looks quite distressed. The reality is that she thinks Super Sakurada is simply accusing Sailor Moon of being a bad role model for her many offenses. Yet it's clear that she wants her to transform. And Usagi is about to give just to prevent anyone from getting hurt.

Haruka's hand squeezes her shoulder, she can feel the strength in those fingers. It's insistent, and Usagi just finds herself recomposing herself under the weight of that urging. Brought to the side, her eyes look up at Haruka and it's clear she's about to say 'But-!' It's like she's accepted the jig is up. The law has her, even if the law has been Akumatized.

The word is never said though, because Haruka murmurs at her. "I..." And Usagi finds herself looking at Mami, at Mars, at Shiny Akko...

Denying who she is. Defending her identity. Saying they won't allow her to be unmasked. Though Akko's comment on her not confessing briefly causes her expression to grow abstracted, like 'You know that's a good point.'

Usagi's admiration over Michiru's speech gets a ??? at the word callow, though she says everything else about responsibility so elegantly that she decides it must mean good things.

Then Lancelot causes her mouth to separate in an expression of discontent anger. Her eyebrows narrowing. A vein bulging. She's about to bleat out any number of indignant responses about how much she eats.

Yet Sourisi and the Magic Knight of Wind bring her back to a more relaxed state. "I get it." She murmurs back quietly. "I won't act rashly."

Before she then increases her volume, "Everyone...! Please... save me!"

Even if she's scared for herself. And scared for them, she seems content to leave it to so many people that she admires.

That idea goes wrong so quickly though, as suddenly one... two... three, they become her deputies. "Wait - no - stop! Mami-san please don't listen to her! They're not criminals at all!" And then handcuffs the others together. "No! If you do that then-!"

And all of it is just to bait her into transforming. Usagi's eyes sparkle, remembering the Dark Kingdom. How many plots were undertaken where other people got hurt just because they were after her - or the Legendary Silver Crystal?

"Please! I don't know why the Mayor is ordering you to do this but..."

Usagi doesn't know what she's feeling at first seeing Super Sakurada and her Deputies other than distress over the situation. Yet there's another feeling tugging at her, welling up as she sees Super Sakurada forcing Mami, Endo, and Lancelot to fight at her side.

"... is... is this what you really want?"

It's a question that's asked with no small amount of sadness. Right now, she needs to put her cheek against Haruka's shoulder just to have the strength to not transform immediately. "I never thought... it'd be so hard... to do nothing."

She takes a few long moments trying to find the strength to keep doing nothing, trying her best to feel strong in this situation before opening her eyes and calling out, "Sailor Mars-! I know what I said before but... don't worry about me! Just..."

She hesitates.

"... save them." One might think she's referring only to the deputies, but it isn't long before she adds, "Save her too."


COMBAT: Usagi Tsukino has used Save them Mars-chan! on Sailor Mars.
COMBAT: Sailor Mars accepts Usagi Tsukino's Save them Mars-chan!, taking 0 Fatigue damage!  Sailor Mars is Cheered!  
<Pose Tracker> Sourisi [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.

If any of her words manages to break through to Natsuna inside the guise of Super Sakurada, she sure doesn't show any of it. Even thought Sourisi suspects that would happen, she had to try! Feeling that diplomacy isn't going to be an option as long as Natsuna is under the power of the Akuma, Sourisi nods once towards Serpentina's position in the shadows and reaches for her tonfa.

In that split second of confirmation, Super Sakurada has managed to reach out into their midsts and...wait, why were they wearing police hats?

Distracted by the change in uniforms for Sir Lancelot, Endo and Mami, Sourisi can only raise her arms up in time to avoid being completely bound by the massive handcuffs. These cuffs are not novelty toys, as the weight and magical power they exude drag Sourisi along for the ride as the second half flies to catch Serpentina Ruse in their grasp as well. The Miraculous Ninja takes one look between the heavy chain and her friend before a teasing smile comes to her lips. "I didn't think chain gangs were still a thing..."

The massive cuff is annoying to reach around, but Sourisi pulls her tonfa free of their clasps on instinct as Endo points his sword towards the chained duo. "H-hardened?! Endo, they're innocent, what are you-AAH!"

Raised tonfa manage to block the tiny orb that flew straight at her, but it doesn't save her from the other explosions that rain around her. Stinging from the assault, she glares at Endo as he attacks Serpentina from underneath her domino mask. "I been to jail miles higher than Sky Jail already and I have no desire to go back!" Whatever Super Sakurada did to Endo seems to have brainwashed him into thinking he was actually a cop! How are they going to-

A flash of sunlight gleaming off a golden badge gives Sourisi an idea. A desperate one, but it might work. "Slithery, see if we can break or get that badge away from him. A badge is a sign of a police officer's authority!" Sourisi steps forward to assault Endo with her tonfa...and is yanked back as she reaches the full length of the bodycuff chain, jostling Serpentina. "Ack!"

COMBAT: Sourisi has used Mouse Flurry on Endo Naoki.
<Pose Tracker> Fuu Hououji [Infinity Institute (10)] has posed.

"Jailbreak?!" exclaims the Wind Knight as Mami calls out that accusation. "The only time I've been in jail was because of the Gems on that ship, and --"

Movement distracts her, and the green-clad Magic Knight swiftly lets an arrow fly - but it doesn't do much more than skim off the flying handcuffs, and a moment later, the impact has knocked her off the bus shelter, winding up next to Akko - and cuffed together with her. "Oof ... are you all right, witch-san?" asks the Wind Knight, getting back to her feet as best she can.

And then they're under attack *again*. Mami clearly has no care for the Wind Knight's protests, and while the Wind Knight could *probably* jump away from the fusillade, that would take a measure of coordination with her cuffmate, the witch with the Shiny Rod - coordination for which they don't have time. All the green-clad Magic Knight can do is grit her teeth and endure the hits.

Well. That's almost true; she can also size up Mami, and go through what she knows about the Puella Magi. Which ... isn't honestly all that much, and besides, the Wind Knight still hates to think of bringing magic or weapon to bear against a fellow magical girl. At the moment, though, there doesn't seem much to do about it, except to minimize the damage.

"My apologies, Mami-san ... Winds of Admonishment!" calls out the green-clad Magic Knight, raising her left arm and focusing her will, trying to entrap Mami (or at least slow her down) within a conjured, tightly-focused whirlwind. Mami's seen this spell how many times, though? - and given Fuu's reluctance, it may be easier than usual to defeat it.

COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has used Winds of Admonishment on Mami Tomoe.
<Pose Tracker> Sailor Neptune [Infinity Institute (12)] has posed.

Sailor Neptune sees that shrug. Her left eyebrow raises exactly two centimeters -- and a moment later, her foresight is overcome by the raw force and speed of Super Sakurada's chains!

For a moment even Sailor Neptune's famed reserve is disturbed. Her incredulous look transfers down the chain to Sailor Mars, and she tells her frankly, "We have to get this off. If the mayor of the city--"

Sailor Neptune looks down to where she has been bound in conjunction with Mars, as if the dreams of a new age will relentlessly lead to war, conflict, and high engagement on social media. The cuff is sitting on her hips and is unfortunately narrow enough to sit at a rakish angle but not be easy to simply shimmy out of.

A moment later, there is a surge of lightning that smashes into her hard enough to make her cry out, if in a choked way - and even sink to one knee, her head turning to look towards Lancelot, newly deputized. "Tsk..!" Her tensing legs suggest that she was about to leap, but realized, before the attempt, that she would simply have a Mars-sized weight affixed to her.

And to this, Sailor Neptune spreads her arms. One hand goes towards Mars.

The other reaches towards Lancelot. "Is this what chivalry has become in this day and age?" she asks. It is a rhetorical question, because her answer is "Dolphin Wave!"

Not an argument, Neptune! -- Oh; the surging, leaping arising wave of sea water, as if from nothing, flicking and gamboling as it aims to soak the knight of lightning with salt water and, hopefully, short out his ambitions of law enforcement.

("How unfortunate," Neptune murmurs to Mars. "Usually they're not this clever.")

COMBAT: Sailor Neptune has used Dolphin Wave on Lancelot.
COMBAT: Lancelot braces 23 Fatigue damage from Sailor Neptune's Dolphin Wave, taking 34 Fatigue damage!  Lancelot's Block and
Parry abilities activate!
COMBAT: Mami Tomoe braces 11 Fatigue damage from Akko Kagari's Time to Cool Off, taking 9 Fatigue damage!  Akko Kagari is Psyched!
Mami Tomoe's Parry ability activates!
COMBAT: Mami Tomoe dodges 10 Fatigue damage from Fuu Hououji's Winds of Admonishment, taking 15 Fatigue damage!  Critical Hit!
Fuu Hououji is Psyched!  Mami Tomoe's Fade and Flash abilities activate!  Cripple and Trap applied to Mami Tomoe!
COMBAT: Endo Naoki braces 13 Fatigue damage from Sourisi's Mouse Flurry, taking 11 Fatigue damage!  Sourisi is Psyched!  Endo
Naoki's Block and Parry abilities activate!
<Pose Tracker> Serpentina Ruse [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.

