View source for 2026-05-14: Mottled (b)Light

*'''Log: 2026-05-14 Mottled (b)Light'''
*'''Cast:''' [[Goro Akechi|The One in the Black Mask]], [[Ren Amamiya]], [[Tsubasa Seki]], [[Ichika Kawase]], [[Ryuji Sakamoto]], [[Haru Okumura]], [[Makoto Niijima]]
*'''Where:''' Futaba Sakura's Palace
*'''OOC Date:''' May 14, 2026
*'''IC Date:''' November 09, 2012
*'''Summary''': ''While re-exploring Futaba's Palace to grind, find secret passages they might have missed, and specifically to get the Will Seeds there, The Phantoms discover someone else is there. The man in the black mask is there, but he doesn't deign to fight them. A Shadow acting strangely violent blocks their path first as he moves on to speak with the Palace's Ruler...''

----

 <Pose Tracker> The One in the Black Mask has posed.
<poem>
It's just another day in the Palace pyramid. Outside, it's scorching hot, inside it's quite nice and cool- almost as if it were air conditioned, actually. The world outside is as harsh and unforgiving as it gets, but within this sanctum that would be a tomb?

Ah. Bliss.

Well except for the numerous Shadows straight out of Egyptian Mythology that is. If only Futaba had picked a different Hacker identity, you might not have to deal with a Monkey with a Book, Panther. Or maybe you wouldn't be chased by a floating Jackal death god with high powered magic, Ogre.

Through the gradual creep of exploration, however, the Phantom Thieves find the expected stone door, covered in hieroglyphs, with brittle plant life growing outward- police tape crisscrossing the door.

Except that's not what they see at all. The tape is severed and lying on the floor, the door is wide open and the Will Seed- the expected creepy skull-shaped plant? Gone.

"/o~ Lonely girl is dreaming all the day~
/o~ Of things she knows are far away~
/o~ Screaming out all the voices in her head~
/o~ Are eating away, hear them eating away~"

Or is it?

It's a familiar voice for some of them down the corridor, and it's singing??? Some may even recognize the song as Rolling Girl by Wowaka.

''Rolling Girl'' (by Wowaka, feat. Hatsune Miku) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIqm73xsias

Whether they go stealthily or recklessly, what they'll find is the One in the Black Mask, and the soft rhythmic thud of a single glowing red skull in his hand, as he tosses it up and down, like a gangster with a coin, or a baseball player doing a self-toss warm up, before he'd hit it with a bat.

Or at least, that's what it would seem like, until it strikes his palm again, and is immediately sent back up- glowing green instead. Then after several tosses, it is sent upwards again, blue.

There's no visible sleight of hand, but the Phantom Thieves will know from prior experience that he's not tossing one Will Seed, he's tossing three. And somehow he's switching them out with no visible movement.

Why do even the most innocuous acts from this guy show off how lethal a real confrontation with him would be?

"/o~ Rolling Girl has given it her all~
/o~ It's just too far the hue she recalls~
/o~ Screaming out all their voices hurt her head~
/o~ They're now mixing around, hear them mixing around.~"

Either he's being performative for their presence, or he's merely just 'doing his thing' without knowing they're there, even if that feels unlikely. He walks up the staircase while doing this, his footsteps raising settled dust from the pharaoh's tomb.

Do you dare treat him as if he were unaware and try to ambush him? Or do you attempt dialogue? The choice is yours, Phantom Thieves.

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
<poem>
    The Phantoms still need to get Futaba to open her bedroom door, thereby changing her cognition that her room is an inviolable sanctuary and allowing them to plumb deeper into the Palace's depths to steal her Treasure and change her heart. However, before they do that, they're going to re-explore the Treasure to find whatever secret passages, treasures, and of course Will Seeds they might have overlooked. They didn't find any of those during their initial foray, and surely there are some sprouting in hidden places.
    
    With the help of Joker's Third Eye, they do indeed find those hidden places, too. The battles they fight to get to them are a great way to get some experience, too, even if the Shadows themselves are a pain to fight. Almost none of them appeared last time, so it's almost kind of a relief; the stillness of the tomb had just been eerie. At least this way they all get to strut their stuff, even if it means they're running low on restorative items by the time they reach their target.
    
    However... the stone doors are open; the police tape has been severed; the seeds have been plucked, leaving behind barren branches.
    
    Someone else has beaten them to the punch.
    
    Joker and friends are staring at it, and perhaps commentating, when the eerie echo of a single singing voice reverberates past the passageway they squeezed in through. Joker, for their part, turns back to listen for a moment. The lyrics are extremely on-point, but more than that--
    
    "That voice..." they murmur. The next instant, they're hurrying back out the passageway, keeping their steps light, quick, and above all quiet.
    
    Pressed against the wall, hidden in the shadows, Joker peers around the corner and confirms what they'd feared: it's the Black Mask. He's tossing a Will Seed up and down--no... he's tossing ''three different'' Will Seeds up and down, one at a time, one after the other, with no noticeable sleigh of hand. The implications make their skin crawl. But more than even ''that''--
    
    ...
    ...
    
    Whether it's performative or not, whether it's on the nose or not, the fact that he's singing to himself while alone in a Palace is oddly humanizing... Cute, even.
    
    They don't have time to unpack that thought, so they don't.
    
    Okumura's Palace taught them that trying to hide from the One in the Black Mask for more than a moment or two is a futile effort, so once everyone has gathered up and confirmed it's exactly who they think it is, they emerge from their corner and leap down to the stairs, landing lightly a short ways behind him. They turn sharply and, as they stride up a step or two to give room for the others to follow, they bark a single demand:
    
    "Stop."
    
    Once the Black Mask acknowledges them, they fix him with an acid glare and icy scowl. Their stance is wary and prepared for battle, but they don't open with hostilities, at least. Instead:
    
    "What are you doing here?"
    
    Joker wants to tell him to just get the hell out--but they know him better than that. This ''is'' going to come to a fight. First, though, seriously, what the HELL is he doing here?
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
<poem>
    Phoenix is way more smash-and-grab, as far as thieves go; they charge out into all those Shadow confrontations, and make quick work of all of them, even if it means they lose a lot of HP in the process.

    "Wait a sec... tape's down?"

    That's the first thing. The second:

    "Why th' fuck's th' Order so fuckin' musical? Makes me sick, man."

    This is not the first time a lovely tune has been used for evil, apparently, and Phoenix has a worse view of it than Joker does.

    They see the Will Seeds, though. Their comment is simply a quiet, "Fuck."

    Still, they'll follow Joker.

    What they have to say, though, is less about ''what'' he's doing, and more -- "You experimentin' on ''her,'' too? Ya sick freak!"

    'Too,' they say; because of course they know that the Man in the Black Mask already tested their capabilities out on ''them.''

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
<poem>
Just another day... In the weird horror dungeon. 

Ogre is here with Joker to try to push into the depths, re-exploring the dungeon and indeed--there is experience, there is treasure, it's all really nice. The Shadows are something she can handle. But... 

Someone's here. 

...The Will Seeds. 

Ogre narrows her eyes at the mai in the Black Mask. 

But Joker has decided where to take it; talking. 

"Glad somebody's having a nice day," Ogre grumps at Black Mask. "Singing, in here? That's kinda..." 

She does not find it humanizing.
</poem>

 AS: Makoto Niijima has readied for combat as Johanna! She is now fully healed!
 AS: Ichika Kawase has readied for combat as Momiji! She is now fully healed!
 AS: Ren Amamiya has readied for combat as Arsène! He is now fully healed!
 AS: Tsubasa Seki has readied for combat as Izbushka na Kur'ih Nozhkah! They are now fully healed!
 AS: Haru Okumura has readied for combat as Milady! She is now fully healed!
 AS: Ryuji Sakamoto has readied for combat as Captain Kidd! He is now fully healed!

 <Pose Tracker> Ryuji Sakamoto has posed.
<poem>Skull is admittedly tapping his pipe with beat of the song. It's kinda catchy? 

 He stops dead in his tracks when he spots -That- guy and the Will Seeds. "Ah...For Real?" 

He is admittedly very annoyed that anyone but them is really dealing with this Palace. It felt more personal than the others. He doesn't really know the girl but Ren is a cool guy and it's like his quasi-sister so whatever. Skull is gonna bash in some brain boxes with his pipe for this girl. Just part of the Sakamoto code...something that just kinda occurred to him. 

 But that guy was the WORST.

 That guy would probably talk about how great he is and how he has outsmarted us.

 Maybe he has but don't be a dick about it.

 Skull clenches his jaw and waits for the gesture for him to bash in Black Mask's...brain container. Effectively ending this weird murderer's reign of terror. Yeah, Skull is that confident right now. Do your worst, Black Mask. 

 For He is NAME REDACTED

EMPLOYED Part Time Phantom Thief
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Haru Okumura has posed.
<poem>It's been several days of the Pyramid Palace at this point - it certainly hasn't been the most forgiving heist target, but at the very least, the interior is a stark relief from the blistering heat outside. Despite the stakes for Futaba's life, searching for Will Seeds is almost more of a leisure than anything, at least if you're Noir. By this point it's become routine, until...

Something changes. The Will Seeds have already been taken. And by who else, except for the Black Mask himself?

