2025-12-12: A Problem Like Maria

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<Pose Tracker> Maria Sakurai has posed.

    NOW

    The letter clutched tight in Maria's hand is a simple one. There are just three words on the scrap of paper, and one of them is, at least, a name. A title, to be precise.

    But the message it contains is very clear.

        yOu'rE nEXt

            JOKER

    EARLIER

    There had been a letter in the Sakurai household mailbox late that morning. It had been addressed to Maria.

    There had been no return address.

    It had sat on the table for hours when Maria, descending down the stairs from finally doing (some of) her summer homework, had spotted it there.

    "Maria, there you are. Looks like someone sent you a letter," her grandmother had said, busy cleaning in the kitchen. "A friend? There wasn't any postage."

    Maria had already opened the envelope by that point. Inside it was just a scrap of paper.

    With her back to her, her grandmother didn't see the way Maria's face went ashen. "By the way, I have a date tonight," her grandmother continued on, ignorant of the way that Maria had then scrambled around the house downstairs, before finding her purse at last and dashing out the door.

    "So you'll need to--"

    The door had slammed behind her.

    "...Maria? ...Without even saying goodbye? What has gotten into that girl..."

    NOW, AGAIN

    The train to Tokyo is fast.

    It's just not fast enough. If she got the letter, then he must have gotten one, too. If she's too late, if he's the one 'next' before her 'next', what if he's...?

    These thoughts plagued her all the way to Tokyo. Especially when she'd gone to try to call him on her way to the train and found that, to her horror, he'd blocked her number. Just because she'd tried to call him once or twice after--?

    It means she doesn't know where he is, though, and there's no way to warn him. And she never even knew a single one of his friends. Right now, in her panic, even their names escape her. Forget looking up their numbers!

    By the time a deeply distressed Maria Sakurai arrives at Shujin, she's at her wits end. Where in Tokyo is Takeshi Nakata, and is he already in danger or even dead?

    ...Oh. That's him, right there. He's handsome, impeccably dressed even for the summer heat, and standing there with a friend of his (she... assumes?) just outside the gate of Shujin.

    "Takeshi-kun!"

    His reaction to her is bemusement.

    "Hey, isn't that the Sevens girl you used to..." starts his friend.

    "What are you doing here?" asks Takeshi as Maria, exhausted from her mad scramble, stumbles towards him.

    "I've found you!" she gasps. "Did you-- did you get it? The letter? I'm sorry!"

    "What letter?" asks Takeshi, taking a step back as Maria advances towards him. "--Wait, don't tell me..." He shakes his head, then glances at his friend to subtly roll his eyes and shrug, as if to say, 'girls are crazy sometimes, huh'. "I told you before, we're done, Sakurai. Give it up."

    Maria looks aghast. "N-no! It's not-- you're in danger!" 

AS: Tatsuya Sudou has readied for combat as Old Maid! He is now fully healed! Ready for 10 opponents!

<Pose Tracker> Tatsuya Sudou has posed.

    A dark deep voice echoes through the air, "The letters have been delivered. Takeshi Nakata, Maria Sakurai, your time has reached its end."

    From the shadows a paper bag appears, then the body of the Joker Killer steps forth, dragging a piece of warped metal that is sorta sword shaped. The Joker Killer hefts the metal piece like a spear and throws it with great intensity, and yet misses Takeshi's head. Instead the spear nabbed the shoulder of his expensive jacket and shirt and pinned the poor boy to the gate pillar. Pity that such expensive clothes tend to be more durable.

    The Joker Killer scoffs, "Damn it I missed." From beneath his trenchcoat he draws forth another twisted piece of metal to act as his sword. Already hefting it again he throws it and this time Takeshi's friend ends up stabbed into the pillar of the gate next to Takeshi, this time he snared the shoulder itself. That kid is going to have a wicked scar if he survives this.

    The paper bag wearing man headtilts drawing another twisted sword shaped object from his trenchcoat and examines it. "Maybe it's bent or something, perhaps the sights are off." Looking up at Maria he smiles, " Hmm well I have the one who caused all this mess to practice on, and then I can go back to my new Takeshi dart board. It's a limited item. " The Joker Killer laughs from under the paper bag.

    The Joker Killer looks towards Maria, "Well. Go on. Run. " A beat is given and then two before the crazy guy starts to count, " 3..." The sword shape object bursts into flames. "2..." The shadows begin to stretch and start to warp their surroundings. "1..." Crowds of shadows appear in the windows of the school, they begin to cheer and get hyped as if this was a spectating sport.

    The smile on the paperbag licks it's lips and gives a fanged smile. The fang even pings.

    "Ready or not...here I come." 

<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.

    ----YESTERDAY----
    
    "... I'm seeking information on someone here. Maria Sakurai." Umie, against her better judgment, gave a soot-stained Kurou the name of the girl she met at the Alaya Shrine. "They've had a bad time of things, since April." Umie rolled her shoulders in a shrug, doing her best to at least *seem* nonchalant. "I just want to make sure it's nothing supernatural, is all."

    To be in one's 'time of Joka' is a normal occurance in Sumaru City, at the very least. Going through a gauntlet of bad events is also unfortunately normal, no matter where you are. It's not a Palace, or a serial killer, or the NWO. It's a level of mystery in a light novel or show, where a group of school kids go around solving creepy rumors in their school.

    Mark this one as 'not supernatural' and call it a day, Umie. There's no answers to be had behind this locked door.

    ----NOW----

    Maria is in her time of 'Joka', alright, as Umie will soon find out.

    >> on my way, keep her in your line of sight
    >> don't engage unless you have to

    For once, Umie forgetting to tell Kurou specifically to not *stalk* Maria Sakurai has become the sole reason she has any ability to intervene in a timely manner, if at all. Maria's scared about something, and while it could be nothing...

    Something feels too similar to the way Umie herself felt when she was clutching a letter of her own.
    
    ------

    Suddenly, the hoop of the kyoketsu shoge is swung around, aimed for Sudou's sword hand. A short hooded woman in the pale grey jacket is standing feet away from the serial killer holding the bladed end of the weapon, which she gives a sharp tug back when and if it wraps around her intended target.

    Two Persona Users would not be enough to take Sudou down, but this foolhardy move comes with its own hidden objective: blind faith. Umie survived last time by buying herself time until someone -- several someones, in fact -- intervened. Now, she's doing the same exact thing for Maria and Takeshi.

    Blue light pools underneath the two in front of Maria and Takeshi as hooded figure of Badb emerges from the folds of a spectral shawl, the ragged cloth stretching outwards like the outstretched wings of a blackbird in flight. The Badb's coy red lips stretch as she arcs back, delivering a chilling shriek to the sky.

    It's a beacon, but also an omen: 'no treasure to be found here, only bloodshed'.

    To Maria, there wouldn't be any immediate indication that the person in front of her is the person she met at the shrine, due to the effects of Badb's shroud. There is only a short girl in a jacket, hood up, and a paper maiche mask, this time painted grey. The rest of her outfit are simple street clothes, her low-profile sneakers well taken care of.

    This boon is not foolproof; it'll be a coin toss if Umie can even make it through without Maria putting two and two together: who else would be wearing that color of nail polish? (At least partially; half of them are done in red, as if _someone had been interrupted during a paint job_.)

    The other side effect is that Kurou may not realize who Umie is either; he's never felt her resonance or seen her Persona. Same with some others here.

    (This is a problem for immediate future Umie to deal with, most likely. Let's see how this rushed plan shakes out!) 

<Pose Tracker> Gozaburou Gessou has posed.

The art of fitting into a situation is standing out in just the right way. Gozaburou is dressed in a suit with a t-shirt of a pixelated skull on it. He grins as he chews his gum, checking his watch as he watches the girl approach the boy.

 "See get a shot of the happy couple. My sources said we can count on the JK showing..." Zabu looks nonplused by the events, finally side eyeing the Camera man next to him. "...I'll handle it if it gets rough, alright? No one is getting hurt for real." He was lying. He'd just miss a chance to help the victim here and get himself the bloody carnage that the public was after.

 Then the main event arrives, Gozaburou adjusts his jacket, winking at the camera just before it starts going. "We're her----"The shot falls away as the camera man, having seen the Joker Killer's actions, flees to better pastures. Perhaps a nice dinner with family.

 Zabu sneers as he clicks his tongue, looking back to the Joker Killer and Maria. He sighs dejectedly, taking out his phone. "Guess a couple of pics will be just profess enough." Zabu punctuates his statement with a smack of his gum, trying to get some decent pictures. Spoilers: He will not.

AS: Weapon! Umie Akabane has used the Strike skill Strike Weapon E on Tatsuya Sudou!
AS: Umie Akabane regains 3 SP from Invigorate!
AS: Block Neutral! Tatsuya Sudou takes 32 Strike damage from Umie Akabane's Strike Weapon E.

<Pose Tracker> Maya Amano has posed.

    It hits Maya hard. The atmosphere around her shifts quickly, not unlike the way it does before a big rain. But Maya knows that this isn't the weather. It is something supernatural. Something dangerous.

    Goosebumps rise up on her arms despite the summer heat beaming down on their backs. Maya was walking back to the office after a late lunch with her roommate, Ulala. In her usual 'Think Positive!' attitude, Maya felt grateful that if something was going to happen, it was at least after the pair had had their fill of curry.

    Maya turns to her roommate. "Did you feel that?" Maya knows as soon as her gaze hits Ulala's face that she had. "Let's go!" 

<Pose Tracker> Goro Akechi has posed.

"Is something the matter?" Sae Niijima's pace slowed, noticing she'd overtaken Akechi by a great deal- and that he was standing there staring at his phone, frowning.
 
He then abruptly looks up, "Sorry - but I'll have to cut things short today." He said, with a casualness that contrasted his prior frown. "I completely forgot that I had a deposition a few hours from now to attend. You can take things from here, right?"
 
"That's not like you to be so careless with your scheduling."
 
Smiling at her, he chuckled, "Aha - what can I say?" He says, as he turned and began to walk in the opposite direction, raising a hand to wave, "I suppose even I can be a little irresponsible during my summer break."
 
"... Right." Sae said, wondering what was really going on.
 
-=-=-
 
He arrived there early enough to feel the moment of transition, as he walked by, briefcase in hand down the street to Shujin with a rapid gait.
 
And as it passed over him, he became someone else. An outfit like that of a Band Major's a crimson Tengu mask, right up to the gate of the school as Sudou counts down. A glance towards Maria and - ah.
 
"Oh I'm sorry - I was just out for a stroll, and I couldn't help but notice you were being something of a menace towards that young lady."
 
The figure says with a smug smile, clucking his tongue, "Being this pushy with the fairer sex is somewhat gauche in this day and age, don't you think?"
 
His movement is fast, more like an ink blur, he was there in front of the gate, and then up against the Joker Killer-
 
-aiming a glowing Saber of Light that wasn't present in his hand before to try and sink it right into his gut and then twist it and yank it out. Even as his left hand, still free waggles his fingers towards Umie, as if to say 'Why hello!'
 
"It seems we'll be working together to save Sakurai-san today?" And her ex- he guesses? But he's not going to vocalize that, "What a welcome surprise!"

AS: Weapon! Goro Akechi has used the Slash skill Saber of Light on Tatsuya Sudou! 2 Hits!
AS: Pressure: Goro Akechi gains 1 Limit!
AS: Avoid Worst! Tatsuya Sudou takes 74 Slash damage from Goro Akechi's Saber of Light. Critical Hit!
AS: Avoid Best! Tatsuya Sudou takes 44 Slash damage from Goro Akechi's Saber of Light. Critical Hit!

<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.

    Tsubasa's birthday... kinda blows, thus far. They got a phonecall they hated, when they went to the person who gives a shit for their wellbeing they found them in no state to listen, so they had to bury all their feelings and take care of the adult and...

    Well, at least things got a bit better when they decided to hang out with Ren, except that when they're on the way to the food joint they offered to take them to...

    "What the FUCK was that,"

    Anyway, that's how Phoenix ends up barging in on Shujin, bringing with them a much nicer Joker than the Joker Killer. They scramble down the alleyway, their orange feathered hood downright losing a few feathers for how fast they're trying to clear the space. Aside from that brightly-coloured cloak, and the orange gloves which match them, they're dressed in mute colours: dark grey ninja robes, with white bandages bracing up their wrists, ankles, and belly, brown tabi sandals, and -- when they get in sight of the gate -- a gigantic greatsword which they summon into their hands.

    "Fuck -- SAKURAI-SAN!" Phoenix bellows, when they see her menaced by the man with the paper bag. "Joker, that girl--! Maria Sakurai! FUCK!"

    That's all the eloquent explanation Phoenix gives, before they charge in to swing that massive greatsword into the Joker Killer's space in a great horizontal swing. "HEY, KILLER! EAT SHIT!" They holler, spinning with the weight of their momentum.

    And as they turn in that revolution enough to see Akechi in his own mask, they have something to say to him, too: "Fuck off! -- ugh, wait, don't fuck off, make this shithead eat th' curb THEN fuck off!"

    ... why are they mad at him?!

AS: Weapon! Tsubasa Seki has used the Slash skill Greatsword Assault on Tatsuya Sudou! 2 Hits!
AS: Aggression: Tsubasa Seki gains 1 Limit!
AS: Tsubasa Seki regains 5 HP from Regenerate!

<Pose Tracker> Ayame Watanabe has posed.

Maybe it was fate that brought them here at the right time--Ayame and her husband, among others. They were going to Shujin for administrative reasons, to follow up on an inter-school matter. Or rather, Ikkaku was doing that, and Ayame was in the car with him so they could make a day of it in Tokyo. And then she was in the school building.

Then, though. Then, the shadows came. Ayame looks sharply in alarm to Ikkaku, who looks right back to her. "The Joker Killer," Ikkaku realizes immediately, and his wife inclines her head. "Right. Let's go!"

Dressed in red, Ayame darts through the halls, followed by her husband. While Ikkaku--a brown-haired man with green eyes and glasses--stays back near the entrance, Ayame approaches and pulls, of all things, a shortsword.

Well, Ikkaku hangs back at first--"I'll see to the students!" he calls, and rushes over to the hurt, speared boys.

Ayame walks up twoards Sudou. "PERSONA!" the housewife calls, and points her sword towards Sudou. "I won't let you hurt that girl." ...The ship's sailed on hurting the boys, but maybe Ikkaku can help them.

Either way, Atropos appears, her hooded cloak obscuring her shadowy face but for goleden eyes. Her heavy-bangled hand rises, and three quick blasts of dark energy burst towards Sudou.

There is help here! And it includes--

Oh, she doesn't recognize Phoenix at all! 

AS: Persona! Ayame Watanabe has used the Dark skill Multi-Eiha on Tatsuya Sudou! 3 Hits!
AS: Ruin: Ayame Watanabe gains 1 Limit!
AS: Ayame Watanabe regains 5 HP from Regenerate!

<Pose Tracker> Ulala Serizawa has posed.

A Tokyo lunch is always a nice thing. Ulala enjoyed with Maya as usual, but when that unsettling feeling washed over... "It's him. Let's go."

She's always armed, so Ulala is rushing towards the school, eyes narrowing as three teenagers are being attacked and a whole bunch of Persona Users are fighting.

Her first reaction is to rush forward, calling out to the Joker Killer. Ayame gets a nod as she's spotted.

"Hey, scumbag! Remember me?"

Her fist flies forward, moving to impact straight with the Joker Killer's face twice, a hard boxing one-two, her Persona user power empowering her wrapped hands.

"Go to hell!" 

<Pose Tracker> Kurou Ryouhara has posed.
YESTERDAY----


"I will submit any evidence of supernatural interference to you," Kurou told Umie. There may have been an emptiness in his lost gaze since he dug through the burnt rubble of Harai, but now he had a task to throw himself into and fill the bleak thoughts that would otherwise take their place. Kurou, told to use his best judgment, does it the way Kurou is best at: he follows, he waits, and he watches.

