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 Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 10:00 pm
Leon Mori
Leon watched his foe recover and dash off in a blur. This was going to be a difficult, but interesting battle, Round 2 for them had come at last and despite the severity of the situation, Leon was looking forward to this fight.
He moved out of the way of The Fox's slash as if someone had pushed him out of the way, it was subconscious, like a reflex almost.
Still, the blow wasn't dodged without incident, a nice swath had been cut across his back, blood staining his skin once again.
He clashed blades with the Fox and then kicked him in the stomach with the intent of driving him back again.. Quote: Demon Within {Reason: Yosuga] -Drastic physical strength and defence boost for 3 posts, with a 2 post cooldown. (1/2) Attack: Kick to Grey Fox's stomach. Skill-Passive: Regenerate 3
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Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 10:13 pm
 Faustus Necromonium, the Trappish Junior Faust's eyes could barely believe it. Granted, he wasn't quite sure how he had arrived at this time or even...What he had been doing before. He didn't usually blank out like this, no matter how hot it was. And as he looked at the three, all smiling.
He felt all warm and happy. Memories flowed into him, of how he had managed to win Yuno over, how he had helped her through her time of need. How he had saved her life after a drastic moment, and how they had managed to rid Kusuri of those scars that had bothered her so much. How Eoria had managed to become more focused, yet still have that adorably ditzy feel about her. And as they called to him, he smiled, nodding warmly.
"Yeah." he called, as he took a step towards them, content.
.....
And Yet...
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Hopeful Conversationalist
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Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 10:49 pm
 I QUAKE TAKING UP SPACE I BREAK ( My Heart is Awfully Tired )format form y x p r a y e r s x h a v e x v a n i s h e d x E v e r y t h i n g ' s x b r o k e n x i n x v a i n x H e r e x m y x S T O R Y x e n d s.. THIS IS THE FARTHEST END DOKIDOKI steak !I OWE THIS TO C.S I am Lost..and Lost all...Sombody embrace me now...Please embrace me now.. How sad that Leon would continue to fight on after the damage that the Messiah did along with the Messengers, but that was alright he could die on his own terms if he must. With him gone Kazuma had no one to fight, well he did, but leaving Kusuri for Leon started to seem like a bad idea all in the start. Now he had no one to go up against, no one to skewer; it was angering him up something good. Took a look around the battlefield while he had the chance, his attention was towards his sister Minori, making sure that she was alright in this chaotic war. She seem to be alright, for the most part at least, however, the blade pointing at her was enough to cause Kazuma to ran towards the attacker. Raiden had just appeared in front of Minori with a sword dangerously close to her skin, how dare he try to do such an act! It was like being in the DDW all over again, he remembered the mind tricks that Raiden used against him, most involving his sister. This could have been a trap to lure him in, but he didn’t care; there was more at stake now. He was making his way through the battlefield, legs picking up with much haste, he had to save Minori even if it was the last thing he could do. His movement came to a reluctant halt as a new challenger arrived to the scene, this man was unknown to Kazuma, but one thing was for certain; he was in his way. There was a loud CLINK! once the blade from the machete hit against Kazuma’s armor, was that it? Did this new messenger stepped into battle just to unleash a simple attack?! Kazuma had no to amuse Agito in a fight, Minori was in danger, and he only had seconds to stop her from getting hurt. To get rid of the man quickly a Maziodyne was about to be cast down upon Agito, beams of lightning began to crash down, but they did not belong to the Black Knight. No, this attack was coming from the woman, Amelia, who had just unleashed a fusion raid spell. Strong gust of wind mixing with devastating force of lightning, the blend was too much for Kazuma to bear. The sharp winds shot his body up to the sky followed by the lightning crashing down on him, lighting his body up in a bright light.
His mouth was clamped shut, he dared not to utter a single noise to signify the pain; he would never give his enemies that satisfaction, never again. Kazuma’s white eyes could only grow wider, his body was trembling, but not because of the attack from Amelia, he just had enough of these people. All of them, from Investigative Team to Messengers alike, they were hindering him from saving his sister; they were in his way! “Get out of my way…” lowly he growled. From the ground below his persona, Samuel, began to rise up from the black pits. The boned winged man went higher up into the air as Kazuma began to lower back to the ground. His body was letting out smoke from the attack, but he was still able to fight on. His body leaned forward, arms dangling towards the ground as if he was some sort of puppet. His persona waved his scythe around, forming a large inverted pentagram below the feet of all his enemies; his hands balled into a fists as the tension coming from him made the air thin. They were in his way, they must be eliminated, why did they persist so much to stand in his way?! The pentagram began to charge up and glow with unknown energy, the ground began the fissure lightly at the uncontrollable energy that was being contained from within the pentagram, and now having had enough of all of this pestering Kazuma stood up straight and roared, “Get Out of My Way!” The pentagram soon shot out every last bit of energy it contained upwards; unleashing every bit of it’s destructive force upon his enemies. Quote: Attacks: Hell's Symphony (Severe Almighty damage, All) Rider Grips- Physical Nuclear Damage, Increase Physical attack/Defense Golden Armor of Heimdall: Reduces Physical Damage, Fusion Raid, Nuclear. Increase Physical attack. Environment: The Tower of Demise, the shadow grows stronger.
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Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 11:58 pm
Agito Mibu
"Squalo" I will Devour the world and make it's Power my own
...we are the messengers
the machete did exactly what Agito expected..nothing. As the blade clinked off of the armored one Agito merely sighed. Now he actually had to fight like the rest of these insects around here. Agito could feel a raise in power but by only a portion of the people around as they all began to shout out names of new persona and skills and blah blah blah. It seemed like the good guy fairies got a blessing from another of their many fairy god mothers that lived off somewhere in another world and whom didn't really seem to like letting the bad guys win. Luckily for Agito, Kazuma didn't gain said boost because he was already strong enough as it is, their obviously being a gap between the two power-wise..but..Agito never really payed attention to such things. Just as he crouched to spring forward for another attack, he was smacked by powerful and cutting winds which lifted and spun him around, Kazuma joined him in the air which meant that it wasn't his skilled as the two were then struck by crushing lightning, Agito letting out a groan through his helmet as his steaming and beaten body arose from the ground again. He had not been in the battle long and already got rocked by one of the most powerful spells he ever witnessed..one of those mixed elements attacks that he saw a couple times before when dealing with Fenrir. Before Agito could fully regain himself, his opponent began to scream like a wuss as his rather intimidating persona arose. Suddenly something formed under Agito but before he could react, he was hit by that attack as well. Agito's body shook from the damage as he slightly lifted off the ground from the power before finally dropping down again after the attack subsided. "Gruuuuuuuh" Agito moaned as he again rose to his feet, his armor now missing from certain parts of his body but his helmet still being in tact, except for a large crack which ran through the side of the glass. His opponent had apparently not been interested in him..again he was brushed to the side like some mere flea..this made Agito cringe with rage, his fang-filled scowl covered by the dark black glass of his helmet but his rage was almost enough to melt through the very helmet itself. Nobody in this tower knew what true hatred was, true rage..not like Agito. They were all too reserved, steady, and calm..no..rage and hatred was wild and savage and Agito was feeling it hard, veins emerging from his forehead and arms as he was ignored by the armored one. Agito would rather be killed in the most brutal of fashions then ignored and treated like the rest of harmless and useless shadows that lurked through the TV world..Agito would kill everyone and everything and devour them..he will gain their power and grow strong enough to devour god(s). The ever growing, ever hungry, leviathan..and it was time for him to feast as his rage bubbled over, his very body that was once shaking from pain, now shaking with pure violent intent, pure bloodlust, pure rage. Agito's leviathan persona ripped it's way from his body and swirled around him, it's fangs shown at the one to whom Agito's rage was focused. Kazuma. Kill. pillage. maim. destroy. devour. grow. Kill. pillage. maim. destroy. devour. Grow.. Agito's thoughts continued on like that as he lunged himself towards the armored being Kazuma. Agito then opened his hand as a powerful spell formed around his entire hand, but it's power wasn't enough, no, not for Agito, as one of the two Odin rings on his hand shattered and was absorbed into the attack as it then grew and went wild with power before Agito unleashed it's full potential towards the now even closer Kazuma.
