2026-05-29: Strega Does Mementos
- Log: Strega Does Mementos
- Cast: Noriaki Okaga, Niko Kirisaki, Jin Shirato
- Where: Mementos
- OOC Date: May 29, 2026
- IC Date: November 16, 2012
- Summary: Noriaki ropes Jin and Niko into a Mementos venture, which starts off all fun and games, but rapidly turns into something a bit more than they bargained for. At least the experience does make one thing abundantly clear: they may not be good people, but they look out for their own.
MONAD: A party led by Noriaki Okaga has begun the event Mementos - Enter the Metaverse!.
(|================ Monad - Mementos - Enter the Metaverse! =================|)
-==== Round 1: Crush Hour - Challenge Level 1 ===============================-
| Approach Options: Guts or Proficiency |
| Conditions: Clumsy - Proficiency Down L1 and Scary - Guts Down L1 |
-==== Challenge =============================================================-
How did you get here? Was it through a mysterious app on your smartphone?
Was it testing the Mementos Rumor in a bathroom mirror? Or perhaps you
simply had the daring to pull a trigger in a train station.
Whatever the case may be, you're here now.
A sickening nausea in the pit of your stomach, as you see sinew and ichor
festooning signs that make no sense, turnstiles that mark the way down
escalators to the station below.
There's a train pulled in right now, and as several listless looking human
shadows step inside, the door slams shut, before pulling away at blinding
speed, vanishing into the devouring darkness ahead.
Persona Users who have been here may have been forewarned as to what will
happen next, as the moment the train pulls away
... the escalators are flooded with Shadows descending down to the platform,
a whole mob of them. You only have seconds to expertly navigate the throng-
before you are trampled underfoot, or crushed against the platform walls by
them.
Of course, you could always do something more daring to let them know to
give you a wide berth. They're Shadows of people
Do you field the risk of harming them?
(|=========================================================== Monad 1.1 ====|)
<Pose Tracker> Noriaki Okaga has posed.
"Ever go crawling around Mementos?"
It had been a simple proposition, as these things go. Noriaki knows that Jin almost certainly has: he's learned the trick from the core three of them. It's just a question of whether Niko has.
In any case, getting there's very easy.
*BANG*
Darkness crawls around them in this sick parody of a subway system. There atop the platform, Noriaki bows, as overdramatic as any actor. "There, you see? Easy as that!"
He gestures towards the stairs. "Ain't gonna catch a train, though. We've gotta go down from here. That's where the real fun begins!"
Even if Niko is familiar, he still acts as if she isn't. Perhaps it's just fun for him, in some way...
The stairs down, though, are swarming with Shadows.
"Huh, lot of 'em," Noriaki remarks, rolling his shoulders experimentally. "Weren't that many the last time." He draws his machete, all two feet of dully-glinting chipped metal.
"Fun fact for ya, Ni-chan!" he calls, swinging that weapon towards the mob.
"These Shadows? They're people!"
MONAD: Noriaki Okaga has acted with Call of the Void toward Crush Hour! Bravery and Efficient!
<Pose Tracker> Niko Kirisaki has posed.
It's generally easy to get Niko to come along on any given venture, so long as it sounds at all to her like it could be fun. And with her general definition of 'fun' being 'not boring', many things indeed can qualify. As for Mementos...
"Sure haven't!"
Niko's heard a few basic things about it, but she's never seen cause to venture into it herself before. And since it's new, it probably won't be boring.
The way into it is already interesting. To think that Evokers could have an effect in a normal space like that. In so far as any space truly counts as 'normal' in this world. So guns are keys now, why not. Niko gives Noriaki a series of tiny claps for his demonstration. "Very nice, very nice! Like pulling away a magician's cloth!" Just go with it.
Looking about, Niko hmmms to herself, taking the bizarre sight entirely in stride. "So this is the place, huh? I see, I see. Really does look like a subway station gone totally wrong, doesn't it?" Yet it's a bad idea to take a train, apparently. And so...
...The other way to go is blocked by a bunch of Shadows. Well. Not for long, it won't be. Anybody who thinks they can push Niko aside easily has another thing coming. She just barrels on ahead shouting, "Coming through!" That should be plenty of warning to give her some space. Anybody who doesn't listen, well, that's on them.
As Niko rushes into the crowd and starts shoving, then flat out tossing Shadows aside, Noriaki informs her of a 'fun fact'. "Really? You don't say. Not very smart people then, I said I was coming through. You all hard of hearing or something? Huh??"
Yeah, that's not really a reason to use less violence. People who don't listen deserve whatever they get.
MONAD: Niko Kirisaki has acted with Just Smash It toward Crush Hour! Focus and Efficient! <Pose Tracker> Jin Shirato has posed.
