1165/Not quite Pliant

Not quite Pliant
Date of Scene:	23 February 2024
Location:	Mitakihara Ward
Synopsis:	Sayaka offers Bow to show him how fights against Witches go.
Cast of Characters:	Sayaka Miki, Bow

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Sayaka Miki has posed:
Sayaka is walking towards the school gate, accompanied by Ula on her shoulder. She is wearing a beige sweater with blue and red lines alongside the plackets at the buttons and the pockets over a blue shirt, accompanied by jeans shorts, with a pair of yellow hairpins over the ear and white trainers at her feet.

On the open palm of her hand is the Soul Gem, mostly devoid of inpurities and completely inert for now. The fact it's out this way means that she is about to go out on a Witch Hunt.

Bow has posed:
"Hey, Sayaka!"

A voice calls out to the Bluenette as she comes out of the school and heading towards the gate. But from where did that voice come from.

"Up here!"

And if Sayaka looks up, Luke Armbruster if sitting on the edge of the roof, looking down towards her as he gives a wave a bright smile. "Going somewhere?" he asks curiously. Because of course she's going somewhere.

There's a glance down the side of the building, and he drops off the edge of the roof, grabbing a couple of outcroppings on the way down as he shows a bit of gymnastic ability before he hits the ground with a soft "Ooff."

Take the stairs next time, he reminds himself.

"Want company? I haven't been out to see the city yet, but everyone keeps telling me I should, just... figured company wouldn't be bad?"

Sayaka Miki has posed:
Sayaka obviously stops when she hears looking back and up in the direction of the voice. "Hey, Luke!", she greets, waving at him. "What are you doing up there?" she asks with a smile. That's certainly an unusual accomodation to have in your mundane guise, though on the other hand it's almost a tradition to sit on the roof in your magical form.

"Hello, Luke!" Ula also greets him. "How do you like the design of the smartphone?"

The first thing that comes to her memory after seeing him is how they left each other, with that sweet harmony as he had unexpectedly picked up the violin. "I didn't know you could play an instrument", she tells him in a curious smile, her heart still in a squeeze over the performance. "When did you learn?" she asks inquisitively, this being a matter of interest to her.

And then there is Luke's descent. Did he choose that position to show off another talent? Not that it really matters. "That was good", she compliments him, after he swiftly makes his way down next to her. "Were you doing that often back there?"

Company is a good thing, and frankly Luke sounds like a good person to have at her side, but where she is going is not exactly the most welcoming place. "I would love to have you come with me, but I am about to go on patrol, and what I am hunting can be quite tough to face." If he insists, she is going to explain first.

Bow has posed:
After he makes his descent, Luke is jogging over to meet with Sayaka, a grin on his face. "Thought if I got high enough, I could see the whole city!" he admits. "I was wrong. This place is way bigger than any city on Etheria." comes his comment, before Ula speaks up.

"Yes! I liked the crystal design and it worked wonderfully! I had to use it last night when some... thing, turned out to be a possessed girl, attacked the library." They can talk more on that later, though, or while they are heading wherever it is that Sayaka is going - because he's totally just invited himself along.

"Oh, my fathers wanted me to have a musical talent when I was little, so I learned. I can play the violin and mandolin, I'm just happy that they exist here!" Another grin as he tucks his hands into his pockets. Today's outfit is a form fitting shirt coupled with a pair of blue jeans and sneakers. "I mainly play by ear." His smile becomes a little sheepish as one hand leaves a pocket to run at the short curls on the back of his head.

"Yeah. Etheria has cities and kingdoms, but a lot of it is wilderness, and the lands sometime... float and stuff. So you have to be agile and all that!" he explains, before he listens to Sayaka's information and his lips pull into a thin smile.

"Noone should patrol alone!" he says bravely, a solemn nod as he sets his ideas resolutely, "I'd be glad to accompany you, then." A pause as he looks her over. "You look cute today, by the way. The sweater with the shorts is a nice contrast!"

Sayaka Miki has posed:
Sayaka smirks when she hears what he was up to on the roof. That was a worthy attempt, something that makes sense from the point of view of an archer, but well... "I guess using a bow goes hand in hand with doing recon, but Tokyo is the biggest city in Japan, you would be hard-pressed to see where it ends."

