Session Start: Sat Mar 13 16:19:25 2004 Last time, on Hunters: Maya went undercover to find out what the whole deal with Handcuff and Pie was. She approached Handcuff in the guise of a new Lady looking for her peers. Handcuff seemed to be in the middle of trying to run away from home, but was happy to take her new friend to "meet the Princess". On the other hand, Princess Pie seemed rather more suspicious of the timing and the circumstances. She has this little test of loyalty for her new recruit... [Thursday, December 4, 2003 - 2050 local time] [Princess Pie's loft in downtown Soka] [start] Now! Pick up that gun, put it to your heart, and pull the trigger! Now! * LadyHeat flinches. Oh crap... Shit! Sakura? * LadyRoyal goes wide-eyed and flicks out a card or three in preparation. * LadyMallet tenses. "One of us will live through that... right?" ... *takes two steps forward before stopping himself* * Taki looks over at Royal, a panicked look on her face. whatdowedo?! * LadyMallet opens the MalletPortal, but doesn't retrieve the Mallet just yet. Easy. If it goes bad, we crash the party to make sure she gets out okay! * LadyRoyal looks back, worried. She can uh... take it, can't she? * LadyMallet points up at the 3rd floor balcony. "I can toss everyone up the quick way!" * LadyRoyal bites her lip. "Not sure. Sakura said...but to the heart, I don't know." * LadyMysteria looks back quickly, first at Handcuff, then at the gun. That done, she quickly throws herself window-ward, running as fast as she can. Oh crap. Huh?! ...oh, ho. So that's how it is. Mallet, do the door. Everybody go! Go! Go! ...gah. Okay, get ready to go in. * LadyRoyal cards the window. * LadyHeat pulls out another waterbottle. * Lord_Darkmoon runs in as fast as he can, taking stairs two at a time. * Taki ducks so Maya doesn't run into her. * LadyMallet summons the Mallet, and once it's ready, takes down the door. * LadySakura charges through the door with Darkmoon and nearly flies up the stairs. Get her! * LadyRoyal mirrors Taki's action. * LadyMallet takes off at full tilt, immediately after she recovers from the swing. * LadyMysteria more-or-less tosses herself through the carded window and lands, turning once she's set. She has the most disgusted look on her face that she can muster. "... you *traitor*!" * LadyHeat runs after Sakura * LadyRoyal jumps through the window after Mysteria jumps out, cards ready. * LadyHandcuff comes around Pie's throne as Pie stands up. Hardhat and Amplifier are already halfway to the window. Holy shit, Maya... *looking up at the girl over her* * LadyMysteria glances down at Taki, mood snapped in half. "... T-Taki? Is...?" * Taki stands up and transforms. * LadyNightshade fills the room and alley and everywhere else with PINK light as her costume flashes around her body. Lady Amplifier stops a few meters short of the wall and concentrates for a tenth of a second, then the entire back wall of the building blows out as an unbelievable bass crash projects from her belly. The fire escape and everyone on it are knocked free, and collapse to the alley below. Lady Hardhat bodychecks Royal through the gaping hole in the back of the building and they both tumble to the alley below. * LadyMysteria proceeds to let out a surprised yeep as she starts falling, but manages to right herself and land properly. The pissed-off look returns in full force. The group charging up the stairs burst through the door just in time to see Pie, Handcuff, and Amplifier jump through down to the alley as well. ....ARGH. * Lord_Darkmoon almost growls, "That Princess has a lot to answer for." So much for subtlety... * LadyMysteria scowls, holding her wand tightly. "How could you... even if you're right, this is suicide! If you want to do this, do it on your own and don't get innocent Ladies involved!" * Lord_Darkmoon starts at a near-run across the room, heading for the smashed window... * LadyMysteria is also prepping a wand attack while she gets all righteous- speechy, it seems. * LadyNightshade stand at the base of the alley, looking up at the Ladies and Princess jumping down to her. * LadyHeat is standing in the now decimated upstairs room, waterbottle clenched in each hand. * LadyRoyal takes a second to catch her breath, then gets ready for a point- blank flurry at Hardhat. * LadyMallet is running like ... Leena. She's bouncing/running, The