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Yoko crouched beside Ella, watching her sleep for a moment before gently shaking her shoulder.

[color=fce420]”Ell- Disciple, it’s time to wake up,”[/color] Yoko began. [color=fce420]”It’s time for you and Turner to keep watch for a bit.”[/color]

Yoko gently nudged her again.

[color=fce420]”Then we will [i]train.[/i] We need as many tools as possible in the fight against the Autoknights.”[/color]

[color=e77fbf]"Mm- okay,"[/color] Ella mumbled, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. She was still sleepy but… it was something she was having to get used to. She gently shook Lisa to wake her too. [color=e77fbf]"Our turn to watch."[/color]

Lisa loudly groaned, with bags underneath her eyes, as she waved her hand at Ella. [color=764820]”... Five more minutes.”[/color]

[color=fce420]”Five minutes isn’t going to make you or break you, Turner,”[/color] Yoko said with a roll of her eyes as she simply laid her backpack on the ground and rested her head on it as if it was the most comfortable pillow in the world. It didn’t take long for Yoko to begin snoring.

[color=DC143C]"Don't get too distracted,"[/color] Saskia intoned as they found a spot to lie down, curling around their backpack and closing their eyes. 

[color=e77fbf]"I know how to keep watch,"[/color] Ella grumbled. She took her bag closer to the door, squatting down in front of it as she fully woke up. Staying perfectly still, she began to expand her senses like Yoko had taught her too. Listening out for anything out of place…

[color=764820]”... It’s literally in the title,”[/color]  Lisa said as she rolled her eyes and walked over and placed her back against the door. She sighed as she stared into nothing for a few moments. [color=764820]”... Am I starting to seem crazy? You can be honest.”[/color]

Lisa just blurted out before she shrugged.

[color=764820]”You should have seen it! It was a giant spider, but it was an Apparition… I would think it’s cool, but….”[/color] Lisa shook her head. [color=764820]”Maybe we should ask Yoko how her sword works.”[/color]

[color=e77fbf]"I don’t think you’re crazy."[/color] Ella opened her eyes, extended sense cut off as her arms were thrown up in the air. Sure, Lisa’s words had been loud enough it was almost painful with the spell Ella was casting, but that was fine! Her friend was in pain right now… or, worrying at least. [color=e77fbf]"Yoko herself said there were infinite possibilities with magic, right? There’s a possibility this spider-ghost-thing has magic that gets around Yoko’s sword! But don’t worry."[/color]

Ella reached out, putting a hand on Lisa’s shoulder. [color=e77fbf]"I believe you. I know you wouldn’t make something like this up!"[/color]

Lisa slowly craned her head in Ella’s direction and stared at her for a few seconds. Before she asked, [color=764820]”... Do you [i]really[/i] believe that or are you just saying that to make me feel better?”[/color]

[color=e77fbf]"I do,"[/color] Ella said earnestly. She genuinely did - she trusted Lisa. She trusted all of her friends not to lie to her - and why would Lisa make something like that up? Maybe she was seeing things, sure but… wasn’t magic the likelier explanation? Saskia and Yoko were just looking at things far too realistically for a place with monsters everywhere!

[color=e77fbf]"Infinite possibilities, Lisa, even a giant spider that nobody else can see. But why only you can see it… I don’t know! Maybe it’s cause you like spiders?"[/color]

[color=764820]”... If there are infinite possibilities these- I can’t even do it right now,”[/color] Lisa said, bringing her knees up and wrapping her arms around them. She sighed. [color=764820]”I’ll just… ignore it next time. Pretend it’s not there.”[/color] She shrugged.