Quote: Venom Armor: Sukukaja Odin ring(s): 1 Black Viper - Extreme High Almighty Damage on one enemy. [Kazuma] (+ Power enhanced by Draupnir) "Draupnir, Odin's Ring":Every two turns, a new ring is born from Draupnir and is worn on another finger. Each new ring has the ability to raise the level of a magic spell by 1 Level
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Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2011 12:12 am
Divergent Timeline Window! What if...?!
[This is a purely speculative post! What might have happened if any of the following had gone to the top of the Tower and been faced with the current test of Nyarlathotep! Feel free to write a divergent-timeline response if you wish for fun's sake, though it will not have any affect on the current storyline]  Nyarlathotep, the Crawling Chaos
Soji Seta, Investigation Team Leader, and Rise Kujikawa, Investigation Team Idol  Atop the tower those who had accompanied Soji were shown visions of what the Crawling Chaos could offer them, whispered black promises that stuck int he corners of their mind and dug into the very deepest, most personal parts of their subconscious. It was elementary work here inside the television world, but that made the offer no less potent. Nyarlathotep was an irreversible part of the human psyche, and he was tickling at their minds, tugging, pulling. Coaxing and cajoling it was, and the offer was so sweet, so innocent...
But those who fought down below, had they come, would be no less tempted.
After all, it would take only one...
-----------------------------
Dan Sekohara
It had been declared a town holiday; three years ago to the day they ahd stood atop that Tower together, friends and comrades, staring out across the town of Inaba as the sun rose up from behind the hills and put a brilliant shine upon the Samegawa River. Three years since the silver-haired boy he had looked up to as a would-be hero had placed a hand upon his shoulder and told him that he was proud of him, that they couldn't have achieved what they did if it weren't for all of their efforts but his above all. Evil had been vanquished...first Hetero had been crushed beneath the Dan Hammer when the white-haired hero's offer for mercy had been answered by a spell that nearly pierced his stomach and left him for dead...second it had been Simon who fell, a combination strike between Soji's magnificent persona fusion and Dan's own, his Magnificent Dan Lance Mark III having struck home together with the blue wand of Izanagi (Reborn) to drive the Black Messiah over the edge of the tower and down into the dark below. They had celebrated that day as champions the whole town looking up at the shining figures of hope and justice that had delivered them from evil.
Now, three years to the day later, Dan stood again in front of a crowd of citizens who were all gathered to remember a time when he and his friends had stood together above all of them and fought with all their strength to ward off the darkness, to pierce the black veil and bring light back to the town of Inaba. His mask was black and covered his eyes down to the tip of his nose, not so much because he felt the need to hide his identity but because it was cooler of a hero's secret identity remained...well, secret. That had been Soji's idea, actually, and Dan had thought it over and agreed immediately. The mayor of the town was standing in front of a podium making a long-winded speech honoring what they had done, and while Soji looked mildly bored standing at his side, Dan listened to every word with a growing sense of pride. 'He is the hero that this town needed during its darkest hour,' he announced, beaming as the crowd roared and held up signs with his trademark Dan Signal on them...girls blew him kisses and the kids held up their 'Dan Man!' action figures proudly, hoping that he would sign one for them and talk to them afterward, telling them they could be just like him.
And he would, if there was time afterward. A hero's life was never dull, but the occasional downtime was never bad when you could encourage the city's youths to better themselves. They all wanted to be like him...he wanted them to believe that they could be just like him. Maybe in ten years, there would be a whole crew of superheroes running around acting just like he did three years ago, before he had gained his powers...before he had become a real hero. He hoped that was the case. And he knew for certain, looking out across the crowd, that all of his efforts had already made a difference.
'Please welcome, Inaba's own Masked Hero! Receiving the key to the city on this auspicious day...DAN MAN!'
-----------------------------
Amelia Heartilly
'Ame...hey, Ame!'
A soft voice snapped the eyes of the lawyer's daughter open and she turned her head to the speaker. Confusion had stricken her as she stood with her back against the gate of the Yasogami High school building, students walking past her every so often without a care. They were all peaceful, all...happy. And as they filed past she could see the familiar faces of others, friends who waved as they passed and went on down the hill towards the Samegawa Riverbed. They all looked...better, ever since they had survived Hetero and moved on with their lives from that episode against the darkness. The veil had lifted. And now, peaceful days were come again...for some, that was. 'Amelia!' suddenly an insistent tapping on her shoulder pulled her eyes away from the procession of former teammates and to her side where stood, surprisingly, a boy with long black hair and a wide, beaming smile that lit up the room. It was Woli! Joyful and excited as ever, with the Yasogami uniform fit just a little too snugly on his wiry frame, causing him to tug and pull at it here and there where it was just a little less comfy than it should have been. He was fidgety, but cute, and when she saw him Amelia could hardly ever stifle a giggle. 'Don't laugh!' he sulked, puffing out his cheeks as he crossed his arms, 'Woli's going to boxing club now!' He turned in a huff, but just when it looked like he was dashing off, upset, the excitable boy peeked back over his shoulder and stuck out his tongue like a playful little monkey...then bounded off across the school yard with an unnatural agility.
'He's really fitting in now, isn't he?' came another feminine voice from nearby, snapping the rich girl's attention away from her live-in, adoptive little brother and returning it to the girl who had called out to her in the first place. And there, right before her eyes, was a head of blond hair and a bright smile that could outshine the sun. It was Minori, bright and caring as ever, even as she leaned in to press her palm curiously against Amelia's head. 'You've been acting strange,' she noted with a teasing raise of the eyebrow, before pulling her hand back, satisfied there was no fever, 'are you sure you're feeling up to this? You know...if you guys get lost up there, you're going to miss it.' Minori rocked on her heels and though hit with a bit of surprise, Amelia was certain that she could see the faint hints of pink on her cheeks as she beamed over at her. Amelia touched her own forehead, but no, she was just as fine as ever. Why was she acting so strange anyway? Here she was at school, the town was still just the same as ever, even better in fact than when she had moved here. The Team...herself and Soji and the others...had freed it from the darkness. Now, they were enjoying the peace that they had earned. ...Still, there were two things Minori had said that had her little curious cat bones tickling. And she couldn't help but ask about them, earning a pout from her best friend.
'You can't back out now, Ameee~' she whined playfully, lowering her eyes and crossing her arms...when suddenly, a band of thin gold caught Amelia's eye on her friend's ring finger, 'you promised to be up there with me. ...I just want everything to be perfect for me and...Duke.' She blushed fully now and Amelia's smirk grew. Be up there? The gold ring...? Oh, that's right...she and Duke were getting married! And Amelia, she was...the Maid of Honor, right? She offered a sly look to her friend, but before she could answer there was a sudden roar nearby that snapped them both out of their thoughts and drew their attention. They jumped, but that was to be expected. And the smiles that creased their faces were as wide as the Samegawa River at the sound. 'Just come back soon, all right?' Minori waved and smiled, a golden light moving back towards the school and leaving the rich girl behind. She watched until her friend had disappeared behind the double doors and then turned around slowly, eyes falling upon the source of the roar.
It was a majestic blue and gold chopper jerked sideways in the road just before the gate, humming loudly, brightly, and atop it sat the powerful, confident form of just the man she had been waiting to see. His one eye sparkled with mirth and adventure when he glanced across the way, smirking that dragon's smirk when he saw her.
