[Center][img]https://i.imgur.com/QO2C09c.png[/img]
[color=979CB2]LOCATION:[/color]Sandswept Sky - Al Mamoon
[color=979CB2]WORD COUNT:[/color] 2,036(+3 EXP)
[color=979CB2]MENTIONS:[/color] [i]Big Band...[/i] 
[h2][i]A Collaboration With [@Lugubrious][/i][/h2][/Center]
[hr]

Mao's carpet bombing proved effective against the ground-bound forces entering through the entryway, at least to an extent. He had intended for the bombs to serve more as a trap for Klee to detonate, but they kept getting triggered. The wolf blowing them up was both a hindrance to his original plan and a blessing, as it meant a string of explosions the others had to run through or wait out, which would hopefully cause some decent damage. Big Band's forward progression was stopped by his Blast Finger, the wide magical blast not providing an exit and instead a one-way trip backwards to provide some space. How hard was this big man to bring down? He'd been shot, cut, and pierced and still trucked along like he was invincible. But his wounds spoke otherwise: All they had to do was push him, and he was done.

Or at least that would have been the case without a distraction: What appeared to be a flying girl carrying a fat hamster came over the explosions, soaring through the warehouse battlefield and leaving him distracted enough to almost get thrown off by Big Band's attempt to knock everyone down: Retaining his footing though he wasn't close enough to prevent the hamster from offering support to one of their fallen. 

Helping pull Klee to her feet, Mao was getting uneasy with just sitting back. There was a trade between that hamster and Cass, but losing numbers on their end was really bad, considering they didn't know the exact number of reinforcements coming. [color=979CB2]"You okay?"[/color] He asked the little bomber, trying to not seem bleak despite their situation worsening. 

Though a little scuffed, Klee nodded and picked herself up again. “Y-yeah, but…” she stared at all the new people coming in and the frenetic action unfolding, her eyes wide with fear. “Who are these people!? What are they doing?”

[color=979CB2]"It's like Daemon said back at the base, they're more of the Validar's goons wanting to dispose of us."[/color] Mao explained, hand resting on his blade. [color=979CB2]"They're different, though. Stronger than usual. In any other situation they'd make great specimens, but, I don't think we can afford to hold back that much."[/color]

“Um. Okay,” Klee said, not really understanding what was going on but more convinced she was right to be afraid. The little girl, however, put on a brave face. “W-well, Klee won’t give up! I’ll give them my Jumpty Dumpties and Floaty Splodies, and they won’t bother us any more!” The sight of Baz standing alone against Big Band, however, turned her from speculation to action. “Oh, no! Uncle Baz!” She ran forward, conjuring a bomb in either hand. Once close enough she started lobbing them at the giant detective, unaware that her actions might lead to just as much injury for her friend.

As much as Baz and the detective being blown to smithereens could've been a spectacle for Mao, they were already down one person and losing more wasn't optimal. [color=979CB2]"Watch where you're throwing, you could hit that meathead too!"[/color] He scolded, ignoring the potential hypocrisy of him carpet bombing the entrance earlier as he unsheathed his sword, progressing forward past Klee but being cautious of her detonating her bombs.

“Oh, sorry!” Klee cried, falling back. She hunkered down by a shelf to give Mao all the room he needed to attend to business.

Mao arrived to find the two heavyweights locked in a contest of strength. To take his foe by surprise Band had sprung back from where Klee’s bombs left him with heavy brass knuckles extended, but Baz had accepted the challenge. Like true wrestler he threw his arms wide, took the punch, and grabbed hold of his adversary’s machine arm in order to throw him to the ground. Though surprised by the man’s strength, Band refused to budge until Mao’s interdiction forced his hand. Two small mechanical arms extended from the other side of his coat, one with a trumpet and the other with a musical triangle. He inserted the trumpet over Baz’s head and struck it with the other instrument, inflicting enough sound stun to loosen the bruiser’s grip. He then pulled free, grabbed Baz, and threw him bodily at Mao to try and ward him off. 

He attempted to avoid Baz, but the hulking mass of the man made the sudden predicament a bit harder than you'd think. He darted right, attempting to outstretch Band's instrument-trapped weaponized Baz but still getting his shoulder checked on Baz's bulky build. Instead of bouncing outwards however, Mao dove into it: Making a hard turn close enough to Baz that his jacket skimmed against the wrestler as he unsheathed his sword, the motion flowing into a slash away from Baz and directly in line with the musician in front of him.

The fluidity of Mao’s movement caught Band by surprised as he attempted to pre-empt the demon with a trombone from he knee. Instead he took the slash across his chest, cutting across the fabric of his tench coat and into the dark metal drum of his body. “Grgh!” he coughed as he tried to compose himself, the wounds beginning to add up. Band deployed an arm to go for a king-sized grab, but with his coat slashed Mao could see him opening up and the weapon on its way. 

The element of surprise being lost gave Mao the opportunity to dodge out the way, the demon opting to jump backwards to avoid the grab through use of distance. The wounds were slowing him down, but he still had fight in him. Mao noted to finish this quickly, so he could move onto his next target. 

