2025-07-26: Battle Royale

• Log: Battle Royale
• Cast: Crossroads Bar, Fuuka Yamagishi, Yukari Takeba, Shinjiro Aragaki, Myunghon Yeo, Reiya Aomori, Ririka Kawase, Minako Arisato, Suzume Fukura, Shizuka Kuroki, Eikichi Mishina, Hitomi Mandai, Remi Ryuuja, Umie Akabane, Akihiko Sanada, Tyler Gould, Mitsuru Kirijo, Julian Marlowe, Eriko Kirishima, Moriko Kumamoto, Yanagi Nagisa, Pernelle, Minato Arisato, Koh Katsuhiro
• Where:
• OOC Date: July 26, 2025
• IC Date: June 15, 2012
• Summary: Various groups, including SEES, have infiltrated Gekkoukan in order to track down the mystery of Fuuka Yamagishi -- or just to investigate the mysteries of Tartarus. They come together, here, as the Full Moon Shadows of the Empress and the Emperor attack the lobby of Tartarus itself. This is a combat scene suitable for anyone with reasons to enter Tartarus during the Dark Hour.

---

<Pose Tracker> Crossroads Bar has posed.

    OST: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcyWZ0zalMI Persona 3 Reload - Master of Tartarus

    The Empress and Emperor Shadows come in through the front door. They are massive, resembling armored royal figures, with fringed pauldrons for the gentleman's cloak and a ruffled blouse and cape tied to her bracelets for the lady. The Emporer bears a cross about his chest; the Empress wears a dozen necklaces, about her thin and elegant neck.

    They are Arcana Shadows, different to anything most of you have faced. They are titanic -- earth-shattering -- and seemingly invincible. There's no way to figure out how to hurt them; even an attack which strikes true is resisted, the next time it's launched. Junpei is really in over his head, trying to protect Ririka and hold the line, down here... which is why it's lucky some of you had to flee Arqa early.

    If you received the 'Withdraw' condition in the preceding Monad, you've been down here, fighting alongside Junpei, holding the Shadows off. You've seen that they change their elemental alignments by the second; you know how invincible they are.

    On the other hand, if you received the 'Passage' or 'Revelation' conditions in the preceding Monad, you've only just arrived, hurrying down with Fuuka in tow...

    ... to see the way Junpei's Persona, Hermes, knocks down the Emperor and his sword. It's time enough for the people who have just arrived to throw in attacks of their own -- and time enough for the defenders to cry out to them that it won't work.

    It is this arena Fuuka walks into. She's able to see the way the Empress and Emperor re-align their affinities, swirling lights above them which collapse into them and give them the strength they need to rise again. (Just as they have the first time, and the second -- the third, the fourth...)

    The way the Shadows rise is unnatural to man. They do not push themselves from the ground, but rather seem to be lifted, pulled upright as if puppets in a play. Though Junpei lifts his Evoker to his head and fires, this time, Herme's fire doesn't slow the Emperor a whit. "Damn... it stopped working again?!" Junpei exclaims, as the Emperor brings his sword down on Hermes -- and though Hermes crosses his wing-blades to defend against it, the Empress knocks Hermes aside, freeing the Emperor to punch Junpei back into the stairs.

    But...

    ... Shadows aren't the only things, which can walk in through the front door.

    Natsuki Moriyama is the girl who locked Fuuka in the gym closet, ten days ago. A bully and a rebel leading a girl gang in Gekkoukan, a lover of ganguro fashion, a girl with a family life she doesn't like to discuss... Minato told her what Fuuka said to him, that day, when they ran into each other. He said... Fuuka wanted to apologise. Hearing that, Natsuki was crushed by her own guilt, called to the Void with the need to apologise to Fuuka. She bears no Persona -- she has no protection from the enervation of this time, this place.

    Her steps sway, her eyes glassy. Still, she moves forward. Step, by, step, by step, by...

    "Fuu...ka..."

    No matter your cries, she keeps walking forward, slumped and weary. She doesn't even acknowledge the way the Empress and Emperor turn to her, the weakest target in the room. It's Fuuka who is brave enough to run to her, though the Empress's sceptre crashes down, almost crushing her for her efforts.

    Natsuki sways to her knees, seeing her. "Fuu..ka?" Red light flashes, in her eyes, as the Void calls to her. The reason for her despair, it's -- "I... I had to apologise to you!" Tears well in her eyes, and she cries, yobisute, "I'm sorry, Fuuka... I'm sorry..."

AS: Crossroads Bar has readied for combat as Emperor and Empress! They is now fully healed! Ready for 18 opponents!
Moriko Kumamoto has arrived from Historia: The White Chronicle.

AS: Moriko Kumamoto has readied for combat as Otohime Gitsune! She is now fully healed!
AS: Koh Katsuhiro has readied for combat as Zagreus! He is now fully healed!
AS: Crossroads Bar has readied for combat with Emperor and Empress! They is adjusted! Ready for 19 opponents!
AS: Minako Arisato has readied for combat as Linos! She is now fully healed!
AS: Eriko Kirishima has readied for combat as Nike! She is now fully healed!
AS: Yukari Takeba has readied for combat as Io! She is now fully healed!

<Pose Tracker> Fuuka Yamagishi has posed.

'Where am I? Why am I here?' 'Please, answer me...' 'Is someone there?'

Those who have made their way through Tartarus in search of Fuuka Yamagishi have heard this voice calling out to them - though unresponsive to any attempts to call back. Perhaps they can't hear her - or perhaps they can't understand her(though some have certainly tried, unbeknownst to her - forgive her, she's very new at this). And now, as they draw close...

"Who's there? Are you... human?" She calls out. But there won't be time for much else - because not long after that her eyes wide open, as if struck by a sudden fear.

"What is this...? It's bigger than the others, and... it's attacking people!" Fuuka gasps out.

It serves as a cue to hurry - and as everyone with her arrives in the main hall of Tartarus by teleporter, they'll see why. Two giant Shadows, which have been fighting the base team for some time...

Her eyes are drawn to the two Shadows. They tower over everything, they tower over her, and - they turn away. They turn toward...

"Moriyama-san!" Fuuka calls out, as Natsuki sways through the doors of Tartarus, drawn by the Void. She's frozen for a moment, looking back to the others, then back to Natsuki - and then something sets in her mind and she runs, with more energy than she's had the entire duration of her stay in Tartarus. The scepter crashes down behind her, the sheer force of the impact nearly bowling her over - but though she stumbles, she keeps running to her. And as Natsuki falls to her knees, Fuuka lowers herself to her knees, putting her hands on her shoulders.

"Run!" She calls out to her - but Natsuki says she wanted to apologize to her. She does apologize to her, tears in her eyes.

"Moriyama-san..." Fuuka murmurs... and then, shaking her head, she smiles softly. For a moment, she rests her forehead against hers, crying along with her...

And then as she hears, as she feels the crashing footsteps of the Shadows behind her Fuuka stands to her full height, turning to face them. She draws someone's spare Evoker, her expression set with determination.

And if someone tries to warn her that it isn't a weapon -

"I know."

She shuts her eyes, and, her hand shaking, she presses the barrel against her head.

She knows it isn't a weapon. She knows that, but -

She draws in a breath. pulls the trigger...

...And the word 'Persona' leaves her lips, subconsciously.

The sound of breaking glass echoes throughout the room. It feels like she's breaking, too. Breaking apart... but she pulls herself together.

She wants to live. She wants Natsuki to live, too - and everyone who risked their lives for her sake... So many people - many of them who would never have even heard of Fuuka Yamagishi before this.

She opens her eyes - glowing a brilliant blue, as the broken glass swirls around her... and erupts outward, pushing the Emperor and Empress back.

And when it clears - she and Natsuki both have become enveloped in a transparent glass sphere. Attached to this is the upper body of a shadowy blonde-haired woman in a long pink dress, partially covering the sphere and secured in place by golden bands, meeting in the center in a way that gives it the appearance of an eye. She looms protectively over Fuuka and Natsuki, as Fuuka focuses on the Shadows.

Her vision is much clearer, now. She can see the aura swirling around them. Where it was distinct before, she can see their nature much more clearly, now - her eyes, and Lucia's eyes, one and the same, piercing them to the core.

"...I can see them..." Fuuka murmurs. She tries to think of how best to word it - how to communicate it in terms they'll understand. "Try elemental attacks again... I think they'll work! I'll keep you updated when their affinity changes!"

She pauses for a moment, and adds -

"I think they'll be resistant to physical attacks... And... light and darkness." She concludes.

AS: Fuuka Yamagishi has readied for combat as Lucia! She is now fully healed!
AS: Persona! Fuuka Yamagishi has used the Almighty skill Full Analysis on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Fuuka Yamagishi's turn has ended.
AS: Shinjiro Aragaki has readied for combat as Castor! He is now fully healed!
AS: Take! Crossroads Bar takes 0 Almighty damage from Fuuka Yamagishi's Full Analysis.
AS: Fuuka Yamagishi's Strength Scan! Crossroads Bar resists Pierce, Slash, Strike, Light, and Dark!
AS: Fuuka Yamagishi's Weakness Scan! Crossroads Bar is weak against Fire, Water, Elec, Earth, and Wind!
AS: Fuuka Yamagishi's Support Scan! Crossroads Bar has passive skills Ailment Boost, Momentum, Slash Boost, and Water
Boost!

<Pose Tracker> Yukari Takeba has posed.

Minako was the one that called attention to it first in their group. The Full Moon. Again, same as that night he saved her. Same as that night in the Monorail. Weird occurrences - voices in their heads. Two girls unconscious.

It all led to a singular conclusion.

Hurry HURRY!

They'd found Fuuka, the operation was supposed to be a success. No matter how slim she thought their chances were before. It was a success!

Nobody had died.

Running down the steps with the others, she spies, "No! Junpei!" Junpei being knocked away, even as Yukari runs down the stairs, veering off to the left as she nears the bottom, to his side, as she takes a knee.

And places the Evoker in her hand to her head.

"Get away from him!"

She pulls the trigger. It gets easier and easier, the one thing she never wanted. Something rises out of her subconscious like so many bubbles, before the barrier fractures and the effigy of a girl, bound by chains to a bull, with a coffin like interior to where she rests arises.

And so too do the winds, slamming into the Emperor and Empress in shredding bursts, trying to push them back away... ineffectively.

"Hey, stay with me." She tells him, guarding him bodily. She still doesn't want to die... but she also doesn't want anyone else to die.

Her Evoker rises to her head again, as she looks past the Shadows and- her finger falters on the trigger with what she sees.

"Moriyama-san?" The bully, the bully she witnessed bragging in regards to making Fuuka look like she wanted to cry. The one who locked her in the gym...

"Hey! Get back!" As her eyes go wide at the Empress raising the Scepter, and comes down, a near miss. Panic wells in her throat.

Seeing her walking like this, she doesn't know the spell she's under, even if her mind made the connections before, it just doesn't in this moment.

"Run away! Hurry! Worry about apologizing later." She shouts, before murmuring, "Besides... that's not nearly enough." Yukari said, with a stab of spite.

Natsuki did all that to this girl and very nearly got her killed tonight. If it were Yukari, she'd never forgive her.

And Fuuka runs through, "Huh!? WAIT!" She calls out to her, as she watches the two and there's a bitter look of... disdain? Jealousy? It's hard to say what she feels.

Fuuka draws the Evoker and her eyes go wide, but- for once, she doesn't call for someone to stop, to think about it. Right now... it may be the only option for Fuuka and Natsuki to survive this.

And the only sacrifice is that she can no longer look away.

She marvels at Fuuka's Persona, surprised at it's form, "She's... inside her?" Yukari says, surprised by that, having never seen a Persona quite like that, as Fuuka calls out for-!

"But - it didn't do anything before...?" Yukari says skeptically of using the elements, before jolting the Evoker upright, and pulling the trigger again rather than arguing.

And the winds rise, at Fuuka's advice - showing that indeed...

"... She was right." Yukari replies, shocked by this outcome.

AS: Persona! Yukari Takeba has used the Wind skill Magaru on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Yukari Takeba's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.

Shinjiro Aragaki did not make it to Fuuka. Fatigued after a long day of getting threatened by yakuza, getting separated from his group in Tartarus, getting attacked by Shadows, and eventually forced to take a teleporter, he's still fighting.

An axe swings into an Arcana Shadow as he supports Junpei, who he once helped after getting punched in the gut. He hopes Akihiko and Mitsuru don't notice him in the crowd of people (who is he kidding, of course they did), though they'll definitely hear him.

"Stay the fuck down! Goddamnit!"

But as the others make it down, Shinjiro tries to call out at them. "Don't-"

It's too late. But... Fuuka, with the help of that girl, does something impressive she can never walk away from.

"Good thing I got one of those Skill Cards today..." he says as she suggests a method of taking them down. "You alright...?!"

Normally, he'd strike again, with the axe, since Castor's never been good at magic, but anything that can do damage here is useful, so...!

For the second time in two years, Shinjiro draws his Evoker, bought from Strega, setting it against his temple. It's still shaky. It still feels... wrong.

But to get everyone out of here alive, he has to make a sacrifice.

"PERSONA!"

The spear-impaled skeletal man on the hobby unicorn arises, blasting a ball of fire from his horse's horn straight at the enemy Arcana Shadow!

<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.

    Myunghon is here on account of being snuck in by one (1) White Mask Yumi, who is totally not her best friend Yua Ooshiro. Tsurugi and Shinobu were also here, but they've become split away from them in the interim, due to what appears to be the scents of wonderful deep-fried anago. Or perhaps kabayaki unagi? It's hard to tell. Scent isn't their Thing at all.

    What Myunghon is doing *now*, of course, is fending off Shadows with a young boy from SEES in a cap that they've never seen before -- they've never encountered Shadows of this nature, and they don't seem to stop at anything they throw at them. "All right, Junpei-kun! I'll cover you, so you just hold the line! Shinjiro-ssi, let's do this!"

    Haaaah. When they meet Takeba again, they're going to complain about how Tatsumi is way weirder than Sumaru. Sumaru doesn't have weird towers that exist during the Dark Hour that play with your brain and longing and also throw invincible Shadows at you! You take 'Sumaru Girls are weird' back! Your back yard's way weirder!

    There's a grimace as the Emperor scores a clean hit on Junpei and knocks him back, however, but--

    But then there's a Gekkoukan girl walking in. Shoot, why is someone wandering in right now?! It's dangerous! But it's Fuuka -- is that the missing girl Chikarin talked about? -- is the one that's brave enough to rush by her side. There's a grimace from Myunghon as they try to lunge to be at the ready to protect, but it's Fuuka that ends up surprising them, as they draw the Evoker--

    I know.

    Resonance pulses around Myunghon, as the sound of breaking glass shatters through the lobby. A Persona has risen, enveloping them in a glass sphere. An enormous, resonant, resplendent Persona. Another has awakened... and it makes sense now -- what they were hearing before wasn't Tartarus playing with their minds. It was Fuuka hersef. And though Myunghon considers themself Resonant, what this girl has is far more than that. They're able to analyse those Shadows in the blink of an eye...?!

    "All right. Elements, then," Myunghon draws at their cloak and tightens their collar. "Kudlak!"

    The inky-black figure of Kudlak rises from the Rumourmonger in a column of resplendent Blue, and in a swift thrust of his palm, he blasts the nearest of the Emperor or Empress with a line of electricity, the scent of ozone filling the air. Courtesy of a Skill Card.

AS: Persona! Myunghon Yeo has used the Elec skill Zio on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Myunghon Yeo's turn has ended.
AS: Persona! Shinjiro Aragaki has used the Fire skill Agi on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Shinjiro Aragaki's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Reiya Aomori has posed.

It has been a long night already. Tartarus's heights are not for the faint of heart, and ending up there alone (if briefly) was an experience Reiya Aomori is not eager to repeat. But they found their objective. They have almost finished the mission. It's just a matter of getting her out safe...

Or so he thought. Reiya makes it down and sees Junpei strike. He is heartened at first--whatever this battle is, Junpei is doing well. Until... he isn't.

"No!" Reiya calls in alarm. But that isn't even the beginning of the trouble, and Reiya immediately fans into the room, darting across the hall, careful to stay out of immediate melee range.

His eyes widen as he sees Natsuki--and Fuuka going to her.

"Yamagishi-san!" But he is not fast enough to reach her--though she does pull an Evoker that someone had. She pulls it, and... knows what to do.

He watches solemnly as she summons her Persona for the first time, committing the sight to memory. Somehow, it seems important. All the more because he realizes--"This power--"

Fuuka can see them. Reiya kneels down next to Junpei with Yukari, as Fuuka calls out her instructions. "Stay back," he advises. "It is our turn to take over." He pulls his Evoker and, from the ground, lifts it to the side of his head. He closes his eyes--and fires. Kunimitsu appears, dressed in dark blue with light armor--the ninja Persona whirls in place, and extends his mantle over Junpei.

"Now!" Reiya calls. "Kunimitsu! Weaken their defenses!"

He fires again, and empowers his Persona, which makes intricate gestures with spectral hands--

And light shines down upon the Emperor.

AS: Persona! Reiya Aomori has used the Almighty skill Rakunda on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Reiya Aomori's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.

EARLIER

Ririka sits in her dorm room, on her knees, before a small table. There is a framed photo of a boy that might be about her age, dressed in a kendo attire and holding a shinai--the same shinai that hangs on her wall above her desk.

She has her eyes closed, hands clapsed together as a curl of incense wafts up into the air.

Presently, she opens her eyes. "... Wish me luck, nii-chan." She reaches out to snuff out the stick of incense, then rises and grabs her katana.

NOW

It'd started when the Dark Hour hit, the strange twist of the supernatural turning everything dark and green. She winced, holding the side of her head, static filling her senses. "H-hey, I've got... k-kind of a bad feeling about this..."

It only got worse a moment later after those two Arcana bust in through the front doors. She tried to pull the Evoker from its holster but her shaky hand dropped it, and she instead clutched her head. She dropped to her knees, and now she's a liability for Junpei and the others fighting.

<Pose Tracker> Minako Arisato has posed.

Minako Arisato, with her group, rushes in with those who had been inside Tartarus. The mission had gone sideways -- but it hadn't failed. And Fuuka Yamagishi is still alive. There is a chance. The redhead runs forward, her naginata drawn. She looks a little tired already, from their rather harrowing venture through this place.

But her footsteps slow as she sees the Emperor and Empress rising forth -- and Junpei's cry. Their attacks aren't working.

And the doors open, for Natsuki. She walks, as if in a trance. Minako's eyes widen. "Stop!" But she isn't listening. "Someone, stop her! It's too dangerous!"

She won't listen.

Minako's head whirls towards Fuuka. "Yamagishi-san! We--we came to save you!" she cries out. "Just--just get back, we can handle--"

Fuuka grabs for an Evoker. Minako sucks in a gasp -- and then she smiles, as her Persona erupts around her -- shielding her -- and then her eyes narrow. She nods. "You heard her, SEES!" the co-leader -- the one here -- yells. "Go for elemental attacks! Iori-kun, get back!"

She draws out her own Evoker. The not-weapon spins in her hand; then it comes to her temple. She pulls the trigger -- blue light and glass explode out the side of her head, as the harp-donning form of Linos takes shape behind her. Both hands are thrust out, ahead of Minako, as her red eyes blaze.

"Linos!"

A blast of blue-white nuclear flame forms, exploding across the Empress Shadow with a powerful burst of energy. Then, she blinks -- her eyes shifting to the side. She stares for a moment, at Shinjiro.

When did--

AS: Persona! Minako Arisato has used the Fire skill Frei on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Minako Arisato's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Suzume Fukura has posed.

At least one of the SEES squads made to Fuuka with time to spare, if only a bare few moments: Yukari, Minako, Hitomi... and Suzume.

Suzume, who has managed to put her foot in her mouth even harder than usual (and has since thought of three better things to say, none of which she has managed to get out to Yukari - not even the one that starts with 'sorry') is very glad to have something new to focus on - and something positive, at that. Fuuka's alive!

"Yamagishi!" Suzume calls. "It's Fukura, from class!" She swings her bag in front of her while the group makes their escape, digging out several items: a bottle of Gatorade, a BauerBar (guaranteed to keep you going for 24 hours!), a granola bar with chocolate chips. She is adept at jogging while rummaging through her bag, having done it plenty of times before as she waits as long as possible to get somewhere in school.

"Thought you might need those," she says, passing over whatever's desired. She tries to at least push the Gatorade on her though.

But, Shadows bigger than the others...

They certainly are, she thinks, looking up (and up, and up) at the paired Shadows. This is Suzume's first trip deep into Tartarus but she's been to see the entrance before, and she's pretty sure they weren't supposed to get in here -

"Hey, don't run off!"

Suzume wasn't expecting Fuuka to take off *again*, right to Natsuki, who she also recognizes from class even though the two barely talk to each other. (But that's true for her and Fuuka, too...) But of all the things Suzume wasn't expecting, Fuuka's own Persona is high on the list. It's so *different* than Atalanta, or any of the others...

But she gives a sudden fierce grin. Right, she thinks. She can fight now.

Suzume pulls out her own Evoker - and nearly drops it again. "Beanie-san?" she calls, surprised - but not that surprised. Didn't he say he used to be...? Of course he'd've heard. "...I'll back you guys up." Not just Shinjiro, but Yukari... and the rest of SEES. He must have kept his Evoker, she thinks, not knowing any better. Good for him.

"ATALANTA!"

Suzume fires the Evoker - and Atalanta, a blonde woman in a short tunic with a lionskin cloak that her hair blends into, green cats' eyes, and a bow mounted on her bracer - appears. She brings up her hand as if to fire the bow, but what forms in it isn't an arrow but a dart of wind; when she fires, it *lances* out, accelerating far faster than Suzume's usual Garu and half-blasting, half-slicing.

AS: Persona! Suzume Fukura has used the Wind skill Wind Cutter on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Suzume Fukura's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Shizuka Kuroki has posed.

      "Aw crap, not this again! As if the monorail wasn't bad enough!" Shizuka recalls the Priestess from the month before, rushing down the stairs in the entrance hall to Tartarus, nearly tripping with a yelp. "Pei-kun, we're here!"
 
      "Fuuka, get back! We'll..." As she reaches the bottom, pulling out her Evoker, she gasps as Fuuka... gets a Persona! "Well, never mind. It's like a Persona bargain sale lately, I swear!"
 
      Listening to the analysis, Shizuka spins the Evoker in her hand (clumsily, but she's been practicing) and sticks it under her chin. "Elemental, got it! GALATEA!" She fires, her statuesque protector appearing behind her.
 
      "Let's rock!"
 
      She snickers as Galatea brings a barrage of rocks down on the two Shadows.

AS: Persona! Shizuka Kuroki has used the Earth skill Landslide on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Shizuka Kuroki's turn has ended.
AS: Crossroads Bar has readied for combat with Emperor and Empress! They is adjusted! Ready for 20 opponents!
AS: Akihiko Sanada has readied for combat as Polydeuces! He is now fully healed!

<Pose Tracker> Eikichi Mishina has posed.

Eikichi is seriously tired walking around Tartarus. The blue haired punk has been on the move with his party, looking for the girl who was lost in this place. The more time that passes, the more Eikichi is convinced that Fuuka has to be a Boss in the making or one tough person.

 It has only gotten worse once they found the main hall and the pair of Arcana Shadows showed up. The Death Boss of Kasu clicks his tongue as he continues to fire his "guitar case" on the pair of enemies.

"Anyone want to explain what the hell is going on?!" Eikichi fires again and again, grinding his teeth has he is being backed toward a wall.

"Guess its time to use my secret power." Eikichi groans as he lets his guitar case sling back, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Its time. Come to me! Rhadamanthus!"

 The Death Boss snaps his fingers, feeling the power crackle as a mechanical form begins to manifest behind Eikichi.

"I thought I was freaking special but apparently everyone is summoning these ghost things. Doesn't matter! Lets do this!"

Rhadamanthus's mechanical form whirrs and rumbles like an idling motorcycle as it pauses for Eikichi to do something. He snaps his fingers again and the mechanical form charges up and unleashes a torrent of water toward the Emperor Shadow.

AS: Persona! Eikichi Mishina has used the Water skill Aqua on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Eikichi Mishina's turn has ended.
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 101 Wind damage from Yukari Takeba's Magaru. Weak!
AS: Haze added!
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 79 Elec damage from Myunghon Yeo's Zio. Weak!
AS: Paralyze added!
AS: Myunghon Yeo gains 1 Limit from Schadenfreude!
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 71 Fire damage from Shinjiro Aragaki's Agi. Weak!
AS: Haze added!
AS: Take! Crossroads Bar takes 0 Almighty damage from Reiya Aomori's Rakunda.
AS: Def_Dn added!
AS: Reiya Aomori gains 1 Limit from Schadenfreude!
AS: Block Neutral! Crossroads Bar takes 92 Fire damage from Minako Arisato's Frei. Weak!
AS: Blast added! Paralyze removed! Explosion! 45 damage!
AS: Block Best! Crossroads Bar takes 93 Wind damage from Suzume Fukura's Wind Cutter. Weak!
AS: Blast added!
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 98 Earth damage from Shizuka Kuroki's Landslide. Weak!
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 104 Water damage from Eikichi Mishina's Aqua. Weak!
AS: Blast removed! Explosion! 40 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Hitomi Mandai has posed.

 
During the journey upwards, Hitomi Mandai didn't have a good time.

Obviously, you do not usually have a good time in Tartarus. Frankly, it would be strange if you did. But it was unusually unsavory. There were Shadows, bad enough in their own right -- distortions of the journey, separation from the others. A dozen terrors, absorbed because there was no choice. And of course they had to keep going upstairs, setting off various simmering pots of self-loathing within Hitomi as she sweated and panted for breath.

Yet then they find Fuuka. Fuuka calls out to them. In fear, not in pain.

Hitomi, behind her glasses, tears up for a few moments. She blows it off; blows her nose on a tissue in the pack in her pocket - and calls back, "Yes! Yamagishi! We're here for you!"

Nobody's dead.

DOWN! Which at least is easier, no matter what. Gravity works in your favor! (Terms and conditions apply.) Once they do reach the bottom, simple aerobic fatigue catches up with Hitomi - she wheezes for breath, panting openly as her eyes rest on the Emperor and the Empress. And as she does, her shoulders... relax.

She straightens up. Her face tightens up. 'Ugh,' thinks the tall girl. 'Why am I...?' The reaction to the Shadows confounds her, already slapping into the shoals of anxiety and self loathing. She swallows dryly before she sees Fuuka... struggle... and...

            blam

Hitomi's lips twitch for a moment. She straightens up. Her mouth hangs slightly open, before her lips curl up and she rests one hand heavily on her hip, over the open Evoker holster -- now empty. Handed, in fact, to Fuuka. Perhaps it was just blind interlocking reactions. Maybe it was -Fate.-

"You're a natural," Hitomi says, before hiccuping and -- paradoxically -- giggling, just for a moment, before she palms her face. (Oh my god, she thinks to herself, am I losing my mind. What the *fuck*.) But then another deep breath and she rolls her head back and says, "... if that's what you say... Tyche!" She brings up her hand with a flourish, as if directing a concert. The Persona rises above her in a luminous glow of cerulean blue, the stone figure gazing down upon the Emperor and Empress with that all-encompassing focus of an unpainted statue.

"Light 'em up," and that's when a half-dozen streaks of fire erupt outwards, bursting into colorful starbursts when they hit the Shadows! ... or, the ground; thankfully, not towards anyone else.

("What the shit?" Hitomi answers Suzume, at the spotting of Beanie-san.)

AS: Persona! Hitomi Mandai has used the Fire skill Agilao on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Hitomi Mandai's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Remi Ryuuja has posed.

Remi was here, too--though not in the guise of herself, but as 'Tsurugi', a woman in form-fitting black fencing gear, complete with a black fencing mask... and, naturally, a rapier.

But also an off-hand dagger and, seemingly, a gun on her thight.

She came here with Myunghon, Yua--as Yumi--and Shinobu. Where the latter two got to she isn't sure, but she is, paradoxically, by Myunghon's side as if Ebisu Beach hand't happened at all.

Must be a coincidence.

She is relentless, though, throwing herself at the Shadows again and again, attacking in tandem with her Persona, an androgynous figure in a red leather straightjacket wielding a rapier through a too-long sleeve. She seems to shrug off blows, continuously rallying for another assault.

There is a small turn of her head as she hears the oh-so-familiar sound of shattering glass. That girl... Elemental attacks... She nods, silently, drawing that revolver and putting it to her head. It can't be an Evoker--it's dark gray, and a revolver. But she puts it to her head. "Persona."

Shattering glass and blue flames swirl as La Maupin resurges in strength. In unison both Remi and La Maupin raise their rapiers, touching their points together. Blue flames surge along each, conveying the sense of wind.

And in tandem they both charge in, striking with coordinated, wind-blessed blade strikes.

AS: Tandem! Remi Ryuuja has used the Wind skill Blastbrand on Crossroads Bar! 3 Hits!
AS: Remi Ryuuja's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.

    The young woman who gave her name as 'Badb' has been having a rough night. Her cheap plastic mask is cracked beyond repair, and sweat's getting in her eyes as she tries to keep behind her party (being Shinjiro, 'Vesper', and Eikichi). Is _this_ what people like Yukari and Junpei deal with on a regular basis?

    "Nothing's working!" Umie yells at the newcomers. "They're immune to a lot of what I can throw at them. Dark attacks worked once, but the damn things keep changing it up!! All we've been doing is delaying things!"

    At least that girl is safe. Fuuka, is it? Relief briefly brings Umie's exposed lips to smile, before she focuses back on the fight.

    "... Screw it, I can't see like this!" With a frustrated cry, she rips it off and to the side, revealing the grimacing face of Umie Akabane, though, it's not as if she had been doing a great job with her identity up to that point. Can't worry about your identity when you're *dead*. She draws her bangs back from her forehead. "Don't sell yourself short, Mishina-san; I'll be meat paste by now if you weren't in front."

    Another voice catches Umie's attention, coming from the opposite door where the Shadows came from. Umie panicks. "Shit! That girl! She's not supposed to be here! Someone grab her!"
    
    Even if Umie decided to use that, it'd be useless now--

    'I know.'

    "...?!" Umie's head pivots towards Fuuka as a new resonance unveils itself, revealing a certain sort of strength Umie's only been familiar with in passing. "... She can..." Her own abilities couldn't reveal that much about an enemy; it's always been trial and error.

    Now isn't the time for awe. "Alright." She lets out a breath. "Come to me, Badb! We're turning the battle in our favor!" A spray of water erupts from the manifestation of the red-mouthed woman in dark grey over Umie's head. Skill card go go go!

<Pose Tracker> Akihiko Sanada has posed.

    Akihiko is hot on the tails of Minako's group, sprinting down the stairs and into the main lobby of Tartarus. He gauges the situation and while while the situation seems rough, it could certainly be worse. He almost trips down the stairs as he sees his old friend there.

    "Shinji?!" He exclaims as he arrives on the bottom floor. There isn't much time to talk however, as Fuuka seems safe and belts out weaknesses - and the co-leader yells her commands. "You got it, Arisato-san!" He replies as he slides to a stop.

    He grabs his Envoker. It's a smooth motion that results in him pointing it at his temple, upside down. "Polydeuces, to me!" Akihiko yells as he pulls the trigger. Not one to pull punches, he stuffs his Envoker back into his holster and sends himself flying towards the huge Personas, his fists empowered with electric energies. One-two, into a harder stinger. "How do you like that?!"

AS: That attack doesn't seem to match one on your list.
AS: Persona! Umie Akabane has used the Water skill Aqua on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Umie Akabane's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Tyler Gould has posed.

Though his own introduction (re-introduction?) to this paranormal side of the world was only very recently, there are few more willing to dive headfirst into the unknown as transfer student Tyler Gould.

By no means has he been the best equipped. In lieu of a proper weapon to take into the fight, he just happened to collect a fist-sized rock that inhabits his hand.

Granted, it's only there to break glass in case of emergencies, as going mano-a-mano with these things is never the American's preferred option.

