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Level 6: 51/60
Location: Carcass Isle
Word Count: 1,077
Points Gained: 2 + 15
New EXP Balance--- Level 6 : 08/70 (Level up pending) [/center]

	Sakura was off her game, but being able to take the hits felt good. Though she couldn’t deny that getting tag teamed by these two goons was a bit tilting. Aforementioned wrestler R. Mika was someone she had personally gone toe-to-toe with, and Nadeshiko and Mika were far more respectable threats than these two fish henchmen. So getting tied up with them was frustrating. Almost like she was disrespecting Rainbow Mika just by not being able to mop the floor with these two.

	Sakura grunted as she was zapped. It had the odd effect of briefly turning her entire body black and lighting up her skeleton for all to see. Embarrassing.

	What was she missing?! How had these things gotten inside her head? Frustrated, Sakura slammed her fist into Crabby’s armor and backed up. Bella arrived, and Sakura was grateful for the help, but the street fighter had higher expectations of herself.

	Slapping the sides of her head, she psyched herself up. “Don’t worry, Bella-san. I got this.” She just had to remember what she could do, and how far she’s come. She’d started to forget about all the things she could do.

	Sakura dashed forward, and opened up with an EX move. “Straight through!” Her body lit up orange and she flew forward with her leg out, becoming a spinning black. She smacked Crabby across the armor. It didn’t matter if she was blocked or not, because now she was in range. 

	“I said I got this!” She yelled out in defiance to no one in particular, clenching her fists and taking a stance. A burst of energy emitted from her body and her fists were alight with blue flame. Water was pushed away from her in a circle as a gust of wind ruffled her clothes. Activating her V-trigger after an EX Tatsu gave her the advantage. 

	Sakura was tired of her attacks bouncing off this guys armor, so she did a throw. She wrapped her arms around his one good remaining arm, held it in an uncomfortable position, and broke  it right out of its socket. Claw arm hanging limply by his side, Crabby was now vulnerable. Sakura dropped low. An inky black miasma briefly outlined her form as she prepped a Focus Attack. The armor breaking move would be more than enough to shatter through Crabby’s natural defense. She shot forward, bringing her knee into the monster and crumpling it to its knees. 

	Next, she used her V-Trigger buff to explode into a massive punishing uppercut. Rings of energy followed her fist like a comet. She did one Shouoken, and before her opponent could go flying, Sakura was in the middle of another, even large one. Sakura span in the air as she and her opponent flew upward. “Buh-bye!” Sakura said angrily, and it was true. Crabby exploded into ash as the apex of the uppercut burst into beautiful pink flower petals that faded away along with Crabby’s remains. 

	As Sakura landed, she jumped ten feet into the air over a targeted zap of electricity. On the way down she riddled Zappy with cannon fire, knocking it over. Zooming over, she dropped into crouch and swung her leg around, sweeping Zappy up in a concussive three-hit vortex that pulled it upwards. “Take this!” She finished it off with a launching high kick, her own leg going beyond 180 degrees, her foot almost going over her shoulder. Another explosion of blue-pink energy, and Zappy too was banished.

	Sakura popped off, victoriously punching the air and swishing her palm at the falling ashes, grunting a few japanese taunts in the dead monster's direction. “Konoyaro.” Calm reached her heart again after the elation of victory and revenge cooled off. She spat some saliva into the water and wiped some of the blood leaking from her nose. 

	Sniffing, she rubbed her bruised arms, holding them to her chest. A little red in the face, she smiled at Bella. “Thanks for coming to help me, Bella-san. Kinda lost my cool a bit back there.” Rubbing the back of her neck, she averted her eyes and looked down at her arms. Still softened as a part of the trade off. Of course her ki was still strong, but she was lacking the extra edge that being in peak physical condition gave her. 

	“I still need Araisho’s mobility and firepower. But I’ll be happy to finally set my sneakers on some solid soil again after we get outta this place. And get all my muscles back. Plus, I’m a little worried someone will end up yanking on my cat tail.” Sakura said. As for the spirits of the trio of dead monsters, Sakura was content to let them melt into the murk they were born from, or let one of the others pick them up. She wasn’t interested in having them as Strikers or as items. 

	Huffing out a sigh, she reunited with the others. She watched her bruises de-purple, her burns smooth out, and her gashes knit together. All thanks to Blazermate’s healing abilities. “Thank you, Ms. Blazermate.” She bowed.

	Once down the ladder of the well, Sakura gawked at the strange formations on the ceiling of the grotto. “What the heck?” She said, and that was really all she had to say about that.

	The next vista was repulsive yet alluring. This was one of those houses of horrors that beckoned one in. She wanted to see what was around the next corner. She especially wanted to see what was behind that distant fog wall. The last thing she wanted to do was fall into the first floor and get separated from her comrades. However if that did happen, being a ship girl, she wouldn’t be lost in the drink. Therefore the risk was much less to her than it was to say, King Bowser. 

	Sakura hopped over the railing, planting her feet on the shoddy wooden construction. “Only way is forward. Just like you guys, my bet is on that foggy door. The scariest looking place is always where the next challenge is. That’s what I’ve learned so far.” Carefully, Sakura walked forward, one foot in front of the other. Hopefully, she’d be able to deduce if the second floor was solid. Junior had already sent some of his minions, but they looked like they weighed a few dozen pounds at most.

	Sakura bounced up and down on the second floor. “Seems pretty solid to me- Waah!” She yelped and suddenly fell over, like the floor had given out. But she hopped back to her feet shortly thereafter. “Sorry. Not funny.” She giggled sheepishly. Then she kept moving forward, looking to make the long trip over to the foggy door.