View source for 2026-09-12: The Mysterious Fencer

*'''Log: The Mysterious Fencer'''
*'''Cast:''' [[Yua Ijuuin]], [[Miho Ijuuin]], [[Shinobu Shimizu]], [[Yukari Takeba]], [[Remi Ryuuja]]
*'''Where:''' Aoba - Main
*'''OOC Date:''' September 09, 2026
*'''IC Date:''' January 07, 2013
*'''Summary''': ''Rumours have been spreading like wildfire about the mysterious fencer with a katana who came to duel Miho Ijuuin, only to be thwarted by /conversation./ He's hungry to face her, apparently! Ravenous! Starving! And what does everyone know about Miho, the Olympian fencer? Why, her dedication to finding Yua, of course! That's why the Rumour Demon, The Mysterious Fencer, is kidnapping her to draw Miho out!''

''But can a normal woman -- who has Resonance, but no apparent Persona, as if she hasn't yet Awakened all the way -- possibly stand up to a Demon? It's up to the heroes to protect her as she tries to save her cousin*!''

''*We're pretty sure the dub wouldn't change this detail for some bizarre reason.''

----

 (|=============================== Aoba - Main ================================|)
 -=================================================== Sumaru City/Aoba Ward ====-
 To Sumaru's east is Aoba Ward, where fashion and commerce abound. The city's    
 fire department headquarters is based here too. Ample shopping can be found at  
 the stores that dot Aoba Way. Past it, Aoba Park is a popular place to walk     
 around and relax, especially since there's an outdoor concert hall located      
 deeper within where one might catch a live concert.                             
                                                                                 
 Various programs are filmed at Sumaru TV, where famous stars like veteran       
 actress Junko Kurosu, talk show host Hidehiko "Brown" Uesugi, and popular model 
 Eriko "Elly" Kirishima might be spotted. Along the way, one will pass Kismet    
 Publishing, where popular publications like hot teen magazine Coolest are made. 

 AS: Miho Ijuuin has readied for combat as Faust! She is now fully healed!
 
 AS: Shinobu Shimizu has readied for combat as Lachesis! She is now fully healed!

 <Pose Tracker> Crossroads Fencer has posed.
<poem>
    OST: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mYkITL4rIY Yuki Kajiura - Toki-iro no Mai

    "Say," a woman says, as she pushes a pram down Aoba Park, "did you hear about that mysterious fencer...?"

    "Oh!" A woman carrying ''her'' little one in a sling behind her exclaims. "Right, right, the one who went to face that gold medallist! Miho Ijuuin, right? Hey, isn't that a good family...?"

    Cast in the shadow of the setting sun, their gossip reaches wide.

    "Yes, my brother knows them -- he works in real estate. But you know what I heard? When he came to the fencing hall, she wouldn't fight him! They just had a tense conversation!"

    "Oh, what did they say?"

    "I didn't hear anything about that... but it must have been serious! Apparently, he just dropped a handkerchief in front of her and ''left''..."

    "An insult?!"

    "He must really want to fight her! But if she refused... what could he do?"

    "I wonder..."

    "You wonder, you wonder?"

    "Don't you remember that woman she was looking for, in the first Olympics? That woman, Yua... they say she's her best friend, and close enough to the family that she married in, even though she's ''country!'' Oh, it's terrible to think of... what if that fencer did something terrible to provoke her!"

    "Something outrageous!"

    "Something impossible to ignore!"

    ... it's the kind of gossip which reaches the ears of Yua and Tyrrha, on an afternoon stroll in Aoba Park.

    "They've gotta be kiddin'," Tyrrha insists, folding her arms. "If there was a threat, it would never sail over my head --"

    Woosh! Something like a rope dart sails merrily overhead -- and indeed, Tyrrha captures it. "... eh?"

    Before she can realise what it ''is'', seven more lash out, to bind the robot's arms and legs to her trunk. "Eeeeh?!" Tyrrha yelps, inchworm-like as she falls to the ground and wriggles. But she can't wriggle free... it's ''steel'' rope, not hemp.

    On realising this, Tyrrha yelps, "Mama, run--!"

    But Yua's already sunk to her knees to try and ''free'' her. A deep shadow, cast by the low sun, falls over them both.

    "Heeeeelp!", the dance teacher cries, her voice echoing through Mementos.

    Then, there --

    Aoba Hall, carved from off-white stone. The place where Miho hones her mastery against her foes doesn't ''appear'' ridiculously wealthy -- and indeed, many practice here through ''merit,'' even if they wouldn't associate with the old nobility otherwise. Miho is not the only Olympian who practices here. Any of these opponents would offer marvellous competition, though few would dare to ''interrupt'' the peerless Miho. Unfortunately...

    ... the sport of combat ill-prepares them for the real thing.

    And that's how the Mysterious Fencer was able to string a ''basket'' to the ceiling, hanging from a rafter. Between the woven bamboo, like bars of a cage, there swings -- "Heeeeelp!!" -- Yua Ijuuin, the totally normal and ''very pregnant'' dance teacher, teal hair done up in a bun. She's wearing a long and ''voluminous'' pink maternity dress, with puffy sleeves and long white gloves. Her left red eye is covered with an eyepatch, and the right looks quite terrified. "Mimi, heeeeelp...!"

    Any who try to find a way up to the rafters -- either through the precarious metal ladder bolted to the side of the hall, or through other means -- are blocked by a demonic figure, appearance obscured beneath a billowing haori.

    "You are not Ijuuin," the heroes are told. "I will not fight until I'm brought ''Ijuuin!''"

    But Miho Ijuuin... doesn't have a Persona, right? She does have ''Resonance,'' but... are there other reasons someone could have an imposing aura? If she's stuck in the half-light between sleep and waking... fighting alone against a threat with Supernatural darkness wafting from beneath his hood could be terribly dangerous.

    Even so, there's no question she'll come... and who will come ''with'' her?

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Miho Ijuuin has posed.
<poem>
Today... is not a good day for Miho Ijuuin. 

She would fight most comers, of course. It isn't ''necessary'' to kidnap Yua to make that happen. But that has been done. And now... 

Aoba Hall. Miho does not expect that her students and colleagues will be able to fight off a rumored mysterious Fencer. it is not that she lacks faith in their abilities; it is more... 

Rumors are bullshit, and real combat is different from sport. 

Mostly, rumors are bullshit. 

So Miho Ijuuin--a statuesque woman of six feet, with short, slightly shaggy green hair and piercing eyes--stalks up the walkway towards the Hall's entrance. She has a sword in hand--not her favorite sword, but a sword--and enters, looking up at the mysterious fencer from her position below. 

"Ijuuin is here," she says. 

"But soon... you will not be." 

She adopts a ready stance. 

Not that she can use her Persona, but she's mad enough. Maybe it'll still work out?
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Crossroads Fencer has posed.
<poem>
    "That's it! That's her! Miho Ijuuin...! I've come to defeat you!"

    The mysterious fencer throws off his haori, to reveal --

    -- a magnificent --

    -- cat?!

    Cait Sith bounces on his paws, a majestic feathered hat perched skew across his head, the size of a dog but unmistakably a ''cat.'' (That haori made him look much taller...) A red cape matches his hat -- and so, too, his magnificent greaves. He wields a saber in his pawlike hand, fur purple to black, eyes green and slit eagerly.

    "En garde!" He declares, as power flares around him. "Prêts? Allez!"

    It's the traditional beginning of a fencing bout -- and of course the ''rumour'' would have him be a ''fencer.'' (Ninjas aren't real...) He lunges forward, his blade lashing out, the shockwave from his swing rocking out with an enraging snap -- and he's a ''demon,'' so surely he'll carve her in ''half,'' won't he?

    Except... he came to defeat Miho.

    Perhaps that's why his saber ''meets'' hers, instead, in a frightening clash of steel.

    But if rumours are bullshit, how long will it protect her?

