1686/Pompa-Pony

Pompa-Pony
Date of Scene:	20 June 2024
Location:	Karaoke Crown
Synopsis:	Phantom gets his revenge on Hinoiri. Fortunately, Page Mage, Daifuku, Puella Amy and Katsuko are there to rescue her with a song!
Cast of Characters:	Phantom, Hinoiri Kirara, Chiyo Sakai, Rashmi Terios, Katsuko Takezaki, Amanda Faust

---

Phantom has posed:
The Karaoke Crown. It's always a place for boys and girls to gather, have drinks (non-alcoholic, natch) and sing their little hearts out to old standards, the latest craze, couples proclaiming their new love for each other, or those raging in their heartbreak. The karaoke bar can cover any gambit of the emotions that one can feel, including loss.

It was with this last one in mind that a message arrived for Hinoiri. When she arrived, just outside of the karaoke club, in the alley along side, there's a glow of flames. Magical flames. And along with the flames... there is a song. Sad, sweet, and defiant, a female voice sings out to call to Hinoiri in particular.

"In the silence of the night, I fade into the shade,
A whisper in the wind, where my essence gently sways.
Once a titan among stars, now a ghost in the mist,
Lost my way in the echoes of what I once possessed.

I'm a shadow of my powers, a flicker in the dark,
Where the embers used to blaze, now there's just a spark.
Gone are days of brilliance, now subdued and tame,
A fleeting echo of a legend, now just a name.

In the echoes of my past, I hear the cheers and roars,
Now replaced by haunting doubts, knocking at my door.
The weight of expectations, once a fuel to my fire,
Now a burden on my shoulders, dragging me down lower.

I'm a shadow of my powers, a whisper in the breeze,
Where once I soared like a pegasus, now I crawl on my knees.
Lost in the labyrinth of mahou, searching for a light,
To reignite the flames that once burned bright.

But deep within this darkness, a flicker starts to grow,
A glimmer of the strength I thought I used to know.
I'll rise above the ashes, reclaim what's left of me,
And find the path to greatness once again, just wait and see.

For I'm more than just a shadow, I'm the dawn after the night,
I'll reclaim my place among the stars, reclaim my right.
Though I stumbled and I fell, I'll rise above it all,
No longer just a shadow, I'll stand tall, I'll stand tall.

In the silence of the night, where shadows come to play,
I'll shine brighter than before, lighting up my way.
For I am not defined by what I've lost or left behind,
I'm the phoenix from the ashes, my spirit unconfined."

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara was, well... was lost. She'd been lost for a while. Not physically, mind. If only. That would be... so, so much easier. She had an app for that or just ask for directions, it wasn't hard.

But, emotionally, her future was lost. She didn't know who she was. She didn't know where she belonged. She didn't know who she belonged with.

But as a kirakirafantastica resident, she was used to music. And it called to her, like a siren. It wasn't long before the bait seemed to take hold and the girl, once all powerful and now a hot mess, was seen there. The message had got her attention... but the song? It lured her in. The magical flames...

Who...? Why? Was... was this hers? Was it... the power she was supposed to have all along? That she had been searching for? Was she not going to have to be the Naru anymore?

She was smart, though. So anyone who saw her go towards those flames likely would have smacked their palms on their foreheads. "Hello?" she called out, nervously reaching a hand out towards the flames...

Phantom has posed:
"There you are!" Cure Sundown smiles as Hinoiri arrives, a lift of her shoulders. "I am you, silly girl. Or could be you. Look at what you've done. What you gave up. For what? Others? Do they really care for you? You deserved everything you want, don't you?" As Hinoiri reaches out to the flame, she can taste the magic, the power that is being presented before her.

And that power? Is presented in the form of her own Precure device. A pair of bracers that are sporting matching hearts and gems, bright and shiny as Cure Sundown nods her head. "You should claim what is yours, should you not?" she asks suggestively.

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara blinked a few times, staring at her. "You... are?" Magic. Magic was weird in this world. "It's not... dark energy... right?"

She reached towards it, then stopped. "What? No. Of... of course they care about me. They wouldn't have saved me, otherwise. Despite all I did to them. They rescued me. They wouldn't have helped me otherwise." There was a lesson in there, one that she... had heeded. One that she'd taken to heart. Nearly dying and all.

But...

"But... if there is another way...so are you like... a fairy or something? Heh. I guess 'another magical girl dropped' would be the message?" she asked with a nervous chuckle, pausing, her hand over it. Not quite touching it. "I can't... use... dark energy, though. Not again."

"... Just because I want something... doesn't mean I deserve it. And... nothing I want could be ever worth destroying the world over. I won't be that kind of person."