Things go from bad to worse. Not only is one person Serpentina thought was uncorruptable now under the influence of Le Papillon, but now three of her allies are police officers trying to arrest her other allies! Luckily, nobody knows she's here. Hopefully, nobody knows she's here. Maybe... nobody knows she's here?

They know she's here.

A handcuff-and-friend-shaped projectile heads straight for her, and being caught off-guard, she cannot dodge in time as the giant handcuff captures around her waist! "Gah... no! This isn't..."

% But before despair can kick in, Sourisi makes a joke about the situation. "Nooo, bestie~" Serpentina replies overly sweetly. "This is just us being close friends! We ARE practically inseperable!"

The jokes don't last long though, as Officer Endo attacks both of them. She quickly brings forth her parasol and opens it just before the sword collides with it. "Wh-whoa! That's... a sword! You can't arrest someone by swinging a sword at them! You could hurt someone! You're one of the heroes! And... what crime have we supposedly committed? Think... we arrived together to stop an Akuma from hurting and imprisoning innocents. Remember? You have neither read us our rights nor said what crime we are being charged with. If you were a real officer you would have! And no real officer threatens SKY JAIL!" Serpentina can't help herself but blather on, but at least she is hopefully making SOME good points?

<Pose Tracker> Sailor Mars [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.

"Do you think we don't have enemies?! Open your eyes, Sakurada-san! You've been tricked by our enemies, don't you see?!" This isn't the first time Sailor Mars has faced down Akumatised foes, apparently, though it's never a pleasant experience. Because, under that fury...

Natsuna Sakurada, the loyal head of the force...

... probably one of the few people associated with governing the city Rei actually can stand...

She's under orders, but before Mars can think to argue, she's forward in a flash -- to Mami Tomoe. "Don't!" She calls, too late, as blue floods yellow but for that shining deputy badge. Again, and again -- the boys, too --

-- and then they're under arrest.

"Searing Serpent!" Mars issues retort, hand to face-level and palm flat as she turns in revolution and sends the curling lasso of flame coursing back towards Super Sakurada. The snake bites through the cuffs -- they pass each other -- the flame curls around her, but it is more ephremal, even if it is bright as a star.

The cuffs, on the other hand, crash in to land on the Senshi, and it's a good thing magic metal doesn't heat the way normal metal does. Her hands up for the attack, they manage to avoid getting caught in the ring -- but it catches about her waist, like a ridiculously oversized belt. "Ah! Sailor Neptune--!!"

Of course, Sailor Mars doesn't know this isn't the first time they've had to work together recently; that's just not how this works. But even if the Outer Senshi are distant from them, they're still all Senshi -- working together should work just fine. Pushing down on the cuffs, it's clear she's not getting out that easily. "... we'll just have to stick together!"

Lancelot comes for them, though, and Mars frowns. "Lancelot-kun, this isn't like you!" Mind, Sailor Mars doesn't know that much about what Lancelot is really about, but -- look. he's a knight, how complicated could it be. "You -- ahh!"

Her first instinct when a SWORD IS COMING AT HER is to GET OUT OF THE WAY OF THAT SWORD, and in a manner which would be comical if not for the frank fact that her ally is striking her down with a powerful set of blades, the chain of the cuffs cracks taut and Sailor Mars lands right on her chin.

... luckily, that means the crackling energy of the lightning blades slashes over her instead of into her, but the electricity still leaves her a little seared.

"Rrrgh," mutters Sailor Mars, flat on her face, who is all a sudden Not Having A Great Day even taking Usagi's perilous situation out of the picture. (It's not out of the picture. That's still a factor. It's still THE factor. Just, there's a boy who has too many swords between her and fixing that issue.)

But she's not facing down this new rival alone, and Sailor Neptune's hand appears in her sphere of vision, and Mars takes it, standing tall again. "Thank you," she asides, brushing herself down more as a reflex than anything. It's telling, perhaps, that when she looks back to Lancelot, her gaze skips up, higher --

Her hand, mid-brush, curls at her heart instead. "Usagi..."

Don't worry about Usagi Tsukino.

Don't worry about Usagi Tsukino.

Usagi may as well have asked fire not to burn or salt water not to be a poor evening's drink; regardless she hears the worry behind her own plea, and her hand curls to a fist. "Leave it to me!" She calls up, and snaps her attention back to ground level.

("Akuma really do seem smarter than the usual fare," she asides, to Neptune, all tactics on the battlefield. "I don't really know the details, but I think it has something to do with ensorcelling people." She'd have to ask Sourisi or Ladybug for the details, but...)

But can Sailor Mars really get through to them -- and to Super Sakurada...?

Well.

Taking an ofuda in hand, she invokes Acala with a deep and sonorous chant: "No-maku Samanda Bazara da Senda Makaroshada Sowataya um Tarata Kanman..."

She pulls her hands together, and purifying flame sparks -- and lances through that ofuda, to spread its wings as a great, vast phoenix, holy and true. Its heat washes over Lancelot in a wave -- before the phoenix soars up, to crash its full force into Super Sakurada!

"If you're so concerned about the identity of Sailor Moon," issues Sailor Mars, up to the policewoman-in-chief: "THEN COME DOWN HERE AND TAKE IT UP WITH THE GREAT SAILOR MARS!"

COMBAT: Sailor Mars has used Fire Soul Bird on Lancelot.
COMBAT: Sailor Mars has used Fire Soul Bird on Pink Moon Stick.
COMBAT: Serpentina Ruse has used Ramble On on Endo Naoki.
COMBAT: Pink Moon Stick cleanly braces 23 Fatigue damage from Sailor Mars's Fire Soul Bird, taking 4 Fatigue damage!  Pink Moon
Stick's Block and Parry abilities activate!
COMBAT: Lancelot fails to dodge Sailor Mars's Fire Soul Bird, taking 29 Fatigue damage!  Critical Hit!  
<Pose Tracker> Haruka Tenoh [Infinity Institute (12)] has posed.

"Never mind that guy," Haruka says breezily, noticing Usagi's throbbing forehead vein in the wake of Lancelot's commentary. "You'd be surprised how many shapes and sizes a girl can come in and still become a Sailor Senshi."

The initial situation seemed under control. As long as Usagi could control her do-gooder nature for a little while, Sakurada would be defeated and cleansed... this was quite an assemblage of magical talent, after all. But when the deputies assume their duties, Haruka feels a sinking sensation in her stomach.

Things don't look great. The remaining 'civilian' magical girls are all cuffed together. And Tomoe just had to be one of the deputies, huh? She's so formidable. Then Endo, one of the few Chevaliers that could stand up to Mikoto's dark blade. Lancelot she knows less well, but she's seen his bladework. And electricity against water...

But as Neptune dumps the water on him and turns its conductivity into a liability for her foe instead of herself, Haruka grins. Never good to underestimate Michiru.

"They can handle it," he tells Usagi, and himself. He feels the outline of his transformation pen against the corner of his ribs, pressed there by Usagi's weight. "...if you transform," he decides aloud for both of them in a whisper, "you're not fighting her. You're giving up."

He looks down at Usagi with those bladed sky-blue eyes. "The whole city will know who you are," he whispers, hiding his lips with a hand just in case the camera moves there. "And every enemy you have, too. You and Chibi-Usa won't ever be safe again."

COMBAT: Endo Naoki braces 0 Fatigue damage from Serpentina Ruse's Ramble On, taking 0 Fatigue damage!  Endo Naoki is Quipped!
Endo Naoki's Block and Parry abilities activate!
<Pose Tracker> Pink Moon Stick [Admin] has posed.

Usagi's voice rings down from on high, in SKY JAIL.

'Please! I don't know why the Mayor is ordering you to do this but... is... is this what you really want?'

Super Sakurada pauses, midstride -- she was presumably about to support the ongoing suppression effort -- and stares up at the cage and the girl within it. She slips a hand into the pocket of her uniform pants, as though searching it for comfort.

"Of course I don't," she calls back, much more sadly than angrily. "The mayor's embarrassed by magical girls, he thinks their victories detract from the credibility of the police, but... you know I've never felt that way."

And then Fire Soul Bird crashes into her from behind. The superheroic cloak is mighty -- perhaps, as the external signature of Natsuna's own inner nobility, it shields her more from Sailor Mars' sacred flames than it would have otherwise. She is little more than singed, and does not turn around.