He tracked Maria Sakurai instead of resting for the night. If it might make anyone feel better, know it is unlikely he would have been able to submit to sleep regardless. No. Without Umie's interest in Maria's predicament, Kurou would have spent the time staring blankly, soot smearing his face and caught in his nail beds.

NOW----


Umie gets a thumbs up emoticon in response as Kurou focuses his attention on keeping up with Maria. It's easier to avoid notice in busier streets, but harder to follow. He keeps enough of a distance that he cannot hear the conversation Maria is having with Takeshi. But it isn't the conversation he's worried about, though, it's --

That something supernatural.

In the blink of an eye, Takeshi is pinned to the gate pillar, and his friend soon follows.

>> engaging

Kurou determines this to be the most he can text Umie, and even it itches with a sense of too much lost time. He goes from motionless to a full sprint to close the distance --

But the claw-and-chain on the end of his blade is faster, flung from his grip to try and latch onto Sudou so Kurou can yank, pulling himself in and trying to limit how much Sudou can use that blade while Kurou twists his own short sword to making a slashing strike.

Though Kurou's expression and manner can be described as stoic, there's still evidence of bodily stress from dark circles under his eyes and the unkempt way his half-ponytail of his dark, blue-streaked hair has nearly escaped its tie, and how the colored streaks. The soot may have been cleaned from his freckled face, but still stains the edges of his grey, hooded vest.

Yet his stance remains steadfastly solid and strong. What the majority of his face does not say, his gold eyes do: so intense there's an illusion of a predator's gleam peering from the dark at its next kill. His jaw tightens, and his mouth betrays nothing more... But there is no mistaking the violent intent that now burns behind that gaze.

AS: Weapon! Kurou Ryouhara has used the Slash skill Defy Earth on Tatsuya Sudou! 2 Hits!
AS: Pressure: Kurou Ryouhara gains 1 Limit!
AS: Weapon! Ulala Serizawa has used the Strike skill Mean Hook on Tatsuya Sudou! 2 Hits!
AS: Aggression: Ulala Serizawa gains 1 Limit!
AS: Avoid Best! Tatsuya Sudou takes 34 Slash damage from Tsubasa Seki's Greatsword Assault.
AS: Avoid Neutral! Tatsuya Sudou takes 48 Slash damage from Tsubasa Seki's Greatsword Assault.
AS: Block Best! Tatsuya Sudou takes 45 Dark damage from Ayame Watanabe's Multi-Eiha. Critical Hit!
AS: Blast added!
AS: Block Best! Tatsuya Sudou takes 25 Dark damage from Ayame Watanabe's Multi-Eiha.
AS: Blast added!
AS: Block Neutral! Tatsuya Sudou takes 28 Dark damage from Ayame Watanabe's Multi-Eiha.
AS: Blast added!
AS: Block Worst! Tatsuya Sudou takes 40 Strike damage from Ulala Serizawa's Mean Hook.
AS: Block Best! Tatsuya Sudou takes 33 Strike damage from Ulala Serizawa's Mean Hook.
AS: Maya Amano has readied for combat as Maia! She is now fully healed!
AS: Block Worst! Tatsuya Sudou takes 57 Slash damage from Kurou Ryouhara's Defy Earth. Critical Hit!
AS: Block Best! Tatsuya Sudou takes 34 Slash damage from Kurou Ryouhara's Defy Earth.

<Pose Tracker> Maya Amano has posed.

    It's probably not legal for Maya to be packing at the workplace, but since when has Maya been a stringent rule-follower? She unholsters her dual guns and starts blasting! 

AS: Weapon! Maya Amano has used the Pierce skill Cover Shot on Tatsuya Sudou! 2 Hits!

<Pose Tracker> Shinobu Shimizu has posed.

It's convenient that Shinobu happens to be in Tokyo for a gig. It means that when the Joker Killer makes his appearance, she feels it like a concussive wave.

She excuses herself and makes a run for it, and follows that feeling where it leads - Shujin Academy.

...A grimace crosses Shinobu's face.

"...Why the hell'd it have to be here...? At least it's summer." She mutters to herself. She's not happy about being back here, but the Joker Killer isn't going to care whether or not she's happy about it.

Her staff is drawn from her duffel bag - and she leaps in immediately, jabbing it three times rapidly for the Joker Killer before leaping back.

"You've really picked a spot this time..." Shinobu comments, before casting a quick glance around at everyone gathered.

"Who's the target?" She asks. She spots some familiar faces - like that Phoenix from Aoba Park and also...

"Nee-san?" Shinobu comments, with a surprised glance toward Ayame. "...You got caught up in this too, huh? Let's back each other up." 

AS: Weapon! Shinobu Shimizu has used the Strike skill Jab Flurry on Tatsuya Sudou! 3 Hits!
AS: Aggression: Shinobu Shimizu gains 1 Limit!

<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.

    Ren of course agreed to hang out with Tsubasa--not just because they're a friend whom they like and want to be around, but also because right now is a stressful time for them (and Ren doesn't even know the half of it) and they want to be there for them. They listen as Tsubasa shares about Myunghon's troubles (and, though they read between the line, only furrows their eyebrows in concern and doesn't outright call a spade a spade), but when they mention that all this had to happen on their birthday...
    
    "It's your birthday?"
    
    ...obviously Ren can't let that slide without comment. They're happy to listen to Tsubasa vent, but they are not going to let this be the way they remember turning eighteen. They're going out to dinner--their treat--wherever Tsubasa wants to go. Tsubasa invited Ren to surprise them, so they decided to take them to a place they've been wanting to try near Shujin Academy. (Obviously they can't do that after school; it's always crowded with their classmates, and that just brings the mood down for everyone.)
    
    They two of them are passing through Aoyama-Itchome Station when it hits--that familiar, nauseating presence that betrays the presence of a Mark. Ren knows now that it's not just the Old Maid who creates it, but that doesn't make a difference. Phoenix takes off, and so does Joker, dark coat flapping in their wake.
    
    Where Phoenix barges forward, Joker uses their grappling wire to yank themself up, then leap from rooftop to rooftop until they swoop down to re-join Phoenix where the Old Maid is terrorizing a girl--a girl Joker is surprised to realize they know, if only in passing--and two boys.
    
    "You know her?" they ask Phoenix. A slight shake of the head. "Let's--"
    
    --go, they're about to say, but Phoenix is already off like a cannon shot. That's a good thing; Phoenix immediately getting in the Old Maid's face means Joker has the space to take in their surroundings--what's familiar, what's not--and who's in them. There are already a lot of people gathering up, some they know like Umie and Maya, some they don't.
    
    One of them is infuriatingly familiar.
    
    Joker stares down Akechi in his princely white costume and bright red tengu mask. They do this for a solid five seconds--long enough for Akechi to realize he's being stared at and return the regard.
    
    It is once Akechi acknowledges Joker is glaring at him that they look away. "Don't even bother," they tell Phoenix flatly, not bothering with their usual theatrics. "He's not worth it."
    
    Perhaps taking cues from one Maya Amano, the leader of the Phantom Thieves then pulls out their Makanorov and opens fire on the Old Maid--specifically from an angle and direction that will hopefully pull him away from the two injured young men, giving them space to either run away and/or be rescued. Joker knows better than to try that themself; the "Joker Killer" hates them way too much to let them get away with that. 

AS: Weapon! Ren Amamiya has used the Pierce skill Makaronov Shot on Tatsuya Sudou! 3 Hits!
AS: Block Best! Tatsuya Sudou takes 39 Pierce damage from Maya Amano's Cover Shot. Critical Hit!
AS: Block Worst! Tatsuya Sudou takes 28 Pierce damage from Maya Amano's Cover Shot.
AS: Block Best! Tatsuya Sudou takes 26 Strike damage from Shinobu Shimizu's Jab Flurry.
AS: Block Worst! Tatsuya Sudou takes 32 Strike damage from Shinobu Shimizu's Jab Flurry.
AS: Block Neutral! Tatsuya Sudou takes 62 Strike damage from Shinobu Shimizu's Jab Flurry. Critical Hit!
AS: Avoid Worst! Tatsuya Sudou takes 30 Pierce damage from Ren Amamiya's Makaronov Shot.
AS: Avoid Neutral! Tatsuya Sudou takes 25 Pierce damage from Ren Amamiya's Makaronov Shot.
AS: Avoid Neutral! Tatsuya Sudou takes 25 Pierce damage from Ren Amamiya's Makaronov Shot.

<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.

Ririka's been dealing with a lot lately. Her band, her sister, a certain supernatural space called a Palace, supporting SEES... but there are a few things that she can use to blow off some steam. There's this cool little, skatepark in Tokyo she likes to go to sometimes. It's a little out of the way, but there's other things to do in the area after.

She's rolling along, on her way to the skate park, dressed in a helmet and pads (safety first!), with her long brown-black hair tucked under the helmet. She's wearing a long-sleeved black shirt, khaki cargo patns, and white skate shoes.

And she skids to a stop as a very strong burst of Resonance thrums in her ears. "Whoa-- shit." She knows that Resonance. "Him again!?"

She pivots her skateboard and takes off at full speed, charging into the area, fighting with her backpack as she skids to another stop. "C'mon--" She brings out a gun and lifts it to her head.

Her breath catches for a moment, her hand trembling before the danger of the situation reminds her what's at stake.

"AMPHION!"

A tall stone man arises behind her, dressed in a toga and heavy boots adorned with gold locks and chains. He's holding a golden lyre, and as Ririka rips her helmet off he puts a pair of large headphones on her head.

"Alright, let's find out what makes you tick. Amphion, Analysis!"

Amphion strums his lyre, strings lighting up at his touch as he bombards the Joker Killer with sound waves. Rirka listens to the headphones as they bounce back, ready to decode what they tell her. 

AS: Persona! Ririka Kawase has used the Almighty skill Basic Analysis on Tatsuya Sudou!
AS: Insight: Ririka Kawase gains 1 Limit!
AS: Take! Tatsuya Sudou takes 0 Almighty damage from Ririka Kawase's Basic Analysis.
AS: Ririka Kawase's Strength Scan! Tatsuya Sudou resists Fire!
AS: Ririka Kawase's Weakness Scan! Tatsuya Sudou is weak against Water!

<Pose Tracker> Maria Sakurai has posed.

    Takeshi looks at her like she's grown another head. Maria's mind meanwhile works as quickly as it can. Maybe they can both run to a koban, the officer there should be able to help them. ...It's not like she has any better ideas about how to handle 'a serial killer is coming to kill you (and me)' in the moment.

    Then, quite simply, Maria finds that they're both out of time.

    "No-- go away!" she calls out to the Joker Killer, shaking her head as if she could somehow deny what's happening. There's only enough time for her to blink an eye. Something massive flies at her ex-boyfriend, and all she can do is scream in horror.

    Takeshi cries out, too. But as Maria discovers, uncoiling herself from her reflexive cringe, he's not dead. He's pinned to the gate pillar, and trying to get free. But he's not dead. His friend makes a brief attempt to pull him loose, but he's not nearly as lucky: the next hurled blade catches him dead-on and pins him solidly to the pillar next to Takeshi. He screams, agonized.

    "Stop!" Maria calls out herself, frozen to the spot she stands. "He has nothing to do with this! Let him go! I--"

    The one who caused all this mess.
    It's her.

    "I--" she manages.

    "--Sakurai? What the hell did you do!?" yells a still struggling Takeshi. His friend, next to him, writhes.

    Maria, still frozen to the spot as the countdown begins, works her mouth silently at first. "That's--"

    "--That's right! It was me! I told-- I told you to take it back!" Drawing one breath, tears beginning to spill down her cheeks, she yells at the man who is here to kill her, who has told her to run, "So-- so, take it back! Take it back, and let them go!"

    Someone else is here, Maria realizes. The air before her shimmers, like a too-hot spot on a too-hot day. The blue light is as inviting as the sea. And over there, before Takeshi, the same thing!. Is that... a person? It makes her think of a woman dressed like a bird, but it's like she's not really there, either--

    No. Someone elsees are here. A young man dressed like a prince. Someone with a camera?

    ...Someone dressed like a bird, who seems to really be out to do her own would-be killer in. Maria's walking shoe scrapes the pavement slowly, as if she were thinking about bolting away. She used to run track. She could escape, and get out here. Her gaze falls on the two boys pinned to the pillar as another figure makes her arrival. This one is someone she knows she knows. She's-- her homeroom teacher's wife?? With a sword???

    "Watanabe-san! What are you doing-- you should run!"

    That's as far as Maria gets before Ayame calls out something and there's a dark woman here who wasn't here before, who doesn't seem or feel like she's really here at all. In this moment, Shinobu makes her own arrival, staff already in hand. Ayame's... sister?

    Another woman rushes in, fists at the ready. She's familiar with him-- did she run into him before, too? Can they all get out of this alive?

    "Help them! They can't get away!" she cries out, and--

    of course she wants to be helped too but

    --and then she thinks the better of it and rushes for the pillar herself without another thought at all. Grabbing onto the thing that's stuck her ex against the pillar, she tries to struggle with it and pull it free. Alas, no matter how strong Maria might be, it won't come out by human strength alone that easily.

    She misses the appearance of that hollow-eyed boy until she turns to glance back at the man who tried to kill her and stares. Takeshi, struggling himself to get out of his jacket and shirt, or to at least tear them free, yells at her, "What are you doing, you stupid--"

    Even he gets cut off when a woman rolls up with a pair of guns and starts shooting at the Joker Killer. Even worse, there's another shot from a different angle that the three targets (two pre-determined, one merely unlucky enough not to run away) are positioned. It's at the Joker Killer and not at them, but-- guns, in Tokyo? But then there's Ririka, who puts a gun-like thing to her head, and fires.

    There's another person who has appeared there, Maria thinks, staring at Ririka (or rather beyond her). Takeshi, dumbfounded by the appearance of so many firearms and still stuck to a gate by a maddened killer, works his mouth silently as he attempts to come to grips here.

    Maria, with the opening afforded her, recovers quickly enough to turn her attention back to the sword that's stuck him to the wall and gives it another fruitless tug. It's not budging. And it's even worse for his friend, who is begging for help that even she knows better than to attempt. How is she-- what is she supposed to do!

    "Please, help me!" she calls out to the universe at large. 

<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.

Ririka closes her eyes briefly as she sorts through all of the sounds she's hearing, until two things stand out clearly. "... the crackle of a dying campfire... and a surging river." Her eyes snap open, and she raises her voice to make it heard by all present. "Everyone-- he's strong against fire attacks, but weak to water!" 

<Pose Tracker> Tatsuya Sudou has posed.

    The Joker Killer rears his weapon back and a loud clang is heard causing the killer to stop what he is doing and look around. He does his best to ignore the pain in his wrest from his weapon trying to twist out of his hand and is claimed by none other than Umie Akabane. "Akabane-chan!" Sudou's says rather happy to see her. "Oh man do I have things to tell you. You owe me a favor because I took care of your problem."
%t Sudou has almost all but forgot about Maria, he isn't even looking at her and it would be perfectly fine for her to escape. In a brief moment he is simply embodying the spirit of the stray dog happy to see someone he knows. That is of course till a certain Prince appears and pops Sudou's excitement. An extra loud audible groan is given towards Prince before he dashes backwards to avoid being caught by more than the tip of the Prince's blade. "You know, every time I see you. The only thing I can think about is staining that outfit. I swear I will cover it in dirt and mud and blood and anything else I can find around here as the purity of it really pisses me off." The jovial tone changes to something a little more serious, "Makes me wonder if you're compensating for something."

    Of course any follow up to that is completely interrupted as he sees out of the corner of his eye an incoming giant sword with a bird attached to it. A loud cursing bird. As he throws himself onto the ground and feels the blade still manage to cut his only unholely jeans he swears. So he responds to the bird, "I have, thank you very much ! It wasn't pleasant!" The killer watches the firebird's interaction with Prince and looks at Prince. "Yeah you heard the squawking bird. Get out of here!"