Still, she eyed the device...

She was so tired of being helpless. Of beaing weak. Of being pathetic. Of being...

She remembered the feeling of Bow's bow in her hand. That feeling of power. Of control. And she had her necklace. It wasn't like dark energy could impact her now. It was hers. It HAD to be hers... It just meant, finally, something had chosen her. About time.

She finished the movement to grab the device.

Phantom has posed:
There's no dark energy. In fact, if anything, the device 'should' be dormant. But that's because it's been in Phantom's graveyard for so very long. "I am so much more than a fairy, Hinoiri." Cure Sundown responds. "I am potential. I am determination. I am the phoenix from the ash..." and as she takes the device, and puts it on... she'll realize there's no energy there at all. "...and you're a fool."

The Cure Sundown disguise melts away, Phantom makes his appearance known as he clutches his hand, the bracers suddenly lock and lift Hinoiri's arms into the air. As she's held in place, the Precure hunter's lips are pulled into a thin line as he considers Hinoiri. "You came into my home. You attempted to take my power from me. It's only fair that I show you what that power could do when properly wielded and not devoured by a greedy girl who only desired for herself."

As the bracer on his arm comes to life. "I'd ask if you have any last words. But you'll have plenty of words soone enough." That smile turns dark and sinister as the grasps his hand. "Let the future reflected in the mirror turn terrible!"

His hand is splayed as his magic lashes out to Hinoiri, and she will feel the mirror filling in around her, the ribbons snapping into place. And a final set of words.

"Come forth, my terribad."

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
It was the most awful of awful days. One roommate was an idol in training and her songs were great to listen to. The other? Awful. Awful day. Yet here Chiyo was getting dragged to Karaoke by Rashmi because they were friends and apparently being friends meant sometimes suffering through off key wailing to songs.

Not that Chiyo was better. She'd only learned in the last year to speak above a barely audible murmer that had left her often easily ignored by classmates if not for her constant contribution of sweets. Newfound friends and family had helped her confidence quite a bit but singing? Well. Maybe a little practice wouldn't hurt. Plus snacks.

This is why they were approaching the karaoke joint preparing to enter and 'enjoy' a few hours of horrible singing when the ripple of dark energy nearby fills the air sending a shiver through her. Chiyo glances over to the side of the building while lifting a hand to grasp for Rashmi's arm. "Hang on, something's going down."

It's around this time the cry of Phantom's voice comes to hear ears causing her eyes to widen. "Phantom!" She blurts out in a hushed tone meant only for her friend nearby. SOMEONE was getting captured in a mirror she knew, and she shivers a single time before shooting a glance up and down the street. "-Screw it."

"Let's Cook!" She calls out herself with a side-hop to give Rashmi room as she changes into Guardian Daifuku.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
With the state of the magical world gradually settled out into something approaching normalcy, Rashmi had an idea during lunch, and almost immediately shot a text to her roommate.

    << Hey Chiyo-chan! Things are pretty quiet lately, wanna go do karaoke before digging in on homework? I'm a *terrible* singer, it'll be fun! >>

But just as Chiyo grabs Rashmi's arm, the charm at her neck looses an alarmed *BONG!* to signal that the Dark Energy is, indeed, dark and energy and rippling out.

"...Wait, Phantom? The mirror guy?!"

An instant after Daifuku calls out her henshin phrase, Rashmi follows up. "Nicomachea, Set Up!"

    << *BONG!* >> << COMMAND EXECUTE COMMENCE, >> the charm responds, surrounding Rashmi in a bubble of golden light. << SET UP >>

When the transformation screens fall away, Page Mage and Guardian Daifuku are on the job!

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara blinked a few times when she was cooled a fool. "Wait, wh--" And then she saw who it was. Her eyes went wide.

"W-wait, Phantom. I'm sorry, I didn't--"

But it was too late. She had those things around her wrist, holding her hands up, over her head... and then there was the mirror.

A moment later, she was gone...

And in her place, stood a terribad unlike any they had likely seren before. A massive black pony, with a flaming mane (shaped in a pompadour), sunglasses... and wings.

And her immediate action?

She ran down, bursting through the window of the karaoke section (and taking out part of the wall), knocked the poor singer off stage, took the microphone.... and immediately started singing.

"Oh yeah my destiny is here!" Her voice, for a terribad, wasn't... actually bad. If a bit fruity. It was more that she was dancing on the stage and making things shake that was the biggest issue probably.