Jin doesn't hesitate at the sight of the flood of Shadows pouring down the escalators. His lip curls in visible disgust.
"Pathetic," he says, and Jin Shirato sounds just as disgusted as he looks.
His hand disappears into his coat lazily, producing a grenade from his pocket. At first glance, it looks like one of his normal grenades -- but upon closer inspection, it's actually different.
"They might not be fully human anymore, but they still have human instincts." Jin tosses the grenade skyward and catches it, then pulls the pin, letting it drop to the tiled station floor.
"Boom."
Jin doesn't throw the grenade; it's still in his hand. Whatever human instinct still lived inside the shadows repelled them away. They practically crawl over one another in a desperate attempt of escape, all wailing and moaning in their thick Shadow garble. They're all tangled together, making them an all-too-easy group target for Niko and Noriaki.
No explosion necessary. Didn't even have to lose any resources, either.
"Yeah, they're not very smart," Jin agrees. He leisurely bends down to pick up the pin and sticks it back in the grenade. It's a false one. That's probably why Jin made sure that this grenade looked different from his usual ones.
"Why don't you two finish them?"
MONAD: Jin Shirato has acted with Business Talk toward Crush Hour! Diligent and Friendly!
(|============================ Monad - Results =============================|) -==== Crush Hour - Round 1 ==================================================- Jin Shirato Proficiency Success Business Talk Diligent and Friendly Fatigue: 0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Niko Kirisaki Guts Success Just Smash It Focus and Efficient Fatigue: 0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Noriaki Okaga Guts Success Call of the Void Bravery and Efficient Fatigue: 0 -============================ Party Conditions: =============================- Starting Conditions: Clumsy-2 and Scary-2 Final Conditions: Clumsy-1 and Scary-1 -====================================== Party Result: Success: Reach Up! ====- -==== Reach: 1/6 |= | ===================================================- (|=========================================================== Monad 1.1 ====|)
<Pose Tracker> Noriaki Okaga has posed.
He even gives a little flourish, swirling his hand around as if Niko's apparent delight in his theatrics were egging him on. He always does love an audience. Behind Noriaki, a train full of shadowy figures plows on into who-knows-where, vanishing almost as quickly as it had come into the crawling pulsed nightmare of Mementos.
He laughs, at Niko's summary. "Heh, sure does! Suits me just fine..."
But to go on, they have to go forward. There are no true fatalities among the Shadows as they're laid out, either by being in the wrong place at the wrong time and meeting Noriaki's blade, by failing to get out of Niko's way and being struck, or repelled by that 'grenade' that Jin threatens to loose into the mob.
"Haha, sure ain't!" he agrees with Jin, strolling on without a single glance backwards.
Killing a regular wandering Shadow doesn't seem to be anything. But the outlines of people, now, that's something else. It's just that to kill them proper, it takes a little more than just this.
In Noriaki's experience, anyway.
"Ain't sure what's up about this place," he remarks, as they all continue on. "What it is, or what it means. But it's got a connection to the people in the world." He turns, spreading his arms out as he regards the two of them.
"Find the right person, take out their Shadow here, properly, and..."
He looks at Jin, grinning at him from under his hood. "You know what happens, right? It's pretty interesting!"
He's even used it sometimes when fulfilling one of their 'requests' proves too complicated to do in the Dark Hour.
MONAD: Niko Kirisaki has drawn a new Challenge!
(|================ Monad - Mementos - Enter the Metaverse! =================|)
-==== Round 2: Manic Pixie Dream Horde!? - Challenge Level 1 ================-
| Approach Options: Charm or Guts |
| Conditions: Annoying - Charm Down L2, Clumsy - Proficiency Down L1, and |
| Scary - Guts Down L1 |
-==== Challenge =============================================================-
A plodding bulbous behemoth bursts out of the dark, the eyeholes of various
masks glittering. And upon striking you-!
It unravels, as if so many shadows were stitched together, the masks each
forming several distinct Shadows, they're-! They're!
A horde of pixies. As the violence begins, it's not too long before-
"Hey whoa! We surrender!"
"Do you feel big, bullying poor helpless little girls?"
Poor helpless little girls with access to Zio, that is.
"Why don't you just let us go, 'kay? We pretend this didn't even happen."
Hey wait a second, they attacked you! Should you really let them off that
easy? Maybe you want information, or a reward-
But you're gonna have to negotiate for that.
(|=========================================================== Monad 1.1 ====|)
<Pose Tracker> Niko Kirisaki has posed.
So far, this is plenty fun for Niko. A little expedition among friends, with some trouble along the way she can use as an outlet for her frustrations. Who cares that it's all bizarre-looking?
