The warning comes a fraction of a second too late; Takashi's baton bashes into Toshiaki's head with tremendous force. They're all so close that the setback is what gets his head really ringing, anger banging and crashing around in his middle. Ragh-Zull's Rage takes shape, gains form. Around them are Miku and Haru and Mizuki trying their hardest to just get to the summoning circle to stop Zhectast.
Why is it so hard?
The door to the Lighthouse's top room opens, and in rushes the sound of Ayaka's own rage near-immediately. Is it at seeing him on the ground, bleeding and trying to get up with spinning vision? Is it the whole damn thing?
Toshiaki isn't sure even Ayaka herself knows at this point.
He gets to his feet with sluggish movements, just in time to catch sight of her... ]
( Ayaka tears the Lighthouse door open, and the Blood Mania tears her open in turn. She feels like absolute hell, dragging herself to get anywhere. Will it stop or even lessen if she just kills this guy and stops the ritual?
Should it stop? Is this just her penance?
Ayaka brings down her katana on Takashi-san's torso and he crumples. Just like that, the barrier crumples too, and Ayaka pounces on two of the cultists before everyone else can even fell another one.
If she doesn't stop, she'll run herself out like a dying star.
She collapses; the last thing she sees as she passes out is Toshiaki stumbling to her, awash in the red of her vision. )
( Immediately after stopping the ritual there is sunlight, washing over the Lighthouse and all of Shiokawa. Ayaka isn't awake to see any of it. From what she hears later, they have to drag her outside and that is when she awakens. It's not by much, though: her body feels like its finally giving out.
It doesn't, though. She's much tougher than that. Running on fumes until the rest of the crew is gone, save for Toshiaki.
He's been crashing here on the couch alongside Miku, but Miku needs to get back to her grandmother now that, you know, the world has been saved.
So its just them.
She's not banking on some big romantic moment with Toshiaki now or any time soon, not so quickly after the world has been saved. Seated in the living room with him, the both of them finally bandaged ... Ayaka has to laugh. )
I didn't think it'd be this quiet after ... after all that.
[ That laughter sounds tired, but its welcome to Toshiaki's ears. He's at the kotatsu, feeling physically sleepy and mentally sluggish. There's a sense of accomplishment in tandem with the feeling of waiting for the other shoe to drop. For another monster, another fight, another cultist gone rogue trying to kill them.
His smile is one he can't help, even if it might look a little sardonic. ]
Kind of lucky we get an 'after' in the first place. I don't mind the quiet one bit.
[ That's not to say it isn't weird, however.
Toshiaki sits up a little, leaning his forearms more solidly on the kotatsu. ]
Is there something on your mind that you need to talk about?
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2025-12-10 12:29 pm (UTC)The warning comes a fraction of a second too late; Takashi's baton bashes into Toshiaki's head with tremendous force. They're all so close that the setback is what gets his head really ringing, anger banging and crashing around in his middle. Ragh-Zull's Rage takes shape, gains form. Around them are Miku and Haru and Mizuki trying their hardest to just get to the summoning circle to stop Zhectast.
Why is it so hard?
The door to the Lighthouse's top room opens, and in rushes the sound of Ayaka's own rage near-immediately. Is it at seeing him on the ground, bleeding and trying to get up with spinning vision? Is it the whole damn thing?
Toshiaki isn't sure even Ayaka herself knows at this point.
He gets to his feet with sluggish movements, just in time to catch sight of her... ]
1/2.
Date: 2025-12-10 05:02 pm (UTC)Should it stop? Is this just her penance?
Ayaka brings down her katana on Takashi-san's torso and he crumples. Just like that, the barrier crumples too, and Ayaka pounces on two of the cultists before everyone else can even fell another one.
If she doesn't stop, she'll run herself out like a dying star.
She collapses; the last thing she sees as she passes out is Toshiaki stumbling to her, awash in the red of her vision. )
2/2.
Date: 2025-12-10 05:07 pm (UTC)It doesn't, though. She's much tougher than that. Running on fumes until the rest of the crew is gone, save for Toshiaki.
He's been crashing here on the couch alongside Miku, but Miku needs to get back to her grandmother now that, you know, the world has been saved.
So its just them.
She's not banking on some big romantic moment with Toshiaki now or any time soon, not so quickly after the world has been saved. Seated in the living room with him, the both of them finally bandaged ... Ayaka has to laugh. )
I didn't think it'd be this quiet after ... after all that.
no subject
Date: 2025-12-11 12:04 am (UTC)His smile is one he can't help, even if it might look a little sardonic. ]
Kind of lucky we get an 'after' in the first place. I don't mind the quiet one bit.
[ That's not to say it isn't weird, however.
Toshiaki sits up a little, leaning his forearms more solidly on the kotatsu. ]
Is there something on your mind that you need to talk about?