After several hours, Ryuko, Mako, and Asia staggered out of the arcade together. While they hadn't actually won anything, Mako had plainly demonstrated that winning was secondary compared to having fun, and fun they had. Though unsteady on her feet, Asia was still laughing at the chaos that had erupted on the dance machine when the three of them had decided to share the two dance pads. She smiled as Ryuko steadied her before they sauntered along together, talking back and forth about what had happened in the arcade...and anything else that happened to come to mind. While Asia didn't say as much as the other two, she did find herself talking more than she would have normally, sucked into the exuberance the other two exuded by their very existence.
As they approached a wrecked courtyard that looked like it was under repairs, Asia found herself saying, "This is the most fun I've had in my entire life."
"Then we'll just have to top it tomorrow!" Mako declared happily as she impulsively glomped onto Asia again.
She's going to feel those bruised ribs tomorrow, Ryuko thought to herself as she gently disentangled the pair. Seeing Asia's hands give off a brief green glow as she straightened her habit, she smirked. Clever! Fixing herself up without distressing Mako. She's got what it takes to keep up with us after all. Can't wait to introduce her to Satsuki so she can build some backbone, though.
Isn't this place familiar, partner? Ddraig spoke up in her mind.
Blinking, Ryuko turned back to the courtyard, not sure what he meant...until she saw the broken pipes in among the scattered shattered marble. "Huh, I've been here before," she murmured in surprise.
"Oh?" Mako asked curiously.
"Yeah," Ryuko confirmed. "This is where I fought Raynare because of that challenge letter." She pointed to the rubble. "I shattered that fountain because I was sandbagging and missed her." Turning, she saw grooves dug into the concrete where it had melted, and rubble that seemed to have ripped itself from the ground. "And that's where Rias and Akeno turned me into a Devil to deal with the Light Spears Raynare left stuck in me."
"Raynare...did that?" Asia asked in surprise.
Ryuko turned to Asia in surprise. "You...know Raynare?" she asked, ignoring the blonde in Gothic Lolita fashion she noticed in the distance.
Asia nodded nervously. "She's the Fallen Angel who...is directly in charge of Father Freed and...me..."
"Well if she wants you, she'll have to go through us!" Mako insisted firmly. "And there's no way she's going to beat Ryuko-chan a second time!"
"Let's see about that, shall we?" a familiar dark voice echoed from above them.
Ryuko spun as she recognized that voice, glaring up at the scantily clad black-winged figure floating over the wrecked fountain. "Raynare!" she snarled angrily. "I was hoping to cross you off my to do list!"
"I won't be letting you run off with Asia, Ryuko," Raynare growled as she flowed backwards. "She's too valuable."
"And she chose us!" Ryuko roared as she lunged forward, energy gathering in both hands.
WATCH OUT!
Ryuko's eyes widened. The warning came just too late as she saw a magic circle filled with Light magic taking shape under her foot as it came down. Thinking quickly, she tried something crazy...and kicked off to the side while willing the Fibers in her leg to unravel.
The pillar of Light shot up, just barely missing the threads as they pulled back into Ryuko's knee, leaving what looked like a stump as she dove to the side.
"The great thing about being scared off before I could clean up here," Raynare purred happily. "The residual energy from the battle is perfect for hiding my traps!" She let off a wicked laugh, her hand brought to her cheek. "Ohohohoho!"
"That laugh really doesn't work for you!" Mako called out helpfully. "Your boobs don't jiggle enough for it. But you've got the hair right!"
Raynare spun to face Mako. "What do you mean, my breasts don't jiggle enough?!" she snapped out angrily, hurling a Light Spear Mako's way in retaliation...only to stare as it bounced off her forehead.
"Well you've got the outfit kinda right," Mako responded, not noticing the Light Spear as she ducked to the side, only to pop back out under a spotlight generated by the broken Light Spear dressed in cosplay as Naga the White Serpent, "but when you do the laugh, you really gotta jiggle! Watch!" Pulling out two bags of jello, she stuffed them into the top before taking the pose. "Ohohohoho!" she laughed, shaking her chest so the 'jello boobs' bounced up and down with her laugh.
Ryuko couldn't help but chuckle at Raynare's flabbergasted expression, and quickly took advantage of the distraction, she reformed her leg and lunged forward...only to be forced to roll to the side and unravel her left arm to keep from being hit by the Light Magic trap in the air.
This is ridiculous! she snapped to herself as she flipped back out of the courtyard, reforming her arm just in time to duck out of the way of Raynare's thrown Light Spear. I'm stronger and faster than her, and got a great deal more power...but thanks to a few traps and an allergy, I'm on the threads!
I think you mean ropes, Ddraig pointed out.
