2026-10-16: Sibling Bickering
- Log: 2026-10-16: Sibling Bickering
- Cast: Kasumi Yoshizawa (also NPCing Morgana), Ren Amamiya, Ichika Kawase, Ann Takamaki, Tsubasa Seki, Yusuke Kitagawa
- Where: Odaiba, Mystery Palace
- OOC Date: October 16, 2026
- IC Date: January 25, 2013
- Summary: The chase is on! The Kasumi and Morgana duo enter the mystery palace, aiming to blaze a trail straight to the treasure! However, they're stopped by a strange, cognitive Shadow... of Kasumi's sister? A fiendishly powerful Shadow fights off the duo, as The Phantoms arrive to save the pair!
- Content Warnings: Attempted re-traumatization, sibling death, sibling verbal abuse
<Pose Tracker> Kasumi Yoshizawa has posed.
??? Palace
Kasumi and Morgana land safely on the section part of the lobby, past the barred elevator. The freshly made grappling hook zips back onto Kasumi's wrist. "Now, I see why Joker-senpai likes using this thing so much!" Belle says to her fellow Thief with a laugh. "That's so much fun!"
They, Mona and Kasumi have been challenged by the Phantom Thieves. If they can't reach the treasure first, then the pairing must join with the Phantoms! It's a pretty exciting wager, but Kasumi has no intention of losing. Never have, never will.
While Mona goes off to look for an elevator key card to make future infiltrations easier, Belle takes a look around in the other direction. As she walks through the pure white, clinical Palace a headache starts to set in. Or is it a heartache? She spots an entrance and... feels something compelling her.
In a move that is very well not advised... Belle splits the party and goes running off. The way seems to open up for her, until...
"Sumire!"
"Kasumi!"
She runs straight into her sister. The younger Yoshizawa is pretty much identical to the elder, except the duplicate has brown hair, and a beauty mark underneath her left eye.
"Sis." The brunette places her hand over her heart as she leans forward. "You have to leave."
"You... aren't her..." Belle mumbles. Then, like white blood cells rushing to the invaders, the redhead experiences a heavy headache. Voices invade her mind.
"brutal thank you routine lunch tall as apples my right as nutrition same grade dreams things...better... apologize watch...red... dreams stop... not a bad thing"
"..su.."
"..mi.."
"Sumire!"
"YOU AREN'T SUMIRE!" Belle yells in a rare moment of genuine anger. She grabs her rapier and tears the blade from the scabbard and points it at the fake. Her hand shudders uncontrollably. "I won't let you wear her face anymore!"
The fake gives a look full of pity. "If words will not eject you, then force must." The cognitive person collapses into blackness, turning into a Palace Shadow. A Maria. "My poor, pitiful sister. You've never beaten me before. You won't start now."
Mona arrives just in time to see the fake transform. "That's a Shadow masquerading as my sister." Belle says to fill Mona in. "I can't let this stand. Please, help me defeat it."
----
The resulting battle is rough. The Maria, 'Javotte' as she's called, eviscerates the duo. The room is pouring rain, hard. Javotte prepares a blast of water towards Belle, who gets ready to brace. Staring down the spiraling water. But then she's hit from the side. No, she's pushed?
'Belle!'
"Mo...na?" Everything goes slow. She watches as her friend, the adorable Mona pushes her out of the way. His big, round eyes... What... What does this... remind her of? Then, the water meets cat, sending him flying. It's a pretty nasty hit, with the steam coming off the attack. "Mona? Mona!" Belle says. "No...!"
Javotte looms. "This is your fault, sister." It says. "You should never have come here. This is for spurning my Lord's grace." The Maria charges another attack, to finish Mona off. Another Hydro Cannon gets sent his way...
AS: Kasumi Yoshizawa has readied for combat as Javotte! She is now fully healed! Ready for 4 opponents! | Crt_Up added to your status!
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
By pure coincidence, The Phantoms have come to the mystery Palace in Odaiba today too. It's a chance for Ren to show everyone (well, everyone who could make it today) where it is--because god knows the Meta-Nav still won't display the name--so they can enter with them and get it in their Meta-Navs too for future access. Not everyone is here, of course, but as long as some of the team is here, they may as well do an initial foray, right?
They too swoop in thanks to Joker's grappling wire. Just ahead, there's a vicious fight going on between a Shadow and Belle and Mona. The Phantoms land just in time to see Mona knock Belle out of the way and take a brutal hit for her.
"!!" Joker utters, eyes widening behind their mask as Belle calls out to him.
This is your fault, sister. You should never have come here. This is for spurning my Lord's grace.
A part of Joker wonders what the Shadow means by literally all of that. The rest is already in motion as it charges up another attack aimed at Mona. But will one of the others beat them there first?
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
The Phantoms! Ichika is glad for the wager--it gives her hope about Mona... and even if they fail, it might mean that they part on better terms. Not that they plan to fail--Ichika sure doesn't. She didn't work as hard as she has to let Mona slip away now. He's their ally... and their friend.
But dressed as Ogre, Ichika wanders in with Joker and some of the others, swooping in. "Whew!" Ogre says. "That's always--"
Mona takes the hit. Ogre's eyes widen underneath her mask. She doesn't know what's going on, but--
"MONA!"
Ogre hits the ground and sprints, skidding to a stop right in front of Mona with her golden shield held straight out for the attack.
"Fuck off!"
...The expletive might ruin what was otherwise an elegant rescue, but Ogre has planted her feet and gathered herself up behind her shield, intent on saving her friend.
AS: Yusuke Kitagawa has readied for combat as Goemon! He is now fully healed!
<Pose Tracker> Ann Takamaki has posed.
"This place is... really, really creepy..."
This is the main throughline of the Phantom Thief Panther's thoughts as they navigate through this new, unknown Palace. And it's the pervading sense that she's gotten since they stepped foot in here. It's not necessarily the aesthetics; the place is beautiful, eerily so. But it's just...
Sterile?
Like something scrubbed of imperfection and fault.
She can't give words to the feelings, of course. And so she just expresses it another way: by hugging herself, shivering, and announcing, "Ughh. _Seriously_ making my skin crawl...!" to underscore the fact that she thinks this is all really skeevy. There is, at least, one thing she can give voice to:
"... This is weird, right? I don't remember a Palace we've been to where we don't know the ruler already..."
Kamoshida, maybe, for Ren and Ryuji. But that, too, was strange circumstances, wasn't it? The anomaly that started all this.
"D'you think--"
Whatever she might have to say is stalled by the sound of violence. Behind her panther mask, Ann's eyes snap wide. Someone's fighting -- and there's only two other people who could possibly be here (besides the Black Mask (oh god did she just jinx it--))
"Belle! MONA!!"
