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🌸 Who: Tycoon (Keiwa), LLEN (Kallen), Rhodonite (Lisa), Gungnir (Hibiki)
🌸 When: early December
🌸 Where: Slumbering City
🌸 What: TOWER DEFENSE GAME - Mission Start

[he might have offered to assist in defending the City from the Torments that had recently started to encroach into the area but Tycoon would be lying if he didn't say that it felt... Weird. Out of place. To be fighting in a place that had all but been a sanctuary for the Dreamers to organize. Maybe it was because he'd been here during the Anniversary party and the subsequent fallout?

Regardless, of the reason, he's here now, with a few other Dreamers, on a mission to help clear out the invading Torments for the night. And if they takeaway one thing from this mission it's that finding Torments in a city this size was a struggle.

Tycoon drops down from where he'd been trying to scale a wall in pursuit of a Torment, only to lose it in the still dreamy (ha) hallways of the building. He looks at the other three Dreamers he's with before shaking his head apologetically]

Sorry, I lost track of it... Chasing a Torment out into the open might not work after all. Maybe we should try a different strategy?

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[ Fighting in the city is... well, it's not new. At least, not to Hibiki. She had an intense enough fight that everything else is paling in comparison. Hibiki's already taken down a few, fighting in the streets and letting her fists decimate them.

Trying to pursue them when they run, however, is definitely frustrating. Considering Hibiki's new powers, you'd think that at least she could catch up to them by flying, but alas... after that first time using them against that Nightmare, their effectiveness has considerably diminished. She can still manifest them, but all she can do is glide, she can't fly freely like she had done before.

It's frustrating, but oh well... nothing training can't fix, right? ]

Mmm... like what? I'm no good at strategizing...

[ At least, not when it comes to elaborate stuff. She's good at improvising, though. ]

Well, do we have any magic we could use?

[Rhodonite has been something on the order of CIC by total accident; her music carries well enough that if she starts playing something that's fairly clearly battle music - especially if it's punctuated by dissonant thuds - it probably means she needs help. She's only a little terrified something like last time will show up again (and if she looks like she's got a hand on the right side of her torso every so often, shut up, you're definitely seeing things), but she's bravely trying to keep moving forward. Still, as Tycoon drops back in, she's fishing a little.]

I can attract attention, but it only has so much range before the Torments can't hear me, so I'd have to play on the move. I don't mind doing that! But the City is a lot of ground to cover.

[Which isn't to say she's willing to roll over and give up the one safe place she knows on this side; her expression is somewhat uncharacteristically serious as she throws out the idea, glancing around as she thinks out loud.]

[Despite the fact the little pink Dreamer was part of the team, there hadn't been the very distinct sound of her attacking even a single time. She'd been trying to use her smaller size and speed to act as a scout. She joins the conversation without warning. Literally, she's just suddenly standing with the others.]

Well, I can set a trap with one of my spells. If we can lure them into a place without much room to move around, I can cut them off so they have no way to escape. And then we can wipe 'em out!

[She holds up her weapon, nuzzling the gun against her cheek like it was some sort of cute little kitten.]

Don't worry, P-chan. Mama will see that you're well fed today.

[It was the sort of thing you've never see her doing in the real world. When she had claimed she acted differently as LLENN, she had very much meant it.]

Hmm... Those are good ideas, but wouldn't it be really exhausting for you, Rhodonite?

[chasing down the Torments that were appearing was already draining enough, more so when some of the managed to disappear in the nooks and crannies that have appeared following the destructive event. Then LLEN appears suddenly and Tycoon yelps in ~~fear~~ panic, a tell-tale 'poof!' ringing out before a round, green tanuki hits the ground unceremoniously]

...

[~~he's dea--~~ After a moment, Tycoon's trembly voice comes out as he struggles to get his paws under him again] E-Eliminating them isn't the problem, it's catching them right? Maybe there's something we can use at the DU headquarters here to draw their attention...

[ Honestly, Hibiki might know about Karen and LLENN being the same person, but it's still a little hard to believe. Still, if this is how Karen "lets loose", then who is she to judge? She will, however, be plopping a hand down right on LLENN's head in a headpat to try and refocus her. ]

Mm... I dunno. If you get tired out, then won't you be in big trouble, Lisa-chan?

[ She doesn't even bat an eye when Keiwa suddenly goes tanuki-mode... mostly because she's too focused on trying to come up with a plan, and she doesn't have the brain capacity for focusing on much else at this point.