She laughs at Jin tricking the Shadows into believing that grenade was the real thing. So stupid, indeed. Now, didn't she hear about this trick once before? Maybe it was actually Jin who told her about it. What was it again...
As Noriaki expounds on it further, she slams a fist down upon her palm. "Oh, right, I know! It's, what's the word, 'cognition', right? What's important in here? As long as they think it's real it'll be real to them, that sorta thing?"
As all over the place as Niko tends to be with her thoughts, it's not like she doesn't remember things she was told once, a good while ago. Even if she didn't appear to be paying much attention at the time. Nodding to herself, she continues, "Seems legit. Not very different from out there, really. People see things and they just accept it, gotta be real! Seeing is believing, my ass. At least think about how much sense it makes first, geez."
That last part though... take out people's Shadows here and what, what happens!? She looks from Noriaki to Jin and back again, then pouts. "What, what's interesting? I wanna know, tell me!"
But whoops, wasted a little bit too much time talking, now there's a random encounter - a bunch of pixies form out of a shadowy amalgam and start a magical Zio assault! ...Which does very little to Niko and her Elec resistance. "All that buildup and that's it? My turn!" A short battle later...
'"Hey whoa! We surrender!"'
'"Do you feel big, bullying poor helpless little girls?"'
Niko shrugs. "Y'know, I ask people the same thing, and they're never sorry for picking on me. Isn't it the worst? It's the worst, isn't it?" Look how helpless she is! Yeah she pummeled those Pixies for a bit, but they started it. And given that, she doesn't look impressed by the following request to let them go. Even if her tone remains friendly.
"Oh really? Awfully nice that you're willing to let bygones be bygones." She casually folds her arms behind her head. "Well then, since we're all friends now, how about you help us out? Give us something nice maybe?" She turns her head to her fellow Strega members. "You guys got anything in mind?"
MONAD: Niko Kirisaki has acted with Happy-Go-Lucky toward Manic Pixie Dream Horde!?! Friendliness and Patra!
<Pose Tracker> Jin Shirato has posed.
Jin raises an eyebrow at Noriaki's words. "Yeah," he says cooly, eyeing him. "Did Takaya tell you? Or did somebody else?" If someone else told him, Jin was very interested in knowing _who_. It wasn't exactly common knowledge. Not even Niko knew.
Unfortunately, their little Shadow conversation is interrupted by a platoon of pixies. Jin's grip is tight on the handle of his metal suitcase. He's about to slam it directly into the group of them, but his arm only gets halfway up before Niko chirps away at the pixies.
Jin lets out a resigned sigh and lowers his arm. He supposes there's nothing wrong with letting Niko handle it her way. At least at moments like these where the stakes aren't very high.
Jin pushes his glasses up his nose with his middle finger. "I don't trust anyone else with my weapons," he says. So weapons -- at least for him -- are a no-go. "Information _could_ be helpful, but I'm not sure there's anything you know that I don't know already."
MONAD: Jin Shirato has acted with Guts toward Manic Pixie Dream Horde!?! Base!
<Pose Tracker> Noriaki Okaga has posed.
"Something like that," he tells Niko, shrugging expansively. At least he secured his machete before doing that. "Most Shadows down here... eh, they're a little different from the ones you run into in the Dark Hour." He flashes her a toothy grin. "You'll see! Won't be long now. But those Shadows up there? They're people! Or, at least some of 'em are. I ain't," and he shrugs again, "done any experimenting. You find the right one and do it in, though..."
He jerks his head towards Jin. Just barely, his eyes can be seen under the rise of his hood. "Maybe. Or maybe I did a little testin' of my own." Insouciant, he shrugs. "Pretty useful stuff, but you ain't gonna find just anybody down here... and it ain't easy to find the right person to start..."
His gaze sweeps ahead of him, towards the expanse of Mementos.
"And o'course, you also gotta deal with the,"
WANDERING SHADOW
"Tch. Bad timing. Well, c'mon! I ain't here to fuck around, kids!"
In short order, they make an example of the horde of Pixies, which promptly beg for mercy upon their surrender.
"Bullying? Heh," he says, spreading his hands before him, "That's a good one! Gonna plead innocent, are ya? I oughta pluck your wings off, for getting in my way!" But he turns his head towards Niko and Jin alike.
"...But maybe I'm feeling merciful, if you brats are feeling cooperative."
