2025-12-04: TARGET: Cursed Taxi
- Log: TARGET: Cursed Taxi
- Cast: Ruzica Crvena, Eveline Deschamps, Kanae Fuyuki, Katsuko Yoshinaga, Yua Ooshiro, So-young Park, Tamaki Uchida, Remi Ryuuja, Moriko Kumamoto
- Where: Yumezaki Ward, Sumaru City
- OOC Date: December 05, 2025
- IC Date: August 21, 2012
- Summary: Several Persona Users are out to hunt the Cursed Taxi Rumour Demon when Ruzica Crvena, seeking money for rent, destroys the demon and turns to challenge the heroes. Meanwhile, looking on to the battle, Eve battles against the Cursed Bride and her Knight, of the New World ORder.
<Pose Tracker> Ruzica Crvena has posed.
One of the worst parts about Yumezaki Ward, in Sumaru City, is that it's a town that never sleeps.
It's one of the most mortifying places to be in the Dark Hour. Even as the clock strikes midnight, Yumezaki doesn't know when to call it quits -- it'll sleep when it's good and dead. Even out here, near the Mu Continent, which has recently been the hot topic of being a casino (despite gambling being illegal in Japan, hence gray businessses such as Pachinko Silver nearby)...
12:00
It's a veritable sea of coffins. Coffins, strewn and piled high as far as the eye can see. The cold-white shine of all the electronic billboards and fluorescent neons of Yumezaki's hottest nightclubs, karaoke towers, late-night izakayas, restaurants, pubs and what have you all turn that trademark sickly green. The moon is low and pregnant, with a similar ill feeling, and on this night, as it has been dictated by the town's gossip recently...
A group of Persona Users (i.e., you!) are in hot pursuit, for one reason or another, of the elusive Cursed Taxi Rumour Demon. That's right -- it was a rumour where a taxi driven by a skeleton that speaks in a Kansai accent, a man who died of overwork, will spirit you away to an otherworldly realm. It's curious who will even be affected by such a rumour if it largely appears during the Dark Hour, but it was there, and--
"'fraid I can't let y'all git in the way of mah business," drawls the skeleton in a patented whachamacallit Kansai hootenanny accent, a bold choice by the 2012 localisation team.
The yellow taxicab, which menaces with a front grill lined with a lower jaw full of sharp teeth (not safe for road), roars to the attack!!
BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDLdMClC6YQ
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The Cursed Taxi threatens to leave you to (literally) choke on its vapours (which does light Almighty damage and has a chance to Haze), just ram into people (light damage with chance of insurance fraud), bite them (light gross damage defended by your TDaP shot), and also perform that most legendary of manoeuvres... the Electric Powerslide (medium electric damage and eurobeat noise). It's really all you want, when your home life's a wreck, ya ya ya ya ya.
Two minutes on, the battle looks to be going well, no powers that be just breathing down your neck, until-- Supernatural senses sharply alert the Persona Users to a presence -- far above?!
A shooting star descends from above. No, wait... a human being is in freefall, long coat fluttering behind them, descending as a shooting star would to the battlefield. It descends, further, further, further--
"What in tarnation--?" asks the Cursed Taxi's driver, before--
--==THHOOOOOOOOOOOMMM==--
The Resonance of a Persona erupts a moment before an impactful and HORRID noise, the sheer shockwave BLASTING everyone back a good five to ten metres as the light descends upon the Cursed Taxi, consuming it in zealous destruction. (A wheel completely flies off in someone's direction. It has sweet spinnin' rims and is worth 5,700 yen second-hand at the Peacock Silk if you catch it.)
The light subsides, leaving only the wreckage of what was once the heroes' quarry but a moment ago. The taxi is a wreck, and you can briefly see the Kansai skeleton yeethawing back into the Cognitive South (gomenasorry), he gets no respect (he gets no relief).
The eerie silence of the Dark Hour reigns once more, then--
Two inhuman golden eyes light up from within the shattered shadows of the taxi.
"Target... destroyed."
The shadow pulls up. A young, black-haired Hunter in a red and black hunting outfit rises, a silver blade at her side. The gleam of her eyes cuts through even the sickly filter of the Hour.
The Hunter seizes an inert lamplight from the Taxi and tears its guts out, a trophy to present to someone as evidence of a successful hunt.
... HEY, does that make her a KILLSTEALER?! That makes them a killstealer! Dirty killstealer!!!! You gotta speak up and yell out your piece!
The Hunter notices the rest of the heroes, however, and turns towards them. Her expression inscrutable, her eyes wide and appraising -- if not calculating -- seemingly for her next target. This is even more readily apparent a moment later:
BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcZ9RoZZHYg
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"Persona Users..."
She prowls on out of the wreckage of the car, one step at a time, her grim trophy still held in one hand, her silver gunblade -- adorned with small roses in unnatural colours, with a trigger mechanism for a hilt -- dragging pavement with a thin shower of sparks.
"The currents of time... are once more moving..."
So the Hunter intones, eyes piercingly unsettling still. The unsettling scraping of her blade continues with its ear-piercing noise, her posture hunched and doll-like and yet exuding nothing but cold threat.
"Do you possess... the strength of heart to resist it?"
The Hunter cognitively manifests a silver injector into their hand, holding it knife-grip.
"To my side..."
She PLUNGES it into the side of her neck--
"Ushiwakamaru."
An ERUPTION of Blue heralds the surge of her Persona's rise and ground-shaking roar -- a red-and-black Tengu with demonic features garbed in stylised Heian o-yoroi that drapes around and above her as an armored mantle with a massive wingspan of jet-black crow wings.
Suddenly, there isn't just two pairs of unsettling golden eyes, but four, as her Persona joins on the gazing, crushing what seems like a fistful of magic corn (??) into its mouth.
"Show me..."
AS: Persona! Ruzica Crvena has used the Almighty skill My Favourite Makaracorn! on Ruzica Crvena! AS: Pressure: Ruzica Crvena gains 1 Limit! AS: Take! Ruzica Crvena takes 0 Almighty damage from Ruzica Crvena's My Favourite Makaracorn!. AS: Reflect_Magi added! +attack ruzica=shirahadori
AS: Persona! Ruzica Crvena has used the Almighty skill Shirahadori on Ruzica Crvena! AS: Take! Ruzica Crvena takes 0 Almighty damage from Ruzica Crvena's Shirahadori. AS: Slash_Wall and Strike_Wall added!
AS: Ruzica Crvena has readied for combat with Ushiwakamaru! She is adjusted! Ready for 5 opponents!
<Pose Tracker> Eveline Deschamps has posed.
The dust settles. The Cursed Taxi is dead.
As the Hunter steps forwards, her Resonance flaring in a way that it can be detected clearly, footsteps suddenly echo from behind the Persona Users.
Another Hunter stands behind them, her Resonance clearly shrouded. She wears a finely made cognitive brown leather jacket that screams Old Europe, with trousers, a mantle, and a scarf. Rugged leather boots step forward, as she holds a weathered bolt action rifle in one hand against her shoulder. A dark top hat rests against her head. Her outfit is dusty, like she had been taking a sniping position before this.
Regardless, those who've met her before will recognize her, as the proprietor of the Fleur de Lis, Eveline Deschamps. Her short blonde hair and French heritage makes it clear, though her glasses are rounded instead of square.
"`Satisfactory work,`" Eve tells the other Hunter in fluent French. "This hunt is now complete."
Though, she'll look over those who were fighting, eyes scanning for recognition and threat levels.
Even so, the Hunter makes it clear she still wishes to hunt. Eve starts walking towards them, past the group... it may seem like she's going to stop the Hunter.
This is proven wrong, when she steps *past* them, turns around, and exhales once.
"Greenhorns," she says in an even tone. She cannot easily stop the Hunter when they're like this... but neither would she if she could.
"This is good practice. Let us test your resolve."
It's good practice... but for who?
Slipping a vial of something out of her sleeve that, when cracked open, smells very much toxic and poisonous, she downs it in a single instant, her veins bulging, her pupils dilating. She clutches the side of her head, a rictus grin manifesting onto her face...
"Guro Rysserova."
As a Shadowy woman with scarlet silk hair and a cannon on her arm manifests in an eruption of blue, wearing parts of a black tank as armor. She has horse hooves and a tail, and she radiates heat just by existing. Thermal goggles cover her eyes. With a flicker of a hand, two holographic screens made of flame manifest in front of Eve, her fingers going harmlessly to touch both of them and start sliding across them.
"Hunt authorized. Initiating Wideguard Protocol."
The same shroud she was wearing suddenly flares again as that cannon is pointed in the air and fired, covering both her and Ruzica lightly in an attempt to protect them from magical effects, like their shadows have deepened.
"Shall we?"
AS: Persona! Eveline Deschamps has used the Recovery skill Wideguard Protocol on Ruzica Crvena and Eveline Deschamps! AS: Insight: Eveline Deschamps gains 1 Limit!
AS: Eveline Deschamps regains 10 SP from Invigorate! AS: Take! Ruzica Crvena takes 0 Recovery healing from Eveline Deschamps's Wideguard Protocol. AS: Eclipse added! AS: Take! Eveline Deschamps takes 0 Recovery healing from Eveline Deschamps's Wideguard Protocol. AS: Eclipse added!
<Pose Tracker> Kanae Fuyuki has posed.
Kanae, as it turns out, is a fairly expert combatant--just not used to fighting alongside others. She hasn't changed Personas, which as far as anyone can tell is normal and expected of her. Well, almost anybody. She has a gunblade (a sword with a gun in it--the blade is ruby-red and shines like gems) and a long, gray duster, and black hair kept loose. She wields Ice, Darkness, and Strike attacks with her Persona, a figure she calls 'Leshy'. The battle is going well at first. Except--
Above.
"Look out--"
Kanae dives to the side, rolling on the ground and getting back to one knee to look at--
Ah.
"It's you," Kanae says, and frowns. The currents of time...
But Kanae narrows her eyes when Eve comes out, too. And calls them greenhorns. "This isn't a game," Kanae responds sharply, in Japanese. "'Tests' are for school."
"Persona!" Leshy, tall and lanky, whirls into being oince again. Her long, tangled green hair hangs loose; her face is shrouded in shadow; her clothes are fur and tree bark.
"Strike now!"
The Persona rushes, and her hand grows larger, larger, larger as she slams her fist down towards Ushiwakamaru!"
AS: Persona! Kanae Fuyuki has used the Strike skill Bash on Ruzica Crvena!
<Pose Tracker> Katsuko Yoshinaga has posed.
Something lurked in the shadows. Wreathed in the dark cast by the dead of night, it was lit only the split-second burst of erupting gunpowder, or the faint glimmer of light catching on its rifle's iron sights. One of its shots came from a nearby street corner, the gunfire ripping through the distant air like a thundercrack. Another rang out from behind another building entirely, closer to the taxi, but still far from arm's length. Its attacks were slow and methodical, spaced out by long stretches of seconds, themselves punctuated by earsplitting cracks of rifle fire.
The figure was Katsuko - though there was little sign to indicate it was her, cognitive filters aside. Her head was shrouded by a pitch-black hood woven from thick fabric, bathing her face in obscuring darkness. The only 'feature' that could be seen upon her visage was the bare-toothed grin of a silver skull, the mask covering the lower half of her face that the shadows of her hood could not reach. A great black coat tapered down across her body, the sleeves and shoulders ending in vicious edges and points, while the tail end itself billowed out like the wings of some swooping bird of prey. Fittingly, the fingers of her gloves ended in dagger-sharp points - talons, every one. Charcoal grey fabric clung to her legs, though that was covered to the knee by boots of darkened leather, their ends swooping and tapering into points in the same manner as her gloves and coat. Silver accented every article she wore, though it was most prominent on the torso, with long, sweeping, lines evoking the image of spread wings... or a hollow ribcage.
Obscured as her face was, and silent as she remained, it was difficult to tell that she was annoyed. But those that could see past the shadows she took cover in might have seen a tightening of her finger around the rifle's trigger, or heard a slight growl of consternation at the appearance of two less-than-friendly individuals.
"No. Hunt's not over yet. I think we just have a new target." She wasn't sure if anybody could hear her. Katsuko didn't care much if they did. "Reveal yourself, Edmond Dantes."
