Unfair [Ayano, Deman, Natalie]

[Vio]

^{Natalie #8 — Ayano #8}

---

^{“Don’t move!”}

…?! A harsh whisper was her first greeting to the upper reaches of this locale — a threat to subdue her into silence and inaction, perhaps. Awareness was heightened in the darkness, eyes searching the empty rooftop for signs of life, only to settle upon a silhouette. L’Estrange Natalie straightened somewhat, remaining a low but prepared stance. The dark cloak with which she concealed herself served to mask the movements of her free hand as she drew the second of her blades from her hip.

Maybe I was right, the smouldering siren smirked in silence, putting recognition to a previous hunch. Alas, she knew only the most vague of details, and a whispered threat was not enough to place a voice to a face.

^{“Assertive and secretive?” she whispered:
“Now that’s an exciting combo…”}

Playful as her words might have been, there was nothing playful about the situation they were in. A guard on the rooftop seemed an oddity, but maybe placed for good reason — a reason that she had at least entertained previously. The most pressing matter? The sensitivity of her mission. Without hesitation, Natalie was already moving, swiftly to intercept the threat, silently to avoid further detection. Blades remained in her hands, chains wrapped tight, for the last thing she wanted was to become entangled through cloak and coil alike.

Nyalugwe Kumenya…! A bloody exchange was something she had wished to — and indeed still wanted to avoid, but she needed to avoid a call to arms at all costs. For the factory’s security to be made alert was to bring their mission to an abrupt end. And to guarantee that silence, she pounced from the shadows, baring the fang-like tail of each blade down upon her target.

^{—— MEANWHILE ——}

Dusting her hands off, Kōketsu Ayano gave the immediate area another look, staying within the shadows of night and structure alike. However, while her companion had cleanly made her ascent to the roof, the snow-haired swordswoman had no easy way of reaching such a location. Her thoughts began to focus on what she knew — on what she was capable of. Yet she was not allowed the privilege of time to ponder.

We’ve been found out…?! Ears pricked at the sound of approaching footfalls, like heavy boots upon the earth, guiding her hand to her hip as fingers firmly wrapped about the hilt of her sword. To be caught by surprise would be an affront to her very being, and to the cause, and so she stood at the ready as something rushed her position. White steel flourished, but it was not the blade that parried the incoming strike, but the saya itself.

^{As I suspected, Ayano affirmed:
She was not to be trusted…!}

Again, blade and block flourished as the attack was repulsed. The scabbard’s end jabbed forth into her assailant’s core as Miss Kōketsu turned on one heel, katana’s point meeting its hold’s mouth.

“Junseiryū… Nōtō Hō,” she hushed. In one elegant motion, the pristine, snowy blade shot back into its ivory confines. The result? A momentary concussive force transferring into the body of her adversary. This ‘White Tiger’ had been suspicious in name, but this all but confirmed it: Phoebe was a spy. Natalie’s actions had endangered their operation, but that was seldom a priority. She turned again, still primed, to see if her counterattack had been successful…

---

SPOILER: Click to show

{Post Synposis:}
Natalie realises her cover has been blown and quickly, if playfully, engages the mysterious stranger on the rooftop.

Meanwhile, Ayano confirms her own suspicions and defends herself against what she assumes is Phoebe’s commander…

---

SPOILER: Click to show

{Nyalugwe Kumenya (TECH)}
_{Holding her blades by their hafts rather than having them extended, Natalie pounces upon an opponent, bringing the “tail” of both blades down and across in an “X” pattern to slice.}

SPOILER: Click to show

{Nōtō Hō (TECH)}
_{With her sword drawn, Ayano jams the butt of the scabbard into an opponent’s body, usually aiming for the gut or solar plexus, but any area is a viable target. Then, she rapidly and forcefully sheathes the blade in its entirety, causing a brief burst of concussive force to slam the opponent. The technique aims to disarm, stun, or otherwise incapacitate the target.}

NOTES:— N/A

---

L’Estrange Natalie | #806548
Kōketsu Ayano | #FD6C9E
Mysterious Stranger | #EEEEEE
Phoebe von Kessler | #40E084
Poco Averso | #5B7586

[pepsi]

-- CHAPTER 6 // UNFAIR

Deman, clutching the sheath of his weapon, placed a knee to the ground and focused on the sounds around him. Much to his surprise, the enemy was not obviously coming towards him - and neither were they running away. "Hiding?" he voiced in his mind; "What kind of guard would be hiding instead of calling support?"
Even his fine hearing couldn't help pinpoint the exact location of the supposed guard; the tension in his muscles increased with every passing moment. To hide from his senses... it happened ever so rarely.
It was sudden; a motion, at the very last moment, revealed only by his peripheral vision; instinctively he turned, putting the scabbard between what were revealed to be two blades dangerously close to his neck.
He was too late for his parry to be stable, and the added momentum made him fell on his back, the weight of the attacker now pressing upon his body. Everything moved too quickly, and against the light of the moon that shone directly into his eyes, orthogonal to the terrain, he couldn't make out the features of his enemy.

He only smiled, for he had it all planned out.

カタ.

[Click.]

The thumb reached the hidden switch on his blade's guard. The spring mechanism was released, allowing the weapon to shoot outside of its housing.
The hilt was ejected into the ground; by simple reaction forces, the entire weapon was instead forcefully displaced towards the opposite direction. As a result, the adversary would feel a sudden force from one side imparted through their own weapons.
With some luck, he'd even end up on top of the attacker. "Stop," he whispered again, "or I'll get serious. How do you know I'm here? How many of you are out there?"