Mallet held loosely behind her, and she's ready to pancake anything or anyone that so much as looks as her funny. * LordChimera darts through the debris taking up position behind Nightshade. * PrincessPie lands in the rubbled alley behind her (former, I guess) hideout in a crouch, then springs forward, directly at Mysteria, not yet quite realizing that there are more enemies. "U238 PIE!" Lady Mysteria jumps to one side, and the pie only clips her torso. But it's still depleted uranium and has a helluva lot of kinetic energy. She feels several ribs snap, and lands badly on her side. * LadyMysteria has her speech ended by a jump and a muted crack as she goes spinning. The fall's about as bad as the impact, and she takes her sweet time in getting things together. * LadyNightshade flips back against the opposite wall and uses it as leverage to thrust herself at Lady Handcuff. She dishes out a deadly three kick combo, but only one hit makes it through unblocked. Lady Amplifier lands easily on her feet. She looks around and takes in the team of opponents here, then bangs her fists together in Chimera and Royal's direction. There's a crashing of cymbals... Royal toughs through it, but Kenji feels as though cymbals landed on either side of his head. * LadyRoyal shakes her head, narrows her eyes, and sends a few cards flying at Hardhat at point-blank range. Lady Hardhat grabs her hat from her head as the cards fly - strange how there's still one left there afterwards - and catches the cards in it. She tosses it away and it disappears. * LadyRoyal snarls. * LordChimera gathers some energy for a Backdraft directed at Lady Amplifier, but the concussion kept him off balance, sending the lance of flame into an opposite storefront. * LadySakura can hear the battle in the alley below and wastes no time throwing herself out the former back wall of the building. Lady Hardhat pulls another hat into her hands, and steps in front of Pie, but does not attack anyone. * LadyMallet sees Sakura jumping off, and runs to the edge herself, looking down. * LadyMallet takes a moment to pick a spot, then jumps down lightly. Pie! You... you... traitor! *she seems to be ignoring the one protecting Pie.* * Lord_Darkmoon gets to the edge, and yells, "Pie's Ladies, surrender! Pie, sur- -" he notices Maya down, and his eyes narrow. "You die now." He throws himself out the window, hands curled into claws and arms spread as if for a hug. As he falls, his eyes flare white and he grows massive and hairy. A howl of animalistic rage escapes the beast's throat as it falls, right claw aiming to impale Pie as it lands. * LadyMallet runs at Pie and Hardhat, the Mallet held defensively. Pie is still moving, though, and Darkmoon merely makes a claw-shaped hole in the ground as he lands. * LadyHandcuff looks scared as Taki unloads her combination, but shrugs off the blow and whips her chain out wildly at Lady Nightshade. Nightshade nimbly backflips away, but the chain catches her on the back of the thigh and slices a fair chunk of meat off. Taki goes tumbling into the opposite wall of the alley, and sits up very slowly. ... Handcuff... Anzu, you don't have to do this... ...but she's my Princess! * LadyMysteria looks about to say something more, but her ribs deny her that privilege. * LadyHeat takes a running jump out the shattered window as she tosses water from one of her two waterbottles at Amplifier. * LadyNightshade holds her leg and winces in pain. * LadyAmplifier is suddenly drenched in water - the bodysuit she has on seems waterproof, but she still looks up in annoyance. * PrincessPie looks around and finally realizes that the jig is up. NO SURRENDER! DOWN WITH THE QUEEN!!! .... You wanna be worse than the Queen? * PrincessPie twirls, once more holding a pie, and wings it at Royal. "Mustard Cream Pie!" You're not gonna beat her with brute force! You've gotta do this a different way! * LadyMallet growls at the attack. "AND QUIT ATTACKING MY FRIENDS!" Mallet, she's not going to listen! Lady Royal eeps and ducks under the pie - it was a very loosely-made pie, though, and a bit of greenish-yellow filling splatters her face and shoulders. * LadyRoyal grimaces, using cards to wipe the stuff off of her. She doesn't look too happy though. Lady Amplifier turns around to see Lady Heat landing behind her. She eyes the water bottles, then braces