Another figure emerged from the dark. Face masked with damaged - yet polished - iron, the dark smoke that seeped from it obscured the long, night-black tailcoat, as well as its blood-red waistcoat. At her command, the ghostly figure extended its palm towards Katsuko, imbuing her with the strength of its resolve, while she focussed in on the one that had stolen her prize, and whatever information she could have gleaned from it.
Her target came into view. Without a scope, she needed to wait for the dust to settle, and to creep into an angle that allowed a better view of it. Metal glinted in what dim light could reach the position she held behind a thick-trunked tree, but despite the target being in view, she did not pull the trigger. Instead, she uttered only a single word.
"Ryuzaki...?"
AS: Counter Neutral! Ruzica Crvena takes 56 Strike damage from Kanae Fuyuki's Bash. Critical Hit! Resist! AS: COUNTER! Kanae Fuyuki takes 66 Light damage in return for her attack! Weak! AS: Persona! Katsuko Yoshinaga has used the Recovery skill Unfaltering Resolve on Katsuko Yoshinaga! AS: Katsuko Yoshinaga regains 5 HP from Regenerate! and 6 SP from Invigorate! AS: Take! Katsuko Yoshinaga takes 0 Recovery healing from Katsuko Yoshinaga's Unfaltering Resolve. AS: Atk_Up and Crt_Up added! AS: Moriko Kumamoto has readied for combat as Otohime Gitsune! She is now fully healed!
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ooshiro has posed.
OST: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTRgr9IWLnY Yuki Kajiura - Mezame
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The Cursed Bride, Yumi, was not fighting the Cursed Taxi.
No: she is here to observe it. There is a Power that Dwells which wishes to know the truth of it; how it may be used.
She does not make a move to intervene, to save them from the choking Haze. She Shrouds herself and her Knight, until --
-- well, until said Knight has to deal with the wheel of that taxi as it careens towards their hiding place before it can strike the Bride in her cage.
And behind her veils, Yumi's eyes -- two, count 'em, the left blazing in red flames visible through those veils -- narrow, as the Hunter injects her silver.
"Do you see?" She wonders, melodically. "Do you see? Come, come. Closer, yet closer. I cannot see --"
Gretchen fades, for a moment, as the Bride steps forward --
-- and she does not fit the vibe, when she emerges from shadows which were deeper than they seemed.
In grey body armour which is draped over a grey wedding dress, her face veiled with fascinators and wedding veils, the Bride lifts a hand, both covered to the elbows in long dark gloves. Her exposed skin is tawny-dark; her lips are painted crimson, though nothing above her cheeks can be made out, beyond that burning left eye. Between her long fingers, she cradles an Evoker -- larger and heavier than the ones SEES wields, a Revolver of a beast whose weight she evidently feels.
"You are new," she says, and does not unveil herself.
Her identity is Shrouded, too.
"Speak existence into the sparkling river and burn."
She lifts the Evoker to her head, to her eye, and fires: "Gretchen!"
As that massive masked woman in white forms up again, around her, as she comes to a stop behind the others. Jail bars are driven through her arms; when she clasps them in front of her, the Bride is thus captured, sheltered with Gretchen's beautiful jewels.
"Tell me the truth," she demands, as two faces move in concert to look to Guro Rysserova and Eveline.
AS: Persona! Yua Ooshiro has used the Almighty skill Full Analysis on Eveline Deschamps! AS: Take! Eveline Deschamps takes 0 Almighty damage from Yua Ooshiro's Full Analysis. AS: Yua Ooshiro's Strength Scan! Eveline Deschamps resists Fire! AS: Yua Ooshiro's Weakness Scan! Eveline Deschamps is weak against Light! AS: Yua Ooshiro's Support Scan! Eveline Deschamps has passive skills Break Limit, Heavy Weapon, Invigorate 3, Peerless Skill, Sneak Guide, and Weapon Specialist!
<Pose Tracker> So-young Park has posed.
IN
POINT
OF
FACT
So-young Park had NOT been in pursuit of the elusive Cursed Taxi Rumour Demon. Sometimes she just wants to go explore Sumaru of an evening! Sometimes she's just out a little too late and a little too tired and she's not checking her watch well enough! Sometimes she'll walk out of a kareoke booth and step up to a taxi rank just in time for the world to distort and a Kansai skeleton to address her out of the blue.
"I'm not trying to get in the way of your business! I'm literally looking for a taxi home! Are you seriously going to tell me Shibuya nightlife doesn't count as an otherworldly realm?" So-young manages to huff before the battle is joined, because when your choices boil down to 'find a way to burn an hour of time in the Dark Hour away from home or the Cardboard Dragon' the conductor is honestly prepared to try her luck with the demonic hell taxi.
At least she's out in the open rather than stuck inside for this, and it gives Icarus a chance to properly soar after the taxi. The real advantage here is that So-young didn't really ask for this fight and doesn't... really... mind... if she's not the one to resolve this rumour. She's not out for glory or for principles here, and this frees her up for what can only be described as a very obnoxious set of tactics, repeatedly breaking off from the battle entirely and leaving it up to other people only to circle around and conduct a surprise attack from an odd angle.
That is until a sudden impact throws Icarus aside, the shockwave alone nearly buffeting the spindly ornithopter shape - and more importantly its rider - into the side of an office building. Not possessed of battle-hardened instincts, So-young initially lets her Persona wink out as she dusts herself off, her eyebrows raised as she looks up with a faint glimmer of recognition. "My word," she says after a long moment, and after the wheel has taken the dramatic chance to bobble slowly past her in the silence. She sounds genuinely impressed, like a cool idea has just been unlocked in the plethora of dangerous Icarus actions available to her. "I cannot say I have ever thought of doing _that_."
So-young is not all that great at faces and has only met them quite literally in passing, so it still takes her a moment to place Ruzica at first - and it's only when she spots Eveline that recognition clicks. "Oh, good evening. What a small world. Sumaru is quite a distance to come, isn't it? Thank you for the other night," she adds pleasantly. "I shall certainly have to come... back... again."
It finally filters through that the fight isn't over yet - that it's actually just expanded in scope - and the musician sags her shoulders for a moment. "You know, I really was just hoping to try to find my way home rather than get embroiled in all of this," she positively whines, but... there is a thoughtful frown on her face. She's all too aware that she's still very much a neophyte when it comes to the Dark Hour, and it's pretty rare to find someone willing to just fight without having to worry about shadowy conspiracies or deadly businessmen or just plain demons.
Heaving a theatrical sigh, So-young straightens up to her full height. The way the syringe plunges into Ruzica's neck makes her grimace, but she's getting worryingly used to seeing teenagers maul themselves in the head and neck area for the sake of power. That thought could really use some unpacking later.
"I'd better get a free drink if I win," she decides, blue light expanding around her as the form of Icarus twists around her protectively in a way that a spindly wooden-and-linen flying device absolutely should not be able to do. There's an odd mechanical version of a bird's cry, and Icarus soars up into the skies once more, a propelling wind at the backs of those who were fighting the taxi. It focuses on Kanae in particular - if only because Kanae has a big sword and seems most prepared to use it. Sometimes the simplest tactics are the best.
AS: Persona! So-young Park has used the Almighty skill Sforzando on Kanae Fuyuki, Tamaki Uchida, Katsuko Yoshinaga, and So-young Park! AS: Support: So-young Park gains 1 Limit! AS: So-young Park regains 3 SP from Invigorate! AS: Take! So-young Park takes 0 Almighty damage from So-young Park's Sforzando. AS: Crt_Up added! AS: So-young Park spends Limit on Shift! Kanae Fuyuki can use another Weak skill this round! SP +8! Healed 20! AS: Take! Kanae Fuyuki takes 0 Almighty damage from So-young Park's Sforzando. AS: Crt_Up added! AS: Take! Katsuko Yoshinaga takes 0 Almighty damage from So-young Park's Sforzando. AS: Crt_Up added!
<Pose Tracker> Tamaki Uchida has posed.
The Kuzunoha Detective Agency often acts as an intermediary between clients plagued by Rumor Demons come to life and Persona-users who would like to take it down and provide some proof of it in return for a fee. As one of the Agency's employees, Tamaki's the one who Ruzica had asked about the Cursed Taxi in the first place. It's entirely possible that the others present had also learned of the Demon from Tamaki or Chief Todoroki.
While she normally doesn't go out on these Rumor Demon ventures herself, this time she had even offered to help tonight, just for the chance to shake off the rust that had accumulated over her skills over the last several years. She lays no claim to any of the reward money -- that may be a conflict of interest, and this is strictly an opportunity for her to practice some old and new abilities alike.
The Dark Hour arrives. Tamaki grows anxious, seeing as how there are several other Persona-users, but no sight of Ruzica. As the taxi arrives, her heart grows heavy, and she sighs and utters, "Let's go, then."
She remains on the back line and pulls out a folder from the bag she carries at her side and flips to a page: all of the details that the client has relayed to the Agency about the taxi. She reads aloud from it, informing the others of its capabilities: "A Demon borne from the all-too-common feeling of burnout and overwork by the residents of Sumaru City, the tale goes that this man had no choice but to continue working even after his death. Be mindful of its exhaust fumes and high mobility. Expect blunt and electrical damage. And I hardly need to warn you about the teeth; its bite is certainly much worse than its bark -- or its honk, as it were."
She snaps her binder shut and returns it to her bag before she brandishes her practice sabre, standing ready for the Cursed Taxi, Kansai accent and all, right up to the 'What in tarnation?' --
THOOM.
"Ah!" -- the surprise and force of the impact causes a wide-eyed Tamaki to lose her grip on the blade and scramble for several moments to keep from dropping it to the ground.
At first, she looks to this newcomer with trepidation ... but then, she sees that it's Ruzica, and the burden on her heart earlier lifts entirely, giving way to elation instead! Rather than return to a fighting stance, she waves, "Heyyy! You made it!"
Knowing what she does of her situation, Tamaki's inclined to just let Ruzica have the reward money, but before she gets into any further dispute of who has the true claim to it...
Ruzica, joined by Eve ("Nice to see you again, too!"), turn to the assembled group and jointly offer them a challenge.
Tamaki's smile fades as she looks up in contemplation to consider this new offer (as well as Ruzica's words regarding the 'currents of time'). Her grin shortly returns as she snaps her fingers and points at the adoptive-daugher-mother pair. "Why the hell not?"
The game keeps changing and evolving, as she's often said. This sudden change in circumstances is no different -- and is in fact more in line with what Tamaki's overall goal is with her practice.
Tamaki pulls out a binder again, and peruses its contents. While she has no entry on Ruzica nor her Persona, surely there's something similar that she's run into before that she can apply to this current situation ...
AS: Take! Tamaki Uchida takes 0 Almighty damage from So-young Park's Sforzando. AS: Crt_Up added! AS: Persona! Tamaki Uchida has used the Almighty skill Cross-Reference on Ruzica Crvena!
AS: Take! Ruzica Crvena takes 0 Almighty damage from Tamaki Uchida's Cross-Reference. AS: Tamaki Uchida's Weakness Scan! Ruzica Crvena is weak against Dark! AS: Tamaki Uchida's Support Scan! Ruzica Crvena has passive skills Apt Pupil, Break Limit, Heavy Weapon, Light Amp, Light Boost, Light Riposte, Peerless Skill, and Skill Card Affinity!
<Pose Tracker> Remi Ryuuja has posed.
Beside the cursed bride, a figure in all black awaits, with a rapier and a large gray evoker on her hip and leg. If one looks closely they may recognize it as a black fencing suit and mask.
Wyhen that wheel comes careening for them she blitzes forward, her rapier flashing in the warped light of the Dark Hour as she slices cleanly through the tire, both halfs diverting to either side of her.
... And well away from the bride. She drops her weapon to her side as she stands upright again, then looks back as Yua--'Yumi'--steps forward to engage with Eve and her Persona. "... as you wish." is all she says to acknowledge her wish to engage.
In a smooth motion she pulls her Evoker, a heavy dark grey revolver and puts it to her head. Brokena glass and blue flame swirl around her and tqke the shape of an androgynous figure, glad in a red leather straightjacket with golden studs and the arms left unbound. In one hand, through the flapping excess sleeve lenth it cluthes a chipped rapier, and a tattered, wide-brimmed hat.
