View source for 3015/Assault on Installation 13

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2017/11/19
|Location=Kaminari Logistics Warehouse(????)
|Synopsis=(CONTENT: Some swearing) A group of Mahou assault a secret Raskoph Conglomerate facility in order to rescue Alexis. With a Special Appearance from Hulda Raskoph, and also introducing a certain Belkan Armed Device.
|Cast of Characters=182,200,198,109,199,75,160,127,7,141,51,216
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:182|Alexis Raskoph| (182)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>The warehouse owned by Kaminari Logistics isn't really any grand sort of deal.<br /><br />Smack dab in the middle of the industrial area of Tokyo, it is as any other one would see around these parts. A fenced-off property, with the building taking up most of it a dull industrial grey, and several idle sixteen-wheelers parked along outside. Not much activity in the weekend, save for an odd couple trucks moving in within the small hours of the morning.<br /><br />But it's not really the outward appearances that are of note here. Rather, it is what has lead a group of magically-empowered youngsters to this particular locale. One missing german, another possibly-maybe-magical german woman, and a microSD card found inside a pendant given as a gift.<br /><br />All quiet. A few cameras overlooking the fenced gate and the entrance of the warehouse building proper, but no visible guards.

:'''{{#var:200|Kokoro Akakuma| (200)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Wherever people are gathering, Dengeki Shoujo stands, transformed, with her hammer slung over her shoulder; if 'pacing restlessly' is at all feasible, she's doing that, but she's capable of 'not moving so they aren't seen' if need be. "My vote is, we keep it simple. I tear down that fence, slam open a wall, we all go in and blitzkrieg the place. We hit them hard and fast enough, whatever's in there ain't gonna be able to mount an effective defense before we got our run of the place. We can react to stuff as we hit it, that way there ain't some complex plan going to pieces."

:'''{{#var:198|Rashmi Terios| (198)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>There are a lot of reasons tonight is nerve-wracking, to be sure.<br /> <br />Rashmi is about to commit a crime, and be a Bad Influence on Many Of Her Peers in the committing of the crime. One does not invade a warehouse crime-free, after all, and that still bothers Rashmi.<br /> <br />In the being a Bad Influence, suddenly she finds herself coordinating an entire slimber-party of mahou. This is ''extremely'' nerve-wracking, especially as it's the first time she's ever found herself in such a position. So if she looks completely frazzled as she stands a couple rooftops away, without the monkey on her shoulder or Kokoro pacing next to her it would ne ''so much worse.''<br /> <br />"Okay..." Rashmi says, turning around... then pauses, swallows, and clears her throat. "Okay, everyone. So for those who don't know the story, Alex-kun has been having blackout kind of things. Like he'd zone out doing whatever he's doing, or suddenly like in the middle of a sentence it's like you were talking to kind of a different person... later on, it was like he knew stuff there was no way he was supposed to know. And then, at the birthday party he and I put together for Lacchan," she pauses, bobbing her head at the seething mass of tension and vampire in the group's midst, "she and I found him throwing up blood in the employee bathroom. Obviously we were worried, but then he vanished. Just... gone. I know most of us here were worried to one degree or another...<br /> <br />"Well, Naru-chan and Kyouko-san poked around Alex-kun's house, and it turns out his family was home. And what they took away from that poking around was that Alex-kun's mom is definitely some kind of magical, probably worryingly precise too. Lacchan paid a visit a little later, and confirmed it; Alex-kun's mom knows he's missing, is probably responsible for it, and is definitely the Eclipse brand of sinister. We were stuck trying to figure out where, when Mizuno-senpai and I found something in the necklace Alex-kun gave Lacchan for her birthday. An SD card with blood on it. On the SD card... pictures of that warehouse over there," she says, pointing to the quietly offensive block of Kaminari Logistics steel and concrete.<br /> <br />"So we're pretty sure he's in there. What we don't know is what we'll find when we get in. But we have ''priorities'' tonight. Alex-kun needs to be rescued, but there're likely to be ''people'' guarding the place. Remember that. Be ''gentle'' because I will not be responsible for a poor innocent security guard dying just because he happened to be on duty."

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Also," Kunzite says, quiet as usual from where he looms ghost-pale in the back of the group, "Raskoph's mother has exhibited knowledge of information he had. It seems likely that she will be able to identify a number of us." He pauses, turning his regard to Rashmi directly. "I can try to take out cameras and possibly identify spells or at least their presence, but not at too much range. Would you prefer me on that? Or does someone else have a better plan to handle those things?"

:'''{{#var:199|A monkey| (199)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>~You know,~ says a little voice in Rashmi's head, ~Mami would probably not approve of you breaking and entering. We could get arrested for this.~ Nevertheless, the monkey on her shoulder picks at her hair and peers into the warehouse ahead of her, curious and amused at their predicament. ~I mean, not that I think you should stop. I just thought I'd point it out.~

:'''{{#var:75|Ikiko Hisakata| (75)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Cute Wolf Tsukiko nods at the plan put forth by Dengeki Shoujo and Rashmi. "The strays in this district tend to keep away from this location," she remarks. "Between the well-maintained fence and the frequent lack of people outside, there's not much reason for them to hang out here instead of places with better chances of scavenged food."<br /><br />A couple of wolfmotes, floating together in such a way that it's hard to tell if there's three of them or just one of them, drift up as if to volunteer. "Not sure how effective they'll be in terms of taking ''out'' cameras, but my wolfmotes might be able to at least spot them before we round any corners," the wolfgirl adds.

:'''{{#var:160|Lacrima| (160)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Lacrima had stepped out of an alley. Mainly via Dusk Zone step. She was not in her fancy dress. Or casual clothes. She was in the regular henshin dress. With it's sharp points and bat theme. She walks over to the group and eyes Kokoro as she explains her plan. "I'm not a fan of the subtle approach here, myself." she says quietly with that ever present frown.<br /><br />She eyes Kokoro. "Thank you for coming." she says quietly. "I know you said to call and it wouldn't be a problem." she says softly. "But...." she mutters.<br /><br />She adds. "Hulda Raskoph is a magical unknown. I don't know her abilities. Please be careful." she says quietly.<br /><br />"Cameras out would be nice." she says.<br /><br />She frowns and eyes the fence.<br /><br />"Leave dirty work and guards to me." she says quietly. She doesn't elaborate.

:'''{{#var:127|Hyalite| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"If anyone needs something that they did not bring with them, ask me." Hyalite has her sketchbook out already, flipping through a few pages before tucking her finger between two pages to keep that spot. "Otherwise, I can .. probably.. boost others energy powers as needed." She glances around the group, considering the options there and nodding slowly.

:'''{{#var:7|Puella Magi Sayaka| (7)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Puella Magi Sayaka sighs as she joins Rashmi on the rooftop, listening quietly to her explanation, most of which she already knew, some like the coughing up blood she did not, and it causes her to frown deeply, clearly troubled. "Dammit, I should have watched over him better, I promised him I'd never let anything happen to him.." she mutters, "Well I met his mom in dehenshined form, hopefully she won't recognize me.." she grins sheepishly. "But first thing's first, how do we break in. With so many people here, we're bound to attract too much attention. We need to spread out and yea, let's cut those cameras once we get there."

:'''{{#var:141|Kukai Souma| (141)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Sky Jack has arrived as well, since this is an all-points bulletin to save someone being held against their will, and since he'd promised he'd be here to help well before hand. He pointedly doesn't look over at Lacrima as she approaches and speaks, teeth gritted, but remaining polite. <br /><br /> Sky Jack nods to Rashmi after the recap. "I just knew he was missing. The rest of that is... wow. That's awful." He scratches his head. "I wanna find out how his mom is magic but he's not and he didn't know about it, but we can talk everything out later when we have him out and safe." He looks up at the warehouse as Rashmi speaks. "Well. If you want I can either go in with the main assault force, or take to the sky and provide some air support. Your choice." He thinks. "I think I'd be more comfortable in the air, though, joining everyone once we find Alex to get him out."

:'''{{#var:200|Kokoro Akakuma| (200)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Even transformed, I know how to pull a punch," Kokoro says. "I ain't gonna kill anyone. They might be sore for a while, but they'll heal." She doesn't have much else to say, mostly because she's processing all of the information Rashmi just handed them. It's... it's worrying. And a little infuriating. If someone's responsible for doing all this to Alex, someone's gonna be hurting.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She and Lacrima are probably of like mind on that one.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sayaka, though, Sayaka has a question Kokoro can answer. "Can't speak for anyone else, and I'm hopin' Kunzite can handle the security, but I can open us a door juuuust fine." She shifts her grip on the hammer over her shoulder, a little smirk pulling onto her lips.

:'''{{#var:198|Rashmi Terios| (198)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Taking out the cameras would be great," Rashmi says to Kunzite, bobbing her head. "But we're not going to have ''any'' dirty work, Lacchan. And besides, there might be too many guards for you to make them all unconscious by yourself. I like the idea of us spreading out, but not too much."<br /> <br /> Looking over the group, Rashmi takes a moment to consider the options. "There's enough here that three teams of three seems the smartest way to go once the cameras are done. Kun-kun, I want you keeping an eye out for Sayaka-san and Tsukiko-san once the cameras are down. Naru-chan, cover Sky Jack and Kokochan. Chandra and I will support Lacchan. Sky Jack, I know you prefer being in the air, but unless we take the roof off this entire warehouse that's going to end up changing soon after people get in. Once the cameras are shut down, I'll drop a Barrier, but 'be gentle' is still going to be a thing. Sound good to everyone?"

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"One change," Kunzite says evenly. "Put me and Hyalite," he nods to Naru, "in the same group. Our abilities work better in combination -- and neither of us can physically keep pace with Sky Jack and..." He can't bring himself to say 'Kokochan,' and he doesn't have another name for her, so he nods to ''her'' too.

:'''{{#var:200|Kokoro Akakuma| (200)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Dengeki Shoujo," Kokoro finishes for Kunzite automatically. She's not sure whether the blush is from Rashmi using her real name, herself using the pseudonym, or both.

:'''{{#var:75|Ikiko Hisakata| (75)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Cute Wolf Tsukiko nods to Rashmi. "That sounds like it should play to our strengths," she agrees. For a brief moment she wishes that she could howl a lullaby to put the guards to sleep, but this wouldn't be the first time a Hisakata has gone into battle against an insidious foe with suboptimal stuff.

:'''{{#var:127|Hyalite| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Kunzite and I already know how to combine, so we work well together." Hyalite agrees and then there's a wry smile. "I can't cover folks in the air, I am not a damage dealer, other than a very not subtle flame thrower, which is a back up." She gestures. "We'll make it work, have no fear. Remember friendly fire isn't, everyone. There's a lot of us, and to the best of my knowledge.. no healer present. So don't assume someone is going to fix you on the fly."

