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Her gambit was working, or at least it seemed to have had an effect. She glanced back from the core of the Tower as she looked at the actual fight and what a clusterfuck it was becoming. Spears were everywhere, the world was shattering, and between Thomas and Kanbaru, they had their work cut out for them. It was a lot to bear, but with how things were going, it [i]seemed[/i] like they were managing to win here? Maybe not, but she had other problems on her plate to deal with-aaand Riku just snapped awake.

[color=hotpink]"Glad to hear you're awake."[/color] Maybe there was a tinge of sarcasm there, but for the most part it seemed like a genuine comment. [color=hotpink]"And they just did. A lot's happened since you were out. I think I even saw Katie here somewhere, but that's besides the point."[/color] Akiko looked over her shoulder at Riku. [color=hotpink]"I need you to do something here, or else we're all basically dead. No bullshit, just dead."[/color] 

As the strength from Kanbaru flowed into Akiko, the shores of the hellish data landscape, Akiko's Serei would fizzle and start to dissipate once again. [color=mediumvioletred]"Akiko~! We'll help you~!"[/color] [color=forestgreen][b]"Not like we have much of a choice anyway..."[/b][/color] 

[color=hotpink]"I've gotta get closer to that core, keep the defense up so we don't completely die, but Nephuna has to go down. I'll throw you over there, and you need to hit her. Hard."[/color] Akiko put her arrow away as she started to float through the empty data like it was space. [color=hotpink]"And... don't die this time."[/color] With an odd amount of hope in her voice, Akiko pulled Riku over her shoulder and held her in a launching position, Castle helping to send Riku flying through the void, on a direct course to collide with Nephuna. The rest was up to Riku.

Akiko pulled the familiar Red Relic from her pocket as she started to pull herself through the void, closer to the core. [color=red][You care about her.][/color]

[color=hotpink]"And Kanbaru, and Katie - hell, maybe even Runa. It's a mess, but none of that will matter if we die here!"[/color] Akiko felt a sort of power grow in her from a proximity to the core of the tower. It was... similar to something else she felt, a while ago, but she figured that the data in this place weighed similarly in the grand scheme. Regardless, her barriers became much, much stronger. Soon enough the core was strongly protected by the barriers, and in the gleaming lights of the battlefield breaking around them, some could faintly see other Akikos behind the barriers, each with their own stand, starting to fight back against the rising pressure. It was likely only due to the proximity of a core like this, in a situation like this, that allowed Akiko to harness similar abilities to Nephuna, but her defense was much stronger.

Maybe it'd be enough to keep the floor from complete destruction...