~ <3 ~
A golden shield springs to life in front of Mona as Ogre interposes herself between him and certain death. And almost immediately after--
"NOBODY hurts Mona on our watch!!"
FWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH
A sudden deluge of roaring flame rushes in from around the two of them, crashing into the polished grounds and flooding towards Javotte furiously as Panther lands beside Ogre not a second later, Carmen indolently lounging on her servitors and puffing her freshly-lit cigar not far behind.
"Belle! Mona! Are you okay?!"
Wait.
--Sister--?
AS: Persona! Ann Takamaki has used the Fire skill Fire Breath on Kasumi Yoshizawa! 3 Hits! | Pressure: Ann Takamaki gains 1 Limit!
AS: Kasumi Yoshizawa has readied for combat with Javotte! She is adjusted! Ready for 5 opponents!
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
Something comes for Mona...
... and Phoenix comes for Javotte.
"EAT SHIT, FUCKWAD!"
That's the bellowing warcry which cleaves through Ann's flames, the massive form of a chicken-legged hut appearing briefly as her fire seems to wrap around Phoenix's greatsword -- though indeed, it's really Izbushka's flames -- to slam it into that shadowy foe with the force of a thousand incredibly pissed off birds.
AS: Tandem! Tsubasa Seki has used the Fire skill Firebrand on Kasumi Yoshizawa! 2 Hits! AS: Ann Takamaki has readied for combat as Carmen! She is now fully healed! AS: Tsubasa Seki cancels 2 attacks on Kasumi Yoshizawa. AS: Tsubasa Seki has readied for combat as Izbushka na Kur'ih Nozhkah! They are now fully healed! AS: Persona! Ann Takamaki has used the Fire skill Fire Breath on Kasumi Yoshizawa! 3 Hits! | Pressure: Ann Takamaki gains 1 Limit!
AS: Tandem! Tsubasa Seki has used the Fire skill Firebrand on Kasumi Yoshizawa! 2 Hits!
<Pose Tracker> Yusuke Kitagawa has posed.
At the sight of Belle and Mona in peril, the Phantoms move as one - silently, unanimously, and inexorably.
As Ogre raises her shield against Javotte's high-pressure blast, Panther and Phoenix unleash a combined assault of flame and sword upon her.
Finally, a black-stained katana reflects the fire, flicker-flashing through to cut into the peculiar imitator-Shadow. Fox flourishes, flicking his blade out to one side and then raising it into a hanging guard. "Don't think you'll get to have your way, fiend!"
He glances to Belle, then Mona. "Are you two alright?"
AS: Weapon! Yusuke Kitagawa has used the Slash skill Katana Combo on Kasumi Yoshizawa! 2 Hits! | Pressure: Yusuke Kitagawa gains 1 Limit!
AS: Avoid: Great Success! Kasumi Yoshizawa takes 64 Fire damage from Ann Takamaki's Fire Breath. Critical Hit! Weak! AS: Avoid: Failure! Kasumi Yoshizawa takes 68 Fire damage from Ann Takamaki's Fire Breath. Weak! AS: Avoid: Critical Success! Kasumi Yoshizawa takes 0 Fire damage from Ann Takamaki's Fire Breath. Weak! AS: Avoid: Critical Success! Kasumi Yoshizawa takes 0 Fire damage from Ann Takamaki's Fire Breath. Critical Hit! Weak! AS: Avoid: Critical Success! Kasumi Yoshizawa takes 0 Fire damage from Ann Takamaki's Fire Breath. Critical Hit! Weak! AS: Avoid: Failure! Kasumi Yoshizawa takes 72 Fire damage from Ann Takamaki's Fire Breath. Weak! AS: Avoid: Critical Success! Kasumi Yoshizawa takes 0 Fire damage from Tsubasa Seki's Firebrand. Critical Hit! Weak! AS: Avoid: Critical Failure! Kasumi Yoshizawa takes 159 Fire damage from Tsubasa Seki's Firebrand. Critical Hit! Weak! AS: Avoid: Success! Kasumi Yoshizawa takes 51 Slash damage from Yusuke Kitagawa's Katana Combo. Critical Hit! AS: Avoid: Success! Kasumi Yoshizawa takes 51 Slash damage from Yusuke Kitagawa's Katana Combo. Critical Hit!
<Pose Tracker> Kasumi Yoshizawa has posed.
The hydro cannon slams against Orge's shield. The force gradually peppers off, as Javotte turns her attention to the newcomers and coos. "Oh, you brought more friends, sis?" The Palace Shadow lets out a laugh. "/She/'s never friends before. She always clung so close to me, you know..." From the ground, Belle casts a spell to try and silence the shadow. The three light arrows are sent flying, pinging off harmlessly. "Touchy.~ It's no matter. Please, take care of my ridiculous sister, she's awful at showing her /true feelings."
"Now... I must ask you take her and the cat and leave my Master's realm."
"Ogre?!" Mona says, looking up at Ogre's impressive, protective figure! And all of the Phantom Thieves too! He's thrilled that everyone came, but... "Everyone, you followed us?! It's too dangerous-" This shadow is way too strong! They might have to retreat!
"Please!" Belle cuts in instead, as she struggles to her feet again. "This shadow is pretending to my sister. I can't let it use her face!" She cries out.
Mona shakes his head. Well, maybe with everyone together, now... "I'll focus on support then! It's resistant to Light, and neutral to wind. Give me a second for a proper scan!" He calls as he falls back.
With Belle's protestations, and the Phantom Thieves answering with attacks of their own, Javotte tuts, tuts, tuts... "You've grown so stubborn, sis. You should know when you're outmatched." The Shadow lets out a wave of attacks! First, she brings the rain in closer to defend her. Then, utilizes the heavy rains to attack her foes!
AS: Persona! Kasumi Yoshizawa has used the Recovery skill Rain Dance on Kasumi Yoshizawa! AS: Take: ! Kasumi Yoshizawa takes 0 Recovery healing from Kasumi Yoshizawa's Rain Dance. | Fire_Wall (Fire Affinity Up!) added!
AS: Persona! Kasumi Yoshizawa has used the Water skill Heavy Rain on Ann Takamaki, Tsubasa Seki, and Ichika Kawase! | Aggression: Kasumi Yoshizawa gains 1 Limit!
