62/Grasping for the Object of My Desire: Witch Hunt Part 1

Grasping for the Object of My Desire: Witch Hunt Part 1
Date of Scene:	13 June 2015
Location:	Mitakihara/Pikarigaoka - King Penguin Park
Synopsis:	Miss White and Mister Black set out to capture a Witch for their own purposes. Can they succeed?
Cast of Characters:	Homura Akemi, Hannah Sharpe, Runealy Waldia, Mamoru Chiba, Hinote Kagari, Takashi Agera, 53, Ami Mizuno, Mei Akatsuki

---

Hannah Sharpe has posed:
~~Mitakihara Park~~

The park has become desolate as of late in one of the darker corners. Usually home to delinquents of all types, even the worst of Tokyo's citizenry avoid it. Those fools who have, haven't returned home. The sound of neighing horses and a ghastly wail of rage fills the heads and hearts of those venturing too close to the barrier.

Standing just outside, grinning, Miss White inspects the edge where one reality meets another. She whistles before turning to her partner.

"Just the sort we need. Our new 'guest' has their accomodations all ready."

A nod to him, and she grows serious.

"We need to get a gauge on its strength fast, bind them down with as many familiars as we can before the inevitable rush of our 'friends'. Worse comes to worse, we use the familiars as cannon fodder. Ready?"

Hannah then checks her arm sling. An attempt to move her arm...she winces. A smirk. "Heh...one arm will have to do." The woman is too stubborn and desperate to let a thing like a broken arm stop her. Clenching her right arm, she plunges right in. .

~~Barrier~~

The arena today is a long fair grounds, absurdly so. Stretched with stands and faceless cheering crowds, a throne sits overlooking, easily as tall as a building. Dressed in enlonged kingly clothes, sat with a crown, the King Witch looks down upon those that just entered its domain. With a sweep of its gauntleted hand, massive horses covered in fire appear, ghostly riders sat atop them and begin to charge for the duo, throwing lances!

Hannah moves to cover her partner, legs and fists shattering the magical blows or otherwise deflecting them. She's a whirling dervish of punches, jabs, and round-kicks, the occasional burst of wind magic blowing a familiar back or destroying an errant one.

She's too busy defending to bind, it seems her partner will have to do that.

Amaya Naga (53) has posed:
     Amaya has heard the rumors, and decided to come check things out herself. Her hands were in her pockets as she explors the park, glancing around and looking for any signs of trouble.

    There is a sign that catches her attention, and this person looks very familiar. Her eyes rest on Miss White as she scratches lightly at the back of her head, "Where have I seen her before...?" She shrugs a little bit, and starts to make her way over to the woman.

     Amaya stops walking after loosing sight of Miss White. She stops as the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, and she gets a chill down her spine.. "S... something doesn't feel right.." She bites her bottom lip nervously..

Runealy Waldia has posed:
Rune is returning to the 'scene of the crime', talking to Hinote as she takes the lead in walking through the park. "I think this place might be a lead on what we're looking for. When I was here a while back, some bandits were attacking people and I was so scared at the time that... well, I might have overlooked something important. So that's why I asked you to come too, just in case there really is something here."

Her intuition proves to be right and wrong at the same time. The sight of a barrier's crack is a huge surprise, one met with wide eyes! "That's... not what I meant, not at all. Doesn't it look like that time on the bridge, though? When we saw those impossible crabs with trumpets and armor moving on its own?" As if she needs to be more specific.

Regardless, Runealy ducks behind a tree to get out of view. "Summoning Princess' Tiara! The Line of Succession... transform!" Royal headwear appears and is worn, joined by a flash of red light.

When it fades, she's in full magical garb; the individual only identifying herself as 'The Princess' has wand in hand and sticks close to her friend.

Her other hand is up to something a bit more mundane. Digging around in her dress' bow, she eventually finds her cell phone and, after a bit of fumbling, manages to call Sailor Mercury. Ring, ring... as soon as she gets any kind of answer, The Princess - not the one Mercury seeks, but 'ma'am' from the Seishou incident - speaks in a hurried voice: "There's some real trouble in the park near Mitakihara. We need to go in, but you'll know the problem when you see it!" Mercury might have a moment for a brief response, but Runealy isn't staying on the line long and will hang up shortly after speaking.

Ami Mizuno has posed:
*BREEP!*

This causes Ami Mizuno to actually JUMP when her computer goes off. She usually carries around the computer in her pocket, but when it sounds off like that, Ami looks at the message right away. Making a face, she looks to her friend. "Can you take this to my house and tell my mother that I'll be late?" She says as she runs off in the direction of Mitakihara.

It takes her a little bit to get there, but once there, she can see the problem right away. "Well......If that isn't obvious." She says as she tugs a pen off of her computer. She doesn't leave either behind. "All right. She called for help....and it was meant for Sailor Mercury. That's who she'll get. And she raises the pen.

MERCURY POWER! MAKE-UP!

The symbol on the pen spins and flies out of the pen, and a blue and white ribbon comes out of the pen. Ami arches her back, lifts her leg and spins into the ribbon, with wraps around her then encloses upon her body. The ribbon then bursts into many motes of light, to reveal....

Sailor Mercury, Guardian of Knowledge and Justice!

She then takes out her computer, presses her earring for her visor and starts to make her way for the crack in the dome.

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Guardian Hino walks along with Runealy, hands his pockets as he listens. "Bandits were attacking people, and you might have overlooked something?" he asks. "How long ago was that?" he asks, scratching his head, as he hrms and thinks. "What did these bandits look like?" he asks- as he stops as Runealy also does, a crack in space! It looks.. and feels, like that night on the bridge. "Yeah..." he says as he frowns, and slips his braclet around his wrist, slipping around nearby color...

"To protect justice, I am Guardian Hino!" he calls out. There's a flash, and the knight comes back out around from the bush, as he grabs the hilt of his sword and looks over to the Princess. "I'll go first this time." he says with a smile, more sure than last time the two encountered a witch! Also, who did Runealy just call? He'll ask later.

He steps through the barrier and frowns at the world before him---

This one feels almost like this could be the outside of that creepy castle with the Princess Witch. He draws his sword and holds it out in front of him. "Princess." he says. "Stay close." is his only request.

Mei Akatsuki has posed:
Her mom is going to kill her for being here. Or at least she would, if she wasn't currently missing in action.

Of course, the fact that she's disappeared is the entire reason Mei is searching places like the bad parts of Mitakihara anyway, so whose fault is it *really*, hmm? (She's practiced the argument they'll have once her mom is safe and rescued. Comebacks are much easier to think of when you're only fighting with someone in your imagination.)

"This sucks..." the red-headed girl says quietly, shifting from foot to foot as she stands on the border of 'good, high-property value Mitakihara Park' and the 'bad, dropout and low-life infested Mitakihara Park'. She's been doing a fair bit of this, the past few days. Walking into the seedier parts of town, trying to find any clue to where her mother got off to after their big fight. It's been pretty scary -- after all, good little fourth graders aren't supposed to wander aimlessly in the red light districts and slummier parts of the city, even when they have magical powers and a grumpy talking cardinal for help.

But she has to try. It might be her fault that her mom disappeared in the first place; and even if it isn't, it's her responsibility to find her. That's what magical girls do.

Still sucks, though.

With a deep breath, Mei steps forward and into the wrong side of the tracks. She pauses, holds her eyes tightly shut for a moment -- and finds that she's not immediately approached by shady figures offering her drugs, so that's a good start!

Roy, the aforementioned grumpy cardinal, circles overhead. "This course of action is highly unwise, young lady. It would be better if you took this time to train, instead of chasing vague threats that either don't exist or are far beyond your ability to handle. I suggest..."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. I have the Crystal, so if things go wrong, I'll just transform, alright?" she responds, stepping forward ever so slowly into the darkness of the park. "How hard can it be? The first fights are always the easiest in manga."

It takes a second for her to realize that her 'mascot' is not responding. Weird. There isn't a second in the day that bird isn't yapping for some reason or other. Maybe he finally listened to her?

When she looks up to find him, however, the little bright red bird is nowhere to be seen. In fact, the evening sky looks totally different. And when she lowers her head, *everything* looks different. Mei's never been to the bad part of Mitakihara, but she's pretty sure it doesn't look like a giant fairground.

"Umm," she says to herself, voice shaking, "where...what's going on?"

The little girl hasn't been targeted by any of the monsters yet -- she hasn't even seen any monsters -- but she's suddenly overcome with twice her original anxiety, and doubles back to where she came from at a run.

Unfortunately for her, the fairgrounds stretch endlessly on in front of her. Just what *is* this place?

"Roy? Roy, what's going on?" she yells, and receives no answer.

Something cold sinks in her gut, and her knees buckle underneath her.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
So yeah, Mamoru'd come to the park to read, but got distracted by the jewelry store on the way to his customary spot. That's why when the feeling of despair washes over him, he doesn't instantly peg it for what it is: after all, his search for the Phantom Silver Crystal has been long and unproductive, and the princess looks at him with such longing and trust, and he's letting her down, and he doesn't have the power to do what she needs, and he'll never be good en--

He turns away from the glittering window display and looks into the park, eyes narrowing. Instantly his book's in his back pocket and he's sauntering away out of sight, behind the store building; his thumbs are already busy flying over the touchscreen of his fancy phone.

    CHIBA to AKEMI-SAN: trouble & its jacked. almost fooled me. penguin park.

Then he's gone, and Tuxedo Kamen is on his way-- he doesn't want to go in yet, not until Homura gets here or until the crack starts closing, but...

...that was a little girl. A little girl just went in there. "Shimatta," mutters the dashing young eveningwear-clad recovering kaitou, then plunges in after her. "Yo!" he calls, concern writ large in his voice. Then he sees the little redhead and darts over, ending in a crouch beside her as his cape settles and he takes his hat off. "Are you all right? Are you still awake? Don't let it get to you!"

Takashi Agera has posed:
Takashi was, thanks to a self imposed angry exile, in somewhat better shape than Hannah was, but neither of them were backing down from this plan. Not after they'd researched it, rehearsed it, and both of them had developed new magic just to try to entrap one of these creatures. Takashi - now Riventon, or Mr Black, as the situation might demand - began to take up his position behind Hannah, letting her clear the space of familiars.

"Indeed, lets pack whatever this thing is up and bring it back." he said, omitting an almost expected 'for Eclipse' or something similar. No, there was no point in those pretenses when it was the two of them, because this little project was for both of their goals, and it only happened to brush up against the goals of their shared benefactors.

<FESSELN SCHLANGE> Announces his device, and a magical circle forms underneath Riventon. From the gauntlet on his hand, a burst of shadow-formed snakes erupts, slithering through the air, wrapping themselves around familiars and slithering towards the witch herself, making unsuccessful and then growingly successful attempts to wrap around the witch, a nontraditional but effective bind spell.

Riventon himself has eyes full of a mixture of anger and determination. One more step on the road to greatness. No more stumbling. The teen behind the mask can see his mother, can hear his father. He will live up to his grand potential, to the path his parents have laid for him.

<FESSELN SCHLANGE> <FESSELN SCHLANGE> <FESSELN SCHLANGE> calls the device as the mage assaults the otherworldly creature and its allies with his bind spell.