She holds her rapier up to touch blades with her Persona, a flurry of winds travellling from the latter's blade to the former, and then the User and Persona charge in to slash at Eve in tandem.
AS: Tandem! Remi Ryuuja has used the Wind skill Blastbrand on Eveline Deschamps! 3 Hits! AS: Block Worst! Eveline Deschamps takes 35 Wind damage from Remi Ryuuja's Blastbrand. AS: Block Worst! Eveline Deschamps takes 44 Wind damage from Remi Ryuuja's Blastbrand. Critical Hit! AS: Block Worst! Eveline Deschamps takes 44 Wind damage from Remi Ryuuja's Blastbrand. Critical Hit!
<Pose Tracker> Moriko Kumamoto has posed.
Moriko has distinctly chosen to ignore the, as she thinks it, exaggerated accent she shares with the skeleton driver. Her drawl's not that bad. Is it?
Not that it matters. She hadn't been paying attention to the time and was once again doing the midnight hour walk. Pushing a bike along and trying to avoid random encounters. The slow walk sort of helps. This means she's got her leathers on and the helmet is slung over the handlebars as she mutters, grumbles and otherwise makes it clear she's made a mistake
That she stumbled across the rumor, leaving her standing there somewhat slackjawed was just an unhappy coincidence.
She had been too late to really help with the fight. Having been mid-kickstanding her bike when it broke out. And ended. Her eyes had followed one of the errant hubcaps on its attempt at reaching the atmosphere.
She at least does recognize someone as she approaches, pulling a folding polearm from her saddlebag. Three flicks, then she slots the head in with a pin.
She is once again reminded she should really just rely on her gloves.
Later.
"Game store, music and random fights? You've got some talents." The unintentionally scowling young woman calls out to So-Young. Her tone doesn't match the attempted flippancy. Whincing even at the use of an injector.
"Huh. Tengu." She murmurs as she slips her evoker from a hiding place in the biker jacket. She doesn't lift it right away. Looking between the others present. Normally she's not at all worried about picking a random fight, but with personas, the dark hour and the fact that she has sort of stumbled in back asswards has her hesitating for just a moment.
The evoker is held to her head with the sound of another firing off, "Well. Nothing for it."
"I don't really sound like that do I?" She asks, before pulling the trigger with the evoker just under her jaw where her helmet would have left her exposed if she were still wearing it. "Persona!" Head jerking as Otohime Gitsune appears, a nine tailed fox in ceremonial garb appears behind her. Watching, motes of light surrounding the figure for a moment!
AS: Persona! Moriko Kumamoto has used the Almighty skill Tarunda on Ruzica Crvena! AS: Take! Ruzica Crvena takes 0 Almighty damage from Moriko Kumamoto's Tarunda. AS: Atk_Dn added!
<Pose Tracker> Ruzica Crvena has posed.
Eve compliments Ruzica on her work -- there's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it widening of eyes from them, but otherwise, nothing. Eve knows how much of this Hunter's expressions come in her eyes, than anywhere else, however.
Hunt authorized.
Guro Rysserova's shroud coalesces around Ruzica's body, and for a moment, her shadow is cast even deeper, causing those gleaming eyes to glow even brighter. "Strategic level confirmed..." intones Ruzica, as if the blessing and authorisation from Eve has conveyed a whole suite of instructions and recommendations on some level unspoken.
"Moving to tactical level combat."
BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v66p1JS2QXs
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Kanae Fuyuki identifies Ruzica.
"Kanae Fuyuki..." Ruzica emotionlessly responds in turn, though her eyes are drawn to the gray-dustered Hunter. Leshy is there, as she's undoubtedly seen before in the hunt of the Carbuncle months prior -- but now, she gets to test... No, she's not testing Kanae. She's witnessing her strength of will and heart.
Leshy erupts into being and SLAMS against Ushiwakamaru, sending the Hunter skidding back against hard Yumezaki pavement -- the Tengu Persona gleams and reflects light back upon the wirey figure, and Ruzica presses this advantage even as she's driven back by sending a pair of thin silver knives towards Kanae's Persona.
"Your dream... will I witness a glimpse of it tonight? Show me..."
Ruzica doesn't recognise Katsuko behind the dark hood and the silver skull mask, but she does gaze towards where she's perched in the shadows, as if her light will blot and crease out every instance of darkness around her. The emergence of Edmond Dantes makes it only more cognisant -- and Ruzica takes in that similarly masked figure, similarly blood red and jet-black...
Ryuzaki...?
"..."
Ruzica's face isn't so different that it's impossible to discern her as Ryuzaki. But where Ryuzaki wears a hat and keeps his hair up -- and more importantly, has a softer countenance, there's nothing but instinct and cold tactics behind those golden eyes.
"Long-range Persona User identified."
So-young seems to recognise them more through Eve than Ruzica herself, which is fair. She's identifying her tactics rapidly, the way she glides on her Persona.
"Confirmed... high mobility and unimpeded flight.
Support-type Persona User capacity identified...
Continuing on tactics level two."
Suddenly, however, Katsuko and So-young both are encroached on by Ushiwakamaru, who has flown away from Ruzica to flap its wings mightily, to try to flush them out of her hiding spot and aerial superiority with powerful, powerful gusts of wind!
Within the darkness, behind the Shroud, is Yumi, who wonders if Ruzica sees as she emerges outward. They are identified as newcomers, and her words seem cryptic... and yet Ruzica seems to react as if she's aware, as someone who's also speaking rather cryptically tonight.
"You, too, are a captive of time..." Ruzica murmurs, though it seems that the Cursed Bride has more of an interest in Eveline.
Tamaki is present, with a sabre in hand. At first, there's a smile on her face, but it fades upon Ruzica's request to show her her strength of heart. And that smile is replaced-- with a grin. Yes... that conviction to rise up to the challenge, too, is a strength.
But Tamaki doesn't launch on the attack like she might have anticipated -- instead, she draws upon that binder to study her, something that has her narrowing her eyes in turn. Battles are won and lost through information, it's true... and it seems that Tamaki is quite the studious one.
And a veteran like Tamaki has seen Tengu demons before, hasn't she? From the lowly Koppa Tengu, to the higher-ranked Kurama Tengu (Ryuzaki Kurama, an association comes to mind), but the name she spelled out, 'Ushiwakamaru', is not strictly a tengu of myth, per se, but a famed folklore hero who reputedly studied from the Tengu...
"Melee-distance target sighted... outranging," Ruzica announces, suddenly gliding across battlefield space with Ushiwakamaru's assistance to throw more of those silvered knives of hers towards Tamaki, evidently expecting her to show off her mettle with that steel by deflecting her knives.
Remi's dark figure is spotted in the distance -- as well as the way she utilises an Evoker, something Ruzica had heard from Isabeau Fontaine prior, but has not witnessed until now. Though Remi -- Tsurugi -- is more distant, she gets another Evoker opponent closer to her: Moriko.
Gold eyes witness the biker as she pulls on her Evoker, to summon Otohime Gitsune.
"Evoker-type Persona User confirmed..."
Even as the nine-tailed fox surrounds Ushiwakamaru in light and seems to sap at his strength. Ruzica diligently throws more knives as she repositions, deft and agile and showing how her Persona seems to capture her in a light harness that allows her to glide, even as the damnable tengu shoves MORE corn into his face!!
"More. Show me more...
The minute-hand moves... and the hour-hand judges.
The toll of the bell... is a sound that smiles upon no one."
AS: Persona! Ruzica Crvena has used the Almighty skill My Favourite Tetracorn! on Ruzica Crvena! AS: Take! Ruzica Crvena takes 0 Almighty damage from Ruzica Crvena's My Favourite Tetracorn!. AS: Reflect_Phys added!
AS: Ruzica Crvena spends Limit on Broad!
AS: Weapon! Ruzica Crvena has used the Pierce skill Twosome Time on Kanae Fuyuki, Tamaki Uchida, and Moriko Kumamoto! 2 Hits! AS: Persona! Ruzica Crvena has used the Almighty skill Tengu's Strategem on Katsuko Yoshinaga and So-young Park! AS: Ruzica Crvena spends Limit on Exploit! Ruzica Crvena can use another Weak skill this round!
AS: Persona! Ruzica Crvena has used the Almighty skill Moonlit Sasanqua on Katsuko Yoshinaga, So-young Park, Tamaki Uchida, and Moriko Kumamoto! AS: Ruzica Crvena: Broad removed! AS: Block Best! Kanae Fuyuki takes 17 Pierce damage from Ruzica Crvena's Twosome Time. AS: Panic added! AS: Block Worst! Kanae Fuyuki takes 37 Pierce damage from Ruzica Crvena's Twosome Time. Critical Hit! AS: Take! So-young Park takes 0 Almighty damage from Ruzica Crvena's Tengu's Strategem. AS: Charm and Poison added! AS: Take! So-young Park takes 0 Almighty damage from Ruzica Crvena's Moonlit Sasanqua. AS: Light_Break added!
<Pose Tracker> Eveline Deschamps has posed.
Ruzica's eyes widen. Eve simply nods to her, before turning back.
"Is a hunt never sport?" Eve responds to Kanae instantly, measured and controlled in tone. "Surely, you cannot see everything about the supernatural as sheer business? Or do you find other ways to practice against human opponents?"
So-young wants a free drink if she wins. Surprisingly, Eve hears this. "Very well," she says.
She may have just done the mental calculus that it's better to keep one of the Persona Users in their good graces at the cost of a glass of booze.
Soon, Yumi arrives with a guest. As she peers into Eve with Gretchen's power, she is told the truth.
To feel Eveline Deschamps is to observe a veteran. She smells of fire and oil, a finely tuned engine that runs the whole ship, so to speak, and she tastes of black coffee and lavender, bitter and pleasantly delicate at different times. She is marred with experience, a sight of phantasmal scars not completely healed, even if her true body bears few to none. The sound of a metronome, perfectly in sync, perfectly in control, but messing up the tempo if disrupted, echoes through the ears.
The feeling is one of confidence and surety. She is toying with everyone here, in a way, because she sees the experience gap as a gulf. Even if they win... they cannot match up truly at this time in their lives. She is in total sync with her Persona - the scents, the sights, the taste, are all identical.
Because Eve has been doing this longer than some of them have been alive.
The light burns away that surety. But the fire cannot mar the engine, it only fuels it.
"Activating Truesight Protocol," Eve says as she's felt, that thermal visor scanning over Yumi in turn. Another navigator...
"If you want my truth... I but simply want to know why you hunt."
The visor blinks, and suddenly, Yumi is Seen, as Guro Rysserova searches for an answer to a question:
How does this bride relate to violence? How do her instincts prepare her for the hunt? The whys will be found there.
As she scans that, Remi has the perfect opening to come in with a wind-driven double slash. Eve is distracted only slightly filtering the data, as suddenly, that rifle disappears...
And a cane manifests into her hand, whipping outwards in an attempt to diffuse the blow of the blade. The first slash is deflected with skill, but it's not clearly the top of her game, even as the experience and reaction speed is clear. The second pushes her guard back, forcing her lightly on the defensive, but it still does not make a clean hit, and neither does the third.
In turn, Eve smiles. "And you... good footwork. You're trained with the blade. But that won't be enough."
"Guro Rysserova, Enhancement Protocol."
The Persona fires the small cannon into the air again, covering Ruzica and Eve with bolstering buffs in the form of specks of light that flicker downwards onto them and their Personas, as Eve suddenly flickers her step forwards...
The cane is swung out, and in a flash, it's transformed. A bladed whip goes flying forward, as that same specks of light touch onto it and *ignite* into flames, two burning lashes aiming for Remi's center of mass!
Meanwhile, she's keeping Ruzica's own measures of their foes in mind. Evoker-users, long range, short range... good to know all of this for the future.
AS: Persona! Eveline Deschamps has used the Almighty skill Truesight Protocol on Yua Ooshiro! AS: Insight: Eveline Deschamps gains 1 Limit! AS: Eveline Deschamps spends Limit on Exploit! Eveline Deschamps can use another Weak skill this round! AS: Persona! Eveline Deschamps has used the Recovery skill Enhancement Protocol on Eveline Deschamps and Ruzica Crvena! AS: Take! Katsuko Yoshinaga takes 0 Almighty damage from Ruzica Crvena's Tengu's Strategem. AS: Charm added! AS: Take! Eveline Deschamps takes 0 Recovery healing from Eveline Deschamps's Enhancement Protocol. AS: Def_Up added!
