Four.

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Spoiler

Aubrey notices a new, and unfamiliar voice entering her mind. It sounds... like a dog? Barking? As it barks, images flash in her mind, forming... vaguely sentence-esque structures.

The barking in Aubrey's mind's ear snaps her from the moment. She throws a puzzled look skyward.

AUBREY
"Wh... is... is there a dog in my head?"
"Council, is one of you a dog!? An actual, legitimate woofer!?"

Rahasya glances at her.

RAHASYA
"You're worrying me, little lost one."

AUBREY
"Shh! I'm trying to understand something."

RAHASYA
"Understand what?"
"I told you to reserve the psychotic break for after the fight!"

(◕ᴥ◕ʋ). ( * ^ *) ノシ.

(✿◠‿◠) -> ╚(•⌂•)╝ ??? <コ:彡

(◕ᴥ◕ʋ) ♥ (✿◠‿◠).

AUBREY
"You're saying..."
"'I'm a dog. Hello!'"
"'What's up with squid-arms over there?'"
"'Let's be friends.'"

AUBREY
"What the hell, sure."
"You're a good dog."

Rahasya tunes out Aubrey's muttering.

(...) Our assailant appears to be preparing itself for quite the vigorous offense -- it would be much to our advantage were we able to redirect its devilry right back to it. Perhaps the Adaptive Combat Bracelet may possess some reflective qualities?

My sincerest hopes for your success in the ensuing battle.

Sir Erasmus Stuart Antioch

Councilman Captain Sir Erasmus Stuart Antioch, HMS Zephyr (Class III Air Corvette)

AUBREY
"There are a lot of late-comers, huh?"
"Thanks for the encouragement. I don't think Ada has any reflective spells..."

She looks at Rahasya.

AUBREY
"Do you know any, um, reflective magic?"
"Maybe you can turn the bird's attack back on it."

RAHASYA
"Not in my current state, I can't."
"We've no choice but to brace ourselves."

AUBREY
"With a defeatist attitude like that, I'm sure we don't."

RAHASYA
"I'll do what I can to shield us."

Their third eye glares.

RAHASYA
"Focus on the enemy, will you?"

Well that's.. Less than optimal.
>Book, Invigorate Ada.
>Ada, use a shock/freeze combo.
With good fortune, this time it will work.

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SpoilerVery Interesting. Much promise in this one.

---BATTLE LOG---



** BOOK used INVIGORATE on ADA!! BOOK lost 2 SP!! **

** ADA restored 4 SP!! **

** ADA used up 2 SP for a Combo Attack! **

** The G. WING was too busy SEETHING to defend itself!! **

** G. WING took 20 Damage!! **

** Critical Hit! G. WING took another 5 Damage!! **

---/BATTLE LOG---

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Spoiler

AUBREY
"Good job, Ada! ♥"

The Greater Wing emerges from the wreckage of Rahasya's wall and shakes ice shards from its plumage. Smoke streams from various points on its body as it 'bleeds'. The aura surrounding it flickers.

AUBREY
"...Uh oh."

Ada and the Green Book bob in agreement.

Rahasya snaps out of their despair at their ruined house. The sooner ends this battle, the better. A mysterious wind tousles their hair while their third eye pulsates.

RAHASYA
"P̻àͅr̶̳͕̦͓̼d͓̯o̘̙̜ṋ͇̖ ͓̮̻̯͢t̫̦̻͔̬h̨̯̹͚͕e̖͇ ̯̮͎̲͉̠͓͜d̀i̯̩͚̰̻͠s̹c̩̦̹͙o̥͔̩m̠̞̖̥͇͝f̯̻̹͚͍̲͖o̼̬̘̜̝ŕ͕̞̗̯̙̣t̲̗.̵̣̦̻̫̩ͅ"

The chorus of whispers return, and Aubrey's skin crawls off her bones and out the door. She hugs herself. Feels like a hundred ghosts are murmuring straight into her ears.

Lines of text peel away from the newsprint underfoot and lift into the air. They duck and weave and spin together, creating a wall...

---BATTLE LOG---



** RAHASYA cast OUTCASTS' CONSENSUS!! RAHASYA lost 3 SP!**

** RAHASYA braces the party against an incoming blow... **

---/BATTLE LOG---

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Spoiler
Aubrey marvels the the shell of words encasing them. Sentences cross one another like ribbons of glowing papier mache, suspended in mid-air. She's so, so tempted to touch one—but she already knows that the most fascinating things are often the most dangerous.

RAHASYA
"Stay far behind us, little lost one."
"You're obviously the most helpless."

Then—

---BATTLE LOG---



** G. WING stopped SEETHING. **

** G. WING unleashed SHADOW SWEEP!! G. WING lost 10 SP!! **

** RAHASYA's OUTCASTS' CONSENSUS softened the blow!! **

** ADA lost 5 HP!! **

** BOOK lost 5 HP!! **

** RAHASYA lost 8 HP!! **

** The G. WING needs to rest... **

---/BATTLE LOG---

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Spoiler
Aubrey clamps her eyes shut and crouches low, covering her head. A shockwave of dark energy tears through the room, and from the feel of it, Rahasya's word-barrier. The sound of shredding cardboard assaults her ears, accompanied by static. Aubrey's heart rate triples.

RAHASYA
"...My house..."

Aubrey gingerly opens an eye.

AUBREY
"...What house?"

Rahasya's third eye narrows at her. Too soon, Aubrey. Too soon.

AUBREY
"Okay, Council. This is the last time we spawn a bunch of items in a residential area."
"I feel... super useless right now."

END-OF-TURN STATUS
[ADA] HP: 5/10 | SP: 3/5 | Status: None
[BOOK] HP: 5/10 | SP: 7/10 | Status: None
[RAHASYA] HP: ??? | SP: ??? | Status: ???
VS
[GREATER WING] HP: 59/100 | SP: 10/20 | Status: Resting

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BATTLE MENU

ATTACK: Good ol' flying tackle.
GUARD: Brace(let) yourself!
SPECIAL: Use an elemental attack (Fire/Ice/Shock). Costs 1 SP apiece. Use several simultaneously for a combo!
AUTO: Leave Ada to her own devices.

ATTACK: Pathetic.
GUARD: Hopeless.
SPECIAL - THE DEX: Look up something, or someone's, stats. Costs 1 SP.
SPECIAL - INVIGORATE: Restores a random amount of SP to one target. Costs 2 SP apiece.
SPECIAL - CONVERT: Turns any specified unit of SP into HP, and vice versa.
SPECIAL - HEAL: Restores 5 HP to any target. Costs 2 SP apiece.