Joker takes the lead in confronting the Black Mask, and despite Noir's usual boldness, she takes a more defensive, cautious pose. They've all seen what the Man in the Black Mask is capable of. She levels her axe before her body, pointing it towards the Black Mask.

"To mock her like this... does Futaba-chan's suffering mean nothing to you?" Noir accuses, just as concerned about the experimentation Tsubasa mentioned.

</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
<poem>
    "Someone else is here." That's the obvious explanation of what's going on with the Will Seeds. And it means that someone else knows about Futaba's palace. "We need to be on guard, we don't know who we're up against." Even if there's one name that comes to mind instantly.

    ...it is not a name that she imagines would be singing some pop song while juggling in the middle of a tomb. And when she sees who it is, she starts to look to the team. "Joker," she hisses, trying to not be overheard, "we should-"

    ...Nope. Apparently planning is not on the menu today- so that means joining the group after everyone else and pretending they haven't thrown caution to the wind.

    Everyone else has asked their questions- but Queen is focused entirely on the Black Mask, waiting for him to make a move, hand in position to summon her revolver in an instant.

    She still remembers the feeling as that bullet flew past her head an embedded in the wall above Kaneshiro. She still remembers seeing what his sword did to Akechi-kun.

    She doesn't dare believe for a second that the Black Mask's whimsy is anything but to lull them into a trap.

    If only she had a better way of sensing danger than her gut instinct.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> The One in the Black Mask has posed.
<poem>
'Stop.'
 
Up and down the skull goes again, as he keeps up the steps. The hue of the skull shifts again, this time in mid-air. It goes from blue to red and back to green again before it strikes his palm.

Now he's definitely showing off. Though one might get the impression it's some sort of dexterity exercise for himself, sort of like Joker twirling a pen in reality.
 
"/o~ One more time?~
/o~ Just a little more, waiting til the day that I see the end~
/o~ I'll stop this breath from seeping out... for now~"
 
It's only then, once he's finished with that chorus that he stops tossing the skull like seed, now glowing red again in his hand, and halts his ascent.

"I saw this place first." He says, flippantly, as if he'd childishly called dibs, and that mattered in the slightest, before he answers Phoenix, "And do I ''really'' strike you as the type to apply for piddling research grants and run a lab? Please. I'm more a 'practical application' kind of guy."

He then takes a glance at Noir, "Haha- seriously? Is it ''supposed'' to mean something? ''Everyone'' suffers, girl. Why should hers mean any more to me than anyone else's?

He then asks the Phantom Thieves as a group. "And just what are ''you'' doing here? Wait don't tell me- that wouldn't be any fun at all... are you trying to change this pathetic shut-in's heart before she offs herself?"

There's a snigger at that, which becomes a smirk. "Well I just don't think you're qualified for that. Look at how pitifully weak all of you are together- some of you can't even seem to get the words out." As he looks towards Ogre, Skull and Queen, "I'm dubious of the idea that you can even tackle some of the more vicious Shadows of this Palace."

Perhaps it's difficult for them to tell with their focus on him, after all, they don't have a navigator- but there is a growing dread, which culminates in a sudden brutal impact on the stairwell between the One in the Black Mask and the Phantoms, the stone giving way beneath it.

And what shows itself in the dust is a geometric outline of a... sarcophagus? Covered in hieroglyphs, set aglow by a haze of purest, unchained rage that permeates the room in hues of black.

The lid creaks open, as the dust fades, a hand clapping on the edge, and a shadow of a horned figure obscured within, roars.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!"

Mot intro Song - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_XOVh-cDtk

"For example..." He turns away, and keeps ascending, "...As for myself- I have business with the Ruler. Have fun with death, he sounds pretty cranky today."

Old School Penguin has arrived from Staff Lounge.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Old School Penguin has posed.
<poem>
The feeling in this room might make Phoenix feel extraordinarily unsettled. Almost like- almost like this isn't the first time they've felt this. Even if they can't remember, some level of themselves does.

Now, Mot, is a powerful spellcaster. That is what one might predict, facing them. Except Mot's coffin suddenly rattles forward, wobbling from side to side so fast that it blurs, it's lid opening as his hand lashes out to catch Skull by the leg, and hefts them upside down. The coffin then launches itself skywards, with the Phantom Thief remaining inverted, only to land while piledriving them into the ground.

Letting go of him, Mot's coffin suddenly backpeddles, teetering from side to side as its coffin angles up the steps to the next landing, and then it launches itself into the air! He's leaping from the TOP STAIR! Brutally descending with the full weight of his sarcophagus atop Queen and Noir.

Surging forward from the dust cloud left by his descent the shadowed hand out of the Sarcophagus lashes out for Joker's arm, attempting to grasp it, Mot ROARS with great volume, before his coffin topples over, trying to brutally smash the Phantom Thief's left arm.

Then, letting go, his hand suddenly gestures, as power surges in the coffin. There's a cloud of smoke-!

And both Ogre and Phoenix reappear as tiny tiny rats, sporting their Phantom Thief Masks. It's probably temporarily. ''Probably''.

Squeak Squeak. They're both adorable. Also very vulnerable before the rampaging coffin bound deity! But adorable.

</poem>
 AS: Old School Penguin has readied for combat as Coffin-Borne God with Heart Unchained! They are now fully healed! Ready
 for 6 opponents!
 AS: Persona! Old School Penguin has used the Almighty skill Desperation on Old School Penguin!
 AS: Take! Old School Penguin takes 0 Almighty damage from Old School Penguin's Desperation.
 AS: Atk_Up (Damage Up!) and Def_Dn (Block Penalized!) added!
 AS: Persona! Old School Penguin has used the Strike skill Tombstone Piledriver on Ryuji Sakamoto! 2 Hits!
 AS: Aggression: Old School Penguin gains 1 Limit!
 AS: Weapon! Old School Penguin has used the Strike skill Suicide Dive on Makoto Niijima! 2 Hits!
 AS: Weapon! Old School Penguin has used the Strike skill Suicide Dive on Haru Okumura! 2 Hits!
 AS: Weapon! Old School Penguin has used the Strike skill Old School on Ren Amamiya!
 AS: Block Neutral! Ryuji Sakamoto takes 84 Strike damage from Old School Penguin's Tombstone Piledriver. Critical Hit!
 Block Strike!
 AS: Counter Neutral! Ryuji Sakamoto takes 105 Strike damage from Old School Penguin's Tombstone Piledriver.
 AS: COUNTER! Old School Penguin takes 42 Strike damage in return for their attack! 
 AS: Old School Penguin spends Limit on Exploit! Old School Penguin can use another Weak skill this round!
 AS: Persona! Old School Penguin has used the Almighty skill Trapped Rat on Tsubasa Seki!
 AS: Persona! Old School Penguin has used the Almighty skill Trapped Rat on Ichika Kawase!
 AS: Take! Ichika Kawase takes 0 Almighty damage from Old School Penguin's Trapped Rat.
 AS: Panic (Damage when using Persona/Tandem!) and Rat (Turned into a Rat! Use Weak attacks!) added!
 AS: Avoid Worst! Makoto Niijima takes 100 Strike damage from Old School Penguin's Suicide Dive.
 AS: Avoid Worst! Makoto Niijima takes 100 Strike damage from Old School Penguin's Suicide Dive.
 AS: Block Neutral! Haru Okumura takes 152 Strike damage from Old School Penguin's Suicide Dive. Critical Hit!
 AS: Block Best! Haru Okumura takes 75 Strike damage from Old School Penguin's Suicide Dive.
 AS: Take! Tsubasa Seki takes 0 Almighty damage from Old School Penguin's Trapped Rat.
 AS: Panic (Damage when using Persona/Tandem!) and Rat (Turned into a Rat! Use Weak attacks!) added!
 AS: Avoid Neutral! Ren Amamiya takes 86 Strike damage from Old School Penguin's Old School.

 <Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
<poem>
    For but an instant, Joker's eyes go to the Will Seed(s) when they change color--or, more precisely, switch out for each other--''in mid-air''. That's ''so cool''. They hate that they're impressed. They hate even more that they want to figure out how to do it.
    
    They keep that to themself, though, just like their opinion about the Black Mask's singing to himself. Phoenix and Ogre clearly are not fans, and they're right not to be, considering the heavy implications of his presence--and what he's done to them, or rather Tsubasa and Ichika, specifically. (Theoretically. The Black Mask refused to admit to anything when Joker accused him.)
    
    Indeed, considering how the Black Mask outright ''mocks'' Futaba, Joker glares too, a silent addition to Noir's censure. Her and Skull's implied eagerness for violence is far from out of place here. No doubt the Black Mask is loving that, though. He drinks that sort of thing in like others drink wine.
    
    Considering that, it ''would'' have been wise to stop and plan their next move as Queen had tried to suggest. It would be wise if one didn't assume the Black Mask already knew they were here. That's something else Queen won't be able to caution against, though.
    
    "Don't underestimate us," Joker growls, choosing neither to confirm nor deny what The Phantoms are doing here--but even if they wanted to, there's a sudden, palpable dread in the air, just before a Mot with a roiling violet aura SMASHES the stairs in between them and the Black Mask.
    