It's been a raging battle so far -- he's been one of those fighting for a while, among faces familiar and strange alike. Everyone seemeed to *know* what to do. The shadows were the enemy. The living, not so much.

The arrival of Fuuka and Natsumi, from opposing directions is most certainly noticed. The way everything else is nearly ignored to come together. The way she draws that Evoker (it didn't come from him this time, Yukari!) and uses it without hesitation...

...and the rather... unique result that protects the pair of girls within the shell of the lost girl's Persona.

Is he happy that Houdini keeps the chains away from him? ... it's debatable. It would certainly be a cool look. Ultimately, though, he suspects that it'd be hard to see, so. As-is seems like the best way for him to work with his.

"No physical..." No problem, there. "No light or dark?" Noted.

Why is he following her lead? Well, she seems to know what she's talking about, from the looks of it, she's probably more experienced at this side of life than he is -- plus Minako backed up the order. That's more than enough on its own.

"You heard her, Houdini. Freeze 'em." comes the monotone voice, blue eyes staring at his foes from behind those purple lenses.

Tyler's hand moves without hesitation, the barrel of the gun to the side of his head. The trigger pulled, the sound of glass shattering clouding everything for a moment...

...and then the ice comes roaring in, shards of frozen 'glass' flying through the air from the chained magician's 'cocoon' directly at the offending shadows. As more and more join the fray, he's working his way towards the rear of the group, slinging those spells all the while. Some are clearly stronger, others might need close quarters for their combat. Though, he makes a point of stopping in front of the fallen Ririka upon noticing her. If she's already out of this fight... then he'll at least try to play human shield to keep her *alive*.

AS: Persona! Tyler Gould has used the Water skill Bufula on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Tyler Gould's turn has ended.
AS: Tandem! Akihiko Sanada has used the Elec skill Polydeuces, to me! on Crossroads Bar! 2 Hits!
AS: Akihiko Sanada's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Mitsuru Kirijo has posed.

"PENTHESILEA!"

It's a roar of command that echoes across the ground floor of Tartarus that announces the rapid approach of Mitsuru Kirijo from Arqa's depths. Icy wrath coalesces from the moisture of the air, expanding into crystalline pillars of ice that seek to spear through the twin Arcana Shadows.

Mitsuru Kirijo announces her presence with unflinching violence. Capitalize on any opening: that's what her experience has overwhelmingly taught her about the Dark Hour.

... Unfortunately...

These Arcana Shadows are so much different from the generic monstrosities they've faced in the streets, and even in Tartarus itself.

Dark red eyes widen as Mitsuru watches all that ice shatter harmlessly against the implacable duo-behemoths. She stifles a gasp; a shocked stare soon becomes a narrow-eyed glare of severity as the situation rapidly becomes clear to her -- and why Iori and the others had been struggling so much.

Her brows furrow. She reaches out. She tries her hardest--

"Dammit," she exhales beneath her breath, "why--?!"

--and yet, she can't grasp onto the shape of them to save herself -- to save the others.

Is this really her limit? Is she really this weak--?

Frustration grips its white-hot, smoldering grip on her heart by the time she sees Fuuka standing to face the Shadows. Fuuka, the girl Akihiko met in the hospital. Fuuka, the girl who managed to survive so long in -Tartarus-. Fuuka--

--gripping an Evoker in her hand.

"..."

Red lips pull into a thin line, but Mitsuru does not stop Fuuka nor try to warn her. She just--

Persona

--waits to see what unfolds.

It's a gamble, in and of itself. She feels like she shouldn't be letting one of her juniors, unacquainted with the this world, place themselves in such immediate danger. But what more can she do, in this situation?

And in the end? ... That gamble pays off far better than it has any right to.

Fuuka's Persona blooms into its great, radiant majesty, and -envelops- her. And within her shimmering field, she sees -- sees far more than Mitsuru ever could have. Mitsuru blinks, taking a step forward.

"A Navigator--?" she begins. A true Navigator. And a -powerful- one. Fuuka can see the weaknesses of the Shadows. Moreover -- she can see them -shifting-. It isn't that the Arcana Shadows are completely invulnerable, it's just...

Despite herself, Mitsuru closes her eyes, a confident, cool smile returning to her lips as things fall into place.

"... D'accord. We're depending on you, Yamagishi-san."

Dark red eyes narrow. In rapid motion, Mitsuru unlatches her evoker's holster and quickdraws it, bringing it to her forehead even as she announces their new marching orders:

"Everyone who can utilize elemental attacks -- target the Shadows! Do not give them an ounce of mercy! Everyone else, keep Yamagishi-san and the others safe! Be prepared -- our tactics will have to adapt dynamically with these foes!"

Point. Click.

A thousandfold explosion of shattering blue glass.

"Come and face me, Shadows! COME FORTH! PENTHESILEA!"

And the noble shroud of Penthesilea surges forth, rapier pointed at the Shadows as a black-purple ripple of magic spawns around them, forming void-spheres of deep inky blackness to seep into their defenses and further weaken them for the sake of her allies. Her... allies...

There are so many people here. How? Some of them are very clearly not SEES. She supposes she shouldn't look a gift horse--

--in the--

PERSONA!

--mouth--?

"--Aragaki?!"

Mitsuru's eyes widen.

To her credit -- she's much too composed and dignified a young woman to belt out surprised swears.

But it's VERY TEMPTING.

<Pose Tracker> Julian Marlowe has posed.

Julian Marlowe, naturally, isn't here. Why would Kasugayama's English teacher be here? Dark Hour aside, this isn't even his school. There is, however, a mysterious masked man in a fancy suit who's been doing his best to hold off the Shadows, ever since arriving here from a teleporter in the company of Shinjiro, Eikichi and Umie. Vesper, a self-proclaimed Supernatural Investigator had been looking into Fuuka's disappearance on his own accord - his meeting with the others had been entirely coincidental. Or so he claimed.

But that's not important right now. What matters right now are the giant, seemingly invincible Shadows. That being that case, he stopped using his Persona offensively and focused on protective auras for his fellow combatants, in an effort to keep everyone standing longer. But this was obviously a losing battle. Everyone was getting tired. There seemed to be little hope. Until, thankfully, the cavalry arrives, and with them--

He had not gotten to see Fuuka Yamagishi yet, but it's clear enough who she is from the circumstances. For a moment, it appears as if the entire rescue operation will prove to be for naught with the Shadows bearing down on her and the one she sought to protect, however...

"...Of course. Now I see," he mumbles to himself, when Fuuka summons her Persona. If she was able to make her voice heard like that, it only stands to reason she, too, had to have some sort of supernatural ability. Lucky for all of them, the exact type of ability they needed right now. In spite of it all, he lets out a laugh.

"It appears our rescuee has become the rescuer! What good fortune! In that case...!"

His normal attack options defended against, he'll have to hope that these Skill Cards are all they're cracked up to be. A hand to his stark white mask, now aglow with blue flames, Vesper exclaims, "Time for our literal trump card! RAFFLES!"

His Persona - essentially a giant cricket player in a fancy coat and an iron mask, with inky black tendrils for limbs on his right side - appears behind him, raising the diamond tipped cane in his left hand, then waving it outward, sending out a lightning bolt towards the Shadows before him.

AS: Persona! Julian Marlowe has used the Elec skill Zio on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Julian Marlowe's turn has ended.
AS: Persona! Mitsuru Kirijo has used the Almighty skill Pulinpa on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Mitsuru Kirijo's turn has ended.
AS: Block Best! Crossroads Bar takes 102 Fire damage from Hitomi Mandai's Agilao. Weak!
AS: Take! Crossroads Bar takes 0 Almighty damage from Mitsuru Kirijo's Pulinpa.
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 41 Wind damage from Remi Ryuuja's Blastbrand. Weak!
AS: Block Neutral! Crossroads Bar takes 51 Wind damage from Remi Ryuuja's Blastbrand. Critical Hit! Weak!
AS: Remi Ryuuja gains 1 Limit from Momentum!
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 56 Wind damage from Remi Ryuuja's Blastbrand. Critical Hit! Weak!
AS: Remi Ryuuja gains 1 Limit from Momentum!
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 79 Water damage from Umie Akabane's Aqua. Weak!
AS: Paralyze added!
AS: Umie Akabane gains 1 Limit from Schadenfreude!
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 198 Water damage from Tyler Gould's Bufula. Critical Hit! Weak!
AS: Bind added!
AS: Block Best! Crossroads Bar takes 60 Elec damage from Akihiko Sanada's Polydeuces, to me!. Weak!
AS: Block Neutral! Crossroads Bar takes 66 Elec damage from Akihiko Sanada's Polydeuces, to me!. Weak!
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 85 Elec damage from Julian Marlowe's Zio. Weak!

<Pose Tracker> Eriko Kirishima has posed.

    Sometimes, following after rumours outside of Sumaru gets you nothing but a wasted evening. Nonetheless, this one had intrigued Eriko Kirishima enough to catch one of the last trains into Tatsumi Port Island that evening. She *had* planned to contact a certain RA at Iwatodai Dorm about it, but then changed her mind.

    And she was so glad she had! A whole new maze of the supernatural, floors shifting every time you moved up or down the stairs, fascinating and horrible new demon-like entities! A golden hand she may have gotten a little caught up in trying to chase down! Fascinating, foreboding architecture! And the voices crying for help! Ahhh, a perfect haunted tower of the damned!

    Still, she wasn't totally lost in her reverie, and when she heard the sounds of fighting downstairs, she ran towards it.

    And that's why there's a model from magazines and local TV amongst those holding down the fort against the shadows, Epee drawn and an air of enthusiasm around her that only grew as the massive shadows showed up.

    Even the fact that they were so difficult to pin down and hurt was worrying, certainly, there was a giddiness from being around so many Persona Users against a threat again. It reminded her of highschool!

    Still, hearing someone (Eikichi) complaining about being special reminds Eriko of her first adventure too. "It is a touch disappointing, isn't it?" She calls, even in the throng. "Still, isn't it wonderful to see so many different Persona at once?" The 'wonderful' is said in perfect American English.

    Still, a sustained fight is hard, even for a Veteran Persona user like herself. Especially when the enemy is seemingly invulnerable to their attacks- and then someone, the boy with the sword- is sent flying by a strike from the Empress. That's... not good.

    But so too comes the cavalry, and Eriko looks up briefly at the summoned Persona- "Oh my! The patron saint of the blind! How beautiful!"

    Eriko is now really the time?

    Now, however, it seems it is time to push back. "Nike!" She shouts, the Angel of Victory rising from her with a wave of her left hand, the right maintaining her guard with her Epee. "Come to me!" The armless angel with the wings of a jet flies upward, and releases a gale of wind from it's engines, a slightly manic smile on Eriko appearing as she does.

    God, she missed this.

AS: Persona! Eriko Kirishima has used the Wind skill Magaru on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Eriko Kirishima's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Moriko Kumamoto has posed.

Moriko's the new girl. Probably literally at this point. And any attempts to disuade her, probably met with the same level of success as getting in her face on the bridge had. She hadn't even managed to visit the shop yet. The idea of gearing up for this had been interesting, but she'd missed out on the chance. Probably inavertantly. That's a later problem. She may or may not have grabbed a mop and unscrewed the head though. Good enough for now!
 
 Besides, they handed her an Evoker.
 
 She didn't know Reiya had been in on this and when he looks her way, she gives him a proper mean scowl, points to him. Then points to her eyes and back to him. She'll have words later clearly! He'd definitely know the difference between her usual look and actually angry!
 
 Probably.
 
 They've got their marching orders though and her focus shifts, both to the giant shadows and the person doing their best to help despite it all going sideways.
 
 She gives a.. somewhere between an acknowledging wave and a salute, draws the evoker in a cross draw and holds it to her jaw, head tilted to the side just a touch. "Persona." She keeps it simple. She's still learning and doesn't want to accidentally invoke the wrong evocation and break something.
 
 It's somehow a familiar feeling. Staring down that kind of horror. Even if she doesn't go as fast as some, trying to take a bike to its upper limits.
 
 The fox appears with the sound of shattering glass, turning on the spot and lunging forward into the ground where an earthen spike rumbles away, then juts forth all sharp and jagged edges.
 
 "Do you guys always ride by the seat of your pants?" She can't help, but feel that planning or not, this is more on the spot improv than she'd have expected.
 
 She likes it.

AS: Persona! Moriko Kumamoto has used the Earth skill Magna on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Moriko Kumamoto's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Yanagi Nagisa has posed.

    "Oh my!"
    
    An effusive young woman's voice sounds in the stillness of the Dark Hour from atop a building not far from Tartarus. Long, sunset-pink hair sways over a long-trained skirt that circles sturdy, supportive thigh-high boots. Steadied by a long cane in her left hand, she smiles in the direction of the so-called Tower of Ruin.
    
    "Pernelle, something truly wonderful has happened!" The speaker turns to her companion, her eyes greener than the night shining brighter than the moon. "Someone in that enormous tower has just awakened to their power!"
    
    There have been two of these strange, abnormally powerful Shadows in this area recently already. This young woman had noticed a surge of power in this area last month and the month before, and had come with her companion to investigate this, the third time...
    
    But she hadn't anticipated this.
    
    How exciting this outing is already turning out to be!
    
    "Shall we get closer and have a better look?" she suggests, lips curved as if in a joke. And it is a joke--that is, the idea that she would have to ask. She already knows how her friend will respond.
    
    And so, off they go.

<Pose Tracker> Pernelle has posed.

"Is it so, dearest Yanagi? How exhilarating!" exclaims the woman's companion -- Pernelle -- a striking peacock-like creature in that he is almost certainly a peacock, but with his expressive face, ability to speak, and animated articulation suggesting he is quite more than just a peacock.

That, and his dapper outfit. Upon his head sits fashionably tattered tricorne with one of his own (his own!) train feathers adorning it, accompanied by a matching indigo vest that wraps around his frame. He's even got a fluffy little ascot scarf bundled at his throat.

He hops up to her side, twisting his head at one angle and then another as he squints through the orange-tinted glasses that rest upon his beak. He does not have the level of resonance of his companion, but there are still plenty of fireworks to observe even from this distance. A story of deliverance! A story of forgiveness! And so many companions together, facing up against the Shadows... fighting with such invigorating passion and purpose!

"Well, well, well, you perceptive little peachick. Welcome to the waking world... to what ends shall you wield the strength of your soul...?"

Pernelle pops his head up to regard Yanagi with her inquiry, his feathers ruffling in barely contained glee as he gives her a devilishly impish smile.

"We will take but the itsiest, bitsiest sort of peek, I should think. Reconnaissance! Terribly responsible of us. Painfully responsible. None have ever witnessed such commitment to accountability for our actions and decisions."

He spins on his talon and begins hurrying along with a buoyant bounce to his steps.

"... Anything that transpires after that is, of course, an unforeseen consequence for which present parties cannot be blamed!"

AS: Remi Ryuuja spends Limit on Shift! Myunghon Yeo can use another Weak skill this round!

<Pose Tracker> Crossroads Bar has posed.

    "Fuuka?" Natsuki asks, slumped behind her, as she stands. "What are you planning to do...?" Something of her own will to live is sparked back to life by Fuuka's regard, as she cries: "Let's run away!"

    Horrifically, impossibly, Fuuka turns the gun -- it must be a gun, looks just like a gun, no matter what those people are saying -- on herself. "Don't!" She screams, stabbed through with the horror of where it ends, all her needling and poking and laughing...

    Except it doesn't end, like that.

    Fuuka doesn't want to die. She wants to live.

    Natsuki finds herself protected, then, in an impossible bell jar -- no, a girl, a girl's prayer for connection rather than her alienation from the world.

    "Fuuka..." she echoes, again, looking up to her.

    This girl she's made so miserable... is saving her life. Oh, she knows it's not enough, Yukari. That's why...

    Magaru echoes out across the Empress and Emperor, knocking them to the side and causing them to turn back to the group. She's caught their attention...!!

    Shinjiro would normally struggle with this aspect terribly -- but luckily, he has a Skill Card to help him attack, and Agi burns at the Empress's cape. (It shimmers back into existence, a moment later, but it still burned.) Myunghon sells Skill Cards, so it's no wonder they, too, have one on hand, as Kudlak calls down the spark of Zio onto the Emperor in the same breath. The Empress spreads her arms, and Mabufu wraps around them both!

    Reiya, seeing the way the lumbering giants brace under these assaults, cuts through their defences with Rakunda. It isn't an elemental attack, so they turn, shifting back and forth as if looking at each other in confusion... no, they were just winding up their weapons. The Empress's sceptre comes down on Yukari, as the Emperor's sword swings down onto Reiya!

    Linos takes the lead -- where is Minato, anyway? -- as Minako calls down nuclear fire on the Empress, burning her cape away again. (It shimmers back, AGAIN. Honestly. No respect for a woman's finery.) Suzume is here to help support her, with snacks to help the people who've been fighting get their second wind. Speaking of second winds: Yukari's not the only one approaching this fight with gust-o. (... where is the Chairman when things like this are happening, anyway?) Atalanta is fast enough that she'd never come in second place, though, her windy arrow piercing through the middle of Emperor's cross as if it were a bullseye. The Empress lifts her sceptre, and slams it in between the two of them!

    The Chairman's greatest ally in puns, Shizuka, brings the landslide down on the Empress and the Emperor. The stones knock the Emperor's pauldrons askew, though this, too, rights itself as it rises again. Eikichi, who is having, just, the WORST day, is still here to help -- his own strange ghost from the... well, not machine, Eikichi is a person, how weird would it be if a robot had a Persona? -- anyway, the Emperor has no sooner righted itself that it's knocked down again, courtesy Rhadamanthus. The Empress blasts both of them with electricity to punish their insolence!

    Hitomi has more fire for the Empress, though, before she can really get moving. Remi -- Tsurugi -- meanwhile, has another good reason to keep these Shadows busy: Yumi's fleeing into the night, somewhere past that front door. Perhaps she went to get help; it won't arrive in time. Right now it's Tsurugi's time, as she slices and dices the Empress alongside her Persona. The Emperor slashes his blade down on her in retribution, as the gust from his blade assaults Hitomi!

    Umie unmasks herself, and Badb invokes her own skill card with a watery blast for the Emperor. Akihiko isn't about to go down without a fight, and so he and Polydeuces attack as one, with electrical fists slamming for the Emperor's cross. It's blasted back into the Empress, and both of them orient on the two of them, with the Empress slamming her sceptre towards Akihiko and the Emperor slashing his sword at Umie.

    Tyler's efforts to protect Ririka are interrupted, though -- because the Empress felt the chill of Bufula, and orients on him in its rage! Swinging its sceptre towards him, she knocks him towards Mitsuru, as her own Persona freezes the Emperor. Did -- did that Shadow just use Tyler as a weapon? That's gotta be a party foul!

    Julian -- no, the mysterious investigator Vesper -- pulls out his trump card, which is, as it happens, another skill card. Was someone selling these to everyone?! MYUNGHON! The Empress is zapped down again, just in time for Nike to come in and really rub her mask in the dirt. And the Emperor, at that, because he's knocked down by the same breeze; Nike's Garu game is evidently very strong, for some reason. They're not down for long, though, as they pick themselves up, and the Empress calls down fire on them both!

    The new girl, meanwhile, is a bit ginger with her evocation -- but Moriko's Persona emerges regardless, as a fox rumbles in over the Empress to try and keep it off of them. She turns, then, to smash her sceptre down on Moriko.

    But the Emperor shadow has lifted his sword, too -- and it's coming down, right for Fuuka...

<Pose Tracker> Minato Arisato has posed.

    SEES - Boy's Dormitory

    A boy holds his Evoker in his hand, staring mildly down at it. If there's a little sadness in his expression, maybe it's just the green cast to the room.

    "Hi there," says a voice which wasn't there, a moment prior.

    Minato looks up, and sees a boy, dressed in the white and black stripes of a prisoner. "What?" He asks, lowering his hands to his lap. He isn't surprised to see him. He's rarely surprised, anyway.

    "It looks like your teammates have found the girl. Good for them. After all, her abilities are something that you guys need right now." As the boy tells Minato this, his lips part, but he makes no effort to speak but a grunt. He blinks, instead.

    The boy lifts his head, his bright blue eyes looking into Minato as he smiles brightly to him. "Are you sure you shouldn't go?" He asks, supportively.

    "I don't know," Minato says, looking down.

    That boy sighs, as he points out: "... even though the other girl has gone there?"

    "...?" Minato vocalises, as he looks up him, his dull eyes widening just a touch.

    But the boy is gone.

    Minato fearlessly ascends the girl's staircase, though no boys are to ascend past that point, to check the room he heard them put Natsuki in. ... she's gone.

    When he walks back down, though, someone else isn't. Someone who heard him open the door, walk outside...

    BABY BABY BABY BABY BABY

    OST: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6q6pDC6Mas Persona 3 Reload - Mass Destruction

    The sound of a motorcycle -- the MOTOR of a MOTORCYCLE! -- revs, echoing throughout Tartarus's vast atrium, as the Emperor's sword comes down.

    And who is driving it but Koh Katsuhiro, helpful friend and notorious ladies' man?!

    Behind him, Minato Arisato holds on with one hand. The other lifts his Evoker, as he yells: "PERSONA!"

    Orpheus rises up, behind them, bringing his lyre around to crash into the Emperor's sword before it can reach Fuuka and Lucia. Once the motorcycle's skid to a halt, he vaults off of it, eyes casting over the situation. The group has gathered... but there are people here without Personas. Minako can't fight freely with so many innocent people at risk, can she?

    "I'll protect them," he promises her -- and them, as he runs to interpose himself in front of Ririka and Fuuka and Natsuki both. "You focus on the battle!"

AS: Block Best! Crossroads Bar takes 73 Wind damage from Eriko Kirishima's Magaru. Weak!
AS: Haze added! Bind removed! Explosion! 40 damage!
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 104 Earth damage from Moriko Kumamoto's Magna. Weak!
AS: Bind added! Haze removed! Explosion! 40 damage!
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Strike skill Assault Dive on Yukari Takeba! 2 Hits!
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Slash skill Straight Slash on Reiya Aomori!
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Water skill Mabufu on Shinjiro Aragaki and Myunghon Yeo!
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Strike skill Twinkle Punch on Mitsuru Kirijo and Suzume Fukura!
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Elec skill Mazio on Eikichi Mishina and Shizuka Kuroki!
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Wind skill Garula on Hitomi Mandai!
AS: Weapon! Crossroads Bar has used the Strike skill Shadow Punch on Akihiko Sanada!
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Slash skill Straight Slash on Umie Akabane!
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Strike skill Twinkle Punch on Tyler Gould and Mitsuru Kirijo!
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Fire skill Maragi on Julian Marlowe and Eriko Kirishima!
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Strike skill Assault Dive on Moriko Kumamoto! 2 Hits!
AS: Crossroads Bar: Bind and Paralyze removed!
AS: Crossroads Bar's turn has ended.
AS: Counter Worst! Myunghon Yeo takes 76 Water damage from Crossroads Bar's Mabufu.
AS: COUNTER! Crossroads Bar takes 42 Water damage in return for their attack! Weak!
AS: Avoid Best! Reiya Aomori takes 47 Slash damage from Crossroads Bar's Straight Slash.
AS: Paralyze added!
AS: Avoid Worst! Umie Akabane takes 107 Slash damage from Crossroads Bar's Straight Slash. Critical Hit!
AS: Crossroads Bar gains 1 Limit from Momentum!
AS: Avoid Best! Yukari Takeba takes 25 Strike damage from Crossroads Bar's Assault Dive.
AS: Avoid Worst! Yukari Takeba takes 65 Strike damage from Crossroads Bar's Assault Dive. Critical Hit!
AS: Crossroads Bar gains 1 Limit from Momentum!
AS: Avoid Neutral! Suzume Fukura takes 66 Strike damage from Crossroads Bar's Twinkle Punch.
AS: Avoid Worst! Hitomi Mandai takes 112 Wind damage from Crossroads Bar's Garula.
AS: Counter Worst! Shinjiro Aragaki takes 78 Water damage from Crossroads Bar's Mabufu.
AS: Bind added!
AS: COUNTER! Crossroads Bar takes 43 Water damage in return for their attack! Weak!
AS: Avoid Worst! Eikichi Mishina takes 82 Elec damage from Crossroads Bar's Mazio. Weak!
AS: Avoid Best! Eriko Kirishima takes 45 Fire damage from Crossroads Bar's Maragi.
AS: Haze added!
AS: Counter Neutral! Shizuka Kuroki takes 66 Elec damage from Crossroads Bar's Mazio.
AS: Paralyze added!
AS: COUNTER! Crossroads Bar takes 49 Elec damage in return for their attack! Weak!
AS: Avoid Worst! Tyler Gould takes 117 Strike damage from Crossroads Bar's Twinkle Punch. Weak!
AS: Crossroads Bar cancels 2 attacks on Mitsuru Kirijo.
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Strike skill Twinkle Punch on Minako Arisato!
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Strike skill Twinkle Punch on Minako Arisato!
AS: Crossroads Bar's turn has ended.
AS: Crossroads Bar cancels 2 attacks on Minako Arisato.
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Strike skill Twinkle Punch on Minako Arisato and Mitsuru Kirijo!
AS: Crossroads Bar's turn has ended.
AS: Block Best! Mitsuru Kirijo takes 86 Strike damage from Crossroads Bar's Twinkle Punch. Critical Hit!
AS: Crossroads Bar gains 1 Limit from Momentum!
AS: Block Neutral! Julian Marlowe takes 81 Fire damage from Crossroads Bar's Maragi. Critical Hit!
AS: Crossroads Bar gains 1 Limit from Momentum! Julian Marlowe gains 1 Limit from Comeback!
AS: Avoid Worst! Akihiko Sanada takes 79 Strike damage from Crossroads Bar's Shadow Punch.
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Slash skill Fatal End on Remi Ryuuja!
AS: Crossroads Bar's turn has ended.
AS: Counter Worst! Remi Ryuuja takes 83 Slash damage from Crossroads Bar's Fatal End. Resist!
AS: COUNTER! Crossroads Bar takes 62 Slash damage in return for their attack! Weak!
AS: Avoid Neutral! Minako Arisato takes 95 Strike damage from Crossroads Bar's Twinkle Punch. Critical Hit!
AS: Crossroads Bar gains 1 Limit from Momentum!
AS: Reiya Aomori spends Limit on Shift! Yukari Takeba can use another Weak skill this round!

<Pose Tracker> Fuuka Yamagishi has posed.

"Fukura-san? Oh, thank you..." Fuuka gasps, as Suzume calls out to her. She gratefully accepts the gift, and if she hadn't just spent ten hours wandering a nightmare labyrinth, she would've perhaps gone about it a bit more delicately - but food and drink both vanish rather quickly. The crystals left behind by the cat she had found were a great help in keeping her energy up, but they did nothing for the sense of hunger and thirst.

Now - Fuuka nods, as Shinjiro asks if she's okay.

"Y-Yes... I'm okay." She replies. She doesn't get back, when so many call out to her to do so, warning her of the danger. She appreciates the thought... but she can feel it, now - what she can do, and what she needs to do.

She doesn't stop, when Natsuki screams at her - though it fills her, simultaneously, with a feeling of gratitude and remorse for worrying her like this. She knows what it must look like, wielding the Evoker Hitomi hand handed to her.

"It'll be alright." Fuuka assures Natsuki, as she hears her echo her name. And where Fuuka had seemed fragile, before, vulnerable, easily pushed around - somewhere, she's drawn out a well of hidden strength.

And they listen to her - they use her advice to the fullest. It's a new experience for her. She's used to her words being deflected. But, all these people... they barely even know her, but they're trusting her. They're depending on her.

"Thank you..." Fuuka says. She watches them all from within Lucia's protective sphere. She can only trust them to do the fighting for her. So many Personas... It's like she's seeing everyone's soul on display - their very self, brought to bear against the Shadows. They're all so brave...

...And then, the Emperor turns his eyes upon her. His sword raises, as he prepares to deliver his imperial sentence unto her... Fuuka flinches back. She shifts, to better cover Natsuki...

But then, there's the sound of a motorcycle. The driver and passenger come to view. She doesn't know Koh, but...

"Arisato-san?" Fuuka gasps. He has a Persona, as well - and Orpheus's lyre crashes into the sword, knocking it off course. He says he'll protect them - and she nods.

"...Thank you!" She replies - and turns her attention back to the Shadows.

"...Their affinities have changed again! Give me a second..." She calls out. The auras have shifted... it takes a moment to get a grasp on them, to filter out the old information for the new...

"They're vulnerable to swords and other slashing weapons, now... As well as fire, electricity, wind, and darkness! Everything else, they'll resist!" She relays.

AS: Persona! Fuuka Yamagishi has used the Almighty skill Full Analysis on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Fuuka Yamagishi's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Koh Katsuhiro has posed.

Koh's teeth grind together almost as hard as the wheels of his commandeered bike grate against Tartarus' floor. Thankfully the visible wince (and a little screaming) at the shriek of rubber is probably mostly concealed by the halting stop.

He tries to maintain a modicum of Minato's cool as the bike clatters to the ground in the wake of his dismount.

"Yo! Kept you waiting, huh?" At least he nails that part. He'd been practicing a cool line in his head the entire race over.

The boy breaks into a sprint, knife and evoker clenched in hand as he heads toward the nearest familiar faces. Those are scary shadows. Why are there so many people? Is that Yamagishi's persona?

He doesn't think about it.

He just does it.

"Got your back!" Click. "Zagreus!" The manic dancer at his side rips into its own heart, smiling mask breathing out lifegiving resonance after.

<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.

Minako, Suzume, and Hitomi all react to Shinjiro being there, one way or another. He notices, grimacing. "Tch! We can talk later!"

But then, he hears his name. The one person he absolutely did not want to deal with. Luckily, he won't, today, but he knows it'll come back to haunt him.

"Aki...!"

Shaking his head, he calls out to his childhood friend, even as he grapples with what to say.

"So far they only change resistances! Be careful, in case they have something else up their sleeve!"

That'll do.

Mitsuru, meanwhile, does not curse. Good, that may have been used as ammunition against her if she approached Shinjiro to pressgang him... even so, there's a pang of guilt once more in his heart. His two closest friends... seeing a betrayal. Is it a betrayal? He's done after this, isn't he? He'll return to watching paint dry, and die in an alleyway somewhere where they don't have to worry about it, or get stabbed to death by the Joker Killer, or...

"Kirijo, I'll get in close when it shifts again! Buy me an opening!"

He shouldn't be acting like it's two years ago. But this is too pressing a situation. He'll deal with them later.

As the ice blast comes in, Shinjiro takes a breath, and swings his axe forward. The cold washes over him, but he diverts some of it *back* at the Shadow, supernaturally potent as his body now is, even as it skids him back, the freeze chilling into his bones. "Fuck, I hate the cold!"

But Fuuka's gonna die. The blade's coming down on her, how can he get there in time? What can he-

Minato and Koh arrive right in time, and Shinjiro's eyes widen. He nods once. Impressive... maybe he misjudged Minato if he ever thought he could be a jerk.

As Fuuka tells him that only his fire will work, Shinjiro takes another strategy, to prepare for later. The Evoker shakily returns up, a click quickly pressing as that flash of blue occurs once more, Castor rising forth.

"Castor, time for a bloody charge!"

An aura of blood-red energy surrounds Shinjiro, as he grows in strength and endurance, roaring through the pain of the ice.

AS: Persona! Shinjiro Aragaki has used the Almighty skill Bloody Charge on Shinjiro Aragaki!
AS: Shinjiro Aragaki's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.

    "It's a good thing you didn't get separated, Tsurugi," Myunghon speaks to Remi with a confident little smile. Weren't they on opposing sides of the battle before? Well, Myunghon is no stranger to strange circumstances and stranger bedfellows. (Don't ask what their bedfellows are, though.)

    KOALA MARCH -- We know.

    Done being judged by the Koalas, Myunghon takes the opportunity to size up the battle as the teams from Arqa filter back in -- there's quite a lot of Persona-Users here. Some that they curiously recognise -- like the two girls that came to their store, Suzume and Hitomi, not to mention Reiya and of course Takeba. There's no time to call for their attention, though. These Shadows are definitely something else... just what's the source behind such powerful Shadows?

