[center][h3]Psychonauts’ Two (point one)[/h3] Midna’s [@DracoLunaris], Sakura’s [@Zoey Boey], Pit’s [@Yankee], Roxas’ [@Double], Luka [b]Word Count:[/b] 3,515 (+4) [/center] It was a relief to regroup with the others. It looked like they all won their respective fights. But Roxas’ shoulders sagged and he still had difficulty staying on his feet, at least until his MP recharged. A Curaga spell handled the injuries he took from the final part of his bout with Ninten and Lucas, but the healing spell wouldn’t do anything for his increasing fatigue. This had been a very long and arduous day so far, and it didn’t look like there was an ending in sight just yet. Roxas probably needed to cut back on the amount of times he used the Keyblade Purge consecutively. Of course, doing that meant deliberately not freeing someone from Galeem’s influence when an opportunity presented itself. Could he really bring himself to not help someone when he knew he had the power to do so? When she rejoined the others, Sakura found that they were all successful in defeating their foes. She did a little dance, hopping from one foot to the other. [color=f49ac2]”Hee hee! Good job, everyone! We sure showed them.”[/color] She offered high fives to everyone. [color=f49ac2]”Now, let’s funs over, so let's get back to business! We gotta find Raz. And crack this mystery!”[/color] Sakura punched her fists together. Jogging with the others to get to the Otherlobe, Sakura kept an eye out for any other Psych-OSF. Clearly disappointed when Raz wasn’t where they thought they’d be, and a little unnerved by all the ash, Sakura crossed her arms and looked at the two soldiers. Thankfully, they had more sense than their predecessors and weren’t up for a scrap. But if Sakura wanted to find Psych-OSF she wouldn’t need to look particularly hard when a line of plasma lit up the ground in front of her. Her eyes widened and she flailed her arms before regaining her balance. Compensating, Sakura stood strong and put on her game face, already in her stance. Not only were the two psychics in front of her much stronger than the pair she had just challenged, they were also backed up by a giant killer robot. [color=f49ac2]”Gisu and Morris were pretty tough.”[/color] She said. [color=f49ac2]”You should give ‘em more credit. You should [i]also[/i] stop trying to capture us. Because your orders were given to you by bad guys! Brain stealing, Other-making, evil goons! You’re doing their bidding!”[/color] She pointed between the two commanders. [color=Aquamarine]”Don’t forget mind controlling on top of that”[/color] The princess added, as she stepped back a few paces, not out of fear, but because she needed space to open one hell of a portal to the twilight ream if she wanted to even the playing field. Milla sighed, her expression resigned. “So that’s what this is about. Armstrong sure managed to whip some impressionable people into a tizzy with those words of his.” She shook her head. “Haven’t you stopped to consider that’s just what he wants? To cause pandemonium and infighting so that he and DespoRHado can take over this city by force? Just look at Suoh, all these poor people!” She gestured to Main Street. “Others don’t come from buses. This attack is no coincidence!” As her gaze hardened, her shadow beast laid its bony claws on her shoulder, its head lowered as if preparing to lunge. “But maybe you know that already. Your friends’ handiwork, perhaps?” “Don’t bother, Milla. This isn’t a courthouse,” Sasha said flatly, his cold stare on the Seekers. “Whatever you have to say, your goals or your affiliations, save it for the judge. Your accusations, testimony, evidence–you’ll be able to make your case once you’re in custody. Even if you’re responsible for this mess. But that’s a road we can only walk once the streets are safe.” Luka grimaced, his eyes pleading. “But the streets [i]aren’t[/i] safe. People are still fighting. Civilians are still dying! Sasha, Camilla. We’re not here to cause trouble. We’re just trying to find our friends, and we saved everyone we could, killing many Others on the way.” It was then that Pit was finally able to make his way back to the group, running to join them as they stood opposite the latest obstacle in their path. Fresh from a fight with monsters, the cuts and scrapes on his person served as further proof of Luka's words, though the sounds of chaos behind them should have been enough. During the Others' initial descent, Pit's fighting had taken him away from his allies on the main streets and up onto higher ground once more. His arrows had joined the anti-Other guns in trying to take out as many as possible before they touched down. Those that made it through the artillery fire and landed on rooftops he intercepted with his bow, reducing the monsters to dust to stop them from jumping down and wreaking more havoc. Naturally his higher vantage point gave him a greater view of the neighborhoods turned battlefield, and of all the civilians in immediate danger. He didn't think twice about straying farther from the Seekers, alighting from his perches and swooping down to defend anyone in need of help - actions that inevitably led him to the battle's fringes were the Others had spread while the response was still focused on the epicenter. Now that he was reunited with everyone, Pit watched the argument while catching his breath. He hadn't dismissed his bow during the rush over, and with all the tension in the air he felt no need to do so now. If anything, the hand wrapped around its grip squeezed tighter. “By beating down soldiers within an inch of their lives who were doing the same?” Milla questioned Luka, barely sparing the newcomer a glance. Hanabi bristled, her eyes fiery. “That was obviously self-defense, they wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer!” “I’m sure we can talk this through,” Yuito added. “After the current crisis has passed!” For a moment Sasha didn’t respond. He looked reluctant, as if he were gnawed by doubts. After a moment though, he pursed his lips, his brow furrowed. “It’s as you say. But the crisis is right in front of us. Even putting aside our orders, you’ve resisted arrest and attacked Psych-OSF soldiers. If you really want what’s best for the people, come peacefully, and let us do our jobs.” “And that’s our final offer,” Milla added. [color=Gold]”Make our case?”[/color] asked Roxas in a disgusted tone, [color=Gold]”Will that be before or after you steal our brains or fuse us with P-Types so you can add us to your little army?”[/color] he added, clenching his gloved hands into fists. Ever since he arrived in Suoh for the first time he hadn’t liked Psych-OSF. Something about them just kept rubbing him the wrong way. And that was starting to show itself here. [color=Gold]”We’ve already seen the underground lab in Beacon Hospital. We know your organization is rotten to its core.”[/color] Roxas said, pointing an accusatory finger at Sasha and Milla, [color=Gold]”I didn’t need Armstrong to tell me that. And as for DesporHado? Maybe you haven’t noticed but they already suffered a severe blow at Vandelay Campus today. Wanna take a guess how many of us were there and helped make [i]that[/i] happen?”[/color] Roxas shook his head and just summoned his weapons, [color=Gold]”Let me make something very clear to you people. I don’t care about the election. I don’t care about Shinra or Armstrong, or any of the political nonsense. I’m here on my own mission. And not you or anyone else in this stupid city is going to stop me.”[/color] [color=f49ac2]”Yeah! He’s right! If we get arrested we might as well be toast, and all the bad guys would just go free. No, no, no!”[/color] Sakura shook her head vehemently. [color=f49ac2]”Justice is on [i]our[/i] side!”[/color] She proclaimed defiantly. Before she became a Seeker, she wasn’t usually able to say that. It felt different to fight for justice than it did to fight for fun. Milla tilted her head, clicking her tongue in a condescendingly full-of-pity way. “Tsk, silly girl. Do you think there’s ever been someone who doesn’t believe that?” She gave a defeated sigh. “Regardless, I suppose we have our answer. Once they shook out the grogginess, our squads were kind enough to tell us all about you on your way over. So this should be quick.” When she raised her staff, the crystal in its tip shone a vivid red. Her shadow goat’s eyes flared up with the same wicked luster, and with a hollow bleating it brought its clawed forearms down on the ground. With a final, mighty push, it dispersed into the street itself, and the ground began to pulse. When Luka moved back from the impact zone, expecting some sort of damaging shockwave, he quickly realized the Originum Art’s actual effect: an 80% movement speed reduction. Milla’s Quicksand Conversion continued to pulse every 1.4 seconds, each slow lasting for .8 seconds and almost completely halting the movement speed of all enemies within a wide radius, regardless of whether or not they actually touched the ground. As Luka looked on in horror, realizing just how crippling an effect this was, Milla giggled. “What do you think? I got it from Miss Earthspirit. These horns, too. Aren’t they darling?” Lowering her staff with one hand, she tapped her horns with the other. “In the end she may not be good for much, but she’d very good for one thing.” Activating her own Levitation power, she floated up on top of a pink hoverball, boosting her own movement speed dramatically. “And once I slow you down…” “We will stop you.” Sasha raised two fingers and then pointed them at the renegades twice. Without delay, the Sectopod opened the bay on its head, revealing and promptly firing its armor-shredding laser blaster. It let off two bursts of fire right into the group of Seekers. While Milla had been talking, however, Luka had been sending messages via Brain Talk. If the same idea hadn’t already occurred to them, they got the message loud and clear. Before the Sectopod could light them up, Luka, Yuito, and Hanabi used the platoon leader’s Teleportation to bug out, leaving both the firing line and the range of Milla’s Quicksand Conversion, large though it was. With its final action for the turn, the Sectopod began to prepare its Wrath Cannon, its main gun charging for a blast of