Ula is glad that he appreciates her handiwork, she gave it her best shot to make something the teen would like, but before she can actually reply, it's Sayaka who starts talking yet again. "How is the possessed girl? Is she fine?"

It is with a slight blush due to past memories that Sayaka listens intently to how he started his musical foray, smiling all the while. "I actually really like music, it's something that moves me. It has done so since I was quite little, so that's why I am part of the band club." And it also gave Sayaka her first crush with a violin. "You sounded really talented yesterday. Had I not known you are from around here, I would have asked which concert hall do you play at."

Sayaka comes to a stop when she is called cute, an embarrassed smirk on her face. Her? Cute? No way, that doesn't suit her, he must have been saying it just because. It's one thing to hear Hinoiri say it, but there isn't anything special between her and Bow. "You sure? I don't think I work with cute, you know? There are much cuter girls than me." She is too much of a tomboy for one, and to hear something like that from someone as handsome as Bow... Well, what...?

But since he insists on coming along, he deserves an explanation, and that provides a helpful distraction. "What I am hunting is called a Witch. They feed on despair and malice, and they are really really dangerous. They typically hide in their own pockets of existence called Labyrinths, and they brainwash people to lead them there and feed on their misery. They are behind a lot of the incidents, suicides, attacks and other misfortunes you could hear on the news." Inside Sayaka's soul, Oktavia stirs at that explanation. Those are still Sayaka's comrades she is attacking. But all she can do is consign them to sleep.

Bow has posed:
"Yeah. Crystal Hope was telling me last night about how large this world is and how many people live here. I can't even begin to fathom that. I think there's more people living in Tokyo than all of Etheria." Bow finds himself admitting, just still trying to process that information.

"Oh! Yeah. There was some crystal in her mouth and she nearly ran me through with her claws." A little pat of his stomach with a hand as he walks with Sayaka, explaining things as they go. "Her name was Cho and Sailor Moon healed her. And she also knows She-Ra. So we're going to work together on finding her. Oh! And I found out Catra was here. That was unexpected, I mean, last I knew, Catra was with the Horde and with Hordak..." he trails off. Not important right now.

"I was inspired to accompany your piano playing!" he points out that she started that little impromptu duet as he releases his stomach and both of his hands go behind his head with an aimless little whistle.

Then she's suddenly coming to a halt. A few more steps and then Bow turns on his heel to take a look at the young woman. A gaze over the whole of her, before he nods. "Here's the thing with that, Sayaka. Everyone is different. I mean, not many people look like me around here. But it's all about what's on the inside!" comes his explanation. "You look nice on the outside, sure, but man, you're just so thoughtful and expressive and have a spirit and soul that just seems so... so... assured. It's pretty a-maze-ing, if you ask me." A pause and a wink. "And you did."

And now she's explaining what a Witch is and his lips pull into a thin line and he nods firmly. "All the more reason that I come along, then! First rule of the Rebellion, don't go alone, that's how you end up in a cage with a Horde Trooper laughing at you! Okay, that may not be the first rule, but it's an important one. So. You're not going alone. Especially since I never get lost in Labyrinths! Except that one time. I was actually in a labyrinth. Know what, forget that, let's go!"

Sayaka Miki has posed:
"On the positive though, there is a lot to see", Sayaka points out to Luke. "I think you will find Tokyo really nice once you have a chance to explore it. Have you ever been at Nounamo sweets? One of our schoolmates' grandpa runs it, and it's totally nice. Plus, it's not too far from Penguin Park, so one could make a stop there after grabbing some sweets. If you want, I could lead you there one of these days", Sayaka offers.

Cho... wasn't that the name of someone on the student council? She is pretty sure it is. "Good thing you all were around to help her. It must have been hard. Those things are really insidious. I am glad she offered to help you, though. I think she is on the student council, she must be really responsible."

Indeed he was, and with just that inspiration, he seared that moment in the Band club room forever into Sayaka's memory. That was a lovely memory she is never going to forget.

And Sayaka doesn't know what to make of the sudden analysis interlaced with compliments Bow does on her. What is happening here? Is it normal to be so forward in his culture? And hers was a rhetorical question, was it? There was no need to take it seriously. There wasn't. "I mean, thank you, but that was really nothing special. Everyone there decided to help you, and if I hadn't invited you for a school tour, someone else would. B-besides, if we were to say someone here looks good, t-that would be y-you, not me", she stammers.