AS: Persona! Kasumi Yoshizawa has used the Water skill Torrenting Rain on Ren Amamiya and Yusuke Kitagawa! AS: Avoid: Success! Ren Amamiya takes 89 Water damage from Kasumi Yoshizawa's Torrenting Rain. AS: Avoid: Critical Success! Yusuke Kitagawa takes 0 Water damage from Kasumi Yoshizawa's Torrenting Rain. Critical Hit! Resist! AS: Block: Critical Failure! Ichika Kawase takes 99 Water damage from Kasumi Yoshizawa's Heavy Rain. Weak! AS: Avoid: Failure! Ann Takamaki takes 228 Water damage from Kasumi Yoshizawa's Heavy Rain. Critical Hit! Weak! AS: Counter: Critical Failure! Tsubasa Seki takes 155 Water damage from Kasumi Yoshizawa's Heavy Rain. Critical Hit! | COUNTER! Kasumi Yoshizawa takes 38 Slash damage in return for her attack
AS: Yusuke Kitagawa spends Limit on Shift! Tsubasa Seki can use another Weak skill this round! AS: Ann Takamaki spends Limit on Shift! Ichika Kawase can use another Weak skill this round! Hyper (Next Attack Boosted/Incoming Damage Down!) applied to Ichika Kawase! They both receive 8 SP and 30 HP! AS: Tsubasa Seki spends Limit on Shift! Yusuke Kitagawa can use another Weak skill this round!
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Even without being directed, The Phantoms are on the same page. The Palace is eerie and sterile; none of them will tolerate Mona getting hurt. Ogre takes her shield and takes up a stance between him and the Shadow just in time to block the attack, and Panther and Phoenix display their outrage the best way they individually and jointly can: with copious amounts of fire. Fox follows up with copious amounts of sword, likewise jointly with Phoenix.
Joker, seeing that Ogre has Mona covered, changes trajectory over towards Belle, to whom he offers a hand up as she's struggling to her feet. His eyes narrow as she explains what's going on. A Shadow pretending to be her sister...? "We won't let it," they promise. Once she's steady, they whirl around, coattails flapping in their wake.
While Mona works on support, they observe that Javotte took extra damage from Panther and Phoenix's attacks--but it's also raised a barrier of rain to defend itself from fire--and then blasts out more water at everyone assembled. Joker leaps up to narrowly avoid an attack, helping Belle too if needed, but this Shadow really is a powerful one. Just getting away, especially with Belle too, took all their effort.
"Dangerous or not, we won't let this Shadow mess with our friends," they declare, glancing at Mona and nodding to Belle. They splay a hand over their mask, which goes up in blue fire. "Arsène! Ravage their speed!!"
The Great Thief arises above Joker, black wings spread wide, and beckons towards Javotte with a clawed finger. Green light pulls something from her--and her reactionary speed should decrease as a result.
It really is leaning hard on pretending to be Belle's sister, though, huh...
AS: Persona! Ren Amamiya has used the Almighty skill Sukunda on Kasumi Yoshizawa! | Ruin: Ren Amamiya gains 1 Limit!
AS: Take: ! Kasumi Yoshizawa takes 0 Almighty damage from Ren Amamiya's Sukunda. | Spd_Dn (Avoid Penalized!) added!
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
There's a lot of weird at this place. Ogre isn't thinking about it too much in the moment, but in the time after the water stops crashinga gainst her shield she has time to notice a lot more. There's the unusual, pure white; tehre's the fact that they don't know whot he Ruler is. And...
Belle, shouting about her sister.
"It's cool, Mona," Ogre says. "I've got you."
They might have to retreat, huh?
"Sounds like she doesn't want to! Do we know who this 'master' is?"
The second blast, from above, is harder to block. Ichika can't get her shield up in time and hisses as the supernaturally-empwoered water crashes down at her. "Ugh--"
"Momiji! Keep us up!" Ogre rips off her mask again, and in the blue flames Momiji rises, the sleeve of her kimono catching the spectral light as she extends a clawed hand. Healing light sprkles down around Panther and Phoenix, while Ogre herself rises back to her feet.
"Not done yet!"
AS: Persona! Ichika Kawase has used the Recovery skill Diarama on Ann Takamaki! | Support: Ichika Kawase gains 1 Limit!
AS: Ichika Kawase spends Limit on Shift! Ann Takamaki can use another Weak skill this round! Hyper (Next Attack Boosted/Incoming Damage Down!) applied to Ann Takamaki! They both receive 8 SP and 30 HP! AS: Persona! Ichika Kawase has used the Recovery skill Dia on Tsubasa Seki! AS: Take: ! Ann Takamaki takes 200 Recovery healing from Ichika Kawase's Diarama. AS: Take: ! Tsubasa Seki takes 147 Recovery healing from Ichika Kawase's Dia.
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
"... it's jus' a Cognition or some shit, right?" If it were a Shadow, it would be the Ruler, wouldn't it? Can Kasumi's sister really have a Palace like this...? Phoenix froms, and assures Belle, gruffly: "Be cool."
A beat,
"Shit's weird, yeah."
(They've met themself, in a place like this... similar sorta deal.)
Ogre's healing drapes over them, though, and with those healing sparkles Phoenix straightens from where they'd slouched over their sword. "Too right!" They snap back at her, and their enthusiasm could easily be read as aggression.
Being fair, they're rather aggressive... towards that Shadow, anyway. "Let's go!" They call, to Yusuke, and charge forward, their sword sending sparks up from the sterile ground as they carve a path which ends with a foot thrust forward to wrench their momentum in a sideways swing.
They spin around entirely as they do so.
AS: Weapon! Tsubasa Seki has used the Slash skill Greatsword Destruction on Kasumi Yoshizawa! 2 Hits! | Aggression: Tsubasa Seki gains 1 Limit!
AS: Persona! Tsubasa Seki has used the Recovery skill Matarukaja on Tsubasa Seki, Ann Takamaki, Yusuke Kitagawa, and Ren Amamiya!
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
Izbushka is also here! There is a red light! The red light is bad news for fakers.
AS: Take: ! Tsubasa Seki takes 0 Recovery healing from Tsubasa Seki's Matarukaja. | Atk_Up (Damage Up!) added!
AS: Take: ! Ann Takamaki takes 0 Recovery healing from Tsubasa Seki's Matarukaja. | Atk_Up (Damage Up!) added!
<Pose Tracker> Ann Takamaki has posed.
Behind her mask, Ann Takamaki's brows scrunch inward until the bridge of her nose wrinkles. Sister? The Shadow talks to her in such a familiar way, too. Is this Palace connected to Kasumi somehow--?
Panther is briefly lost in thought over this. It isn't long enough.
"Wait -- what the heck's it doi-- oh crap!!"
But it's enough.
The magic pitter patter of rain draws inward like a veil around Javotte, before flooding outward like a monsoon. Panther tries her best to spring out of the way -- but it's, unfortunately, much too late.