AS: Take! Ruzica Crvena takes 0 Recovery healing from Eveline Deschamps's Enhancement Protocol. AS: Crt_Up added! AS: Take! Katsuko Yoshinaga takes 0 Almighty damage from Ruzica Crvena's Moonlit Sasanqua. AS: Light_Break added! AS: Tandem! Eveline Deschamps has used the Fire skill Twice Burned on Remi Ryuuja! 2 Hits! AS: Eveline Deschamps regains 10 SP from Invigorate! AS: Take! Yua Ooshiro takes 0 Almighty damage from Eveline Deschamps's Truesight Protocol. AS: Eveline Deschamps's Strength Scan! Yua Ooshiro resists Earth! AS: Eveline Deschamps's Weakness Scan! Yua Ooshiro is weak against Light! AS: Eveline Deschamps's Support Scan! Yua Ooshiro has passive skills Explode Boost, Jamming, Mind Up, Nerve Up, Peerless Skill, and Skill Card Affinity! AS: Nerve Up! Tamaki Uchida's SP +8! AS: Block Best! Tamaki Uchida takes 21 Pierce damage from Ruzica Crvena's Twosome Time. AS: Panic added! AS: Block Best! Tamaki Uchida takes 21 Pierce damage from Ruzica Crvena's Twosome Time. AS: Panic added! AS: Take! Tamaki Uchida takes 0 Almighty damage from Ruzica Crvena's Moonlit Sasanqua. AS: Light_Break added!
AS: Avoid Worst! Moriko Kumamoto takes 56 Pierce damage from Ruzica Crvena's Twosome Time. Critical Hit! AS: Panic added! AS: Avoid Worst! Moriko Kumamoto takes 41 Pierce damage from Ruzica Crvena's Twosome Time. AS: Take! Moriko Kumamoto takes 0 Almighty damage from Ruzica Crvena's Moonlit Sasanqua. AS: Light_Break added!
<Pose Tracker> Kanae Fuyuki has posed.
Kanae was definitely on the front line. And To Tamaki she'd said, "Hey, thanks." It's nice to know things!
And...If someone wants to mask who they are, that doesn't bother Kanae. She's willing enough to fight alongside Katsuko, though she doesn't recognize her. She is... somewhat more dubious about the creepy Bride who speaks in riddles, turning just briefly to look askance at Yua.
"What the...?" Is it about her words, or about her Evoker?
She focuses on the fight. Wind propels her forward, and So-young is responsible--Kanae takes advantage of the opportunity.
But she offers for Moriko, "No, your accent's a lot less exaggerated. It's normal."
"Hmph," Kanae says to Eve. "I guess." A shrug. "But we were hunting fine before you two showed up."
Ruzica emotionalessly speaks her name. "That's the plan," she says to Ruzica, a little more engaged. A free drink, though? "...I want a snack when we win."
Knives to her Persona--they hit, and while she's able to knock the first out of the air with a swipe of her hand, the second drives into bark, and Kanae jerks in pain. "Gh--"
Then she narrows her eyes. "So, you've got my weakness this time, huh?"
"Well..."
She lifts up her hand, and in it is a vial of gold--she crushes it, sending glitterdust shining everywhere. "KINNARA!"
A shattering of glass and a blue aura, and a different' Persona emerges--a man with a horse head and a lyre. "Heal us!"
Shining light settles over the others beside Kanae, as green sparkles shine at Kanae herself.
"Hmph. I'm not done yet."
AS: Avoid Neutral! Remi Ryuuja takes 44 Fire damage from Eveline Deschamps's Twice Burned. Weak! AS: Avoid Best! Remi Ryuuja takes 52 Fire damage from Eveline Deschamps's Twice Burned. Critical Hit! Weak! AS: Persona! Kanae Fuyuki has used the Recovery skill Me Patra on Katsuko Yoshinaga, Moriko Kumamoto, Tamaki Uchida, and So-young Park! AS: Kanae Fuyuki takes 60 damage from Panic! AS: Support: Kanae Fuyuki gains 1 Limit! AS: Persona! Kanae Fuyuki has used the Recovery skill Diarama on Kanae Fuyuki! AS: Take! Kanae Fuyuki takes 112 Recovery healing from Kanae Fuyuki's Diarama. AS: Take! Katsuko Yoshinaga takes 0 Recovery healing from Kanae Fuyuki's Me Patra. AS: Charm removed!
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ooshiro has posed.
"Time and tense and tensile strength," Yumi advises Ruzica, in turn.
And Yumi has fought for decades, now. There is oil in her fingertips and coffee on her tongue -- as, distantly, Yua's stomach roils from such an unpleasant existence -- and it hurts to move, a hand to a body entire. Do not gaze upon these scars; shine no light upon them.
"She will breathe fire, but flee from the light it casts," Yumi advises Remi -- and, coincidentally, the people around her. "Beware! The woman has breathed smoke until her lungs are choked and blackened. Heavy falls the axe, and often. Yet, her eyes unstung --"
And Yumi -- Yua -- is in the crosshairs of her Truesight, now.
Yumi's identity is not hidden by the Will of Rebellion, but by the Navigator's arts; her secrets have never been as impentrable as the Phantom Thieves who act against her masters. The Hunting Eve has already done has equipped her for this moment --
-- as Guro Rysserova looks past the veils --
-- to find that same stagnant smell of dungeon stillwater, locked chthonic beneath the surface.
(And very clearly hidden. She does not wish to be known.)
Yumi -- Yua -- fears violence. She is frozen by it; terrified by it. So much violence has been wrought upon her body now that she bows at the mere suggestion, and it is only by the grace of self-preservation not entirely in touch with her fears that she is able to stand at all. It is why she stands in her cage. Those bars do not only restrict her.
They protect her.
(Yet still there is that sense of self-preservation, a touch disconnected, a little abstracted from her thoughts -- and it is stronger, now. She must protect herself, because she is not only protecting herself. No: she is with child.)
"Loading Poisma cartridge," Yumi reports, as she slides something like a bullet into something like a gun. She brings her Evoker to her eye, again: "Firing."
And a sickly green-purple hue shimmers over Gretchen's jewels, as she lifts a hand, and the smoke of Poisma erupts around Eveline and Guro Rysserova.
AS: Persona! Yua Ooshiro has used the Almighty skill Poisma on Eveline Deschamps! AS: Ruin: Yua Ooshiro gains 1 Limit! AS: Take! So-young Park takes 0 Recovery healing from Kanae Fuyuki's Me Patra. AS: Charm and Poison removed! AS: Take! Eveline Deschamps takes 0 Almighty damage from Yua Ooshiro's Poisma. AS: Poison added!
<Pose Tracker> So-young Park has posed.
It's something of a relief to see Tamaki here with them, because that means that So-young isn't the only adult in the (outdoors) room - and a professional at this, for that matter. For all her vanity and ironclad self-confidence, So-young does still very much appreciate having someone who actually knows the score around, and gives the other woman a quick nod as she falls easily into working around the battlefield as it stands, directing and conducting it - not in the way a Navigator would, but using Icarus' quick motions to try to guide the flow of the fight.
She has noticed the much more mysterious and shadowy side of the fight, which primarily seems to consist of sizing each other up, but... So-young can only frown to herself, keeping a faint eye in that direction. Some enemies are clearcut, and some enemies are here for the love of the fight, but she's still not sure what to make of the Bride and Knight, given the way they've positioned themselves in the past.
Remaining wary on that front, she instead levels a bright smile towards Moriko. "Now, to be fair, the games store is not at all mine. I just hang out there to be annoying to my sibling as often as possible. And I am not usually the sort to throw myself into a random Rumour, especially not when I would much rather be in my comfy bed an hour's train ride away, but here we are." Her tone absolutely matches her flippancy, which might be a bad sign for how lightly she's taking Ruzica.
She even gets the promise of a free drink, from the owner no less, and laughs brightly in response. "Ah, your service is impeccable. And thank you again for that night, as well--" she's about to say to Ruzica, when Ushiwakamaru suddenly shifts - taken by surprise, So-young hisses under her breath as she flings Icarus to one side, but there's simply no escaping the range and speed of the Persona. Whatever pain she's expecting doesn't come, but instead she can feel her connection to her Persona almost seem to weaken and slow, as if she's directing it through a layer of treacle.
She grounds herself quickly in a brief burst of common sense, staggering forwards two steps as Icarus does its best to take flight again. The feeling passes quickly as Kanae's healing washes over her, but-- in some ways, that brief burst of disconnect is one of the more disorienting things she's experienced since starting all of this Dark Hour nonsense. So-young prides herself on knowing exactly who she is and what she wants to do, and targeting both of those things at once has somewhat dislodged her.
Sucking in a breath, she shakes her head clear, then lifts up. "Nonsense. Even the toll of a bell can lead a good dance," she proclaims as she does her best to recover into a self-assured smile. With the sudden regaining of its acceleration, Icarus swoops past Ushiwakamaru in a flurry of wings, one set mechanical and the other distinctly not.
AS: Persona! So-young Park has used the Wind skill Rondo on Ruzica Crvena! 2 Hits! AS: So-young Park regains 3 SP from Invigorate! AS: Counter Best! Ruzica Crvena takes 19 Wind damage from So-young Park's Rondo. AS: Haze added! AS: COUNTER! Reflect Magic! So-young Park takes 80 Light damage in return for her attack! Weak! AS: Counter Best! Ruzica Crvena takes 19 Wind damage from So-young Park's Rondo. AS: Haze added! AS: COUNTER! Reflect Magic! So-young Park takes 80 Light damage in return for her attack! Weak!
<Pose Tracker> Katsuko Yoshinaga has posed.
Katsuko's eyes narrowed at the Persona user, and cursed silently at herself for speaking the name so brazenly. It was Ryuzaki there before her - she was certain of it. Perhaps the darkness obscured some features, and perhaps there was nothing but cold lethality behind those eyes, but she knew that face. Katsuko focussed her vision, trying to - in that split second - examine them and piece together clues on what was going on. But before she could manage to evaluate anything more than the surface level details, Ushiwakamaru set upon her, and it was all she could do to throw herself out of harm's way.
It was not enough to mitigate the assault on her senses, however. Fog clouded her mind, and suddenly, her weapon grew heavy in her hands. She lifted it, hands trembling as if drawn on puppet strings, yet she could not bring herself to stop them. The barrel drifted, the sights shook, and then... nothing. The fog lifted, and Katsuko ducked back behind cover, immediately retreating behind a nearby car to get her bearings. She'd been afflicted by something, then cured just as quickly. More people piled into the scene, others lifted strange weapons to their heads... All of it was information she might have been able to digest in isolation, but together?
She shook her head. She could focus on it later. She took a breath in, and filed the information away, shutting the door on it and making a note to review it later. There were more pertinent matters to focus on. Her first act was to glance towards Kanae. She did not recognise her - hardly surprising, given they had never met in the mundane world either, but that did not lessen her gratitude. A quick, curt, nod was given by way of acknowledgement, followed by a "Thank you" spoken in a matching tone. Then, with that newfound clarity of mind, Katsuko focussed in on her mark once again.
Katsuko lay the rifle upon the car's hood, and levelled it against Ruzica. Her finger squeezed - but did not go all the way. Katsuko, at the very last moment, hesitated. She would not shoot her. She could not. There were too many distractions, and too much movement, for Katsuko to deal with. She was no marksman, and needed to take a more tactical approach than simply throwing bullets at the problem.
"Languish." She commanded, and with a rising hand, Edmond Dantes summoned the very spirit of the Chateau D'If from the ground.
A great slab of stone was drawn upwards, while chains rattled furiously from its sides. Like lunging vipers, they struck at Ruzica, twisting and lashing at their target. Hunters had snares to bind their prey, and this was Katsuko's. Dark metal and stone in the bleakest shade of grey, all seeking to tie down Ruzica and make her an easier target.
Assuming Kanae to be on her side - or, at least, willing to ally with her for the duration of the fight - Katsuko spoke to her in a low and stern voice.