:'''{{#var:141|Kukai Souma| (141)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Sky Jack grins and nods understandingly at Rashmi. "Sure. Like I said, soon as the group is getting inside and the outside's secure I can make my way to you and be all good. Trust me, I can keep my eyes on things." His flying skateboard appears in one hand and he drops it to the roof of the building, hopping aboard and getting a few feet in the air, waiting on the others. "It'll all be good."

:'''{{#var:200|Kokoro Akakuma| (200)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kokoro looks at the others, frowning faintly. "It's probably best if me, Chandra and her-" she quirks her head towards Sayaka, "-ain't in the same group. We all get in close to fight, so that way we ain't in each others' way. I can pull my swings and fight safer for folks around me, but that also means I'm not hittin' as hard. Figure it's probably the same all around."

:'''{{#var:7|Puella Magi Sayaka| (7)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Puella Magi Sayaka nods, "No worries, I'll go with Sky Jack and Tsukiko- chan. I can cover melee with my swords and Sky Jack can gain a vantage point from the air to cover us. And I can draw attacks from security as I can take lots of damage." she slaps her hands together, "So let's get this over with then.."

:'''{{#var:160|Lacrima| (160)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Lacrima makes this face. "There will be dirty work." she says flatly. She doesn't elaborate. But if there's one things she's familiar with it's 'dank dark facilities operated by members of Eclipse'. She frowns at Rashmi as she pairs them together. Not sure if this is due to her wanting to keep an eye or she believes there's honest work there to pay attention to.<br /><br />She eyes Kukai. "If you blindside me during this like you did Riventon-sama during the report I read, any agreement we have between each other is off." she says cooly.<br /><br />She eyes Kokoro with a little sympathetic look as she can manage.<br /><br />"I'm fine with my group." she says begrudgingly. "I'm flexible when it comes to combat range. And I doubt anyone in there is using anything that can actually kill me." she says.

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"-- then Hyalite and I will back Dengeki Shoujo, if that's acceptable. We can keep clear of her and still be effective assistance." Kunzite bows to Sayaka, then glances to Kokoro and to Rashmi.

:'''{{#var:51|Akane Hino| (51)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Nearby listening to what is being said but not saying much for the time being, Cure Sunny nods intently to indicate she is listening to what is being said by everyone. She wishes Lacrima and Kukai would refrain from clashing with one another as this is a very important thing they're dealing with here! Yet, even though there's something serious going on, the Precure of the sun still seems to have a smile on her face, even if it does appear to be a little on the forced side. She still seems to remain positive no matter how tough things get.<br /><br />"I'll go with whoever wants me," Cure Sunny says after a few moments. "I'm willing to do whatever it takes to help out! Just lead the way and I'll follow!" Her forced smile turns a bit more genuine. "We can do this with the power of the sun on our side!"

:'''{{#var:198|Rashmi Terios| (198)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>:bobs her head, grinning to the Cure at the back of the group. "Okay... So that puts Sky Jack with Tsukiko-san and Sayaka-san..." And to Akane, she points at the newly-formed trio. "Could you cover them too, then? Also I'm glad we've got a Cure on our side, just in case things get really worrying."<br /> <br />//Chandra oh god help I'm not a general I'm barely a student council member aaaaaaaaaaaa what am I even doing here I'm going to get everyone killed help help help// goes the back of the redhead's brain as she comes up with her strategies. Finally, with no reasons left to stall, she takes in a deep breath, and looks at Kunzite. "Okay.... go get the cameras." The armored book tucked under one arm is brought out and opened, awaiting the moment when the Barrier needs set up.

:'''{{#var:199|A monkey| (199)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>//What do you mean you're not a general?// Chandra asks, puffing up his chest just a little bit. //Who told you that lie? You're the bravest smartest girl I know. I mean, also you're kinda stupid sometimes, but that's just because you're still young. You're an amazing general. Keep doing it!//

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>And on Rashmi's cue, when it's time, when trucks are still, when no-one seems to be moving below --<br /><br />Darkness threads itself through darkness, as Kunzite extends his power, first tasting the energy patterns to try to detect any standing spells or wards and get the beginnings of a sense of electricity flows. Then -- if nothing seems to be too far out of the way, nothing that would call for stopping and rethinking the pattern -- Kunzite does something he hasn't done in quite a while. He locks on to those electricity flows. Redirects them. Consumes them. Cutting power; then effectively cutting battery backups.<br /><br />It's not particularly a ''subtle'' entrance, but -- well. Sky Jack and Dengeki Shoujo and Sayaka are all are here. Subtle was not in the plan to start off with.<br /><br />"Gate cameras out," Kunzite says evenly. "I'll keep killing power as we move. They'll be able to track us by the outages, but that wouldn't be hard for them anyhow." He pauses. "No ambient spells on the gate, and I don't feel anything from the walls -- but underground is a different story. I can't get a taste of it to be sure of its nature. Not from here."

:'''{{#var:141|Kukai Souma| (141)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Sky Jack waves at Rashmi and gives her a thumbs-up. "Don't worry! It'll all go according to plan. Let's go get Alex." He nods to Tsukiko and Sayaka. "OK, let me lead the way. C'mon!" With a hop, Sky Jack's flying board leaps into the air and he begins moving out, the first over the fence for the warehouse, staying well up in the air and watching for movement or action, like a big green air support drone for the group going through the gate.

:'''{{#var:200|Kokoro Akakuma| (200)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Cameras are out. "Roger," Kokoro says simply, hefting her hammer off her shoulder and into a two-hand grip. She takes a couple of steps, hops off the rooftop-<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;-and hits the ground at a full-steam run. She doesn't even bother swinging her hammer for the gate itself; it's made of chain link. That, she can just barrel right through, doing little more than lowering her shoulder and putting on a little extra speed.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Of course, after slamming right through that, she fully intends on going for the front door afterwards. And THAT might just take some hammering. Unless someone else gets there first, of course.

:'''{{#var:75|Ikiko Hisakata| (75)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Cute Wolf Tsukiko gives a vague salute to the others and nods to Sky Jack and Sayaka. "You spot 'em, I'll intercept them," she calls to the flying sportsboarder as she perches on the edge of a nearby building, muscles tensed in preparation to launch towards any relevant targets.

:'''{{#var:198|Rashmi Terios| (198)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>*bing!* &lt;&lt; TIME-SPACE BARRIER &gt;&gt;<br /> <br />A series of magical circles spreads out underneath Rashmi, and in short order the area for a good space around the warehouse, including the rooftop they stand on, is sheltered by a shell of green-black light, shunting their targeted warehouse half a dimension over.<br /> <br />*bing!* &lt;&lt; FLIER FIN &gt;&gt;<br /> <br />And wings of golden light sprout from Rashmi's back and ankles. Now that she's ready, she nods to the rest of the group, and speaks the word that begins the real chaos.<br /> <br />"Go."

:'''{{#var:127|Hyalite| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Hyalite waits with Kunzite, watching the scene below as cameras go out, and as the early invasion force heads in. Followed in not so very long, but the full on invasion force. She speaks quietly, mostly to him. "I need to take notes on how to make this less chaotic later. I wonder if I can draw communication devices that work cross dimensionally."<br /><br />She's sticking close with Kunzite, moving when he does.

:'''{{#var:160|Lacrima| (160)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Lacrima eyes Rashmi and Chandra because she can't hear that mental conversation. She frowns a bit and looks forward. She rolls her eyes as she begins to walk forward. "Come on." she says. "We need to start moving. We can't just sit here." she says.<br /><br />Kunzite muses on the energy. "Probably the unsavory type of energy." she says softly.<br /><br />"This is gonna get dicey." she says.<br /><br />Then Rashmi says go and she sighs and lets Kokoro handle the door.<br /><br />Of course this may also be not dicey. But it probably will be. Then a barrier goes up.<br /><br />Well. That's a big 'we're here!' sign to anyone inside. Hopefully it didn't offset Alexis, she thinks. IF he's in there.

:'''{{#var:182|Alexis Raskoph| (182)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>The Barrier extends through just early enough for it to cover the warehouse BEFORE Kokorotruck hits the massive door of the loading bay. So when the metal gives way under the weight of the massive hammer swung by a superpowered redhead with a mighty *THUNK* that not only sends it bending inwards but right off the mechanism that was meant to slide it upwards when upening, thus flying inwards and smashing against a pile of corrogated metal containers that fill the warehouse inside, there is thankfully no civilians left to notice the absolute mess resulting.<br /><br />Speaking of. The warehouse truly is filled with the containers, all of varying colors and markings from different companies, different countries, so and and so on. By all accounts, it does actually look like it would be a perfectly legit establishment, Kunzite's reports of energy signatures down below nonwithstanding.

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Kunzite lays a hand on Hyalite's shoulder, and says to her equally quietly, "That's a question to take up with the people who make Virtue's. Or with the cats." Then folds a sphere of darkness around the two of them, and anyone else on the roof who can't leap or fly or teleport to the ground -- it does not float to the ground ''quickly,'' but the barrier should deal with any cameras in the warehouse for the moment, and they'll be caught up shortly.<br /><br />Inside the warehouse, Kunzite's power dims the place further, cooling it by a noticeable degree as he searches through it. "There," he says, indicating one of the containers. "There's wiring slanting downward. Something in or under it." He is not foolish enough to do that indicating from close by. His bones are breakable.

:'''{{#var:200|Kokoro Akakuma| (200)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;WHAM. The door is open. Kokoro steps in with her weapon at the ready, fully prepared to eat some sort of attack to the face from unexpected supernatural guards or something - but none are in evidence. So she steps in more cautiously, sweeping the loading bay with a wary gaze. She stops to look over her shoulder as Kunzite does his thing, then nods, and approaches... carefully.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;If it doesn't detonate some sort of trap, she'll prod it with her hammer. If the prod doesn't have any effect after several seconds, she'll pulse a quick charge of electricity through the head of her weapon. And if THAT doesn't provoke any response, ''then'' she'll start trying to open it by force.

:'''{{#var:51|Akane Hino| (51)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>With a smile and a nod, Cure Sunny says, "Leave it to me!" She then moves to join the trio of Sky Jack, Tsukiko, and Sayaka, at which point she says, "All right, let's do this! We can win, I know we can!" Amazing how much positivity Cure Sunny is radiating all of a sudden.<br /><br />When Sky Jack goes in, Cure Sunny gives a nod and a smile. "You can do it!" She then looks to Tsukiko and says, "We can do this! We're gonna do great!" She crouches down and prepares to leap when the time is right.