     Sudou prepares himself to engage with the trio, as he draws another sword shaped object as he is told to stay away from the girl. Pivoting the paperbag looks at Ayame, "First off! I am an equal opportunity killer, everyone will get treated equally and that includes being hunted down and killed! Gender shall not protect her. Second off, if you are going to tell me to not hurt the girls, then you have to tell Umie to stop trying to kill me! Also for good measure include the one all dressed in white to, not because of gender things but there is just something about this guy that pisses me off! The bird can stay though, I always wanted a parrot that could swear." Dark blasts fly at his direction from Ayame and Sudou does his best to pretend he is a baseball player, he is in fact not a decent baseball player.

     Bullets suddenly rain down on Sudou and now he is spinning his sword wildly and learning that even if bullets scratch you or hit something they are holding it hurts. "This is a magical fight from ancient times, guns aren't allowed!" Sudou yells making up rules as the fight keeps going

     As Sudou grumbles about rules, someone comes forth to question his memory. However they appear to be rather rude as they don't even give Sudou a chance before throwing hands. "How the hell am I suppose to remember you when you are punching me?!" Sudou is doing his best to keep his face covered and to stop the fists with the sword as best as he can.

     Now there is another person trying to jab him with a stick and Sudou is starting to get frustrated as he tries to swat it away, "Hey I am trying to talk to my friends. So go take your stick and poke the guy in white. I promise you we will all enjoy it more. "

     Sudou stops though and even takes a stick jab to the face when he sees who the bird brought with them. Fake Joker was here. If the Joker wanted to be chased by their natural predator the Joker Killer, Joker got his wish as Sudou is charging in weaving and bobbing and doing some of those combat rolls like he is in a video game. A few pesky bullets from some fake isn't going to stop him. He is about to bring down his sword when

     His damn sword is ripped from his hands. AGAIN! It hurts too. Sudou tried some tug of war but it cost him a couple of broken fingers. Kurou gets a glare from Sudou. "Look you guys need to stop stealing. That is my sword, sorta sword thing. " He looks to the first person he can see other then Kurou and it happens to be Joker, " Can you believe all the thieves here today? Where are the police when you need them?"

     Fortunately someone brought with them a killer base and it seems to only wind Sudou up more as he rolls his shoulders trying to find the beat. The paperbag smiley face looks like he has found it. "Ok so I guess we are going to do this again. I wonder if they would believe me if I told them this isn't even my final form." A chuckle is given before Sudou gives a large X like sweep with his arms, sending waves of cutting wind and burning fire across the battlefield. The wife, the memory tester and the two thieves must deal with the cutting wind as it seems to find them. The bird on fire, the stick jabber, the rule breaker , simply must deal with the flames.

     The Joker of course has to deal with the flames too, but these are specially delivered as The Joker Killer runs by throwing the flames at Joker himself before coating his sword with fire. His eyes set on Prince, "I am coming to turn that white knight look into ash." Raising his flaming sword he slashes at Prince. However he doesn't let himself stay engaged, for the cries of the helpless have caught his attention.

     Standing before Maria now as he has rushed the battlefield to try to get himself back to the position he started in, he looks at Maria. Sudou himself can feel it, Maria's fear, the fear of the other kids. It is intoxicating, it's like a drug. The paper bag tilts down and looks at Maria "There are no take backs in life, kid, you pulled the trigger. Stick around and see what other life lessons you learn. " A single flame is tossed toward Maria, aiming for her hair. The flame is cast and forgotten as he turns back stretching.

     "Ok people. Round 2! Fight!" 

AS: Persona! Tatsuya Sudou has used the Slash skill Vortex Slash on Ayame Watanabe, Ulala Serizawa, Kurou Ryouhara, and
Umie Akabane!
AS: Persona! Tatsuya Sudou has used the Fire skill Heat Wave on Tsubasa Seki, Shinobu Shimizu, and Maya Amano!

AS: Persona! Tatsuya Sudou has used the Fire skill Blaze on Ren Amamiya!
AS: Tandem! Tatsuya Sudou has used the Fire skill Burning Slash on Goro Akechi!
AS: Persona! Tatsuya Sudou has used the Almighty skill Heat up on Tatsuya Sudou!
AS: Avoid Best! Umie Akabane takes 71 Slash damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Vortex Slash. Critical Hit!
AS: Take! Tatsuya Sudou takes 0 Almighty damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Heat up.
AS: Atk_Up added!
AS: Avoid Worst! Maya Amano takes 128 Fire damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Heat Wave. Weak!
AS: Avoid Neutral! Goro Akechi takes 59 Fire damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Burning Slash.
AS: Poison added!
AS: Avoid Neutral! Shinobu Shimizu takes 74 Fire damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Heat Wave. Avoid Fire!
AS: Avoid Best! Ren Amamiya takes 49 Fire damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Blaze.
AS: Blast added!
AS: Mind Up! Tsubasa Seki's SP +8!
AS: Counter Neutral! Tsubasa Seki takes 96 Fire damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Heat Wave. Weak!
AS: COUNTER! Tatsuya Sudou takes 47 Slash damage in return for his attack! 
AS: Block Neutral! Ayame Watanabe takes 90 Slash damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Vortex Slash.
AS: Counter Neutral! Ulala Serizawa takes 70 Slash damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Vortex Slash.
AS: COUNTER! Tatsuya Sudou takes 31 Slash damage in return for his attack! 
AS: Block Best! Kurou Ryouhara takes 40 Slash damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Vortex Slash.

<Pose Tracker> Gozaburou Gessou has posed.

Gozaburou frowns as he can't seem to get a good shot of the action. He doesn't stop smiling but his eyes squint in dissatisfaction with the device. It was going to be another his word against the world.

That's ok. Everything is ok when you're Zabu.

Because if it isn't...

Zabu's eye twitches again as he watches the many arrivals. All with their Personas and "prepacked" accessories. He smiles a little more assuredly, not reaching for his weapon just yet. That might come later. For now, sweet Zabu takes out a cigarette and lights it with a swift motion.

He is effectively? out of combat range but close enough to still watch. As the fight goes on, the fire catches in his eyes, glinting through his glasses as he adjusts them smoothly. Finally he takes a prolonged drag of his cigarette, his smile fading as the smoke escapes his lips. "Pth, this kind of pagentry for JK? Much too wholesome to exist in the Joker's universe." Zabu says with ice coldness, as if no one could hear.

In reality, he should probably attack the Joker Killer considering the NWO's opinion of him. Nah, Sudou was better to Zabu alive. A tool to be used later. There's that smile again.

 "Round 2. Hmph. Lets see how this goes first." Zabu says to himself as he watches from his spot just out of combat. 

<Pose Tracker> Maya Amano has posed.

    Ow! That really hurt! Maya grimaces as she re-holsters her twin pistols. She's pretty sure that singed the tip of her hair, too!

    "Everyone okay?" she shouts out.

    Before anyone can respond, Maya scans the scene, making sure that no one who has joined the fray is injured badly. Thankfully, nearly no one looks worse for wear than she's sure she looks right now.

    The second someone does, though, she's going to shift her attention to her allies on the battlefield. She's grateful to see some familiar faces among them. She's going to have to give it her all to keep them safe!

    But for now, she's focused on the Joker Killer and her gaze settles back on him as she rubs her tender arm.

    "It's pretty creepy for an adult man to attack a teenager!" ...wait, come to think of it. Weren't a lot of the bad guys adults attacking teenagers?!

    "Maia!" 

AS: Persona! Maya Amano has used the Almighty skill Multi-Dimension on Tatsuya Sudou!

<Pose Tracker> Goro Akechi has posed.

Maria is probably undergoing the worst day of her life right now. Goro Akechi is merely watching it at first with a sense of fascination. "I truly didn't know she had it in her..."
 
He expected his nudge to do something but he didn't know she'd go this far.
 
The Joker Killer however tells him how much he'd like to soil his white outfit, and that perhaps he's compensating for something, "Oh that must be it!" He says, with a smug smirk, as that burning blade descends, and suddenly - he's an inky blur, Sudou caught something but the Prince is elsewhere, an Epaulette severed, and on fire, which he tries to pat out with a hand.
 
"After all, when compared to a man like you - everyone must seem like they're compensating for something." He says, with a smarmy tone of superiority.

'Fuck off! -- ugh, wait, don't fuck off-'
 
There's a subtle flex of Akechi's brow underneath his Tengu mask, as if his eyebrows were shooting up from new information he didn't have before.
 
"It's good to see you too, Phoenix?" He says, with a tone that's a little confused and mildly irritated. "Did I do something to cause some offense?"
 
He really doesn't get it, he thought they were on great terms. And the possibility of them finding out... that's non-existent!
 
So why?
 
And that's when Joker speaks, to say- 'Don't even bother,' 'He's not worth it.' The brown eyes under the mask look even more startled, before his jaw sets into a tense expression- his posture absolutely rigid, his nostrils flaring once.
 
"So you've joined the Phantom Thieves when I wasn't looking." He asides to Phoenix while still looking at Joker, having a theory as to what must have happened that he missed- and while staring at Joker, "Someone like you is in no position to lecture me about what I'm worth."
 
Does what he have on them hold no weight at all!? He knows who Phoenix is even! He pretended that they weren't even Shujin Students in front of Kobayakawa - played along with their game.
 
How can they antagonize him this badly!? Worse yet - look down on him.
 
One boy is looking much worse for wear - another is dumbfounded, and then there's Maria, tugging on that blade.
 
A fire by the Killer casually tossed at her head- and then, suddenly, the Prince is behind her, a hand to his mask, spewing blue cognitive flame, like he was trying to save her from the lobbed flame. "Take aim! ROBIN HOOD!"
 
Two nocked arrows of enormous size are sent flying towards the Joker Killer, attempting to skewer him from two different sides.
 
Unfortunately - he was too late-! Maria Sakurai's...
 
... hair has caught flame, and his hand moves to pat the fire out, smothering the flames in his palm, despite his glove being scorched by the act.
 
A white gloved hand then wraps over hers, to try to quell her panic.
 
"I'm sorry I didn't make it in time to prevent your lovely hair from being burned." He murmurs, in a calming tone, "While I'll do my utmost to protect you from now on..."
 
And with a tug, the blade comes out into her hand, which he helps guide over the hilt. "...I do understand the desire a young lady might have to arm herself in a situation like this."

AS: Persona! Goro Akechi has used the Pierce skill Take Aim - Robin Hood! on Tatsuya Sudou!
AS: Pressure: Goro Akechi gains 1 Limit!
AS: Goro Akechi: Loses 47 HP from Poison! Poison removed!

<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.

    Ren was going to give them a nice surprise for once! Tsubasa always gets shitty surprises like 'surprise, everything's on fire' or 'surprise, you're kicked out' or 'surprise, it's the cops'!!! But NO it just had to be a DOUBLE EXTRA SURPRISE for BOTH OF THEM and the EXTRA surprise was MORE FIRE APPARENTLY!

    "What, you gon' cry 'bout it?" Phoenix has NO empathy for the things Sudou's had to eat in his life, apparently. "Give it another shot an' CHOKE, asshole!" WHY ARE TEENAGERS SO MEAN?!

    They have no objections to being called a squarking bird, though. They're fucking majestic, thank you very much. Pernelle said they were a great bird.

    Phoenix does recognise some faces, here, when they take a moment to stop being BLINDINGLY angry. There's Ayame, and Big Sis, which makes them glad Officer Shimizu's not here... and that weird Kurou kid being super intense, and Ichika's little sister...

    And the Prince, of course. They saw him already.

    "Ain't ya lackey, you--!" Phoenix shoots back to Prince, full of venom, before they turn away from him quite deliberately. "Tch... you're right, Joker," they talk to them, instead. "I need more half-truths like a hole in me fuckin' head."

    Their ignoring game evidently isn't as strong as Joker's -- of course it isn't, they barreled in here half-cocked and hollering their head off -- but they'll at least listen to them when they give them good advice.

    Phoenix is great at listening to people who know better, it's like, their whole problem! At least the people they call their bosses -- sorry Joker, that's kinda you too, now, you're the supernatural shit boss -- are the sort to actually be looking out for their best interests when they make their suggestions.

    Rather than focus on him, though, Phoenix has another problem:

    They're on fire.

    "FUCK!" Phoenix yells, as they charge through those flames, slicing at the Joker Killer in retribution. "Agh, shit! Fuck! Whose fuckin' bright idea was this?!" They snap, as they take a moment to pat the flames out. "FUCK T--" cough, hack, cough, Phoenix's anger is interrupted by their lungs protesting. "-- FUCK TH' UNIVERSE, MAN!"

    It's while hot-footing around that they happen to look outside of the zone of combat to see a guy just watching them, creepily, and so they yell: "TAKE A PICTURE, ASSHOLE, IT'LL LAST LONGER!" .. they obviously didn't see Zabu taking pictures earlier. "FUCKSAKE, YOU SEE THE SWORDS??? RUN, DIPSHIT!" ... they apparently think he's just... stickybeaking!

    (Does anyone know that kind of bird slang, Phoenix...?)

    With a growl of frustration, they lope over to where Joker got roasted. "C'mon, Boss, on ya feet!" They snap, as they shift their greatsword to one hand so that they can haul them up with the other.

    They turn to the gates, where Maria's struggling. "Sakurai-suh--" cough, cough, they're interrupted by something in their lungs still irritating them. "-- ugh -- Sakurai-san!" They're not quick enough to protect her from the fire, but they can try and scare the Joker Killer away from her, charging up and swinging their horrible sword o' pain a second time.

    But they're surely not alone in that, which gives them a second to address Maria, too. "I --" this is the point where Phoenix realises she doesn't know who they are, "I'm here to help, aight?! Look -- hold 'im forward! Jus' trust me!" She's REALLY going to have to trust them, because Phoenix is hefting that great horse-killing blade up as if they're about to cleave the boy right through --

    -- except that they bring their blade along the line of the gate, to carve through the spike pinning him down. It leaves the spike inside him, but frees him from where he's trapped; Maria will have to catch him, though, Phoenix needs two hands to operate this monster of a weapon they're holding. (... a far cry from the knife Tsubasa once told Maria about, aside from conceptually.)

    "Don't pull it out," they advise her, roughly. "They say it's way worse if you pull it out..."

    They can't stick around to take care of him, though: they have to focus on keeping the Joker Killer away from the two of them.

AS: Tsubasa Seki spends Limit on Help Up! Blast removed from Ren Amamiya!
AS: Block Worst! Tatsuya Sudou takes 124 Pierce damage from Goro Akechi's Take Aim - Robin Hood!. Critical Hit!
AS: Weapon! Tsubasa Seki has used the Strike skill Greatsword Slam on Tatsuya Sudou!
AS: Aggression: Tsubasa Seki gains 1 Limit!
AS: Tsubasa Seki regains 5 HP from Regenerate!
AS: Avoid Best! Tatsuya Sudou takes 78 Almighty damage from Maya Amano's Multi-Dimension.

<Pose Tracker> Ayame Watanabe has posed.

Maya and Ulala being here is reassuring for Ayame--but so of course is, "Shinobu-chan!" She remembers then, and grimaces too. "I'm sorry it had to be here. But it seems the Joker Killer doesn't care for anyone's wishes..."

"Yes. Let's." Back each other up.

She doesn't recognize the Phantom Thieves immediately, and neither does she recognize... a very intense boy. But she recognizes Maria now. "Sakurai-san!" she calls. She was going to tell her to hide--to be careful--but seeing her try to free those boys...

"Just hang on! We'll stop him!"

How?

"Because someone has to!"

Ikkaku does his best, once Phoenix cuts the boy free of the fence. He looks to Maria, then. "We all make mistakes," he says, "Some bigger than others. But this man won't let anyone go. ...The people here to help can protect you. They protected me when he came for me, too."