    It doesn't take long before they're the centre of attention, and the Empress blasts them with ice -- there's a grimace as Kudlak bubbles up and forms a protective surface that Bufu crashes against, not their precious flesh, but that still stings quite a lot.

    "You've got quite the cast of people surprised to see you, Shinjiro-ssi," Myunghon comments to the young beanie-wearing man. There's history here, between the Gekkoukan students and Shinjiro. So that's why he's out at Sumaru... there must be history here.

    A mysterious investigator has joined the fray! Myunghon does not know him as Julian, of course, but... yes, perhaps it is because they've been peddling SKILL CARDS? Perhaps it's this kind of situation that they really hope their efforts pay off, because they don't want to see a causality today. But there are definitely more allies that they've met than not... and is that a model that's joined the fray? Myunghon can't help but think Eriko seems familiar, from the times they've been forced to check out their own mother's superstardom...

    Still, even more surprising is the roar of a motorcycle -- a motorcycle, in the middle of the Dark Hour?! -- and two fellows, Gekkoukan students, one of which manifests a Persona to shield Fuuka and Natsuki before the worst can befall them! There's a shake of Myunghon's head, impressed at their gumption.

    "I'm beginning to think there are less unawakened students than there are awakened in Gekkoukan," Myunghon murmurs to themself. "How interesting..." Fuuka is continually on the ball once more, and Myunghon can't help but be impressed at how fluid their mind is. The slightest changes in weakness, and they're on it once more. "Darkness, hmm..."

    Myunghon is given a chance by Remi, so they make great use of it as they thrust their hand forth --

    "ESTOMA!"

    This should, normally, be a Nothing action -- people know to not use Estoma in battle?! But the way they've cleverly shaped it such is that the repelling field is so concentrated that it should deter the Emperor and Empress for just a short while, enough for them to dip their hands into the floor along with their Cognitive Coat--

    "Let's go into the Dark... you and I."

    --and the Coat's shadow seems to extend across Tartarus' atrium floor, until it touches the Shadows' equally dark feet -- and then briefly, a pitch-black MAW extends out from beneath to consume them in an imperishable, inexorable darkness--

    "And..."

    Myunghon snaps their fingers, as their Persona slithers away in a succession of chained explosions. Has their plan worked out? It's the first time they've extended their powers to this degree. They have to find out the hard way -- through a live trial of fire.

    "All according..."

AS: Take! Shinjiro Aragaki takes 0 Almighty damage from Shinjiro Aragaki's Bloody Charge.
AS: Atk_Up, Crt_Up, and Def_Up added!
AS: Persona! Myunghon Yeo has used the Almighty skill Weaponise Estoma on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Persona! Myunghon Yeo has used the Dark skill Imperishable Black on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Myunghon Yeo's turn has ended.
AS: Take! Crossroads Bar takes 0 Almighty damage from Fuuka Yamagishi's Full Analysis.
AS: Fuuka Yamagishi's Strength Scan! Crossroads Bar resists Pierce, Strike, Water, Earth, and Light!
AS: Fuuka Yamagishi's Weakness Scan! Crossroads Bar is weak against Slash, Fire, Elec, Wind, and Dark!
AS: Fuuka Yamagishi's Support Scan! Crossroads Bar has passive skills Ailment Boost, Momentum, Slash Boost, and Water
Boost!

<Pose Tracker> Yukari Takeba has posed.

Shinjiro Aragaki is here... perhaps that's not too unexpected, after all, he'd crossed their paths twice already in relation to Fuuka.

But this is the first time she's seen him fight, the first time she's seen his Persona. There's something... disturbing about it, and familiar at once.

Mitsuru certainly reacts to him - and well, that's not unexpected. He did say he knew her. She just hopes... well, concerns for a less dangerous time.

Eikichi yells, asking whether anyone wants to explain what's going on and well- Yukari's answer is quick and concise, "Nope! No time!" Wondering briefly if he got lost on the way to a concert, until he summons is Persona

 But where she really gets startled is- "... Do I know her?" She says softly, before her mind makes the connection recognizing Eriko quite well from her fashion magazines. "No way...!" Even models are Persona Users, she guesses!?

The rest of them are taking the field, Reiya moving forward to weaken to them, even as Minako yells for Iori to get back, "I've got him!"

However, it's then that she sees Ririka, on the floor, and effectively looking out of commission, which is when Yukari gets up and starts heading towards her, when... Tyler moves to cover Ririka.

Yukari slows for a moment, as she looks at him, and perhaps there's still resentment in her eyes for the other day, but for now, she nods at him, as she runs up to grab Ririka's wrist and haul her up. "Come on, up already!"

Before she then looks at Tyler again, "Cover me for a second!" It's perhaps the most respect she's given him since that moment with Moriko, treating him like part of the team, as she starts pulling Ririka back, and pulling her over by the stairs. "Stay put okay?" She instructs, before whirling around quickly.

Only for the Empress Scepter to descend not far from Yukari, in full view of Ririka, as Yukari side-steps it quickly. It's almost a triumph...

... until the Empress sweeps that scepter sideways to slam into her, through Io, who shatters, the scepter continuing to arc into her as Yukari gets slammed away, rolling along the checkered floor of Tartarus.

And lays still for several painfully long moments. Just enough time to... hear the rev of a Motorcycle, and open her eyes to see.

"Minato...?" It's a dim groan, as she pushes herself up to a knee. "Hey what are you-"

'I'll protect them,'

Yukari's eyes look at him as if he's just said the most unexpected thing, "But-" He wasn't asked. Is he here because... he wants to be?

That night... when he saved her, without being asked to do it.

"-Why?" She says as she puts the Evoker to her head from her kneeling position.

Why didn't you just say so before?
Now I can't even pay you back for what you did for me...

The trigger pulls, and Io reforms, the ephemeral girl upon it arises, and spreads her arms wide, as a healing glow spreads, fresh-water scented to members of SEES...

... but perhaps especially Minato, isolated as he is over ther. Though perhaps... not as much as she thought either, seeing Koh.

Fuuka though makes a declaration, and Reiya keeps the Empress distracted from her, just long enough for her to capitalize on those instructions. "Alright then, I'll-!" As Io summons a maelstrom of winds, which then abruptly, slam the Emperor hard, trying to stagger them back towards...

"Senpai!"

As she cants her head towards Mitsuru, giving her an opening to capitalize further on what they set up.

AS: Take! Crossroads Bar takes 0 Almighty damage from Myunghon Yeo's Weaponise Estoma.
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 57 Dark damage from Myunghon Yeo's Imperishable Black. Weak!
AS: Bind, Charm, Exhaust, and Poison added!
AS: Persona! Yukari Takeba has used the Wind skill Garula on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Persona! Koh Katsuhiro has used the Recovery skill Healing Wave on Minako Arisato, Mitsuru Kirijo, and Tyler Gould!
AS: Koh Katsuhiro's turn has ended.
AS: Persona! Yukari Takeba has used the Recovery skill Media on Minato Arisato, Tyler Gould, Hitomi Mandai, and Yukari
Takeba!
AS: Yukari Takeba's turn has ended.
AS: Take! Yukari Takeba takes 69 Recovery healing from Yukari Takeba's Media.
AS: Yukari Takeba spends Limit on Shift! Mitsuru Kirijo can use another Weak skill this round!
AS: Take! Minako Arisato takes 0 Recovery healing from Koh Katsuhiro's Healing Wave.
AS: Regen added!
AS: Koh Katsuhiro gains 1 Limit from Supporter!
AS: Take! Hitomi Mandai takes 69 Recovery healing from Yukari Takeba's Media.
AS: Yukari Takeba gains 1 Limit from Supporter!

<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.

    Mitsuru, the very person Yukari mentioned (if not by name), as having powers similar to what Umie has, is the one to finally lay a word down for something Umie haven't been able to describe.

    'Navigator.' Umie may not be one, but to be able to describe herself as being adjacent to the concept...
    "... Huh. So that's what it is..."

    And Umie sees Shinjiro's interactions with Mitsuru and Akihiko. So, that is what that is.

    And the sword that comes for Umie?

    Ah, it is what it is; Umie's body is whipped back, she was unable to get out of the way in time. Getting up and gritting her teeth, she spots Eikichi's reaction to electricity.

    Well, she has a fix for that mess.

    "Shroud!" Badb forms again, gesturing towards Eikichi; a temporary barrier forms over him. "That'll buy you some time!"

<Pose Tracker> Shizuka Kuroki has posed.

      "Wait, is that Aragaki-san?!" Shizuka seems to finally notice Shinjiro's presence, freezing for a bit before smacking her face and getting herself back on track. That would come later!
 
      "This place is packed! Who's been spilling the beans about the tower? I swear, discretion is a dead art!" Shizuka runs in closer, trying to get a good distance in to the Shadows, eyes widening when the Emperor goes for Fuuka. "Fuuka! Pei-kun!" But before she can react, Minato comes in like a knight on a gallant... well it's a motorcycle, which is kinda like a horse if you squint a little bit nah it's not. "Nato-kun! Am I glad to see you!"
 
      But before she can rejoice too much, a bolt of lighting comes straight for her. "Galatea!" Her Persona appears again, this time in front of her, bringing up a shield that reflects some of the attack back at the Shadows, though not all of it. She sucks in air through her teeth as the electric current tingles up her spine, seeming to lock her muscles in place!
 
      "That was shocking! Can't... move..." She struggles to bring her Evoker up to her chin. "Give 'em more, Galatea..." She fires, and brings another rain of rocks down!

AS: Persona! Umie Akabane has used the Recovery skill Shroud on Eikichi Mishina!
AS: Umie Akabane's turn has ended.
AS: Persona! Shizuka Kuroki has used the Earth skill Landslide on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Shizuka Kuroki: Paralyze removed!
AS: Shizuka Kuroki's turn has ended.
AS: Fuuka Yamagishi spends Limit on Shift! Akihiko Sanada can use another Weak skill this round!

<Pose Tracker> Reiya Aomori has posed.

Reiya looks at Moriko, and when she points at him meanly, he inclines his head stoically. They'll have to talk--but he had his own missions to attend to the last couple of nights...

But there is something that surprises him in the chaos and the melee. Eikichi, of course--he stands out anywhere--but the woman talking to him, too. To see so many different Persona at once...

"...?" he starts. "You recognize her Persona?" he asks.

He doesn't notice Yanagi and Pernelle yet--but he may if they come into view. It is his way to be watching as much as he can of the battle.

His allies in SEES are all doing their best--and the ones not in SEES seem to be attending the battle as well. Like the man in the strange outfit--vesper, who is unknown to him a teacher named Julian. Raffles is very fancy, and Reiya looks to him. "Who are you?" he wonders. "You hide yourself..."

Yeah, says the ninja. It's fine, he's a teenager.

Less fine is the Emperor's sword crashing down towards him. "!" Reiya doesn't say, and rolls to the side. He has to hit the tile floor hard to get away in time though, and it smarts despite his training in taking falls. He moes quickly,t hough. "Takeba-san!" he shouts in a clipped tone, and darts towards the Shadow in the open, to make of himself a target and give her a moment to act.

She can do some things better than he can; whether he trusts her outside battle or not, they're a team.

And then... Minato and Koh arrive. ON a motorcycle!?

"Leader!" Reiya calls in surprise. "...Yes. Then we can fight our best!"

If he's protecting them...

And Koh, too. The line is cool... But Reiya must return his focus fully to the battle. And he does. "It's strong against all I have, then..."

"Fukura-san!" he calls. "I give you the shadows!"

Kunimitsu appears, and his reflective mantle settles over Suzume, too--making her fade partly from view.

AS: Persona! Reiya Aomori has used the Recovery skill Shroud on Suzume Fukura!
AS: Reiya Aomori's turn has ended.
AS: Take! Suzume Fukura takes 49 Recovery healing from Reiya Aomori's Shroud.
AS: Eclipse added!
AS: Take! Eikichi Mishina takes 53 Recovery healing from Umie Akabane's Shroud.
AS: Eclipse added!

<Pose Tracker> Minako Arisato has posed.

"Fukura-chan, Mandai-chan!" Minako calls out. "Let's make sure those things don't get near Yamagishi-san! We--gh!"

The Empress's scepter smashes into Minako, bodily, hurling her away. She rolls and comes up, crouching, and takes a deep breath.

She glances sideways at Fuuka, with a hint of nervousness entering her posture. Even if they've gotten here, they're far from out of the wood works yet. She looks at Yukari, next. "Takeba-chan, if--if anyone needs healing, you know what to do."

She glances back at Akihiko -- then she nods. "Thanks, Sanada-senpai!"

She turns -- and her eyes widen as she sees the sword coming down for Fuuka. But then Orpheus is there, and the blade slams into the Persona's harp. Minako blinks, before she turns and stares at her brother. "Minato-kun... you made it!"

And he isn't alone. She looks at Koh Katsuhiro and blinks -- and then she cracks a smile at him. "Katsuhiro-san! You've got great timing!" she calls out, before she looks back at the Empress and Emperor both. Minako considers, for a moment. Then, she pulls her Evoker out -- to her temple again -- and fires. "Valkyrie!"

A horse-riding woman appeas, clad in golden armor, and carrying a long spear. She charges forth, the horse's hooves thundering -- if ghostly -- across the floor. Then, the spear swings back -- and the blade slashes hard across the middle of the huge Arcana.

"Yamagishi-san," Minako says, glancing at Fuuka. "Are--are you okay in there?"

AS: Persona! Minako Arisato has used the Slash skill Straight Slash on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Minako Arisato's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Hitomi Mandai has posed.

 
("Shinji?" Hitomi echoes when Akihiko-sempai identifies Beanie-san.)

There are other people. Hitomi perceives them, but there are too many, and the fact that they're surrounding the Emperor and Empress don't seem to be a compensating or encouraging situation. Wind, lightning, fire, ice, stranger things too, pour inwards. Hitomi finds her lips trembling as she breathes heavily. Her heart's pounding.

She actually giggles again, into a swiftly curled and held-against-her-mouth fist, when she hears the motorcycle. "Arisato... heh... I'm surprised to see he's," she begins, but after that, Hitomi's flames have earned a tragic response: wind bursting forwards, smashing into her.

Tyche is already diffusing into an after-image and seems to care not for the wind; Hitomi herself is a different story, letting out a yelp of surprise and dismay at the bursting storm that smashes against her. Typhoon-intensity winds rip at, over, perhaps *through* her -- it hurts, scraping and burning and making her glasses shift abruptly --

The wind ends. A strange throbbing feeling, something like a sunburn, washes over Hitomi's face. Peculiar. She exhales for a moment -- by the time she's done, Yukari is already calling on Io. Hitomi breathes in the scent of water. "Thanks, Takeba," she says, pushing her glasses up her nose and doing that dramatic sweep with her hand again-- "Tyche!"

The statue manifests again, and it can be seen that despite being carved from Grecian-style marble and holding the classical proportions of a European statue, the cloth wrapped over the goddess's statue is more like an obi, worn loose as a stole. There's a suggestion of something like embroidery but the paint is lost to time, to erosion, to the winds of entropy.

And yet, that hand is held out... And what lashes outwards is a *cone* of fire now, as if the lips of the ancient goddess of fortune had exhaled fire. As it smashes out to walk over the Empress and the Emperor, Hitomi's eyes turn forwards to see -- "That's her from Cardboard Dragon," Hitomi says, momentarily nonplussed.

AS: Persona! Hitomi Mandai has used the Fire skill Fire Breath on Crossroads Bar! 3 Hits!
AS: Hitomi Mandai's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Eikichi Mishina has posed.

"Thanks." Eikichi flashes Umie a grin before turning his attention back to the Arcana Shadows. He leans with his guitar case as he narrows his eyes at the Emperor Shadow, staring it down like it was one of the problem people at school. "These bastards are tough as hell. What the hell is going on?!"

Eikichi is seeing all sorts of weird stuff. He is pretty sure he saw Shinjiro just press an empty pistol his head and pull the trigger.

 Today has been an interesting day to say the least.

And it gets worse when the Arcana Shadow retaliates, sending a bolt of electricity through the Death Boss. Eikichi coughs, looking cooked through out as he collapses to one knee. "Grrr. This is starting to piss me off!" He coughs again, hearing the girl (Yukari) that there is no time to explain whats going on. "Damnit."

It's about then that the Shroud hits Eikichi and he feels some of those electrical burns soothe away.

 "I owe you one, Akabane." Eikichi gets to his feet, clicking his tongue as he points toward the Emperor again. "You think your little storm is gonna make me scared, pal. Let me show exactly how I roll!"

 Eikichi's persona manifests, revving it's engines as it blasts the Emperor arcana with a wave of dark energy which keeps building as the Persona floors it's engines.

AS: Persona! Eikichi Mishina has used the Dark skill Mudo on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Eikichi Mishina's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Suzume Fukura has posed.

Suzume brought those snacks to be eaten. She figured *she'd* be miserable after ten hours running without a drink; if they found Fuuka, she'd need them. It'd be better if she *wasn't* also stumbling from dehydration.

"You got it," Suzume calls back toward 'Beanie-san' - Shinjiro. She's surprised to see him here, but not in the same way or for the same reasons that Mitsuru and Akihiko are - but she knows just enough to understand *why* they might not look at it the same way as her.

("I promised not to spill," is her answer to Hitomi.)

She hears the sound of a motorcycle, and Suzume doesn't think anything of it for about two seconds until she realizes: nothing technological works here. Engines CERTAINLY don't work here. She turns, an expression of sheer bafflement on her face as she looks toward Koh and Minato... "Right," she agrees. One thing she doesn't have to worry about, though she's surprised to see him here at all... it's the good sort of surprise, though.

Fast as she is - and both Atalanta and Suzume are fast - Suzume has to take a descending giant sceptre seriously.

Suzume does a backflip and immediately regrets it. She has not done a backflip in years, and her body isn't used to it anymore - but it does keep her at least partially away from the sceptre. It slams down next to her, and it's only the shockwave that launches her backwards rather than a direct hit.

Which is bad enough, because it means Suzume lands badly. She catches herself on her hands and turns it into a tumbling roll, but it wasn't graceful (especially because she is in her uniform, which has skirts, dammit - why didn't she wear her gym pants??) and it wasn't neat. She pops back to her feet, looking more mussed than usual, but she's still up and she still has both tonfa and her Evoker, so she'll call it good.

Though she dropped her backpack. She boots it as hard as she can toward Minato. "Medicine in there!" she calls (and there is, though it's mostly Tylenol and a gel for sore muscles plus some bandages). That poor melonpan has gone from 'slightly squashed' to 'extremely squashed, and also kicked', though. It's just going to be a mess. She's going to be picking crumbs out of her backpack for weeks.

Suzume looks up at the Shadows as Fuuka gives new directions. Wind is still okay, she thinks to herself. Fine. Even as Reiya summons the shadows for her, partially revitalizing her, Suzume has a new plan.

This is the dumbest plan, she thinks to herself. But if it works...

"Hey!" Suzume bounces on her feet, waving her tonfa-bearing arms overhead. "Hey ugly!" No word on whether she means Emperor or Empress. "Over here! Look, a bug you just can't squash! C'mon!" She sticks her tongue out, briefly debates something else before she realizes she doesn't have *quite* the guts to do that in front of everyone else, and just half-turns, throwing a rude gesture over her shoulder (as best as she can with tonfa in hand, anyway).

And then Suzume runs.

She runs, ignoring the burn in her legs as her feet pound, going from zero to sprint in no time at all. And then she accelerates *further*, Atalanta running with her, the two of them surrounded by an increasingly intense whirling ripple of wind.

Suzume's running is directionless at first. She's simply trying to attract the attention of the Shadows, keeping them away from Fuuka, from Ririka, from Minato. But it leaves trails of wind across the room as the power builds and builds -

And then on her last direction change, she charges directly toward Emperor, slamming into it (him?) with both tonfas in a wind-accelerated flurry, the gale catching up to her a moment later and adding a third hit into the mix!

AS: Tandem! Suzume Fukura has used the Wind skill Race the Wind on Crossroads Bar! 3 Hits!
AS: Suzume Fukura's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Remi Ryuuja has posed.

These battle conditions are, to put it mildly, less than ideal. But Tsurugi will keep powering through. Because that's all she can do. Yumi has gone for help, but--this is a battle that has to be fouhgt now.

She and La Maupin work flawlessly in tandem, and in disturbing silence. Three wind-touched strikes hit home--

And then the Shadow levels that giant blade on her. There is a moment's hesitation, as she goes to--somehw cross her much smaller blade with the larger one, and that hesitation costs her. She is thrown back, a line of blue fire cutting cross her black suit.

But in that moment La Maupin seems to act instead, striking for a weak point on the Emperor even while its user is seemingly distracted.

But La Maupin pulls back a moment later, moving to stand beside Tsurugi as she struggles to her feet. There's only the barest of grunts as she straightens up. Her head turns to the arrival of a motorcycle--that's a new mystery, and two more teenagers using those Evokers that are different from her own.

Just how many of those are there? Questions for another time.

But new advice comes from Fuuka--slashing weapons, and a list of elements. If she is surprised at taking advice from a teenager she doesn't show it--Maybe she just has a lot of practice taking advice from a Navigator. It's almost a reflex.

There is a quiet, barest chuckle for Myuunghon's comment about not being separated. "There are many fortunate things happening this night, it seems," is her reply to that. "I will make an opening for you, Rumormonger." If they're going to be using aliases...

But she turns her attention towards the Emperor and Empress shadows. La Maupin springs into action, attacking with a sudden zeal and a fervor that is far stronger than normal, lashing out at both shadows in turn.

And then Tsurugi rushes in to fulfill her promise to Myunghon, trying to draw the shadow's attention for just a moment to allow her temporary ally an extra chance to act.

AS: Persona! Remi Ryuuja has used the Slash skill Blade of Fury on Crossroads Bar! 3 Hits!
AS: Remi Ryuuja's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Akihiko Sanada has posed.

The Empress swings and Akihiko takes a bad hit. "Damn! I'm not out yet!" There's so many people here to help - and even Minato has arrived! "Still, it's best not to get careless. Matarunda!" He says as he brings Polydeuces back out, lowering the attack of the Empress and Emperor. "Now, we should take less scrapes!"

    In thanks to the Fuuka's support, Akihiko raises a fist in support. "Thank you, Yamagishi-san! We'll all cover you!" He pulls the trigger on his envoker once more, summoning his persona to cast Zio.

AS: Persona! Akihiko Sanada has used the Almighty skill Matarunda on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Persona! Akihiko Sanada has used the Elec skill Zio on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Akihiko Sanada's turn has ended.
AS: Avoid Neutral! Moriko Kumamoto takes 41 Strike damage from Crossroads Bar's Assault Dive.
AS: Blast added!
AS: Avoid Best! Moriko Kumamoto takes 29 Strike damage from Crossroads Bar's Assault Dive.

<Pose Tracker> Tyler Gould has posed.

"Seems that way so far." is the answer the American offers to Moriko.

Case in point? He'd planned -- decided that moment -- to settle down into the back row and play the role of mortar, lobbing punishment from afar and stand in front of the non-combatant that wasn't inside a giant Persona.

It seems that two had that particular plan, as Yukari's coming that way, also. His muscles tense instinctively -- he definitely still remembers that punch the other day -- but the nod assures him that she knows better than to do it again while they have a more imposing enemy to deal with. 'Cover me for a second!' she tells him.

"I've got your back." he replies -- willing enough to be part of the team, if nothing more than for the greater goal of protecting the lives of those who can't save themselves.

However, the Empress had other plans, clearly upset by the first 'mortar shell', decided to launch the lanky goth through the air, sending him barrelling at the *other* ice-specialist in SEES, Mitsuru.

While many of the students at Gekkoukan would be mortified to be used as a weapon *against* the student body president, Tyler opts for all business, whether he crashes into her or not.

"Let's make her pay for that." he suggests to Mitsuru, raising the Evoker to his head once more.

"Houdini? Lower the lights."

Cold is no longer a weakness, Fuuka said, but Darkness is, now. The chains above him rattle as that dark energy flows forward, intent on crashing into Empress and Emperor alike.

Minato and Koh's arrival and epic entrance on that motorcycle don't go unnoticed, though, blue eyes widening slightly. "Reinforcements... our chances improve." he says, mostly to himself.

The reinforcements are *felt*, too, in the form of healing, first from Koh, and then from... Yukari? There's a momentary blink of confusion, but then a nod in her direction, too. The thanks are unspoken, but they're *there.*

AS: Take! Tyler Gould takes 0 Recovery healing from Koh Katsuhiro's Healing Wave.
AS: Regen added!
AS: Koh Katsuhiro gains 1 Limit from Supporter!
AS: Take! Tyler Gould takes 69 Recovery healing from Yukari Takeba's Media.
AS: Yukari Takeba gains 1 Limit from Supporter!
AS: Persona! Tyler Gould has used the Dark skill Mamudo on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Tyler Gould's turn has ended.
AS: Take! Mitsuru Kirijo takes 0 Recovery healing from Koh Katsuhiro's Healing Wave.
AS: Regen added!
AS: Koh Katsuhiro gains 1 Limit from Supporter!

<Pose Tracker> Mitsuru Kirijo has posed.

It's hard to say what Mitsuru Kirijo is feeling at this moment. Confusion, certainly. Relief, to a certain degree. Guilt? It goes without saying she feels that sharp stab deep in her chest.

Happiness? ... she's not sure how possible it is to feel happy in circumstances like these, but...

...

... But she certainly knows she feels most right now is -frustrated-.

Maybe that's why the first thing she does after the initial shock of seeing her former comrade wears off is shoot him a narrow-eyed stare. You learn to give and receive nonverbal command in SEES; it's part of the experience as much as it is the training.

Shinjiro, of all people, will absolutely know what nonverbal command -that- look is communicating:

We are going to talk later.

But first?

They need to make sure everyone survives. -Everyone-. Including him.

Her attention fixates on the two Shadows. And as she listens to Shinjiro... it all starts falling into place naturally. Her eyes narrow. Her jaw sets.

It helps suppress the smile that threatens to form as she says, quite coolly,

"Bien sûr."

Of course she can. Of course she will.

Just like old times.

Not that they plan to make it easy: the Shadows attack, using one of her own teammates as a weapon. Mitsuru's eyes fly wide as she sees the Empress swing her scepter into one of their newer recruits, batting him into her like it was going for a humanball homerun. To her credit, Mitsuru reacts quickly: this is when she'd -normally- parry with her rapier but, not wanting to accidentally stab one of her subordinates so soon after their joining sees, elects instead to swiftly and gracefully pivot on her heel, face Tyler--

-WHAP!-

and intercept him to the best of her ability.

It's... painful. Bones and muscle were not meant to collide with more bones and muscle so forcefully. Mitsuru has no childhood experience with this, but if she had, she would feel sorry for all the action figures children mash into other action figures across the globe as her body protests against that head on collision.

It could be worse. It -would- have been worse, if Mitsuru hadn't gone -with- the momentum of the blow, bending into it with a gymnast's grace until both she and Tyler go tumbling with the impact. But still, with the CRACK of bone on bone--

--she felt that.

Eventually, she ends in a smooth, crouched landing. Bangs fall messily across her face, only for the student council president to calmly push those bangs aside until they are once more pristine, cascading across -one- eye instead of -both-. She turns her gaze Tyler-wards.

"... Gould, yes?" She knows his name. Of course she knows; she looks into -every- prospective member of SEES. For a lot of reasons. One of them being micromanagement and another being paranoia which she calls "being prepared."

"Steady yourself."

She means it to be a word of caution; she doesn't want him to push himself too hard and get hurt in the process.

Unfortunately, that rigid professionalism of hers makes it sound like cold criticism more than anything else as she rises back onto her feet, and faces down the Shadows. She steels herself. Nothing she can target now, weakness-wise. So how does she...?

The roar of a motorcycle. Mitsuru blinks. Did someone steal her bike--?!

Fortunately -- what might have been a cold fury doesn't last; she can already tell from the way the engine roars it's not -her- bike (yes, really); and furthermore, the one riding shotgun on it is--

"Arisato--!" The -other- Arisato. There's a small mote of relief in the back of her mind as healing magics wash over her courtesy of Koh. Because it -is- a relief: they need the twins' flexibility for this. And even then, these Shadows are still barely moved.

... Can they really manage this...?

Her mind already running through a number of backup plans, Mitsuru's gaze narrows as her stance widens. Yukari calls out to her, and she sees the opening that they're making. So how does she exploit it...?

Let's make them pay for that, Tyler says.

"... hah. I was thinking the very same."

A smile. And Mitsuru surges into action. Penthesilea surges into being as she cuts in towards the Emperor and Empress' defenses. The Warrior-Queen manifestation acts, and with a surge of magic --

-- seeks to briefly -- BRIEFLY -- crush the barriers to cold those Shadows have erected, so that with its next motion, it may blast the Empress with a frigid surge of ice crystals.

"EN GARDE!"

The golden rule of a desperate situation: if you cannot find your opening in the tide of battle--

-Force one open-.

AS: Persona! Mitsuru Kirijo has used the Almighty skill Water Break on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Persona! Mitsuru Kirijo has used the Water skill Bufu on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Mitsuru Kirijo's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Moriko Kumamoto has posed.

With things picking up, Moriko twists, holding the mop handle out like a quarterstaff. This is totally a good idea. With the towering giant, that usual hard looking face briefly breaks. A look of fear, but she gets the staff up, getting out of the way of the worst of the first strike, though it causes her to wince and spin. Just barely giving her the momentum to get under the other. Mostly held up by said mop handle at this point.
 
 Though some of that had been a distraction caused by hearing a bike. It didn't SOUND like her bike, but the fact that it was working here, at this time gets a frustrated, "Tell me earlier we could have done that!" That indignation fueling her to get back to her feet. Pointing to the colossus with the stick, "And you. Go away!" It's.. fine.
 
 Especially since the others had prevented the worst from happening. Moriko clenches her teeth, going back for that stoic look (She thinks it's stoic at least!) and moves closer. "I've got you covered." Though she lowers the guard briefly, looking to the others. Most she knows at best, in passing. "We've got you covered."
 
 She then grins and raises the evoker again, with a bit of a twirling flourish.
 
 "Otohime Gitsune" She calls out, pulling the trigger again. Hearing that shattering glass as she keeps it fairly straight forward. The fox conjuring another spike of earth ahead of her.
 
 Moriko kind of has a brief sheepish look. Should she have been doing more?
 
 That's a later problem. Stoicism is hard sometimes.

AS: Persona! Moriko Kumamoto has used the Earth skill Magna on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Moriko Kumamoto's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Julian Marlowe has posed.

Lightning is answered by flame, Vesper's eyes widening behind his mask as he realizes he won't be able to dodge such a wide-area attack. In a reflex, he attempts to shield himself by... opening his umbrella? That can't possibly work, can it??

To his own surprise, rather than burning it up, the flames break as they strike the weather shield. It doesn't protect him from the heat entirely, but the damage was somewhat mitigated in the process. "...How unpleasant," is his scathing review. 0/10, would not enjoy nearly getting burned alive again.

Now it's doubly obvious that Julian Marlowe isn't here - if he was, surely he would've been calling attention to Eriko's use of the English language for sure. Who knows if Vesper even knows English, he hasn't been using it at all, despite that whole Gentleman look he's got going on. There's more people who enjoy that style than just actual British people, you know.

Meanwhile... 'There are so many', the Supernatural Investigator thinks to himself, seeing all the various Personas being summoned. Many by people he doesn't know, but in certain cases... a few things are falling into place as perhaps having been not quite coincidence at all. That group he ran into at the festival, in particular... they appear to be used to this already, it seems they might be more than just a regular group of friends. Interesting.

The differing methods of materializing one's Persona would also be a fascinating subject for study. As is the fact that it seems less 'normal', in so far that word applies to any of this, for one's attire to transform the way his does.