:'''{{#var:75|Ikiko Hisakata| (75)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>With the Barrier in place and no immediate threats emerging, Tsukiko nods to Cure Sunny and then follows the others in. She circles around in the warehouse, staying within sight of the others and giving a wide berth to the indicated container, providing an interior perimeter guard for the main group.

:'''{{#var:141|Kukai Souma| (141)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Sky Jack makes a faint 'huh' noise as the gate goes to the big fence in the sky, and the Barrier goes up across the map. "Ah...uh." He frowns, and then skates forward across the warehouses, scanning for anything that looks like movement or danger. He stops halfway across the midsection of the area, looking back to see how far the group has gotten and if he needs to go join them. "Sunny, Tsukiko... I don't see anything, but that doesn't ''mean'' anything. You two? Think we ought to get back?"

:'''{{#var:160|Lacrima| (160)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Lacrima watches Kokoro interfere with the door from a distance as she makes a little face and a sigh. "That's probably going to be an entrance into whatever is below." she says quietly. "Or..." she says flatly. "'It's much bigger on the inside'." she says. Well aware of how Eclipse loves to put entire huge complexes into the space between spaces.<br /><br />She raises a hand though and tries to touch any sort of aura that may exist. She's trying to test for dark energy. Dark presences. That sort of horrible no good thing. Her hand does glow a little errierly as she does this.<br /><br />"This is bizarre. Usually. There would be a few guard units. The kind that don't get separated with dimensional separation. Either she is under estimating her safety. Or she wants us in." she says quietly.<br /><br />"--and I doubt she's under estimating anything. Given how protected her personal estate was."

:'''{{#var:182|Alexis Raskoph| (182)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>The container does not, in fact, explode, spout spikes or electricity or call down a horde of inter-dimensional beasts when Kokoro prods it several times over in various measures.<br /><br />When the thing gets pried open, however, it reveals-- stairs. Stairs, of all things. They go down maybe three stories' worth of vertical distance, but there's lights inset into the concrete walling surrounding there, providing enough light to show a thick, hydraulic blast door at the very end.<br /><br />Well isn't that just fantastic.<br /><br />And as Lacrima observed, there are, in fact, no guards of any kind present. Not inside the warehouse, not scattering outside to surround the party. Nothing.

:'''{{#var:127|Hyalite| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Guards would look odd." Hyalite points out. "Beyond normal security at least. Hidden, and locked entrance? Not precisely neon signs of welcome or a mat being laid out for us." She glances over towards Lacrima as she feels for dark energy, with a glance back to Kunzite as she stays near him. "Bust through it, try something more subtle, or should I be drawing explosives here?"

:'''{{#var:200|Kokoro Akakuma| (200)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Down they go, only to find... wow. Wow, now that's the kind of preparation that almost feels like they were expecting her. Or someone like her. Kokoro frowns faintly, turning to Hyalite and Kunzite. "I could take a swing at it, but I don't think I got the juice to smash that open, even with a Tenha Jinrai. Might be able to if ''all'' of us hit it, but that's gonna be a pretty big noise." She lets the head of her hammer drop to the ground, and rests her palms on the pommel. "How you two wanna do this?"

:'''{{#var:198|Rashmi Terios| (198)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>*bing!* &lt;&lt; TELEPATHY &gt;&gt; Nicomachea chimes, and invisible threads of magic touch lightly in the heads of all her gathered teammates.<br /> <br />// That's strange. That staircase goes past the Barrier's reach, // she says, as though her voice is coming from just inside everyone's skulls. // Whatever happens, it's not pushed out of our dimension. So, yeah... Be // so careful // everyone. And.... Hm. // <br /> <br />Touching down outside the container, she jogs down the stairs to get a look at the blast door, frowning at the card reader and keypad next to it. "...Any way we can fool this thing into thinking it needs to be open?"

:'''{{#var:51|Akane Hino| (51)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>The moment Sky Jack speaks up, Akane shakes her head while looking at him. "We can't go back. The fact this is empty makes me suspicious. You'd think they'd be waiting for us or something." She frowns a little. "We need to keep going! I know there's something waiting to be discovered!"

:'''{{#var:199|A monkey| (199)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>The monkey on Rashmi's shoulder peers down past her as she investigates the blast door, putting a hand on the metal curiously. "Oo oo," he observes in monkeyspeak, which of course translates to, //I don't think I can get through that.//

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>// You're the one with the magical computer, // Kunzite replies silently to Rashmi, giving a slight inclination of his head. He hangs back as well, wary for any attempt to seal off the stairway down to the blast door. // This part isn't my specialty. I could burn out the keypad, but that's more likely to lock it shut. //

:'''{{#var:127|Hyalite| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>//That does make communication easier.// Hyalite thinks into the group telepathy. //Computer hack the lock seems the first plan, you can explode and/or bash after that, but you can't go from quieter to more destructive. I can provide explosives, but I would prefer a quiet route first.//

:'''{{#var:75|Ikiko Hisakata| (75)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Cute Wolf Tsukiko stays up in the warehouse near the stairs down to the blast door. // Still quiet up here, // she reports to the others as the wolfmotes circle about, the telepathy spell branching through her to her motes, a gentle stream of reports coming to her from the motes: "clear!" "clear!" "clear!"...

:'''{{#var:160|Lacrima| (160)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Lacrima makes a face. //It's gonna be a space between spaces then.// she says quietly. Because UMBRA's space is setup like that. //In that that space is already in a different plane.// she says quietly. She's familiar with this telepathy via device.<br /><br />She eyes the door for the usual Eclipse markings and doesn't find any. No reader. //Whatever this is , is sectioned far enough from Eclipse assets to not include a passreader//. she says. //Because of course just using my ID to open it and declare a Hostile Takeover attempt would be too easy.// she says in a more deadpan tone usually reserved for her humor.<br /><br />// Hacking might work. If it doesn't. We need to melt the door. //

:'''{{#var:198|Rashmi Terios| (198)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"O-oh," Rashmi says, coloring faintly. Gulping, she shifts her hold on the book, flipping a few dozen 'pages' with a wave of her hand. In answer, a half-dozen 'screens' blip into life in her immediate vicinity -- one of them playing a video of a bunch of kittens at play, because really who can follow that much information at once? -- and tries to tamp down the voice in the back of her head screaming about now she's doing Hacking Crimes. "Nicomachea... Can you access and open this lock?"<br /> <br />*bing!* &lt;&lt; WORKING, MASTER. &gt;&gt;<br /> <br />And the ever-so-helpful-but-unoptimized Device settles down to the business of being a Hacking Computer What Hacks Doors.

:'''{{#var:199|A monkey| (199)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>//Oh my god, you're hacking into a maximum security vault door! You're such a criminal!// Rashmi's subconscious isn't the only one yelling at her. Someday, she's going to throw her brother through a wall for his heckling.

:'''{{#var:141|Kukai Souma| (141)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Sky Jack grins at Cure Sunny. "I mean, if it's clear up here, we should join the others inside. They'll need us down there." He turns around and heads down towards the inside of the warehouse, motioning for Sunny and Tsukiko to follow him if they want, going down the staircase behind the others just in time to see Rashmi hook her Device into the door's security system.

:'''{{#var:182|Alexis Raskoph| (182)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>It takes a moment, because OF COURSE the technology behind the thing would actually be dreadfully confident, wouldn't it? But then, this is a Magic Computer from an Alien Civilization we are talking about here, so it does take just the moment rather than, say, hours.<br /><br />A sharp *hssss* of air working through the hydraulics echoes through the stairway-hall, and slowly, steadily, the blast door slides open before the group, to present a very sterile, white hallway lit up by halogen tubes inset into the ceiling, expanding into a great, tall room with several high-tech sliding doors...<br /><br />And a LOUD alarm blaring through in there. Well if no one knew they were there THEY DO NOW.

:'''{{#var:198|Rashmi Terios| (198)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"...It's open," Rashmi sighs as the alarms get //loud.// "Yaaaaaayyyyyyy."

:'''{{#var:127|Hyalite| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"It was going to be quiet and alarms, or explosives and alarms." Hyalite points out pragmatically. "This has less shrapnel, which isn't a bad thing."

:'''{{#var:200|Kokoro Akakuma| (200)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Well, at least they had a way to get through that DIDN'T involve 'exhausting themselves before something big and nasty comes after them'. The alarms put a grimace on Kokoro's face, but she gives Rashmi a grim little nod. "'s good enough. This is what y'brought us for, ain't it?" She takes a few swaggering steps towards the door, lifting up that hammer once again. "I'll take the front. Somethin' big starts swinging, I can take a hit or two. Just watch your backs, don't wanna get caught by some ambush." Like zombies cropping up in the middle of their formation. Uuuugh. Regardless, she'll start to move at a light jog, since the alarm means they've probably got a time limit before this gets tough.

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Kunzite lets his power follow the blast door up, blurring and distorting and half-consuming any images of them that might be caught, hunting cameras as they go. Just because the locals know they're there, doesn't mean they have to make it easy for them to know ''everything.'' It mutes the alarm a little, too, though not a lot. Sound's harder for him to consume. Kokoro's already moving, though -- he follows, staying to the side in case the other close-combat types move to join her.

:'''{{#var:75|Ikiko Hisakata| (75)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Cute Wolf Tsukiko winces a bit at the volume of the alarms, but other than taking a more cautious stance that's ready to face down any external hostiles that might be summoned by the alarm, she stays in her place at the top of the stairs while the others get through the now-open blast door.

:'''{{#var:51|Akane Hino| (51)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>The alarms are unsettling, there's no denying that. They do cause Cure Sunny to reel a little at the loud noise, but she recovers quickly and looks to her allies. "All right, now's the time!" She yells with a determined look on her face. "It's time to go! We can do this!" She rushes in through the open door with her hands glowing a little as she prepares to utilize the sun's power if necessary to hold back any enemies.

:'''{{#var:160|Lacrima| (160)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Lacrima eyes Rashmi as the door opens and she looks in. "Ah..." she says. "Okay yes this is familiar now." she says.<br /><br />She side eyes Rashmi. "This was always going to be messy. Relax." she says as she eyes Chandra.<br /><br />She raises both hands softly and both begin to glow softly. This is more aggressive than scanny like before.<br /><br />"If you're 'allergic' to dark energy I'd prefer to know now." she says. "Then when I'm filling the place with horribleness." she says dryly.<br /><br />"Too many doors. Rashmi- are you able to pinpoint Alexis via that scanning program at all?" she asks at Rashmi. "Or not." she says. "Otherwise." she says.<br /><br />"We're checking every door."