He's disturbed that one of his students could do this... But she tried to take it back. That must mean it was impulsive. And youth often do impulsive things. "Just stay with us."

He looks to Phoenix. "Thank you, young man. I can't do much but try to keep this boy alive..."

Ayame retorts, "I don't have to do anything but stop you!" She scowls. "You went after my husband. Do you think I'm going to let that slide just because you're mad!?"

Cutting wind finds Ayame, and while she tries to block it with her sword, it hits home all the same. She's knocked back, the ground at her feet dragging as she tries to hold herself in place. "Gah--" It hurts is what it does, but thanks to the power of her Persona, it only hurts instead of killing her outright.

No takebacks...

But the photographer (Zabu) is vulnerable, too. Ayame starts to run around the battle, circling Sudou as best he can. But she sees him.. smoking?

Well, if he's out of range of the battle, she might want to smoke in his shoes, too.

She returns her attention to the battle, unable to hear him.

But gosh, Phoenix has such foul language! Ayame looks to them for a moment, blanching in surprise. It's kind of ridiculous, considering, but she's focused on the battle a moment later. "Stay AWAY FROM THEM! Persona!" Atropos rises again, this time lifting her shears--and slashes, as a bubbling shockwave of cutting energy rushes for Sudou and Sudou alone. Then--

She runs in, and tries to clash with his blade, cutting once, twice! 

AS: Ayame Watanabe spends Limit on Exploit! Ayame Watanabe can use another Weak skill this round!
AS: Persona! Ayame Watanabe has used the Slash skill Blight on Tatsuya Sudou!
AS: Ruin: Ayame Watanabe gains 1 Limit!
AS: Weapon! Ayame Watanabe has used the Slash skill Flurry Cut on Tatsuya Sudou! 2 Hits!
AS: Ayame Watanabe regains 5 HP from Regenerate!
AS: Block Worst! Tatsuya Sudou takes 88 Strike damage from Tsubasa Seki's Greatsword Slam.
AS: Avoid Best! Tatsuya Sudou takes 93 Slash damage from Ayame Watanabe's Blight. Critical Hit!
AS: Poison added!
AS: Avoid Best! Tatsuya Sudou takes 31 Slash damage from Ayame Watanabe's Flurry Cut.
AS: Avoid Neutral! Tatsuya Sudou takes 62 Slash damage from Ayame Watanabe's Flurry Cut. Critical Hit!

<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.

    One day, Tsubasa will get to have a nice surprise... At least they'll get an excellent birthday present tomorrow.
    
    Joker shoots a quick glance at Maria and the boys. She's trying to loosen the stake that has them pinned down, but... no dice. Of course; it was too optimistic to think they might be able to free themselves when they were pinned down quite literally by the Old Maid. They were right about one thing, though: the Old Maid never would've let them go to their aid unharried. He charges at them, swinging their sword and practically ignoring their bullets--until one of the Persona Users Joker doesn't know goes for that sword and knocks it from the Old Maid in the process. (Are those fingers... broken??)
    
    The Old Maid then quips about thieves to Joker the Phantom Thief. Joker responds by rolling their eyes. If they're not going along with Akechi's bullshit anymore, they're sure as hell not going along with a serial killer's.
    
    Speaking of whom, they glance at Phoenix as they start to get riled up at Akechi again--but they reel themself back, and they nod back. "Same here."
    
    And that's as much explanation as the Detective Prince will get about the matter, because Joker pointedly neither looks at him nor acknowledges him when he tries to dress them down.
    
    Ririka shouts to everyone that the Old Maid is strong to fire and weak to water. Personal experience means they already knew that, but it's good that everyone else knows it too. Of course, that fire strength becomes more plain when Sudou lobs fireballs at them. They're quick and nimble and evade any direct hits--and that's good for them, because those flames are so hot they scorch Joker even at a near distance. They grit their teeth in pain but refuse to scream, only grunt and hiss in pain. They aren't going to give the satisfaction to someone they despise.
    
    Something else they despise: the fact that, despite everything, their heart leaps a little in concern when the Old Maid then turns and attempts to reduce Akechi to ash. To hell with both of those guys!!
    
    They accept Phoenix's hand when they offer it, though, getting back on their feet. "Thanks." They glance again at Maria and the other would-be victims, teeth gritting, and nods them towards the three, but Phoenix hardly needs to be pointed their way. As long as they're going to help them, Joker doesn't need to worry... about them, or about Akechi. Fortunately or unfortunately, there's another man there to help the civilians escape... Hopefully he can get that one loitering past the edges of the battle away too.
    
    As Phoenix does that, Joker leaps up and lands on the other side of the Old Maid, once again providing a target to distract him away from Maria and the others. This time, they catch his eye--and smirk, before doing the 'come get some' gesture with their left hand as they trade gun for knife in their right.
    
    "Is that all you can muster? Come now, Old Maid--you're supposed to be hot stuff," they taunt, deep voice projecting with theatricality.
    
    No doubt it doesn't help Sudou any when the black-winged Arsène materializes in blue flame to silently cackle at him too. Is there a bit of magical force behind that mocking grin? 

AS: Persona! Ren Amamiya has used the Almighty skill Evil Smile on Tatsuya Sudou!
AS: Ruin: Ren Amamiya gains 1 Limit!

<Pose Tracker> Shinobu Shimizu has posed.

"Yeah... Well, all the more reason to finish this quickly, yeah? Good to see you again." Shinobu replies, offering Ayame a nod.

Shinobu gets her answer in short order. The target is the boy pinned to the pillar, and the one who called the Joker Killer is the girl doing her best to help him - and now he's trying to kill her, too. Shinobu grimaces.

...This is why she thinks it's dangerous to suppress the information about him. It's all too easy to do something stupid when you think it's just another rumor, until it's too late to take it back... Sounds like this girl found that out the hard way.

The Joker Killer tries to swat her staff away, and Shinobu shifts to avoid it.

"Friends, huh? You have those? Think that's pretty one-sided on your end." Shinobu comments with a grimace. She glances briefly toward Akechi when he mentions the guy in white. "What, you've got beef with him? ...No thanks. Do your own dirty work."

A wave of fire is sent rushing her way and Shinobu spins her staff in front of her to divert some of the flames - she winces as they still wash over her, but the worst is averted.

Maria calls for help - but the best she can do right now is try to keep the Joker Killer occupied while the more qualified actually go to help that boy. Fortunately, if there's one thing she's good at, it's being a pain.

"Lachesis!" Shinobu calls out - and at her call, a ghostly hooded woman appears behind her, bearing a staff. "Soften him up for me."

Lachesis's staff is leveled in her hands, and she centers the Joker Killer between them - there's a pulse, and suddenly, he may feel more fragile.

Shinobu rushes in then, opportunistically, to take advantage of this. Her work done, Lachesis follows her lead, approaching from the other side. Both staves lash out at him at once.

Mysteriously, Phoenix's swearing doesn't bother Shinobu at all. 

AS: Shinobu Shimizu spends Limit on Exploit! Shinobu Shimizu can use another Weak skill this round!
AS: Persona! Shinobu Shimizu has used the Almighty skill Strike Break on Tatsuya Sudou!
AS: Tandem! Shinobu Shimizu has used the Strike skill Split Decision on Tatsuya Sudou! 2 Hits!
AS: Aggression: Shinobu Shimizu gains 1 Limit!

<Pose Tracker> Ulala Serizawa has posed.

Maya has her guns, and Ulala has her fists, as the wind pushes her back. She punches out, diverting some slashing force back into Sudoku, even as her arms hurt from the sheer impact.

"Bastard! I was there when you stabbed the Sevens principal! Ulala Serizawa!" And one of the few people here who has called the Joker Killer before.

She steps back, summoning her Persona in a flash of blue. "Callisto!" The bondaged shoe-faced woman points out, a heart flying for Sudou. If it impacts properly, it'll charm him!

"Aren't we a bit out in the open?" she shouts to her allies, trying to see if they can get him into better position where people won't see them. Then, she dashes forward... and at Shinobu's spell, waves her hand again, feinting a punch.

Instead, Callisto leaps forward, smashing her legs into Sudou with a rush of powerful kicks that are trying to bulldoze him over! 

AS: Ulala Serizawa spends Limit on Exploit! Ulala Serizawa can use another Weak skill this round!
AS: Persona! Ulala Serizawa has used the Strike skill Kill Rush on Tatsuya Sudou! 3 Hits!
AS: Persona! Ulala Serizawa has used the Almighty skill Marin Karin on Tatsuya Sudou!

<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.

    Kurou's text makes Umie's own phone ding in appreciation. Unfortunately, Umie's a little too busy to answer back.

    Umie's warm brown gaze shifts rapidly as she tries to keep aware of everyone beginning to gather, as well as to the two pinned to the pillar. (There's nothing she can do there; the moment she lets off the pressure on this rope is the second Umie'll likely be in for it herself.)

    A casual wiggling of fingers catches Umie's attention. She has to stop herself from looking relieved to see Akechi, managing instead a nod. "Prince-san. ... Guess we're doing this again. What a coincidence," she manages to murmur just loud enough instead.

    '... make this shithead eat th' curb THEN fuck off!'

    Umie risks a look towards Phoenix following their outburst, then back at Akechi, just past Sudou, angling her head towards 'Prince-san' with a raised eyebrow.

    ... All as if to say, 'what'd you do *this* time'?

    The energy behind that quiet exchange falls sharply as Sudou now openly addresses Umie, instantly throwing the shroud's hold for all that haven't already understood who Umie is, assuming they remember her surname.

    'You owe me a favor because I took care of your problem.'

    ".... Shut it. I've got nothing to say to you." Her expression is stony, up until she hears Maria's panic and regret.

    The rock breaks, and pain creases her lower half of Umie's face, rapidly heating into anger as Sudou turns his attention back to Maria.

    "_Get the fuck away from her, she's dealt with enough--"

    Sudou's attack slices the air; Umie's body twists back and around, jerking her weapon back to gather it back up.

    'Is that all you can muster? Come now, Old Maid--you're supposed to be hot stuff.'

    Seeing Akechi and Phoenix go to that side, Umie looks back towards the voice's owner, finding, of course, Joker himself.

    "Fancy seeing you here." And, with a reckless, widening grin that knows *exactly* what sort of trouble she's about to invite, Umie continues.

    "Joker."

    Her right hand rises in the air, as she turns back towards Sudou, still grinning. "Badb!"

    As Ririka has found out, water may be a weakness, but Umie'll make yet another.

    Badb gestures, her lips an echo of Umie's; a dark crack, like a, unlucky mirror, forms over Sudou's self.

    "... Someone's prayers are being answered today, and it's not yours, Old Maid." 

AS: Umie Akabane spends Limit on Exploit! Umie Akabane can use another Weak skill this round!
AS: That attack doesn't seem to match one on your list.
AS: Persona! Umie Akabane has used the Dark skill Dark Tear on Tatsuya Sudou!
AS: Ruin: Umie Akabane gains 1 Limit!
AS: Take! Tatsuya Sudou takes 0 Almighty damage from Ren Amamiya's Evil Smile.
AS: Sick added! Poison removed! Explosion! 50 damage!
AS: Take! Tatsuya Sudou takes 0 Almighty damage from Shinobu Shimizu's Strike Break.
AS: Strike_Break added!
AS: Persona! Umie Akabane has used the Almighty skill Hooded Smile on Tatsuya Sudou!
AS: Umie Akabane regains 3 SP from Invigorate!
AS: Avoid Neutral! Tatsuya Sudou takes 124 Strike damage from Shinobu Shimizu's Split Decision. Critical Hit! Weak!
AS: Avoid Best! Tatsuya Sudou takes 96 Strike damage from Shinobu Shimizu's Split Decision. Critical Hit! Weak!
AS: Block Neutral! Tatsuya Sudou takes 52 Strike damage from Ulala Serizawa's Kill Rush. Weak!
AS: Block Neutral! Tatsuya Sudou takes 52 Strike damage from Ulala Serizawa's Kill Rush. Weak!
AS: Block Worst! Tatsuya Sudou takes 57 Strike damage from Ulala Serizawa's Kill Rush. Weak!
AS: Take! Tatsuya Sudou takes 0 Almighty damage from Ulala Serizawa's Marin Karin.
AS: Charm added!

<Pose Tracker> Kurou Ryouhara has posed.

Kurou's eyes may be glued to his foe, but he is listening intently to Maria's position. She is, after all, the true objective. Umie wanted to know what trouble she's in and they've found it. But now Kurou has to buy time for Umie to arrive. He does not flinch from the screams, but he feels them down to the bone.

"Your cry for help will not go unanswered," he says to Maria. Many beasts survive by calling for a pack. There is no shame in that. "The vermilion bird is correct." Kurou does not know they are 'Phoenix', let alone Tsubasa. "The blade plugs the wound... and it is the bleeding that is fatal."

The other 'thieves'... Kurou, unsurprisingly, cannot bring himself to be concerned with whatever Joker (sans killer) might steal for themself. But the Joker Killer has news for Umie. "Akabane-chan?" Kurou repeats, 'honorific' and all, and for the first time looks away to blink directly at Umie.

...

"What is our main priority?"

... Of course that's all he's concerned with.

Until -- 'Took care of her problem.' Kurou's eyes narrow further. For a skilled shinobi, his breathing should be as silent and still as the dead. But it can be seen now: his chest rising and falling, and that slightest hiss that comes through clenched teeth.

Unfortunately, disarming Sudou is but a road bump, and does not prevent the air from being honed into its own kind of blade. The world becomes flames, and Kurou thinks of Harai when he should not as he feels the bite of the wind clench through his flesh. Yet he does not grimace despite the solid impact of the strike.

Do not die and squander your years pointlessly, shinobi no mono.

"My priority is not your life today," Kurou murmurs. It is a reminder to himself, more than information for Sudou. But the volume of his voice rises with conviction. "... However... I will not be satisfied if I do not learn the taste of your blood."

Kurou sets his fingers at the scarf on his neck, easily curling them around the edge. He breathes in deeply, cleansing his lungs and body with a whispered exhale:

"Gashadokuro."

He pull his scarf like a ripcord as it constricts around his throat. A mechanism inside clicks and hisses. As Kurou's body lurches, his massive Persona rises behind him. Gashadokuro, the giant skeleton, appears as if clawing its way up from the earth. Only the upper half of its torso rises, yet it still looms over Kurou in its colossal size. Its body is made of an amalgamation of human-sized skeletons, and even the teeth in its jaw are the jagged edges of broken limb bones.

It screeches a roar of fury, grave dirt seeping from its skeletal body. As Kurou draws his gaze back up from his inhuman slouch, it's all the more clear that his gleaming eyes share the same spirit as Gashadokuro's hungry, burning eye sockets.

Gashadokuro's cry summons black, cursed energy to the edge of Kurou's sword like a cold flame. Though Kurou still wields a weapon of human make, his hunched movements take a feral edge in their ensuing chaotic, but decisive flurry of slashes.

He does not care what flame he must charge through to get to Sudou.

AS: Tandem! Kurou Ryouhara has used the Dark skill Cursed Sword on Tatsuya Sudou! 3 Hits!
AS: Pressure: Kurou Ryouhara gains 1 Limit!
AS: Take! Tatsuya Sudou takes 0 Dark damage from Umie Akabane's Dark Tear.
AS: Dark_Break added!
AS: Take! Tatsuya Sudou takes 0 Almighty damage from Umie Akabane's Hooded Smile.
AS: Charm added!
AS: Block Best! Tatsuya Sudou takes 47 Dark damage from Kurou Ryouhara's Cursed Sword. Weak!
AS: Block Neutral! Tatsuya Sudou takes 51 Dark damage from Kurou Ryouhara's Cursed Sword. Weak!
AS: Block Worst! Tatsuya Sudou takes 55 Dark damage from Kurou Ryouhara's Cursed Sword. Weak!

