234/Slimy yet not satisfying

Slimy yet not satisfying
Date of Scene:	13 August 2023
Location:	Ice Cream Parlor
Synopsis:	Firefly has decided it's time for her to get... decisive. It goes about as poorly as you'd expect. Chocolately. Sticky. And Icky. Fortunately, Zephyr and Coco are here to save the day!
Cast of Characters:	Hotaru Tomoe, Zephyr Windstar, Coco Kiumi

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Hotaru Tomoe has posed:
Firefly landed on the roof of the ice cream shop. She could do this. WOULD do this. She was taking what her senpai had said to heart. Be more decisive. Strike when she had the upper hand. Be. Vicious. She could. Had to. If what they were doing was right, then she had to be willing to stand by it. She had to be strong. She had to be willing to strike that decisive blow...

Because others wouldn't be.

Firefly held out the small, black egg. "Arise," she called. The egg fluttered a moment before darting down, down... and knocking the ice cream from a young boy's hand. He yelped, then started crying... before the ice cream shifted and soon rose up, a strange, slimy, gooey chocolatey monster. Akin to a chocolate sludge monster...

"Ew..." Firefly said softly.

The child and his sister had only a moment before they collapsed to the ground, their bodies drained of energy... before the monster pressed a hand against the shop itself.

Those in the shop, eating their ice cream, began to collapse and groan, some even dropping their ice cream.

Firefly, meanwhile, held her glaive aloft and began to siphon off the power, drawing it into the storage device her senpai had given her for these.

Zephyr Windstar has posed:
    Having exchanged numbers with Coco, the Device Mage received a message from the other girl, inviting her out to get ice cream.

    She was going to decline, but Tenraikaze sent an acceptance without the Mage's input, causing her to frown at the medal-shaped Device. It only chimed smugly in reply, causing the teen to huff a sigh and resign herself to social interaction.

    Arriving at the shop in time to get service, she's standing outside with the other girl, being the quiet wallflower of an asocial creature she normally is... right up until Chocolate Sludge Monster appears.

    "Great..." she doesn't let go of her ice cream, instead holding her right arm out and causing her Device to chime as she calls out. "Set up!"

    < Standby Ready! Set up! Barrier Jacket mode set. Device Shift to Gale Mode. >. With a flash of light, and a twirl of the haft, Zephyr shifts to her Magical Girl mode, still licking her ice cream cone. "Damned if I'm not finishing this." she asides, holding her Device toward the monster. < Ribbon Bind! Restrict lock! > Purple bands of magic leap out of rhomboid spell seals around the beast, attempting to pin the thing down.

Coco Kiumi has posed:
Since her meeting with Zephyr ended up being thwarted by something one way or the other (first a sudden complication during the festival, then a particularly inquisitive civilians when they stumbled upon each other), Coco decided it was best to take advantage of them exchanging phone numbers during the last event to finally have a proper friendly chat with the other magical girl. After all, there is no way they are going to be interrupted this time, right?

Fast forward an hour after Zephyr accepting the offer she sent via a message, the two of them are about to enter the parlor in Pikarigaoka to order ice cream.

"I think I am going to try the almond flavour", she tells the other magical girl. "What about-" Before she can end the phrase, a thump takes her attention, as a big chocolate monster starts sucking the energy from the people in the shop.

"Oh, come on, I was looking forward to this!" Coco yells. People are already panicking, so there is nobody paying attention to her. She starts making her pearl shine, invoking its power as a kaleidoscope of colours replaces her current clothes before the lights turning into her trademark yellow blouse, skirt, gloves and flowy shoes.

"Do you have no respect for people's leisure time?" she tells Firefly, having just spotted her on the roof and pointing her E-Pitch microphone at her. The Live Stage forms around Coco before she tells the freshly transformed Zephyr "I will help with my songs!"

Hotaru Tomoe has posed:
Firefly glanced over when suddenly there were... girls. Magical girls. The youma was locked in place, bound and helpless! The energy drained away. Ugh. She wreathed the energy she'd gathered in darkness, sending it off back to the lab. Well, it wasn't much, but hopefully it'd help.

She then dropped down from the roof, slashing her glaive down, she cleaved through the ribbons before looking up at them.

"Go," she said firmly. "I don't want to hurt you, but I will if I have to. I'm gathering this energy and you can't stop me. If you try, you'll be hurt. Do you understand?" she asked, before motioning the youma forward.

The cholatey monster surged towards Zephyr, less running and more... rolling towards her. A single slimy arm lunging towards her.

"If you want to have leisure time, have it somewhere else and don't interfere with my work. I won't stop you if you want to run. But..." She drove the shaft of her glaive into the ground. "If you fight me, I won't hold back this time. You WILL get hurt. This is your only warning."

Zephyr Windstar has posed:
    Well, that's unfortunate, a Dark Magical Girl is supporting this youma... or controlling it, either or.