The claws on the beastly enemy were repelled by a masterful riposte of the Pure White maiden. It growled, receiving the impact full-force, and took a few steps closer to the wall.
The arm swiped again, this time hitting the bricks; by the sheer friction of the beast's natural weapon against the rough texture of the wall, one could see clearly the sparks. Perhaps an act of intimidation - which, given the stature of its adversary, would rarely land a hit - perhaps merely making sure that the claws were sharp enough to kill.
And sharp they were. It dashed to the side, circling around her, apparently going in the wrong direction if its intention was to attack. However, as it moved, it brought the sharpened blades in front of himself; coiling the arm backwards, he readied his assault.
With a twitch of his muscles, the tension was released, the arm was extended, and with it the attack. The air itself seemed to coalesce into the shape of five bullets traveling, dangerous as they seemed, directly towards the girl.

"[Gogan!]"

-- NAME // Deman Reeves

-- CLASS // D

-- TECHS USED // None.

[Vio]

^{Natalie #9 — Ayano #9}

---

Steel met scabbard in a bizarre exchange that saw the fire dancer’s assault halted, but not entirely. The momentum of her pounce backing her culminating in the supposed guard toppling beneath her. Illuminated by the moonlight was a man with snowy hair not all that dissimilar from Ayano’s, with eyes of deep blue that seemed as alert as a cat’s when on the prowl.

Alert, not surprised: A smile told her that.

Well, that was unexpected, L’Estrange Natalie did note as a sudden force flipped her from a straddling position into a pose where she was the one being straddled. Where moonlight had illuminated his features prior, it was now she — hood fallen from the sudden flip — who was being exposed by lunar rays. But even so, the man’s priority was something else entirely.

“Serious, huh~? Easy, Tiger,” Nat replied, raising an eyebrow. Reciprocated or not, her jest was overridden somewhat by the questions that poured from the strange swordsman’s lips. These were not questions a guard would have asked. More specifically, the first question was something of an indication that this gentleman’s motives were perhaps as shady as her own, and that piqued her interest.

“Just a hunch,” she answered deceitfully with a wink, knowing full well that her position had been compromised. While flexible, while fast, even the burning brunette knew her limits. In a test of strength, she didn’t favour her chances, but hardly was she easy prey as far as an interrogation was concerned. “Slow down, honey,” Miss L’Estrange continued, dismissing the second query in favour of her own: “It’s not the destination; it’s the journey. I’m guessing you’re not a part of the security detail…?”

^{—— DOWN BELOW ——}

Shrick! Claws raked stone, honing their edge in the wake of the swordswoman’s counterattack. Yet despite the sparking display of ferocity and risk, Kōketsu Ayano remained with back straightened and stance firm, eyes focused upon the opposition as if she were looking down upon them. What at first might have been a man had now revealed itself a beast, but not as any other beast. Despite claw and whisker, it wore the clothes of a human and stood with a similar physique.

“Your claws may be sharp,” Ayano said sternly as the attack uncoiled. Once again, she aimed to parry the strike, raising her scabbard to obstruct the assault’s path whilst simultaneously drawing her blade. The blow resonated through lacquer, steel, and form alike as heeled boots ground against the earth beneath her feet. There was no denying the strength of such an attack, but she remained stoic despite being pushed back some distance.

White steel gleamed in moonlight.

“But my conviction… It is sharper! Junseiryū,” she said again, once again priming her sword. With a single stride forwards, Shirajirashī’s pristine edge flickered in the cool nightly air, hopefully striking true with such an uncanny precision as hers. It was an attack aimed not to draw blood, nor to wound in any physical way, but to establish a point. No man, beast, nor combination of the two was about to overwhelm this woman…

^{“Seiketsu Zangeki…!”}

---

SPOILER: Click to show

{Post Synposis:}
Natalie is bested, but counters the questions with one of her own.

Meanwhile, Ayano remains stoic in the face of danger, repelling an attack and launching a decisive strike.

---

SPOILER: Click to show

{——}
_——

SPOILER: Click to show

{Seiketsu Zangeki (TECH)}
_{Ayano performs a swift and powerful slash using Shirajirashī’s edge, aiming to slice fabric, timber, and softer materials with ease and precision, but not cutting whatever is beneath it. The technique’s primary purpose is to pierce an opponent’s defences without inflicting any actual physical harm to the target.}

NOTES:— Ayano’s aiming to slice the fur and fabric; nothing more, nothing less.

---

L’Estrange Natalie | #806548
Kōketsu Ayano | #FD6C9E
Mysterious Stranger | #EEEEEE
Phoebe von Kessler | #40E084
Poco Averso | #5B7586

[pepsi]

-- CHAPTER 6 // UNFAIR

The pure white maiden's assault found its target, tearing through the soft fabric that covered the beast's chest. A diagonal slash, cutting through its belly: the black coat opened, and the so did a sharp, straight line of fur under its chest.
The beast itself seemed otherwise unarmed; in fact, for the entirety of the attack, it had stayed pretty still. It sighed, checking the gash in the fabric; in a grave tone, it declared: "I'm dead tired of your antics."
With a nearly atypical calm for his appearance, the beast searched in its clothing's pockets. Gleaming in the moonlight, a pair of perfectly circular chakrams appeared in each of the beast's hands.
"Your conviction serves you nothing. You could have gone down. Easily, letting me slit your throat for good. But no... Pain is what you want."
They began rotating, spinning around a clawed finger - then the next, then the next, swiftly passing from one claw to the other; the deep, almost thunderous voice of the beastly man recited: "It'll be fine, it'll be fine. Physical pain... is nothing. [Cercle du Douleur]..."
And then it happened, in a flash; the chakrams spinning on his fingers, he went to spin as well - a stride, in many ways similar to the one Ayano took herself, but this time with an added complete rotation that multiplied the slashing power of the chakrams; the cut came in at a horizontal, at the level of the woman's chest, much like the cut he received himself.