A flicker of white appears in the corner of Bow's eye, and the railing of the school gate, a strange cat is standing. <<You really shouldn't underestimate Witches, Bow of Etheria>>, the creatures speaks telepathically. <<Many who do so seldom make their way out of the labyrinth again.>>

"Kyubey", Sayaka says, her tone suddenly tense. "Why are you back here?" <<I just thought I should give the welcome to a newcomer. Isn't that what you humans do?>> Sayaka scowls. "Well, we don't need that, and he certainly doesn't need to get one from you. Let's go, Luke. The less you talk with him the better." And with that, Sayaka starts walking out of the gate. "Ok, let's go."

Soon enough, they reach the Mitakihara Ward, and Sayaka starts explaining more. "Today it was the turn of this ward. I typically cycle through them. The jewel on my hand is a Soul Gem, and that's how I detect Witches. The brighter it shines, the closer we are." Even if recently, she has started to feel their pull due to a different reason. "For what's worth, Kyubey was right. A Witch would make short work of those soldiers on the beach. They are on a whole different level."

Bow has posed:
"I've been to the beach, and to the school. Pretty much it!" Bow admits as he drops his hands from the back of his head, turning as he waits for Sayaka to start walking again. "Maybe I'll check that out later." comes his cheerful rejoinder.

There's a shrug at the mention of helping Cho. "Eh, a lot of others did more, I just got a lucky strike to hold her down so Sailor Moon could heal her." he offers with a couple of steps. "Oh, I meant Sailor Moon's help, not Cho's! Uh, kinda ended sitting on top of Cho. That was awk-ward." he murmurs, before his attention turns to Sayaka's stumbling over her words.

Truth be told, meet Bow. He's the confidence guy. He's the one that gets all the Princesses hyped up and just helps where he can. And in his mind, Sayaka is her own Princess. And she can use the boost! "Ah, but noone else did. And you did. Soooo, don't sell yourself short, okay?" That offered with warmth, when she starts to stammer and try to compliment him, he chuckles. "I didn't compliment you with the expectation of getting one back!"

And then there's a new voice and a figure pops up at the corner of his eyes and then the cat thingie starts speaking at him, sending a shiver up his spine and his eyes go flat. "Ooooh, you're a creepy one." he manages, before he manages to shake it off. "Still going with, little strange cat looking thing." An aside to Sayaka, "Do all the animals talk here?"

But then, the Bluenette is striding with a purpose and Bow is following after her as they make it to the Ward. And he's listening to her, the teen Rebellion member has lips pulled together in a thin line in thought. "Got it." he says quietly to Sayaka. "But we're better together than with you trying to go solo."

She really reminds him of someone else that likes to storm off on her own sometimes.

Sayaka Miki has posed:
Kyubey blinks with his beady red eyes as he watches them go as if to say whatever, before he starts walking off in his own direction. He will have to come back anyway to collect the used Grief Seed from Sayaka in a few days as he usually does.

"Well, ok, I won't do that", Sayaka surrenders to Bow's magnetic confidence. "I still mean what I said at the end, though", she remarks, that actually having pushed up her confidence. It seems now she is starting to see Luke as enough of an acquaintance to be on easier complimenting terms. "If you have no other plans, we could check it out together, you know", Sayaka offers while they still walk through the streets. "I have nothing better to do, anyway."

"Not all, but many do", Sayaka answers Kyubey as she still keeps her eyes glued to her Soul Gem. Soon enough the stone starts getting an answer, a weak light appearing from the transparent blue stone. "Oh, I found a trace. It must be somewhere in the neighbourhood, but we have a direction now." Then she goes back to Kyubey. "Don't trust him. There is no guarantee that what he is telling you at any given moment actually is the truth." A beat, and then she adds. "I learned that the hard way."

"Thanks for being here, having someone I know I can trust at my side is actually a huge relief", Sayaka grins. "Witches can be quite unpredictable, so that's something I really appreciate."

