[center][img]https://i.gifer.com/2r5w.gif[/img]
Level 6: 01/60
Location: The Maw: The Depths
Word Count: 1,273
Points Gained: 3
New EXP Balance--- Level 6 : 04/60 [/center]

	Sakura looked up at Geralt with big, wet eyes. She accepted the hug, squeezing her lids shut and listening to him speak. A friend did sound nice. But she couldn't help but laugh, just a little bit.

	[color=f49ac2]"You're so little, Mister Geralt. But somehow you still sound like you did before."[/color] Sakura sniffed and wiped her eyes. The girl listened to his story, grimacing as she imagined the horrible scenario. Sakura was a woman, too. She could fill in the blanks of Geralt's ommission. Girls are filled in pretty quick on that particular situation whether they like it or not. One of the first times she ever got into a street fight was when her and her friend Kei were being targeted by a similar group of men. Maybe this once it would be her preserving Geralt's innocence, in letting him believe Sakura hadn't been affected by things like that already. But, she was lucky that she lived in a world where she could happily kick their sorry butts. Even if she was still an amateurish 16 year old at the time. Their faces made for good practice. Fortunately, it seemed to be Kei who didn't really get what was going on.

	Sakura stared off into the middle distance now, thinking about Geralt's words. What he was saying- it made sense. She had said something similar after the battle, but she was losing faith in her ideal now that the Maw was affecting her so badly. But hearing someone as wise and as experienced as Geralt reassure her, well, it certainly made her feel better. That her feelings were valid, and not just valid but good. It was what Sakura wanted so badly to believe, because she simply couldn't do away with them. Even if she tried sometimes. To be "tough." 

	[color=f49ac2]"I thought you said you weren't good at this."[/color] Sakura wiped her eyes again. [color=f49ac2]"I just feel so guilty and sad for Mister Carl. I thought it would make him better."[/color] She lamented quietly. [color=f49ac2]"And nobody else seemed to care, which made me even sadder. Plus the idea of [i]using[/i] him after I...got rid of him."[/color] She shuddered. [color=f49ac2]"It's horrible. I don't have the stomach for it."[/color] Shaking her head, she let out a breathe. 

	 [color=f49ac2]"But of course you all care. I'm just- not good at-"[/color] She clenched her fists and shook them like she was holding a box. [color=f49ac2] "I don't know. I'm used to taking hits. But not ones like this. I've never made such a horrible mistake in all my life."[/color] 

	Now, she looked over Geralt's shoulder at the situation brewing with the two Mirages. Blazermate and Bowser explained it, but she didn't feel like they understood the implications. That was a clone of Mirage. A person was that suit. She thought she would explain it to Geralt.

	[color=f49ac2]"Now, look. Oh, God. It's horrible. It's not a ghost. The Mirage in the suit is a copycat. But he thinks he's the original. Do you understand, Mister Gealt? That's what happened to Carl. He was a person copied into a robot body, still thinking he was the original. But if you can think you're a person- you [i]are[/i] a person. Now there's two Mirages and one of them will never be able to live the life he wanted too. All those hopes, dreams, and puns are now knocking around inside that big metal head of his."[/color] Sakura weeped openly, the tears continuing to stream down her face. [color=f49ac2]"It's horrible. Trapped in a body he doesn't want. How could someone find happiness like that? I can't even begin to imagine."[/color] 

	Bella, Peach, Nadia, Ace and especially Junior were making good progress on escaping. That genius kid was really brave, hopping right into the submarine. There must be some cultural differences in turtle people and human people, since big Bowser was perfectly happy to let his son get aboard. Junior was certainly smarter and overall more capable than Sakura was from what she could tell so far.


	Sakura watched their dangerous ploy. The most disgusting fish monster yet tried to eat them, sinking back into water.[color=f49ac2] "Eugh! Who the heck is that?!"[/color] The brunette recoiled visibly, even from her more than safe distance. [color=f49ac2]"Why's everyone trying to eat Blue Team? Not cool."[/color] She wiped her eyes again. Taking a few solid breathes, Sakura rose to her feet. 