No, threads, cause I'm half-clothing- Ryuko froze in realization, only to unravel part of her stomach to avoid the next spear. I'm an idiot!
Well I wasn't excited about being your partner for your brains, Ddraig teased.
Not what I mean! Ryuko pointed out. I used to be half-human, half-clothing. Now I'm half-Devil, half-clothing...
A snort of amazement came from her right hand as Ddraig caught her train of thought. So why are you still fighting like a human?!
Exactly! Ryuko replied as she focused on the way her Fibers and Magic shaped her body, down to the very cellular level. As she got the whole picture, she memorized it, saved it deep in her memory...
...and discarded it.
Asia gasped in surprise as the next light trap seemed to unravel Ryuko completely. "Ryuko-san!" she called out desperately.
Raynare grinned eagerly. "And that's the last of-"
Her words were cut off as the swirl of Fibers and Magic came together and began to bounce around the courtyard, triggering the light traps and escaping them as it flowed and swirled through the field, making its way towards Raynare. Desperately, the Fallen Angel hurled spear after spear at the mass, only for it to part around them and continue the assault. Without warning they lashed out, shaping blades that pierced Raynare's wings.
She let out a scream of pain...but mixed in with it was a cry of, "Mittelt!"
As the fibers wrapped around Raynare and began to become more solid, bands of light magic suddenly appeared around Mako, binding her limbs together as the girl in gothic Lolita that Ryuko had noticed before held a silver dagger to Mako's throat. "I suggest you let Raynare go, Ryuko-sempai," she purred wickedly as black feathered wings spread from her back. "Unless you'd like to see your girlfriend's blood spattered across this courtyard. I must admit, I find the idea...enticing." She licked her lips eagerly.
"Ryuko-chan!" Mako called out desperately.
Ryuko's face formed in the mass of threads as she glared down at the new Angel. "You..."
"Are you sure you aren't the submissive?" Mako continued. "I don't think I like being the one tied up!"
A large sweatdrop took shape in Ryuko's threads. "With how much it used to happen to you, I thought you'd be used to it."
"I am!" Mako replied. "That's why I don't like it!"
Mittelt blinked in confusion as she stared back and forth between them, then turned to Asia. "They do remember this is a hostage situation now, right?" she asked.
"It's fine," Asia replied with a somewhat flat-eyed gaze. "You get used to it."
"Isn't it a standoff anyway?" Mako asked curiously. "Ryuko's got a hostage, too."
"Raynare may be our leader, but the plans she's set up don't actually require her," Mittelt explained with a shrug. "Any Fallen Angel can do it."
"Excuse me?" Raynare screamed out angrily.
"What?" Mittelt replied innocently. "It's true."
"Then why do you want her released?" Mako asked curiously.
"To force Ryuko into a position where she can be disabled," the blonde Fallen Angel pointed out. "Can't really do anything to her like this."
"Then what's to stop her from just killing both of you?" Mako demanded.
"Nothing," Mittelt allowed wickedly. "...as long as she considers you acceptable collateral. No matter how fast she is, if she comes after me, you'll be dead before she gets here."
The standoff remained for a few moments...and then Ryuko's body slowly reformed as she released Raynare. "Just don't hurt her-"
Her words were interrupted as Raynare immolated her entire body with Light Spears, causing her to collapse forward in agony, unable to even scream. "No one..." she hissed out angrily. "...touches my wings...but Azazel-sama..."
"Do let's stay on the ball please, Raynare?" Mittelt pressed gently.
Nodding, Raynare turned to Asia. "Asia, come with-"
"No!" Asia snapped out, throwing herself over Ryuko despairingly as she tried to focus her Sacred Gear.
"Come now or I kill her now," Raynare growled out angrily. "Come willingly, and I won't deliver the final blow this moment and she'll have a chance to recover. Resist at all and she dies instantly."
Asia hesitated...and then bowed her head. "...alright..."
Smirking, Raynare took hold of Asia and warped the pair away. Mittelt smirked as she saw she was left alone. "Foolish girl," she purred softly. "Raynare never said anything about what I'd do once she was gone-" She tensed up as she felt her throat lock, her body no longer obeying her. "W...wha...?" she barely managed to force out as she felt a tightness in her brain.
A tiny figure lowered itself from her bonnet, landing on her hand as it raised itself. Invisible threads - noticeable only by magic - led from the figure to Mittelt's body. "You hurt Mako-chan," Ryuko's voice emanated from the figure as it resolved. As the life-size Ryuko unraveled, the tiny figure took the form of Ryuko in miniature...made of threads wrapped around a green gemstone. "You let her take Asia-chan. So you're going to help me get her back."