[color=e77fbf]"Yeah, it doesn’t deserve your attention."[/color] 

[color=764820]”I had an idea for a Joint-Cast we could maybe work on, just for the three of us,”[/color] Lisa began. [color=764820]”Did you want to hear it?”[/color]

[color=e77fbf]"Yes!"[/color] Ella turned, giving Lisa her full attention… well not quite her full attention, make like half her attention. She was still very much paying attention to keeping watch. [color=e77fbf]"What is it? Tell me, we haven’t made a new joint cast in… well, ten years!"[/color] 

[color=764820]”... I mean, from our perspective, it was like yesterday,”[/color] Lisa shrugged, [color=764820]”The gist of it is if we get cornered by a group of enemies - [sup]like we [i]usually[/i] do[/sup] - we can take them out. But, not just a group of enemies, what about one big one, like that skeleton we ran into when we first got here?”[/color]

Lisa looked at Ella, [color=764820]”I was thinking like… I make an underground web made out of, you know… [i]human flesh[/i]. But this is filled with blood, corrosive blood that Saskia put into it. Then [i]you[/i] shoot it with one of your gay bolts of lightning that causes it to explode and shoot blood everywhere and leave a crater.”[/color]

Lisa nodded her head.

[color=764820]”... I call it, [i][b]Deathcrater.[/b][/i]”[/color]

Ella’s expression changed throughout the description. The whole thing sounded like a great idea but it also sounded… really gross! With the human flesh and corrosive blood! But that was fine, she could do the bolt of lightning, easy! 

[color=e77fbf]"That- that sounds like a great idea! So long as I don’t have to see the flesh and blood and I can just zap it with lightning!"[/color] Ella grinned at Lisa. [color=e77fbf]"Oh, we should try it out when Saskia wakes up!"[/color]

Lisa just shrugged.

[color=764820]”Sounds like a plan,”[/color] Lisa began. [color=764820]”But, let’s keep our eyes peeled and hope nobody crazy happens.”[/color] She awkwardly snorted, and glanced at Saskia and Yoko.

[color=764820]”We still have time to think about the details, I wonder what Yoko would think about the name, tho’!”[/color] She laughed.

Some time had passed before Yoko woke up on her own… she loudly yawned as she stretched before climbing to her feet. She reached into her hip pouch and pulled out the Yokai Killer, unsheathing it a quarter of the way, giving it a look before resheathing it with a poignant click. She looked at Lisa, then Ella,

[color=fce420]”Is everything good?”[/color] Yoko asked before turning to Lisa. [color=fce420]”... Did you see anything out of the ordinary, Turner?”[/color]

Lisa shook her head.

[color=fce420]”Good,”[/color] Yoko began, [color=fce420]”Should we let Otten rest more?”[/color]

Ella spun on her heels to actually look at Saskia, where she was sleeping a little bit away. Their expression was tight, but they were actually asleep. [color=e77fbf]"Let's. They didn't sleep at all last time and… they took a while to sleep this time."[/color]

Ella then turned to Lisa excitedly. [color=e77fbf]"Tell Yoko about your spell idea!"[/color]

Lisa glanced at Yoko, nodding. She sat up straighter.

[color=764820]”Right so,”[/color] Lisa began. [color=764820]”"I’ve got this idea for a Joint-Cast... something we could use if we get cornered again like the last three or four times. It’s called Deathcrater.”[/color] Then she paused before continuing.

[color=764820]”Basically, I’d make an underground web out of human flesh. Saskia fills it with acidic blood, and Ella hits it with one of her gay-flavored lightning bolts, causing everything to explode - leaves a crater.”[/color] Lisa said that incredibly casually.

Yoko stared at Lisa as she continued, tilting her head.

Then she laughed,

[color=fce420]”Lord,”[/color] Yoko began, [color=fce420]”Did you by chance come up with that during your [i]nightmare?[/i]”[/color] Yoko cracked a wry grin.

[color=764820]”Juuuuuuuust thinking outside the box,”[/color] Lisa shrugged. [color=764820]”We’re in the Pit, after all. Might as well go full freak.”[/color]

[color=fce420]”... And you approve of this, Brooks?”[/color] Yoko asked Ella.