herself and emits another sonic blast like she did upstairs. Kyouko winces but simply lets it go through her - the building behind her is not so lucky. The ground floor wall collapses and the entire structure is making creaking noises now. * LadyRoyal looks to retaliate, then notices Leena and Feral mixed up between Hardhat and Pie and goes after Amplifier instead with a few cards. Amplifier is turned the wrong way to see them coming, and takes the cards in a shoulderblade. She stumbles forward a few steps, and whips around snarling at Minami. Lord Chimera dashes forward into the fray, and dives at Hardhat's feet. At his touch, the pavement around her surges up and around her ankles, encasing them in asphalt boots. Looks like she won't be going anywhere for a while. * LadySakura lands and rolls to one knee. She raises her pistol and snaps off two shots at Princess Pie. One goes wide, the other gets the teenager in the ass. Pie looks more annoyed than anything. Lady Hardhat swings a hat one-handed at the ground at her feet (not her feet directly, she's not that dumb). The hat glows for an instant, and the ground shatters. Her feet are free, but still trapped inside the "boots". * LadyMallet doesn't pay too much attention, as she goes to idly swat Hardhat out of the way, with a loose, one-handed swing from the Mallet. "Outta my way!" she's still focused on Pie. Lady Hardhat looks up at Lady Mallet's exclamation and sees the Mallet descending. She ducks even lower, and the Hardhat expands outwards instantly off her head and into a half-dome that covers her completely. Unstoppable Mallet meets Uncrushable Hardhat... and bounces. The ***WHANG*** is even louder than Amplifier's sonic blast, and rocks the entire block. The building everyone just jumped out of finally has had too much, and caves in, coating everything in the alley with brick dust. The Mallet goes flying out of Mallet's hands. The Hardhat, for it's part, is cracked. ! ....Oops. * LadyMysteria just coughs as she's dusted from her position. * Feral_Beast does not even notice the dust and destruction. It pushes off of its three ground-touching claws, the right foreclaw scraping a hunk of the pavement out as it pushes free of its hole. Lunging over and past Hardhat, its left claw swipes horizontally at Pie. Pie puts an arm up to try to parry the blow, but is still pounded ten meters down the alley. She rolls to an ungraceful stop, and struggles to get up. * LadyRoyal shakes her head, wincing as the dust settles onto the blisters. * LadyHandcuff 's eyes go wide as her Princess goes tumbling, and she lunges at the beast wrists-first. * LadyMallet narrows her eyes at Hardhat, then her view switches to Feral. "Oh, no..." Anzu, no! Stay away from it! Do you want to DIE? The monster's size works for him, this time, as he's too wide to really fit between her chained hands, and her palms bounce off his side. He does get a nice close shave there, though. Lady Heat concentrates, but the dust gets in her eyes and she blinks at the wrong moment. A patch of mud on Amplifier's flank boils away, but she doesn't notice. * LadyHeat swears. Wah. * PrincessPie gets to her feet awkwardly but quickly. She doesn't pirouette this time, but merely wings a biggish pie down the alley at that great beast. "NITRO PIE!!!" * LadyHeat braces herself for the impact. The pie goes WAAAAY high and long, though, and lands in a sidestreet beyond the end of the alley. It blows a three meter crater in the pavement, and the shockwave bounces the rubble in the alley. Again. Shit! Pie! Call it off already! Just GET AWAY FROM IT! * LadyNightshade aches with pain and struggles to get up, but can't quite make it up. Amplifier sticks a palm out at Lady Royal, and electric guitars crash as a visible wave of distortion darts at the Lady. Why, Pie? We're fighting the Ningyo, not each other! The sonic spear tears a bloody hole in Lady Royal's side, and her knees buckle at the pain. The Ningyo! Bah! They're just straw men set up by the Queen to distract the world from her conquest! We're TRYING TO SAVE YOU PEOPLE! * LadyRoyal clenches her teeth, swearing under her breath, and slumps to lean standing against a wall, glaring at Amplifier. Do you have proof? You've lost it! Totally lost it! If you have something besides conspiracies, then talk! If you're right, I'll help! Otherwise you're just a loon! What the hell are you talking about? There's no talking to you! You're just brainwashed flunkies! I'm no ones flunkie! We're less brainwashed than those poor Ladies! ... Anzu... * LadyRoyal laughs dryly, though it comes out a little choked. "Says the girl who wants to be Queen herself. You're the only one I see with brainwashed girls." She waves a hand at Hardhat, Amplifier and Handcuff. " * LordChimera scrambles to Lady Royal's side and prepares a Defensive Barrier. A ring of short flickering flames encircles about 2 meters around them. "You okay?