It is a lovely day. Sure the skys are cloudy but birds are singing. Everything just feels right today. What could possibly go wrong. As Fu finally snaps out of her food coma from the night before she stretches and just feels good. Happily she gets ready for the day. She makes herself some breakfast, gets cleaned up and changed into a clean uniform as her goal for the day is to get sponsors for the eating contest in a few short weeks.
Glancing at the time, Fu sighs, "I think I overslept. I'd better let the Hero Club know what is going on." In a half state of mind, she goes to her bag and gets out her phone. It chirps at her as she picks it up. "Huh. Maybe they already messaged me?" Quickly she brings up the message she'd received.
-Alert! A Rogue Vertex has been sighted approaching the wall. Our reports show that it will breach within the next twenty-four hours. You are the closest team to the prospective breach. Ready your team. Additional forces may be required.-
The message turns the young blonde white. This is the one thing she did not want to have happen. Not now. Not ever. That doesn't change the fact. This is happening and there is no stopping it now. With no hesitation she runs out the door, texting her friends to meet at the Donut Stand.
At said stand, a blonde girl is happily enjoying one of their wares, taking small, careful nibbles to make the treat last longer. On her shoulder, a little five-pointed yellow star is sitting doing the same with what looks awfully much like a miniature version of Saturn's rings.
Unlike Fu, of course, she has no clue what's coming her way. How could she? She has never heard of Vertexes, and she has no access to the warning systems the Hero Club's leader has. Hoshi, therefor, has no way to know that if she doesn't want to waste half of her doughnut, she should speed up her eating.
Miss White likes to stay in shape, in and out of henshin. Thus, it's Miss White who's modified her barrier jacket to resemble a track suit as she goes out on a run, ending up at Kaoru's Donuts. A little bit of morning indulgence aught to keep her energy up for more meetings and a security officer in need of replacing.
But she's not going to deny one Kaoru a bit of her time. The gregarious man reminds her of many people back home.
Thus, she takes a bite of donut. With a fork, because she's a bloody CEO. "...So yeah, that's been my week. Still breathing, though, and profits are up. Guess I can't complain! How's things with you, K-man?"
Haruna Kurosawa spins and walks up to the Donut Stand, she's peeeeeeeking up over the edge. "Pssssst. Karou." she says whispers. "I'll take.. a Corvus special." she winks. She is provided two donuts that are double glazed and sprinkled and she eees, pays for her donuts and turns around to face everyone around and head tilts. Corvus, a seagull, is on her shoulder.
Oh! White-chan is over there! She waves goofily, and blows a kiss~ Because it seems she's talking to someone else. She's not about to interupt. Maybe later.
She peeks over to the arriving Fu and continues eating her donut. Corvus is also eating a donut. Donuts.
They're lovely!~
So a donut stand. Those are kind of a thing. There's a girl here- no one except Hoshi would probably know her. And well...
She's eating a donut.
What else are donuts for? And she was feeling peckish. That Girl really can't be faulted for wanting something sweet, wanna fight about it? Anyway, the dark haired nameless background extra is mostly out of the way. Hoshi does get a slight wave as she munches away, completely oblivious to just what's coming.
Kukai Souma is wandering around town when his phone begins beeping and making a strange noise, something between a ring and an alarm. He'd never directed it to do that, so this comes as something of a shock. He pulls it out, then blinks at the text message on the screen. It's a very loud and insistent way to ask someone to come to the Donut Stand, but he didn't have anything else to do just then - yay for weekends, boo for the storm having thrown the soccer season into chaos. So he finds himself jogging towards the Donut Stand, which isn't too far away.
Nearby, Gaofele is waiting as more donuts are being made. He had decided to pick some up for the Waldians, and they looked so good that he figured that one box wouldn't be enough. Two boxes look to possibly be enough, though, so that's what he had ordered.
Of course, that size of a purchase would be a sizable chunk of Kaoru's stock, so more than usual needed to be made. Waiting for a fresh batch to fill the order isn't a problem, though; the cooking donuts smell great!
The odd alarm on his cellphone makes him blink. Fishing it out, he reads the message. "A forest...?" he mutters to himself. Well, the message certainly sounds like trouble is approaching, although he's not sure of exactly what it is.
It takes a few minutes for Fu to arrive at the Donut stand. She had been hoping that the rest of the Hero club would be here by now but no luck. Guess she's the first there. She's frazzled. She's gone from having a great day to on the edge of panic in a matter of twenty minutes.
As much as she would want to make her pitch to Kaoru, She doesn't yet. Right now there is a global threat looming and that alone is enough to have her mind elsewhere. She opts to order some donuts while she waits but those wouldn't be delivered.
Fu's phone, and several other's in the immediate area begin going off with the same strange ringtone. ( http://goo.gl/sPLvr8 ) Time stops around the owners of those phones and a strange message appears on the phones.
FORESTIZE WARNING
Vertex approaching. Please Deploy to protect humanity.
Fu has a pained look on her face. Everything she was hoping would pass her, her friends, and her family by just came crashing with that one little warning sound. She looks around to see who else is caught up in this nightmare.