'You coming?' his lips curled widely, gloved hand extending as she slowly reached out to join him on the back, 'the mountains near Oshu are calling our names.' Somewhere on the horizon there were brilliant colors, blue and violet and red and yellow...all seeming to beckon to them. Not just one...both. '...Let's go!'
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Minori Koroko
???
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Leonardo Mori
???
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Kusuri Keiraku
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Yosuke Hanamura
???
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Chie Satonaka
???
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Teddie
"Wh-where am I?" the high-pitched voice of the humanoid shadow sounded in a veil of darkness that was all around him. He couldn't see, couldn't escape it, and there was no sound at all save the echoing ring of his own voice. Even inside the comfort of his own bear suit he felt cold in this place; it was empty, frightening, and unfriendly as a place could be any of those things. Still, even as he lingered and slowly walked through the darkness, he tried to call out to those friends that had pulled him out of his own darkness not so very long ago. They had given him an identity, a meaning for being with them, and for he who wasn't even human and didn't have a family of his own, they had become just like that to him. And now that he was lost and couldn't find them he felt a thick despair creeping over his mind. He knew that all of this...couldn't be real. His friends would never die that easily! Not even against something as un-bear-ably strong as Nyarloth...um...whatever its name was! ...Yeah, that was right, they couldn't lose! He just had to find them! "Sensei! Yosuke! Where are you?!" he shouted desperately, but there was no response. Everything was just...empty. His eyes began to water and he sniffed a loud, wet sniff...
...Wait! What was...? He looked side-to-side suddenly and began to sniff. Then like a wild animal the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end and a growl escaped his throat.
"Hey! Where are you? Get out here and face me! RAWR!" the bear challenged suddenly, growing angry or as close to it as his incessant cuteness would allow him to seem. Now he knew why all of this felt off! This was some sort of a weird illusion...probably meant to trick him into thinking that his friends were dead! "Don't think you can hide from me!" he shouted again, raising a clawed bear paw into the air threateningly, "I may not be that smart...but my nose works just as good as ever! You're not gonna trick me that easily! Sensei taught me better than that!" It was so unlikely that the devil hadn't even considered it...but then, he was of this sort of world too, wasn't he? With no human body to possess, he was just another shadow...but different all at the same time. Nyarlathotep couldn't possess this one. Chaos was already an irrevocable part of him, but he had settled with that some time ago. With the help of some very special friends, that was. And it was the memory of them that gave the little bear strength to stand up to the shadow.
"Hold on, Sensei! Teddie's coming to save you!"
--------------------------
Naoto Shirogane
???Quote: THE FINAL BATTLE!
To defeat Nyarlathotep entirely, the final blow cannot be dealt with fists or magic or any physical weapon. To neutralize the spirit of Nyarlathotep, it must be denied a new human host! To resist the temptation, the lure of the darkness that the Crawling Chaos, its enemies are faced with an offer, black promises suddenly made real before their eyes.
To accept this false reality is to accept the Temptation of Nyarlathotep and succumb to the poison in his words.
To reject it is to deny his power and deny his very place inside of you, the dark temptations of your subconscious.
But given a world where all that you desire is suddenly yours...could you reject the offer?
Can you resist temptation? Quote: The Final Battle!
Make your choice!
-Remain in the paradise of the illusory world...
-Notice (and post noticing) the false promise for what it is and reject it!
[Once this decision is made it is irreversible! There is NO going back!]
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Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2011 2:23 am
Minori Koroko There was no time to see who her attack had actually hit, before she had to move, avoiding stray spells here and there, her eyes falling on her brother, who had finally appeared, just to be greeted by the fused lightning and ice. She winced as she crashed against the floor, a deadly look sent to the winged shadow form that was Kazuma, before staggering up, using her weapon as support. It had been a stronger spell, just like the one the hooded, creepy figure had just used a few moments ago, and…the blond wasn’t sure she could take another one of those. She panted just slightly, gulping down, before moving forward once more, ready to send another light spell towards all the enemies, when something caught her attention from the corner of her eye. It was in that instant that three figures closed to Leon, stabbing their blades into him. “No!” She cursed under her breath, tightening the grip around her naginata. They needed to keep going; they needed to keep the Messiahs and Messengers busy, so the others could encounter whatever was waiting for them. Her reaction had been to slow though, when a gray flash appeared before her, the looming figure of Raiden glaring down at her. She couldn’t even try to defend herself when her weapon was snatched away from her and her feet were swept from the ground as hit the floor, letting out a startled and pained groan. It was in that instant that small crimson butterflies landed on each of the I. teamers; the most experienced ones changing into armor, their forms resembling Soji’s. So…they were doing well over there. She was glad. The blond, herself, felt a power surging through her, almost as if doors that were locked before opened, letting out a part of her that she wasn’t aware of. She heard a glass shattering noise, the figure of Airmeith hovering at the sea of her mind. ‘Thou art I…’ it seemed to coo, soft voice changing to a stronger one as a blinding light covered her persona, morphing into something completely new! A girl covered with regal cloaks, a determined look on her eyes, riding an eight legged, fierce boar. ‘And I am thou.’
A fire that hadn’t been there before, burned on green orbs, the cyborg’s words meant to sting not stopping her anymore. “Ngh… Shut up!” She didn’t have her weapon, but that didn’t mean she was completely useless. “I won’t let you harm my brother.” She pushed herself off the ground, just about to summon this new power when a flash of white and a red scarf dropkicked Raiden away from her. Minori jumped, taken aback by the sudden help, before a thankful nod and smile beamed towards Yosuke. She wouldn't lose any time though, and as the two armored members of the team closed in to the Messenger's second in command, the blond took her weapon which had been kicked a few steps away. "Right!" the girl answered the Prince of Junes's orders, taking another glance to Raiden before turning away to the rest of the battles. She took some steps back, trying to keep some distance from the battle so she could use just a few moments to read some weakness...some information on the enemies...Just, anything.
There were so many enemies though...Eyes shifted towards the dangerous roars spoken by her brother, frowning in concern as he engaged in battle with a masked figure. She furrowed her eyebrows, her shoulders tensing at the sight of the battle. The blond knew she should be providing support to the team, but... "Syr!" crushing the blue card on her hand, a light spell was sent towards her enemies. Hopefully she could help her teammates here in battle as well.
Quote: -Judgment of Light: High Light damage to All enemies. -Brisingamen-Magic Point Armor: Greatly increases magic power.