legendary proportions. For those unconnected to Brain Talk, the strategies differed. Pit opted for the same plan of getting out of the slowed area, but without teleportation he jumped instead, intending to simply leap up and away. He quickly discovered that was a mistake. Despite the pavement visibly pulsing with the effect, Milla's ability still affected him even when he wasn't in contact with the ground. He hardly had time to think, [i]dang it[/i], before the laser fire began. His wings had been beginning to unfurl and assist his escape, but now he slowly pulled them back in toward his body. His mind stuttered as he tried deciding what to do. Rather than chance the Orbitars' summoning taking too long with the slowness and ending up with no protection, Pit started to spin the bow already in his hand. In normal circumstances he could deflect lasers with his angel ring technique like this, even while hanging in the air - but he was about to find out if that was still the case when the projectile was strong, and his reduced speed meant the bow blades couldn't turn even half as fast. The result was painfully disappointing, in a literal sense. It was like moving in slow motion. The spin wasn't anywhere near quick enough to form the titular ring of the technique's name, and as such it was no match for the speed of the beams. A lucky strike turned away maybe one or two of the laser blasts in the volleys, while the rest chewed up the area and nearly did the same of the angel. Fortunately he was tougher than the average person; he did his best to defend himself while the impacts pushed him slowly and steadily toward the area of effect's edge. Sakura had gasped in surprise when she realized what was happening to her. So slow! They barely had more than a second to act even if they avoided the pulse. Her time at Psych-OSF had definitely put enough trust in her to follow an experienced psychic’s lead. With a blip, she teleported straight backwards. In a crouch, she spotted her angel-winged ally’s predicament. [color=f49ac2]”Pit-kun!”[/color] She called out, extending her hand. Using her base telekinetic power, she took hold of Pit and wrenched him backwards in time with the end of the slow effect. That would pull him out of harm's way and out of the effect of the pulse radius. [color=f49ac2]”You’re okay!”[/color] She said. Pit recovered quickly, all too happy to be back at full speed. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"Thanks to you!"[/color] [color=f49ac2]”There’s no way that powerful technique can last forever, right?”[/color] With that hopeful question she and Pit dove behind cover, hiding behind an abandoned car out of range of the pulse. Sakura grabbed the edge and poked her head out, watching the Sectopod. In another few seconds, it would be finished charging its Wrath Cannon, and it seemed to be pointed her way. Sakura gulped. [color=lightgoldenrodyellow]"I don't know much about psychic powers, but let's hope not because it's really annoying!"[/color] Pit used this time to safely unequip the Palutena Bow and swap to the Guardian Orbitars. They'd be more useful for protecting himself and others while under the hail of projectiles that the battle looked to be turning into. While about half of his enemies moved out of range of the slow-inflicting pulses, Sasha moved in. He borrowed Levitation to dash forward, his feet not touching the ground. Inside he enjoyed immunity to the effects of Quicksand Conversion and the protection it bestowed. From there he turned on the escapees immediately, taking aim with his manacaster. Unlike the Sectopod, he didn’t need Milla to reliably hit his targets. A spread shot of bright green wind bullets ripped through the air, catching Yuito unawares as he turned to get a bead on his enemies. The blast knocked him down, which got Hanabi’s attention, and she managed to jump away from Sasha’s next shot just in time. Rather than keep shooting at her with his manacaster, the Psychonaut put two fingers to his head to unleash his Marksmanship. A flurry of blue psi-blasts hit the girl as she moved, juggling her higher with each hit, until Sasha switched back to his manacaster to intercept her as she fell. A Guardian Vision of Yuito manifested just in time to block the spread, and by that time Yuito himself was back on his feet. His sword flew in, propelled by Psychokinesis, but Sasha dashed to reposition between shots. Even when the sword came back around like a boomerang, the Psychonaut saw it coming and dodged again in order to deliver Yuito another blast. Luka avoided Sasha’s shots much better since he could use his Teleportation much more, and when he saw Yuito falter again he made his move. He teleported right in front of Sasha to sucker punch him with his Weight Hammer, but while he took the Psychonaut by surprise, his efforts were all for naught. A Guardian Vision of Milla overlaid her companion to negate the damage. From the Vision issued a powerful Dirge Shot that sent Luka flying, inflicting Stormlash on him while granting Sasha Enemy Insight. Meanwhile, Midna had repositioned via portaling in one of her few remaining crates, which