3762/Seriously, Knight+Mage vs. Martial Artists!

Seriously, Knight+Mage vs. Martial Artists!
Date of Scene:	03 February 2016
Location:	Njorun Station - Ring of Philosophy
Synopsis:	Momoyo and Kazuko challenge Kyra Hyral and Nero during a long overdue rematch over a high school tiff on the radio. Unfortunately, Momoyo didn't arrive for settling a score but drops a bomb: Win this match or never accomplish your dream, Kazuko. The results are inevitably explosive, but heartbreaking...
Cast of Characters:	180, 626, 880, 928, 942

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Momoyo Kawakami (928) has posed:
     Coming into the arena where she was scheduled to meet Kyra and Nero, the Northern Deva is back after a week long hiatus. Rolling her neck a bit, the most apparent thing when she wanders into the arena is that she's already setting her energetic little sister on edge... her face was clouded with absolute murder. The laid-back woman who liked to test her opponents and take her time in her vicious brawls was gone... for some nerve-wracking reason she was ready to pound her opponent into dust and was not very patient at all.

    Little did anyone know, as she dusted off her chipmunk shirt and tapped on the console to configure the Ring, that it had little to nothing to do with her opponents' mouthing off directly. Her obvious low anger as if coals raked near a fire was present well before ever setting eyes on Nero. "Wanko. Are you ready?"

Kazuko Kawakami (942) has posed:
     Kazuko's looking fighting fit today! Well, physically. She's got her yellow track jacket on, her training weights are on, her naginata's off to the side of the arena, and she's not injured in any foreseeable way! Mentally, though, she's looking just a mite intimidated even as she gives her sister something resembling a shoulder-massage.

     She's also looking somewhat excited at the same time. It's been a while since she's seen her sister in this state, so the fight's sure to be an exciting one at this rate. "Mhm! It's been a while since we actually fought together like this..." Surely that's the only reason Momoyo's that fired up, right?

Kyra Hyral (626) has posed:
    Kyra was actually not looking too forward to this but her, and Nero's, honor was on the line. She would face this challenge unflinchingly and fight on her own terms, unleashing all of her tricks and items to get the edge she assumes she's going to need for this fight. Sure, she's heard that Momoyo has had some kind of drama with the TSAB recently but she's not going to assume that'll stop the rather crazy-seeming fighter.

    Kyra arrives, already removing her hoodie as she steps into the arena, neatly folding it and leaving it on a seat. With it off, both opponents can see her guns (she has three-two handgun-looking deals and a rifle hanging from a strap) plus the bandoliers stocked with vials and syringes hanging from either shoulder. She wears fingerless gloves on each hand with the left covered in some strange circular thing on the back of her palm. Normally she would have belts and pouches at her waist but both of them are absent, except for one used to hold the holster to one of her handguns. The other handgun is held in an under-arm holster beneath her left armpit.

    "Okay." she says, voice devoid of amusement. "I'm here."

Nero (880) has posed:
     It's been awfully busy lately. Ever since this Four Heavenly Kings business started up, it's been challenge after challenge, and there was suddenly a lot more fighting in Nero's technical unlife. How was an artist supposed to wow the world with her brilliant creations, when she was off swinging a sword every other day!

     Nonetheless, the Roman Emperor had her pride, and she would defend it. As such, once Kyra had stepped into the arena, geared up for war, Nero materialized right next to the White Mage. As usual, she wore her typical regal, red combat dress, arms crossed and a smirk upon her face.

     "Lady Kawakami." The Servant greeted, eyeing Momoyo and taking stock of her murderous expression. And then her gaze swept over to Kazuko. "And Lady Kawakami the second, I presume." There was a second's pause as she looked over the redhead, a hand pressed to her chin in a contemplative manner. And after several moments, Nero nodded. "I see! So this is your sister, harm? I am pleased!" Pleased by what exactly?

     Nero turned her attention to Kyra next. "Praetor, we shall come out of this bout the victors this time! Have no fear!" Someone was confident. And then with a flourish of the arm, Aestus Estus was materialized into Nero's grasp.

     There was a swing, and then a twist as the blade was embedded into the ground, her hands resting atop the pommel.

     "Now then, when you are both ready, we shall begin."

Momoyo Kawakami (928) has posed:
     Momoyo shakes her head to Nero. "A moment." she replies, but her voice had none of the bemused mutual smirk she and Nero usually shared when facing off. Her voice softened a bit, but she was still firm to her sister. "Wanko. Get your naginata. Now. Make sure it's the bladed one like I told you."

    "Then, come to the center and state your name and dream."

    She wasn't playing. There was a point to this, but she'd only hinted at it to Nero. Momoyo, of course, wore her emotions on her sleeve, so... only the knight had any inkling as to why Momoyo's hostility was overreacting to Nero and Kyra both. This wasn't the fun, sarcastic brawl they had agreed to initially, anymore. Even her eyes swept over Kyra's, glaring as she waited for Kazuko to properly introduce herself and her reason for being with Momoyo.

Kazuko Kawakami (942) has posed:
     Kazuko blinks slowly as Kyra arrives, a confident (yet cheerful) grin offered to her opponent. Her attention is quickly drawn to the hoodie even as it's taken off, that brief glimpse enough to draw a quiet excited noise from the girl. "Cute...!" Even if she's looking rather intense, that doesn't mean Kazuko can't try to keep things friendly enough. Both Kyra and Nero get friendly waves from the smaller sister. "Hi, Miss Kyra! Hi, Miss Nero!"