MONAD: Noriaki Okaga has acted with Guts toward Manic Pixie Dream Horde!?! Base! (|============================ Monad - Results =============================|) -==== Manic Pixie Dream Horde!? - Round 2 ===================================- Jin Shirato Guts Success Guts Base Fatigue: 0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Niko Kirisaki Charm Success Happy-Go-Lucky Friendliness and Patra Fatigue: 0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Noriaki Okaga Guts Success Guts Base Fatigue: 0 -============================ Party Conditions: =============================- Starting Conditions: Annoying-2, Clumsy-1, and Scary-1 Final Conditions: -====================================== Party Result: Success: Reach Up! ====- -==== Reach: 2/6 |== | ===================================================- (|=========================================================== Monad 1.1 ====|)
<Pose Tracker> Niko Kirisaki has posed.
Whatever 'experimenting' Noriaki has done, it isn't telling Niko anything about what the deal is here. And when Jin's being this secretive about it, it's probably something really big, too. It's frustrating not being in the loop, and she'd surely have said something more about it, if it hadn't been for that sudden random encounter. Just as well though, gives her a new outlet for those new frustrations. Things have a way of working out like that.
With Jin and Noriaki in no mood to play very nice about this, that leaves the resolution to Niko, who nods a few times in response to their words. "Right right, that makes sense. You see, Jin here knows pretty much everything, and his weapons are of the highest quality. And Noriaki here, he don't care about nothing, he'd slit his mama's throat for a nickel. Which meeeeans..."
With a grin, Niko leans forward, lowering her voice conspiratorily, even though it's still really easy for anyone nearby to hear what she's saying. "I'm the only one here interested in being your friend. Sooo... looks like it's me you gotta win over, if you wanna leave on friendly terms. Lucky for you, I know just the way you can do that!"
Shortly after, Niko waves the fleeing Pixies off before turning to her fellows, idly tossing up and catching one of the several 100 yen coins she newly acquired. Not exactly a large amount of money, but hey, money is money. "See? It's like I keep saying. It's nice to be friends, isn't it~?"
MONAD: Jin Shirato has drawn a new Challenge!
(|================ Monad - Mementos - Enter the Metaverse! =================|)
-==== Round 3: Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark - Challenge Level 2 ========-
| Approach Options: Academics or Guts |
| Conditions: Curse - -1 to Group Roll (Per Character), Stupor - Academics |
| Down L1, and Terrifying - Guts Down L2 |
-==== Challenge =============================================================-
It's very dark on this floor.
Too dark.
Before long, one hears the heart pounding sound of chains rattling in the
dark.
RUN!
You must run, your resonance tells you that if you don't, something awful
will happen.
Find your way down, or back up - or else.
Do you try to figure out where to go quickly based on where you've already
been, or do you charge blindly ahead into the dark, in the hopes of making
it out of here alive.
(|=========================================================== Monad 1.1 ====|)
<Pose Tracker> Jin Shirato has posed.
"Doesn't matter," Jin says cooly. But it _does_ in fact matter and Jin is annoyed that he can't get a straight answer out of Noriaki.
Then to Niko: "You're buying us drinks after we get out of here."
Jin _might_ be sulking a little bit as they continue to navigate the subway. As they do, the tunnels grow darker and quieter. Unease fills Jin as something menacing practically radiates off the wall.
And then he hears it.
Clank. Rattle. Clank.
The hairs on his arms rise and Jin blindly snatches the arms of his two fellow Strega members and yanks them after him. It's an unexpectedly hurried and careless move for someone who prides themselves on being so calculated. But they don't have time for Jin's usual practiced movements.
"We gotta move! We do _not_ want that thing finding us!"
Once he's confident they're properly motivated to move of their own volition, Jin lets his grip on them go. His tactics today? Listen to that sound and run like hell _away_ from it.
MONAD: Jin Shirato has acted with Guts toward Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark! Base!
<Pose Tracker> Noriaki Okaga has posed.
Noriaki mugs menacingly, more than happy to play the part. ...Is that playing? It's probably fine.
But in the end, the outcome seems pleasant enough: they get some money, and the Pixie Horde gets to live another day.
"Right," he says, seemingly ignorant of Jin's frustration his way. This may just be the way most people experience Noriaki's presence in their lives. "Look lively, now! We ain't here to just horse around," he says, clapping his hands together as it grows dark.
Very, very dark.
There's a clank and a rattle of chains. Noriaki goes stiff as a board. "Feels like someone just walked 'cross my--"
Dread settles into the pit of his stomach even as Jin grabs at his arm.
"Ain't gotta-- say that again!" he shouts back, breaking into a run himself.
Hie, hie, into the dark and all its unknown dangers...! 'Tis a better thing, than what awaits them behind.
Noriaki runs, and cares not what awaits him ahead.
MONAD: Noriaki Okaga has acted with Call of the Void toward Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark! Bravery and Efficient!
<Pose Tracker> Niko Kirisaki has posed.