"... [Entorage!]"

Deman's eyes finally picked up on the woman's features, suggesting him a familiar face. Yes, he had seen her before; at the fair, drawing with her body elegant moves - fire as her ink. "The fire dancer?" He let the words slip from his mouth almost without realising, such was the extent of his surprise.
The girl was quick to put perfectly into place all of his doubts about who she was and who she wasn't; pressing his weapon back into the scabbard, Deman lifted himself up and walked a few steps back. "I'm not," he declared, "and neither are you." Clearly. She didn't quite behave like a guard - hiding from a supposed intruder, responding to his questions with questions of her own, not calling for any support. It was clear that her motives for being there were not too different from his. Indeed, he could figure out quite a few things from that exchange alone.
"And you're working alone, or at most with two other people. Not more, because yours, too, must be a covert operation. Clearly you're the only one who can climb to the roof as fast as you did. If there are others, you left them on the ground level."
He sighed, shaking his head. All of that, however, left out one single detail... Something that, in Deman's mind, could have been extremely relevant to understand the situation at hand.
"And yet, you call me Tiger. How do you know that name? Who told you?"
As high maintenance as he could be, as quick-witted as he could be, sometimes he... Overanalyzed.

-- NAME // Deman Reeves

-- CLASS // D

-- TECHS USED // None.

-- NAME //

-- CLASS // C

-- TECHS USED // Cercle du Douleur: Entorage
spins once on his axis, adding this velocity onto the quickly rotating chakrams on his fingers, while dashing towards the opponent.

[Vio]

^{Natalie #10 — Ayano #10}

---

Given the chance to stand, Natalie took it, keeping eyes firmly upon those of the man before her. Though he had stowed his blade, he had already made it somewhat obvious that that meant little. He, too, was fast; stronger than she by perhaps a more modest margin than some. But all the same, she did not take him for the type to act rashly in this situation. His declaration and recognition told her that much.

“And you’re working alone, or at most with two other people,” the swordsman assessed, quite accurately, as he continued to deduce facts that some would omit. Almost as a gesture of understanding, the fire dancer slipped her own blades back into place at her waist, hiding them once more beneath the dark cloak that covered her from shoulder to knee — the hood was left down.

^{“You call me Tiger,” he questioned:
“How do you know that name?”}

Nat put a hand to her mouth, stifling a laugh; a girlish giggle.

“What? It’s just an expression…,” the burning brunette explained, eyes giving the man before her a once over from head to toe — not an ounce of subtlety. “I’m surprised a tall drink of water like yourself hasn’t heard it before,” she added, somewhat amused, but at the same time very curious. “Why? Is that a nickname of yours…? Oh,” Nat continued, piecing together her own puzzle within her head: “I guess it’s ‘White Tiger’ then… Let’s just say a certain Wobbegong gave me a hint about that. Which means you and I have the same goal, if I’m not mistaken…”

^{—— GROUND LEVEL ——}

Persistent… I should not underestimate him any further, Ayano noted, seeing her strike’s successes, and also its failures. An average grunt may have fallen back in shock at the precision of such a blow, giving ample time for her to deliver a final, incapacitating strike. This beast of a being had not faltered, neither in the way or the wake of the slash. Rather, claws had now been replaced with whirling chakrams.

“You are wrong,” Miss Kōketsu retorted, strengthening her stance as she watched with a hawkish gaze the elegance of the dancing blades — analysing whatever it was that drove the motions of the steel. She had no chance to get another word in, for spinning blades now accompanied a spinning body. Neither as fast nor as agile as her companion, perhaps not as so against her opponent, a disadvantage was clear. Despite that, she remained steady in the face of danger.

A single step backwards, reversed.

Riiip…! Clink! In the eyes of another, it was a foolish movement to make. In the eyes of Ayano, it was testament to her strength — if not of body then most definitely of spirit and ideology. Her dark cloak fell away from her shoulders, fabric sundered by the razors her foe wielded, and even revealing a shallow cut through the fabric of her jacket. Any closer and flesh would have felt cold steel. But it was as her robe fell away that the woman had done the most dangerous venture, steel flourishing skyward to redirect the second wheel.

“And that is thrice,” the noble soul said with certainty, aiming to hold her opponent’s blade in deadlock with the flat of her sword — a precise adjustment that she had intended to use to stop the weapon entirely. How? By slipping Shirajirashī’s blade through the gap between fingers and chakram, once again drawing no blood…

---

SPOILER: Click to show

{Post Synposis:}
Natalie talks to this White Tiger further, while Ayano further demonstrates her precision and conviction by attempting to hook her foe’s chakram upon her sword.