     She's about ready to step into the ring, but pauses when Momoyo gives her that instruction. "Not the...? Oh! Right. The Ring... Got it!" Although she looks confused at first, it quickly fades, and Kazuko gives her sister a quick nod before darting off to retrieve said naginata. It looks almost like the one resting at edge of the ring, but the blade is actually... Well, a blade. Well-crafted, actually sharp, the whole nine yards. Once she makes it into the ring proper, Kazuko clears her throat before speaking loudly and clearly.

     "My name is Kazuko Kawakami! My dream is to become an assistant master at the Kawakami Temple to support my sister, Momoyo Kawakami, and everyone else at the Temple!"

Kyra Hyral (626) has posed:
    Wow, the difference between the two was night and day. Kazuko was super friendly, Momoyo was oddly /murderous/ today. Kyra's never seen her act like this before and it was kind of worrisome, "...shit, are you still that pissed off about the healing thing? Get over it, it's not like dying was /permanent/ in that dungeon."

    She walks to the ring with Nero, throwing her a grin, "I have every expectation that we will triumph, Nero. How can we not? /You/ are here, after all, and with my support there will be nothing you can't do."

    Kyra swings her rifle around to her front and idily starts loading it with darts. "Hello Kazuko, I didn't know Momoyo had a sister. It's nice to meet you, Kazuko, even if we'll be hurting each other pretty badly in the next few seconds."

Nero (880) has posed:
     "Mhmhmhm! You know well, Praetor!" Soaking up Kyra's praise like a plant soaks up sunlight, Nero beamed and looked ahead, meeting Kazuko's eyes and hearing her greeting. "I shall look forward to redeeming myself in this battle!"

     And then Momoyo tells her sister to get a different weapon and state her name and aspirations. Odd. Why do that now? Nonetheless, it is heard and and understood. But there was something off about this situation that the Servant couldn't help but notice.

     Was she wearing weights? Was she looking to be cut down from the start? Or was she simply /that/ impressive? Now she was curious.

     There is a nod, but Nero does not budge. She waits for the sign that the fight is going to begin. She hasn't gotten that sign yet.

Taylita (180) has posed:
     Taylita was really hoping to get -in- a fight, not get -to watch- a fight, but as she hears about what is happenin in the Ring she rushes there anyway. When she arrives, she is still in her mechanic gear. She bursts through the door of the Ring of Philosophy, then awws audibly as she sees fighting is already getting underway. Still, watching a fight can be good, too.

     The red-haired saiyan makes her way over to where other spectators have gathered, then leans against a nearby wall. Her tail swishes back and forth anxiously as she waits for the combat to begin.

Momoyo Kawakami (928) has posed:
     Momoyo waits for Kazuko to introduce herself formally, to the opponent and the gathered audience. She tilts her chin up, as much speaking to Nero and Kyra as announcing it to the spectators as well. "I am Momoyo Kawakami, Goddess of Martial Arts, the Northern Deva of The Multiversal Big Four. I am the candidate for the representative of the Kawakami-ryu Dojo when Tesshin Kawakami retires!" She cuts the air with her hand behind Kazuko.

    "To become Assistant Master of the Kawakami Dojo is an elite position. Only the best and most talented reach that position. It's not simply a matter of hard work. Being a daughter of the Kawakami Temple confers no benefits! We are professionals with a long, illustrious history!" she declares, seething, but her voice remains steady until the brief pause.

     "Emperor Nero Claudius. You are the Southern Deva for a reason. You know your Praetor needs to be tested in battle as well, in battles where her life is at stake. There is more at stake here than Kazuko's life!" She puts her hand on Kazuko's head, looking down at the ground a moment while she speaks. "Kazuko... will not fight me seriously if I test her, Nero. Normally this test would be done... by attempting to hit me or force me to block. This is her. One! And Only! test of martial arts, to see if she is talented enough to train to become an Assistant Master!"

    She raises her head again. "You are the only one I trust to test my younger sister, Southern Deva! Your Praetor fights to support you like Kazuko wants to support me. That is why this test is appropriate! I respect you, and you have always fought me like I requested... so now I ask you, Nero. With your Praetor's support, fight us like you're going to kill us!!! If she doesn't win, the dream of an adopted orphan for the past ten years of gruelling training ends here!!!"

    "I ask you. One more time. Do you accept this responsibility!?" Her emotions were only roiling forth further. Rather than mere aura, her ki was beginning to seep out visibly... as cold blooded murder seeped from her berserk eyes at the blonde. It was the only way she could keep from crying or getting sad. The other fighter... could likely clue in that this was the only way she could hide how she suspected this fight was going to go.

     This was Momoyo's way of pleading with Nero and Kyra. The sparring match... had turned into something else entirely.

Kazuko Kawakami (942) has posed:
     It did seem a little odd that Momoyo had asked her do this. But... Kazuko hasn't really introduced herself with her aspirations formally yet, has she? Still grinning at Kyra and Nero, the younger sibling rests the polearm against her shoulder and rests her free hand on her hip. "Nice to meet you, too! This should be a good fight. Once we're done here, you want-... Uh?"

     Quieting down as Momoyo starts to speak, she leans at her sister's hand while listening intently. A look of genuine surprise crosses her face once the reason behind this whole thing is made clear, though, and she looks back towards her opponents again.

     The one that fought her sister to a draw. The one supporting that fighter. This was why Momoyo wanted her support in this fight. This test would be her best opportunity to prove herself. That confidence in Kazuko's eyes never wavers even though the grin disappears, and she wastes little time in removing the training weights from her wrists and ankles, then setting them at the side of the ring.

     All that's left to do is wait for their response.