Amaya Naga (53) has posed:
     Amaya glances around and spots a couple of other people passing through something, but she seems a little confused. Her right hand rests on her arm where she has stitches, "So much weird stuff going on lately..."
     Amaya takes a few steps forward, and takes a deep breath as she does so. Before she knows it, she is on the other side of something, and is definitely not in the town she was just in. Her jaw drops as she looks around, spotting Miss White. She glances to the fire horses and their riders.
     The first thing that comes to Amaya's mind at the moment is that she has to find some place to hide, and it even shows on her face. "Umm.. uh.. What exactly is going on here?!" She can't find a place to hide as she is kind of out in the open. However, she will just try to focus on dodging things if anything comes her way while searching for a way out.

Homura Akemi has posed:
Homura Akemi gets a text message. This is rare, though lately it has become a bit less rare.

Homura Akemi's eyes scan the screen of her phone, locking onto the name. A message from Mamoru Chiba. This is either important for one reason or important for another entirely different reason. Her eyes reading the rest of the message, she notices what reason it's important for.

Well, time for a Puella Magi to get to work. Homura Akemi takes inventory of her armaments and heads out of her apartment, transforming in a bright show of sparkles, light and magic. A quick henshin, for the Puella Magi on the go.

MOMENTS LATER

The Puella Magi doesn't take long to show up at the scene. From the tone of Chiba-san's text, it was urgent, so she used her timestop abilities, combined with running as fast as her 14-year old legs can carry her, to cross the distance quickly. If one saw her, they might see a brief flash of a girl running before she quickly vanishes. Those not so magically inclined might think that they saw a ghost, or just merely imagined her, if they evne notice her at all.

Homura Akemi arrives just in time to see Tuxedo Kamen run into the barrier. She herself is not far behind, stopping time for one last sprint before crossing the barrier and entering the Witch's Labyrinth.

When she stops time, she notices a few familiar faces: Tuxedo Kamen, whom she expects. Princess Runealy, whom she has met before. Miss White, who is with Riventon. There are a few others she doesn't know personally, or very well, but she can probably keep them alive if enough of them are magical in nature. "White-san, Kamen-san, Princess-san. Is everyone alright?"

It's only after noticing those around her that she notices that the labyrinth today is a fair grounds. A 'King' Witch? That's rather odd, isn't it?

Runealy Waldia has posed:
"Several days ago," The Princess answers Hino. "This is /nothing/ like what I thought was going on though. We'll figure it out later." She then follows after him, and does indeed stay close. "Just like we discussed. Working together. A team. Right!"

There are some faces she's not entirely familiar with. Amaya is one of them, met with a remark while The Princess tries to walk by. "I don't know if you've seen anything like this before, but if you haven't, be very careful. These things seem impossible, and look as unreal as you can ever imagine." Mei is also new - and appears to be non-magical, from first glance - but before she can worry too much about that... Tuxedo Kamen, the sliding man from the Seishou school incident, seems to be moving to take care of her. The pair get a nod, thus.

Others have not been seen yet, but she can imagine she'll see them at some point; Sailor Mercury lingers in Runealy's thoughts. Homura's arrival startles her, enough to draw a 'wh?' in surprise but she quickly calms down and faces the Puella Magi.

Puella Magi. In a Witch's barrier. ...Of /course/ Homura is here. With what very little Runealy knows of Puella Magi, these places are of life-or-death importance to them. "I think so," she answers Homura. And then she makes a quick introduction - of sorts - for Hino's benefit. "Hino, this is the friend who stopped me from doing something awful with that 'Grief Seed' we found. I'll leave it up to her how much she wants to say beyond that, but... please help her, and if she has advice we should both listen."

Hannah Sharpe has posed:
Amaya, by now, would like feel the pure rage and pain pouring out from the crack between worlds. Whatever is beyond, is seething, and soon bloodlust spills in the area hard enough that murders and violence will spike for a good few hours in the city. This is not a nice Witch at all.

Similarly, Runealy, Mercury and Hinote might have caught a glimpse of a familiar white-haired woman enter! But Mercury's computer reveals the strange, seemingly infinitely deep structure of the Witch's Barrier, and powerful magic within. Everything is veiled and difficult to see from this side of things.

Within the barrier, the sight of Mei falling to her knees is more than enough to stirr some of the nightmares currently dealing with Takashi and Hannah to action. One outright charges Runealy as she enters, flying through the air with its rider tossing lances her way. Another goes for Mei, content to leap high over Hannah. She's just about to smack the thing, when another Familiar aims a deadly blow that she's forced to duck. A kick destroys the thing, but it leaves Mei vulnerable! The ghostly rider atop the flaming familiar raises its lance, ready to bring it down upon the magical girl, screaming its creator's wrath as the King Witch watches and wails its fury hard enough to cause headaches.

But the arrival of a certain Mysterious Masked Stranger is pertinent, as almost as soon the Familiar raises its lance towards Mei! It's then that Takashi's spell really gets to work.

A smirk to her partner. "No turning back now!" Laughs Hannah as blood-lust and violence overtakes her, grinning like a madwoman as she turns to simply defend now. A majority of the familiars pause, though a few of the stronger ones nearing the magical girls (and boys!) entering seem to still occasionally get off an errant lance before being tied up by snakes.

Luckily for Amaya, most of the Familiars are dealing with the various magical folk. There's /definitely/ no where to hide, unless one wants to chance that shifty looking crowd.

Hannah scowls. She, perhaps unlike her partner, has some morals left.

"Damnit...YOU! See the suspicious sounding guy with..." Pause. Area Search.

"The hat? Stay behind him! If you do not, you will die! Hat man? If either of those two get killed here, you had better hope that the Witch does me in! Am I clear?" Barks Hannah before de-ridering a Familiar. The nightmare in question huffs, before literally being slapped silly by Hannah.

Then she grabs the reigns and offers them to Takashi.

"Here. Just like riding a pony. Try to keep up, Mister Black." Raging Tempest speaks,

"Wind Rider!" Her feet glow, and then the woman is a blurr of motion as she kills familiars in long, leaping strides of jabs and kicks, making a path for herself and Takashi. She's a dervish of constant violence, though notably she only goes for the ones that are in the way. The rest struggle with the bindings.

Meanwhile, the King Witch's arms are being bound by snakes! This is far less effective than on the Familiars, perhaps unsurprisingly. Its right arm is almost completely covered, and half on the left, before with a roar it rips away the snakes on its left. Hannah's gotten two thirds of the way there by then, only to pause as she hears those snakes snap, and Akemi's voice come.

Hannah Sharpe has posed:
"Akemi-san! Fine for now! Care to lend a hand and keep the 'kids' out of trouble?" A pregnant nod to her partner meaningfully. She's the one Hannah is really worried about.

It's around then that a massive javelin the size of a lightpole goes flying for the girl. Feet slamming into the ground hard enough to crack the floor, a massive drill of wind forms around her good hand.

The resulting impact has Hannah being shoved bodily back, barrier and wind spell and fist barely enough. She needs her other arm here! With some quick thinking, a gust of wind and hard kick followed by one heck of a dodge to the ground earns her a long bloody gash along the chest, but not much more. Landing with an 'oomph', she yells,

"INCOMING!" That thing is now spinning end over end, even as the Witch struggles against its growing binds. Notably right towards Homura!

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Sailor Mercury had arrived fron a different area than Princess Runealy....this was done purposely since she was respecting everyone's secret identities. However, when Runealy and her allies start to make their way in, they find Sailor Mercury standing in their way....steadily taking scans. She turns slightly towards Runealy and smiles. "Greetings, Ma'am." She says as she taps a few buttons on her computer. "If you'll allow me, I'll join you inside and scan the inside of the energy dome while we're in there. If I get anything substantial, I'll let you know." She says with a smile. "Sailor Moon usually relies upon me to find weak points before I even strike. "Are you ready, ma'am? Everyone?" She says to them....then, when they are ready....she follows them in.

Takashi Agera has posed:
Riventon looks at the reins of the creature, and laughs. "I think I'll take my own not-insane form of locomotion." he says to hannah, in his practiced and kind-hearted tone before oblitering the horrorshow-horse with a charged punch. Some of his shadow cloak wraps around him, becoming wings at his back, and he's keeping reasonable time with Hannah now, flying behind her, as long as she doesn't intentionally try to keep him in the dust. But he's learned from last time, and most of the shadows that surround his body are still protecting him from atacks.

Riventon also lacks Hannah's concern for any of the bystanders, and tells her so telepathically. "Better that they get killed. I don't think any of them are coming here to assist us - and if they were, we don't need their help. You need to be ready to climb to the top of this mountain on their corpses, Hannah." he adds.

He's busy trying to hold down the witch again with his magic, and two small orbs detach from his gauntlet, starting to orbit around the witch and pepper her with shorter energy blasts. He recognizes the giant lance headed towards Hannah, and decides to let her take care of herself; he's busy. He notices what a hard time she's having though, and when she dodges to the ground he's over near her, still doing magic with the gauntlet in his right hand, and offering her his left hand to help Hannah up to her feet.

"We'll take this damned thing home and nothing is going to stop us." he says, with a clear conviction in his voice. He says it loud enough it can be construed as a challenge to anyone there with a mind to stop him.

Amaya Naga (53) has posed:
     Amaya stands there and starts to laugh a little bit, "Eh-heh.. Um... I... If someone can get me a spear, maybe I can help a little bit, or at least defend myself without assistance?" She takes in a deep breath, and looks around to see who might need any help, except Miss Bank Robber.

     Amaya starts to look around for a sword, staff, or anything at all to defend herself just in case something comes for her.

    It may take Amaya a moment, but she finds herself slowly making her way to a downed familiar to check and see if it was armed, and hopefully have a weapon. "I have to help these people..." She just knows that much in her heart, and in her mind she is picturing the field of battle, taking note of where everyone is at despite all the horrors that she sees around her.

     Eventually Amaya loses her mind, and screams out loud, "Can't someone tell me something good to do?! I am tired of being useless, and I am also tired of seeing strange things like this and want to put a stop to it!" She then looks around at all the magical people, besides herself... Well, she assumes they are magical people and have special powers.

Mei Akatsuki has posed:
"Bwah!"

As high-strung as she is, it's no wonder that Mei jumps about a foot in the air when the mysterious tuxedo guy lands next to her out of nowhere. That pretty definitely answers the question of whether she's awake or not, and as she turns to face the masked man (of course he's masked, they're always masked), it's clear from her stature that she's physically fine, though she's shaking badly and her eyes are wide with what is liable to become panic at any given moment. "Who are you?!" And, before he can even answer that, she lobs another question his way. "What do you mean 'it'? Where even are we?" She gives another powerful shiver, clutching nervously at the jewel hanging from her neck. "I was just in Mitakihara park..."

It's then that she looks beyond the cloaked figure by her side and sees the numerous faces pouring into this bizarre world -- some acknowledging her, some not. Mei's eyes widen even more as she takes in their garb: there's a princess and a knight, a girl in purple who sprints then disappears, and a black-and-white pair in the distance yelling things out in a language she doesn't understand.

Her confusion and anxiety allow 'it' -- the Witch -- entrance into her heart, and a chill tendril of horror winds through her entire body, freezing her in place. This is. It's too much to handle. The little girl stands there, paralyzed, the despair of the Labyrinth finally finding her weakness and seeping through her, keeping her forcefully oblivious to the danger around her.