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Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2011 7:04 am
 Rednal Ak'ThiasRiches. Power. Fame. Women. Life. Happiness. Health. Visions of everything he had ever wanted, and there were quite a few of those, danced in the air in front of Rednal. It would be easy, so terribly easy, to listen to that voice and just reach out for it. Who wouldn't want to remain in a paradise of illusions? Even his own soul was attuned to such a thing... the landscape of his mind, Gensokyo, where dreams and desires quickly became reality, his vision of a playground where he could escape the troubles of the world. And even his Persona, the Dream Witch, was the very essence of temptation, of nightmares, of lies told to the universe. Slowly, Rednal's fingers trembled, as the hand making the offer was held out to him. So easy, so very easy. Who really cared if the happiness was an illusion? Life was something he was lucky to have at all, and why not spend all the time he had left happy? It wasn't really so bad, was it? ... No, it wasn't. The worries of his past had been mostly dealt with, and he'd suffered so much for the sake of the Investigation Team. He couldn't even remember how many times he, or those he cared about, had been attacked because of what he had become. The injuries he had sustained were almost terrifying in their quantity, and it would be wonderful to just end all of that. How much blood, how much bitter regret, did he owe the people who had given him these sorts of powers? Was it his place in life to be nothing more than a supporting character, somebody who held up another that got all of the fame and the glory? To be a punching bag for their enemies, always just shy of strong enough to win? What did he owe to anybody that his life should become little more than torment and fear that next time, next time he wouldn't be able to drag himself away or protect the people important to him from those who would do them harm? It was true. He wanted power... an enormous power, enough to make every enemy fall before him, whether shadows or deities, to crush them beneath him so that he would have no fear in life, only happiness. He deserved to be happy, didn't he? What kind of world was it where somebody could manage a small medical miracle living long enough to become an adult, only for their life to consist of pain and fear? Where was karma? Hadn't he suffered enough in this world, gone through enough darkness, that now he deserved to relax in the light? When all he had to do was sit back and allow that happiness to come to him? He wasn't as great, as powerful, as special as Soji was... but he should have been. Sweat poured down Rednal's side as he stood there, stuck in a choice that pitted his every desire against his will alone. No. You are not alone. Another voice whispered, and deep in the illusions of his mind, another girl appeared. This one was wearing a dress, neither simple or elaborate, but one that a girl, wanting to look nice for a day, might select from her wardrobe. Silvery hair hung down, unmoving, as she stood there before him. Without even moving, Yidhra was beside him, gently holding his hand with her own and keeping him from reaching out to Nyarlathotep. Slowly, she pressed the back of his hand to her forehead, then stared into her partner's eyes. Always, I am here with you. Without even moving, Yidhra was in front of Rednal, her hands holding the sides of his head. Rednal wasn't terribly surprised at that; his Persona was of the opinion that Euclidean Geometry (and, in fact, Non-Euclidean, too) was an amusing joke his species told, and she never really moved in ways that the universe was comfortable with. Which didn't stop him from looking right into her face as she drew closer, and closer, and- Madness. For just one instant, Yidhra showed herself as she really was, an Other infinitely foreign to the universe, and every barrier of will in Rednal's mind shattered instantly. It had been all but impossible to just hold his ground against the encroaching promises of the Crawling Chaos, when he so badly desired what was being offered, even if it was a lie... to simultaneously stand against the Dream Witch as well was an impossible task when faced with something so far outside of his comprehension that his brain was reduced to little more than screaming about how the universe didn't work that way! This was the being that he had accepted into his heart and soul, an entity of nightmares and chaos without pause or end, whose mere presence distorted the world and did freaky things to the laws of physics that would have scholars trying to study it jumping out of windows in their despair. The Crawling Chaos, instantly, vanished from Rednal's mind... because for that moment, there was nothing there to tempt. Nyarlathotep, Yidhra had judged, was too strong for Rednal to resist on his own, so it was his other half, the Other part of him that guarded his mind and soul, that had to reject him... and the madness vanished as Yidhra once more garbed herself in a form that was only mostly impossible, rather than completely, and Rednal collapsed to the ground. Yet Yidhra was there, too, unmoving but in a different place, and she caught his body as his brain spasmed, trying futilely to make some sort of sense out of what he had just seen. She smiled, then, reaching deep into herself to grasp the consciousness that had fled him. A most amusing child, you are, but I have use for you here. she chided, gently stroking his head as one of her many hair-mouths closed around his body, returning the pieces of his broken mind to where they belonged. He probably wasn't going to be quite the same, in the future, but that was all right, too. As she finished, Yidhra carefully pushed him upright even as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and stared at Nyarlathotep. Not this one, Ahtu. Nor Black Man, nor Black Pharaoh. The Black Wind, the Bloated Woman, the Crawling Mist, the Dweller in Darkness. Faceless God, Floating Horror, Haunter of the Dark, Howler in the Dark, L'rog'g, Mr. Skin, Shugoran, Thing in the Yellow Mask, White Man, NYARLATHOTEP! I care not which of your thousands of names you use, nor for the guise you wear on this world or the form in which you act. This one is mine, and you will not have him! For just a moment, terrible malice flowed out of the form of Rednal's Persona, and she vanished. I give you one last blessing... forget.Leaving behind a young man whose mind had been broken even more thoroughly than his body, and reassembled by an incarnation of insanity. His lips slowly moved. He couldn't quite remember what had happened, but something told him it might be best to avoid finding out. A part of his soul feared that he had stopped walking along the edge of the cliffs of madness and had intead jumped (or possibly been pushed) right off of them, into someplace he never, ever wanted to go again. "Kei... ra..." he held a hand to his pounding head. "Is it... over yet?" he whispered. Quote: Rednal has, with a bit of help from Yidhra, denied Nyarlathotep!
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Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2011 7:51 am
Faustus Necromonium, the Trappish Junior Don't Be fooled a voice rang out in Faust's head The boy stumbled in his step, falling to his knees. Immediately the other three surrounded him small looks of worry on their faces.
Are you okay? Maybe he has heat stroke He needs to get out of the sun. he heard as he sat in place, the girls grabbing at his arms.
However, as they tried to tug him up, they noticed he wasn't attempting to move at all.
"It's not real?" he called out, quietly to himself. The girls paused, Kusuri leaning down.
What's not real? she called, as the green haired figure looked up.
"This....this place. It's not real? Please...don't tell me..It's.." he called, as a pain rang out on the side of his head. The purple haired girl paused, before putting her forehead to his.
You don't seem like you have a fever.. she called, Faust flinching at the contact.
At his blink there was the silverette, Eoria instead.
Maybe I should give you my extra-special-Just-the-thing-for-getting-rid-of-heat-stroke-Ice Cream! she called with the childike glee as she smiled, the green haired boy pausing again.
"It...It's.. he called, quieter to himself as he felt a familiar warmth, and taste, as Eoria's lips met his, before shifting again to the pink haired girl he'd worked hard to fix, a familiar, yet increasingly foreign feeling.
Is this what you want? the girl called, the sunlight having been replaced with a dark, yet cozy room, the two having now been alone.
As he looked more closely, he was now wearing a tuxedo, while Yuno had been wearing a long white dress.
Yuno-chan has been waiting for this day for a long time, Faust. she called as she leaned against him, pressing herself into his arms again with a small, cute smile. Could you....Help Yuno get this bothersome dress off?
"It's not real." Faust called out loud, as Yuno blinked.
Huh? what do you mean? she called back in a sweet voice. However, Faust's expression shifted to a stern one again, and he backed up.
"It's not Real. None of this is!" he called. "This is like a sick game to you, isn't it?!
Faust~ You're saying some scary things. Please don't tell Yuno...
Faust went to respond, before clutching his head once more, it slowly wanting to cave under an enormus amount of pressure.
Don't.... he heard, before remembering Kusuri and the tower. You'd better come back alive.Simple words...but they felt like they were piercing his soul. He'd already won the fight with the others, hadn't he?
No.....Not yet. He could feel it inside him. They hadn't won yet.
Looking at the Yuno in front of him, he placed one hand on her cheek, holding it lightly.
"Goodbye......." he called, in a slightly sad tone as he teared up a bit, before Finalizing the acceptance of the Illusion, and it being nothing more.
Soon, he found himself in a black void, wiping away the tears that had formed, before looking back with a renewed purpose.
Alright, You just Crossed the Line! Faust called out into the emptiness. You'd better hope that I don't get the chance, cause I'm ready to beat the hell out of you for that.Quote: Faust has Denied the Crawling Chaos! -1 potiential Host.
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Hopeful Conversationalist
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Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2011 12:54 pm
Deceptive little toad. The gray fox's eye focused in on Leon was he reacted with unbelievable instinct to dodge the blow that would have paralyzed or even killed him outright. His movements were surprising but the broken blade showed no hint of hesitation even as Leon moved. His blade finished its path up Leon's back only leaving a trail of blood upon his skin. Unfortunate, but not a turning of the tide by any mean. Then the gray fox swung his blade back down to again try and snuff out the toad's life, but somehow he the clang of blades called out across the tower. The blade had jumped in the flash of an eye and stopped his strike. "You cannot win." The words were mechanical and confident, there was no doubt within the mind of the broken blade that his victory was assured. The crimson eye was not distracted by Leon's block for long and made good note of the foot being swung to knock him back. There was not enough time to dodge or attack with the sword at this point but he had another weapon which he had kept hidden. As the kick connected with his metal armored abdomen a sudden and surprising cracking sound could be heard through the air. From Yoshizo's left wrist smoke rose as the wrist mounted energy cannon let off the excess heat created by firing. As Leon had struck into Gray Fox's armor a powerful bolt of energy exploded against the shin that leon had balanced on. The kick had connected and connected well and had sent Yoshizo skidding back as Leon had intended. The force of the wrist shot was much heavier however and had created the most sickening crack when it impacted with Leon's shin. Gray fox raised his head to see what had happened. Had he snapped Leon's leg with the explosive force of his arm cannon or just cracked the bone and barely taken the better of the exchange.