"Who're the others?" She asked, tilting her head briefly to those that had arrived after Ruzica and Eveline. "I didn't see them come in with us." The question was for anyone who could hear it, of course. If there was information to be gleaned, she wanted it.
AS: Persona! Katsuko Yoshinaga has used the Earth skill Iron and Stone on Ruzica Crvena! AS: Katsuko Yoshinaga regains 5 HP from Regenerate! and 6 SP from Invigorate! AS: Take! Ruzica Crvena takes 0 Earth damage from Katsuko Yoshinaga's Iron and Stone. AS: Bind added! Haze removed! Explosion! 50 damage!
<Pose Tracker> Remi Ryuuja has posed.
When Eve got her scent at the trivia night, it was steel, old paper, and ink. Perhaps suggesting an old book about an adventure, or a stage play, or something similar, depending on how one wants to interpret it.
Tonight, however, it is overwhelmingly the steel.
Eve has many years on Tsurugi, but Tsurugi has a few of her own, and she and her Persona seem to work in tandem quite handily, working with coordination. She tilts her head as Eve asseses her skill. 'It won't be enough.' "... we'll see," is her only reply, flat and cold and stoic.
Like even if it wouldn't be enough, it wouldn't stop her from going all out.
But the cane becomes a whip, and Tsurugi demonstrates more of that footwork, twisting her body to the side with practiced ease, a stoic grunt as the center of mass hit becomes a glancing one to her side. She uses her momentum to keep moving and avoid the worst of the second stgrike, though the flames of the strike still score a hit.
She draws back after the exchange, and despite the injury, doesn't seem to be in much pain. But when Yumi advises her on what she's learned, Tsurugi turns her head slightly and gives a nod. "... Acknowledged."
If Tsurugi happens to be positioned between Yumi and Eve it is surely a coincidence. She raises a hand towards Eve. "If flames will not touch you, then we shall test you against the storm. Garula!"
Behind her, La Maupin raises her chipped blade and slashes at the air, the motion sturring up a powerful gale of winds centered on the enemy navigator.
AS: Persona! Remi Ryuuja has used the Wind skill Garula on Eveline Deschamps! AS: Take! Moriko Kumamoto takes 0 Recovery healing from Kanae Fuyuki's Me Patra. AS: Block Neutral! Eveline Deschamps takes 65 Wind damage from Remi Ryuuja's Garula. Critical Hit! AS: Haze added!
<Pose Tracker> Moriko Kumamoto has posed.
"Dreams?" She mutters, mostly to herself. That's an odd thing to- She trails off on that thought. She's fighting in frozen time with a gun to her head. Basically. What's weirder than that?
She nods to Kanae and mutters, "Hard to tell your own accent!" And she's probably heard similar jokes enough that it might have been a sticking point!
She brings her polearm around in both hands, ready to try and use it even. "Yeah. That sounds about right." She calls when, well called out.
Not that she's got much else to offer there. Especially as she tries to hurriedly, and fails to get out of the way of the quick attacks from Ruzica. Staggering back and about landing on her backside, caught last moment by planting the butt of her spear in the ground and hanging on.
"Thanks" She offers to Kanae and her assist, getting back up with some quick effort and both hands. "I wasn't even hunting. I was just caught out without the magic bike."
Now though. "Just be careful" Replying to So-Young, "Always when you think you've got the line." Loosening her death grip on the haft to pull her evoker on herself again. "Always preferred the starter whistle. Or shot." She admits. Pulling the trigger as she says it. "Otohime Gitsune!"
"Dunno if I have the best options here." She admits as the kitsune makes her presence, and disdain for the tengu stuffing its face known! Twisting around and pouncing forward. Creating a rough rumbling, then an earthen spike streaking towards Ruzica to slam out at the last moment.
"I thought Tengu had other.. quirks?" She's not sure. Her book learning lately has been trying to chase down her own particular persona!
AS: Persona! Moriko Kumamoto has used the Earth skill Magna on Ruzica Crvena! AS: Moriko Kumamoto takes 60 damage from Panic! AS: Kanae Fuyuki spends Limit on Help Up! Panic removed from Tamaki Uchida!
AS: Counter Best! Ruzica Crvena takes 37 Earth damage from Moriko Kumamoto's Magna. Critical Hit! AS: Bind added! AS: COUNTER! Reflect Magic! Moriko Kumamoto takes 157 Light damage in return for her attack! Weak!
AS: Take! Tamaki Uchida takes 0 Recovery healing from Kanae Fuyuki's Me Patra.
<Pose Tracker> Tamaki Uchida has posed.
Tamaki peruses her binder until she comes across one particular passage which garners her keen interest, causing her to press her face closer to the page with a raised eyebrow and widened eye to double-check its contents. She claps her free hand to her forehead, pulls back, and laughs jovially. "I see, I see! What curious insight." Tamaki briefly glances at Eveline before turning her attention to Ruzica and smiling intently at her. "You've studied under some particularly skilled tutors, I take it?"
Strictly speaking in a tactical manner, however, Ruzica and Ushiwakamaru strongly remind Tamaki of herself and Arianrhod. ... but she's keeping those cards close to her chest. "Make sure not to go hungry after going all-out tonight, okay?"
The Bride and her Knight arrive on the scene. As she recognizes Tsurugi from that dreadful night at the warehouse, Tamaki visibly JUMPS and points at her, sending her binder flying and skittering across the street. "YAAAH!" Her mind races: What is she doing here, not this again, why now of all times --
-- she and this other woman instead turn their attention to Eveline. Relief floods her mind as she decides to not question this turn of events too closely and let them fight. She'll retrieve the binder later, but first, Ruzica just sent two knives flying her way. As Ruzica had predicted, she does block it with steel of her own, albeit it's not with her own practice sabre, but the larger blue-wreathed broadsword of the newly-manifested "Arianrhod!"
The physical damage is diverted, but ... she must have looked rather undignified in front of the pair of their adversaries. This also marks the second time that she's embarrassed herself before Eveline. Doubt and fear start to creep in at the corners of her mind, throwing Tamaki off her game as her mindset tumbles back into the desperation she had needed to survive some earlier times --
-- but Kanae switches Personas and shakes her out of that, returning her to a more steady state again. In return, she offers a bright smile and some advice: "You're very welcome, and thank you for the assist, as well! If you would like to turn the tables on her, she's vulnerable to darkness-aligned attacks. I believe she has my own offense entirely walled out."
Speaking of (skill) cards held close to her chest, then raises her sabre and points it at Ruzica, but flips it around to hold it more like a sceptre, prominently displaying the newly-added array of amber gemstones on its hilt and pommel. "Media!"
AS: Persona! Tamaki Uchida has used the Recovery skill Media on Moriko Kumamoto, So-young Park, Kanae Fuyuki, and Tamaki Uchida! AS: Defense: Tamaki Uchida gains 1 Limit! AS: Take! Tamaki Uchida takes 75 Recovery healing from Tamaki Uchida's Media. AS: Take! Kanae Fuyuki takes 75 Recovery healing from Tamaki Uchida's Media.
AS: Take! Moriko Kumamoto takes 75 Recovery healing from Tamaki Uchida's Media. AS: Take! So-young Park takes 75 Recovery healing from Tamaki Uchida's Media. AS: Tamaki Uchida spends Limit on Help Up! Panic removed from Moriko Kumamoto!
<Pose Tracker> Ruzica Crvena has posed.
Where Eveline Deschamps is a veteran, controlling the battlefield with vision and insight, Ruzica is very much an instinctual shadow over the battlefield, bearing the jet-black wings of Ushiwakamaru to grace her with agility to compliment her, so far, knife throws. She hasn't utilised that gunblade of hers yet... is she waiting for Kanae to engage?
Guro Rysserova once more blesses her -- through cannon fire -- a power that seems to burn within before seeping into Ushiwakamaru's form, and seemingly, silent instruction.
"... strategic protocol confirmed.
Moving to press the advantage."
Kanae tells Ruzica that that's certainly the plan. Ruzica doesn't immediately answer, but Kanae can tell there's a slight glint to her typically emotionless eyes that seems to approve. The young Hunter certainly seems on the back foot with Ruzica exploiting her weakness, but then--
KINNARA!
A second Persona emerges in a resplendent shower of Gold... "This power..." Ruzica remarks. It's like the power Laurent had, before he lost it, she's heard from Eveline and the others. Kanae's skillful healing threatens to undo the advantage she's inflicted on the other Persona Users, and also invigorates herself back into the fight.
"So you will not stop at one...
Perhaps... that's how a dream... should be.
Unbounded... and..."
Ruzica doesn't finish her ruminating sentence, because she disappears and reappears above Kanae in a sneaky little air trick, and suddenly angles her gunblade, Usumidori, down to strike Kinnara with a vicious helm-breaker slice. Her gaze is kept on her rival the entire time, trusting her to respond in kind, and she seems...
Pleased, somehow, even without a smile on her face. More alive than she was before.
Yumi's words seem to perplex Ruzica, who considers this for a time. "Tensed..." As in, upon the tensile strength of the cage... but also... the past tense. The present tense. The future tense. ... should it really be a pun that Ruzica takes away from this? That's what she seems to accept.
So-young bears a pride in herself that seems to intrigue Ruzica. There's no hesitation or uncertainty in her movements... even as she comes to a pass with Icarus in a flurry of wings, and the two winged beings end up in winged combat with exacting motion, each seeking to exceed the other as her Tengu Persona screeches and clashes with light once more.
"You would dance. Laugh... and grow merry...
Perhaps that is what it means to..."
Once more, she doesn't stop to answer, because Ruzica's opted to back Ushiwakamaru up by having it retreat at the same time she throws a small air raid of knives drawn from her thighs, each aimed towards Icarus proper, with more skill and elegance that's perhaps expected of a waitress, whether or not they're obsessed with snail facts or not. Thousand Blades!
Even in the vortex of combat, Ruzica's eye tracks the way the masked figure darts from one piece of cover to another -- this isn't someone who's deterred by a simple act of intimidation like before, with Ushiwakamaru's wind. But danger instincts tell her that she has something steeled against her, and she gazes, gazes across the field...
Somehow, fixated on Katsuko's eyes behind the mask.
The bullet doesn't come.
Instead, a great slab of stone roars upwards from Edmond Dantes, the masked Persona, and they lash and grasp and seek to draw her towards it -- and leash they do, dragging the airborne Hunter down towards the earth with the very fury hidden behind the iron mask.
"Ushiwakamaru..." she whispers again, and the Persona is once more beset, landing ontop of that car Katsuko's chosen for cover. Just as she might think she's about to get attacked, it raises its wing, which starts to glow -- and instead, it's more trickery from the winds as Ushiwakamaru forces a stronger gale to mess with the sniper's positioning.
It doesn't directly hurt Katsuko, though. Is Ruzica... returning the favour of not shooting her?
"..."
Ruzica witnesses Moriko's use of her Evoker with rapt attention once more, seemingly inquisitive as to the nature of that weapon. The fox is out once more, however, as Moriko doubts that she has the best options --
"... when at a disadvantage in battle... will your heart stand strong?"
Is Ruzica giving... advice? Or perhaps inquiring as to that strength of heart she seems to be so interested in. The earthen spikes streak towards Ruzica, forcing her to high time it upwards and yet-- it still slams against Ushiwakamaru and sends her against the passenger door of a nearby car. The magic gleam, however, is refracting the Earthen spell back as light viciously jet-streams towards Otohime Gitsune.
I thought Tengu had other... quirks?
"They often have... a magic fan," Ruzica points out, and indeed, Ushiwakamaru raises the same fan-like appendage to send gusts that impede Moriko and make it more difficult for her to approach and advance.
Tamaki's sudden yelping has Ruzica pausing and redoubling her look to the Knight and Bride, though it seems that she has it together enough to defend against her with--
Arianhrod.
The visage of the silver wheel is awe-inspiring indeed, with her silver armour, golden hair, and massive broadsword. It invigorates something in Ruzica, perhaps, as she is suddenly a dart across the battlefield, stingering in motion to thrust at the silver Persona with her gunblade at full strength--
"Your heart... is wavering...
This is not what I want to witness..."