    Joker gawks at the powerful Shadow--more powerful, it feels, like even the ones with the /red/ auras/--before their attention snaps back to the Black Mask. Fear and fury lance their heart twice over as he declares he's got business with the Palace Ruler and resumes his ascent.
    
    "Wait!! Get back here, damn you!!" they roar, launching themself at him--but the Mot is not going to let that happen. The dark entity within the coffin wobbles and rattles and LAUNCHES a series of brutal physical attacks, fully unexpected considering how it's usually a spellcaster. When it grabs their arm, they have to wrench it ''painfully'' back and out to avoid getting it outright crushed. It hurts, but they're sure it hurts a hell of a lot less than if it had been crushed.
    
    Then something even more unexpected happens: there's a puff of smoke, and two of their own are transformed into... mice?
    
    "Ogre! Phoenix!" Joker calls sharply, half-turning towards them. They're both identifiable by their masks, but that's not really the important thing right now.
    
    Joker has played a video game or five in their time. In games, which are definitely part of Futaba's cognition, getting transformed like that means either you can't do anything or your combat power is severely reduced. This means their main healer ''and'' their main damage-dealer are out of commission. Panther, Fox, and Mona are over in a Safe Room right now, waiting on standby to swap out for anyone who gets too tired to continue fighting and exploring and needs to take a break. Even if they notice what's going on, there's no knowing if they'll be able to get here in time to help fight.
    
    Joker thus calls up another version of themself in their heart. "I'll keep you all on your feet. The second there's an opening, I'm going after him!" they shout to the others as they summon High Pixie. The butch fairy flies a tight circle in midair as healing energy rains down on the most injured of them--Skull, Noir and Queen. "He's not getting to Futaba. Not if I can do a single goddamn thing about it!!"
    
    And part of that fear that vibrates beneath their fury--is the understanding that maybe there ''isn't''.
</poem>

 AS: Persona! Ren Amamiya has used the Recovery skill Mediarama on Ryuji Sakamoto, Makoto Niijima, and Haru Okumura!
 AS: Support: Ren Amamiya gains 1 Limit!
 AS: Ren Amamiya regains 3 SP from Invigorate!
 AS: Take! Ryuji Sakamoto takes 140 Recovery healing from Ren Amamiya's Mediarama.
 AS: Take! Makoto Niijima takes 140 Recovery healing from Ren Amamiya's Mediarama.
 AS: Take! Haru Okumura takes 140 Recovery healing from Ren Amamiya's Mediarama.

 <Pose Tracker> Ryuji Sakamoto has posed.
<poem>Skull was pretty confident. Not even Black Mask's words hurt! 

Then karma decided to put him in wringer. 

 The Coffin catches Skull offguard when Mot opens it and catches Skull's leg, making the blonde hit the ground with a thud. "Ugh. What tha---" 

 That is about what he gets out as he realizes he is being driven into the ground. FROM OUT OF NOWHERE! 

 BAH GAWD. HE KILLED HIM!! HE BROKE HIM IN HALF!!

Skull takes a moment to reorient himself to the world. He gets back up, using his bent pipe for balance. After a moment, he spits to the side and growls, pointing his weapon at weird Spellcaster, MOT. "Yeah, alright. I'm kickin' yer ass!!" 

 Winding his arm, Skull prepares himself for combat by taking a few test swings. "ALRIGHTALRIGHTALRIGHT! TIME TO FUCK YOU UP!" On the word 'up', Skull swings his pipe with a practiced strength from some time at the batting cages. 

Whatever it hits, there is a satisfying 'clang' from the metal as it arcs away from Mot. 

 "So...Uhhh anyone got any idea what kind of Shadow this is?" Skull wonders outloud, trying to keep himself from getting RKO'd or entering Slam City or....
</poem>

 AS: Weapon! Ryuji Sakamoto has used the Strike skill Takedown on Old School Penguin! 2 Hits!
 AS: Aggression: Ryuji Sakamoto gains 1 Limit!

 <Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
<poem>
    "I fuckin' ''know!''" Phoenix snaps, angrily, when the Man in the Black Mask talks about his ''practical applications.'' "You're the one what--!"

    (One hopes, at this juncture, that Ogre would subtly stomp on Phoenix's tabi, reminding them NOT to blurt out the obvious connection between them and Tsubasa.)

    "Fuck off!" They snap, instead, hearing the Black Mask disparage their teammates' KILLING POWER. "You don't know SHIT!"

    The ground quakes, and shatters, and Phoenix throws up a hand to shield their face. Amazing timing... "FUCK YA TIMIN'!"

    Phoenix charges forward, towards Mot, hollering "GET BACK HERE, YOU PIECE A SHIT!" the whole way through --

    -- only to come toe-to-toe with Mot and really look ''up'' at it, like, ''really'' look.

    "What th' fuck..." Phoenix says, all their anger shaken to something more horrified, as their eyes shrink to pin-pricks behind that witch's hat mask.

    The cloud plumes out.

    When it fades...

    "SQUEAK SQUEAK SQUEAK!" Ratnix yells, angrily, standing on their little hind feet and gesturing wildly. "SQUEAK SQUEAK SQUEAK!"

    Whatever they're saying, they're mad about it.

    They're ''so'' mad about it, in fact --

    -- have you ever seen a rat dragging a slice of pizza up the stairs which is bigger than it is?

    Imagine that rat.

    Now imagine that rat has just pulled out a fucking greatsword.

    A regular-ass human-sized greatsword.

    Ratnix, who has only really played a few video games in their life (holla to Reiko), grasps a sword which may as well be a hundred times their size and drags it over to swing it at the bottom of Mot's coffin.

    Somehow, that works.

    Dear God, this is the world's angriest rat.

</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
<poem>
To mock her like this... Ogre has a feeling that Futaba's suffering ''doesn't'' mean much. But... 

"What?" He saw it first. She frowns, at the matter of everyone suffering. And doesn't, indeed, 'tell him'. 

"What the--" 

She has more 'waht the' in a moment, as the giant sarcophagus shows up and--

"SQUEAK SQUEAK SQUEAK!?" a rat in an Oni mask squeaks. Can they talk? Well, the other rat can probably understand her. Everyone can probably hear the tone. 

"Squeak..." 

Her eyes flash! She ''dives'' forward for the sarcophagus and--

Well, she just kind of tackles it. "SQUEAK!" 

..."Squeeaaaaaak," she complains after she impacts, and scurries back away.
</poem>

 AS: Weapon! Tsubasa Seki has used the Slash skill Greatsword Charge on Old School Penguin!
 AS: Aggression: Tsubasa Seki gains 1 Limit!
 AS: Tsubasa Seki regains 8 HP from Regenerate!
 AS: Weapon! Ichika Kawase has used the Strike skill Rush on Old School Penguin!
 AS: Ichika Kawase: Panic removed!
 AS: Block Neutral! Old School Penguin takes 36 Strike damage from Ryuji Sakamoto's Takedown.
 AS: Block Best! Old School Penguin takes 35 Strike damage from Ryuji Sakamoto's Takedown. Critical Hit!
 AS: Block Worst! Old School Penguin takes 69 Slash damage from Tsubasa Seki's Greatsword Charge.
 AS: Exhaust (Damage when using Weapon/Tandem!) added!
 AS: Block Worst! Old School Penguin takes 85 Strike damage from Ichika Kawase's Rush.

 <Pose Tracker> Haru Okumura has posed.
<poem>"How cruel..." Noir clutches her axe tighter to hear the Black Mask's response. There's little she can do to refute his comments about their strength, but Noir also knows that strength alone isn't the only thing it takes to save someone like Futaba.

Whatever conversation they might continue with the Black Mask is untimely interrupted, however - as dread fills the air of the tomb. A hostile intent that demands their attention. "This pressure...!" Noir winces, standing her ground as the coffin-like Shadow slams open. If they can't defeat Mot, what hope do they stand against the Black Mask?
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Haru Okumura has posed.
<poem>
"How cruel..." Noir clutches her axe tighter to hear the Black Mask's response. There's little she can do to refute his comments about their strength, but Noir also knows that strength alone isn't the only thing it takes to save someone like Futaba.

Whatever conversation they might continue with the Black Mask is untimely interrupted, however - as dread fills the air of the tomb. A hostile intent that demands their attention. "This pressure...!" Noir winces, standing her ground as the coffin-like Shadow slams open. If they can't defeat Mot, what hope do they stand against the Black Mask?

Unsure what to expect, Noir tracks Mot leaping into the air, smashing down to crush her and Queen together with sheer physical force.

"MILADY!" Noir calls, using her axe to defend herself against Mot, while trying to find an opening to strike back. The force of the first strike pushes her back, but she manages to regain some momentum in guarding against the next one. "Queen, are you okay?!" She calls, but her attention quickly snaps towards what Mot does next...

Transforming Ogre and Phoenix into ''adorable'' little rat forms. "Oh... my." She stops in sheer surprise. "Aww, but they're kind of cute, though! Aren't they?" Not the time, Noir! As cute as they are, Tsubasa and Ichika are also very much defenceless in their forms, even if it's not for lack of trying. That means the rest of them that are still humans are going to have to put in double if they're going to make it out of this.