But... her other hand clenches more tightly around her nightstick. Then her whole body shudders, rage amping up within her along with the voice of Papillon.

<< FOCUS, SUPER SAKURADA! >>

That brief lucidity is erased in an instant. Her muscles tense -- especially the ones in her face, becoming a rictus of frustration.

"FINE! You think your friends can save themselves? They'll be too busy doing so to save you..."

Ripping her hand out of her pocket, she gestures broadly with her open palm. Where it passes over the cage, bars disappear like she's a kid with a toy eraser.

Super Sakurada knows Sailor Moon. She knows her real well. Besides which, Sailor Mars has just ably demonstrated the point.

The way to a senshi's heart is through their loved ones.

...r boyfriend!"

The corner that Haruka was crushed into simply ceases to be, both sides and floor, while leaving the bars supporting Usagi's weight intact.

<SoundTracker> Pure Heart Crystal (only, you know, not) - Sailor Moon S OST https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVKolCf7pzM

<Pose Tracker> Lancelot [Ohtori Academy (12)] has posed.

Water slams into Lancelot in the form of a Dolphin, the Lightning arcing through and over his armor as he is soaked. But then he's slammed by a burning Phoenix, boiling some of the water away in a flash of steam. Lancelot lays there unmoving for a moment. A heartbeat, no more than two. Then he rolls to his feet. "Think this is the first time I've battled a Water Witch?" He says.

In French.

"I am Lancelot du Lac. The Knight of the 'lake'." He squares his shoulders, and slams both swords, lengthwise together pointed at the hand cuffed girls. "And you're both under arrest!" All that crackling lightning in the water that snaps and cracks around him, is suddenly drawn up into him, and swirls around the knight's arms becoming more and more visible as tendrils of whipping and snapping electricity. "Let's see how you handle a stream yourself witch!" Then with a crack of thunder that splits air between him, Sailor Mars and Sailor Neptune, he cries out; "LIGHTNING STREAM!!!"

COMBAT: Lancelot has used Lightning Stream on Sailor Mars.
COMBAT: Lancelot has used Lightning Stream on Sailor Neptune.
COMBAT: Sailor Neptune perfectly dodges 32 Fatigue damage from Lancelot's Lightning Stream, taking 0 Fatigue damage!  Critical
Dodge!
COMBAT: Sailor Mars partially dodges 7 Fatigue damage from Lancelot's Lightning Stream, taking 28 Fatigue damage!  Sailor Mars's
Fade and Flash abilities activate!
<Pose Tracker> Mami Tomoe [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.

Blue, for the record, looks great on Mami. It just really complements something about her.

"You shouldn't say such suspicious things!" Mami tells Akko of her crime advice. Her Crimevice.

But it wasn't nice, and it isn't nice. Mami catches Akko, and she says, "Oh, but you are! You're going right in there with them next!"

"Jailbreak!" Mami confirms to Fuu. "And it's about to be time number two, then!" She indeed has no cre for protests; she fires, though carefully, but that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt. And as it turns out, Mami knows this attack of Fuu's very well, but--

She does not usually watch it performed while she's taking an AC unit to the side. The Shiny Rod's magical projectile slams into Mami who turns to cross her arms to brace against it, and while she's taking care of that Fuu's Winds of Admonishment swirl her up and send her backwards a long ways.

But as she catches her feet on the ground, landing in a crouch, Mami looks up again. Her beautiful golden badge shines in the light as she rises to her ordinary height once again, perhaps not an imposing height... but it's not her height that's key. "Hup--" Mami spins forward. "Clever trick," she tells Akko, "But not clever enough!" Extending her hand, Mami is abrubtly holding another rifle. She fires it, and steps forwrad with another, and fires that one too. Blam, blam, blam. She goes for shoulders, for long sleeves, for the space at feet--

Before she puts out one more hand and snps her fingers, a set of ribbons moving to entangle Fuu and, if possible, tie her right up literally with a bow.

"If you're going to apologize, don't do it in the first place!" Mami grumps at her.

She is still a little slower, a little off-balance, thanks to the wind.

COMBAT: Mami Tomoe has used Tiro Flourish on Akko Kagari.
COMBAT: Mami Tomoe has used Legare on Fuu Hououji.
COMBAT: Akko Kagari decisively counters 21 Fatigue damage from Mami Tomoe's Tiro Flourish, taking 7 Fatigue damage!  Mami Tomoe is
Psyched!  Akko Kagari's Reverse and Tactician abilities activate!
COMBAT: Akko Kagari's counterattack, Metamorphie Faciesse!, interrupts, doing 0 Fatigue damage to Mami Tomoe!  
COMBAT: Fuu Hououji fails to dodge Mami Tomoe's Legare, taking 13 Fatigue damage!  Exhausted, Tangle, and Trap applied to Fuu
Hououji!
<Pose Tracker> Endo Naoki [Juuban Public School (12)] has posed.

Endo's blade rises to clash against Sourisi's tonfa, though the force of the blow drives him backward, setting the knight off balance and staggering back a few steps. He raises the blade once again-and stops.

Serpentina's words echo in his ears for a moment, and he makes a slow, careful nod. "Aaah, that's a good point." Endo frowns. "That a criminal would make, when they were trying to commit a crime! Like jail breaking!"

The boy puffs out his chest, golden badge gleaming. "You can't fool me, an officer of the law!"

With some space between him and the proclaimed lawbreakers, Endo raises a palm. A Belkan symbol forms in front of him, a huge violet triangle that whirls to life and pulses with energy.

<KETTE BINDEN.>

From inside of the triangle erupt a dozen lines of energy, dark chains that rush outward and seek to bind and manacle the two Miraculous users even further.

COMBAT: Endo Naoki has used Kette Binden on Sourisi.
COMBAT: Endo Naoki has used Kette Binden on Serpentina Ruse.
COMBAT: Sourisi decisively counters 9 Fatigue damage from Endo Naoki's Kette Binden, taking 3 Fatigue damage!  Sourisi is Quipped!
Cripple and Trap applied to Sourisi!
COMBAT: Sourisi's counterattack, Squeak Spiral, fails to get through, doing 0 Fatigue damage to Endo Naoki!  
<Pose Tracker> Usagi Tsukino [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.


"Oh!" Usagi finds herself blushing at Haruka's remark. Unable to adequately respond to it other than a soft giggle of pleasure.

Though it's not long before Haruka is reassuring her. And Usagi blinks her eyes. It's not as if she isn't aware already, but it drives the point home. That suddenly Esmeraude, and Eudial might be knocking on the door of her home tomorrow. She pales at the thought of her family being endangered simply because she was so indiscrete.

Kenji, Ikuko, and Shingo are people who have been entirely kept in the dark of her magical life. Suddenly her family is involved, and not just involved, endangered. And Chibi-Usa's location given away to the Black Moon Can in the process.

"No-! I don't want that..." Usagi answers Haruka, while burying her face into his arm. Relaxing only when Sailor Mars tells her to leave it to her.

She knows she can count on her.

Taking comfort and solace in the fact that she's not alone in her trials and tribulations, she slowly lifts her chin, her blue eyes searching Haruka's expression, her lips slightly parted.

As Super Sakurada shouts at her, Usagi clings all the more to Haruka. "Haruka-san... things are... really scary right now... and... I just- I just need to know. Are you the..."

You'd think Usagi were entirely prepared for what was going to happen next. Given what happened to Tuxedo Kamen. And yet, she's caught entirely off-guard(Even moreso at Haruka being called her boyfriend.)

"....the Moonli-AAAA!"

It takes her entirely off guard. Haruka's weight shifts downwards and takes her arms with her until he begins to slide out. And suddenly she lurches to cling to it all the more tightly. Instead only just managing to reach for both of his arms.

Her foot lashing out to catch the toe of her shoes between the bars to brace herself.

"Hnnnnghhh!"

Now... Usagi is not physically strong. Not in any real way. When it comes to being able to hold the tall, muscular Senshi up, it's no contest. She's already crying from the strain of it, her fingers beginning to slip, her skinny little arms tremulous. "Nu-No! NO!" It's only a matter of seconds before her strength fails her.

... but she's not counting on her strength...

"Ha-Haruka... puh-pull yourself... UPppPP...!"

Her other foot lashes out, her toes trying to find the gap, her other ankle buckling. There's an audible pop, and one isn't certain if it's her shoulder or her ankle. "AaaaAAAAAA-!" She had tried to clench her teeth, but her pain is just palpable.

Sucking in a breath, Usagi tries to put on a brave face. It's hard. As a crybaby, she's especially sensitive to pain. "Don't... don't... worry about hurting... me..."