Well this is weird. Hoshi looks at her phone questioningly, halfway through her carefully benibbled doughnut, and notices the strange warning. Then there's the others, with the same, and time seems to have stopped. "What's going on?" She asks softly. Another star appears in front of her, holding a sword and shield, and thumping his shield with the sword.
Before too long, Hoshi notices Fu, and recalls Fu could see her stars. Remembering this, she quickly takes bigger bites off her snack, better than letting it go to waste, and heads over to the older blonde. "Inubouzaki-san." She asks, tugging on Fu's shirt, "Do you know what's going on?"
Gaofele Doiru frowns at the latest message, then his frown deepens as he notices that time has stopped... except from others who had similar ringtones. Huh.
He's seen Fu in school before, and since she doesn't seem to be timestopped, he figures that she might know what's going on.
"I would like to know as well," he adds after Hoshi. "It's not every day that I get messages like this on my cellphone, aftr all."
Does Hannah even realize that Gull-chan is here? Judging by the grin and little wink her way? The answer is yes! Most of her attention is on Kaoru though. She'll bother Haruna soon enough! Or at least, that's the plan.
Ano and Hoshi are noted, but she doesn't interrupt delicious donut devouring. There's /priorities/ here folks. The sound of muttering too from Gao isn't caught, too busy being /social/ is Miss White. Same with Kukai!
Soon enough she'll realize there's at least three people she recognizes here though!
Even as her phone starts making strange sounds, her Device pings the mage. Miss White sits up, and begins looking around. She excuses herself from Kaoru with a forced smile, devouring her donut even as her Device begins a subtle search for the source of interference and apparent magic. Her hand slips into her pocket and she grips Raging Tempest.
Soon enough, she's sidling up near Hoshi and Gao, nodding to Haruna.
"Hey, been a while." Smile to Gao! She leans in.
"...Any idea what's going on?" She then whispers.
Kukai Souma hears the same ringtone from his phone as from several others nearby, only one or two of whom he recognizes. He looks around for Fu, ending up with Hoshi. "Hey. Yeah, what's going on?" He doesn't seem to have yet noticed the time-stop, but it's obvious that only a few people are actually moving nearby...
That's not her ringtone. For a moment, that girl off on the sidelines nearly ignores it until she realizes... It's not her ringtone- but it's coming from her phone anyway. "Huh...?"
Casually stuffing the last of her donut into her mouth, she pulls her phone from the pocket of her skirt and taps inquisitively at the screen.
Forestize?
Vertex?
"Must be a wrong number." She decides, muffled by donut as she tries to silence her phone. It doesn't silence. Burgundy eyes squint as she jabs the screen and tries a hard boot- only to look up and realize something is very amiss.
"Hey, lemme get another do-...nut. Hello? You alive in there?" No response. And that's when she notices people more nameless and faceless than she aren't exactly... Doing anything.
It's eerie.
'This is unnatural.'
'Yep, something broke alright.'
The twin dragons whisper in her ears as she stuffs her phone back into her pocket. "Oi."
Thankfully, not everyone is frozen in time, and when she sees Hoshi, and the apparently panicked blonde, That Girl is already cutting a path right towards them and the others gathering. "While we're all asking 'what's going on' I might as well throw my name in the cap for an answer."
There's an awkward pause as she internally cringes at the terribly inappropriate turn of phrase.
Fu winces and closes her eyes. Then using all mustering her courage, those green eyes snap open. "You've all been picked by the Shinju-sama to assist with a fight. I can't handle it on my own especially without my friends. To put it simply, we need to save the world. A vertex is coming and it will destroy everything if it gets to it's destination."
Lightning strikes in the distance as soft music and a rainbow of colors begins to pour over a previously unseen wall. As the rainbow of colors moves closer everything starts shifting, changing to look like a forest. The soft colors would be gorgeous if not for the fact that a dangerous enemy was approaching.
As the small group is covered by the crazy colors, they will find themselves in this colorful forest. Immediately Fu moves to take cover behind a small tree. "This is the Jukai. Its been created by the Shinju-sama specifically for fighting these things." She slips her phone out of her pocket and she begins looking it over, Keeping track of whoever is currently here.
In the distance, something very big is coming.
Kukai Souma's stomach drops multiple times. First at 'we need to save the world', second at 'destroy everything', and then it does a flip at being yanked through to the forest.
Somehow, Kukai keeps a grip on himself and finds a way to keep talking. "Save the world from... being turned into a forest?" There is a very distant crash and he looks into the distance. "... what is that, exactly?"
Hoshi starts running as soon as Fu finishes her exploration. Not because she's afraid, but because there's people here and she doesn't want to be seen transforming. Just in case... So as soon as she finds a good out of the way spot, hard to be seen in, she reaches for a Yellow crystal in her pocket.
"Chroma Prism Yellow, Transform!" She calls out, not too loud, but loud enough to work. In that little hidden corner, there's a flash of yellow, and two stars materialize to tie a bow in her hair and another around the front of her Yellow and white miko outfit, with a set of small yellow butterfly wings appearing on her back to finish it all up.