"AH!" The scarlet-clad Phantom Thief's cry of pain is a sharp, short thing, cut off with decisively violence as those rains sweep her and Carmen up in their storm, dousing their passionate flames with the one thing both fire AND cats hate most: excessive water. Torn away from Mona, Ann goes crashing back-first into a nearby wall, landing on hands and knees with a sharp, coughing gasp.
"Ughh... she hits way too hard..." A gloved hand grips at her upraised knee, trembling slightly...
... but as she rises, she feels that warm rush of healing light spark that fire within her once more, and that willful stare ignites with renewed passion behind that red mask. As Phoenix's bolstering power rushes through her, fierce grin blooms at pink lips.
"Thanks, Ogre! Thanks, Phoenix!" she calls out, before focusing the whole of her attention on the strange Shadow.
Let's go!
"Heck yeah!"
For now, she tables thoughts on who exactly this 'Master' is supposed to be, and how she keeps calling Kasumi sister.
What matters in the moment--
"Hey. Didn't you hear me?! There's no way in hell I'm letting you hurt ANY of our fellow Thieves!!"
-- is protecting their own.
Carmen ignites to life. Her doused cigar re-lighting with Ann's pure passion, she draws deep of it--
"So you--"
And then inhales in a massive veil of noxious, acrid cigar smoke, blowing past Javotte like a fog. That smoke clings at the rainy barrier it erected, eating away at those defenses--
Just as Ann punctures through the smoke, flaming whip in hand and swinging.
"-- can BACK OFF FROM BELLE TOO!!"
Crack! Crack!
Swinging hard.
AS: Persona! Ann Takamaki has used the Almighty skill Fire Break on Kasumi Yoshizawa! | Pressure: Ann Takamaki gains 1 Limit!
AS: Tandem! Ann Takamaki has used the Fire skill Firebrand on Kasumi Yoshizawa! 2 Hits! AS: Take: ! Yusuke Kitagawa takes 0 Recovery healing from Tsubasa Seki's Matarukaja. | Atk_Up (Damage Up!) added!
AS: Take: ! Ren Amamiya takes 0 Recovery healing from Tsubasa Seki's Matarukaja. | Atk_Up (Damage Up!) added!
<Pose Tracker> Yusuke Kitagawa has posed.
As Joker calls Arsene forth to slow their foe, Fox lifts a hand to his mask in tandem. "Goemon, come forth! Grant us peerless speed!"
Icy mist ripples across the room, coalescing around himself, Joker, Panther, Phoenix and Fox with a brisk frisson that lends them haste. Perhaps that will tip the odds in their favour, enough to drive back this powerful Shadow and regroup.
"Got it!" he replies to Phoenix as power surges through him, and with Goemon still looming over him, he lunges, blade and kiseru pipe dancing in tandem as he takes the fight to Javotte!
AS: Persona! Yusuke Kitagawa has used the Slash skill Arm Chopper on Kasumi Yoshizawa! | Pressure: Yusuke Kitagawa gains 1 Limit!
AS: Persona! Yusuke Kitagawa has used the Almighty skill Masukukaja on Ren Amamiya, Tsubasa Seki, Ann Takamaki, and Yusuke Kitagawa! AS: Take: ! Yusuke Kitagawa takes 0 Almighty damage from Yusuke Kitagawa's Masukukaja. | Spd_Up (Avoid Improved!) added!
AS: Take: ! Ann Takamaki takes 0 Almighty damage from Yusuke Kitagawa's Masukukaja. | Spd_Up (Avoid Improved!) added! AS: Avoid: Critical Failure! Kasumi Yoshizawa takes 131 Slash damage from Tsubasa Seki's Greatsword Destruction. AS: Avoid: Success! Kasumi Yoshizawa takes 84 Slash damage from Tsubasa Seki's Greatsword Destruction. AS: Avoid: Critical Success! Kasumi Yoshizawa takes -0 Almighty damage from Ann Takamaki's Fire Break. | Fire_Wall removed!
AS: Avoid: Great Success! Kasumi Yoshizawa takes 72 Fire damage from Ann Takamaki's Firebrand. Weak! AS: Avoid: Critical Failure! Kasumi Yoshizawa takes 121 Fire damage from Ann Takamaki's Firebrand. Weak! AS: Avoid: Critical Failure! Kasumi Yoshizawa takes 255 Slash damage from Yusuke Kitagawa's Arm Chopper. Critical Hit! AS: Take: ! Tsubasa Seki takes 0 Almighty damage from Yusuke Kitagawa's Masukukaja. | Spd_Up (Avoid Improved!) added!
<Pose Tracker> Kasumi Yoshizawa has posed.
Belle gladly takes Joker's hand, and is able to stand on her own strength. "Thank you, Joker-senpai." She murmurs. "You saved me yet again." She can't quite meet Joker's gaze, instead looking down. They promise to defeat the shadow for her, and she nods. "I'll do my best to support everyone." She promises, as she too, has to back off for a moment, using Diarama on herself.
Ichika asks about Javotte's master. "I don't! The Metanav isn't telling me either."
"You still don't know, sis?" Javotte asks with a laugh. "You always did take longer to learn a routine, sis."
Still- Arsene tears up Javotte's speed. If this is Belle's sister, slowing her down is needed. This gives time for Ogre to start healing.
Tsubasa wonders whether it's just a cognition... "It has to be someone's cognition! This is not Sumire!" Belle is firm on that. "But... whose?"
"'This isn't Sumire', she says!" Javotte repeats in a mocking tone. Then, more seriously, "If words will not cause you all to leave, then force must."
Phoenix smashes hard with their great sword with a stylish spin move, and a red light blasting the faker! Ann shreds the fire wall, and smashes it's weak point with flames, turning the water into steam! Yusuke gets in on the fun, speeding up his allies and lunging with a powerful Arm Chopper! Cracks are showing in the Javotte's marble skin.
"This is how it's done, sis!" Not one to take an opportunity to degrade Belle laying down, Javotte goes back to mocking her 'sister'. She prepares to shield herself again, while powering up her attacks. "I am the perfect Yoshizawa! Leave, or be destroyed!" She calls as another wave of attacks come flying out!
"Scan completed!" Mona calls out! "'Javotte' is sometimes weak to Fire, and weak to Strike! It's also strong against Water. When the water barrier's down, burn her!"
AS: Kasumi Yoshizawa spends Limit on Favor! AS: Persona! Kasumi Yoshizawa has used the Water skill Hydro Cannon on Ann Takamaki! | Aggression: Kasumi Yoshizawa gains 1 Limit!