<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.

Fortunately, Ririka's gun isn't really a gun. But it is still, sadly, terribly gun-like. (It has to be for the Evoker to fulfill it's purpose, sadly.)

But Maria begs for help, and Ririka looks to her, and to those who are trapped. She recognizes some of the Persona users here--how could she forget Ikkaku, of all people, a previous target, or Ayama, who she witnessed Awaken. But she looks at Maria. "Hang back--we'll do our best to protect you and your friends."

More than friends? No time to suss that out. When the Joker killer says this is her fault, Ririka glances to Maria. "Wait, seriously!? What's wrong with you?" Since she didn't get attacked, though, she's shifting positions to try and stand in front of Maria and the others under attack.

What? It's not gonna keep her from protecting the girl.

Ulala calls out that they're out in the open, and Ririka can't help but try to scan the area. "I can search the area, but he's gonna keep going after those guys!"

Amphion's followed her in slow, plodding steps, and Ririka directs her attention to Sudou. "Alright-- Amphion, use Bufu!" That skill card's gonna get some use. And then she takes a deep breath, feeling out the resonances in the immediate vicinity. "And then, play your healing song!"

Amphion strums, as shards of sharp ice form and launch themselves at the Joker Killer. He keeps playing, and soothing melody lines wrap around Ayame, Akechi, Maya, and Shinobu to heal their wounds. 

AS: Ririka Kawase spends Limit on Exploit! Ririka Kawase can use another Weak skill this round!
AS: Persona! Ririka Kawase has used the Water skill Bufu on Tatsuya Sudou!
AS: Avoid Best! Tatsuya Sudou takes 58 Water damage from Ririka Kawase's Bufu. Weak! Avoid Water!
AS: Bind added!
AS: Persona! Ririka Kawase has used the Recovery skill Healing Song on Ayame Watanabe, Goro Akechi, Maya Amano, and
Shinobu Shimizu!
AS: Insight: Ririka Kawase gains 1 Limit!
AS: Take! Goro Akechi takes 0 Recovery healing from Ririka Kawase's Healing Song.
AS: Regen added!
AS: Take! Maya Amano takes 0 Recovery healing from Ririka Kawase's Healing Song.
AS: Regen added!
AS: Take! Ayame Watanabe takes 0 Recovery healing from Ririka Kawase's Healing Song.
AS: Regen added!
AS: Take! Shinobu Shimizu takes 0 Recovery healing from Ririka Kawase's Healing Song.
AS: Regen added!

<Pose Tracker> Maria Sakurai has posed.

    She could run. In a sense, it would be better for not only her but the rest of them if she ran, as far and as fast as she could.

    But it's like he said: she's the one who caused all this. If she runs away, she'll-- never be able to stand it!

    Akabane-chan? It couldn't be. But...
    Those nails.

    "Akabane-san? ...Is that you?" Maria calls out, wide-eyed as she stares at the bemasked Umie.

    "I--" she says to Ayame, before she rabbits on ahead regardless. The best most of them can probably do is to keep the Killer occupied and see if they can drive him off. Otherwise, both of his two would-be targets, plus the bonus victim, won't last very long at all.

    How does that person dressed like a bird -- Phoenix -- know her name, though? There's an obvious answer to this, but in the moment -- and let's be real, because this is Maria -- it simply doesn't occur to her.

    Backing off as Phoenix swoops in, she has just enough time to catch the wounded boy as he falls free and help him, as he groans in pain, to the ground. Don't pull it out, she's cautioned by not just Phoenix but the strange boy who has joined the two of them. "R-right, you're suppose to--! He can't die! I'll-- call an ambulance," she says, for the sake of saying something. Standing suddenly, she goes for her phone.

    Maria finds though that though the Killer is beset by attackers from all sides, it doesn't mean that his target has escaped his notice. "Ah--"

    Her phone hits the pavement as she whirls about. For all her bravado before, she still squeaks and backpedals away from him and the sword she was trying to pull free: she's unarmed, to starts, and just your ordinary high school ex-athlete for seconds. "But--" she protests, when he says there's no take-backs in life. "I didn't--"

    Though it be but a single flame, fire is tossed her way, as if to underscore the statement he's made. Ducking, Maria covers her face with her arms but her ponytail leaps high into the air, a flag in the path of the flame.

    Hair, especially if one has used certain haircare products on it, burns well. Realizing she's caught alight, Maria screams. Before she can truly become a Maria candle, though, in sweeps the prince of the moment to smother the blaze...!

    ...a little too late. Most of her hair is done for: it's going to take a severe haircut to make any of this look okay.

    But she's still alive, and in the 'heat' of the moment, that's what matters most. "I-- I, you saved me!" Maria gasps, glancing up at her tengu-masked 'prince' as he apologizes for not being fast enough. Is that a blush? It's a blush. Please ignore it.

    Her hand is in his. Her hand is on the sword that had pinned...? When did that happen, Maria thinks, staring at it in disbelief. It takes both hands for her to heft it.

    But yes. There on his knees near the pillar is her ex-boyfriend, Takeshi Nakata. He's looking up at her in a mix of horror and disbelief.

    "You called the Joker on me," he says, that fact apparently still being thoroughly digested. "What the hell is wrong with you?" he says, in a near-perfect echo of what one of her defenders (that girl over there with the person playing the harp behind her) and Maria flinches at the statement from the both of them.

    "I--" The sword in her hands trembles.

    Everyone makes mistakes, says her homeroom teacher, and Maria's horror metamorphizes to plain shock and shame. When did he--! "I didn't mean it!" she protests, shaking her head. "I'm, I didn't-- is he going to be okay?!" If he dies because of her, she'll...!

    So she stands, heaving the sword she can just lift with both hands as she stands before her ex-boyfriend, her homeroom teacher, and a badly-wounded boy. "I'm-- I'll protect you, then! I have a sword!" she announces to Ikkaku, which may just be the most worrying thing she's said so far.

    And so the second round begins.

    "...That's a big skeleton..." says Maria, too shell-shocked to do more than that by now. 

<Pose Tracker> Tatsuya Sudou has posed.

    So many things that happen, but really through it all, Sudou just feels the rage and hatred from each and every one of them. He is the hero of this story and they treat him like the villain.

    The gun fighter chastises him about going after a teenager and he scoffs, "Excuse me. You are sitting here shooting me. Guns are a weapon with only a single purpose, and once you pull the trigger you commit to that action. I am no different than the gun, I simply walk and talk. I agree she should do her own dirty work, but she's still young and she can still learn. " Sudou says as he tries to duck out of the way of the spell.

     A gunshot is heard from the Prince and Sudou pivots to try to hold up his sword to block it. Sudou learns he needs a bigger sword as he takes the bullet to his shoulder and growls in pain. " I swear I am going to figure out how to ban guns. " Glaring towards Prince he tries to think of something witty but well he just got shot. It hurts, wit stops when the pain kicks in.

     Sudou doesn't have time to be witty as the bird is swinging that giant sword and lifts him off his feet as he catches the blade. Traveling through the air for a moment he coughs, " If you are here, who's protecting that artist? Maybe I can get to them before you can get back to be their vengeful protector." It's a bit of a taunt and said through pain, his body is hurting. Still he twists his blade and gets a few steps away the moment he can from Tsubasa.

     Sudou stands a bit shaking to his feet as he is yelled at by the soccer mom. "I have a job, lady. I did my damn job, I am doing my damn job. Just like your husband does his and you do yours. Also if I remember correctly I did you a favor by changing who I am chasing for the rest of their life. This is of course why I haven't shown up at your house to have coffee with your husband anytime since then." The killer does his best to dance away from the slashes and especially the bubbly wave but no one is perfect and that wave left him not feeling to great. He refuses to puke in the bag though.

     Sudou stands a little dizzy and woozy and then he hears that fake Joker start to mock him. Even the persona is mocking him. He groans, "Look! As soon as I figure out which one of you is the real you. I will come over there and show you exactly how hot my stuff is!" Even Sudou knows that was weak.

     Then the stick wielder is in front of him and a pulse of something or other and his wuzzy feeling turns to utter vertigo. The world is upside down, and then rightside up, and then an attack is coming from the left or is it the right. All he can do is turtle up and try to coverr his head. He is not doing great. " I swear if you guys were looking from the outside in..."

     The person who is mad he forgot who she is, is now yelling her name at him and hitting him with magical hearts. "Look Awazires Alalu, I get it, you are mad I forgot who you are from killing some rando person. I won't forget you again. Maybe we stop fighting now and I promise I will call you next time. " Sudou says before he stumbles back trying to rub his head to deal with whatever is going on.

     Then Umie starts to mock him, picking up where Joker stopped, "You know I go through the trouble to kill a stalker of yours and this is how I get repayed. That Silver puppy or whatever his name was a serious creep and you mock me." The prayer from Umie does make him look to his side for a moment, it felt like his friend had just taken a step back from Sudou for a moment. "That's not nice Akabane."

     The cold dark flames of Kurou's blade spreads across Sudou and Sudou can feel those black flames burn worse and worse. "You know a lesson with flames, they cauterize the wounds, that means it is hard to get blood to taste. Next time go without the flame. You'll get more blood that way." Sudou offers his lesson to Kurou as he tucks and rolls trying to put out those black flames.

     A spike of ice hits Sudou in the back as he pivots and turns and sees...a healer! When did a healer enter this fight! "I swear guns and healers, you guys are fucking cheaters. " If Strega could only see him now, whining about things being unfair.

     Sudou stops , he simply stops and if someone approaches they would hear mumbling. Rapid mumbling as if he was having a discussion with himself. Finally he says loud enough to be heard again, "Fine then! You want to see me handle this! Fine, but I swear you are starting to sound like him and we are going to talk about it." Sudou growls and steps forward and with a stomp of the ground as if to match the giant skeleton persona, a giant Joker persona rises up and stares at the skeleton.

     The Joker Persona peers at everyone before smiling and throwing up his hands and dissolving into cards. Cards that cover the entire field of battle. Anyone who has seen Sudou fight knows might be what is coming next. Every card begins to glow. Every card is a joker card.

    Sudou himself watches with glee as the explosions rock everyone, but Maria. No he looks directly at her as some dark presence seems to shield just her. "Look at what your actions wrought." The voice and eyes of Sudou don't quiet sound like his. His eyes are filled with blackness, and his voice has another voice under it. A voice a couple people here have heard before. 

AS: Tatsuya Sudou spends Limit on Reach! 
AS: Tatsuya Sudou spends Limit on Broad! 
AS: Persona! Tatsuya Sudou has used the Almighty skill Joker Wild on Maya Amano, Goro Akechi, Tsubasa Seki, and Ayame
Watanabe!
AS: Charm results in party damage! Tatsuya Sudou takes 60 damage!
AS: Persona! Tatsuya Sudou has used the Almighty skill Joker Wild on Maya Amano, Goro Akechi, Tsubasa Seki, and Ayame
Watanabe!
AS: Persona! Tatsuya Sudou has used the Almighty skill Joker Wild on Ren Amamiya, Shinobu Shimizu, Umie Akabane, and
Kurou Ryouhara!
AS: Persona! Tatsuya Sudou has used the Almighty skill Joker Wild on Ren Amamiya, Shinobu Shimizu, Umie Akabane, and
Kurou Ryouhara!
AS: Persona! Tatsuya Sudou has used the Almighty skill Joker Wild on Ririka Kawase and Ulala Serizawa!
AS: Persona! Tatsuya Sudou has used the Almighty skill Joker Wild on Ririka Kawase and Ulala Serizawa!
AS: Tatsuya Sudou: Loses 8 SP from Sick! Blast, Broad, and Reach removed!
AS: Avoid Best! Ayame Watanabe takes 137 Almighty damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Joker Wild.
AS: Block Worst! Ayame Watanabe takes 186 Almighty damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Joker Wild.
AS: Avoid Best! Ulala Serizawa takes 126 Almighty damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Joker Wild.
AS: Avoid Worst! Ulala Serizawa takes 178 Almighty damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Joker Wild.
AS: Avoid Worst! Umie Akabane takes 175 Almighty damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Joker Wild.
AS: You have 1 more attack in queue!
AS: Avoid Best! Umie Akabane takes 122 Almighty damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Joker Wild.
AS: Avoid Worst! Goro Akechi takes 163 Almighty damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Joker Wild.
AS: Block Worst! Goro Akechi takes 158 Almighty damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Joker Wild.
AS: Avoid Worst! Ren Amamiya takes 170 Almighty damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Joker Wild.
AS: Avoid Neutral! Ren Amamiya takes 151 Almighty damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Joker Wild.
AS: Avoid Neutral! Tsubasa Seki takes 152 Almighty damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Joker Wild.
AS: Avoid Neutral! Tsubasa Seki takes 152 Almighty damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Joker Wild.
AS: Avoid Neutral! Shinobu Shimizu takes 181 Almighty damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Joker Wild.
AS: Avoid Worst! Shinobu Shimizu takes 206 Almighty damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Joker Wild.
AS: Shinobu Shimizu is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Block Best! Kurou Ryouhara takes 142 Almighty damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Joker Wild.
AS: Block Neutral! Kurou Ryouhara takes 157 Almighty damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Joker Wild.

<Pose Tracker> Gozaburou Gessou has posed.

Zabu looks over at Phoenix with a vacant stare as if not sure what to make of the bird themed person. The man takes another drag of his cigarette and grins, giving the bird ninja a peace sign. "Ni hao, baby. Don't worry about me. I'm just a concerned journalist." Did he count as a Journalist? Eh. He was on TV. That's what matters.

 Zabu lets the cigarette hang from his exposed smile, darting his eyes to meet Ayame's for just a split second. Just enough to say hello. Charming the public is just something the privileged did. He didn't care if she reacted to the look, just didn't matter.

 Finally, the black hair man notices the giant Skeleton...and the giant Joker. Zabu whistles in mock appreciation as it makes the world rock and roll. He checks his phone and now the camera isn't working. Zabu clicks his tongue as he puts out his cig on his pressed leather shoes.

 "All the sights of the world and I can't even get a selfie. So sad." Zabu lights up another cigarette, continuing to spectate. 

AS: Avoid Worst! Maya Amano takes 204 Almighty damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Joker Wild.
AS: Avoid Worst! Maya Amano takes 204 Almighty damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Joker Wild.
AS: Maya Amano is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Block Neutral! Ririka Kawase takes 149 Almighty damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Joker Wild.
AS: Block Neutral! Ririka Kawase takes 146 Almighty damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Joker Wild.

<Pose Tracker> Goro Akechi has posed.

"Oh, did you think I shot you with a gun?" The Prince clucks his tongue at the Joker Killer, "Well, I suppose you would think that given that you only cut one eye hole in that bag. Your blind spot is rather enormous."

What'd he do this time? Well apparently Umie's going to get a front row seat to the exchange.

"I never said you were my-!" He hisses, obviously angry at Tsubasa's statement, before regaining composure to say, still livid, but at least more controlled, "What half-truths did I speak, Phoenix? Did you actually even listen to what I said?"
 
Whereas Joker...
     ...outright...
          ...ignores...
               ...him...?
 
His grip falls slack on his blade before a moment, before tightening so much that the fabric of his glove makes a noise against the hilt.
 
Briefly, the desire comes over him to place some calls - have the weight of the entire COUNTRY come down upon the Phantom Thieves at a time when they're at their most powerless.
 
"... 'Hot Stuff'... really? I can see that all rumors of the 'legendary wit' of the leader of the Phantom Thieves were grossly overblown."
 
He discards that plan, but look - you see, when all else fails, he can definitely fall back on being a catty bitch.
 
The Healing Song of Amphion floats towards him, soothing lines of melody, and abruptly, the Prince smiles, though his words are clipped from the tense atmosphere, "Why thank you, Kawase-san. At least someone around here has their priorities straight."
 