Quote: Gray Fox Armor - Heat Riser High Frequency Katana - Sukukaja effect Reason of Shijima - cool down [1/3] Ludicrous Speed Debilitate - Speed Greatly decreased [4/4] Regenerate 2 - Recover 4% HP every turn in battle. Enviroment: The Tower of Demise, the shadow grows stronger. Physical Attack - Wrist Mounted Energy Cannon Blast to Leon's shin
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Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2011 3:55 pm
Leon Mori
For a moment Leon thought he had the Fox figured out, apparently not the case when he felt the shot hit his leg, "Agh!" He yelped in pain, falling down on one knee. checking the wound quickly, the bone was indeed cracked. "s**t..." at that point, his regeneration kicked in. While not enough at once to fully heal the bone, it was at least enough for Leon to put weight on it.
As he stood back up, a phrase sounded in his head as his persona card floated down in front of him.
He reached out and crushed the card, sounding off loudly, "Hell and Heaven!"
The persona, Razgriz, came into sight behind Leon, the dark, yet divine knight rasing it's lantern high above it's head, as a powerful almighty attack crashed down upon the Gray Fox. At the same time, sending a small healing wave over his allies. Quote: Demon Within {Reason: Yosuga] -Drastic physical strength and defence boost for 3 posts, with a 2 post cooldown. (2/2) Skill: Hell and Heaven - An high-powered almighty attack, dealing heavy damage to all foes and some healing to nearby allies - Focused on the Fox. Skill-Passive: Regenerate 3
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Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2011 5:24 pm
Divergent Timeline Dan Sekohara 
The sudden change was almost like waking up from a bad dream, one moment he was remembering the fight against the darkness and the next he was standing here, at a ceremony for the victory of that evil. Dan looked out over the crowd they were all fans, of his exploits. His story had been told throughout the country and in every house the name DAN MAN! had become a prayer to justice. He stood quietly next to Soji on the stage glancing to his greatest ally every so often and offering him a small smile. While he was the hero being honored today he knew that even he would not hav vanquished the darkness without the help of his friends. The sea of people was enormous and seemed almost as if it extended to the very reaches of the world out infront of him. With a smile Dan stepped to the alter and took the oversized key from the small town's mayor. "Thank you." He said as he shook the older man's hand and smiled before slipping past him to the podium.
The white haired savior put the key down on the podium and carefully adjusted the microphone, they had come to hear him speak and he wouldn't disappoint them. "I stand here before you all today because three years ago today my friends and I fought against all odds and I would like to take a moment to honor their strength in this town's darkest hour." Dan took a moment to let the works sink in that he was not the sole hero here and that relying on others did not make him or anyone else weak. "But being strong is not what makes me a hero." Dan's words seemed to hush the sea of fans as they tried to understand his words. His strength in the face of unbelievable adversity is what made him the explosive celebrity he was today so many fans had trouble understanding why he claimed that strength was not what made a hero. After a moment Dan leaned back towards the microphone and spoke again: "What makes a hero's strength is not a tough past or even magical powers. What makes someone a hero is having the courage to stand up even when all hope seems lost." Dan reached up and gripped the bottom of his mask between thumb and index finger. "You can all be like me someday, no matter what background you come from the choice to become a hero is on your shoulders." Dan spoke now not only to the crowd but to the cameras which were broadcasting his speech all around the country. Dan opened his mouth again when a thought caught in his mind. Why am I here alone... Dan eyed the rest of the stage, it was only he and Soji but... the rest of the team. A sudden realization hit the white haired hero. Their final battle had not been against Simon as he had thought. It was... something different, he should know he spilled blood and tears and fought with all his soul against that infernal creature.
Dan gripped the edge of his mask tighter and in one smooth motion removed it from his face. He was revealed, sparkling white beneath his black mask. This was not real, they had not won the battle yet and this... thing... this crawling darkness was trying to turn him against his foes. "I WILL NOT BE TEMPTED!" Dan's voice seemed to boom out into the crowd which slowly began to melt away into a jelly of pure black. The fire in his eyes returned brighter than ever as the walls of the illusion continued to melt into nothingness. A bright white light began to shine from Dan's chest as the blue persona card appeared spinning infront of him. With a swipe of Dan's mighty hammer the card shattered with the sound of shattering glass and as the darkness closed around him a call was made.
"DAN LANCE!"
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Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2011 10:16 pm
 ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ❛♚⊰ :KANJI TATSUMI.zero x neon YOU MESS WITH THE BULL, YOU GET THE HORNS!
It was hazy, groggy even; he didn’t know why he had awoken from a peaceful dream. Quite frankly he didn’t know anything that happened to this point; it was all just a headache to remember. It felt like one of those dreams that you know you had, but could not remember even if you were to try. The thought frustrated him to no end, it was even worse when he realized that someone was the cause of his wake; already he figured that it was his mother trying to get him up for some errand. The blurry vision was finally clearing up and his eyes gazed down upon the person who woke him, his girlfriend, Naoto Shirogane. When did she get into his room? Did they spend the night together? He just couldn’t remember, his mind was a complete blank and the attire Naoto was wearing wasn’t making it any better. There she was right beside him, in a white shirt, just a white shirt. Her skin gleamed with perfection, the sight was too much for Kanji to bear, he wasn’t worthy enough to look at her in such a way; his face burned red as he stared down. Eyes gave little glances towards her no matter how hard he tried to glue them down to his bed. Trying his best to not let her appearance bring out any immoral intentions he looked upon her face, brands of blue hair pushed aside, and a smile…her beautiful smile. Words could not be formed, he wasn’t exaggerating when he thought that he was staring at an angel, everything about Naoto made his heart burn away with passion; Love…he was in absolute love. Her voice called for him, showing compassion, gentle kindness, the same intimate feelings that Kanji was feeling for her.
He couldn’t keep her waiting any longer, even if he was groggy; Kanji went out of his bed and walked towards her. This all seem to perfect for him, there she was, his girlfriend, standing over there with a knitting machine. She was trying to make something, make what? Kanji did not know for sure, but she needed his help on it. He never figured Naoto to be the sewing type nor the type to ask for help, but that just showed how much she trusted him, how much she needed him and vice versa. Kanji, being the man that he was, would be more than willing to help the woman that he loved so. His hands gently placed themselves over hers and started to guide them. She was doing her best with whatever it was that she was making, Kanji had to make sure that this turn out to be a masterpiece; her masterpiece. His heart raced quickly as she began to snug up against him, her warmth was covering him comfortably, and her heart was beating at the same rate as his. His cheeks reddened even more, still, he rested his head upon hers to return her affections. “Say, Naoto. What exactly are you a making?” his curiosity was getting the best of him, he had to know what she was making even if it killed him. Naoto wouldn’t have it though, immediately declining to answer. Being cute as she was, Naoto digressed by saying, “'No chance. You know you're not supposed to look before the wedding,” Wait? Did she say wedding? The product in the making was a wedding dress? With closer inspection it was exactly that, did that mean? They were getting married…they were getting married. Looking down at her eyes, they shined with the love, they sparkled with the compassion. Kanji could only hold back the tears of happiness as of her words. She was willing to spend the rest of her life with him, and he was more than willing to do the same. He couldn’t have been happier…everything seemed to be unimportant. Everything….