Katsuko Takezaki has posed:
    Meanwhile, nearby, Katsuko was doing osmething entirely unrelated to karaoke. It just happened to be nearby. <WARNUNG! DUNKELENERGIE!> Zwillingrute alerts, giving her a general indicator of direction. First step, get her knight armor up. <ANFANG> Next up fly towards the source of the dark energy. Upon getting close enough, she lands on a nearby lamp post, and takes care of the first priority she has in cases like this. <GEFÄNGNIS DER MAGIE>

    The barrier goes up, doing its usual thing of interfering with communications and making it harder to enter or leave the area, because no-one has taught Katsuko how to not include that element yet. "So what's going on here?" She asks from atop her tall thing, looking at the familiar face of the page mage.

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Amy, despite amateur skill at singing, never really got into going out for Karaoke. Well, she never really got into going out period... Anyway, her face lit up as soon as she remembered she'd be singing with this voice, and now she's walking along with the others when--

    That voice... it's HIM.

    The flames leave her in her usual outfit. "Be careful." She warns the girls with her, trying to recall which of them had faught Phantom before. "He's really dangerous. ...If you end up having to run, that's better than joining whoever he's trapped."

    Words of warning delivered, she rushes out to fight-- aaand a giant horse just bashed down a wall. "[Spread your wings, neon pegasus, and go crashing through the wall], huh?"

    She calls out, "Hey, I got an idea! If you dance on him instead of the stage, how about we play some music for you? I know the perfect song!"

    It's worth a shot, right?

Phantom has posed:
Oh. Did you think the songs were over just because Pompapony has shown up? Phantom, now in his regular form, hears the aborted attempt an apology. As his own barrier spreads, the greyish fog and amethyst spires form, from somewhere, a pipe organ starts to play in an angry dirge. And Phantom... begins to sing. And he's actually pretty good at it!

"You took and took, never gave in return,
Draining my spirit 'til my fire burned.
Like a vampire, you fed on my soul,
Left me hollow, a shell with no control.

I won't forgive the way you sucked me dry,
Left me weary, beneath the endless sky.
You drained my hope, my joy, my light,
But now I'm breaking free, taking back my fight.

Your demands grew louder, your needs unending,
I lost myself in your relentless bending.
Every ounce of strength, every drop of power,
You consumed it all, like a horse to water.

I won't forgive your insatiable thirst,
For my dreams, my passion, my worth.
You left me drained, but I'll replenish my soul,
Find the strength to rise, to reclaim control.

In the aftermath, I'll rise from the dust,
Reignite the embers of despair and distrust.
No more sacrifice, no more endless drain,
I'll shine brighter now, because of the pain.

I won't forgive your relentless drain,
But I'll break these chains, release the strain.
I'll forge ahead, with a dark heart anew,
No forgiveness here, I bid adieu."

With his song done, his attention turns to the arriving heroes. Daifuku calls out to him in paticular, and he growls. "She's my prize to take back to my Queen to get back in her good graces. Stay out of it!" he warns. And just to make sure, his sword is drawn, bracer held to the front as he prepares to defend to himself. "Considering what she did to all of you, you should understand the situation."

Because he doesn't believe in forgiveness, obviously.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"...*Gotta* ask Hannah to figure out that communications thing," Rashmi murmurs, but the relief on her face as the Barrier goes up in palpable. And she will stay relieved, until she realizes that Phantom is, in fact, trapped in here with them. But that's for Future Rashmi to worry abut. For now, there is one incredibly dangerous foe, and one less-than-incredibly-but-still-dangerous foe.

"...Somehow I don't think that's gonna work, Red," she sighs. "Daifuku, d'you think you and Red can keep him away from the mirror? Kat-chan that monster's gonna do real damage eventually, it needs to be taken down quick."

<< *BONG!* >> << FLIER FIN >>

Golden, dragonfly-like wings unfurl from the Devicer's ankles, and she rises to get a better view through the hole in the Barrier'd building. "WHY DON'T YOU COME OUT HERE AND SING ABOUT IT!" she calls to the Terribad.

Because *that's* a great idea.

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
The terribad turned towards the group and then leaped forward, holding the microphone in her magic! She landed on both hooves and... towered over all of them. A single leg as big as many of them. She looked down, eyes narrowed... and then lifted a hoof.

"Oh YEAHHHH!" Fortunately, being a kinda bad, it didn't seem to be quite as vocal as its creator.

Unfortunately for everyone involved, it was still INCREDIBLY loud and, when its voice tore through the air? Flames burst out from the bottom of the microphone and rushed towards them.

How she managed to sing in rainbows, though? THAT was anyone's guess.

Oh, and then it flicked its massive hoof out, like swatting a fly, at Rashmi. "Oops~" Yes, it sang that.