Her eyes glaze over as the single, most terrifying possibility whispers into her mind: what if her mother found her way inside here...?

"No," she whispers, barely audible, as a few welled up tears begin to roll down her face. "I can't save her. I can't save anybody, can I?"

Homura Akemi has posed:
To Hino, Homura explains, "I told her the importance, and the dangers, of Grief Seeds. Has she told you? Anyone dealing with this kind of thing should know what they're getting into. Make no mistake: These Labyrinths are death traps to the powerless or uninformed."

Homura glances over to Mei, especially since Tuxedo Kamen is paying attention to her. Wait, she's not... detecting any amount of magic from her. Is she... here because of the Witch's Kiss? She doesn't see one of those, either. How... odd. Well, at least she's being seen to, and Tuxedo Mask is demonstratibly qualified to look after lost young maidens.

At Hannah's greeting, Homura says, "I'm here to help. We all need to survive if we're to face what lies ahead, and I won't allow any unnecessary deaths."

Akemi is suspicious of Miss White's intentions, and she has been given reason to be, but Akemi also hasn't seen any reason to directly consider White an enemy. At least, not yet.

Her focus shifts towards the battle as a massive javelin starts spinning towards you. Deflecting it would only cause it to go after someone else, so instead she waits as it nears her, and then at the last moment...

Everything happens in a single instant. She's no longer standing where she was. She's now in the air, and the lance is suddenly, /violent/, knocked downwards, a purple barrier surrounding Homura's shield having repelled the projectile into the ground. The lance stays impaled in the dirt, standing upright. She lands a second later, beyond it, walking towards the Witch while a hand cannon blasts the familiars that get too close to her.

She watches as Hannah and Riventon make their way towards the Witch. She knows their seeking the Grief Seeds. She's very curious to find out what their plan is, and one way to do that is to see what happens to the Grief Seeds they take.

After all, in this strange new timeline, even Walpurgisnacht might not be the worst thing she finds. She has no room to make assumptions.

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Guardian Hino looks at the various magical girls and boys in the area. He blinks. A familar makes a charge for the Princess. He rears his sword up and he brings it clashing to the ground with a brilliant light up of flame--- "Flare Charge---!" calls out Hino, as a ride of flame ignites from the sword, trying to hit the familar in it's charge forward.

Though his attention gets called out---by that same boy that had attacked them before! Is he here- /helping/. This makes his teeth grit. He doesn't like him- and now his attention is going to be split between himself, and making sure that jerk doesn't try to make moves toward trying to hurt Runealy again.

Then Runealy is approached by a blue haired girl, calling her ma'am. Who's Rune's friend? He turns his attention back towards the chaos.

He raises up his sword again to send another wave out at the nearest creature---he looks towards Amaya- he frowns, that feeling again----but there's not a lot he can say- or think to say, he listens to Runealy, and replies. "Alright then." he says with a frown. "I'll do my best." to the Princess.

Runealy Waldia has posed:
Runealy makes a startled cry as a rider heads her way. If not for how unnatural these things look, she could almost envision this being from something back home! "Ahh! Stay away!" Her boot wings light up, silvery energy hurling her skyward to avoid one lance, then alternatingly sideways, left and right, as she descends. A final one glances her shoulder just as she lands, drawing a hurt hiss but it's ultimately a 'nick' cut that would have been much worse had it landed only an inch or two more on target.

The corner of her eye notices that this rider is not her only problem, though. There are /four/ issues. The Witch and the rider... though their threat is made a little more tolerable by Mercury arriving. "That's fine! Thank you!" It's a hurried, mid-fight response as a shout heralds Rune's wand launching its green-orb tip at her attacker... intent on bursting into emerald sparkles on impact if it strikes. Another gem grows to replace it. She might fire again, but Hino is moving to strike and she's not going to make that harder for him by shooting more magic around. She has nothing but open praise for his aspirations and promises. "Your best has always been wonderful. I'll leave it to you!"

Then there are a third and fourth problem. Miss White, and... 'Mister Black', who she recognizes from a battle elsewhere in the city. "You!?" Despite speaking to Riventon first, her words quickly turn to his partner. "Miss White, are you really working with someone like this? Do you know how dangerous he is, what he does?!" /Then/ Riventon is more fully addressed: "You, why are you here? Do you know what's so important about these places?"

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Despite the despir assaulting her every waking thought, Sailor Mercury stands by Princess Runaly (Figuratively, not literally) as she fights the familiars. She grits her teeth as she taps her computer and starts to scan the surrounding area, including passing scans of Miss White and Mister Black, but she's concentrating upon the more immediate threats, the one facing Runealy and her allies. They seem to have thair opponents well in hand at the moment.....

At the moment.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Tuxedo Mask glances up in irritation at the girl's voice yelling at him-- and his eyes widen slightly as he recognises the girl trying to rob the bank the other week. But there's no time for any of this. The little redhead's terrified out of her mind and he sees her eyes starting to go blank, and then there's THIS asshole with the spear and the flaming horse, aiming it at his newly-acquired charge.

Without hesitation, he wings his hat at the Familiar's face and bodily scoops Mei up, springing up and out of range, then landing next to Naga Amaya with a billowing of his cape. "You've got the right idea, miss," he tells her quickly, "but we're not going to be able to get out of here until that guy," he nods toward the King Witch, "is dead. So please, help me: I've got to wake her up. Watch my back, and grab hold of me if anything comes at us."

Trusting Naga to do this, he focuses on the girl in his arms, blue eyes locked on hers, seeking any sign of awareness. "Hey! You asked me who I am-- I'm Tuxedo Kamen. Listen to me: none of this hopelessness is yours, none of this anger or hurt. This is a big mess, and you're going to have to wake up and remember who you are and what you care about if we're going to make it out of here alive! What's your name? Come on, kiddo-- you're better than all this, I know you are!"

Homura Akemi has posed:
Homura looks behind her, to the unknown girl looking for a weapon. Giving her a gun may be a bit irresponsible, but she seems to want a melee weapon anyways. Well, there's /one/ thing that Homura could probably offer.

Instantly, Homura stands before Amaya Naga, a bent-up, heavily used golf club held in her out-streched hand.

"Here. It was my first weapon. It's not much, but it can help you defend yourself."

Hannah Sharpe has posed:
"You are no fun, you know that?" She teases her partner, laughing along with him. Indeed, Hannah keeps a good pace, but not enough to lose her partner. The attacks his way are either mitigated from well timed Gust spells from one of Hannah's limbs, or absorbed by the cloak. Snakes are helping here.

There's a pause. Inwardly, despite all her rushing blood, the quickness to which her partner wants them dead is a little frightening. She knew he was ruthless. But this? Telepathically smirking, she fires right back in Takashi's mind.

"And waste sources of information and potential? Too early to just cast them aside. Besides, you underestimate the psychological value." Prettied up words. She doesn't add the part about needing to sleep at night. She keeps that bit to herself.

Thankfully at least her partner helps her stay on her feet. "...Thanks." Jerk. She'll need to talk to him about teamwork later.

And then Mercury enters. Fighting and some girls breaking down greet her. Two of the nearby Familiars finally break free. One of them immediately tries to bisect her with a pair of flaming hooves and a slash from a massive evil magic halberd!

Thankfully thus far, the various orb shots from Takashi help those snakes spread.Her partner throws diplomacy out the window, and Hannah's sightless eyes roll in exasperation.

She'll also need to talk to him about that.

Mei starts breaking down. Hannah has a powerful feeling of deja vu. She knows exactly what that feels like. Once more, the Witch's arm breaks free, seeking out Takashi! Hannah openly growls.

"It is a shame you had to learn the truth of the world like that, little girl. But that is how things are. THERE. IS. NO. ROOM. TO. SAVE. ANYBODY!" Screams Miss White as that freed arm is hammered repeatedly with blows that have the Witch staggering and howling out of fear and pain. Not enough to truly do damage. Suspicion, for a woman who has been so hard pressed on killing the thing.

Amaya, luckily, is gifted a golf club. Just the right time, as yet another one tears free. The massive nightmare and rider bears down on the girl! But it's open as the horse rears up!

Which Hino slashes to pieces! Familiars die in fiery sword blasts thanks to the young man! Runealy similarly blasts several to death. There's only a handful left now.

Hannah hmph's. "I am in no position to judge him, Hime-san. He is loyal to me, and I return that with honor. I will not throw aside my allies like trash just because they have flaws."

Homura gets a smirk. Her guns make quick work of the trapped familiars, and soon enough, it's just her, and the duo. Time to end this.

"Good. This will not take much longer. So...just stand right there, Akemi-san, and everything will be just fine." It's about then that she teleports away from a punch aimed for her and Takashi. The man will have to deal with not getting his jaw rearranged himself this time.

Tuxedo Kamen, meanwhile, scoops up the girl and uses his hat to decapitate a familiar. It falls to the ground, dissappearing.

"Do not fill her heart with false hopes, Hat Man!"

Mercury's computer gets the feeling of a large spell, almost equalling Takashi's efforts. Unlike him, Hannah knows teamwork. Reappearing atop the King's crowned head, she slams her hand down hard enough to slam it to its knees. The Witch, prostrate under her, is quickly bound by the legs. But it's still struggling.

Hannah Sharpe has posed:
Raging Tempest's spikes grow longer, and wind magic pours out from the 'exhaust' ports.

"Binding Mode, Active!"

Swirling winds wrap about the Witch's body and head, the creature screaming and struggling as the pair of Device Users wrap it head to toe in magic. Hannah leans in to the thing's 'ear' just before it's covered up.

"...That is right. Struggle. SUFFER YOUMA GARBAGE! I cannot /WAIT/ to get familiar with you." Hisses the woman in vehemence. Then, she looks to the others. There's a handful of Familiars left, but they're disorganized.

She mentally prods her partner.

"Alright. Get the teleport spell ready. We need to hold them off. Unbind the rest of the Familiars we are not taking, alright?"

Amaya Naga (53) has posed:
     Amaya finally seems to make up her mind as her momentum shifts forward, but her left foot swings out in front of her to stop herself. She looks to the guy sharply dressed standing next to her. "Right..." Then with that, Homura appears in front of her. Amaya stares at the golf club, and then takes it. "Umm... Thanks.."

    Amaya is awfully thankful that she has the golf club, as she hears, then sees the familiar and horse coming right for her. As she notes the horse rearing, as steps to the side, and swings the golf club with all her might at the knee joint of one of the horse's rear legs to hopefully break it, sending the horse toppling over then the familiar with it. With that, she is stepping forward, and pivoting at the same time bringing the golf club over her head, again, she swings it downward with all her might at the familiar's head. This might be a mess...

     Amaya looks back to Tuxedo Guy, "You have my help then.." Something seemed to have snapped in her as she gets a sudden burst of courage. The field of battle more clear to her, and she was about to charge off to help Hannah, and the other guy that is being a jerk?

Takashi Agera has posed:
Riventon hmphs back. Pretty little lies the slightly strong tell themselves to keep their strength hidden from the weak, to prevent themselves from getting mobbed. His father's words. His moment with the 'Princess' and her 'knights' reminds him of why sometimes this is neccessary, but his pride overrules, like it often does.