"It definitely matters," Niko translates the Jin-speak without being asked. You're welcome, Jin. But then, such things should be expected when Niko doesn't get her way. Don't you know? She should be told things, all of the things, forever.
Aaand Jin gets her right back with the demand for drinks. "Aw, man! That'll take like, all of this I just got!" She makes a noise in protest, but that's ultimately the only protest as she throws her hands up in surrender. "Fine, fine. I guess that's fair. But whatever else I find today, finder's keepers, calling it now."
Not long after, darkness falls, in a very unnatural way. Niko just kind of looks about, guilelessly. "What's wrong with the lights over here? Didn't figure this place would have to deal with electrical probleeee--"
She didn't even get to finish her sentence before Jin suddenly grabs hold of her and starts to run. She'd be lying if she claimed she didn't have a bad feeling just now, but even she's struck silent by that hurried, impulsive move, that's not like him at all. Could he actually be... afraid? ...Haha, as if. Not a question she should ask aloud, regardless.
Once she's mentally caught up enough to run on her own, she asks instead, "So uhhh... you have any idea what we're running from, exactly? Sounds like someone I could along with, if they're rocking chains." She's got those wrapped around her waist too, jingling as she runs, far less ominously than the ones behind them.
"Chains're a thing that binds people together, y'know? Literally even." What is she babbling about at a time like this?? At least she's in good physical shape, she can babble perfectly fine while still keeping pace with Jin, no problem.
MONAD: Niko Kirisaki has acted with Guts toward Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark! Base! (|============================ Monad - Results =============================|) -==== Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark - Round 3 ===========================- Jin Shirato Guts Failure Guts Base Fatigue: 1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Niko Kirisaki Guts Success Guts Base Fatigue: 0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Noriaki Okaga Guts Success Call of the Void Bravery and Efficient Fatigue: 0 -============================ Party Conditions: =============================- Starting Conditions: Curse-0, Stupor-2, and Terrifying-2 Final Conditions: Stupor-1 and Terrifying-1 -================================================= Party Result: Failure ====- -==== Reach: 2/6 |== | ===================================================- (|=========================================================== Monad 1.1 ====|)
<Pose Tracker> Jin Shirato has posed.
Jin isn't particularly athletic; he spends most of his time indoors at his computer and most of the time, he's not running away from danger -- he's the one causing it. While his fellow Strega-members aren't winded at all, he's panting breathlessly. His feet get tangled up and he stumbles to the ground.
"D-Dammit," Jin says through gritted teeth, pushing himself up.
...at least the sound of chains isn't as pronounced now?
MONAD: Noriaki Okaga has drawn a new Challenge!
(|================ Monad - Mementos - Enter the Metaverse! =================|)
-==== Round 4: IS THAT THE GRIM REAPERRRRRR? - Challenge Level 4 ============-
| Approach Options: Proficiency or Guts |
| Conditions: Curse - -1 to Group Roll (Per Character), Ineptitude - |
| Proficiency Down L2, Reaper - Add 1 Fatigue., Stupor - Academics Down L1, |
| Terrifying - Guts Down L2, and Terrifying - Guts Down L2 |
-==== Challenge =============================================================-
Despite your best efforts, it caught up to you. And now you see it. An
enormous figure, towering, chains encircling its torso in a continuous
orbiting ouroboros, its face hidden by a hooded mask, each hand sporting a
long-barreled revolver of antique make.
IS THAT THE GRIM REAPER!?
Yes, yes it is.
Survive. It's recommended that you try to escape as soon as possible, though
it will do your best to prevent that.
OOC Note: There are no circumstances under which the party defeats the
Reaper at this time. Success is represented by running and surviving the
encounter.
(|=========================================================== Monad 1.1 ====|)
<Pose Tracker> Noriaki Okaga has posed.
"Hey," says Noriaki, reaching down a hand to Jin. His expression's gone serious, just like that. "Hanging in there?"
They're not close in the way that Jin, Chidori, and Takaya all are. They might have all suffered thanks to Kirijo, but until the day those three saved his sorry ass, he didn't know them at all. But they'd rescued him when he was at his lowest, and given him a place to live. And that's more than most people have done for him in his sorry life.
Noriaki isn't a good person. He's not even a particularly loyal person. But even a mean dog knows who kicks him and who pets him.
There's silence, for that one long moment.
It's still by far too short.
Something swoops out of the darkness, chains rattling, and a bullet fires off into their merry little band with a horrible crack. No one is hit...
...yet.
"Shit," growls Noriaki, letting go of Jin's hand. "Shit, shit... I ain't dyin' now! Not like this...! Piece of shit--! Hey! Shirato! Ni-chan!"
He gestures back, over one shoulder with his hand. "Gotta go!"