Katsuko Takezaki has posed:
    "What she did to me?" Katsuko asks Phantom with a confused tone to her voice, "I know she did some stuff to people, but all she did to me was get upset in my vicinity and reject a hug she clearly needed. Hardly something that she needs to be forgiven for." Rashmi's instructions get her to take action, she stays near the hole in the building on the outside and combines Rashmi's demand to come outside with a movement of her own.

"You are the one.
Who took control.
But in the end she'll be the
Last girl standing.
She is the one
Who sold her soul.
Forgiveness comes for her, the
Last girl standing now."

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Guardian Daifuku whips her hammer around to POINT toward Phantom even as the Pompapony starts to rampage into the karaoke joint to... sing? Is Phantom singing too? Didn't she hear something about this recently. Is it a trend now to sing at fights?

She was going to *really* have to practice her singing if this was going to be a habit because she wasn't confident she could keep up with Phantom or Pompapony on that regard.

"Your Queen sounds like she's very unforgiving. For all these that you've already caught she can't show some sympathy for *one* that caused you trouble?" Tsk. "I can't let you take her though--I still owe her some retribution myself!" Good thing Hinoiri couldn't hear perhaps.

Before she can say or do anything else she glances over to Page Mage with a look of surprise. "Ah! We need to defeat the Kindabad and the mirror will break!" Of course keeping him away from it was also necessary.
RBeneath her breath she utters, "I am *not* singing. I have standards." It wasn't because she was embarassed. Much.

When fire comes their way, though? THIS causes her to grin broadly as she sweeps her kine in front of her sending it into a spiral. Flames lick at the end of the mochi hammer as she prepares to try and absorb that fire into her own. Hinoiri would recognize it. Would the Terribad?

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Amy looks at Rashmi and nods, looking to Phantom. "Queen Beryl? Why would you even want to serve her? She tortured Sunbreaker, dude. And yeah, she sent us to the past and we saw what she did, which is all the more reason that-- woah!"

    She spins out of the way of the rainbow flames, her gloves and some of her hair getting singed.

    Let them handle the Terribad, that's the plan apparently. She has to get Phantom away from the mirror for whatever Rashmi's plan is.

    She glances at the sword, then at his face. "What, no transformation this time? No cool powers? No stolen form you want to show off?"

    She doesn't even have a weapon out. Come on, step away from the mirror...

Phantom has posed:
"My Queen only cares for results and the despair that we can form." Phantom responds. "Though I heard what Hossiwa did - and I'm amused that you handled her." Because it took some of the pressure off of him, of course. "And it is because she caused me trouble that makes her worthy to being mirrored. After all, if I only took the weak, what would that say about me?"

As Daifuku lashes out at the fire, Phantom is suddenly there, his sword flashing out to crash down on the hammer to drive it into the ground. But at least, in that, she was able to draw Phantom away from the mirror, which was the plan, right?

Not that they have had much luck with the mirror in the shed, so he has no problem leaving it alone for a moment.

Katsuko's words bring a chuckle. "You must be new." he says, eyes turning to face her after he turns to face Daifuku and gives her a sharp smile for just a moment. "What do you think, Candy Mahou? Do you think she's more worthy of the mirror than you are?" he asks her with a gentle hiss of breath.

But at the comment about Queen Beryl, Phantom snorts a laugh as he leaps back, landing next to one of the amethyst crystals. "Queen Mirage, you uneducated cur. But that's fine. Keep thinking we all work for Beryl. She deserves all the anger you can send at her. The Phantom Empire will revel in your despair."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"Oh *wow* you're hu--"

    << *BONG!* >> << SOLAR SHIELD >>

Look sometimes Rashmi has focus issues, okay? Luckily Nicomachea doesn't, because by the time that giant hoof swats at Rashmi, she's encased in a bubble of golden light made solid. So instead of pancaking into the building aross the street, she simply ricochets off, the sudden speed and change of direction disorienting for a good couple bounces.

Regaining her senses in midair, she lets the heavily-cracked Shield disperse, a magical seal spreading out beneath her feet, open palm outstretched and pointed down to the melee below. "That all you got?!"

<< *BONG!* >> << SOLAR BARRAGE >>

One of the blessings of having an opponent the size of a baby kaiju is, they're a broad side of a barn on legs. Thus, Rashmi doesn't *quite* have to worry about collateral damage, as she directs a rapid-fire stream of Barrets into the Terribad's flank.

The *hope* is to knock it off-balance and give Katsuko a good opening for a follow-up strike, but, one never knows.

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
The Pompapony turned to Daifuku, its glorious flaming pompadour bouncing indignantly as her fire was being absorbed... and unfortunately, well, for Phantom, she didn't seem to realize what was going to happen.