Even crying, she tries her best to put a brave face on for the guy that tells her that even a girl of her shape and size, can become a Sailor Senshi. It's what she needs to hear right now... instead of those thoughts of her wishing that she had Makoto Kino's strength for even just this moment.


COMBAT: Serpentina Ruse fails to dodge Endo Naoki's Kette Binden, taking 11 Fatigue damage!  Serpentina Ruse is Quipped!  Cripple
and Trap applied to Serpentina Ruse!
<Pose Tracker> Akko Kagari [Infinity Institute (10)] has posed.

"Whaaa, I wasn't seeking constructive criticism!" Akko whines. "Am I even getting graded while being a magical girl...?"

Somewhere, Ursula Callistis rubs her temples. She really has her work cut out for her.

Her eyes widen as a rifle is aimed at her. The shots fire, all of them coming in towards Akko. One slices a cowlick off her head, a few brown strands of hair flying up and drifting down, and then there is a puff of light as Akko cries out: "Metamorphie FACIESSE!"

And she is suddenly out of the handcuff around her waist, having turned into a small brown mouse with big ears and the same big, red eyes that Akko Kagari has. She drops down to the ground, running forward. She bolts underneath Mami's feet, and then she cries out again, with a tiny voice:

"Metamorphie Faciesse!"

And there is another puff.

And then Mami finds herself propelled upward unless she moves fast, for Akko's form swells into that of a gigant pink elephant. Which, promptly, trumpets loudly.

COMBAT: Akko Kagari has used Magical Mishaps on Mami Tomoe.
<Pose Tracker> Sailor Mars [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.

Sailor Mars surely fixes the problem..!

No, wait, that's... what's another word for fixing the problem which means the opposite of fixing the problem.

"Haruka-san!" Mars calls, only for her attention to be called back down by -- well, she's not sure what, really. Lancelot is speaking some strange foreign language -- it's probably not English, or if it is she's really slipping behind in that class -- but whatever it is, he sounds mad.

She at least understands 'LIGHTNING STREAM', and following Sailor Neptune's lead, Sailor Mars leaps away. She's a little slower, of course; her heels get a little toasted by electricity.

She hops back and forth on them for a moment as she comes to a stop, but it's fine, never mind her under-breath "ow-w-w-w-w".

Looking up to Sakurada, the disappearing cage, Lancelot between them...

"Sailor Neptune! We can't get distracted!" Sailor Mars snaps, to her, glancing aside to her fellow Senshi. She is young but she is war, waged on a hundred battlefields; she can speak in this arena. "If we don't snap Sakurada-san out of it, we'll just end up fighting everyone-!!"

She'll trust Sailor Neptune, then, to make sure Lancelot doesn't cut her down, as she makes the nine cuts over another ofuda: "Rin, Pyou, Tou, Sha, Kai, Jin, Retsu, Zai, Zen!"

And, with her help, leaping up, her wrist flashing out as she flings the sacred slip right for Super Sakurada's face -- "EVIL, BEGONE!"

... Sailor Mars has not thought so far as to wonder what will happen to the midair cage if she actually does manage to dispel the sorceries around Sakurada.

All she's thinking about is the way she can hear Usagi crying in pain, up there. And if their allies keep fighting them, eventually someone is bound to get hurt, and... she said she'd take care of it.

She just has to hope Sailor Neptune can keep her from getting cut down in the process.

COMBAT: Sailor Mars has used Evil, Begone! on Pink Moon Stick.
COMBAT: Pink Moon Stick dodges 32 Fatigue damage from Sailor Mars's Evil, Begone!, taking 21 Fatigue damage!  Pink Moon Stick's
Fade and Flash abilities activate!  Exhausted applied to Pink Moon Stick!
<Pose Tracker> Sailor Neptune [Infinity Institute (12)] has posed.

The words of Super Sakurada ring with sadness, with sorrow, with sirenically saturnine strength. The mayor, Neptune thinks: the mayor is -

Embarrassed?

EMBARRASSED? thinks Neptune.

Internally this is a furious feeling, like the shifting of a titanic subabyssal ridge. (Externally, she frowns somewhat harder.) The feeling passes - Sailor Neptune is too elegant, perhaps, or simply too focused, to grasp such a feeling and cling to it. But it is, for a moment, the source of strength, focus, and agility.

'to save you............r boyfriend'

Ah, there it is. It's back again.

Sailor Neptune answers Lancelot in a low and heated voice. And in French. "<You don't have any authority here, you fool, you absolute imbecile, you are under an enchantment. I refuse to participate in this farce of banter for you in these moments!>" As the lightning crackles in water towards her, Sailor Neptune raises her hand and swings it to the side, contemptuously hurling it as if it were a hill of water to be poured upon--

-- And her eyes cut to the side. There is a moment of agony in them as she hears Mars's exhortation. It is the truth underlaying the anger. It is terror. Terror and duty. The moment passes as she says, "Right!" and then, leaning forwards, waiting - dreadful seconds! Agony in the base of her spine and in her heart - before the chant is finished.

"Follow my lead," she tells Mars, and then she places her faith in her, because Neptune bursts into a sprint directly at Lancelot. Three yards short she leaps upwards, bringing her feet upwards to drive sea-green pumps at his torso as she leans 'forwards' relative to her legs - thence, to push -

No, to leap! Upwards, towards the desperate duo! Sailor Neptune's head snaps back to look at Haruka at the last moment. Perhaps it is the weakness that will be her downfall -- but surely Lancelot would understand such sentiments, were he in his right mind.

COMBAT: Sailor Neptune has used Calculated Dissonance on Lancelot.
<Pose Tracker> Sourisi [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.

Making jokes about bad situations is something that Sourisi does often. If you can have something to make others smile about even in when the odds are against everyone, then Sourisi can pretend that she's not afraid. It's when someone joins in that she can stop pretending, at least for a little bit. "Physical proof of it, but I don't think this matches our outfits!"

A fire spirit charges into the back of Super Sakurada but it's nothing that Sourisi can focus on for long. Endo is too much of a threat to even see how the other magical defenders are dealing with the deputies.

The onslaught ends as she stumbles back from accidently pulling on the bindings keeping her with Serpentina, but she manages to send Endo back a bit himself. "That's more a birdcage than a jail cell. And you're no officer of the law. Think!"

Sourisi may not be used to seeing this spell aimed directly towards her but some part of her recognizes what's about to happen. Dropping one of her tonfa onto the ground, Sourisi reaches with her free hand to grasp the mouse tail that's a part of her uniform and bringing it in front of her. Twirling it around and focusing her will upon the end, a shimmering golden chain flies forward in a spiraling tornado to clash against the ebony bindings. The makeshift defense stops the chains from reaching her directly, but now the golden lifeline is pulled rigid. "I'm already chained down, there's no need to add more, 'Officer'!"

With one hand tugging on her tail to try pulling on Endo's chains, Sourisi throws her other tonfa towards the tangled maze between her and the bewitched Belkan warrior. The magical wooden insturment twirls through the air as it takes an indirect path, weaving between brilliant and jet black chains.

A distant scream pierces through the sound of combat and Sourisi's heart drops as she sees Usagi and Haruka now dangling through a hole in the cage. Somehow the clusmy high school girl has managed to stop the fall, but how long can she hold out? But with all the chains Endo has conjured up, there's no chance Sourisi can do anything from here. "Just...hold on! Please!"

COMBAT: Sourisi has used Crashing Tooth on Endo Naoki.
<Pose Tracker> Fuu Hououji [Infinity Institute (10)] has posed.

"You've never been my jailer in the first --" the Wind Knight starts to argue, only to be interrupted by a combination of more fire from Mami's muskets (directed at Akko this time), and a fresh set of ribbons (which do indeed wrap around the Magic Knight of Wind before she can move, complete with bow).

At least the little witch manages to break away, and pulls a crazy - but hopefully effective - stunt.

THat gives the green-clad Magic Knight time enough to gather her magic inside the bundle of ribbons which currently cocoon her, forming another spell and fueling it with the constraints currently upon her, a healing enchantment turned towards offensive purposes.

And within a moment, the Wind Knight's voice filters out of the ribbons: "LIBERATING GALE!" The winds which erupt roar towards Mami, hopefull catching her in mid-air - and with a little extra luck, shredding the Wind Knight's way completely out of those ribbons.

COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has used Liberating Gale on Mami Tomoe.
COMBAT: Mami Tomoe braces 0 Fatigue damage from Akko Kagari's Magical Mishaps, taking 0 Fatigue damage!  Critical Hit!  Mami
Tomoe's Parry ability activates!  Diversion and Exhausted applied to Mami Tomoe!  Bind Break! All of Akko Kagari's debuffs are
cleared!
COMBAT: Mami Tomoe perfectly counters 27 Fatigue damage from Fuu Hououji's Liberating Gale, taking 0 Fatigue damage!  Critical
Counter!  Mami Tomoe's Reverse and Tactician abilities activate!
COMBAT: Mami Tomoe's counterattack, Tiro RETORT, fails to get through, doing 0 Fatigue damage to Fuu Hououji!  
COMBAT: Lancelot counters 6 Fatigue damage from Sailor Neptune's Calculated Dissonance, taking 17 Fatigue damage!  Critical Hit!
Lancelot's Reverse and Tactician abilities activate!  Stun applied to Lancelot!
COMBAT: Lancelot's counterattack, Blazing Zephyr, partially gets through, doing 9 Fatigue damage to Sailor Neptune!  
<Pose Tracker> Serpentina Ruse [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.

Yes! Serpentina is making it through to Endo! Maybe he- nope. Completely blind to what's happening. "You... ugh... focus, think! I was just standing there when I was attacked! And jailbreaking is hard when there's no jail! Police don't have jail cells in the middle of the air inside no-jail! And you still haven't read me my rights! You- Agh!"

Rambling was NOT helping at this moment. Serpentina should have known. But the lesson comes at the form of dark chains heading straight towards her. Luckily she was amazing at dodging. She jumps clear out of the way and-

oh. No she doesn't. Serpentina completely forgot about being chained to Sourisi. And because of that laps in judgement, now she is even more bound to her. This was just getting embarrassing. She blushes slightly, wriggling to try to get out. "This... is a little cozier than I was expecting to get with you, sorry Squeaks." She ponders for a second, then whispers to Sourisi. "I could poooosssssibly get out of both this and the handcuff, maaaybe... but it would put me at a five-minute timer. What do you think? Got any plans?"

Then Serpentina sees a chance to possibly get through to Endo as the Akuma cop begins to erase the bars. "So... jailbreaking is a crime? Look! Your boss is jailbreaking them right now! Let us save them, they're going to fall!"

COMBAT: Serpentina Ruse has used Snap out of It Please! on Endo Naoki.
COMBAT: Endo Naoki fails to dodge Sourisi's Crashing Tooth, taking 34 Fatigue damage!  
COMBAT: Endo Naoki braces 0 Fatigue damage from Serpentina Ruse's Snap out of It Please!, taking 0 Fatigue damage!  Endo Naoki is
Quipped!  Endo Naoki's Block and Parry abilities activate!
<Pose Tracker> Haruka Tenoh [Infinity Institute (12)] has posed.

Haruka looks to Sakurada, and then double-takes back to Usagi, who has suddenly grown intense and serious. It's always a strange look on her tiny twintailed self, but it is not unfamiliar to Haruka.

It's nostalgic, actually.

His mood grows serious as well, the skin beneath his eyes creasing attentively. When she hesitates, he nods faintly to encourage her. Has she figured it out at last?

"Are you the..."

Senshi of Uranus... is not what she says.

....the Moonli-"

Haruka is midway through a sigh when the floor drops out from beneath him.

His hand shoots out, trying to grab the bars on the outside of the cage, but those are gone on that side too. The other hand went the other way and successfully grabbed the floor bar between Usagi's shoes, but with too much force. His fingers were instantly wrenched open and his hand slid free, the sickening sensation of having nothing beneath him twisting his face with terror for a split second... just as Usagi caught that arm. Instinctively, he swings his other arm around to catch onto her, and as his weight drops into her tiny form and yanks his shoulder taut from a twisted position, it splits the seam of his jacket there, the hard ball of tensed muscle beneath his white dress shirt pushing through the string-toothed maw that opens there. As his weight settles, he curls his knees up to reduce the swing he had been about to force her to endure to a slight rocking. The possibility of yanking her down with him seems all too immediate.

"PRIN--!" he starts to cry. Biting his lower lip, he looks up at her, and then down, down, down below. He can feel her grip failing at the same time as his weight pulls her down. He's about to yell at her, to tell her to let go, because the only thing worse than the idea of falling is the sick irony of being the reason the Princess dies.

But Usagi screams through her teeth, briefly silencing Haruka with horror as he realizes he's injured her. He stares at her face as she makes that brave, miserable offer. In this moment of extremity, she is so unlike what her guardians aspire to be. He can see that Usagi is thinking of herself... that she's still the same crybaby. But she's risking herself anyway.

Grimacing unhappily, Haruka hauls with both arms, crushing Usagi down into her own knees, straining her elbow joints and especially her little shoulders. Desperate to get it done quickly, Haruka releases one of Usagi's arms and lashes the free hand up around her back, using this superior leverage to pull himself up shoulder to shoulder with her. For a moment he's crushing the air from her lungs that way, but then his other elbow clanks painfully into the floor bar to hold him up, and he braces himself with a black sneaker pressed against a bar two back from Usagi's heels. This relieves almost all of the pressure on Usagi's back, though he leaves his forearm there as he pants, adrenaline shivering through him for a few quiet seconds as the noisy battle rages below them.

"You're going to do it, aren't you?" he realizes quietly. "Maybe you haven't actually decided yet... but you will."

Haruka thinks about her mission. There are so many magical girls here... and the camera too. If Haruka henshins and she's lucky, the magical girls of Tokyo will all know who Sailor Uranus is... right when the final stages of the Outers' plan is going into effect. And by extension, they will surely figure out who Sailor Neptune is, too. Michiru never agreed to that. It's not Haruka's choice to make.

"When I said I'd do anything to keep you from crying," he pants a tiny half-laugh. "I didn't mean I could do the impossible." With the non-load-bearing arm on Usagi's back, he shifts a palm to the back of her neck, turning the desperate grab into a hug for now. It's a strange one, with his foot braced on the bottom of the cage, his other elbow trembling from his painful weight, and the wind high above the city rippling the short hanging tail of his sport jacket, as that one dangling foot of his is suspended above the lethal void.

"I was born to worry about you."

Haruka's temple touches Usagi's, as his voice grows serious. "If you're going to become Sailor Moon, just promise me one thing. Stand up--I can get up from here--and move as far away from me as you can in this tiny cage first. I'm on TV enough as it is. Then count to ten, all the way to ten. If you still want to do it after that, then do it. Can you promise that?"

<Pose Tracker> Pink Moon Stick [Admin] has posed.

Sometimes, when things are really dire, luck makes the difference.

And as luck would have it... when Neptune kicks off Lancelot's chest... her shoe strikes his badge. It slides off, then breaks in half upon the ground; a moment later, his cap is gone, the blue tinge to his armor has receded.

And as luck would have it... Sourisi's tonfa slides through the complex net of bindings between her and Endo, and shatters his badge. He too returns to himself.

Fuu and Akko are not so lucky, however. And there seems to be some kind of conservation of deputizing in play, because power is gathering around Mami, once, twice. Visually, only a single magical item was added:

The Mirrored Shades.

It's enough to get the point across, though.

Mami's cop energy just became Big Cop Energy.

---

Super Sakurada was not very close to Sailor Mars, but it's pretty windy up at the thirty-second floor, and that makes the difference, carrying her charged ofuda in a fluttering way towards her Akuma foe.

Sensing the threat it represents, she throws herself to one side, and off the ground entirely; again, she is Superman in flight. She floats upwards, between the senshi and the cage, but her back is turned to them again, as she gazes with mingled amazement and agony at Usagi's display of desperation and courage.

In a way, she knows, Usagi has just shown her true self. And she did not have to don a senshi's fuku to do it.

Natsuna hesitates, stricken.

But the Papillon does not.

Her eyes fill with burning violet energy, then overflow. She cries with it, as her shoulder snaps backwards, hard, twisting her around to face the rising Neptune and Mars.

"NO," she says -- he says -- it's more obvious than usual that whoever's using Super Sakurada's lips to speak, the normal owner may not be entirely home, just due to the disconnect between her expression and her voice. "YOU WILL NOT FOIL MY PLAN!"

And then a hand stretches forth... and clenches.

The chains suspending the cage in between the two towers... there are a lot of them. More than are actually connected to the bars. Evidently, they too are at her command, and they lash and beat, blurs of intelligently directed, prehensile blunt force, too fast to grab, too many to avoid.

There is no path upward to the cage that the Sailor Senshi can get through, not while Sakurada still opposes them.