But of course, as he quickly finds, running's not so easy. A pitch-black missile of a bullet cracks into the floor too close to where one battered sneaker-clad shoe falls; Noriaki whirls about to find that the GRIM REAPER is dead-set on preventing an easy escape.
"Fuckin'," he spits out, tugging down his hood. He takes a step back. With both hands, he seems to try to 'frame' the entity between them, like he was preparing for a photograph. Then, as quickly as he can, he goes for his Evoker.
"EFNYSIEN!"
His cauldron-dwelling Persona draws back its rocking-horse flail and whirls it about overhead. It bursts into flames as he hurls its end like a meteor for a particular point on the Grim Reaper. This thing'll kill him if he doesn't get out of here, but if he doesn't try and stun it, or something, he's not going be able to run either.
MONAD: Noriaki Okaga has acted with Frame the Shot toward IS THAT THE GRIM REAPERRRRRR?! Diligence and Patra!
<Pose Tracker> Niko Kirisaki has posed.
As casual as Niko appeared to be under the circumstances, visible concern is all too quick to appear when Jin stumbles, and she halts immediately. "Jin-chan!"
...That was a slip. She tries to at least not call him that when others are around, especially those likely to give him a hard time over it. But she couldn't help it in the moment, it's the natural thing to call him!
But the current moment in time doesn't lend itself to making fun of each other. It might have been a little heartwarming, even. Had the Reaper not decided to mess it all up, with a bullet striking the ground in their midst.
"Shit!" she echoes Noriaki. Gotta go, he says, which sounds all well and good... but what about Jin? He already collapsed just now, is he really going to be able to escape this thing? Even if the Reaper had been inclined to give them a head start, she's not so sure. And that... leaves only one choice, doesn't it?
"...Hell no."
Niko unwraps the chain from her waist, heavy steel dropping to the floor with a dull thud. Her eyes narrow as she faces the threat our for their lives.
"You think I'm afraid of you?!"
She is. She's terrified. But what's even scarier is the thought of losing one of the few people in this world who gives a damn about her. ...Another one, perhaps. Even if she could never be sure how much Sudou ever truly cared, his presence was an important anchor for her. Faced with the possibility of losing another, there's only one choice she can make.
"PERSONA!"
With a shot from her Evoker, Ate is summoned, the giant stone-faced head launching a furious volley of Psi attacks, while Niko herself lashes out with the special carbon steel chain that Jin had previously arranged for her. "You like chains so much, see how you like this one!"
A psychic assault, as well as a physical one. Victory may be a doomed proposition, but if there is anything that can make this thing flinch, buy them a little time... given the slightest opening, she'll be ready to run, and help Jin along this time.
MONAD: Niko Kirisaki has acted with Just Smash It toward IS THAT THE GRIM REAPERRRRRR?! Focus and Efficient!
<Pose Tracker> Jin Shirato has posed.
A rush of gratitude floods Jin as Noriaki helps him to his feet and Niko stops entirely, just to make sure he's okay. It's an unfamiliar concept to Jin, who rarely feels the need to be grateful for anybody. But when the two of them don't gun it and leave him behind to meet the Grim Reaper, he feels a real sense of connection with the both of them.
"Thanks. I'm fine."
But that feeling quickly passes as the Grim Reaper descends upon them.
Shitshitshitshitshit.
There's no way they're going to be able to defeat this thing. You didn't have to have Jin's intellect to know this was a serious threat. But for now he follows the lead of the rest of his team. He unlatches his briefcase and hurls smoke grenade after smoke grenade in its direction. With any luck, Niko and Noriaki might have staggered it -- and Jin may have bought them some cover to escape.
MONAD: Jin Shirato has acted with Proficiency toward IS THAT THE GRIM REAPERRRRRR?! Base! (|============================ Monad - Results =============================|) -==== IS THAT THE GRIM REAPERRRRRR? - Round 4 ===============================- Jin Shirato Proficiency Success Proficiency Base Fatigue: 2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Niko Kirisaki Guts Failure Just Smash It Focus and Efficient Fatigue: 2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Noriaki Okaga Proficiency Success Frame the Shot Diligence and Patra Fatigue: 1 -============================ Party Conditions: =============================- Starting Conditions: Curse-0, Ineptitude-2, Reaper-0, Stupor-1, Terrifying-1, and Terrifying-2 Final Conditions: Terrifying-1 -================================================= Party Result: Failure ====- -==== Reach: 2/6 |== | ===================================================- (|=========================================================== Monad 1.1 ====|)
<Pose Tracker> Noriaki Okaga has posed.
They spit their defiance at the Reaper, trying their best to force an opening, to carve their escape. Winning isn't possible, but surely, they can still stun it long enough to escape?