[color=e77fbf]"[i]Weeelllll[/i] I don’t really like how gross it’ll be- but! Staying alive is more important!"[/color] Ella declared, a bit too cheerfully. [color=e77fbf]"It’ll help us escape all the stuff we keep getting trapped by.”[/color]

Yoko facepalmed.

[color=fce420]”… There are less grotesque ways to blow things up, Disciple,”[/color] Yoko answered, removing her hands from her face. [color=fce420]”But you know what? Just do you. We do not have time to waste.”[/color]

She nodded, before she added.

[color=fce420]”That name is something, though, Turner.”[/color]

[color=e77fbf]"They never want to do the less grotesque ways,”[/color] Ella grumbled. 

[color=DC143C]"[i]Agh, no!-[/i] Fuck!"[/color]

Ella spun around to find Saskia awake, sitting bolt upright with her chest heaving up and down. Their eyes were wild with panic that quickly disappeared, returning to their normal emotionless expression as they turned to look at the others.

[color=e77fbf]"Saskia, are you alright, did you have a nightmare? Oh- do you want a hug?!"[/color]

[color=DC143C]"No,"[/color] Saskia intoned. [color=DC143C]"The nightmare was that you had a flat ass. That’d be too triggering."[/color] 

[color=764820]”… That’s a nightmare you live every day,”[/color] Lisa cracked a grin.

[color=DC143C]"My ass can be flat so long as Ella's isn't."[/color]

Yoko facepalmed.

[color=fce420]”… I don’t get you three,”[/color] Yoko began. [color=fce420]”They’re just sacks of fat. That’s it.”[/color] She rolled her eyes.

[color=DC143C]"Oh Yoko… they're more than sacks of fat. They're what gets me through life. When I feel particularly awful, I stare at Ella's ass and think ‘ah. Life really is worth living.’"[/color] Saskia delivered a strange speech in a complete monotone. 

[color=e77fbf]"You can touch my ass if it'll help you understand!"[/color] Ella offered.

Yoko stared at Saskia.

Then looked at Ella.

Then back to Saskia.

Then back at Ella.

[color=fce420]”… No thank you,”[/color]

[color=DC143C]"Your loss."[/color] Saskia intoned. 

[color=e77fbf]"It's okay, Yoko, I understand! I prefer animated women too!"[/color] Ella said cheerfully.

Yoko stared at all three of them for a moment, them said, [color=fce420]”Don’t you three have a Joint-Cast to make?”[/color]

[color=DC143C]"Joint cast?"[/color] Saskia raised their eyebrows.

[color=e77fbf]"Oh yeah! Lisa came up with a really cool but also gross joint cast!"[/color] Ella grinned. Saskia was sure to love it… probably too much. Honestly she was worried if she'd be able to do her part of she could see all the gross flesh…

[color=DC143C]”Oh, sounds like my kind of spell,"[/color] Saskia said, looking over at Lisa.

[color=764820]”Well, it goes like…”[/color] Lisa explained the Deathcrater. [color=764820]”… Then it makes a wider hole than Ella’s Uncle did. I call it Deathcrater.”[/color]

[color=e77fbf]"I don't want to do the spell anymore,"[/color] Ella mumbled, looking down at her feet. She really wished Lisa would stop bringing up her Uncle… the more it came up, the more she remembered, and the worse she felt about it all. Like a million spiders crawling across her skin - except she'd prefer that! 

[color=DC143C]"Ohhh, I like it,"[/color] Saskia nodded. [color=DC143C]"Shouldn't be too hard. We can already coordinate for our blood rain, and Ella just needs to do her gay lightning like normal."[/color]

Yoko rolled her eyes, [color=fce420]”… I’m going to be keeping watch. You three should have plenty of room to practice.”[/color]

[color=DC143C]"You don't want to watch up close?"[/color] Saskia asked, hint of sarcasm clear in their tone.

[color=fce420]”Long as I can look over your shoulder, Otten,”[/color] Yoko said with a wry grin. 

[color=DC143C]"If you think you can handle it,"[/color] Saskia shot back.

