[junsuina]

[attr="class","bmsk"] in blackest night... Jun was unusually calm. Mostly because she had, about an hour earlier, just got done with a dive that she didn't think she'd like. As such, she was relaxed and ready to tackle this new challenge. Which was just capturing a flag. She would normally be ambivalent to the exercise as a whole, especially since her third she didn't recognize too well, but she was intimately familiar with one of her partners. And that was reason enough for her body to start working up. "Hey, Yaoyao!" she says, waving. "So, we only have one goal, and that's to get a flag and bring it back here! And nothing else." While Jun had a competitive streak, it wasn't on the same level of Yaoyao. Jun believed in fair play and rules. Yaoyao believed in winning. Like, just winning. Through any means necessary. So her main concern was not getting a flag, but regulating her friend so that there would be no casualties. That was the goal, at least. 𝕐 + 𝕐

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[𝕐 + 𝕐]

[attr="class","body"]See, it’s not that Yaoyao loves winning. Not at much, at least, as it is that she hates to lose. As far as she’s concerned, Yaoyao never loses where it matters. If she does lose, clearly, it didn’t matter. When it does matter, she clears. Always. Just look at her relationship. ‘Oh, but Yaoyao, relationships aren’t a competition—‘ Wrong. Of course it’s a competition! Hell, it even has multiple categories, like “most compliments given to the best, coolest, smartest, most hardworking, handsomest, hottest boyfriend in the world”, for example. And she is winning.

Speaking of winning: ”Just one flag? Psh. Sounds like quitter talk, Juju.” Said hater of losing (among many other things) and believer in winning (read: absolute local menace) is already busy gathering her considerable amount of hair up, hairband held between her teeth as she works at twisting it into a bun.

And the third member of their group, whatever his name is? Inconsequential. She and Jun have got this in the bag. The most helpful thing he can do is probably just stay out of their way — and she says as much, in the only way Yaoyao would.

”HEY. You’d better keep up, you got that? If you slow us down, your ass is grass and you consider me the industrial-strength lawnmower of your worst nightmares.”

---

junsuina

[newclass=.body b]color:#5a43d2[/newclass]

[junsuina]

[attr="class","bmsk"] in blackest night... Jun sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "But we need only one. And just one will make it easier to defend..." It was whatever. So long as they got that first one Jun would ensure they retained control of it. They had to if they were to win. Their third, hunched over with his hands in his pockets, shrugs. He didn't seem like he wanted to be there. On the up side, that meant he really might stay out of their way. "So, I didn't get a good look at the other teams. What are we up against?" On cue the buzzer sounded, and like lightning Jun would spring off towards the middle along with Yaoyao. It was something that bothered Jun, what they might encounter...and it wasn't that long that she saw a wall of sticks and vines spring out from one of the other teams. "well, that's not good!" Before they knew it their path to the center was cut off. They'd have to find another solution. 𝕐 + 𝕐,

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[𝕐 + 𝕐]

[attr="class","body"]Find another solution? As if.

As Yaoyao and Juju rocket forward, Lili’s got observations carrying on in the back of her mind. The arena is rocky — that type of terrain is full of uneven terrain, cracks, and hiding spots. The area where we’ve been placed to start out is a lot more flat and wide open, though... On the one hand, that means that if anyone comes for ‘em, they’ll see them coming way before anyone manages to get a hit in — But it also means that our opponents will see us coming, too.

So what? Seeing ‘em coming doesn’t mean shit if they can’t stop ‘em. Lili. Any of our ‘opponents’ got something that gives ‘em altitude?

Altitude, as in the ability to get in the air or fly? No, I don’t think they do… at least, not according to the roster for this game. Why-? Oh.

