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Oliver’s replies didn’t actually get much of a response out of Mayra, who probably forgot his answers within moments because she dashed after Finn instead. Who didn’t react much differently. Still, his eyes widening was kinda curious. Anyway, later, he says. Kinda boring, but, okay. That said, root? They were dealing with the root? [color=fc6828]‘Alright! Uprooting first, then-!’[/color] then Mayra looked a little confused as Finn motioner her to keep quiet. She was about to loudly ask why, but then she heard the talking too and got curious enough to actually be quiet for a bit.

[color=fc6828]‘Huh. Weird mask,’[/color] said the dragon girl about the dude. Still, she kind of recognized that technology. She’d have to ask [i]<redacted>[/i] about it, later. Slaves, huh. Mayra had no immediate response, but she didn’t like being called a slave. That can’t be right, a slave wouldn’t have as much fun as she is having right now. Yupp, flawless logic. She was about to rocket after him, but then he vanished without a trace and there was a pack of Wendigos jumping at them. Whelp.

Mayra spun and sent a fire-propelled kick to slam back the first row of attacks upon her and then took a step back, ending up back-to-back with Finn. He made his line, and Mayra smirked.

[color=fc6828]‘You gonna hog a whole five of them!? Give me eight, at least…!’[/color] Mayra shouted with confidence, before taking position and started beating back at the attackers.

Truth be told, back-to-back fighting did not fit Mayra that well. She loved spinning and doing wide-spread area-of-effect blasts and damage, that would harm an ally if they were this close. Her usual strategy against hordes was also to just move so fast that enemies were unable to attack her from behind. However, she didn’t want Finn to die just yet, and she recognized that she was protecting his rear. So, she took it upon herself, a self-imposed challenge, that she’d change the way she fought for this encounter!

She’d stand firm, blasting fire and deflecting the Wendigos, one by one! She’d apply fire and force back the vicious antlers and claws of the creatures, she’d thrust through them when given the chance! She’d use darkness to curse the creatures with slowness, to make blasting them back so much easier, as she kicked and punch with vigour to drive them back and into dust…!

They could be back-to-back badasses yet!

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So, Ronin and Miko looked on as Gaia raised her hand to stop the two offenders from attacking each other, and Ronin’s eyes kind of widened.

[color=55B7AA]‘Wait I don’t think that’s gonna work-!’[/color] Ronin called, because she kind of knew how that was likely to go down. Maybe a touch too late, as Gaia caused a bud to erupt to cause the fighters to go to sleep.

A wind and a fire blew off between the combatants, and a storm descended upon the scene, called by Sakura’s power. All that power focused into a single blow as the storm descended down on Caroline…! Ronin was amazed while Miko got kind of scared, the both of them a little wary of trying to approach like this…!

When a pair of wings suddenly enveloped the two of them, meaning Miko probably had to lower the sword she’d had pointed at Ronin’s stomach. The owner of the wings was immediately obvious.

[color=55B7AA]‘Ey, Sanngridr! Chooser of the Slain! Well met, again!’[/color] Ronin said, piping up and sounding cheerful at meeting her again.

[color=DC9495]‘Er, nice to meet you again?’[/color] Miko asked, not entirely sure.

[color=55B7AA]‘But, uh, I kinda [i]really[/i] wanna see what’s going on, as fluffy and nice as your wing is, can we see, please?’[/color] Ronin asked, aware it was somewhat difficult to go save Sakura while enveloped in fluffy wings.

So, it was impossible to tell what happened in the sounds that followed… except when Justine shouted out Caroline’s name and the sounds of combat quieted. Then Justine’s continued cries…

[color=55B7AA]‘Wait, what?’[/color] Ronin asked, confused.

[color=DC9495]‘She… she killed her?’[/color] Miko asked, also stunned.

The twins had very mixed emotions about this. For one, they were shocked Caroline had gone down this easily. The Caroline they knew would need 3+ Magical Girls to even fight evenly against her. Also, while it was heart wrenching to hear Justine’s cries, and it sure would have been preferable if Caroline could have been purified as well… was it really that bad that a bloodthirsty villain had been killed? Ronin leaned towards yes, the best ending should always be pursued. Miko leaned towards being happy such a destructive force, one that killed her sister, was no longer of this world. Either way, both were just too startled to move…

That is, until Valerie arrived on the scene and then Connie pleaded to them to help save them.

