Face, meet fist. This is Akyu Quest!

[Fightest]

>Stand up, assess what Kaguya is doing.
>Presuming she isn't beating up other faeries, or about to do so to us, ask, "Who's your friend?"

> She is walking slowly down the hallway towards you.
> There is a marked lack of fairies other than New Kid and Cirno. You can hear the sounds of fighting outside far away, so it's possible that they're still going at it against the rabbits.
> "Even when she's not here, Eirin still goes out of her way to be with me. Even now, she stands beside me, protecting me. A better friend and ally I could not wish for."
> Now that the excess of magical energy has bled off, you can get a better look at the shape around Kaguya - indeed, it bears a remarkable resemblance to Eientei's doctor, Eirin Yagokoro, except glowing blue and near-transparent.

[Hello Purvis]

>"I am jealous beyond words at the bond you share, I never though it would run so deeply. Alas, I must do my best."
>Try to size up Stand Eirin
>"Cirno? Remember what you did to yourself earlier, when we were discussing strategy at the lake? Do that to her, please."

[Fightest]

>"I am jealous beyond words at the bond you share, I never though it would run so deeply. Alas, I must do my best."
>Try to size up Stand Eirin
>"Cirno? Remember what you did to yourself earlier, when we were discussing strategy at the lake? Do that to her, please."

> "It is a magic the two of us learned when we still lived on the Moon. A bond of friendship so close that even time and space are nothing before it. Perhaps, were this situation different, I would tell you about it. It is a wonderful feeling." She looks saddened, then steels her expression. "But enough laments. You're here for a fight, and a fight I will give you!"

> The Eirin-like shape is tall, much taller than you, which gives her a tremendous reach advantage. More than that, she appears to be able to instantaneously appear within a certain radius around Kaguya - about two meters - which gives her even more reach. You have first-hand experience of her tremendous strength and speed. She seems to try her best to match Kaguya's movements, which hinders her combat abilities - Eirin herself is probably a far more experienced combatant, with a better grasp of combat tactics than Kaguya.

> Encountered Stance: Two Fight As One. Complexity: 3/5/Special. Transcending words and emotions, the two users of this stance share a bond on the instinctual level. When fighting together, their combined co-ordination and strength become greater than the sum of the parts. At Complexity 5 the bond goes so deep that the two combatants share senses, emotions and pain. It goes without saying that there is a mystical component to the use of this stance, and someone without magical aptitude or who is not in touch with their Qi cannot use this stance. The stance can be further enhanced with magic to a level where the two users of this stance do not need to be close to each other to benefit from its effects.

> Cirno looks at you, raising an eyebrow. "If ye think it's gonna help... But ye gotta dis-tract her if ye wanna me get close, 'wise I'mma get swatted outta the air."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Trust me, Cirno."
>Move in! The goal is to distract Eirin. Dodging rather than blocking. Use Marble Bulwark if it will help with that. If not, try to develop something of that nature of the fly. If possible, strike Kaguya, but the real task is to distract Eirin. Feint at Kaguya every so often so as keep their attention.  We just need Cirno to deafen her a bit... Then it should be possible to plan real tactics with Cirno without being overheard.

[Fightest]

> "Gotcha!"

> Cirno checks that she has the airhorn within reach, then nods at you.

> You centre yourself, concentrate on defense, and rush back at Kaguya. You cross the distance between you in moments, and, bracing yourself, enter the Eirin proxy's range.
 
> The attack comes quickly and ruthlessly - Kaguya kicks out weakly in your direction, and the proxy matches her motion with a sweeping kick across your misection. You block the kick with both arms, and quickly spin away from  a two-handed thrust that splits the air, buffeting your clothes with its force.

> Move encountered: Tiger Claw. Complexity: 3. A vicious attack with two hands, palms outward, fingers curled into claws, Tiger Claw damages the target even through a strong block.

> You find few opportunities to strike at Kaguya directly, and these would leave you exposed to potential counterattacks. You note that Kaguya misses many opportunties to strike you where it would really hurt. Not that it matters - her frantic flailing is transformed into a relentless assault by the proxy. You can't even check to see what Cirno is up to - Eirin's proxy is taking up all your attention.