:'''{{#var:182|Alexis Raskoph| (182)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>With people starting to flow in - by Kokoro's lead - every single one of the sliding doors in the great 'foyer' open up, simultaneously. Rapid footsteps echo through the halls, and from each door, flows out tall, large figures. Men, all wearing black suits, moving in perfect synchronous motion to fill up the room and all but form an ocean of guards between the group proper and... well, the rest of the installation. All of them wielding long, black batons within their hands, poised at the ready.<br /><br />For Naru and Lacrima, they are *awfully* reminiscient of the hordes of guards they saw at the Raskoph Estate.<br /><br />They don't close in, otherwise. They just stare the group of Mahou down, and wait.

:'''{{#var:141|Kukai Souma| (141)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Sky Jack shirks from the shrill screaming sound of the siren, but steels himself and sprints into the sterile space. "OK, we need to move fast! Anyone have a way to locate our boy?" <br /><br /> Jack skids to a stop as the soldiers fill the room, smiling at the sight of their sticks. "Hey, look, we found the mutts! Let's give them a proper spanking!" A soccer ball appears in front of him, as he looks over at Rashmi. "Are we still going gentle?"

:'''{{#var:198|Rashmi Terios| (198)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Yeah but maybe there don't have to be alarms?" Rashmi murmurs, though not particularly sincerely. It would have been //so nice// to do this quietly, after all..."<br /> <br />As the doors open up and the guards fill the hallway, Rashmi takes a further step back behind the group, and looks back down at her screens.<br /> <br />*bing!* &lt;&lt; WIDE-AREA SEARCH &gt;&gt; is Nicomachea's answering chirp, as a trio of miniature balls of sun-colored mana raise up from the book, and make a mad dash down the hall, set to scatter the moment they get behind the guards and find passageways to go down. Meanwhile, three of the 'screens' switch to something like camera feeds, while a fourth swaps out to resemble an hilariously incomplete automapping display.

:'''{{#var:198|Rashmi Terios| (198)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>There remains a screen filled with tumbly bumbly kittens. Because kittens are calming.

:'''{{#var:75|Ikiko Hisakata| (75)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Cute Wolf Tsukiko heads down to join the others as the stomping of guards fills the air. Her nostrils flare as she readies for a fight, then a bewildered expression crosses her face as she takes a more focused sniff of the air. "I'm not sure ''what'' these guards are..."<br /><br />Another long sniff, just to be sure. "...but they're ''not'' human," she grins, her fanglies sharpening and slightly lengthening with a silvery gleam.

:'''{{#var:160|Lacrima| (160)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Lacrima eyes the guards and blinks. Then she purses her lips.<br /><br />"They're not real." she says frankly. "Or rather. They're not /people/." she says. How does she know? She eats people. These are not looking appetizing. "Possible constructs of some sort." she says.<br /><br />"So don't feel bad about hurting them." she says. "They have one purpose. Probably die for Hulda Raskoph." she says.<br /><br />So she steps forward, and then just lets a wave of Dark Energy explode out from her location and forward, towards the guards.<br /><br />"Let me help with that." she says with a weird coldness about it.<br /><br />She's also glad that Tsukiko backs up her claim. Hopefully this means no one stops her from letting loose with the horrid dark energy.

:'''{{#var:200|Kokoro Akakuma| (200)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Guards. Lots and lots of guards. Kokoro is immediately tense, and a faint grimace dances across her features. "Tch... that's gonna be..." Having to hold back against so many people, even transformed, is going to make this a tough fight...<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;...unless, as Tsukiko and Lacrima dutifully point out, they aren't human.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The grimace turns into a grin. Kokoro's body crackles with tiny arcs of static. "...that suits me just fine. ORAORAAAAA!" Dengeki Shoujo doesn't even charge. She ''LEAPS'', hurling herself straight through the air and right into the middle of the guards. By the time she lands, her hammer is crackling with a brutal charge, and she swings it in one single, wide spin, a 'clearout' that's going to be bad news for anything within reach.

:'''{{#var:198|Rashmi Terios| (198)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>// ...I'm not finding Alex,// Rashmi sends to the group. //But there is a Belkan-coded distress signal coming from further down the way--//<br /> <br />She looks up, blinking as Kokoro breaks the standoff. //--on the other side of those guards. Thank you, Dengeki-chan. Everyone else, let's give her some backup?//

:'''{{#var:127|Hyalite| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Hyalite lingers near the back of the group.. no one should be thinking of her as DPS. A walking tickle trunk is more accurate, truth be told. As Kokoro goes leaping with hammer, she reaches into her sketchbook, and draws out her flamethrower.<br /><br />Insurance, it would seem, as Hyalite loops the strap across her. Flamethrowers are not noted for being good at distinguishing friend from foe.<br /><br />There's a glance to Kunzite, judging if he's going to be tossing energy into this mix, or if he is also conserving for the moment.

:'''{{#var:182|Alexis Raskoph| (182)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>The purple-black wave of energy fills the room, courtesy of Lacrima, and it all but cuts through the first row of guards. Well, cutting through them may not be a particularly apt description, considering it doesn't actually go *through* them, as opposed to knocking them back into flight.<br /><br />And in that instant, every other guard scrambles into sudden motion, sidestepping and leaping forward to avoid the already-hit guards turned into projectiles. Faster than any human should be able to move, certainly, as if all the calls of them not being human and not being cut apart by a direct dark energy assault not being indicative enough of the fact.<br /><br />A grouping more gets blown around by Kokoro's dropping attack, electricity sent surging through them -- and probably a couple got flattened directly underneath her and the hammer themselves, for that matter.<br /><br />The survivors? They charge in. A minimum of six heading for each Mahou of varying charge (save for the monkey on Rashmi's shoulder, because apparently the constructs think they are a package deal). The batons all crackle with energy of some sort, visibly. If anyone happens to be unfortunate enough to be hit, they will find out that not only are they faster than humans, they are significantly *stronger* as well, and even if that isn't enough to jostle them, whatever those batons are loaded up with only amplify blows further.<br /><br />It's a good day for a brawl.

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Kunzite has one, count them one, area-effect at his command that he can use without consuming Lacrima's dark energy. Fortunately, that one area-effect is one that he does ''not'' have to worry about avoiding Kokoro with. He orients to help clear a path, the way that Rashmi's indicating, and lifts both hands. There is, after all, another past kidnap victim with a decided interest in seeing others free.<br /><br />"SPARKLING WIDE PRESSURE!"<br /><br />Side benefit: it is ''almost'' certain that any of the massive ball lightning that erupts from his hands, that does ''not'' help intercept the incoming wave, will just help recharge Kokoro again.

:'''{{#var:141|Kukai Souma| (141)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Sky Jack nods to the others and the construct comment, and begins punting his charged soccer balls towards the oncoming figures! His kicks are powerfully accurate and each ball carries the force of a martial artist's strikes, focusing on keeping the wave back and picking off the ones trying to dogpile Kokoro and the other melee focused mahou!

:'''{{#var:75|Ikiko Hisakata| (75)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Cute Wolf Tsukiko darts forward, circling towards the squad of goons heading towards her. With a sudden sideways leap, she zigzags in for a strike on one of the goons in the squad by using a goon ''not'' in that squad as a springboard to redirect her momentum towards her main target for a shoulder tackle.<br /><br />Briefly chomping on another goon's wrist before she leaps clear of the melee, the wolfgirl manages to escape the immediate scrum with only a minor bruise or two. It certainly smarts, but it's nothing a (diluted) werewolf can't sleep off later.

:'''{{#var:200|Kokoro Akakuma| (200)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Well, their movements are impressive. Kokoro trusted the assessments of both her mahou halloween allies, but seeing it for herself still feels a little more... final, perhaps. And all the moreso when one of them swings a baton around and- "WHFF!"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The grimace of pain at being hit in the abdomen suddenly breaks into a rare, wide grin. "...well ain't that somethin'. I actually felt that." She retaliates by driving her fist into his abdomen hard enough to slam him back into the wall. Another baton slams into her back at the same time, but her response to THAT comes almost immediately, as her hammer whirls around towards the offender - and then starts swinging left and right, aiming for the others in reach.

:'''{{#var:51|Akane Hino| (51)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Meanwhile, Cure Sunny shows just how useful the power of the Sun can be. She casts small bolts of light at the targets in her way, using not as much force as one might expect. The goal, here, is to stun or knock them out, not kill. And Akane does not wish to cause any unnecessary injuries. "The Sun heals all, and you shall learn the wrong of your ways!" She calls out as she moves forward while taking out her opponents.

:'''{{#var:160|Lacrima| (160)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Lacrima lets a wave come in. She looks unworried. She gets hit in the shoulder. Then the head. Which does cause her to recoil and let out an unpleasant sound like something slapping into a mud puddle. There's no bones to break after all.<br /><br />"...A Belkan distress signal?" she asks with this is confusing. Why would there be a distress signal? In here? "Fine then." she says.<br /><br />She gently lets herself step out into... nothing. She vanishes. She'll step out BEHIND the group of faceless many constructs as she looks forward. "....I wish I was compatible with these things. I could have Riventon-sama make me something to interface." she says with a frown. She'll bypass the fight. She'll continue searching. Besides. Her dark energy is probably a liability. Like always. Not against these things. She'd rather not cause Kunzite a mental break by sucking back a dark energy blast.

:'''{{#var:7|Puella Magi Sayaka| (7)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Puella Magi Sayaka has been in the backround the whole time, delivering some melee damage as others cast more impressive magic. The energy batons are met with a wry smirk and the sharp end of her sword as she clashes with them, giving out a yell. "Geez, so many of them, seems a bit overkill, dont ya think?" clearly there is something bigger and more important to 'guard' here than she initially thought. The energy is eyed warily as Saya summons two swords now, cutting through the swathe of multiple guards that charge at her, generating a small whirlwind as she spins around at lightning speed to cut a path through them. "Tempestuoso Typhoon!"

:'''{{#var:127|Hyalite| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Hyalite fans out a little to the side, such that she can swing her flamethrower down to not catch anyone else in her magically firey embrace. In theory, usually it works out that most don't get all that MUCH closer to her when presented with a gout of flame.<br /><br />Hyalite is pretty quick, but there's wince as she gets tagged with an errant baton.. she's quick, but they're DAMN quick.

