Better than anyone expected, but it's soon put to the test!

Truth be told, Mitsuru had the same misgivings as Junpei initially did, when she viewed this gorgeous-- but antique and heavy looking-- knightly armor piled inside the gold chest. She felt a bit foolish even shedding her student's uniform she'd worn in, which would have to go back inside the party's inventory; she'd feel uncharacteristically stupid if she had to change back into it moments after trying out the breastplate. The SEES leader quickly and efficiently stripped herself down to long, black stockings and matching-colored, lacy lingerie; it was the type that the average young adult would recognize as sexy and ready for action, but that she was too socially unaware to see as anything but elegant and matching the rest of her outfit. While the others strained to ignore the thought that she was behind them in her underwear, she quickly began to put together the suit of armor.

To her surprise, it was lighter than she'd imagined. Later, she'd realize that ought to have been a warning flag, but for now, she kept going, putting on the armor's helmet, pauldrons, breastplate, gloves, tassets, faulds, and boots. The only part she'd been **** to leave behind were the bicep and leg coverings... Those would limit her flexibility and be more of a detriment than a boon. Besides, she still had her stockings to keep her legs decent. The end result might be a little silly looking and bulky on her feminine figure, but she was willing to try it out for the sake of an effective mission. "It's... a bit dusty," she thought to herself, coughing into a lace handkerchief she'd pulled from her breast pocket before removing her shirt. "It could use a wipe-down... But I'm not going to embarrass myself by complaining over such a trite issue."

Finally, she approached the others, carrying her old gear in a neat pile atop one arm. "See, Iori? You should update those outdated stereotypes of yours. I'm perfectly capable of wearing armor like this. It's not ideal in its shape, true, but it's certain to be more effective than those swimsuits you all pressured Takeba into wearing." With her confident smile and one eye visible behind the curls of her regal red hair, she somehow made the ill-fitting, partially disassembled armor look like it belonged to royalty.

"Damn. Kinda jealous now..." Akihiko thought out loud. "Guess I called that one wrong. Good on you, Mitsuru."

Junpei just sighed, feeling he'd lost the bet. "I wish either one of us had won it," he grumbled, slouching as he took the lead for the team, maneuvering them out of the hallway so he could stop thinking about his dashed dreams of new high-cut armor.

"Just one problem, though; we're out of bag space," Akihiko pointed out. "Should we toss something to put your old gear in there?"

"Nonsense. We don't need the old armor and past experience tells us it won't sell for much. Feel free to leave it," Mitsuru instructed her ally. With a shrug, Akihiko dropped the school uniform on the floor of Tartarus. That was the leader for you... she'd prioritize a few situational healing items for their mission over the uniform she needed for school the next day.

Makoto looked back at the folded blouse and skirt laying upon the floor as he left, feeling a sense similar to when he'd found himself called to the Velvet Room. The sense told him that this was the starting point of an adventure...

The rest of the floor seemed as though it would be no big deal; there weren't even any enemies appropriate for testing out the effectiveness of the new armor the team had acquired. Just as they were nearing where the door up must be, judging by the layout of the map Fuuka had assembled, the group was ambushed from behind by a surprisingly swift party of shadows. As if in answer to Mitsuru's new gear, these shadows bore the appearance of knights: armored figures wielding lances and riding astride ghostly horseback. Their Emperor arcana masks seemed to glare judgmentally at Misturu, as though she wasn't fit to wear the armor.

No one had time to comment upon just how fitting the enemy group was; they all found themselves scrambling to prepare themselves for the rush of the jousting shadows. Akihiko and Makoto managed to dodge, while Junpei found himself completely ran over, sprawled onto the floor in a look so comical, one could forget how much pain he was probably in. "Enemy critical hit! J-Junpei's down..." Fuuka pointed out, trying to give the comment the gravity it deserved and failing.

The final knight turned its attention on Mitsuru, charging her as she ran. "Mitsuru, look out!" Akihiko warned, but it wasn't so simple; she couldn't dodge just because she saw the attack coming!

With no way to outrun the attack, Mitsuru grit her teeth and felt the lance connect with the armor between her shoulder-blades...