...Someone else appears to have taken notice of that. A curious boy, accusing him of hiding. Well, he'll have to set the record straight on that, turning to Reiya to educate him. "Excuse me? Vesper hides from no one! It's called 'professional caution', my boy. I'm an Investigator, it comes with the territory. Surely you understand." Of course, it's all clear now. Wait, he didn't explain anything!! While he, in turn does learn something, from Reiya addressing that boy who arrived on the motorcycle as 'Leader'. It's always the quiet ones, isn't it.

Pulling himself away from that distraction, he flanks Eikichi, nodding towards totally-not-his-student. He heard the call-out include Darkness, and he's all too ready to back the Death Boss up with that. "That's the spirit, Mishina-kun! Allow me to assist in kind!"

Upon Vesper brushing his hand past his mask, Raffles brings his 'hands' together, the dark tendrils of its right half enfusing the cane it holds with the more human-like left hand. With a flourish, the cane whips towards the Empress, sending out a very similarly shaped wave of darkness to the one Eikichi manifested towards the other target.

"We make a great team indeed, Mishina-kun," he adds, jovially. "Would you be interested in an apprenticeship? My rates are quite reasonable!"

Does he want money for everything??

AS: Persona! Julian Marlowe has used the Dark skill Mudo on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Julian Marlowe's turn has ended.
AS: Julian Marlowe spends Limit on Shift! Eikichi Mishina can use another Weak skill this round!

<Pose Tracker> Eriko Kirishima has posed.

    Even as Nike's winds strike true, the Empress responds with a gout of flame towards her and a fantastically besuited gentleman with a Persona she doesn't recognize the name of, and that alone is intriguing. What is a 'Raffles', she wonders, as like a tangential point to the main problem. Which is the fire. Still, Eriko's quick on her feet, and with a rapid jump back meaning it's mostly the residual heat that saps her energy, but even that isn't to be trifled with.

    (Don't let her know you're a supernatural investigator, Vesper, Eriko will be wanting to talk shop the first chance she gets.)

    Also her epee is on fire now and metal is not, typically, supposed to be flammable. That's a concern. She steps back a few more steps, and shifts from her traditional stance into, well, a salute, attempting to wave off the flames with the motion- if nothing else it looks cool and elegant- before she steps back into a more 'competition' stance, her left arm raised behind her. She's not a cool teen anymore, she can't stand at ready during a fight anymore. (It was also foolish and reckless then, but she was seventeen, cut her some slack.)

    Models *can* be persona users, Yukari! In fact, one might be surprised how many there are in the local media scene, as perhaps Myunghong can attest.

    Still, Eriko didn't come here for recognition. she came here for mysteries and the occult! And goodness did she find it.

    She looks to the reinforcements again briefly- and that Persona providing a protective shield for Fuuka and her... friend? Enemy? Something else? Never mind, the weakness is identified- and Nike can gladly provide. "Nike, keep up the pressure will you? Magarula!" She says with a smile, as her guardian angel of steel takes to the sky again, but where her Magaru was a gust from an unmoving angel, Nike rushes forward like the jet she is, and the winds come from behind her as she aims to fly between the two giant shadows.

    Quietly, though, Eriko can hear the cry from another fencer, and smiles. It's good to see others enjoy the classics- she really should reach out to Tamaki sometime, she hasn't had a match that allowed personas in some time.

AS: Persona! Eriko Kirishima has used the Wind skill Magarula on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Eriko Kirishima's turn has ended.
AS: Block Best! Crossroads Bar takes 118 Wind damage from Yukari Takeba's Garula. Weak!
AS: Haze added! Bind removed! Explosion! 40 damage!
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 48 Earth damage from Shizuka Kuroki's Landslide. Resist!
AS: Charm removed! Explosion! 40 damage!
AS: Block Best! Crossroads Bar takes 84 Slash damage from Minako Arisato's Straight Slash. Critical Hit! Weak!
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 34 Fire damage from Hitomi Mandai's Fire Breath. Weak!
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 34 Fire damage from Hitomi Mandai's Fire Breath. Weak!
AS: Block Neutral! Crossroads Bar takes 31 Fire damage from Hitomi Mandai's Fire Breath. Weak!
AS: Block Best! Crossroads Bar takes 102 Dark damage from Eikichi Mishina's Mudo. Weak!
AS: Panic added!
AS: Block Best! Crossroads Bar takes 43 Wind damage from Suzume Fukura's Race the Wind. Weak!
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 64 Wind damage from Suzume Fukura's Race the Wind. Critical Hit! Weak!
AS: Block Best! Crossroads Bar takes 53 Wind damage from Suzume Fukura's Race the Wind. Critical Hit! Weak!
AS: Block Neutral! Crossroads Bar takes 60 Slash damage from Remi Ryuuja's Blade of Fury. Weak!
AS: Block Neutral! Crossroads Bar takes 60 Slash damage from Remi Ryuuja's Blade of Fury. Weak!
AS: Block Best! Crossroads Bar takes 67 Slash damage from Remi Ryuuja's Blade of Fury. Critical Hit! Weak!
AS: Remi Ryuuja gains 1 Limit from Momentum!
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 66 Slash damage from Remi Ryuuja's Blade of Fury. Weak!
AS: Block Best! Crossroads Bar takes 83 Elec damage from Akihiko Sanada's Zio. Weak!
AS: Block Neutral! Crossroads Bar takes 122 Dark damage from Tyler Gould's Mamudo. Weak!
AS: Block Best! Crossroads Bar takes 47 Water damage from Mitsuru Kirijo's Bufu. Critical Hit! Resist!
AS: Bind added! Haze removed! Explosion! 40 damage!
AS: Mitsuru Kirijo gains 1 Limit from Schadenfreude!
AS: Block Neutral! Crossroads Bar takes 56 Earth damage from Moriko Kumamoto's Magna. Critical Hit! Resist!
AS: Bind added!
AS: Block Neutral! Crossroads Bar takes 143 Dark damage from Julian Marlowe's Mudo. Critical Hit! Weak!
AS: Block Best! Crossroads Bar takes 109 Wind damage from Eriko Kirishima's Magarula. Weak!
AS: Bind removed! Explosion! 40 damage!
AS: Take! Crossroads Bar takes 0 Almighty damage from Akihiko Sanada's Matarunda.
AS: Atk_Dn added!
AS: Take! Crossroads Bar takes 0 Almighty damage from Mitsuru Kirijo's Water Break.
AS: Water_Break added!
AS: Mitsuru Kirijo gains 1 Limit from Schadenfreude!

<Pose Tracker> Yanagi Nagisa has posed.

    "Mm, mm, mm!" Yanagi bobs her head in delighted agreement as Pernelle speaks at length of how very responsible the two of them are, and how they cannot possibly predict what might happens afterwards. "You're so wise, Pernelle! I'm so happy you came along! <3"
    
    She already finished her part of the ensemble, as promised, after all, but there's still the other preparations needed for the upcoming sale. Yanagi could have come alone... but all considered, it's more heartening to have a friend with her.
    
    Speaking of which, during their approach, there are changes. As Yumi runs off into the night, Yanagi's regard follows her from well beyond what would seem to be line of sight. Her effervescent cheer gutters out for that moment as she tracks her movement... but soon enough she looks back towards Tartarus as a motorcycle ROARS up past the gates and into the grand double doors that lead inside.
    
    "Oooh! What an entrance! I wonder how they get that motorcycle to work?" Yanagi wonders to her peacock pal, her cane tap-tap-tapping with each step the two of them take. They rise up the stairs that lead to the grand entrance of Tartarus--they walk inside--
    
    It would be nice to say that Yanagi is surprised by anything going on inside. But Giselle already sent her animated visions. The vastness of the two Major Arcana Shadows, the dozen-and-a-half Persona Users who rally ferociously against them, the two girls cowering at the back, and the one girl who guides the others to pinpoint the Shadows' weak points...
    
    "I'd heard Port Island had an active night life, but I had no idea just how true that was!" Yanagi declares, coming to a stop a short distance away from Fuuka and Natsuki. She doesn't join in on the battle, but she does watch it--on several levels. That girl who just awakened tracks those Shadows' weakness changes with such precision, even though she's only just come into her power...!
    
    "What do you think, Pernelle? Shall we introduce ourselves now or should we wait until the main festivities have died down?" Yanagi wonders, turning to her companion. Another way of phrasing the same question would be 'should we help them fight or should we let them do it themselves before we pester them?'
    
    Until he weighs in, though, she's content to watch directly as well as with the help of little spirits. She looks with fascination at Fuuka first, of course, calling out the Shadows' resistances and strengths; her gaze soon turns thoughtful and travels to Koh as he calls up his own Persona to send out a wave of healing. From there, she blinks several times at Eriko, eyes wide before her head tilts to one side, the thoughtfulness pushing her lips into a frown. That frown lingers as her gaze slides towards Tsurugi in her mask, and her pink lashes droop...
    
    "Oh my," she murmurs, sotto voce. "Actually, I've changed my mind. Let's stay over here, shall we?" And, the next time Pernelle begins to call her 'dearest Yanagi'--she'll touch a finger to his beak gently, just in time to stop him calling her name. Her eyes linger on his for a moment, and just might convey a need for caution, at least when it comes to dropping names.
    
    Then she pulls her finger back and resumes watching, smile faint. There are many people here--so many fascinating, amusing, wondrous, nostalgic, terrible people to take in and observe!

<Pose Tracker> Pernelle has posed.

"It is my blessing and it is my curse," Pernelle reports of wisdom, eyes closed in grim sageliness. He brings a wing to his chest. "But where there is adventure calling, there will gladly be Pernelle joining!"

Indeed, Yanagi could have come alone if that was truly Yanagi's wish to do. But she asked, and so Pernelle is there, lockstep, as they make their approach. They are not the only ones here arriving fashionably late: there is no ignoring THE MOTORCYCLE!

Pernelle flaps his wings as it passes to keep his balance from the shock of it, his glasses briefly popping off his face. But the way his peak falls open wide is not one of shock, oh no. The corners are too teased upward for that, and his outstretched wings become raised in a cheer.

"How intrepid!" he cries. He turns to Yanagi with a 90 degree hop. "A curious adaption... But Saika would look splendid astride one, I should think. Shall we look for one on the way home?" At this hour?! Yes, if you intend to steal it!

The closer they get, the more exciting it all becomes, Pernelle occasionally lowering his head to peer upon the details, giving hops side to side before catching up to Yanagi. He rustles his feathers and wriggles his train. Oh! Explosive! Impressive! How they strive! Like artists upon the canvas of survival!

Yanagi asks if they should join and he looks like he is about to vibrate out of his own body. "Did you hear her? A weakness to the flame! My heart has so many flames and unforeseen consequences to provide, dearest Y--!"

But then her finger is on her beak, and he is wisely silenced. Pernelle's pupils cross to look to her finger, then slide back up at Yanagi. Right, yes. The names and the quiet. That matters to the human sorts, generally, and they can hear him right now. It is with neither resistance nor complaint that he accepts Yanagi's changed mind, despite the aforementioned insistence on arson.

"Hmm, yes," he agrees easily instead, craning his neck to look around top, side, and upside down. "A sound suggestion. Our view from here allows us to bask in the chaos most thoroughly." He fluffs up his feathers and smooths them down as a bird preparing to roost.

... Then reaches into his vest with a talon and pulls out a bag of vending machine cookies. Pernelle rips it open cleanly with a swipe of his beak before dunking his head in. As he pulls one out and throws his head back to gobble it down, he offers the bag to Yanagi should she wish to share.

Entertainment AND snacks!

Cookie devoured, his attention snaps back ahead, and his eyes narrow in a squint, glancing from one person to the next, and tracing the way their bonds connect as they call to each other in surprise, relief, and worry.

Curious and curiouser... Curiousest, even.

<Pose Tracker> Crossroads Bar has posed.

    Somehow, when Fuuka tells Natsuki it will be all right -- she believes her.

    (Minato beholds Koh's cool one-liner, meanwhile, and feels an extra spark of affinity with him.)

    Zagreus dances them to health, as Shinjiro does the precise opposite; where one is graceful and soothing and reaches out to the people around him, the other is vicious and brutal and tearing into his own existence. They are stark displays, beside each other, each complimenting the other -- though the Emperor regards them both with the same brutal slash, carving horizontally across the battlefield.

    Myunghon sinks their hands into darkness, and their Cognitive Coat opens its maw. Keikaku might mean plan, but kogo means Empress, and it rises up after it's dragged to the ground to face them. The Emperor, meanwhile, is knocked down by Yukari's maelstrom, and the two call down Zionga and Bufula in concert as they lift their weapons high.

    Umie learns something new, though, even as the Empress's sceptre (for a change!) proceeds to slam down on her. Her Shroud settles over Eikichi's shoulders, obscuring his weaknesses from the enemy. Shrouded in shadows in a different sense is Reiya, who'll find himself dealing with the Emperor's sword as it comes down, in turn -- if he's going to make himself a target, he's going to be targeted. They've both got similar tricks, though, as Kunimitsu shrouds Suzume to protect her just the same!

    Valkyrie rides out to assault the Emperor, slashing across the cross in his middle as if it were a guiding line to show just where to cut. Somehow, he isn't bisected, though he tumbles over with the blow. A cone of flame washes over it, splitting to catch the Empress just the same. (There goes its cape! AGAIN!) Empress takes offence to that, and pours out flames of its own over Hitomi and Minako. Can't it tell that you don't usually use the element you're weak to...? (It can't. It isn't 'thinking' about its strategy, per se. It's more -- acting.)

    Eikichi is right about that one, though -- these Shadows are immeasurably tough. He's pretty tough himself, though, and the Death Boss employs a suitably morbid assault in Mudo, knocking the Emperor down once more. The other Shrouded combatant, Suzume, goes on a tumble -- and kicks her backpack to Minato, helpfully. ("Got it," Minato nods, stern, and takes a moment to give Ririka a melon pan to keep her going. ... Fuuka and Natsuki are in a bubble, and he's not going to break the bubble for bread.) Suzume then enacts her dumb plan -- is it dumb if it works? -- calling out to the Empress tauntingly. It's huge, and lumbering, but one thing it isn't is agile, and for a moment it's stuck chasing Suzume around the atrium before she charges into the Emperor as it's picking itself up. Down he goes... but the Empress gives up on catching up, and calls down an electrical storm on Suzume and Eikichi instead!

    Tsurugi, meanwhile, bids her Persons slash furiously into the Arcana Shadows. Her offence is matched by Akihiko's defence, as he enervates the Shadows' offensive powers in turn. The Empress receives a zap to follow up, and the Emperor lifts his sword, summoning swirling ice around them. It is less freezing than it was -- but the power they're bringing to bear isn't so easily put aside.

    Tyler has a magic trick up his sleeve. He may have noticed that offensive attacks against the Shadows are drawing them towards their attackers -- and Mamudo sinks into them knocking them down. Mitsuru, luckily, managed to catch him, but she's one who makes the landing bearable. Somehow, the Ice Queen of SEES manages to bear up under the pain, and the bruises? The bruises are for tomorrow. The Warrior Queen, meanwhile, isn't about to just let the Shadows resist Mitsuru -- she forces the matter, and follows up with an icy blow. The Empress is frozen solid, for a moment, leaving the Emperor to swing his sword out to assault her and Tyler both.

    The matter of bike thievery is a matter for tomorrow, too... so, too, the matter of bike envy. Moriko seems to realise she's not alone today, though, as she amends from 'I' to 'we' -- and Otohime Gitsune launches another spire of stone towards the Emperor to distract it from its assault on SEES's queen. Vesper, meanwhile, assaults the Empress with a wave of darkness -- which must be what an Investigator does, Vesper just said he was one. Once they've righted themselves, the Empress and Emperor whirl on them, bringing down fire and wind!

    Eriko is a force unto herself, meanwhile, as she blows the giants away from Vesper and Moriko with her formidable winds. The Empress whirls on her, swinging its great sceptre down in a terrible blow!

    Meanwhile, the Emperor moves to advance on Fuuka, again. His great blade crashes downwards, only for Orpheus to manifest in front of it, holding up his lyre to block the blow. But Minato isn't strong enough to force this enemy back himself -- Orpheus sinks back towards Lucia, as the Emperor forces his blade further on, gaining inch after agonising inch. Finally, Orpheus shatters, and the Emperor's blade slams down -- just barely not bisecting Minato in half, as the shockwave knocks him back, impacting with the front of Fuuka's bubble with a pained cry.

    "Ugh," Minato grunts, listing forward as he struggles to stand. Even knowing their tricks, the enemy is so strong...

AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Slash skill Gale Slash on Koh Katsuhiro and Shinjiro Aragaki!
AS: Crossroads Bar takes 40 damage from Panic!
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Water skill Bufula on Yukari Takeba!
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Elec skill Zionga on Myunghon Yeo!
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Strike skill Assault Dive on Umie Akabane! 2 Hits!
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Slash skill Straight Slash on Reiya Aomori!
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Fire skill Maragi on Minako Arisato and Hitomi Mandai!
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Elec skill Mazio on Suzume Fukura and Eikichi Mishina!
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Water skill Mabufu on Remi Ryuuja and Akihiko Sanada!
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Slash skill Gale Slash on Mitsuru Kirijo and Tyler Gould!
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Wind skill Garula on Moriko Kumamoto!
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Fire skill Agilao on Julian Marlowe!
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Strike skill Black Spot on Eriko Kirishima!
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Slash skill Gale Slash on Fuuka Yamagishi and Minato Arisato!
AS: Take! Minato Arisato takes 69 Recovery healing from Yukari Takeba's Media.
AS: Block Worst! Minato Arisato takes 47 Slash damage from Crossroads Bar's Gale Slash.
AS: Block Worst! Shinjiro Aragaki takes 29 Slash damage from Crossroads Bar's Gale Slash.
AS: Avoid Neutral! Yukari Takeba takes 93 Water damage from Crossroads Bar's Bufula. Critical Hit!
AS: Bind added!
AS: Crossroads Bar gains 1 Limit from Momentum!
AS: Block Best! Hitomi Mandai takes 13 Fire damage from Crossroads Bar's Maragi. Resist!
AS: Avoid Best! Eriko Kirishima takes 56 Strike damage from Crossroads Bar's Black Spot.
AS: Block Best! Suzume Fukura takes 44 Elec damage from Crossroads Bar's Mazio. Critical Hit!
AS: Crossroads Bar gains 1 Limit from Momentum!
AS: Block Neutral! Fuuka Yamagishi takes 53 Slash damage from Crossroads Bar's Gale Slash. Critical Hit!
AS: Crossroads Bar gains 1 Limit from Momentum!
AS: Block Best! Mitsuru Kirijo takes 41 Slash damage from Crossroads Bar's Gale Slash.
AS: Block Neutral! Minako Arisato takes 53 Fire damage from Crossroads Bar's Maragi. Critical Hit!
AS: Crossroads Bar gains 1 Limit from Momentum!
AS: Avoid Neutral! Reiya Aomori takes 69 Slash damage from Crossroads Bar's Straight Slash. Critical Hit!
AS: Paralyze added!
AS: Crossroads Bar gains 1 Limit from Momentum!
AS: Counter Best! Eikichi Mishina takes 19 Elec damage from Crossroads Bar's Mazio. Eclipsed!
AS: Paralyze added! Eclipse removed!
AS: COUNTER! Crossroads Bar takes 49 Elec damage in return for their attack! Weak!
AS: Counter Neutral! Remi Ryuuja takes 42 Water damage from Crossroads Bar's Mabufu.
AS: Bind added!
AS: COUNTER! Crossroads Bar takes 43 Water damage in return for their attack! Weak!
AS: Avoid Best! Moriko Kumamoto takes 53 Wind damage from Crossroads Bar's Garula. Critical Hit!
AS: Haze added!
AS: Crossroads Bar gains 1 Limit from Momentum!
AS: Counter Worst! Myunghon Yeo takes 102 Elec damage from Crossroads Bar's Zionga. Critical Hit!
AS: Paralyze added!
AS: COUNTER! Crossroads Bar takes 75 Elec damage in return for their attack! Weak!
AS: Crossroads Bar gains 1 Limit from Momentum!
AS: Block Worst! Koh Katsuhiro takes 61 Slash damage from Crossroads Bar's Gale Slash.
AS: Block Worst! Tyler Gould takes 80 Slash damage from Crossroads Bar's Gale Slash. Critical Hit!
AS: Crossroads Bar gains 1 Limit from Momentum!
AS: Avoid Best! Umie Akabane takes 15 Strike damage from Crossroads Bar's Assault Dive.
AS: You have 1 more attack in queue!
AS: Avoid Neutral! Umie Akabane takes 25 Strike damage from Crossroads Bar's Assault Dive.
AS: Block Neutral! Akihiko Sanada takes 67 Water damage from Crossroads Bar's Mabufu. Weak!
AS: Bind added!
AS: Remi Ryuuja spends Limit on Shift! Reiya Aomori can use another Weak skill this round!
AS: Avoid Worst! Julian Marlowe takes 80 Fire damage from Crossroads Bar's Agilao.
AS: Mitsuru Kirijo spends Limit on Shift! Shinjiro Aragaki can use another Weak skill this round!

<Pose Tracker> Fuuka Yamagishi has posed.

Minako calls out to her, asking if she's okay in there. Fuuka nods.

"Yes... I'm alright. Lucia..." Somehow, she knows the name, as surely as she knows her own. "She's keeping me safe. But... thank you, for worrying about me."

There's almost a watery look to the globe surrounding her, but it's far from unpleasant. She feels more in tune, right now - safer, protected.

Every continues to fight, and behind her, she can feel Natsuki - not relax, perhaps... but she can feel her trust, too.

At some point, she feels two presences slip in the room. She doesn't sense any innate hostility - so she studies them only briefly before turning her attention turns back to the Shadows.

Even being able to relay their weakness, they prove dangerous. They lash out - and the Emperor begins to advance on her. Fuuka's eyes open wide. His blade crashes down - and Orpheus intercepts it once more. The Emperor is not pushed back, this time. The blade presses forward, into Orpheus - and then through, continuing on to slam into the front of Lucia. Fuuka lets out a sharp, pained gasp.

It hurts. Though it doesn't strike her fully - she's not certain she would survive if it had - she can feel Lucia's pain as surely as her own. Lucia flickers for a moment, but with a sharp intake of breath, Fuuka forces herself to maintain her presence. The act is draining her already low reserves of stamina, but...

"Arisato-san..." Fuuka says. She sees Minato, struggling to stand. He fell because of her. And if the Emperor attacks again...

She can't let that happen. She has to -

Lucia reacts to Fuuka's desire. She extends her hands. Water swirls and converges in the air and front of her - and then splashes out, to try and knock the Emperor back.

So, she can do more than just Navigate...

"Switch back to elemental attacks." Fuuka calls out. There's a hitch in her voice, as she struggles to keep herself calm so that she can keep relaying information to them. "Physical attacks are no good... Light or darkness, either."

AS: Persona! Fuuka Yamagishi has used the Water skill Aqua on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Fuuka Yamagishi's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.

    That IS the Weirdo from the Cardboard Dragon, Hitomi! Would you like to buy a BOOSTER PACK of SKILL CARDS mid-battle? Guaranteed to hit a weakness! Ahahahahaha! No, Myunghon isn't that mercantile. Yet. maybe. Or perhaps they're in on all this with a Pay to Win button for the DLC someday, and that's when their name will turn red as a Nemesis...

    Miho did say they betrayed them, after all.

    Indeed, Myunghon is perhaps slightly *less* surprised a model like Eriko can be a Persona-User, given what they found out about their own family. Perhaps one day there'll even be enough to cast them in a movie... or at least a dancing competition? They could all be dancing all night. That might be a dream they might make happen for Yua. Would that make Yua happy?

    Tsk. There's another that've entered, and they're quite close to Fuuka and Natsuki -- but they've elected to leave their defence to the Gekkoukan boys. Still, that getup... wait-- is that a PEACOCK? A peacock that's decided it's Cookie Time. ... hmmmm. Yanagi and Pernelle both are quite extravagant in garb, certainly, but--

    Myunghon takes a spiritual second to evaluate their choice of cookie.

    KOALA MARCH -- A half-brother. We are *all* mass produced by steel pistons and die casts. Glucose and cocoa solids and processed wheat on the steelbed of industralisation.

    Two o/~ yellow notes erupt out of their head. They approve of Pernelle's choice of snacks.

    Myunghon's keikaku doesn't go so far, because of the kogou... and the teikou threatens to eikou-ari them into oblivion as Zionga crashes over them and sends them back and sprawling against one of Tartarus' atrium pillars. Kudlak is going to break at this point. They can't withstand much more damage. So they're going to have to step it up...

    It's perhaps surprising -- and yet not surprising -- how easy they find to work in tandem with Remi and Le Maupin. They've known each other for quite a while, after all. Where they catch that Le Maupin have drawn the Shadow's attention, they're already on the move, to seal the deal on the plan they've been cultivating all this time. Even as powerful as these Shadows are, there's a pattern to them, still. They're still being manifested by some measure of Cognition... but whose? Just what powers the Shadows in this tower, so different than Mementos?

    "With compliments to Yamagishi-kun... I can now predict all your movements!"

    Myunghon's mark was left upon the Shadows before -- the almost imperceptible 'curses' that they've left to wear them down. In an instant, their pupil dilates as they thrust more power, channeled through Kudlak as that darkness spreads from underneath their coat once more -- and each of the ribbon-like tendrils seek to strike at those cursemarks, and if they seek their mark... they'll all explode in a succession of explosions! Even though Fuuka identified Darkness as a no-go, this is something they must test for themselves.

    "Mhhahahaha! Yes... just as I planned*!"

    Myunghon takes the time to punish their own spine by reclining with bad, but Cool posture, drawing a hand over their hair. This might backfire dramatically, Myunghon.

    "The time is NOW, Tsurugi! Capitalise on this opening and rend them in twain with your gusts!" Myunghon dramatically sweeps their hand, Cognitive Cape billowing behind them.

    *There's a new Plan shop down Yumezaki Centre, Cake-kaku-doori, 3-chome, 7-ban. It's very nice. They do 2 for 1 deals on Tuesdays.

AS: Persona! Myunghon Yeo has used the Dark skill All According to Plan on Crossroads Bar! 2 Hits!
AS: Myunghon Yeo's turn has ended.
AS: Myunghon Yeo spends Limit on Shift! Remi Ryuuja can use another Weak skill this round!

<Pose Tracker> Eikichi Mishina has posed.

Eikichi smirks at Vesper, giving the mysterious not teacher a thumbs up. "Hell yeah! Lets get this punk!"

 The blue haired punk keeps his footing as he swings the guitar case up to his grip.

For anyone watching, why is the Death Boss of Kasu High School about to play a song. Were Shadows weak to music?

Eikichi pulls back the guitar case from the neck of a rather impressive machine gun.

The kind you see in movies.

The kind that are very illegal...well anywhere.

 Eikichi clicks his tongue holding the guitar case/machine gun for a moment before his finger just pulls down on the trigger, sending a spray of "bullets" for the pair of Arcana Shadows as he lets out a powerful "WOOOOOOOOOO!"

The Muzzle flash twinkles in his eyes as a demonic grin crosses his face.

The electricity hits again, charing Eikichi to a crisp but he still pulls back on the trigger. Maybe his finger is stuck? Eikichi coughs, feeling his muscles tense from the electricity, making it harder to move for the moment.

 Eikichi's Persona appears behind him, whirring as it hovers there and summons a ball of water, which shoots toward the Arcana Shadows.

AS: Persona! Eikichi Mishina has used the Pierce skill Bullet Rain on Crossroads Bar! 3 Hits!
AS: Persona! Eikichi Mishina has used the Water skill Aqua on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Eikichi Mishina's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Minako Arisato has posed.

The blast of fire comes at Minako and Hitomi. The fire slams into Minako, even as she brings her arms up to deflect it. The flame washes over her, driving her backward. Then, she turns her head -- and she looks to the Emperor, and the blade that comes down.

Orpheus is cloven apart. Minato is thrown backward, hit hard by that blow, and Minako's blood turns to ice. She sucks a breath in, raggedly, and then she shouts: "MINATO-KUN!"

Something deep and primal takes hold. Her crimson eyes ablaze, Minako leaps into the air. Her naginata is drawn out in one hand; her Evoker is briefly in the other, and she jumps as she fires it. Glass and blue light trail from her.

"Linos! Get in there!"

To her surprise, Lucia sends a blast of water out for the Emperor -- and then Linos follows that up, throwing out a trio of glowing points of blue-white light. They each swing out, hurtling towards the Emperor Shadow Arcana like a missile.

And Linos appears -- next to Lucia, as Minako slams the Evoker back into the holster. She lands in front of her brother, Fuuka, and Lucia alike. She looks up at the Emperor, her jaw setting. Then, she looks up at the large Arcana Shadow.

"C'mon," she says. "You wanna hurt them? You get through me!"

AS: Minako Arisato spends Limit on Psych! 
AS: Persona! Minako Arisato has used the Fire skill Trio Freila on Crossroads Bar! 3 Hits!
AS: Minako Arisato: Gains 37 HP from Regen! Psych removed!
AS: Minako Arisato's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Shizuka Kuroki has posed.

      Shizuka manages to work her muscles back into shape, rolling her shoulders as the rocks glance off. "Yeah, not gonna do much..." Fuuka's analysis comes over, though. "Will these damn things make up their minds?! God!" She stomps her foot in frustration, letting out a huff.
 
      She scans around the field. Nato-kun's not doing too hot... If he falls, then that bastard's gonna get Fuuka and this'll all be for nothing!
 
      "Hold on, Nato-kun, I gotcha! Bring 'em up, Galatea!"
 
      She fires her Evoker, causing Galatea to bring down a healing light across the battlefield.

AS: Persona! Shizuka Kuroki has used the Recovery skill Media on Minato Arisato, Akihiko Sanada, Remi Ryuuja, and Julian
Marlowe!
AS: Shizuka Kuroki's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.

Shinjiro internally withers and dies a death as Mitsuru gives him that old Signal. This is step one of the execution... there will now *have* to be a step two.

But even so, they've reached an accord. Work together now, talk later. He won't be able to avoid that talk... Mitsuru can find him anywhere. She's rich.

But as the blade comes down on him, Shinjiro swings his axe, deflecting most of the blow even as it slashes into him and skids him backwards again, grunting. As Mitsuru makes his opening, he shoots the Evoker at his head, a wave of sickness blasting over the two Shadows.

And then, a scepter comes down on Umie. "Akabane, watch out!"

He darts over there, sidestepping, signalling two things.

First, that Umie should dodge.

Second... that he might have new friends. Has he left SEES for another group...?

(No, but it might look that way, as unbelievable as it is.)

As she dodges her blow, Shinjiro comes forth, clicking the Evoker once more as he rushes in with his axe. No physical attacks will work, so he can't get into close combat, but even as he swings a feint, he's close enough to do what he wanted.

Castor comes forth, firing off another blast of flame, point blank at the Shadows! What did Shinjiro want...?

To be as close as possible to try and bait the Shadows away from his allies.

AS: Persona! Shinjiro Aragaki has used the Almighty skill Evil Smile on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Persona! Shinjiro Aragaki has used the Fire skill Agi on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Shinjiro Aragaki: Bind removed!
AS: Shinjiro Aragaki's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Koh Katsuhiro has posed.

Koh raises an arm in attempt to ward off the shockwave resulting from the Emperor's blow, the gale force still throwing the boy momentarily off his feet and to the ground. Hard.

But at least Minako's smile makes nearly crashing into Tartarus worth it. Someone thought he was cool!
    he young man groans as he rolls to his feet. He coughs, something wet and ugly. "What the hell--" No time for that. He swallows, "This be why Yamagishi-san's so popular these days..."

She says no physical attacks. Which means he's got a reason to stay where he likes being: the back line. "Persona!" Once again healing power rains down upon the members of SEES.