    "Mimi!" Yua calls, up above, as that basket swings precariously. "Mimi, I'm here! Aaaaaauuuuuu it's so high up...!!" As always, there's no Resonance which can be detected, up there, where she's trapped; she's a perfectly normal young mother-to-be, kidnapped away in a basket hanging from the ceiling.

    It might be possible to try and sneak up there while Cait Sith is busy fighting everyone...

</poem>
 AS: Crossroads Fencer has readied for combat as The Mewsterious Fencer! They is now fully healed! Ready for 4 opponents!
 
 AS: Persona! Crossroads Fencer has used the Recovery skill Dance of Bravery on Crossroads Fencer!
   | Pressure: Crossroads Fencer gains 1 Limit!

 AS: Take! Crossroads Fencer takes 0 Recovery healing from Crossroads Fencer's Dance of Bravery.
   | Atk_Up (Damage Up!) and Crt_Up (Critical Up!) added!

 AS: Persona! Crossroads Fencer has used the Recovery skill Tetrakarn on Crossroads Fencer!
 AS: Take! Crossroads Fencer takes 0 Recovery healing from Crossroads Fencer's Tetrakarn.
   | Reflect_Phys (Phys Counter Improved!) added!

 AS: Weapon! Crossroads Fencer has used the Slash skill Demon Clash on Miho Ijuuin! 2 Hits!
 AS: Persona! Crossroads Fencer has used the Almighty skill Valiant Dance on Miho Ijuuin, Remi Ryuuja, Yukari Takeba, and
 Shinobu Shimizu!
 AS: Block Worst! Shinobu Shimizu takes 0 Almighty damage from Crossroads Fencer's Valiant Dance.
   | Rage (Weapon Attack and Incoming Damage Up!) added!
 
 AS: Avoid Neutral! Miho Ijuuin takes 39 Slash damage from Crossroads Fencer's Demon Clash. Critical Hit! Resist!
 AS: Avoid Neutral! Miho Ijuuin takes 39 Slash damage from Crossroads Fencer's Demon Clash. Critical Hit! Resist!
 AS: You have 1 more attack in queue!
 AS: Avoid Worst! Miho Ijuuin takes 0 Almighty damage from Crossroads Fencer's Valiant Dance.
   | Rage (Weapon Attack and Incoming Damage Up!) added!

 AS: Take! Yukari Takeba takes 0 Almighty damage from Crossroads Fencer's Valiant Dance.
   | Rage (Weapon Attack and Incoming Damage Up!) added!
 
 AS: Take! Remi Ryuuja takes 0 Almighty damage from Crossroads Fencer's Valiant Dance.

 <Pose Tracker> Shinobu Shimizu has posed.
<poem>A cry for help echoes through Mementos. That's not the kind of thing that Shinobu can easily ignore - even if it means having to call ahead and let her current employer know she's going to be a little late for work.

One traipse through Mementos later, Shinobu finds herself at Aoba Hall. She barges through the doors - and finds herself momentarily halted by the sight of a basket hanging from the ceiling. It's a strange sight - but the sight of Yua beyond the 'bars' fixes her attention on what's important.

"Hold on! We're here to help!" Shinobu calls out. She does race for that ladder. She's not going to let precarious heights stop her...

...The haori-wearing demon that appears, though, does a good enough job of that. Shinobu backs away with a grimace. She's inclined to just try and clobber him - but if she starts something, there's no telling what he'll do to Yua in retaliation...

"You don't want this, man, seriously. Just let her go." Shinobu urges. Is the demon expecting some kind of grand clash? But even if she can sense some kind of Resonance from her, the fact remains that as far as she's aware, Miho doesn't have a Persona.

...But despite that, she arrives anyway.

...She has to admit, that's a ''very'' cool opening line. Between that and the imposing silhouette she cuts in the doorframe, Yua is a very lucky woman.

"Ijuuin-san. Be careful. This guy's more dangerous than he seems. He's a -"

...She was about to say 'demon', but then he throws off his haori to reveal...

"...Cat??" Shinobu finishes, bafflement in her voice. Cait Sith lunges and Shinobu starts forward. "Watch out!"

Miho and Cait Sith's blades meet - and somehow, Miho's blade holds. She doesn't doubt her skill, but... a demon's strength is something else. How long can any normal human hold out?

...Fortunately, she's not the kind of person who believes in honor duels in anything except fiction.

Shinobu charges in with a flying kick, before drawing her staff and sweeping it out to Cait Sith to try and knock him away from Miho.
</poem>

 AS: Weapon! Shinobu Shimizu has used the Strike skill Sweeping Strike on Crossroads Fencer! 2 Hits!
   | Aggression: Shinobu Shimizu gains 1 Limit!

 AS: Counter Neutral! Crossroads Fencer takes 51 Strike damage from Shinobu Shimizu's Sweeping Strike. Critical Hit!
   | COUNTER! Reflect Phys! Shinobu Shimizu takes 134 Strike damage in return for her attack! 

 AS: Counter Neutral! Crossroads Fencer takes 32 Strike damage from Shinobu Shimizu's Sweeping Strike.
   | COUNTER! Reflect Phys! Shinobu Shimizu takes 84 Strike damage in return for her attack! 

 <Pose Tracker> Yukari Takeba has posed.
<poem>
It's Winter Break, and Yukari is having a fine enough day in Iwatodai City, just strolling around, enjoying the atmosphere. Sure she's doing it with her Yumibukuro- but- well, it's not that weird right?

She hopes.

It's just when she hits the station that she hears-

'Heeeeelp!'

"Eh?" Yukari looks up, then has to clear the spots in her eyes at the ephemeral effect of something supernatural bleeding into this place of transit.

"That sounded like our dance teacher- haha- there's no way though right? She's not the type to try something like the Mementos Rumor or anything..."

A beat.

"... Right?"

-=-=-

Good news Yukari! Yua did NOT try the Mementos rumor, so you're not stuck searching through Icky Train Hell for her.

The bad news?

Her Dance Teacher is actually in trouble.

"What- Sensei- how did you- how did you even get up there!?" She asks, aghast, with her bow in her hand, "Who would even do this!? She's pregnant!" 

Yukari says, now- more than a touch upset. When along comes- a mysterious Fencer Demon.

"Uh, sorry- but- you think we're just going to walk away when you're keeping our teacher hostage!?"

And so then does Miho Ijuuin come and- the Mysterious Fencer reveals itself to be-

-a cat demon-

And as he engages an Olympic Fencer- "Hey watch out! I'm not sure you can even hurt this-"

-with an enraging snap-

"-worthless noisy cat!" 

Yukari Takeba says, with a sudden venom to her words, as she strings an arrow, and lines up a shot rapidly, drawing the bow back further than it's max draw strength should allow.

Followed by releasing an arrow right at it's majestic feathered hat.

"This is why I prefer DOGS! Koro-chan would NEVER do their business indoors!"


</poem>
 AS: Weapon! Yukari Takeba has used the Pierce skill Issha Zetsumei on Crossroads Fencer!

 <Pose Tracker> Miho Ijuuin has posed.
<poem>
Be careful, Shinobu says. If only she knew. 

"You will not," Miho says of defeating her--but even she has to lift an eyebrow when he's a magnificent cat. He comes at her--

Miho almost effortlessly brings her blade up to parry--but 'almost' does a lot of work, because the sheer strength of Cait Sith's blows nearly knocks her sword out of her hands outright without the full protection of her Persona. "Gh--" 

"Yua! I'm coming!" 

"Cats are ''not'' meant to wield swords," Miho says firmly to Shinobu and Cait Sith both. Then she pauses. "..." She considers. An honor duel... 

Nah. Fuck that. Miho RAGE. With a sudden fury, Miho rushes--and starts hacking at Cait Sith's hands and arms to forestall his attacks first, because even when she's angry she's good at this. 

