David
The fate of her poor spirit was nothing to laugh over, but even now she had to stifle a giggle when the mouse toppled backwards. It was a welcome distraction from the pressure in the air, the sense that something very much did not want her here. She wished she had a mirror— her usual composed look probably did nothing, with the rest of her in such tatters. Could the mouse tell? He seemed like he had better night vision, but it wouldn't take much to outdo her there.

Aha. As a priest, Hinoki was obligated to denounce all theft in sacred places— from his actions, she was certain he didn't respect the Solarian Throne any more than he did this crude little shrine— and yet... She covered her beak with her good wing. How reliable! Though she was concerned if she'd sneak through as well as him; she could probably make it, but getting soaked would add another layer of indignity. "No, but... I mean, yes I am, most severely! We'd better stay close." Contradictory, but she was frazzled, both from the exhilaration and the knowledge of what this shrine could do to a ghost. *Does it have something against being haunted? Too funny.*

The summoned spirits were close to done with their zooming around the room. Hinoki waved a fan, gearing them up for one last futile frenzy. It should be enough to cover their run to the fountain, and hopefully far away from the shrine's range. She was trusting the rat more than she wanted to with this, but she was pretty certain that his fear was genuine. He wanted out just as much as she did.

"Count of three?" She asked. "Our silly little break for it?"
Javier
*One might say that Reaper's concerns were equal- that Hinoki was plotting something beyond their escape, or that perhaps this was the work of the bird herself-*

"Close. Hm." *He glanced side to side, eyes squinting- he could just barely make out the spirits, as evident as they may be to the Oricorio, and he couldn't feel the pressure around him quite as well.* "Right. On the count of-"

CRYAK! *Suddenky, a floorboard shattered underneath Reaper's right foot, melting into a spectral ooze as his foot seemed to oh-so-slightly melt with it- but he couldn't see this, as it was more a matter of spiritual melting. All he could tell was that his foot went incredibly numb...* She's telling the truth. Can't afford to be skeptical.

"J-just a second..." *He stumbled, his foot gone limp; he stepped to the side for a moment, regaining balance; then, he stood right at her side, putting his paw on her back- his other occupied with his needle.*

"... Look..." *He turned his head left and right, ears flickering rapidly.* "... I can't... See... What's going on here. But you can, yes? ... If there's something there, tell me.

"... The count of three.

"One...

"Two..."

*His arm tightened around Hinoki as he started to kick off on his limp foot.* "... THREE!"
David
*Erk. Come now, don't go for him... I doubt he has a particularly tasty soul!* She couldn't tear her eyes away from the damage, though she could only guess how it had even happened from the sound of broken wood. Was he physically hurt, too? The wounds on her back still ached, but Hinoki wasn't opposed to carrying him out of there if need be. It had been surprisingly fun, when he wasn't slicing at her. She didn't want to admit what a problem the darkness was.

"...Right." The mouse might not have much practice with spirits, but he did seem experienced in getaways. And he didn't even try to trick her this time! She did her best to support him as they launched forward, flicking her free fan in one final order. There were just a few spirits remaining. Hinoki was pleased to hear them scream curses with all their might, swooping around with a vengeance— but she could only hope that would be enough to keep the shrine's attention off its main targets. More splintering wood behind her, barely heard under the shrieks. A closer one— she flapped instinctively, wincing, trying not to shove over her accomplice. "Nearly there, light guide me, sun shine down on this wretched place," She muttered under her breath.

Water covered her legs and tailfeathers, and her prayers turned into a sharp cry of alarm. This was the plan, though... If she hadn't messed it up.
Javier
*For Reaper, well, he didn't know what to make of it. Fun? Mayhaps, but that's an opinion best formed after they high-tail it out of there.*

*His running was jagged at first, the mouse tripping over his own foot a couple of times; however, with enough balance, and enough crackling wood behind them, he was able to keep up with the quasi-sprinting bird.* 

*He pressed his foot into the water and, for a second, felt it like normal; however, that feeling quickly turned to ice, then numbness once more. There it was- the fountain, a Dhelmise dripping water from its maw beneath a Primarina, holding a jug that also seeped an everlasting stream.*

Trace the path... *His eyes followed the flow of water, towards the 'downstream', until it ended in a small grove of flowers- and, in the end, a vertical grate as it flowed beneath the floor.* "There," *He gestured, diving towards the grate and using a `Wide Slash` to break it open-* CYCHAW!- *Which rattled the room.*

*It was small, as mentioned... In fact, whether or not it would even fit Hinoki was up for debate; however, Reaper was already diving in, taking only a second to turn himself around- he seemed pretty capable of moving freely in there.* "Come on..."
David
Her tail and the drooping edges of her wings had turned entirely unwieldy in the water, soaked through and heavy. She was able to catch the flash of his Wide Slash and the direction of the clang, though, and waded towards it as fast as she could. The room was shaking, too long after the sound faded; yes, the shrine was furious. Her ghosts could no longer be heard, either dismissed or exorcised she couldn't tell. Was that grating sound from the walls bending? Hinoki chuckled breathlessly. *Too bad! I'll see yet another day!*

She could make it through the gap if she ducked down and tucked her wings in, but there was still more of her than there was of the mouse. When she crowded in after him, she found she could go no further— there was a sharp tug on her tailfeathers. "YOU—" Holding her battered wings out against the sides of the tunnel, she dug her talons into the floor but couldn't do more than remain where she was against the force pulling her back. "You damnable *Fiend!* I'll put a curse on your heathen shed so terrifying no one will step *Foot* In here for the next *Century!* They'll burn you in disgrace, and I'll dance on the ashes! Release me this minute!" Hinoki fumed over her shoulder. She couldn't *Wait* To be out of here, but her strength alone wasn't enough to make it. *This is mortifying.*
Javier
"!!!" *Reaper watched, confused, as the water ran around the two and shuttered out much of the spectral noise behind her.* "What are you doing!?" *Why was she cussing him out all of a sudden!? Was this some sort of trap?! It was, wasn't it? And she was-* Behind her. 'Release me.'

*He had to take a few minutes to process that line of thought, but soon after he threw the needle deeper down the hole and turned to face Hinoki.* How would I pull...

*He looked up and down, briefly, before getting up close to her head- standing crouched-over.* "Hold on." *He wrapped his arms up beneath her shoulders and planted his feet beneath her chest, quasi-deadlifting her away from the hole and towards the blackness beyond. The water ran along his sides, and he had to hold his breath for a second as his head was submerged, but soon he was providing a* Mighty *Tug from underneath Hinoki to pull her from the shrine. He wasn't as strong as most, but with the threat of death just a bird's feather away...*