-" Anzu, we know you're a good girl. Don't believe her! * LadySakura wings a few more shots down the alley at Pie. * LadyRoyal blinks at the appearance of the barrier. "Yeah, thanks." She coughs a little, but otherwise seems fine except for the blisters and the weakness and stuff. The floating dust makes aiming hard, and they go well wide. Hardhat stomps back down the alley, trying to get in position to protect her Princess again. The asphalt shoes crack and begin to come apart as she labors forward. * LadyMysteria finally pulls herself to her feet, and draws a bead on Amplifier. "... it shouldn't have to come down to who can kill who!" One cry of anger later, a Mystery Star Gun-shot screams out from her wand. I don't want to kill fellow Ladies! This isn't how it should be! The starburst rips the left armpit of Amplifier's bodysuit out and leaves that shoulder a bloody mess. She screams and staggers once more. Why the hell did you want her to shoot herself, anyway!? * LadyMallet runs back, and picks up the Mallet again, twirling it lightly before clamping her grip on it. * Feral_Beast seems not to notice the banter going on around it, as it pounces on Pie, lifting her into the air with its snout and trying to catch her in its mouth, but she twirls out of the way as it snaps shut on empty air. It snarls angrily. * LadyHandcuff is screaming with rage. "DON'T HURT HER!!!" * LadyHandcuff sticks both hands straight out and murmurs something. She doesn't care about you, Anzu! She's using you for something she can't hope to accomplish! I'll hurt her, and I'll hurt her good! I'm not gonna let her get away with using people for their own insane schemes! A pair of manacles puffs into existence above the Feral Beast, and drape themselves benignly over one of his shoulders. * LadyMysteria looks close to tears at this point. "Anzu, please... fight it! Think for yourself!" What are you, the Queen's pet puppy? Go home, animal! He's anything but. * Feral_Beast 's eyes glow fiercely at that, and it looks, if that's possible, angrier. * PrincessPie does twirl this time - "FLECHETTE PIE!!!" The pie flies at an impossible speed, the pan dissolving as it closes with the Beast, and two dozen jagged darts fly out of it and into the monster's gut. RRRAAAAAAAGGGGHH! Darkmoon! Noo! I'll just say this. You'd better PRAY you can drop him before he gets you. * LadyRoyal just glares sullenly at Pie. "Damn idiot..." * Feral_Beast crumples to the ground, hunched over his gut and howling in pained rage. ( s/his/its ) * LadyNightshade finally makes it to her feet and charges at Lady Amp, her punch-kick combo however goes wide. Lady Amplifier is beyond enraged at this point. She smashes her fists together right in Nightshade's face. Cymbals crash, but Taki is only mildly shaken. * LordChimera grimaces at the scene but maintains his control over the barrier surrounding himself and Royal * LadyRoyal glances over at Kenji and shakes her head. "I'll be fine...do what you can to end this." * LadySakura looks back at Lady Royal, who's still looking pretty bad, and Darkmoon, who is howling pitifully and clutching his belly. ...damn you, Princess Pie! Traitor!! * LadySakura sprints forward, shooting as she runs and still missing badly. She does seem to be glowing, though, particularly her fuku. Lady Hardhat has gotten back to her position in front of Pie once more, and has a hat held defensively. It, too, is cracked, and her face is scrunched up like she has a very bad headache. * LadyMysteria stays focused on Amplifier, even as tears start rolling down her face. Off goes another shot, brightly-colored death headed the sound-Lady's way. ... why, Pie? WHY?! Why abuse your rank like this?! ASK THE FUCKING QUEEN THAT!!! I WILL! This starburst takes Amplifier in the chest, and she pitches over onto her