> You dodge under a powerful haymaker, parry a jab that rings against your gauntlets and realise too late that Kaguya has learned how to feint, and you are set up perfectly for a sideways kick that seems to come from a mile away and slams solidly into your ribcage. As if announcing the strike, you are nearly deafened by the blast of the airhorn. You just spot Cirno right above Kaguya, aiming the airhorn straight down at her as you are slammed into the wall, your vision darkening. A stray swing sends Cirno in the opposite direction, but Kaguya is clearly stunned by the sound blast - she is swaying on the spot, not really focusing on anything.

> You feel you have a few moments to recover and regroup. 

[Hello Purvis]

>Struggle back to our feet, hopefully for the last time.
>"Freeze the floor beneath her feet, now! Then when she falls, freeze her to the ground!"
>Does Stand Eirin seem bothered by this? Or comprehending us at all?

[Fightest]

>Struggle back to our feet, hopefully for the last time.
>"Freeze the floor beneath her feet, now! Then when she falls, freeze her to the ground!"
>Does Stand Eirin seem bothered by this? Or comprehending us at all?

> You pull yourself together. There's that taste of iron in your mouth again.
> Cirno nods, then rushes towards the still-stunned Kaguya, and slams her hands against the floor. A white mist begins to form around her and spreads along the floor. You can hear the creaking and groaning of wood as the moisture in it and in the air starts to freeze.
> "Can't do that last one, she's coming to!" Cirno dodges a violent backhand from the proxy and pulls back to a safe distance. Kaguya, on the other hand, fails to keep her balance after swinging at Cirno, loses her footing and falls to the ground with a heavy thud, and the Eirin shape along with her.
> The Eirin proxy does not respond in any way to your shouting.

[Hello Purvis]

>Does the floor seem safe enough to get close enough to finish the job while she's down?
>Failing a normal approach, could we leap over the frozen area, and come down on Kaguya fist first?
>If either seem doable, go for it while she's down and still can't hear properly.

[MysTeariousYukari]

> If we can't rush to Kaguya for a good hit, then walk over to her carefully, to avoid slipping, then finish Kaguya when we get close.
> Consider having Cirno finish Kaguya for us.

[Fightest]

> As you ponder your next move, you hear Kaguya speak, still prone on the ground. She sounds strange - she probably can't hear herself speaking.
> "If I were so weak that you are already thinking of a finishing move, I would be an embarrassment to everyone I call 'friend'. I cannot lose. Not when I know what's at stake."
> She raises one hand, a small glowing rectangle forming in it, shining a bright white. You know what this means.
> "Spell Card. Impossible Request: Robe of the Fire Rat."
>  Kaguya's robe ignites immediately and explosively, vaporising the ice around her, and turning the air around her into a shifting haze. The wave of heat washes over you, and you feel tears forming in your eyes and almost immediately drying up. It keeps burning as she gets up, although the heat is merely intense, unlike the unbearable inferno of the initial explosive blast. Curiously, the corridor itself does not seem to be damaged by the fire. Cirno shies away from the heat, a pained expression on her face. Through the fire, you see the Eirin proxy standing proudly behind Kaguya.

[Demonbman]

>Flee, there is no way we can get through the fire in our condition
>Tell Cirno to flee as well, ice is not good against fire

[Seian Verian]

> "What do you mean, 'what's at stake'?"
> Does she know something we don't?

[Fightest]

>Flee, there is no way we can get through the fire in our condition

> You're not that injured. You're sore from the blocks you had to make, and that last kick knocked the wind out of you, and you taste iron in your mouth, but you're not feeling the effects of the damage yet - the adrenaline pumping through your body is making sure of that. You're as close to peak condition as you reasonably can be.

> "What do you mean, 'what's at stake'?"

> "You mean you do not know? Then... why do you fight with such ferocity and dedication? I thought that it is the knowledge of the nature of the Grand Prize that gave you such vigor, knowing your... family history."

[Kasu]

> "Pff.  I was unknowingly drawn into this by a faerie.  Sure the prize sounds appealing, but I could care less right now.  Now bring it."
> Build up a good kiai.
> If she attacks, belay the kiai and go for the Marble Bulwark.

[Hello Purvis]

>Well, if her robe is on fire, we'll just have to take it off.
>Draw rapier, prepare to make with the slashings.
>Look what you've done to us, Kaguya. Look at what you've done.

[Fightest]

> Build up a good kiai.
> If she attacks, belay the kiai and go for the Marble Bulwark.

> You can do both!

> You shout!. Kaguya hears that one - her hearing seems to be coming back.