--and then she pulls on the trigger, which causes Usumidori to BURST out with a small, localised explosion of pure light that recoils Ruzica backwards, where she alights upon her jet-black wings, gliding on a round trip in advantage to her Persona's mobility.
Tamaki's advice on not going hungry provokes a perhaps curious reaction from Ruzica, though. Instead of Ushiwakamaru's growling, it's instead her stomach that goes 'gruuuuu' now.
"Time... will wait for... burger..." she distractedly intones.
A pause.
"If it is... authorised..."
Please authorise burger time, Eveline Deschamps...
AS: Ruzica Crvena spends Limit on Broad!
AS: Weapon! Ruzica Crvena has used the Slash skill Helmbreaker on Kanae Fuyuki! AS: Pressure: Ruzica Crvena gains 1 Limit! AS: Weapon! Ruzica Crvena has used the Pierce skill Rainstorm on So-young Park! AS: Tandem! Ruzica Crvena has used the Light skill Full Moon Slash on Tamaki Uchida! AS: Persona! Ruzica Crvena has used the Almighty skill Tengu's Maple Fan on Moriko Kumamoto and Katsuko Yoshinaga! AS: Item! Ruzica Crvena has used the Dark skill But You Are Still Hungry on Ruzica Crvena! AS: Ruzica Crvena: Bind and Broad removed! AS: Block Worst! Ruzica Crvena takes 31 Dark damage from Ruzica Crvena's But You Are Still Hungry. Critical Hit! Eclipsed! AS: Eclipse removed! AS: Counter Best! Kanae Fuyuki takes 29 Slash damage from Ruzica Crvena's Helmbreaker. AS: COUNTER! Ruzica Crvena takes 45 Slash damage in return for her attack! Resist! AS: Avoid Best! So-young Park takes 25 Pierce damage from Ruzica Crvena's Rainstorm. AS: Take! Moriko Kumamoto takes 0 Almighty damage from Ruzica Crvena's Tengu's Maple Fan. AS: Atk_Dn and Crt_Dn added! AS: Avoid Best! Tamaki Uchida takes 43 Light damage from Ruzica Crvena's Full Moon Slash.
AS: You now have a trigger set for 50% damage! AS: Ruzica Crvena has set a trigger!
<Pose Tracker> Ruzica Crvena has posed.
OPTIONAL REACTION TRIGGER UNLOCKED:
Remind Ruzica that she's hungry.
AS: Take! Katsuko Yoshinaga takes 0 Almighty damage from Ruzica Crvena's Tengu's Maple Fan. AS: Atk_Up and Crt_Up removed!
<Pose Tracker> Eveline Deschamps has posed.
"Very well," Eve says to Kanae, same as she did So-Young, and leaves it at that.
Yumi is seen, and Eve takes it all in. An expectant mother who fears the violence... is this woman doing this of her own free will? Or is there a chain on her? This, too, is the woman who visited her bar before - the same scent is there.
"I see," Eve says, as the Poisma cloud is fired. She does not hold her breath - it's a spiritual infliction, not a physical one, after all, even if it is harmful. She doesn't cough or sputter due to her training, but she feels her body weaken, her energy sap, all the same. She has to be careful - that Evoker is sure to be a danger.
"I will be cautious," she decides, musing to herself. But is she being cautious for herself, or for the woman she does feel some manner of sympathy towards?
Then, the blast of wind comes inwards from Remi. The bladed whip is lashed at the storm one the fire dies down, trying to deflect some of te wind to keep it from swallowing her completely. She's still thrown up and back, but manages to land on her feet, skidding.
"Come then," she says simply, as grabs a floating screen and initiates it. "Observation Protocol," she intones, and the thermal visor scans on Remi next. It's not as full-throated, but the question is the same:
How do you relate to violence?
The whipblade is suddenly thrashed at Remi and Gretchen. Each blow misses, as intricate as the attacks are, as if she's attacked everywhere *around* the anti-nav and swordswoman.
Yumi might notice it first, as the Resonance lingers in the air...
And Eve snaps her fingers, causing an explosion of mystical slashes to detonate! Interestingly, the slashes are unlikely to do grievous harm to either, despite how focused they are.
Eve knows how to hold back, after all.
"Hm," she says, taking a defensive posture afterwards. She's expecting immediate reprisal.
AND THEN, Ruzica wants to authorize burger time!!!
"...authorized. On *our way home*, we can get burgers... give them a good workout first, won't you, Ruzica?"
AS: Eveline Deschamps spends Limit on Broad! AS: Persona! Eveline Deschamps has used the Almighty skill Observation Protocol on Remi Ryuuja! AS: Insight: Eveline Deschamps gains 1 Limit! AS: Tandem! Eveline Deschamps has used the Slash skill Infernal Lash on Remi Ryuuja and Yua Ooshiro! AS: Eveline Deschamps: Loses 51 HP from Poison! Haze and Broad removed! AS: Eveline Deschamps regains 10 SP from Invigorate!
<Pose Tracker> Kanae Fuyuki has posed.
A game store. Kanae will remember that. However...
But for Moriko, "That's true.!"
But So-young gets herself blasted to fuck as she talks about dancing, and Kanae looks to her. "Ouch," she says. "You OK?"
But Tamaki has her covered with some healing, and also, some advice. "Yeah?" she asks. "Cool. But my Dark Persona is weak to her Light..."
Kanae looks to Ruzica, and nods. "That's right. I'm not limited to just one dream!"
Kanae swings up her gunblade, leaping for Ruzica as she targets her Persona. Ruzica's stike hits home, but Kanae's counterattack may get the better of her.
Kanae lands solidly, and seems... more intent than before. Almost like she's getting into it. "Heh heh. Think that's going to be enough?"
BATTLE THEME: Gunship - Blood For The Blood God https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jE2UM7dzZlw
�
"You want a test? I'll start."
"...Ukobach."
She calls to Tamaki, "Time to lower her advantages."
She points forward. "Go!"
A little gremlin with a big shovel appears, dancing to and fro, awash in flame. And then--
He dances.
"You're not gonna get that burger for a long time, Ruzica Crvena."
CURRENT MONEY HALVED!
AS: Persona! Kanae Fuyuki has used the Almighty skill Hula of Misfortune on Ruzica Crvena! AS: Kanae Fuyuki takes 60 damage from Panic! AS: Ruin: Kanae Fuyuki gains 1 Limit! AS: Take! Ruzica Crvena takes 0 Almighty damage from Kanae Fuyuki's Hula of Misfortune. AS: Spd_Dn added! Crt_Up removed!
AS: Kanae Fuyuki sets off Ruzica Crvena's trigger! 750 damage! AS: Block Neutral! Yua Ooshiro takes 115 Slash damage from Eveline Deschamps's Infernal Lash. Critical Hit! AS: Take! Remi Ryuuja takes 0 Almighty damage from Eveline Deschamps's Observation Protocol. AS: Eveline Deschamps's Strength Scan! Remi Ryuuja resists Slash! AS: Eveline Deschamps's Weakness Scan! Remi Ryuuja is weak against Fire! AS: Counter Best! Remi Ryuuja takes 62 Slash damage from Eveline Deschamps's Infernal Lash. Resist! AS: COUNTER! Eveline Deschamps takes 80 Slash damage in return for her attack!
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ooshiro has posed.
Yumi turns her veil to regard Tamaki, as she leaps a solid three feet into the air (that's some choice spritework) at the sight of her Knight. "Correct," she calls, to her. "We are your enemies. Nothing has changed. Would that we had found these rogue elements before they engaged you; hence we would not stand together, now. But there, back there, I could not See. Darker, yet darker, 'til only communion rends the black..."
Perhaps it shall serve as an answer to Kanae, just the same, though she does not speak any words of reassurance on her Evoker. ... the fact that her brains aren't splattered across her Persona is cold comfort enough, apparently.
"Tsurugi! Beware! She will burn you to cinders," she calls, far too late. "Ah -- no -- your namesake's forsaken us!"
And Eveline will find, as those magical slashes crash towards Gretchen, that Yumi freezes with a cry -- "Ah!" -- but Gretchen moves, anyway. The Persona clasps her hands together, and the slashes impact against her jail bars, the force of the impact absorbed by Gretchen before it can reach her User. Yua still sways, a little, in her cage; but it is the weariness of Persona Use, rather than any physical wound.
Perhaps it's the form her Persona takes which gives her the confidence to fight despite the life inside her.
"Beware," she calls, again, to Tsurugi. "She Sees you, now! Tsurugi... I'm counting on you!"
AS: Persona! Yua Ooshiro has used the Recovery skill Deep Shroud on Remi Ryuuja! AS: Yua Ooshiro spends Limit on Shift! Remi Ryuuja can use another Weak skill this round!
<Pose Tracker> Katsuko Yoshinaga has posed.
Katsuko thought her eyes impossible to track beneath the hood. She believed that the shadow it cast would hide her gaze, while the mask could cover what the dark might not. Even so, she felt the gold bearing down on her, that lustrous hue a stark contrast against the silver of her mask's deathly grin. She returned Ruzica's gaze with one of her own, cold and sharp as a shard of ice, while keeping her body still - whatever attempts at intimidation were offered, she responded to none of them whether through stone-faced stoicism or an adrenaline-fuelled need to fight rather than flee.
However, for all the focus that her steeled nerves granted her, Katsuko was no hardened soldier. So when a winged beast crashed upon the vehicle, less than a metre from her face, she could not help but throw herself backwards in some frantic attempt at evading harm. She clenched her jaw to suppress a cry of shock, but such an action proved to be unnecessary - the attack directed at her stole the air from lungs and the words from her mouth with savage winds. She felt weaker, and with a mind less focussed, but the closest thing she had to a wound was a modicum of soreness from where she'd landed. Had an unspoken agreement been reached between her and Ruzica, to do no harm to each other during the fight?
Katsuko thought on it. She pondered if, perhaps, an accord could be reached. Then she saw the damage that thing wrought upon the people she'd fought by, and how close they were to being knocked out of the fight. She offered no verbal response, instead quickly fixing the barrel of her gun in Ruzica's direction once more, and letting her finger twitch.
No strike of leaden lightning came, nor a thundercrack accompanied by a billowing burst of muzzle fire. Blood red and charcoal grey surged from the shadows instead, followed by a flash of gleaming silver.
"Forgive me for this, Ryuzaki." She said, mostly to herself, but perhaps just loud enough to be heard above the war-wrought cacophony. "But it's you or me. I'll take you out for burgers another time." If a decent patty was the price to pay for preserving their 'friendship,' then she considered it a worthy trade.
The silver arced through the air, and Edmond Dantes brought his sabre down upon Ushiwakamaru like a headsman's axe. The strength she'd built had been robbed from her, and there was just the slightest erring to the blade's cruel arc, but if it allowed her to reposition without interference, then more plans could be laid. Covered by her Persona, Katsuko slipped once more into darkness, slinking towards another car as she drew her cloak in to let yet more of the black consume her.
AS: Persona! Katsuko Yoshinaga has used the Slash skill Executioner on Ruzica Crvena! AS: Aggression: Katsuko Yoshinaga gains 1 Limit! AS: Katsuko Yoshinaga regains 5 HP from Regenerate! and 6 SP from Invigorate! AS: Counter Neutral! Ruzica Crvena takes 56 Slash damage from Katsuko Yoshinaga's Executioner. Critical Hit! Resist! AS: COUNTER! Reflect Phys! Katsuko Yoshinaga takes 171 Light damage in return for her attack! Weak!
AS: Katsuko Yoshinaga spends Limit on Psych! AS: Take! Remi Ryuuja takes 89 Recovery healing from Yua Ooshiro's Deep Shroud. AS: Eclipse added!
<Pose Tracker> So-young Park has posed.
"I am always careful!" So-young protests to Moriko, which is a line that will come back to haunt her in less than a few seconds. For someone who is ostensibly and visibly an adult, she's certainly not as serious a figure as Tamaki, whether that's because of her self-confidence or the way that they've defined this battle as a test rather than a true life-or-death situation. It would be easy - and smart - to argue that So-young should be more careful, but she is the sort of person led by her heart at times like these.