:'''{{#var:198|Rashmi Terios| (198)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Rashmi steps back as the guards begin their assault, jabbing an open palm outward when she finds herself just in front of Kunzite and Hyalite.<br /> <br />*bing!* &lt;&lt; SOLAR SHIELD &gt;&gt;<br /> <br />A plane of yellow light, ridged in a starburst pattern, spreads from her hand to create a wall of light like stained glass, thick enough that, hopefully, a dozen guards can bounce off its repulsor surface... but not quickly enough to keep Hyalite's opponents from slipping through. Once they gather close enough, Nicomachea chimes again.<br /> <br />&lt;&lt; RED SHIFT &gt;&gt; And the barrier explodes outwards, all its mana transformed into sheer repulsive force that catapults away anything and anyone near it unprepared.

:'''{{#var:141|Kukai Souma| (141)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Sky Jack is only so fast. Thankfully, he's tough, so when one of the constructed guards dives past a soccer ball and rolls into a hard whack on his stomach, he maintains the presence of mind to kick his board out, knock the human-shaped thing's legs from out under it, then sweep the board up into his hands and bring it down a few times, hard. The construct is dissipating as Jack groans, holding his aching side, not just feeling the hard strike but a familiar black-purple glowing burn he'd recieved the previous night.

:'''{{#var:182|Alexis Raskoph| (182)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>As the battle rages on, one thing becomes clear. These aren't constructs of energy, but rather-- constructs of technology, with some magic involved, perhaps. Some blows break off 'skin' at the face to reveal metal underneath, others might even snap limbs off with a rain of sparks of electricity from cut wiring.<br /><br />And yet more comes through the doors. Replacing ones that have been taken down. Charging in with leaps and rapid steps to carry on assaulting the intruders into the facility. Sometimes, they even manage to avoid attacks the heroes dish out, leaping out of the ways of energy blasts or parrying off close range blows with their own energy-imbued batons. Whoever made these things, made sure they could fight against superpowered people too.<br /><br />Steadily, the trickle of them through the doors at least lessens, if nothing else. Incidentally, none have come on through from the door Lacrima slipped through.<br /><br />This probably has something to do that there are guards, in the hallway she has taken, at least making an effort to engage her, though she may very well just be able to flow past them much like she did with the first horde.<br /><br />And the ball-shaped drone of Nicomacheas she follows, it eventually dips into a sliding door in the hallway. Beyond that door-- it might look familiar to her. A manner of storage and processing room, with various monitors set into a far-off wall, and shelves upon shelves of strange pieces of technology or some even more bizarre artifacts. It *stinks* of Eclipse.<br /><br />Among these shelves, lays one black gemstone, edges all jagged. Pulsing with the occasional red glow. And with Lacrima's entry, there's a sudden, sharp chime, and--<br /><br />"EINDRINGLING IDENTIFIZIERT. FRAGE: HIER FUR DEN JUNGEN?"

:'''{{#var:160|Lacrima| (160)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Lacrima is familiar with this kind of storage chamber. Mainly because Takashi's looks almost exactly like this. She's pretty sure this is just a common Eclipse construction blueprint. She eyes the various pieces of technology. None of this is intensely familiar to her but looks like various pieces Takashi has from that Mid-childian ship that he sometimes seeks. Then one of those things lights up and talks to her.<br /><br />"You are a Belkan Armed Device. Are you not?" she asks.<br /><br />"Yes. I am here for the boy. If you mean Alexis-niisan What is your name. Who is your user." she says.<br /><br />She's going to reach out to take it. Regardless.<br /><br />Because if she can't save Alexis she's gonna spite her by taking something of hers.<br /><br />"Are you familiar with thsi facility or are you just kept in a box?" she asks it as she keeps it clasped in her hand for now.<br /><br />"There's others out there. Nrg...f-friends." she mutters.<br /><br />"The quicker you can tell me anything the better." she says softly as flatly as she can, though the worry is there.

:'''{{#var:198|Rashmi Terios| (198)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Exploding shields are handy as attacks! ...Not so handy as defenses however, especially when the enemy one faces is more or less legion. "Chandra -- GO!" she says, dropping back again and drawing in a deep breath, surveying the chaos.<br /> <br />Three groups of three, she thought she could handle. A ten vs. everyone-ever scrum is rapidly overwhelming her, however, especially without room to get airborne and maneuver. Thus, she settles for dropping a bit of quick magical first-aid on the ground right behind Hyalite.<br /> <br />*bing!* &lt;&lt; HEALING LIGHT &gt;&gt;<br /> <br />A rune-bordered circle spreads over the ground, emanating warm, soothing light that, while it doesn't actually heal woulds, does help stop bleeding and sooth pain. Just enough to get the lightly wounded back in the fight.

:'''{{#var:200|Kokoro Akakuma| (200)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Smash-spark.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;...spark?<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Oh that's interesting.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A Sparkling Wide Pressure partially clips Kokoro, and there's a brief shudder of surprise out of the towering hammergirl; but she ends up just turning to look briefly at Kunzite, and then... giving him a little shrug. She's noticeably crackling quite a bit more, but that doesn't last long, because in the next instant-<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"HAAAA!"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;-she swings her hammer around herself, and brings it down, angled right towards a group of the roboguards. As it swings, it erupts with electricity, aimed so that Sky Jack and Sayaka will not be in any danger - but her targets will have a short-range cone of lightning to deal with, filling the hall with a crackling report of thunder.

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Rains of sparks. Kunzite's darkness flows over those -- the ones that ''aren't'' Kokoro's -- consuming the electricity, leaving the magic side under the assumption that it's tainted -- quelling the ones that might, conceivably, get back up and use their own severed limbs as clubs. He comes up beside Hyalite, shielding her as he can from the impacts of the batons, so that she can concentrate on the flamethrower. One defense, one offense. Enough to keep a clear space for Rashmi's spell; enough to let them help keep Kokoro's other side clear as she calls down more thunder. // Tsukiko, can you cover Sky Jack, or do you need a hand? //

:'''{{#var:75|Ikiko Hisakata| (75)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>As the goons prove capable of adapting to the tactics used against them, Tsukiko starts to change up her previous pinball tactic by ''reversing'' it: leap forward for a direct kick at one of the goons in the squad coming after her, then uses the parry to redirect her momentum into a shoulder tackle against a goon facing a different direction in a squad going after someone else. And if there's no goons that she can surprise with one pinball-parry, then she uses the ''second'' parry to launch even further and change up her line of attack.<br /><br />// I can focus that direction, sure, // the wolfgirl replies to Kunzite as she lands one flying kick to a goon torso and elbow-strikes two more in the immediate area, then darts towards the goons menacing Sky Jack to attempt to strike them in their blind spots.

:'''{{#var:127|Hyalite| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"I am going to regret not keeping up on my German, aren't I?" Hyalite mutters almost absently as she sears the face off another of the robot clone army that is determined to beat the snot out of them all.<br /><br />The refreshing feel of the light that went off behind her, and Hyalite shakes out her shoulder a little as the pain is numbed. Surely that won't bite anyone in the butt later. Proper healing can come later, it'll be /fine/.<br /><br />Hyalite has to duck back a little, further into the shielding that Kunzite's providing as one robot clone proves a little more flame resistent than she'd hoped for. "Burn baybee, burn."

:'''{{#var:7|Puella Magi Sayaka| (7)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Puella Magi Sayaka feels almost overwhelmed by the wave of guards who come down on her. Occasionally she swipes at a face here or there, initially cautious incase they were human..But that theory is quickly blown away once their metallic bodies are revealed beneath 'skin', "Woah, robots?" she frowns, trying to figure out this level of technology, this time summoning multiple swords to try and cut down several roboguards at a time. "Where they all coming from?" she peers around as she notices that Lacrima has vanished, and scans the area for any side doors that might lead somewhere of note, narrowing her eyes as she picks out a particular door that seems to stand out more than the rest. "Did she go that way?" she fights her way through the guards, slowly making her way towards the door she thinks Lacrima vanished through.

:'''{{#var:51|Akane Hino| (51)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Meanwhile, as Tsukiko goes to help Sky Jack, Cure Sunny keeps pushing on. The guards are no problem for her as she makes sure to control herself and her attacks, although she prefers to refer to them as methods of self defense, since she's trying to protect herself and the others. She looks to Sayaka and says, "Even if they are robots, we won't let them get us! We will keep pressing on!"

:'''{{#var:141|Kukai Souma| (141)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Sky Jack only has one final guard left at this point, swinging at him as he parries wildly with his skateboard. A baton swing sends the magically enchanted sporting equipment wide, and the guard reverses his swing with inhuman speed - too late, as Tsukiko plows into him from behind, giving Jack the opportunity to recover and help her end the final one threatening him. "Haa.. haa.. woof. OK! Right, who's next?" Another soccer ball appears before Jack as he scans for other targets, dropping the skateboard and stepping back onto it.

:'''{{#var:182|Alexis Raskoph| (182)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"KANN DICH ZUM JUNGEN BRINGEN," the gemstone chimes out in response to Lacrima once she's picked it up, evidently ignoring all the questions she actually made, in favor of answering the one that was merely implied. "DURCH DIE TUR GEHEN SIE NACH RECHTS. ELLE. SIE SIND ALLE IN GEFAHR."<br /><br />Meanwhile, the foyer-esque, massive room steadily begins to be nearly covered with construct-remains. To the point that it may actually become difficult to maintain one's footing properly as the battle continues on, but at the very least the flow of reinforcements from the doors is significantly decreasing in numbers. So at least they aren't *actually* infinite, right? Probably not. Maybe. At the very least, the horde occupying the room is steadily getting thin enough taht the group may reasonably even fight their way onward rather than remain here.

:'''{{#var:160|Lacrima| (160)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Lacrima frowns at the words. //Are you getting this Rashmi-chan?//. she asks.<br /><br />// Danger. I mean obviously but. Still. // she says deadpan. // I'm moving forward. // she says. She does as she says as she moves through the door and then moves to the right. She's opting for gliding rather than walking. It's faster. Not quite flight, not quite walking, as she hovers a few inches off the ground.<br /><br />// It's technically not German. Belkan. Just similar enough to matter. // she says. Because now is TOTALLY the time to correct someone.