“I…I can’t…” he said boldly, only to bop his head back in shock. Why did he say such a thing? This was what he wanted, to spend his life with the woman he loved. This was the right thing to do? Wasn’t it?...He wanted to apologize to her for saying such, but then something came into his head. A painful headache, the room began to tremble like static from a tv show. Just what was happening? With a loud cry of pain, Kanji could feel the memories coming back into him. The tower of Demise, the Crawling Chaos, Everyone getting hurt, the battle wasn’t over yet. Through his bond with Soji, he could see the man breaking through from his illusion immediately and head forward for the final battle. This was all a trick? Something to leave Kanji immobile, the man didn’t want to believe it personally. Everything was just how he wanted it, but he had to face reality…it was time to go. “I can’t Naoto….” he said. He stood up and went for the door, his girlfriend cried out for him, begging him to stay and change his mind. Kanji didn’t have any of it, he just continued to walk without looking back, and that was when Naoto lunged herself in front of the door. Again she begged for him to stay, she yelled that she loved him so, she didn’t want him to go, she wanted him to change his mind. Kanji froze as the tears ran down the girl’s face, “Please….please…” that was all she could say, any more words would be too painful. This prompt Kanji to go in and hug her tightly, he knew that she was an illusion, a trick made to stop him, but one thing was real; the love for her more than prove of that. “I can’t…the world is in danger…we need to fight….I need to help protect it…” a little tear ran down his face, his words were choking but held out, it hurt him so to say this to her…even if it had to be done, “I love you Naoto, remember that. Once this is all over, and when we live our years in peace. We’ll make the best damn wedding dress anyone had ever seen.” He smiled towards her, feeling a bit bitter and yet a little sweet in side. Naoto looked up towards him and smiled, arms wrapping around him, holding tightly. That was when the illusion vanished, there was no Naoto, no more wedding dress, just the fusion form of Kanji. “Alright you b*****d, ready for round two?!” he roared showing no fear as he prepared for the final battle. He had to fight till the end, for the world that he lived in, and for the woman that he loved.
Quote: Kanji has denied Crawling Chaos aka Someone is about to get bent
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Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2011 2:30 am
Yukiko Amagi “Minato…” she repeated softly, the care and infinite love on her voice sounding, in a sense, foreign to her ears. Still, her heart was filled with warmth very similar to how she felt whenever she spent time with the silverette that was now wrapping his strong arms around her...it made her heart soar, made her forget about any worry or wariness that might had invaded her before; though… it was completely different at the same time. The image of her small, precious boy sleeping soundly came to mind, a soft smile forming on her lips. That instant she knew that this was the life she had always wanted, the life she had carved alongside Soji, and that she was infinitely happy. She had her family, her town, her friends…she had him, and she knew she wouldn’t change this for anything in the world: not any single gaze or kiss…not any word exchanged, sigh or laugh. Soft fingertips moved over strong hands, caressing the back of his as she leaned into the hug, feeling that here, in his arms, was where she wanted to be. “My mother…always working harder than she should.” she said with a chuckle, her eyes lowering to their hands and the delicate band on both their ring fingers. “Though…” she continued, her voice low and loving as she turned around to face him, her arms wrapping around his neck, her head tilting slightly as her lips curled in a sly smile. “I have to thank her for this…” Her day off had been completely wonderful; soothing music, candlelit room, a relaxing bath. It had been great, even if she couldn’t quite recall when she had gotten to the springs, in the first place. She blamed the busy days and discarded the strange feeling in her stomach.
There was a peace inside of her mind, a peace that had resided inside of her since the vanishing of the darkness, since they had defeated the Crawling Chaos that haunted her beloved town and loved ones, and everything had ended. Their lives had returned to normal after that; she couldn’t remember much of the details, but she kept very special moments very well guarded on her heart. Flashes of these invaded her mind at the mention, almost as if they had just been revealed from a hidden corner of her mind or as if they were being written as she reached out to them further. The wedding had been a beautiful traditional ceremony, and it had been one of the best days of her life. She had taken over the inn, just like it had been said and appointed to her since she was younger…her thoughts were completely different from that time though. And…she had the silverette to thank. Days had been busy, only to get busier with the arrival of their first child. She was happy though, and this was what she dreamed of. Yes. Her life was perfect, she had everything she wanted, and it all came after they had struck down Nyarlathotep.
... ... ...
Only that, she couldn’t remember ever doing that. There were no memories of the end of the battle, just darkness and a blurry static that tried shaping into images for her to see. At the realization, the warmth irradiating from the body close to her seemed to diminish, and a sickening fear she couldn’t really understand sank into her stomach. “Soji…” she muttered, her voice echoing the foreboding on her heart. “…Do you remember our last battle?” Clouded eyes fell on her obsidian ones, a small crease on his eyebrows showing the confusion and concern by her sudden question and voice. His loving, confident smile came later though, along with an answer that radiated the same confidence and strength that had always portrayed him. She smiled back weakly, apologizing for the mood killer…but still…why didn’t it soothe her mind? Why couldn’t she just trust his words, blame it on the shocking experience that had been and the hectic days she had been having lately? “No…” she heard herself speak up suddenly, a weak whisper that grew into a stern, pained cry. “No we didn’t. We…we haven’t…” Her steps felt heavy as she placed distance between them, a magnetic force tempting her to return to those arms. A voice cooed into her ear, a voice promising the love and the future she had always wanted. His voice calling out to her, urging her to stay by his side. His hand reached out for hers, but as she shake her head in disbelief (and trying to dissipate the static noise that hadn’t gone away since she brought up the doubts), her own hand trembled, a fist curling as it pressed against her chest. To leave this life…the one she had thought wouldn’t change for anything, it was painfully difficult. She faltered, the pale hand hesitating to move and reach the one she loved. How simple would it be… How her life would be the dream she had always yearned for. ‘You will never have this if you turn back now…and you know it. Here and now…he loves you, he chose you.’ “I…” ‘Don’t be a fool… Wasn’t this what you wanted? What I wanted…’ “But it would all be a lie…” she answered to herself, watered wounded eyes turning to his handsome face, her heart ripping apart at the decision made.
“We always fought for the truth. We would always reach farther than our limit to do so! This time won’t be different. I…I won’t falter now!” Tears welled up on her eyes, but her look was resolute. Another step was made backwards before the whole scene in front of her cracked like a frail glass, shattering into pieces, leaving behind an infinite darkness. She couldn’t stop her shaking hands, the heavy breaths after such a difficult task…the emptiness that returned to her after such wonderful world (even if it was false) was snatched away from her. It had been cruel, but she had been stronger than it. And now they would all together defeat this thing once and for all! And they would shape their futures with their own hands. Quote: Yukiko has rejected the dream world woven by the Crawling Chaos!
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Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2011 1:26 pm
Yeah, it was totally awesome being the most wanted man since those dudes who created Godzilla with their nuclear dumping and got all of Tokyo trashed in that movie that Zeo totally starred in, but it was totally natural for him. After all, Zeo had lived his whole life inside of his carefully crafted illusion that he was the hottest, most desirable thing that could be considered god's gift to the ladies, so being a movie star only made sense when you put it in context. He walked down the red carpet and winked at every cute babe that passed, some of them totally squealing in delight on the spot, some fainting, some rushing the guards to try and steal a kiss from their blue-haired metallic hunk of super man (he had starred in that too, by the way, Superman...about the mild-mannered android boy who was actually a super android pimp hero named Zeo. He wrote the script.), but that was just another day in the life of the greatest pimp daddy that Inaba had ever seen. I mean, seriously! Running around with a babe on either arm, getting interviewed by hottie reporters, spouting out Ironman quotes as though they weren't totally breaking the fourth wall because there is an Ironman of sorts here but that's just somebody's shadow form but really Zeo was the only Ironman this Guild needs and AWWWW YEEEEAAAAHHH! Ahem, but anyways.
