(Untitled)

[countess_hearts]

[This is no ordinary chamber of the Dressing Room. It looks that way at first, being right in the middle of a neutral area, and bustling with people. But there's a trap waiting in store for anyone unlucky enough to be here

Comments

Oolong/girlifying tea sounds fun!

[fallforthesky]

[SUDDENLY, CHAOS EVERYWHERE.]

[Unfortunately, Lenalee's not quite as fast on her guard after this long withering away in the Dressing Room, even considering her brief and brutal stint stint home. That said, when the Akuma do start bursting forth from nowhere like spiders... instinct takes over. She leaps back as the strip of floor she'd been walking on begins to buckle upwards and splinter, admittedly stumbling a little, then activates her Boots.] What--?!

[fallforthesky]

[Teamwork is... also Not Good. Lenalee skitters to a stop, heaving in a breath as she tracks the movement of one Level 3 with desperation. She's frozen to the spot, despite her mind screaming at her to MOVE. It's almost as if she suddenly just isn't cut out for fighting. At the very last second, she whirls to face the second Level 3, and then she uses the added weight to drop.]

[She sincerely hopes they hit each other, and don't catch her by the head on the way down.]

[akumabin]

[She might feel them clipping against a little of her tea-lengthened hair, but they miss her head, running into each other with a surprised yelp. It looked so much as if the Exorcist was just going to stay there and get mashed, but no...

Well. They weren't supposed to kill her, after all, even if they forgot that for a while and got too excited.

Over by the wall, the Countess is standing in the shadows, watching.]

[fallforthesky]

[The Countess goes completely unnoticed. Kind of busy trying to formulate a feasible battle strategy, here (and right now it mostly consists of don't get killed). She doesn't need to use Iron Shackles to take a Level 3 down anymore, but it certainly doesn't feel like she has any advantage right now. She lands on the rubble-littered floor and stumbles briefly over her skirts before launching back up to try and catch one of them by the throat with her leg (plus a bucketload of crushed velvet).]

[akumabin]

The attack catches the Level 3 by the throat while it's still dazed from the collision before, but the other Level 3 takes the chance to attempt a strike at Lenalee's back.]

[fallforthesky]

[It hits. She's not sure how, but it does. There's a rather unsavory crack. The strike sends her pitching forward through the air, bending the leg still caught around the Akuma's throat at a terrible angle, and then she's gasping for breath-- how did-- what just-- as her ears begin to ring. Something might have... cracked. She needs a moment to claw her way out of the daze.]

[akumabin]

[The Akuma grins sadistically, and aims another strong strike at her - but then suddenly stops, when a voice from the side calls out to it: "Not too hard! Remember not to kill her or cause permanent injury, dearie! ♥

The Akuma with Lenalee's leg still around her throat tries to grab Lenalee's leg and prise the Dark Boots away from itself, while the other Akuma, slowed down from being interrupted by the Countess, moves in with the aim of knocking Lenalee out. But it's not really sure how to go about that, and hesitates; it's used to the knocking people's heads in school of fighting, not restraint.]

[fallforthesky]

[Oh, god, that voice... Lenalee twists to look in the direction she thinks she heard it come from, desperately clawing the hair away from her eyes. Not here, not now. She can't fight the Earl. She can't fight ANY Earl. Get out get out! And she tries, but the earlier strike to her back has left her fragile and it hurts like hell on fire to move, so what should have been a reasonable attempt at escape turns into a warning creak of her leg in the Akuma's hands. Yelps, bringing her arms up instinctively as the second Level 3 approaches. It's kind of funny how her mind thinks (or hopes) that'll be enough to hold it off.]

[In a desperate last-ditch attempt:] Why not kill?!

[countess_hearts]

Good evening, young lady. The reason is because, at present, you are of far more use to me alive than dead. ♥

[The Countess is walking slowly along, watching the fight with amusement. In the meantime the closest Akuma tries to keep hold of Lenalee's leg, while the other one approaching moves with the intent to knock Lenalee out if it can. Better to strike too lightly than too heavily...]

[fallforthesky]

[Any colour that hadn't drained from her face when she'd been struck across the spine does so now. Shitshitshit. She snaps a look between the Countess and the approaching Akuma-- and while normally she'd focus on not getting knocked out, a bitter swell rises in her at the Countess' words and she wrenches in the Level 3's grip.] When has that ever been the case?! When has that phrase ever applied to you?!

[countess_hearts]

Ohoho, quite. It is a change of pace, but one must adapt to the circumstances. Death rarely sticks in this place: it is most troublesome. Can you imagine how hard it is to persuade large enough quantities of grieving mourners to create Akuma, when they know that person is sure to return? Even for one as persuasive as I, it is a challenge. ♥

As a result, I require assistance, and you shall provide it. ♥

[The Akuma hang on the Countess' words for the moment, but the second she finishes speaking, they move to strike.]

[fallforthesky]

I won't provide you with anything! [Do or die. She can do this. It's not the first time. There's an awful crack that is Lenalee wrenching her leg free at the cost of a (probably messy) break, and she kicks the one Akuma soundly in the chest with her other leg. A last ditch effort. But it also, unfortunately, leaves her quite open to the second Level 3's blow. She goes down with a groan, eyes sliding out of focus.]

[akumabin]

[The Level 3 gets kicked a long way, dazed and badly injured, while the one whose strike succeeded gives a creepy little cackle, and picks Lenalee up in its arms. But when it sees her leg injury, it glances nervously at the Countess, who replies mildly.

"That? It will not be a problem. Simply take her to the laboratory. ♥ Thank you for your hard work, my cute Akuma. This child will soon be one of your number. ♥"]