Bow has posed:
Bow casts one last look towards the creepy cat and shudders. "Weird." he murmurs, before he jogs to catch up to Sayaka. There's a grin to her before she makes her offer. "I don't mind the company." he starts, but amusement touches his tone. "I don't want to distract you from your studies and all though!" Because in his head, he's still laser focused on finding Adora and getting home. Learning to live here has not taken root in his mind yet.

He doesn't disagree with her suggestion she has nothing better to do. Though really, there is so much to do how can she not ever not be busy?

As she points out that she's picking up on a trace, his brows go up as he nods to Sayaka on the warning about Kyubey. "I'll keep that in mind. Seemed creepy anyway!"

But a question does come up. "Should we still be in our civilian guises if we're getting close to trouble and that a Witch is unpredictable. Should consider... you know." A tap of the phone that Ula helped make in his pocket.

Sayaka Miki has posed:
"I am doing plenty well with my studies", Sayaka replies with a confident grin, before setting her focus back onto the meetup. "How about tomorrow, early on in the day? Does that sound good to you?" The sooner Luke gets to know Tokyo the better. And there are a lot of meeting places worth knowing.

As the two of them walk, the light the Soul Gem emits starts getting stronger. "We are almost there, down this alley", Sayaka says, taking a turn away from the main street.

"And that's not really needed. Outside of the Labyrinths they hide in, Witches only pose a danger to those they ensnare, that you can identify by the mark called a Witch's Kiss. It's a symbol related to the Witch that claimed them, and only goes away once the Witch is disposed of."

She breaks open a door to a building that's clearly abandoned, some sort of factory fallen into disuse, the Soul Gem now shining strongly once Sayaka reaches a wall. This is the entrance to the Labyrinth, and that's where those of us with magic have to be careful. After this point, not even we are safe." With a flicker of light, a portal opens, and it is then Sayaka transforms, after which she crosses the portal.

On the other side, a large expanse of steel everywhere shows, even the sky isn't excluded. Weirdly enough, trees grow from this ground their trunks and branches dropping white liquid glue. Everything looks it has been drawn, and in a way that enhances the shadows and strongly marks the zigzag line everywhere on here."

Bow has posed:
"I have plans tomorrow." Luke offers regretfully. "Maybe the next day?" Becuase he's still working on the whole days and all that stuff that is Earth-specific. He glances aside as he noticed the flash on the soul gem.

And into the building they're going. Well, he said he would help. Grabbing his phone, he opens the Etheria app and goes through his own transformation, ending up in his ab-bearing armor, the composite bow deployed as he nods his head.

Into the portal they go as he slips in behind the Puella Magi, the handle of the bow gripped tightly in his hand as he prepares it. And ends up in some type of world that makes even the strangeness of Etheria look perfectly tamed in comparison. "So, rule two, no splitting up." he tells her firmly.

And it is with that in mind that he relies on Sayaka to lead the way. A normal arrow is called up and rests easily in the nock, ready to be pulled and fired in a snap shot if needed. He can't call on a special arrow until he knows exactly what he may need. "Right next to you, Sayaka."

Sayaka Miki has posed:
"I can do the next day", Sayaka comments with a nod. "I think you will have fun." And that's it, because now there is a Labyrinth to go through.

Sayaka walks forward, avoiding the viscuous pool of glue than end up expanding with each drop. "Why would a Witch need so much glue?" Sayaka mumbles. That last thing she needs is being stuck in it. But even that seems to obvious a trap for a Witch. 'Why make something so evident?' Sayaka thinks as she eyes the oddly inoffense pools.

"Welcome back", Sayaka smiles when she sees Luke turn back to how he came here. "Pretty nice the transformation, right?", she comments interested in Bow's opinion, before she notices that Bow looks quite good like this too, not just in his civilian form. The fight was chaotic the first time around. But that doesn't mean she should focus on it now! It's Luke's fault for putting these thoughts into her head.

"This forest in a world of steel and the weird appearances things have is pretty much what to expect when inside a Labyrinth", she says. "And you never really know what might attack you in here."

Case in point, a few pools of glue start bubbling up as soon as they get past them, but they make the mistake of being too fast as they propel themselves up to the sky, so the two mahous have the opportunity to notice a droplet of glue speeding up all the way to a meter in the distance.