Kyra Hyral (626) has posed:
    "Whoah whoah whoah." Kyra starts waving her hands. "Wait a second, wait just one damn second. Are you telling me this fight is just something to vet your sister against for your ridiculous dojo standards? Really? No, no Momoyo, I'm calling you to the carpet for that shitty behavior of yours towards me, and I'm doing it /right now/. I will not be a pushover for some knuckle-brained monk types and I will /not/ be used as some kind of sharpening tool for your sister's claws!"

    Furious, Kyra holds a hand out towards Nero and murmurs, first dropping a damage-reducing Protect spell on her Servant. She follows that up with a spell called Bravery, which increases attack damage. Then, after that, she casts Blink, an evasion-increasing spell that makes the target flicker in and out of existance.

    She places a hand to her chest and murmurs even more words of incantation, ending in "Stoneskin." Her already pale skin seems to flicker even paler for a brief moment, taking on the look of chiseled marble.

    "Come on." she growls angrily.

Nero (880) has posed:
     "......"

     Nero closed her eyes, calmly thinking on Momoyo's words, even as Kyra exploded beside her. Another simple battle made complicated by the machinations and emotions of the human condition. She would have sighed, but...no, this was fine. This would do for now.

     "Very well, Lady Kawakami." The Roman Emperor opened her eyes slowly, leveling a gaze at Momoyo, and then Kazuko. "When such intent is expressed with that level of meaning, it surely would be remiss of me to refuse this request."

     Finally, Nero's hands left the pommel of her blade, gripping the handle and removing it from the ground. "However, it seems that my Praetor has other ideas." She smirked as Kyra's empowering spells cascaded over her. "I will test your sister, as you request. But it seems that my Praetor still has business with you."

     This sounds like a bad idea. Facing Kazuko, and leaving Kyra with Momoyo, that was. But things would work out. If the Emperor willed it, then that would be the case. "And now. With our destinies decided...!" The Servant spread her stance, and gathered Prana into her body. Streams of blueish white magic particles permeated through the air rapidly, before vanishing into Nero.

     And with a stomp to the ground, she launched forward like a bullet towards Kazuko, Aestus Estus reared back. Once in range, she let loose a furious horizonal slash aimed for the torso, powered by her Master's buffing spells.

Momoyo Kawakami (928) has posed:
     There was nothing for it but to leave Kazuko to the wolves, now. While the vanguards of the match would inevitably square off as they felt their charges were being overwhelmed... the stars of this match were inevitably Kyra and Kazuko. How each handled support for Momoyo and Nero would determine the true winner of this brawl, but also the injustices argued about before.

    Momoyo was no longer listening to Kyra, and respectfully she needed to let the buffed Nero have the first attack. Nero being herself would inevitably step in when Momoyo finally overwhelmed Kyra... but both were moving at the speed of teleportation practically. Distance in the arena barely mattered relative to proper communication.

    Stepping off to the side far enough to keep line of sight on Kyra, her fingers pointed into the air. Shooting a ball of aura over the arena, bits of ki shrapnel started to shower down... a much bigger problem for the softies but inevitably a partial distraction for Nero as well. Naturally, her next step was similar to Nero's... a dash forward and a straight punch where Kyra was standing. There was no technique used yet, because she didn't feel she needed it. It would give away her game after all, and Kyra needed to become target practice for a short while. Still, she barrelled down on the buffed white mage with murderous intent.

Taylita (180) has posed:
     Taylita's eyes widen a bit as she listens to the stakes of the contest. That seems pretty drastic to her! Even if Kazuko doesn't die, she might felt like she has if she loses this fight. And as an adopted child herself, she can't imagine if her adopted family were to disown her simply because she lost a fight. Under the circumstances, she feels like she has no choice but to cheer for Kazuko.

Kazuko Kawakami (942) has posed:
     The test had barely started, and things were already heating up! Between Kyra's rage and Nero's acceptance, Kazuko's certainly looking excited with how things are going. "Don't hold back now!" She gives her naginata a quick flick up to hold it ready, observing Kyra's buffing magic and Nero's... Ki manipulation? No, it's definitely something different. Whatever it is, it looks as if the combatants are decided!

     As Nero shoots towards her, Kazuko too steps forward to meet the Emperor head on! Not literally, though, since it appears as though this battle will be decided by speed rather than a direct bashing of heads, and that's just how she likes it. Weaving around that shrapnel of energy coming down from Momoyo's shot, she drops into a sudden crouch, narrowly avoiding Nero's powerful swing by a hair. As she rises, she opts for vertical slash with her own weapon aimed at Nero while backing up some, trying to keep her within the polearm's optimal range.

Kyra Hyral (626) has posed:
    She wasn't even listening, Kyra realizes, halfway through her yelling. It only made her angrier. It was too unfair to her, big stupid muscle-bound frontliners just being able to smack support like her around. And what else could she do to fight back besides passive aggression and maybe judicious use of explosives? Her only consolation was that she couldn't actually die in the ring of philosophy and that she had some /damn/ good painkillers on her to use later.

    Kyra seems to be ready to handle ranged attacks. She lets her rifle drop, dangling by the strap, to quick cast a Reflect spell over herself, deflecting and slowing the ki blasts enough that she could dodge them. She moves just at normal person speed, which seems pretty glacial compared to the other three opponents in the arena. Momoyo will find that punching into Kyra will work, but it will also be a lot like hitting a wall of stone with her fist.

    (Though Kyra would not be surprised if that was a thing that Momoyo actually did.)

