[B] The Beginning of an End (Raite & Flora)

[Xaki]

Caught directly in the attack, Raite couldn't help but breathe in the dangerous pollen. Raite was caught with an onslaught of coughing, his throats feeling as if they were burning. Raite jumped back for some fresh air, dropping to one knee while his hand clutched his shirt in response. His lungs panted for intake of clean oxygen to replace the pollute air in controlled but a bit unsteady breaths.

He felt a bit dizzy, and disoriented. There was a delay in his movements while Raite grasped for composure. His eyes winced in response to the debris, but he forced them to stay open, and focused. He eyed the senshi with alert gray eyes, knowing all she would have to do was step closer for him to be in range once more. At least his mental capabilities were still intact. He would have to avoid that.

He forced his body to stand up once more even though a slight burn remained because he hadn't fully recovered from the magical attack. "I'm not that easy." He managed a reluctant grin.

Immediately following his words were the squealing of ties on the asphalt, accompanied with "Freeze!" - and once Raite and Flora were spotted, several warning shots were fired near their feet. "We order you to raise your hands above your heads!" Apparently, the senshi, negaverse, and youma were on high alert these days.  

[Melodine Cantus]

Halfway through, Flora was actually starting to worry if she was going to suffocate him until he fainted (which wasn't a bad option) or worse, until he died; she had never focused this attack on another human before this. Still, she didn't falter, until the glow on her brooch faded and so did the cloud of pollen. At least, she thought, eying him as he coughed, he was still alive. But even as she was gratified that she wasn't a murderer, there was also something terrible about this; her attack had just ran out, since she had just used it for the second time today.

Flora didn't know if she would regard this as a blessing or a curse when she opened her mouth to reply Raite, and instead was faced with a loud shout and had to step away from the shots hastily. The police! The last time she saw them was last autumn, and Flora wondered, cynically, if autumn hated her so much that it would let her run into such strange youma and face off with the police as well. Maybe she should spend more time with Carpo?

Honestly, Flora was terrified of guns, but tried not to let her fear show, holding up her hands and edging backwards slowly. She was not about to get caught. Taking a senshi mugshot would be such a disgrace! "Sorry boys!" She called out, forcing a grin on her face. "I'm out!" With that, she gave them a crisp salute and jumped up, back on the rooftop, running back to Crystal Academy, shots firing uselessly after her.  

[Xaki]

Raite avoided the gunshots by jumping away, already knowing who had interrupted. He sighed while thinking 'How bothersome.' And if they were caught, that would be even worse to deal with the aftermath. What was this? The second time the police had come? They always seemed to come at the inopportune times.

Half of the men ran after Flora, although they had to stop when they nearly collided into a building. "Damn, they're always jumping on the rooftops!" A police officer cursed while continuing to fire off shots, hoping to hit the senshi.

He watched the senshi's retreat while the other half of the officers kept a watch on him. They looked at him warily, waiting for him to follow their directions. Seth was familiar with the police, having been warned several times because of his penchant for fighting. "Not this time." Raite wasn't planning to get caught either, coming up from behind the police officers. Taking their starseeds would be too tricky, especially in this large force, but several quick movements had their hands dropping their guns to the floor. Before they could recover, Raite had already disappeared as well.