"We'll have to figure out a weakness fast..." Haru frowns. "Milady, let's try a Psi attack!" She points at the massive deathtrap that is Mot, sending out a furious blast of psychokinetic force hurling towards it.

As for the Black Mask... "I'll do what I can to get you that opening, Joker. We can't let him hurt Futaba-chan!"
</poem>

 AS: Ryuji Sakamoto spends Limit on Shift! Makoto Niijima can use another Weak skill this round!
 AS: Persona! Haru Okumura has used the Elec skill Furious Psi on Old School Penguin! 3 Hits!
 AS: Pressure: Haru Okumura gains 1 Limit!
 AS: Block Worst! Old School Penguin takes 28 Elec damage from Haru Okumura's Furious Psi.
 AS: Block Worst! Old School Penguin takes 28 Elec damage from Haru Okumura's Furious Psi.
 AS: Block Best! Old School Penguin takes 15 Elec damage from Haru Okumura's Furious Psi.

 <Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
<poem>
    "Forgive me for wanting to take you seriously," Queen retorts to the Black Mask's taunt- though that might boost his ego even more. Especially when her monofocus on him bites her in the ass as a Shadow bursts through the wall with explosive force. Did he know it was coming somehow? Did he call it?

    Either way, Queen's totally flat footed as the massive Coffin-Borne God &#42;slams&#42; into her and Noir, not just once but twice, and she's practically bounced off the ground and into Noir, eliciting a pained yell from Queen, even as Noir shouts out for her.

    Thankfully, Joker's restorative magic washes over her, giving her a chance to stand up. Damnit...

    "I don't know, but give it a second and I'll work out it's weakness!" Queen shouts to Skull only to then realize what happened while she was getting crushed against- nevermind the end of that sentence.

    "Ogre! Phoenix! You're... rats?" Makoto blinks and stares which is time she shouldn't spare but does- especially when Phoenix lashes out with a big goddamn sword despite being a tiny tiny mouse.

    (Unfortunately, Makoto has never played Beast Preserver, otherwise she could compare it to one of those big swords they use.)

    "I'm alright, Noir," Queen responds, but she still looks beaten. "We can't underestimate this Shadow though- you and Skull need to press the offensive. I'll see if I can help Phoenix and Ogre-"

    And then Joker declares they'll chase Black Mask, and Queen bites her lip but nods. "...Got it. I'll take charge here, and we'll catch up as soon as we can! ''Don't'' do anything stupid, just keep Futaba-chan safe, okay?"

    It's then that Queen focuses on the Shadow, running the numbers on that little panda calculator. "...Got it." She says, before seeing how she can help. "Johanna!" She calls her Persona, leaning against it as it emerges. "Energy Shower!"

    The recovery energy rains down on Phoenix and Ogre- even if she doesn't know if it's enough to undo a rat ailment. She's kind of flying blind right now.
</poem>

 AS: Persona! Makoto Niijima has used the Almighty skill Shadow Factorization on Old School Penguin!
 AS: Persona! Makoto Niijima has used the Recovery skill Energy Shower on Tsubasa Seki and Ichika Kawase!
 AS: Support: Makoto Niijima gains 1 Limit!
 AS: Take! Ichika Kawase takes 0 Recovery healing from Makoto Niijima's Energy Shower.
 AS: Rat removed!
 AS: Take! Tsubasa Seki takes 0 Recovery healing from Makoto Niijima's Energy Shower.
 AS: Panic and Rat removed!

 <Pose Tracker> Old School Penguin has posed.
<poem>
'You don't know SHIT!'

"Just go on believing that." He chuckles at Phoenix. "It'll only get you killed."

'How cruel...'

"Do ''you'' think of the suffering of that salaryman you see on the Subway, coming home from an obviously bad day? That's all she is to me. If she didn't have a Palace, would you even know she exists? Don't act all self-righteous ''to me''."

'Don't underestimate us,'

He sniggers again, as he walks up the steps, "What's it matter how I estimate you anyways... unless you're trying to prove something?" His head turns, as he flashes a grin at him, "Well put your money where your mouth is. Or don't - and die."

Skull swings at Mot! And the hand lashes out and- the Pipe clangs against its wrist, as hard as iron. The creature does seem to take injury, just not as much as one might like, as he shrieks horrifically.

That same hand reaches out towards Skull's throat, and tries to slam him heavily to the ground ''by'' that throat.

The rat- the rat is so mad, it's dragging a Greatsword, all Mot has to do is squish squish that rat, but he's too mad at Ryuji.

Ratnix's Greatsword takes Mot completely by surprise, at an angle he didn't expect, digging right into the Sarcophagus lid, it- worked!?

Which is followed up by Ogre the rat's dive- Ogre may splat against the lid somewhat, but- the Sarcophagus ''topples'' from the one-two punch between the two thieves who just got introduced to the Rodentia family.

The Sarcophagus rattles, then rattles again. Then the lid opens and it screams, pounding every which way to try and take both the rats down by trying to squish them with its pounding rhythm.

Noir knocks it out of its rhythm of trying to ''kill their teammates'' by a Psi attack, as the Furious psychokinetic force blasts him backwards, slamming against the wall of the Palace.

Which is when Queen finds out she can help her teammates out, as they both return to normal. Mot responds as he slides down the wall by roaring again, "GWARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!" As the coffin surges at Queen, his hand reaching for their mask.

Except. It wasn't actually an attack, in that sense. Power blooms, and now it's Queen who vanishes in a puff of smoke, now a rat.

Okay. Adorable, but now the person who can CURE it is the rat! That might be a problem!

Instead that coffin that was charging, ends up in a trajectory past the now foreshortened Queen, towards Joker. Trying to grab him by his coat, heft him overhead, then with a swing, tossing him towards the wall.

Before he then seems to wobble, then leap. Landing on top of Milady, and trying to stomp her repeatedly, like he's trying to drive her into the ground, how rude!

</poem>
 AS: Take! Old School Penguin takes 0 Almighty damage from Makoto Niijima's Shadow Factorization.
 AS: Makoto Niijima's Strength Scan! Old School Penguin resists Dark!
 AS: Makoto Niijima's Weakness Scan! Old School Penguin is weak against Wind!
 AS: Persona! Old School Penguin has used the Almighty skill Desperation on Old School Penguin!
 AS: Old School Penguin spends Limit on Blood! 
 
 AS: Take! Old School Penguin takes 0 Almighty damage from Old School Penguin's Desperation.
 AS: Atk_Up (Damage Up!), Def_Dn (Block Penalized!), and Rage (Weapon Attack and Incoming Damage Up!) added! Exhaust
 removed! Explosion! 75 damage!
 AS: Persona! Old School Penguin has used the Almighty skill Trapped Rat on Makoto Niijima!
 AS: Persona! Old School Penguin has used the Strike skill The Last Ride on Ichika Kawase and Tsubasa Seki! 3 Hits!
 AS: Weapon! Old School Penguin has used the Strike skill Gravedigger on Haru Okumura!
 AS: Aggression: Old School Penguin gains 1 Limit!
 AS: Persona! Old School Penguin has used the Strike skill Spinebuster on Ren Amamiya!
 AS: Take! Makoto Niijima takes 0 Almighty damage from Old School Penguin's Trapped Rat.
 AS: Panic (Damage when using Persona/Tandem!) and Rat (Turned into a Rat! Use Weak attacks!) added!
 AS: Persona! Old School Penguin has used the Strike skill Neckbreaker on Ryuji Sakamoto!
 AS: Avoid Worst! Ryuji Sakamoto takes 238 Strike damage from Old School Penguin's Neckbreaker. Critical Hit!
 AS: Avoid Best! Ren Amamiya takes 56 Strike damage from Old School Penguin's Spinebuster.
 AS: Counter Worst! Tsubasa Seki takes 149 Strike damage from Old School Penguin's The Last Ride. Critical Hit! Resist!
 AS: COUNTER! Old School Penguin takes 39 Slash damage in return for their attack! 
 AS: Block Best! Ichika Kawase takes 38 Strike damage from Old School Penguin's The Last Ride.
 AS: Block Best! Ichika Kawase takes 60 Strike damage from Old School Penguin's The Last Ride. Critical Hit!
 AS: Block Best! Ichika Kawase takes 60 Strike damage from Old School Penguin's The Last Ride. Critical Hit!
 AS: Counter Neutral! Tsubasa Seki takes 78 Strike damage from Old School Penguin's The Last Ride. Resist!
 AS: COUNTER! Old School Penguin takes 34 Slash damage in return for their attack! 
 AS: Avoid Best! Haru Okumura takes 149 Strike damage from Old School Penguin's Gravedigger.
 AS: Counter Worst! Tsubasa Seki takes 149 Strike damage from Old School Penguin's The Last Ride. Critical Hit! Resist!
 AS: COUNTER! Old School Penguin takes 39 Slash damage in return for their attack! 
 AS: Makoto Niijima spends Limit on Shift! Haru Okumura can use another Weak skill this round! Hyper (Next Attack
 Boosted/Incoming Damage Down!) applied to Haru Okumura! They both receive 8 SP and 30 HP!
 AS: Haru Okumura spends Limit on Shift! Ichika Kawase can use another Weak skill this round!

