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[flaredo]

"Heeey, you've reached Yang! Well, actually, you didn't reach far enough, 'cause I'm not here right now! But don't yang up! Just leave a message on this baby, and I'll get back to you soon enough, okay?"

[ Please specify VOICEMAIL, TEXT or CALL. ]

Comments

[masakados]

Yeah. [Naoki sighs.] I'd like to just... pass on their ideas.

[That's for damn sure. He'll take the one he had with Yang any day. His gaze is fixed ahead of them, though, head cocked as he listens closely.]

Did you run into anyone else yet, Yang? [And her team? He frowns.]

[flaredo]

I was with my team-- we got separated, though. But...

[ ... No. She believes in them. She'll lift her chin, resolutely. ]

They're fine. I'll meet up with them.

[masakados]

[Naoki nods his head too, and a more determined light comes into his eyes.]

You will. I'll help you, too.

...I know there're other people around, I can feel them, but... [And then there comes a skittering sound. And a clattering one from overhead, where the roof gapes open, letting in snowfall.]

[flaredo]

... Let's deal with our company first, and then we can focus on finding everyone else. I'm sure we're not the only ones fighting.

[ So, glancing up-- ]

Wanna give me a boost?

[masakados]

[Naoki's looking up as well, eyes sharp, before back to her as he nods firmly.]

Yeah, no problem.

[He's got you, Yang.]

[flaredo]

I'll be bringing a new friend back with me, so be sure to say hello.

[ And she's letting go of his hand, nodding to him.

... She'll be back. ]

[masakados]

I'll have my most energetic hello waiting.

[And he's shifting to cup his hands together, waiting for her to plant her foot there.

He knows she will-- he trusts her.]

[flaredo]

[ There goes her foot, and she places a hand on his shoulder, just for temporary balance.

BON VOYAGE. ]

[masakados]

[BON VOYAGE INDEED.

Because he's giving her that boost as good as if she weighed nothing at all, tossing her straight up with ease. GO BRING THAT NEW FRIEND BACK.]

[flaredo]

[ Off she sails, straight and true--

And then there's the sound of a gunshot, a bellow of enraged pain as she comes plummeting back down, dragging a screeching reindeer thing with her. To its credit, it's still trying to valiantly impale her. ]

[masakados]

[Ah, there's their guest.

Naoki spreads his feet apart, bracing himself as he watches them plummeting down. One hand shifts, fingers flicking as wind whips up, to slow Yang's descent--]

[flaredo]

[ Completely at ease when she feels the wind rush up to meet her, Yang blows Naoki a kiss-- and then twists mid-air, slamming one gauntlet down against the creature's side.

It's one pissed, squalling reindeer coming down to meet you, Naoki. At least your girlfriend will land just fine. ]

[masakados]

[Naoki grins briefly, pleased, but then his eyes are on the reindeer plummeting right for him. He shifts his stance, pulls back an arm... and when it's within range, grabs it by one leg, swinging it bodily to the side, into the ground.

So hard that the floor around it (like the place weren't already damaged enough) buckles, collapsing around it in a crater. That gives it some pause, enough time for Naoki to step back, cracking his knuckles.]

[flaredo]

[ And Yang lands, straightening up from her crouch as her hair flares bright. The flooring is already a mess, but it's fine. That's one more reindeer to take on. ]

Honey, I'm home.

[masakados]

Just in time, we've got a guest to entertain.

[--and then he hears the faint sound of skittering footsteps from behind them, turning. Those weird little toothy guys she mentioned, he thinks, attracted by the noise.] Or more than one.

[flaredo]

That's okay. [ She steps forward, gauntlets raised and eyes narrowed. ] If they're hungry, I have just the thing.

[masakados]

[Naoki's moving, to place his back to hers, him facing the reindeer, her facing-- yeah, on a glance back, those are certainly little goblins or gremlins or. In keeping with the season, he supposes they'd be elves.]

Then, we better serve it up before they get impatient.

[That reindeer's managed to get itself to its hooves and Naoki stares at it... and it bellows angrily, streaking right for him. He braces himself, hands reaching out to stop it, clamping down on the top and bottom of its snout.]

[flaredo]

[ He'll be fine, she knows that-- but all the same, she'll still reach behind, place a solid palm on his back... and then run forward, using her gauntlets to lend her a little more speed as she barrels into the group of goblin thingies. She's a blur of flames and glowing light now, keeping each punch strong and decisive. ]

[masakados]

[That touch, brief as it is, is bolstering. Naoki's grip renews on the reindeer's snout as it tries to thrash, get its jaws open enough to snap at his hands. But there's no way that's happening. When it paws forward, Naoki's tightening his grip and flipping it over.

It slams into the ground headfirst once again, antlers snapping off, and Naoki yanks up one of these as he backpedals from more weakly thrashing legs.

He knows she can handle herself, but he still twists, flinging that antler to spear an approaching elf that thinks it can join in on the brawl, sending it flying off.]

[flaredo]

[ Her boyfriend, gosh-- Yang can't spare him a glance right now, busy driving the elves further back (and sending one flying into the ceiling), but she speeds up further as one more elf collapses, wreathed in flames. Can't let him win-- wait. ]

[masakados]

[Yang, your priorities right now--

That reindeer is making its last go for an attack and Naoki looks at it... before bringing his leg up and down on its head, flattening it to the ground. This time, it doesn't get back up and he turns to where Yang's, to move after her and slamming one elf making a toothy dive for her back aside with a tongue of flame.]

[flaredo]

Don't you look hot right now-- [ Although she's not smiling, focusing on the task at hand. Well, leave it to Yang to make quips in the middle of battle, flipping one snapping elf over her head into a column. ]

[masakados]

Almost as hot as you. [He'll call back over, glancing to the elf she just flung and giving it an extra blast of fire for good measure.

The number is decreasing, but there's still one sizing Naoki up. He stares at it, that faint demonic aura manifesting again and it hesitates-- but lunges. It's claws sink into his torso, but Naoki slams his fist down on its head. It leaves a line of four gouges as it skids to the ground, but Naoki ignores them, meeting it with his fist and fire as it leaps at him again.]

[flaredo]

[ Yang's already darting to cover his back, stumbling only slightly when one elf latches onto her leg.

But it then gets a faceful of Dust-powered EXPLOSIVE FURY and she's snapping her leg forward to fling it into the next one charging at Naoki. ]

Hang in there, we're almost done!!

[masakados]

Got it; don't worry about me. [Naoki calls to her as his wounds slowly begin to knit together, but slowly. Belated, the pain strikes at him, but it goes ignored again.

He gathers wind this time, firing it at the two--carrying them that extra distance into a nearby column with a crunching thud.]