AS: Koh Katsuhiro spends Limit on Exploit! Koh Katsuhiro can use another Weak skill this round!
AS: Persona! Koh Katsuhiro has used the Recovery skill Relaxing Wave on Yukari Takeba, Suzume Fukura, and Moriko
Kumamoto!
AS: Persona! Koh Katsuhiro has used the Recovery skill Bacchanaiia: Revelry on Akihiko Sanada, Reiya Aomori, and Fuuka
Yamagishi!
AS: Koh Katsuhiro's turn has ended.
AS: Take! Yukari Takeba takes 0 Recovery healing from Koh Katsuhiro's Relaxing Wave.
AS: Vigor added!
AS: Koh Katsuhiro gains 1 Limit from Supporter!
AS: Take! Reiya Aomori takes 0 Recovery healing from Koh Katsuhiro's Bacchanaiia: Revelry. 12 SP regained!
AS: Def_Up added!
AS: Koh Katsuhiro gains 1 Limit from Supporter!
AS: Take! Fuuka Yamagishi takes 0 Recovery healing from Koh Katsuhiro's Bacchanaiia: Revelry. 12 SP regained!
AS: Atk_Up added!
AS: Koh Katsuhiro gains 1 Limit from Supporter!

<Pose Tracker> Yukari Takeba has posed.

It's true, whether or not she trusts some members of SEES, such as Mitsuru or Reiya, they're a team. Which is why when Reiya gives her an opening - she capitalizes. And it's why when she follows up, she tries to offer one to Mitsuru.

Yukari has a goal for being here. That's more important than her like, or dislike of anyone. She will find out what happened to him.

"Leave it to me." Is her succinct reply to Minako as she rises to her feet, the Evoker in hands and Hitomi's thanks is met with a comment, "Thank me by taking this down!"

The Empress responds by a shower of Ice, and Yukari swings sideways as Io moves between her and it, Io covered with rimefrost in the aftermath, her movements slowing.

But not stopping.

No one has died, and with Fuuka's awakening, they can do this. Part of Yukari withers at the thought of Fuuka sacrificing her innocence for the sake of her goal.

But despite her dislike of it, she'll keep moving forward.

And that's when she looks at Minato almost get bisected, and she looks at him alarm, "You've done enough!"

However, despite how she's acted, Minako is counting on her to keep everyone up and alive. But - there's one more than anyone who means anything to her here, she knows this. So instead of capitalizing upon this moment to buffet either Shadow with winds, Io raises her hands again...

And it's like a breeze blows through scented with fresh Spring Water, before landing upon...

Minato.

It swirls around him, before backing up Shizuka's healing to decisively keep him up on his feet.

"Minato- If you don't fall back, you're going to die!"

And while more composed than Minako, there's unmistakably some panic in her voice too.

AS: Persona! Yukari Takeba has used the Recovery skill Naiad Diarama on Minato Arisato!
AS: Yukari Takeba's turn has ended.
AS: Take! Suzume Fukura takes 0 Recovery healing from Koh Katsuhiro's Relaxing Wave.
AS: Vigor added!
AS: Shinjiro Aragaki spends Limit on Shift! Umie Akabane can use another Weak skill this round!
AS: Take! Minato Arisato takes 65 Recovery healing from Shizuka Kuroki's Media.
AS: Take! Minato Arisato takes 101 Recovery healing from Yukari Takeba's Naiad Diarama.
AS: Yukari Takeba gains 1 Limit from Supporter!
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 74 Water damage from Fuuka Yamagishi's Aqua. Weak!
AS: Take! Julian Marlowe takes 65 Recovery healing from Shizuka Kuroki's Media.
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 51 Fire damage from Minako Arisato's Trio Freila. Weak!
AS: Block Best! Crossroads Bar takes 66 Fire damage from Shinjiro Aragaki's Agi. Weak!
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 42 Dark damage from Myunghon Yeo's All According to Plan. Critical Hit! Resist!
AS: Paralyze and Sick added!
AS: Block Best! Crossroads Bar takes 27 Dark damage from Myunghon Yeo's All According to Plan. Resist!
AS: Paralyze and Sick added!
AS: Myunghon Yeo gains 1 Limit from Schadenfreude!
AS: Block Best! Crossroads Bar takes 24 Pierce damage from Eikichi Mishina's Bullet Rain. Critical Hit! Resist!
AS: Block Neutral! Crossroads Bar takes 20 Pierce damage from Eikichi Mishina's Bullet Rain. Resist!
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 23 Pierce damage from Eikichi Mishina's Bullet Rain. Resist!
AS: Block Best! Crossroads Bar takes 88 Water damage from Eikichi Mishina's Aqua. Weak!
AS: Paralyze added!
AS: Block Best! Crossroads Bar takes 49 Fire damage from Minako Arisato's Trio Freila. Weak!
AS: Blast added! Paralyze removed! Explosion! 45 damage!
AS: Block Neutral! Crossroads Bar takes 54 Fire damage from Minako Arisato's Trio Freila. Weak!
AS: Blast added! Paralyze removed! Explosion! 45 damage!
AS: Take! Crossroads Bar takes 0 Almighty damage from Shinjiro Aragaki's Evil Smile.
AS: Sick added!

AS: Hitomi Mandai spends Limit on Psych! 

<Pose Tracker> Suzume Fukura has posed.

Suzume *explodes* off of Emperor in a blast of wind that literally throws her ten feet into the air, arms windmilling as she tries to regain control of herself before she hits the ground.

oh crap oh crap oh crap

Suzume almost doesn't... but she drags her foot and arm through one of those ribbons of wind that were just running along with her and manages the world's least graceful double jump, less getting additional height and more straightening herself out and slowing her enough that, when she lands, it's on her feet in a deep crouch and not faceplanting into the floor.

Panic is replaced with a thrill as she somehow *manages it* and *looks cool*, not that anyone has much of an opportunity to look giving the increasing chaos in the area. AND she managed to get one of them chasing her around, though the lightning is not a plus!

Suzume braces against the thunderous boom as she covers her upper body with her pair of tonfa in a boxing-like guard - and this actually works, more or less. It breaks her guard, though; she staggers back, one of the tonfa having a rather obvious scorch mark down the side.

She blinks, trying to clear her eyes from the flash and sparks without actually rubbing her face. She sees what Yukari is doing, recognizing the effect - "Takeba! Arisato-chan! I'll keep her off you while you keep them up!"

Which her? Well, there's only one that matters. And Empress looks like the one more vulnerable to this trick. Plus, she's a big target; even with her vision blurry and covered in spots, Suzume can find her just fine.

Suzume makes a come-on gesture to Empress. She was just being chased by the greater Shadow; it's probably mad at her if it feels emotions at all and Suzume is going to push that as far as she goes. She hops backwards, revitalized by Koh's energy, as if trying to convince Empress to run after her again...

...but this time Suzume has a little card. A gift.

"Atalanta!" she calls, firing the Evoker again - she wants to do this *exactly right*. And when Atalanta appears, she has her arms spread, wind dancing around them. It's not wind that swirls around Empress, though; it's a darker force, forming a sphere that *slams* downward, crushing Empress beneath force itself. "Gry!"

Empress, Suzume figures, is kind of round already. She can get way more Empress in the same amount of bubble than she could with Emperor.

AS: Persona! Suzume Fukura has used the Earth skill Gry on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Suzume Fukura's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Reiya Aomori has posed.

The sword comes down. Reiya swings up his sai to block the attack, but his guard is battered and he's knocked flying away. "Gh--"

Julian explains, sort of. Professional caution. "No," Reiya says, "That makes sense." He's not going to begrudge someone a mask, on reflection, though it's unusual among Persona-users. Of course, he still thinks it's hiding in a sense... but he doesn't mind hiding. It's a useful skill!

Eikichi and Julians eem to work well together. And Eriko, with the briefly-flaming sword, is elegant and cool. Reiya watches her for a moment; he can see her comfort with battle.

Suzume does her thing--and Reiya smiles grimly to see it. He also spots 'Tsurugi' ahead, and while he does not know her, he sees something he can use in the opening she creates with her skills.

"Persona," Reiya intones, and the Evoker sprads its crsytalline carnage once again from his head. Reiya ducks down, shifts forward, and--

His Persona throws forth its hands, and a crashing wave erupts along the ground. With another gesture, Reiya brings forth a burst of purple-gray energy that crashes down on Empress in an effort to slam her to the ground.

Reiya looks back to Minako at her challenge. Her leadership is plain to him; he feels more secure with her helping to protect the others. And as he does, he sees... Yanagi and Pernelle. That's a thing to follow up with. But first--

Reiya darts up--and steps up close to Mitsuru, this time. "Kirijo-senpai," he says. "Allow me to assist."

AS: Persona! Reiya Aomori has used the Water skill Aques on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Persona! Reiya Aomori has used the Earth skill Gry on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Reiya Aomori: Paralyze removed!
AS: Reiya Aomori's turn has ended.
AS: Reiya Aomori spends Limit on Shift! Mitsuru Kirijo can use another Weak skill this round!

<Pose Tracker> Akihiko Sanada has posed.

    Excited with the solid progress, a solid block as Akihiko slides back from the force of a weakened Mabufu. He spots the Emperor progress and strike Yamagishi's Persona. It fills him with a sense of duty, to protect his kouhais.

    "You won't get away with that!" Taking his envoker once more for another summon. He goes big this time. Polydeuces is summoned, and creates an electric ball in the air, crackling with energy. Akihiko jumps up. "I'll show you all how it's done!" With as much force as he can manage, he *punches* the electric ball, sending it at the Emperor Shadow.

AS: Akihiko Sanada spends Limit on Psych! 
AS: Take! Akihiko Sanada takes 65 Recovery healing from Shizuka Kuroki's Media.

<Pose Tracker> Hitomi Mandai has posed.

 
Hitomi's head swivels to look as Suzume starts trying to... draw the attention of one or both of the Shadows. Her mouth hangs slightly open in wordless signification of 'wtf are you doing.' But then she sees it, and the open mouth splits into another grin. (I am losing my mind, Hitomi thinks, even as Suzume runs forwards. That is her strongest thought. Even as Suzume is getting up NEAR the thing.)

At this point she realizes she DID hear a motorcycle and that Minato Arisato is ON a motorcycle and she has no real time to process this information before Fuuka is updating them. It is chaos; the motion of the Shadows, horrible as it is, is starting to become familiar. Then a burst of flame comes towards them.

The heat washes over Hitomi's face as it closes. As the light builds, matching the heat. As the flames strike her. As the burn suddenly spikes --

--

--

Hitomi's eyes open. She blinks several times. Her body feels... lighter? She realizes it in a moment - the sweat in her clothes has disappeared. She *is* lighter, more or less. She actually giggles for a moment, reaching up to sweep back some hair that has fallen loose from the bun of hair held back behind her head with several pins.

"Do you really want to see who's burning brighter?" Hitomi finds herself saying, before the hand not sweeping her stray locks of hair back (and around, and behind an ear) sweeps up again, this time palm upwards.

"'k. Tyche!"

Tyche reappears. Or does she? No, it's the same statue, it just moved. Normal, really, for a Persona, although perhaps peculiar for a statue. Now her head is tilted upwards, both hands held in an upwards facing way, as if imploding or reaching to clasp hands with someone above them.

There is a scream like the climax of a summertime fireworks show. A dozen white lights streak towards the Emperor and the Empress. They explode, and every spark they throw is hot and luminous and golden against a red background for a flicker of a moment:

"Fukuraa, don't stand near it! Arisato is he--!!?" Hitomi says, that momentary sensation of exaltation swept away in the breeze (of explosions).

AS: Take! Akihiko Sanada takes 0 Recovery healing from Koh Katsuhiro's Bacchanaiia: Revelry. 12 SP regained!
AS: Spd_Up added!
AS: Koh Katsuhiro gains 1 Limit from Supporter!
AS: Persona! Hitomi Mandai has used the Fire skill Explosion of Fortune on Crossroads Bar! 3 Hits!
AS: Hitomi Mandai: Psych removed!
AS: Hitomi Mandai's turn has ended.
AS: Persona! Akihiko Sanada has used the Elec skill Lightning Spike on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Akihiko Sanada: Psych removed!
AS: Akihiko Sanada's turn has ended.
AS: Take! Moriko Kumamoto takes 0 Recovery healing from Koh Katsuhiro's Relaxing Wave.
AS: Vigor added!
AS: Koh Katsuhiro gains 1 Limit from Supporter!
AS: Take! Remi Ryuuja takes 65 Recovery healing from Shizuka Kuroki's Media.

<Pose Tracker> Mitsuru Kirijo has posed.

They're still so new at this.

It's a cold realization that dawns on Mitsuru as she sees the scramble this fight has become. There are so many here unaffiliated with SEES - people she does not know, people whose strengths and weaknesses she cannot account for, making coordination that much more difficult. Her cold glare affixes on a pair of others just -watching- beyond, another complication that may be friend or foe or neither -- either way, their lack of help, the entertainment they take watching them, makes things that much more a quagmire that she can't even spare the time to question. And for their own members...

This is what -must- amount to the first outing for so many members of SEES here today, and even those who have experience under their belt...

Her gaze can't help but drift to Akihiko and Shinjiro both as she darts backwards to gain space anew during the melee, dark gaze lidding fractionally.

... dysfunction. Interpersonal issues. Things can't keep going like this.

She can't let this all fall into the same tragedies, -again-.

Thoughts consume her mind. They -always- consume her mind. But Mitsuru is a Kirijo, and a Kirijo is trained from birth to be a frightening and uncompromising multi-tasker. Even as she debates the possible outcomes of this situation, she catches a sudden and violent rush of movement from her peripherals. She sucks in a breath, pivots--

--And the sharp edge of the Emperor's sword meets Mitsuru's rapier and Penthesilea's parrying dagger in a sharp, spark-screaming impact. Spiritual metal struggles against spiritual metal and real, tempered steel for three seconds of struggle. In these moments it's clear, as Mitsuru reacts so smoothly, as she offers nothing but bloody vengeance in her stare for the great Shadow beyond her even in such dire circumstances--

Languishing in support was always a necessity for Mitsuru. A burden she bore gladly for the sake of the team, but. In her heart?

She yearned for the frontlines.

Three seconds pass before the force and momentum of the Emperor's swing, diluted though it is, knock Mitsuru off her feet with a cold suck of air. She goes flying as Penthesilea flickers from existence, smashing back-first into a nearby wall with a wordless gasp of pain. Her arms are numb, tingling all the way down to her shoulder joints; she is certain she must have done -something- wrong to her dominant hand in that exchange. She slumps to the ground, head lolling to the right for a brief, vision-swimming moment.

Even with Fuuka's support, these Shadows aren't stopping. They were born to coordinate with each other, while many of the people fighting them now don't even know each others' -names-.

Mitsuru focuses. Her hand reaches to grip the nearby support pillar behind her--

--only to find Reiya there, instead. She blinks -- but then, her expression settles.

"... Thank you, Aomori," she says, sincerely. And through grit teeth, she lifts back onto her feet with his help, slowly and shakily. But unbowed. "I need you... to be prepared. I can trust you to see the way the tide is turning." She shuts her eyes. Draws in a breath.

And slowly, she lowers back into that fighting stance once more as her steely gaze shifts leftwards, towards,

"... Arisato."

Minato. The brother - the elder. She's never had siblings. But she can imagine the protective urge there. She doesn't want to make him do this. But--

"Take Yamagishi and the non-combatants and -get them out of here-."

Her voice is a bulwark of unbending steel, not to be questioned. Her stance widens as the sapphire flame of her Persona's power enshrouds her like a flickering corona.

"Do you understand? If they stay, they'll die here! You need to save them!"

Save yourself--

"Now go! Hurry!"

She won't have more loss on her hands. She won't let people die who had nothing to do with this.

Not again--

Mitsuru breaks into a sprint. She doesn't here what Fuuka says about their weakness now -- she knows in her heart this is her opening. More to the point... she knows this is the moment she -must- seize. To demand their attention.

To give Minato his opening to escape.

"Face me now! Penthesilea, come!!"

Her body screams in protest. She ignores it, becoming a blur of black and white motion as she comes to a skidding halt before the Shadows. -Commanding- them to notice her. To turn their attention on -her-. And if her voice and actions cannot do it--

--then perhaps Penthesilea can encourage them as the upward swing of its mighty rapier conjures great boulders of frost and ice-crystal above them--

--sending them crashing down like an executioners' axe on -both- their heads.

And then -does it again-.

She won't let it happen. Not again.

            "GO, ARISATO! That's an order!!"

Never again.

AS: Persona! Mitsuru Kirijo has used the Almighty skill Disrupting Wave on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Persona! Mitsuru Kirijo has used the Water skill Bufula on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Mitsuru Kirijo's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Tyler Gould has posed.

"Gould, yes." is the reply to Mitsuru -- why does *she* get exempted from 'just Tyler, please'?

Because they're fighting for their lives, and ultimately his surname is one syllable shorter than his given, and that one syllable could be the difference between life and death, for all he knows.

"Right." The order to steady himself comes across well enough -- that external appearance of coldness is something they can share, to a point. Tyler's voice lacks emotion at most times, it can sound uncaring. His words? They sound bleak when he uses the ones he wants.

He takes the words literally. Bracing himself against the ground, he'll stay on his hands and knees, present less of a target, perhaps. What happens when shadows' weapons strike the ground? It was time to find out, if the scepter came swinging his way again. It might also make it harder for him to become a weapon against one of the others.

Well. He manages not to be used as a weapon, at least, but while his attention was on the Empress, it's the Emperor that targets him this time, and moving out of the way of that giant sword? That just wasn't going to happen, so instead he just.... turtles up, frankly, to try and just *take* the blow as the sword slices through some of Houdini's many, many chains and down into Tyler.

It definitely *hurt*, and he is, indeed, becoming quickly aware that bringing the offense against the Emperor or Empress gets their attention turned the attacker's way...

...but for as much as a glass cannon he might be, the cannon part is every bit as true as the glass part, and even if it means he's going to face another shattering blow?

The enemies' weakness just shifted right back into his *strength*

"This is going to hurt." It's a prediction; less for what it's going to do to the Shadows but what they're going to try to do to him. Optimism? That's not at all in his playbook, but what is?

"Persona." The Evoker fires, that inner glass is shattered in turn, and Houdini's chains rattle once again as the cold air seeps out from those bindings, freezes into deadly shards of ice in the air above Tyler, and fire back at the Emperor with deadly precision... of the two, he thinks the one with the sharp, pointy thing is probably the one that he'd rather anger.

AS: Persona! Tyler Gould has used the Water skill Bufula on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Tyler Gould's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Remi Ryuuja has posed.

Tsurugi is heaving a bit with the sustained exhaustion, but still she continues to send herself and her Persona to relentlessly attack. Ice comes at the Emperor's behest, and La Maupin turns to face it. With a terrific slash at the spell, they send some of it back to strike the Shadow.

Meanwhile, La Maupin's user grunts as they feel the feedback from that spell, their body momentarily chilled and slower to act. It's fine.

They've been through worse. But not much worse, in terms of fighting Shadows. Nothing like these... She snarls quietly as she redoubles her resolve, her grip tightening on her rapier.

Elemental attacks again. There's a barely perceptible nod. There is also, a barest of turns of her head towards Yanagi and Pernelle. A chance scanning of the battlefield, or did she notice them in all the chaos? It might be hard to tell, since that mask obscures her sightline.

But Myunghon calls for dramatic action, as precisely predicted, and behind her mask Tsurugi smirks. "Hmm." She holds her hand out and calls, "Garu!" (Look who's suddenly calling their attacks out--is she responding to Myunghon's theatrical flare?)

(... Nah, probably not.)

La Maupin darts back, and with a slash of their sword stirs uyp a cyclone of winds for the Emperor Shadow, to repay the ice from a moment ago. Then Tsurugi calls out, "GARULA!" The reaction is instant, a second alsh right on the tails of the first, as the biting, cutting winds suddenly intensify.

Some of the tension in her body relaxes as Shizuka calls forth healing magic, and she glances back over her shoulder to offer the girl a nod in gratitude. Her gaze flicks over to Reiya as he takes advantage of the opening. Sharp and quick... something to be watched.

AS: Persona! Remi Ryuuja has used the Wind skill Garu on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Persona! Remi Ryuuja has used the Wind skill Garula on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Remi Ryuuja's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Moriko Kumamoto has posed.

There's an order to get others out of the way. Moriko is torn though. On the one hand, it still rubs her the wrong way to leave the others behind because she's in the fight, she's doing it. The other part of her tells her that dragging other people out fills the same role and she turns, getting ready to call out to the others.
 
 She twists in place, making a decision, "Get back behind us-" she starts, "I don't think there's any getting way." Her counter argument to the order. Someone (her) can deal with the fallout later. It's not the first person she's told to pound sand, sort of.
 
 "Screw it." She plants the staff (It's a mop) in front of her and pulls the trigger again. "Come on out!" Her head jerking to the side. Following up one gravity attack from a certain someone she still wants to chew out with a larger sphere. Adding to the immense pressure of the situation. A larger, more intense force!
 
 Though there is a quick look to the others. Like she needs to do more. Maybe a hand up.
 
 She's not so stoic looking and she's maybe leaning on that staff a bit.

AS: Persona! Moriko Kumamoto has used the Earth skill Riotous Gryva on Crossroads Bar! 3 Hits!
AS: Moriko Kumamoto's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.

    And who are Shinjiro's merry band? (Aside from Merry, who is over there and exploding status effects. It's okay, Umie can lay more on!)

    Why, it's a fashionable masked man, the Death Boss himself, and an comparably underwhelming young woman(?) in a windbreaker!

    "Uh, Mishina-san, I think that's pretty unique right there," Umie mutters, under her breath. "Kasugayama students are really something else..."

    'Akabane, watch out!' Umie twists out of the way, her assisted agility landing her artfully away from where the sceptre lands, with only a few bruised areas to show for it.

    Reiya's question to Vesper(Julian) catches Umie's attention as well. "Identity can be used as a weapon," she says, over her shoulder, even if Reiya seems satisfied with his answer. "He wouldn't have been the only one; mine just didn't make the cut."

    "But." Something about this Reiya person is... almost... ninja-like? (_oh god she has to meet up with that bridge ninja guy in a month, why did she agree to that?!_)
    
    "Mask or no, it's time to show what a Badb really is capable of." Using the opening Shinjiro created, the girl in the white windbreaker hunches down, willing the battle crow to manifest above her in blue light. She's barely aware of Mitsuru's pleas to Minato.

    One: a bell of ill fortune, signalling the end of reason and the spring of bloodshed, a grasping hand held upwards towards glory.
    Two: the haunted red-lipped smile, the badb as the steward of battle, fingers curling in a beckon towards a warrior on their last breath.
    'Keep going. It's not enough.'
    And then the third, forming the trinity: a shriek, the hollow cry that sends a cold shiver down the spine to those who decide to heed its call.

AS: Umie Akabane spends Limit on Exploit! Umie Akabane can use another Weak skill this round!
AS: Persona! Umie Akabane has used the Almighty skill Warrior's Bell on Crossroads Bar!
AS: You still have 1 regular actions and 1 bonus Weak actions!

AS: Persona! Umie Akabane has used the Almighty skill Hooded Smile on Crossroads Bar!
AS: You still have 1 regular actions and 0 bonus Weak actions!
AS: Persona! Umie Akabane has used the Dark skill Pale Shriek on Crossroads Bar! 3 Hits!
AS: Umie Akabane's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Eriko Kirishima has posed.

    Apparently, Eriko has angered the Empress with Nike's intervention, after sending them flying. The scepter of the Empress slams down toward Eriko, and it's only with a burst of speed granted by Nike's presence and putting the effort in to move her epee to deflect that she avoids the worst of it, landing gracefully on her feet as the combination of jumping away and the Empress' powerful swing give her a little too much airtime. If the floors of Tartarus can dent or crack, that would do it. Her sword arm stings badly, but it could have been much worse. "Off with her head, is it?" Eriko retorts as she compares the Empress with the Queen of Hearts- and casting herself once again as Elly in Wonderland, switching between English and Japanese effortlessly. Still, despite her... it's not bravado, is it? She's just having a blast, honestly. Eriko's a very odd woman.

    But its hard not to notice the pain on the battlefield- the cries of fear for their leader, the decision to pull back the non-combatants... It's a fear Eriko is very familiar with. She remembers those times, when she feared for her friends so- and the times she caused that same fear with her recklessness. She also hears several names, but one stands out more than others for a very good reason. 'Kirijo-senpai'. They have to be the ones...

    Eriko has maintained her barrage of wind, she can't keep it up forever- and Nike's winds have another purpose as well. "Boldly declared, Miss Kirijo," Eriko calls, with a smile. "Allow a senpai to lend your and yours a hand! You as well, Mr Inspector!" She raises her sword up, saluting Mitsuru, before letting out a dramatic declaration of her own.

    "Nike, may you have our lives in our charge and never cease garlanding our heads!" She doesn't bother translating again from English to Japanese, translating from Ancient Greek to English was enough. "Victory Blessing!"

    Nike circles above Eriko, before flying briskly through the crowd, past Vesper, past Umie, circling around Mitsuru twice before settling behind Eriko. In her wake laurel wreaths of green light are lowered onto the four's heads, before erupting in a burst of wind that provides a rush of speed and strength. "Don't hold back now!" Eriko says, shooting a hopefully bolstering smile to SEES' chief- and by god can she see some certain similarities now.

    But suddenly, she feels the hairs on the back of her neck twitch, sensing the resonance. She looks away from the Shadows, towards the feeling- and her eyes fall on Yanagi and Pernelle, her eyes fixing briefly on the two. Now who are they, and why are they not taking part? Curious. And as much as she wants to pursue, well, her focus has to be elsewhere. One shouldn't walk away from regicide once you've started, after all.

AS: Persona! Eriko Kirishima has used the Wind skill Victory Blessing on Mitsuru Kirijo, Julian Marlowe, Umie Akabane,
and Eriko Kirishima!
AS: Eriko Kirishima: Haze removed!
AS: Eriko Kirishima's turn has ended.
AS: Take! Eriko Kirishima takes 0 Wind damage from Eriko Kirishima's Victory Blessing.
AS: Atk_Up and Spd_Up added!
AS: Take! Julian Marlowe takes 0 Wind damage from Eriko Kirishima's Victory Blessing.
AS: Atk_Up and Spd_Up added!
AS: Take! Umie Akabane takes 0 Wind damage from Eriko Kirishima's Victory Blessing.
AS: Atk_Up and Spd_Up added!
AS: Take! Mitsuru Kirijo takes 0 Wind damage from Eriko Kirishima's Victory Blessing.
AS: Atk_Up and Spd_Up added!
AS: Block Neutral! Crossroads Bar takes 84 Earth damage from Suzume Fukura's Gry. Weak!
AS: Paralyze added! Blast removed! Explosion! 40 damage!
AS: Block Best! Crossroads Bar takes 134 Water damage from Tyler Gould's Bufula. Weak!
AS: Block Neutral! Crossroads Bar takes 76 Wind damage from Remi Ryuuja's Garu. Weak!
AS: Block Best! Crossroads Bar takes 115 Wind damage from Remi Ryuuja's Garula. Weak!
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 72 Earth damage from Moriko Kumamoto's Riotous Gryva. Critical Hit! Weak!
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 72 Earth damage from Moriko Kumamoto's Riotous Gryva. Critical Hit! Weak!
AS: Block Best! Crossroads Bar takes 61 Earth damage from Moriko Kumamoto's Riotous Gryva. Critical Hit! Weak!
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 48 Dark damage from Umie Akabane's Pale Shriek. Critical Hit! Resist!
AS: Block Best! Crossroads Bar takes 36 Dark damage from Umie Akabane's Pale Shriek. Critical Hit! Resist!
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 137 Water damage from Reiya Aomori's Aques. Weak!
AS: Paralyze added!
AS: Block Neutral! Crossroads Bar takes 33 Dark damage from Umie Akabane's Pale Shriek. Resist!
AS: Paralyze added!
AS: Block Neutral! Crossroads Bar takes 79 Earth damage from Reiya Aomori's Gry. Weak!
AS: Paralyze added!
AS: Reiya Aomori gains 1 Limit from Schadenfreude!
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 63 Fire damage from Hitomi Mandai's Explosion of Fortune. Weak!
AS: Take! Crossroads Bar takes 0 Almighty damage from Umie Akabane's Warrior's Bell.
AS: Rage added!
AS: Take! Crossroads Bar takes 0 Almighty damage from Umie Akabane's Hooded Smile.
AS: Take! Crossroads Bar takes 0 Almighty damage from Mitsuru Kirijo's Disrupting Wave.
AS: Crt_Dn added!
AS: Mitsuru Kirijo gains 1 Limit from Schadenfreude!
AS: Block Neutral! Crossroads Bar takes 78 Fire damage from Hitomi Mandai's Explosion of Fortune. Critical Hit! Weak!
AS: Block Best! Crossroads Bar takes 44 Fire damage from Hitomi Mandai's Explosion of Fortune. Weak!
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 84 Fire damage from Hitomi Mandai's Explosion of Fortune. Critical Hit! Weak!
AS: Block Best! Crossroads Bar takes 115 Elec damage from Akihiko Sanada's Lightning Spike. Weak!
AS: Paralyze and Sick added!
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 158 Water damage from Mitsuru Kirijo's Bufula. Critical Hit! Weak!
AS: Bind added!

<Pose Tracker> Julian Marlowe has posed.

Thankfully Reiya accepts the explanation, Julian really isn't sure where he was even going to go with that. He tips his hat before leaving one boy's side to join another's, the impromptu team-up with Eikichi going off without a hitch. His smile, one of the few things that remains visible even with the mask on, seems one of genuine fondness. For all the theatrics, he seems to really enjoy seeing the Death Boss in his element.

Though he sought to step aside more elegantly, he receives more fire for his trouble - a more concentrated blast this time. He'd thought that perhaps this time he'd be able to avoid it... but it came at him a little more quickly than he reckoned, turning what should have been a graceful leap into a shoulder-first crash into the ground, knocked off-course by the fireball. He grimaces, not getting up immediately. His earlier wound and fatigue starting to catch up with him. But he needs to keep up appearances - and besides, he can't stay down while others are still fighting. He needs to get up...!

He suddenly finds this easier, as healing light washes over him. He somehow wasn't expecting that, mumbling a 'thank you' in Shizuka's general direction. He might be a little embarrassed. This wasn't the plan, he was supposed to be the one looking out for others! Although, it's increasingly looking like many here actually have more experience than he does.

Such as that young lady, there, seeking to carry everything on her shoulders. 'Kirijo', he's heard her being referred to. It would have to be that Kirijo, so he'd have to assume. ...Someone he may well have gotten to know under very different circumstances, if things hadn't gone the way they did. Is this fate as well, then?

Another seems impressed by this, drawing Julian's attentions towards Eriko. With a smile, he tips his head in her direction. "Thank you for your encouragement, milady. I do believe you have inspired me." With that, he turns to the three he had accompanied through Tartarus.

"Mishina-kun, Aragaki-kun, Badb... I believe you'll do fine if choose to reposition myself, won't you? But, just in case, a parting gift for you. Raffles!"

With a word, Vesper's Persona raises aloft its cane, applying a protective aura on his companions one last time, before the Supernatural Investigator takes off in a run, carried on his new wings of Victory. Heading staight for...

"Kirijo-san!"

With a wave of the masked stranger's hand, the protective aura is applied to Mitsuru as well, as Vesper takes position alongside her.

"If I may be so bold... such an order is a disservice to your companions as well as yourself. Burdens are lighter when they are shared, wouldn't you say?"

AS: Persona! Julian Marlowe has used the Almighty skill Marakukaja on Shinjiro Aragaki, Eikichi Mishina, Umie Akabane, and Mitsuru Kirijo!
AS: Julian Marlowe's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Yanagi Nagisa has posed.

    "She would! But... most motorcycles don't work during the Dark Hour. In fact, I think that's the first time I've ever seen one running during this time. Would we really be able to find one just browsing on the way home?" Yanagi wonders to Pernelle. "It's almost like..."
    
    She's silent for a moment, then looks again towards Tsurugi. She does not finish that thought--at least, not aloud.
    
    "It is a shame to leave those Shadows untorched," she laments instead, for Pernelle is a very good bird who understands unspoken cues and is kind enough to abide by them, like the responsible bird he is. She also leaves it at that at first. There may be other giant Shadows to rend unto ash in the future, but who knows if the future will ever come? But the present is here, and it exists, and there is someone here she does not want to know her name.
    