> This is the first time you've properly seen a Spell Card with your Qi-enhanced vision - Mystia's was too obscured to really make out. You see clearly-defined lines of magical energy flowing around Kaguya, forming themselves into a web. Indeed, you notice that this web is anchored to Kaguya's robe in several spots. You also feel you can see... weaknesses in the Spell Card's magical matrix - points where the web links are unusually strained, leading to an imperfection in the Spell Card's construction itself. Perhaps if you had a way to attack these...

> You reinforce your defenses as Kaguya comes bearing down on you, the intense heat of her Spell Card washing over you. You grit your teeth as you spin aside from a Tiger Claw and parry two kicks that hit like a sledgehammer, one to your knee, another to your chest.

>Well, if her robe is on fire, we'll just have to take it off.
>Draw rapier, prepare to make with the slashings.
>Look what you've done to us, Kaguya. Look at what you've done.

> You catch and turn away a punch that's going straight for your head with your right hand, use your knee to block a leg-sweep that shatters floorboards and, simultaneously, pull out the rapier with your left hand in a reverse grip. Quickly spinning on the spot to present your left side to Kaguya, you spin the sword behind your back and switch it to your right hand.

> You are ready as you'll ever be to make with the slashings.

[Mr_Bob]

>Do these "weak points" have a realtively localized and set locale? Direct Cirno to Faerie Fire (or whatever Cirno's magical arsenal contains) on those.

[Hello Purvis]

>Or if not, slash that cloth to pieces.

[Fightest]

>Do these "weak points" have a realtively localized and set locale? Direct Cirno to Faerie Fire (or whatever Cirno's magical arsenal contains) on those.

> Only you can see these weak points, and they are too small for blind fire from Cirno to hit them. You're not even sure if regular danmaku can unravel them in the first place.

>Or if not, slash that cloth to pieces.

> Nothing ventured, nothing gained. You drop your defense and wade into the flames. The attack comes immediately, a swift knee-strike that hits you in the left side, shoving you along the floor a few feet before you plant them down and skid to a halt. In return, you lunge forward, skewer the sleeve of Kaguya's robe, and, with a flick, tear it off the main body and send it flying down the corridor. The heat is intense, you can feel your skin drying up, and all the moisture is gone from your throat from breathing in the burning air.

> Kaguya responds by backhanding you with her now-sleeveless left hand, and continuing with the spin to strike you with her other hand - these motions are duplicated by the proxy, whose strikes sweep through the fire, leaving small vortices of flame in their wake, and impact into your chest and gut. Pain like you haven't felt before flares up - you think that may have broken a rib - and the contents of your stomach come spewing from your mouth. The heat from the Spell Card is absurd - you can feel your exposed skin starting to crisp and flake. You think you can smell the smoke from your clothes starting to ignite.

> Gritting your teeth, you twist under the proxy's arms and viciously slice off the front of Kaguya's robe with a cut across her chest - sparks fly as the proxy's hands prevent it from penetrating any further. The robe front flops to the ground.

> Her facial expressions a combination of surprise and anger, she laces her fingers together and slams down at you with both hands. Eirin's fists complete the motion faster, and you feel as if a boulder smashed down across your back and left shoulder, crushing you to the ground. Your chest spasms, and you cough up a terrifying amount of blood onto your gauntlets and Kaguya's feet. Your eyebrows have long since burned away, and you feel heat spread across your entire body as your hair and clothes catch on fire.

> Kaguya aims a kick at you, a disgusted expression on her face. You roll away, sparking terrible pain across your entire upper body, and spin to your feet behind her. With a final, upwards slash, you split her robe down the back, and it falls off her, revealing a lazily-arranged kimono.

> You are on fire, covered in blood and vomit, behind Kaguya, who seems to be too shocked at your persistence to turn around. In the distance, as if in slow motion, you can see Cirno pulling New Kid out of Eirin's office. Both have combined expression of abject awe and terror as they look at you. Kaguya's Spell Card has been unraveled.

[Hello Purvis]

>"Cirno! I need slush! Now!"
>Oh god try not to scream from the flames.

[Fightest]

>"Cirno! I need slush! Now!"
>Oh god try not to scream from the flames.

> This seems like as good a time as any to finish off Kaguya with something powerful. Do so as well as the above?

[Hello Purvis]

(Beat me to editting that in by a few seconds)

>Take that pain, instead, and let it impel us to cross the distance between the two of us and clock Kaguya in the soft bits with...well, not quite righteous fury, all considered, but it'll certainly feel righteous.

