Three things happen in quick succession:
Mei vaulted over the counter and through the door in one smooth motion, phone already in hand, tapping on the contact for Raimoto Haru.
Alfons and Rei followed after with a speed that wasn't quite enough.
[Enter The Fray +Rapport+Flamekeeper: 5+3+2 vs. 7,9 STRONG HIT]
\And Mei intercepted the blow meant for Ichigo, shoes strained near to the breaking point, blue-white light shining on her, as she felt the burn of it on her skin.
It's hot, but nothing we can't handle, Asura-chan declared.
[Objective: Protect Ichigo and Rei.]
[Rank: Extreme]
[ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
The little bastard's smirking, Asura-chan noted, and Mei nodded. "— Oi. Whoever you are. You OK?"
Ichigo paused, then nodded. "It's, uh, Gold Dragon."
"Why am I not surprised?" The change in Rei's voice made Mei hesitate, but she was in control.
[Strike +Hard +Sweet Shine +Asura-chan: 1+3+2 vs 6, 5 weak hit]
But Mei did duck Rei's glaive, which struck the dragon… android… monster?— in the midsection and sent it skidding back.
"— Torioi, right? Stay out of this," Gold Dragon said.
"This place is dangerous. You should leave, too," Mei responded.
"That's not going to work out here," Gold Dragon replied.
Mei followed up with a sock to its armored gut, leaving a dent and herself shaking out her hand. "What gives?"
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[Mei takes 1 Body! 3/5.]
[SPECIAL CONDITION: High-Energy Exposure. Any time Mei declares she's using Asura-chan to Strike or Gain Ground, she will take 1 Body in damage, as her other self's protection leaves her briefly. Rei, Alfons, Ichigo, Hiroshi, and Ayumu are all immune to this insidious effect.]
I can't hit it and protect us at the same time! Asura-chan growled.
"Understood."
The Ryuuroid stepped forward, and swung.
[React Under Fire +Quick: 3+1 vs 9, 1 weak hit]
Mei tried to back away from the strike, but her reaction time was simply not fast enough. Even a glancing blow was enough to be felt, hard.
[Mei takes 1 Body, 2/5.]
"Torioi!" Now Gold Dragon and his friends sprung into action, trying to protect Mei.
Just what she didn't want.
[React Under Fire +Thoughtful +Dragon's Fire + Flamekeeper: 5+2+2+2 vs 8, 7 STRONG HIT]
Still, that gave her a moment to think, even if she didn't particularly like the way she'd gotten it. It was no use dodging it, and with all the debris around, it had an infinite supply of weaponry— to say nothing of if the JSDF or the onmyouji got involved.
Rei was— Rei was lining up a shot. Alfons—
Alfons was on Mei's shoulder. "You'll never defeat it without taking its eye."
"The one with all the ridges?"
"No! The one on its chest!"
And with that one hint, the monster's weakness unfurled before her.
[Mei regains Control.]
[Mei spends 2 Momentum, 8/10.]
[Strike +Hard +Armor-Piercing Blow + Flamekeeper: 3+3+2+2 vs 4, 6 STRONG HIT]
First things first, regain control of the combat. Mei forced it to consider her again, as she charged in, aiming for the weakness in its gut armor she'd started to make.
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Next, basic throw. A hip throw in its unbalanced state should work perfectly, and set up for Rei's oncoming attack.
[Strike +Hard +Sweet Shine: 1+3+2 vs 3, 4 STRONG HIT]
The halberd got it in the back of the neck, even as you pitched it forward, leaving a nasty gouge even through its thick neck plating.
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"Now!" Gold Dragon shouted. Black Cat and White Crane both struck, leaving massive cuts in the shoulders which should have killed it. Emphasis should. Blood that glowed blue flew everywhere, high-pressure and high-energy.
Mei paused, then nodded. "Wait for it, but we're going to do it anyway."
But—!
[Gain Ground +Thoughtful +DRAGON'S FLAME +Sweet Shine: 4+2+2+2 vs 4, 10 weak hit]
"Sweet Heart! Left side!"
Gold Dragon nodded and pulled the Ryuuroid the other direction, giving Sweet Heart its blind spot, a fact she abused liberally to lodge her halberd in again.
Mei looked up and saw the three wounds were already closing, and the dent already correcting itself.
Direct damage simply wasn't going to work. The memory of earlier that day rose unbidden in her heart— 'Some things, you can't punch.'
A more careful strategy would be required to get it to give up its coveted Eye.
[Mei retains control, and learns something important… +2 Momentum, 10/10.]
"Dragon, back, now!"
Gold Dragon hopped back and watched claws rend only air.
Now, though, now it was Mei's turn.
"Let's see if I can open you up…" Mei looked to Gold Dragon. "With me!"
[Mei burns two momentum! 8/10.]