As it happens, yes, but not without first the Grim Reaper taking its pound of flesh. Noriaki leans against the wall heavily once they finally, finally slip the thing's reach.
He stays like that for a long moment, his injured arm cradled against his stomach, listening for anything that could betray their assailant's continued approach.
Finally, he peels himself away and shakes his head. "Think we lost 'em," he says. "Shit. Ain't run into that that shit before..."
He glances at the both of them, his grey eyes betraying his own momentary uncertainity about what they'd all just faced and escaped. Noriaki reaches back to at last to tug his hood back up.
"C'mon. Gonna take more'n that to do me in!" He waves a bloodied hand broadly, overhead.
MONAD: Niko Kirisaki has drawn a new Challenge!
(|================ Monad - Mementos - Enter the Metaverse! =================|)
-==== Round 5: Victim Blaming - Challenge Level 2 ===========================-
| Approach Options: Understanding or Guts |
| Conditions: Boss - Add 1 Fatigue on failure., Stony - Understanding Down |
| L2, Terrifying - Guts Down L2, and Terrifying - Guts Down L2 |
-==== Challenge =============================================================-
You reach the subway platform! Ahead of you is a towering slab of black
stone, with red engravings etched into it, blocking the path deeper.
Unfortunately there's a Shadow here too.
The man's distortion warps the stagnant air around it, as it stands there,
obsessively mumbling to himself.
"Damn bitch. She wouldn't listen to me that's why I had to do it."
Is he talking about a murder in reality!?
But the man's Shadow looks up at your group, and his face turns into an
angry grimace.
"You're here to judge me!? ME? You're all the same - everyone of you
thinking useless trash like her is the victim."
You don't have long before he's going to transform - you can feel it in the
air, but you don't have much further to go either.
Maybe you can keep him calm long enough before he transforms into:
https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/megamitensei/images/c/c4/SMT_III_Oni_Compr
essed.png
Assuming, you want to. Many may not even desire to try and would prefer to
charge right in. Distracting him is of course an option!
OOC Note: This is not a target known to the Phantom Thieves of Hearts, and
thus would not have a calling card sent to him at this time. Killing him is
possible, if you're that persuasion of character, otherwise you'll have to
subdue him.
(|=========================================================== Monad 1.1 ====|)
<Pose Tracker> Niko Kirisaki has posed.
Well. Those guns clearly weren't just for show. But Niko will take a bloodied shoulder over feeling more alone in this world. Running at the first sign of an opening, she uses her good hand to grab Jin's and pull him along this time, urging, "Go, just go!" They can worry about injuries once they've gotten a good amount of distance covered.
It takes a long sprint to reach the stairs down, but it seems the Reaper is ill inclined to follow to the subway platform the group finds themselves at. Niko isn't about to question it, grimacing as she grips her right shoulder tightly. "Fuck, it really hurts," she finally takes the time to complain. That was a lot more than she expected on this venture, she'll have to come better prepared if there's a next time.
As if to add insult to injury, another voice up ahead spouts vulgarities about someone who wouldn't listen so he 'had to do it'. Doesn't sound very open to interpretation to Niko. And it isn't doing any good for her mood right now.
"Look, you. I have had. A very. Bad. Day. Alright? You don't wanna be talking any shit around me right now. So here's the deal. You fuck off right now, and you won't be having an even worse day. Got it?"
Arguing with Niko is usually enough of a recipe for disaster as it is. But arguing with a Niko who is in no mood to be friendly is an especially bad proposition. When the Shadow continues to rant and rave about being judged, and how everyone takes 'her' side, she has quickly had enough.
"You think I give a shit? If you want me to pretend you're not trash yourself, or any of that even matters, you caught me on the wrong day. Get outta my face."
Niko isn't going to be de-escalating this one, clearly. She's also not in much of a mood to fight, but she absolutely will summon her Persona to do just that in the likely event that the Shadow transforms.
MONAD: Niko Kirisaki has acted with Just Smash It toward Victim Blaming! Focus and Efficient! <Pose Tracker> Jin Shirato has posed.
Jin is exhausted. His knee is busted and he's limping. And he's completely out-of-breath. He'd almost be ashamed to show this level of weakness, even among the other members of Strega, if he weren't too tired to care.
"Yeah, you do _not_ want to run into 'em if you can help it," Jin manages between pants. That, Jin knows from experience. And it was part of the reason why he was so frazzled earlier when he heard the oh-so-familiar sound of those chains. "Once we get back, Chidori should be able to get us back to full health, so let's just try to make it out of here in one piece."
Chidori's healing could do a lot of this, but it could not raise any of them back from the dead. As far as Jin knows.
