Into the Groove (FEFD)

[ShadesofGrey18]

"Indeed. As needs must, as they say... and right now? Needs must that we fight. Hopefully the owners aren't too upset." Azura spun her lance around, before kicking open the door from the lounge, launching a Vallite who'd been standing on the other side across the room. "...Shall we?"



[Chapter 23: A Reason to Fight]

[Select Units]
*Azura
*Corrin
*Corrinne
*Jakob
*Felicia
*Silas
*Kaze

Save


You get no more chances

Corrin just grinned a bit, taking position next to Azura. "It's good to have you back."

"Thank you, Corrin."

Jakob and Silas moved up as well, Silas seeming a bit uneasy being off his horse. Jakob spoke up. "We'll follow your lead, Milord, Miladies."

---

[Objective: Rout all enemies in 10 turns!]

Azura nodded, before grasping her Lance tighter. "Of course. Let's try and take these soldiers out quickly. Get them out of the owners' hair."

[DanteMGalileo]

"ARE YOU FUCKIN' KIDDING ME, MORE IN THE BACK ROOM- oh wait, I can see them." Lobo gave a wave that indicated that he wasn't really sorry for yelling at the seven.

"... Ignore the angry birdman... I guess... (Although I'm suddenly craving chicken.)" Corrinne tried to ignore Lobo for now, instead focusing on the now-empty bar.

When a Samurai lunged at her, she simply smirked, shifting into her dragon form and body-slamming the sword-wielder. "Felicia, now!"

"On it!" With a toss, the blazing weapon buried itself in the Samurai, its body beginning to dissolve upon impact.

"Sir Silas, you seem... uneasy. I assume this is your first serious battle on foot?" Kaze asked, tossing out his shuriken at a Dark Mage with an oddly-familiar looking scroll. Evidently, this was the same one that sent him to dreamland.

[ShadesofGrey18]

Corrin had paid Lobo no mind whatsoever as he thrust his blade at a Fighter, felling him with some assistance from Jakob. "Whew... not bad..." A familiar song came over his ears, and he felt energized. "Thank you, Azura!" Moving quickly, he attacked a nearby Archer, felling them.

Jakob threw a Barb Shuriken at an enemy Ninja. "I'd imagine so..."

Silas nodded, finishing off the Dark Mage with a thrust from his lance. "Rrgh! Yeah... I'm not used to fighting on foot. It's... a little awkward, but nothing I can't handle. Besides, it'd be awkward riding my horse in here..."

It seemed like there was a large group of soldiers that had come, too.

[DanteMGalileo]

The force was scattered about the bar, but all were foot soldiers...

Except for a Stoneborn, seemingly acting as the commander, along with several Faceless amongst the former humans. "Everyone, be careful... I suspect that those Faceless can freeze us on the spot... And Stoneborn are generally difficult to fell..."

Kaze's shuriken almost bounced off the shoulder of one of the beasts, the masked monster rushing towards the ninja. "Best to use magic. Felicia, if you are able..."

The Flame Shuriken was far more effective in damaging the Faceless. "I can weaken 'em! I can't defeat them in two hits, but... Whoa, no!"

The maid was aware of a fist slamming into her stomach, knocking her to the ground, body going stiff...

[Felicia
HP: 25 -> 11
Status: Freeze]

"U-ugh... they're stronger than normal ones..." Corrinne used her draconic body to shield the crumpled maid, swatting the monster aside with a swipe of her claws.

"Noted. Don't strain yourself. I'll protect you if you get frozen."

[ShadesofGrey18]

Silas had taken a defensive stance as the enemy force began to move... and when a Fighter had come after him, he'd leaned back out of habit. Without his horse's leverage, however, the axe struck home, and the Cavalier yelled out in pain. "Augh!"

[Silas
HP: 40 -> 23]

Corrin grit his teeth. "This is... urgh. This could get dicey..."

♫Aaahhh~♫

Azura's voice gently rang out and a warm light came over those close...

[Silas
HP: 23->35]

[Felicia
HP: 11 -> 19
Status: Freeze]

The Songstress grasped her Blessed Lance, thrusting it through the masked head of the Faceless that had attacked Felicia. "Fear not. We can do this."

Jakob nodded. "Indeed. Hold fast!" With a glint in his eye, he hurled the Barb Shuriken at a Samurai, the blow critically striking the swordfighter.

[DanteMGalileo]

"Hmm...."

[Pair Up: Kaze -> Silas
Support: B
Skl +2, Spd + 4, Movement +1]

Kaze took a defensive stance around the Cavalier. "My apologues. My weapons don't appear to be doing much damage, so this is how I can best contribute this battle..."

"T-Thank you... Lady Corrinne..."