Then, Keiwa points out something that makes her think of something, and... ]

...Wait, what are these things after anyway? If there's anything important here that they'd be after, it'd be the DU building, right? Then... if we leave them alone, then they'll probably start moving towards there on their own, and if they do... can't we catch them by surprise?

[ But, like, what does she know? It's not like she's smart or anything. ]

[LLENN showing up more or less unannounced is surprising - and her bloodthirst is a little terrifying - but honestly, a little of that is par for the course with this group, and she manages to hide her shock well enough. Instead, Rhodonite raises an eyebrow at Tycoon, before shaking her head at their collective concern.]

But I'd rather tire myself out a little than the City get torn up again. It's been hard work fixing this place up and I don't want us to lose all that effort... LLENN-chan's trap might be a good idea, but using the DU building as bait feels- [her features twist in discomfort for a moment-] kinda bad to me? I dunno, maybe I'm just overthinking it.

[She glances at Gungnir, smiling a bit to take the sting out.] I don't think it's a bad idea, I might just be overly sentimental. Not that anyone here should be surprised.

[Karen is quite soft spoken and gentle in the real world, so she ia allowed to be a little bit weird in her dreams! Thankfully she's not reckless enough to actually endanger the others. There's a little surprised squeak when she gets the sudden headpat, but it serves to bring her mind back into the discussion.]

Still, if that IS what they are headed for, it actually makes things a lot easier on us. We aren't using it as bait if they are trying to get there anyway, what we are using is information on our enemies habits against them to more easily get the win. But I'd still be happier if they didn't get too close. I still haven't been a real Union member nearly as long as the rest of you, so I kind of feel like I want total victory today.

[She's moving as she's speaking, but this time its not in a pink blur, but at normal human speed. She leans over, and pokes the Keiwanuki on top of his head with one finger.]

You know, if you can become that little I can easily carry you. If we try to trap them, and some get away, we could easily surround them. And it definitely has nothing to do with wanting to cuddle something fluffy.

[She says with a totally convincing smile on her face.]

[he sits patiently listening to everyone's input, tail barely poking out from under him... He understands where Rhodonite is coming from so far as using the DU as 'bait'. The entire point of them being here was to prevent the City from incurring more damage after all! But it would also be easier for them if the Torments came to them instead of splitting up to chase them down across the streets and through ruins]

It sounds like a good idea? If we can find a couple of spots where the Torments have to pass to get to the DU, we can stop them there. That way, none of us would need to actively chase them down. The Torments seem to be coming from where that thing broke through the ground earlier this year, so we could just focus on defending in that direction...

[When LLEN pokes the top of Tycoon's head, his ears flatten momentarily before popping back up, his winter coat as soft and fluffy to the touch as it looks. He tilts his head up, almost all the way back, to look at her]

But... Wouldn't it be easier to surround them if we split up?

[he's missed the point. It's flown clear over his head... Or maybe he's just used to being ~~tanukihandled~~ manhandled?!]

Mnn, I guess... I just don't want anybody to tire themselves out, especially if they're drawing the attention of all the Torments. That's even more dangerous, isn't it?

[ Sure, using the DU building as bait might not be the coolest thing to do, but she... doesn't want Lisa to get hurt. If anyone is better suited to that kind of job, then it'd be Hibiki... but while she's inherently pretty loud, she can't draw attention like Lisa can. ]

As long as they aren't running away, I'm pretty sure I can take all of them down... and even if things get rough, I have... something else I can do too.

Hmm..... mm...... hn. [Rhodonite's head bobs back and forth as she thinks. What are this team's capabilities? Lisa herself can pull aggro. LLENN has that crazy trap, plus ranged damage. Gungnir can punch things early and often. And Tycoon is both a better strategist and more versatile. What about...?]

What if we split the difference? We'll still set up LLENN-chan's traps, and I'll stay in one place and play to attract attention. Gungnir-chan and LLENN-chan can cover me so I don't get turned into Swiss cheese, and Tycoon-kun can run interference and scout for us? If we're right that they're all trying to come to the Union HQ, even if we're not trying to use it as bait, eventually something would slip through. We wouldn't really have healing, but we'd have enough firepower and a little support to cut through...

[She's thinking out loud now, but this plan might actually work. She's flipping on her original stance, but she's being convinced.]