But there's one last obstacle in their way. And Niko could have practically taken the words straight from Jin's mouth.
"I don't really care who you are or what you did, but if you're going to stop us from getting out of here, we're going to have a _real_ problem."
How big of a problem?
Jin casually tosses a grenade up and then catches it. Just in case he didn't catch it the first time, he does it again. If the man didn't get the jist of it before, he probably has a pretty good idea of the answer now.
A pretty big one.
MONAD: Jin Shirato has acted with Guts toward Victim Blaming! Base!
<Pose Tracker> Noriaki Okaga has posed.
So much for a little field trip. They're roughed up enough that running into a strong Shadow could be dangerous, assuming the Reaper doesn't just catch up to them again!
"Tch. Next time, we should take Yoshino," he says as they tread along, as if in partial agreement with Jin. "Or get our hands on some cards, or somethin'. We didn't get too deep, though. Stairs should be right ahead, and then we're home free..."
Some medicine'd be a good idea too, he considers, keeping a sharp look out as they move along.
There's trouble ahead. And of all the things that could bar their path, it's...
"Well, well..."
His head moves as if tracking the Shadow.
"See that? ...That's a person," he says, that smile of his inching its way back onto his face. He indicates towards Niko with a tilt of his head. "If something unfortunate happened to this bastard, heh..." He gestures towards the Shadow. "Interesting to think about! ...Too bad we ain't exactly in the right shape to try it out."
He gestures at the Shadow again, more dismissively than before. "Consider yourself lucky! I ain't got time for a demonstration. Now, get outta here!"
MONAD: Noriaki Okaga has acted with Guts toward Victim Blaming! Base!
(|============================ Monad - Results =============================|)
-==== Victim Blaming - Round 5 ==============================================-
Jin Shirato Guts Success
Guts Base Fatigue: 2
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Niko Kirisaki Guts Success
Just Smash It Focus and Efficient Fatigue: 2
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Noriaki Okaga Guts Failure
Guts Base Fatigue: 3
-============================ Party Conditions: =============================-
Starting Conditions: Boss-0, Stony-2, Terrifying-1, and Terrifying-2
Final Conditions: Stony-1 and Terrifying-1
-====================================== Party Result: Success: Reach Up! ====-
-==== Reach: 4/6 |==== | ===================================================-
(|=========================================================== Monad 1.1 ====|)
(|================ Monad - Mementos - Enter the Metaverse! =================|)
-==== Round 6: Cruel and Unusual Punishment? - Challenge Level 1 ============-
| Approach Options: None |
| Conditions: Revelation - The best result. |
-==== Challenge =============================================================-
You passed by that wall before, now you check it again.
Knock Knock.
Knock knock.
As the hollow echo greets you, it only takes a miniscule application of
force before the wall comes down.
The room is full of chests, and no Shadows, jackpot!
>You gain 20000 yen!
>You gain a Black Kogatana!
Wait what's that? Curious Well, you'd best hold onto it.
The next time one visits the Velvet Room or the Time Castle, they indicate
with enough Tarot Cards, they can place the essence of a Persona within it.
OOC Note: You have learned of an option of what to do with Tarot Cards for
non-Wild Cards. Keep track of the Tarot Cards all of you earn throughout
Monads!
(|=========================================================== Monad 1.1 ====|)
<Pose Tracker> Niko Kirisaki has posed.
Reasoning with a Shadow can be difficult at the best of times, inflexible as they tend to be in their convictions. A violent confrontation is typically inevitable if you want them to change their position even a little bit.
But what if that's not what you want? What if you just entirely don't give a shit, and make it clear you're ready to become a considerable problem for the Shadow's continued existence? Trash talk that remains unrelated to the central matter on its mind, how will that go over?
"Y-you think you can intimidate me?" The hitch in the Shadow's voice already makes it clear that yes, you definitely can, and probably already have. Maybe Niko's words by themselves wouldn't have been enough, but the Shadow's golden eyes widen considerably at the sight of grenades. "Wh-wha...? B-be careful with those, are you insane?!"
With Noriaki completing the implied threat, the Shadow's previously menacing aura seems to subside, self-preservation instinct winning out as the man nervously tugs at his collar. "Y-you really don't care, do you? Then, uh, I... I'll just be on my way. Yeah... e-excuse me!"
Niko lets out a tired breath as the Shadow retreats. "Good riddance. Can we leave now?" And leave they can... through a room full of treasure no less. THAT brings back at least some of Niko's cheer, who is quick to go, "Finder's keepers, finder's keepers, I called it!"
Though she won't make a big fuss about sharing, in the end... as long as there's a decent enough amount left in it for her. Gotta compensate for lack of fun with something, right?