God Yet Lives

"...I've never heard of Octo-manatees."

--

"Sab?"

Sab kind of fidgeted, "Uh, I don't know what to say? I mean, what could I say that everyone doesn't already know? I love Mortal, and Aroma, I owe my life as an arrancar to Senthose, and I'm incredibly thankful for that. Perhaps I could just ask that everyone comes back safe and sound?"

"Well, maybe you'll see one for the first time today."
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L"I'd feel better about that if we had some kind of a secret weapon. A trump card that Keter doesn't know about. Preferably more than one."

S"Hey, Mortal still hasn't said anything."

Noct didn't want to say that she didn't believe Euryale, so she simply nodded.

--

"I don't hate any of you?"

S"That is terrible, I could have said that."

L"Don't we have more important things to do than argue?"
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"Anyway, the nearest aquarium is probably a ways away. Should we take a bus, or...?"

Mortal just shrugged, "What do you want me to say? That my world would be hell without you guys. That my life has become brighter because I get to live it with you? Huh? Is that what you want me to say?..."

--

"Or?"

"You know. FullBring there."
================================
*Senthose stands up.*

S"I'm simply saying, you must have concerns about this mission. What does keeping them from your comrades get you?"

"I don't have any concerns," Mortal said, "I just want to get this done, and come back alive."

--

"Oh, sure, I guess."

"That didn't actually answer my question."
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S"Of course you don't. Come outside, I have a thing I need you all for."

L"Is it another team-building exercise?"

S"In a manner of speaking, but with more bruising."

"If you want to, I can get us there. Do you want to fullbring there?"

--

/outside

"It would probably be the easiest way, if you wouldn't mind."
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L"Now what is this all about?"

S"Simple: I plan to see how well we can compete against powerful opponents."

L"That didn't answer anything."

"I do hope you don't plan to pit us against each other," Astarte tilted her head. "Or have you just organized for somebody to turn up and attack us?"

S"The former. Keter's intellect is dangerously close to my own, Netzach's speed equals or even surpasses Lilith's, Gevurah's strength was a match for Mortal's when he was alive, & Malkuth can easily compete with Sab's teleportation. At any moment after our departure, it is possible that we could be attacked by any one of these aggressors--perhaps even all of them simultaneously. Learning new techniques & honing old skills does not even begin to prepare for that manner of battle."

Astarte scratched at her head absently and looked slightly displeased.
"That means every one of them is stronger than me," she grumbled without thinking. "It's a shame I have no particular talents."

Sab folded her arms, "Trust me, it is worse when the person you're compared to outclasses you in nearly everything else. If I were half as strong as Malkuth I might actually be a threat to somebody. Sadly all I can do is teleport."

--

Noct nodded, "Of course," She took a deep breath, blinked her eyes, grabbed Euryale, "Wait, do you want to leave now?"

"Not to interrupt this pity party, but Cero."

*Senthose fires a cheap shot at Mortal's chest.*
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"We should probably get changed first."

Mortal deflects it, "So, is this like, a battle royal, or do you actually have a plan here?"

--

Noct nodded, "Right, right..."

"Battle royale sans cheese."

*Senthose draws his Zanpakuto. Lilith puts on her mask.*
=============================
*Several seconds later(!), Euryale is wearing a black tube top with her usual jean shorts & flip flops.*

"I thought I'd change things up a little."

"You look nice," Noct is wearing a white tee, blue skinny jeans, and white sneakers. She feels like she is too brightly dressed.

--

Sab kind of takes a step back, "So, I'm not involved with this fight, right?"

*Aera snatches the vial from Iris's hands and gulps down half of it, all the while glaring at Enkidu.*

Aera: <I don't trust you, but I do have unfinished business with the Soul Reaper.>

S"Guess again."

*After going into his ressurrecion, he simply waits. Lilith does the same.*
==============================
"Thank you. You look pretty good, too. Very cheery."

Noct kind of scowls, "I was thinking the same thing..." She said looking down at herself.

--

Sab and Mortal both go into ressurecion, and wait as well.

"So, is anyone going to do something?" Sab asked, "Or..."

S"It looks like we have ourselves a good old fashioned Mexican Standoff."

L"Seems that way."

S"Only I am the only one who can attack without moving, so it's really less of a standoff and more of a one-sided fight."
========================================
"Cheery is good! I'm cheery! Don't you want to be cheery with me?"

Mortal punched Senthose in the face with a swath of scales, "I wouldn't go that far."

Sab giggled at that.

--

"Cheery really isn't my thing... I mean, with you, everything is balanced, but now the cheeriness-o-meter has tipped into dangerously high levels. I should change..."

"Yeah, I didn't want to say anything, but maybe you would look better in yellow, or pink."
===============================
*Senthose sidesteps what I can only imagine is an incredibly awkward attempt to look cool that failed miserably.*

"I would."

*Suddenly, lightning, everywhere.*

Mortal created a small half dome of scales to block the lightning, Sab teleported inside of the dome. "Hey, that is cheating."

"Sue me then..."

Mortal points a cero at her.

"You wouldn't."

"...Shut up..."

--

"Those are also exceptionally bright..."