[Strike +Hard +Armor-Piercing Blow +Dragon's Fire: 5+3+2+2 vs 8, 8 MATCH]
Gold Dragon beat aside one hand with a picture-perfect roundhouse, while Mei pulled it off-line on the other arm, aiming for where she would grab the lapel.
Instead, Mei was aiming for something she was sure Sakaki-senpai would tell her was absolutely illegal.
She reached in, grabbed what little hold of the shining gem she could get on the tips of her fingers, and pulled.
When this failed, she turned it into a vicious shoulder throw, cracking the pavement, revealing the hardened concrete beneath.
And that was when, from above, Raimoto Haru's arrow arrived like a thunderbolt, followed shortly by the rest of her, smiling that oddly serene smile. "Oh? And what's this you've called me to?"
"Hotpot and answers?" Mei asked.
"Ha, I suppose so." Raimoto pulled back the string of her long, traditional bow, and the space between string and bow crackled with purple-white lightning. "Shall we begin?"
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[Gain Ground +Thoughtful+Bolt From The Blue+Dragon's Fire+Sweet Shine: 5+2+2+2+2 vs 2, 10 weak hit]
"All right, let's open up this tin can." Mei let it get up— or rather, once again, her lack of real weight betrayed her as the Ryuuroid tossed her aside towards the trash cans.
Not that Mei was deterred in the slightest, turning her body so that she bounced herself off the wall instead.
"Haru, if that's lightning, I can use it-- try and get its side when we expose it. Dragon, Kuroneko, you're with me. Sweet Heart, White Crane, distract it for a second."
'White Crane' looked at Sweet Heart for a moment, and then— "Hey, uh, if we survive this, can we talk a bit later—"
"Save it." Sweet Heart smashed into it with what would be, on most other beings, a mighty, telling blow, here only useful to occupy its regeneration in useless things.
Similarly, White Crane slipped around it and jabbed multiple of his feather-daggers deep in its scales, only to have to evade it trying to back him against a wall.
"Dragon, we're going to expose its right flank to Haru."
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[Strike +Hard +Dragon's Fire +Bolt From The Blue: 5+3+2+2 vs 6,8 STRONG HIT]
Mei had to hope that Haru could see the weak point as easily as she did— something not guaranteed in the slightest.
Mei decided to get its attention back on her.
To do this, she slapped it in the face.
Even it winced, then turned its entire fury to her and only her.
Ichigo caught the left-handed swing. That left only the right arm and its tail to attack.
Mei nodded, and leapt, a jump kick at almost the same time, which was intentionally just that little bit too slow and clunky.
The right arm lifted, exposing it to Raimoto Haru's arrow.
Like a bolt from clear skies, the celestial arrow struck home, electricity coursing through its body, changing the shape of the metal within through the heat.
It was only a crack, one Dragon exploited by rearing back and letting loose flames from body and mouth.
The armor warped and peeled back.
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"Down to us, now."
Mei felt Asura-chan nod. You'd better make it quick.
[Mei spends two Momentum! 6/10.]
[Mei orders Asura-chan forth! 1/5 Body remains!]
[Strike +Hard +Armor-Piercing Blow +Sweet Shine +Asura-chan: 2+3+2+2+1 vs 5, 2 STRONG HIT]
Mei was no stranger to hot iron. She reached in with all four hands, found the edge of both chest plates, and despite the heat in her hands, in her eyes, reaching into the depths of her soul, she PULLED, and watched steel bend before her, and blood pool on the pavement and her clothing.
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[Take Decisive Action: 6 vs 2, 7 weak hit]
She felt the flame in her body, in her hands, as she reached, found the eye, and got firm purchase, wrenching it free of its bloody steel prison, holding it aloft, triumphant, as if it were a beating heart.
Somehow, somehow, it was still shining in her hands, as it steamed and hissed, and the Ryuuroid before her seemed to weaken, pale, atrophy.
At that point it was all over but the incredible pose and requisite explosion.
IRON DEVIL (??????) (EXTREME) [XX] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
And yet, as the monster faded to dust, Gold Dragon said what was on everyone's minds when they looked upon Mei's hand, covered with steaming blood:
"Why is it still shining!?"
Who helps Mei the most?
[ ] [AID] Ichigo, by taking the Eye into himself.
[ ] [AID] Rei, whose experience is invaluable.
[ ] [AID] Alfons, who tells her how to contain her Fire.
[ ] [AID] Haru, who knows the truth.
What does she cling to the most?
[ ] [IRON] Her promises and obligations.
[ ] [IRON] Her bonds with others.
[ ] [IRON] Her iron will and control.
[ ] [IRON] Her curses, down to the very deepest.
What visits her fevered nightmares, wakened by the Dragon's Eye?
[ ] [FLAME] A firebird, elusive and tormenting, even to the pure of heart.
[ ] [FLAME] A being of passion, ignited by her growing love, tempting her.
[ ] [FLAME] A living forge, demanding and powerful.
[ ] [FLAME] A flame of visions, whispering tales of futures that burn.
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