[Felicia
HP: 19/25
Status: Freeze -> None]

The maid got to her feet, feeling the paralyzing effect fade. Corrinne nodded, reverting back to human form. "Not an issue. Why don't we see if we can't get at the Stoneborn? Azura, I think we're going to need your help..." The manakete drew her sword. True, the dragon form was good for protecting stunned allies, but in the tight quarters of the bar, speed and mobility appeared to be the key.

"YARGHHH!! I'm gonna gut you all!! TWISTER, GO MAKE 'EM SPIN!!"

A series of small-scale twisters were summoned around the male angel, knocking furniture willy-nilly... And spinning around anyone who got caught in them. Several Vallites, amongst others, felt a dizzying sensation...

[Many Status: Dizzy
Dizzy makes you less accurate but more evasive due to tangled feet...]

Loba rolled her eyes. A mage with a strange red tome was looking at the grey-haired man in armour.

"Nah. This is the wetlands, baby."

The air in the bar grew wet, and the fire spell was extinguished... One could hear Felicia yelping about her weapon suddenly going out...

[Field Status: Wetlands
Fire cannot be used. -10 Avo/Hit thanks to the humidity.]

Meanwhile, coming out of the men's restroom in the back...

"Man, what was with all the screaming?" A thin man with a fluffy silver tail poked his head out of said room. "You'd think some freaks just in... Oh." The tail twitched with excitement. Even the humidity didn't seem to faze him as he drew a strange dagger. "Hey, riddle boy! We got a fight in here!"

[ShadesofGrey18]

Azura nodded in response to Corrinne's comment. "Of course. Would you like me to take point this time? My weapon is ideal against these opponents after all."

Silas gave Kaze a small smile in thanks, before drawing his sword. "This'll help. Alright, let's-"

Then the air became wet. The change in terrain made Silas stumble a bit, the Cavalier gritting his teeth. "Gah!"

Following the thin man, a taller man with blond hair and piercing eyes followed. "Seems like your statement was surprisingly apt. I'm not really much in the mood for a fight, but if I must..." Reaching into a pocket of the light brown robes he was wearing, he drew out a bound book with a brown cover and yellow design on the front. "Shall we?"

[DanteMGalileo]

"Yes. It'd probably be best if you- gah!" Corrinne slipped and fell on the floor thanks to the sudden wetness. "Ow..." She pulled herself to her feet, looking dizzy...

[Corrinne
HP: 28
Status: Dizzy]

"Don't I feeling good very? Azura me help..." The manakete's eyes had an unfocused look to them, and she seemed unsteady on her feet.

"Oh no... Lady Corrinne, are you okay?" Felicia's heels at least were providing her with

"Really not."

"How unfortunate." Kaze's hair actually drooped a bit from the heavy moisture. "We should try to use this to our- augh!"

At that moment, Lobo had sent out the twisters again, capturing Kaze and Silas and dropping them on another side of the bar... Just all dizzy...

"I like don't that person..."

[ShadesofGrey18]

Silas groaned, clutching his head. He responded to Kaze as best he could, though the words came out jumbled. "Neither I do. Out Kaze, look!"

The Cavalier swung his blade, blocking an incoming axe swing.

Corrin groaned slightly, shaking his head. "Alright, Azura. I have your back. Let's try and deal with this quickly."

[Pair Up:
Corrin -> Azura
Support Rank: B]

Azura nodded. "Thank you, Corrin." The Songstress moved in, thrusting her Blessed Lance and felling a Faceless. Jakob moved behind, picking off another Samurai with a critical strike... though the group was still in danger.

An Archer began to pull back its bow string...

"Begone, vile aberration; may the light take you!"

Only for a series of spears of light to impale its body from above. The blond with the piercing eyes shut his tome.

Corrin seemed baffled. "...What... what kind of magic was that?!"

[DanteMGalileo]

"Idea no... but it seems friend-" Corrinne then slipped and fell, her sword going through a Diviner in the process. Unfortunately, another one was behind its fallen comrade, readying a Rabbit Spirit spell. "No oh..."

That is, until a dagger plunged its way through the offending caster's neck, a figure with a fluffy tail reclaiming its weapon upon the soldier dissolving. "And are you...?"

The tailed figure just glanced back. "I'm everyone's worst nightmare, dizzy one. By the way if you drench your head you'll feel better. Maybe."

As the strange individual went back to fighting, Corrinne slowly got to her feet, aided by Felicia. "Water. We water need. Now."

As Loba played around with some water, tormenting her twin brother, Kaze was just trying to get his head working again. In an attempt to weaken a Spear Fighter, his shuriken went way off-course...

And struck a pipe. Water gushed out of the damaged pipe. One could see a glint in Loba's eyes...

"I think it's time for a li'l big flood."

The water suddenly gushed out at an alarming rate, flooding the entire bar, though just conveniently missing the expensive DJ equipment.

"Oh- oh no- run! Land dry! Grab dry som- AUGH!!"