---

SPOILER: Click to show

{——}
_——

SPOILER: Click to show

{——}
_——

NOTES:— ——

---

L’Estrange Natalie | #806548
Kōketsu Ayano | #FD6C9E
Mysterious Stranger | #EEEEEE
Phoebe von Kessler | #40E084
Poco Averso | #5B7586

[pepsi]

-- CHAPTER 6 // UNFAIR

Deman had told her to keep a position and just watch out for any sign of movement on the ground. But she could not stay - as much as she was displeased to break out of the orders she was given.
That was her thought process as she circled around the factory, still hidden in the woods, trying to get a better view of the direction of that blurred shadow; after all, if their intention was to climb up, there must have been an entrance, perhaps still open? Or, maybe, a hidden staircase?
But what she saw was far from that. Blades glimmering in the moonlight, creating near perfect embedding of shapes as they battled: one large, tall figure extending over a slimmer, more elegant one. Both with white hair around their heads, both dressed in dark clothes. Neither of them were Deman, however.

"Wobbegong...?" Deman sighed at that name. It was unmistakable, and in fact, it was quite helpful to let all the pieces of the puzzle fall into place. The puzzle that was Phoebe's story, of course. "She told me she met two... ghosts, at the docks, one of which was made of fire. I have to draw the obvious conclusion."
Phoebe came back to Shijin's mobile headquarters just after the sun disappeared below the horizon. She mentioned sesame and ghosts, just another one among her bizarre stories of the day; a story like all others, Deman thought, but this one time it revealed to be much more.
In any other situation, he wouldn't have trusted anyone. But Phoebe... She was a magnet for interesting people. "So, I suppose the other one is on the ground. I must warn my own team, before they mistake them for an enemy too..."

[Puru puru puru puru...]
"I'm in the clear, threat has been resolved. I'll tell you-"
"Commander... I'm afraid it's not over."
"What do you mean?"
"We have activity on ground level."

Deman looked back at the fire dancer: "Your partner may be in trouble," he deduced, before turning back to the snail-phone. "I see two people engaged in a fight. And now- they're approaching!"
The sudden shift in tone took him by surprise, and he instinctively turned his head towards the same direction she heard the fire dancer come from. At this moment, black figure against the pure white moon, he saw it.

The adversary growled. "You take pride in that. You're really just mocking me? Refusing to put up a proper fight?"
His face lit up with rage; his eyes, bloodshot, almost glimmering in the night with a faint red glow. "Let's see if you keep your cool when your friend bleeds."
The beast let go of his chakrams, knowing full well that the complex shapes their bodies described would still prevent them to fall to the ground. On the other hand, he let his wrists through and grabbed Ayano's arms and shoulder.
One final look of disdain before uttering the fatal word.

"[Geppou]."

The abominable beast, carrying the pure maiden with his clawed hands, shot up into the sky; Deman and Natalie could well identify the weird silhouette against the lunar disk.
The sudden upwards acceleration might have hurt a little, but the landing was the roughest. Deman watched as the adversary landed on the roof mere meters away from himself; the chakrams fell to the ground with a jarring metal clangour. In much the same way, he let go of Ayano - not without attempting to shove her rudely away from himself.
Much to his surprise, however, the fire dancer was not alone on that roof. "And who are you...?" he asked to the white haired swordsman, his growl distorting his tone. "No matter. All of you are mine, now."

"Angelica... Keep a watch on the ground. This roof is starting to get hot."
ガチャ.
[Click.]

Deman took a few steps forward, tapping his shoulder with his sheathed sword. "Look, I could ask you the same. But for now, I'll just ask you to step away from that girl."
It was happening again. Just like before, on Goa, when he had to square up with another foe; just like that time, his first instinct was to step up and address them with irony. "With pleasure," the beast answered, and suddenly went on the offensive.
The enemy became a blur, covering the meters separating them in a fraction of a second; the exposed claws met the wood of the scabbard, and the attack was stopped.
However, the hostile beast was much stronger than him. Deman's stance broke under the pressure, and he fell to one knee. "I'll start with you, then!"

-- NAME // Deman Reeves

-- CLASS // D

-- TECHS USED // None.

-- NAME // ???

-- CLASS // C

-- TECHS USED // Geppou
One of the six techniques known as "Rokushiki". The user is capable of kicking the air with so much strength and speed that the reactive force from the air itself can be used to propel themselves.

[Vio]

^{Natalie #11 — Ayano #11}

---

The swordsman’s sigh said it all, but the explanation was rather amusing. Nothing unexpected, however, for even Natalie’s brief exchange with Phoebe had explained a lot about the girl’s character — an oddity. But it was as the White Tiger contacted his allies via Den Den Mushi that the situation sparked anew. Within seconds, the fire dancer’s eyes spied the peculiar silhouette, taken to the skies, only to come crashing down upon the rooftop.

“Mph!” Kōketsu Ayano hit the hard flat of the roof with jarring force, rolling twice over before coming to a halt, cast away by her opponent’s wrathful repulsion. In a single bound, he had dragged her to the skies, but she wasn’t about to remain prone. Not after he had threatened Natalie, as well. But, as spoken words dictated, her eyes set upon one more figure than it seemed either had anticipated. A man of white hair and sword, apparently as much a mystery to the beast as he was to her.