    Still, the result is that Kyra doesn't fold with one well-placed punch. She does exhale loudly before she grabs one of the syringes on her bandolier and stabs it towards Momoyo. It's contents is a bacteria not seen in the Ring before, most likely since most Unionites didn't use biological warfare. This one is her own engineered version of a shigella strain, made to induce fast-acting fever and nausea.

Nero (880) has posed:
     And the two vanguard speed right past each other to attack their opponent's supporters. Nero trusted that Kyra would be fine for a few paces. That was plenty time to give the Kawakami sister a good testing herself. And that would be exactly what the Servant would do.

     Weaving through the mildly annoying energy shower caused by Momoyo, Nero found her opening swing narrowly dodged by Kazuko. Hmph. As expected of a Lancer-Class Ser- I mean, just a lance user. But Nero would not give up this position. She could already see what the younger sister planned to do.

     Use the range of her weapon to keep the Emperor at bay? A basic, effective strategy. ...If the opponent were a typical one. Nero was not a typical opponent. "Elementary." Nero muttered with a smirk. And with a simple tilt of the head aside, Kazuko's thrust grazes past the Servant's cheek, drawing blood and taking off a few strands of hair.

     ...And Nero pressed right on forward, letting loose an uppercut slash to throw the naginata off course, and then a second, overhead slash aimed to smash right into the spot the girl was occupying. Nero was making good on her promise. She was fighting as if she intended to kill Kazuko.

     Of course, the ring wouldn't let that happen, but nonetheless.

Momoyo Kawakami (928) has posed:
     Her next followup hit was coming, as Momoyo's punch would only bruise Kyra, the effectiveness of the Stone Skin spell itself evident against a woman who could tear tanks apart with her bare hands.

    Her followup strike comes in of course... Kyra's only hint as to what Momoyo was going to try to do was her dual open hands toward her head... but the syringe forced Momoyo to react. With her momentum, she couldn't just dodge the syringe at this range...

    "Kawakami Style: Forehead Flick!"

    With a small barely heard 'clink' the syringe ricocheted away... thankfully stuck in the simulated wall since it was too tough to just shatter with some tumbling. Momoyo glances toward the syringe... and back toward her opponent. "Rrrrh!" she didn't have time to think about the purpose of the syringe now, she new damn well how Wanko was stuck entirely on defense against Nero.

    "Musou Seikenzuki!!!"

    She snarls, as her cannonfire punch sets about decking Kyra away. She would have to try for another opening...

    ...because, initially, Momoyo had meant to box her ears, not only to disrupt communication in an extremely painful fashion that would immediately draw Nero's attention, but potentially cause problems with further verbal-somatic spellcasting. The simplest counter.

Kazuko Kawakami (942) has posed:
     Even if the fight might be skewed against her with having to handle Nero, Kazuko's still confident that she can at least keep up with her long enough for the fight to swing into their favor. There's a very brief grin when her slash draws first blood (however minor it is), although that momentary distraction from Nero's comment is enough for the Servant to knock her naginata off course, the bladed end swinging up and over her head.

     "Keh..! You're fast!" Her body reacts almost immediately as she sees that sword coming right down for her, using the momentum of her own weapon falling behind her to swing herself around it and narrowly avoiding getting cut in half. It does still graze her arm, however, drawing blood and a sharp hiss of pain from the younger Kawakami.

     Instead of going on the offensive again, however, she shifts her stance to a more defensive one, using more cautious horizontal swipes at Nero's legs to, once again, try and keep the Emperor at bay. Even if she can't beat her in straight fight, she can still try to keep her from turning the fight into a two-on-one!

Kyra Hyral (626) has posed:
    "Damnit!" Kyra swears, her first syringe disposed of. She had plenty more where that came from but it's obvious that she's not going to get it past Momoyo unless she came at a flank or from behind. That was a problem in and of itself especially now that she was already in close quarters with the martial artist. Based on her previous fight with Audrey, she knows this is a pretty bad place to be.

    Which is why when the next strike lands, she goes with it, allowing it to launch her across the arena with little protest. She's pretty lightweight so she soars easily but seems to hit the ground in a way that minimizes getting really hurt-in particular, she tucks her chin in so she doesn't bang her head on the ground. As she picks herself up, Kyra swings her rifle around and starts unloading rounds. When Momoyo inevitably catches the 'bullets', she'll discover these are all darts, each with liquid resevoirs attached to them baring a purple substance.

Nero (880) has posed:
     This girl was fast. Fast enough to get out of the way of her strikes. Aestus Estus smashes into the ground, kicking up debris before she swiftly lifted the blade and followed Kazuko's movements...

     Nero narrowed her eyes and pressed forward again, weaving in and out of her opponents defensive strikes, and she smirked. "Hmph! Buying time, is it? Another elementary tactic. But not a necessarily bad one." A step back, and a swing from Kazuko's spear scraped the ground where her leg once was. And then she crouched low.

     Prana gathered once again and Nero leapt upwards. She sailed above the younger Kawakami, sword bursting into flame upon her descent. In that moment, the Servant took a moment give the other side of the battle a glance. Kyra was on the defensive, as expected. But Nero figured she would be good for at least one more pass. Then it would be time to engage her real opponent.

     That in mind, the Roman Emperor tucked forward, flipping in the air before lashing downward with a flaming, helm splitting slash aimed right for the top of Kazuko's pretty little head.

Momoyo Kawakami (928) has posed:
     "Kawakami Style: Burst Hurricane!!"

    A sudden tornado of wind gusted out around Momoyo to deal with the long-range rifle fire. She could block the hits, but Kyra was far enough away that...

