[Center][img]https://i.imgur.com/yoY95rs.png[/img]
[color=979CB2]LOCATION:[/color]Al Mamoon Northeast - Rocket Inc.
[color=979CB2]WORD COUNT:[/color] 1,036 (+2 EXP)
[color=979CB2]MENTIONS:[/color] Morgana, Shadow [/Center]


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Mao, in his injured state, originally assumed a prepping of attack may have been needed in case of an approach from a rather big and threatening Braum. However, as he laid atop metal and uneven amounts of sand, an attack never came. A part of him was on edge, slowly lifting his head to look back and see if a shield was just waiting to crash down on his head, but instead he found Midna coming his way, looking like an absolute wreck. However, she still had the energy to come over and relocate him to a better position, which he wasn't about to object considering his own predicament. Before her arrival, he dispelled his magic before rolling over to grab his sword with his good arm, then allowing the princess to scoop him up for a rescue. Weren't princesses usually the ones needing to be rescued? That's at least what his hero studies taught him, though he could think of a [url=https://disgaea.fandom.com/wiki/Sapphire_Rhodonite]Terrifying Princess[/url] who had always been more than capable of taking care of herself. Especially with an axe within reach...

There wasn't much time to talk, with Mao finding himself dumped into a more central area gathered with the rest of the injured. Plus, being quite injured, he just wanted to complain for the most part. Thankfully, that weird cat-thing that disappeared from the upper floors had came back, and with it came a rather potent healing ability via whatever summon it wielded. Mao was surprised just how fast his wounds disappeared, quick to pull himself up and stretch his fully functional limbs. He felt reborn, like an all new Overlord! Except, unlike some heroes he read about, being beaten to near death did in fact NOT give him any sort of power boost. 

[color=979CB2]"Finally,"[/color] he scoffed, not intended to be a insult towards Mona, as he had actually got to healing him pretty quick. Instead, his reasoning was much more clear as he brushed a hand across his torso. [color=979CB2]"All that burning and itching is gone."[/color] He seemed less annoyed by the bleeding, as really, what was a day where you didn't bleed, right? But the damage he'd sustained upstairs had still been pestering him until now, and the relief was a huge blessing. Enough that he'd even grace Mona with a slight amount of appreciation, unknowing of his name but the closest thing he could relate him to was a  [url=https://disgaea.fandom.com/wiki/Slumber_Cat_(Disgaea_5)#Grimalkin]Grimalkin[/url], so he rolled with it. [color=979CB2]"Thanks, [i]cat-thing.[/i]"[/color] The remark was plain, but considering most of what came out of Mao involved either dissecting or butchering people, it wasn't too bad. 

To business, it wasn't hard to take note of Ciella and Shadow's battle. It was quite brutal, and though Ciella's last attack left Mao sure that Nastasia was dead, Necronomicon was quick to make it clear she was still kicking. Even if her neck was broken. If it was up to Mao, though considering their healed ranks it obviously wasn't, he'd insist on just letting them finish one-another off since things were so close to being over. Considering Ciella's attack had nearly killed him, Shadow executing her on the spot didn't seem so bad. That being said, with the spirits around, it was clear there had already been a few casualties, even with the Friend Hearts that Mao had been throwing around. But there was definitely a colorful bunch left to save. Nastasia was obvious, and Shadow had caused quite a lot of the pain Mao had been feeling from upstairs, even if his part was only making sure everyone would be easy targets. Then with Ciella...

The brainwashing was one thing, but Ciella's treachery was another. As Mao saw it, she decided to attack them out of nowhere. Her wide-scale assault bringing her to the situation she was in now, one of which Mao was not feeling inclined to save her from. Though, without Midna's help, it was quite possible he could've been washed into one of those pits and dropped into that seemingly endless abyss he tested. And her goal was to get as many people out as possible. Which, he wasn't sure how she felt on that in Ciella's case, considering she was proving to be on quite a violence streak. But they didn't have time for Q&A, so it seemed he'd have to take action after all.

Mao, reinvigorated and with Necronomicon's speed boost, took off towards the floating hedgehog. Mao was quite gimped in the ranged department, but knew there were those behind him that could attack from a distance. He'd stay out of their way, allow them to do their thing, and then capitalize on the result of the ranged fighters once he managed to get close. Noting that despite the fact Shadow was still up, he was probably pretty weakened, and mixed with whatever ranged attacks he was potentially going to be hit with, a sword attack could be a bit too much. So he sheathed his blade mid-run, deciding he'd just take the classic approach to dealing with any stuffed animal: Beating the stuffing out of it.

Mao planned his exact attack during his approach. A leap, get up to Shadow's height, and considering his bare hands... That red stripe atop his head made a good target. He'd wind up and drive a fist down there to crack down on Shadow's skull, and hopefully put an end to his fighting, especially now that Nastasia was down. He'd deal with Ciella after, but for the moment she seemed way worse off than Shadow, and he felt it unnecessary to prioritize her. Maybe smacking the hedgehog down would be enough for the crazed and extremely injured Agito to realize not everyone was trying to kill her.

Not that Mao thought putting faith in her was a good idea, he was mostly hoping she wouldn't try to capitalize as well by striking him in the side. Even in her state, with the power she unleashed so far, he felt like she could possibly damage him severely. Keeping her from lashing out somehow seemed optimal, especially if they were still going to try and keep her alive, but he'd have to worry about that after Shadow was taken out of the picture.