"I'm Prism Keeper Yellow, what's going on?" The Prism Keeper repeats her question, for the sake of keeping up appearances, as she runs towards Fu again. She holds a small, white inverted telescope that has a big yellow star at the tip, where normally the eye would go.
It seems the group all has the same question. And Fu quickly answers. Miss White laughs. /Another/ world destroying beast? A flash of green, and her barrier jacket returns to normal. The magical girl straightens her tire, clenches her fist, and lets the wind give her sight.
"Well, it can't be as bad as the last one. Hopefully. So we hold the thing back. Any weaknesses? What's it capable of?" Comes Miss White, already down to business.
And then they're in a forest of rainbows and music. Miss White whistles.
"So. You're a magical girl that specializes in fighting these 'Vertexes' and are allied with these 'Shinju'. I think I have the basics. Fill us all in more later, huh?" Grin! Fu gets a slap on the back.
"I'll take up point with anyone else who's inclined to punching things. Otherwise? Well, you're the expert on these things. We should probably follow your lead." Pause.
"Oh, and don't mind if I rip pieces off of it. It's for science."
"Greetings," Gaofele nods to Hannah. Having another skilled fighter on hand is a good thing, especially since whatever is coming sounds magical.
Scratch that; whatever is coming is definitely magical, given how reality is shifting around them. Well, that makes it easier, in a way -- especially since there's just magical people here.
"To protect the lands, I am Guardian Gao!" he calls out, pulling out his bracer and sliding it onto his arm. There's a glow of green, and the forester Knight stands ready with his bow. "While I appreciate forests, I will also admit that they're not a condusive terrain for supporting large densities of people," he remarks.
"Shinju-sama, come again?"
That part just sailed clean over the girl's head. The rest, however, did not. Chosen. Selected to to fight. It is a statement that strikes out to the scarlet-eyed girl and resonates more with her very soul than Fu could possibly understand.
The girl's palms itch.
Her fingers curl, balling tightly to ease them, an act that causes a pair of tattoos to slither down her arm from where they were hidden under her sleeves. A pair of twin dragons, one white, one black, coiling and twisting with excitment. She doesn't know what a Vertex is, in the least, but if it is such a threat, then there really is no choice, is there?
Then the world is replaced. The donut stand is no more, as she drinks in the colorful- almost alien dight of the Jukai, but her attention is more on the immense figure in the distance. Though the girl is somewhat distracted when Hannah transforms into her Barrier Jacket- a figure she vaguely remembers amid the chaos of Walpurgisnacht. When Hannah mentions the 'last one', the mere thought of the immense Witch makes her pale. But she doesn't let that cause her to falter.
Slamming her knuckles together, the twin tattoos slither down her wrists, forming a much more solid pair of gauntlets, her school uniform instantly modified into a form more suitable for a fight.
She has but one all-important question...
"Can it be punched?"
Earlier today, Togo got a message from Fu about donuts. Although they weren't her favorite sweet, eating tasty foods is always better when with friends! She was just a little late in getting out of the house.
So, when the warning ringtone sounds, she's not quite to the park... though she's close enough to receive the notificaiton. And when she does, her stomach immediately does a flip. It's only the second time she's ever heard that sound, and she did not at all enjoy the last time. All she can do is close her eyes as the scenery changes, hoping that just maybe she'll be left behind this time.
But when her eyes open and she sees the strange terrain of the Jukai, a shiver runs down her spine. Her phone is immediately in her hands, looking for who else might have been pulled into here, and there's a brief sigh of relief as she sees a few names she recognizes.
"Fu-senpai!" Togo calls out as she wheels along one of the strange platform-like branches. "And Ha--ah... Cure Gull!" It's not fast, but she approaches the small group as they transform, eyes wide. "I... ended up here again."
Kukai Souma looks around, seeing that everyone else seems to be getting ready for a big fight. He decides now isn't the time for questions. "Daichi, Chara Transform!" There is a rapid flash, and when it passes Kukai is in the fighter pilot's jacket and goggles of Sky Jack!
Sky Jack nods to Fu, and then gives her a big thumbs up, the doubt and fear purged from his heart. "If we're here, then we're the ones to stop it! We'll stand besides you through whatever comes!"
Fu closes her eyes as she hears the all too familiar voice of Togo. She'd been hoping that maybe she could have avoided telling the Hero Club altogether but that hope is gone. She looks over at Togo and then cocks her head, "Again? You've been here before?" Okay this might not be so bad.
She looks at Miss White and begins to think. They are big and are very dangerous. They have weapons. They have a single goal and that is to destroy the Shinju-sama. If they do that, The world is toast. They are very tough, they regenerate quickly. That and how to take them down is all I know."
She turns and looks to Yellow and smiles, "Its okay."
Finally the million dollar question, Who is the Shinju? Fu takes a deep breath, "The Shinju-sama is mystical tree and god who stands to protect humanity. He is the one who picks heroes... specifically for fighting Vertexes." Her attention shifts to Togo. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to keep it a secret but, I was just hoping we wouldn't have to do this. I was appointed by the Taisha after my parents died. I was to create the Seiyou Hero Club and bring in the girls who scored highest on the Middle School Entrance Exam. My sister, Yuna, and You. They believe that the highest scoring girls would be the best heroes to fight this threat.