 <Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
<poem>
    Credit where credit's due: just because Phoenix and Ogre have been rat-ified, doesn't mean either of them have lost any of their fire (or, in Ogre's case, earth). Between that greatsword that has not shrunk down to the equivalent rat size and that daring tackle that knows no mercy, clearly they're not content to wait on the bylines to revert to their original forms.
    
    Skull, too, gets right in there to give the Mot a beating with his pipe, as if even in this he's on the polycule's wavelength. Joker isn't sure if, when he asks what kind of Shadow this is, he means what's up with that weird, vicious aura or specifically what the Shadow is called, and so they decide to leave it to Queen and her analysis.
    
    Noir's also getting a little distracted with her awww-ing over the rats. However, she hears Joker's shout and promises to help make that opening, and they nod back to her, short and sharp like a scalpel. Their eyes flicker when he sees Queen's reaction to landing on Noir, but they just call, "Thank you! I'm counting on you!" To Queen, they add, "I won't. The team's in your hands, Queen!"
    
    But first, the team has to make that opening so they ''can'' chase after the Black Mask. Proving themself to him is... not ''not'' a concern, but they're far more terrified for Futaba's well-being. At least Queen calls down a different sort of healing energy on Phoenix and Ogre to restore them, ''and'' works out Mot's weaknesses: Wind and Force. Ogre has some Zan abilities, and Joker has a Persona with Wind magic, so between the two of them--
    
    Nope, that's Mot rat-ifying Queen, the only healer left, before curbstomping the rest of the team. This includes grabbing Joker by the coat and HURLING them at the wall. Luckily, their reflexes are sharp enough that they're able to flip in midair once they're released to land on their feet, but they can practically ''feel'' their legs crack, only exacerbated about how they fall to the stone stairs. It could be worse--it ''is'' worse, by far, for Skull and Phoenix--but Joker will remain on healing duty. Ogre's a stronger spellcaster.
    
    "Ungh--O-Ogre! I'll keep healing! You focus on using Zan spells!" they call to her as their mask burns and High Pixie flies again, raining down healing energy on Noir along with the team's heavy hitters. "Once we can knock it down, I'll be able to get past it!" Meanwhile, Queen cured the 'Rat' condition with Energy Shower, which means-- "Noir! Use your Energy Drop to get Queen back to normal! We can't afford to lose any firepower against this enemy!"
</poem>

 AS: Persona! Ren Amamiya has used the Recovery skill Mediarama on Haru Okumura, Ryuji Sakamoto, and Tsubasa Seki!
 AS: Support: Ren Amamiya gains 1 Limit!
 AS: Ren Amamiya regains 3 SP from Invigorate!
 AS: Take! Tsubasa Seki takes 142 Recovery healing from Ren Amamiya's Mediarama.
 AS: Take! Haru Okumura takes 126 Recovery healing from Ren Amamiya's Mediarama.
 AS: Take! Ryuji Sakamoto takes 142 Recovery healing from Ren Amamiya's Mediarama.

 <Pose Tracker> Ryuji Sakamoto has posed.
<poem>Skull's eyes widen when the pipe clangs against Mot's wrist. For a moment, the Phantom Thief wonders if he even did any damage.
Then it starts screaming in pain. 

 "Well, hell yeah! I guess I'---" Skull's throat is seized. 

 The blonde tries to brace for what is coming but is unable to do much. 

 Other than get choke slammed into the ground. The blonde phantom thief bounces from the impact, eyes bugging out from beneath his mask.

 "Ugh....COME ON!!" His voice is hoarse now as he rubs his neck. He is very sore right now so it takes a full moment to After a moment, he notices Makoto is a rat...."When can this guy do that?! DID I MISS SOMETHING?!" Skull looks around before cracking his shoulder again. "Alright. Whatever. I'm sure kicking your ass means no more Stuart Little." 

 There is a loud crack as a Skeleton Pirate sails into existence, riding fierce waves as it screams in silence. Captain Kidd turns it's skull to look at Mot with vacant holes where eyes should be. It raises its cannon arm and sends a blast of ZIO toward the coffin'd wizard. 

 Most would pose with their Persona and looks cool. While Captain Kidd attacks, Ryuji slouches over and winces over the previous spine breaker. It is something to see. "Damnit. I was having such a good day too!" 

 He breaths a sigh of relief as the healing spell hits him, prompting a thumbs up as Skull tries to catch his breath. Finally, the Phantom Thief is back on his feet so to speak. "Alright, seriously?! What the fuck is your problem?!" He screams at Mot, thinking it's gonna answer him with something besides another of the Attitude Era's sickest finishers. He is a very simple boy.
</poem>

 [OOC] Ryuji Sakamoto says, "Bluray He is very sore right now so it takes a full moment to After a moment, he notices Makoto is a rat to 'He is very sore right so it might take a moment to regain himself. AFTER that moment,..."

 AS: Persona! Ryuji Sakamoto has used the Elec skill Zio on Old School Penguin!
 AS: Aggression: Ryuji Sakamoto gains 1 Limit!

 <Pose Tracker> Haru Okumura has posed.
<poem>The Black Mask's idea that because someone's suffering doesn't matter because it doesn't affect him truly bothers Haru, as if it's everything that's wrong with the way the world is right now. Unfortunately, considering their circumstances, it's hardly the time to get philosophical with him...

The only thing more surprising than Ogre and Phoenix's rat transformation is... just how shockingly effective of a strategy charging as a rat with a greatsword is.

What's also effective, unfortunately, is just how powerful Mot's attacks are. He ''leaps'' - and Noir is quick enough to jump out of the way, but the attack crushes Milady herself beneath its weight. Although Noir herself isn't hit by the attack, she can feel the pain of her own Persona, as if it's shattering against her very psyche. "Tch...!" She flinches, trying to recover her strength enough to call Milady back to her side.

Even amongst Mot's fierce stream of attacks, it's hard not for Noir to notice that the figure beside her... has suddenly turned a lot more small. Although Ogre and Phoenix are spared from rat-hood thanks to Queen's healing, Queen herself is transformed in turn. hat, of course, means it's her turn to do some damage control... "Aww, aren't you cute?" Noir cooes, almost pleased that she can take care of her best friend, as she picks Rat-koto up in her hands. "Everything's going to be just fine, as long as you stay with me, okay?" She assures her, softly.

"Now then- it's time for a little firepower." She pulls out her grenade launcher, voice hardening, and opening fire at the inside of the coffin! If Queen is keen to do so, she can follow up with her ''own'' gun. Hopefully that should be enough to keep the Shadow at bay.

Ren suggests using healing magic much like Queen herself used, and while it didn't ''completely'' slip her mind... it probably is better to use it now than never, right? "Um... right! Got it, Joker. Ogre, can you cover me while I heal Queen?" She asks, lowering to her knees and keeping the Rat Queen in her arms. "Milady! Energy Drop!" She commands, as Milady pours pure-green energy onto Queen, hopefully transforming her back. But if Queen is in Noir's arms ''now'', then...?!
</poem>

 AS: Weapon! Haru Okumura has used the Pierce skill How's this? Painful? on Old School Penguin!
 AS: Haru Okumura: Hyper removed!
 AS: Block Worst! Old School Penguin takes 154 Elec damage from Ryuji Sakamoto's Zio.
 AS: Persona! Haru Okumura has used the Recovery skill Energy Drop on Makoto Niijima!
 AS: Pressure: Haru Okumura gains 1 Limit!
 AS: Block Worst! Old School Penguin takes 172 Pierce damage from Haru Okumura's How's this? Painful?.
 AS: Take! Makoto Niijima takes 0 Recovery healing from Haru Okumura's Energy Drop.
 AS: Panic and Rat removed!

 <Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
<poem>
    Ratnix is ADORABLE.

    They are also charging right for the thing that could kill them in an eyeblink.

    "SQUEEEEEAK!!! SQUIECE A SHIT, RIP YA FUCKIN' GUTS OUT," and that's the sound of Phoenix getting healed right in the middle of all their rage, which, fortunately, doesn't end up with them ''caged.''

    It was just in the nick of time, too -- because it means they can respond to Mot's furious murder attempt ''properly.'' "Rraaahhhh--!" They roar, as they cleave in, foot slamming in against the edge of Mot's coffin so that they can ''whirl'' their blade in revolution into its side. That coffin door opening sends them reeling -- but of course they spring back in to attack again, only to get slapped away by that grasping claw, only to leap in with an overhead swing and get slammed back into the dirt.

    "STILL KICKIN', ASSHOLE," Phoenix yells, as they pick themself up. "NOT IMPRESSED!"

    Maybe that's a stupid thing to yell at something the Black Mask threw at them, but look, Phoenix wants to hurt him ''somehow.''

    But then Mot transforms ''Queen,'' and Phoenix shakes their head. "Fuck! There was somethin' 'bout this Shadow -- felt like -- fuck, I lost it! Queen's th' one doin' this shit, anyway! I got anythin' for this?" They dig around in their feather cloak for a minute, pull out some bread, and toss it over their shoulder. "Arrrrrgh, useless!!"

    Luckily, Noir's here to fix Queen up. "Right! Then I'll fuck it up!" They declare, as -- for once! -- they reach up to grasp the mask over their eyes. One thing which is notable about Phoenix is how ''rarely'' they call forth their Persona -- most of the time, they're using their ''weapons'' to attack, and somehow manage to bring the pain with just ''that.''