	Now the Universal Helper that used to be Carl was being put to good use. Sakura flinched and looked away, putting it from her mind for now. From what she had learned, he was no longer in there. It was just a regular robot now, like the day it had been built. No more Mister Carl. She would just have to remember him, like Mister Geralt said. Maybe some good could come out of it, now that she had learned her terrible lesson.

	[color=f49ac2]"I'm not gonna let this happen again. I'm gonna do my best, Mister Geralt."[/color] Sakura looked shaken up. Maybe it was mistake but she was cutting her breather short. Someone was in trouble. [color=f49ac2]"I'll also need to tell Nadia it's okay. She seemed to feel bad that I felt bad, which is making me feel bad."[/color] Sakura smiled a sad, appreciative smile.[color=f49ac2] "Gee."[/color]	

	With that she approached the looming, confused, agitated diving suit. Sakura stood next to, and then a little infront of, Rika. Looking up at him, she held her hands together. [color=f49ac2]"Um, hi, Mister Mirage. It's me, Sakura. You're really confused right now, and that's okay because there's a lot going on. The kid over there has red eyes for a different reason, he's confused too." [/color] She said. [color=f49ac2]"But you know [i]me,[/i] right? Sakura? At least a little. I wouldn't lie to you. Not at a time like this. Please just hear me out. I think this is important."[/color] She took a deep breathe, gathering her thoughts. How could she say this? It didn't seem like anyone else wanted to step up, so it was up to her. 

	[color=f49ac2]"So, Mirage. Do you remember Mister Carl? That guy we met earlier? The guy that I..."[/color] Sakura hesitated. 

	[color=f49ac2]"Got rid of? By accident? Well, he was a copy of the original Mister Carl. Put into a robot body. But he thought he was still in a human body, right?"[/color] She cleared her throat and took a sharp breathe, keeping her energy up. Then the girl took a few ginger step forward, setting her tiny hand on the diving suit Mirage's knee. Her eyes were still a little red from crying so much. Then she moved her hand from the knee and up into his metallic hand. [color=f49ac2]"Here. Follow me, please."[/color]

 	Carefully, she lead the diving suit Mirage over to the water. Where the kid Mirage looked at his reflection earlier. [color=f49ac2]"And, um, if you remember, you sat down in a funky looking chair everyone was worried would mind control you. But it didn't. Instead you got a headache. And so now, it, uh, copied you. All of us, here, in this room, see a diving suit. A diving suit with another Mirage inside."[/color] Sakura said. She indicated for the diving suit to look at his own reflection in the water.

	[color=f49ac2]"So now there's two of you. One in the original body, and one here. In a diving suit."[/color] Sakura summed up somberly. [color=f49ac2]"I'm...I'm so sorry."[/color] Hopefully her explanation got through to him. And he would have the time he needed to process and calm down a little. 


	[center][img]https://images-ext-1.discordapp.net/external/ObfXRuxb6cIycBndF6yb4wfoMPCaSkClHh6nJ7k7w1E/%3Fcb%3D20190315052123/https/static.wikia.nocookie.net/control6745/images/f/fe/Pyramid2.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/340[/img]
Level 3: 08/30
Word Count: 782
Location: Al Mamoon- Rocket Inc
Points Gained: 2
New EXP Balance--- Level 3: 10/30[/center]

	
[hider=For Jesse]
[url=https://i.imgur.com/lZrue1Y.png][b]Annexed Scathing Bagronk[/b][/url] - [i]A high-tech rocket launcher infested by alien tissues. The result an unwieldy, somewhat inaccurate, ammo-guzzling contraption that nevertheless boasts high destructive power, and the touch of outer space housed within adds some extra freezing kick to its payloads. Careful; it bites[/i]
[/hider]