    Zephyr finally sighs, tossing her half-eaten ice cream away ass she twirls her axe-like Device into her main hand, holding it out with her left as she shifts to interpose herself between Yellow Pearl and the oncoming Youma. "Same goes back to you kiddo." she retorts to Firefly, as the Dark user cuts her ribbons and tells her to run away. "We'll both end up hurt, cuz I'm not going down that easy."

    The youma comes rolling along, and with an outstretched right hand, Zephyr braces. < Rampart Aegis! > A hemisphere of interlocked hexagonal purple plates forms to take the youma's charge directly, spreading the gooey monster across its surface and absorbing the force of its momentum away to a parity. She does skid back a few feet while bracing. "Gnnn... my turn! Parry!" < Parry Burst! > the Barrier shell shifts, and explodes outwards into the youma's center of mass, turning the energy absorbed back on the attacker.

Coco Kiumi has posed:
With the monster focusing its attention on Zephyr, Coco takes advantage of the situation to begin singing. "Then don't hold back! But you have got another thing coming if you think we will let you do as you please with people's lives like a petty neighbourhood's bully", declares the mermaid princess before declaring her song. "From the blessing of the seven oceans, Legend of Mermaid: Pichi Pichi Voice, Live Start!"

https://youtu.be/2yzeNWQAGVY

The magical energy emanating from Coco's voice starts spreading serenity and peace throughout the environment, directly fighting against the tiredness caused by the monster to its victims. Yellow Pearl Voice sings and dances as Zephyr starts stopping the monster's advance with his own tricks, the melodious notes adding their own flair in order to weaken the dark energy composing the monster, trying to make it more susceptible to Zephyr's parry and counter combination.

Hotaru Tomoe has posed:
Firefly sighed. If she was the only one who'd get hurt, that was so much better. But she couldn't dare say that. If they knew... no. NO! She had to be vicious. Had to be... just like Takashi said. They were doing the right thing though still, right? Weren't they?

The youma's assault was blocked and sent right back on it! The sludgy monster getting exploded from the assault, scattering bits and pieces of itself everywhere! The only reason it didn't cover Firefly was because she'd managed to make a barrier before hand.

Her glaive lowered slightly, though. Was it over already? Had they beaten her--

Then the youma began to regather itself. Huh. That was... new. Right. Sludge monster she supposed.

However, it left a sticky residue in its wake, the song's power hardening weaker fragments of the youma. It was smaller now when it advanced on Zephyr, opening its mouth and spewing out popping, bubbling puddles of chocolate muk at it.

Firefly shuddered when she felt that song. Didn't hear it. Felt it. It was nice, soft. But... but it also kind of hurt, a little bit. She frowned before leaping off the ground and flying straight at Yellow Pearl. "I'm NOT a bully! I'm just... doing what I have to! You have no idea what you're ven DOING!" she yelled, however... as she lifted the glaive up at Yellow Pearl, she hesitated... before pulling it back, twisting and instead trying to kick her in the side.

Zephyr Windstar has posed:
    Zephyr smirks as she explodes the monster... only for the expression to fade and harden as it reforms itself. Her focus is on the youma, but Tenraikaze alerts her. < Chief! >

    She grits her teeth, forming a rhomboid shield to deflect the bubbling acid-choco sludge spit. "Not enough time..." < Blitz Drive! Ignition! >

    Two things happen almost at the same time, Zephyr's shield shatters under the assault, likely emboldening the youma to attack harder... but the Device Mage also flickers out like a camera skipping a frame. She reappears between Firefly and Yellow Pearl Voice, scowling as she brings her right fist around to counter the kick. "MACH! < PUNCH! > The gauntlet crackles with purple magic as she aims to deflect the Dark user's strike on her ally.

Coco Kiumi has posed:
Coco smiles as the monster is successfully weakened by her and Zephyr's joints efforts. The attack isn't over however as the youma starts reforming itself. 'Huh, this one regenerates. But still, it's smaller than before. We just have to keep at it', thinks Yellow Pearl Voice, still singing and dancing to weaken the negative energy present in the area.

The magical energy of Firefly has to be around her own, she notices, glancing at the enemy whose irritation proves she is being somewhat affected by the power of her songs. Firefly doesn't take kindly to that however, nor does she look favourably at her own bully comment, which was somewhat to be expected, but it turns her into a target as the girl starts trying a kick at her.

Coco braces for the impact, knowing she is not going to be fast enough to dodge that one. There is someone fast enough to do something about it, however, and that's Zephyr, appearing out of nowhere to punch the kick with her own fist.

"Thank you, Zephyr!", she tells before turning towards Hotaru. "If what you said it's true, please, talk with us about it. I'm sure we can work together to find a solution, whatever it's going on. And I know lots of people who could help", she hesitates, wondering if this would be enough, but deciding to continue.

"Aqua Regina, the goddess of the seas who sent me, only wishes for peace, so she could be more than willing to help you find an alternative solution. I hope this can convince you. I will start an encore. Beautiful Wish: Pichi Pichi Voice, Live Start!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gislhw74RNA

Coco sings, not to counter the evil forces in the area, but to communicate her intentions to Hotaru, a vision of peace that sees the seven kingdoms and the lands shining together as a beacon of serenity, with the darkness replaced by happier versions of the people who were serving it.