"THIS IS A VERY BAD CAT," Miho intones calmly(?) yet at great volume to Yukari.
</poem>

 AS: Weapon! Miho Ijuuin has used the Slash skill Sabre Precision on Crossroads Fencer! 2 Hits!
   | Defense: Miho Ijuuin gains 1 Limit!

 <Pose Tracker> Remi Ryuuja has posed.
<poem>
Remi has been known to keep her ears out for rumors. (She has worked for a Rumormonger in the past, in fact, though most would know her as 'Ariel.') And she didn't like hearing the signs of this rumor.

She is also, for various reasons, very protective of Yua, miho, and Tyrrha (in roughly that order; sorry, Tyrrha.) And when she heard a challenger had appeared, with Yua in tow, she had made herself scarce.

Some time later a woman in a black fencing suit and streaming wind behind her bursts in throw a window of the fencing hall, throwing herself up the ladder and rafters until she is blocked the mysterious Haori'd figure.

'I will not fight until I'm brought ''Ijuuin!'''

Tsurugi's voice is normally stoic, but in this moment it ''seethes''. "You will die by ''my'' hand, demon." She'd spit the word, but the black fencing mask would make that messy. Her own Resonance flares, as her anger boils (though she somehow manages to keep a lid on it, despite a supernatural provocation.)

Her head whips around as she sees Miho enter. Not ideal. She can't afford to summon her Persona in this situation... and neither can Yua. She doesn't bother calling out to warn Miho.

She gives Yua-chan a brief look, then draws her rapier and main gauche. They're new, with an ice-themed design (which matches a new design on the chest of her black fencing suit, for that matter.) With a shout she leaps down, driving both of them downwards at the demon as she falls. "DIE!"
</poem>

 AS: Weapon! Remi Ryuuja has used the Pierce skill Balestra on Crossroads Fencer! 2 Hits!
   | Aggression: Remi Ryuuja gains 1 Limit!

 AS: Counter Worst! Crossroads Fencer takes 111 Pierce damage from Yukari Takeba's Issha Zetsumei.
   | COUNTER! Reflect Phys! Yukari Takeba takes 180 Pierce damage in return for her attack! 

 AS: Counter Worst! Crossroads Fencer takes 84 Slash damage from Miho Ijuuin's Sabre Precision. Critical Hit!
   | Paralyze (Physical and Avoid Penalized!) added!
   | COUNTER! Reflect Phys! Miho Ijuuin takes 105 Slash damage in return for her attack! Resist!

 AS: Counter Neutral! Crossroads Fencer takes 52 Slash damage from Miho Ijuuin's Sabre Precision. Critical Hit!
   | COUNTER! Reflect Phys! Miho Ijuuin takes 120 Slash damage in return for her attack! Resist!

 AS: Counter Worst! Crossroads Fencer takes 71 Pierce damage from Remi Ryuuja's Balestra. Critical Hit!
   | COUNTER! Reflect Phys! Remi Ryuuja takes 116 Pierce damage in return for her attack! 

 AS: Counter Neutral! Crossroads Fencer takes 44 Pierce damage from Remi Ryuuja's Balestra. Critical Hit!
   | COUNTER! Reflect Phys! Remi Ryuuja takes 128 Pierce damage in return for her attack! 

 <Pose Tracker> Crossroads Fencer has posed.
<poem>
    "Nobumizuuu! I don't wanna be a basket kittyyyy!" Yua wails, which either makes no or ''perfect'' sense, depending on how one looks at it. But the Mysterious Fencer knocks her back, and she yelps, "eek! H--hey! Leave her alone!!"

    "That's it! Cry more! Wail more!" The Fencer replies. "Call her here to me...!!"

    Yukari bursts in, too, and Yua wails from behind those bamboo bars: "He stole meeeeee...!" Who's 'he'? That Mysterious Fencer in that haori, of course.

    "Well, I'm not a ''monster,''" the demon insists, when Yukari points out that she's ''pregnant.'' "That's why I put her up ''there.''"

    "I don't wanna be up! No more up! Aaaa!"

    "She'll be fine!" The demon insists, over the top of Yua wailing.

    "I was born to defeat Ijuuin," the Fencer huffs, to the ''other'' Mysterious Fencer who's arrived. "Your blade could never be as sharp! I heard that as soon as she could walk, she was holding a blade...!"

    "Eeeaaa! A scary woman arrived, too!!" Yua knows very well that Tsurugi is the ''least'' scary woman, as far as she's concerned, but she's not ''supposed'' to know that when she's not in her veils. It's okay; this isn't the first time they've performed on stage together.

    And there... the woman of the hour!!

    "MM, MM! BAD KITTY! DROP IT!!" Yua yells, down at Cait Sith, when Miho declares that cats shouldn't ''hold'' swords. Terrifyingly, he does ''not'' drop it, even as Miho carves a long gash through his arm. (Don't worry, the fur obscures the blood.)

    He switches his grip to his left paw, the other held to his body, as he crows: "Ha! I'm left-handed...!"

    'DIE!'

    "FIEND!" He cries, as he brings his sword up, to deflect Tsurugi away from his core, giving her a good stab of his own in the process. And then -- ARROW! --

    -- which he catches in his teeth like a rose, before picking it up in his injured paw and ''flinging'' it back at Yukari, just in time to get kicked in the face. He rolls on the ground, kicking her right back with those oversized boots of his!

    "Ha! Just as Ijuuin has trained every day, I have trained every ''hour!'' I will prove, once and for all, that I am the strongest fencer of all...!" He slices his sabre in the air, the intricate weaving causing shockwaves of power to echo through the hall -- before he rushes Miho with that blade!

    "STAND!"

</poem>
 AS: Persona! Crossroads Fencer has used the Slash skill Gale Slash on Remi Ryuuja, Shinobu Shimizu, and Yukari Takeba!
   | Pressure: Crossroads Fencer gains 1 Limit!

 AS: Weapon! Crossroads Fencer has used the Slash skill Demon Rush on Miho Ijuuin! 2 Hits!
 AS: Block Worst! Shinobu Shimizu takes 114 Slash damage from Crossroads Fencer's Gale Slash. Critical Hit!
 AS: Block Worst! Miho Ijuuin takes 47 Slash damage from Crossroads Fencer's Demon Rush. Critical Hit! Resist!
 AS: You have 1 more attack in queue!
 AS: Avoid Best! Miho Ijuuin takes 0 Slash damage from Crossroads Fencer's Demon Rush. Resist!
 AS: Avoid Best! Remi Ryuuja takes 27 Slash damage from Crossroads Fencer's Gale Slash. Critical Hit! Resist!
 AS: Counter Worst! Yukari Takeba takes 191 Slash damage from Crossroads Fencer's Gale Slash. Critical Hit!
   | COUNTER! Crossroads Fencer takes 27 Slash damage in return for their attack! 
 
 <Pose Tracker> Shinobu Shimizu has posed.
<poem>Basket kitty??

"Don't worry! We'll get you down!" Shinobu assures, as Yua calls out to her. She isn't the only one who heard the call for help. Shinobu glances toward the side, spotting Yukari.

"Takeba. Good to see you." She offers with a nod. She looks toward Miho, then. "''That's'' for sure. They're good enough at causin' trouble even ''without'' swords."

Not that that's a bad thing, except when 'trouble' means kidnapping people...

There's a face - or a mask - she didn't expect to see here, though.

"What're ''you'' doing here?" Shinobu asks, glancing toward Tsurugi. "This isn't one of yours, is it?"

She grimaces, but they ''do'' need the help... especially when Cait Sith manages to knock them all flat. He expertly defends against her strike - and then a shockwave of power bowls her over!!

"Okay. That sucked." Shinobu grimaces, from her position on the floor. At least her head's a little more clear, now...

"You've got a ''real'' dedicated fan, here. Think if you autographed his hat he might be willing to back off?" Shinobu asks, glancing toward Miho, before discarding the idea. "...Nah. Wishful thinking."

Even if he wants to fight her, he's still talking her up...

She shakes her head.