[color=e77fbf]”... Let's start,"[/color] Ella interrupted, snapping out of her slightly upset state after Lisa's comment. She clapped her hands together. [color=e77fbf]"Should we go outside to do it?"[/color]

[color=764820]”No let’s just trash this nice little orgy shed- [b][i]OF COURSE WE’RE GOING OUTSIDE! WE’RE NOT [u]ANIMALS![/u][/i][/b]”[/color] Lisa shouted, and Yoko raised an eyebrow. Afterward, Lisa led the two outside, where she looked to the left and right, then laid down on her knees. She pressed her hands against the ground… taking a sigh. 

[color=764820]”... Maybe you should be closer to me, Saskia,”[/color] Lisa said with a nod of her head. [color=764820]”You’re the star of the show, after all. It’s hard to piece this together, you gotta like… I don’t know.”[/color]

There was a slight disturbance, a shake that could have gone completely ignored in their conversations.

[color=764820]”I’m building a web. You gotta fill it with [i]blood.[/i] Or cum. Wouldn’t that be funny? Just standing somewhere, and then cum bursts out of the ground all over you?”[/color]

Yoko loudly sighed from the rooftop.

Saskia chuckled, moving closer to Lisa - so they were standing right behind her, practically looming… if only their height really allowed it. [color=DC143C]"Oh, that might take a little work but-"[/color] 

[color=e77fbf]"No! I'd prefer the blood!"[/color] Ella interrupted from where she was standing a bit away. 

Saskia rolled their eyes. [color=DC143C]"Fine, fine."[/color]

They crouched down beside Lisa, thinking about it then putting their hand over hers. Then they changed their mind, and put it beside hers, trying to feel the web to start filling it with blood. They furrowed their brow. [color=DC143C]"Are you making it now?"[/color]

[color=764820]”Yeah, it’s spreading, can you feel it?”[/color] Lisa asked, and there was a faint rumbling. [color=764820]”It just needs your special touch… Get it nice and juicy. Like a blood smoothie!”[/color]

Then Lisa glanced up at Ella, [color=764820]”Do we need to put some glitter in it for you?”[/color]

Ella thought about it for a moment. It would make it more palatable… still blood, but shiny blood! She could handle that better! [color=e77fbf]"Can you do that?"[/color]

[color=DC143C]"No."[/color] Saskia rolled their eyes. Their fingers dug into the dirt, and their eyebrows furrowed. They started to get paler as they concentrated. [color=DC143C]”I'm feeding blood into it… I think I've got the feeling. Let me try do it faster."[/color] 

They pressed their lips into a thin line, before nodding. [color=DC143C]”Blood smoothie delivered. Next time we can do it more in sync."[/color] 

Lisa nodded her head, then turned to Ella, [color=764820]”Now all you have to do is shoot it with lightning?”[/color]

[color=e77fbf]"Got it!"[/color] Ella rubbed her hands together, concentrating. She put all her love towards her friends into her thoughts and then… struck roughly the centre of the area with a massive bolt of pink lightning, and the ground cracked open with a deafening roar. Saskia’s corrosive blood shot up into the air like a geyser, and Lisa shielded her face with her arm. The crater widened, and the corrosive blood sizzled as it dissolved stone and everything else unfortunate enough to be caught in its blast radius. The sinkhole collapsed inward, pulling everything into gore and debris.

Lisa just laughed, as she turned around towards Yoko on the roof.

[color=764820]”... Check it out!”[/color] Lisa said to her.

Yoko just shook her head.

[color=e77fbf]"I thought we were adding sparkles!"[/color] Ella wailed, having closed her eyes a moment after the corrosive blood came out.

[color=DC143C]"I said we couldn't,"[/color] Saskia rolled their eyes, before turning to Lisa. [color=DC143C]"That was easy-"[/color] 

[color=e77fbf]"Because we're all super duper close and connected!"[/color]

[color=DC143C]"- sure. Do we even need to practice more?"[/color] 

[color=764820]”We just need to run it a few times,”[/color] Lisa grabbed her chin, before she raised a finger and said, [color=764820]”Just to make sure it’s [i]perfect[/i] and we can do it like that.”[/color] Lisa snapped her fingers.