From behind Mao came a familiar whip that wrapped around Band’s unguarded leg. Baz had recovered from his fall with a roll so he could get back in on the action, and once his weapon latched on he unleashed a stream of electricity through it. Sparks flew as Band staggered, shocked to the core. Baz, Mao, and Klee took the chance to rally and attack together. Things looked grim.

Then a power overtook the detective, and his assailants seemed to slow down. “Huh. Guess I’ll be playin’ Mr. Lucky’s theme.” Electing to not question it, he put the sudden blessing to work. He charged forward and jumped, and with his foes unable to defend themselves in time he threw out a Cymbal Clash to mush all three together and inflict Sound Stun, which dazed the little girl the most. As they struggled Band plucked the half-conscious Klee from the mix and put her aside, saying, “Take five.” He then faced the others, and from his body erupted a mess of brass beels tubing that took on took on the shape of a gigantic instrument. “Horn Crush!” Blasts of sound bulled him forward like thrusters on a rocketship and he rammed into them, hitting multiple times before flipping forward once to hurtle them away.

Huffing and puffing, Band stowed his instrumentation and glowered at the two rebels as they recovered. Sweat rolled down his forehead. To either side of him stood a bipedal insect in green armor, allies sent to bolster him against his enemies and give him a moment to breath. The Antlers moved forward to take the rebels on.

Blood trickled from Mao's forehead, and leaked out of his right ear. At least the sound would stop bothering him if he went deaf, right? Not that he had time to look for positives, as there were reinforcements in their way now. Tightly gripping his sword, his gaze went between Klee, and the incoming backup. He didn't have time for [i]MORE[/i] fighters, there were enough as-is. But, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and bear it.

[color=979CB2]"Keep an eye on Klee and the big guy, I'll handle these second-grade minions."[/color] He spoke to Baz, charging forward. An initial swing of his sword towards one was met with sparks shooting from contact across it's shield, club coming down as retaliation but meeting nothing but the floor of the warehouse, Mao having already shifted out of the way and to the Antler's side: A second sword swing was met with the second Antler choosing it's own club for defense: Mao's sword clashing against it, only for a spark attack from the club to cause his blade to drop to the ground.

One assumed most swordsmen were useless without their blade, but Mao wasn't exactly a swordsman: He'd happily use an assortment of different weapons to hurt his opposition, including his fists. A grin crossed his face as they came upon him; Seeming to want to swing those clubs around more. Mao was happy to let them do so; Clubs coming down and meeting nothing but air as he back stepped, waiting for the weapons to collide with the ground before he leapt over them, reaching out and grabbing one by the antennae as magic pulsed in his free hand. [color=979CB2]"Learn your place!"[/color] He tugged the antler forward and slammed his fist into the minion creature, magic focusing on the individual monster and serving as an overkill for such filth, obliterating it as kicked up dirt and debris from the attack covered Mao's movements towards the second Antler, who'd been close enough to get staggered by the force of the blast. 

The second Antler's shape was clear enough in the dust, but Mao's slender form darted back and forth, the form of the Antler falling to pieces as the scene cleared: Mao's sword was back in his hand, blade resting on his shoulder as the pieces of the minion behind him disappeared like the settling dust.  

As the haze cleared he could see Baz and Band going toe to toe. Though Band weighed in at over two tons of body and soul, the masked ruffian was holding his own, thanks in no small part to the wide assortment of shots, smashes, and slices Band suffered already. But the detective wasn’t about to pack it in. While Mao watched Band took a whip crack and started to block with the aid of a music stand. Pages of notes flew as Baz delivered slug after slug, until finally he jumped up to deliver a dropkick. Before it connected Band unleashed a brand-new weapon, with arms coming out of either side of his body with halves of a bell that closed around Baze like an iron maiden. The bell’s heavy tolls resounded through the warehouse as the detective shook it, and when he retracted the halves of the instrument Baz crumpled to the ground.

Two down, one to go. Band heaved himself in the direction of Mao, meeting the much smaller man eye to eye. One final showdown, as the fight raged on around them. It was a good moment for a dramatic exchange, but even if Band had anything to say to this complete stranger, he needed all the wind he could get. Still, even without words he and his foe shared a sort of understanding:

This was the end of the line.

He'd left Klee stunned, and now he'd taken out Baz. Mao had wanted to stop the detective from further harming their forces, but all that ended up happening was more bodies hitting the floor. Whether it was just a jumbled mind or an actual moment of heart, seeing the two down and out drove him to sheathe his blade and light that Star magic in his fist again, and run straight for Band.

Band deployed his giant pedal again to slam the ground, then followed it up by sliding forward, his mighty arm raised. 

Where the detective chose to slide, Mao went high: He took a leap over the tremor caused by Band's pedal, fist pulled back as he took a dive down the oncoming freight train of a fighter, with intent to bring his fist down upon Band with full strength. At the last moment Band adjusted his aim, and the next instant both blows struck home.

[center][h3][i]WHAM![/i][/h3][/center]

A shockwave expanded from the double impact, strong enough to shatter glass and throw loose items from the warehouse shelves. As they hit the ground, Band and Mao joined them, with the detective landing particularly hard. Though not unconscious they couldn’t fight or even move any longer--a double K.O.