^{“No matter,” the whiskered warrior rumbled:
“All of you are mine… I’ll start with you then!”}

That speed, I think I’ve seen it before, but… As purple eyes barely kept up with the blur of movement, Miss Kōketsu watched as the mysterious man blocked the clawed strike with his scabbard — a movement not too dissimilar from her own defences. All the same, she managed to catch a lungful of cool, nightly air, reinvigorating her somewhat winded body and heaving herself to her feet. A fluid motion sheathed Shirajirashī, but her hands remained firm upon saya and sword alike.

“You alright, Ayano?” Miss L’Estrange asked, own weapons once again at the ready now that this new threat had shown itself. A brief once over of her ally’s body assured her no actual harm was done — better to check for herself than to accept the swordswoman’s stubborn pride as gospel. All the same, the nod of the fairer fighter’s head confirmed it, and both women’s eyes cast to the latest clash with near perfect synchrony.

^{“I take it he didn’t like how you fight…,” Nat smirked:
“So let’s spice things up a bit, shall we~?”}

^{“Tch…!”}

With swift steps, the fiery female advanced upon the enemy at speed, chains allowed to extend in her wake as she left the blades themselves behind. But rather than rushing directly at the bestial being’s body, she allowed herself to slip past him as he continued to crush the swordsman beneath the weight of his assault. With a fanciful twist as if it were part of some sort of dance, she slid to the opposing side, arms yanking at the trailing tethers with sudden force. Moonlit eyes turned to her, meeting fiery ones.

^{“Sipanala…!”
_Corkscrew}

Slashing steel spiralled in her wake, racing to catch up with the one who so readily manipulated their binds. A slicing assault as sharpened tails coiled in a deathly dance that glimmered in the light of the moon. It wasn’t quite the dancing flames she so loved to bend and tease, but it was perhaps a mesmerising sight all the same as the weapons aimed to cut their assailant. Where Ayano would not draw blood, Natalie had no qualms in times of need…

---

SPOILER: Click to show

{Post Synposis:}
Ayano recovers from her rough landing, comparing the beast’s speed to that of something she has seen before as it targets the mysterious man. Natalie checks that Ayano is okay before launching her own assault against the beast!

---

SPOILER: Click to show

{Sipanala}
_{Rushing forwards, Natalie allows her blades to trail behind her, performing twisting motions as she passes by enemies. This causes the blades of her weapons to spiral and slash enemies within Natalie’s wake.}

SPOILER: Click to show

{——}
_——

NOTES:— ——

---

L’Estrange Natalie | #806548
Kōketsu Ayano | #FD6C9E
Mysterious Stranger | #EEEEEE
The Beast | #CCCCCC
Phoebe von Kessler | #40E084
Poco Averso | #5B7586

[pepsi]

-- CHAPTER 6 // UNFAIR

Blocking only one limb from slashing through him, as Deman should have expected, couldn't have possibly been the solution. In fact, the beast decided to take the chance as soon as it could: the other arm, dangerous and armed, went forwards - with enough force, the five blades of his fingers would have pierced through the swordsman effortlessly.
But that attack never came to fruition: the motion of his arm was intercepted by a pair of perfectly timed blades. They left their mark on the enemy's limb, in a blossoming of steel and moonlight. The swordsman was saved from the attack; deeming the time right, he decided to retaliate.
One hand went quick towards the handle, setting the gleaming blade free; a quick slash, aimed at the shins where he could hit with most comfort - and a strategic point, too, given his adversary's reliance on a solid footing.

Even if Deman had envisioned an inkling of a strategy to get out of there safe, what happened next made him reconsider.
The cut functioned almost like a poison to his enemy, and - be it the cut from Natalie, be it Deman's - he grunted in a disheartening, almost pathetic tone. The enemy took a step back, his poise broken, his resolve diminished; and just for a fleeting moment, he appeared to shrink in size.
There was only one explanation for such a behaviour: given that his sword was lined with the one material that could potentially dispel the effects of Devil Fruits...

"... A Zoan user?" He muttered.

Taken aback by that sight, Deman lost his opportunity to double down on the attack; the Zoan slashed again, weakly, with an arm that looked one third the size it had before. The swordsman dodged it easily; the enemy tried it once more, and failed once more.
The white-haired swordsman wouldn't let him try a third time. A long breath exhaled from his mouth as his hand tightened around the handle; the sword, brilliant and sparkling in the light of the moon, started twinkling as if vibrating with pure energy. The blade was ready to let everyone hear its roar. "[Byakko no..."

It came as a complete surprise.
Having regained his strength in the nick of time, the Zoan user's arm crashed against Deman's body. This time, Deman's stance was the one to break: the poor man was sent flying into a a large metal cylinder not too far away from where he was standing.
And once again, a stronger enemy had proven too much for his body: his back firmly lodged into the metal, his sword by his feet, he stopped moving.

"... What a nuisance..." the beast whined, rubbing his hurt arm. "One out... two to go."

-- NAME // Deman Reeves

-- CLASS // D

-- TECHS USED // None.

-- NAME // ???

-- CLASS // C

-- TECHS USED //

[Vio]

^{Natalie #12 — Ayano #12}

---

Fwish! Fwish! Fwish! Steel flourished in a moonlit dance now, L’Estrange Natalie standing a few yards back as she watched the clash of claw and sword unfold. Positioning denied her any easy chance to strike, but even she recognised the odd shift in the beastly fighter’s poise as steel cut flesh. It was, however, the only strike that the swordsman was allowed to make before he was sent hurtling into one of the cylinders atop the factory roof. The noise of denting metal echoed.