There was something strange, though. And when he reached the end of the red carpet it was already clear to Zeo what was going on here. He had enjoyed the walk this far, living the dream, but even as the illusion seemed to be giving him all that he wanted there was one glaring thing missing from all of this that just made it too obvious. "GIVE ME A BREAK, Nyarlamothingy! Not a SINGLE babe has slapped me yet!" he waved his arms flaily style, throwing a shaking fist into the air as though he were going to Falcon Punch the sky. And maybe he was. I wouldn't put it past him. "I may be the Hottest thing EVER, but even I know that winning over babes is more fun when the babes play hard to get!" He shook his fist more, then stopped to plant a big fat kiss on each of the babes on his arm because, really, why not? But then, he totally rejected this reality. After all, who needed a fake world where Zeo was a totally awesome pimp daddy when he was already a pimp daddy mac in the real world (in his own mind)? Quote: Zeo has broken the illusion. ...Seriously.
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Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2011 1:26 pm
Nyarlathotep, the Crawling Chaos
Soji Seta, Investigation Team Leader, and Rise Kujikawa, Investigation Team IdolHe couldn't say just how long time seemed to stretch out as he lay within the veil of darkness that Nyarlathotep's presence had laid upon his mind; he had proven that he could not be tempted by the Crawling Chaos and his niggling little illusions trying to creep into the corners of his mind, yet that did not free him from the ominous presence that lingered. It was a black sheet over their eyes, a pitch space in which they were all cast, all their minds lingering until the end of the final trial had come and passed. The others saw illusions of that which they wanted most, a world where everything that they could dream was within their grasp, a dark promise that everything would be real, everything they ever dreamed, if only they accepted that they wanted it now. Contrary to what they likely thought, the images weren't necessarily lies...they were promises, a potential path through the future given the proper circumstances. Nyarlathotep had the power to manipulate the human mind, the the human body, a presence in every human being that was immutable and at times, all-pervasive. If he wanted to deliver on a promise, he could give you the power...it was how he had tempted Tatsuya Suou, promising him the world in hushed whispers in the darkest, selfish corner of his slowly-breaking mind that he could restore the memories of his friends and that the world would be fine. He had promised that he could restore their power and they could be a team again, he and everyone, and Maya Amano most of all. In the darkness Soji could feel these things more than see them, his mind reaching out and pulling images of the nights that his peers, the Fools of Persona Teams Past as they fell one after the other into the net of darkness. He could see further back when Naoya Toudou began to distance himself from the people around him, when Maki Sonomura had gone her own way, his childhood friend finally walking down a path that was separate from his own. He could almost feel the blow to the boy's heart, the twisting feeling in his stomach, and even the soft voice of his girlfriend, an elegant woman with long black hair and laughing eyes (Elly he could see her name on his lips) wasn't enough to pull him away from the whisper in the back of his mind that grew louder and louder. Everything that he had fought for, everyone he had fought for, was slowly falling away from him...and by the time of the Seven Sisters Incident, when Tatsuya's story began, his mind was already possessed. He simply didn't know it. Thus, when Nyarlathotep was beaten and banished from the Earth, it wasn't into the void or the darkness that he escaped but into the very mind of the very first Fool...the boy who had become a persona-user, the persona-user who had become a man, the man who had fallen into darkness and become Simon Kongo...he could even see the power inside of his mind, the initial persona 'Seimon Kongoh', how it twisted and gave way to the shadows. And by the time he was fully gone under the influence of the Black Hand, he already knew his next target.
Flashes continued to roll through his mind as the time lingered on for what seemed like days, years even in the conscious mind of the silver-haired Senior, like a glimpse into the window of the past of this twisted thing that had tried to possess them all. Before his lidded eyes he could see a gray wall with the figure of a boy, a serene look on his face, standing tall and proud against a celestial backdrop, darkness pressing, slamming against one side of it as a thick black hand continued to reach out ever-so-slowly towards the face, long and massive fingers groping, feeling, reaching to try and tear down this wall, this Great Seal, but it was held back by something...it didn't have the strength to reach just yet. But there before the face of the boy he could see something, this red-winged thing hovering just before its eyes as though it had been lead here to speak to the boy but found him speechless and stone, unmoving where it had hoped to greet another toy to play with. It did not simply flee, however...instead, it reached out its long, clawed finger and touched the cheek of the stone boy in the great seal...a touch that seemed to leave just the tiniest of cracks in the otherwise infallible stone. It was so small, almost insignificant to the eyes...but at its creation the opposing sides of the oncoming darkness were driven into a frenzy, wild and hungry, fighting even harder than before to reach what lay on the other side. Between the two the great seal shuddered but remained sturdy, strong as it could have been. And yet the crack remained...a little bigger, perhaps? Soji could see it all, like a camera with a long-zoom lens getting ever-closer to the empty eyes of the stone figure. It went black suddenly, but even so he could have sworn he heard something just as the light went...it sounded something like a cry for help. 'Minato...' the name rang inside of his mind unbidden, the face that had been carved in the stone one that he had recognized after all...and now it was beginning to come together for him. This had been the Fool of the SEES team before he had been returned to this world, his soul cast in stone as the Great Seal that kept Death from the world and humanity's wish for death from reaching her ears. Nyarlathotep had been there...his spirit as potent as ever, and helpless as he had been, it hadn't been able to possess the boy...but it had worked mischief there as well, the way such a thing was wont to do. And on the images went, the mischief that had been done by this thing stretched on for ages, perhaps a torture of sorts for the Senior knowing that his friends were enduring the same temptation right now, somewhere inside of his impassible darkness, in their own minds. His clouded eyes drifted clothes as his body remained cast in an aimless drift, lips curling into a serene smile, a confident smile...Nyarlathotep might have been the crawling chaos, might have had all the images in the world to show his friends to try and lure them over to the dark side, but the one thing that he didn't have was their leader's faith in them. They had been through far, far too much together, run too great a distance and jumped far too many hurdles for any of them to stumble at the finish line now, not when they were so close to the end that they had scratched and clawed and cried and bled to achieve. Illusions would hold no sway over them, he was certain...he knew it, even in the center of chaos. He believed more than anything in his friends...
'NO!'
When the sound had come he couldn't say for certain, his eyes suddenly shooting open in the middle of drifting, the blackness all around him starting to rumble as though it were being broken apart at the foundations. It hardly made sense logically, but they were far beyond the point where logic could be the rule of things. He heard the voice again screaming inside the darkness... 'No! No! NO! NO! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!' it repeated, just enough times...loud enough to shake him down to the very bones inside of his body. And then suddenly, there was a sound like the breaking of a piece of glass...shattering, cracking, and the black veil far overhead was pierced with the slightest rays of light...white and golden, it cracked further, like a great rift tearing through the sky itself as pieces of the darkness crumbled and loosed and fell away all about the floor at his feet. And all around him overhead was the white light that banished away the shadows. It was brilliant, like peering straight into the eyes of heaven, but even as he raised a hand to block it out he couldn't keep from looking straight into the effervescent glow with a mixture of awe and tranquility dawning over him. His body rattled but his heart was filled with a sense of...peace. It was like a voice inside of his mind, reassuring and calm, that whatever test they had been put through...humanity had passed it with flying colors. Darkness was crumbling and drifting away on a sunlit breeze, the light growing blinding and beautiful, but just as it began to grow so brilliant that it blotted out his sight, there was a figure moving at the corner of his vision...something small...fluttering...a blue butterfly, glowing against the background...
And just like that, the glass and the illusion shattered.