And yes, indeed he saved Maria Sakurai! Definitely... he's smiling, "It was the least I could do..." He says, being too polite to call attention to her blush.
 
And now, as his reward- he gets a front row seat to the drama unfolding in front of him. A hand upon his chin. "Logically she wouldn't have come all this way to warn you if she actually wanted you dead."
 
He says to Takeshi. "Perhaps you should take this as a learning opportunity as to how a young woman might feel when you discard them so casually."
 
He is taking this rather casually, isn't he? Which the Joker Killer then punishes- because while he's attending to watching the drama, the Joker Persona rises, and the Resonance rings alarm bells.
 
"Get down!" He calls out to the civilians, as his Persona erupts forth as Joker Cards spread everywhere, before - they detonate, and Robin Hood, his Persona. Takes it head on-
 
Before shattering, and the Princely figures doubles over, making a noise of agony from the feeling of a Persona Break, holding a hand at his mask.
 
"You'll...pay for that...!" He hisses, "You think you're something SPECIAL?" He says, as he extends his right arm, brandishing the gun.
 
And as his opposite hand touches his mask, flames billow out, as Robin hood is resummoned, already holding a nocked - shining arrow of light.
 
"Let me show you just how WRONG you are-!"
 
He pulls the trigger, and at the same moment, his Persona looses the arrow. But there's something strange, to anyone who's seen him use the gun before.
 
What comes forth isn't a laser beam - but a bullet, wreathed in dark energy- while the arrow of light flies in parallel. Light and Dark together, before they join together in an eclipse like Chiaroscuro, that detonates near the intended point of impact.
 
The Joker Killer.

AS: Goro Akechi spends Limit on Exploit! Goro Akechi can use another Weak skill this round!
AS: Tandem! Goro Akechi has used the Dark skill Dark Sun on Tatsuya Sudou! 2 Hits!
AS: Pressure: Goro Akechi gains 1 Limit!

<Pose Tracker> Maya Amano has posed.

    Whoa! Suddenly Maya feels way better! She knows someone just cast a spell on her, but has no idea where it came from; there's just so much going on at once that it's difficult for her to keep her eyes on everyone and everything. "Thanks!"

    Maya inhales, trying to get her second wind; the Joker Killer starts quipping at everyone there (even herself!) and she starts to realize from some of the things he says...

    ...that a lot of people have a connection to him that she didn't know about.

    The reporter in her is already storing all this information in her mental folio; there's so many questions she wants to ask now, but there's a battle to focus on first. They've got to protect this girl and stop this killer from hurting anyone else! 

<Pose Tracker> Maya Amano has posed.

    She's just on the verge of summoning Maia again when the Joker card in front of her explodes.

    Maya opens her mouth to shout something, but before she can push the words out, she collapses to the ground, unconscious. 

AS: Weapon! Goro Akechi has used the Pierce skill Justice Ray on Tatsuya Sudou! 3 Hits!
AS: Goro Akechi: Gains 51 HP from Regen!
AS: Block Best! Tatsuya Sudou takes 102 Dark damage from Goro Akechi's Dark Sun. Weak!
AS: Block Neutral! Tatsuya Sudou takes 113 Dark damage from Goro Akechi's Dark Sun. Weak!
AS: Avoid Neutral! Tatsuya Sudou takes 62 Pierce damage from Goro Akechi's Justice Ray. Critical Hit!
AS: Avoid Worst! Tatsuya Sudou takes 56 Pierce damage from Goro Akechi's Justice Ray.
AS: Avoid Best! Tatsuya Sudou takes 36 Pierce damage from Goro Akechi's Justice Ray.

<Pose Tracker> Ulala Serizawa has posed.

When Ririka calls out to Maria, asking her what's wrong with her, Ulala suddenly pivots, stopping.

"Shut the hell up! What's wrong with *you*? Chastising her for a mistake she clearly regrets? Let's just save them!"

That certainly didn't hit a personal nerve...

But then, the Joker Wild explodes out, Ulala trying to sidestep. She's instead blown backwards, rolling heavily and onto her side. Rising, she sees Maya collapse...

And rushes over to her, checking her pulse. "Shit! Fuck you!" she calls to the Joker Killer, bleeding and bruised as she is...

Ulala's fist moves for his face, not once but twice, a haymaker of great supernaturally-backed power. She's using all of her adrenaline for these heavy two punches, attempting to do some serious damage to him with only her fists. 

AS: Weapon! Ulala Serizawa has used the Strike skill Serizawa Haymaker on Tatsuya Sudou! 2 Hits!
AS: Aggression: Ulala Serizawa gains 1 Limit!
AS: Block Worst! Tatsuya Sudou takes 102 Strike damage from Ulala Serizawa's Serizawa Haymaker. Weak!
AS: Block Best! Tatsuya Sudou takes 84 Strike damage from Ulala Serizawa's Serizawa Haymaker. Weak!

<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.

    Phoenix's eyes widen, behind their witch-hat mask -- not that it's obvious, the eyeholes are quite static, but the way their teeth grit and lips part is at least obvious as Sudou grapples with their blade. "L--leave them alone!" Leave ME alone, they almost said.

    But they free the boy from the gate, and -- "Cool, sensei," Phoenix nods, to Ikkaku, when he says that all he can do is try to keep the boy alive. "Ain't none of us can do shit there--" and they're coughing again, lifting a hand from the hilt of their greatsword to curl at their mouth. "Ugh... jus' do what you can." ... it's a weirdly... equal thing to be saying to a teacher; Phoenix might be wearing that witch-hat mask over their face, but they still look like a teenager. Shouldn't they be pretty convinced that everything will be fine now a teacher's here...?

    (If they knew Ayame was bothered by their swearing, they'd... ... honestly, probably double down on it and swear worse. Listen, they're having a REALLY BAD DAY. At least Shinobu appreciates their language...)

    "Call me Phoenix," they add, bold enough for anyone who cares to hear, thumping that fist to their chest when they hear Kurou call them a vermillion bird. "By the way, dude, sick moves. You're like a real-ass ninja, man!" That's because he is a real-ass ninja, man.

    Luckily, Ririka's here to handle healing -- because the only healing Phoenix can do is healing someone of the terrible affliction of being conscious and having blood. They appreciate her picking up Ayame and Shinobu, though -- and -- hey, isn't that the editor of Coolest? They looked her up after hearing Ichika talk about her so much...

    (... they are also, a little bit, relieved that Akechi is getting healed, but let's not interrogate those feelings, they're MAD at him and there's NOTHING ELSE TO THE STORY.)

    Phoenix grimaces, behind their witch-hat mask, as they see the damage those flames did to Maria's hair. "Shit..." they say, and with great sympathy; they know what it's like for someone's hair to get ruined. She did say long hair was a pain, back then, but... not like this... fuck, at least she didn't burn alive? ... hopefully, the burns aren't so bad her hair won't grow back.

    Still... Maria called the Joker Killer in the first place, and that's not really something Phoenix can rage past forever. "Yeah, that's fucked up," Phoenix sighs, "but you ain't exactly the look-before-ya-leap kinda gal, y'know? Guess you musta heard 'bout it on the 'net or somethin', an'..." Phoenix shakes their head, tone gruff. "You gotta wear what ya did, but I don't remember no law sayin' Rumours got th' death penalty."

    The Joker Persona rises up, though, and Phoenix -- stronger, now -- stands their ground. They're strong, they're strong, they're -- "OH FUCK THIS!" They are RUNNING FROM THE CARDS, FUCK! Well, jumping, more like, springing unreasonably high into the air to avoid those explosions. It would be really cool how they land on top of the gate at one point, except for the way they squark, "FUCK!", when even more cards fly up to blast them off.

    They're dazed, when they hit the ground, but there's something that compels them to struggle back up -- even as they realise that Big Sis has gone down against the might of the Joker Killer, and Maya alongside her. It's not just wanting to make sure the Joker Killer can't use their bodies as kindling, it's...

    ... you know, Maria once called them her secret mentor. That ain't the kinda thing a guy can take lightly. It's something that can give them strength, now.

    "Boss!" They yell, as they grab the bars of the gate to haul themself upright. "Still with us?! Get his ass, man! I ain't dead, neither!"

    They shoot a glare across the way, to Zabu. "Fuckin' actually tell th' world th' Joker Killer's real then, why don't ya?!" ... if they had more thoughts to their name right now, they'd wonder why Maya hasn't been able to publish anything about it, but they're pretty singularly-focused right now.

    Not entirely focused, though. "Wow, man, I sure do care about this prick card explodin' everyone and not any other shit!" Phoenix declares, turning their back to Prince again, and it's petty and mean and childish and fuck him he made them attack their friends like they were some kind of stupid chump!

    "Fuck... fuck all this shit! IZBUSHKA NA KUR'IH NOZHKAH!" Phoenix tears their mask from their face -- though the shower of bright red blood obscures the face beneath it -- as blue flames erupt and a massive, hulking Persona manifests in the alleyway. With legs longer than anyone's height, Izbushka na Kur'ih Nozhkah is the hut on chicken legs of myth, flapping little windows to either side of its thatched roof just like chicken wings as its skirt-fence made of spines and skulls rattles. Phoenix's Persona charges the Joker Killer, meaning to stomp him under foot with a terrible rush of a sprint.

    To Ulala, though, they add: "Th' Rumour says you give a name, an' that guy dies. Maybe you don't take it seriously... but you gotta look at yourself in the fuckin' mirror if you willin' to kill a guy 'cuz ya mad about it. We are savin' her! So lay off the girl." Lay off Ririka, they mean.

AS: Tsubasa Seki spends Limit on Psych! 
AS: Persona! Tsubasa Seki has used the Strike skill Kill Rush on Tatsuya Sudou! 3 Hits!
AS: Tsubasa Seki: Psych removed!
AS: Tsubasa Seki regains 5 HP from Regenerate!
AS: Tsubasa Seki spends Limit on Shift! Ren Amamiya can use another Weak skill this round!
AS: Ren Amamiya spends Limit on Shift! Umie Akabane can use another Weak skill this round!
AS: Avoid Neutral! Tatsuya Sudou takes 108 Strike damage from Tsubasa Seki's Kill Rush. Critical Hit! Weak!
AS: Avoid Worst! Tatsuya Sudou takes 105 Strike damage from Tsubasa Seki's Kill Rush. Weak!
AS: Avoid Neutral! Tatsuya Sudou takes 94 Strike damage from Tsubasa Seki's Kill Rush. Weak!

<Pose Tracker> Ayame Watanabe has posed.

"Thank you," Ikkaku says seriously to Akechi. "That fire could've been so much worse." For Maria. He obviously saved Maria; Ikkaku doesn't know why those others are so angry with him, but he certainly seems on the up-and-up.

Ayame doesn't see the way Kurou's throat is constricted. She does, however, see a massive Persona, a huge skeleton, and her eyes widen to look at it. She looks back to Shinobu, "Let's be careful," she says. Pause. "...So we can be sure to take him down." She doesn't want to hold back against the Joker Killer.

Especially not when, "Killing people isn't a job!" Ayame shouts back. Sorry, Kurou.

Things get... strange. The Joker Killer talks to himself, and then that PErsona... seems to smile at them. The cards go--and start to glow. Ikkaku covers the injured boy with his body to make sure he won't get blasted, and Ayame has no time to have argument with this--

Because BOOM. She dives out of the way of the first explosion, and then tries to defend against the second--but her guard is up too late, and she's knocked backward from her feet. "Aah!"

Her sword sags in her hand, but she still has her Persona. "...What rumor makes him so strong...?"

Phoenix says it's cool, though, ,and--well, it's not 'the teacher will make it all better', but then, someone in these matters might not think that way. "I will," he assures them.

But Phoenix! Ayame will remember that. She'll get over the swearing, at least. It's a swear-worthy situation.

But Shinobu goes down, too... "Shinobu-chan!"

Ayame immediately puts herself in front of her younger sister. "...Atropos," Ayame directs, and there is something colder in her expression at the moment, looking at Sudou.

Atropos reappears, holding a golden thread. She pulls her shears and, appearing over Sudou, cuts the thread.

A terrible dark gate opens before him, and from it pour purple-and-black shapes that burn and curse and destroy. 

AS: Ayame Watanabe spends Limit on Psych! 
AS: Persona! Ayame Watanabe has used the Dark skill Mudo on Tatsuya Sudou!
AS: Ruin: Ayame Watanabe gains 1 Limit!
AS: Ayame Watanabe: Gains 49 HP from Regen! Psych removed!
AS: Ayame Watanabe regains 5 HP from Regenerate!
AS: Block Neutral! Tatsuya Sudou takes 131 Dark damage from Ayame Watanabe's Mudo. Weak!
AS: Panic added! Charm removed! Explosion! 50 damage!
AS: Tatsuya Sudou is unable to continue fighting!

<Pose Tracker> Shinobu Shimizu has posed.

The Joker Killer says 'if they were looking from the outside in'...

"What, we'd suddenly be cool with this? Nice try. You're just a murderer." Shinobu replies. She retreats back, staff at the ready. She hears a melody - and soothing light wraps around her, courtesy of Ririka's Amphion.

"Thanks." Shinobu replies, sending her a nod.

She'll need that healing sooner than she thinks - the Joker Persona rises, and hurls cards over the battlefield. Shinobu's eyes go wide.

"Shit!" She hisses, trying to dive out of the way - but they cover too much area. They explode and Shinobu is sent flying, crashing into the wall of the school gate. She slides to the ground with a grunt, her staff clattering to the ground next to her.

"Come on..." She mutters to herself, trying to urge herself to her feet... but right now, her body isn't doing much in the way of moving, and her vision swims.

At least Ririka's healing melody is keeping her conscious - just enough to see Ayame moving to stand in front of her protectively.

"...Give 'im hell, nee-san." She mutters. 

<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.

    Sudou wobbles in the wake of the Evil Smile, and Joker's grin only grows wider and sharper. "I invite you to try! Right now, it remains tepid!" they call.
    
    Then Akechi talks some shit about their shit-talk. "Hmph," Joker vocalizes at him, light and disdainful.
    
    This is on purpose. If they said nothing, Akechi could assume maybe they didn't hear him. This way, he knows for sure they did hear, and are choosing not to engage beyond that one little noise--that the Old Maid merited a quip, but he himself doesn't even get a single word.
    
    He'll hate that so much. Maybe even more than he already does.
    
    (Maybe the sound of fabric tightening on the hilt of his sword is the sound of his heart breaking... Joker doesn't feel bad about that, or relieved about the healing Ririka gives him. They don't. Not after what Akechi's done. They are of one mind with Phoenix on this--in all respects.)
    
    It probably also doesn't help that, when Umie addresses them by (code)name, Joker looks her way and smirks back. "The one and only," they lilt, loud enough for the 'Joker Killer' to hear. That smile fades into a more neutral look when a short boy addresses Umie as-- "'Akabane-chan'?" they echo, looking back at her. "And who's this young lad you've got so enamored with you, Umie Akabane?"
    
    Kurou speaks of tasting blood, and summons a massive skeleton of a Persona. Joker observes this, chin rising along with their widening eyes. "...Intense," they conclude. He's spry as hell too--like a real-ass ninja, just as Phoenix says.
    
    Meanwhile, Akechi makes a crack about 'someone has their priorities straight.' It is an effort of will for Joker to stay silent, specifically not to make a sharp little queer joke. Even a hated enemy doesn't deserve to get outed in public. Joker continues to ignore him.
    
    Who they don't ignore is Maria (sorry not sorry), who it's now clear is the one who called the 'Joker Killer' here--and just as clearly regretted it. Their domino mask hides their expression well, but there is concern in their dark eyes for her. Not just for that, but how she blushes at Akechi and his 'chivalrous' rescue... Is he out to sucker her, too? At least she's got more than just him in her corner...
    
