1613/A Phantom Thief learning to copy a Phantom

A Phantom Thief learning to copy a Phantom
Date of Scene:	15 March 2024
Location:	Kokyo Gaien National Garden
Synopsis:	While trying to capture Cure Seismic, Phantom is interrupted by the Princess of Sarek, who staves him off from taking the Cure captive, but Veronica manages to capture Phantom's image to create a new disguise: the Phantom of the Night.
Cast of Characters:	Phantom, Veronica Perenna

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Phantom has posed:
Strolling through the Kokyo Gaien National Garden is an appropriately grand way to approach the Imperial Palace. The knotty black pine trees, imposing statue of samurai warrior Kusunoki Masashige, and views of the famous Nijubashi Bridge are just a few highlights of the park's spacious grounds. A large bronze statue stands in the middle of the garden of over 2000 knotty pines trees. It's a picturesque and beautiful landscape. And at the moment, the scene of a battle.

"Earth.... shaker!" Cure Seismic calls out as she sends out a wave through the ground, knocking Phantom backwards. A leap and a landing as he slides backwards and he grunts.

"That the best you got?" he asks, a disapproving frown. "You Precures are getting easier and easier to take."

Veronica Perenna has posed:
It's almost a shame that such a beautiful landscape be witness to such a ruinous battle. Surely there are those that would like to have a say in opposing this cruel endeavour the man called Phantom seeks to inflict on Cure Seismic.

And just as the Precure Hunter finishes talking, a card darts from above him, stabbing the ground and being left standing there. If Phantom takes the time to look at it, he might feel a mild confusion settle into his heart, though it's a spell meant to work on civilians, so it's as easy to shrug off as a cobweb.

"Take?" a female voice speaks with disdain up from above the roof of a nearby building, a crescent moon coincidentally visible behind the figure speaking. "How cruel must be your heart for seeking to treat people as casually as merchandise. Permit me to join the fight as well", she smiles, leaping down and bowing towards Cure Seismic. "The Princess of Sarek, honoured to fight at your side."

Phantom has posed:
The first thing that Sarek will learn when she joins in the fight is that it was near twilight outside. But now that she has joined - it's much darker, the barrier created by Phantom is part of the illusion and confusion. There are large amethysts jutting from the ground, and a thin fog that lets things be more... muddled.

The card lands in front of him, and Phantom pauses for just a moment for Cure Seismic to see an opening. "Yeah, well, it's time to rock your world!" she calls out as she calls up a pair of powerful gauntlets and she leaps towards Phantom. As she swings down, instead of colliding with him, Phantom's blade is in the way, his hand bracing it as he absorbs the punch.

And there's a flat look on his face. "You should chose your final words more carefully." he warns as he leaps back again as the Princess of Sarek arrives as well. "There is plenty of room for you both in the graveyard." he intones darkly.

But now that there's a pair of them, Phantom decides to introduce his own partner. "Let the furture reflected in the mirror turn terrible!" With that, a pair of Kindabads appear. "Go introduce yourselves to the Princess." he grunts, as the pair of them rush towards Sarek.

Leaving Phantom to deal with Seismic.

Veronica Perenna has posed:
"Oh, dear, oh, dear, only 2 of these?", the Princess of Sarek smiles in a bit of a condescending tone, effortlessly dodging the Kindabads. She would be a bit confused too. Kindabads appear at many dozens and largely fail to accomplish anything then. 2 are barely even a leaf in the wind. "Pardon me", she says, rushing through them a hit of her cane on the first one's knees and another on the second one's nape.

"Chemist guy, could you please retreat and rethink your approach? A graveyard is a rather boring second date. You had such a good start with picking the Kokyo Gaien National Garden. Such a waste of chemistry", the Princess teases Phantom, a swing from her cane forming a wall of moonlight in front of Seismic, offering protection from Phantom's attack.

Phantom has posed:
It's a good thing that Sarek created that wall, because as the Kindabads are attacking her - Phantom unleashes red lightning that races out in four streaks towards Seismic. They slam into the moonlight and tolerate the first blast, but that shield will probably not take another hit were Phantom to unleash one. He's no longer talking. He's focused on the battle.

The kindabads are struck by the Princess, the one hit the knees going down, while the one struck in the nape stumbles. And as they are hit? They split. Where there was two kindabads, there is now four, as they rush towards the Princess, looking to try to overwhelm her with a flurry of punches and kicks. Fortunately for her there is plenty of high ground here.

Phantom glances towards Sarek for a moment, gauging the Princess and her skills, before he moves forward, charging towards her as if he's about to strike at her...

Only for the last second to disappear into a coffin-shaped portal, just to pop out near Seismic and his sword drives towards her back. "Surprise."

Veronica Perenna has posed:
"Looks like you guys really value your teamworks", Veronica quips when the Kindabads split, completely unconcerned with the sudden development, elegantly fluttering about as she dodges the first Kindabad and meets it with a hit of her cane right on the face. With the second and third ones coming towards her, a ray of moonlight gets out of the small sphere the cat-handle is holding, heading right for the latter's chest, while the former's punches are met with the Princess' own, that overpower him and send him falling right towards the fourth.