"New plan. Takeba, I'll cover you!" Shinobu calls over to her. She's fought alongside her along enough to know that they can count on her to keep them standing.

"Lachesis, light him up!" Shinobu calls out. Lachesis appears behind her. With a wave of her hand, three points of light appear around Cait Sith and explode one after another!
</poem>

 AS: Persona! Shinobu Shimizu has used the Light skill Multi-Kouha on Crossroads Fencer! 3 Hits!
 AS: Shinobu Shimizu spends Limit on Shift! Yukari Takeba can use another Weak skill this round!#-1 FUNCTION (IF) EXPECTS
 2 OR 3 ARGUMENTS BUT GOT 1

 <Pose Tracker> Yukari Takeba has posed.
<poem>
"Stole you!? ... You mean kidnapped right?" Yukari says, not because she's trying to get into semantics, but because she wants to clarify that phrasing. Did something WEIRD happen here? "Yeah for real." She tells Shinobu, "This whole scenario is creeping me out..."

"You kind of ARE?" Yukari replied with some heat to the Cait Sith. "Like- what happens if you put her into early labor by stressing her out!?"

"SERIOUSLY!" For once in their lives, Miho and Yukari agree, even if Yukari hardly realizes this fact. "When this is over you're going in a kennel! See how you like it!"

The one thing a cat cannot abide... the ''kennel''.

But- it also catches her arrow in its mouth, "You- Baka cat! BAKA BAKA BAKA!" She says before yelping as she's kicked over.

And as he weaves a shockwave of power that flings her against a wall of the hall again, she still tries to draw an arrow and fire it, only managing a grazing shot.

However, this also knocks sense into her, finally.

"Wait, what am I even doing!?" As she then draws her Evoker, "Right! Nes plan!" She says to Shinobu, chagrined and embarrassed, "Uhhh sensei maybe don't look my way for a second-!" And puts it to her head, pulling the trigger, as Io appears.

 And the fey girl resting upon her bovine coffin raises her arms skyward, and sends a healing breeze- with the fresh scent of a battling brook across Miho, Shinobu and herself.

Tsurugi however, being openly a foe in the past that helped you know- do murders, gets no such courtesy.

"As for ''you''-" She says towards Tsurugi, "-find your own cover."

Despite her actions, she has no idea if she's here to kill Yua or for some otherwise fiendish plot. Like you do, when you're in the New World Order.

</poem>
 AS: Persona! Yukari Takeba has used the Recovery skill Naiad Mediarama on Miho Ijuuin, Shinobu Shimizu, and Yukari
 Takeba!
   | Support: Yukari Takeba gains 1 Limit!

 AS: Take! Shinobu Shimizu takes 165 Recovery healing from Yukari Takeba's Naiad Mediarama.
 AS: Take! Yukari Takeba takes 161 Recovery healing from Yukari Takeba's Naiad Mediarama.
 
 AS: Take! Miho Ijuuin takes 189 Recovery healing from Yukari Takeba's Naiad Mediarama.
 AS: Persona! Yukari Takeba has used the Recovery skill Media on Shinobu Shimizu!
 AS: Take! Shinobu Shimizu takes 121 Recovery healing from Yukari Takeba's Media.

 <Pose Tracker> Miho Ijuuin has posed.
<poem>
Ah, so Remi is here! Miho is less concerned that the demon may escape despite her inability to summon Faust in this situation. Well, 'inability'. it would just be a ''very'' bad idea. 

"Are you now? Then let us see how you do with your left hand." 

Bad kitty indeed. "I am still on my way, Yua!" 

Ijuuin trained every day... but he trined every hour. Hmm. 

"You are not the first to challenge me with such a hope," Miho says to Cait Sith. "...Nor will you be the last." 

The first strike Miho attempts to ''block'' again, but this time it batters her guard hard enough that it drags up her sleeve, cutting through fabric and coming away with a small but vibrant amount of block. The next she simply sidesteps outright. Those ripostes, on the other hand, keep ''jarring'' her arms entirely, dealing a great deal of damage the whole time. ...Miho can't keep this up forever, can she? 

"I like cats," Miho says. "This is not a good cat." 

"...I will autograph his corpse," Miho decides to Shinobu. 

She can say nothing to 'Tsurugi', so she doesn't. Instead--

Yukari heals her. Miho is not sure she's supposed to be able to heal her. ...It's fine. 

"I won't look," Miho offers Yukari, "if it's so important to you. This is more important, in any case." 

She ''lunges'' this time, and goes for an aggressive approach that will theoretically exhaust her opponent by having to deal with so manys trikes--

Or maybe she'll just cut a tendon. It's fine. Either way, this is a very unlucky attack...
</poem>

 AS: Weapon! Miho Ijuuin has used the Slash skill Blade of Joka on Crossroads Fencer! 2 Hits!
 AS: Avoid Neutral! Crossroads Fencer takes 26 Light damage from Shinobu Shimizu's Multi-Kouha.
 AS: Avoid Neutral! Crossroads Fencer takes 26 Light damage from Shinobu Shimizu's Multi-Kouha.
 AS: Avoid Neutral! Crossroads Fencer takes 26 Light damage from Shinobu Shimizu's Multi-Kouha.
 AS: Counter Best! Crossroads Fencer takes 27 Slash damage from Miho Ijuuin's Blade of Joka.
   | COUNTER! Reflect Phys! Miho Ijuuin takes 123 Slash damage in return for her attack! Resist!

 AS: Counter Best! Crossroads Fencer takes 38 Slash damage from Miho Ijuuin's Blade of Joka. Critical Hit!
   | COUNTER! Reflect Phys! Miho Ijuuin takes 175 Slash damage in return for her attack! Resist!

 <Pose Tracker> Remi Ryuuja has posed.
<poem>
Remi knows full well why Yua is wailing at the sight of ''her'', and is more than willing to play along with it, to help sell the facade. "SilenceDo not try my ire," she warns.

But despite her savage attack she is rebuked, and Tsurugi grunts as she is repelled, cluching her chest as she goes flying and has to catch herself. (She does this by stabbing a weapon into the floor to halt her movement; Sorry, Miho, but you're good for it, right?)

"You are nothing but an upstart!" scowls Tsurugi to the Cait Sith's boasts. ... What's her interest in this, again? Shinobu asks, and Tsurugi glances at her. "No. But he has taken something precious."

Definitely not the woman in the basket.

Tsurugi is ''snubbed'' by a teenage girl. That's fine. "I do not ''need'' cover, archer," she retorts.

(She does not, however, take Miho's silence towards her as a snub. For reasons.)

A wave of force comes for her, and Tsurugi throws herself forward only to slide under it--it's a move she knows well, fortunately. As she comes up she is already pulling her own Evoker free from her thigh, without a warning. "Loading Skill Cartridge," she intones. She lifts the Evoker to her head and fires. "La Maupin!"

La Maupin forms behind her and immdiately gestures. A fast, sharp wind bursts from its hand for the demon, trying to track its movements. "Now, Maukukaja," she says as she slides her Evoker away.

Shinobu, Miho, Tsurugi, ''and'' Yukari will have winds explode from their feet to wrap around them and increase their movement speed so they can more easily dodge.
</poem>

 AS: Remi Ryuuja spends Limit on Exploit! Remi Ryuuja can use another Weak skill this round!
 AS: Persona! Remi Ryuuja has used the Wind skill Pneuma Rush on Crossroads Fencer! 2 Hits!
   | Aggression: Remi Ryuuja gains 1 Limit!

 AS: Persona! Remi Ryuuja has used the Recovery skill Masukukaja on Shinobu Shimizu, Miho Ijuuin, Remi Ryuuja, and Yukari
 Takeba!
 AS: Take! Remi Ryuuja takes 0 Recovery healing from Remi Ryuuja's Masukukaja.
   | Spd_Up (Avoid Improved!) added!