AS: Persona! Kasumi Yoshizawa has used the Almighty skill Life Drain on Ichika Kawase! AS: Weapon! Kasumi Yoshizawa has used the Strike skill Violet Destruction on Tsubasa Seki! AS: Persona! Kasumi Yoshizawa has used the Almighty skill Obeisance on Yusuke Kitagawa! AS: Avoid: Success! Ann Takamaki takes 234 Water damage from Kasumi Yoshizawa's Hydro Cannon. Critical Hit! Weak! AS: Persona! Kasumi Yoshizawa has used the Water skill Hydro Cannon on Ren Amamiya! AS: Block: Failure! Ichika Kawase takes 53 Almighty damage from Kasumi Yoshizawa's Life Drain. Drain!
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
You saved me again, Belle says without meeting Joker's eye.
"That's what friends do," Joker replies, their gaze steady on her.
Ogre wonders: do they know who the Shadow's Master is? The Phantoms certainly don't know, but that must be the Palace Ruler. Joker glances at Belle and Mona, but Belle confirms they don't know either. She falls back to heal herself, and they nod.
Water crashes hard into Panther, and Joker, knowing she's weak to it, shoots her an alarmed look. "Panther!" they call. Fortunately, Ogre's on top of the healing as they commanded, and she's soon back on her feet, stripping away that protective rain from Javotte before whipping her with flame.
Panther's inner inquiry is probably right, too. Whoever the Palace Ruler is, they're most likely familiar with the Yoshizawas in some way to be able to command one of the Shadows within to act like this. Maybe that's why Kasumi and Morgana got pulled in that day. Good thing Ren had been there too to follow them.
For now, Ibushka's red light and Goemon's green shimmer down on Joker, bolstering their
strength and speed. Joker shoots Phoenix and Fox an appreciative nod. Javotte calls forth another torrent of water, and this time, they shoot their grappling wire upwards and yank themselves out of the way of the attack swiftly. They disengage and twirl in midair before nailing a three-point landing, then raise a toothy smirk at the Shadow. She's powerful, no doubt--but if she's going to torment Belle like this, they'll show her no quarter.
"We Phantoms leave a Palace when we choose to," they retort. Belle and Mona might not be Phantoms right now, but they don't care about that. Mona announces Javotte's weaknesses--Fire and Strike. There's one Persona that's perfect for that.
"SETANTA!" they call as they change the Persona at the forefront of their heart. Their mask goes up in blue flame, and an armored man with a spear and a bowl cut arises. On Joker's will, he whirls his weapon, drawing up nuclear fire around it until he thrusts it towards Javotte.
AS: Avoid: Critical Success! Yusuke Kitagawa takes -0 Almighty damage from Kasumi Yoshizawa's Obeisance. | Crt_Dn (Critical down!) added!
AS: Take: ! Ren Amamiya takes 0 Almighty damage from Yusuke Kitagawa's Masukukaja. | Spd_Up (Avoid Improved!) added!
AS: Avoid: Critical Success! Ren Amamiya takes 0 Water damage from Kasumi Yoshizawa's Hydro Cannon. Critical Hit! AS: Tandem! Ren Amamiya has used the Fire skill Nuclear Wrath on Kasumi Yoshizawa! 2 Hits! | Pressure: Ren Amamiya gains 1 Limit!
AS: Ren Amamiya spends Limit on Shift! Ichika Kawase can use another Weak skill this round!
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
It's not a real Shadow--Ichika's pretty sure that's true, anyway. But she can't be sure. She doesn't know these things.
It's really weird, though. "Yeah!" Ogre calls back to Phoenix, getting pumped up. She doesn't complain on missing out on the buffs; her job right now is to ensure the rest of them can do their best, by keeping them up and fighting.
And Ogre thinks she's pretty good at it.
'heck yeah!' "You got it!" Ogre calls to Panther, though a few moments later, she feels the strange, spectral sensation of life being drained from her. "Guuuh..."
"..." It's not Sumire. "It can't be, right?" Ogre says, but more gently. And besides--
"I have a lot of experience being the 'other' sister," Ogre says, straightening her shouldes. "The one who isn't talented, and special."
"So to that I can tell you..."
Momiji reappears, casting green light on Ann again, "I'm not gonna let you play with her heart like that."
"So STRIKE I can do!"
Ogre charges after her heal is delivered, swinging her shield down like a hammer straight for the stony Shadow.
AS: Persona! Ichika Kawase has used the Recovery skill Dia on Ann Takamaki! | Support: Ichika Kawase gains 1 Limit!
AS: Weapon! Ichika Kawase has used the Strike skill Beatdown on Kasumi Yoshizawa! AS: Take: ! Ann Takamaki takes 134 Recovery healing from Ichika Kawase's Dia. AS: Ren Amamiya spends Limit on Shift! Ann Takamaki can use another Weak skill this round! AS: Avoid: Critical Failure! Kasumi Yoshizawa takes 214 Fire damage from Ren Amamiya's Nuclear Wrath. Critical Hit! Weak! AS: Avoid: Critical Failure! Kasumi Yoshizawa takes 175 Fire damage from Ren Amamiya's Nuclear Wrath. Weak! AS: Avoid: Critical Failure! Kasumi Yoshizawa takes 185 Strike damage from Ichika Kawase's Beatdown. Weak!
<Pose Tracker> Yusuke Kitagawa has posed.
Fox grimaces as he feels his legs buckle at Javotte's command, allowing himself to drop to one knee. Panting, he sheathes his blade, and closes his eyes, focusing.
After a long moment, the trembling of his hands ceases, and he feels his focus align, but he stays kneeling, hand resting on the hilt of his sheathed sword.
Waiting.
AS: Persona! Yusuke Kitagawa has used the Almighty skill Iaijutsu Stance on Yusuke Kitagawa! | Pressure: Yusuke Kitagawa gains 1 Limit!
AS: Take: ! Yusuke Kitagawa takes 0 Almighty damage from Yusuke Kitagawa's Iaijutsu Stance. | Atk_Up (Damage Up!) and Reflect_Phys (Phys Counter Improved!) added!
AS: Ann Takamaki spends Limit on Shift! Tsubasa Seki can use another Weak skill this round! Hyper (Next Attack Boosted/Incoming Damage Down!) applied to Tsubasa Seki! They both receive 8 SP and 30 HP! AS: Counter: Critical Success! Tsubasa Seki takes 43 Strike damage from Kasumi Yoshizawa's Violet Destruction. Resist! | COUNTER! Kasumi Yoshizawa takes 100 Slash damage in return for her attack
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
Goemon's speed rushes through Phoenix -- and they immediately take advantage of it to leap into a great, crushing blow from the part of what they can only presume is Cognitive Sumire.
"Got that, got that!" They call, when Mona finishes his analysis. In the manner of Panther's own rage, they scream: "Let's fuck it right off!" Yusuke has a calculated approach, and Phoenix --
phoenix has a fucking rocket launcher. who gave that to them. who let this happen.