"How are you holding up?", the Princess asks to her ally for the fight, the ominous red streaks having left a really strong impact on the prismatic wall. This guy certainly means business. "Head off", she tells Phantom more seriously. "I won't let you claim a single hair off her head", she sighs.

Phantom has posed:
The moonbeam blaster seems to do the trick, as two of the kindabads are dispersed into dust. But as Sarek fights with the third and fourth, they once again are preparing to multiply! However, she does have a clue to their weakness now, since Phantom has created these kindabads out of nothingness and dark magic and not using captured people. Which makes them numerous and weak.

As another shield comes up, Phantom pierces this one, shattering it, and it forces Seismic to fall back towards Sarek. "This creep's really digging on me, but I won't cave to him!" Are you sure you really want to save her, Sarek? So many puns.

But since Sarek seems so intent on protecting this cure, he brings up his bracer and it starts to glow. "Then if you're her chosen protector..." he smiles slightly. "I wonder what you'll look like in the mirror... ETERNAL GAUGE!."

Sarek is left with a choice at the ribbons lash out towards Seismic. Does she try to save Seismic and perhaps be caught herself... or will she let Seismic become mirrored?

Veronica Perenna has posed:
Why wouldn't Veronica want to? Puns are fun, and Seismic's are no exception. "I'm with you. What's-his-name here really needs to coal down", replies in kind. "How I look in the mirror? I wouldn't say I am the fairest of them all, but I am pretty sure I am up there?" Look, she didn't start it.

As much as she could continue toying with the kindabads, the situation really to be kept in check. So the Princess just dances around until they are all together in a single group and then sends the beam of moonlight at them.

Of course she isn't going to ignore Phantom's ominously red attack. The Eternal Gauge has all the vibes of something that shouldn't be ignored after all.

With a snap of her fingers, her hat disappears from her head, fading away over two seconds. The Phantom Thief places her cane onto her left shoulder and she starts reciting, in deep concentration with her eyes closed.



"When colour's absence gives escape
To the deeper spirit of the shape,"

Protected by a wall of moonlight delaying the attack, the ground under the energy of the Eternal Gauge starts rippling, as if it was coated in water, and yet it remains solid, nothing actually changing.



"Then do the clouds like silver flags
Stream out above the tattered crags"

A full moon starts shining, not from above in the sky, but from the ground, pale light rising.



"And darkened land, and brightening wave,
The moonlight slants through Merlin's cave."

As soon as the word "cave" escapes the lips of the Princess of Sarek, a low rumble is heard, and the hat of the Phantom Thief reappears, a giant evanescent shape that passes right through the Eternal Gauge, aiming to swallow it and make it disappear.

The enormous illusion floats up to the sky and whatever the result, it reappears, solid, in front of Veronica's waiting hand, who grabs its brim and places it back on her head with a smirk and a wink towards Phantom.

Phantom has posed:
The Eternal Gauge lashes out and slams into the illusion. The two magics intertwine, and after it's all said and done, an empty mirror shows in Sarek's hands, in the shape of a coffin.

There's a small grunt of disappointment from the Precure Hunter, before he opens a portal and disappears into it. As he departs, the kindabads dissapate and the sky returns to normal.

And Cure Seismic, she's star-struck. "I was so scared. That was Phantom! He hunts Precures. I was so sure I was done for. Thank you, thank you so much for helping me out, I don't know what would have happened if you weren't here!"

Veronica Perenna has posed:
As the energies of the two attacks clash, Phantom's raging inferno of energy slowly and steadily overtaking the gentle stream of the Phantom Thief's evasive illusion, it is not going to be much longer that it will finally give way. But other interests are in play around her, and those interests need her safe and sound, that the Ward she has become the linchpin will hold.

In those precious moments when she toils and struggles to let her spell hold, she feels something like a gloved hand touch her shoulder, promising assistance this time, but it will leave her exhausted and famished like never before. It is then the energies start changing direction and more and more of the nefarious red energy starts disappearing inside the phantasmal hat until it is completely gone.

Veronica looks at the coffin-like mirror, surprised that her Moonlight Masquerade completely stopped it instead of making it bounce around or something. That had looked like a very big deal there. "Eternal Gauge, huh?", Veronica mutters with a frown as the guy leaves quickly with his whole entourage dissipating like it was just a dream. It was definitely a lil bit creepy that either her or her ally (or maybe both) would have been trapped in this thing had she lost the contention.

Then she is "assaulted" by Cure Seismic's gratefulness, snapping Veronica out of her thoughts and reserving the Precure a smile. "It is all good, friend. Would not leave a cruel hunter like alone, not in a million years. I am grateful we both made it out of there safe. Now, I do not know about you, but I am famished. Care to join me for a meal? My treat", the Princess offers. Cure Seismic is likely going to accept, and then they will be off, merrily chatting and laughing along the way.