    Still, he is being thoughtful for her, and she wants to be thoughtful back for her friend...
    
    "We'll just have to find something else to torch later!" she adds brightly. "Oh!! Maybe some motorcycles! Do you think if you use your power on them, that might power them up?" Nuclear power is a thing, she's pretty sure! "Maybe that's how they're doing it!" Clearly it's worth testing out! "Once we figure it out, we can take the one we get working home for ourselves, then!"
    
    Friendship!!
    
    Also friendship: cookies! Pernelle swipes the bag open and knocks a sweet treat back with grace and elegance. Yanagi gratefully accepts one of the other cookies from the bag--white chocolate and walnuts, as the Koala March may recognize, already knowing it for the family it is--and nibbles upon it. As she does, the Emperor swings his blade again towards Fuuka and plays a grim sort of sumo with Orpheus until the Persona is shattered, and its User smashed against Fuuka's defensive bubble. He might be about to crash after nearly dying--he might be struggling to stand--but still, he is struggling to stand. Yanagi watches this brief and brutal exchange, enraptured, until she pulls the cookie from her lips and lets her cane-holding hand keep it for a moment.
    
    "Fight-o!" she calls to Minato encouragingly, her smile dazzling in its sincerity as she reaches down to him with her now-free hand. "Until your very end!"
    
    Lucia flickers around Fuuka, and she looks up at her as she struggles to maintain her composure. As she calls up power not just to observe and analyze but to attack. Yanagi chuckles softly.
    
    "You're doing well for your very first time," she reassures Fuuka. "It's so thrilling to `see` you use your power so effectively!"
    
    And indeed, Fuuka will clearly see her, just as Yanagi sees her--a brief vision of a woman with a dress of ghostly mist, a bride's veil affixed to a bejeweled crown, and arms and legs that end in catheter needles... There's no mistaking it, particularly since Yanagi expresses her own Resonance towards her in greeting: she is a Persona User too. Koh may sense this 'greeting' too, since Yanagi is not excluding him, and so may Eriko and Mitsuru in the moment that they focus in on her and Pernelle--but neither are they her target, and Eriko in particular isn't a Navigator, in full or in part, like the rest of them.
    
    Of course, Fuuka, Koh, Eriko, and Mitsuru all have bigger things to worry about, literally, so Yanagi will forgive them if they can't quite give her any attention for the moment. Whether they do or don't, Yanagi erupts into a broad smile when Minako runs in front of Minato and Fuuka to protect them, openly putting her life on the line to protect them. "Oh! Look, look!" she breathes to Pernelle, more than loud enough to be overheard. "She's so excited to sacrifice herself for love! What a beautiful way to choose her death!"
    
    But not everyone agrees. A regal-looking redheaded woman shouts at 'Arisato' to take 'Yamagishi' and the non-combatants and run. Yanagi tilts her head at Mitsuru; then her peacock green eyes shift towards Myunghon, briefly. They've got a very fabulous presentation of their own, including that daring and possibly painful pose of theirs, but, hmm... It seems like they're with her... And speak of the Tower, Tsurugi glances in her direction briefly. However, Yanagi, Transmuted as she is and looking quite different from her normal self, isn't worried about being visually recognized.
    
    For now, she looks back down at Minato, whether he's taken her hand or not. Down at Minato, beaten and battered and on the verge of death, as some of his friends so desperately fret.
    
    "Are you going to run?" she wonders with wide-eyed interest.

AS: Take! Eikichi Mishina takes 0 Almighty damage from Julian Marlowe's Marakukaja.
AS: Def_Up added!
AS: Take! Shinjiro Aragaki takes 0 Almighty damage from Julian Marlowe's Marakukaja.
AS: Def_Up added!

<Pose Tracker> Pernelle has posed.

"Alas, we are bound to wandering the vast expanse of the world with but our own feet," Pernelle laments, lifting a talon and wriggling his clawed toes. He pauses, tilting his head at this notion, and slowly turning his gaze upon Koh's glorious and ride. Hm. Hmm. But in his contemplation, his gaze slides to Yanagi's, following it to the object of her attention and trailing statement.

A mental note is made, but nothing is said, for he is, indeed, a very good bird who understands that which is said between the lines. His favorite sort of way things get said, honestly! Or dishonestly, as is sometimes the delightful case.

But now presenting: the promise of immolation.

"Yay!" Pernelle shouts in uncharacteristically laconic delight. But what of setting a motorcycle on fire? "This is a fantastic question. A fascinating question. The responsible course of action would be to test the answer, and is tonight no the most responsible of nights? We come, we witness, and we learn. Noble of us!" He gives a decisive nod, confident in Yanagi's logic.

Somewhere, Pernelle senses the yellow notes of approval, and puffs up with his own lines of joy.

Like Yanagi, Pernelle's gaze locks onto Minato's struggle against the Emperor, refusing to tear his eyes away from the spectacle of one about to be cleaved in twain. His train rustles with the intensity of his attention, eyes remaining on the fight even when his beak reaches back into the bag for another cookie. Riveting...! Oh, he can barely contain his admiration! If only it were not quiet time!

Yanagi cheers, and Pernelle takes this as permission to explode upright, raising his train like a fan and dancing back and forth from one talon to the other.

"Do not go gentle! Rise! Rage! Resist! I believe in you!"

He plops back down, feather display drooping back down as elegantly as it is abrupt, and gobbles up another cookie. His attention remains rapt as the battle continues to unfold. Everyone working together for their goal, fighting, throwing orders, as if the entire world were going to end tonight! And it might. It could. Any world always could.

"A choice has been made, and with the whole of her heart's desire," Pernelle muses back to Yanagi. "There are few things in this world more resplendent..." But where Yanagi is enraptured, Pernelle's words trail with a tone threatening on pensive.

He rectifies this, immediately, by squawking another cheer.

AS: Take! Mitsuru Kirijo takes 0 Almighty damage from Julian Marlowe's Marakukaja.
AS: Def_Up added!

AS: Take! Umie Akabane takes 0 Almighty damage from Julian Marlowe's Marakukaja.
AS: Def_Up added!

<Pose Tracker> Crossroads Bar has posed.

    It's hard to relax in a place like this, but Natsuki believes Fuuka will keep her safe, despite all she's done. Still, she yelps, when Lucia flickers. "Fuuka!!" She's afraid for Fuuka -- and afraid of what happens if Fuuka is defeated, too.

    But Lucia isn't so defensive that she can't splash out into the world, and Aqua rebukes the Emperor for its anger.

    Myunghon employs the scientific method, only to learn -- Fuuka was right! The Shadows do Resist Dark, now, though they were Weak to it moments prior. Her evil plan still shudders at them, though, sickening their movements. Eikichi will find, as well, that Persona are Strong against Bullets -- or at least, they are right now. It's still a very impressive machine gun, though. Very 'contraband'. The Empress twirls its sceptre, bringing the staff end down on him, and he'll find that it ends in a nasty point! He's been engaged in a Pierce-off!! Myunghon, meanwhile, earns the attentions of the Emperor, whose sword only has one setting: slash.

    Minako, meanwhile, bursts forward to cover her brother. (Minato grits his teeth, as he pushes himself standing, using her cover to get himself standing again. With the help of Galatea's healing light, he's able to manage it.) The Emperor slams his blade into Linos, obligingly brutal. The Empress, meanwhile, is entirely inconsiderate as to Shizuka's wish for certainty, waving her sceptre as she summons down a freezing Bufula on the helpful girl.

    Shinjiro gets up close and personal, despite the Shadows' resistance. The Emperor obliges him, turning from Minako to wrack him with lightning, even as Castor's Evil Smile redoubles the trouble in what must pass for its gut. The Empress continues her vengeance against the healers, meanwhile, by blowing at Koh with terrifying winds.

    The Emperor sends more lightning towards Fuuka, and Minato intercepts it, firing on his skull again to place another Persona -- the fey warrior who he announced as, "Tam Lin!" -- in front of them. Even firing into his resistance, the Emperor's power shatters Minato's Persona -- his other Persona, notably, somehow he summoned two DIFFERENT ones -- again, this time scattering his Evoker to the ground. Yukari is quick to back up that first round of healing he received, and it keeps him in the fight, but she knows very well how draining it is to fire that Evoker again and again. He notes, distantly, that she wants him to leave.

    ('Arisato-kun, let's go after him!' Yukari had snapped, in the cramped confines of the train, after Junpei pushed past his senpai Shizuka to rush forward alone. When Minato hesitated, 'But...', she screamed in reply: 'He's our teammate!')

    The Empress notices Yukari, too, and the Empress has not been kind to healers in these last few moments. It summons flame to consume her, but before it can press the attack, it's pressed in an attack. Gry pulls its sceptre in towards herself, bending its lovely neck until it's laying against its round belly, pulling that too-flammable cape (it must be made of silk, silk burns easily) in towards its centre. For just a moment... the Empress is Round. Let us behold it. That beholding is tragically cut short as it breaks free from the magic, though, to slam its sceptre down on Suzume!

    Reiya knows a thing or two about masks, though he wears none. He knows Gry, too, as it happens, and he's able to make the Empress round a second time before it can lay into Suzume too much. The Emperor, meanwhile, is soaked in Aques. Akihiko punches lightning towards the Emperor, and the manly combination leaves its armour sizzling... but the Empress has already recovered, and barrels towards them both, slamming its sceptre at them!

    Tyler freezes the Emperor in place, with a dire prediction -- and Tsurugi blows it down with her Garula, a moment later. The sharp, pointy thing is dutifully put aside, for the moment... though the Empress responds with winds of her own!

    Moriko shows her resolve, though, in the face of Mitsuru's orders. She's keeping the vulnerable behind her, as she strikes the Empress down with the pressure of the most riotous gravity she's faced yet. She is compressed once, twice, and three times, as the Morrigan shrieks, echoing into both Emperor and Empress. It's the Emperor who's managed to recover in time to strike them, though, calling down thunder on them both!

    Nike offers them a victory blessing, with all Eriko's belief in the young warriors. But the Emperor might have sensed her distraction -- because his sword comes down on her, next, in a mighty blow!

    Tyche is a statue, though she's certainly moved, as fireworks crash out in an echo of every festival they've ever witnessed. Hitomi doesn't strike Fuuka or Minato with them, though he looks up at them, distantly. ('I don't want to leave,' Minako, a few years younger, pouts as she pokes at her obi sash. 'We only see each other at festivals now... shouldn't family stick together?' But Minato, separated from her for those years, has grown cold; he just grunts, looking up at the sky. '... beats me.') Mitsuru is a woman destined for the fight, meanwhile; her festival is glorious battle. It's because of the battle boiling in her blood, though, that she sees the shape of this conflict: their enemy is powerful, and coordinated, and they are scattered still. She CHARGES forward, with all the fury of the ice, frosting over the Empress and Emperor for a few more moments -- as that Disrupting Wave enervates them further. Vesper darts in to defend Mitsuru -- and suddenly, he's a target, too. Despite hitting their weaknesses, though, the enemies break free, rise up, and slam their weapons at Hitomi, Vesper, Mitsuru mercilessly.

    And Mitsuru... orders Minato to leave. Yukari wants him to go... Mitsuru's telling him. ('Yes, I'm afraid,' Fuuka admits, on the street, the light filtering down over them, 'that's why I have to care.' The lighting shifts, as the memory jumps from Minato's mild expression with Fuuka to the one he wore for Natsuki, telling her what Fuuka said: '... she said she was scared because you're her precious friend.' The way Natsuki startled, her miserable expression...) ... Minato can hear her, but he doesn't move.

    "Get going, damn it!" Junpei yells, as he struggles to summon Hermes, again. ('I'm trusting you to watch my six,' Minato says, and it sounds so cool, even though it's just what he's supposed to say in a situation like this. Even so, Junpei grins, putting his Evoker to his head again as he faces down the Priestess Shadow. 'Damn show-off,' Junpei grits out, forcing confidence, 'if I don't do this...') Minato swallows, facing down the enemies... and leans down, slowly, to avoid his brain hurtling forward out of his skull as it feels it might. Slowly, he picks up his Evoker, and steps forward again.

    He remembers Koh, declaring he'll cover them even as he was slowing in the fight, and Shizuka, realising where Fuuka is and deciding to help anyway, and Suzume, kicking over that bag of supplies... Tyler and Moriko, leaping into this mission despite only awakening days earlier... everyone in SEES...!

    All of them... know something he didn't.

    Knew something he didn't, until he was told do to something he didn't want to do.

    He wants... to protect them.

    He wants to protect his friends!

    "ORPHEUS!" He yells, as he summons his Persona, again, only for the Empress to blow him away with a brutal Garula. Knocked back into Lucia, again, he slumps. But he can hear people calling out to him... urging him to fight, to resist, to rage. He hears them, and he stands -- again. Lifts his Evoker, again.

    "I won't," he says, though his voice is still mild. "I don't want to run... while everyone's still fighting."

AS: Crossroads Bar spends Limit on Break! 
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Pierce skill Cruel Attack on Eikichi Mishina!
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Slash skill Straight Slash on Myunghon Yeo!
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Slash skill Fatal End on Minako Arisato!
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Water skill Bufula on Shizuka Kuroki!
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Elec skill Zionga on Shinjiro Aragaki!
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Wind skill Garula on Koh Katsuhiro!
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Elec skill Zionga on Minato Arisato!
AS: Crossroads Bar: Loses 8 SP from Sick! Break removed!
AS: Crossroads Bar's turn has ended. It's time for an All-Out Attack!
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Fire skill Agilao on Yukari Takeba!
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Strike skill Black Spot on Suzume Fukura!
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Strike skill Twinkle Punch on Reiya Aomori and Akihiko Sanada!
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Slash skill Fatal End on Mitsuru Kirijo!
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Strike skill Black Spot on Hitomi Mandai!
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Pierce skill Cruel Attack on Julian Marlowe!
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Wind skill Magaru on Remi Ryuuja and Tyler Gould!
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Elec skill Mazio on Moriko Kumamoto and Umie Akabane!
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Wind skill Garula on Minato Arisato!
AS: Counter Best! Myunghon Yeo takes 64 Slash damage from Crossroads Bar's Straight Slash.
AS: Paralyze added!
AS: COUNTER! Crossroads Bar takes 20 Slash damage in return for their attack! Resist!
AS: Break! Myunghon Yeo can take another Weak action this round!
AS: Counter Best! Eikichi Mishina takes 74 Pierce damage from Crossroads Bar's Cruel Attack.
AS: COUNTER! Crossroads Bar takes 28 Pierce damage in return for their attack! Resist!
AS: Break! Eikichi Mishina can take another Weak action this round!
AS: Avoid Worst! Minako Arisato takes 113 Slash damage from Crossroads Bar's Fatal End.
AS: Break! Minako Arisato can take another Weak action this round!
AS: Block Best! Hitomi Mandai takes 105 Strike damage from Crossroads Bar's Black Spot.
AS: Block Worst! Reiya Aomori takes 61 Strike damage from Crossroads Bar's Twinkle Punch.
AS: Block Worst! Shinjiro Aragaki takes 95 Elec damage from Crossroads Bar's Zionga. Weak!
AS: Paralyze added!
AS: Break! Shinjiro Aragaki can take another Weak action this round!
AS: Block Best! Yukari Takeba takes 99 Fire damage from Crossroads Bar's Agilao. Critical Hit!
AS: Bind removed! Explosion! 40 damage!
AS: Crossroads Bar gains 1 Limit from Momentum!
AS: Block Worst! Minato Arisato takes 169 Elec damage from Crossroads Bar's Zionga. Critical Hit! Weak!
AS: Break! Minato Arisato can take another Weak action this round!
AS: Crossroads Bar gains 1 Limit from Momentum!
AS: Block Worst! Minato Arisato takes 130 Wind damage from Crossroads Bar's Garula. Critical Hit!
AS: Crossroads Bar gains 1 Limit from Momentum!
AS: Minato Arisato is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Minato Arisato has readied for combat as Orpheus! He is now fully healed!
AS: Counter Neutral! Shizuka Kuroki takes 111 Water damage from Crossroads Bar's Bufula.
AS: COUNTER! Crossroads Bar takes 81 Water damage in return for their attack! Weak!
AS: Break! Shizuka Kuroki can take another Weak action this round!
AS: Avoid Worst! Koh Katsuhiro takes 143 Wind damage from Crossroads Bar's Garula. Critical Hit!
AS: Haze added!
AS: Break! Koh Katsuhiro can take another Weak action this round!
AS: Crossroads Bar gains 1 Limit from Momentum!
AS: Block Best! Akihiko Sanada takes 67 Strike damage from Crossroads Bar's Twinkle Punch.
AS: Counter Neutral! Remi Ryuuja takes 54 Wind damage from Crossroads Bar's Magaru.
AS: Haze added! Bind removed! Explosion! 40 damage!
AS: COUNTER! Crossroads Bar takes 40 Wind damage in return for their attack! Weak!
AS: Counter Worst! Tyler Gould takes 75 Wind damage from Crossroads Bar's Magaru.
AS: Haze added!
AS: COUNTER! Crossroads Bar takes 42 Wind damage in return for their attack! Weak!
AS: Counter Worst! Suzume Fukura takes 142 Strike damage from Crossroads Bar's Black Spot. Critical Hit!
AS: COUNTER! Crossroads Bar takes -7 Strike damage in return for their attack! Resist!
AS: Crossroads Bar gains 1 Limit from Momentum!
AS: Persona! Crossroads Bar has used the Slash skill Fatal End on Eriko Kirishima!
AS: Avoid Worst! Julian Marlowe takes 78 Pierce damage from Crossroads Bar's Cruel Attack.
AS: Avoid Worst! Eriko Kirishima takes 91 Slash damage from Crossroads Bar's Fatal End.
AS: Avoid Best! Umie Akabane takes 32 Elec damage from Crossroads Bar's Mazio. Critical Hit!
AS: Crossroads Bar gains 1 Limit from Momentum!
AS: Avoid Best! Mitsuru Kirijo takes 54 Slash damage from Crossroads Bar's Fatal End. Critical Hit!
AS: Crossroads Bar gains 1 Limit from Momentum!
AS: Eriko Kirishima spends Limit on Shift! Reiya Aomori can use another Weak skill this round!

<Pose Tracker> Eikichi Mishina has posed.

"Go get 'em" Eikichi responds to Julian as he gets ready to change positions in this giant battle against armored shadows.

 Eikichi is very unimpressed by the fact his bullets are just scuffing up the armor of the Emperor. He clicks his tongue once more just as the Shadow lands a powerful attack on him.

 Eikichi lets out a very moist and painful sounding cough, grinning through the pain. "Ow. You stupid son of a---" He pulls down the trigger again, sending a counter attack toward the Emperor Arcana.

 Click. Click.

 Eikichi drops his 'guitar case', feeling his knees struggle to hold him up for a moment.

 "You think that's all I got, EH?!" Eikichi cracks his knuckles, narrowing his eyes as he begins to slowly walk toward the Emperor. "I have no idea what you are Shadow but you are REALLY pissing me off."

 Biting through the pain, Eikichi begins to charge the Emperor Arcana, clenching his fist before he sends it flying toward the impressive Shadow's form

<Pose Tracker> Fuuka Yamagishi has posed.

Natsuki calls to her out of fear. Fuuka looks back, managing a small smile.

"I'll be okay... I won't let them through." She assures hers.

Lucia's blast of water is joined by three points of blue-white light. Fuuka looks toward the girl who positions herself in front of her, Lucia, and Minato - the same one who had asked her if she was alright, before.

"Thank you..." She offers Minako, grateful. Shortly after, healing power rains down on her, courtesy of Koh - the pain from the Emperor's attack lessens. She can breathe a bit more easily. She sends him a grateful nod.

Her attention is drawn away, briefly, as she hears someone calling out to her. One of the presences that came in late - Yanagi says she's doing well for the first time. 'See'... She catches the double meaning.

"Thank you. It's difficult, but... I think I'm beginning to understand it." She replies - and her eyes are drawn to that brief vision of a veiled woman... "Ah... You too?"

And the peacock besides... he talks? He doesn't sound like a parrot, only mimicking words. Fuuka can only double-take briefly - and tear her eyes away to focus back on the Shadows.

The situation is too dire to let herself be distracted for long. The Emperor calls down lightning and Fuuka braces herself - but Tam Lin appears, intercepting the bolt and shattering for his efforts. She gasps, as Minato's Evoker is knocked away.

Mitsuru makes the call for him to retreat - to take her and the others who can't fight and go... She looks to him. She can tell he's low on energy... and yet, he picks up the Evoker and steps forward again. She draws in a sharp breath, holding her Evoker closer as he slumps against Lucia - and readies his own again.

He doesn't want to run, not while everyone's still fighting...

Even in that state, he'll still fight for them. If he isn't going to run... then she can't, either.

"Lucia, please..." Fuuka murmurs. A little further. Lucia hears her words - and in response, she spreads her arms out wide. She bestows energy onto the gathered - to try and reinvigorate them all for one last push.

"...I see... Piercing and Strike attacks. Water, too - and Earth, and Light... Those are their weaknesses, now." Fuuka says. "Please... We can do this."

And then, her eyes turn toward Minako, who had risen to the defense of her and Minato. It's a silent display of trust.

AS: Weapon! Eikichi Mishina has used the Strike skill School of Hard Knocks on Crossroads Bar! 2 Hits!
AS: Persona! Fuuka Yamagishi has used the Recovery skill Rousing Wave on Minako Arisato, Suzume Fukura, Hitomi Mandai,
and Shizuka Kuroki!
AS: Fuuka Yamagishi's turn has ended.
AS: Fuuka Yamagishi spends Limit on Shift! Minako Arisato can use another Weak skill this round!
AS: Take! Suzume Fukura takes 0 Recovery healing from Fuuka Yamagishi's Rousing Wave.
AS: Crt_Up added!
AS: Persona! Eikichi Mishina has used the Strike skill Sucker Punch on Crossroads Bar! 3 Hits!
AS: Eikichi Mishina: Paralyze removed!
AS: Eikichi Mishina's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.

    There's a moment in which Myunghon and Yanagi's eye (well, Myunghon's one eye, and Yanagi's beautiful peacock-green eyes) meet; oh, these people are *really* exciting. A talking peacock? White chocolate and walnut cookies. Their extravagance. The way they treat this life-or-death battle like it were some kind of entertainment to spectate! What wonders and secrets of the supernatural do they know? They really want to sit down and have a chat with them.

    It's not to be, right now.

    It's as Pernelle speaks. Rise. Rage. Resist.

    Rebel.

    They realise that their extensions have earned the wrath of the Emperor, though, and the Sword of Damocles hangs over their head. "Tsk!"

    Myunghon leaps to one side, Cognitive Coat rising into a webwork of ribbons that barely grapples against the sword -- the first few threads are rent apart, which drop uselessly to the side and dissolve in a burst of Cognition; it's slowed long enough that only their leg is grazed before they come clear.

    Remi shows the power of Le Maupin, with twinned wind attacks. "Hm hm hm... wonderful, Tsurugi! The battle is turning well in our favour!"

    They've got a bravado about them, but they feel the limits of Kudlak approaching -- it's going to be extremely bad if their Persona Breaks in the middle of battle, leaving them defenceless. But in the midst of this, though Minato's voice is mild... they hear their desire to not want to run away, while everyone is still fighting.

    ... yes.

    Running away might be fine for a time... it might dull the ache and soothe the pain. But it doesn't take it away. When you come back and look again... things will just be just as bad as when you chose to do nothing. These youths all have to face that one way or another, sooner or later...

    The world's just that cruel. But... facing the world no matter how unpleasant it may--

    "I am Rumourmonger Merry. You can't rend me asunder with that great sword of yours..."

    They snap their fingers once more, and Kudlak is once more blending in with their Cognitive Coat -- and several ribbon-like threads thrust forward to grapple and bind at the Emperor, before--

    "Slice me, freeze me, char my corpse to nothing but cinders as you may -- you cannot destroy me in a way that matters, Great Shadow, for I am Hope!"

    With that dramatic declaration, they thrust both their hands forward -- and their coat and Kudlak both peak outwards, like an overturned umbrella, sending a chain of dark detonations forward in their wake.

    They're thrust back from the force of their own offence -- and then, dramatically: "Tsurugi! Just one more time!"

AS: Shizuka Kuroki spends Limit on Exploit! Shizuka Kuroki can use another Weak skill this round!

<Pose Tracker> Koh Katsuhiro has posed.

Koh's eyes flicker toward Minato and his sister. He sees the former fall, his persona buffeted by the horrifying wind. "Hey! Arisato-kun!" Like the others, he too is gripped by a sudden panic.

"Takeba-san! Leaving healing to you!" And, sincve Minato's sister is the main barrier in the Emperor's path, he calls too: "Aristao-chan, hold on!"

He knows she can keep their leaders alive however she chooses to. Koh can contribute to keeping the Arcana occupied.

There's some tug at the edges of his perception, a gut reaction to Yanagi's resonance. But in the moment it's hard to focus on anything but the danger the two Shadows are presenting and the urgency of his allies' condition.

This time Koh attacks. Not Zagreus, just the boy with the big knife.

It's stupid to just run at the Emperor, for sure. But he makes his shaking legs move the distance to lunge and stab his weapon into the shadow's side.

AS: Persona! Myunghon Yeo has used the Dark skill Shibaboo on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Koh Katsuhiro spends Limit on Shift! Yukari Takeba can use another Weak skill this round!
AS: Persona! Myunghon Yeo has used the Dark skill Dark Metamorphosis on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Myunghon Yeo: Paralyze removed!
AS: Myunghon Yeo's turn has ended.
AS: Weapon! Koh Katsuhiro has used the Slash skill Slash Weapon D on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Weapon! Koh Katsuhiro has used the Slash skill Slash Weapon E on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Koh Katsuhiro's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Shizuka Kuroki has posed.

      Galatea brings up another barrier, pushing the icy attack back towards the Empress, frost gathering on the edges of Shizuka's uniform as she's chilled to the bone. "That's one frigid b--Waugh!" Shizuka slips on a bit of ice that had formed at her feet before she could finish whatever word would end that sentence.
 
      She pulls herself up and looks over to Minato and Orpheus. "Whatever you wanna do, Nato-kun, I've got your back!"
 
      Upon hearing Fuuka's final analysis, a grin crosses Shizuka's face. "Hear that, Galatea? Sounds like we can go all out!" She gives her Evoker a twirl, cupping it to her chin and firing three times in succession. "Snare her! Then bring the earth down!"
 
      Galatea slams into the ground, causing spires of stone to srpout up from the ground around the Empress' feet, holding her in the earth, then brings two more showers of stone down on top of her.

AS: Take! Shizuka Kuroki takes 0 Recovery healing from Fuuka Yamagishi's Rousing Wave.
AS: Atk_Up added!

<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.

Shinjiro's hubris is met with lightning. He's struck, this time being blasted *off* his feet and rolling backwards, even as he stabilizes himself mid-roll with a rapidly outstretched hand. "Shit!"

He's running out of energy. He's afraid what'll happen if he keeps abusing his Evoker - he might be on pills, but all it'd take is one lapse and it could kill everyone here.

Shinjiro lifts the gun up again, taking a breath. Everyone's counting on each other.

Umie and the merry band (not that Shinjiro would ever think of it as that), Akihiko and Mitsuru, SEES... if any of them died, he'd never forgive himself.

Minato, especially, has earned Shinjiro's respect. He'll remember that.

Shinjiro takes a step forward, finger on the trigger.

"CASTOR! FUCK THEM UP!"

Castor appears once more in a spark of blue. He charges forth, taking the hobby horse and using it to *crash* across the two tyrant Shadows, a heat wave extending from his every strike. This is followed by Shinjiro rushing up with Castor, a tandem dual strike as both impact the Shadows with jawdropping force.

Shinjiro staggers. Is he okay?

No.

He nearly falls to his knees, Evoker falling to the ground and clattering nearby. The sheer strain of these draining physical attacks after this entire day has him bring his hand to his mouth, staunching the cough of blood. Hopefully the others don't see... For once, he can't truly hide it like he tried to in the upper floors, as it drips from his fingers, splashing across the evoker on the floor. Did he take that much internal damage...?

(Yes, but not solely from attacks. Two years without any practice or warmups, in his condition...)

Shinjiro steadies himself physically, not letting himself fall even as he staggers backwards, moving back towards his fallen Evoker. They have to take it down now, or everyone's done for.

AS: Persona! Shizuka Kuroki has used the Earth skill Marble Snare on Crossroads Bar! 2 Hits!
AS: Persona! Shizuka Kuroki has used the Earth skill Landslide on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Persona! Shizuka Kuroki has used the Earth skill Landslide on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Shizuka Kuroki's turn has ended.
AS: Persona! Shinjiro Aragaki has used the Strike skill Heat Wave on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Tandem! Shinjiro Aragaki has used the Strike skill Dual Smash on Crossroads Bar! 2 Hits!
AS: Shinjiro Aragaki's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Yukari Takeba has posed.

Yukari Takeba does not like Mitsuru Kirijo. Oh she'll say she doesn't hate her, and even mean it. But there's a semantic difference there.

She thinks Mitsuru Kirijo is hiding the secret behind what happened to her father... based on the fact that she still doesn't know the truth. Because so many times growing up she was told that it was his fault for what happened.

And she knows that isn't true. Not him. Not the good man that loved her so dearly.

Despite that, she's here, because it's her only hope of ever finding out the truth, of clearing his name, of telling each and every person that they were wrong about him. That he did nothing wrong, that the responsibility isn't his.

That it's the Kirijo Group's.

And even so, in this moment when she tells that boy who she thought only did anything because he was asked to - to retreat. When she calls it an order.

Thank you, Senpai.

She thanks her, even if it's only silently, in her heart.

"You heard her!" Is what she says instead. "Go." And she tries to keep the plea out of her voice. Instead- she tries to make it sound like anger, like she's angry that he's still here even.

That he came at all.

The Empress does not give her time, the flames erupt, and bound as she is, all she can do is bid Io to intercept. It's not the first time that her other self has burned to death in panic, and fear.

It shatters, and the very act sends her sprawling back again, dazed from the force of the blow.

Up.
Come on. UP!

Even though he's obviously gone - they still have to beat this thing.

But at least...

'I won't,'

"Huh?" Yukari looks so confused that he's still here at all. They told him to go, but she understands immediately after.

'I don't want to run... while everyone's still fighting.'

"But that... never mattered to you before..." Yukari trembles, before she clenches her evoker hard in her hands, and as she puts it to her head. "... Why now?"

There's something small in her voice, like she's scared. Terrified of the answer. And that is when she sees him get consumed in wind and lightning.

"No!" She cries out, raw and strident, and Io appears anew. The Persona a reflection of that terror and grief of ignorance.

It is the healing that Koh leaves to her in this moment, but she has other ideas, because Fuuka has told her what it's weak to. "...Take care of him." Is all she says in reply.

The Persona's hair billows, lifting her arms against her chains, and between those hands forms a single projectile.

Then two more, each shaped like the tip of a heifer's horn, it's tip sharp and pointed.

Gleaming with light - the first hurtles towards the Empress' Mask. Then the second to the Emperor's throat.

And the third tries to blast through both, at an angle.

None of them are particularly powerful attacks, on their own. But with their vulnerabilities exposed, there is no cruelty she would not inflict upon them in this moment.

And hypocrite that she is, she would call the act meaningless... most of all to herself.

AS: Persona! Yukari Takeba has used the Pierce skill Single Shot on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Persona! Yukari Takeba has used the Pierce skill Single Shot on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Yukari Takeba's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Hitomi Mandai has posed.

 
It's messing everyone up, Hitomi thinks. Why am I excited?

Like six other people showed up including Shinji the Beanie, Myunghon, and even Arisato(M), Hitomi thinks. We're still getting messed up. Even Yamagishi's power is just letting us keep pace.

Why do I want to smile? WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME

Helpfully, Hitomi's attack of self-recrimination disbelief at herself is eased by the rise of the Shadow. One of them turns to slash towards her and she hunches herself up, something like an impromptu crane stance (not peacock, sad to say - but then again, they already have one here) - which has some advantages.