[color=55B7AA]‘…!’[/color] There was no way Ronin could stay still with that. [color=55B7AA]‘Sorry, Sanngridr, I gotta move!’[/color] she said, and attempted to jump out of the embrace with the help of some air-magic and reinforcement to just give that extra bit of speed, not directed in any kind of way that could hurt Sann.

[color=DC9495]‘W-wait, Ronin!’[/color] Miko heard Ronin jump, and leapt to do the same.

This is when Sann has the opportunity to restrain the both of them, but in case she does not.

[color=55B7AA]‘SENSEI, ARE YOU ALRIGHT!?’[/color] Ronin shouted off towards Sakura, while running to Caroline. Sakura looked really bad, but Caroline was 100% dying right now. [color=55B7AA]‘SIT TIGHT, I’LL BE THERE IN A MINUTE!’[/color] she called, before moving to kneel beside Justine, and to put her hands on Caroline. [color=55B7AA]‘Leave this to me, Justy…!’[/color] she said, and in a twist of fate, Deni ended up using her powers to attempt to save the one who had previously killed her.

[color=DC9495]‘…’[/color] Miko, begrudgingly, dashed to do the same, because Ronin’s power on its own was weak, that’s why there were two of them, so they could always add their power together. While she didn’t want to save Caroline, really, she also knew the pain of losing a sister. It was not a pain she wished upon anyone, even Justine. So a knowing gaze was thrown to Justine before Miko applied her powers as well, albeit she was saving part of her power to make a shield if Caroline suddenly lashed out at them…

[color=55B7AA]‘Don’t blame Sensei! Caroline’s an unpredictable being, Sensei might have just saved our lives by directing her at herself,’[/color] Ronin said to Valerie, aware Justine was hearing it but it needed to be said. [color=55B7AA]‘This being Caroline, holding back would have been stupid! It was just… a bit more effective than any of us expected, but if we save her now, it’s gonna be cool! Then Sensei helped us subdue her, okay…!?’[/color] Ronin tried, because, she was an ally of Sensei. Also, she understood each of Sensei’s actions. They were not in the wrong.

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Mariette frowned and tilted her head a little at the girl’s initial reactions to her and her tentacles. The portal girl couldn’t quite grasp just what could cause that kind of expression. It kind of bothered her. Anyway, the Beacon girl quickly overcame her, whatever that was, and was prepared to speak. So the girl spoke, with Mariette listening attentively. Something had appeared. A young boy had appeared, made an announcement about unification, and then the monsters had descended. And the person that did it… was right behind her?

Mariette spun around, and the tentacles were prepared to lash out. Except, what stepped out was a young, charming boy that so politely introduced himself to Mariette. He seemed so trustworthy, so nice and polite, an ideal gentleman, Mariette’s gut feeling told her this was a boy in which she could put her trust… which made her feel very uncomfortable because her mind and intelligence told her the exact opposite, and she had to force herself to keep her guard up.

[color=077ae6]‘I… hm,’[/color] Mariette wanted to say something, but was conflicted, and instead ended up simply accepting the letter before watching Robert White vanish, and with that she had the startling realization that his effect didn’t leave with him. It was like he’d made an amazing first-impression, except Mariette’s mind knew it wasn’t. Very alarming.

Mariette immediately opened the letter to read it with a frown… … … 

[color=077ae6]‘… What is crocket?’[/color] she asked her mission control.

[color=7ab6f5]‘[i]… It’s a game in which you…[/i]’[/color]

Then Mariette got to stand there listening to her mission control describe the rules of a game she’d never heard of before as the portal girl rather intently read through the letter…

[hr]

A moment later a portal opened diagonally above Mayra.

[color=077ae6]‘[i]Say, Mayra. Would it be beyond your power to throw a Wendigo through this portal?[/i]’[/color] Mariette asked her dragon girl through a small portal. Mayra immediately felt an urge.

[color=fc6828]‘Hahaha… Is that a challenge!?’[/color] Mayra called, and then next Wendigo Mayra would attempt to grab by the arm, swing with a fire-propelled throw and then try to release to make it fly through the portal, where Mariette was prepared with tentacles intending to trap it in Asengav’s darkness so that she and her lord might prey on whatever secrets the creature could tell them about the people who had summoned these creatures…