    That's the moment when Sudou stops and starts mumbling to himself--before yelling as if to someone unseen. Joker furrows their brows at him. What is he on about--? But then he summons his own Persona, the "JOKER" Persona, rising up over the battlefield like the Gashadokuro. He casts down a series of cards, all of them Jokers--all rapidly glowing bright red.
    
    Joker doesn't even have the time to try to dodge. They already regret the 'tepid' crack. A MASSIVE explosion rocks the area, and they scream, fully unable to hold back this time. When the smoke clears, they're on their elbows and knees, dark coat scorched, azure glitter in the air from where Arsène had taken the bulk of the blow and shattered for it. They rasp and cough and shudder before managing to look up.
    
    ...Akechi seems especially pissed right now...
    
    Good.
    
    Except there's something strange about his attack-- Joker peers at it, unsure of it they're a little concussed and seeing things as that dark bullet winds with the arrow of light that Akechi and Robin Hood fire at the Old Maid. It's... different.
    
    They can't think about that for now. "Glad to hear it. I'm not dead yet either," they call to Phoenix, pain searing through agonized muscles as they force themself back to their feet. They don't chide them for yelling at Akechi again; they don't have the energy for that. "Let's settle this, before it can escalate any further."
    
    After all, a lot of the others have been badly injured--including Maya, succumbing to the explosion, and Shinobu, whose weakening technique Joker had noted just a moment before. They utter a wordless noise of worry for them both as they fall, then glare at Sudou. They don't have any spells to revive the unconscious, even among their various extra Personas--though at least Maya has a friend rush to her side, and Shinobu her sister--so the best thing they can do right now... is take advantage of the opportunity Shinobu opened for the rest of them. That's the best thing they can do for Myunghon too right now.
    
    If it's a move that might make a certain other person take notice, whatever. It's not about him.
    
    "Arsène!!" Joker calls, raising a hand to their face as their mask goes up in blue flame, shrouding their face in shadow. "Strike them down!!"
    
    Above them, the winged man in the red coat materializes, their dark mask alight with a red cackle. An orb of crackling darkness, so solid as to be material, forms before them as they swing a cane in one hand--draw it back like it's a billiards cue--and then strike that orb. It rockets forward, not at Sudou, but just past, away from other Persona Users it might have struck instead--rebounds off a wall--off another wall--and then down, down, down from above towards Sudou's head.
    
    They'll shut that ominous other voice of his up. 

AS: Persona! Ren Amamiya has used the Dark skill Multi-Eiha on Tatsuya Sudou! 3 Hits!
AS: Ruin: Ren Amamiya gains 1 Limit!
AS: Persona! Ren Amamiya has used the Strike skill Bank Shot on Tatsuya Sudou!
AS: Block Neutral! Tatsuya Sudou takes 65 Dark damage from Ren Amamiya's Multi-Eiha. Critical Hit! Weak!
AS: Blast added!
AS: Tatsuya Sudou is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Block Neutral! Tatsuya Sudou takes 33 Dark damage from Ren Amamiya's Multi-Eiha. Weak!
AS: Blast added!
AS: Tatsuya Sudou is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Block Neutral! Tatsuya Sudou takes 74 Dark damage from Ren Amamiya's Multi-Eiha. Critical Hit! Weak!
AS: Tatsuya Sudou is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Block Best! Tatsuya Sudou takes 112 Strike damage from Ren Amamiya's Bank Shot. Weak!
AS: Tatsuya Sudou is unable to continue fighting!

<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.

Sudou complains about healers again. "Sorry," says Ririka, who totally doesn't sound sorry at all. "But you hating healers is all the more reason for me to keep doing it."

She has seen Joker fight before, and she can't help but let out a shiver as that weird Persona comes out again. Not this again...! She tries to grab her skateboard to shield herself, but the explosions rock her and send her to the ground. (She hits her elbow, but that's that the elbow pads are for!)

She groans as she rolls over, feeling sore in her entire body. "Ngh..." Everything hurts--it feels like she caught in between two of those explosions. She shakes her head as she pushes herself up to her feet. "Alright..."

She looks up, momentarily surprised at Akechi greeting her by name. But then again... it's not the first time someone's recognized her from a concert or s show. "Yeah, no problem," she says as she finishes standing up.

Ririka has a sort of opposite problem to Maya--she can track... well, maybe not everything, but a lot of what's going on. (Things are rather noisy for her sometimes. "Welcome!" she shouts back.

She looks to Ulala next. "Yeah, I'm already--" Ririka will be more sympathetic... later. When she isn't being blown up by a supernatural serial killer. But Phoenix beats her to the punch. "What they said!"

But she's got a nod back to Shinobu, too.

"Alright, Amphion," Ririka says, though she's still panting a bit and trying to catch her breath. "Let's show this jackass we mean business!"

"Magna! And then--Magnara!"

Amphion strums, and as he waves his song a chunk of rock lifts from the ground, followed by a second, larger one, and both are hurled t the Joker Killer with great force. 

AS: Ririka Kawase spends Limit on Exploit! Ririka Kawase can use another Weak skill this round!
AS: Persona! Ririka Kawase has used the Earth skill Magna on Tatsuya Sudou!
AS: Persona! Ririka Kawase has used the Earth skill Magnara on Tatsuya Sudou!

<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.

    What did Akechi do? Well, Umie's about to find out. .... It's time to play detective?? A bewildered gaze peeks from behind Umie's plain mask as she switches between all the affected parties. ".... I think I'm connecting the dots here." Akechi implied or outright said something to Phoenix in his haste to paint the Phantom Thieves in a less than stellar light, and, things happened. (Of course, Umie doesn't know the entire story here; she only knows of the things Akechi has said to her to alert her to the danger of Changes of Heart.)
    
    'Akabane-chan?' ... Why is Kurou looking at Umie like he's just noticed her? Wide-eyed, Umie itches underneath her mask, and-- oh. Ooooohhhh. ".... I really... need to think of a name..." Umie groans. She never had to do this with demons; it wasn't like they were going to walk into her school and point her out. "Oh, uh," she says, to Joker, this time, "someone... well." She gestures uselessly with a half red nailed hand. "I'll--" --not reveal she's been in contact with the Phantom Thieves in front of Akechi, _thank you very much_, "be in charge of him, for the immediate future."

    'Akabane-san? ...Is that you?' Another person recognizes Umie.

    ".... Yeah," Umie says, in a much more subdued breath. "Someone heard you at that shrine." She's not confirming it, but like how a bell cannot be unrung, the spell's been broken. She looks at Takeshi and Ririka, her expression flawlessly neutral. She sees herself in both Maria and in the other party; to let that show would be dangerous. She's pointed fingers at Honjou for her own near death, despite there being no evidence. It's so satisfying, to play the victim; not so much the one whose hands are stained. (Look at Maria, not being a coward and running away from what she'd done, hoping it was all just a bad dream.) "Forgiving her is one thing, but you should recongize she came to warn you, at the cost of her own safety." This is to Takeshi specifically, echoing Akechi's statement.

    How does Umie know? Welllllll.

    'What is our main priority?' He's called Kurou.

    Umie's response to Kurou is automatic. "Protect Maria Sakurai, Takeshi Nakata, and his friend." That last name she didn't catch.

    Sudou's mention of Shiryuu, for now, Umie ignores, but Kurou isn't as willing to let it slide. The glint in Kurou's eyes causes Umie to grimace; she opens her mouth to speak, but Kurou stills it with his oath to not kill... at least, not today. (Also THAT IS A GIANT FUCKING SKELETON, HOLY CRAP. Umie stares up gobsmacked.)

    However, that may have been the last card in this deck that happened to be in their favor. Sudou is striking back, and his is loaded.

    Umie fails to slip back from the first card, blasting her backward, her barely managing to land neatly in a hunched position. The second, she's better able to navigate, slipping by with the explosion ricocheting against her back, propelling her forward.

    Running, she glances behind her towards those at her back, like Phoenix and Joker, then in front assessing who can still move.

    And--

    'Look at what your actions wrought.' Her momentum stills. Cold panic threatens to seep in like molasses, smothering her into sweet powerlessness.

    The two sides of her weapon are clutched tightly in her hands, her eyes going blank as her lips move, automatically, like someone practicing at a recital before the first show.

    "The discarded sun lies buried in the hill.
    The spiral clockwork ticks to the inevitable climax."
    
    The blade of the kyoketsu shoge flies out, crossing at impossible angles like a thorny briar until it attempts to constrict around Old Maid, hopefully shutting up that terrible voice for good.

AS: Tandem! Umie Akabane has used the Dark skill Garden of the Crow on Tatsuya Sudou! 3 Hits!
AS: Umie Akabane regains 3 SP from Invigorate!

<Pose Tracker> Kurou Ryouhara has posed.

A name. Kurou tilts his head at Umie.

"We will workshop it." Why is he adding that to his list of tasks?! Right now: protect Maria Sakurai, Takeshi Nakata, and his friend. Kurou nods once, simple and firm.

Unfortunately, that's going to require getting the Joker Killer out of here.

"Phoenix," Kurou repeats thoughtfully, in his way. At those ninja-related compliments, Kurou regards them with what seems for all the world to be an entirely neutral, impassive face. "... Thank you." But internally? Well... the reaction would be different, if only Kurou had a tail he could wag.

But he doesn't. What he has is violence... and a giant cognitive skeleton made of skeletons.

The world is chaos, but despite it all, Maria finds a point of focus: a very big skeleton. Even in his fervor, Kurou catches her focused observation of his Persona. And yet, all she has is that sword, trying desperately to take back her regrets in her own two hands.

Skeleton Persona stares at Joker Persona. But the cards are dealt, and the hand is full of jokers. Gashadokuro shatters as the wildcard erupts in a brutal explosion against Persona and user alike. Kurou, charging to get his blade at the Joker Killer's throat despite mocking the cauterization of even a Dark flame, is engulfed and thrown back by the force of it.

He smashes into the ground, tumbling several times, and most certainly should be feeling that. On the final tumble, he rights himself, smashes his heels into the ground and stabbing it with his blade to stop himself and keep righted. Kurou stands up, rolls the shoulder of his right, sword wielding arm, and punches his thumb into about where the joint meets his torso. Only his breathing betrays how much that hurt, because his gait refuses to suffer for it.

"You act with true regret," Kurou says to Maria. "Listen to no one who seeks to weigh down those efforts with further unnecessary guilt."

Kurou's gaze lands back on the Joker Killer, where it belongs. Kill. When the Joker Killer killed that 'Silver puppy'. An ember of hope -- so small and fragile as it already was -- in Kurou's chest goes colder. At this he flinches like something finally hurts. Kurou tugs again his scarf, and there is a glint of something silvery and steely against his skin to anyone who cares to look too closely. "Gashadokuro... I hunger," he murmurs. Gashadokuro's maw rises and its eyes burn, conjuring a pillar of red energy around Kurou to feed the urge to bury fear in anger.

"... Do not speak..." Kurou rasps, "...of whom you know nothing."

His blade trembles in his grasp before he launches the clawed chain for Sudou to yank himself in -- or Sudou to him -- or whatever it takes to chain them together for a brief moment in time, at blade's length, for a dance of slashes in close quarters.

AS: Kurou Ryouhara spends Limit on Exploit! Kurou Ryouhara can use another Weak skill this round!
AS: Persona! Kurou Ryouhara has used the Almighty skill Tarukaja on Kurou Ryouhara!
AS: Take! Kurou Ryouhara takes 0 Almighty damage from Kurou Ryouhara's Tarukaja.
AS: Atk_Up added!
AS: Weapon! Kurou Ryouhara has used the Slash skill Mutual Fate on Tatsuya Sudou! 3 Hits!
AS: Pressure: Kurou Ryouhara gains 1 Limit!
AS: Avoid Neutral! Tatsuya Sudou takes 94 Earth damage from Ririka Kawase's Magna.
AS: Bind added!
AS: Tatsuya Sudou is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Avoid Neutral! Tatsuya Sudou takes 135 Earth damage from Ririka Kawase's Magnara.
AS: Bind added!
AS: Tatsuya Sudou is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Block Neutral! Tatsuya Sudou takes 61 Dark damage from Umie Akabane's Garden of the Crow.
AS: Tatsuya Sudou is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Block Worst! Tatsuya Sudou takes 68 Dark damage from Umie Akabane's Garden of the Crow.
AS: Tatsuya Sudou is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Block Neutral! Tatsuya Sudou takes 61 Dark damage from Umie Akabane's Garden of the Crow.
AS: Tatsuya Sudou is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Block Best! Tatsuya Sudou takes 75 Slash damage from Kurou Ryouhara's Mutual Fate.
AS: Tatsuya Sudou is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Block Best! Tatsuya Sudou takes 75 Slash damage from Kurou Ryouhara's Mutual Fate.
AS: Tatsuya Sudou is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Block Best! Tatsuya Sudou takes 88 Slash damage from Kurou Ryouhara's Mutual Fate. Critical Hit!
AS: Tatsuya Sudou is unable to continue fighting!

<Pose Tracker> Maria Sakurai has posed.

    She smiles back up at Akechi, shyly; with the sword in hand, she rushes to lend what help or support she can for the boys. Which... isn't much beyond stand there with a sword and hopefully (well, insofar as other people may view her current position!) not have to use it.

    "He'll... live, right?" she says to Ikkaku, still shaken up over this facet of the unintended consequences on grand parade display at the moment. It looks... really bad.

    It's fucked up, says Phoenix, and Maria looks miserable in a way that can't just be because she got her hair torched. She's not the sort of person who does think about what she's doing all that much before she does it, yes, and there was a rumor, yes, but--

    "Yeah," Maria says quietly, holding onto her sword for dear life.

    There's no take-backs. She can't undo this. And she's dragged the rest of them into this.

    Someone heard her at that shrine, Umie says. "I guess so," Maria answers, because how else ought she respond to that, now? She has a lot of questions but right now, as they struggle to protect her and them, and she struggles to keep herself together (and not die, no matter how bad she might feel right now), they're something that can darn well wait its turn.

    Takeshi, half-hidden near the pillar with his wounded friend being tended by Ikkaku Watanabe, is visibily flabbergasted when Akechi calls out to him and says that she wouldn't have come all this way to save him if she wanted him dead. "What? What are you talking about? She made the call!"

    Akechi has more to say about him, of course. Perhaps he should 'expect' this sort of thing for casually discarding another woman. "--What the hell?! I could have died!" he argues from his hiding place as not only Akechi says that but Umie joins him in agreement for his earlier remark. "So what if I dumped her! She tried to get me killed! She's crazy!"

    Maria, for her part, looks away from the both of them, unwilling to even meet the gaze of her 'prince' of the moment. "I--I saw you with another girl. I couldn't-- let you..." she murmurs, trailing off as Takeshi stares at her wide-eyed. ...It's really not helping her case.

    Particularly not when Ulala comes to her defense in the wake of Ririka's remark, and Phoenix, who had commented on it before, in turn shouts at Ulala. "Don't!" she shouts, closing her eyes tightly in the moment. "Don't yell at each other!"

    Arcane light bursts all around them... but it never touches Maria. Not even when she steps in front of where Takeshi is crouching to try and shield him.

    The sword held in both hands wavers as a voice that feels like something she might hear just on the edge of waking speaks to her. Look at them all. Look how many people she's hurt, just because she made that call. "--!" Maria breathes, fresh tears streaming across her face. "Just-- just, stop it..." She wrenches her face away. "...stop hurting them...!"

    In this heart of darkness, it's the voice of the young man with the giant skeleton that reaches her.

    Let no one else weigh down her efforts... to atone.

    "I won't let you-- hurt them anymore!" Maria cries out, and as best she can, lugging that sword that nearly killed her ex-boyfriend, she runs at the Joker Killer and swings the blade.

    It's inexpert.
    In her arms, it's slow, unsteady. It's too big and too heavy for her to use properly.
    It may very well not connect at all.

    But if she's the one who made this happen then-- shouldn't she make it stop!!?? 