“Alright, Juju… goin’ UP!” A tendril of lavender energy shoots out, grabbing hold of the top of the wall of thorns and *yanks* as Yaoyao grabs Juju around the middle — and they go hurtling forward and up into the air. Up, up, and over, launched over the wall by the strength of the pull and then by Lili’s lavender shadows carrying them higher. It takes less than a minute, maybe even seconds thanks to physics ‘n gravity, before they’ve cleared the wall and landed on the other side even closer to the center of the arena. Juju’s urged forward with a friendly shove to the back —

“Get going!”

— while she ‘n Lili turn to track down the *other* rats running this race. Juju’s smaller than she is, and faster by far. Yaoyao can’t beat her in a footrace. If they wanna win, the best chance of who’ll be able to sprint for the flags — plural — and back to base fast is Juju, hands down.

Yaoyao just needs to get her there… and keep anyone else outta her way. Good thing, too. Being a nuisance ‘n running interference? Yeah, suits her juuust fine.

---

junsuina

[newclass=.body b]color:#5a43d2[/newclass]

[junsuina]

[attr="class","bmsk"] in blackest night... Jun wasn't quite deadlocked by the wall, but she did consider a lot of options. She couldn't jump over or dig under, but she could possibly go around. That might take too long, and blowing a hole in it would just expend needless energy. Before she could dart off to get around she felt the tendril around her waist, and she immediately flailed. "Yaoyao, what the heck-why?!" While she had a much easier time when Yaoyao touched her...she wasn't expecting this. At the very least, the act really got her heart pounding once they reached the other side. The little motivation to get going was not going to waste. Like a bullet from a gun Jun was off, darting towards the center where the flags were. It was a little foolish to burn so much energy so quickly, but their opponents were already jousting in the center. At minimum, five contestants were duking it out, all over the place, and skidding to a halt Jun found some low ground and began to ease herself forward. There were five teams including theirs, so there had to be at least one person from each team in the center...except one team sent two. The flags, from what she could see, were undisturbed, so all Jun had to do was keep a low profile and- wait, did one of them just float up? Jun watched as the flag was lifted from its place from her spot below the hill. No, invisible. I think I met them once, and its one of those quirks that can be turned on or off. I forget how they activate it, though. She waited, the flag beginning to flutter off in the distance before she made her move. Taking hold of the closest one, she hefted it up and began to beat a hasty retreat. One of the combatants saw her, but they were a bit preoccupied; she just had to avoid conflict as much as possible. 𝕐 + 𝕐,

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[𝕐 + 𝕐]

[attr="class","body"]And preoccupied they’ll stay.

Eyes in the back of our head, Lili!

Understood!

“LOOK OUT BELOW!” That’s about all the warning any of the other combatants get — well, that and a hasty screech of ‘incoming!!’ from somebody who bothered to look up — a few scant seconds before impact. Yaoyao impact, specifically.

Having hauled herself up into the air again using that wall of thorns, she swings, gets momentum, and lands with a brilliant, thundering CRASH: the sound of Yaoyao, and a pair of ginormous claws of shadow curled into fists and raised up high, smashing into (more than one unlucky competitor, and also) the ground. Did someone order a giant, flashing, neon target with teeth? Whether they like it or not, that’s what they’ve got on their hands now.

Three flags, three people per group, and fifteen people in total. That will be five teams, Lili murmurs. Five teams, gunning for three shots at winning. Twelve other people to keep track of. Twelve people to stomp into the dirt. Only provided that they haven’t posted anyone to hang back and provide support or defense!

Well, you know what they say: the defense is a damn good offense.

That’s a VERY subjective st—thorns, behind you!

Quick as Lili’s warning comes, Yaoyao flings aside the opponent she was grappling and throws a wall of dark energy up behind her; an arm, sorta, but way taller and thicker than the everyday shade arm. She hears a series of rapid-fire thunks, probably the thorns Lili meant, and lowers that wall just in time to avoid a sledgehammer-shaped briarwood branch to the face. The girl who swung it’s got sprouts growing in spirals down her arms and a determined glare so nasty Yaoyao almost respects it.

Looks like someone else is finally feeling aggressive.

