[hr]ATTN: [@PaulHaynek], [@The Irish Tree] (Eula/Liliana), [@Rezod92] (Kerry) & [@AzureKnight] (Shizuka)[hr][hider=The Dragon Who Dances With Samurai and Smells of Mushrooms]Dinah took stock of the battlefield, as she arrived. Flame flickered through the battlefield, highlighting the states of Takeshi, Gringor, and Io, as well as the situations of Shizuka and the Hangai Sisters. Experience in leading, Dinah took the levels of importance at hand - they were four, and they could take care of four of the five problems, after all.

[color=5d7947][i][b]Takeshi and Gringor have jammed their hands into my cookie jar and turned my party into unappealing crumbs. However, the supposed Lord is being saved by the Goblin. The High Orc can die for all I care...

Saving the Lich is as beneficial as it is risky. Her magic is unreliable, but it seems to have been effective, judging from the corpses that aren't clearly bashed to death. Still, if someone is quick enough -- [/b][/i][/color]

"[color=5d7947][i][b]Kerry, dive in, and save the Lich. Move her to a vantage point, and then bombard anything that she didn't kill with Gale Bolts,[/b][/i][/color]" Dinah says, before turning her attention.

[color=5d7947][i][b]The Sisters. Useless and more useless. Soft-hearts and kind-souls do not a warrior make. I need them moved, and back on support...[/b][/i][/color]

"[color=5d7947][i][b]Liliana, Eula, can you save the Jiangshi and Jorōgomu, if Kerry supports you with cover fire,[/b][/i][/color]" Dinah asks. "[color=5d7947][i][b]If so, Kerry, lend your artillery support to them, instead. Leave the rest to the Lich until the Jiangshi and Jorōgomu can hold their own again.[/b][/i][/color]"

Dinah focused on Shizuka, "[color=5d7947][i][b]I'll rescue the Samurai. It's time he and I finally have that dance he promised me.[/b][/i][/color]"

Dinah would raise her blade, as she leveled it before her eyes. "[color=5d7947][i][b]To banish my fear, I must become more than I am...[/b][/i][/color]" she says, before yanking the blade - slashing her eyes, and blinding herself with a sharp cry of pain, before her body rippled, and she shifted. Her grit canines sharpened into fangs, as twinned horns pushed from the front sides of her forehead, and a thick, scaled tail pushed out her tailcoat. "[color=5d7947][i][b]It's good that the Samurai and I have danced before... if not... I wouldn't have danced with you three, either... and, I couldn't do this.[/b][/i][/color]"

Dinah suddenly glowed pink, and split into three, before hopping up, and onto the cupped hands of the two Dinah that Liliana would realized were fashioned from her Triple Threat combination spell, and Euca would recognize the focus of violet magic at her ruby red heels, before Kerry noticed the light blue magic that filled the clones hands.

"[color=5d7947][i][b]Blast off![/b][/i][/color]"

Dinah would be launched by two [i]Gale Bolt[/i] before Euca's [i]Energy Propulsion[/i] would launch her even higher into the air to touch the sky. As if, moving in a slow-motion, free-float, Dinah would extend her scythe, and summon golden magic to the blade...

"[color=5d7947][i][b]Fulgur Axe...[/b][/i][/color]"

A bolt of lightning would suddenly redirect to her blade, then another, and another, as she completed her arc, and looked straight down...

"[color=5d7947][i][b]Uryū Ikidō...[/b][/i][/color]" Dinah whispered, as she suddenly flashed towards the ground -- the stored lightning ripping through the attackers that where assaulting Shizuka, as Dinah exhaled, "[color=5d7947][i][b]Kaminari...~[/b][/i][/color]"

"[color=5d7947][i][b]Shall we dance, Bandit,[/b][/i][/color]" Dinah asked, upside-down, sword planted like a lightning rod, and holding her in a handstand of sorts, which resulted in her overcoat and skirt flipping down, flashing Shizuka with her pink and red-striped panties, and porcelain quarter-moons, as her thicc tail was shoved them halfway down.

[color=f49ac2][b]"Wah!? Lady Alice, your skirt flipped!"[/b][/color] Liliana exclaimed as she flew past, following the directions of Dinah to assist the Hangai sisters. Dinah seemed to have copied some of Whimsy’s magic, which resulted in the Splinterblade rapidly growing rather miffed. For now, the fairy had little choice but to bravely rush into danger to protect the Hangai sisters, with Eula following along behind her.

