[center][img]https://i.gifer.com/2r5w.gif[/img] [h3][color=fff79a]Kasugano Sakura[/color][/h3]
Level 3: 11/30
Location: The Blue Sea.
Word Count: 1057
Points Gained: 2
New EXP Balance--- Level 3: 13/30 [/center]

	Skidding across the water with a hiss, Sakura blinked away the dazzling light. Standing up straight she took stock of her new self in a matter of moments. Her glove handed frantically patted various parts of her body, brushing her ears and hair, biceps, thighs, briefly pausing over her chest, she blushed. Sakura lifted up her newly-lengthened sleeves and flexed her muscles.

	[color=fff79a]"Aw, no! My BMI!"[/color] She whined in dismay at the sight of her softened arms. She was at least 15% less buff! Her hair was also longer, and she had a couple of bows, one around her waist and one in her hair. Headband and bow. Overall the new outfit was actually pretty cool, even if it was a bit...girly? It still looked like her fuku in a lot of ways, though.

	She reached up and patted her cat ears, and then fiddled with her tail. [color=fff79a]"Oh, man. I'm glad this is temporary. I don't wanna be a cat girl."[/color] She bemoaned.

	 Fortunately, she knew Peach would be able to restore her to her school girl form after this battle. Unfortunately, her minor concerns with her appearance wouldn't keep her distracted for long. She and the evil Water Princess made eye contact. Sakura refocused her energies on the badass aspects of her transformation.

	For one- she was WATER WALKING! [color=fff79a][i](AWESOME!)[/i][/color] Affixed to her back was a harness of guns! Big ones! Little cannons! She bet those packed a punch. Sakura clenched and unclenched her fist. The operation of the harness became second nature, no doubt the skill of it's previous user. Or rather, in a way, it's current user. The shipgirl would live on in her, for now.

	Sakura tightened her lips and stared back at the Water Princess. [color=fff79a]"I won't be intimidated by you! Leave us alone!"[/color] Sakura declared her intentions, voice firm.

	One of the ship girls combined with an ugly Abyssal ship and came to help Sakura cover the rest of their retreat. [color=fff79a][i](Now I'm REALLY glad Peach can remove Spirits. I'd hate to look like that forever. But, she doesn't even know that...wow. She's brave!)[/i][/color]

	Just as Sakura prepared to battle the oncoming formation of ships and their leader, a new challenger entered the battle. Sakura gasped in surprised as she recognized the cloaked woman from Inkwell Isle. Her eyes watered up and she beamed.

	[color=fff79a]"Yeah, yeah, I've heard it all before! We'll both be stupid together- how's that sound?"[/color] Sakura shouted. As the cloaked lady attacked the fleet, Sakura narrowed her eyes at the pallid faced woman who took satisfaction in the slaughter of others. It looked like she would have a brief opportunity to have a proper street fight. One on one! While she was a novice at shipgirl-to-shipgirl combat, she had powers the others didn't. Like being able to punch really hard! At 15% less effective, her strength level felt like it did when she was 17. Not bad- she could still beat Zangief.

	[color=fff79a]"Hey, everyone!"[/color] Sakura called into her radio. Hopefully she was put through to the entire navy. [color=fff79a]"Um, run away! I'll cover you!"[/color] She said to the other ship girls. Her ideal plan was to get the Water Princess to stop her pursuit. Or at least give her enough of a beating that she would reconsider the fight. Sakura wasn't trying to win, she was trying to bring this fight to a draw so both parties could leave. Their team would come back with new knowledge. And (hopefully) thanks to Sakura's interference, more boat people to be friends with. 

	With that, she leaned forward, and began to carve through the ocean's surface. The speed was exhilarating. She felt much safer and in control than she did on the Atomos. Sakura was quickly approaching the temporarily downed Water Princess. That pistol shot had given her an opening! Normally, she would only want to participate in a fair fight. But she wasn't some honor bound warrior by any means, so if someone needed a kick in the teeth she would be happy to give it to 'em!

	As Sakura sailed forward, she punched out her arms. In a series of accompanying quick jabs, she fired off her new turrets and cannons and at Water Princess. They were loud, and felt powerful. She wasn't used to using weapons other than her fists and feet. 

	She was using them like fireballs to cover her approach. Even if the Water Princess dodged them, it would give her less time to react to whatever Sakura did when she got close. She wasn't sure how physically powerful WP was, but in her experience if you could shoot big lasers from your hands you were more likely to be a push over when things got up close and personal. 

	As Sakura got within fifteen feet, she jumped into the air. On the downward arc of her jump she swung her leg outward towards the Water Princess's head. She landed on the ocean dextrously. When that hit she would launch into a series of three quick abdomen punches. The combo culminated in a fourth double-fisted uppercut, her hands interwined together to collide with the Water Princess's jaw with a crack and a spark of Ki.

	As for her defence, Sakura took a regular standing stance. She imagined the Water Princess would attack from straight on, or from above. Sakura doubted she would attack her knees, or try to grapple her. So Sakura was prepared for strikes from that big tail of hers, or her hands.

	Her main focus wasn't on defense, anyway. She felt like the Water Princess was going to try and use her speed to disengage and fly away and start shooting lasers. Running forward was always easier than running backward. Sakura was just looking for that moment of retreat to leap in and punish the attempt with a series of jabs. Maybe even snag that metallic tail if she made the mistake of turning her back on Sakura too early! She always had to think ahead. If her assumptions were wrong, she would re-evaluate. 

	Either way, the main attack here was her cannon fire approach, and then jumping kick into punch combo. The Water Princess wasn't just dealing with some anthropomorphised destroyer-class naval vessel! She was messing with a Street Fighter!