back, screaming. * LadyMallet jerks her gaze back to Mysteria and Amp, then turns her gaze back to Pie. "It's your fault we're fighting! Why the hell did you try to get her to shoot herself? I don't care if you're right or just insane anymore, I'm still going to kick your ass!" * LadyMallet turns her gaze to Hardhat. "Out. Of my. Way. You don't know what you're in the way of!" Mallet charges for Princess Pie once more, but Hardhat does not heed the warning. She steps in front to meet Mallet's first swing, ducks to turtle under the suddenly 130 cm Hardhat... and the Mallet hits. This time, though, the Hardhat, already cracked, shatters. It bursts in a magical explosion that tosses Mallet and Pie back on their asses, and when the light fades, a girl, untransformed, bleeding from the ears and mouth, lies where Lady Hardhat was. See what you made happen!? HARDHAT! NOOOOOOOOOOO! ... if you care for them so much, why make them do the impossible, Pie... * LadyRoyal winces. "Oh, fuck..." YOU BITCH!!! ... * LadyHandcuff gestures two-handedly once more, and Lady Mallet, who was getting up, finds that her hands are cuffed together behind her back. She trips once more. * LadyMallet lets The Mallet drop, and falls to her knees. No... * LadyHeat tosses water from one of her waterbottles at Anzu, drenching her completely. It's about this time that you start hearing sirens. With the banging and shaking and explosions and building collapses, this was perhaps inevitable. * PrincessPie is trembling with rage now. A pie is ready, and cast at Lady Mysteria. CREAM BOMB! The Pie splatters into Maya's face, then falls away, leaving her pied. A second passes, in which everyone wonders if it's a misfire... then just as she reaches to wipe it out of her eyes, the cream detonates, and she is blasted back into the opposing wall. NO! Shit shit shit... * LadyRoyal hisses in anger and sympathetic pain, trying to pull herself together. * Feral_Beast 's growling gets deeper. Kenji, drop the goddamn shield and get in there! * LadyMysteria smashes hard into the wall, whatever she was going to scream cut off with the air (and blood) she coughs out. For a moment she hangs there, then slumps down weakly. ... anzu... Maya! MAYA! Rin.....MAYAAAAA! * LadyNightshade leaps across the alley toward Handcuff, drop kicking and following up with 2 strikes Handcuff is hammered backwards, but keeps her feet under her. She eyes Nightshade dangerously. * LadySakura draws breath to scream with fury, but before she does so, there is a silver flash of light and a swirl of golden blossoms. When it fades, her fuku has silver edging and bows, and her hair, though still black, has a faint pink cast to it. * PrincessSakura raises her pistol. Translucent pink blossoms swirl around it momentarily, then seem to be sucked into it... then she pulls the trigger. "BLOSSOM SINGULARITY!!!" The pistol cracks even louder then usual, and a pink tracer round spears through Pie's chest, sucking her breasts and lungs and heart and ribs into it as it passes through, then puffing back out into a pile of cherry blossoms that flutter to the ground behind her. * PrincessPie has a second to look down and see the 60cm hole completely through her chest before dying. * LadyRoyal gapes, shuddering a little. Three... * LadyHeat twitches and closes her eyes. * PrincessSakura collapses to her knees, shuddering. * LordChimera forgets his barrier and stands there, stunned. Hardhat... Mysteria... Pie. * Feral_Beast roars, trying to struggle to its feet, but still not managing it. * LadyMallet blinks blankly at Sakura. She says flatly, "You killed her." *gasp* You think she wasn't going to kill us? * PrincessSakura is still sucking wind. * LadyMysteria remains where she is, either out of it or just downright stunned to hell and back. She was insane... * LadyMallet blinks again, still with the flat voice. "I killed Hardhat." ...you killed her! YOU KILLED HER! * LadyRoyal groans, holding her head. "Oh, I do *not* need this on top of these damn wounds..." * LadyHandcuff blindrushes Sakura, tears streaming from her eyes. "Dammit, who are you??? Apparently she's OUR Princess... * LadyHandcuff misses badly, and Sakura finally stands up as she goes by. * LadyMysteria manages an "Anzu, no...." but doesn't look up. I'm... I'm... Princess Sakura. * LordChimera shakes his head. "What- the hell?" * PrincessSakura