Fortunately, Phantom did.

As Rashmi was sent across the battlefield, her gaze turned to Amy and she began to wiggle her rump like a cat about to pounce...

AND THEN FIRE! The barrages were launched at her and she LEAPED! It was quite impressive! She was going, going, going...

... Still going.

... Stiiiiiiiiill going.

Okay, she had to come back eventually, right? Didn't...

"I'm a star!"

AND THEN SHE DESCENDED DOWN ON AMY! LIKE A LITTLE ANNOYING METEOR THAT WAS ON FIRE!

"Oh yeah I am FABULOUS!"

Her voice was okay. A shame her word choices for these songs were terribad.

Katsuko Takezaki has posed:
    "Yes I am, so what of it?" Katsuko answers Phantom as flies up towards the ascending terribad, trying to take advantage of the movement in the sky to try to get a good hit in. Swift rush and her tonfa move in a crossing pattern as they suddenly accelerate in a flash of blue magic. <ZWILLINGSCHLAG>

"Envious, victim in her mind.
Everything, a fight to win.
Taking all and giving
Whatever her pride would let her.
Not backing down, not giving in."

"She wouldn't lose, she couldn't."

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
The Kine that was Daifuku's weapon of choice was already being spun around, intending to harness the power of fire to fight fire (or at least steal it as Hinoiri herself had stolen so many others powers) instead comes to an abrupt halt when Phantom's sword swings down meeting it. Though her Kine appears to be made of wood it stands up to the sword. It doesn't break, splinter or become chopped in half, thankfully.

the long-handled Kine is swung around drawing the heavier end along the ground in favor of jabbing the handle toward Phantom like a bo-staff instead as she regains some distance between them.

"She's new to here," is all she remarks about the unfamiliar-to-her Device user. "Hinoiri stole the power of many and sent people to the burn ward. Including the only person that could heal them." She could to some extent, but that was neither here nor there. They couldn't heal as they NEEDED to at the time because of it.

"I'm Culinary Guardian Daifuku. Of course I'm going to protect a place that cherishes the happiness that good, honest food can bring! And that is one of my favorite stores!" Darn tootin she sent Hosshiwa packing.

And here we go with more singing again... Oh darnit. Fine. Daifuku takes a deep breath to calm herself just a *bit* when Phantom mentions mirroring her versus Katsuko.

Straightening to her full height she tosses her hair back. The Kine is brought up to her side again, swung around a single time, and both hands grasp the staff as she approaches Phantom. If they were going to sing, so be it. With determination she starts her attack both physically and vocally.

"I see you're driven by your detestation>
Your every step is stoked with animus.
You'll see I've got a different motivation

So there's no way that you can handle this."

"I know you're thirsting for vengeance, Phantom,
You're out for blood,
But you'll only stand a chance if you're out for Love!"

"Out for love, love,
Think of who you care about, protect them and be
Out for love, love!
I'm going to fight without gloves, long as I'm out for love!"

"Fuel yourself with the fear of losing
That somebody who's your reason to live,
Harness your heart, and you can't help choosing
To fight with all you can give!"

The Kine is brought around in a flurry of blows. Shoulders, then up back through around the waist. Moves with force behind it as she presses onward trying to throw him off any way she can. If one way doesn't work she rolls on to the next using BOTH ends of her hammer to fight.

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Yes, he left the mirror! Now, uh, what was the plan, Rashmi?

    Before Amy can figure it out, something clicks. "Wait... you follow the same Queen as Scorn? You're the ones who talk up how great despair is and then throw a tantrum whenever you have to deal with the despair of not getting what you want?!" Amy stares in open-mouthed surprise.

    Then she takes a fighting stance and conjures her rocket launcher. "Hinoiri doesn't deserve this. No one do--"

    GET HORSE'D

    Just as she's starting to wonder why she hasn't heard the Terribad for several seconds, the Puella Magi is crushed under

    A BEAUTIFUL PONY

    and cratered. Thank goodness this is an anime fight, but still, ow!

    "Nngh... GET OFF ME!" The Puella Magi is suddenly firing a SMG-shaped gyrojet in each hand, followed by throwing a grenade up at the Terribad and letting her magic reduce the damage of her own weapons on herself! BOOM!

Phantom has posed:
As Daifuku finds her attack defelected and pressed downwards, she switches to launching her attack at Phantom... and singing. There's a grunt as he is pushed backwards. "Listen to your own words. She did nothing but take, and hurt many more. And if you're getting your retribution, you should rejoice in what I am doing." he points out to her.