    ...she could see the flame out of the corner of her eye. That was her cue. Kyra was not open, but she was more likely to be so if Nero was under attack. Ordinarily she wouldn't do this... but her sister's dream was on the line.

    Momoyo darts off just in time for the second half of Kyra's burst fire to sail past where she stood. For the time being Kyra was left unmolested. Instead, she took advantage of this precious moment to try and grapple Nero's ankles together from the back, slightly to the side. "Snowman!!" It was Momoyo's attempt to limit Nero's mobility just enough for Kazuko to not get crushed by the Haste and Blink... but she did not have time to stay and completely destroy the buffed fighter. That's if she could even get in and attack before Nero reacted... and Kyra would eventually cure the problem if left alone.

Kazuko Kawakami (942) has posed:
     Although Kazuko can't spare any time to actually watch how Momoyo and Kyra are doing, she can certainly hear Kyra's shout well enough. If she can just keep this up against Nero, then her dream will become reality! It's still a very big if, though, and with the way the fight's going, she can only hope that her sister can remove Nero's support from the fight faster than Nero can remove her.

     "Even the basics are important! And if it works, then I'll do it!" Smirking back at the Servant, Kazuko utters a quick kiai as she takes that swing and a miss at Nero's legs, her eyes following her up in that majestic jump. Perhaps as expected, Kazuko backs up rapidly even before she comes back down. While maintaining her distance, she starts to spin the naginata in her hands rapidly, her own ki starting to flow into the weapon as if charging it up with each spin.

     As if using Momoyo's attempt to freeze Nero's feet together as a cue, the younger Kawakami resumes her approach shortly after the descent. She moves in a little too soon, however, and there's an awkward pause as she's forced to jerk herself sideways just to avoid taking that slash right on her head. Even without taking it head-on, though, the flames from the falling blade still sear her back and draw a painful yelp from the girl, the smell of burning flesh wafting into the air.

     "K... Kawakami Style... Daisharin!"

     Gritting her teeth through the pain, Kazuko spins herself around once before aiming a massive horizontal swing at Nero with the naginata, practically aiming to cleave it right through her rather than just cutting her like with her previous attacks.

Kyra Hyral (626) has posed:
    Another seething noise comes out of Kyra at this. Damnit, everything was just being /countered/ so far. Fighting on her own terms just wasn't working.

    She's a little surprised when Momoyo peels off to attack Nero. Part of her is a little insulted since it probably meant she wasn't a good /enough/ fight. She watches as Momoyo tries to weigh down Nero by grabbing onto her. Now she could straight up help Nero but she'd already buffed her up enough. No, instead she takes aim with her rifle again from afar, firing off the rest of those poisonous rounds into Momoyo. So instead of focusing on healing herself or replacing the stoneskin, she tries to take advantage of the lack of pressure on her to try and get a better shot at nailing Momoyo with a status effect.

Nero (880) has posed:
     This was it. The time to strike this child down and then take care of Momoy-whuh?

     Nero found her ankles grabbed and she swerved aside slightly. Her flaming strike grazed Kazuko, but she was in no position to dodge the counter technique! All she could do at this moment... was defend. And so she did just that.

     Aestus Estus was pulled back after it's swing and impact was made. Between the two Kawakamis. Nero was blown back across the arena, in Kyra's direction. She tucked in mid-air and landed roughly on her feet, blade embedded into the ground as she skid back a ways, still she was near her Master and slightly ahead.

     Prana gathered again as the Roman Emperor straightened up, this time, coming in as red particles and evolving into plumes of flame across her body. "Mhmhmhm...! Ah ha ha ha ha!" And after a short, personal exchange with Kyra, one, which only they heard, Nero burst out laughing for some reason!

     "Kawakami Sisters, I commend you! For this will be the first time since my summoning, that I have used this technique seriously!" And then Aestus Estus was lifted, gripped with both hands and raised in front of the Servant. Flames burst to life across the weapon. "Behold my glory! Hear the thunderous applause! Sit down and praise..." She spun the red and black sword, turning it downwards to the ground. And then with a single thrust, she embedded it right into the surface of the arena.

     "...My Golden Theater!"

     And with that, Nero turned her blade. With the sound of a key unlocking a door, light streamed forth from the ground, breaking it apart at the conceptual level as fragments of earth rose up all around. The light grew more and more intense until it enveloped everything! And on it faded...

     ...What replaced the scenery of the ring was now a glorious Golden Theater of old. The arena was now a stage, and Nero, her previous combat attire altered. An extravagant golden gauntlet and cape adorned her right arm up to the shoulder, and she wore a confident smirk on her face.

     "Kingdom of Heaven and Hell! My heaven, reconstructed! This is where the limelight shines!"

     This is it. Her ultimate skill. Her Noble Phantasm, Aestus Domus Aurea. Thw Golden Theater. And it was here, that she was in full control of her surroundings. This was her domain. "Now, Kawakami Sisters...the time as come!"

     Nero raised Aestus Estus before her, smirking with supreme confidence. "My ultimate sword technique!" Flames surged forth from all around, creating a storm of flame that radiated around the Servant.

     "Fax Caelestus!"

     And then Nero was gone. Vanished. Did she teleport!? No, right before the two sisters, the Roman Emperor came in like a red streak, and without stopping, she gracefully dashed right past the two before coming to a complete stop. "......." Nero straightened up, and at that moment, a hugely delayed slash followed, exploding with a huge blast of pyrotechnics across the immediate area!