promptly got destroyed, and then used its shadows to hop away. Her destination of choice had been a fair bit up the street, and behind the Sectopod. There she unleashed the stored up magic she had been channeling, opening up a massive portal to her home realm beneath herself, and up from it rose a machine to rival the towering biped in size, as the 10 meter tall mechanical bear-wolf-thing rose up, carrying her up with it atop its head between its ears. She had intended to use the inanimate cyborg as a stationary cannon to blast the enemy mech. Instead she found out how it actually worked at either the best or worst time, as in response to her standing atop it, the new hatch in the mech’s head opened up, and promptly dropped her into the cockpit found within. The princess landed in the pilot’s seat with an [color=Aquamarine]”oof”[/color] and then briefly panicked as a seatbelt automatically secured her to the chair, and then freaked out more when she saw that infront of her was a rather small brain floating in a jar. [color=Aquamarine]”What kind of deathtrap is-”[/color] she began to demand, only for a glow to surround the brain, on that spread to the rest of the cockpit, liting up consols, monitors, and most importantly, a screen showing the outside world. Controles were thrust into her hands, and at the slightest nudge, the machine moved. [color=Aquamarine]”Ohhhh”[/color] Minda marvaled as she understood, before thrusting the controles forwards with a cry of [color=Aquamarine]”Oh it is on!”[/color] as she set the bear charging towards the fray. Even as Sakura gaped at the giant kaiju robot right out of a saturday morning cartoon that had joined her side, she had to stay focused on the matter at hand. Uncertainty about engaging in close quarters combat made her reluctant to leave cover, even as the Sectopod aimed at her. Briefly standing up, she gathered a Hadoken within her hands and charged it with Pyrokinesis. Then she fired a blue and red ball of energy towards the Sectopod, and followed up with two slings of her arms to send some flameballs towards the robot. Then she dove back behind the cover of the car. Her target didn’t seem to register the attacks; she’d have to do a lot more than that. Instead it kept its target squarely on her, its emitters reaching their fully-charged state. Before the Sectopod could annihilate both the car and the girl behind it with its Wrath Cannon, Sasha used Brain Talk to send a message to its system’s Psynet port. “S31, change targets. Eliminate enemy armor directly behind you.” The huge machine obeyed, sparing Sakura as it turned around to face the new threat. The amount of time Midna took to spool it up, in combination with its slow speed, meant that it had barely gotten started before the Sectopod turned around to face it. [color=f49ac2]”Phew,”[/color] Sakura watched the Sectopod turn its attention away right when she was about to bolt out from behind the car. She wanted to chip in to help Midna a bit, but it looked like her fireballs weren’t enough. That left Sakura and Pit in the same boat as Luka, Yuito, and Hanabi: pitted against Sasha. Typically five versus one meant bad odds, but Sasha Nein wasn’t the third-strongest Septentrion for nothing. He activated Prism Break, imbuing himself -and his weapon- with a refractory magical power. For the next twenty-five seconds his attack speed increased dramatically, and for every shot he fired at someone, identical shots would fire towards the two nearest other targets. That meant that when he fired a spread shot of wind bullets at Luka, he simultaneously fired at Yuito and Hanabi too. Worse still, if only one of them got hit by any triple-blast, that blast would hurt over twice as much. The area became a sea of wind shots limited only by Sasha’s (boosted) fire rate, the wind bullets’ travel time, and their max range. With the added crossfire, everyone started taking hits left and right. Having already overused his teleportation, Luka’s power ran out at the worst possible moment and he got downed within seconds. Hanabi dodged over to him and created a wall of fire in front of them with a sweep of her staff, which seemed to block this elemental wind effectively, but at the same time Yuito had different plans. “We’ve got to attack!” he yelled, borrowing Sclerokinesis to weather the storm as he charged forward. He used Psychokinesis to throw debris as he ran in, forcing Sasha to dodge. He floated to a stop and turned to shoot again, only for Yuito to shrug off his blast and slash him repeatedly. With a grunt, the Septentrion closed his fist. “Karmic Quietus.” In an instant the buff conferred by Yuito’s Sclerokinesis was dispelled, granting Sasha a second stack of Enemy Insight in the process. He then lifted his manacaster and fired a point-blank Dirge Shot. The punchy blast stormlashed Yuito and sent him flying the same as it did Luka, leaving him on the ground at the edge of unconsciousness. That also granted Sasha his third and final Enemy Insight, and as he turned toward Hanabi’s wall of fire he began to float off the ground with Levitation. This battle was just getting started.