	Believe it or not, things didn't get [i]less[/i]confusing. It was utter mayhem. A firefight the likes of which she had never seen. Jesse was having trouble keeping track of who was on who's side. While she did have a pretty good memory, everyone in the room looked so unique and strange. In the past, it was pretty clear who the monster was. Now, in here, everyone was a person. And unlike Jesse and the team she was on, they weren't interested in taking prisoners. She had this giant rocket launcher strapped to her back, but she didn't want to use it. These people weren't in their right minds. Especially Jinx. She looked super crazy. That's why she was "just" smashing her with a desk. Though on second thought, if she was tough to tank that, she was tough enough to take a few gun shots. 

	Wait a minute. That weird black anima guy. Was that..."Shadow the Hedgehog? What the [i]fuck?[/i]" Jesse uttered in amazed, wondrous bafflement. It wouldn't last for long, as he did some crazy time control shit. It put everyone in their tracks. This Jinx lady would be annoying, if Jesse let weirdos like her get under her skin. Clearly she didn't realise everyone in here was going easy on them. Though Jesse realised with how powerful the Resistance was, going easy on them was probably a waste of effort. 

	When the time stop ended and the chaos resumed, Fuse fired a sniper right at Midna's head. It connected, and Jesse prepared to watch her new princess ally get splattered. Fortunately, it just bounced off. Guess she was tougher than she looked.

	Jesse wasn't so lucky. The exposed Director repositioned behind fresh cover, taking many hits from Jinx in the process. The bullets seemed to bounce off, but Jesse grunted. Lightning, too? "Aagh!" Though no blood was drawn, her resistance to damage was now almost gone. She still had a hit left but she would need to do some damage to get her health back. Without that force protecting her, she was just a squishy, regular human. Maybe in this new world she would be slightly tougher, but tanking raw damage was never her strong suit.

	Jinx was being handled by the Phantom Thieves, and Jesse figured they could take her. 

	Now it was just her, Midna, and Fuse. "Yeah, we did." Jesse replied simply, hoping this meant he would surrender. When he inevitably didn't, she tossed aside the cover he was hiding behind only for him to already behind the next one. When he emerged he...plugged her. Jesse coughed in surprise as several shots penetrated her abdomen and chest. [i]"Uh-auh."[/i] The Director dropped to her knees and then onto all fours. Blood began to drip from her belly, soaked her black shirt and then pooled onto the floor beneath her. 

	[i](No way. Not like this.)[/i] She thought in disbelief, eyes wide.

	The red-headed Director glanced up as Midna offered her something. Jesse! Healing! Catch! A pink heart! Exactly what she wanted!

	She reached out with her telekinesis and pulled the heart towards her. When it touched her hand, there was a flash. All at once, it made sense. And all at once, the pain was gone and she was feeling back up to full strength. For a breathless moment, the woman considered her situation. That moment passed, her gaze hardened, and she refocused on the task at hand with renewed vigour and understanding. The Director went on the offensive. Sprinting faster than one might expect, Jesse dashed aggresively forward.  As she did, she un-shouldered her new eldritch rocket launcher and held it with one hand. 

	Jesse didn't like this Fuse guy very much.  Raising the Tool Gun, she predicted where he was going to hide by her current movement. Then, whatever cover he was planning on using, or whatever was nearby, suddenly became utterly intangible. No-Collide. It looked like it was still there, but it really wasn't. With any luck, the guns he had hidden would clatter to the ground, their hiding places no longer working. Jesse stopped moving forward and took a knee behind one of the pieces of cover she hadn't no-collided, a chest high heavy desk. 

	This rocket launcher was a new toy she wanted try out. Why not on this guy? It was a disgusting, creepy looking weapon that looked alive, with a toothy maw for a barrel. The aesthetic was just right for Jesse. If a little cumbersome.

	Tracing Fuse with her rocket launcher, she fired several high velocity explosives in his direction. The gun came to life with something like a scream. And the explosions were freezing cold. Badass.