 AS: Take! Shinobu Shimizu takes 0 Recovery healing from Remi Ryuuja's Masukukaja.
   | Spd_Up (Avoid Improved!) added!
 
 AS: Take! Miho Ijuuin takes 0 Recovery healing from Remi Ryuuja's Masukukaja.
   | Spd_Up (Avoid Improved!) added!

 AS: Take! Yukari Takeba takes 0 Recovery healing from Remi Ryuuja's Masukukaja.
   | Spd_Up (Avoid Improved!) added!

 AS: Avoid Neutral! Crossroads Fencer takes 120 Wind damage from Remi Ryuuja's Pneuma Rush. Weak!
 AS: Avoid Best! Crossroads Fencer takes 105 Wind damage from Remi Ryuuja's Pneuma Rush. Critical Hit! Weak!

 <Pose Tracker> Crossroads Fencer has posed.
<poem>
    "Mm-hm! Down please! Down please!" Yua sniffles, to Shinobu. (Even when she's in peril, she's adorable...) To Yukari, she wails: "T-that's right! I was Yuanapped! I don't want a weird boy cat doing thaaaat!!!" Tsurugi tells her to be silent, and Yua cries: "Can't! Too scared!!"

    (Something precious... is the NWO targeting poor, sweet, innocent Yua?!)

    "It's entirely because I can hold a blade that I'm here!" Cait Sith boasts, to Shinobu, in turn... and that may well be true. "No autograph nor photograph will soothe me! Only the sweet taste of VICTORY! ... but if I die, you must autograph my corpse!" He adds, to Miho. "This, I insist!"

    It's a good thing, perhaps, because neither Tsurugi ''nor'' Miho is likely to let him walk.

    "Eh?" He pauses, ears flicking in his hat, as he looks to Yukari. "How is she supposed to do any work in a basket?" He's thinking of the wrong type of labour...

    And then -- "FSSSST! YOU'LL NEVER KENNEL ME!" All his hair raises, as he prickles against Yukari's insult.

    "Huh?" Yua asks, as she, of course, looks, and -- and of course she's not supposed to ''know,'' so she wails, "DON'T DO IT, TAKEBA-KUN! ... huh? She's okay...? Aaah," she cries, as Tsurugi fires on herself too, "I'm delirious with panic! That's what this is! Bad bad bad bad bad!!"

    Shinobu lights it up like shooting stars, which slam down, one, two, three -- "THIS IS NOT GLORIOUS COMBAT!" Cait Sith cries, as he leaps back, one, two, three, and the explosions send his hat spiralling away, but he ''catches it'' and plants it back on his head. "Magic is a woman's weapon! Face me with the blade!!" He points his blade at Tsurugi and Yukari, in turn

    "MIMI'S A WOMAN!" Yua yells, deeply offended, from her perch.

    Tsurugi proves that magic can still knock him down, though, when she blows him over with her rushing winds. This time, his hat ''does'' go sailing away, jamming up into the bamboo bars of Yua's cage. "JERK!" She yells, down to him. "I'm stealing your ''hat!'' Meanie!"

    "Noooooooooooooo!!" Cait Sith wails, as he grasps at his kitty head, now sans hat. "My ''hat!''"

    Miho takes ruthless advantage of his distraction -- moving in with a powerfully unlucky blow! Perhaps he's in his time of Joka, because even though his saber meets hers in a powerful, rattling blow, and then another, she ''still'' slips her blade in past his to give him some more marks.

    "... hey!" Yua barks, as she investigates that hat. "There were medicine bottles in here...! Who keeps medicine in his hat?! Weird cat! ... hey, would these help? Here! Here!!" She tosses the medicine down onto her rescuers, and apparently, she doesn't know the dangers of the New World Order enough ''not'' to toss one at Tsurugi too.

    "Foul! Damsels can't ''help!''" Cait Sith gasps, and brandishes his blade. "That's it! I'll show you my greatest technique! To defeat you all at once...!!"

    His greatest technique, it turns out, is jumping all around the room, rapid-fire, to slash his sabre at ''everyone.'' Everyone gets stabs! ''Everyone!'' And the Persona-Users may be relieved, in fact, to realise that ''they'' receive his most Demonic-empowered assaults, because...

    Miho, as it happens, he saves for last -- and for ''her,'' he brings his sword to bear with no magic burning behind it at all.

    "I WILL TRIUMPH!!"

</poem>
 AS: Crossroads Fencer spends Limit on Break! 
 AS: Crossroads Fencer spends Limit on Medicine!  +75 HP to Miho Ijuuin!
 
 AS: Crossroads Fencer spends Limit on Medicine!  +75 HP to Remi Ryuuja!
 AS: Crossroads Fencer spends Limit on Medicine!  +31 HP to Shinobu Shimizu!
 
 AS: Crossroads Fencer spends Limit on Medicine!  +75 HP to Yukari Takeba!
 AS: Persona! Crossroads Fencer has used the Slash skill Straight Slash on Yukari Takeba!
   | Pressure: Crossroads Fencer gains 1 Limit!

 AS: Persona! Crossroads Fencer has used the Slash skill Mighty Swing on Shinobu Shimizu!
 AS: Persona! Crossroads Fencer has used the Slash skill Cleave on Remi Ryuuja!
 AS: Weapon! Crossroads Fencer has used the Slash skill I Was Born To Defeat You! on Miho Ijuuin! 3 Hits!
 AS: Crossroads Fencer's turn has ended. It's time for an All-Out Attack!
   | Crossroads Fencer: Atk_Up, Break, and Reflect_Phys removed!

 AS: Avoid Worst! Miho Ijuuin takes 58 Slash damage from Crossroads Fencer's I Was Born To Defeat You!. Critical Hit!
 Resist!
 AS: Nemesis! Miho Ijuuin can take another Weak action this round!
 AS: Avoid Best! Miho Ijuuin takes 0 Slash damage from Crossroads Fencer's I Was Born To Defeat You!. Resist!
 AS: You have 1 more attack in queue!
 AS: Avoid Neutral! Miho Ijuuin takes 21 Slash damage from Crossroads Fencer's I Was Born To Defeat You!. Critical Hit!
 Resist!
 AS: Avoid Worst! Yukari Takeba takes 164 Slash damage from Crossroads Fencer's Straight Slash. Critical Hit!
   | Paralyze (Physical and Avoid Penalized!) added!

 AS: Nemesis! Yukari Takeba can take another Weak action this round!
 
 AS: Avoid Worst! Shinobu Shimizu takes 161 Slash damage from Crossroads Fencer's Mighty Swing.
 AS: Nemesis! Shinobu Shimizu can take another Weak action this round!
 AS: Counter Worst! Remi Ryuuja takes 102 Slash damage from Crossroads Fencer's Cleave. Resist!
   | COUNTER! Crossroads Fencer takes 54 Slash damage in return for their attack! 

 AS: Nemesis! Remi Ryuuja can take another Weak action this round!

 <Pose Tracker> Shinobu Shimizu has posed.
<poem>"Just hang in there." Shinobu assures Yua - and then pauses, realising what she said. Maybe not the ''best'' thing to say in her current position... "Uh, I mean... be strong, Yua-chan."

She remembered her request, at least...

"Seriously." Shinobu agrees with Yukari. She has a good point about how stressful this must be for Yua, too. ...Not that she really expects a demon to know how that works.

Miho states that she'll autograph Cait Sith's corpse.

"Dark. But fair." Shinobu replies. ...But this only seems to encourage Cait Sith ''further'', as he insists on it. "...Well, okay."

It's entirely because he can hold a blade that he's here...

"Is this kind of thing all your blade is good for, then?" Shinobu asks.

Tsurugi, though... she states that he's taken something precious. But what could that 'something precious' be? Could it be Yua herself? And with that warning to her... This must be serious. She'll have to keep an eye on her to make sure she isn't planning anything. But even so... "He's really aggroing all the fencers around here, huh..."

Yukari heals, and Shinobu feels the pain subside. She rolls her shoulder.