Momoyo Kawakami (928) has posed:
    With little choice, she quickly waves her arms in a blur, taking in the rounds flying her direct. "Tch!" she murmurs, staggering a moment as the poison takes hold. But then, the eyes of that murderous beast are given a treat...

    as the Ring of Philosophy fades into Nero's theatre. Both Kazuko and Momoyo were treated to an attack that could only be performed by a foe on the order of a God... a Reality Marble.

    "WANKO!!!" She tackles her sister and her naginata to the ground... the massive explosion carving into her body as both sisters are buried in flame, Momoyo taking the brunt of the atta<span style="color:k!

    cxterm93">"Restoration..."</span> she murmurs. The shells clatter to the ground from her arms, as she uses a large amount of ki to heal her body... but given the way Restoration works, her heartrate is increased. That intensified the nauseating effect of the poison, her eyelids drooping. Until her adrenaline and heartrate did the work, her accuracy and power was going to be a problem.

    She really did choose the appropriate test for this. But if they were in this theatre, there was only one way to win... make sure to focus the mind and try to resist the illusion. She didn't have time to tell Wanko this.

    "Turning my back on a lit-up town, the path I shall follow is an endless wasteland... there are no miracles, nor no signs. Only the night extends before me." She murmured this, but because of the effects of Fax Caelestus, her every word echoed throughout the chamber. She left the remainder of the saying to Kazuko, as her hands quickly moved.

    "Kawakami Style: HOSHI KUDAI!!!"

    She had to aim the blast such that Nero and Kyra were in the same line, it was the only way to create an opening for Wanko to move... and choose the right opponent. Therefore, she spoke the final part of the quote to keep her sister focused, while she finishes the last half.

     "PUSH, FORWARD!!!"

Kazuko Kawakami (942) has posed:
     Bracing herself with the naginata for a moment, Kazuko takes a moment just to fight through the pain spreading across her back. The back of her jacket (or at least the parts that haven't been disintegrated already) is a pure black in color, and the exposed flesh is similar charred from those intense flames. To make matters worse, it appears as though her strongest technique isn't even enough to harm Nero!

     "Even stronger than...?" Her eyes dart about as the entire ring itself changes into some sort of theater, and her gaze falls on Nero's sudden costume change and that flaming blade... No, the flames surrounding Nero entirely. Before she can even attempt to process what's coming towards her, however, she goes down with Momoyo with a horrified look on her face.

     "Sis! You..." Even with that Restoration technique, she knows that there's even a limit to what Momoyo can handle. By the time her sister gets up and starts to recite the Kawakami Soul, there's a distinctly different fire surrounding her eyes.

     Kazuko's not happy. She's not happy at all.

     "I feed on the unwavering spirit, and forge my way through the dark journey. PUSH FORWARD!" And yet, she's still able to speak calmly and clearly in following with her sister. Picking up her naginata once more, she grips it tightly with both hands with blood running down the shaft, and she charges forth while using Momoyo's blast as cover.

     Instead of going for Nero, however, her target is... Kyra? She knows she's no match for Nero in her current state, but if she can just get to the White Mage in time...

     "Kawakami Style, Mozu-otoshi!"

     ... She might still have a chance. Instead of thrusting or swinging the naginata, however, she's trying to close the distance in order to get behind Kyra with her arms around her waist. And if she can manage that? It's time for a jumping German Suplex!

Kyra Hyral (626) has posed:
    As Kyra fires, a request comes to her direct from her Servant. It was a simple request that demanded a good deal of MP investment from her but despite that, Kyra is more than willing to grant it against this murderous duo. "Go ahead, do it." she whispers, letting her rifle drop again so it can dangle by the strap around her shoulder. She squints a little, thinking she saw at least one of those darts hit, before slipping around the arena, running quickly so she can put herself behind Nero. The reality marble takes hold though Kyra herself remains unchanged by the scenery. It's easy for Momoyo to see, via her aura-sensing powers, that loads of energy has left Kyra to power this alternate reality. In fact, it'd be safe to say that at least half of it has been consumed by Nero's Noble Phantasm. She stands way out of dodge, right up against the arena wall, downing a hipotion taken from one of her bandoliers.

    There's a ghost of a grin on her face as she watches Nero, akin to that of a proud parent. Her grin widens as she sees Momoyo jump into the way of the attack to take it entirely on behalf of her sister. She doesn't cheer, though, the white mage remaining oddly silent. She might be trying to disappear into the wall at this point-and for good reason. Much to her dismay, both of the sisters are still intact.

    White mages are not really known for their strength, it's more for utility. Still, they did have one thing in their arsenal that could hurt. Sometimes. (Not if you were a Lancer, though.) "NERO! MOVE!" Kyra barks out suddenly, her hands spread out, spellcircles dancing out in front of them slightly reminiscent of TSAB agents and their devices. She seems completely okay with the Hoshi Kudai coming right at her because she has a Holy spell incoming to meet it and clash against it. Typically she casts them vertically on her targets and not horizontally but this way seemed the only way to be able to meet the blast. For Kyra, it works-she's able to commit to the holy and stop the opposing blast, resulting in a big explosion in the center of the arena where she meets.

    Unfortunately, she can't do that and protect her back. Kazuko grabs her around the waist and Kyra shrieks, kicking her legs backwards at Kazuko. There's nothing she can do to stop her at this point and she's driven right into the ground.

    Kyra does not get up afterwards.

Nero (880) has posed:
     Nero turned around and regarded to two. Momoyo took the brunt of the attack for Kazuko. A good call. That technique would likely have ended the poor girl. But now there was another problem. While her Noble Phantasm was still active, the fact that these two were still standing, albeit barely, left their options limited. Deploying this alternate reality drained a ton of MP, as Kyra would definitely have felt. Despite this, the Servant does not change her tactics. She remains in position, sword raised to intercept Momoyo's launched technique.

