"This way, this way!" Kiru-Kiru only knew where she was going half of the time; but she had set her eyes on her next opponent fairly easily. One of those goody-goody magical girls had crossed her path, and she was itching for a fight. Her ring-blade cut into her shoulder as she pulled it tight against her body to push her forward. Her eagerness for real combat was steadily growing. A full sprint down the roads and around corners, she did all she could to keep up to the fleeting magical girl. It was only by chance she was able to catch her take off, but she wasn't good at tracking them down otherwise.
At first glance, Kiru seemed to be alone. In the glow of the street lamps, though, her shadow seemed to shift and stretch, not just distorted by the light. A keen eye would notice black wisps trailing from the silhouette that didn't quite resemble her, hair too long, a top hat perched on her head. From the shadow came a chuckle, then a voice.
"Now, now, let's not be too hasty." The calm, collected whisper contrasted with Kiru's yells. "A good show makes use of the element of surprise. Wouldn't it be best to corner her?"
Concealed behind her teammate, Ayumu sped along. Ohh, Sleight of Hand was such a fun technique to use, warping her surroundings and her own form until her enemies barely knew what was real and what wasn't. Of course, the goody-two-shoes they were chasing would probably sense the presence of a second girl, but this was a good way to throw their target off before striking.
Their target... She recalled, almost fondly, the nights she'd fought alongside the light girls, but they still couldn't see the truth behind the smoke and mirrors of this world. Now it was up to Team Fantasia to keep their former allies out of their hunting grounds, and up to her to make sure Kiru didn't rough them up too much.
Just as the two slipped round a corner, a shiver crept up Ayumu's spine. "Speaking of surprise..." she muttered, watching black blobs seethe into view. "Seems we've got a different audience than we thought."
"Oh, goody." As she turned the corner, she too saw the nightmares wandering about in front of her as the magical girl continued on towards what she thought was the park. She was only half into her remark; as much as she didn't mind a free punching bag, she really wanted to fight the cute girl that had just flown out of any realistic reach. Of course by the sounds of it, it seemed like they did find someone to play with. "Well, then. Let us give them a show to die for~"
Kiru started off by slinging her small chakrams at each of swarming nightmares. Thinking of it as the price of admittion as she gathered each of their attention. Though, being head magician was more of her partner's schtick. Instead, Kiru just twirled about as she readied her ring blade; flaunting her form and weapon of choice as she surveyed the battlefield for her first target to shred.
As Kiru stormed into the fray, her shadow returned to normal, but Ayumu didn't reappear. One by one, the Nightmares turned, their attention fixed on the ringblade wielder. The one in the lead oozed closer in an inky torrent, ready to make its move... Then, three cards whizzed seemingly out of nowhere, crimson auras streaming behind them as they sliced the monster clean in two. Sludge splattered the walls.
"And that was my first trick," Ayumu announced, grinning as she materialised from what had looked like an empty space. "Cutting a Nightmare in half. Now to make it disappear!" She reached out, absorbing the dark energy before it could dissipate, giggling in glee from the buzz it gave her. This was one of the best ways to feel alive. For her, it was one of the only ways.
As several of the Nightmares slithered round and closed in on her, she took off her top hat headband, swinging her arm in a wide arc. What looked like black smoke billowed from the hat, twisting into the shape of a flock of crows that swooped at the foul creatures. With the enemy distracted, Ayumu didn't waste a moment. "Kiru! Now!"
Kiru's professional smirk stretched into a giddy grin as the nightmares were sliced in twain. Her partner signaling that she had free reign on the battlefield now. The nightmares from here out were free game. The trickster bowed as she was introduced- really; just how silly this production skit seemed to her, but she couldn't deny how fun it was- and spun her blade around her arm, letting it dig into her skin as she rotated it faster and faster. It wasn't until it spun fast enough to become a near-solid blur that she raised her head and flung her blade towards the murder of crows pecking away at the nightmares. Carving into the ground as it traveled and sliced through all of the foul beings with ease. She wasn't done there, however. Keeping her blade in control with her magnesis, she rotated her blade through the air as she cleared a path between her and a rather juicy looking nightmare. "The rest are yours~"
Sprinting to catch up with her blade, she leaped at her target; catching her ring blade in the air before spinning around herself to land a blow against the beast with the flat of her blade. The nightmare fell back with her after it, pinning it against the ground between her legs. "Ooh!~ If only you were that cute little light magical girl I'm really after; the fun we could have together~" She laughed as she then stared the nightmare head on. "Alas~ I'll have you polish my blade instead." Her blade was sent flying directly into the air, spinning at a blinding speed before she sent it hurdling between her knees; stopping just as the impact made collision with the nightmare so she could continue chipping away with the spinning blade little by little, all the way through.