That's Haruna Amano — she can manipulate the plants growing out of her, and they can grow out of just about anywhere. She can sever them painlessly to use as controllable weapons, but it hurts when they get uprooted from her skin…

Huh. Sick.

---

junsuina

[newclass=.body b]color:#5a43d2[/newclass]

[junsuina]

[attr="class","bmsk"] in blackest night... So far, so good. If Jun were being honest, she'd much rather be testing herself out there than sneaking as low to the ground. But not all hero work was glory and fame, and even the most mundane of tasks could save lives. All Jun had to do was get back to their little camp- A strange sound came from Jun's left. She stopped, looking at what exactly that was, and saw...something weird. It looked like a penguin, but at the same time it wasn't? It pointed at her, making that noise again. "Uh...shoo?" It shook its head, two more popping up out of the ground to join it as they advanced. Yeah, that's not good. She turned to start running, only to run into another one of them. She wasn't expecting something like these to sneak up on her, and she also wasn't expecting it to spontaneously explode. The blast sent Jun back, causing her to land on her back hard. Stunned, the creatures swarmed over, and before she could fight back they had stolen the flag from her, and began to run off. "-HEY! That's not yours!" As much as she wanted to get back and turtle, she had to get that flag back first! 𝕐 + 𝕐

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[𝕐 + 𝕐]

[attr="class","body"] Ah — Jun is in trouble!

The spark of protectiveness that flares through Yaoyao isn’t new, but it’s also pushed aside quick. Juju’s a big girl who can kick ass by herself. In the meantime, Yaoyao’s more preoccupied with Flower Power over here - and the angry flush on her face as she unleashes barrage after barrage of thorns in-between swings of that nasty wooden sledgehammer. Seems reckless. Seems pointed. Seems personal, almost, even though Yaoyao didn’t even know her name until Lili filled it in for her a few seconds ago. No time to wrack their brains for an inconsequential answer, though. Yaoyao will give her this: she’s fast. Even with that giant hammer.

Yaoyao kind of likes that hammer, actually. And on that thought:

Shadow hands grab it on the next swing. Grab, and yank, and rip the thing clean out of Flower Power’s hands on the flip they do backward over her head just for kicks. Lili inspects it while Yaoyao levels her best shit-eating grin at Flower Power’s angry little face. It’s strong, and those thorns all over it would really hurt if someone’s bare skin got hit… though I suppose everyone is wearing sturdy enough clothes that it’d maybe soften the blow? Still - careful where you aim, okay?

Yaoyao’s grin bares teeth. Wolfish, glinting, dripping with challenge. In it, Lili sees the tenacity that got her this far, that got her everything she wants, everything she has. It’s intimidating and inspiring in equal measure, and it’s everything Lili once wished she could be.

It’s also infuriating to anyone on the other side of a battle from her. Lili sees the indignant fury, the reaction rippling through Haruna’s face, before Yaoyao even responds.

No promises. Where’s our Juju with the flag?

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junsuina

[newclass=.body b]color:#5a43d2[/newclass]

[junsuina]

[attr="class","bmsk"] in blackest night... Jun was unfortunately exposed, having to dodge a lot more than just exploding penguins in her quest for the Grail. The creatures had begun making a beeline for one of the other camps, and Jun was unfortunately being slowed down. She was very tempted to just fling out a bunch of constructs at once just to get some breathing room, but then she'd be even more exposed due to her lack of material. All she had to do was just get the flag back... Creating a shield she dove past another attack, cocking her arm back and taking aim. Did the penguins explode on impact, or was it by command? She grit her teeth, uncertain. She had to do something, though. And so she did. flinging the shield at speed, it would for a moment look like it fell short...only instead of stopping it kept moving, tearing into the rocky soil and lifting the penguins up. The trio lost their balance, and before things could go wrong Jun surged forward to take the flag, deviating hard to avoid any explosions that came after. "Yaoyao, I could use a little cover!" She didn't like asking for help, but she was way too exposed and there were too many people. 𝕐 + 𝕐

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