[Fightest]

(Beat me to editting that in by a few seconds)

>Take that pain, instead, and let it impel us to cross the distance between the two of us and clock Kaguya in the soft bits with...well, not quite righteous fury, all considered, but it'll certainly feel righteous.

> Still on fire, you drop your sword, wind up a punch that feels that it could split the heavens themselves and smash it, using the entire weight of your body, just where Kaguya's skull meets her neck. She collapses to the ground like a sack of potatoes, rolling over onto her back. Her eyes are still open and her face is frozen into an expression of surprise, but she's most certainly out of it.

> Cirno looks at you helplessly from across the corridor. "It's...it's too dry! No water..."

> You can't hear the rest of Cirno's comment as you are bowled over by New Kid who shakily charged past Cirno as soon as she got untied. She bears you to the ground and, screaming from pain and panic, tries to smother the flames with her own body. You spasm and cough from her weight on your chest, spitting up blood on her face, but she ignores it and continues batting at the flames that her initial charge didn't put out.

> You're starting to black out. The adrenaline rush is fading, and the pain - burning, crushing, piercing pain - is starting to set in. New Kid is screaming something, but you can't make out what she's saying. You close your eyes...

> And are suddenly forced wide awake by a sudden torrent of freezing water cascading onto you. You see Reisen, holding a huge bucket, standing over you, an unreadable expression on her face. Cirno is right behind her, looking lost. New Kid is on top of you, dripping wet, tears streaming down her face. You are the centre of attention.

> "Are you all right?" comes from all of them at once, Reisen's voice detached, Cirno's concerned, New Kid's panicked.

[Hello Purvis]

>Attempt to say: "No. I...rather want to strangle someone at the moment... But instead I think I'm just going to lay here and slowly black out. Please get off me now."
>Regardless of actual success in enunciating that, consider the message properly delivered and go into feeling promptly miserable.

[Fightest]

>Attempt to say: "No. I...rather want to strangle someone at the moment... But instead I think I'm just going to lay here and slowly black out. Please get off me now."
>Regardless of actual success in enunciating that, consider the message properly delivered and go into feeling promptly miserable.

> You resolve to go into a hell of a funk, but your body gets better ideas and decides to drop you unconscious instead.

> ...

> You wake up in a very comfortable bed. It smells of medicines and disinfectant, but there's a herbal scent as well that makes it feel very cozy. The lighting is muted, but there's enough to see that you're in Eientei's infirmary, very close to Eirin's office.

> "You're awake. Welcome back." The voice is low, yet feminine, with that patent gentleness that is famous amongst those select few that have been treated by Eirin. There she is, sitting at a desk, writing busily. "You gave your friends quite a scare. The Princess seemed quite worried, too."

> Something doesn't feel right.

[Hello Purvis]

>"Miss Yagokoro? What happened? I had the oddest dream...I dreamed I started taking lessons in martial arts, and there were faeries..."

[Fightest]

>"Miss Yagokoro? What happened? I had the oddest dream...I dreamed I started taking lessons in martial arts, and there were faeries..."

> At the mention of "fairies" you hear a scuffle at the door, which promptly slams open, and New Kid barges in, looking around frantically, her eyes not having yet adjusted to the dim light.
> Eirin sighs, and points over her shoulder at New Kid. "There's your answer."
> You also spot Cirno just outside the door, leaning against the wall, taking the occasional furtive glance into the infirmary.

[Hello Purvis]

>"...Oh."
>Assess condition.

[Fightest]

>"...Oh."
>Assess condition.

> You now realise what it was that was feeling not right: the pain. It's gone. You feel a faint tingling sensation across your entire body, but it's not unpleasant. You prod your chest and wince as a sharp pain flares briefly.

> "I used some of my best medicines, but I cannot make bones knit so quickly. I will put a temporary cast on your chest - it'll limit your movement, but, at least, it'll stop you from hurting it further. Otherwise... I've neutralized most of the burns, thank your ice fairy friend over there for that, she has some excellent aptitude in cryogenics. Your hair will grow back, don't worry."

> You feel your head. Where your hair was once well-kempt and shoulder-length, you now feel a short, boyish mess. That's another casualty of this fight, along with your ribs and clothes.

[Hello Purvis]

>"My thanks, Miss Yagokoro."
>Sigh, glance at the faeries, and wait for them to speak up and fill in some gaps.