She stood up, brushed the dirt off her hands and knees, and deviously grinned at Saskia and Ella.

[color=764820]”... [i]Let’s get to work![/i]”[/color]

They continued to practice, the sounds of explosions and the ground collapsing echoing each time the Deathcrater was unleashed. After several rounds, Lisa clapped her hands, dusted them off, and glanced at the aftermath of the last crater. She grinned at the two, giving them a thumbs up.

[color=764820]”Soooooooo….”[/color] Lisa began, [color=764820]”... How do you feel about my joint-cast? Questions? Comments? Concerns?”[/color]

[color=fce420]”... Call it a day, you three!”[/color] Yoko called out, sitting with her eyes crossed and smiling. [color=fce420]”You’re going to end up falling into one of these holes at this rate!”[/color]

[i]...?....?...?... it’s cool.[/i]  The static-y voice said.

[color=e77fbf]"Thank you strange voice!"[/color] Ella shouted, stretching out her arms with a grunt. All of that lightning shooting was hard work! But they'd perfected it at least. [color=e77fbf]"I don't have any concerns I think it's great! We all did great!"[/color]

[color=DC143C]"Yeah, sure, that,"[/color] Saskia grunted. They'd collapsed onto the floor, somehow managing to look whiter than normal. They turned their head towards Yoko. [color=DC143C]"Anything in the area? We made a lot of noise."[/color] 

Yoko paused for a moment, before she responded.

[color=fce420]”... The area is clear,”[/color] Yoko began. [color=fce420]”Not for long, I bet. It would be wise to pack up and find another safe location.”[/color]

Yoko looked up at the Kingdom… 

[color=fce420]”I would rather not have the entire might of the Kingdom pouring down on top of us.”[/color]

[color=764820]”It would be great practice for our Joint-Cast!”[/color] Lisa shouted.

[color=DC143C]"Maybe the first group, but what do about the second, and the third?"[/color] Saskia pointed out. Then they looked at Ella. [color=DC143C]"Yoko still has to teach Ella that shrinking spell."[/color] 

[color=e77fbf]"Oh yeah!"[/color] Ella nodded, in the process of grabbing her bag. [color=e77fbf]"We don't want captured yet! Not that I really want captured at all I'm worried what you two will try do to the Autoknights…"[/color]

[i]...?...?...?... [b]Oh lord.[/b][/i] The voice said, and they could just [i]feel[/i] the person on the other end facepalming.

[color=764820]”We’ll murder them, of course!”[/color] Lisa said as she went into and grabbed her bag. [color=764820]”What else can we do?!”[/color]

[color=fce420]”... I don’t think we want that question answered,”[/color] Yoko rolled her eyes.

[color=DC143C]”I know exactly what I'll be doing… it'll involved a lot of spit."[/color] Saskia intoned, before finally pushing themselves back to their feet and going to grab their bag too.

[color=e77fbf]"EWWWW!"[/color] Ella's face twisted up into a look of disgust. She then looked around them all, seeing they were all bagged up. She pointed in a random direction - which was away from the Kingdom. [color=e77fbf]"Let's go!"[/color]

[color=fce420]”… Why are you going [i]away[/i] from the Kingdom?!”[/color] Yoko shouted, facepalming before she pointed in the correct direction.

[color=764820]”Ella could get lost in a straight hallway,”[/color] Lisa snickered.

[color=e77fbf]"... Well I thought we'd want to go somewhere safe while we fully figure out our plan!"[/color] Ella wailed.

[color=fce420]”We’re in [i]The Pit[/i], no where is safe!”[/color] Yoko shouted. [color=fce420]”Actually, let’s just go that way then! It’s not like we don’t have a flying spider at our disposal”[/color]
Lisa tried to grin, but it faltered.