BOOM!
An explosion rocks the immediate area as the Vertex gets closer. "We've been spotted." She stands up and moves to point. To Togo she frowns, "If you show the will to fight, the app you downloaded when you joined the Hero Club will unlock a new feature. It will allow you to fight the Vertexes. I'm so sorry Togo."
Then to Ano she nods, "Yes it can be punched. If you can get close enough."
Looking down at her phone, Her own app changes. A single yellow flower, A Wood Sorrel. Closing her eyes she presses the button. An explosion of yellow flowers errupts and yellow light flares moving fast around her. Her clothing changes to a yellow and white dress trimmed in green. Her hair changes to twin braided tails. A flash of light above her goes off as she raises her hand and catches a greatsword that would dwarf the one from that final fantasy game. She swings it moving it around and is ready to fight.
"Yup~! You've got good timing, kiddo!" Gao may or may not escape a hair ruffle! "Now keep us all up in fire support!"
Similarly, noting the dragon-fisted girl from Walpurgisnacht, she nods. "I like how you think. I've yet to find a youma that /can't/ be punched with a little ingenuity." She offers helpfully.
And then a girl wheels on in. She frowns. "You guys know each other? If you're here, then...well, if you don't have power, stay back, and don't be afraid to run away. No use getting killed if you can't do anything, okay? Hear that everyone? First rule of magical girling! Don't die!" She seems to mean that, despite how obvious it might sound.
Miss White nods. "Glad we got a warmup round then! Hey, you, with the fists! Hear that? It can be punched! Why not show your stuff again? Let's get close."
And then Fu transforms. "Sweet sword!" She'll take a quick scan, before an explosion gets her focus. Wind flows around the woman's legs. Then, she leaps off, blurring through the air in a 'lazy' display of speed, letting people catch up even as she starts to get closer, ready to dodge, punch aside, or use a shield against any lasers that get too close.
"Hey! Walnuts-chan 2.0! Stop messing with the kids and let the adults talk it out!" Taunting /always/ helps. Anyone rushing in with her will find a blanket of wind under their feet, helping them get closer faster!
Prism Keeper Yellow looks at all the magical people around her, and admits. "I'm new at this, but I'll do my best!" She sounds a little nervous, but not to much so. She starts jumping towards the enemy, her wings turning what would be little jumps into giant leaps. In fact it looks like she ought to be able to fly with those wings, but for some reason she doesn't. Perhaps Miss White's wind helps her jumps, too.
She doesn't quite acknowledge recognizing anyone, just trying to get closer so she can fight this Vertex. "I hope I won't hold you back." Yellow does say, apparently somewhat concerned that she might. "Let me know if I'm holding you back more than helping." She says mid-air, right before it becomes apparent she misjudged a jump, smacking face first into one of the weird branches that make up this place. She climbs up to it, and rubs her nose a little. "I'm okay!"
Guardian Gao gives Miss White a rueful grin at the hair ruffle, but doesn't complain or try to avoid it. "Well, if people need help getting close to it, I might be able to help with that," he remarks. There's a burst of greenery beneath the forest Knight's feet, launching him upward onto a nearby branch.
"I should have a better vantage point from up here," he calls down to the others as he readies his bow. "If you need to rush in, I'll do what I can to discourage it from attacking you."
Sky Jack's skateboard appears from nowhere, and he hops onto it, rising rapidly into the air. "I'll see about getting this thing's attention, then!" He gives everyone a thumbs up and takes to the sky, flying off towards the giant approaching vertex, examining it for flat planes or weak spots. A soccer ball appears in his hands as he moves towards it, much like the skateboard had, and he drops it into position. The ball hovers for a moment before Jack punts the thing, infusing it with energy and launching it at the Vertex, with several more following right behind it.
Togo looks away, a bit guilty. "Ah... once before, with Karin. It was... not really good." Karin may have since gone off for more training, but Togo has filled Fu in on the absent Hero Club member. "I..." The girl bites her lip as Fu transforms and gives her explanations. "You can apologize later, Fu-senpai, but..."
Her voice growing more quiet, she ducks her head slightly. "With everyone here, you don't need me to help, right?" Her tone is not one of uselessness, but one tinged with fear, and a close look can easily tell her hands are trembling as she holds her phone tightly.
The forthcoming explanation is much better about filling the girl in. A god-tree devoted to protecting humanity, and is now, in turn, in danger. Her fingers flex once before curling again as she draws a slow breath.
The Ikken Hissatsu philosophy states that all decisions must be made within the span of seven breaths.
That single one is all she needs to be decided, right now.
"I'm in."
It's okay. She's still new, but she's surrounded by professionals.
Hannah calls it Walnuts 2.0.
She's FAIRLY CERTAIN she's surrounded by professionals...
Mimori's arrival however earns a flutter of a hesitant look from the scarlet-eyed girl. Her very soul shouts that she leap into battle on Hannah's wind and make good on her question of taking a swing at this threat to the very fabric of existence. It's the explosion nearby, when the thing- this Vertex spots them, that makes her scuff a boot. "IS there anywhere safe to get to, here?" She asks not for her own sake though.