With a flourish, they toss their sword into their feather cape -- and bowing, they draw their rocket launcher and its massive shell from it instead. With a flourish, one enters the other, and as Phoenix sets it on their shoulder they tear their mask from their face. "Let's go! IZBUSHKA NA KUR'IH NOZHKAH!"
As that massive hut on leg appears, a skirt of skulls and spines around it, the eyes of those skulls glow with crimson power. As they do, Phoenix lines up that shell... and fires in a terrible conflagration!
AS: Tandem! Theurgy! Tsubasa Seki has used the Fire skill Rocket Sublation on Kasumi Yoshizawa! | Tsubasa Seki takes 60 damage from Stress! | Aggression: Tsubasa Seki gains 1 Limit!
AS: Block: Success! Kasumi Yoshizawa takes 266 Fire damage from Tsubasa Seki's Rocket Sublation. Weak!
<Pose Tracker> Ann Takamaki has posed.
Oof. This thing hits hard.
Ann Takamaki, currently not relishing the idea of being a wet cat, takes a ragged, steadying breath as she keeps that fiery whip at the ready. Those healing magics help quite a bit -- but she still feels that initial volley deep down in her (soggy) bones.
"Ughhhh the water got under the leatherrrrrr," she still prioritizes complaining about, because getting knocked around is one thing, but anyone who has had to wear leather knows how much worse moisture is.
She's still focused on the battle itself, of course. She's just good at multitasking.
Of course... some things are very difficult to deal with no matter how focused you are. Like -- a huge cannonade of water!! Ann's eyes fly wide. "Not again--blrbrlbll!!"
She lunges. But just not in time: that column of frothing water CRASHES into her, engulfing her and snuffing out the fire of her whip as she and Carmen go cannoning backwards with a dismayed, burbling cry. She's only saved from more painful collisions when by a last-minute lunge within the waters that sees her right hand BURST out of all that fluid, gripping on to the side of a nearby, camera-like fixture.
"Fflbt... ugh... my body... the leatherrr..." huffs Ann in uncomfortable agony as she dangles off the edge of that strange golden ribbon hanging just overhead of the battle. Water dripping from her sad soggy twintails, ribs aching with every inhale and exhale she takes, she feels Ichika's healing power rejuvenate her once more. The aches, sadly, still linger. But she can fight through it.
"I-I'm okay! Focus kicking that thing's ass!"
Especially as she hears that Shadow talk.
Sky blue eyes narrow. Panther's grip on her hanging spot tightens, until she is hoisting herself up, flipping over onto the surface of that overhanging gilded ribbon with a wet, splotchy impact. One gloved hand lifts to her mask.
"Perfect? ... Who wants to be perfect?" Her body tenses. Sapphire flame burgeons around her.
"No one's perfect! And if 'perfect' is like you, or -- or -- just like this place -- all creepy and sterile and -- and --- weird -- then you can keep it!"
Panther rips that mask off. And Carmen manifests over her, leaning down to tap her cigar against that whip, reigniting it.
"I LIKE BELLE JUST THE WAY SHE IS!"
Carmen blows Javotte a kiss. A gout of flame screams towards her -- just as the Servitors fly after, both clutching their bombs like precious cargo. They sputter around, pink rocket trails creating dual arches that curve high above Javotte -- before converging INWARD toward her, creating a cute little heart of rocket exhaust in their wake. Adorable!
"AND I WOULDN'T TRADE HER FOR A DOZEN 'PERFECT' YOUS!"
Especially the way it FILLS WITH EXPLOSIONS THE EXACT SECOND THOSE BOMBADIERS CRASH INTO HER.
<3 B O O M <3
AS: Persona! Theurgy! Ann Takamaki has used the Fire skill My Love For You is Like a <3 B O M B <3 on Kasumi Yoshizawa! | Pressure: Ann Takamaki gains 1 Limit!
AS: Block: Success! Kasumi Yoshizawa takes 194 Fire damage from Ann Takamaki's My Love For You is Like a <3 B O M B <3. Weak! <Pose Tracker> Kasumi Yoshizawa has posed.
"Friends?" That gets Belle to look up, blinking at Joker from beneath her mask. She thought it was too much to assume, but... "Yes! We fight together, Senpai!" What a relief..
"Such a boorish audience..." Javotte lets out a laugh. "The Phantom Thieves?" That does get the Shadow's attention, as she looks towards Joker. "Well, my Master will be very interested to hear about this... Such a shame, you will not be meeting them." Despite the big words, Javotte takes a nasty hit from Setanta's nuclear fire, searing it.
Ichika sympathizes with Belle, and resolves to silence the hate-spewing, special sister. Strike is exactly perfect for Ichika to nail down. The marble somehow bends down, before bouncing back like rubber?? Causing chunks to fall off. "Her heart? You don't truly believe that, right? After all, only one of us is dead!"
While Javotte is distracted, Belle uses her grappling hook to launch into the rafters, to try and find her chance.
Meanwhile, Panther declares that she likes Belle as she is. (Which would cause Belle's cheeks as red as her hair, if you know. She wasn't red from fighting already.) A wave of explosions smash against Javotte, causing water everywhere to evaporate. The indoor rainstorm lets up, turning into a vague drizzle. And sections of the statue of Maria crumbles, marble hitting the sterile vinyl flooring. And yet, it's still standing.
Javotte lets out a scoff. "Charming, but nothing less than perfect will achieve our dream. To stand together, at the top of the Gymnastics World! To win the Olympics together!" A cruel smile crosses her face. "The wrong Yoshizawa died that day! You all will get to meet the real her!"
Wait... The cognitive shadow knows she's supposed to be dead? How's that work? The Phantoms don't get a lot of time to ponder that, before the rains start up again!
"Brace yourselves, everyone!" Mona cries out. "It's not going down quietly!"
AS: Kasumi Yoshizawa spends Limit on Break! AS: Kasumi Yoshizawa spends Limit on Blood! AS: Kasumi Yoshizawa spends Limit on Broad! AS: Persona! Kasumi Yoshizawa has used the Water skill Hydro Cannon on Ren Amamiya, Ichika Kawase, Ann Takamaki, and Tsubasa Seki! | Aggression: Kasumi Yoshizawa gains 1 Limit!
AS: Weapon! Kasumi Yoshizawa has used the Strike skill Violet Destruction on Yusuke Kitagawa! AS: Kasumi Yoshizawa's turn has ended. It's time for an All-Out Attack! | Kasumi Yoshizawa: Break, Broad, and Favor removed!