Ella's eyes widened, and she threw up her hands. [color=e77fbf]"No no no, let's- let's not go in the wrong direction. I made a mistake! Don't we need all of our energy?"[/color]

Saskia narrowed their eyes, glancing at Yoko. [color=DC143C]"We're going the right direction."[/color]

[color=fce420]”Yes, it was the wrong direction, I thought about it, and the closer we get to the Kingdom, the more Autoknights there will be,”[/color] Yoko explained, [color=fce420]”Thus, we should go where there are less-”[/color]

There was that low rumble in the distant, familiar to all of them…. An Autoknight airship. Yoko hissed something in Japanese as her gaze was brought to the line of the mountain, where there the sight of four airships came into view.

[color=fce420]”... Let’s go,”[/color] Yoko said, sprinting in the direction that she had declared to be the ‘wrong way’ minutes away.

Ella brightened up a little at her plan - which was really just her lack of direction - being chosen. She followed after Yoko in a quick sprint… after grabbing Saskia and Lisa's hands to pull them along. [color=e77fbf]"How far are we going to go?"[/color]

[color=fce420]”… Enough to lose them,”[/color] Yoko shouted, looking over her shoulder. Up ahead was a downed tree, and Yoko pulled out the Yokai Killer a quarter of the way… before sheathing it as she gracefully slid behind the tree. Lisa was right behind her as she gestured for Saskia and Ella.

Saskia came in behind Lisa, immediately squatting down, while Ella just completely jumped over the tree and basically fell on her ass behind it. Then she rolled into her front… She wasn't as small as the others! 

[color=e77fbf]"What if we never lose them?"[/color] Ella whispered. [color=e77fbf]"Like that time we were hiding and then they came with flamethrowers?"[/color]

[color=764820]”Then I hope you’re ready to get cooked like a thanksgiving turkey,”[/color] Lisa said.

[color=fce420]”They won’t do all that,”[/color] Yoko shrugged. [color=fce420]”They’ll probably just carpet bomb every possible hiding spot and hope they get us.”[/color]

[color=764820]”Earth to Yoko,”[/color] Lisa began, [color=764820]”There’s probably three or four hiding spots in this field!”[/color]

[color=fce420]”So we can either hope they assume we already moved on, make a break for it, or…”[/color] Yoko’s eyes landed on Lisa. [color=fce420]”How fast can you make a flying spider and a few thousand spiders?”[/color]

[color=764820]”A few minutes…”[/color] Lisa shrugged, before turning to Saskia, [color=764820]”… but with the Orange Stone, seconds.”[/color]

Saskia stared at Lisa, before shoving their hand in their pocket and pulling the Orange Stone back out. They held it out, at the same time a thin blade forming from their fingertip. [color=DC143C]"I'm cutting it out if you don't right after making the spider."[/color]

Lisa nodded, then grabbed the Orange Stone and shoved it into her palm. As commanded,, she created a monstrously giant spider armed with dragonfly wings in mere seconds.

[color=fce420]”Okay, so the plan is to send the spider in [i]that[/i] direction,”[/color] Yoko said, pointing back to where the Autoknights came from. [color=fce420]”Then we’re going to head in this direction while they are distracted by the spider. I would say make another flying spider, but that makes too much noise, Turner.”[/color]

[color=DC143C]"Make a non flying spider, that’s faster than us, and quiet,"[/color] Saskia said. Ella nodded her agreement at that idea.

Lisa nodded her head, as she created a Huntsmen Spider. It skittered forward, and Lisa climbed on top of it. 

[color=fce420]“Perfect!”[/color] Yoko exclaimed, climbing on top of the spider behind Lisa, [color=fce420]“Now, let’s get moving before they catch on.”[/color]

Saskia got on behind Yoko, then Ella got on the back, wrapping her arms around everyone she could reach in front of her.

With a nod, Lisa sent the flying spider in the direction the Autoknights came from. 

Then they went in the other direction.