:'''{{#var:198|Rashmi Terios| (198)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Despite dodging and sidestepping, Rashmi is still a neophyte at brawling, and then it's up to her Barrier Jacket from being ''seriously'' hurt. A ball of mana darts into the chest of one of her attackers, drilling through a seam and coring out a fair hunk of its internals as she scurries to her patch of bruise-soothing light.<br /> <br />// Okay, // she manages, remembering her active communications spell. // I'm seeing Lacchan on one of my monitors... No sound, just visual, I'll need to be there to translate. //<br /> <br />Stumbling out of the circle, she shamelessly hides behind Kokoro, shoving up another there-and-gone shield to tank a baton that was headed for her head -- or Kokoro's back, either way -- and checks the map window. // To get to Lacchan everyone, take the third left, fourth right, second left, looks like that's a storage room... I'm guessing that was the Device I picked up? //

:'''{{#var:200|Kokoro Akakuma| (200)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Though she swings and smashes with seeming abandon, Kokoro spots Rashmi moving in - and her movements shift, becoming a slow, swooping, almost dancelike loop. She's stepping around the smaller girl with sure, smooth steps, targeting whatever the closest threat is with every swing, thunderclap, or even the occasional punch or kick. As the roboguards start to thin out, she spares the time for a half-second glance over her shoulder, then calls a simple, "You got somewhere to be? I can clear a path." The spare parts are piling up, but that's easily dealt with once she knows which way to go.

:'''{{#var:75|Ikiko Hisakata| (75)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>With the flood of goons now down to a trickle, Tsukiko shifts her focus to picking off stragglers that try to go after the less brawly mahous in the group, using her speed to help as a roving interceptor. // But still no sign of Alexis? // she checks, slamming an approaching goon into the door frame it was coming through.

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>// We all have somewhere to go. Stay together if we can. // Kunzite deflects another stroke with his cape; it's not a perfect shield, but it's a decent enough focus for his power to help. And Hyalite doesn't need to worry about tagging him with her flamethrower -- he can soak the fire more easily than the batons. He ducks his head for a moment, concentrating, and his darkness flows over the floor around their feet. Harvesting stray electricity from the rest of the fallen constructs; helping refill some of the empty space left in the absence of Jupiter's stronger, purer lightning. // Lacrima was moving to that Device with the distress call. Alexis was showing inexplicable knowledge of Devices before he vanished. If Lacrima found the thing -- following her is our best bet. // And he suits action to words, working with Hyalite to help push through the slow openings.

:'''{{#var:7|Puella Magi Sayaka| (7)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Puella Magi Sayaka continues to head towards the door she spied, hacking and slashing at the roboguards with renewed fervor, almost seeming to dance as she spins this way and that with her swords. Their numbers seem to have thinned out a bit, but there still seem to be plenty left. "Dammit, gotta find Alex." she reaches the door, kicking it open and rushing in. "Lacri-chan?" she calls out as she peers inside the room.

:'''{{#var:51|Akane Hino| (51)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Sayaka seems content to take point, so Cure Sunny lags behind, keeping an eye on things from behind. She starts to show a sign of concern on her face as she's getting more and more worried about Alexis. "I know, he has to be here! I just know it!" Despite this, there's a hint of uneasiness in Cure Sunny's voice that might indicate she's not feeling as positive about this as she can. "Gotta keep going."

:'''{{#var:127|Hyalite| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>//German is closer than Japanese, English or French.// Hyalite points out to Lacrima as she starts to move with the group. The slower part of the group that is not just racing off in all directions all at once.<br /><br />Her voice is quieter as she notes to Kunzite. "Do you want some fire? There's sketches in my book for you if you need them. Book's in my pocket."

:'''{{#var:182|Alexis Raskoph| (182)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>The few odd stragglers still wander along into the room, populate the halls. But hardly enough to constitute a fight anymore, against the combined firepower of the group, no matter how well-trained the constructs may be.<br /><br />As for the Device Lacrima recovered, it continues giving single-word directions of "LINKS" and "RECHT" through the disgustingly sterile and identical hallways-- up until the directions go through a door again, and.<br /><br />A large room. Lit only by a couple dim tubes in the ceiling, leaving most of it shaded. There are various tubes set into the walls to the sides, and at the far end from the door, a strange pod, with a window showing the interior. Filled with liquid of some sort, and a figure--<br /><br />It does not take much closing in to recognize who it is.<br /><br />Alexis.<br /><br />Floating in the liquid filling the tank, half-naked, with various electrodes stuck to his skin and a breathing mask attached to his face, eyes closed. Probably unconscious.

:'''{{#var:198|Rashmi Terios| (198)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Following the trail left by her drone, Rashmi leads the group down the hallways, past twists and turns and unnerving artifactery, until she finally catches up with Lacrima. Still looking down at her book, she calls out, "Lacchan, you've stopped, is everythi--"<br /> <br />At which point she looks up, and screeches to a halt.<br /> <br />"Omigod..."

:'''{{#var:160|Lacrima| (160)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Lacrima purses her lips and frowns a little. Large room. Some kind of pod. And tube inside?<br /><br />Oh. Oh dear. She then closes her eyes and grabs her head a bit and shakes it off. "Trace amounts of dark energy in that tank." she says softly. She gently moves to a nearby control panel to try to operate it. To open the tank right, OR try to discover what exactly is being done.<br /><br />After all, disconnecting someone forcefully from equipment like this may not be good. She's trying to shut it down or empty or open the tank. She hopes this system is similar to other systems she's operated with.<br /><br />Oh. Oh it is. It VERY is.<br /><br />"Ah... at least this is standard." she mutters outloud.<br /><br />"I'm going to try to disconnect him and open the tank." she says.<br /><br />"Belkan Armed Device. Any interfacing you can help me with your be beneficial." she says more worriedly.<br /><br />"This system is more or less like the one I use in my lab. It's a standard operating system. But I'm not familiar with that device. I just have sample tubes."<br /><br />Also someone may just smash it open while she's working. She can't control other people.

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Appreciated," Kazuo answers Hyalite, low as she'd spoken, "but I'm not so low as that, not yet." Five minutes from now, he may be grabbing that book. But not quite yet.<br /><br />And then they arrive in that ... lab? Storage unit? Difficult to tell.<br /><br />"Breathing mask," he notes clinically. "So we won't have to worry about clearing his lungs." ... he does not, notably, attempt to do anything to the tank with his power. Maybe he appreciated the dark-energy warning. Or maybe he's just in favor of letting Lacrima work.

:'''{{#var:75|Ikiko Hisakata| (75)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Best to let those who know how to handle the stuff deal with the technical aspects," Tsukiko agrees, frowning slightly at the mention of trace amounts of dark energy and glancing towards the door they came through. "Might want to give him some warm towels after we get him out of here. And maybe a light purification scrub of some sort as well."

:'''{{#var:200|Kokoro Akakuma| (200)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Skiiiiid.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Silence.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"...What the ''hell''..."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kokoro is agape. There's just no getting around it. This is way worse than anything she might have expected. "Wh... what the hell'd they... what are they doing to him?" She's smart enough that she does NOT actually smash the tank open, but it couldn't be clearer from the tension in her stance that she wants desperately to do ''something''. "O-oi, Kunzite, Lacrima. What is all this? What're they doing?" Noticeably, she's crackling a fair bit more than normal; almost as much as she did in that brief moment after Borrowed Wide Pressure.

:'''{{#var:127|Hyalite| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Hunh." Hyalite squints a little as she comes up alongside Kunzite and gives the half-naked Alexis in a tube a once over. If she's surprised, there's no real clue. "No new injuries at least." She doesnt let her flamethrower dematerialize, merely nudges it around behind her as she reaches for her sketchbook instead.

:'''{{#var:7|Puella Magi Sayaka| (7)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Puella Magi Sayaka bursts into the room and wastes no time following after Lacri. It doesn't take her long to find the containment pod holding..."Alex!?" her eyes widen, rushing towards his unconscious form, "Dammit! What did they do to him!?" she's absolutely livid as she pulls out her sword, ready to blast open the thing if necessary. Fortunately Lacrima got there before her, and she holds her breath as she waits to see if she is able to open the tank, not wanting to cause further harm.

:'''{{#var:141|Kukai Souma| (141)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Sky Jack approaches the tank, looking in at Alexis, his heart going out to the poor guy. "Oh man. ...That looks awful. Wait, dark energy? ... Is he getting pumped full of it or having it drained out? Or can you tell?" He peers in close at the tank, trying not to bump Lacrima as he watches.

:'''{{#var:182|Alexis Raskoph| (182)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"NEGATIV," the Device responds to Lacrima. Well, at least that one's easy to understand even without a crash course in german.<br /><br />Thankfully, the console isn't that difficult to navigate through with some knowledge of Eclipse systems, and soon enough, there's a hiss of air being released, and the front of the tank Alex has been suspended in shifts forward, opening in an upward pivot-- and releasing several gallons of the liquid inside to flowing out and probably wetting up everyone's feet.<br /><br />And with the liquid, comes Alex. Flopping in the least graceful manner possible onto the floor, in an unconscious tangle of limbs, several of the wire-attached electrodes snapping off him, though the tube-attached breathing mask seems to extend far enough to remain on him, at least.<br /><br />He remains unmoving.

:'''{{#var:216|Hulda Raskoph| (216)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Meanwhile, up above the ground level.<br /><br />THe property of the Kaminari Logistics remains quiet, within the bubble of the Barrier. Nothing moves within. No cars, no odd guard construct, not even birds flying through.<br /><br />Until just now. Two figures step through the very edge of the barrier, into the shifted dimension. Two adult women. One well over six feet tall, shrouded into a dark-grey overcoat over a beige dress-suit, with strawberry blonde hair running down along her back down to her waist. Another, younger one, slightly shorter, in a full-black suit, bearing black hair in a graduated bob that runs just down to her neck.<br /><br />The former, she pauses after stepping in, tilting her head to peer upwards, curiously.<br /><br />"Something wrong?" The younger asks, and the older woman shakes her head.<br /><br />"No... The Barrier just feels strangely... familiar. That is all."<br /><br />As she says this, she draws a hand out from underneath the coat-- with a strangely ornate knife in hand.<br /><br />"Well. I suppose it doesn't really make a difference."<br /><br />A red, triangular rune comes into existence around the knife, revolving along it's axis just before the woman lowers herself onto one knee and stabs the knife into the asphalt below her.<br /><br />And as if though shattering into a million shards, the Barrier is gone.

:'''{{#var:51|Akane Hino| (51)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>As soon as Cure Sunny sees Alexis inside the tank, she goes wide-eyed. "No! We have to do something!" She clenches her fists and grits her teeth. "What do we do? I don't want to hurt him!" Her eyes start to shine as if they're filling with tears.

:'''{{#var:198|Rashmi Terios| (198)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Okay so we want to take him back to the ECFH when we get out of here... And we have to wait until then, I don't know what dimension-warping nonsense is going on around this place and I really don't want to test i--"<br /> <br />Rashmi cuts off, sharply, her head twitching to one side as if a migraine just spiked her.<br /> <br />"Guys my Barrier just got broke. ''Hard.'' I'm pretty sure we're gonna have to fight our way out."