blinks in wonder for a second, then shifts gears, and her voice cracks out a command. "Everyone, STOP FIGHTING." * LadyMallet blinkblinks. "Okay." .....Yes ma'am. * LordChimera nods, mouth slightly agape. * Feral_Beast snarls, as if fighting the command. * LadyMallet looks at Mysteria. * LadyRoyal lifts her head. "Yes, Princess Sakura." * LadyMysteria coughs once. * LadyRoyal then shakes her head and snorts. "Not like there's anything I coulda done anyway." * LadyRoyal stumbles her way over to Maya. Rrrrrnghhh Mysteria is okay...? * LadyHandcuff turns around, raises her eyebrows, and appears to struggle for a moment before letting go. Then it's just two. *blink* The cuffs on Lady Mallet disappear. ... I'll... live, Leena. Lady Amplifier stops thrashing about as well. * PrincessSakura looks at the Beast. Rin? Rin, you can come back now. Please come back. * LadyMallet walks over to what's left of Hardhat. "Are you okay?" She shakes the body some. * LadyRoyal checks Maya and sees if she can sit her up without doing further harm. Rrrraa... Hardhat appears to be breathing, but otherwise is dead to the world. W..what should we do? We need to get her to a hospital... * LadyRoyal speaks over her shoulder without looking behind her, focused on Maya. "We need to get out of here before the police get around." Lady Mysteria is a bad, bad mess, but there are no obvious life- threatening injuries. And yes, medical care. * LadyMysteria makes a *very* pained sound, but doesn't resist much. * LadyRoyal mutters under her breath a bit uncomfortably. "Sorry." * Feral_Beast struggles, growls dying down to whimpers, but the light in its eyes finally fades, revealing purple irises that swiftly darken to black. The beast shrinks down to Lord Darkmoon...who has shards of metal poking out of his torso. ...no. * PrincessSakura looks at Mysteria. She will recover. It's ugly, but she'll be okay before we can get her to a hospital. Okay...what about Darkmoon and Hardhat? * Lord_Darkmoon collapses to the ground, unable to rise. "ah-- ah-- ugh." ...Darkmoon shouldn't detransform for a few hours. * LadyMallet leans down, and picks up Hardhat as gently as she can. "I didn't kill her..." She still has that blank look on her face. * LadyRoyal looks around. "Taki...you think you can help him?" ...Hardhat, yes. she needs help. But it sounds like help is on the way. * LadyMysteria opens her eyes finally. "... Anzu? There's... much we're going to have to te---" She breaks down into a wet coughing fit. * LadyRoyal pats her on the back gently. "Maya, you shouldn't be talking." ...shouldn't detransform? Okay. *quietly* ...who are you guys? ... different. * LadyMallet leans down, and sets Hardhat back down, as gently as she picked her up. "I'm sorry..." Right. You need to absorb those metal... thingies. * Lord_Darkmoon laughs, painfully. "It's over...if I detransform..." Give it a few hours. * PrincessSakura goes over to Darkmoon and helps him. * LadyMysteria offers Anzu a smile, then decides to take Royal's advice and shuts up. * Lord_Darkmoon is unresisting, but unresponsive. A kind of distant grin is on his face. Lady Amplifier struggles to her feet as well. ....We...we should go... Anzu, Amplifier, you have to come with us. * LadyRoyal tries to pick Maya up, then staggers back against the wall, as she seems to have momentarily forgotten about her own wounds. She gently slides down again. "Crap. Kyouko?" Both of them nod jerkily. * LadyMallet looks back at Pie, and restates just as flatly, "Sakura killed Pie." ...can... The sirens are getting closer. Maybe five blocks away now... Kyouko, can you help me carry Maya out? * LadyHeat goes over to Help carry Maya. Thanks. Sorry, forgot I'd been hit. ...come on, everyone. Let's go home. It's okay... * LadyMysteria makes a few more owie-sounds, but is a submissive carry-on magical girl. * LadyMallet blinks, as if remembering something, then goes to retrieve the Mallet. "Okay." * LadyRoyal nods at Sakura. "Right..." ...die...stop... Someone pick up Rin's weapon. Let's go. * LadyMallet drags the Mallet behind her, and starts walking. * LadyRoyal gets the go on, taking a last look back at Hardhat and frowning. The bloodied and beaten group goes around the corner and away from the scene. When the emergency crews arrive, they're well away. [end session] Session Close: Sat Mar 13 20:25:00 2004