Corrinne was plunged into the newly rising water... Only to climb back up onto a large table. Drenched to the bone, she took several heaving gasps for air. "I hate... water... no offense to... Azura..." But hey, it looked like her eyes were clear again.

[Corrinne
HP: 28
Status: Dizzy -> None]

"Is anybody else... down below?"

Felicia's Flame Shuriken had reignited, the moisture in the air having transferred to the impromptu sea. "W-Well, Lord Corrin and Lady Azura are over there, looks like Jakob and Silas are above water too... Is there anyone else?"

"Hmm. I don't think so."

There was a series of disgruntled bubbles that may or may not have been from the mouth of a certain green-haired ninja in the watery depths.

[Kaze
HP: 24
Status: Dizzy -> None]

[ShadesofGrey18]

Silas gasped as his head broke the water's surface. "Ghah! Haah... oh, good... I can actually see straight again..."

[Silas
Status: Normal]

He pulled Kaze up from the water, drawing his sword again. "Now we can fight again."

There still were quite a few people remaining though, despite the additional help. Azura did, however, notice something odd after the bar got flooded... A glowing spot. Perfect.

Hurrying over, Azura began to sing as a familiar glow of Dragon Vein energy swirled around her.

♫You are the ocean's gray waaaaves~♫

[Dragon Vein: Water!]

With a sudden rush, the water slammed into the Vallites, Faceless, and Stoneborn, drenching them and weakening their power... several spots in the bar turned to ice as well.

Azura took a slow breath. Since she hadn't used her pendant's power to activate the Dragon Vein, she didn't have to worry about the after-effects, but it was still exhausting giving the Vein that much more power. "Now... now is our chance!"

[DanteMGalileo]

"All right, Azura! Looks like you froze the Stoneborn too... Looks like it can't move anymore." Corrinne said, looking at the stone figure. As the golem tried to open its hinge to fire, it appeared to be frozen shut, taking far more effort to fire... a feeble-looking rock that barely left the exit hole, merely making the water ripple. "Not so tough anymore, are you?" After making sure her Dragonstone was secure, she pointed at the beast with her Yato. "Shall we?"

A pair of shuriken, one flaming and one steel, embedded themselves into the body of the Stoneborn, further weakening the monster, and damaging it as well in the case of the Flame Shuriken. "That's up to you, Lady Azura, Lady Corrinne, Lord Corrin! We'll handle the rest!"

A sodden, invisible hand reached out of the water and grasped at a table, attempting to pull itself to drier land... Only to be stabbed by Kaze. "Looks like several are still below the water." The ninja's hair and clothes were completely drenched and hanging loosely.

[Kaze
Speed: 16
Steel Shuriken: +2
Soggy: -7]

[ShadesofGrey18]

Azura nodded, slipping behind Corrin. "Go; I will back you up!"

Corrin drew the Yato, leaping from table to table, before slashing at the Stoneborn. "We're not done yet! Go, sister!"

Jakob glanced at the rippling water... then stabbed another Samurai attempting to come up. "I'd say this is working quite well."

The blond from before, now standing on the bar, somehow completely dry, gestured again, the spears of light embedding themselves in a Faceless. "They seem to have quite the grasp of teamwork... it's rather impressive."

[DanteMGalileo]

"You'll regret the day you were created, monster!" Corrinne yelled, jumping off the table and onto the ice. Dragging the blade across the frozen surface, she jumped, shifting her arm into a lance-like appendage, her horns appearing.

[Dragon Fang]

"You won't stop me!"

The stone monster was stabbed with the lance-arm, before Yato itself delivered the blow, Corrinne reverting with the second hit, kicking away. As the Stoneborn fell into the watery depths, she landed across from it.

"I'm surprised that worked."

Meanwhile, a Spear Fighter attempting to climb out found a Shuriken embedded in its head. "Not enough... Though you'd think that would have done it..." As Kaze went to see if he couldn't get some distance between him and the now-angry Spear Fighter, a dagger embedded itself in its back.

A sodden silver tail was visible as the dagger's owner reclaimed his weapon, doggy-paddling over to the blonde man. "Man," he said, climbing out. "Last I checked, she could make it rain, but never flood the damn place! What the hell happened?"

[ShadesofGrey18]

"She was given the opportunity to work some powerful magic," the blond responded, mumbling an incantation, another blast of Ellight overpowering a Nosferatu spell and impaling a Dark Mage. "It's quite unusual, but... well, I'm certain these are no normal people."

That comment didn't escape Azura's ears even as she and Corrin moved in, slicing down an Oni Savage. "...Hmm. He could identify the Dragon Vein...?"

Silas stood back-to-back with Kaze, his lance meeting another Spear Fighter's. "Jeez, this has been tough. Glad you're backing me up, Kaze."