:'''{{#var:7|Puella Magi Sayaka| (7)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Once Alexis is free of the capsule thingy, Sayaka wastes no time in rushing forward to catch him, pulling off her cloak and wrapping it around him for warmth as she wraps an arm around his back supportively. "Lex-chan! Can you hear me?" she rips off the breathing mask and checks his breathing, peers into his eyes for any abnormalities and checking his body for wounds. "What did they DO to him?" she sighs, but she knows that they dont have time for this now. "We have to get him out of here, now!"

:'''{{#var:160|Lacrima| (160)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Lacrima looks up, she lets Sayaka-- or someone else grab Alexis-niisan. Alexis is probably gonna ne a Mamoru Moment, yes. Because she has no idea what's gone on here. Then she winces as she looks around and then frowns. "Shit." she says.<br /><br />She looks to Kokoro. "I don't know. I can't tell. But based on prior discussions probably some sort of mental conditioning is my guess." she says.<br /><br />She grabs Rashmi suddenly by the hand and drags her to the middle of the room. "Rashmi-chan. I need you to to construct a powerful barrier. Not. Dimensional. Physical. Around us. Like a bubble." she says as she then mutters. "Everyone around Rashmi-chan." she says.<br /><br />"Tsukiko. I'll need you after just in case. To. Purify. Things. If this goes badly." she says.<br /><br />She eyes Hyalite. "I'm gonna need an energy boost. Or Rashmi is gonna need one." she says.<br /><br />"Also. When I call out. You may want to close your eyes and not open them until I say so." she says flatly.<br /><br />"I'll need a moment to set this up." she says.<br /><br />"Gonna need to step us out. Though the Dusk Zone." she says.<br /><br />"I don't see another way out right now." she says.<br /><br />"Because that's probably Hulda. And if she can just shut off Dimensional Barriers that's a very bad sign that we're out of our class level."<br /><br />She sighs and stands near Rashmi and eyes her a moment as she leans over. ''I'm sorry for putting you on the spot like this. But I know you can do this. Riventon-sama does this sometimes with some others. If he can do it, so can you. I'm not strong enough to shield everyone.''<br /><br />She gently moves both her hands up and starts just collecting dark energy into herself.

:'''{{#var:75|Ikiko Hisakata| (75)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Cute Wolf Tsukiko nods to Lacrima with a frown. "I should be able to do some sort of Howl," the wolfgirl notes as her wolfmotes huddle and brace near the base of her throat. "Hopefully the purification can wait long enough for you to be out of earshot once we're clear of this place."

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Take Lacrima," Kunzite says to Hyalite. "I might be able to provide Rashmi and Nicomachea with additional support. Anyone else, who is ''not'' Tsukiko or Cure Sunny -- if you can feed power to Lacrima or Rashmi directly, do it; if you can feed it to Hyalite's art or to me, we can translate it to something they can use. Cure Sunny, we may need you to help Tsukiko on the far side; don't risk calling on your power while we're doing this."<br /><br />He steps up beside Rashmi, and calls up a dark sphere of his power, to collect anything the others can provide ... and to begin again to open a line to synchronize with Nicomachea. Shielding together ought to be easier.<br /><br />Because he knows ''exactly'' the power level that whoever shut down the barrier just displayed. And he's not inclined to face her right now, either.

:'''{{#var:216|Hulda Raskoph| (216)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"KANN DATEN BER DIMENSIONALE WAREN BEREITSTELLEN, UM DIESEN PLAN ZU ERLEICHTERN (CAN PROVIDE DATA ON DIMENSIONAL WARDS TO FACILITATE THIS PLAN)," the Device Lacrima picked up informs, quickly. Strangely cooperative, that one, isn't it?<br /><br />A sharp sound echoes through the room, suddenly-- as if though a feedback loop from some unseen speaker.<br /><br />"Good evening, gathered magical girls and boys of various colors," the voice of a woman follows shortly after.<br /><br />"Congratulations on finding this facility. I would ask if you are enjoying your stay, but I imagine not. I did not expect you to actually find this facility enough to prepare a more fitting welcome, afterall-- my apologies for that. Still, you must understand, I have been in this business enough to have prepared to some extent for that possibility, too."<br /><br />A grinding sound screeches behind the group, and a quick look back to the way they came from shows--<br /><br />THere's no door there anymore.<br /><br />THere's no door leading out of this room.<br /><br />"I must ask that you let go of my son, and... well. I wish I had a more gentle way to say this, but since you are here now, I must ask you to stay as well. There are enough holding facilities for each one of you. I know the Dark Energy being who interrupted my son's upbringing is there. I did tell her she could help us with this, but... I am disappointed she wasn't willing."<br /><br />"You can decline your help again, of course, but I can't guarantee your state of health if you do, and..."<br /><br />A pause, and the woman's tone changes to something much more blunt.<br /><br />"Samples like you are much less useful with missing pieces."

:'''{{#var:200|Kokoro Akakuma| (200)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;There's a low growl from Kokoro - but for right now, there's nothing she herself can do. At least, not directly. She can at least, however, contribute something to getting them out of here. "...yeah, alright." She nods to Kunzite, and then holds her hammer out, looking between both him and Hyalite. "I dunno if you can use my lightning, but, uh. Here. Put a hand on the hammer. I'll run a little current through it, and if it works, I'll amp it up."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;For what it's worth, it will probably work. Her lightning is magically generated, so if Kunzite and Hyalite can convert that, it's another, ample source of power.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But she quickly finds herself distracted by the sound of a woman... a woman who could at this point be called 'That Woman'. It's not hard to figure out who she is, even before she says the word 'son'. And the lightning crackling over Kokoro's body amps right back up, her grip tensing visibly on the hammer. "...I got a better offer. You screw off and let us get Raskoph outta here, and next time we meet you I'll leave enough of your face the surgeons might be able to fix it." It comes out in a low, dangerous growl of a voice, through tightly-gritted teeth. This might well be the angriest Lacrima, Rashmi, Kunzite or anyone else here has seen her.

:'''{{#var:141|Kukai Souma| (141)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Sky Jack helps Sayaka support Alexis over next to Rashmi, standing in front of the two of them, at the edge of the bubble, looking around the room and then at Lacrima. "Look, if you can do this, you gotta do it now, before this goes completely south instead of a little south like it is now!" <br /><br /> He winces, listening to the voice, then yells back, unable to resist. "How about you take a long walk off a short rooftop! You can't stop us!" That's Jack, taunting to the end.

:'''{{#var:127|Hyalite| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Sayaka, come close with Alexis.." Hyalite reminds as she follows her own instructions and stays close to Kunzite and the group as a whole.<br /><br />"Got it, Lacrima." Hyalite nods as she moves to augment the vampire's energy gathering, shifting the colour of it just a bit.. not away from dark, but if it was charcoal to begin with, now it has edges of deep purple through it, strengthening and enhancing.<br /><br />And then they gain a Hulda, or her voice at least, echoing in the suddenly exit-less room. Naru sighs softly, shaking her head a little. "Alexis' homelife makes /so/ much more sense."

:'''{{#var:198|Rashmi Terios| (198)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"I... O-okay," Rashmi says, as Nicomachea reconfigures to Sealing Mode, and a circle spreads beneath her feet, wide enough to encompass the gathered party. Drawing in a deep breath, she closes her eyes, and begins to call out her aria.<br /> <br />"O life-giving star, shelter us in the embrace of your almighty fire! Burn to ash all hatred and violence, let there be only safety beneath your light!"<br /> <br />As Hulda makes her appearance, Nicomachea goes -- as much as a talking book can -- berserk. Alarms and wailing emenate from his cabochon, and all the displays flash with red warnings.<br /> <br />*BONG!* ALERT! MASTER! ALERT! SUBJECT ((Thundering Demon Bitch)) ARRIVES!<br /> <br />...<br /> <br />When Nicomachea uses a proper name, his habit has always been to say it in Rashmi's foice, for reasons unknown. This is not a phrase Rashmi has ever used, and that is ''definitely not'' her voice. Female, ish, layered over by identity-masking distortions, but definitely Not Rashmi<br /> <br />Apparently Nicomachea Has Opinions about Alexis' mother.<br /> <br />But it doesn't matter, because the necessary energy has been gathered, and the calculations are complete.<br /> <br />*bing!* &lt;&lt; CORONAL BARRIER &gt;&gt;<br />Normally Rashmi's shields resemble smooth or textured stained glass. This one could simply be opaque yellow ceramic, and ''definitely'' to the specs that Lacrima called for.

:'''{{#var:7|Puella Magi Sayaka| (7)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Puella Magi Sayaka carefully scoops up Alexis and follows Lacrima, holding him close, protectively. There are some advantages to being a Puella, and Super Strength is definitely one of them. "Right. Lead on, Lacrima-chan.." The idea of going through some dusk dimension thingy causes her to shiver a bit, gritting her teeth..But it doesnt seem they have any other way..She nods to Hyalite, trying to calm herself. "I've got him, let's go."

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Lightning amping right back up is a good thing. Kunzite doesn't physically put a hand on the hammer; but the darkness flows out to touch the hammer, and to absorb lightning that crackles into it. Drinking it down the way he did Sailor Jupiter's attack, some time before arriving here. Combining it with the energy he still has stored, the one he so often does -- Tuxedo Kamen's protective anger, turned into white-golden force and light. Adding a measure of his own strength; transmuting all three into whatever form of them, or of raw energy, Nicomachea's calculations can use to reinforce that opaque-ceramic-seeming barrier that appears around them.<br /><br />Because no matter ''what'' happens, they're about to need it.

:'''{{#var:216|Hulda Raskoph| (216)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"I don't think you really understand the situation you are in," Hulda's voice comes booming through again from the unseen speakers, as if in respone to the taunts from Dengeki Shoujo and Sky Jack.<br /><br />IN the following fraction of a second, the floor below the group shifts. A screeching sound of shifting metal and concrete stabs into everyone's eardrums, and--<br /><br />A long, thin growth of metal bursts out of the floor. In an instant, parts of the floor reformed into a spear held at an upward slant.<br /><br />Right through Sky Jack's midsection.<br /><br />"You are in *my* house."<br /><br />The device held by Lacrima pulses with warning red lights, quickly informing, "AUF MIDCHILD-GERT BERTRAGENE WARD-DATEN (WARD DATA TRANSFERRED TO MDICHILD DEVICE."<br /><br />... And for that, there's an actual, quiet sound of confusion from the speakers, followed by the woman's voice speaking again. "Wait, was that...?"