Once more they stood in place on the very top of the Tower of Demise, the golden light of the Dark Hour moon hovering over their heads amidst the sickly green sky and dark clouds. Shoulder-to-shoulder, friends bound together as a last line of defense against a threat to the very core, the fundamental parts of humanity that made them so fallible and their lives so complex and beautiful. Swiftly glancing around him, Soji had to adjust his eyes to see them all clearly again in the dimmer lighting, but the soft smile on his lips as he saw each returned to him from their own personal Heaven and Hell with a haunted but stern look on their face after what they had seen. He saw Yukiko first and couldn't help but flinch at the pain in her eyes...his heart wondering what it was that she had seen, but he knew that her strength would carry her through it. They could talk about the rest later, when they had time. And then his eyes shifted to the orange-haired support specialist, and she smiled back at him weakly, though he could see the shaky edges at the corners of her lips, the glossy look in her eyes that made him want to find whoever had put it there and tear them to pieces with his own hands. Still, she was safe, and free for now...all would be paid for when this was finished. He grit his teeth and pushed his worries out of him, turning back to their enemy...the enemy of all man where it had been before them...but what had once been an abomination, an ever-changing body of shadows and evil that twisted and evolved with each threat they set against it, was now replaced by a thick black mist in the sky, energy that pulsated and whirred about inside of itself, shrinking and retracting with each passing moment...long black fingers that had reached out and touched them, invading their minds one last time were pulling back into its body now which was reducing and shrinking, growing dimmer and less dense, until it was barely the size of a basketball. Suddenly, there was another screech and with it there came a strike like a claw inside of their very minds! Incomprehensible sounds like a thousand tortured spirits crying out at once in all different voices and languages and pleas, but in an instant it was gone...and in a flash of black light, so too was the creature.
It was...empty, the space before them now. Nyarlathotep's spirit had been denied entry into their hearts and minds. They had driven back the darkness...maybe not forever, maybe not even for the last time in their lives, as his chaotic presence was still a part of all of them just waiting to be given enough strength to rise again...but with all its power and cunning it had stood before them...and it was defeated.
The Investigation Team had won.
"It's...gone..." the low voice of the team's support specialist broke the silence after a few moments, her persona no longer able to sense the presence of the chaotic force anywhere around them. She searched and searched but there was nothing...and then, feeling the weight suddenly lifted...the oppressive force that had been upon them ever since they entered the TV...she felt her lips curl into a beaming smile...tears forming at the corners of her eyes in utter relief. "Senpai...you did it...you guys really won!" It was all she could do not to jump into the air and throw her fist in excitement, cheering in celebration for what they had accomplished; everything felt...better, now, relief was washing over them all. Moving slowly across the obsidian floor, she found herself drifting closer to the Investigation Team and the silver-haired leader in his white jacket and half-broken mask who stood staring off into the darkness as though he were entranced. But rather than entranced, he was thoughtful...reverent in thought that humanity could come so very close to the edge and pull itself from the darkness time and time over. And despite all the images he had seen, all the courage and the strength and the weakness...there were none that he found more impressive than the people that he turned around to see a moment later, his clouded eyes filling with a mixture of pride and relief and happiness...until he heard a laughter nearby that reminded him that they hadn't been alone atop this tower. Their fight against Nyarlathotep had been a necessary step, but there was someone else who had climbed the floors of Tartarus in search of something...in search of a body. Turning sharply, he raised his weapon in the direction of the laughter's source, an amber-eyed, pale-skinned abomination that seemed to be watching the whole affair with no small level of amusement. His laughter was low and melodious and creepy, the type which made the hairs on the back of your neck stand on edge. But in the face of the devil the Investigation Team still stood firm, exhausted, but firm...if they had taken down the Crawling Chaos, then the Serpent of Lore would be no match, either.
"Hmm hmm...hahahahahahaha!" he laughed openly, the sound filling the air atop the tower as he watched them with his arms folded lazily at his stomach, long, violet tongue slipping over his lips to wet them like some sort of ravenous predator...and from the gaze in his eyes it might not have been far from the truth. Instantly Soji felt his swords rise and his eyes fill with determination in spite of their exhaustion, power sparking to life inside of him as he prepared for the next round. But rather than put on-guard, the serpent seemed only to be amused by their sudden reaction, their remembrance of his presence here at the end of their journey. "Ohh...such a cold greeting. I only wished to congratulate you," his deep, cajoling voice seemed to smirk at them in condescension, though he made no move to provoke them further, "to defeat an enemy like that...you're in possession of quite a bit of strength, aren't you? That's quite a body you have...so unique..." And for a second his eyes betrayed his desire, his want to have what belonged to his enemy, To own the power that had defeated him once and made him into the abomination of power and ambition that he was now. It instantly set his enemy on-guard, but his laughter only redoubled, his lips thinning a bit. "Well then...are you going to attack? If you have the strength left to defeat me, then go ahead..." he asked tauntingly, challengingly...only to laugh a little more, all-too-amused and pleased with himself for any of this to be good. And yet...his next words were a surprise, nonetheless. "Just kidding," his lips curled jokingly, "...after all, for me, this was only a test. It's the same for both of us really...I defeated Simon Kongo...you defeated his puppeteer. It seems that we're the only two left standing at the top..." There was an evil, knowing glint in his eye as he slowly slid his hand into his hakama, setting the Investigation Team immediately on-guard. Dragging his two swords along one another, they sparked to life with golden energy...his Fission Swords. But rather than drawing a weapon of his own to counter, the snake only drew from within a thin fan, which he snapped open casually and waved a few times in front of his face...before turning his wrist over and motioning behind the team.
'Don't get me wrong...I'd love to stay and play with you. And to take what will one day soon be mine. But in case you haven't noticed," he smirked, his feet suddenly seeming to meld into the very tower itself as he suddenly sunk down into the obsidian surface, pulling him into and away from the Investigation team. Still, his voice echoed with that arrogant, condescending air that made him so frustrating...but it was his words that were the most ominous of all. "the situation has changed. I'll be seeing you all again very soon..." His amber eyes faded into the tower with the rest of them, his self-amused chuckle all that was left behind.
"And we'll be ready..."
And then it was just the Investigation Team again, alone. They stood huddled together atop this spike of onyx and twisted architecture high in the Dark Hour sky with their eyes now freed from the threat of the Serpent to look around at one another and finally, catch their breath. This was...really the end of the biggest threat to the town, wasn't it? Orochi-Hetero had promised his own bit of mischief, but somehow the Senior didn't feel all that nervous when he thought about what he and his friends had accomplished here tonight, together. The Tower of Demise...the Crawling Chaos...the Black Messiahs...they had won. They had won. His soft smile curled as he turned back to his team to see the relief in their eyes, their smiles growing as the realization dawned. Summoning the last of his strength, he cast a little healing upon all of them to relieve what little damage they had taken after the full restore of his Aeon Genesis, and then dismissed from his body the white jacket, broken mask, and sheathed his weapons in a smooth, tired movement. After all, Aeon Genesis did not work the same way for him as it did for his allies. It didn't matter, though...he had all the time he would need to recover. Simon, the TV World, the darkness itself was slowly lifting. No matter how many times he repeated it it just didn't feel real but...it was over.
And yet...even as the small celebration began in earnest, there was something unusual. He couldn't put his finger on it right away, but it should have been obvious. No, he knew what it was...his clouded eyes suddenly reflected a bit of understanding as he looked over his teammates, not at any one of them in particular but all at once, his team. He had entered this battle expecting to die. To use his soul to seal away the darkness, just the way that Minato had more than two years earlier. Here he was, though...living, breathing, smiling.
This was the power of teamwork, wasn't it? This was the strength that they had forged, together...
"It's over..." Quote: Through the power of your hearts, you have rejected the false temptations of the Crawling Chaos and denied him rebirth!
The Final Battle is over...you have defeated Nyarlathotep!!! Quote: The New Black Messengers are withdrawing!
The Black Messiahs have lost their leader! They are breaking away from the fight!
The rest of the Investigation Team may now proceed to the top of the Tower to meet with their friends! Quote: Loot forthcoming! You must post at least one more time at the very top of the Tower to be eligible!
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