"There is no room to save anyone, Miss White." Riventon repeats smugly, and then she dashes away, in time to open up his field of vision to a powerful punch from the Witch. <ROUND SHIELD> calls out Axion, and while it takes a great deal of effort to make it look easy, he suceeds in absorbing the powerful punch and only being moved back about a foot with his heels dug into the shifting terrain of the Labrynth. "See? You didn't need to act to save me, because I am not a weakling." The last bit is said with a great deal of pride and determination.

Unleash the ones they're not taking? That can be done easily. Most of the youma find themselves dragged towards the assembly of heroes and then their bonds removed, Riventon hoping they lash out at nearer targets rather than himself or his 'ally'.

Two specifically remain bound, however, and the orbiting energy balls escape the witches' new binds, floating over above them. <SCHATTEN MARIONETTE> Axion calls, and the orbs wrap tendrils around the Familiars. They now stand, rigid, interposed between the two villains and the potential threats of the heroes, like sentries. Occasionally it seems like they seek to break free of their bonds, to no avail.

"If you stay back, I won't treat the rest of you as problems." Riventon announces to the assembled heroic types. "This should be over soon." He begins preparing the teleport spell, but it's going to take some time - The witch is large, powerful, and still struggling.

Mei Akatsuki has posed:
Is...is there really no way to save anybody?

The tv shows. The manga. All the stories of triumph and their happy endings. Sailor V. The Prism Keepers.

Were they all a lie?

It's tough to say where Mei is right now, mentally. A part of her mind, buried beneath the prison of despair the Witch has imposed on her, is racing, taking in the words and actions of the black and white -- the Monochrome. Certainly they are the enemy her mascots have told her about. Certainly, if she could beat them with her magic, they will tell her where her mother is.

But that reasoning is completely lost to her conscious mind, which is so addled by the Witch's magic that she barely registers being moved by Tuxedo Kamen, eyes staring blankly ahead even as he speaks to her.

The words of Miss White got there first, amplifying the Witch's hold over her, but she does hear him through the haze. It is, perhaps, what saves her from giving into the Witch completely. It will be no easy task to fully restore the willful young girl to herself, however. Not when the words of the white fighter cut so deep.

"You don't understand," she responds, in a kind of sorrowful monotone. "This is all my fault. She disappeared because of me." Never mind that Tuxedo Kamen couldn't know who 'she' is. The question of her name goes completely unanswered, as though she hadn't heard it at all.

"I'm useless. Even with the Crystal...I can't do anything." More tears stream down from her vacant eyes, not seeing the danger that surrounds them all -- or, maybe, just not caring.

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Sailor Mercury may be rather absorbed in the datastream, she's NOT oblivious to someone coming after her. She has rather quick reflexes for a 'nerd' and leaps out of the way, with the wind coming pretty close to Mercury.

In that split second, she tucks her computer away, and decides she really needs to take action, holding her hands out in front of her.

Shabou Spray!

A point of light forms between her hands, and she spins around 360 degrees, crossing her arms behind the growing point of light.

Freeze!

She sweeps both arms in front of her, to cause a multitude of bubbles towards the one trying to cut her in half. Whether it hits the floor or the enemy directly, it causes a familiar fog for all of her allies. One that they can see through, but their enemies cannot......and it is COLLLLLLD!

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Guardian Hino watches Tuxedo Mask---that strange man who stole the grief seed the other night, save a girl. So maybe he isn't so bad. His attention turns back towards cutting down familars, trying to make his way to the witch. Teleport it out!? NO, this thing needs to be destroyed! He's seen what they do. They can't be reasoned with! "Princess, I apologize, but I'm moving forward to destroy that--- that thing." he says as he begins moving forward, longsword out, as as he slices into the fray, making himself a corridor as best as he can, sword blazing out when he can't get close enough to cut into a familar proper as he gets into the thick of it.

Besides, the others seem safe- they shouldn't need his help at the moment. Hopefully.

Homura Akemi has posed:
The Golf Club is passed on from one warrior to another. Homura nods solemnly saying, "Take care of it, and it'll take care of you." With that, she's gone again.

Homura is anticipating another Grief Seed grab, so she's been holding back a bit. She wants answers. Her eyes linger towards Sailor Mercury for a brief moment. She's never seen the blue-haired girl before, but something about her strikes the Puella Magi as off. She doesn't have time to dwell on it.

In response to Miss White's words towards Mei, Homura says in a voice loud enough to carry, "I'd warn you about the dangers of getting depressed in here, but then I remember you don't have the same problems as I do."

Her tone is friendly enough. Her intent.. isn't quite. She vanishes again, this time appearing behind the Witch as a hail of bullets fly upwards from her position towards the King Witch's back. Most importantly, she's in position to make her move soon. She doesn't strictly -need- a grief seed, but if someone like White-san and Black-san are after them, then it may become a problem that she has to deal with.

She might be able to easily grab the Grief Seed before anyone else does. The familiars are bound, the witch probably will not survive such a magical onslaught, and her timestop abilities should easily let her grab it when everything's over. Everything according to plan.

And then Riventon releases all of the familiars.

Homura didn't plan for that.

She also didn't prepare for Riventon attempting to teleport the Witch away. What's going on there?!

"I underestimated your ruthlessness," shouts Homura, "What are you trying to do? Are you insane?!". She doesn't have time to get angry. Oh, but if she did!

Homura now has to reassess everything. She looks at her Soul Gem: getting dark, due to the trip over here and dealing with familiars. She searches her shield for a Grief Seed: just one. She left the stockpile at home in case someone else needed one. She uses the Grief Seed. It doesn't even finish purifying her Soul Gem before the Grief Seed is filled.

She flicks the seed behind her. A small white cat-like creature catches it as it lands, in an opening in its back. "Homura, what are you going to do?"

"I don't want to talk to you."

"You don't have enough magic left to chase both the Witch and also stop the familiars."

"Shut up, Kyubey!"

"It would be a problem if these people take the Witch, you know. You still don't know what they're planning to do with them. Is it worth it to save a few lives if they complete their plans?"

Homura doesn't respond. She walks away from Kyubey. It's a choice between ensuring the survival of multiple magical girls vs. a Witch who might very well be put down the moment these two realize that Witches can't be controlled.

... or can they?

A hail of bullets chases after the now-stray familiars. Some of them face explosions as grenades appear suddenly beside them. Pipebombs and mines stand in the path of others, set to go off just as the familiars pass overhead. She avoids shooting at the ones close to magical girls, both to avoid friendly fire and out of faith that the magical girls can handle themselves at least a bit.

She silently curses herself for not bringing another Grief Seed, but that's another lesson she'll have to take to heart.

Runealy Waldia has posed:
"No room to save anyone?!" Runealy repeats Miss White's words in shock. "How can you say that? And don't be so sure of his loyalty. I've seen first hand that he's an opportunist, the sort who stands and watches as people get hurt so he can try to ruin everything! If you haven't seen it yet, you will in time!"

As the battle with the familiars seems to be coming under control, The Princess winces as she hears Miss White's words. They all seem so dark to her. Enough so that it takes a moment to think through her own feelings before speaking to Hino: "Do what you think is best! Sorry, but we'll be splitting up for a moment... more than anything else, /he/ can't be allowed to win!" Runealy does not say why. She's not sure if Riventon knows. If he doesn't, then she must not say it when she might be overheard. Yet her mind's eye can see what he might do with a Grief Seed. She can easily envision him using it - and its life-sustaining properties, in an odd sense - to effectively hold a Puella Magi hostage to his whims... an arrangement of 'do as I say, or die.' Maybe it would happen to Homura, who just had to use a Seed here and now. Or to Mami, who only exists in Rune's mind as a name and description; Homura has said Mami protects others. The Princess decides she doesn't want to see either of them, or any other Puella Magi, in such a predicament.

So she ignores the Witch and is trying to fight /around/ the familiars rather than directly dealing with them. It might be unwise, but she begins infighting; wand aimed at Riventon, Runealy shouts back: "That's just self-serving nonsense! If we let you do as you like, you'll just hurt everyone later!" Then another sharp shout launches one of her wand orbs at him, though this one scatters into a forward-flying spray of green sparkles in mid-air; Rune is trying to pepper him in a wide attack! With the familiars running about, she has no confidence in a direct hit... or in dealing a telling blow from this range, but she's hoping for even a distraction.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"YOU'RE NOISY, WHITE-SAN," Tuxedo Mask yells across the fairground toward Hannah, extremely aggrieved. "I thought you wanted me to make sure she was alive! YOU'RE MAKING IT HARDER."

And Amaya has joined the Golf Club just in time. Tuxedo Kamen shoots Homura a look of gratitude and trusts Amaya to beat the crap out of a mounted fire rider monster with the thing (wh-- holy CRAP did she EVER). The breathing time she buys him is precious, and the tall and stunningly attired masked gentleman crouches again, setting Mei on her feet and holding her up with his hands on her arms. And... 'even with the Crystal', huh?

His expression is very grave. "Look at me, sweetheart. Focus. Blaming yourself for bad things that happen doesn't solve anything. You want to find her, don't you?" Whoever she is. "You can't find her if you lose yourself to despair. If you have the Crystal, you can find her. And you'll have help. Just trust yourself, trust your instincts, trust your abilities. You can do it. I believe in you."

His voice is quieter still. "I'm looking for someone, too, and for a crystal that can find /her/. I understand how hard it is. But you have to stay strong."

Hannah Sharpe has posed:
A familiar is about to have a very, very bad day. Amaya's golf-club fu proves great, as the thing's legs snap! Even they must sometimes follow the laws of physics, and down tumbles the nightmare, trapping its rider. The resulting slam of golfclub to familiar is splatters of blood that's transparent and sticky. It's cold, like some kind of sticky gel. Weird.

Soon it fades away.

And then Riventon acts, and most of the remaining Familiars are dragged and released! They immediately rush for the magical defenders, its frightened liege in no way able to control them right now. A wall of javelins flies for those away from the Witch!

And then she's being mocked by her partner. There's a grief sneer, followed by a slammed heel upon the Witch's head. Its crown shatters and the thing moans in an almost pathetic way.

Oh, she'll need a vacation after all of this is over.

"Heh. Good. I do not toss aside allies, but dead weight is as good as a betrayal." She counters.

Hannah steps up to a defensive position now as her partner gets the spell ready. Her feet glow once again, hand held up as she keeps the Witch down with physical force and magic alike. But her attention is on their real opponents: the magical warriors gathered.

Every sense in Hannah's body is keyed up, Raging Tempest feeding her data in her range at an unhealthy rate. With so many here, with so many powerful abilities, she has to be at her best. Any hesitation will cost them everything. With a deep breath, sightless eyes steely with conviction, she stands guard.

Hannah's heart breaks a little as she hears Mei's words. Terrible 'truths' that she believes in her heart...and yet, it kills her to inflict them upon her. Homura's words hit her again, and for the slightest moment, there's concern. She shakes it off. The girl will be fine when they get the Witch out of here. She knows the strength of those gathered. They can kill the Familiars.

Lies she uses to keep from breaking down on the spot as she mentally relives her first encounter with a youma.

But the man in the Hat can be irritating. And has a point.

"Sh..SHUT UP! Not my fault she does not grasp basic...MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO WORRY ABOUT HERE!" She yells back, almost as equally aggrieved. Though that might be more trying to hold down a Witch and general darkness in the heart.

SHABOU SPRAY!