"Alright... Second wind. Let's do this." She says, offering Yukari a nod of thanks. But Tsurugi ''also'' offers support - with that familiar burst of wind enhancing her speed. She grimaces at accepting help from her, but... they kind of really need it right now.
Cait Sith complains about her use of magic.

"Sorry, I don't do 'glorious'. That went out the window when you kidnapped someone." Shinobu replies. ...And when he kicked her ass, but she isn't going to admit ''that''. She does frown at his insistence, though. Magic is a woman's weapon, huh... "...Oh, now I'm ''definitely'' gonna do it again."

Yua ''steals his hat'' - and finds medicine, thankfully!

"Thanks!" Shinobu replies, catching the thrown medicine before glancing toward Cait Sith. "Hey, damsels throw out power-ups in battle all the time. Maybe put down the sword and pick up a controller sometime? You could use a new hobby."

That still isn't good enough, though - because now he's pulling out all the stops...! And he's ''fast'' - Shinobu braces herself with a grimace as he leaps across the room. Tsurugi's Masukukaja helps her keep up with him - but even that isn't enough to avoid the flurry completely, pressuring her and forcing her back. Good thing she has that medicine Yua threw them...

"He's ''fast''... Ijuuin-san, everyone, you alright?" Shinobu calls out, then focuses back on Cait Sith. "You asked for it - Lachesis!"

At her word, Lachesis raises her measuring rod up to the ceiling - and heavenly purifying light shines down on Cait Sith!

The light may be blinding - and Shinobu takes advantage of that, racing in.

"Unfortunately for ''you''... you picked a fight with someone who doesn't mind fighting dirty." And then her staff swings.
</poem>

 AS: Shinobu Shimizu spends Limit on Psych! 
 AS: Persona! Shinobu Shimizu has used the Light skill Nirvana on Crossroads Fencer! 3 Hits!
   | Aggression: Shinobu Shimizu gains 1 Limit!

 AS: Weapon! Shinobu Shimizu has used the Strike skill Spinning Staff on Crossroads Fencer! 3 Hits!

 <Pose Tracker> Yukari Takeba has posed.
<poem>
"Y-Yuanapped?" Yukari echoes, like she doesn't expect this from her teacher, "Hey hey- it'll be okay. We're gonna get you out of there..."
 
She never expected to be consoling a teacher but hey- she's pregnant and in an emotional situation.
 
"That weird boy cat isn't going to do anything else to you, not while we're around."
 
Unfortunately- Yua looked- "H-Hey I told you not to look! Come on-! Do you realy think I'm the type to do that?!"
 
Please don't answer that, she honestly does not want to know if someone thinks she is truly that type.
 
'Magic is a woman's weapon! Face me with the blade!!'
 
Yukari just raises an eyebrow at the Demonic cat, "Really? We're going there? It's not like I can help my Persona being what it is?"
 
She sighs deeply, "But sure, I'll face you with my bow." Her eyes glint with a certain malice, "Be careful what you wish for."

"True." She replies to Tsurugi saying she doesn't ''need'' cover, "What you really need is an actual personality."
 
Not just snubbed, ''dragged''.
 
And yet, they still use a spell to speed them up? Causing her to give them a suspicious look, "What is that about? Ugh- whatever."
 
And then the Demon Cat leaps! "Hey! DOWN! GET DOWN!" And stabs and stabs and stabs, "OFF! GET OFF ME!" Yeah she got stabbed a time or four.
 
The fact that her winter dress got a few tears in it is ''definitely'' not ideal.
 
Once she has her bearings again from the dizzying swordplay, she catches the bottle of medicine-
 
"Wait it was in his hat?" She peers at it, "You're sure it's safe for people? And not like- some deworming thing from the vet?"
 
In the end, she does take it though, feeling the relief slides a clip into the bottom of her Evoker, causing it to glow red.
 
As red as her eyes become, when she presses the Evoker to her forehead and pulls the trigger, Io erupting out of her and forming up behind her in a synchronized pose.
 
Taking a knee, she begins firing arrows one after another- which Io speeds up using Wind Magic in her quick draw and shoot rhythm.
 
Right before the winds pick up, spinning her end over end in an aerial flip, as she gets a diagonal bead upon the Demon, tip of her arrow gleaming.
 
"Hey guess what? A woman's weapon just beat you."
 
Even if it's not her in particular- all the people fighting it are women. It'll work out!
 
The gleaming arrow descends, detonating into a riotous pressure wave of Wind that rises as a column out of their position.

</poem>
 AS: Tandem! Theurgy! Yukari Takeba has used the Wind skill Cyclone Arrow on Crossroads Fencer!

 <Pose Tracker> Miho Ijuuin has posed.
<poem>
Yuanapped... 

"Do not tell her to be silent," Miho grumps at Tsurugi, seemingly unafraid of the strange operative. However... 

"Very well," Miho says. "I will do this." 

Mimi ''is'' indeed a woman. She frowns at the matter of magic. "A blade can also be a woman's weapon. You didn't fail to notice, did you?" 

Yua takes his hat. ...Miho smiles. 

Medicine in his hat. Miho takes a medicine bottle and ''chugs'' it, despite the taste. 

But that last assualt--

"You--" 

Miho taakes a terrible blow, slashed at the side which cuts through her fencing armor, then she ''completely'' parries the second, and the third--

Barely, at the last second, she ''batters'' his blade away! "Will NOT!" 

"...Demons do not go to the vet," Miho says after she rises, for YUkari's benefit. And then, as Yukari uses her arrows, one after another, Miho looks--and looks impressed. 

She watches Shinobu, too--though she must avert her eyes from the light. "Dirty..." 

Miho decides, "When we rescue Yua, bill your clothing damage for my tailor to fix." 

Then she narrows her eyes. "I think I'll need a taxidermist." 

She suddenly ''leaps'' upon Cait Sith, and slashes, slashes, slashes, with expert timing and demonic ferocity!
</poem>

 AS: Miho Ijuuin spends Limit on Psych! 
 AS: Weapon! Miho Ijuuin has used the Slash skill Dragon Clash on Crossroads Fencer! 3 Hits!
   | Defense: Miho Ijuuin gains 1 Limit!

 AS: Weapon! Miho Ijuuin has used the Slash skill Sabre Rush on Crossroads Fencer! 3 Hits!

 <Pose Tracker> Yukari Takeba has posed.
<poem>
At Miho's comment of them not going to the vet:
 
"... They don't? Welllll they're scared enough of the kennel..."

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Remi Ryuuja has posed.
<poem>
Yua can't stay silent, and Tsurugi wishes in the moment she didn't need to keep the act up. But at least she won't 'threaten' her any further. "I will do as I please," she retorts coldly to Miho. Plese just play along, she can't give you two any special treatment considering the circumstances.

Tsurugi is ''definitely'' not going to let the Cait Sith walk. Even if Miho, somehow, did.

Magic, apparently, is a woman's weapon. "While you were studying the blade, ''I'' studied multiple forms of combat," Tsurugi intones darkly, (and with some grim satisfaction at one-upping the demon.)

And her spell works, to her satisfaction.

She reaches an arm without looking to snag the bottle of medicine. And she uses it by having the camera cut away so nobody can see how she got it under her fencing mask. "... you will be spared my ire," she declares. That's... good, right?

Damsels can't help. "Your mistake was underestimating the power of a woman. Thrice over."

She tracks the Cait Sith as he jumps around the room, and when it comes tiome to slash at her she attempts to deflect the blow with her main gacuhe and riposte with her rapier--but she takes the worse end of the exchange, a deep gouge across her torso as she gets thrown bag. "Guh." She clutches her chest, but doesn't seem to cry out in pain.

Cait sith is aggroing the fencers. "Yes," Tsurugi agrees tersely. It only serves Tsurugi's purposes to offer her allies of convenience assistance. But of course, she won't ''admit'' what those purposes are.