"If there is, I can try and get you there." That offer is to the wheelchair-bound girl.
"Hey. Its okay Togo." Fu turns her attention to the Nameless Hero and nods, "Get back as far as you can, out of the line of fire and try to stay out of sight. I need to get into this." With that, Fu launches herself upward and toward the approaching Vertex.
The Vertex is big, lumbering, white and pink, with a launcher at its base. What is it launching, well, someone's about to find out. Sky Jack was doing his best to get the monstrosity's attention and now he's got it in spades. Turns out it knows how to play ball. A glowing orange ball drops inside it's launcher. It is so bright it can be seen on the outside of it's body. Than It fires. A ball of nasty looking energy flies straight at him. Miss White's Banter is largely ignored as the thing likely doesn't know what she's saying. It keeps moving forward. Already another ball of energy is forming inside it. This time the target is at the other approaching attackers. *BOOM!*
Fu is moving quickly. As Yellow laments her worries, Fu smiles to her. Just keep going. You'll do fine. Don't panic! We're Heros after all!" She states and keeps moving forward until... Oh no. There is that energy ball coming full speed. Quickly She brings her sword around to block it. A blue and white cat like creature appears between her and the blade as the energy ball hits, knocking Fu to the ground.
At least most of them are on board! Hannah thumbs up to those rushing towards the thing. When the thing fires? She ducks behind one of the many branches, leaps away, and narrowly avoids tree branch and face being incinerated. Then, she keeps going, using cover and speed to get within magic-ing distance.
She raises her hand, and a ball of wind magic forms, only to be tossed into the sky above the thing.
Raging Tempest calls out!
"Binding Mode!" The Device's spikes extend, revealing heating vents. "Wind Chains!" Emerald green chains rush down from that ball of magic, trying to wrap around and pull that firing 'cannon' beneath it...and aim it right at its own body! Meanwhile, Miss White makes one final onrushing leap, single arm held back as she aims a hard punch at whatever may pass for a face, a burst of wind aimed to blow it backwards!
Oh boy, this is serious. Yellow points her wand at the Vertex, sending a series of yellow stars flying towards it. Upon impact they'd splash into yellow energy, which leaves a yellow residue in addition to all the regular effects of being hit by offensive energies forcefully impacting.
She notices Fu go down and jumps over, trying to help the older girl up. "Are you okay?" The Prism Keeper asks softly, trying to keep her focus up. She takes a glance back towards Togo and the Nameless Hero, too, but decides that she should focus on the task at hand.
The Vertex isn't quite the foe Gao was expecting, but he still has a few ideas. "Nettle Barrage!" he calls out, drawing and loosing an arrow. In mid-flight, it shatters into several thin-shafted fragments, all aimed for the nozzle of the Vertex's cannon. It might not be the most damaging, but at least it should cause trouble for further energy balls.
He glances towards Togo and the Nameless Hero; so far the fray hasn't made its way to them, but the forester Knight is ready to help cover their retreat.
"Anyone know if this thing has a weakness?" Gao calls to the other fighters. "Or any particular places where we shouldn't aim?"
Sky Jack sees the glowing ball of energy forming inside the Vertex and begins sliding through the sky to one side, trying to get away from it. There is an explosion of force from the giant thing's lower launcher, and Sky Jack grabs his flying board and practically throws himself to one side as it launches at him, barely dodging the blast as it curls towards him!
Jack shakes his hand, his fingers scorched from the heat of the thing going past, and continues launching balls at what he can only assume is its head, trying to get its attention away from the group again. "Come on! Can't you hit one flying target?! Up here, you big ugly!" The balls impact with dense, meaty thuds and bounce away, as Jack moves to get back in front of it, some part of him praying he can dodge the next energy ball like that.
The strange hero is given a quick look, and Togo shakes her head. "There... really isn't. The farther away I am, the safer I'll be, I'm sure." She bites her lip gently. "I... I'll be fine here. You should... you should help the others." Because that's something a Hero would say, right?
To be honest, she mostly doesn't want to have anyone have to watch her being scared. She's still feeling a little ashamed of what happened last time, but she can't help the crippling fear that grips her whenever she looks down at that glowing button on her phone. "Good luck... Fu-senpai.. everyone..."
'Hey what gives?! I thought we were gonna haul off and slug the thing!'
The girl ignores the agitated voice of her right gauntlet, the black metal form taken on by the dragon rattling with barely constrained disappointment as she clenches her grasp to stifle it.
But for a moment, the nameless girl doesn't budge, when Togo tries to send her off. She hesitates again. Her gaze is steady and non-judgmental as she stares at Togo for a long moment, thumb dancing along her fingertips in thought. Before her knuckles pop.
"If you need me, just call. Don't hesitate."
The mild issue here is that she doesn't exactly give a name to call as she turns and takes a few steps away.
And then punches the ground with all her might.
Which proceeds to launch her skywards, on a course to join the others and head for the Vertex.