     ...At least, until she heard 'NERO, MOVE!'

     As if on instinct, she dashed sideways, out of the way of the technique, watching as both blasts crashed into each other, struggling back and forth for several instances, until both forces simply exploded.

     But Nero saw a shadow pass by her in that explosion, "No!" She turned in that direction, hearing Kyra's shriek soon after, and then an impact. "......." Once the smoke cleared, there was Kyra, crumpled over after that suplex, and Kazuko before her. There was stark silence as the Roman Emperor regarded her fallen Master. "....Ha....Haha......Hahaha...Ah ha ha ha ha ha!"

     And without restraint, Nero let loose an uproarious round of laughter. "Kawakami Sisters...you have just made your final mistake." She muttered, a dark grin forming on her face. Lowering her head and gripping Aestus Estus, Prana gathered once again. The final trump card that she was saving. Saving for the right moment. This was not the right moment, but it would do.

     "Invictus Spiritus."

     An aura flared up all around her, and then she set her sights firmly on Kazuko. Nero smiled an unsettling smile.

     And then she vanished.

     In a flash, she appeared before the younger Kawakami, bringing blade to bear as she aimed to simply bat the girl straight into an arena wall. With all of her boosted strength, all of her speed, all of her reflexes. All aimed into this single moment.

     Revenge was in order.

Momoyo Kawakami (928) has posed:
     Momoyo couldn't move fast enough. Even if Nero was ignoring her, there was no possible way she could cover enough ground before that technique hit.

    But if she could ensure Nero would make an even dumber mistake... no, it was impossible in this reality.

    She was the strongest... it was a theatre. She simply had to make it a good performance, right? There was no logic here, she knew her sister was done for... but she was about to watch her get literally cleaved in half, only held together forcibly by the Ring preventing injury.

    So she hopelessly rushed in. Even as dazed as she was, the inhuman monster Momoyo set aside her feelings about her sister being 'executed' and prepared her blow for the back of Nero's head, hovering in the air behind her a foot off the ground.

    "Kawakami Style: Fuji Smasher."

    Her attack came out as fast as Nero's, faster than her usual ones. But it may not be enough in the Globe Theatre.

Kazuko Kawakami (942) has posed:
     Even though Kyra might not be a close-range specialist, the fact that Kazuko's more of a speed-type rather than a power-type means that those kicks still hurt! Between having her shins bashed in and her already-scorched back slamming directly on ground with that maneuver, she's not in much better condition than her target. "That's... One!"

     There's a high pitched whine coming from the younger Kawakami sister as she pries herself off the ground, quite literally peeling herself off the ground. Those burns are really taking their toll on her, and she nearly falls over just trying to get back up. She can still see what's going on, at least, and what she sees... Isn't very good.

     Nero's pissed. Perfect. Even with as burnt and battered as she is, though, Kazuko's not ready to give up yet! Brandishing her naginata again, she braces it in front of her as the Servant faces her and... Disappears?

     How does someone just disappear like that? Just how fast is this servant? Too fast, apparently, as she's caught off-guard by the Emperor's sudden appearance in front of her. She can only manage a clumsy swing downwards with the handle before noticing that Nero, her sister, and the rest of the arena are quickly getting smaller while feeling her back slam into something and sinking into it.

     On the plus side, at least she's embedded in the wall and unconscious rather than falling off of it. She'd probably be screaming more if she that happened. One thing's for sure, though: Kazuko is not waking up any time soon.

Nero (880) has posed:
     The chain events followed as such:

     Nero made impact with Kazuko, and sent her flying into a wall of the theater. She wasn't coming back.

     Momoyo's Fuji Smasher made impact with the back of Nero's head.

     Nero collapsed to the ground, seemingly unconscious.

     .......

     This was it. The battle was won. This is how it ended. The Kawakami sisters have grasped victory once agai- No.

     Whether or not Momoyo let her guard down in those moments, there was a flash of light, and a roar of flame. Nero was back on her feet, and with a determined look, she dove right for her remaining opponent. The final skill. The last attack she would muster before this world crumbled and the ring took it's place again.

     "Laus Saint Claudius!"

     Aestus Estus exploded, and torrents of flame spilled out of the weapon. With one final stroke, the Servant let loose a heavy horizontal slash against Momoyo, unleashing everything she had left against the girl.

     This was it.

     The final moment.

Momoyo Kawakami (928) has posed:
     Dropping to her knees, Momoyo was glad Kazuko wasn't conscious enough to see this.

    Blood spilled out her midsection... thankfully not deep enough to be gory, but were it not for the Ring, Momoyo would have bled out.

    It was a testament to her raw stamina that she could still stay on her elbows, but the match was clearly lost. She used too much aura just to get her sister in for that one attack... and had to heal through Nero's most destructive blows.

     At that point, the Ring called the fight itself, Momoyo didn't even have to pass out. It was obvious she couldn't continue, but there was a sudden shudder as all the wounds were restored. Once Kyra and Kazuko woke up, they would be in pristine state, like they'd had a bad dream.

    Momoyo finally turned, her head to Nero over her shoulder, though she was quite satisfied... if broken-hearted. There were actually tears in the corner of her eyes... tears she didn't want the two sleeping girls to see.

    "I knew she couldn't. But it was time. I had to say something to her eventually, Nero." she murmurs.

    "I sent her to the Union... but she doesn't have the talent to support me even if she's a strong martial artist in her own right."