Hotaru Tomoe has posed:
Firefly was going to do it. At least she was sure the other girl would be okay. Magical girls were tough, they--

FSETEGESFGWFF!!!!

Suddenly she was punched RIGHT in the leg, deflecting the assault. OW! Like a charlie horse! She dashed back, floating in the air for a moment, kicking her leg. Ow ow ow ow ow. Pain. Owies.

Still, the other girl, had she.... teleported? Dang it. That only made things more difficult. Her youma had launched an assault, but the girl was gone the moment it struck. Frankly... it looked like it was time to go. She turned... then stopped.

"... There are things out here a lot scarier than me. But... none of you understand that. You're all so... set on being the heroes. On doing the right thing. And... I'm happy for you. You should want to do the right thing."

"But life isn't like that. There's a lot of really, really bad things out there. Things you all aren't even aware of. If you really want to... want to help us... then stop... interfering in my work. Until then... I'm sorry. But peace isn't an option." And then... she tried to fly away. Abandoning the youma. She needed to find a door.

Meanwhile, the youma lashed out, shooting bits of chocolatey darkness at them, attempting to take them both down!

Zephyr Windstar has posed:
    "The world is a dark and scary place." states Zephyr solemnly. "It's not all sunshine and rainbows. I know that much. But if I don't fight for the beautiful things in this world, who will?" She doesn't move to chase after Firefly, instead turning her attention back to the youma. "Lets finish this thing off. Dee, Maelstrom Mode." < Device Shift, Maelstrom Mode. Squall bits cycling. >

    The axe shifts, losing one blade while the other shrinks a little, the crystal at the head of the haft gaining a tuning fork-like extension. Two turbine fan-like drones appear around the Device Mage, then settle to orbiting the crystal. "Maelstrom Buster!" < Shift to Bombardment Mode. All mana channels connected. Squall ring has started revolving. > The bits begin to rotate faster around the end of the device, as a ball of purple light grows. < Ready to fire. Maelstrom Buster! >

    Zephyr holds her Device like one might a heavy automatic weapon, the ball of magic extending in an egg-shape, before it 'bursts' and fires a beam of magical energy at the youma, attempting to disrupt its shape so Yellow Pearl's song magic can finish it off.

Coco Kiumi has posed:
Coco is rather saddened when the song doesn't get through to Firefly after all, and her first instinct is to chase after Firefly, whose rapidly shrinking figure really leaves her with a sour after-taste. However the youma 'helpfully' gives her a reminder of its presence when the creatures fires two attacks at her and Zephyr. 'Right, there was still that to deal with!', she thinks, reluctantly giving up on going after the lone flying girl.

She barely dodges the monster's strike, pushing the Live Stage just slightly away from it. "There is always a brilliance hidden in the darkness, a fate that binds everyone even when we are lost", she starts addressing Zephyr. "I hope that star takes good cares of her", she replies, knowing she is probably going to be alone in the darkness' den.

'This is probably going to be the final push', she thinks as Zephyr executes the attack. "Star Jewel: Pichi Pichi Voice, Live Start!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdhrwpwXGys

The soundtrack reaches everything around the parlor as Coco's voice follows it, singing of loss and miracles, of change and rebirth. The shining magic of the pearl infused in her voice starts working to corrode the dark energy of the chocolate youma, fully intent on bringing its assault to an end once and for all.

Hotaru Tomoe has posed:
Firefly escaped, managing to find a doorway and then going through it, to return to Obsidian. There. She'd gotten a little energy. Just... a little. But it hadn't cost her anything, so it was fiiiine. Well, it might have cost the witches 5 a daimon, but that didn't matter.

Meanwhile, back at the fight, the youma wasn't fairing well. Sure, it was trying, but each blast scattered more of it, vaporized by the song bit by bit. Until it, finally, gave up... an egg rising out from it, only to break apart a moment later.

Replaced by a sad, abandoned ice cream cone.

Zephyr Windstar has posed:
    Zephyr sighs. She detransforms once the youma is defeated, clicking her Device back into her bracelet and turning on her heel to walk away. "I'll... catch you later." she says to Coco on the way past. "I need to... be alone for a while."

    Tenraikaze does ping Coco's phone with a message. >Don't worry, the Chief is just a bit shy around new people, especially after a fight.<

Coco Kiumi has posed:
"Are you alright, Zephyr?" she asks the other magical girl as soon as the battle is over. The place has long since been deserted, only the two of them and the youma's victims remaining.

The magical girl ensures her she is fine, a statement corroborated by Tenraikaze as soon as Coco reads the message the device left her. "Huh, that's convenient", she utters, once she realises the device can chat with her that way.

It will be a while before Coco leaves the scene, staying behind to reinvigorate the victims with the magic of her voice.