<Pose Tracker> Tatsuya Sudou has posed.

    Sudou is bleeding, bleeding so much the paper bag is bleeding. His trench coat is tattered, his fingers are twisted in ways and his arms and legs flop and probably feel like jelly. He is simply lying on the field and looking at the sky.

     Perhaps it really started when he tried to avoid the oreo cookie bullet that Prince put into his other shoulder, at least they match now.

     Perhaps it was the giant fire bird summoned by the fire bird, or maybe he was still seeing double, but those feet seemed real. Especially the one that kicked in the ribs during the stomping.

     Could be all that darkness that the wife seemed to have to throw at him. That stuff didn't feel good in his heart either, thats about when his left arm went numb. That probably wasn't a factor though

     The cue ball of darkness from the fake Joker shatter any of his other ribs.

     The rocks from the healer that took the legs out from under him.

     Maybe it was Umie, he always knew she had a real dark side behind her. Almost made him proud how she went for his throat. Of course his body felt like a giant paper cut now.

     It could of been being the chew toy of a giant skeleton. That is probably when he started tasting all the blood.

     Still he had stood up from all that so how did, Oh yeah the girl. He had stood up from the skeleton and was going to complete his mission when she came rushing forward and he had raised his hand. That was when he ended up with a sword in his hand and grips it. Yanking it from Maria's hand as he falls backward. Yeah that last bit of blood did it.

     He laid there watching the sky, speaking still so he wasn't dead. "You know what. After this I have decided to turn over a new leaf. Yeah I am going to go kill murderers and arsonist. I think I know who I am going to kill first. What was that famous guy, Sudou, yeah I will start with him. " It's as if he is having a casual conversation before shouting, "AFTER I KILL YOU ALL!"

     Sudou starts rambling to himself, "Come on I know you can do it. Use me, puppet me, do whatever, give me power to win I BEG OF YOU!" That is when Sudou's shadow grows under him, and then hands made of darkness and shadow come up from the shadow wrapping around Sudou. That creepy voice is heard again and echos, "YOU HAVE FAILED AGAIN." Sudou is then pulled into the ground, gone having probably been saved by...something 

<Pose Tracker> Goro Akechi has posed.

"It was a rather close thing... but I'm happy to help." The Princely figure says to Ikkaku, whom he marks as ANOTHER JOKER VICTIM?
 
(Do they have a club for victims to join up and meet? It would rather explain some things...)

Obviously Akechi is on the Up and Up. He's a Celebrity Detective Prince.
 
Who are his detractors? Two Phantom Thieves? Pshaw.
 
Except it bothers him SO MUCH when Joker just 'Hmph,'s at him while giving SUDOU the time of day! Why look down on him so much and give what Akechi views as SCUM LIKE HIM - his attention!
 
Even moreso when Joker outright has Arsene launch that orb of darkness like a Billiard Ball! It takes every ounce of Akechi's will power not to simply shout: 'OH COME ON!'
 
Instead, he just makes a pained- angry inhalation, and with a grunt, tears his gaze away.
 
And decides to take it out on someone else instead, like a murder victim. "Aren't you forgetting the part where she was in the hospital recovering from grievous injuries when you discarded her?" The figure tells him, coldly. "Sakurai-san will have to live with what she's done- to take responsibility for her actions."
 
His eyes look like they're dissecting Takeshi, "But you're the kind of scum who will paint yourself as the true victim until the end of your days."
 
...
 
Which all happens while Maria is having a very emotional time. He is just so distracted. That when the inevitable happens...
 
... he's not even looking her way. Turning in alarm only at the last moment to reach out a hand and call out, "Sakurai-san- wait!" Oh no if only he had super speed and could get to her to stop her in time.
 
Funny how it doesn't ever seem to work in moments like this, isn't it?
 
Fortunately Maria's swing and Sudou catching it causes a miracle-! A miracle - of exsanguination! Well not entirely, there's also... you know.
 
That horrific presence of the Crawling Chaos and Sudou being dragged to hell(Maybe?).
 
Akechi huffs a ragged, still pained, and holds his ribs, that was more than just a Persona Break, in truth, then closes his eyes.
 
And when he opens them again, he looks upon Phoenix and Joker. It's hard to read his expression right now, with that mask on.
 
But if one had to parse it carefully, they might swear they're feelings of... betrayal?
 
Straightening up, he brings out a cell phone and calls 1-1-9. "... Yes, we need an ambulance at Shujin Academy. There's a boy here in serious condition from a stabbing."
 
Before he glances at Ikkaku with the stabbed boy, Takeshi, and Maria. "It might be best to dispatch more than just one."
 
He'll leave shortly, but he'll do this first.

<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.

    Umie's reach has good intentions, but terrible aim. Kurou, having better dealt with these darker parts, says the words that fill that cracked line in the surface of Maria's resolve, filling it with gold.

    Or something more red.

    ".... Sakurai-san!" It cracks Umie out of her own malaise. Super speed isn't needed, just good footwear, which scuffs against the asphalt as she breaks into a run.

    A rambling Sudou is never good. There's nothing to resolve; as long as that voice is at the other end.

    But, as always for someone born too late to be an April Fool, Umie is again, too late to intervene.

    The hands of shadow and dark grip Sudou and tug him into what should be solid ground, leaving...

    nothing.

    Umie squats down, balancing on the balls of her feet, her arms and hands balanced against her knees as she discreetly, quietly...

    Tries to make herself smaller.

    She'd make herself disappear if she wasn't concerned.
    
    "Ryouhara-kun, l-l...."

    She's trying to say 'let's go', but the urge to burrow into herself is too strong to allow for words.

    She can't pretend it didn't happen in front of her.

    ".... We're...." 

<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.

    Lots of people lay down an asskicking on the Old Maid--including the unawakened Maria, which is impressively reckless. But-- Sudou? Joker's eyes narrow at the mention of an unfamiliar name. From context, is the Old Maid talking about... himself?
    
    But then he is enveloped in hands of darkness and dragged to hell.
    
    Well.
    
    That just happened!
    
    Joker stares for a moment at the spot where Sudou was just a moment ago. In the edge of their hearing, Akechi tells Takeshi he's 'the kind of scum who will paint yourself as the true victim until the end of your days,' and Joker viciously scoffs.
    
    He stares at them and Phoenix, and Joker stares back. If there's a hint of betrayal behind that red tengu mask, then there's a cold fury and incredulousness behind Joker's.
    
    You've got some goddamn nerve, it might seem to say.
    
    Might. Because a mask hides so much.
    
    Then Joker turns to Phoenix and offers them a small nod and their arm. "Let's get out of here," they murmur. "We can't afford to get caught up here, and the fighting's already over."
    
    There's a lot still going on, like whatever the hell is on between Umie and Kurou, but... that's none of Joker's business, and they and Phoenix have a lot still left to do today.
    
    With a flick of their wrist, they launch their grappling wire up at one of the nearby rooftops--and, if Phoenix lets them, carries the two of them up and away out of sight in a blur of motion before the supernatural space the Old Maid had conjured can fade away.
    
    ...They might have some trouble getting down once it fades and they're back to being two normal teenagers, but that's the price one has to pay for keeping a secret identity secret. 

<Pose Tracker> Kurou Ryouhara has posed.

Sudou's shadow... eats him. Kurou watches, breathing heavy and quick, sword still poised to strike as if the shadows would spit the Joker Killer back out to threaten them anew. Several seconds pass. A few more. It takes a while for the absence to truly sink in and claim a modicum of trust.

Slowly, painfully, Kurou lowers his arms and relaxes, then tucks his blade and chain away on his person gain, hidden. He sucks in sharp through his teeth in an expression of physical pain he refused until now. Was he holding it in...?

Whatever the horror of voices and hungry shadows, it's over, for now. Kurou idly wipes at his face with his thumb, smearing away blood. Some rubs over his lip, inevitably tasted in the process. That's what the promise is: not a deliberate taste, but an inevitable sample by volume. Even that was only possible with the help of nearly a dozen warriors.

"You did well," he says to Maria, either blind to or defiant of anyone's desire not to encourage this bloodied act. But he doesn't quite look at her, or anyone.

Shiryuu... Shiryuu is -- was? -- stronger than Kurou, he's sure of that. But fighting alone, in an effort to spare others the danger, Shiryuu was...

...

Kurou's gaze falls to the ground. His half-ponytail fell out somewhere in all the fighting, leaving his streaked hair disheveled, strands stuck to his face from sweat and blood. The fiery eyes like Gashadokuro's are darkened and dull with fatigue... or grief.

But Umie speaks. His gaze lifts up, as fluid as the steps he takes toward her. He squats down with her, running a clean thumb over her forehead the way she had done for him to wipe the soot off just the other day. He does not know what he attempts to clean away, only that it is invisible.

"Let's go," he finishes in her place.

That's his priority now.

<Pose Tracker> Ayame Watanabe has posed.

Ikkaku says, "We're doing our best," to Maria's question about whether he'll live. "I think he has a good chance." And that's even true; provided that the others can drive off the Joker Killer...

Well, that's looking difficult to do, frankly. But he has to believe in his wife, Ayame, and in the others, some of whom he knows and remembers and some of whom are new to him.

Ayame herself, meanwhile, is still watching Sudou at first. She watches him as he keeps standing. Until.. r
"...You--"

Some voice is there. The Joker Killer is dragged down by some horrific shadow.

Ayame stares, but only until Akechi starts calling for an ambulance.

"Right!" Ayame says, and turns to see, before anything, to her sister, Shinobu.

"i think we got him," she assures her.

"...I wonder..."

"I wonder if that's the end?"

...It's an unsettling end, to be sure.

But Ikkaku says, "Miss Sakurai! Are you all right?"

Neither of them notices a certain pair of Thieves leaving. 


<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.

    Phoenix nods, firmly, to Ririka. Of course, they'd scatter all those dots Umie is connecting, but --

    "Oi, don't tell me not to fuckin' yell!" Phoenix yells at Maria, entirely on snap reaction, though the way they shift back half a step after they do suggests they've thought twice about it.

    Kurou's point about driving home that guilt being unnecessary does set an uncomfortable pit in Tsubasa's stomach, as they realise they yelled at her when they didn't mean to, either. They wonder, for a moment, why they're being so hard on Maria here. Even though she went on the attack and ended up hurting people she didn't mean to, and --

    Okay yeah shut up they hate this line of thought.

    Especially when Akechi -- who they're not really ignoring -- explains just why she'd make the call.

    They're left to watch, as Maria swings that blade -- thinking, all the while, of how cool she found their knife. "Sakurai-san--!" If the Joker Killer could grasp their horse-killing blade, what hope does Maria have with one she can barely lift--?

    Just as they feared, the Joker Killer grasps her blade...

    ... and...

    ... collapses?

    "The... fuck," they say, aghast, as they watch him disappear.

    They turn to Maria, teeth biting into their bottom lip, behind their mask. "H--hey... Sakurai-san... I..." ... but there's nothing to say, nothing they haven't bolted behind several doors today alone.

    "... sucks 'bout your hair," they mutter, lamely, looking away.

    Joker reminds them of the reality, and they turn to him, with a sharp nod. "Right. Let's go."

    They'll pretend they didn't see that look in the Prince's masked eyes, as they make their exit.

<Pose Tracker> Shinobu Shimizu has posed.

The others bring their best against him, and even Maria tries to give the Joker Killer a good stabbing. And in the end... a voice declares that he had failed again.

Shinobu shuts her eyes, shaking her head to try to clear her vision, and looks up at Ayame as she sees to her.

"...Thanks. Good work." She offers, offering her a grateful grin. That question, though... Shinobu goes quite and leans back against the gate, looking up toward the sky.

"...Wish I could say it was, but..." Shinobu murmurs. "...I get the feeling it's just the start." 

<Pose Tracker> Maria Sakurai has posed.

    What he says to Takeshi, Maria doesn't hear it. She has more pressing concerns at hand, such as that blade. In her hand. And what she might do with it.

    Takeshi, though, hears Akechi quite well. "How did you-- who told you that! I'm-- that girl is crazy!" he says, shaking his head. "You can't honestly believe a word she says!"

    Akechi's words are, at least for now, spot-on, it seems...

    Wait, Akechi says to her.

    Maria doesn't wait. She swings that blade, as best she can.

    It's just that, that even for an ex-athelete isn't very much.

    The Killer grabs the sword, ripping it right out of her grasp as he falls backwards. Her heart pounds in her chest. Did she just--

    He's still talking. He's talking about killing-- someone named Sudou?

    The darkness twines itself around him, dragging him downwards. In a heartbeat, it's as if he'd never been there at all. The only sign is...

    Maria reaches up to touch the end of her burned locks as she stares at the place where the Killer had been. "Oh..." she exhales, and slowly crumples, dropping to her knees, the reality of what's just happened apparently hitting home.

    Fortunately, someone's called an ambulance.

    "Watanabe-sensei, I, I'm--" ...Not okay, actually. Not emotionally-speaking.

    'You did well'. Maybe. Maybe, by some measure. She can't unring the bell. But, maybe tomorrow is another day, and maybe, she can still do what needs to be done.

    "...Yeah," she answers Phoenix distantly, toying with charred end of her hair. "Yeah, it kind of does..." They're all alive, though, and it's amazing what you can live with. 

<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.

Maria asks them not to shout at each other, and Ririka nods grimly, not taking her eyes off the Joker Killer. "... yeah, fair. "Yeah. We'll sort this out later. But we're not gonna let that guy kill anyone today, right?" she asks, glancing at Ulala. They're at least on the same page about that, right?

But then Maria charges forward with the sword, and Ririka starts. "Wait-- don't--!"

But all that seems to happen is that the Joker Killer takes the sword and falls over. Then a name, and Ririka rubs at her ear as the darkness opens up. "Okay, that's bad."

"Sudou..." She muses to herself. The Politician? She can't do anything about that right now, so she files that away for later.

She relaxes, just a little, as she move to look after the injured--at least the injured Persona Users. She and Amphion will do what they can for them to get them back on their feet. She looks back to Ikkaku trying to look after the two boys. "... Sorry, I can't do anything for them." But Akechi's called the ambulance, so that's hopefully okay.

Dumped her while she was in the hospital, at least according to Akechi. "... okay, I'm not saying that makes any of this right," she says as she looks at Takeshi. "... dude. Kind of a jerk move there."

She'll keep working on helping who she can, so people can be on their way before unwanted attention shows up. But once that's done, she stashes her Evoker and then grabs her skateboard and helmet.

She pauses to look at Maria before she goes. She's not really sure what to say to her, but... she walks over to the girl. "Hey. Sorry I snapped at you earlier. Calling the Joker Killer was still kind of dumb, but... showing up to try and stop it was brave. You can do better than him."

And then she'll skateboard away. 


<Pose Tracker> Jerri has posed.

So much excitement, so much chaos. Certainly nobody would notice a bird alighting atop the roof of the Practice Building over the PE Faculty's Office... even if it is a rather unique bird.

A gaudy pink Cockatoo, to be precise, with a pendant of sapphires and bright green baubles attached to the legs of her taloned feet.

Her countenance becomes shocked, mortified as she looks towards the academy's gates, "What a horrid mess!" As she leans towards the classroom building with a judgmental glare, "How utterly predictable... this is what happens when you foolish apes court the Dweller himself."

Her blue avian eyes then touch upon a certain girl, as if glimpsing something beyond her physical form, her expression becoming ever so pitying.

"Poor child... do you see now what your nonsense has wrought?" Little hops on her talons along the rooftop take her to catch another angle of her where she pauses, "No, regrettably even this may not be enough. Perhaps I should pay the witless girl a visit, to offer her some much needed guidance."

And her beak's curvature forms a smug looking grin, that as a bird, naturally she has this down to an artform. "Yes... I think I shall."

And then with a flap of her wings, there's nary a sign of her presence at all.

TO BE CONTINUED!

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