AS: Avoid: Great Success! Ann Takamaki takes 168 Water damage from Kasumi Yoshizawa's Hydro Cannon. Weak! AS: Nemesis! Ann Takamaki can take another Weak action this round! AS: Counter: Failure! Yusuke Kitagawa takes 156 Strike damage from Kasumi Yoshizawa's Violet Destruction. | REFLECT! Kasumi Yoshizawa takes 195 Strike damage in return for her attack Weak!
AS: Nemesis! Yusuke Kitagawa can take another Weak action this round! | Kasumi Yoshizawa is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Block: Great Success! Ichika Kawase takes 172 Water damage from Kasumi Yoshizawa's Hydro Cannon. Critical Hit! Weak! AS: Nemesis! Ichika Kawase can take another Weak action this round! | Kasumi Yoshizawa is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Avoid: Critical Failure! Ren Amamiya takes 407 Water damage from Kasumi Yoshizawa's Hydro Cannon. Critical Hit! Weak! AS: Nemesis! Ren Amamiya can take another Weak action this round! | Ren Amamiya is unable to continue fighting! | Kasumi Yoshizawa is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Counter: Success! Tsubasa Seki takes 128 Water damage from Kasumi Yoshizawa's Hydro Cannon. | COUNTER! Kasumi Yoshizawa takes 156 Slash damage in return for her attack
AS: Nemesis! Tsubasa Seki can take another Weak action this round! | Kasumi Yoshizawa is unable to continue fighting!
AS: Persona! Ichika Kawase has used the Recovery skill Recarm on Ren Amamiya! | Support: Ichika Kawase gains 1 Limit!
AS: Persona! Ichika Kawase has used the Recovery skill Mediarama on Ren Amamiya, Ann Takamaki, Tsubasa Seki, and Yusuke Kitagawa!
<Pose Tracker> Yusuke Kitagawa has posed.
Javotte unleashes raw fury, pelting the Thieves with barrages of high-pressure water.
As she does so, Fox rises slowly to his feet, grip tightening on his hilt.
The Shadow lunges for him with a vicious ballerina kick, and he meets her, clashing with a draw cut!
He lands gracelessly, staggering from the strike and rolling several times until he hits the wall. Javotte looms, menacingly, as he struggles once more to his feet. Apparently heedless of her threat, he exhales and sheathes his blade.
click.
Several lacerations open on Javotte's body, spraying black ichor.
<Pose Tracker> Kasumi Yoshizawa has posed.
Yusuke counter hits Javotte's red wave, taking the shadow down. His slashes cut deep through the Shadow, striking through the marble armour.
As Javotte begins to crumble fully, a grappling hook is shot out from the darkness to latch around the body. "Ah, there you went, sis. Returning to play after a sulk? That's so like you..."
"You don't know anything!" Belle responds, as she leaps off the rafters. She starts gaining a lot of speed as her rope is pulled taut. "You aren't Sumire!"
"Are you still going about on that?" Javotte is starting to grow frustrated. "You're as tiresome as you are d-"
"I don't want to hear it!" Belle yells, even louder. "She would never have said those things! We struggled to understand each other! But I will make our dream come true! I will not let you masquerade as her!"
Left with no more words, Javotte tenses as Belle is underrated. "Then, there will be two dead Yoshizawas." She sends a red wave flying up. It skates by Belle, cutting her cheek and smashing into the grappling wire on her wrist. The miss at least grants Belle enough time to close the distance.
"Cendrillon!" Belle calls. The glass dancer kisses her rapier, empowering the blade with blue energy. Belle comes down on Javotte with her rapier, piercing through the Shadow's face.
The rains finally, finally cease. The lights start turn back on. "Go... No further..." Javotte struggles out. "You must... stay away... sister..." The shadow finally disintegrates with it's final cries. Kasumi falls through the deteriorating Shadow, just barely catching herself as she falls.
AS: Take: ! Yusuke Kitagawa takes 147 Recovery healing from Ichika Kawase's Mediarama. <Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
Dead. Ogre had that impression, but now it's confirmed. Marble bends, and--
At least btween their firestarters they've got it--until Yusuke finishes matters off. "Nice one, Fox!" Ogre calls, and then... spots joker. she grimaces.
But she scowls at those words. "Even for a Cognition," Ogre says, "That's too cruel. ...It's not her fault she didn't die instead. That's not how it works."
It indeed doesn't go down quietly... but Ogre is still standing (well, she's down to one knee) when the rains stop falling, and she looks to her friends. "...Come on," she says. "Up we go."
Momiji waves her hand towards Joker, and Joker will feel Ogre's determination to see them up and standing and leading again in those sparkles.
"...This is... different from what we're used to, right?' she asks. "it seems different."
"...Belle," she says. "I'm sure your sister didn't feel like that for real. It's ahrd, understanding your sibling..."
"But you loved each other, right? That means something."
AS: Take: ! Ann Takamaki takes 28.4 Recovery healing from Ichika Kawase's Mediarama. AS: Take: ! Ren Amamiya takes 151 Recovery healing from Ichika Kawase's Recarm. AS: Take: ! Ren Amamiya takes 147 Recovery healing from Ichika Kawase's Mediarama.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
That raises Belle's spirits. Joker smiles at her and gives her a firm nod.
That smile fades as they look back at the Shadow, who speaks of telling her Master. Of course it's not Sumire. Joker has no doubt of that. After all... she's dead. However, that's something Kasumi told him in confidence, so while they glance at Ogre, they don't answer her question. That's for Belle to do--or Javotte, as it turns out. However...
Whatever's going on with Javotte, it's strange and unsettling--just like the rest of this Palace.
"Well said, Panther," they declare, taking a step towards Javotte. Like Skull, she's a genius at speaking, and acting, from the heart. (They hold back a grimace at the wet leather. All the more reason to wrap this fight up quickly.)
But... 'the wrong Yoshizawa died that day'? Their eyes narrow.
Fox rests a hand on his sword's hilt. Joker recognizes that stance. For all that he'd taken a knee, they're not worried about him. He'll make his comeback, and Javotte will suffer for every pound of flesh she's taken from him. Phoenix meanwhile unloads one of their rockets on the Shadow to great noise and conflagration, never relenting in their offense. Ogre keeps up the healing--but she's also taking advantage of the Shadow's other weakness.
That doesn't mean Javotte's taking this lying down either, though. She unleashes a torrential downpour on them all, and Joker suffers for it this time; Setanta might command matchless physical might as well as nuclear flame, but he's also weak to water. A gamble after how well they've been dodging so far, but Setanta gives as good as he gets. Indeed, as a group, while they're taking a beating, they're all giving back as good as--no, better than they get.
