[center][img]https://i.gifer.com/2r5w.gif[/img]
Level 6: 10/60
Location: The Maw: The Depths
Word Count: 811
Points Gained: 2
New EXP Balance--- Level 6 : 12/60 [/center]

	Kasugano Sakura breathed a sigh of relief as the proxy was defeated and Peach was restored to good health. [color=f49ac2]"Phew! That was a bit close."[/color] She smiled wearily. Standing and brushing her dress off, Sakura felt like they were making progress. Junior had managed to drain the entire place. That meant they could start making their way downwards. 

	Sakura peaked over the edge, hands on the railing (that was almost head height with her) to see below. Moreau, that poor wretched man desperate for approval, was flopping around quite pathetically.

	Ace Cadet got knocked down from above, causing the little girl to gasp. [color=f49ac2]"Watch out!"[/color] Unlike some of the others, the thought that Ace was seriously injured didn't cross her mind. She knew he would be fine. Ace was way, way tough. And she knew what laying on the floor with the wind knocked out of you looked like. Sometimes all you could just do was stare up at the sky and re-evaluate your life choices for a few moments. Usually when that happened, Sakura was staring up at the ceiling of the Kanzuki estate after being span around in the air like a pinwheel. Everything worked out, with Link and the others doing their hardest to distract and avoid being smashed by the big fish monster man. Sakura wished she could help, but she was a totally useless kid. Being useless- a liability, even- wasn't something she was used too. Didn't feel great. 

	 But Sakura blinked in surprise when she noticed Duerage walking around by himself. Somehow, he must have gotten separated from the others. Heart rate increasing, Sakura's eyes widened as Moreau locked onto Duerage. Duerage must have been hurt, or something. It's like he wasn't even there. 

	Then he got crushed to death. It happened so fast. A cold sweat flashed down Sakura's face and she backed away from the railing. Her eyes snapped over to Mirage, who almost must have seen it happen. Her hands were shaking again. Her heart was sinking, she felt like she wanted to throw up again. Nothing came out as she retched quietly, covering her mouth. The pain in her stomach weakened her jellied knees and she fell down. There weren't any more tears to shed. All out. Was it just dehydration at this point? When was the last time she drank fresh water? The campfire, probably. Sitting around that fire with fresh fruit and a cast of colorful characters from other worlds...it almost seemed like a lifetime ago. Before they entered this terrible place.

	Duerage. Poor Duerage. Mister Geralt was right. He could have been happy. Not anymore. Snuffed out. All he wanted to do was help. He was Mirage. It just felt so surreal. It wasn't so much the grief of losing someone, as much as it was the new life being cut so tragically short. Duerage was full of so much potential and now, it was all over.

	Mirage, Geralt and the others had already descended below. Dart jumping, or something. Bowser and Rika followed after. People were going on the floor to fight Moreau and target his weaknesses. Sakura had a pounding headache and her joints were sore. Like she had fallen down a flight of stairs and then starved for two weeks. 

	Things were moving fast, and she didn't want to get left behind. She couldn't be overwhelmed by the loss. By the guilt...already she was thinking that she should have stopped Duerage from ever leaving. His charismatic confidence had duped Sakura into forgetting the dangers of this place. Sakura glanced around to make sure no one was being left behind in the Command Center. It was then she noticed the Blue Magnet half. Shrugging somewhat apathetically, she scooped it up. Might come in handy. Holding it in one hand over her shoulder, she did her best not to drop it. Then she followed Rika and Bowser down to the others as they descended to the floor of the Depths via some hopping platforming. Sakura almost slipped a couple of times, but she didn't make a big fuss out of it. 

	She caught some traces of what Rika and Bowser and Kamek were talking about, too. Something about that machine they were working on. 

	Once she was within range, Sakura tried to work through her headache to consider what was going on. [color=f49ac2]"Cheat, Mister Geralt..? Cheat how?"[/color] She held the side of her head. She really wasn't in the mood for that style of planning. If he was hoping someone would come to the same realisation he was coming too and narrate parts of plan back to him, well. Sakura wouldn't be providing that.

	 [color=f49ac2]"Maybe we should just feed Moreau some of that goo Mister King Bowser found...can't imagine it's edible."[/color] She mumbled. She watched Nadia and Junior run, eyeing them with concern.