Ayumu smirked. "Sawing acts never get old," she commented, her glinting eyes flicking from Kiru to the rest of the Nightmares. She danced out of the way as one swung its many skeletal arms at her.
"Ohh, a volunteer? Yes, yes, do step up." She raised her hat again, the smoke forming a large black rabbit with deer antlers jutting from its head this time. It narrowed its glowing purple eyes and leapt, goring at the monster until all that remained of it were scattered goo blobs and bones. As the jackalope disappeared, Ayumu stepped forward to absorb the remnants, then froze. Several other Nightmares surrounded her, rapidly advancing.
They lunged - then reeled back as metal spikes jutted upwards from the ground. Although the creatures writhed, they bore no injuries. The spikes looked and felt real, but faded to reveal only concrete.
"Oh dear, did you just see through my trick?" Ayumu twirled, launching a flurry of cards. More filthy ooze splashed the nearby buildings. "Nobody living can know a magician's secrets."
She and Kiru would have to be quick about this, take out as many monsters as possible before Miss Sunshine-And-Sweetness could steal their prey. Even in the heat of battle, Ayumu could still sense that presence somewhere around. That sickly stench of foolishness and self-righteousness and... and hope, unwavering ideals, dreams still intact... Pathetic. She kept alert, refusing to let stupid thoughts distract her. Such sentimentality was something she wouldn't tolerate, in herself or others.
"Hehehehe~! Yes, melt away like each of your little brethren~..." Kiru pushed her blade further before being glancing at her partner. Her lips tightening as she let out a deep breath; mood suddenly sinking into boredom. Twisting off of the nightmare, she wrapped her legs around the blade and sat up top it; stopping it in its tracks and finish cleaving through the nightmare beneath her. A death cry could be heard without a second glance from Kiru.
"Ya know~ for as much goody-goodies there are, they sure do leave a lot for us. Not that I mind too much..." Her ring blade bounced from one nightmare to the next, slicing each of the pathetic creatures as they dared to get close to her. Though their numbers were quickly on the decline. Only one nightmare was caught between her hand which she continued to pummel as her fists grew raw. "Grand Finale, Phantasmagoria~ Wrap it up; I still want to continue the hunt before the night's over." Though it didn't seem they had much time left, or did they? Not like she carried a watch. Surely beating a fighting spirit into a goody-goody wouldn't take too long, especially after this great of a warm-up.
Slinking away from the remaining Nightmares' blows with the ease of a cat, Ayumu snickered. Was this so-called light girl a hypocrite, or was she just that incompetent? Either way, it worked in their favour, as long as she did nothing to crash the show.
"Alright, the moment you've been waiting for," the illusionist said, skipping between the slimy abominations and spreading out her arms. "Come and get me!"
One of the creatures extended a mass of spiky tendrils from its body, which hurtled forward all at once. In a split second, the girl's form changed, darkening and swelling, exploding like a water balloon as the attack hit home. The Nightmare raised its tendrils, from which dangled the dripping carcass of one of its own kind.
A volley of cards sliced into it from behind, leaving it in the same tattered state as its ally. "Ha!" The real Ayumu blinked into visibility, her grin stretched wide as the murky mess seeped into her in swirls. "Idiots are so easy to fool."
Fuelled by the energy rush, she pulled one more card from the deck, leapt up and flung it. The Queen of Hearts - bearing bloody hearts and red smatters, as all of that suite did - spun through the air, its glow blazing like flames. Just as the last Nightmare turned, the card cleaved right through its mask, causing the being to collapse into a puddle of ichor.
When she landed, Ayumu gave a mock bow. "Thank you, and goodnight!" With that, she raised a hand, the essence flowing into her. Bruises twinged as she moved, and she could feel blood trickling from a cut on her cheek, but the feast just now would speed up her recovery. Besides, she'd had worse. Much worse.
She sauntered over to Kiru, checking that her teammate was alright. Indifferent as dark magical girls were to the plight of most people, that didn't necessarily stop them caring about each other. "Well, we just got a fair amount of practice in, not that we needed it." She glanced in the direction of the distant park. "Now let's show that do-gooder a trick or two."
TheWendil