The glue has started turning solid, and taken the form of hawks the way one might see them distorted through glass. The proportions are certainly wrong anyway, with some feathers too big, and others too small, and the same goes for the claws. And the latter is what they use as they lunge towards the two!

Bow has posed:
Stepping in the white stuff is probably bad, Bow is realizing quickly, as he nods to Sayaka's comment. Later dates are later, let's concentrate on the now. But as Sayaka makes her question, Bow's comment is simply. "Because she's crafty." Couldn't help it. It was right there. A glance over to the bluenette as he watches for her reaction.

And he gets a chance to see how cute she is in her outfit as well, which is quite daring for a girl as shy as she comes across as!

But she's explaining things and he asks, "So, is this like... something that they built, like the whole barrier thing that was used in the library last night? Or on the beach? Like a different version?"

Not that he gets a chance to say more than that as Sayaka speaks it to life. The glue bubbles and rises, taking shape and form, and Bow notches the arrow he was carrying.

"Here they come." he warns, and aims, a shot fired at the foremost hawk to see what happens with a normal arrow before making the decision on if he needs to switch and what to. But he remains close to Sayaka, not breaking the near contact with her, while giving her the room she needs to fight.

Sayaka Miki has posed:
Bow's comment earns him a grin from Sayaka. "Well, yes, that's a possible use", Sayaka comments. He got her there. "Must be quite dextrous with arts and crafts things." Or must have been, she thinks, back when she was a normal girl. Though, that's not a hard rule. She certainly had nothing to do with trains besides a station being the location she became a witch at.

"Yes, the Labyrinths are something they make. This is their hideout. Witches aren't powerful enough to confidently act in the real world", Sayaka comments, her face impassive.

Sayaka takes care of the hawk directed at her, by tossing the sword she has towards it, as well as another for good measure, tearing two big holes into it that make the glue return to its original state, this time for good.

Meanwhile the one Bow has fired an arrow towards gets hit into the left wing, sending it crashing it the ground, where the impact makes it explode, it too defeated.

"That was quite good for the first assault", Sayaka smiles before starting to go ahead. The more they go ahead, the more the puddles of glue turns into a river of glue flowing somewhere.

Bow has posed:
"So do things follow any sort of natural logic here?" Bow asks as he listens to Sayaka, not really questioning things. This is her expertise. He's just here to make sure that she stays safe.

"Ah! So... they make this place and people show up and bad things happen. Like a trapdoor spider!" Those exist on Etheria. Except their traps are way way larger than here on Earth. As Sayaka starts summon sword after sword, he looks impressed. "Is it all the same sword?" he asks her a bit curiously, because it's a valid question. Because as the first hawk is taken down - and his arrow takes down the second one." And he lets out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. He was worried that the arrow wouldn't work with those creatures.

Walking with her, he explains, "The reason why I asked about the logic was because..." a gesture to the flow of the glue. "I think if we follow the river we may get to our destination?" he suggests.

Sayaka Miki has posed:
Well, that one she can answer easily. "No, Labyrinths follow their own set of rules. If a Witch wants to have a place where gravity is inverted, then she can just make that. That's just another danger of them. However, they can't change how those places work after they are made. Once they materialise, they are like that for good."

"People don't have to enter Labyrinths for Witches to be dangerous. Remember that they are responsible for incidents, suicides and other disasters that happen out there. Powerful enough witches may even affect the weather." Oktavia did create a strong wind when she manifested after all, though she doesn't think that can happen again.

"Well, it may lead us to the center of the Labyrinth. If the Witch is an Arts and Craft Type, she probably wants to use the glue." However, the time for chatter is soon at an end, as this time deer-glue familiars appear, ramming at the two of them.

Bow has posed:
"Oh. Magic. That tracks." Bow offers, sounding as if it's no big deal. Considering how much magic is on Etheria, this is quite easy to understand, after all, he was one of the few non-magicals about.

As she explains the type of people that end up effected by the Witches, Bow frowns. "I understand your need to stop them then, Sayaka." he admits to her quietly. "That sounds terrible." There could have been more to say on it, but the small crystal floating next to Bow chimes softly. "Danger." she warns gently.