    Now, though -- "IZBUSHKA NA KUR'IH NOZHKAH!" -- that massive chicken hut manifests behind Phoenix, its sizable chicken ''legs'' as big as any one of them, let alone the ''house'' they're carrying. Izbushka's thatched roof is hard to see from this angle, but its window hatches flap like little chicken wings as both Phoenix and their Persona charge Mot, stampeding across it with the force of a thousand flightless birds.

</poem>
 AS: Tandem! Tsubasa Seki has used the Strike skill Stampeding Wrath on Old School Penguin! 2 Hits!
 AS: Aggression: Tsubasa Seki gains 1 Limit!
 AS: Tsubasa Seki regains 8 HP from Regenerate!

 <Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
<poem>
As it happens, Ograt is ''super'' cute. She has a little Oni mask! No greatsword, though. 

As it turns out however, Ograt is very ''tough'', thanks to Momiji's (limited, right now) protection; the sarcophagus may try to squish her, but she finds a hole in the floor and drops into it, guarding against thos crashes. ...It still vibrates through her though, makes her wobble in place when the attack is done. "Squeeaaaaaaak..." 

Then thanks to Makoto, she is turned back, a puff of smoke preceding the return of Ogre proper. 

"Cute," Ogre agrees, "But NOT COOL!" 

But Joker gives orders. "You got it!" Ogre calls out--she was going to switch to healing, but she trusts Joker's leadership more than her own instincts when it comes to Persona battles. So she prepares herself for--

'Did I miss something!?' 

"He turned us into rats already!" Ogre complains at Skull. "I was ''adorable''!" 

But by then, she's channeled up her energy and, "PERSONA!" 

Mazan and Zanma come out in short order, a sudden ''blast'' of force from all sides that ''batters'' into Mot, with a second, larger blast out to knock it right over if she can. 

Noir... Ogre ''studiously'' does not look at Ren at the way Noir coos over the Rat Queen. But she does step in front of Noir and Queen. "I got you," Ogre says boldly. 

And then, "YEAH, PHOENIX! KICK ITS ASS!" 

"And SKULL! its PROBLEM is that we haven't hit it enough yet!" She passes the baton, so to speak.
</poem>

 AS: Persona! Ichika Kawase has used the Wind skill Zanma on Old School Penguin!
 AS: Persona! Ichika Kawase has used the Wind skill Mazan on Old School Penguin!
 AS: Ichika Kawase spends Limit on Shift! Ryuji Sakamoto can use another Weak skill this round! Hyper (Next Attack
 Boosted/Incoming Damage Down!) applied to Ryuji Sakamoto! They both receive 8 SP and 30 HP!
 AS: Block Worst! Old School Penguin takes 171 Strike damage from Tsubasa Seki's Stampeding Wrath. Critical Hit!
 AS: Block Worst! Old School Penguin takes 171 Strike damage from Tsubasa Seki's Stampeding Wrath. Critical Hit!
 AS: Block Worst! Old School Penguin takes 272 Wind damage from Ichika Kawase's Zanma. Weak!
 AS: Block Worst! Old School Penguin takes 262 Wind damage from Ichika Kawase's Mazan. Critical Hit! Weak!
 AS: Blast (Magic and Block Penalized!) added!

 <Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
<poem>
    "I won't let you squeak, Squeak!" ...Wait, what? Queen is finding now that, instead of being able to give out orders and strategies all she can give out now is unhelpful squeaks and now she's tiny and close to helpless. Sure, she could attack with her fists (paws?) but her brain is her most useful tool for the Phantoms.

    The panic setting in is real- and only worsened when she hears Tsubasa's yelling and her brain fills in the gaps in a very unhelpful way. She &#42;is&#42; useless right now, isn't she? "Squ-squeak! Squeak!"

    And then Noir calls her cute and picks her up and it's a good thing rats have fur because then you can't see the blush on her faces as she retreats into Noir's hands. (Unfortunately given she's a very cartoonish rat, that blush is absolutely obvious. The metaverse is a cruel, cruel place.) 

    When Noir pulls out her Grenade Launcher, Queen can actually get the hint- she runs up Noir's arm to free her hands and then-

    The Rat Queen (which is cute and pretty and only one rat unlike a Rat Queen) suddenly has a whole giant ice bullet shooting revolver in her paws. It's... very awkward, given she has to hold the grip against her body and after awkwardly trying to reach the trigger with her paws unsuccesfully, she has an idea. She reaches forward with her tail and BLAM BLAM BLAM goes the golden revolver, each bullet leaving a trail of ice as it fires into the hole made by Phoenix's greatsword!

    The recoil, of course, knocks Queen down and in trying to not fall off Noir's shoulder, she overcorrects, grabbing onto Noir's hat and yanking herself forward, only to roll down and (thankfully) be caught again by Noir. (She is trying too hard to not think about what she rolled over.)

    It's then that Noir is reminded of her own healing, and Queen looks up at her. "Squeak? Squeak sque-"

    Oh wait she's not putting Queen down.

    A magical channeling and a &#42;bamf&#42; later, there is a whole Queen in a princess carry, trying really hard not to blush her entire face off and focus on the fight. "Th-thanks, Noir..."

    ...Aren't you supposed to be asking her to put you down so you can both fight unimpeded, Queen?
</poem>

 AS: Weapon! Makoto Niijima has used the Pierce skill Fast Draw on Old School Penguin!
 AS: Block Worst! Old School Penguin takes 171 Pierce damage from Makoto Niijima's Fast Draw.

 <Pose Tracker> Old School Penguin has posed.
<poem>
Skull, wondering if he missed something, sends electricity down in the form of lightning, striking through the Sarcophagus, as the thing buzzes with power.

Protecting Queen, Noir fires her Grenade Launcher straight in the open lid. It closes.

BOOM!

The Shadow seems momentarily stunned, before the lid opens anew and it shouts again in renewed outrage, "GRAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWR!" 

Yep. You missed something Skull.

Your girlfriend was ''adorable'' as per her own words. Just look at Haru and Makoto over there for an example of what you missed.

''Life Goals''.

And then it gets run over by a Chicken House. It's Chicken feet stamp stamp stamping the coffin just like it had done to Milady not long before.

Ogre's wind spells suddenly blast it ''twice'' when said Chicken House is done, and the coffin seems to suddenly erupt in a thousand cuts, pieces of the stone chipping off. Yet that monochromatic aura of berserk power, only seems to RISE! The lid coming forward.

Which is when Queen shoots it, and shadow like ichor spills out of the lid.

If it were a normal Shadow, it would already be dead, they can all understand that implicitly through their experience.

It is no normal Shadow.

"GWARRRRRRRRRR!"

It might take some time to die, do you have time, Joker? Every second is a second which Black Mask is speaking to the Ruler perhaps, and he is so much faster than you are.

Skull gets a taste of what he missed, immediately, as in a poof of smoke, he has become ''the rat''.

The Sarcophagus launches itself up from it's current position, coming down horizontal, heavily to try and slam into Phoenix. Before then leapfrogging off of them towards the greatest threat to its well-being, Ogre.

This time, it comes down vertical, the bottom of the coffin trying to pound her right into the ancient stone of the pyramid.

Hitting the ground heavily, the Shadow seems to have lost none of it's drive to keep going, no matter how wounded it is! Even if they managed to corner it, they each get the impression... it would not negotiate. It would not even speak, much less give up.

The only two options are victory, or death.

What happened to this Shadow!?

The Sarcophagus balances on end precariously, before then swinging around to slam against the ground near Queen and Noir repeatedly to try and take them out with concussion waves of tremendous force.

This is definitely Homophobia. There can be no other explanation.

Neither of them are likely to notice that Joker is caught in it too, but it doesn't take away from the theory that it's oppressing the three of them at all.