^{“That’s not good,” Natalie grimaced:
“That might attract attention…”}

^{“One out… two to go.”}

“You sure you can handle another two rounds, sweetie?” the fire dancer winked, near enough disregarding the threat of ringing metal giving away their location. Steel circles of moonlight were being drawn at either side, arms extended and guiding the tethered blades. A flick of the wrist was all it took to change their path, Natalie bounding forwards to bring the heads of both blades down and across.

^{“Then let’s dance~!”}

“Hm,” Ayano exhaled, observing. Previous scuffles had already been recovered from, at least in terms of stamina, but her focus was more upon the man who was now partially embedded in the metal. His sword lay at his feet. Alas, it was the grunt of the tiger that made her speak up. “I have no further intentions of fighting you,” Miss Kōketsu announced, simply walking towards the wounded man beyond, one hand remaining on Shirajirashī’s hilt on the off-chance she was targeted again.

She’ll keep him busy, the silvery-haired swordswoman noted as she advanced to the incapacitated man’s location, not even so much as giving her former opponent a glance of recognition. If I had to name a single fighter whose abilities were so unorthodox as to require one’s complete, undivided attention, then I have already made my choice… Purple eyes briefly followed flickering steel, meeting the fiery embers of Miss L’Estrange’s own as the dancer unleashed her strike.

^{“And you,” she uttered, stopping before the man:
“You must be the one Phoebe mentioned…”}

---

SPOILER: Click to show

{Post Synposis:}
Natalie engages the beast as Ayano dismisses further combat and walks towards the mysterious stranger.

---

SPOILER: Click to show

{——}
_——

SPOILER: Click to show

{——}
_——

NOTES:— ——

---

L’Estrange Natalie | #806548
Kōketsu Ayano | #FD6C9E
Mysterious Stranger | #EEEEEE
The Beast | #CCCCCC
Phoebe von Kessler | #40E084
Poco Averso | #5B7586

[pepsi]

-- CHAPTER 6 // UNFAIR

The beast growled, annoyed by its enemy seemingly not caring about the danger of the situation. He reached into its coat, and just like before, he pulled out another pair of rings; with those he intercepted the incoming blades, deflecting them off their course. "[Cercle du Doleur]!" the beast chanted, letting the rings spin off the clawed tips of his fingers.

"[Torancer]!"

He exclaimed, thrusting forwards with one such finger - not unlike the other technique of the same kind, Shigan - and in doing so, it shot a violently spinning ring of steel directly in Natalie's direction. The beast had a very clear strategy - if the girl's weapons were out and about for an attack, she herself might have some problem dealing with an offense.

Blurred shapes shifted and turned in front of his eyes, cast upon his field of view by confusion and pain. The strength of the impact - such a terrible foe - almost took him out cold in one go.
He was faster and stronger; his one weakness was uncovered by chance, and that meant he would have gone out of his way to avoid Deman's blade once more.
The question was not how to win the fight, but merely how to survive it.

Deman felt something extremely cold running down his back; the sensation made him snap back to reality and cleared his vision.
His consciousness woke up to the other woman; she had run up to him, perhaps to check on his conditions. Once more his intuition about the identity of the two women was correct, as the woman mentioned Phoebe in relation to himself. And once more he wondered what kind of sixth sense must Phoebe have, to pick individuals out of the crowd like she always did.
Deman's first reply to the woman was the strained grunt of a man trying to get back on his feet; the pained expression on his face relaxed into his usual, focused aspect. Almost without thinking, he passed a hand through his white hair, and found it to be wet.
His eyes widened, realising that the solution - albeit a temporary one - had made itself manifest. The swordsman locked eyes with the swordswoman, savouring the last few moments before going back into the fight. "I am," he declared, taking a couple steps towards his weapon, "and you must be the 'ghost'."

"Where have you been?" Deman asked. His crossed arms and finger tapping expressed the gravity of the situation and, truth be told, masked some of his apprehension. The fishwoman came back more than half an hour after the sunset, way too late for the kind of hours she was usually back to base.
Her finger pushed the lower lip to the side: "I met a couple friends", she said.
"A couple friends?"
"Yes", she continued, "a ghost and a ball of fire."
Deman sighed. "Phoebe, I told you many times you can't just show up any time, and chat anybody up. We're on a mission, remember?" The girl didn't reply, keeping her head down and twisting one of her bangs around a finger. "I dunno, I liked them. And I was lost. And I was hungry. And they made me food."
She didn't stop there. "And then I got poisoned." "And then you got poisoned?" the concerned swordsman asked, raising his voice. "Oh, no, no! It's fine, it's fine! You know I'm allergic to sesame. They didn't know."
"I see. So you passed a few more minutes in the water to avoid using your swollen respiratory system." The girl nodded vigorously. "Only the ocean can combat the sesame."
Deman sighed once more, relaxing his pose. "Right, then. Tell me about your friends, the ghost and the fireball."

The white-haired swordsman picked up his sword. "I wonder why she would call you that. Sadly, there's no time for formal introductions." The rhythmic sound of water droplets was the presage for his strategy: he was rather lucky to have a water storage so close.

"When I plunge this sword into the metal... Tell your friend to jump off the roof."

-- NAME // Deman Reeves

-- CLASS // D

-- TECHS USED // None.

-- NAME // ???

-- CLASS // C

-- TECHS USED // Cercle du Doleur: Torancer
Exploiting the same kind of motion as the Rokushiki known as Shigan, ??? shoots one chakram towards the enemy with the strength of a bullet.