An arrow is drawn and fired, followed quickly by a second, before Cystal Hope comments. "You know, Bow, you can fire multiple arrows at once?" she suggests to the archer. Not that it may be needed at the moment, but nice to have for the future!

Sayaka Miki has posed:
Yes, Sayaka has experienced people under the influence of Witches right at her first encounter with one, and back then she didn't have powers, nor did she know that help was coming. The glazed look of those people turning towards her as she stopped their tentative to kill themselves, only a bat she was holding keeping them back... it was a terrible experience.

Sayaka's swords penetrate the deer ramming her in the chest, while Bow's arrows strike his in the leg, and both of them soon lose their forms, splattering to the ground. "Well, that was that, now let's go forward", Sayaka says, recovering her swords instead of generating more. "Oh, by the way, these aren't the same pair of swords", I just can make as many appear as I want, as long as my magical energy is sufficient", she explains to Bow.

Soon enough, the river leads to an abyss in which it flows down, no light reaching down there. Not even the flow of glue is visible right after the edge. "Well, it looks like the Witch may be down there", Sayaka mutters. Hers is just a hunch, but there is nowhere else to go. "See you down there", she exclaims to Bow, and she jumps.

Bow has posed:
As he makes his way forward with Sayaka, Bow watches the Puella Magi with a mote of concern as they reach the edge of the glue river. The stags are taken down, but he's on guard for more enemies.

That is until they reach the ledge. And as Bow was about to suggest something, Sayaka just glances into abyss, "I think we should..." And then she jumps. "Sakaya!" he exclaims in a panic.

"FLARE ARROW!" He calls out. Instead of firing it though, he strikes it along the ground to light it, causing it to burn brightly. With it in his hand, he leaps down after the girl, trying to fight the well of panic in his stomach at the idea of her jumping in blindly. They should have had a plan!

Sayaka Miki has posed:
Though in the end, it's not much of a jump because as soon as they fall beyond the ledge Bow and Sayaka find themselves on... conveyor belts. They landed on thin layers of wood being carried down and covered by the falling glue... If they look down they see at the center of the chamber two rotating saws on top of three lines of plywood, each line's tassel glued on top of each other.

As soon as the two mages make their appearance in the hole, the saws start rotating much faster and weird writings appear in the air.

https://ibb.co/x3ghbJx

"Uh", Sayaka says upon seeing those writings. 'I understand them, I actually understand them', she thinks. That's the first time she does.

"Bow, that's the Witch!", Sayaka says pointing to the assemblage of tassels and saws at the bottom. The saws whirr faster and four sets of tassels are launched towards each of them.

Bow has posed:
It's like being in a twisted Ikea, if Bow knew what such a thing was. As they end up on the conveyer belt, he sticks the flare arrow into the conveyer belt and the strange writings appear.

Unlike Sayaka, however, he does not understand the glyphs that float in the air. Instead, his attention is drawn to the saw blades and tassels. "That's a witch?" he finds himself asking in utter confusion, just as they attacks are launched at them. A normal arrow is fired because he didn't call for a special one as he is quickly moving to dodge.

"What's the plan, Sayaka?!" he calls over to her, prepping another arrow and letting it go. "Do you know what it's weak to, or do we just hit it until it stops?"

Sayaka Miki has posed:
When Bow sticks the flare arrow into the conveyor belt, it catches on fire, burning all the thin layer of wood on it, and soon enough the other belts follow suit, turning the previously darkly lit chamber into a blazing inferno.

Sayaka jumps down to avoid the flames and in doing so, she avoids the tassels aimed at her that end up catching fire too and turning to cinders. Using her cape to cover herself, she falls to the ground, the magic cloth absorbing most of the damage and her self-healing fixing the rest.

Blades appear in Sayaka's hand and promptly leaves them, hitting the Witch's side and making the blades whirr even faster, as if screaming. "Yes, that's a Witch, and we just hit it until it stop!"

Meanwhile Bow's arrows pierce the tassels that avoid the flames and end up forcing them backwards, towards the ground. "Jump down, Bow, I will catch you!", Sayaka yells to her companion on top of the belt.

Bow has posed:
To be fair, Bow did not mean to set things /on fire/. As the flames erupt, he yelps, confused as to how combustible it all was. And then Sayaka is jumping off again, falling towards the ground.