[A small part of LLENN wants to just lean over and pick the tanuki up right then and there. But she's got enough self wit to realize that ball of fluff is a person, and while she personally might not mind being treated like she's cute, it may not be the same for other people. She's still gently stroking fur, though. Just a little bit. A tiny, little bit. She gives Gungnir a glance as she's doing so.]

You're definitely not going to take them all out by yourself! I don't doubt you COULD, but I made a promise to my baby and I'm not gonna be a liar today.

[The baby in question of course being her adorably pink submachine gun.]

But more importantly, we're supposed to be a team, right? So no one should have to do EVERYTHING. I don't mind covering you. As long as I can see the spot, I can drop a mine. So I was thinking maybe I could cover with a height advantage. You know, on top of buildings! My aim isn't super good at long range, but I'm pretty quick. So if I see something that needs taking care of, I can get there pretty fast.

[the tanuki known as Tycoon sits there amicably, letting LLEN pet him even as he turns his head towards whoever's speaking at the moment. She hasn't done anything as excessive as pick him up (he might ~~faint~~ wake up from shock if that happened) so Tycoon seems perfectly content to sit there as the girls talk]

LLEN's right. If we work together, it should make things a bit easier for everyone.

[thinking about it... He raises a paw]

How about LLEN takes the high ground - if you seen any Torments trying to slip away, you can try and herd them back towards the main path - and the three of us can stay on the ground. Then Hibiki can take care of the main group that Rhodonite draws in and leave any stray Torments for me and LLEN to handle.

Mm... okay, let's do it!

[ It sounds like a good plan... she knows full well just how fast LLENN can be. ]

Ah, but... you're not gonna fight like that, right Tycoon-san...?

[ Not that he wouldn't provide plenty of emotional support, but... ]

[Lisa's been trying not to think about the tanuki-mode Tycoon there; she knows it's still Keiwa, but also it's something halfway to a marketable plushie, and it's a little hard to think about him fighting like that. If indeed he can. But since Hibiki asks, she doesn't bother to air the question, though she does glance at him. LLENN... eh, the other girl's welcome to do what she likes. Lisa's happy to pretend she doesn't need an emotional support tanuki at the moment.]

That's a solid plan, mm. And it'll satisfy LLENN-chan's want to get some combat time, yeah? I'll be okay. Gungnir-chan'll run the main offense, I'll support her from the center, and Tycoon-kun will have support...

[The plan isn't significantly different than before, but it's a little more defined and leaves a little less of a question mark on what Rhodonite's supposed to be doing other than "pull aggro and hope for the best". She nods, suiting actions to words and taking her bass back into her hands from where it's been hanging, giving it an experimental strum, not that it ever seems to need tuning.]

Okay, yeah, I'm good with that. Definitely better than my original plan, at least! Just means I need to get ready to hold down the fort. I think everyone else has more preparations to make than I do, though. [She winks; she has the easy part now and the arguably hard part later.] Anyone need my help to get us set up?

[LLENN had been trying so hard to remember that the tanuki was a person and not just a fluffy animal. But Tycoon was tough to resist for someone who was addicted to cute. When would she ever get a chance to cuddle a tanuki in the real world? Even if she somehow found one in the middle of the city, it wouldn't want anything to do with her. So maybe a little bit of snuggle time wouldn't be too brash of her....

She's just started to reach when the words of the others bring her back to reality. She snatches her hands back almost guiltily, standing to her unimpressive full height. You are safe this time, fluffy.]

U...um. I'm fine, my part is pretty easy as long as we don't take a path where the buildings are too far apart. Making it between rooftops should be pretty easy if they are close together, I've made harder jumps then that before. I'll start on top of that building.

[She points to make sure the others know which one she means. Tycoon is given one last glance before she's suddenly gone in a blur of pink. She'll pet the tanuki AFTER the hunt, now is action time.]

Hm?

[oblivious to the danger he was just in, Tycoon's ears perk up (his whole body does, cartoonishly even) before he hops onto all four paws in surprise]

Oh! Sorry, one second- [once LLENN disappears to go find a spot to set up, Tycoon transforms back with a loud 'poof' and an accompanying cloud of black smoke. Standing again, he brushes the leaf from his head before summoning his weapons. He'll still be on ground level, so there isn't a lot more he needed to do to get ready]

All right. Whenever you're ready, Rhodonite, feel free to start playing. Leave any Torment that wanders off to me!

[In the distance, down the block, a few Torments could be seen. They didn't seem to be travelling in any set direction... yet. Time to see how well their plan worked]

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