[color=C48BD3][b]"Interesting that she’s optimized her movement in a similar manner to me. I’ll have to teach her later. Be aware though, Liliana, without Carroll I cannot fight effectively. At least not with lethal precision. As such…"[/b][/color]

[color=f49ac2][b]"No worries, leave it all to me! You hit ‘em with your blasty things and I’ll knock them down for good. Now let’s go save those sisters!"[/b][/color]

[color=fff79a]”Lucky ass ronin!”[/color], commented Kerry with gritted teeth as she flew in and dropped kick the legionnaire in the chest, freeing Io. [b]She was not at all feeling the least bit jealous at seeing her future husband showing off her gorgeous ass to Shizuka.[/b] Not one bit, no sir.

And anyone who said otherwise is a goddamn liar.

[color=fff79a]”Ali, when this is over, you owe me more than a pound of flesh for the nest when we get back!”[/color], the hornet exclaimed to Dinah before scooping up Io to carry her to a safer spot for the undead spellcaster. With that task done, Kerry would join Liliana and Eula in saving the sisters.

Shizuka had to admit, he was having a hard time with these Shiden Issen students. While he was holding his own, felling each one that came his way, he took equal hits from the technique for his trouble. He was at least quick-footed enough to dodge a fatal blow, and thankfully none of his injuries were too deep. However, they were still adding up, and his stamina was depleting. 

Gritting his teeth, he looked as he began to be surrounded by a small group of students, each of them readying themselves for another attack. He thought to himself that he needed to find an opening to help his allies who were also being pinned down. That was until he noticed a group of familiar chi signatures enter the fray. The largest one he knew as Alice, although again her chi and appearance was different. Shizuka and the students watched as she took on a draconic appearance and split herself into three identical copies, two of them went to assist the other members of the taskforce while one headed his way. 

She jumped high into the air and uttered the name of one of Shizuka’s signature techniques: 

[i]Uryū Ikidō ● Kaminari[/i]

Gathering a large amount of lightning into her weapon, she flashed to the ground before Shizuka and his opponents. The thunder running through the surrounding adversaries in one fell swoop, “Dinah” landed on her sword with a handstand. With her bombastic, and heavily suggestive entrance, she mused to the wanderer with a flirtatious comment. 

Shizuka was wide-eyed for a brief second, and could only chuckle at the scene. 

[color=royalblue]”I thank you for your assistance, Alice-san. Oh, should I perhaps call you by a different name in this instance?”[/color]

"[color=5d7947][i][b]Name’s Dinah,[/b][/i][/color]" is the answer given, as Dinah would handspring off her blade, and yank it out the ground. "[color=5d7947][i][b]Don’t you forget it, Bandit~[/b][/i][/color]"

[color=royalblue]”Well, Dinah-san, I see you still enjoy calling me by that little pet name.”[/color] He said. [color=royalblue]”As well as copying some of my techniques.”[/color] Wiping the blood from his blade, Shizuka stared at the current state of the battlefield. Some more students began to approach them. 

[color=royalblue]”I’m sure you had your reasons for retreating, and we can discuss them later, but right now it’s better that we focus on the matter at hand.”[/color]

One of the students charged at the ronin, having readied the Heavenly Strike again. Shizuka was already familiar with the technique at this point. With his speed, countering it when against a single opponent wouldn’t be too difficult. As it was in essence, a frontal technique, Shizuka had an effective counter against it. 

[i]Uryū Suichū[/i]

Having generated a water spell around his blade, Shizuka waited for the student to charge at him. It happened in a tenth of a second; The student flashed at Shizuka, but instead of his blade meeting with flesh, a powerful slash was delivered to his back. With a pained groan, the student fell to the ground. Shizuka had dodged the strike at the last moment, and by applying centrifugal force, made an immediate counter. 

[color=royalblue]”While the technique is strong, it does have its weaknesses.”[/color] He said. 

"[color=5d7947][i][b]Alternatively...[/b][/i][/color]" Dinah set her feet, before extending her blade, "[color=5d7947][i][b]Tempo... Prestissimo...[/b][/i][/color]" and setting it to her side; green blood dripping off the guard, and red blood off the blade. "[color=5d7947][i][b]Outpace it, even at cost...[/b][/i][/color]"

Dinah blew forward, as if sending a kiss to one of the students, before his head slipped off his shoulders, and plopped onto the ground.