COMBAT: Pink Moon Stick has used On The Beat on Sailor Mars.
COMBAT: Pink Moon Stick has used On The Beat on Sailor Neptune.
COMBAT: Mami Tomoe has adjusted her boss levels. She is now ready to take on 8 opponents!
COMBAT: Endo Naoki has adjusted his boss levels. He is now ready to take on 1 opponents!
COMBAT: Lancelot has adjusted his boss levels. He is now ready to take on 1 opponents!
COMBAT: Sailor Neptune braces 14 Fatigue damage from Pink Moon Stick's On The Beat, taking 6 Fatigue damage!  Sailor Neptune's
Block and Parry abilities activate!  Stun applied to Sailor Neptune!
COMBAT: Sailor Mars braces 26 Fatigue damage from Pink Moon Stick's On The Beat, taking 21 Fatigue damage!  Critical Hit!  Stun
applied to Sailor Mars!
<Pose Tracker> Mami Tomoe [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.

"Too bad!" Mami tells Akko. Is she being graded...? Well. There's an answer to that question.

But to Fuu, "They're jailed," Mami explains for Fuu, "And you're trying to get them out!"

As Fuu gathers her power, Mami turns partway to face her--that great shell of wind erpts towards her and the Puella Magi opens her hand. Into it appears a hand cannon almost the width of Mami's body, and it fires a column of golden light straight into the midst of the wind, slamming a gouged crater into the ground in front of Fuu.

But suddenly Akko is out of the way, and a mouse as Mami realizes it after a moment. She blinks--"Aaah!" It's got big red eyes and it's brown and it's a mouse. This distracts Mami despite her knowing better in theory, for exactly long enough for another metamorphosis to occur... One which pushes Mami upward and off-balance. As she falls, ribbons burst in all directions from her person, steadying and righting her along the ground where she hop-hops back well out of the way of the elephant. Whether she manages to catch her balance properly or not, she's away in short order.

From there she looks up, and looks around further--"All these criminals!" Mami complains, as--

The shades she's wearing catch the light mirror-bright. She adopts a steady stance. "Well, if I'm the only one who's going to keep at it--"

The barrage that comes includes a softer yellow than that of police tape, but it might not be hard to make the connection just at the moment. To Sourisi, "You should pay attention to what's in front of you!" And she gets a set of ribbons meant to tangle and tie her up outright. Serpentina Ruse meanwhile gets a circle of rifles surrounding her, each of which fires.

"I should've known it would happen again!" Mami calls to Neptune and Mars, Neptune receiving a burst of golden ribbons from all directions for her troubles, "Let her be! Justice will not be ignored!"

Mars receives a round of golden muskets too, all around her fiery approach, a thorough distraction if there ever was one. Fuu, meanwhile, has to deal with still more ribbons coursing at her, trying to slow her down and prevent any more of those wind blasts from coming to blow Mami away.

"Hmph!" Mami calls. "And you two--" Mami picks up a rifle and starts firing, one shot, two shots for another, a third rifle, a fourth--she dances acrobatically through the air with each shot at Endo, while her free hand reaches out--

To go for Takeo's face and arms with a set of ribbons.

She's not going for any lethal shots, but her badge glows that much more brightly.

COMBAT: Mami Tomoe has used Evadere on Akko Kagari.
COMBAT: Mami Tomoe has used Tiro Circle on Serpentina Ruse.
COMBAT: Mami Tomoe has used Legare on Sourisi.
COMBAT: Mami Tomoe has used Legare on Sailor Neptune.
COMBAT: Mami Tomoe has used Tiro Circle on Sailor Mars.
COMBAT: Mami Tomoe has used Velare on Lancelot.
COMBAT: Mami Tomoe has used Tiro Flourish on Endo Naoki.
COMBAT: Mami Tomoe has used Velare on Fuu Hououji.
COMBAT: Fuu Hououji fails to dodge Mami Tomoe's Velare, taking 12 Fatigue damage!  Mami Tomoe is Psyched!  
COMBAT: Endo Naoki counters 5 Fatigue damage from Mami Tomoe's Tiro Flourish, taking 14 Fatigue damage!  Endo Naoki's Reverse and
Tactician abilities activate!
COMBAT: Endo Naoki's counterattack, Asteroid Eilen, partially gets through, doing 15 Fatigue damage to Mami Tomoe!  
COMBAT: Sailor Mars fails to dodge Mami Tomoe's Tiro Circle, taking 27 Fatigue damage!  Critical Hit!  Sailor Mars is unable to
keep fighting!  Stun applied to Sailor Mars!
COMBAT: Lancelot dodges 5 Fatigue damage from Mami Tomoe's Velare, taking 8 Fatigue damage!  Blind applied to Lancelot!  
COMBAT: Sailor Neptune dodges 7 Fatigue damage from Mami Tomoe's Legare, taking 10 Fatigue damage!  Critical Hit!  Tangle applied
to Sailor Neptune!
COMBAT: Sourisi counters 6 Fatigue damage from Mami Tomoe's Legare, taking 6 Fatigue damage!  Tangle and Trap applied to Sourisi!
COMBAT: Sourisi's counterattack, Squeak Spiral, partially gets through, doing 8 Fatigue damage to Mami Tomoe!  
COMBAT: Serpentina Ruse fails to brace Mami Tomoe's Tiro Circle, taking 26 Fatigue damage!  Stun applied to Serpentina Ruse!  
<Pose Tracker> Lancelot [Ohtori Academy (12)] has posed.

The badge falls to the ground and breaks, and Lancelot falls to one knee and shakes his head as his armor returns to a normal silver sheen, and the hat pops out of existence. He takes a deep breath and looks around, getting his bearings. He looks to Neptune and mars and clears his throat. "I uh ... No longer wanna arrest you, and we should work on saving Usagi." He nods sagely.

Which is when Mami comes for him like an avenging angel made of guns and ribbons. He leaps back, drawing power into his blades as he goes. However he only manages to clear about half the ribbons coming for him. He stumbles for a moment, his left arm caught up in the ribbon. In stead of pulling against it and fighting, Lancelot rushes forward, toward Mami, the single blade there flashing with lightning and slashing to try and drive Mami out of the way of the real threat here. The Akumatized Super Sakurada!

COMBAT: Lancelot has used Lightning Impact on Mami Tomoe.
COMBAT: Akko Kagari braces 0 Fatigue damage from Mami Tomoe's Evadere, taking 0 Fatigue damage!  Critical Hit!  Akko Kagari's
Block and Parry abilities activate!  Bind Break! All of Mami Tomoe's debuffs are cleared!
<Pose Tracker> Akko Kagari [Infinity Institute (10)] has posed.

Akko turns, and this time, it's with gigantic red eyes that Akko looks at Mami. Really, as an elephant, Akko still looks like Akko; there is even a curl of hair on her forehead, and she grins at her. Then, she trumpets again, and calls out:

"Here I coooome!"

And that is how a massive elephant begins to galop across the battlefield, its footfalls causing the Metropolitan Building to shake mightily. A couple of pieces of debris fall from the twin towers above, as the stampede comes to a close. Akko lowers her head.

That head gleams with a brilliant, light blue light.

And then she tries to SLAM that hard head right into Mami and send her flying back. "C'mon!" she calls out. "It's time for you to waaaaaake uuuuuuuup!"

COMBAT: Akko Kagari has used Shiny Smite on Mami Tomoe.
<Pose Tracker> Fuu Hououji [Infinity Institute (10)] has posed.

That could have gone better, thinks the Wind Knight as Mami counterblasts the Liberating Gale - and in the process, effectively stifles the "liberating" part of it, leaving most of the ribbons wrapped around her. And then, because too much is never enough (or something), Mami goes and adds MORE ribbons to the package. It would be almost comfortable if this were a sleepover, rather than a desperate fight to rescue an innocent couple from their increasingly precarious imprisonment.

It would be a very *snug* sort of 'almost comfortable,' mind you, but ...

The Magic Knight of Wind grits her teeth and focuses on what's actually going on. Mami is wearing Cop Movie Mirror Shades now, which can't possibly be a good sign given Super Sakurada's empowered state of mind - and she's holding her own against virtually all of the magical girls and boys who had come to aid Usagi and her date. Some of them have clearly taken particularly nasty hits, too - but on the plus side, the Wind Knight can see them, and focus on them. And if she can help her allies fight more effectively, they might yet be able to take Mami down without too much damage in the process.

"Winds of Healing!!" the green-clad Magic Knight shouts, clenching her fists underneath the ribbons which engulf her body. Magic flares through her glove-jewel and ripples out, peeling those bonds away from inside the ribbons - and as the outermost layers are similarly unraveled, the Wind Knight channels her magic to Sourisi and Endo, trying to mend the worst of their wounds and enable them to fight more effectively for a little longer. "Hang in there, everybody!"

COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has used Winds of Healing on Fuu Hououji.
COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has used Winds of Healing on Sourisi.
COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has used Winds of Healing on Endo Naoki.
<Pose Tracker> Sailor Mars [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.

Gratefully, Sailor Mars follows Sailor Neptune's lead to leap --

-- and, well, of course the wind carried the ofuda upwards, because the gods are with Sailor Mars. But Super Sakurada... abjures it. "That's not your call!" Sailor Mars roars at the thing wearing Sakurada's skin, and she twists with the chains.