Mercury's attack is a wave of freezing bubbles. The first Familiar is knocked on its rear, crushed beneath the nightmare. The first wave of freezing fog cause sthe advance to halt as they flail in the fog, but some of the more enterprising ones still toss javelins angrily! There's no accuracy here, but a lucky blow could still happen.

Only for Hino to carve a path through some of the familiars. It's a harsh battle, with lances wildly swinging for him, but his sword cleaves through! Can he remain unpierced?

Hannah has no words for the Princess. Her jaw sets. Could she be right? She pushes aside those thoughts of betrayal. It infuriates her, and it shows.

But she'll leave the woman to Riventon. She has someone else to deal with.

"Get going! We cannot sustain an assault like this for long!"

Or their prey. Thankfully, as Homura moves, Hannah had prepared. She's seen this technique a few times. Still in the dark about the truth, but she knows a few things. When time unpauses, Raging Tempest's Wind Divination shoves air movements of girl and bullets all at once into her head. It's enough of a picture to work with, and her enhanced speed is scathing when she's not trying anything fancy.

Hannah Sharpe has posed:
And so for once Hannah's blindness works to her favor. She can feel the bullets, she doesn't need to see them to react. She's there in an instant, not bothering to turn especially given it puts her Barrier Jacket into the bullets. She can't get them all, but she bodily blocks part of the barrage. Raging Tempest's shield and the Jacket saves much of her, several bullets plinking off of her uselessly. The Witch, vaguely shielded by snakes and wind, screams as it's wounded despite Hannah's efforts. But it's still alive.

Miss White is definitely /not/ okay, as a duo of bullets pierce through her stomach and right rib. She cries out, using the Witch as a stabalizing platform. Her knees tremble as pain shocks through her, but pure determination, desperation, and the magic of her insane dreams keeps her from passing out. She gasps aloud as she bleeds.

"S...sorry Akemi-san. BUT I NEED THIS ONE ALIVE!" Calling up much of her remaining strength, another massive drill gathers. But this one is on her leg. Performing a wide, arcing kick in perfect kickboxer's form, a veritable tornado of slashing winds form where she strikes.

"VIOLENT TEMPEST ARC!"

It might knock away the stray attack, but most importantly, it's aimed to send Homura flying and generally get in the way of anyone getting at the Witch. It's not as devestating as her other attack, but it's far more widely ranged.

Amaya Naga (53) has posed:
     Amaya looks at the blood for a moment, "Are these things already dead?" She looks at how the blood looks.. "The blood is coagulated already.." She gets that 'really?' look on her face. "We are fighting zombies?" She sighs a little bit, "Why does this seem so typical..?"

     Amaya looks to Tuxedo Guy, and listens to what he is saying to Mei, but doesn't interrupt him at all. Her eyes and head moving around watching every direction. "I should start bringing my bo staff everywhere I go."
     Amaya catches what happens to Hannah, and cringes a little bit. She turns her head to look to the Tuxedo guy, then takes another look around to see if any more familiars around. "I might have to leave your side.."

     Amaya hears what Hannah says as well, "You want to take that thing alive?!" She seems a little shocked.

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Guardian Hino continues his charge forward, as lances come for him, he does his best to avoid being pierced, at least one plows into his armor, and causes him to get knocked to the side a moment- and into another one. He lashes out with his sword though as it reignites and cuts them down. He slams the sword down into the ground as he closes his eyes and calls out. "Flare BURST!"

Fire explodes about him in a sudden blast of combustion, as he tries to take out a whole bunch at once. He has to close his eyes as his cape flitters about from the blast of fire around him.

He removes his sword out from the ground--- part him expecting blood to seep up from the ground in such a place at this point. Regardless, he moves forward--- he raises his sword at the witch as he grrrrs. He needs to get closer. He still pushes forward, faster than he was before, though the familars are getting more harder to deal with the further he goes in.

"I WON'T LET YOU DO AS YOU PLEASE!" he calls out to the two trying to steal the witch. "YOUR ACTIONS ARE IRRESPONSIBLE!" he calls out.

Homura Akemi has posed:
"I'm sorry, too, White-san," says Homura. "because I need it dead."

The tornado comes at her. She sees it coming. She has enough magic to timestop just enough to step out of the way. She does so. Yet, while she does timestop, she takes a moment to consider. Hannah, tracking her super-speed, might be able to see the paradoxical sight of Homura casually walking at a super-high rate.

Here is a woman who is willing to, and possibly capable of, scientifically studying the Witches in a deep, meaningful way. White-san could learn new things about them, and Homura has seen enough of their skill to have faith in their ability to take out a Witch who breaks whatever containment plans they have. Homura also, for all of Miss White's self-admitted shifty demeanor, doubts that she's the kind of person to feed innocent people to Witches in order to empower them.

This Riventon guy might, but Miss White? Nah, Homura doesn't consider her the type.

If Miss White succeeds, if she actually manages to do as she wishes, she might find out something that helps them fight Witches. She might develop new weapons against them, or some other power, and that might even help them against Walpurgisnacht. Even if Miss White doesn't share her findings, Homura might be able to steal them.

Homura is tempted, within that time frozen instant, to let Miss White have her way.

Yet, Riventon. Riventon is way too shifty for Homura to really trust him. The things he has said and done... Homura cannot trust him to do what is right.

Too bad. Miss White might have actually been onto something.

Homura doesn't reappear after she vanishes, at least not anywhere visible. The attack goes through where she used to be. A series of explosions go off all around the Witch from every direction, yet that assault alone might not be enough to finish it off.

Homura hides in the stands of the stadium, looking at her Soul Gem. She's out of this fight. Kyubey looks upon her hopefully. "Don't get your hopes up," she mutters.

Hannah may find, in her pocket, one last grenade. The pin is still in, and it very much is not armed to go off anytime soon. In fact, tied to the grenade's pin is a simple note reading:

For when you change your mind, White-san.

-Homu

Takashi Agera has posed:
Riventon's working hard to try to take his vaguely alive 'prize' back home - letting Hannah stand between the incoming fire. He's aware of the damage she's taken, and so he tries to focus harder. He doesn't want to lose this work he's done.

And that's when Runelay lets loose with words as well as actions.It's hard to tell if her attacks or her words get to him more. The power of the green sparkles strikes him from behind - pain shooting through him, though he declines to show it, but he's unable to defend as all of his attention is on the teleportation - and he rounds on her, right hand still outstretched to at try to put the teleportation 'on hold.

"I'm not an opprotunist, girl, but you're both a weakling and a coward." he says, harshly, intending to be as cutting as possible. "Not only were you too soft to defend yourself, but you ran away while you let two others take the burden of fighting for you. Don't talk to me about honor."

The two familiars bound by Riventon's shadowy orbs begin to step forward and advance on Runealy - which also leaves him open to further attacks from the others, now that they've changed from a defensive stance. "I don't have time for you. Begone, or I'll finish with you what I started the last time."

He completes the seal, and the witch - and his in progress teleportation spell - and held on a sort of stasis. He's aware that he can't keep focusing on moving such a huge creature under fire, and risks losing his progress.

"Alright, then, children." Riventon says, the power of his henshin blinding him to the fact that he is a child, calling other children the same. "Step right up, if you want to make a foolish attempt to stop us, and I'll put you out of your misery. Or turn around and leave unharmed. The choice is yours, but you'd better make one quick. I have experiments to do today." Riventon channels negative energy in his hands. He's ready for a fight. This time he came ready for a fight. Outnumbered or not.

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Seeing that her Shabou spray did the trick, Sailor Mercury gets up and, under the cover of the fog, continues her scans of the area. Looking up occasionally. "I think the source is this way, Ma'am, Guardian." She says pointing in the direction of Miss White.....a more level direction of Miss White instead of pointing up. She then taps a couple of buttons, and concentrates so the fog actually freezes many of the enemies, or slows them down, especially the ones that are charging Runealy. "Ma'am....if you remember Miss White up there? Can you actually help me take her alive?"

Runealy Waldia has posed:
Runealy's boot wings flare again, launching her aside from a few javelins before she's forced to take refuge by creating a red energy bubble to shelter herself in. Several more polearms bounce off it, though one pierces through and hits the side of her leg, causing Rune's balance to buckle! She wants to say something to Miss White, but the chaos as bullets and wind fly keeps her from doing so. It's also preventing her from immediately heading to Hino, though... she chose that situation herself; she picked a fight with Riventon even as her newest friend and Knight had different opinions on what's most important. This is not even remotely a breach of the Oath between them... it is entirely possible for a Knight and Princess to disagree on what the top priority of the moment is, and pursue separate goals. She can't be with Hino at the moment, but she trusts that his decision to confront both Miss White and Riventon - as opposed to Rune focusing on just the latter - is valid and right in its own way, and she trusts him to act on what he thinks is Responsible. He's her friend, not her unthinkingly obeying 'soldier-machine.'

When Mercury asks for her help, Runealy hesitates. Not out of a lack of regard for the water-wielder, but because of more direct problems. "Sorry! I'm busy!" After all, she has familiars and Riventon now paying attention to her.

When Riventon talks down on her, she... actually agrees with his insults, head lowered. "You're right. I'm pretty awful. I'm all those things you just said. It's just that... I don't care about 'honor.' I care about people helping people be safe," 'safe', a word invoked in her cultural way - she means people need to be both protected and happy, the two components of 'safe' in her society's definition of the word - "even if I'm not very good at it."

So when he threatens her, Rune takes heed. Her confidence plummets, but she stands her ground. "Nobody will be safe if everyone just ignores you. You'll hurt one person, and then another, and one by one they'll all be hurt. So even if it's stupid for someone like me to try, I'm not letting you just have your way!" She nonetheless has no belief that she'll accomplish much here.

Yet she tries. The familiars are making it impossible for her to really make meaningful attacks on Riventon, but she has to hope someone else will take advantage while she fights them. Backpedaling, she launches another wand-orb at one of the monsters!

Mei Akatsuki has posed:
For most of Tuxedo Kamen's initial speech, Mei reacts as she did before -- that is, not reacting much at all. The poor girl is able to stand mostly on her own, once he sets her upright, but her eyes remain far away, evidence of the maelstrom of grief that is holding her mind hostage. Why should she believe this man, when he's only seen her give into weakness and grief? How does he know she's good enough when he doesn't know her at all?

But what he says when his voice drops, when he tells her about his own quest. A spark of light returns to the blankness of Mei's face, and for the first time, she looks at the man like she's really seeing him.

"...you too?" she says, voice scarcely above a whisper. "You're searching too?" And, like ice melting in the spring sun, the red-headed fourth grader returns to herself, standing firm where she once was shaking, eyes clearing as the curtain of hopelessness is lifted from them. "I thought I was alone. I thought I had to be alone. To keep everyone safe."

Small details about the environment start to become clearer to her, now that the brainwashing is being beaten back. The fog that should honestly be blinding her, but that she can see through with no problem. The approaching monsters, and the legion of people fighting them back. The white and black villains yelling about their plans, like bad guys seem so fond of doing.

And, just like that, the puzzle comes together in her mind.

Roy told her it was her duty to defeat the Monochrome Duo. She just didn't think it would be this soon. She hasn't fought anyone yet, hasn't even transformed yet.

But she'll be strong. Like the masked man said, she *has* to be strong. To protect everybody, because she's a magical girl now, and that's what they /do./

Mei grabs hold of the Chroma Crystal hanging on her necklace, then turns around, glancing over her shoulder to Tuxedo Kamen. "Thank you. I know what I have to do now."