As it turns out, both of them are in an unpleasant situation, as Ushiwakamaru easily counters Icarus' swoops and Moriko's attacks. This is probably to be expected on her part - So-young is no veteran of battle, and while she might be good at feeling the flow and emotions of a battle as a whole, likening it to a story going on around her, she's not so great at the personal aspect of knowing how to fight. With a hiss of breath, she stumbles backwards a step, Icarus' form wavering for a moment.
"I will be alright. Or rather, I will simply refuse to let something like this stop me," she insistently notes towards Kanae, grinning as she rubs at her mouth like she's some kind of boxer. "But, really, is this the difference experience makes? It is as if I am running into a wall of spikes."
Still, as Ruzica notices, even if she's not that great at the actual technique of fighting, she has at least properly learned and internalized that promise she just made to Kanae about not stopping. Her Persona winks out entirely as Ruzica covers Ushiwakamaru's retreat, blinking back into existence on a swooping path straight through the hail of knives. An almost languid spin sends most of them sliding through gaps in the Persona's ramshackle structure, two of them glancing off to wood to shear a tear in what looks like linen wings.
"... it isn't an answer that works for everyone, nor should it," So-young picks up on her opponent's musings, her smile almost serene as she says that despite her exertion. She's dimly starting to pick up the idea that this isn't a test just for them and how they react to this unknown opponent, but also some sort of probing and learning exercise for Ruzica as well, on how to read people. "But it is mine, and I'll stand by it." Icarus retreats as well, giving So-young a moment to catch her breath as her Persona swoops down to wind in a tight spiral - much tighter than a thing of its size should be able to - around Moriko, a healing wind rippling around them.
That feeling grows stronger as she watches the unexpected moment between mother(?) and daughter(?), and she can't help but bark out a helpless laugh at the forcible reordering of priorities and the delightful moment. "Right?" she sags to one side as she sighs. "It's not like you can even get a bite to eat now anyway. That's easily the worst part of the Dark Hour. Honestly, I could murder a burger myself."
AS: Persona! So-young Park has used the Recovery skill Crescendo on Moriko Kumamoto! AS: Support: So-young Park gains 1 Limit! AS: So-young Park regains 3 SP from Invigorate! AS: So-young Park spends Limit on Shift! Moriko Kumamoto can use another Weak skill this round! SP +8! Healed 20!
<Pose Tracker> Remi Ryuuja has posed.
Don't worry, Tamaki. Tsurugi isn't here to fight you tonight. She's too busy fighting Eveline. Ignore the fact that, in her casual sweep of the battlefield, her gaze lands squarely on you for a single, soundless moment.
Probably just a coincidence.
Remi watches as Eveline grabs a screen to initiate another Observational Protocol. As noted--her scent under these circumstances is one of implacable, unyielding steel. She has been worn and chipped away, like her Persona's blade, by battle after battle after battle.
Far, far too many battles for the time she's been Awakened. And still she won't stop--she can't stop, as there are things that bind her and compel her forward. There seems to be no reaction to the violence left anymore... no fear or hesitation, certainly.
Except that underneath cold, implacable steel, a bright, furious anger simmers, the lid on it barely held in check.
What's even more distrubing, is the amount of anger wrapped up in La Maupin--that's directed at Tsurugi, that might dwarf even that.
The masked swordswoman observes Eveline's Observational Protocol silently. Yumi calls out a warning of being Seen, and Tsurugi nods. "Acknowledged." Her attention locks on Eve, though it might be tough to tell with the mask. All she says is, "... Navigator." A simple identification of her skillset.
The whipblade slashes at the air, and despite not being targeted directly at her person--Tsurugi charges into the flurry of blows, weaving in between them to deliver a single precise strike at the enemy Navigator.
Forsaken namesake. "... I can still fight." But she nods, as the Deep Srhoud settles over her. "Thank you," she says in a quieter voice.
She raises her blade again, sliding her foot forward for an attack. Behind her, La Maupin raises her blade, and winds erupt from under Tsurugi's feet, flowing upwards and wrapping around her body to boost her movements--a little extra defense gainst the flames her opponent wields. And then, she darts forwards, with a sudden, lunging attack aimed right at Eveline--and she has her own trick, s with a swift motion she pulls a dagger from a sheath on her back, transitioning seamlesly into a second attack while close up.
AS: Remi Ryuuja spends Limit on Exploit! Remi Ryuuja can use another Weak skill this round! AS: Persona! Remi Ryuuja has used the Almighty skill Sukukaja on Remi Ryuuja! AS: Take! Remi Ryuuja takes 0 Almighty damage from Remi Ryuuja's Sukukaja. AS: Spd_Up added! AS: Weapon! Remi Ryuuja has used the Slash skill Balestra on Eveline Deschamps! 2 Hits! AS: Aggression: Remi Ryuuja gains 1 Limit! AS: Take! Moriko Kumamoto takes 99 Recovery healing from So-young Park's Crescendo.
<Pose Tracker> Remi Ryuuja has posed.
But as she withdraws, La Maupin is right there to pick up the assault, picking up right where Tsurugi left off as it slashes repeatedly at her opponent.
AS: Persona! Remi Ryuuja has used the Slash skill Blade of Fury on Eveline Deschamps! 3 Hits!
AS: Block Worst! Eveline Deschamps takes 27 Slash damage from Remi Ryuuja's Balestra. AS: Block Neutral! Eveline Deschamps takes 23 Slash damage from Remi Ryuuja's Balestra. AS: Block Worst! Eveline Deschamps takes 46 Slash damage from Remi Ryuuja's Blade of Fury. Critical Hit! AS: Block Best! Eveline Deschamps takes 31 Slash damage from Remi Ryuuja's Blade of Fury. Critical Hit! AS: Block Worst! Eveline Deschamps takes 46 Slash damage from Remi Ryuuja's Blade of Fury. Critical Hit!
<Pose Tracker> Moriko Kumamoto has posed.
Moriko manages to hit herself. This is not the first or last time she's done something she really shouldn't have, whether that be getting into a fight or during a fight.
"Yeah that wasn't my best call." She mutters, laying on her back after the reflected magic and the gusts of wind from teh fan. Staring up at the sky with a bit of a wheeze.
A thumbs up is given to Kanae. That was before the heal. After, she forces her way to her feet. Grasping and fumbling for her spear before getting to her feet. Not that it's a spear, but she's always managed to forget the name of the thing.
Brushing herself off, now with new scrapes on the leather and pucks. She at least didn't completely break anything. Luckily.
"Wasn't it rice? Or sake?" She might have hit her head. She's definitely spacing it right now and it's going to bug her.
That it's not the right time for discussing yokai has currently left the building. "Heart's fine. Head's a bit slow for someone that rides." She notes in reply to Ruzica's other question. She thinks it was at least.
To So-Young, she offers a brief shrug, "Never was good at following my own advice clearly. Thanks though."
"You haven't had to push a dead engine up hill yet have you." She adds, you know. At the part where the worst part is the no food. "That does kinda suck though."
There is a shifty look as she lifts her evoker again, pulling the trigger the first time leading to the regal looking fox to twist, tails flowing out creating a briefly wavering barrier before Moriko. Giving her at least a little bit of time to stop getting used as a punching bag. Preferably. The second trigger pull is.. mostly just to be obnoxious as those lights reflect back in the fox's eyes. Staring down Ruzica. Clearly trying to refresh it while she doesn't punch herself in the head again. So to speak.
AS: Persona! Moriko Kumamoto has used the Almighty skill Makarakarn on Moriko Kumamoto! AS: Take! Moriko Kumamoto takes 0 Almighty damage from Moriko Kumamoto's Makarakarn. AS: Reflect_Magi added! AS: Persona! Moriko Kumamoto has used the Almighty skill Tarunda on Ruzica Crvena! AS: Take! Ruzica Crvena takes 0 Almighty damage from Moriko Kumamoto's Tarunda. AS: Atk_Dn added!
<Pose Tracker> Tamaki Uchida has posed.
Tamaki flashes a nervous, shaky thumbs-up at Yumi. "YyyyyyYEP! Sure! Understood! Temporary truce!" It's not that she's eager to fight the NWO pair in the first place, she's just glad that she's not in their line of fire right this moment. The further significance of their presence may be lost on her until she has some time after the battle to better organize her thoughts.
She forgets to breathe for the few moments when Tsurugi's gaze settles on her.
Arianrhod takes the blast of light point-blank, sending her skidding on the ground into Tamaki, the latter of which exclaims "Oof!" It's a solid hit which speaks to the strength and skill of Ruzica and how she uses that gunblade. It would have bowled the pair over entirely if Arianrhod were not made of stern stuff, herself.
The pair remain upright as the blast fades. While her defenses against the element are lower, the light-based attack doesm't seem to pack quite the same punch against Arianrhod that it does against the others. Tamaki's own stomach rumbles, almost as if in sympathy for her opponent (or maybe So-Young's burger comments include Tamaki in collateral damage there, too). Tamaki's noticed their apparent similarities and has acknowledged this mirror match for what it is, but will Ruzica?
Tamaki tilts her head at Ruzica in confusion. "... But my wavering heart is the source of my strength."
Ukobach's hula cuts into Ruzica's already tight funds. ... if there comes to be a dispute over who gets the Rumor Demon reward money, Tamaki will definitely insist that Ruzica gets it.
After that, however, Tamaki gives Kanae a firm nod. 'Time to lower her advantages,' indeed. "I've got your weakness covered, don't worry about that." Looking at the crowd who's taken a light-based beating from reflected attacks, she adds, "... You're not the only one who could use it, it seems."
Tamaki invokes "Arianrhod!" once more, and the wing-armored Persona refreshes the party once more ... as well as one more thing.
Arianrhod rotates her sword in front of her. Her sword's trail leaves behind an after-image of the very Silver Wheel which her epithet originates from: a full moon, surrounded by stars. The moon-image turns, changing phases: from full, to new, to full again, to new again, and so on. The moon persists while the stars around it disappear, one by one.
Time moves ever onwards, stars burn bright then burn out, but the passage of time itself remains the same as it ever was, as days turn to months turn to seasons turn to years. Change is the only constant.
This conjured image of the moon dissipates, infusing Tamaki's companions with the energy of a good night's sleep. Die and be reborn, sleep and wake refreshed once more, ready to face the worst of trials one may face during one's waking hours.
AS: Tamaki Uchida spends Limit on Exploit! Tamaki Uchida can use another Weak skill this round! AS: Persona! Tamaki Uchida has used the Recovery skill Media on Moriko Kumamoto, So-young Park, Katsuko Yoshinaga, and Kanae Fuyuki! AS: Defense: Tamaki Uchida gains 1 Limit! AS: Persona! Tamaki Uchida has used the Recovery skill Silver Wheel on Moriko Kumamoto, So-young Park, Katsuko Yoshinaga, and Kanae Fuyuki! AS: Tamaki Uchida: Crt_Up removed! AS: Take! Moriko Kumamoto takes 73 Recovery healing from Tamaki Uchida's Media. AS: Take! Moriko Kumamoto takes 0 Recovery healing from Tamaki Uchida's Silver Wheel. AS: Eclipse added! AS: Take! Katsuko Yoshinaga takes 80 Recovery healing from Tamaki Uchida's Media. AS: Take! Katsuko Yoshinaga takes 0 Recovery healing from Tamaki Uchida's Silver Wheel. AS: Eclipse added! AS: Take! Kanae Fuyuki takes 73 Recovery healing from Tamaki Uchida's Media. AS: Take! Kanae Fuyuki takes 0 Recovery healing from Tamaki Uchida's Silver Wheel. AS: Eclipse added! AS: Take! So-young Park takes 73 Recovery healing from Tamaki Uchida's Media. AS: Take! So-young Park takes 0 Recovery healing from Tamaki Uchida's Silver Wheel. AS: Eclipse added!
<Pose Tracker> Ruzica Crvena has posed.
Eve has authorised burger time.
You can see the little flowers popping around and over Ruzica's head. Eve encourages her to give them a good workout just before. Despite not changing expression one bit, Ruzica seems somehow more motivated now, perhaps for now-obvious reasons.
"Order accepted..."
Ruzica regains her focus as she looks to Kanae once more, however, and how she isn't limited to one dream. Finally, they clash gunblades, her silvered one with roses adorned upon it slamming against Kanae's ruby-red one... but as she mentioned before, Kanae's combat skill does get the better of her, and she's forced to have Ushiwakamaru guard with a wing as they exchange steel and clash with each other, cognitive feathers shorn and burning away in a bouquet of blue.