    Her fist punches the ground. She had only briefly sought comfort from her rival, as she looked at the two knocked out figures.

Nero (880) has posed:
     Nero panted and lowered her sword. This was it. This was the result of this test?

     The ring ended the match there, and Nero's world crumbled away, returning them all to reality. Momoyo's confession is met with an even look. "......" And then she took several steps forward, Aestus Estus vanishing from her grasp. "Your sister is a strong combatant. But she lacks the spark that you possess." She started calmly, looking towards Kazuko's direction.

     "I can tell that she has worked hard to attain the skills she currently has, but she is lacking something. Something that will make her great." There was a short sigh and a shake of the head. "However, these Myriad Universes are vast. I am most certain that your sister will find it in herself to attain greater skill and strength on her own terms. Sometime into the future."

     A hand is offered to Momoyo to allow her to stand. "Whether or not she attains her dreams, is up to her own determination. However... as her sister, I believe you have done all that you can. The rest lies with her."

Kazuko Kawakami (942) has posed:
     Kazuko actually looks rather calm and even serend by the time the fight ends, largely due to being unconscious. Thankfully, the Ring's healed her wounds and extracted her from the wall, but she's probably better off staying asleep for now.

     Unfortunately for her, she's waking up. Groaning lightly as her eyes flutter open, the younger sibling glances around slowly before jerking up into a sitting position. "Ah! Wha... Uh. Is the fight over already?" She glances from Kyra to Nero and finally to Momoyo, an excited smile crossing her face.

     "Hah... We did it, right? We won?"

Momoyo Kawakami (928) has posed:
     Momoyo shakes her head. Like she suspected, Nero could tell the exact circumstances of the test without needing to be bogged down with the details of the samurai lore.

    "My cute sister." she mumbles... curling her arms around the smaller blonde to give her a hug. It was clear as day, at that moment, that Kazuko was a pillar of Momoyo's mental stability, beyond just their familial bond.

    Her voice ceases breaking as she wipes away her tears. "I have to get her back to the Dojo and report to grandpa." she murmurs.

    Kazuko could see Momoyo separating from... a hug with Nero. She had to let Nero attend to Kyra's mental state as well after all. She moves over to Kazuko, giving her hair a slow stroke. Pressing her sister's cheek to her bust, she sighs slowly... regaining her composure rather than answering immediately. No doubt causing that sickening feeling in the pit of one's stomach.

    "Wanko... it's not that you're weak... it's that Nero and I are too strong. You did fantastic, all your hard work... was magnificent." she replies gently, continuing to give comforting pats to her head. "But you have to listen to me."She glances down at her adopted sister, with the kindliest smile she can manage.

     "...You have no talent for this. You're a fine martial artist. But you will never be an Assistant Master."

Taylita (180) has posed:
     Even Taylita's heart sinks as she sees that Kazuka and Momoyo lost their battle. Even more when she sees Momoyo's face, and even -more- when Kazuko wakes up and cheerfully asks if they won. As one who is well-trained and talented herself, she can only imagine what Kazuko will feel when she hears Momoyo.

     Taylita feels like she should say something, but this is not her fight or her life. Anything she said would only be out of place and unwelcome. So, she just stays quiet and watches, arms crossed over her chest and a dissatisfied frown on her face.

Kazuko Kawakami (942) has posed:
     Why did Momoyo hug Nero? The swordswoman couldn't have taken the loss that badly, could she? Kazuko's confusion is only amplified when she's pulled in by her sister, humming lightly at the contact and praise. "Ehe.. Yeah, I've still got a lot to learn before I catch up with..."

     Wait. Something's wrong here. Why is her tone so serious? "S.. Sis? What do you...?" The pieces finally start fitting into place. That serious tone, waking up instead of standing victorious, what Momoyo's just said...

     "... No. No, that's... I just need to work harder. If I keep working, I can make it eventually!" There's a slight panic in her voice as she says that, but something in her tone indicates that she's already aware of what happened.

Momoyo Kawakami (928) has posed:
     She pulls her arms around Kazuko to hug her tightly... but also to prevent her from running away. "It's over, Wanko." she whispers in her ear, softly. "You and I were in peak physical condition. But... you only grazed a Knight, and surprised someone who had already fulfilled her role in combat. The test was like a dream. And you did fantastic." It was a tight bear hug. If she let Kazuko go after this news, she'd probably never find her even with help.

    "You must choose another path, Wanko. You are still powerful... even the Union accepted you to unify the Multiverse and let our Dojo have more challengers and students... but that was your chance. Your goal is impossible." she murmurs, rocking her back and forth. It was probably the one glimpse of tenderness Kyra had seen Momoyo give at all, even.

Kazuko Kawakami (942) has posed:
     Kazuko's face appears numb with shock as Momoyo continues, going limp in her hold despite her usual boundless energy. "R.. Right! I.. Still got a couple of good hits in.. Right?" Although there's the faintest glimmer of hope in her voice, it's clear that it's rapidly being crushed, and it's only getting worse as she looks up at her sister's eyes.

     "... But I couldn't pass. I heard back in elementary school that you can achieve your dream if you try. I wanted to be like you, and I worked hard, but... That was just a lie, then." Oddly enough, she actually laughs before letting her head slump forward again. "Ehe... I guess I don't have that much talent. I'm not a... Real daughter of the temple, so that's... I guess that's to be expected. I couldn't..."

     She starts tearing up, digging her head further against Momoyo before trying to shove her away. "L... Let go. Leave me alone!" Regardless of what she does do, however, Kazuko starts sobbing uncontrollably.