She's off on the attack, those blades out and whipped towards the rows of saws. And Sayaka is calling for him to jump. She'll what? Yes, he's more than aware that Sayaka is strong - she carried him from the beach after all. But. "I got it!" he calls to her.

He steps back a few steps and then runs forward. As he does so, he calls out, "Rope arrow!" An arrow drawn and fired, a long rope flies from it, slamming into one of the trees and grabbing a hold of the rope, he swings downwards.

As he gets close to the ground, the flames snap the rope as he starts to fall, giving Sayaka the chance to catch him, after all!

Sayaka Miki has posed:
Sayaka is relieved to see she didn't have to worry and Bow had portable rope, except then a stroke of bad luck happens and the flames burn his rope, causing him to fall and so Sayaka catches him, stumbling a bit from the impact of Bow in her arms. "Everything all right?", she asks, lowering him to the ground as soon as possible so the Witch can't try any blind shot.

"Let's get her now!", Sayaka says, turning to the Witch. "Molto Arioso!" Sayaka says, seven cutlasses appearing in mid-air and firing at the Witch!" The Witch surrounds itself with a barrier of plywood in response.

Bow has posed:
As he ends up in Sayaka's arms, Bow finds himself laughing. "She-Ra caught me like that... a few times!" he admits. So has Adora, but we won't get into that. Set upright on the ground, the Etherian draws in a breath. "Thank you!" he offers quickly, back on his feet.

And then she's announcing that it's time to end this.

"Right." he says between gritted teeth. Setting his resolve as Sayaka unleases the seven cutlass strike, Bow considers his options, and calls out. "Multi-Shot!"

See, that's what the foreshadowing was earlier for!

Four arrows appear, Bow snagging them as a group. Knocking them all into the bow, he pulls back, and hot on the heels of Sayaka's shot comes the arrows released by Bow as they fly towards the witch.

Sayaka Miki has posed:
Turns out plywood isn't worth much as cover, even if it's magic, and especially not under the combined efforts of two multi-strike attacks. The result? The barrier is torn down quickly and the Witch is pierced by all swords and arrows, a last pained whirr of the blades before it collapses and the Labyrinth starts fading around them, the alley focusing back into view as a ping is heard.

"Everything is ok now", Sayaka says to nobody in particular as she picks up what falls to the ground, a sphere with both extremities of a needle on the top and bottom of it. Sayaka puts it close on the elongated blue c around her navel - the current form of her Soul Gem - and small impurities fly from it towards the object.

Then the Puella turns towards Bow and says "Congratulations, Bow, we did it!", and as she shows him what she picked up, she adda "This is a Grief Seed", she announces. "One appears after defeating a Witch and it absorbs the impurities in our Soul Gems, restoring our magic. If you find one, give it to a Puella Magi within a day at most, as it's quite unstable and dangerous otherwise", the bluenette warns him.

"So, how was your first Labyrinth?", she asks, as if she were a mentor getting debriefed on her protegee's progress.

Bow has posed:
As the witch is defeated and collapses into a seed, Bow approaches after Sayaka. His arrow is still notched, just in case, but when she picks up the grief seed and exposes her belly, where her soul gem is, he ohs. "That... caused all of this?" he asks her.

And then she shows him what to do and explains it all to him, he laughs. "If you think I'm coming to one of these without calling you first..." He doesn't finish his statement, instead, he focuses on the question.

"That was very dangerous. But I'm glad I was here to help! And I'm glad you were able to get what you needed, Sayaka. Are you alright?" he asks in genuine concern.

Sayaka Miki has posed:
"Not really?" Sayaka replies. "The Witch caused everything, this is just what's left of her", she says with a small frown. The she starts reassuring him. "Don't worry, I am not the only Puella around. If it's not me, there will be someone else", she says with a smile.

"That said, though!" she adds, suddenly imperious. "Do call me if I am around, I don't want something to happen just because I wasn't aware. No, scratch that, you have my number. If you are alone, send me a message or call me."

"And Bow, remember that we fight the Witches to stop them from seeding chaos. The Grief Seed is just a good extra, not our main goal", she says. Darn Kyubey...

"I am quite alright too! So how about we walk back to the school?", she grins at him. That was probably enough for a first day on Tokyo patrols.