[color=royalblue]”I must say, your step technique is much improved.”[/color] Shizuka paid close attention to Dinah’s movements. At first, Alice’s use of step techniques was rough and aggressive, dust clouds were aplenty and one could easily see the path of her movement by seeing the wind currents around her. Now, ques of her steps were much harder to read, nearly undetectable to those who lacked a careful eye. 

[color=royalblue]”Come, we should assist our allies. You were able to save me the trouble of making an opening.”[/color]

"[color=5d7947][i][b]Your allies, Bandit,[/b][/i][/color]" Dinah says, "[color=5d7947][i][b]There is a difference.[/b][/i][/color]"

Shizuka gave Dinah a side eye at her comment. He understood that she had mixed feelings in regards to some of the other members of the taskforce, but even so…

[color=royalblue]”I believe I can understand your feelings on the matter well enough, Dinah-san, but to ensure everyone makes it out alive, let us put aside our feelings for the moment and work together.”[/color] He said, instantly phasing out of the way of a stray blast from a Varjan spellcaster, not even changing his stance in response to the attack. 

He countered by appearing above the spellcaster and delivering an [i]Uryūtsuizume[/i], leaving a large slash across his vital area and instantly falling him. 

"[color=5d7947][i][b]I can assure you that you do not,[/b][/i][/color]" Dinah says, "[color=5d7947][i][b]If you did, I would be here, facing them challenge alone, as is my way,[/b][/i][/color]" she says, "[color=5d7947][i][b]I do not want you here, nor your Lord, nor his Taskforce. I never asked for your help, because I never wanted it. It's not how I am, nor who I am.[/b][/i][/color]"

"[color=5d7947][i][b]The Queen of Diamonds does not seek aid, but delivers it,[/b][/i][/color]" Dinah raised her blade, as the left side of the guard separated from the right, and it unfolded on a hinge, becoming a jagged scythe, "[color=5d7947][i][b]I have been forced to accept the hand that your Lord forced upon me. This party was never thrown in earnest, and ruined from the start by the guests invited.[/b][/i][/color]"

Dinah twirled, as she hooked her blade around bodies, and spun one of their attackers like a potato upon a peeler. "[color=5d7947][i][b]Selfish, sure. Foolish, perhaps. However, it has been my pride for three years years, and my way for almost five hundred,[/b][/i][/color]" she says, "[color=5d7947][i][b]Tell me, Samurai, do you honestly believe that I would be happy following the orders of a newborn in my eyes?[/b][/i][/color]"

[color=royalblue]”I would think, or at least hope, that it wouldn’t matter.”[/color] Shizuka responded. [color=royalblue]”I am aware of the long life you have lived, being that it is several times longer than most here. But, lest you forget, we are strangers in the land. A part of me can understand that you’ve been robbed of your warrior’s pride, but sometimes there are more important things to consider in such turbulent times. However, I suppose I can also agree that bringing every single member here wasn’t the best option, if only because they weren’t fully prepared for the nature of the quest.”[/color]

"[color=5d7947][i][b]A warrior's pride? Truly spoken like a man of subservience,[/b][/i][/color]" Dinah says, "[color=5d7947][i][b]I discarded such foolish notions, though my emotions do, currently, rule me. My pride as queen, as a ruler, as a leader, all discarded to offer me a meager existence of subservience to an inferior of the same station.[/b][/i][/color]"

Dinah looked at Takeshi, "[color=5d7947][i][b]I've no heart for the boy. If he died, I would move on without looking back. I'm not thankful to his regent, either. Her taskforce is a sham and a scam of dysfunctional Mamono with no forward motion. Even you can see that much, as hopeful of potential as you are blind to reality.[/b][/i][/color]"

"[color=5d7947][i][b]I didn't want anyone to take this quest for their own safety. I am a queen that lives as the sword and shield of her people, and this goes beyond this conscripted militia that believes itself a threat to an army and nation,[/b][/i][/color]" Dinah says. "[color=5d7947][i][b]The hubris of your Lord could mean the death of himself, and greater beyond, because he didn't control this situation. By letting the High Orc run rampant, by allowing the training session, and allowing everyone to distract themselves with other pursuits, the Heavenly Strike has progressed so much further than I wanted.[/b][/i][/color]"