The Crystal floats gently in her hand for a second, and then--

"CHROMA PRISM RED! TRANSFORM!"

Scarlet light explodes like a starburst from where she stands, and out of it shoots the newly transformed magical girl, surrounded by a protective orb of her magic. Determined eyes afixed to the despicable monochrome pair, the crimson comet flies toward them on a collision course, leaving a trail of color in her wake.

"My name is Prism Keeper Red! And I'm not going to let you get away with what you've done!"

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Tuxedo Kamen is stopped stock still, eyes wide and shining behind the mask as Mei wakes up, as she comes to herself, and then as she--

--not so unbelievably, is it? not when all those other people end up unconscious instead of drowning in grief and shadows, but still...

...as this little redheaded girl acts so much like the incredibly brave warriors he's been meeting left and right since he made the decision to take his quest into his own hands, and since he met Sailor Moon, the bravest and most frightened of them all...

...as she takes a gem in her hand and calls out a phrase and explodes in light and color and determination to go out and make things right.

Slowly he stands, and then glances back to Amaya and gives her a brilliant smile. "It's all right -- go! She's more than okay now. Let's all see what we can do to help stop this nonsense!"

As he also takes stock, looking through the magical mist, he sees Sailor Mercury ahead of him, hears her question and Runealy's denial. "Sailor Mercury!" he calls out, "I'll do my best!!"

With these words, and a lightness born of hope in his heart and in his steps, Tuxedo Kamen crouches again, only to leap into the air over the heads of heroes and familiars alike, over Riventon-- and he's headed, not for the King Witch, but for Miss White. "IT'S GOING TO EXPLODE!" he yells to her on the descent; maybe she'll actually take his words to heart, maybe she'll let him snatch her from what he expects to be ground zero in like point zero zero two seconds. Maybe.

Or maybe the Witch will notice him first. He never claimed to commonly think things through.

Hannah Sharpe has posed:
It's a legitimate point, and one she'd hoped to get out into the air. Perhaps, at least enough to cause some reasonable doubt in Amaya's mind.

Nevermind that it's not necessarily an entire lie.

"Of course! Look around you. See how many strong people it has taken to get this thing to bend?" She kicks the thing spitefully. Her hatred for the creature is real, at least.

She gasps the words out, and she's running on fumes.

But she has to get this out.

"You need to know an opponent's weak points, their very being, to truly defeat them." She'll let the others puzzle that out on their own, the meaning should be clear enough.

That flaming sword causes an eruption, and Familiars die by the droves. Hinote's attack leaves smoking ruin all around them, part of the faire grounds caught aflame. It stinks of old, dried blood and burning meat.

"...Irresponsible? You are the fool rushing in without knowing the situation." She smirks to Runealy. Those two seem to be allies.

"A fool following a weakling who has to hide behind others. You are wasting your talents. I like your bravery. Why not come serve someone with real ambition?" Taunts Hannah.

More words to her lab partner from Rune, and then a wand orb! The creature is blown straight through, the beings sadly thin right now. Truly, it's looking like it's down to Hannah and Takashi at this point.

Particularly as Mercury's freezing fog shatters the remaining ones to so much dust. It's truly down to a Witch, and a pair of Magical Jerks.

Her computer might even label them as such.

It's around then that a dozen explosives go off, and Hannah can only take about one of those. Falling to a knee atop the creature, she feels the grenade...thankfully with a pin still in...in her pocket. As it turns out, blind girls are /great/ at glaring contests, and Akemi-san gets a massive one.

But most importantly, that little glimpse into Homura's technique is telling. A constant rate. Inferring distance, inferring measurements. And perhaps eventually, prediction. She files the data away for later analysis.

The Witch no longer struggles beneath its weakened binds. Indeed, the being is on death's door right now, even as Hannah struggles to remain on her feet. She looks terrible, and has resorted to using her barrier jacket to physically bind the worst of her wounds. Her usually impeccable stance is shakey.

All she can do is support Riventon now, and prepare to teleport when the time arrives. Or at worst, salvage ths ituation.

Hannah Sharpe has posed:
And then power flares from the renewed will of the little girl. Magic. Hannah feels it in her weakened bones, and instinctively pulls a step back. She focuses her 'sight' forward as her instincts scream danger.

The screaming orb of pure magical power that is Prism Keeper Red flies at Hannah, her eyes widening. Her mouth opens in a grin, a laugh of unhinged delight escaping her. The birth of another amazing person, and from such a little girl? Ignoring the pain in her body, her sagging spirit, that amazing girl pushes Hannah to respond in kind.

"VIOLENT...RAGING....TEMPEST!" She screams and swings her leg around again.

The resulting impact sends waves of mixed crimson and green magic kicking up. The area around the pair almost instantly is shattered, the Witch driven into the earth from the two magical warrior's clash! Parts of Hannah's Barrier Jacket tears away as she turns her body.

She can't put all of her power into it, as Tuxedo Kamen is right on top of her. What would have been a thunderous blow is merely like a hammer being driven into one's ribcage, and she tries to kick away Mei right into the direction of her partner! A perfect setup!

And then Hannah as enough time to duck a bit such that the two slam into each other, Tuxedo exploding her into the ground.

And literally through the witch. Its the last straw, as the creature sputters and dies, Hannah feeling the magic dissipate and tear as her mostly exposed back.

Those blind eyes now so near Tux's are full of desperation and horror at yet another failure. It doesn't help when you have a Grief Seed literally stuck in your back. Ow. It's pointy. Breathing hard and likley getting blood all over Tuxedo Kamen, she smirks.

"...Transfer." The Grief Seed teleports away from beneath her.

She telekinetically pokes her partner. "Looks like they win this battle. Do some damage to remind them who we are and then let us get out of here. We can salvage this. I removed the Seed."

For now, she cannot do much. Too incredibly stubborn to fall out yet despite being obviously on her last legs.

Hannah Sharpe has posed:
It's a legitimate point, and one she'd hoped to get out into the air. Perhaps, at least enough to cause some reasonable doubt in Amaya's mind.

Nevermind that it's not necessarily an entire lie.

"Of course! Look around you. See how many strong people it has taken to get this thing to bend?" She kicks the thing spitefully. Her hatred for the creature is real, at least.

She gasps the words out, and she's running on fumes.

But she has to get this out.

"You need to know an opponent's weak points, their very being, to truly defeat them." She'll let the others puzzle that out on their own, the meaning should be clear enough.

That flaming sword causes an eruption, and Familiars die by the droves. Hinote's attack leaves smoking ruin all around them, part of the faire grounds caught aflame. It stinks of old, dried blood and burning meat.

"...Irresponsible? You are the fool rushing in without knowing the situation." She smirks to Runealy. Those two seem to be allies.

"A fool following a weakling who has to hide behind others. You are wasting your talents. I like your bravery. Why not come serve someone with real ambition?" Taunts Hannah.

More words to her lab partner from Rune, and then a wand orb! The creature is blown straight through, the beings sadly thin right now. Truly, it's looking like it's down to Hannah and Takashi at this point.

Particularly as Mercury's freezing fog shatters the remaining ones to so much dust. It's truly down to a Witch, and a pair of Magical Jerks.

Her computer might even label them as such.

It's around then that a dozen explosives go off, and Hannah can only take about one of those. Falling to a knee atop the creature, she feels the grenade...thankfully with a pin still in...in her pocket. As it turns out, blind girls are /great/ at glaring contests, and Akemi-san gets a massive one.

But most importantly, that little glimpse into Homura's technique is telling. A constant rate. Inferring distance, inferring measurements. And perhaps eventually, prediction. She files the data away for later analysis.

The Witch no longer struggles beneath its weakened binds. Indeed, the being is on death's door right now, even as Hannah struggles to remain on her feet. She looks terrible, and has resorted to using her barrier jacket to physically bind the worst of her wounds. Her usually impeccable stance is shakey.

All she can do is support Riventon now, and prepare to teleport when the time arrives. Or at worst, salvage ths ituation.

Hannah Sharpe has posed:
And then power flares from the renewed will of the little girl. Magic. Hannah feels it in her weakened bones, and instinctively pulls a step back. She focuses her 'sight' forward as her instincts scream danger.

The screaming orb of pure magical power that is Prism Keeper Red flies at Hannah, her eyes widening. Her mouth opens in a grin, a laugh of unhinged delight escaping her. The birth of another amazing person, and from such a little girl? Ignoring the pain in her body, her sagging spirit, that amazing girl pushes Hannah to respond in kind.

"VIOLENT...RAGING....TEMPEST!" She screams and swings her leg around again.

The resulting impact sends waves of mixed crimson and green magic kicking up. The area around the pair almost instantly is shattered, the Witch driven into the earth from the two magical warrior's clash! Parts of Hannah's Barrier Jacket tears away as she turns her body.

She can't put all of her power into it, as Tuxedo Kamen is right on top of her. What would have been a thunderous blow is merely like a hammer being driven into one's ribcage, and she tries to kick away Mei right into the direction of her partner! A perfect setup!

And then Hannah as enough time to duck a bit as she prepares for a transfer!

But the expected attack doesn't come. Instead, she's being pulled away by Tuxedo Kamen! The pure shock actually has her drop her guard for one second in pure disbelief.

"...What in god's name are you doing? I was perfectly vulnerable. You could have taken me out. I..I can barely stand right now. Why are you wasting an opportunity like that on an enemy!?" Comes the woman incredulously. Ironically, being saved may have cost her more than being attacked. Furious, wet tears coat her face in pure indignation. She can't quite get over the shock to even beat the man up right now. Dancing on the edge of consciousness from blood loss isn't helping.

Then her better sense gets ahead of her.

"Oh you tricky man!" It also put her completely off of the Witch. Deep down, she is actually impressed by this man's tactical acumen.

Amaya Naga (53) has posed:
Amaya Naga sighs a little bit, and looks around a little bit. She growls a little bit, thinking something stupid, and probably about to do something stupid. Mei is way out of range now, Tuxy is also out of range to help immediately. She looks around a little bit more, then shrugs.

     "Probably the dumbest thing I have done yet, but... It has to be done!" She turns a bit, and pushes herself forward sprinting towards Riventon. She doesn't announce her charge at this point. Once Amaya is close enough, she dives to Riventon, hoping the villain doesn't notice her immediately, or during her charge! If she succeeds, she will tackle him, but doesn't know how successful it will be.

Takashi Agera has posed:
Riventon stands firm, and yet... suddenly, there's a rush of Red! At first he readies for the fact that someone has taken him on his challenge, but she moves closer to Hannah, and Hannah responds in kind. The clash of the two magical girls is fierce, but Hannah's strength overcomes the newly-minted magical girl's impressive heart. Sending her towards him.

"So brave! But still foolish. And you're trying to ruin my experiment, little one. Looks like I'll have to remove this errant variable." Riventon said, and then raised his hand in the air as Mei is thrown, stumbling, to her direction. And it's right next to her that he attacks, putting the channeled negative energy in both hands into the attack.

    <SCHATTENSHLAG! VERBESSERT!>

There's a brief moment in time where the dark blue magic circle is visible under Riventon before an utterly tremendous, massive blast of negative energy pulses out from him - larger than anything Runealy experienced, a new trick developed in his downtime - at point blank range towards the nascent magical girl. The force is great enough to thrust Takashi back and off balance, but he quickly recovers and reassumes his fighting stance.