It means the leg guards she's wearing catch the brunt of it, with the remainder of the thrust putting a crack in the arm guard. It's good she didn't go in the other direction. Hitomi topples afterwards from this, although she throws out one leg - sliding, in fact, back a pace and a half, the pain washing over her with an "nngh!" Her eyes well up slightly, reflexively.

Awkward. Undignified. She sweeps her feet back together with a grunt, raising herself upright again. One of the lenses of her glasses popped out somewhere -- the frames were not the best, and the piece of optical synthetic has doubtless bounced away, somewhere to disappear.

The battlefield is hazy, part clear and part opaque. Hitomi makes another little choked giggle. "Thanks, Yamagishi... I was getting worn out," she finds herself saying, followed by - with more consternation - "-- Persona!"

Tyche has the same form as she did before, with that reaching/proffering imploring hand. It is reaching out towards others - the group with whom Hitomi had challenged the heights of Tartarus when this accursed hour started. Confidence and fortune pouring out, like water between fingers.

AS: Take! Hitomi Mandai takes 0 Recovery healing from Fuuka Yamagishi's Rousing Wave.
AS: Crt_Up added!
AS: Fuuka Yamagishi gains 1 Limit from Supporter!
AS: Persona! Hitomi Mandai has used the Almighty skill Revolution on Suzume Fukura, Minako Arisato, and Mitsuru Kirijo!
AS: Hitomi Mandai's turn has ended.
AS: Take! Minako Arisato takes 0 Recovery healing from Fuuka Yamagishi's Rousing Wave.
AS: Crt_Up added!
AS: Fuuka Yamagishi gains 1 Limit from Supporter!
AS: Take! Minako Arisato takes 0 Almighty damage from Hitomi Mandai's Revolution.
AS: Crt_Up added!
AS: Take! Suzume Fukura takes 0 Almighty damage from Hitomi Mandai's Revolution.
AS: Crt_Up added!

<Pose Tracker> Minako Arisato has posed.

"We've got it, Takeba-chan!" Minako calls back to her. She catches the panic in her voice -- and she glances, sideways, at her. Yukari did seem worried about him, when they talked. She just didn't understand how much or why.

She looks at Suzume -- then she nods, quickly, and looks back up at the Emperor. "He's--he's fine! Just focus on bringing these things down, Mandai-chan!"

The Emperor's blade slams into Linos; like Orpheus, she is struck down, nearly cleaved in two. The Emperor turns for Shinjiro -- and Minako exhales, shoulders tense as she looks at Mitsuru.
Minako hesitates; there's a moment of trepidation, as she realizes what she is saying. Telling Minato to escape, because their time is running out. And when she looks back up at the Emperor, she realizes.

This is on her, too. She is the co-leader. "Kirijo-senpai..."

She looks back at her brother. She expects him to start to run -- and instead, he says he wants to be here. Minako's eyes widen. She looks at Koh, and then she exhales -- nervous and tense -- as he charges with a knife. But it gives her the courage. "Right behind you, Katsuhiro-kun!"

Then, Minako looks back at Mitsuru. "We can still do this! Just a little further, senpai!"

She looks at Fuuka, her expression tense, but she nods. She turns, looking back at the Emperor and Empress Arcana both. Minako lifts her Evoker again -- the butt of her naginata hitting the floor with a clack -- and pulls the trigger. Glass and blue light explode from the other side of her head.

"Pyro Jack!"

THREE WEEKS AGO

"Fusion," Igor explained, as Minako sat across from him inside the Velvet Room. The elevator car -- with plush surroundings, and a large desk, with a chair before and behind it -- went downward, as ever.

Theodore stood behind Igor, arms folded behind his back.

"And... it'll let a Persona do something different?" Minako asked.

"Just so," Theodore replied.

NOW

A jack-o-lantern, with a purple cloak and a purple hat appears. He rises with a twirl and a cry of 'Hee-ho!' Then, Pyro Jack aims both hands out towards the two Arcana Shadows. First, a single spear of ice explodes from the ground.

"More!" Minako cries, still standing before Fuuka. She exhales -- as light pours over her like water, infusing her. "Let's go, Pyro Jack!"

"HEE-HO!"

And then four more large spikes of ice explode out every which way, trying to skewer through the Emperor Arcana.

AS: Minako Arisato spends Limit on Psych! 
AS: Persona! Minako Arisato has used the Water skill Bufu on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Persona! Minako Arisato has used the Water skill Bufula on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Persona! Minako Arisato has used the Water skill Bufu on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Minako Arisato: Gains 41 HP from Regen! Psych and Regen removed!
AS: Minako Arisato's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Suzume Fukura has posed.

The Empress swings her enormous sceptre at Suzume -

And Suzume steps into the swing.

It slams into her midline; she practically folds up around the impact, but she manages to hammer wildly with her tonfa despite this, pulling herself *up* the Shadow rather than dropping *away*, clinging desperately to the sceptre and trying to get one foot on the Empress proper to hang on better.

As the Empress swings her sceptre around, Suzume hangs onto it. Her legs dangle as she tries to bring them up to press against the Shadow, to brace herself, but she can't quite manage it for a while. She desperately wishes she was about three inches taller so her legs would reach. Everything except the Shadow is a blur as she's swung around, getting progressively dizzier.

But Suzume does not let go.

SEES saved her, Suzume, from dying in Mementos with Jiro. The two of them, lost, unable to fight, until Suzume took the Evoker off the ground. Fuuka, too, took an Evoker - and Natsuki can't fight. Minato's doing everything he can, and Yukari, and Minako, and all the rest. It's the same. It's the SAME and she won't let ANY OF THEM die -

The Empress barrels toward Akihiko, and here Suzume almost does fall off. She slips down the sceptre, legs dragged along the ground before she manages to twist, pushing up -

And Suzume does not let go.

She finally pushes off the ground, shoving herself up to the Shadow's back as she shifts her grip higher up the Empress' arm. She grips the shoulders of the Shadow, pummeling with her tonfa again as she tries to steady herself, almost knocked off again as Empress takes damage from the front.

And, still, Suzume does not let go.

She told Yukari she wouldn't be useless, wouldn't be helpless. She told Minato that she owed him. And she promised SEES - in her mind, if not out loud - that she would do for another what they did for her. And, if she's being honest, she lets out every bit of anger, every frustration; from all the problems she couldn't solve, from all the stupid things she's said, from all the times she's made it worse, from all the things she couldn't do.

Suzume lets out a wordless, primal scream, and begins to *twist* Empress' arm. And while that alone wouldn't do much: "ATALANTA!" she roars, and the Persona is there, helping Suzume literally throw Empress to the floor, face-first, with Suzume riding her all the way down to the ground.

AS: Persona! Suzume Fukura has used the Strike skill Hurl Down on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Suzume Fukura: Gains -8 SP from Vigor! Eclipse removed!
AS: Suzume Fukura's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Akihiko Sanada has posed.

"We have them on the back foot!" Akihiko yells to the team. His boxer's intuition is telling him so. When they're stumbling, that's when you press your advantage. He revs up for another strike. "Polydeuces!" To punch the Emperor hard.

    Then, he turns to Mitsuru. "I know you've got more in you, Mitsuru-san! Press your advantage!"
It's only for a moment however, as he sees Shinji crumble under the pressure. "Shinji, no!" He breaks off running out of the battleline to his friend, coming down next to him. "Hey, get up...! You're okay, right Shinji?!"

AS: Persona! Akihiko Sanada has used the Strike skill Sonic Punch on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Akihiko Sanada: Bind removed!
AS: Akihiko Sanada's turn has ended.
AS: Yukari Takeba spends Limit on Shift! Mitsuru Kirijo can use another Weak skill this round!
AS: Akihiko Sanada spends Limit on Shift! Mitsuru Kirijo can use another Weak skill this round!

<Pose Tracker> Eriko Kirishima has posed.

    The grand show Eriko makes of manifesting Nike's power draws attention, and not the welcome sort- and leaves her open to attack. As the Emperor swings, Eriko's not fast enough on her feet and that sword as large as she is slashed top to bottom, and forced to the ground by the impact, her lighter blade easily powered through. That one.... definitely stings.

    It's a good thing she's right near the entrance, she does not want to have pay Trish's rates tonight, if she doesn't have enough left in her to use Diarama herself. Still, damn if it doesn't hurt, and she's glad for the magic of persona to not explain to the photographers why she has a giant scar running down her face.

    Still. She looks to the young one's facing the Shadow in this battle (Eriko Kirishima you are 20 years old) and shakes her head. She looks to the young, ninja like man who caught Miss Kirijo. She chooses in that moment to grin at him. "Now's rather the time to pull out all the stops, I think?" She says, shooting a little encouragement his way, before looking back to the Emperor. "I certainly don't intend to hold back when we're so close to pushing through."

    Eriko titters a bit at Vesper's compliment. "Well, it is fun to be a muse sometimes!" She responds, as she stands back to her feet. Certainly, she's a little woozy now- but this isn't the worst she's faced.

    Admittedly, she was much more active when she faced that worse, and not relatively out of practice for three years as she is now.

    And seeing the resolve in the fallen Minato, Eriko can't help but be reminded of others. Of Brown, and Mark, and...

    The look on her face falls for just a moment, but she shakes it off. You have to finish what you start. "We can't falter now, can we?" She casts a look to Vesper, then Myunghong. "We'd be poor adults if we let any of them fall first, wouldn't we?" She may be making a bit of an assumption, and she only went through her coming of age ceremony last year, but still. "Let's lend them all our firepower, shall we?" She raises her sword again. Wind isn't Nike's only element.

    She is, after all, an angel.

    "Nike! Hama!" She turns her wrath to the Emperor, pointing her blade at him, Nike swooping down from above, buzzing low to the ground before pulling up in a manner any plane would be jealous of. As she flies up, hexagonal pillar of red light emerges from the ground, sections turning as characters form down each side, hoping to encase the giant shadow- before it glows with white light and disappears.

    ...Still, Eriko rather has to hope the Shadows don't have much more in them. Eriko is starting to run on fumes. It's been a long time since she was pressed this hard, and she doesn't need a repeat of what happened in the SEBEC building when they first got their Personas.

    There's no idealized version of her best friend to save her by magically producing a 9MM this time.

    "...They're a loyal bunch, aren't they?" Elly murmurs, a little more quietly. Bonds like these can be one of the most pure forms of strength.

AS: Persona! Eriko Kirishima has used the Light skill Hama on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Eriko Kirishima's turn has ended.
AS: Avoid Neutral! Moriko Kumamoto takes 105 Elec damage from Crossroads Bar's Mazio. Critical Hit!
AS: Paralyze added!
AS: Crossroads Bar gains 1 Limit from Momentum!

<Pose Tracker> Reiya Aomori has posed.

Reiya is there, when Mitsuru requires him. He inclines his head once at her statement, after he helps her up, drawing no extra attention to that fact. "I can," he answers, see how the tide is turning. He is quiet, dispassionate as Mitsuru makes her judgement--and then he nods.

"I am prepared," he says, when Mitsuru gives her orders. The noncombatants... and--

Ah. She intends to hold them off herself. Reiya frowns, his expression tilting down as he watches Kirijo put herself at risk.

"..."

The Empress barrels forward, and Reiya starts back. But he can't block; his attempt is battered to the side, and he hits the stairs hard. The shielding he was granted earlier goes a long way towards defending him--but he still has to get up a moment later.

And then... And then, Minato doesn't move. Junpei shouts at him. Reiya turns towards him, his gaze piercing for the few instants he can look. And then...

To protect them.

Reiya is suddenly there, despite everything, at Mitsuru's side once again. "Senpai," he says calmly. "You are injured. Allow me to be your shield, so you can continue to wield your sword."

Minato has disobeyed orders. "Since it appears that our leader has refused your order," he says quietly, only for her to hear--except perhaps Fuuka, who can hear many things at the moment. But he continues, "The honor of the clan demands that I see you safely through the battle, regardless of outcome." A pause. "...But I do believe we can win." His eyes track to Eriko, who just encouraged him, and he inclines his head. "Onward!"

Reiya stows his sai, each one through a beltloop made for them, and begins to focus his energy. "Per..." An intricate gesture with his left hand. "So..." Lifting the Evoker... "NA!"

Kunimitsu appears once more. Raising his blades, he shoves one forward--and a dozen needles crash down around the Shadows, attempting to pin their essence in place for what's to come. A rushing wave of water is next, and beyond it, a thousand more needles, all rushing towards Emperor and Empress to shoot them full of holes.

AS: Tandem! Reiya Aomori has used the Water skill Punishment Seal - Suiton on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Persona! Reiya Aomori has used the Pierce skill Darkness Nail on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Reiya Aomori's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Tyler Gould has posed.

The Empress' winds slam into Tyler, but with his position low to the ground he's able to not only endure the brutal attack, but push some of it *back* towards the shadow through his own magical affinity.

Thanks to Koh and Yukari's healing efforts early in the battle, he's actually managing pretty well. Could he do this all day? No, of course not.

...but when he starts to see people falling, *especially* Minato who was part of that rescue party? Well... if attacking the shadows draw their attention...

He looks up towards Mitsuru, as the closest SEES member to his current position.

"You're going to want to move, either I'm turning them to dust... or the spotlight's going to shine bright on me next."

Does he know for sure that he can endure anything the Emperor and Empress might throw at him for what he's about to do? No. Not in the slightest. But there are lives more valuable than his own at stake, and if he's lucky? He'll wash the shadows away before they can strike back... at him, or at Koh who's charging them with that wicked looking knife, or Minako, or... well, *everyone* else who's trying the same strategy.

That could work in their favor. Overwhelm. Overpower.

Or die trying.

"Houdini, the stage is ours." he declares with all the emotion of a wet paper bag. The Evoker goes up, and the trigger is pulled.

As before, ice starts to radiate out from the magician's chains, but this time rather than freezing into shards it forms into a giant ball of ice....

Which then cracks, and shatters.

Now do the shards of ice slice through the air at the shadows, but they aren't alone, as the ice itself was a shell to hold a flood of water that comes to follow, joining the deluge that Reiya had already put forth.

...maybe they'll get lucky. If not? Everyone has to face their own mortality someday.

AS: Tyler Gould spends Limit on Psych! 
AS: Persona! Tyler Gould has used the Water skill A Drowning Death on Crossroads Bar! 3 Hits!
AS: Tyler Gould: Gains 36 HP from Regen! Psych and Regen removed!
AS: Tyler Gould's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Remi Ryuuja has posed.

Is it a good idea, to send Wind at Tsurugi or La Maupin, who seems to wield it so effortlessly themselves? Perhaps not, but maybe the Shadow just can't think in those terms. Winds come, and La Maupin withdraws--but Tsurugi charges in, slashing to try and redirect some of that wind back at the Shadow--but what she didn't count for was an interaction of the two spells afllicting her. They no longer afflict her--

But only because the two magics explode, and send her flying back. La Maupin catches her in their arms, though, and Tsurugi is panting harshly now. "Grr..." She stands, then, as if that hadn't just happened, but her posture is slightly slouched. She hears what the new weaknesses are--nothing that she can exploit, sadly. Water and Earth are not her elements. And while a rapier can pierce, it is not in the way that matters right now.

She glances sidelong to Myunghon. They say the battle turns in their favor, but she has a different take. "It draws on too long. We must end this."

One more time, Myunghon calls. Tsurugi nods slowly. "One more time." She draws that gun from ther thigh again, that thing that can't be an Evoker since it looks so different from the evokers of everyone in SEES, all dark gray and a heavy revolver, yet...

She puts it up to her temple and pulls without the least bit of hesitation. "Persona."

Broken glass and blue flames surge, and La Maupin surges with new energy too, revitalized with new strength. Tsurugi smoothly puts her Evoker away, and then takes up her sword once more. She lifts it in her right hand, her right foot sliding forward to take up a proper fighting stance, while her left hand effortlessly draws a dagger--or more properly, a main gacuhe--from her back. La Maupin falls into step with her.

Tsurugi draws in a sharp breath. "OURAGAN!"

Those who know their French might know what's coming next. La Maupin makes a big, wide gesture with their sword, summoning the power of a hurricane as blistering winds kick up around the pair of Shadows. Tsurugi and La Maupin throw themselves into this hurricane, riding tis currents as they lash out again and again and again at both shadows, switching targets effortlessly to cover for each other and strike at weaknesses.

And when they finish, they both fall back in unison. Tsurugi's chest heaves with the effort, but her stance remains firm, resolute.

AS: Tandem! Remi Ryuuja has used the Wind skill Ouragan on Crossroads Bar! 3 Hits!
AS: Remi Ryuuja's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.

    Umie turns to Vesper, giving Vesper a smirk. "... I think I can trust you. Akabane's fine. Wouldn't mind fighting beside you again." For someone who warned about an identity being used as a weapon, she can be careless.

    There can be times when that caution can lead to loneliness.

    Eriko helps with a boost; with an appreciative nod, Umie's grin wides like the crescent of a scythe. "Not slowing any time soon."

    Is that... a peacock, along with a girl, over there?

    Umie's wandering eye will punish her if she doesn't focus. With Eikichi and Shinjiro in front, all she needs to do is keep fast on her feet. Electricity spikes towards the blonde haired young woman and she's a flash of white, leaping backwards.
    
    She's still in awe of Fuuka. "Yamagishi-san! You're doing a damn fine job for someone who just awoke moments ago. Doing whatever it is you do isn't easy; trust in your abilities."

    Oop, Umie slipped into tutor mode again.

    "Mishina-san, Aragaki-san," Umie calls, "coming right behind you." Strike, huh? The Kyoketsu-shoge's bladed end is snaked out of one pocket, Umie jerking up to encourage the full length of rope, and eventually, the ring, which she takes with her other hand to begin swinging over her head.

    After building momentum, the rope in Umie's other hand is loosened, letting the hoop fling out towards the Emperor shadow. Nothing fancy; it was meant as a game of keep away than full assault. Shinjiro's the one with the force, as his Persona shows.

    .... Or, is she simply playing the role of Badb to the very end?

    Umie's eyes catch the drip of red; as Akihiko goes to Shinjiro side, Umie does the same, but gives Akihiko space. Something in her gaze softens at the display of concern. Just what is the whole story here? "Are you gonna leave him in a lurch like that, Aragaki? I can't heal you like Takeba-san can, so cool it, unless you want me to tie you up," she says, in a soft rebuke. "I got the tool for that right here.'

AS: Weapon! Umie Akabane has used the Strike skill Ring Bash on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Umie Akabane's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Moriko Kumamoto has posed.

It turns out that even if you race and consider yourself fast, it doesn't quite match up to lightning. Magical or not and she catches the brunt of the arc aimed her way despite her best efforts. She collapses back for a moment with a cry. But she forces herself back up quickly, using the adhoc staff to pull herself to her feet.
 
 She already made it clear she had no intent to leave. And right now she's frustrated enough that she's about to try and javelin the borrowed cleaning stick at the paired arcana.
 
 She shakes her head to clear it. Hair frizzled out around her. Trying to brush it down and compose herself. Why though?
 
 "Always knew what I was getting into any time I threw a punch." Or a garbage can. She's not about to stand by and let someone fight on her behalf. "I'm here, you're stuck with that." Her vocabulary's slipped a little. Sounding rougher around the edges again. She might have had some interesting figures in her life.
 
 She doesn't quite... think ahead far enough to see her stick as a 'strike' and has already pulled the evoker up again. Tired, wondering if it's really a good idea to lean so hard into it. That she's going to figure out where people were getting their equipment from. Later.
 
 Definitely going to be a later.
 
 "Otohime let's go." She pulls the trigger again. The figure twisting and casting light, rather than the previous magic. Something maybe befitting its dress?

AS: Persona! Moriko Kumamoto has used the Light skill Hama on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Moriko Kumamoto: Gains -8 SP from Vigor! Haze removed!
AS: Moriko Kumamoto's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Mitsuru Kirijo has posed.

Two strangers calls her by name.

The first, an older man. Tall. Masked. (Several here today are masked. Could it simply be coincidence? No; Mitsuru knows better than most, coincidences just don't -happen- in the realm of allegory, everything has -meaning-.)

The way he talks, the way he looks. Something about it...

There's no time to dwell. It's his words she focuses on for now, not his presentation.

If I may be so bold... such an order is a disservice to your companions as well as yourself. Burdens are lighter when they are shared, wouldn't you say?

That oft-invoked family crest rises to the forefront of her thoughts:

        Two in harmony surpass one in perfection.

"..."

It's silence that answers Vesper, even as that supportive magic weaves into the Kirijo heiress, fortifying her spirit with powerful metaphor to face her foes. Dismissive, maybe. Standoffish, perhaps.

The world of Mitsuru Kirijo's thoughts are her own, though, and that sentiment is currently tumbling within it, even as she wrestles with the very idea.

Is she wrong?

Does she simply not have enough faith in them?

...

For now, she has made her decision. And she must commit to it. For now--

For now, she must -act-. Her gaze snaps to the masked stranger.

"-Move-!"

It's a warning, but a critical one -- and one that heralds the powerful dual-blows of the Emperor and the Empress, striking in tandem. Mitsuru -springs- not even a second after her shout; the broad blade of the Emperor's sword CRASHES into ground that she once occupied in a stroke that would have cleanly bifurcated her. As it is -- the aftershocks of it all -knock- her back, rubble pelting and striking her, one knocking her violently across the scalp.

Her lips part, but she gives no voice to the pain; she simply -stabs- her rapier into the once-beautiful marbling of Tartarus' ground floor, providing the mooring she needs to -stop- her backwards tumble as she heaves out a sudden rush of air she didn't even know she was holding.

The question still churns. Why can't she just believe in them?

Because I can't protect them all--

The voice of a second stranger reaches her ears, even as she recovers.

An older woman. Weaving English fluidly into her speech like it was as second nature to her as French is to Mitsuru. The Kirijo heiress blinks as she turns her head Eriko's way. This one...

... this one, she actually has an inkling of who they might be. The stylish way she dresses, the peculiar way she acts -- it fits a description that one of her... associates... gave her of his old companions. Persona-Users, just like him. Directly involved in...

Despite herself, despite the situation? A bloody smile finds its way to Mitsuru's lips as she hears that recitation, feels the emboldening support that the woman provides her.

"May Victory, that merry virgin born of noble line,"

she recites as she rises coolly, and -snaps- her rapier to the side with smooth flourish,

"attend us with her favor for all our days!"

Because of -course- she knows the appeals of ancient Grecian theatrical competitions.

Which is exactly why she responds to that sword salute with one of her own in its aftermath, her expression steeled.

She readies herself to face what may very well be her end, confident, at least, that the innocents who found themselves involved in this strange hell will at least make it out safe--

ORPHEUS!

Dark red eyes are wide in alarm as she watches the distinctive Persona of the elder Arisato twin rip past her -- only to be blown away, soaring once more past her field of vision as her deep red hair flaps wildly behind her.

"Why--"

She turns -- only to see Minato, slumped against Fuuka's Persona, but still rising. Not to flee -- but to -fight-. She watches, bewildered, as those shaky fingers grip his Evoker once more.

I won't, he says, and Mitsuru is left briefly at a loss as the young man defies her order. Her plea. Because...

... he doesn't want to leave them.

"..."

Not for the first time, Mitsuru greets that rebuttal with silence. It's a silence that reigns as Minato moves to the fight, motivated by something beyond her ken in this moment.

It's a silence that reigns even as Minako calls out to her. We can still do this! Just a little further, senpai!

As the others rush off, defiant.

As Shinjiro roars out the violence he intends, despite the circumstances, despite his own collapse in health (his own collapse in health--?) -- despite EVERYTHING that has happened to them.

As Yukari rushes forward to provide an opening with that flurry of arrows and billowing winds, a death of a thousand cuts.

No -- it's only as Akihiko calls out to her that Mitsuru blinks exactly once.

I know you've got more in you, Mitsuru-san! Press your advantage!

"Akihiko--?"

There's only one person here she still feels anywhere close to comfortable being on a first-name basis with. And it's only his voice that inspires hers in turn. Akihiko -- even Takeba -- they're all fighting. ... So why...

Without a word, there is Reiya, suddenly at her side. He points out with crystal clarity what has happened: the people she personally elected as field commanders have rejected her orders. So what more is there to be said? She struggles for a visible moment that is as ever so hard to discern the nature of.

...But I do believe we can win.

... Before all that rigidity seizing her finally relents, and she shuts her eyes.

"... hah. Haha..." she chuckles, a rare moment of genuine laughter, despite the situation. She shakes her head, equally rueful. "... I suppose they have. Who am I to argue?"

Against Minato and Minako's decision? Or the fact that they can win? ...

"... Thank you, Aomori."

She wants to thank everyone.

But for now, she settles for this, as Tyler warns her:

"Don't worry. I have every intention of moving."

The unlatching of her Evoker. The grip of her sword.

"Perhaps you were right," she finally concedes to Julian, as she presses that barrel to her head. She looks sidelong his way.

"... But I would have words with you, later."

But for now?

"SHADOWS!"

The squeeze of the trigger.

And, just like Tyler himself intends, there is suddenly a blizzard's frigid gust of ice, freezing the very ground beneath Mitsuru's feet to create a grand, sloping pedestal. Her eyes narrow, sharp as daggers.

And without hesitation, she springs, sliding down the slope of her makeshift hill even as Penthesilea weaves chunks of ice to hurl at their foes. Weakening magic laces into the frost even as the sapphire aura of the Persona flares around Mitsuru.

She strikes once with her rapier. Twice. One stroke, for each Shadow, aimed at crippling points that bloom with ice -- before each wound EXPLODES into windind spires of ice crystals, a jail of frost for each Shadow.

She jumps. Once, twice, on the jagged ledges of her own creation, until she reaches the very peak, landing in a prim, leg-crossed pose.

"For the abhorrent crime of your existence--"

Settled upon her frigid tower of frost, Mitsuru sweeps back her long red hair with one hand. The other?

                         "The sentence is death."

Held aloft, middle finger pinched to thumb.

                                  *snap*

And with a single fingersnap, those majestic columns of ice shatter with the Emperor and Empress entombed within as Mitsuru leaps from the peak in a whorl of whites and royal reds.

They're right.

She can do this. --No.

-They- can do this.

AS: Mitsuru Kirijo spends Limit on Psych! 
AS: Take! Mitsuru Kirijo takes 0 Almighty damage from Hitomi Mandai's Revolution.
AS: Crt_Up added!
AS: Persona! Mitsuru Kirijo has used the Almighty skill Rakunda on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Tandem! Mitsuru Kirijo has used the Water skill Blizzard Edge on Crossroads Bar! 2 Hits!
AS: Weapon! Mitsuru Kirijo has used the Pierce skill Full Pike Flurry on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Mitsuru Kirijo: Gains 38 HP from Regen! Psych and Regen removed!
AS: Mitsuru Kirijo's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Yanagi Nagisa has posed.

    Yay indeed! It looks like Yanagi and Pernelle have the rest of their Dark Hour planned out! Assuming it doesn't end on them first. But there will be another one tomorrow, and they can try to nuke motorcycles into functioning then! (They will not function, but it won't be for lack of trying. There are going to be a lot of angry, confused insurance claims in the near future.) Yanagi grins at Pernelle and gives him a decisive nod back. "Then it's decided! <3"
    
    Ah... You too? Fuuka asks. Yanagi tilts her head with a low 'ufu~.' Does she really need another answer? Fuuka's already understood so much already. Yanagi can let her concentrate now.
    
    But then there is this life-and-death conflict with Minato. To the sound of Pernelle's most enthusiastic cheers, Minato pushes himself up to his feet without active assistance. Yanagi withdraws her hand, unoffended. This just means she can resume eating her cookie.
    
    She can.
    
    But she doesn't.
    
    Because Minato summons another Persona--a different one from before--and Yanagi utters a little, "Oh!!" Something about him had felt different, in an oddly familiar way... And if somehow she had been mistaken, and she knows she isn't, he re-summons his earlier Persona. It might get blown away by a Garula, blowing him back again in the process, but Yanagi doesn't flinch away, even if the splash gusts tear at her long hair and skirt train.
    
    He isn't the only one, though Minako is too focused on the fight to pay any mind to what Yanagi and Pernelle say about her. Yanagi's heart skips a beat as she sees Minako also call up a different Persona from the one she'd just been using, calling up not flames but spikes of ice. It would seem to be the complete opposite of what one would expect from a Jack-o-Lantern, but this Pyro Jack is clearly too cool for that. "My!" Yanagi breathes.
    
    Still, for all that she's treating this battle like a spectacle for entertainment (she sees you, Myunghon, particularly in that instant your eyes met across the battlefield), she fully understands that they don't have time for chit-chat. At the same time, she did ask that question of Minato earlier in earnest. It's an important question. And his answer...
    
    He tells her he won't run away. He doesn't want to while everyone is still fighting.
    
    She gasps, cupping her cheek with her free hand. It might seem theatrical, but it is wholly sincere, as anyone who looks into her eyes sparkling with profound delight can tell. "How wonderful...!" Her smile is broad and warm, coloring this dark and dead time like the burnished setting sun, for it's just as Pernelle says: a choice has been made with the whole of the heart's desire, and there are few things more resplendent. Both of the Arisatos are so marvelous! "I like you! <3"
    
    Yet despite this declaration, she moves back, cane tup-tup-tupping the floor as her reinforced boots carry her legs each step of the way. She's out of breath by the end, but surely that's from all this excitement taking her breath away, just like how Shinjiro surely staggers only because of the hits he's taken during this fight. She leans in towards Pernelle, at whose side she has ended.
    
    "We should let the others know about this. Perhaps without getting bogged down with these ones asking what we're doing here?" she murmurs sotto voce.
    
    And indeed, while the two of them stay to bear witness to the execution of the Empress and Emperor, in the inevitable chaos that follows the end of the battle, they'll make a quick and quiet retreat to slip back out into the dark of the hour. The fact that Yanagi's Persona will be able to shroud her and Pernelle's Resonance once they leave will only make it that much more effective. After all, part of being fabulous is not just making a grand entrance; it's also knowing when to make a mysterious disappearance.
    
    Also also they won't get to power up (?) any motorcycles if they let themselves get caught up with interrogations here.
    
    Also also also she still needs to finish her cookie.

<Pose Tracker> Julian Marlowe has posed.

Thank you Umie, for giving Julian one less thing to worry about on the list of 'things Vesper isn't supposed to know'. Maintaining two identities is complicated enough without needing to remember different names for people both of them know.

For the moment though, he's off - charging straight into trouble. Of course he knew this was going to happen. He made himself a pretty overt target in joining up with someone who was actively drawing the enemy's attention. Which begs the question... why would this perfect stranger prioritize using his Persona to protect Mitsuru, rather than himself?

The icy reception doesn't seem to faze him. That's fine. He doesn't need a response. If anything, a response left unspoken in the heat of the moment is a good thing. That's all he wanted in the end - for her to think about it.

The warning snaps his attention back to the Shadows. Thankfully, he does have Nike's blessing to aid in not getting fatally stabbed, dodging away from the Empress's weapon at the last second. But even just getting grazed by a giant Shadow's weapon takes its toll. His suit may seem impervious to damage, but that doesn't mean he is. After all he's already been through, he looks a bit unsteady on his feet. But he forces himself to stay standing, this time. He can't rest, can't back down, while the danger has not yet passed.

In that respect, he understands Minato's resolve perfectly. He, too, could never get himself to leave while the lives of others are still in danger. He can't remove his focus from that either - he hears the color commentary of some who evidently can't be bothered to actively lend a hand, but that's a matter for another time. His gaze instead lingers for a moment on Minako. Sibling bonds... they can be a powerful thing indeed.

...But who does Mitsuru have? His gaze returns to her, soon enough. Her position is destined to be one of responsibility. The way she was raised... he has a pretty good idea about what it must have been like. 'Orphaned by excess', he might describe it. ...He's not about to tell anyone why he understands that particular brand of loneliness so well, well enough to make him want to step in the way he did.