Tsurugi doesn't seem bothered the insult Yukari levels. But when she asks what the buff is about, Tsurugi only says, "It is about ensuring you do not fall before I have secured what is mine."

'I WILL TRIUMPH!'

"You will ''perish''," Tsurugi snarls. She reaches into her pouch. "Loading Theurgy Cartridge.," she announces. She brings her Evoker to her head in a smooth motion and pulls the trigger.

La Maupin ''surges'' with power, and User and Persona both take up their respective rapiers. "Tempête Fatale!" she shouts. With a burst of speed both ''blur'' into motion in an X-shaped pattern, each slashing for the Cait Sith in tandem.

But in the blink of an eye they're back where they started, and the cuts suddenly ''explode'' with a furious chaotic explosion of wind to try and end the Cait Sith's threat permanently.
</poem>

 AS: Tandem! Theurgy! Remi Ryuuja has used the Wind skill Tempête Fatale on Crossroads Fencer! 2 Hits!
   | Aggression: Remi Ryuuja gains 1 Limit!

 AS: Avoid Worst! Crossroads Fencer takes 96 Light damage from Shinobu Shimizu's Nirvana.
 
 AS: Miho Ijuuin spends Limit on Medicine!  +75 HP to Miho Ijuuin!
 AS: Counter Worst! Crossroads Fencer takes 265 Wind damage from Remi Ryuuja's Tempête Fatale. Critical Hit! Weak!
   | COUNTER! Remi Ryuuja takes 132 Wind damage in return for her attack! 

 AS: Counter Worst! Crossroads Fencer takes 217 Wind damage from Remi Ryuuja's Tempête Fatale. Weak!
   | COUNTER! Remi Ryuuja takes 108 Wind damage in return for her attack! 
   | Remi Ryuuja is unable to continue fighting!

 AS: Avoid Worst! Crossroads Fencer takes 117 Light damage from Shinobu Shimizu's Nirvana. Critical Hit!
 AS: Avoid Worst! Crossroads Fencer takes 117 Light damage from Shinobu Shimizu's Nirvana. Critical Hit!
 AS: Counter Worst! Crossroads Fencer takes 78 Strike damage from Shinobu Shimizu's Spinning Staff.
   | COUNTER! Shinobu Shimizu takes 43 Strike damage in return for her attack! 
   | Crossroads Fencer is unable to continue fighting!

 AS: Counter Worst! Crossroads Fencer takes 115 Strike damage from Shinobu Shimizu's Spinning Staff. Critical Hit!
   | COUNTER! Shinobu Shimizu takes 64 Strike damage in return for her attack! 
   | Crossroads Fencer is unable to continue fighting!

 AS: Counter Worst! Crossroads Fencer takes 115 Strike damage from Shinobu Shimizu's Spinning Staff. Critical Hit!
   | COUNTER! Shinobu Shimizu takes 64 Strike damage in return for her attack! 
   | Crossroads Fencer is unable to continue fighting!

 AS: Avoid Worst! Crossroads Fencer takes 348 Wind damage from Yukari Takeba's Cyclone Arrow. Critical Hit! Weak!
   | Crossroads Fencer is unable to continue fighting!

 AS: Counter Worst! Crossroads Fencer takes 107 Slash damage from Miho Ijuuin's Dragon Clash.
   | COUNTER! Miho Ijuuin takes 36 Slash damage in return for her attack! Resist!
   | Crossroads Fencer is unable to continue fighting!

 AS: Counter Worst! Crossroads Fencer takes 107 Slash damage from Miho Ijuuin's Dragon Clash.
   | COUNTER! Miho Ijuuin takes 36 Slash damage in return for her attack! Resist!
   | Crossroads Fencer is unable to continue fighting!

 AS: Counter Worst! Crossroads Fencer takes 107 Slash damage from Miho Ijuuin's Dragon Clash.
   | COUNTER! Miho Ijuuin takes 36 Slash damage in return for her attack! Resist!
   | Crossroads Fencer is unable to continue fighting!
 
 AS: Counter Worst! Crossroads Fencer takes 79 Slash damage from Miho Ijuuin's Sabre Rush.
   | COUNTER! Miho Ijuuin takes 27 Slash damage in return for her attack! Resist!
   | Crossroads Fencer is unable to continue fighting!

 AS: Counter Worst! Crossroads Fencer takes 118 Slash damage from Miho Ijuuin's Sabre Rush. Critical Hit!
   | COUNTER! Miho Ijuuin takes 39 Slash damage in return for her attack! Resist!
   | Crossroads Fencer is unable to continue fighting!
   | Miho Ijuuin is unable to continue fighting!

 AS: Counter Worst! Crossroads Fencer takes 79 Slash damage from Miho Ijuuin's Sabre Rush.
   | COUNTER! Miho Ijuuin takes 27 Slash damage in return for her attack! Resist!
   | Crossroads Fencer is unable to continue fighting!
   | Miho Ijuuin is unable to continue fighting!
 
 <Pose Tracker> Crossroads Fencer has posed.
<poem>
    "Eeek!" Yua wails, when Shinobu points out she's hanging in here!! "O-okay... I-I'll try...!" She calls to Yukari, too, and she's certainly... not this much ''this much'' when she's teaching.

    Though... there were signs.

    ''there were signs.''

    ("Now we're going to turn our feets out and step to the right...! And while we're bringing our legs across, we clap! Clap, clap!!")

    "I really don't know what to think!" Yua sniffles, rather than answer Yukari's question about her risk profile directly. "The cat is talking...!"

    Weirdly, the demon seems entirely on the same wavelength as Tsurugi and Miho's dialogue... though when Yukari insists she can't help her Persona, Cait Sith points his blade at her again. "Only a girl without discipline would claim she has no control!!" What does he know, anyway??? "And a warrior is not careful! He is BOLD!"

    Did he miss that look in Yukari's eyes...

    "... oh! Like in the arcade games!" Yua sounds so proud of herself for recognising what Shinobu is saying... "I like the arcade game where you dance! What's it called... oh! Dance Dance Rebellion!"

    (Please don't target Dance Dance Rebellion to the whole group at once. That's a copyright whippin' right there.)

    But when Yukari asks whether the medicine is dewormer, Yua blinks, looking at one of the bottles. "It just says 'MEDICINE'... ummmm... is that okay?!"

    "Ah, that's true -- you're the world's strongest fencer!" Cait Sith declares. He reflects the perceptions of the world, as he declares: "You've adopted a man's weapons and mastered them yourself! No wonder they say a ''woman'' is your greatest weakness!"

    "Huh?" Yua blinks, pointing at herself. "Me? ... hey! Don't say weird things about Mimi!!"

    "Then prove yourself!" He challenges Tsurugi, as he dives -- into her Theurgy Cartridge, which sends him flying! His sword swings up in the air in a wide arc...

    ... before he grabs it, as he rises, one paw to the ground.

    "GLORIOUS COMBAT...!!" He howls, as he leaps away from the magical blows, and leaps ''into'' the physical ones, slash, strike, bam! Despite the terrible violence, he's smiling...

    This terrible rumour is being fulfilled...!

    Particularly as he comes to meet ''Miho's'' blade, at the end of it all, and meets every titanic, Olympian blow! The blades clash, with showers of sparks, and in the end --

    -- in the end --

    -- it's ''Miho'' who cuts through his guard, to send her sabre right through his heart, leaving a hole in his cape behind him as he gasps.

    "Ijuuin... I died to defeat you..."

    He falls, but the exhaustion he's set into Miho's bones, responding to such demonic strength, will surely not leave her standing much longer.

    Luckily, Yukari and Shinobu are there to help Yua down... while Cait Sith's ''sword,'' which flew out of his hands in that final parry, is left undefended for Tsurugi to claim.

    "Mimi, Mimi!" Yua calls, as she scrambles out of the basket once it's safely back down to earth, running over to her. "Mimi, are you okay?!"