Explosions sound off loudly, and Axion's automatic shield prevents him from being a victim as well - he doesn't even turn around, though inwardly sweats at the closeness a bit. The damage being done to the witch doesn't escape Riventon's mind, and while inwardly he curses his inability to get thing thing out, he'd been recording data from it as a backup plan. He stands alone, after Hannah is 'saved' by Tuxedo Kamen.

"Well, if you're going to cost me my experiment, I'll have to take another one with me." He looks boldly at Rune as the dying witch's hold on her familiars further deteriorates and the orbs that were pupeteering them retreat and socket back into his gauntlet. "Perhaps you'll give me your staff this time - or I'll borrow one of those trinkets from your allies instead?" That's when he notices Amaya charging him as well, and his hand comes up. "No. Numbers won't win you a battle this time."

    <SCHATTENSLAG!>

Another burst of shadow energy is unleashed from his gauntlet, though this one is smaller in comparison to the one that struck Mei, it's extremly powerful in its own right still, with Riventon putting a vast store of negative energy into it - there is no mercy in the eyes of the mage.

"Come on, lets see how many of you future experiments I take back to the lab tonight!" he annouces, still channeling energy into his hands. He's come /far/ more prepared than he did previously. His focus is now on soothing his battered pride - presuming Hannah can deck the guy in the goofy hat who tried to dash off with her on her own.

Homura Akemi has posed:
Homura Akemi, still hidden behind the stands, hidden as one face among the faceless crowd. She watches on as the Witch very nearly dies. Sure, she can't use her time stop right now, and drawing attention to herself would mean taking damage she can't really afford to heal. So instead she just watches, letting her henshin drop. No reason to expend magic unnecessarily, unless something comes along to make it necessary.

"Are you really okay with this, Akemi-san?"

"I haven't decided yet."

"These two could end up hurting a lot of people if they get that Witch."

"That's funny, coming from you."

"What about me makes you feel so hostile?"

Puella Magi glares at mascot, and unwanted mascot looks up with that blank stare.

Homura turns back to Riventon as he begins threatening the other magical girls. This is not going well. What could Homura do?

Oh right. She doesn't really need magic in order to attack, does she? Only defense relies upon her magical powers, doesn't it?

Her henshin goes back up. RPG comes out. The rocket flies striaght into the Witch, one after another. There is no sped-up time for her this time, but if Riventon intends to fight the others, then the Witch needs to be neutralized as a threat.

Due to lack of time-stopping, her attacks are a bit slower, but she is a very practiced marksman, and being a Puella Magi gives certain other advantages.

To the others she shouts, emerging from the crowd, "Focus on Black-san! I'll take care of the Witch!"

Amaya Naga (53) has posed:
     Amaya has driven herself to charge Riventon, but she isn't lucky enough that the guy doesn't notice her, because she is definitely isn't going un-noticed. It is at that moment that she finds herself unable to move as she is leaning forward a bit, and it is a little hard to shift momentum in mid stride. Suddenly, she stops, then is flying backwards. The force of the attack sending her flying back, but her body still seeming to tuck and roll to help reduce some of the damage. Once she stops, she groans a little in pain as she gets to her hands and knees. She seems to be busy trying to catch her breath before passing out from pain? Something might be broke?

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Listening to Riventon's words, Sailor Mercury cannot help it. "I don't know who you are sir, but if I ever get my hands on you, I'm going to wash your mouth out with soap. Do you kiss your mother with that potty mouth?" She then stops herself and thinks. "Oh wait...that's german." She then says in a louder voice. "DO YOU KISS YOUR MOTHER WITH THAT POTTY MOUTH!" That's Sailor mercury's way of telling someone to shut up.

Her more immediate concern is Tuxedo Kamen and Miss Whi.....wait a minute TUXEDO KAMEN IS HERE AND HE MADE IT PRESENCE KNOWN! "Tuxedo Kamen! Thank you!"

Okay, crisis averted. Tuxedo Kamen's name has been dropped for the episode.

Meanwhile, her concern is more focused upon Miss White and Tuxedo Kamen....so she concentrate her fog around Tuxedo kamen and Miss White to shield them from prying eyes.....like from enemy eyes.

Does Miss White count?

Uh.....no.

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Guardian Hino watches as an orb charges through the witch from Runealy's general direction. He grits his teeth--- The Princess will be okay. Nothings going for her right now anyways. Familars don't seem to be super powerful. He turns his attention back to Hannah, and her words. "I don't /serve/. I help!" he fircely announces back as he raises his sword skyward. He'd go to try to throw fire at Hannah in response- but Tuxedo Mask /saves/ her!? This causes him to recoil a bit with a 'nrg' under his breath- instead, his attention gets put back toward's Riventon.

"I haven't forgotten you!" he calls out.--

And then he watches Riventon attack a smaller magical girl, and a non-magical girl and this upsets him dramatically. "COWARD, FIGHT AN ARMED OPPONENT!" he calls out as his sword turns into a blaze of orange-red as he raises it overhead, "RAGING FIRE------" he calls out as he unleashes a brilliant ball of fire, that takes the shape of some sort of odd, small winged dragon made of fire along the way, aiming to crash into Riventon---"DRAGON!" he calls out- hoping that he can hit this jerk square in his chest, or worse.

Runealy Waldia has posed:
Runealy pauses as the immediate threat to her well-being clears up, but also because Miss White /seems/ to be trying to recruit Hino. ...Would he? Would he leave her? After she just admitted to so many flaws, and saying something as controversial as 'not caring about honor'? Seeing Prism Keeper Red emerge and fly forth proves a distraction from this line of thought, and Hino shouts the possibility down. ...Of course he did. He promised. She made promises, too. That some day, she's going to take him to see the people and world he has pledged to Help, without having even met them.

Yet Miss White's wind-burst jars her back to the dangerous situation at hand. If it hadn't done that, then Riventon's blast would have done it; Rune is very surprised by this, and... something he said echoes in her mind. 'Coward. Opportunist.'

He's calling to her, asking for her wand again. Talking about how numbers won't help them win. "I can't give you this. If I do that, I die." This isn't directly, literally true... but she feels it's effectively the case. "But even if I can't win this fight..."

She decides to be a cowardly opportunist. "There are two different fights I want to win right now." Amaya's charging him. Even with all the power on display here, she has to hope someone can keep him busy.

She has decided to attack the Witch. Her mind's voice shouts at her to get the Grief Seed, to get it so it can go to someone who needs it - Homura's face flashes in Rune's mental 'vision'. Runealy isn't even sure Homura is still /here/, but that's beside the point. She worries that Homura or the 'Mami who protects people' /need/ this.

And so she begins sprinting in a wide arc around Riventon, trying to avoid fighting him. Instead, Runealy launches a few more wand-orbs at the Witch and sprints toward it in a bid to finish it off, to be nearby should the Seed appear! If she can instead win the fight that would help either of them, that's a good enough outcome in this chaotic mess, she thinks.

Mei Akatsuki has posed:
It all makes sense, for a moment. It's just like she had written about, just how her friends imagined it all. In a burst of heart, she's going to do away with the bad guys for good, and then, maybe, everything will be set right. As long as she stays strong, everything will be alright.

And it is alright. For a moment.

Then the white lady screams out an incantation of her own, and the clash of their two magics hits her like a brick wall. Red lets out a small cry of confusion, having not expected the bad guys to actually fight back, not when victory was so obviously in her sights. Some instinctive reservoir of power surges through her, and she *pushes* closer to Miss White, trying to break through the resistance and impact the pair of them somehow.

Instead, she overexerts herself, and the verdant tempest slices her orb until it falls down around her in great chunks of light, vanishing when they hit anything solid below.

Before she can even comprehend what happened, a boot collides with her rib cage, knocking the air from her chest and sending her spiraling backward into the black mage. Head spinning, body reeling from pain and exhaustion, the girl has just enough time to look in Riventon's eyes before he unleashes his own attack.

Mei thought she learned pain when Miss White bested her.

She was wrong.

The girl's high-pitched scream cuts through even the sound of the discharging crackle of negative energy, echoes across the Labyrinth as the blast drives into her back at point blank. The tiny butterfly wings that had carried her into the sky *shatter*, like bits of glass, leaving her suspended in the air only by her remaining magic. That itself only lasts a few moments longer, and with no resistance to hold it back, Mister Black's attack piledrives the little magical girl into the ground at a speed that would turn a mortal into pulp. She craters into the ground, the force of the impact driving her further across the Labyrinth about twenty yards before it finally lets up.

Her screaming stopped several seconds ago, replaced by a tiny whimper as she clings to consciousness with what strength remains in her tiny body. The henshin that protected her from certain death, torn and tattered from the assault and subsequent impact, vanishes in a sparkle of red light.

The rise and fall of her chest is faint, labored, and around her, the world is growing dark around the edges. But her right hand clasps the dim Chroma Crystal like a vice, shielding it as much as she can from the sight of the villains. If -- If they have taken her life, they will still not have this.

"Someone..." she whispers, before a violent cough wracks her body. "This Crystal. Don't let them take it."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Tuxedo Kamen huffs out a breath as he sets Ms. White down and ignores the hell out of her castigations. Then she calls him tricky, and he can't even--

He can't do anything at all except whip around and stare in horror and absolute fury as he's just in time to see Riventon's shot. The Witch is blowing up around them, Amaya was kicked out of the way, everything is hell in the magical fog and the worst part of the Labyrinth isn't even the Witch.

That scream.

She was so new, she couldn't have known-- no, even if she weren't. His own shock is real. That was brutality for its own sake.

The black-clad young man already knows he can't be everywhere. He already knows. He knows he can barely keep anyone safe; it's why he'd just been keeping to his mission. He's already running, though, abandoning Hannah and following the scream in what feels like slow motion, the very opposite of what Homura's power felt like; he's running and in his head he's telling Homura he has no power but he can at least try not to be a liability; he's running and in his head the little Prism Keeper's unlocking her heart and telling him she thought she had to be alone to keep people safe.

What little is left of the Witch is clawing desperately at his mind, at his empathy. He's an easy target for despair and self-hatred right now. But he's fought that fight before, and she might still be okay, she might still--

Finally he's sliding down the side of the crater and landing on his knees next to Mei. Someone, yes, is here, and Mamoru's heart almost breaks in relief that she's still alive. His hand closes over hers holding the crystal. "They won't have it," he promises fiercely. "And you won't die." Then he hunkers down in the crater with her, putting himself and his cape between her and what is sure to be an epic Homura explosion aided by more than a little princess magic and collective aggravation.

Hannah Sharpe has posed:
Magical fog lights up around Hannah, and as she puts all of her energy in staying upright and not unconscious. The fight rages towards her partner. But she knows darn well she can do little right now. It is a miracle she is alive. The analytical part of her mind knows she's going to need blood at this point.

Pride and ambition keep her up almost singularly at this point.

Nor can she help the Witch. A rocket flies for the creature, exploding, ripping apart the last vestiges of snakes, wind magic, leaving it utterly vulnerable. The thing writhes pathetically, before in comes those wand orbs of Runealy's! They explode, utterly pasting the ground with the remains of the creature as it desolidifies. The entire Witch Barrier shimmers. It won't last long, as amidst the mess, a spiked black orb descends. A Grief Seed, and Hannah is grossly too far away to get it.