</poem>
 AS: Persona! Old School Penguin has used the Almighty skill Trapped Rat on Ryuji Sakamoto!
 AS: Weapon! Old School Penguin has used the Strike skill Suicide Dive on Tsubasa Seki! 2 Hits!
 AS: Aggression: Old School Penguin gains 1 Limit!
 AS: Weapon! Old School Penguin has used the Strike skill Gravedigger on Ichika Kawase!
 AS: Take! Ryuji Sakamoto takes 0 Almighty damage from Old School Penguin's Trapped Rat.
 AS: Panic (Damage when using Persona/Tandem!) and Rat (Turned into a Rat! Use Weak attacks!) added!
 AS: Persona! Old School Penguin has used the Strike skill The Last Ride on Haru Okumura, Makoto Niijima, and Ren
 Amamiya! 3 Hits!
 AS: Persona! Old School Penguin has used the Almighty skill Desperation on Old School Penguin!
 AS: Old School Penguin: Fast Heal! Rage and Blood removed!
 AS: Take! Old School Penguin takes 0 Almighty damage from Old School Penguin's Desperation.
 AS: Atk_Up (Damage Up!), Def_Dn (Block Penalized!), and Rage (Weapon Attack and Incoming Damage Up!) added!
 AS: Counter Best! Tsubasa Seki takes 83 Strike damage from Old School Penguin's Suicide Dive. Resist!
 AS: COUNTER! Old School Penguin takes 42 Slash damage in return for their attack! 
 AS: Block Best! Ichika Kawase takes 154 Strike damage from Old School Penguin's Gravedigger. Critical Hit!
 AS: Counter Best! Tsubasa Seki takes 132 Strike damage from Old School Penguin's Suicide Dive. Critical Hit! Resist!
 AS: COUNTER! Old School Penguin takes 67 Slash damage in return for their attack! 
 AS: Counter Best! Haru Okumura takes 89 Strike damage from Old School Penguin's The Last Ride.
 AS: COUNTER! Old School Penguin takes 27 Strike damage in return for their attack! 
 AS: Block Worst! Haru Okumura takes 91 Strike damage from Old School Penguin's The Last Ride.
 AS: Block Best! Haru Okumura takes 77 Strike damage from Old School Penguin's The Last Ride. Critical Hit!
 AS: Avoid Best! Ren Amamiya takes 59 Strike damage from Old School Penguin's The Last Ride. Critical Hit!
 AS: Avoid Best! Ren Amamiya takes 38 Strike damage from Old School Penguin's The Last Ride.
 AS: You have 1 more attack in queue!
 AS: Avoid Best! Ren Amamiya takes 59 Strike damage from Old School Penguin's The Last Ride. Critical Hit!
 AS: Block Best! Makoto Niijima takes 46 Strike damage from Old School Penguin's The Last Ride.
 AS: Block Neutral! Makoto Niijima takes 97 Strike damage from Old School Penguin's The Last Ride. Critical Hit!
 AS: Block Worst! Makoto Niijima takes 130 Strike damage from Old School Penguin's The Last Ride. Critical Hit!
 AS: Ryuji Sakamoto spends Limit on Shift! Makoto Niijima can use another Weak skill this round!

 <Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
<poem>
    What ''is'' this Mot's problem? Skull didn't mean anything deep by it, but Joker wonders. There's something ''wrong'' about its aura, about the way it's behaving in this fight. The Black Mask acted like it's just a run-of-the-mill Shadow for this Palace, but there's absolutely nothing run-of-the-mill about it. It takes being trampled by a giant chicken hut to the chin--it takes multiple Force blasts to its weakness to the chin--and absolutely none of its rage is dampened.
    
    It's a question to discuss later. Right now, they all need to survive first--and make that opening for Joker to get past the maddened creature.
    
    Because there's that to focus on, Joker doesn't not-meet Ogre's eyes back over Rat Queen's blush or the way she seems content to stay in Noir's arms. Noir ''did'' seem eager to keep her close, but that could just be a friend wanting to protect a friend while she's vulnerable and just been ordered to heal her Rat condition.
    
    No, the Mot isn't down yet. Yes, its fury is going just as strong still. However, that moment when it hits the stone ground is the best chance they've got. Joker ''bolts'' past it, sprinting up those stairs like someone's life depends on it--because it just might. By the time the Mot recovers and begins slamming the ground with concussive waves of force, Joker is on its other side, higher up on the stairwell.
    
    The force of the attack is still tremendous, and lays in a beating on Joker as it juggles them on those waves. However, there's a silver lining there: because it launches them high into the air, they get that much more of a chance to twist around and fire their grappling hook up, up, up and far away, damn near to the top of the stairwell.
    
    "I'm meet you all ahead!" they shout over their shoulder; then, in a flash, they're gone.
    
    Even if they all haven't defeated it ''yet'', Joker trusts with the firepower their friends have brought to the fore that they're going to in short order. The Phantoms will be on their tail in seconds. That means they can focus their all on ziplining up the stairs at top speed to get to Shadow Futaba and the Black Mask as soon as Phantomly possible.

</poem>
 AS: Haru Okumura spends Limit on Shift! Ichika Kawase can use another Weak skill this round!
 AS: Ren Amamiya spends Limit on Shift! Haru Okumura can use another Weak skill this round!
 AS: Persona! Haru Okumura has used the Recovery skill Energy Drop on Ryuji Sakamoto!
 AS: Take! Ryuji Sakamoto takes 0 Recovery healing from Haru Okumura's Energy Drop.
 AS: Panic and Rat removed!

 <Pose Tracker> Ryuji Sakamoto has posed.
<poem>Skull turns his head to Ogre, blinking. "Ah come on! How did I miss that! This guy needs to stop hitting me so much." 

 That is the last thought as it suddenly feels like he is falling, despite being on the ground? The smoke clears and there is a little slouching rat with a skull mask. The rat sighs before letting out a profanity that is so loud it becomes crazy a little rat can make that sound. 

 "FUCK" 

 RATuji slouches some more as he tries to think what he can do with his rat sized pipe and rat sized dreams. It's a big world out there and now Ratuji is a rat so....."Come on! I can't do nothing down here! I guess I can bite his foot!" 

 Ratuji looks at the skeleton of a rat riding the waves of a rat sized galleon. The rat fluffs its spikey fur right as the Energy Drop hits him. 

 It was like flying this time, the world soaring past until it snapped into place. Skull takes a moment to orient himself as he looks around, holding up a thankful hand up to Noir. 

 Skull coughs once and nods. "Ok....after that I'm going to be a little off but that won't stop me from busting up that stupid coffin of yours! COME 'ERE!" 

 The punk marches toward Mot, brandishing the pipe with a powerful wild swing.

 Meanwhile, Captain Kidd, no longer furry OC art, points its cannon toward Mot and opens fire with another Zio. The skeleton motions like it is screaming into the stormy waves.
</poem>

 AS: Tsubasa Seki spends Limit on Shift! Ichika Kawase can use another Weak skill this round!
 AS: Weapon! Ryuji Sakamoto has used the Strike skill Breakdown on Old School Penguin! 2 Hits!
 AS: Aggression: Ryuji Sakamoto gains 1 Limit!
 AS: Persona! Ryuji Sakamoto has used the Elec skill Zio on Old School Penguin!
 AS: Ryuji Sakamoto: Hyper removed!
 AS: Avoid Best! Old School Penguin takes 46 Strike damage from Ryuji Sakamoto's Breakdown.
 AS: Avoid Best! Old School Penguin takes 68 Strike damage from Ryuji Sakamoto's Breakdown. Critical Hit!
 AS: Block Worst! Old School Penguin takes 163 Elec damage from Ryuji Sakamoto's Zio.
 AS: Paralyze (Physical and Avoid Penalized!) added! Blast removed! Explosion! 73 damage!
 AS: Old School Penguin is unable to continue fighting!

 <Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
<poem>
    What goes up, must come down --

    WHY IS PHOENIX STANDING BRACING THEIR SWORD AGAINST THEMSELF WITH THE POINTY END UP

    -- rather than ''get out of the way,'' they elect to let Mot ''skewer'' itself on their blade, which, unfortunately, has the rather nasty side effect of slamming them down into the dirt.

    Something ''is'' wrong about it, but Phoenix is too fucking mad to remember exactly how they felt, when they first charged into it.

    "Hey, fuck offa Skull!" Phoenix yells, when they see ''him'' getting squeakified by Mot, too. (They can't understand what he's squeaking about, but they get it, man. They get it.) "Ogre, GET ITS ARSE!" When it comes to avenging Skull, after all, there's only one girl more qualified than ''they'' are.

    "Rrrr... fuck it, Noir got th' right idea!" Phoenix stashes their greatsword with a flourish, only to pull from their cloak --

    AN ENTIRE-ASS ROCKET LAUNCHER --

    As they take to a knee to brace it against their shoulder, lining the shell up with Mot's sarcophagus. "EAT SHIT!" They yell, as they fire, and the only reason why they don't fall on their ass as they do is because they're ''already'' down.

    See? They're learning!

</poem>
 AS: Weapon! Tsubasa Seki has used the Pierce skill Rocket Launcher on Old School Penguin!
 AS: Aggression: Tsubasa Seki gains 1 Limit!
 AS: Tsubasa Seki regains 8 HP from Regenerate!

 <Pose Tracker> Haru Okumura has posed.
<poem>Between Noir and Queen, the combined shots from their respective firearms does quite the number on Mot! However, the recoil itself ''also'' does quite a number to the poor Rat Queen (who is indeed pretty and cute). One embarrassment later, though and Queen is right back in Noir's hands. "Don't worry!" Haru repeats, as she cannot understand rat speak. "You'll be back to yourself any minute n-" She ''said'' that, but she's a little surprised herself at how fast she turned back, and now she has a whole Queen in her arms?? In a princess carry???

Noir giggles, but she has to pull her hat over her face to hide the red blush beneath her ''own'' mask. "That... was a good save, Queen!" Noir says, trying her best to keep Queen steady enough so they don't both fall over. "I'm just glad to help. Now then... shall we dance?"

She nods to Queen - only for the two of them to get ''slammed'' by Mot's next wave of attacks. Despite the sheer force they're faced with, Noir tries her best to gently set Queen down, so she can get in front of her and block Mot with her axe - even if she takes some heavy damage in turn. From there, the best they can do is weather the storm. It doesn't seem like Mot has much tricks left up its sleeve at this point.

It's Skull's turn to become a rat, and this time, Noir is prepared to actually ''use'' her healing abilities. "Ohh, don't worry Skull. You're cute, too!" She giggles, and then glances over to Ogre again. "I'll turn him back, just be prepared to use another Zan attack, okay?" She suggests, as Milady uses the same Energy Drop ability she used on Makoto to restore Ryuji to his human form.