But there are too many of them -- bashing and battering and two Senshi alone can't fly, not really. Down to the ground, and Mami's badge is flashing, even as Mars takes a moment to find her footing. "Mami-chan, no! Oh, no wonder it would take hold with you --"

She knows something of the old scars, and it pains her, to see Mami enraptured like this. She hates to see her sense of justice pinned to evil like this, and that agony makes her slow. To be here, on this side of her guns --

The muskets fire --

-- and she's not somewhere else.

The smoke clears, and there's a girl on the ground.

COMBAT: Fuu Hououji accepts Fuu Hououji's Winds of Healing, taking 0 Fatigue damage!  Cleanse! All of Fuu Hououji's debuffs are
cleared!
COMBAT: Sourisi accepts Fuu Hououji's Winds of Healing, taking 0 Fatigue damage!  Cleanse! All of Sourisi's debuffs are cleared!
COMBAT: Endo Naoki accepts Fuu Hououji's Winds of Healing, taking 0 Fatigue damage!  Cleanse! All of Endo Naoki's debuffs are
cleared!
<Pose Tracker> Endo Naoki [Juuban Public School (12)] has posed.

Serpentina's words might make Endo hesitate but it's the destruction of the badge that makes the boy come to a sudden stop. His wide eyes blink several times as things come back into perspective, the grip on his sword loosening.

"Aaah...I'm sorry." There's a quick bow of his head toward the two miraculous users as Endo returns to himself, purple once again. His eyes scan the skyline, taking note of the still alarming predicament Usagi and Haruka high above. Also of Sakurada, still standing in the way.

And then there's the matter of Mami Tomoe, now in shades.

Endo has a great respect for Mami, former co-leader of the Chevaliers, mentor, and magical girl icon. He also knows that she's very dangerous, and judging by his recent experience, not very in control. So Endo decides, in his third change of heart for the afternoon, that breaking the law is the thing to do.

Especially when the law is shooting bullets. Endo's teeth grit as he lunges forward, lifting from the ground and raising Fallen Stern's bulk like a shield. Sparks fly as bullets impact both metal and armor, and Endo winces with pain. Pain eased somewhat by the rush of wind that envelops him, courtesy of Fuu.

He rushes onward, his blade arcing toward Mami with a flash of purple. "Sorry, Mami-san!" The apology comes as the weapon makes its arc, aimed for her badge--but it's a big sword, and precision isn't exactly Endo's deal.

COMBAT: Endo Naoki has used Blauverschiebung on Mami Tomoe.
<Pose Tracker> Usagi Tsukino [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.


Usagi is crying the whole time that Haruka is hauling himself up. Usagi Tsukino has borne pain as herself before, but never this much physical exertion and pain all at once in any form without a Sailor Fuku. Tears flow from her eyes as if a well had been newly struck from the ground. As Haruka hauls up, bashing her kneecaps to the cage beneath her weight. Making her arms feel like they're going to be pulled from their sockets.

Then for a half a heart beat, she's making just short hiccups as her breathing is disturbed, stealing away the scream that might have occurred.

Then, shivering, and week. It's done. Her whole body shaking...

...and then it's like the pain is gone. Just a forearm on her back. She feels like she's about to swoon from that wild swing of her body suddenly from being in so much pain to none at all, the shock to her system one that feels high. She's making a low whimper, when Haruka says that. "N-No I..."

She almost refutes it... but she knows. She knows all it would take. Is for Natsuna Sakurada to place Rei Hino, or Sailor Neptune, or Mami Tomoe... or one of so many Magical Girls and boys at her mercy, and she wouldn't even hesitate. Or just, if the idea that she could save Sakurada hinged entirely on giving up her identity...

He knows her so well, and suddenly she can't deny it.

Drawn into his hug, she leans her weight into him. And suddenly all that pain doesn't matter, because if he'd fallen then maybe there wouldn't be any more moments like this. Everything is so chaotic beneath her. She can see chains battering at Neptune and Mars.... the roar of Mami Tomoe's guns.

She can stop this. She knows it.

Yet the thought causes her to collapse against him, weak and shivering, and crying... she doesn't understand what he's saying now. Not really... "B-But... it doesn't feel like it's impossible... if it's you..."

Usagi tries her best to close her eyes, and stop crying. And just smile instead.

"... whenever I see you and Michiru-san... I always think, think 'they can do everything I can't.'"

She'd have never said it until now... even if its obvious, this statement in this moment of raw emotional sincerity. Haruka reveals that she was born to worry about her.

And Usagi's eyes grow wide in incomprehension. She hasn't even begun to work through that when Haruka asks her to promise one thing.

"Someone really wise once told me I could protect her feelings best as Usagi Tsukino... not Sailor Moon... and when you say things like that I wonder if... maybe that wasn't true for just her. So... I promise."

There are things Sailor Moon can do that Usagi Tsukino can't. But that doesn't mean she should always jump to the idea that Sailor Moon is the answer. That it's her answer. Usagi lifts herself up, slowly, quavering... and she looks as coquettish as she can perhaps while also looking so weak and strained. Her knee nearly buckles as she picks herself up. And she looks at Haruka out of the corner of her eyes.

"Because... you're right after all. A decision like that, it deserves at least ten seconds."

Usagi stays there for a few seconds, but the moment she stood up, it was clear that perhaps it was a foregone conclusion. It will only take her a short amount of time to reach the conclusion.... that Sailor Moon is indeed needed this time.

Her limping gait is anything but dignified, but yet perhaps she's more dignified than usual in her slow walk to the furthest corner of the cage.

Taking a deep breath... she takes a moment to clear her head, and cover her eyes. Because if her eyes are open, then she might see something that makes her promise.

Looking like a child playing hide and go seek rather than a girl about to make a life altering decision... she begins her count.

"Ten..."

"...Nine..."


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

Sourisi's eyes look between the sky jail cell and Serpentina before she shakes her head. "I think I you can break these handcuffs, go for it. I'm trying to see if someone falls before I put myself on the timer, but...these chains are terrible." Sourisi has a mild blush, despite the circumstances. "It...can't be helped?"

Sourisi starts to breathe again as Haruka starts to pull himself up into the cage, even if the Akumaizied Super Sakurada can just erase more of the bars. There's still a chance that everything can go well for both of them, that they can be saved.

Sourisi's hopes rise up even more as she hears the sound of shattering metal coming from where Endo is on the other side of the tangled chain web. Dispelling her chain from her tail, the Miraculous Ninja calls out to the Belkan warrior. "I hope this means we're no longer under arrest, Officer? Slithery and I don't exactly appricate the chains on top of the handcuffs..."

Mami Tomoe is already an imposing figure even on the best of days, but the fact that Sourisi can no longer see her eyes is enough to make her stand ramrod straight when spoken to. This allows her to see the incoming ribbons, and still being cuffed together with Serpentina doesn't leave any room to dodge the incoming ribbon swarm.

Sourisi attempts the same trick to combat Endo's bindings that desperation created again, a golden chain spiraling outwards to intercept the makeshift police tape. While the chain swirls around a ribbon and leads directly back towards Mami, the ribbons do the same to the chain! This results with the Miraculous User bounded heavily in ribbons, with several layers covering her eyes. "Well, I can't do that now..."

Luckily for Sourisi, the Wind Knight sees her predicament and sends aid to her and Endo, the winds unraveling the ribbons from her before she can complain further about her lack of sight. "Breeze-san...that I can do!"

If one tonfa can break the badge of a regular cop, then two should do the trick. Snatching the returning tonfa out of the air and picking up its' twin from the ground, Sourisi sends the weapons twirling through the air towards Officer Mami's badge. "As much as I think you look great in that shade of blue, the shades themselves have to go!"

COMBAT: Sourisi has used Crashing Tooth on Mami Tomoe.
COMBAT: Mami Tomoe fails to dodge Akko Kagari's Shiny Smite, taking 19 Fatigue damage!  Tangle applied to Mami Tomoe!  
COMBAT: Mami Tomoe braces 12 Fatigue damage from Sourisi's Crashing Tooth, taking 18 Fatigue damage!  Mami Tomoe's Parry ability
activates!
<Pose Tracker> Serpentina Ruse [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.

Serpentina sighs, knowing how desperate the situation is. "I don't know. I'm not sure if... if I should risk the timer. And our captor - "

- is free from the badge, thanks to Sourisi. "Good job, Squeaks! And... you okay there, officer?" Things seemed to be looking up... and then Mami goes Supercop. And then Serpentina was surrounded by guns. Dodging would be possible... except for the bonds. Blocking she could do with her parasol... which she can't use as tied up as she is. So she just has to endure it. She moved in such a way that the chains would take most of the shots, but it wasn't a foolproof bulletproof plan. She still got grazed by numerous shots.