Mona's warning is exactly right, though. Though Setanta raises his spear against that deluge, it's too much, and he shatters, sending back a ferocious psychic backlash on Joker. They scream and drop to one knee, clutching their face. Fortunately, before they can pass out entirely, Ogre hits them with a Recarm, and then sends around a Mediarama for good measure. Joker pants for a moment, then nods their gratitude towards her.
By the time that's over, Fox has already made swift work of the Shadow, and Belle finishes it off with one final blow. Joker wobbles to their feet as it disintegrates, all but begging Belle to go no further. They frown at that too. Then they slip their hands into their coat pockets and look at the others.
"Very different," they agree to Ogre. "But we took it out. That's what matters right now." They look around at their friends. "Everyone hanging in there still? Now that the Shadow's taken out, let's fall back to the entrance."
The Phantoms only came here to do a preliminary investigation, and Belle and Mona were already struggling by the time they all came in. At least that helped soften the Shadow up, but it would be wise to fall back and catch their breath before another threat shows up.
Their gaze falls last on Belle. Being an only child, they can't know how she must feel, but... they're worried all the same.
<Pose Tracker> Yusuke Kitagawa has posed.
Fox raises his gaze to meet Belle's as she and Cendrillon finish off Javotte. He offers her a nod and a gesture with his saya as a salute, before turning his attention to the architecture of the Palace.
"How peculiar," he murmurs, framing the walls and scenery with his hands.
<Pose Tracker> Ann Takamaki has posed.
"Heh heh! Guess I'm too hot to handle--"
Panther begins to taunt, having spent a solid month perfecting her own femme fatale one-liner she is sure would do all her (cartoon) idols proud--
"--wait what it's still standing?! That's seriously unfair--!!"
--and she doesn't even get to the all-important tilde before her Sexy Cool Moment is just -- just--
"Don't you DARE spray more water at meeeeeaaaaaaaa crap crap craaaap--!!"
-- it's in shambles. So much shambles.
And so this is Ann Takamaki, pumping her arms like she's a T-1000 as she desperately tries to hoof it out of the all-consuming radius of Javotte's typhoon in miniature. She doesn't quite make it. The water and winds of the downpour catch her, sweeping her violently off her feet as a choked sound escapes her lips --
--but this time, this time, she goes with the momentum of the waters, letting herself go limp within it, gripping onto her whip, and at the right moment --
-- SNAPPING it out to snare at an overhang and YANK her out of the torrent, shoulder protesting as she hits ground in a water-spraying roll until she stops in a harried, huffing crouch.
"Urrgg..." Gripping at her shoulder, Panther snaps her gaze up, silently grateful for Ichika's continued healing support that her battered (and chafing sob) body desperately needs. She focuses in on their target, resolving herself that if it's not finished with, then she'll just have to keep fighting--
-- just in time to see Yusuke do that amazing cinematic samurai strike--
"Oh wow -- awesome, Fox! I'll--"
--giving Kasumi time to deliver that coup de gras.
Big, sky blue eyes shutter out a blink.
"-- u-um, sit here and take a breather!"
And sit she does, flopping backwards on with a leathery squeak as she lets out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. A smile touches the corners of pink lips.
"... Hee. Nice going, Yoshizawa-chan," she praises with quiet warmth.
A second passes, in which Panther catches her breath. And then, her gaze sweeps about with mild concern, searching first and foremost for their leader -- who she saw getting swept up in the monsoon, just like her. Her gaze sweeps this way and that -- and relief finally settles over her when she finds Joker, dragging themself back up onto their feet.
"Oh thank goodness you're okay, Joker!" Panther exclaims in open relief, pushing off her knees to get to a wobbly stand. "Ugh. What was with that thing? And the things it was saying..."
Her gaze drifts towards Belle for a quiet moment. Her expression gentles.
"..."
She has so many questions, but for right now... Kasumi probably needs to recover even more than they do.
So, for now, Panther just exhales a sigh, looking as weary as can be as Fox takes in the strange scenery.
"Right? It's seriously making my skin crawl," she bemoans, looking around. "... Joker's right. We should get out of here for now. Who knows what weird thing is gonna pop up next, and we are really not in any shape for that."
She frowns. She frowns big. And then she sags in sopping defeat.
"... And I so need to get out of this stupid costume...!!"
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
So she died, huh...
... Phoenix wonders, in the wake of Fox's blade and Belle's anger, though they leave the talking to Ogre. Can dead people... really rule a Palace?
"... fuck off that faker," they offer, gruff as ever, as they turn to Belle to finally muster words which aren't quite as blatantly loud. "We weren't gon' let her have her way. C'mon." Joker gives the order, and so, they fall back -- taking a moment to help pick Panther up, in the process.
(They landed in a puddle from the blowback of that rocket launcher. It was totally uncool. No, they don't wanna talk about it.)
"Too right," they add, sternly, in the wake of Panther's frustrations.
<Pose Tracker> Kasumi Yoshizawa has posed.
As things come to an end, Belle struggles to find her rapier's scabbard and shoves the blade inside. It's very unlike her usual elegant way. "Thank you, Fox. That was a really impressive move, you had." She says. She's trying to put on a smile, but she's a little exhausted.
Actually... As Belle turns back to the Phantoms, she feels something wet dribble down her cheek. She figures it's just sweat, but... Well, the others will start to see blood coming down her right cheek.
Ogre reassures Belle, who's crosses an arm underneath her chest to hug herself. "Thank you, Ogre. I really want to believe that, but... Well, things were rough towards the end. I just wanted to talk with her one more time properly, like old times, but..." That didn't happen.
What she can say though, "That wasn't her. How matter how bad things got, she was never like that." She says with the upmost certainty.
Joker suggests to leave, and Belle is a little thankful for it. "Agreed. I think... This place is a little high level for Mona and I on our own..."
Panther praises her and red creeps back into her cheeks. "A-ah, thank you, Panther-senpai!" She pauses, for a slightly shyer comment. "Thank you, too, for a little earlier." For saying that Belle's fine the way she is. She's not sure if she believes it... But it's nice to hear, anyways.
Now... Belle's not sure if she gets Pheonix just yet, but... "Thank you, Pheonix." She says. "I really do appreciate the help. You were great out there."
Before they can go... Mona grabs Belle's attention. "Uh, Belle, you have, a..." Mona makes a little motion for having something on her Belle's cheek. She dabs it with her red glove to take a look... Only to see a wet, gloved fingertip. There's a sigh, as they miss it, and Mona just comes out with it. "You have a cut on your cheek, Belle."
"What? No! Ugh!" Belle groans as she tries to take off her glove. Then, decides to just wipe it off her cheek. "Yeah, let's go... Oh, I really hope it doesn't scar...!"