    ''Is'' she okay, after facing down a demon without a Persona of her own...?

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Miho Ijuuin has posed.
<poem>
...It's true. The demon is scared of the kennel. 

There were signs. But now, as a bold warrior fights with Miho, Miho bends all her concentration to the battle. And--

"A man's weapons, is it...?" She grits her teeth. "Yua is not a weakness!" 

She is angry. She is mad! And--

Indeed, they are in glorious combat. But in the end--

"The dead..." 

Miho coughs, and ''wrenches'' her blade free of Cait Sith's chest. "...Defeat no one!" 

But after that, she falls to one knee, barely holding onto her weapon. 

"I'm..." 

She's ''very'' tired, actually. 

She considers her answer. 

"I..." 

"Have been better." 

Pause. "I'm still going to have that thing stuffed." She is not standing up under her own power anytime soon. Also she's bleeding!
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Yukari Takeba has posed.
<poem>
"You think saying stuff like that makes you seem any more trustworthy? I'll fight you too after this if you pull anything funny-!"
 
She snaps at Tsurugi, worried now that she's trying to kidnap the ''pregnant dance teacher'' herself.
 
The cat is talking.
 
"Yeahhhh uhhhhh-.... animatronics?"
 
Look she's got nothing here.
 
Medicine- she really hopes it's not some weird animal parasite thing.
 
The Fencer 'died to defeat you'- and Yukari looks in alarm, but she doesn't seem to be immediately like- dying or anything, giving Shinobu a grateful look, "I'm so glad you were here for the backup..." She says, still giving Tsurugi a distrustful look.
 
Indeed, she does help Shinobu get Yua down but- then she walks over to Miho, "She doesn't look okay. Here uh. If she could kill a demon then- maybe."
 
She puts her Evoker to her forehead, pulling the trigger as Io appears- sending out another focused healing spell right to Miho.
 
"Oh there we go."
 
Pause.
 
"What kind of... taxidermist do you know who will- do that..." Another prolonged pause, "...on that definitely animatronic cat?"


</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Shinobu Shimizu has posed.
<poem>''Ouch''. Shinobu can feel Yukari's burn to Tsurugi from here. She winces. ...She won't come to her defense, though. Sorry, Tsurugi.

Miho responds to her commenting about fighting dirty, and Shinobu pauses.

"That's not ''quite'' what I... y'know what, never mind." She replies. ...She'll accept the offer because she could really use it.

Yua recognizes what she's saying! That's good enough for Shinobu.

"Yeah, exactly." She confirms with a nod. Dance Dance Rebellion... "Yeah, that seems up your alley."

Cait Sith speaks of a man's weapons - and says that a woman is Miho's greatest weakness. Shinobu doesn't blame her for getting angry at that one.

They all fight their hardest, and Cait Sith gives as good as he gets... but in the end, he falls. Shinobu exhales - she's concerned, but it looks like Miho is still ''alive'', even if she's hurt...

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Yukari Takeba has posed.
<poem>
Yukari casts another healing spell, this time on herself and Shinobu.
 
"Three rounds, actually." She corrects, with her implicit backup.

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Remi Ryuuja has posed.
<poem>
"You should not trust me," Tsurugi replies to Yukari. So she's just admitting it. "But today we do not work at cross purposes." They're actually working at the ''same'' purpose, though Tsurugi can't explain that without drawing suspicion to Yua and potentially Miho.

It's okay, Shinobu. This, too, Tsurugi will bear.

Tsurugi will spare no further words when challenged to 'prove it'. She will, instead, let her actions speak for her. When he lashes back, La Maupin steps in to fend off the titanic blows, but shatters in the process, sending Tsurugi to her knee. By the heaving of her chest she is breathing hard, and she's pretty still, but yet she doesn't cry out. And she, too, has a great big gash cutting across her chest that might still be bleeding.

Does she just take being stoic to the extreme?

She will take some grim satisfaction in seeing Miho's blade skewer the beast to through the torso. "Good riddance," she scowls.

The rest she knows she can leave to the others. But ''she'll'' have to get out of here before the supernatural space completely collapses. Or before someone tries to take a shot at her. Bracing herself against her knee, she slowly pushes herself upright. She looks unsteady, as she sheathes rapier and dagger. Then she staggers over to the dropped sword.

"... You have gotten what you deserve, for taking what it is ours." And by 'taking' she definitely means the sword and by 'ours' she definitely means the NWO and not anything else. She slowly bends over to pick it up. "... let this be a warning to all else who would dare."

Hopefully that should provide a convenient enough cover to explain her presence here.

Shinobu delivers her thanks and warning, and Yukari backs it up. Tsurugi shakes her head. "There is no need. I have my satisfaction."
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Yukari Takeba has posed.
<poem>
"Wait so securing what was yours was just about some crummy demon's sword?"
 
...
...
...
...
...
 
Yukari begins to sparkle with drifting motes of light, because her time here is short before she'll be sent back to Iwatodai.
 
"You are so weird."
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Remi Ryuuja has posed.
<poem>
Tsurugi looks at Yukari and one might get the sense she is arching an eyebrow, even if it can't be seen behind her fencer's mask. "... Yes. What did you think I meant?"
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Miho Ijuuin has posed.
<poem>
"...." 

"I seek a taxidermist with enough money to override his good sense," she settles on. 

"Perhaps... my doctor." As to who to call. 

"Thank you for your assistance."
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Yukari Takeba has posed.
<poem>
"... Pretty sure you can make that happen." Yukari says, knowing at least that Miho and Yua were pretty loaded.

What did she think Tsurugi meant?
 
"How should I know? Maybe you thought you were entitled to her firstborn or something because she passed you in the street once."
 
As she gestures towards Yua.
 
"Every time you show up, it means you're helping murder someone- or steal something- or whatever you feel like doing."
 
Then finally, "You're welcome. Uhhh take care of yourselves, because... now you see me?"
 
Now you don't, as she disappears back.

</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Crossroads Fencer has posed.
<poem>
    "Oop," Yua says, as she's let out of the basket. She comes with sound effects!

    Like this one: "Uuu... Mimi, you're bleeding!" It takes Yua a little longer to get on her knees -- she ''must'' be almost to her third trimester, by now, she's carrying a ''lot'' more weight -- but she does, so that she can take the hem of her dress and press it to Miho's arm. "You fought so hard... you really are the strongest, Mimi!"

    She looks up, to the others. "I don't really understand what you were doing," she lies, "but... you're really strong too, right? And not just with a sword... thank you very much!" She bows, though it's a touch awkward, because she's ''still'' holding onto Miho's arm to try and stem that bleeding.

    After Yukari's spell, though, she has a peek... "Oh, putting pressure on it really worked!" She exclaims, with relief, as if it was the hem of Yua's dress which helped Miho's bleeding.

    But then -- ''Tsurugi.'' Who Yua looks appropriately terrified by, given what Yukari says. "Um... d-did he... did he steal that from you, or something...?" Yua wonders, as if terrified by ''this'' mysterious fencer's visage. "Please take it!" She urges her, with another one of those awkward, kneeling bows. "Please, just take it back, don't hurt them!"

    And the Oscar goes to...!

    "You would fight her, too, though, wouldn't you?" She wonders, looking from Shinobu to the flickering Yukari. "Thank you very much!" But Yukari must return to her home planet...

    ... and Yua, shocked, remembers: "Ah! Tykko! She's still tied up--!! Nobumizu, can-- can you help us...?"

    Lo, Shinobu, in helping Miho and Yua get to their doctor and retrieve their ''daughter,'' will be gifted with the world's funniest sight:

    Tyrrha, angrily inchworming across the grass in Aoba Park, all tied up.

    "I'LL BITE YOUR ANKLES OFF!!", is the kind of thing she's yowling, toothily.

    Don't worry -- she'll feel better when Miho reveals why she's carrying around a dead cat.

    (It actually ''is'' an answer to a quest...)

</poem>

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