She could use her powers to teleport away the Seed, but that would leave her stranded. And she can't afford to fall into enemy hands. Even /if/ they just saved her. Confusion reigns in the girl's face.

And then she winces. Truly, her 'partner' is merciless. A good boot stomping of reality is one thing. But /that/? Hannah's mouth scowls in that fog for a brief moment. It was going too far.

But she's alive, it seems. There's a look of relief privy to only those like Mercury and Tuxedo Kamen.

"...What need do I have for some weak crystal like that?" Is it a taunt, or an excuse?

Then the man is off towards Mei, and amidst that fog, Hannah finds a strange joy. The girl is going to be okay. It sets her waving heart partly at rights. She won't have that kind of sin on her soul.

But finally Hannah runs out of strength. Stumbling backwards, she falls, pouring her last magical power out as her hands grasps something. Is it the Grief Seed?

Soft. Velvety. No, it's not a Grief Seed. She slides the object over her face, hiding half a grin to Tuxedo Kamen.

"I will remember this, Tuxedo Kamen. You all might have won this battle, but it does not end here! I /WILL/ see my dreams into reality! For now, I will keep this until we meet again."

Hannah waves her newfound Henshin Hat as wind magic whisks her away to Tomoe Labs.

Landing amidst the 'No Questions Asked' portion of their medical ward, she'll let the surprised orderlies summon up morally bankrupt nurses and doctors as she falls unconscious.

If nothing else, she has a dapper hat to return some time.

The Witch barrier dissolves, leaving everyone alone with heavy hearts and wounds alike.

Homura Akemi has posed:
Homura Akemi wastes no time going after the Grief Seed, barely noticing the fading of the labyrinth around her. She pushes her magical powers, far more than she should, for a timestop, to ensure that she reaches it before Riventon does. Her Soul Gem is turning darker for by the second, and it's a high risk to take, but with the Grief Seed right there...

Homura's not so much racing against Riventon or Hannah. Well, she is racing against Riventon, but she has a huge advantage in that regard. No, she's racing against her despair, against the darkness growing in her heart. She often said that Magial Girls die in these Labyrinths, and she can't stand to think that she has lost another right in front of her!

Kamen-san says she'll be okay. Homura hopes that's not just a hopeful lie.

Soul Gem grows darker, despair grows, Homura runs through the faded light of the time-stilled space, the area around her growing ever darker as she gets closer and closer to a bad end.

Maybe this is it. Maybe this is her last mistake. Maybe she's letting her pride, her /need/ to suceed, push her into making a foolish choice. Maybe she, too, should just give up.

Before she knows it, the Grief Seed is in her hand. She pushes through the despair, reaching up to her Soul Gem, draining the darkness away. This time, the risk pays off.

To everyone else, in the normal flow of time, Homura seems to appear, sitting upon a large pile of explosives, ammuntion, and all manner of dangerous weaponry, /right next/ to Riventon. She sits upon her throne of firepower, glaring down at Riventon, who himself has all manner of explosives scattered all around his feet.

They don't go off. Not yet. People are still too close. Yet, the threat is real, and Homura's intentions are very heavily implied.

She has only two words for him.

"Get out."

Runealy Waldia has posed:
Runealy winces as she hears what just happened to Mei, wanting to run over to help... but she cannot be in multiple places at once, and simply has to trust the others to keep things in hand. Seeing a rocket explode - an unknown weapon to her, even if its effects are somewhat similar to her wand's magic orbs - is startling, too! Yet it seems the mix of conventional and magical explosions has brought the Witch down! Satisfaction courses through The Princess, realizing she's moments away from securing something that should make this fight worth it - something worth all the fear and darting from enemy to enemy, and hearing Prism Keeper Red get hurt like that...

...and then the Seed /vanishes./ "What!? It was there just a second ago!? They /need/ th... huh?" Homura.

Homura is in view, and so are a LOT of weapons. The weapons are fascinating, all alien technology and equipment that Runealy only vaguely understands. What's far more interesting though, what she peers intently at, is a specific gem on Homura. It seems less black than before. "...I guess you already got it. That's good!"

Her celebration is short-lived though, as there's still danger at hand even as the barrier fades, and her worries turn to two other things: Riventon might still be up for 'round 2', and Prism Keeper Red may very well be deeply hurt. One fight was one, but the other one might still remain and may be a very serious problem.

Takashi Agera has posed:
Riventon is not made unaware of the nature of the threat. In his head he's wondering how much of it he can shield, how much of it he can move away, and how much damage his jacket and guise can handle. The calculations aren't favorable. Internally, Axion urges him to leave. He considers disregarding the advice anyways.

"You're subtle like a brick." he says with a smile. Despite the internal fears and the warning Axion's blaring into him, he holds himself together enough to not show any of that worry outside, coming off calm and collected.

"I suppose I've got enough data for one experiment. Maybe I'll have taught your little friend a scientific theory about getting involved in things she shouldn't. I'll be happy to teach the rest of you similar lessons, or worse, in the future if you continue to choose to interefere with my projects."

With that not-so-little comment, Riventon is gone; fading away much faster than Miss White can teleport, walking that scattered path between dimensions that always seems so accessable to those who have hearts full of darkness.

Mei Akatsuki has posed:
Mei hasn't known death in her short life. Her grandparents on both sides were gone before she was born, they've never had any pets to say goodbye to. Mortality is a bit of a difficult concept to explain to a ten-year-old who has never lost anybody -- well, not in *that* way. So, in the same way she didn't know what true pain was before today, she did not know death until it seemed to be staring her in the face.

Is she truly dying? She doesn't know. She doesn't know what it's supposed to feel like. Magical girls aren't supposed die. But they aren't supposed to lose either, so who knows what's the truth anymore.

All she knows for sure is that she is fading fast, into /something/, and if that something is death, she has to make things right before the end. No time to be afraid.

In her somewhat darkened vision, the girl sees the Labyrinth fade around them as the masked man who gave her strength earlier runs to her side, holding his hand over the Crystal to protect it from the two villains -- the villains that she'd created with that foolish story. And now, the white lady mocks the very thing that was supposed to beat them in the end, calling it weak, not even bothering to try and steal it.

Why is the story ending this way? Where did she go wrong?

Mei begins to cry weakly, grasping onto Tuxedo Kamen's hand like it's a lifeline. "I-I'm sorry, Mr. Kamen. I tried to be strong. Really," she says, voice wavering at a hoarse whisper. Her chest hurts like it's burning inside her -- the kick or the landing must have broken her ribs. No matter. She has to push through the pain. There are things that need to be said. "I guess I wasn't meant to be a magical girl, huh?"

She manages a weak smile, then pushes her hand upward, pressing the Chroma Crystal into his glove. "Earlier, y-you said you needed a crystal to find someone. You can have mine, if you want. If it'll help you find her." Obviously, she hadn't been able to do much good with the Red Chroma Crystal herself, but maybe if it was in more capable hands...

Her head spins. If she's going to say these important things, she has to say them quickly.

"M-My name's Mei Akatsuki. Please...if you can, tell my sister that I'm s-sorry for always hogging the tv and teasing her." A cough wracks her body, and the darkness around her eyes closes in fast. "And my mom -- if she ever comes back -- please tell her," she says, her voice shaking as the tears flow more quickly, "I don't hate her. I never hated her. I...I..."

Unable to put the swirling tempest of her thoughts into words, Mei reluctantly gives in to the exhaustion and pain besieging her body, and falls into unconsciousness.

But not death. The still present glow of her Crystal and the faint rise and fall of her chest betray that much.

Homura Akemi has posed:
Homura breaths a heavy sigh of relief after Riventon leaves. As much as she was putting up a confident front, the guy /did/ just blast the heck out of another magical girl.

Runealy Waldia has posed:
Princess Runealy sags in relief as Riventon is gone, and then... Mei. She can't hear everything Mei has to say, not from this distance, but what she picks up on is enough to lower Rune's head. She has no words for that, and can only just hope that Mei is somehow going to be okay.

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Guardian Hino is too angry to notice the going ons around him---- and then Riventon is off. He grits his teeth, the maze around them dissapears and he slams his long sword back into it's scabbard..."Good riddance..." he says as he turns back around to Runealy.

She looks down. He places a hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay, Princess?" he asks.

He looks over to Mei--- and eyes go wide.

"Woah---! Hey--um... H-hat guy! Get her to a hospital!" he insists.

Hat guy? Sure. Why not.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"Mei-chan," whispers Tuxedo Mask, "you're going to be fine." She can't hear him, but he wills her to listen anyway, and he does not take her crystal. Taking care not to jostle her and her broken ribs, he gently gathers her up and stands from the crater. "You think?" he says just loud enough for Hino to hear. The mask neatly hides the overbrightness of his eyes. "You bring the other girl, the one with Homura-san's golf club."

Quick glance in Homura's direction-- he'll catch up with her later. Same goes for the princess and her knights, for Mercury, and for Golf Club. Right now--? He's got some rooftops to traverse and an alley to drop henshin in and an emergency room to take a little girl to.

Runealy Waldia has posed:
"I'm... not who you should be worried about right now." Runealy shifts slightly as she feels Hino's hand. Not out of a dislike for it; it's reassuring, even if she has trouble putting that in to words right now. "Listen... you did great out there. Sorry I didn't work with you so well, I know we've been talking about fixing that..." Her voice is very low. Physically speaking however, she is mostly okay; a few injuries, but she got off far better than others. Others who were braver in plowing in to battle with Riventon or Miss White.

Amaya Naga (53) has posed:
     Amaya comes around even if it is for a little bit, she opens her eyes and stirs a bit. She lets out a bit of a groan, slowly and carefully trying to get to her feet. Even if Amaya doesn't make it to her feet she just feels the sharp pain of her ribs moving around a little freely. She closes her eyes, and keeps her mouth shut as she clenches her teeth.

    "Crap... Maybe that wasn't a good idea... I feel like I was hit by a bus.."

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Guardian Hino frowns at Runealy. "We both did our best. I just don't like that jerk. You can tell me later who some of these people are. You seemed to know them!" he says with a smile- well as much as one as he can muster right now, before he turns away to Amaya and leans down. "You're still awake!? Miss, are you okay?" asks the Knight as he goes about helping her to her feet. "We should... we should get you to a hospital. Okay?" he says adamantly as he can.

Amaya Naga (53) has posed:
     Amaya gives Hino a death-glare, but who wouldn't that is in as much pain as her. "Don't help me up.. Let me just use my legs to stand up.. I have broken ribs and I don't need anyone pulling on my arms.. If anything, keep your hands on my shoulders to keep me steady." Her breathing still extremely light.. "And no.. I was out for a bit, but woke up... You know when you realize that you are out, and want to wake back up?"

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Guardian Hino woah, that glare!.... he blinks. "O..okay! Sure, I can understand that feeling--- but Let's just... you're hurt, you know." he asks as politely as he can. If she can walk, he probably shouldn't carry her somewhere. He does as she asks, and places his hands on her shoulders only when she gets to her feet. "Let's just...sit you down, and call an ambulance." he says, as he frowns.

"You were... there the other night. At Infinity. I had to cut you free from that things grip. What's your name?" he asks.