:'''{{#var:51|Akane Hino| (51)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Alexis is safe and now it's time to get out of here! Cure Sunny follows after, making sure her Sun magic is at the ready. "We've gotten our friend back, now we must save him!" She grits her teeth while her eyes still shine with tears. "He has to be safe! He's going to make it!"

:'''{{#var:141|Kukai Souma| (141)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Sky Jack lets out a breath as he looks over at Rashmi and Hyalite and Lacrima, waiting for whatever's about to happen to get them out of here, hearing the device start blaring out Belkan. <br /><br /> The thing is, the sound doesn't matter. There is a scream of metal from somewhere and- <br /><br /> Pain blossoms in Jack's stomach, an explosion of red and heat and agony leading to a gasping, agonizing scream as he leans forward, a hand coming up and grasping Rashmi's shoulder, and Hyalite's collar, fists gripping onto the two of them as hard as he can manage and shaking. Jack's eyes are wide with pain he hadn't felt since.... <br /><br /> Since D-Point. Since the time he died.

:'''{{#var:160|Lacrima| (160)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Lacrima eyes Tsukiko. "Don't worry about that. Take care of everyone else first." she says curtly. She eyes Kokoro and Kunzite and Hyalite and nods matter of factly. She eyes Sayaka. "Hold him tight. This is going to be rough." she says.<br /><br />She frowns at Kukai. "I'm doing my best. I need a moment." she says.<br /><br />She eyes the voice and frowns. "Hulda Raskoph." she says. She doesn't speak to her, right away, but she finally speaks. "You mean what I did to save my brother." she says.<br /><br />Then she grows more serious, a more sterner face. <span style="color:purple">"Hulda Raskoph."</span> she says. It doesn't quite sound like her voice. It has a different tone. <span style="color:purple">"I release Alexis Raskoph from your care. You are a pooooooor mother. I do not need to prove it. Is is here in front of us."</span> she says. <span style="color:purple">"If you attempt to come for him. I refuse to hold back. Do not confuse me. For those here who may show you mercy."</span> she says. <span class="underline fg_e bg_p ++ +Purple">"I have none for you."</span><br /><br /><span style="color:purple">"NOW!"</span> Lacrima calls out as a wave of darkness waves out and attaches to the edges of the barrier that Rashmi and Kunzite are making and forming. She's feeding off whatever she'll receive from the various sources as she forcefully pushes her hands forward and----<br /><br />There is a wave of black and rushing wind as the floor falls out from under you. If you've closed your eyes like Lacrima said earlier- you see black but can feel cold and awful for a moment. Even through the barrier- though it isn't strong. Enough to stop it from screaming in your head. Those who didn't close their eyes are treated to a few seconds of what appears to be a rocky patch in what at first appears to be grass but is actually kind of weird long crab-like legs that scratch and claw at the barrier immediately upon it's appearance. There's weird floating crags in the air that seem to have similar growths, except for a SINGLE LARGER crab leg at the bottom of them. Luckily. They're all too far away. There are a thousand pinpricks in the distance. Looking like stars but not twinkling or moving. But this is nothing new for the Dusk Zone. Only a few seconds pass but it may seem like an eternity.<br /><br />Before there is suddenly a strong flash of light and another rush of air as Lacrima arrives at the spot she was aiming for....about two feet off the air. Which is actually horrible accuracy-- on top of the ECFH's roof. There's also a light dark energy contamination that comes along- but this isn't anything that Ikiko can't handle immediately.<br /><br />Lacrima stumbles to the ground and then immediately wraps her hands around herself as she closes her eyes as she keels over on her knees. She gets starts trying to crawl away right now. She doesn't say anything. She's also leaving some sort of black trail as she does this over the roof.<br /><br />Yeah. yeah that was a really bad idea.

:'''{{#var:75|Ikiko Hisakata| (75)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Cute Wolf Tsukiko takes a moment to reorient herself, having left her eyes open for a moment or two too long. She then takes a deep breath--<br /><br />--and starts to <span style="color:#cd853f">hum</span>.<br /><br />There's no words to it, much like her Soulful Howl, but unlike the massive wash of emotions that a full Howl can do, this is much softer, not to mention ''much'' more localized. Her wolfmotes fly about, brushing by everyone with the sensation of a very small, very warm and fuzzy hug, helping to brush the dark energy contamination away. And for ''larger'' warm and fuzzy hugs, Tsukiko herself is walking by almost* everyone to bring the proximity of the Hum into range of them.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(*: With the exception being Lacrima, for obvious reasons)

:'''{{#var:198|Rashmi Terios| (198)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"SOUMA-KUN!" Rashmi cries, lunging to support the suddenly-impaled Sky Jack. The downside of all this is, it leaves her eyes open when Lacrima tells reality to take a walk.<br /> <br />Well. ''That's'' gonna be a special kind of nightmare for the next few months...<br /> <br />But then they're on the roof, and the world is back the way it should be, and Rashmi has a focus to keep the screaming wibblies at bay. "Someone get Chiba-kun, hurry!" She's about to say more, but Tsukiko begins the hum, and the wolf's pleasant mystical wooWOOoooOOoing does a good, good deal of progress toward breaking up the screaming wibblies. Holding her book tightly against herself, Rashmi pauses to smile her thanks at Tsukiko, then begins to search for the door to downstairs, because sucking gut wounds.... well... suck. And Kukai does not need any more suckage in his life right now.

:'''{{#var:182|Alexis Raskoph| (182)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Amongst the chaos of the post-Dusk Jump madness, a quiet *tink* can be heard by Lacrima.<br /><br />A small, black gemstone bounces along the rooftop's flooring, away from her. Like a marble carelessly tossed aside.<br /><br />"EVAKUIERUNG: ERFOLGREICH," the Belkan Device helpfully informs.<br /><br />(Exact results may vary)

:'''{{#var:127|Hyalite| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>When someone lands on your shoulder quite as heavily as Sky Jack leans into Hyalite and Rashmi, there's some instincts that kick in. Hyalite is still funnelling energy into Lacrima to help make the trip less challenging. It's still challenging. Clearly. She reaches out to help support Kukai, although mercifully Rashmi has him and lets Hyalite focus on energy providing.<br /><br />It was a given that Hyalite was going to leave her eyes open on the trip through the Dusk Zone, no matter how irritatingly brief it might have been.<br /><br />The fact that she doesn't appear to be unduly affected, but instead can tag off with Rashmi on the 'holding up Kukai' plan, changing it to a 'settling Kukai somewhat comfortably' plan. Hyalite gives a little wriggle as the wolf howl eases some of the dark.. sensations.

:'''{{#var:7|Puella Magi Sayaka| (7)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Puella Magi Sayaka grits her teeth as she hears Hulda's evil voice ringing out, uttering threats and what not..And then spearing Sky Jack! She growls, still holding Alex tightly, protectively in her arms, knowing that he is probably worth more alive than dead to his twisted mother, for whatever ultimate purposes she has in store for him. "Damn you, Hulda Raskoph! I will never forgive you for treating your own SON this way!" she snarls, inching slowly towards Sky Jack, reaching out to rest a free hand on his shoulder. "Hang in there, Sky-Jack-kun..I'll fix you up.."<br /><br />Then suddenly there's darkness, and rushing wind and..Crab legs?" she squeezes her eyes shut, feeling all sorts of weirdness and not-rightness as they rush through space and time. And eventually end up on the rooftop of ECFH. She blinks, openning her eyes a slit, peeking around. Ugh, stomach is churning now, and she feels cold and shivery and just. Not right. And then Lacrima is..Bleeding, or something? "Lacri-chan? You alright?" she asks, concern clear in her eyes.

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>(They are in the middle of the Dusk Zone. He could reach out past Rashmi's barrier. He could consume the thing clawing at it. He could stay behind when Lacrima drags the rst of them out. He could hunt. He could return when Hulda Raskoph does not expect it. Challenge her on her own terms. Destroy her on her own terms.)<br /><br />(For the boy who prayed for a young girl and a nameless one, and for all the others, and who once gave the last of his strength because his friends needed it more than he needed to live.)<br /><br />(How dare she harm him. How ''dare'' she. How ''dare'' --)<br /><br />-- and they are on the roof, and Kunzite draws a shaking breath; then as his darkness dissipates, as Tsukiko is doing her work, he's reaching for the band on his left wrist. "Three injured on Endy's roof, one critical," he says, and then, "Hyalite -- my room. In the closet there's a suitcase. Can you get it to Lacrima." It's almost a question. He's already turning to try to take Kukai's weight. Because somehow, Alexis has suddenly become ''third'' priority.

:'''{{#var:160|Lacrima| (160)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Lacrima is bleeding. Kind of. She's more leaking. She's ruptured because she ingested too much purse dark energy then released it all at once. It isn't a fatal wound. She can't die like this. Just. She'll monster out if she keeps leaking like this.<br /><br />THAT would be a very bad thing.<br /><br />Luckily. Suitcases. Familiar ones. She suddenly reaches out and throws it open and rips out the two crystals in them and shoves them into her gut with an uncomfortable sucking sound as she makes a pained expression. She does this with the remaining three sets in the case. She refocuses a bit and she stops leaking. That's a pretty awful puddle under her though.<br /><br />"Nrg. I--i'm fine." she says as she shakily gets to her feet. "I overdid it. Obviously." she says quietly. "S--sorry... I..." she eyes the device as it skitters and talks and she walks over to grab the device and pick it up.<br /><br />"I have questions for you. But later." she says quietly. "T--take care of Kukai I... um..." she squints.<br /><br />"I'm gonna go.. find a closet. And come out... when I've rested I..." she shakes her head. "Sorry..." she says sheepishly as she begins to sort of trudge in a weird manner towards the roof access door.

:'''{{#var:216|Hulda Raskoph| (216)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Several kilometers away.<br /><br />Hulda Raskoph calmly lifts the ornate knife from the asphalt, the motion seeming to cause the spinning triangular runes to fade away from existence once more.<br /><br />"... I had not accounted for that," she confesses to the other woman accompanying her, with a quiet sigh.<br /><br />The younger woman, for her part, simply regards Hulda with a worried expression, as she asks, "What would you like us to do?"<br /><br />A few seconds of contemplation on Hulda's part, and then she's taking to lifting herself up to her feet again from that kneeling posture. "Send cleanup teams to the warehouse and have some of the product taken away, discreetly. Make it look like the warehouse was robbed. Then... scanning teams down into the installation proper. Today may not have been a full loss."<br /><br />"Either way," she adds in, then, and turns slowly back to the way the two came from, stepping past her companion with the same motion.<br /><br />"It's time for us to stop acting solely in the shadows."
}}