With Joker going on ahead to confront the Black Mask, all they can do now is unleash all the firepower they've got against what remains of Mot. Thankfully, Milady has plenty more left to go. Phoenix absolutely has the right idea, too, using a whole Rocket Launcher on the thing. "Milady! Let's follow that up with a Triple Down!" Haru calls, and Milady dances - raining bullets upon bullets upon the Coffin-Borne God. Mot might already be dead, but can you get more dead than a coffin riddled with bullets?
</poem>

 AS: Persona! Haru Okumura has used the Pierce skill Triple Down on Old School Penguin! 3 Hits!

 <Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
<poem>
"Right?" Ogre answers Skull, mollified by his at least being sad to miss it. But there ''is'' something strange about this Shadow. ...Not that Ogre really notices; she just notices how ''tough'' it is, and maybe that's strangeness enough. She's chosen 'victory'. 

"Right!" Ogre calls to Joker when they start forwar. "Get in there and help her!" 

They've trusted the team here; Ogre, for one, doesn't aim to let Joker down. 

However... 

"Shit," Ogre breathes when Skull is turned into a little rat. "That ''is'' really cute..." 

She shakes her head quickly. "I don't have time for cute!" 

She hears him squeaking away, but doesn't understand. Did she sound like that? 

She really doesn't have time for 'cute' though. It tries to ''pound'' Ogre straight down, but she throws up her shield and interposes it between her and the Shadow. Momiji appears to shadow her, with her mighty arms pushing, pushing, pushing back upward--! 

The blow may jar the hell out of Ichika, but she withstands it anyway, stumbling back after having deflected Mot. "Gh," she says. "T-that was..." 

She needs a second. 

But Noir has it all covered. "Got it," Ogre says, and now--with Skull saved, with Phoenix... ''mostly'' standing, she has her opportunity. 

"OK, asshole." Ogre rights herself, no longer wobbling. "...Time to take you out. MOMIJI! FUCK HIM UP!" 

Rocks shatter as Ichika throws out so many Zans--just, so many, one two three four directions five directions and one BIG slam straight for the coffin's lid, to slam it ''shut'' through the holes that Haru's about to put there.
</poem>

 AS: Persona! Ichika Kawase has used the Wind skill Zanma on Old School Penguin!
 AS: Persona! Ichika Kawase has used the Wind skill Mazan on Old School Penguin!
 AS: Persona! Ichika Kawase has used the Wind skill Mazan on Old School Penguin!
 AS: Block Worst! Old School Penguin takes 320 Pierce damage from Tsubasa Seki's Rocket Launcher. Critical Hit!
 AS: Old School Penguin is unable to continue fighting!
 AS: Block Worst! Old School Penguin takes 95 Pierce damage from Haru Okumura's Triple Down.
 AS: Old School Penguin is unable to continue fighting!
 AS: Block Worst! Old School Penguin takes 95 Pierce damage from Haru Okumura's Triple Down.
 AS: Old School Penguin is unable to continue fighting!
 AS: Block Worst! Old School Penguin takes 95 Pierce damage from Haru Okumura's Triple Down.
 AS: Old School Penguin is unable to continue fighting!
 AS: Block Worst! Old School Penguin takes 266 Wind damage from Ichika Kawase's Zanma. Weak!
 AS: Blast (Magic and Block Penalized!) added! Paralyze removed! Explosion! 74 damage!
 AS: Old School Penguin is unable to continue fighting!
 AS: Block Worst! Old School Penguin takes 197 Wind damage from Ichika Kawase's Mazan. Weak!
 AS: Blast (Magic and Block Penalized!) added!
 AS: Old School Penguin is unable to continue fighting!
 AS: Block Neutral! Old School Penguin takes 166 Wind damage from Ichika Kawase's Mazan. Weak!
 AS: Blast (Magic and Block Penalized!) added!
 AS: Old School Penguin is unable to continue fighting!

 <Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
<poem>
    What could you possibly mean, Coffin God's metanarrative. Makoto and Haru are just best friends!

    The question of whether every day shadows can be bigoted or not aside, there's still a rage filled coffin descending on Queen and Noir and Makoto reacts quickly- "Johanna!" She calls, for her other self to intercede between the coffin and the two of them- it will still hurt, but at least Johanna can provide some extra defense if she's prepared, the personacycle sliding in to catch one hit expertly but the next catches her off balance, her wheels wobbling- and the third shatters Johanna and Makoto yells out in pain, the force enough to drop her to knees- or at least, she would be if she weren't, you know, being carried. She's... kind of impressed by how tough Noir is. And strong. And strong and tough.

    The important thing is that Joker has their opening. "It can't have much left! Throw everything we have at it and finish it off! We need to regroup and catch up with Joker as soon as possible!" With Noir lowering Queen the ground, Queen gives her a nod. "Thank you." Hmm is Queen avoiding eye contact with Noir? Oh never mind she's summoning her person. "Johanna!" Queen launches into the air to land stylishly on her Personacycle.

    "I've had enough out of you! Why don't you learn what it feels like to be a frightened mouse for once!" She tears off her mask, giving way to a bloody void on her face and yellow eyes. "Makajama!"

    The aura of fear upon the raging Coffin God is just the start, though. With everyone else going all out... "Now- it's time for your cremation! Johanna- FREILA!" Queen revs her engines one more time, and guns it towards Mot, before pulling a sharp 180 for Johanna to flare nuclear exhaust all over the coffin and it's many holes.
</poem>

 AS: Persona! Makoto Niijima has used the Almighty skill Makajama on Old School Penguin!
 AS: Persona! Makoto Niijima has used the Fire skill Freila on Old School Penguin!
 AS: Take! Old School Penguin takes 0 Almighty damage from Makoto Niijima's Makajama.
 AS: Panic (Damage when using Persona/Tandem!) and Sick (SP Damage on end of turn!) added!
 AS: Old School Penguin is unable to continue fighting!
 AS: Block Worst! Old School Penguin takes 221 Fire damage from Makoto Niijima's Freila.
 AS: Old School Penguin is unable to continue fighting!

 <Pose Tracker> Old School Penguin has posed.
<poem>
Joker departs, they leave it to them, in the hopes of catching up with someone who almost certainly means ill for the Ruler. What could that mean for Futaba if so?

They have faith in their friends.

As well they should, as Ryuji becomes Ratuji briefly, before he's changed back, cannon fire, electricity strikes. A Rocket Launcher- a whole Rocket Launcher, is fired at the same moment by Phoenix.

Quite a fuck off indeed.

Wind spell after wind spell descends from ogre, blasting the Sarcophagus with it's weakness, enough to turn any Shadow into pulp, ichor.

Into the fray is sent wave after wave of bullets from Milady's Gatlings, chewing holes into the Sarcophagus.

Panic, fear descends into the Shadow from Queen's Makajama, before fire blasts it.

Nothing could have survived that, right?

"GRAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!"

And then a shape lunges out of the dust, decimated nearly beyond recognition, holes within it, ichor leaking. It still tries to keep going- grasping ahold of Phoenix's collar with its fingers... which lack the strength to hold on. They work again, and again- trying to. 

The aura of power fades completely, its eyes gain recognition, as it looks at Phoenix.

"Where... What? I... must... go on."

 There is panic, fear left in its eyes, not merely from Queen's spell, though there is that too. Mot is known as the god of death, but also that of meaninglessness. 

"I must. It is all that gives... my existence meaning..."

It tries to kill the incarnation of life, Baal. In cycles, again and again. Sisyphean.

The god of death is afraid? Well certainly so.

"... Let me go... and I'll give you..."

It's trying to bargain, as Shadows do when they're bested. But it's form is already melting into ichor. 

"... No... I m-"

It collapses, and vanishes completely in a matter of seconds.

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
<poem>
    Mostly standing is healthy ''enough.''

    But what taught Phoenix to be so vicious -- so heedless -- so focused on attacking, and attacking, and attacking, relentless and regardless of any assault they bear to get there...

    It's easy to say 'society'.

    But if it's 'society', why does Ogre block? Why does Skull?

    Mot isn't stopping, either.

    Perhaps it's because Phoenix is crouched there to brace against their ''whole-ass rocket launcher'' that Mot lurches forward to grasp the hem of their feather cloak...

    ... and then falter...

    ... and grasp...

    ... and...

    "Shit," Phoenix says, quietly, and they too recognise something, in the Shadow's eyes, as they look into that recognition.

    "Never let up, huh...?"

    It's trying to bargain, but perhaps all those deaths caught up with it, destroyed ten times over through force and steel and gunpower.

    "..."

    For a moment, they are silent, looking at the place where Mot faded.

    "... I kinda... get how it feels," they settle on, at length. "But... that's crazy, right? It's a fuckin' Shadow..."

    They straighten up, and shake their head.

    "Us or them," they settle on, stowing their rocket launcher. "C'mon! Sakura-san's still up there!"

    Whatever that was... they'll think about it later.

    Or never.

    Never's good, too.

</poem>

[[Category:Logs]]
[[Category:Season 1]]
[[Category:Season 1, Episode 2]]