But no, it seems that Daifuku is intent on battling him and she has her own song, talking about love and her search for it. Using his blade and bracer as defenses against the flurry of stabs she makes at him, he considers her words, and then when Phantom speaks to her... he sings back to her in kind.

"I'm the mirror's reflection, trapped in despair,
Embracing shadows, love's just a snare.
In the glass, it shatters, fragmented and cold,
I'm lost in the echoes, where stories unfold.

Mirror, mirror, show her what's real,
Love's just a trick, a bitter ordeal.
I hold it captive, in shards it appears,
Embracing despair, fueling my fears.

They say love's a fire, but I'm the ice,
In the mirror's reflection, I pay the price.
I trace the lines of broken dreams,
Where love's illusion fades, nothing's as it seems.

So here I stand, with mirrors as my walls,
Echoes of love, in silent calls.
I'm the curator of pain, the master of reflection,
In this dance with despair, no affection.

In my graveyard of Precure mirrors, I find my place,
Where love's image fades, without a trace.
I'm the one who chooses, to embrace the despair,
In this rap of reflection, my truth laid bare."

And with that, a mirror portal opens behind him - he shoves his blade through as a second portal opens behind Daifuku, his intent to backstab her through the portal obvious.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"Red!" Rashmi shouts as the gigapony crashes down upon her Puella friend, and loosing a relieved sigh as Red is, if in pain, then okay enough to take issue with her position *and* shoot back. Her eyes flick from the pony, to Katsuko, to Daifuku and Phantom--

"DAIFUKU *DOWN!* she calls as she sees the portal open behind her roommate, as a seal spreads out under her feet.

    << *BONG!* >> << DELTA STRIKE -- BOOST UP >>

As Daifuku, Katsuko, *and* Amy all get a brief boost in their melee-attack power, Rashmi seems to accept the inevitable, and draws in a long, deep breath.

    You left the Darkness behind you on the ground~
    You're feelin' helpless, spirallin' all around~
    But one thought should crystallize like an icy blast~
    You're never giving in, the past is in the past~!

    LET IT GO!
    LET IT GO!
    AND YOu'LL RISE LIKE THE BREAK OF DAWN!
    LET IT GO!
    LET IT GO!
THAT DESPERATE GIRL IS GONE~!
    HERE YOU STAND!
    IN THE LIGHT OF DAY~!
    LET THE DARK. STAY. GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONE~!

    Your friends've got your back anyway.

...*Wow* is Rashmi an awful singer.

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
The Pompapony had intended to land hooves first, and if not for Katsuko? It would have. However, the tonfa to the side hit it, sending its precise strike into more of a belly flop. Still hitting Amy, but at least not as powerful.

But then the youma is missiled and shot and sent flying out of the crater, landing on the ground with a startled yelp, rolling...

And then lets out a desperate, pained yowl.

This is the song that everybody knows!

Yes, Rashmi's song certainly had AN effect on it, as the pony shook her head and covered her ears with her hooves for a moment, before reaching out to pick up one of the tables... in a hoof... defying all known laws of physics and chucked it at Rashmi.

"This ain't a scene it's an arms race!"

The pony, apparently, did not like it. Her focus entirely on the small singer and dedicated to making sure she doesn't sing THAT song! NO SHE WOULDN'T LET IT GO!

Katsuko Takezaki has posed:
    Katsuko chaes the Terribad down to the ground, and as she sings she starts swinging her tonfa in time with her singing, a rapid series of alternating strikes all aimed for the giant pony. <BLITZSCHLAGEN>

"She walks alone with her head held high.
Never felt like she belonged.
Stand her ground at all costs.
Running through life with blindfolds.
Just for the right, the right to be wrong."

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
This! This... Phantom! The way he sang of being ice, that was such a lie! She knew! CHIYO KNEW. Daifuku knew. Though her first attack had been a song she'd heard from a show she watched, because it kind of felt fitting, now he was singing about himself. It required more of a response than just... Besides she couldn't really think of some song that might properly fit!"

"I've fallen on my heart a time or two,
Yes I've loved a few
But I won't cry for those whose love aren't giving,
I'll keep on living,
Fighting for those that I adore!

"Fix my heart like a pot with Kintsugi,
That's just so me,
If they don't love me for me,
Then I'm better off just being free."

"You fight for a Queen,
Who keeps you yet unseen,
From the sight of these graves, that's how it's always been!"

Ah screw this singing thing--She can't think of a good rhyme with some of them anyway. Dropping from the singing she just speaks her mind now.