[Vio]

^{Natalie #13 — Ayano #13}

---

“And you must be the ‘ghost’,” said the White Tiger, having quickly come to. Though his features were most obscured by the night, the moon’s rays very much illuminated hair and eyes — the former glistering with moisture as sparkling water trails dribbled from the thin metal cylinder against which he had been flung. Quick to retrieve his blade, but also to point out the time limit they seemed to be on, he simply offered a single command.

Ayano remained silent.

Clink— Clank! The dance of steel was in full swing, the bestial figure reacting swiftly to repel L’Estrange Natalie’s initial assault with blades of his own, knocking the heads of the woman’s weapons back and away as he prepared a counterattack of his own. Eyes of ember caught the glimmering chakrams whirling upon his fingers, but the grin on her lips was far from fading even as her body turned, back towards him as he began his own attack. The very essence of this duel — between beast and blaze — was contained with the wrists.

Thwip! Body pivoting once, arm movements drew the fiery female’s blades back to her swiftly, seemingly disregarding their previous deflection, such was the advantage of tethered weapons. To think, her opponent might well have been aware of how she fought; to anyone who had seen her dance, it was obvious. Whether iron or fire, there was minimal difference in how she wielded them. All the same, her first rotation allowed her eyes to settle upon the steel ring spinning forth, but quick was she to step aside. One foot fell to the floor, the other raised, form flowing into yet another rotation after the narrow miss.

That was pretty close…! Quick movements having saved her skin, Natalie’s wrists flicked both blades into action once more as they curved around her — sharpened tails leading — and sent the point of one hurtling forth, the other left to rotate overhead.

SPOILER: Click to show

{

_{Viper Whip
“Njoka Chikwapu…!”}

}
_{Using the immense flexibility of her weapons, Natalie propels the head of one of the blades forwards at speed, chain uncoiling like a snake lashing out. The weapon’s spike serves to stab into an opponent, but if it embeds itself in a surface, Natalie can use it to pull or swing, further increasing her mobility.}

“Natalie…!” Ayano called out, having stepped aside at the advice of their mutual ally, and doing so only as she watched the woman’s second rotation start. “Jump!” The timing could not have been more ideal if they had choreographed it, for the path of the flying blade was aimed high — a strike one would rather want to dodge by ducking or strafing. All the same, Miss Kōketsu’s observations were wary ones. Whatever the man was trying, there was no feasible way for her to pre-emptively assess its effectiveness…

---

SPOILER: Click to show

{Post Synposis:}
<sub>Natalie’s fight with the beast intensifies, but she proves to be quick on her feet. Meanwhile, Ayano places faith in the stranger’s plan.

NOTES:— ——</sub>

---

L’Estrange Natalie | #806548
Kōketsu Ayano | #FD6C9E
Mysterious Stranger | #EEEEEE
The Beast | #CCCCCC
Phoebe von Kessler | #40E084
Poco Averso | #5B7586

[pepsi]

-- CHAPTER 6 // UNFAIR

The girl screamed, as did the metal when it was perforated by the sword. "[Genbu no]..." he declared, clenching his teeth; he needed to imbue all of his strength in that one attack.
The sword emerged from the metal, glossy with water, opening a wide gash in the tank and spilling its contents.
The liquid seemed unusually thick as it flowed; it stuck to the blade, and followed it through its motion. His eyes locked on to the target with the determination of a warrior willing to end the fight in a single strike.

In a flash the metal ripped open, the water bursted out in a vigorous stream; the tip split and, for an instant, it vaguely took the form of a snake in the act of biting.
The unsuspecting beast never had the time to move away: the stream took him in its fangs and lifted him up, and up, and up.

"... [Mizuryu Ipponzeoi]!"
ドーン – !
[Boom!]

The explosion in the far distance captured his attention. Colorful displays of light began to tint the sky; it was the fireworks, it was Deman's signal to understand that his time was up.
His enemy still battling against the wild stream flying into the sky - not at all different from the fireworks themselves - he decided to pick up his things and leave the court. Jump off the court, specifically.
He hit the ground rolling, and without losing much momentum he continued running in the direction of the fireworks: "Ghosts!" Deman called, "back to the fair! There will be a crowd to hide in!"

Out of the woods emerged, similarly running after the three, a second figure. Dark hair, dark skin; Deman turned to her and they both nodded in unison.
"Commander", Angelica asked, "What happened up there? Who are these people?"
Deman smirked, as he always did, when something in his mind had clicked. "You'll know tomorrow."
Angelica didn't question him further, but after recognising one of them, she deduced what she could.

The wonderful display of fireworks had been going for several minutes, allowing them to reach the village and diffuse into the crowd, essentially camouflaging in the sea of people.
Deman and Angelica watched the spectacle unfold, savouring the one moment of calm and awe. It had been, after all, a hectic period for them both.
And then, duty called.

プルプルプルプル...
[Puru puru puru puru...]

Deman picked up his white and black Transponder Snail, and answered the call. The snail's lips became an inverted V, resembling the mouth of a feline.
"Deman," said Pacha, "the Marine base has been alerted. They just sent a patrol out." "Thank you. And yes, that's on me. Actually, I have to inform you of a change of plans: if you aren't at the R-V, don't leave your position. I need eyes on the- is that Phoebe giggling in the background?"
"Why? Yes, that's her."
"Get her on, please."
The Transponder Snail changed face almost completely, and became unmistakably similar to the fishwoman. "Hi!" She screamed, causing Deman and Angelica to squint in concert. Deman smirked: "Can you guess who's here with me, Phoebe?"