The Vertex is taking a beating. Its body is starting to show signs of damage from all of the attacks its taking. This would normally be great but, this is a vertex. The damage is rapidly healing, Much faster then its being dealt. It simply keeps moving. Or it tries to. The binding is working to keep it from going anywhere for now. This still leaves the problem of an enemy that is capable of attacking with explosive projectiles. It tries to hit Miss White and the a shot is taken at the Nameless Hero. It is definitely a target rich environment.
Fu carefully stands back up, "I'm okay. Keep going." She states to Prism Yellow. Sure it hurt to take that punishment but, that cute blue and white fairy is very nifty. Quickly she gets out her phone and calls Togo, "Are you alright?" She charges the vertex using her sword to carve a generous swath out of its hide.
That is the point when she sees it fire at Sky Jack and Miss. The memory of her parents comes to her and then she pieces things together. "Don't let it cause too much damage!" She cries out. "Damage done here reflects on the real world! It can really hurt people!" She sighs. This has got to end and quick.
As she hear's Gao's words, she quickly responds. "Yes! It's not revealed yet!" She does a bit more damage to it. "Its gotta be sealed." She states to herself. Fu takes a quick slice at it's launcher, hoping to buy some time for the others to do a bit more damage.
"We need to weaken it. Once it's weakened a little more I can try to seal it! When that happens we will only have a few moments before it breaks free. If that happens it's game over!"
"Then we'd better keep the damage contained to the Vertex!" Gao calls back. The nettle-shafts didn't seem to do much; perhaps something larger, spikier, and explosive might do the trick?
"Pinecone Spiker!" the forester Knight calls out, firing another arrow. This one reshapes in mid-flight into a softball-sized pinecone, spiky and sealed with sap, headed to embed inside the Vertex's cannon. The energy balls will likely set it on fire, causing it to explode like a grenade -- possibly detonating the energy ball as well!
"Okay!" Yellow nods to Fu, and jumps to another branch of this strange rainbow forest, trying to spread away from the others so its attacks cannot hit everyone at once. Up there, she runs a bit, trying to get a good angle. When she finds one, she points her wand at the Vertex, a beam of pure Yellow energy coming forth. It's a fairly thin beam, but it ought to weaken it, right? Fu at least seems to think so..."
It's not quite flying... Eventually after slugging the ground hard enough to launch herself skywards, gravity begins to re-assert itself, carrying the gauntlet-clad girl on a parabolic arc. She lands, still some distance away, boots slamming a crater beneath her as she lands on wobbly feed, still yet unused to the force behind her body.
But there's little time to regain her footing. In near the very same instant she touches down, she's forced to bodily fling herself sidewards in a fumbled roll, tumbling aside in just barely the nick of time. OF course it ends with her slamming into a leavy protuberance from the ground with a solid grunt of mingled pain and irritation. But it's not enough to outright halt her...
There's a look of near horror on her face when she hears the repurcussions of letting this beast go wild even in the strange, parallel, world, glancing down at the crater of her landing with a dark look.
All the better that she's more in range now. Though she doesn't launch herself up so violently this time around, she starts to climb. Throwing herself up the nearest pastel colored growth, hand over hand, faster and faster, until she leaps off the upper edge, spinning once in the air as her fist reels back.
'What truly terrible foes these are.' Her white gauntlet mulls somberly.
But it's the black gauntlet that begins to glimmer, the very force of her fighting spirit and drive gathering at her fingertips.
It has to be sealed to be destroyed.
It has to be weakened to be sealed.
Alas, she regrets, that there is only one thing in life she knows.
"Ikken Hissatsu... EARTH SUNDERING KNUCKLE!"
It is a series of rapid heavy strokes, aimed at what she can only hope are vital points, with all intent and hope to help the others crack its shell.
Perhaps being alone here is better. She doesn't have to try to put on a brave face. Once the others are out of intermediate sight, she closes her eyes, perssing a hand to her mouth. It will be okay, she tells herself.
And then she lets out a surprised squeak as her phone rings. With her heart still racing as she picks it up, Togo's voice cracks a bit, "Fu--" She coughs lightly, getting herself back under control. "Fu-senpai. I'm fine. You concentrate on stopping that thing, you and the rest. J... just be careful!"
At least it's in place. Hannah takes a blast to the side, her Device's shield holding, then shattering as she's blown into and through a tree. With a curse, she flicks pieces of wood out of her now destroyed suit jacket and ripped up tie, left in a white dress shirt.
"You pack a punch, you...I don't even have an analogy you freak!" Huff!
Then, Miss White grins. "Damage in the real world? Why didn't you say so!?"
She snaps her fingers, and then? She'll try to impose a barrier around the world. Should it work, the entire area will be engulphed in vaguely emerald green as the barrier takes form, trying to seperate this other-reality from actual reality.
"You've got a mage in the party, kiddo!"
"If we've got a regenerator, anybody got some fire!?"
Then, the magical girl concentrates, gathering more magic in her fist.
"Cartridge load!" Her magic shoots up, blood flecking down her mouth, and then she swings. A tornado forms from where she hits, trying to wreck into the creature and start a ripping storm of magic to try to keep ripping back away to reveal its core!