"Why do you fight for someone who won't love you back? You've tried so hard to give her what she wants and yet--" Here she pauses only to flash a toothy grin, stating, "She takes, takes, takes. When did she last smile for you?"

Ah! Wait, he had shared that with Chiyo... But maybe it won't matter so much? It wasn't as if she had time to think about it when Rashmi calls out to duck. The appearance of the portal was definitely a bad sign, and she ducks down enough that she only takes the sword to the shoulder and not straight in her back.

A pained gasp breaks from her, hands gripping her kine tight, and her gaze flitting up to Phantom again.

A faint smile tugs at her lips, "You really could do better." Did she mean the attack or... It doesn't matter because she just lunges forward now to throw a punch with her good arm.

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Oh she was only bellyflopped on by a Terribad! That is... somewhat better.

    It's rattled, at least. But Phantom is rapping about how every silver lining has its cloud.

    There must be KiraKiraFantastica magic in the air today, because everyone's bursting into song.

    Even Amy. She points dramatically at the Terribad and announces:

"Sun unicorn
From another land
Yet here she only suffered, in this her new world.

Sun unicorn
Shining in the night
She'll have friends forever,
In this her new world

Not pure of heart,
Yet strong of mind
We'll help her see with the magic of friendshiiiiiip,
Magic of friendshiiiiiiiiiip!"

    And then Amy turns and begins firing rockets at Phantom! To minimize collateral damage, instead of just exploding in every direction, they airburst feet away from him into lances of piercing light (it's actually heavy metal plasma, but it glows brightly because it's so hot!)

    As she presses the attack on Phantom, Amy continues:

"Sun unicorn
This nightmare will end
And you'll see you have friends, in this brighter world!"

Phantom has posed:
When Page Mage warns Daifuku, Phantom frowns as the blade only finds the girl's shoulder instead of her back as the young man of despair draws back his arm, closing the portal in the process. But Daifuku continues to sing at him. "...what do you know of me? Of love?" he seems to be confused for a moment that Daifuku seems to know so much about it. "You assume much." he says flatly as he has to bring both his sword and bracer in front of him to protect him against the attacks from Daifuku and Amy.

Daifuku's hammer manages to knock him back, and several of the rockets land on him, their explosions causing him to disappear for several moments - perhaps it would appear that they have defeated him.

And then the song changes. It's dark. One could almost call it sad with it's deep undertone and the music that follows beneath it.

"In the Precures graveyard, I dwell,
Where shadows deepen, where darkness swells,
A phantom unseen, in the night's cold grip,
Duty to despair, my only relationship.

Love's a myth, a distant dream,
In duty's hold, I hear its scream,
Unbelieving in hearts so bright,
In the graveyard's silence, I take flight.

Phantom of the graveyard, keeper of despair,
In love's absence, I find my lair,
Pretty Cure with hearts so bold,
In their light, my truth is told.

You fight with love, your spirit high,
But duty's call, I can't deny,
Weakness found in following the heart,
In the graveyard's solitude, I play my part.

Your laughter echoes through the air,
In shadows deep, I silently stare,
For in duty's chains, I find my peace,
In love's absence, my soul's release.

Phantom of the graveyard, keeper of despair,
In love's absence, I find my lair,
Pretty Cure with hearts so bold,
In their reflection, my future unfolds.

Through the mist and moonlit night,
My phantom's heart, devoid of light,
Their path in love, I cannot tread,
In the graveyard's silence, I find stead.

Yet doubts may linger, shadows fade,
In heart's silence, a masquerade,
For duty's call, my soul abides,
In love's allure, where darkness hides."

He stops singing, because he finds himself staring harder at Daifuku for a moment. Did something just click? It's pretty hard to tell, but at least they interrupted the song for a moment - perhaps long enough to free Hinoiri.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
    << *BONG!* >> << SOLAR SHIELD -- RED SHIFT >>

Usually, Rashmi's shields are transparent, clean disks of golden light, as if glass were enchanted to withstand the force of a speeding vehicle. This shield is... fuzzy around the edges with shifting, staticky patterns of translucence, as if the energy were inherently unstable and would collapse at the first touch.

Which is exactly what this shield does.

Tuned for minimum durability and maximum kinetic kickback, the moment the table touches the shield... well.

The force of the impact *shatters* the table, sending its shards right back at the one who hurled the furniture.

"NOW!" Rashmi calls.

    << *BONG!* >> << SOLAR BARRAGE -- GLACE SHIFT >>

What follows is a mercilesse barrage of golden chunks of ice that, on impact, *stick* and drag the Terribad down.

All the better for the others to bring their all to bear.

