Argenti's Palace

[beautifulknight]

The stage is set they say;
They don their masks and shields,
Shadows creep and cover their minds;
Now, what beautiful role shall they play?

𝓜𝓮𝓵𝓾𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓷𝓲𝓷 𝓒𝓪𝓼𝓽𝓵𝓮


♫

Comments

[beathollow]

( mafuyu's already trying to keep herself up in the wake of the staff- the first time that she's cried out all night... she doesn't see izou moving until it's too late and there's an unfamiliar, horrible pain and a horrible smile on izou's face.

more than she's in pain, she's just-

stunned. )

I...zou?

[goei]

[Have you ever been cured of your divine madness while your sword is still stuck in your dear friends guts? 0/10 Izou does not recommend. He blinks as Falin's spell lands, and he doesn't even have to look down at his hands, the look on Mafuyu's face is enough.]

Asa- Mafuyu!

[He withdraws Hizen, which just causes more blood to come out, but he's then trying the equivalent of slapping a bandaid on a canonball wound by casting Dia on her. If she's going to fall, he's also going to drop Hizen in order to catch her.]

Shit! Shit! Don't fucking die on me, ok!?

[AAAAAAAAA HE'S THE WORST BODYGUARD EVER.]

[beathollow]

( of course she's going to fall, she's in a lot of pain and more damage than she can really handle- her vision is blurry from both the searing agony of the stab, the dull throbbing of argenti's attack and her own tears, slumping a bit. every little heal helps, but- )

It hurts-

[goei]

[IT'S OK BUNNY YOUR SMELLY UNCLE'S GOT YOU. Hizen can make friends with the floor for now. Medea hovers over Mafuyu as she gets another Dia.]

Good, focus on the pain, that means yer still alive and not goin' into shock.

[IS THAT GOOD TO SAY? IS THAT HELPFUL? He shifts his grasp to look at her hopefully shrinking wound.]

Ain't in an area where it's hit anything vital. Yer gonna be ok. I promise.

[CAN HE SAYS THAT WHEN IT'S HIS FAULT???]

[cirquedesang]

Mafuyu-!

[There's mixed emotions here - Izou did it, obviously, but he's also doing his best to help, and his guilt over it is probably punishment enough, for now. There's also a crack in his voice as he shouts, ending up skidding to a stop next to them and hitting his knees.

...All he can do, too, is Two Dias, but it's surely better than nothing.]

[fullmoonmutt]

[ Eli's just... here no actions left to dia omg, having followed Celeste over. He isn't even sure how to feel. It's not like he could control himself, either, so he knows. He knows what happened to Izou.

A worried look is cast down to Mafuyu, then back at Izou. ]

Keep healing her until a real healer gets here, you bozo.

[ Hopefully, that's soon?! Ughh, he feels so useless here. The best he can do is move to stand between the ongoing fighting at the other three. He can at least watch out for anything incoming. ]

[beathollow]

( between the six small heals, she's at least doing better- not on the verge of a very distraught death, at least. there's still an uncomfortable breathlessness in her voice, a wet feeling in her throat and that horrible pain all over- )

Celeste...? Eli? I-

It wasn't his fault- please...

( ...

because of course that's her focus. but at least now that she can function at least a little more. )

S-Snow White-

( she manifests, granting mafuyu diarama for medium healing.

...she still feels unusually heavy in izou's arms, though. )

[cirquedesang]

I know it wasn't.

[He'll just gently be brushing her bangs out of her face.]

Stay still, we're trying to heal you.

[You know, with their fighter-level healing spells.]

[beathollow]

( she falters, because shouldn't she be trying to help herself, too? but the tender care is. distracting. and she wants to lean into it but it hurts- )

... O-okay.

[ledbythewind]

[Fortunately, there is in fact a real healer on hand, and for once? He's not mad that he's stuck as a Utility.

Those two Diaramas are going out in rapid succession even if technically Mafuyu isn't in any danger any longer, because that is a lot of blood that should be inside of Mafuyu's body but no longer is.

(Something stirs inside of his memory and he thinks he feels that blade biting into his own flesh again--)

There's a pain behind his eye, sharp and throbbing, and for a moment Lambda almost seems to hover closer to him as if protecting him.]

[beathollow]

( oh- relief.

there's lingering pain and she's not sure if it's real or not, but it's enough to get her back to health, even if she needs a moment.

... and then another, to pull izou and celeste both into a hug. )

I'm okay now. I promise.

( and with that, snow white manifests to cast marakukaja on herself, richard, izou and celeste, raising their defense. )

[cirquedesang]

[Oh. If only that could be the palace-ending hug--

He will return it immediately, though both to her and will loop Izou in, too.]

It's okay if you aren't.

[Sure, she might be physically okay, but...]

[beathollow]

I-



I'll think about that after all of this.

[goei]

[Ough.... A hug.... He returns it halfway, one arm that had been holding her up giving her a little squeeze that's meant to reassure himself as much as her.]

Can ya stand? I gotta go beat that bastard up fer all that.

[beathollow]

Mm. I can.

( slowly, but she is making her way up. another dia hits- mcgillis- and she's certain all that remains is two small cuts- she'll ignore the phantom pain for now. )




...

Give him hell.

[fullmoonmutt]

...yeah, we know it wasn't. That shitty ass grandpa up there hit me with the same thing.

[ Eli can only feel grateful for Celeste being equally quick to avoid him. ]

[beathollow]

I-

( eli you deserve to bonk argenti SO hard!!! )

I'm gonna be okay.

[fullmoonmutt]

[ THEY ALL DO. ]

...good. I mean, I knew you would be. You're pretty strong, actually. Be sure to reassure Izou, though. He's a big baby.

[ He'll push past the awkwardness between them for at least long enough to send her a rather self-assured grin. See? It's all good. They're all okay. ]

[goei]

I'm doin' the best I can!

[An unusually intense snap at Eli]

[fullmoonmutt]

[ The kneejerk reaction is to yell right back at him... successfully squashed. He carries on keeping guard, letting Izou's anger pass by like water for once. ]

[goei]

Celeste- I didn't- I wasn't-

[He knows everyone else understands, but. Still.]

[cirquedesang]

I know.

[Brainwash sucks. He'd just been victim to it, too, but he was lucky to not target and hit anyone he was already close to (sorry, Falin--), and that was bad enough, so for Izou...]

You're helping, now. That's good.

[It doesn't make up for it - that's up to Mafuyu to decide - but it helps settle him, at least.]

[goei]

I'm supposed ta be the bodyguard. This is the opposite of that.

[Literally your bodyguard status is self appointed, Izou.]

[cirquedesang]

Yeah, but you couldn't help it. Make it up to her by dragging Argenti's ass home so she has a chance to lecture him for making us turn on each other.

[The fighters should probably all still be in the fight, even if they'd rather make sure she's okay, honestly.]

[goei]

... Right. Yeah.

[THEY STILL HAVE TO KICK THAT WEIRDOS ASS. HE ALMOST FORGOT!!!]