Dinah extended her scythe, "[color=5d7947][i][b]My preference in such matters as this is the Champion's Challenge. Do you know of it, Samurai?[/b][/i][/color]"

"[color=5d7947][i][b]Actually, before that, allow me to tell you why I retreated. I didn't retreat. I ran away from the fire, from my fear of it, from what it represents to me,[/b][/i][/color]" Dinah says, "[color=5d7947][i][b]It was fire that killed Alice's daughter, and fire that took Carroll's family, and my weakness that allowed them to suffer such losses...[/b][/i][/color]" she looked back to Kerry, Liliana, and Eula. "[color=5d7947][i][b]I was afraid of losing my second chance at... redemption. I returned, for them, because of them,[/b][/i][/color]" Dinah looked back to Shizuka, "[color=5d7947][i][b]I blinded myself to save you, because Carroll cherishes you, as confused as that makes her, and Alice respects you, as someone that can rival her blade.[/b][/i][/color]"

"[color=5d7947][i][b]I don't put stock in hope, but it's a funny thing that works for Humans, and I happen to be quarter-Human...[/b][/i][/color]"

[color=royalblue]”Pride is pride, Dinah-san.”[/color] Shizuka responded. [color=royalblue]”But your honesty is appreciated either way. Carroll and I have developed a kindred bond…of sorts, yes. As for Alice, I mainly wanted her to feel that we were on her side. Despite her inner turmoil, she obliged Kyouko-sama’s request to aid this land.”[/color] He also looked toward the trio of mamono Dinah had referenced. 

[color=royalblue]”I am glad that you’ve made strong bonds with other members of the force, and I am grateful that you came to my aid as well. As for this challenge that you speak of, I can’t say that I’m familiar with it, but I feel we can discuss that later. Let’s aid those that need us, Dinah-san.”[/color]

"[color=5d7947][i][b]Those that need me living in another dimension, dear,[/b][/i][/color]” Dinah says, "[color=5d7947][i][b] My trust is not something you've earned, neither by sex or sword,[/b][/i][/color]" she says, "[color=5d7947][i][b]My aid further is contractual. So, what shall you pay for a sellsword?[/b][/i][/color]"

Shizuka, on his way back to his allies, stops and looks at Dinah with confused eyes. His expression then turns stern. 

[color=royalblue]”I would’ve thought survival was pay enough.”[/color] He responded. [color=royalblue]”However. Based on what you’ve said, I imagine the prospect of a duel would tantalize you?”[/color]

"[color=5d7947][i][b]Your assumption wouldn’t be wrong, under normal circumstances,[/b][/i][/color]" Dinah says, "[color=5d7947][i][b]But, I’ve been explicitly wronged for far too long, my honor and pride drug through the mud by your Lord and your subordinates,[/b][/i][/color]" she says, "[color=5d7947][i][b]A simple duel will please me not.[/b][/i][/color]"

Shizuka's expression remained the same at Dinah's words. [color=royalblue]”Then what would suffice in its place?”[/color]

"[color=5d7947][i][b]I suppose...[/b][/i][/color]" Dinah swung her scythe down, snapping the hinged blade back into place, "[color=5d7947][i][b]...I’ll think of something.[/b][/i][/color]"

"[color=5d7947][i][b]Eyes forward on tomorrow, Bandit,[/b][/i][/color]" Dinah says.

With a huff, Shizuka heard and acknowledged Dinah's statement.  [color=royalblue]”I will await, Dinah-San. For now, I will aid Lili-chan and Eula-chan. I imagine you'll go to Kerry-San's side?”[/color]

Dinah smirked. "[color=5d7947][i][b]She’s got it well in hand,[/b][/i][/color]" she says. "[color=5d7947][i][b]I’m content to see who is baptized and who is burned by this fire...[/b][/i][/color]"

[color=royalblue]”You…mean to sit here as an observer for the duration of this battle?”[/color] Shizuka asked with an exasperated look. [color=royalblue]”Do you believe that those you hold concern for would appreciate that?”[/color]

"[color=5d7947][i][b] Judgmental and presumptuous,[/b][/i][/color]” Dinah says, "[color=5d7947][i][b]Don't be such a lapdog, Bandit. It doesn't suit you.[/b][/i][/color]"

Shizuka would feel a sudden passing of the breeze, and a soft touch against his lips - Dinah had stolen a kiss off him.

For what and for why? [i]Only she knew.[/i][/hider]