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Guardian Daifuku sucks in a breath at that particular expression that fixes on Phantom's face. She'd said too much. Far to much. So she instead remarks thinking quickly, "Hosshiwa talks a lot." Blame the defeated evil candy girl. "She was asking me questions from a magazine love-quiz." Aaand that's all she offers, because she was in pain, and Rashmi's attack plan was under way.

The hammer is swung around again but this time she jumps backward. The hammer is brought overhead one-handed only to slam into the ground causing cracks to appear in the concrete racing toward Phantom.

"Baine Marie!"

Steam gushes out from the cracks like mini geysers aiming to chase after and send Phantom into the air.

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Amy narrows her eyes at Phantom. "Maybe you've been hurt too." I know the world is cruel. "But I..."

    Amy sighs. "One thing at a time, I'm sorry. I've got to save Hinoiri. She may be a jerk, but..."

    The red Puella Magi shakes her head. "We take down the Terribad and she's free, right?" She turns and a blast out the back of her rocket launcher propels her across the street towards the pegasus being weighed down by ice. She lands on the terribad and darts from one ice chunk to another, sticking grenades with blinking red lights on them to the sides of the sticky ice, and then she leaps off of the monster. "LET HER OUT!"

    The grenades all explode dramatically as she lands, backlighting her and making her skirt and hair and cloak billow in the wind dramatically. Cool girls don't look at explosions!

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
The Pompapony was blasted, practically air juggled by the barrage of ice shards and, unfortunately, due to the ice shards making it hard to move, couldn't even try to properly move out of the way! RUDE!

AND THEN THE BOOM! Grenades were latched onto the ice! She landed in a heap.

"Relax--"

BOOM!One of the grenades went off.

"Relax--"

BOOM! Again and again she was rocked by explosions, finally landing in a crater on the ground, in a ponified position of how Sunset of Sora had looked when she'd been blasted.

"RELAXING ALREADY!" she finally sang.

The youma disappeared in an explosion and... the mirror broke. Hinoiri crumbled from it, falling on her hands and knees, panting, eyes wide, trembling and looking up. "P-phantom... I didn't... mean to..." And then she just went silent. She'd apologized. He'd mirrored her. Could anything she'd say ever really help? With this? With... all of this?

... She doubted it. "I'm just... sorry... for everything..." she said softly.

Phantom has posed:
"I have no idea what Hosshiwa is talking about." Phantom replies to Daifuku's remark, as she unleases the attack on him. As the steam pushes him back and then skywards, he looks to see Hinoiri free from the mirror and her terribad defeated. There's a snort when Hinoiri says that she apologizes for what she did.

"Not as sorry as you will be." he says flatly, as he glances to the others. "They won't always be around to protect you." He opens a portal away. But notably not to his graveyard.

Stupid being grounded.

And as he takes in the group one more time, his eyes settle on Daifuku for a moment - but he says nothing to her. He just steps into his portal to return to wherever he came from, the area returning to normal.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"...I see what you mean about him being dangerous," Rashmi says, soaring to the ground and alighting, the wings shattering and disintegrating. "Are you okay, Daifuku? That looks like it hurts, d'you want a quick-fix to get you home?"

If accepted, the combat-healing circle will be laid around Chiyo, then Rashmi turns to Hinoiri, crouching down and holding out a hand with a gentle smile. "I've heard it's pretty horrible to be in those things... I'm sorry we couldn't get you out sooner. You gonna be okay?"

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Seeing Hinoiri released, Amy runs over to interpose herself between Phantom and Hinoiri (although a little to the side so they can still non-awkwardly see and talk to eachother; but her body language makes her intent clear.)

    Once Phantom is gone, she turns around and looks at Hinoiri for a few seconds. She wordlessly offers a hand to help Hinoiri up, although her expression is one of annoyance. She's still going to help, but she remembers yesterday's conversation.

    Whether Hinoiri takes the hand up or not, Amy then wordlessly walks over to the healing circle to recover from being... bellyflopped on by a giant pompadour pegasus.

    This is her life now. This is a normal day in the life of Amy Faust.

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara reacted about as well as one might expect. When the hand was offered, she shook her head and pulled her hand away. "I-I don't..." She looked down at the henshin device, the one that had been used to *mock* her. And she felt new tears forming in her eyes. She took them off, bit by bit unstrapping them, and then just threw them *at* Rashmi. "J-just... just take these. Thanks for n-- thanks for saving me. I just.... I just need to go. Away. I need to *go*," she said, shaking her head. "T-thanks. I just..." and then she just let out a frustrated yell and ran.

... This. This was her life now. This was a day in the life of behing her. Perhaps, in the future, she might be amused by just how much those thoughts had mirrored Amy's.