Sky Jack hears Fu talking and kinda gets it. Damage, huh? All at once? Well, there's only one real way for him to do a lot of damage all at once, and it appears to be time to do it. Jack pulls up short for a second, stopping in place, and aims. "Ok ugly! Let's see how you like this!"
The sky around him grows dark. A single point of light appears within the darkness - a round ball, hovering in place, shining white. Sky Jack rears back, one leg balanced perfectly on the hovering board. "GOLDEN!" His foot comes forward, impacting the ball, which stays still. "VICTORY!" The ball suddenly begins spinning rapidly, glowing yellow with heat and energy, shining in the darkness, reflecting off Jack. "SHOOT!"
The ball vanishes. In point of fact it travels from where he kicked it towards the Vertex's head, but unless the people around him can discern millisecond timing it just looks like it teleports from where it's at into the Vertex's top part, a golden beam of light following it. The sound of it striking sounds like a cross between thunder and a gas main exploding.
The Vertex is seriously taking some punishment. Now the damage is coming faster then it can regenerate and it can't stop all that is coming. It tries to fire off more of its weapon but even thats been impared. This thing is in deep trouble.
Fu quickly gets in place. Closing her eyes she focuses on what she's about to say. "You are not going to make it to the Shinju-sama and you aren't going to hurt anyone else today or any other day! You are done!" A stream of yellow magic rises and begins circling around the Vertex.
The countdown begins and the extremely weakened Vertex opens itself up. An inverted pyramid begins to make itse way out and is presented for all to see. The thing just sits there unable to do anything else at this point.
"There is the target! Hit the core with everything you've got!" She calls out. Quickly springing up in the air she lets out a powerful shout as she hits core with all the force she can muster. The massive greatsword slams into the inverted pyramid.
When Fu tells them to unleash hell on the inverted Pyramid, Prism Keeper Yellow knows what to do. "Prism Aegis Power! Yellow Starfall!" She points her wand at it, a thin little beam of Yellow colour energy flows forth, painting a little yellow on the target. It's barely noticeable.
Somewhere, far up, far away, out of sight a big five-pointed yellow star with a confident smirk beats its chest twice, looking right at the little dot. It starts to spin as it falls out of the sky, speeding up faster than gravity itself would allow it to, a yellow trail passing behing it in the sky as it heads for that inverted pyramid.
It arrives mere moments later, at high speed, and is still going straight for that little dot Yellow painted on the inverted pyramid, its impact has a lot of energy behind it, and will squash the star itself alongside the damage it does to whatever it hits.
Miss White spies that pyramid, and grins. As Fu hits it, she leaps back gathering magic around herself. One cartridge and the aura of wind grows to surround her body. Another cartridge, and it blows a hole through a nearby tree through sheerly existing. She almost does a third, when she tips forward, coughing and hacking.
"Tch. Still not strong enough for three, huh? This will have to work." In her current state, she's hardly up to form.
Then, waiting for the melee attackers to pile on, she gets in a sprinter's position, and pushes off from her branch! In mid-air, she starts to spin in a corkscrew, becoming a spinning, twirling drill of wind-magic based destruction!
"MISS WHITE COMING THROUGH!" She intends to do so literally, becoming a bodily bullet to shatter through that pyramid in a blurr of emerald green!
"VIOLENT RAGING CORKSCREW!"
Pause.
"I REALLY NEED A BETTER NAME FOR THAT ONE!"
She'll try to grab a piece and pocket part of that inner portion of the Vertex, if she can manage it.
Guardian Gao nods to fu, then draws a bead on the inverted pyramid, a large coruscating blob of green energy gathering where the arrowhead should be. There's a scent of a forest after the rain, growing stronger as the energy becomes larger and brighter.
"VERDANT EXPLOSION!" he shouts, releasing the arrow which flies forward like a rocket -- and impacts at least as explosively as one!
Sky Jack has pretty much shot his ball with the Golden Victory Shoot for the moment, but continues to launch charged shots at the pyramid - cracking open the beast was his part, and now it's up to the others to actually end it, and Fu to seal it away! "Come on guys! Don't give it a moment! Keep going!"
For some time, the nameless girl's focus is pretty singular. She punches. And punches. And punches more. Swinging her fists in a left-right rhythm of brutality in hopes her blows will slow the Vertex and hold it off from causing any further damage, to either the magical warriors of justice present, or the strange, almost alien realm, for the sake of the true world waiting beyond.
It's when beast opens that her attention shifts. That reversed pyramid is called out as the true target.
She kicks off the Vertex' body now to join the others in the singular task of destroying it.
"Haaaaaa..."
A forward vaulting somersault that carries her high.
'Yeah that's it! Strike it down in one blow!' Her black gauntlet exults with the glee of battle. It is her white gauntlet that gives a more tempered, and wise suggestion...
'No. Work with the aid of others to bring down a foe such as this.'
She listens to both.
Not so arrogant as to think that she can do anything in a single blow of all her own, instead, she pours all her might into a strike intended to collide in tandem with the others bearing upon the Vertex core.
"ORYAAAA!"
And swings her heel down, intending to axe kick the thing with the force of a truck.