Serpentina was injured, and the captured civilians were in more and more danger. Serpentina makes up her mind. This maneuver would mean she only has 5 minutes... but she wouldn't last 5 minutes otherwise. "Shed Skin," she whispers, her eyes closed as she focuses hard. And... nothing. Nothing happens. She stops moving altogether. Was she in despair?

Meanwhile, someone who looks just like Serpentina Ruse, except with her uniform the grey colors of the city, crawls out from under... herself? She sneaks back into the shadows while gesturing to Sourisi. "Pssst... don't have much time before I revert..."

COMBAT: Serpentina Ruse has used Shed Skin on Serpentina Ruse.
COMBAT: Serpentina Ruse accepts Serpentina Ruse's Shed Skin, taking 0 Fatigue damage!  Accelerate applied to Serpentina Ruse!
Cleanse! All of Serpentina Ruse's debuffs are cleared!
<Pose Tracker> Sailor Neptune [Infinity Institute (12)] has posed.

Sailor Neptune has found the weak spot.

Both Lancelot's and that of her own heart. Her head tilts upwards as she rises upwards. Her jaw sets. She gazes not quite directly at Sakurada a moment before she faces the range of those chains. She pulls herself up abruptly, forming a tight squished-down round ball in what is one of her less fundamentally elegant moments -

But the issue, of course, is that it's not just her, is it? Though she holds no deep grudge as the chains rattle and she finds one knee lashed round, unfolding as she twists rounds, knowing for a moment how the fly feels in the spider's web.

Sailor Neptune gazes down upon Mami Tomoe and her artillery for a moment - and then begins to swivel herself round to pull free from the chains. She reaches upwards, towards the dangling figure hanging from the cage. Towards that figure --

And then closer. Her hand turns to face towards her and she cries out, "Enough of your plan!" She sounds tighter, more strained. She raises her hand up and draws it back with curled fingers as she takes a deep breath -- just in time for that ribbon to lash outwards and bend her arm backwards.

This time Neptune DOES scream. There is frustration and terror - there is as yet little physical agony but that only makes it more of an angry sound. "NO!" she shrieks.

It echoes.

COMBAT: Mami Tomoe braces 18 Fatigue damage from Endo Naoki's Blauverschiebung, taking 15 Fatigue damage!  Mami Tomoe's Parry
ability activates!  Stagger applied to Mami Tomoe!
COMBAT: Mami Tomoe perfectly dodges 29 Fatigue damage from Lancelot's Lightning Impact, taking 0 Fatigue damage!  Critical Hit!
Critical Dodge!  Mami Tomoe's Fade and Flash abilities activate!
<Pose Tracker> Haruka Tenoh [Infinity Institute (12)] has posed.

The moment Usagi is no longer looking at him, Haruka's face hardens. Hiking himself up a bit, he plants both elbows on the bars. He hears Neptune's horrified scream, and forces himself not to acknowledge it. After this long it's become instinct to conceal Haruka from Neptune, and Michiru from Uranus, for their mutual safety. There is no sense in letting Sakurada--or whatever's inside her--realize it's Haruka and not Usagi that Neptune is distraught over.

"Make it up to you later," Haruka promises miserably.

Watching as Usagi faces away from him and begins to count, he feels a ball of cold lead stretching at the bottom of his heart. She still has no idea who he is; he's still some mystery man who knows too much, to her. And here she is throwing away the rest of her life for him. At best she'll need to leave her school, all her non-mahou shoujo friends, her family. At worst, an enemy will catch her unawares one day and that will be that. Now Usagi knows all that, and yet still...

Zazie - Je Suis Un Homme - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keqsDS3El6E

"Hey, Bunny." When Usagi turns to look, Haruka has a hand inside his jacket. With a rueful half-smile, he withdraws it enough for her to see a gleaming, cobalt-and-sapphire artifact. He gives her no time for questions.

He gives her the answer instead.

"Uranus Planet Power, Make Up!"

Releasing the rod, Haruka lets it hover, suspended kinetically by a burning sigil in the air before it. Like a brand, that sigil rotates and presses into the crest of the rod. In the moment of contact, it seems to drain the area around it (including most of Usagi's body) of light, while still somehow causing reflective flickers on objects further away, like Usagi's face and the upper bars.

Out of that darkness, the hand of a man many present here have known for years gracefully wraps the hilt of the artifact. In his fingers, it ignites with energy, as though man and artifact were the same in spirit, or the opposite in polarity.

It is not as if his clothes evaporated; more like he is lifted to a plane where they do not exist. His nude form is no longer flesh, but something like liquid gemstone, glowing with a pale blue light. He is a silhouette, lean and sleek and enigmatic. Only his closed eyes are visible on his blank face. Though the individual hairs floating on his brow can be picked out clearly from his outline, it is only such outlines that are visible.

And one such outline is that of Haruka Tenoh's modest, yet unmistakable, breasts.

Haruka's body has not transformed. It is everything those who know him well would expect. Broad shoulders, clean tight musculature, androgynous beauty. He is everything one might expect, except 'he'.

When Haruka's eyes open, there is a knowing depth to them. They are white and blue and no more crystalline than they are on any normal day, and they too are the eyes of a woman somehow.

Casting an arm out to the side, Haruka's fingers seem to carve out a perfect circle around HER lifted toes, well below her fingertips where the floor would normally be. But SHE has no need of ground for this. Serene, as elegant as a dancer, SHE turns HER back to Usagi and the others and folds strong arms across HER chest, head dipping as if in piety. HER white raiment clamps down and returns liquid crystal to flesh, and as SHE turns, there is a confident smile on HER face.

Lifting her fingers the way the Haruka everyone (except Michiru) has known so far might have done to push on sunglasses, she pushes on a tiara instead, gold with a blue gemstone. For good measure, she combs her newly white-gloved fingers through her bangs, giving her head a lazy toss as well to arrange her short blonde hair. A drizzle of sparkles gilds her lips with a subtle pink.

Then, just as the magic that suspends her the way it had suspended the henshin artifact begins to fade, she reaches out and clamps a hand down on one of the floor bars. Fully transformed, Sailor Uranus dangles by that arm effortlessly, her bright bow and dark skirt striking against the white background of her fuku.

"Sorry," she says. "I lied about the counting."

This time when she pulls herself up with both arms, she's able to do so hard enough to immediately mount the cage, planting her sturdy boots on the bars. Sailor Uranus scoops Usagi with one arm by the waist. "Grab on, while there's still a floor," she instructs. Lifting a bladed hand to her face, she summons the heavenly energy of wind around her loosely lifted fingers, subtly pulling it out of nowhere with her motion.

"Hang on tight now," she says. Her voice is as deep as it was as Haruka, and as honeyed. "I only want you to fall for me once tonight."

Thrusting her hand forward, Sailor Uranus blasts a torrent of gold-flecked wind diagonally downward. It strikes one of the two towers of the Metropolitan Building, blasting out multiple glass windows at once, and the cage instantly bucks in the other direction. As it swings wide towards the opposite tower, Uranus tightens her arm around Usagi's waist and shoves her powerful legs into a longjump. This is like jumping from a rowboat; the cage is in thin air and has very little resistance. For this reason, she is continuing the wind blast until her feet have actually left the bars, to try and provide some leverage.

It's still not enough, clearly, to make it to the window she had hoped for. Uranus, like the mighty samurai of old, is good at rowboat jumping, but there is only so much force she can put into the cage. Usagi can see that at first they are rising towards one specific office window, and then feel the momentum fade. They won't make it. Fortunately, Uranus had a backup plan.

There's no need to hit THAT window. As they plummet further down and less across with each passing moment, Uranus slings Usagi across her stomach in a modified princess carry, one arm under, one arm over. Just before impact, she tucks.

Two stories lower than hoped, a window bursts inward, Uranus ramming into it with her curled shoulders first. As she hits the ground and rolls out of it, she unwraps from around Usagi as they go, until the smaller of the two blondes is spilled gently across the well-waxed floor.

Panting, Uranus sniffs tomboyishly as she gets up, dusting glass off herself. She and Usagi are still fairly close to the window, in full view of the others, so she tosses a casual wave to them as she rises. They all know who Sailor Uranus is now, and they may be confused about some other things What's done is done now...

Offering Usagi a hand up, Uranus smiles, rueful. "Well." For a moment, she seems unsure what to say. Then her highwayman grin returns, faintly.

"If you still want to freshen up, now you can do it privately," she says.

<Pose Tracker> Pink Moon Stick [Admin] has posed.

TO BE CONTINUED...