[b]Kotori Shirohane - Cave of Solitude | Sunday, June 7 2015[/b]

The tide of battle turned rather quickly - what was left of the imposing circle of shadows was being rapidly mopped up by the group. For all their numbers and disconcerting appearances, they hadn't been too much of a threat. Though Kotori wasn't exactly going to complain - using Kikuri-Hime's healing abilities, she could at least make sure everyone was ready for whatever came next. Megumi quickly guided them up to the second floor. Kaminari raced ahead of the group, quite evidently desperate to help the girl who was trapped in this world. A number of doors awaited them - but each one that was tried turned out to be locked. All except one, as Megumi pointed out a moment later - the very same behind which she could sense something and someone behind. That was all that Kaminari needed as he bolted off right for the door again, pushing them aside as he rushed inside. Not knowing what to expect, Kotori followed the others; glancing around more than a little nervously.

Stepping inside, it the room that she'd expected turned out to be a cave instead - one hung to full of spiderwebs which, at a second glance, seemed to be pulsing with electricity. Whilst Kotori slowed down to take in these strange surroundings, Kaminari had no such compunctions - he raced straight for the center of both the room and the spider's web. Having been distracted by the strangeness of the place, she only now realised that at the very center of both the room and the spider's web stood a figure - or rather three. Blinking once, twice, Kotori first thought she was seeing things. Did she have multiple shadows? Was that even possible? Did that mean they'd be facing multiple enemies? A cold feeling ran down her spine at that - she'd thought it terrible enough just seeing the others have to face off against her shadow, but now two?

Kaminari meanwhile took a swing at one of the creatures - but it stepped aside effortlessly; raising its voice so that it could be heard all throughout the room. They spoke - Kotori only realised it was both of their voices after a moment - about the girl, Ayano, how she hid herself away, why she did it - though the words were spoken by the strange creatures that weren't Ayano, Kotori couldn't help but feel as if she was just scared and confused. But just then Ayano cried the fateful words: [color=007236]You're not me![/color]

And with that, a frozen silence entered the room. It only lasted for a moment though, as it was suddenly broken by a sudden giggling that seemed to fill the whole spider-webbed cave. Left with little else but to stare on, Kotori watched as the two shadows melted down - and just before hope could spring up that perhaps that was all there was to it, a hand broke through the surface of mixed black and white. And then another. Then two, then six. Soon, dozens of both hands and feet were grasping from within the puddle, as if trying to lift themselves free - and slowly they did. And with them rose a face - no, two, no, more.

It took Kotori a few moments before she quite knew what she was looking at - some bizarre behemoth of disjointed limbs and faces, mechanical in nature, frightening to look upon and seeped with malice without a doubt even before it declared its full intention to kill everyone single person in the room. Kotori stepped back at the sight of the creature - but thankfully it retreated instead of surging forward. With a moment's pause, Kotori quickly looked around - and saw that Kaminari had quickly grabbed Ayano to get her to safety whilst Rui had already focused his attention on the enormous spider-like creature in whose web they found themselves. Sato seemed to be holding himself better than her too - leaving her to take a deep breath to try and calm herself as the battle began.

Unfortunately, things weren't quite that simple. Without much trouble and despite its size, the spider-shadow managed to dodge out of the way of their attacks and spewed webs in return. Though for all their attacks that missed the creature, they did strike the web behind - and with it tore strips off it; frayed cables hanging loose in more than one place now. Rui seemed to see this as their best bet - the connection to Megumi seemingly lost once more - and ordered the group to focus on the web rather than the spinner thereof whilst keeping an eye out for it.

It wasn't an easy task no doubt - but Kotori steeled herself for it, having the good fortune that Kikuri-Hime wouldn't need to actually get too close to utilise her offensive Zio spell, which she aimed at the web. Though even as she did, she feared that this fight might require more of her healing abilities than the previous one.