"Uhh... Is it Pacha?"
Deman shook his head, smiling, and held up the Transponder Snail towards the two girls.

The pyrotechnic show finished with the loudest of bangs, enough for Deman to flinch. He wasn't exactly fond of them for the simple reason that they messed with his ears in a rather painful way.
The crowd began to dispell, and it was time for him to plan out the details for the following day. The battle was over, but the war... The war was only just beginning.
He turned to the girls once more. "As a matter of fact, our ship isn't here. Your wound needs treatment. This is rather embarrassing, but I believe we shouldn't leave this area for the rest of the night, for the crowd won't be here for long. Do you..." Angelica predicted what Deman was going to say, and in order not to break her own character, she looked the other way.
"Have a place for us two to rest?"

-- NAME // Deman Reeves

-- CLASS // D

-- TECHS USED // 玄武の水流一本背負い - Genbu no Mizuryu Ipponzeoi
This technique can be used by Deman while his blade is in contact with a body of water. Taking inspiration from the Fishman Jujutsu of a similar name, he slashes with the weapon - typically over his head. The water will then follow the motion of his blade, resulting into a powerful stream of water that follows the upwards direction of the slash; the stream, at maximum power, is strong enough to sweep away an object of weight similar to Deman's. The more water is around Deman when he is executing this technique, the stronger the stream is, the more water is displaced, and the farther it can go.
Translation: "Water Lift of the Black Tortoise".

[Vio]

^{Natalie #14 — Ayano #14}

---

^{“Genbu no…,” the White Tiger growled:
“Mizuryu Ipponzeoi…!”}

Her comrade’s command had reached her ears loud and clear — so too did the sound of rushing water as L’Estrange Natalie propelled herself out of harm’s way. Her own serpentine strike had done exactly as she had anticipated, her opponent ducking and dodging, but the dancer’s assault clearly paled in comparison to that of their unknown ally. Liquid raced under her like the rapids of a river, rising towards the radiant moon and taking the enemy with it.

^{“Back to the fair,” the Tiger yelled:
“There will be a crowd to hide in!”}

Things have gotten messy… No choices now, Natalie considered silently, turning her momentum into an escape tool with the very same technique as before. Steel hooked the rooftop’s edge, allowing her the freedom of movement to swing around, running a few steps across the wall before allowing herself to drop into a roll across the ground. Not the nicest of landings, surely, but it would have to do given the situation. Flicks of the wrist recoiled her blades, eyes glancing back and up to make sure Ayano was also in pursuit.

“You could’ve at least helped me down,” Miss Kōketsu muttered, stepping up to the edge of the roof as she watched her strange doppelganger and her cohort abandon their positions, the former rendezvousing with another who broke from the treeline further ahead. As gracefully as she could manage, the swordswoman eased her way down the guttering of the building, lagging somewhat behind but quickly making her way in the direction of the festivities.

“Hrm,” Ayano hummed, now a part of the crowds spectating the midnight display. Colours filled the air — a veritable rainbow against a backdrop of inky blackness and a brilliant ball of white light. Such things were the work of the people; iconic of the progression and traditions of the common folk. To see such colours was, at least in her eyes, as inspiring as it was tragic. The ephemeral nature of their beauty, followed by the tang of powder on the air, was a stark reminder of how fleeting happiness was for some — and a reminder of that which allowed for such happiness to even persist.

An elbow to the side.

“Didn’t take you as the type to enjoy fireworks, Ayano~,” Miss L’Estrange critiqued, snapping her company to attention as the White Tiger conversed with somebody via Den Den Mushi. Ayano’s expression tightened somewhat, resuming a stern look that she hadn’t actually realised she had dropped as she met the smile of her comrade.

^{“Get her on, please…”}

^{“Hi!” chirped a familiar voice:
“Uhh… Is it Pacha?”}

^{“Sup, Pheebs~!”
“Tch…! You’re calling her ‘Pheebs’?”}

Bang…! One final detonation seemed to terminate the cacophony, prompting an unusual reaction from a rather calm Mister Tiger — a reaction that both women took note of before he turned back to them and spoke of more pressing matters.

^{“Just the two of you, huh~?” Natalie purred:
“Well, I don’t mind sharing— Owch!”}

“We have a small boat moored at the docks,” Ayano spoke, flipping her sheathed blade about and knocking the fiery-haired female on the noggin, putting an end to the wiggling eyebrows. “It isn’t much, but it should suffice for your current needs as well as our own,” the swordswoman continued, returning her scabbard to her side whilst giving a rather callous side-eyed glare to Nat. Turning about, she began to advance towards the port, stalling for a moment to add one last thing.

^{“Besides,” she paused:
“We do need to talk…”}

---

SPOILER: Click to show

{Post Synposis:}
<sub>Natalie avoids the attack from the stranger which finishes off the beast, allowing the group to escape under the cover of the fireworks. Ayano offers the stranger refuge.

NOTES:— ——</sub>

---

L’Estrange Natalie | #806548
Kōketsu Ayano | #FD6C9E
Mysterious Stranger | #EEEEEE
The Beast | #CCCCCC
Phoebe von Kessler | #40E084
Poco Averso | #5B7586