Always. Always one layer of defense.

Never more than one.

Once again she is outmatched. The Third Form functions largely through combining Tail outputs to create defenses (or occasionally traps). That is to say it wins via superior numbers. Bringing the same number of independent weapons platforms truly was a masterstroke. There is simply no way for her to overload the field without resorting to the Immemorial Vanguard. 

It had been a difficult decision, to maintain the chains Trosta and Matty forged for her Nine Drive System in this battle. In the end it had been exactly the Third Form pinnacle technique that had swayed her: specifically, removing the temptation to ever use it by removing her capability until her scheme had achieved fruition. And now that decision looked an awful lot like death. 

One. Two. Three. Four. Fifth close to unlock but remains unachieved. Picky little system, honestly. If she were grading herself Mira would have awarded the Silver Kiss-Lover's Nip combo at least five full Tails on its own. Just because she hadn't been able to chain it into-- nngh. Distraction. Cutting thought, resuming.

> i did say it was fine not to answer.
> but that is disappointing.
> under this assessment it follows that refusal to engage on my terms will result in automatic and crushing victory.
> yes?
> i acknowledge that my skill is lesser than yours.
> that's going to make what happens next feel extra humiliating.
> <3.

Her active Tails scatter to draw their shadow counterparts further afield. They rotate constantly, seeking wider and wider spirals that are constantly marked by beams of indiscriminate destruction. They do not connect with any of the Aeteline's weapons platforms, only some of the ammunition being dumped toward them. The damage to the forest is immeasurable. Trees fall into the river and build haphazard dams that create whitewater rapids where there had only been quiet, fast currents before. Sprays of mud fly every which way and waves of leaves and vines roll across the battlefield.

All is chaos. All is flash and showmanship with no tactical benefit. It is distraction and it is is evasion and it is a weakness because it is pulling her vaunted weapons further and further away from her main body, as if the summation of her response amounted to nothing more than testing and hoping that Solarel's Aeteline was less skilled at this style of combat than Mira's Gods-Smiting Whip. If just this one time she could beat somebody with experience. 

...Tail 5 confirmed greenlit. Tail 6 gauge building. She does not launch yet. Instead, Mira plants her feet and grips the remains of her sword that she's burned down half a forest to find again. The Gods-Smiting Whip's left foot plants itself in the mud even as the rest of the machine maintains its stubborn hover and the weapon swings from ground to sky in a massive vertical arc. Even so there is nothing to be done about the Aeteline's high speed charge, that has tracked her down even at her maximum maneuverability settings. 

She is outmatched. The only reason she will survive that is the fact that she has a lot of practice fighting under that condition. All the same the best she can hope for is a damage trade before she slips away into the camouflage she hopes she's creating all around her.

Always one layer of defense. Never more than one. But if you count her philosophy as valid, it's important to ask yourself: what's that layer [i]for?[/i]