Curiously, the boy from earlier follows suit. But acts more like a retainer than a friend. He has his thoughts about that too, and will also keep them to himself. His words do land with Mitsuru, that's what matters more right now. He finally breaks his own silence with a chuckle.

"I did find it rather odd, seeing to give orders to the one you refer to as Leader."

Sometimes, fewer words are better, in his estimation. He doesn't argue with Mitsuru's request, merely denotes his agreement by inclining his head. For today, they do still have a matter that needs attending. And given the weaknesses this time... he waves his hand out in front of him, then places it on his mask. "Raffles, you're up to bat!"

And he means that literally. The Persona's had its tendrils wrapped around that giant cricket bat the entire time, but only now is it actually raised, in a slow and deliberate movement, focusing its power. Before, in a flash, it is swung down upon the opposing Shadows with massive force.

AS: Persona! Julian Marlowe has used the Strike skill Skull Cracker on Crossroads Bar!
AS: Julian Marlowe's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Pernelle has posed.

"It is decided!" Pernelle echoes, like the sealing of a contract. They will not procure a functioning motorcycle out of this. In fact, they stand to make a lot of them cease to function. This, too, is art, if you think about it. Pernelle is combining technology with fire to make a secret new third thing.

But when Minato's Persona is different then the one before, Pernelle looks abruptly to Yanagi, turning his head to the side with a knowing look. He turns his attention back ahead as the storm of battle billows through his feathers and the brim of his hat. He raises his head, for Pernelle is not so wasteful a creature to reject an opportunity for gravitas. It is interrupted with a double take at Minako, and he whips his head to look at Yanagi, glasses askew, before turning back to behold Pyro Jack as he rights his eyewear with a push of a pinion.

"... What is this faebeast, to be as precious and perfect as my own self...?" he asks, instead of stating the less obvious wonder at play. (The less obvious?!)

Minato rises again, and refuses to run. Pernelle taps his own chest with a wing. "This is the power of... belief."

Pernelle, you had absolutely nothing to do with that!

He allows his own awe to take him as this dance of risk and resolve (and rebellion!) play upon its deadly stage, his tail rustling, and his body occasionally bobbing, though his head remains entirely stationary. But Pernelle snaps aware with the click of Yanagi's cane upon the ground. Lockstep again, he shuffles back with her, so that they are, indeed, side by side when all is ended. Her breathing is heavier, Pernelle he offers no visible reaction.

He does, however, quite quickly to agree to abandoning their entertainment.

"Ooo, enigmatic. We abscond and leave them to dream of us until our next meeting. Let them wonder if we ever were!"

And so, after their observation has been satisfied, Pernelle sweeps a deep bow, one wing under his chest, and the other fanned out, as his only farewell to those who may not even be watching.

Under the cover of Yanagi's shroud, even a peacock's iridescent feathers are cloaked in obscurity.

Would that any motorcycles he finds tonight would be so lucky.

<Pose Tracker> Crossroads Bar has posed.

    Fuuka is able to support her allies, lending them the ferocity to turn the tide. Her invocation spreads far and wide, and Minato stands firm, before her. (Pernelle did, as it happens, have something to do with it; belief is at least neighbour to the message, here, and there is power in being the one to voice a difficult truth.) He will turn the attacks from Lucia and Ririka, as he always has -- but he's not here to hog the spotlight today. He's relying on his allies, too. Allies like --

    Eikichi might be out of bullets, but he's not out of FIST. Perhaps, in his swing, he represents the pride of all Kasugayama, a school renowned for its visceral solution to problems. He knocks the Emperor Shadow down, even though it's many times his size, with only the fury of his blow. ... and then, when it's down, he hits it AGAIN! That's the brutality of Kasugayama for you!!

    Myunghon -- the Rumourmonger, Merry -- will surely have several more rumours to spread, by the time they leave here. Kudlak snakes out beneath the Emperor Shadow, with that impossible coat, to knock the Shadow upwards before it can rise. They are Hope, and they know what it's like to be tossed around by the hands of fate; time to pay it forward. Castor's crash slams the Shadow back down -- and what about the Empress? We're getting to that! -- leaving it wide open for Koh to slip a knife in, right where its liver ought to be. If Shadows could bleed in any meaningful fashion, it would paint the whole room red.

    The Empress, meanwhile, is having a terrible day. Shizuka's going all out on it, first pinned by stone and then curtained by it. ("Got it," Minato calls, to her, with a sharp nod, and in his stoic fashion he is grateful.) And there's Castor, driven forward with all Shinjiro's bloody, self-destructive force, driving the Empress into that bed of spiked stone. She can't escape -- Suzume never let go.

    It takes Minato a minute to answer Yukari, breath shallowed and muscles trembling. He doesn't leave it to implication, anyway. "Because... you're my friends. Because of that... I was afraid, too." Not quite for the same reason as Fuuka -- but the similiarities matter more than the differences. "... afraid of it mattering."

    And if there's something strange in what he says -- that he was scared of it mattering because they're his friends -- he doesn't explain that much. Even now, he's still a taciturn guy.

    Yukari fires twin arrows, as the Emperor and Empress struggle to rise. One cracks the Empress's mask; the other embeds in the Emperor's throat. The explosion which follows rocks them both, sending them tumbling again.

    Hitomi helps to turn the tide, too, with Tyche's frozen offer pouring out over the battlefield. In the end, she understands that there were always TWO keys to winning this battle -- both insight and cooperation. Every moment they took to strengthen each other led to this...

    As Minako summons Pyro Jack, firing on herself with her Evoker. Minato steels himself, steps up, and fires in turn: "Jack Frost." As Pyro Jack skewers the Emperor with ice, Jack Frost winds up his goofy little fist -- and -- POW! Right in the kisser!! ("HEE-HO!") "... you were trying to understand where I was coming from," Minato asks Minako, "right?" Maybe that's why Yanagi likes them. Jack Frost isn't the only one with a mean right hook, though -- Polydeuces has one, too, and Akihiko is experienced enough to know to take the opening provided by another boxer. (... is Jack Frost a boxer? He's got those little mitts...) In his own punch is all the fury of a boy determined to end the battle before his dear friend is hurt -- more than he already is. It's an assault capped off by Eriko's considerable might, bringing the responsibility of adults into the fray to support SEES with an explosion of holy power.

    Meanwhile, the Empress still can't escape, even struggling up again. Its momentary upwards victory is turned against it as Suzume twists its arm, and, much like Eikichi, proves that David is much more effective against Goliath than one might first assume. She's a small girl -- but she still manages to SLAM the Empress down onto the ground, proving once and for all that they really should have let her wrestle with the boys.

    Just as the Shadows struggle through that set of attacks, they're pinned -- and Reiya hardly needs to pin their shadows when they are Shadows. No, they are bodily trapped to the ground by those needles, represented by a dozen little lances in their cape and their cloak. As a technician on the stage, he knows very well how to make the stars look good -- just like Tyler, as Houdini takes the spotlight all for his own. A giant ball of ice forms in the chains, explodes out -- and drowns! The water clutches around them, for long moments, in visual representation of the trap Houdini's set. Just as that water bursts away, Tsurugi slices in alongside La Maupin, blades quick as the wind as they dice the shadows with what seems like a hundred cuts apiece.

    Umie ties the Emperor down with her Kyoketsu-shoge, a weapon speaking to her depth of skill and mystery. (Or, perhaps, she just thought it was cool...?) Despite the pitch of the battle, she remains confident, power on her side -- though she's content to make sure other people can display their power, now. Today, that's Moriko, as she shows a little more of herself in her speech. Otohime was always an unseen blessing, and that makes it so much more meaningful when Moriko fires plainly on herself to blast the Empress in another ray of holy light. "You're determined," Minato realises, as he looks to her -- and perhaps recognises something of himself in her, in the process.

    Vector, meanwhile, makes sure to tie up the Empress at the same time -- batter UP! Batter down, that is, because Raffles slams that cricket bat down on the struggling Empress, cratering it down into the floor.

    The final word is Mitsuru's, though she could not have spoken it without the strength of all her allies hence. She fires her Evoker, and as the ice forms over the Empress and the Emperor, she strides forth to strike at the weakest points. She is not as strong as Fuuka, no, but she can see them -- intuitively -- those places where she'll do the most damage, with her blade. She orders their execution --

    Snaps her fingers --

    And the Empress and the Emperor are CONSUMED as their tombs shatter into nothingness.

    Junpei looks up, from where he was forced to take a seat, exhausted from the battle. "We did it," he exclaims, laughing in disbelief, "we actually did it!" His laughter grows relieved, as the battle music fades around them.

    And Minato looks up, at the ceiling, at the full moon he's so aware is out there now... though the Dark Hour will fade soon, now, and they'll be safe again.

    "Sorry," he says. "I'm late."

    He was practicing that line in his head the entire stolen motorcycle ride in.

AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 123 Strike damage from Eikichi Mishina's School of Hard Knocks. Critical Hit!
Weak!
AS: Block Neutral! Crossroads Bar takes 107 Earth damage from Shizuka Kuroki's Marble Snare. Weak!
AS: Block Best! Crossroads Bar takes 99 Earth damage from Shizuka Kuroki's Marble Snare. Weak!
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 82 Earth damage from Shizuka Kuroki's Landslide. Weak!
AS: Panic added!
AS: Block Best! Crossroads Bar takes 71 Earth damage from Shizuka Kuroki's Landslide. Weak!
AS: Panic added!
AS: Block Neutral! Crossroads Bar takes 204 Strike damage from Shinjiro Aragaki's Heat Wave. Weak!
AS: Block Neutral! Crossroads Bar takes 82 Strike damage from Shinjiro Aragaki's Dual Smash. Weak!
AS: Crossroads Bar is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 88 Strike damage from Shinjiro Aragaki's Dual Smash. Weak!
AS: Crossroads Bar is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Block Neutral! Crossroads Bar takes 51 Pierce damage from Yukari Takeba's Single Shot. Weak!
AS: Crossroads Bar is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 53 Pierce damage from Yukari Takeba's Single Shot. Weak!
AS: Crossroads Bar is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Block Best! Crossroads Bar takes 66 Water damage from Minako Arisato's Bufu. Weak!
AS: Bind added!
AS: Minako Arisato gains 1 Limit from Schadenfreude!
AS: Crossroads Bar is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 123 Strike damage from Eikichi Mishina's School of Hard Knocks. Critical Hit!
Weak!
AS: Crossroads Bar is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Block Neutral! Crossroads Bar takes 120 Water damage from Minako Arisato's Bufula. Weak!
AS: Bind added!
AS: Minako Arisato gains 1 Limit from Schadenfreude!
AS: Crossroads Bar is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 87 Water damage from Minako Arisato's Bufu. Weak!
AS: Bind added!
AS: Minako Arisato gains 1 Limit from Schadenfreude!
AS: Crossroads Bar is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Block Neutral! Crossroads Bar takes 116 Strike damage from Suzume Fukura's Hurl Down. Critical Hit! Weak!
AS: Crossroads Bar is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 96 Strike damage from Akihiko Sanada's Sonic Punch. Weak!
AS: Haze added! Bind removed! Explosion! 40 damage!
AS: Crossroads Bar is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Block Neutral! Crossroads Bar takes 140 Light damage from Eriko Kirishima's Hama. Weak!
AS: Crossroads Bar is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 111 Water damage from Reiya Aomori's Punishment Seal - Suiton. Weak!
AS: Crossroads Bar is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 121 Pierce damage from Reiya Aomori's Darkness Nail. Weak!
AS: Crossroads Bar is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 64 Water damage from Tyler Gould's A Drowning Death. Weak!
AS: Crossroads Bar is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Block Best! Crossroads Bar takes 53 Water damage from Tyler Gould's A Drowning Death. Weak!
AS: Crossroads Bar is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Block Best! Crossroads Bar takes 64 Water damage from Tyler Gould's A Drowning Death. Critical Hit! Weak!
AS: Crossroads Bar is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Block Best! Crossroads Bar takes 29 Wind damage from Remi Ryuuja's Ouragan. Critical Hit! Resist!
AS: Remi Ryuuja gains 1 Limit from Momentum!
AS: Crossroads Bar is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 42 Wind damage from Remi Ryuuja's Ouragan. Critical Hit! Resist!
AS: Remi Ryuuja gains 1 Limit from Momentum!
AS: Crossroads Bar is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 42 Wind damage from Remi Ryuuja's Ouragan. Critical Hit! Resist!
AS: Remi Ryuuja gains 1 Limit from Momentum!
AS: Crossroads Bar is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 56 Strike damage from Umie Akabane's Ring Bash. Weak!
AS: Crossroads Bar is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Block Neutral! Crossroads Bar takes 119 Light damage from Moriko Kumamoto's Hama. Weak!
AS: Exhaust added!
AS: Crossroads Bar is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 100 Water damage from Mitsuru Kirijo's Blizzard Edge. Weak!
AS: Crossroads Bar is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 127 Water damage from Mitsuru Kirijo's Blizzard Edge. Critical Hit! Weak!
AS: Crossroads Bar is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Block Neutral! Crossroads Bar takes 118 Pierce damage from Mitsuru Kirijo's Full Pike Flurry. Critical Hit! Weak!
AS: Crossroads Bar is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Block Best! Crossroads Bar takes 100 Strike damage from Julian Marlowe's Skull Cracker. Weak!
AS: Panic added!
AS: Crossroads Bar is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 34 Strike damage from Eikichi Mishina's Sucker Punch. Weak!
AS: Crossroads Bar is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Block Neutral! Crossroads Bar takes 31 Strike damage from Eikichi Mishina's Sucker Punch. Weak!
AS: Crossroads Bar is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 72 Dark damage from Myunghon Yeo's Dark Metamorphosis. Resist!
AS: Crossroads Bar is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Block Neutral! Crossroads Bar takes 32 Slash damage from Koh Katsuhiro's Slash Weapon D. Resist!
AS: Crossroads Bar is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Block Neutral! Crossroads Bar takes 27 Slash damage from Koh Katsuhiro's Slash Weapon E. Resist!
AS: Crossroads Bar is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Block Worst! Crossroads Bar takes 47 Strike damage from Eikichi Mishina's Sucker Punch. Critical Hit! Weak!
AS: Crossroads Bar is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Take! Crossroads Bar takes 0 Almighty damage from Mitsuru Kirijo's Rakunda.
AS: Def_Dn added!
AS: Crossroads Bar is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Take! Crossroads Bar takes 0 Dark damage from Myunghon Yeo's Shibaboo. Resist!
AS: Exhaust added!
AS: Crossroads Bar is unable to continue fighting!

<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.

As Akihiko approaches Shinjiro, his face grows downcast. No... he can't burden him. That's why he quit! Why did he come here?! Everyone else could have saved her, couldn't have they? Shinjiro should have never come.. should have stayed in that alleyway to die, instead of feeling he can do anything anymore after his own innocent sin.

Umie's there, too. Why? She should be helping the others, not protecting him...

Shinjiro steadies on his feet finally as he rises back to full height. "I'm fine, Aki."

A lie.

"I'll live, Akabane."

Another lie.

"I don't want to be tied up, what the hell...?"

Okay, that one's true.

He picks up his Evoker, putting it into his jacket. It's certainly not his Evoker, Akihiko knows exactly where that is.

Mitsuru's execution gets a glance. As powerful and intimidating as ever... that's what's in store for him, huh?

Might be better than the fate he already has.

As the Shadows go down, Shinjiro checks to make sure everyone's alive. And then...

Shinjiro moves to leave. He might briefly collapse (though not unconscious) before he gets to the door if he doesn't have assistance... who knows who'll come to help him get out of here? Whoever it is, he may complain the whole way.

<Pose Tracker> Remi Ryuuja has posed.

The Emperor and Emperess Shadows are executed, and finally, there is a moment to catch her breath. But not for long.

She glances sidelong to Myunghon. Their 'partnership', such as it is, is about to end for the night. They won't express it in words, but she would much rather be fighting like this, than they had to on the beach.

But that's not really up to either of them to control, is it? Try as Myunghon might to be hope for their friends.

She scans the battlefield, and though her face is covered perhaps the weight of her gaze might still be felt as it sweeps past them... It lingers, briefly, on Minako and Minato. Summoning more than one Persona... a talent she hasn't seen before. But it moves on, until it settles on Mitsuru. She'd been listening, as that girl called the shots. As she and her subordinates used Evokers to summon their Personas.

And she has a simple message, delivered in a perfect, if flat, French accent: "Alors vous êtes leur chef... Nous nous reverrons."

And with that La Maupin gestures with their sword--wind springs up beneath Tsurugi's feet to envelope her as she sheathes her sword. User and Persona move with the speed of that wind, out the door, into the night air.

Inwardly, if Yumi is still monitoring her thoughts, she sends a message: The Shadows are defeated. I'm falling back.

... I'll see you soon.

<Pose Tracker> Fuuka Yamagishi has posed.

Umie calls out support to her, in a... teacherly tone. It's fine - Fuuka is a bookworm and an honor student, she responds well to Tutor Mode.

"Thank you... I'll do my best." She replies, with a firm nod. The encouragement helps - though it's not difficult to tell that her energy levels are starting to flag a little.

For her, it's been a very long night.

...And she hears those quiet words, shared between Reiya and Mitsuru. ...She won't share them, though.

But they all fight hard, together - and together, the Empress and Emperor are defeated. There's a moment of silence, as they wait to see, but -

"...We did." Fuuka exhales out, in response to Junpei's declaration. "They're gone... I don't detect any strong ones in the area, either."

Lucia fades away - and Fuuka looks out at everyone gathered.

"Everyone... Thank you so much. I... I didn't know if anyone was going to be coming..." Fuuka expresses her heartfelt gratitude - and then, turns toward Natsuki.

"Are you alright?" She asks - and when she gets a positive response, she smiles - bright and wide. "Good... I'm glad."

Feeling relief, and finally feeling safe now that her long nightmare is over... Fuuka feels her body sag, the Evoker slipping from her fingers. She slumps slowly to the ground, slipping into a sleep that's been a long time coming.

It might be a bit concerning - but it's not hard to tell that she's only sleeping.

<Pose Tracker> Minako Arisato has posed.

'You were trying to understand where I was coming from, right?'

Minako looks sideways at her brother -- and hesitates for just a moment, before she nods. "Yeah," she says. "I... guess I didn't know the right way to ask. But... I'm glad you came."

She smiles at him, and it's a real smile.

She looks back at the two Shadows, as they're brought down -- by the strikes from SEES and the people outside SEES, who came tp help -- and that lets Minako exhale. She looks at Junpei and nods, beaming.

"Good job, everyone!" she says. She claps her brother on the shoulder -- grinning at the line. And then glances, briefly, in the direction of where Pernelle and Yanagi are. Who...?

But then she looks back at Fuuka -- and blinks, seeing her fall over like that. Minako hurries towards her. "Oh, shoot... we better get her back to the dorm!"

<Pose Tracker> Yukari Takeba has posed.

Minako claims he's fine. Yukari isn't sure she believes her. Perhaps it's the contrast between the one who smiles on the surface and the consummate pessimist.

She'll believe it once she's sure it's true and no sooner.

And in this moment, Reiya is so close to Mitsuru. The proper subordinate, in all the ways Minato was insubordinate.

She wishes - it could have been so simple. If he'd continued to be the guy he was before, she might have been able to protect him.

Because a person who does things because they're only being asked to can't choose not to do it. Not to risk their life. Not to die like this.

And then he speaks to her... alive... alive! And Yukari looks at him like in complete incomprehension.

"...Since when did you start thinking of us like...?" She hasn't even finished the sentence when he answers why he didn't.

'afraid of it mattering.'

Hitomi smiles like a devil.
Suzume pushes herself harder for people she barely knows.
Tyler takes the stage for one final act.
Akihiko newly recovered - risks further injury.
Moriko claims they're stuck with her, new as she is.
And Fuuka newer still, puts it all on the line.

She would deny all of them, that all of them mean a single thing to her. They're just... on the same team. They have a mission, a goal. And on most days, she would be able to say that thought was wholly correct.

Today has put a chink in that armor.

Because she's known she's been scared of anyone else mattering to her for years.

I uhhh... I wanted to tell you something. I can kinda relate. To you, I mean.

"... Why did you have to put it like that?" She says, smaller as she understands she can relate to that too. For right now - she watches Mitsuru execute the Shadows, and thinks 'Good'.

There is relief as she sags a bit... "We're alive... we're all alive."

'Sorry, I'm late.'

Yukari holds position for a few seconds, then looks up, rubbing a hand across her eyes for something no one saw.

"... Aha... where did that come from?" Maybe it's unexpected in that moment, but she laughs lightly, "Wow. Talk about trying too hard to sound cool."

But, she's smiling a little.
 
As she walks with a limp, exhausted, before Fuuka then begins to fall, "Yamagishi-san!?" Then, sighs, "... Totally forgot about that part, she must be more wiped than any of us. Let's... go back."
 
She thinks of Natsuki, trying to apologize... and tomorrow, almost certain to forget about it.
 
Something feels so wrong to her about that.

<Pose Tracker> Shizuka Kuroki has posed.

      Shizuka pants, the ambient exertion of existing within the Dark Hour combining with the incredible ordeal of the night beginning to catch up with her as she weakly puts her Evoker back into her shoulder holster. "Whew! I dunno about you all, but I'm gonna sleep well tonight!" She puts on a smile, a genuine smile, not a coping mechanism.
 
      As she begins to walk to the entrance, she stops by Minato, snickering at his attempt at a one-liner. "Nato-kun..." She pulls him into a brief hug. "Ya big goober. Don't worry me like that again."
 
      Pulling away from Minato, she notices Shinjiro hobbling away. Part of her wants to reach out, but... Aragaki-san was always a bit... hard to approach, even in the best of times. She'd let Sanada-san worry about that.
 
      "Yeah, we should definitely get her out of here. Poor girl hasn't had a moment's rest in days slash hours." She turns to look at the stairway leading into Tartarus proper. "I just hope this place isn't as crowded going forward..."

<Pose Tracker> Koh Katsuhiro has posed.

Koh lets out a sigh of relief when the two foes crack and shatter under Mitsuru's strike, finally broken under the weight of the collective Persona users.

"Hah," He breathes, "Cool."

Minato's apology draws a tired grin to Koh's lips. There's a brief flash of concern at Fuuka's condition afterbut others are on that soon enough.

Sleeping is mentioned, and dorms. Both of those sound pretty nice.

<Pose Tracker> Hitomi Mandai has posed.

 
In the end - all of them, capped by Mitsuru's icy displeasure - prevail. The twin Shadows, profound in their power, are destroyed. Hitomi sees them shatter, fall away, and...

She lurches a little to the side. She laughs again, and maybe NOW it's not weird. Hitomi still puts a hand over her mouth, straightening up, looking around, suddenly paranoid, perhaps. But... Minato's taking the heat... Nobody noticed, she thinks. Or they would've thought it was just nerves.

That's it, Hitomi tells herself. It must have been like nervous laughter. I get giggly when I'm scared.

Her eyes close for three seconds. She exhales.

"Arisatooo, where did you get a motorcycle?" she calls to Minato afterwards, before her eyes pass over others... the peacock, for one thing, and Beanie-san (shinji? Hitomi wonders) before passing over to Fuuka.

"Aaa... we just figured it out... we were all the same," Hitomi tells Fuuka, stepping towards her. "Once we got it, all of us were going to come rescue you. I uh, I had some drinks for you in case you were dried out, but... I think I lost the bag, haha. But, um... I know we weren't like, close, but..."

Fuuka collapses.

Hitomi looks at her pancaked fellowclassman.

She exhales. Then she walks towards Fuuka. "Someone help me get her up... I guess we'll have to kind of carry her, huh." Though, her eyes turn momentarily towards Minato "Motorcycle Haver" Arisato for a few moments. Then towards Suzume.

"It's not always like this," Hitomi tells her.

<Pose Tracker> Eriko Kirishima has posed.

    It's hard to not notice the way Eriko brightens even more, despite the bloody battle, as Mitsuru responds to Eriko's version of Euripides' entreaty by quoting back Menander's. How truly wonderful to meet someone who knows of them- and without Eriko's personal investment.

    The shadows fall not long after, the barrage of teamwork and powers pinning them down for Mitsuru to lay down the final blow.

    Still, Eriko knows when it's time to not get involved in someone else's hard earned moment. Instead, Eriko simply gives one more fencing salute to Mitsuru, and a smile, before turning to the exit. "Time to let them have their victory," Eriko says cheerfully, to no one in particular. "And as tempted as I am to explore, I'm rather fascinated to see what happens when the lights come back on."

    Besides, for all of the secrecy of a mutual acquaintance, Eriko did know where to go to find him- and it rather follows suit she knows where to drop in on these ones as well.

    For now, though, Eriko Kirishima will find a nice place to watch the tower until the Dark Hour ends, and then somewhere to stay the night. The trains back to Sumaru have *definitely* stopped running at this hour.

<Pose Tracker> Moriko Kumamoto has posed.

The dissipation of the shadow gets a relieved sound from Moriko who.. doesn't quite slump to the floor. She leans against her mop handle and runs her fingers through her hair. Then fiddles around for a moment, pulling a tie from.. somewhere and securing her hair back.
 
 "Where's not the issue. How's it running?" She sort of tags along to Hitomi's question about finding a motorcycle. "Mine died in this-" she sweeps her hand around. "Uh. This."
 
 Still. Everyone made it out in one piece. More or less. She glances around. Sucks her breath in an... takes a seat. "Wake me up when we're getting out of this-" She gestures around again. At least she's not slurring yet. She looks really tired though. Has she really slept much in the past few days? (No.)

<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.

    'I don't want to be tied up, what the hell...'

    "If you keep up with the attitude, I might," Umie threatens Shinjiro, once the danger passes, even though she's stuffing her weapon away.

    Umie takes a moment to glance towards Akihiko. ".... He's always been like this, hasn't he?"

    Fuuka expresses that she thought no one would come for her, and Umie slows, casting a small smile her way. "If you hadn't held onto some ray of hope, it might've been a different story. But it looks like you got a good group of people with you."

    Seeing Fuuka slump to the ground, Umie makes a sympathetic sound with her throat.

    She was exhausted like that, too, back then and it was just one night, for her.
    
    As Shinjiro moves to leave, if no one catches him when he collapses, Umie groans and jogs up to him. "Honestly! Wait until you get out of the dangerous shadow tower first!"

<Pose Tracker> Suzume Fukura has posed.

They did it.

Suzume doesn't fall so much as collapse off of Empress, thrown in the melee and dropping and landing on one knee. She takes deep, shuddering breaths to steady herself, both physically and mentally.

And then she stands up. Wobbly, but she does it under her own power. "We did it!" she echoes him, pumping her fist and then reaching across to give Junpei a fistbump. (She would not if he was standing. But he's not, and she barely is, so it's fair.)

She plants her hands on her knees for a moment and just *breathes* before straightening the rest of the way, shoving her messy hair back in a vain attempt to keep it out of her eyes. She didn't see Pernelle and Yanagi before and she doesn't see them now, though she sees a lot of other people.

"Later, Beanie-san," she calls, before looking over toward SEES. She doesn't have quite the same reaction as Yukari, but... she wants to join the cheering, even with Fuuka exhausted. And she doesn't know if she can. Even after a battle - perhaps because of a battle - she's still her; the awkward one, the one that doesn't fit, the one who says stupid things, the one that likes to do things nobody else does. The others - most of them don't want to fight, they just feel they have to. But she...

...she didn't mind it. It didn't feel wrong. It felt good to finally do *something* undeniably good. They'd all survived the biggest Shadows she'd ever seen, though admittedly she didn't have many to compare them to. They'd found Fuuka, and rescued her, just like they'd hoped. And it's something different, that *she* never, ever would have done...

Suzume blows air out again, puffing her cheeks. She wants to approach, especially as Fuuka says she thought nobody would come for her. "Yeah... well, we did!" And yet she can't say more than that. What's wrong with her? She feels so good about what they've done, but yet, still apart. (It'll pass. It passes by the time they get back to the dorm, when she's grinning again. But even so, it's there for now.)

But for now, she goes to pick up her backpack instead. And pulls out...

Okay. It *was*, at one point, a melonpan. Then it was a squashed melonpan. Now it's a bunch of chunks of crushed, torn bread in a bag. As she picks it up, crumbs trail out of one corner.

So much for that, she thinks, and shoves it back in her backpack.

<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.

Finally, through a great combined effort of everyone that wasn't her, the two Full Moon Shadows are defeated. Ririka lets out a shaky breath as the noise filling her head finally clears, leaving a weird sort of hollow sound, a not-quite ringing in its wake. She's panting, and shivering, at that, hugging herself as she gulps down air.

She glances up to Tyler and Yukari, who'd first stepped in to protect her and pull her to safety. She looks at Minato, who'd defiantly stepped up to protect both her and Fuuka, not to mention Natsuki. She glances over to Fuuka, who had found the courage to use an Evoker, to protect her friend... and she gets the sense that Fuuka helped save them all that night, even if she couldn't track everything that well.

And then she glances to Mitsuru, who she'd defiantly told the night before to just give her an Evoker. When the time came... she looks down. She'd tried, but... she hadn't expected it to be so overwhelming.

And Minako calls out 'good job, everyone.'

It still feels like a failure, and the heat of shame fills her face.

"S-sorry..." she mutters, probably to nobody but herself. Melon pan is offered, though, and she suddenly feels so exhausted that she accepts it without comment and begins to scarf it down.

<Pose Tracker> Crossroads Bar has posed.

    Yukari laughs, and Minato rubs at the back of his neck, looking a little embarrassed. "I'll work on it," he promises her, and he might just mean his one-liners. (He doesn't, though.)

    He gets hugged by Shizuka, though, and he's shocked enough to allow it. "Kuroki-senpai..." ... a moment later, he pats her on the shoulder, in silent reassurance. (Then he pulls away, because, you know. Personal Space!)

    Junpei, meanwhile, absolutely fistbumps Suzume. "Booyeah!!" He grins, still riding that high.

    Minato sees Suzume's crushed melon pan, though. "... it helped," he calls out, to her, as he makes the effort to reach over the aisle for once. And even though it's all crushed, now... "... it's still pretty good." See? Ririka likes it!

    Yumi replies, to Remi, through the connection she's kept open: Oh, I just finished convincing a Silky I needed nary a sud in my mouth nor my veins... huh? It's over? ... and evidently, she was waylaid in her attempts to go get help. She'll find Remi to help her back, anyway.

    Natsuki clasps Fuuka's hand, tears still in her eyes. "I'm okay," she says, "I-I just... when I heard you were sorry... I'm sorry, Fuuka. Even though I knew we were the same... I was such a jerk!" She won't remember any of this tomorrow, but... maybe, the impact of it all will stay with her. Because Fuuka falls into slumber, and Natsuki squeezes her hand a little tighter. "... Fuuka? Fuuka?!"

    "She's just tired," Minato tells her; the genuine smile he shared with Minako has faded from his face by the time he reassures Natsuki, but that's okay, Minako saw it. "It takes a lot out of you." He nods, to Minako, when she realises they ought to get her back.

    Hitomi asks where he got a motorcycle, though, and all the blood drains from Minato's face. He looks at Koh. He looks back at Hitomi. He looks at Mitsuru. He looks at Moriko. He looks back to Koh. And back to Hitomi --

    "Pray for me."

    That answers that.

    (He's a big enough guy to take the blame, so that Koh can at least try for restful sleep. He's trying...)

    Eriko flees, though, and Minato looks at the place where she was, and wonders, for a moment, what kind of adult ends up supporting them like that. (Tsurugi and Vesper are adults too, Minato! ... but, they're in disguise...)

    Umie helps Shinjiro limp out, though... and Minato can't chase the poor man down when his team's like this. (They're still his team until Mitsuru executes him.)

    He can see that Natsuki and Ririka are at their limits, though -- taking extra moments to look over all those signs that Ririka is so overwhelmed having seen all this. "It mattered," he tells her, plainly.

    With that, he leans down, to get an arm around Fuuka. With a little help from his friends, he'll get her back to the dorm, even sleeping.

    ...

    He'll figure out how to get her into the girls' side of the dorms without incurring further wrath once they get in the front door.