As the final strikes are dealt to the core of the vertex a flash of light goes off and the core shatters. Finally every bit of the vertex and it's shattered core turns to sand. Nothing more. The area around the Vertex is wilted and showing that it was dying. Then the Jukai fades away, leaving the heroes where they were when things started. Everything is as it should be.
Those who were fighting reappear in the regular world while Togo will likely find herself at the Donut Stand. Fu takes account of herself. A glance at her thigh shows the image of a flower. One of the petals is glowing. She shrugs. Hitting the button on her phone, she returns to her normal self. "Is everyone okay? No one's hurt right?"
Then she sees a person walk by. "Hey time is moving again! You know what that means right? I got donuts waiting for me!" She quickly takes off to the stand. She pays Kaoru and takes a bite of her donut!
Haruna Kurosawa SUDDENLY. Time resumes.
She looks around incredously suddenly.
"Whhhhhhaaat was that."
Corvus shrugs!
Haruna eyes her donut wearily. Maybe that's /too much/ sugar.
Prism Keeper Yellow finds herself with the others, outside that scary place, breathing deeply. "That was scary." She says earnestly, and then runs off. She's trying to keep her identity secret, bad people might use it if they found out, so she doesn't drop Henshin until she's well out of sight.
Sky Jack pops into place alongside the others, and then lets out a long breath, before cheering and giving everyone in the mission a big brotherly shoulder hug. "YEAH! That was so cool!" Now that the imminent threat of death and world destruction is gone, he's hyper and cheerful!
And then it all fades to sand. Miss White lands, scowls, and shakes her head as she lets the sand run through her fingers.
"Bah. Well, at least no one's dead and I got some data." A small sigh, and she look sto Fu, then the rest. A rub of the back of her head, and suddenly, everything's moving again.
"I'm good! Need a new tie though." Grumble grumble. She starts picking at her donut. Then, she grins, sticking her tongue out at Gull! "Maybe if you'd pay more attention, kid, you'd know!" That wink might just say 'I'll tell you later'.
As everything returns to the way it was, and the Vertex is finished, that girl lands in a crouch with a grunt.
"I'm fine."
Just a few bruises and scrapes... She got lucky this time. But she picks herself up and plays it off like nothing's the matter. Especially as time resumes. Her gauntlets revert to their tattoo-like forms and slide out of sight under her sleeves like absolutely nothing had just occurred.
"... I could use another donut.
It's the only reward truly fitting a hero, after all. Not praise, not fame, not applause nor accord... But a donut bathed in powdered sugar.
Haruna Kurosawa looks around. "Wait did a fight happen!? How! I was looking straight ahead the whole time and suddenly you're everywhere else different and where did everybody go!?" she stares at her donut again.
"Arrgggh Donut you made me miss a fight and White-chan's tie is ruined. /I LIKE/ her ties." she huffs.
Yes she is scolding the donut.
It is the donut's fault.
She hands her donut to Corvus now he has two and he is in Seagull heaven.
And, just like that, they're back. Togo takes a deep breath of the park's air, feeling quite relieved.. though a pang of guilt stabs at her heart as she realizes she's not sure if she's relieved that the Vertex was beaten, or that she didn't have to try to fight it.
Regardless, she puts on a brave face, which is much easier now that she's back in the real world. "...Fu-senpai, shouldn't we help explain to the others?" She lets out a sigh and can't help but smile. "I suppose it can wait." After all, there are donuts to be had.
As reality reasserts itself, the branch Gao had been on fades away. With a flutter of oversized maple seeds, he drifts back down to the ground. "Huh. Looks like we managed to minimize the trouble it caused," he remarks as he de-henshins and removes his bracer.
Still, with time now running again, that means that donuts are being cooked. Time to resume waiting for his order to be completed!
Fu Inubouzaki looks to the others who were in the Jukai and takes a deep breath. "You're right Togo. Not here though. So I got the next best idea!" She looks at the others and smiles brightly. She takes a bite of a donut.
"Fank oomph foah orph felp." She states and then swallows her food. "Sorry about that. THank you for your help. In honor of our victory, I am making you all honorary members of the Seiyou Hero Club!" She smiles to them all. "We can meet there in the near future and I will answer any questions you have. Sound good?"
Kukai Souma nods. "Well as a member of the Seiyou Public Guardians, I'll accept membership into the Seiyou Hero Club, if I wasn't already in it." He grins at Fu, that classic infectious, happy grin. "But ok. Geez, I'm not gonna have time to practice anymore if I keep having to do all this. I'll forget how to play soccer or basketball or baseball at this rate!"
Miss White /grins/! "A...Hero Club, huh?" She laughs, but it's not mocking. No, she's horrifically amused. She /doesn't/ dehenshin though. Crossing her legs, she offers a thumbs up.
"I'll look forward to meeting you guys. Name's White. Kasagami White, CEO of WitchHunter Professional Services! It's my business to make sure, well, people like you don't end up dead." Wink.
She'll offer business cards to those who don't already know her. It has an address and office number and everything.
Kukai Souma takes a business card and smiles to Miss White. "Aaah, ok! It's a pleasure to meet you Miss White." He frowns a little at the idea of people actually dying during these fights. "Well we all have to work together to succeed. But we always do, and we always come back in one piece!"