It's as she thought. This girl is holds something that she seeks... in battle? In her dreams?
"No... I want... more," Ruzica intones. "Come at me again... until this hour is over, let me--"
But... what comes from Kanae next isn't more steel and swordfighting. No, Kanae's brought financial disaster to their swordfight, as Ukobach rises from within her and a l'il gremlin starts to do a shitty dance and-- and--
"....??"
The blow seems to shatter Ruzica's very soul, not on a physical level. Even without checking her phone, she can see it within the browser of everyone's souls:
ONLINE BANKING > Log in
Password: iloveburgersandsnails67!!
CURRENT SAVINGS BALANCE HALVED: 68 -> 34 yen.
".... ..... .... ...."
Ruzica looks so upset at this, like she's just been critically betrayed by Kanae. A foul mood shrouds over her as her gaze becomes half-lidded, yet no less gleaming, ominously gold behind the jet-black hair:
"Dreams are... truly cruel...
They slip from your fingers and..."
Then she manifests that quicksilver injector again, into her hand. Silver and mercurial, as opposed to Kanae's gleaming gold, as she PLUNGES it into her neck again--
"Time... shattered time...
The fragments of dreams...
Upon a half-remembered promise..."
It's at this time that Katsuko, having come to terms with what it is she must do, lets loose with not a deafening crack of lead, but -- blood-red and charcoal gray, surging from the shadows, as Edmond Dantes besets upon Ushiwakamaru as a headsman would. The Tengu thrusts both of his arms up, as if to catch the blade in a bare-handed block, but the might of the Count is not so easily denied, rending onto that o-yoroi and blasting the Tengu backwards... while the reflective shield around it sends vicious bolts of light back from the very energy of the swing.
But the Hunter has picked her out this time, and instead of Ushiwakamaru, it's Ruzica herself that alights across the field and chases her down to the car that she's picked out for her next cover -- and for a moment, with her unnatural speed, she's face to face with the masked Katsuko and the half-heard apology, in this moment her golden gaze more akin to an animal staring down at her--
"A heart that forgives...
A heart that forgets...
Forgotten in time..."
Ruzica intones, quiet enough for just the both of them, as if they were both appraising some kind of objet d'art like in that gallery in Shibuya.
--then she's darted away again, a blur of feathers and red as she alights upon So-young like she's about to give chase to the flier, grappling against Icarus like being at close proximity has suddenly become very important, like she has to take the entirety of So-young in her regard.
"Bright, so bright...
Cinders embraced upon time...
Swept away on ashes..."
Moriko ponders on whether it's rice or sake that the Tengu are known for. Ruzica doesn't seem particularly poised to give an answer, but Moriko does say that her heart is fine -- but her head's a bit slow, for someone that rides. Golden eyes consider this in turn...
"Fuel, burst, consume...
Breathe air, and become flame...
Until it is all... exhausted..."
Does Ruzica recognise the similarities in their styles? In a way, Tamaki is her superior, for Ruzica hasn't shown much capability to support and defend -- though she has no one but herself, but the way in which they wield blades and focus upon the light and the moon, perhaps, are aspects that she could appreciate...
But perhaps not now. After that fresh injection, Ruzica has adopted something of a more instinctual motion, even as Tamaki points out that her wavering heart is her source of strength.
Arianrhod's power is brought forward, and evokes the very cryptic mumblings that seem to fascinate and fixate Ruzica in this mood of hers: the changing phases of the moon, the burning of the stars, and the reminder that only change is constant... ... ...
"Quiver, waver, tremble... and bend...
A heart so rigid can only shatter...
Is this... is this...?"
But Ushiwakamaru screeches, and Ruzica looks startled by her own Persona in the midst of her curious fixations, as if the Persona is distracting her at the cusp of her finding an answer within the Silver Wheel. She suddenly alights once more with a prodigious eight-boat leap to the middle of the battlefield above, Usumidori cocked downwards and shimmering with an indefatigable, threatening light.
Whatever this next attack might be, it seems that they're planning on widespread destruction from above, even as Tamaki shrouds and Otohime Gitsune redoubles her power to dampen the worst of what's to come.
"Eliminate..."
Whatever confusion and panic might've been written on her face drains completely to a cold, passionless stare.
"Eliminate the minus factors, Ushiwakamaru."
At the cusp of bringing destructive light from the heavens, however -- Ruzica pauses, and stares towards the cluster of coffins scattered around them, for Yumezaki is rife with passerby. Their eyes widen slowly as they seem to bring this into consideration. They are starved, and not in the manner in which Kanae has robbed them.
Light must act in service of time...
And yet--
They lower their gunblade, and the light dissipates slowly, motes flickering away harmlessly.
"This isn't it at all...
This isn't enough... any of it..."
And with that, the Hunter suddenly turns, wings arced up and silhouetted against the sickly moon of the Dark Hour, and she's suddenly off into the far distance, tearing away from the centre of Yumezaki at high speeds.
<Pose Tracker> Eveline Deschamps has posed.
Yumi wards and heals Remi, and Eve tilts her head. "Good thought. It seems that the flames were the way to go and not the blade..."
Information filed away for later, of course.
The counterslash hits trie, and Eve recoils, but keeps moving in that defensive posture...
Five slashes come for Eve from Persona and swordswoman. Five swings of the whip go up to deflect, even as she's cut into, sent skidding back. Her skin is unblemished, and her coat is resistant, but she's definitely fatigued from that force of deflection, finally getting exhausted.
"Good, good. I look forward to seeing you at my establishment, sometime," Eve says calmly. How does she know they'd know what it is?
If she didn't know who they were...? She's being courteous by not saying 'again'.
AND THEN, she remarks to Kanae...
"That spell is most definitely foul play."
She's watching you, Kanae Fuyuki!
As Ruzica starts getting upset, however, and prepares to 'eliminate the minus factor', whatever concern Eve is feeling doesn't really show on her face. However, as the girl retreats... she turns to Yumi and Tsurugi.
"Ah. Looks like our dance is postponed. Another time?"
And then, to Ruzica's combatants...
"Stop by Fleur de Lis in Kagurazaka sometime. First drink is on me."
Eve turns and absconds, tracking Ruzica by her Resonance, as if this was carefully planned, though internally...
This was not satisfactory at all.
<Pose Tracker> Kanae Fuyuki has posed.
Kanae clashes with Ruzica--just for a moment. She hits the ground again, and looks up sharply. Kanae... does something mean.
A wavering heart is the source of Tamaki's strength...
"Thanks!" Kaane says, preparing for her big offense thanks to Tamaki.
But... it doesn't have to happen. Eve calls it foul play, and Kanae has a grin that might be familiar to anyone who knows Isabeau. Because, "`Tell Isabeau that`," she remarks in French. She doesn'ts top grinning. But then...
She looks to Ruzica. Ruzica, who is startled. Until...
"Yeah!" Kanae calls. "Because you can't achieve happiness just through fighting!"
She pauses, and looks to Eveline, as she turns to go. "...Tell her I'll get 'that boy' a burger sometime," she asks of Eve. "And I'll be waiting for next time."
"...Not bad, you guys," she says to her temporary comrades. "You stood up against her even though she's really strong and crafty."
"...That's good. Battle shouldn't ever be something we're taking lightly."
She starts to walk off, before pausing, and looking at the NWO crew. "..."
"...You said you're her enemies," she says, looking to Tamaki. "Are we going to have a problem?"
To Yua, especially. That weird woman...
Something about her...
Kanae moes instead of leaving immediately to go check on Moriko, slinging her gunblade back onto her back and looking her over, before returning her gaze to Yua and Remi.
She can go another round if she has to, but...
<Pose Tracker> Katsuko Yoshinaga has posed.
The blow was surgical in its precision - as one might have expected of a person like Dantes. The blade resembled a scalpel more than a sword as it swung towards the Tengu, but steel sinking into otherworldly flesh was not all Katsuko saw. The shield deflected the force of the blow back at her, and with scarcely a moment to brace on the spot, she felt herself be thrown back like a ragdoll. Unable to even break her own fall, Katsuko propped herself up on shaking arms, groaning in both surprise and dulled pain from the blow - only to come face-to-face with her fellow Shujin student.
She readied her hammer - a two-handed thing, built to punch through armour and pulverise flesh - but Ruzica vanished to the wind before she could swing in retaliation. Like a waiting hawk, she observed her every movement, waiting for the chance to launch a counterattack, or to know when it was safe to bolster her own strength. The moment never came. Ruzica took to the night sky, a silhouette against the light-speckled ocean of black that hung above all gathered there, too far and too fast for Katsuko to take even a potshot.
"... A heart that forgives. A heart that forgets." She turned the words over in her mind, and beneath the silvered death mask that sat upon her jaw, her lips curled into a thin frown. It was a naive notion - or a wholly incorrect observation - that she did not even think to remember.
She turned to look at the site of their battle. Slowly, she cast her gaze over every inch, scanning it for anything that might have been even remotely of interest. The people were ruled out by default - she was certain all of them had stories an uses, but the night wore on. She could not risk the chance that a stranger would see what lay beneath the mask. Silent as the shadows she faded into, Katsuko retreated from the gathering.
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ooshiro has posed.
Yumi watches, as Ruzica struggles with her minus factors.
"If you suppress her not," she warns Eveline, ominously, in the wake of Ruzica's retreat, "she is soon to die. Go, now. Your sins will be evaluated against the weight of this world."
She turns, then, to Kanae; Gretchen spreads her arms, but, worryingly, does not yet disappear.
"Our aims could not be met, this night," she says, her hands folded in front of her. "Of its consequences, I will not speak. With you, when we stand? We've no quarrel. We go."
She lifts a hand, palm up, a gesture of 'stop.'
"But tomorrow, tomorrow, and tomorrow -- these nights are yet unwritten. We do not act to aid you. Seek your friendship elsewhere."
She reaches out, to Tsurugi, though she gives her time to speak her own piece should she wish it. "Come. Let us go." And when her fellow asset grasps her hand, Gretchen closes her bars around the both of them --
-- and both of them disappear, into the depths of the Dark Hour.
<Pose Tracker> So-young Park has posed.
Did So-young read it wrong? She'd thought Ruzica's dream-lile poetry was an attempt to figure out what makes each of them tick, but she feels like reevaluating that as time goes on. The way in which Ushiwakamaru and Ruzica both home in on her and Icarus for a moment makes her wonder instead whether it's a matter of a moth to a flame, or if there's something truly deliberate that they're in search of. She finds herself frowning, even as she can feel the gravity and size of the impending destruction from above.
"--not in the street!--" she starts to yell in genuine warning, her heart in her throat, but fortunately Ruzica has realized that same aspect of the battlefield. Instead, they cut and run, and So-young blinks in honest confusion before furrowing her eyebrows, sure that there's some kind of puzzle to unwind here. Eveline's gracious acceptance of defeat is replied to with a light bow on her end, but when she straightens up it's with a bit of a dissatisfied frown. "No, no. That's quite alright. I can't call that our win in any sense," she muses, watching the direction in which Ruzica has--
... 'fled' really does not seem like the right word for it, does it? "... I need a drink," she sighs as Icarus winks away, but the Dark Hour's sickly green still surrounds them all, blocking burger and booze alike.
<Pose Tracker> Moriko Kumamoto has posed.
Moriko shakes her head and says somewhat embarrassed, "I don't get it." Being honest at least. "Unless that's a combustion engine thing." She did take a pair of pretty good hits. She might pick it up later. She's still standing though.
Mostly.
The minus factors comments further completely confuses the student. Minus factors? Lingo's always obscure to those outside of the loop right? She whinces at yet another injection though. She braces herself, raising her polearm and- Ruzica flies away.
Moriko wobbles the blade around a few times. Even slashes at the air at least once for good measure before just planting the butt against the ground and slumping against it while muttering "Oooow." quietly
"Fighting is a sometimes food." She suggests to Kanae when she insists fighting isn't the path to happiness. Something about burgers on the soul somehow.
"I'm okay." She insists when Kane checks on her. Another thumbs up. "Most of it is in the ribs. Back brace spreads the suck out." Starting to pull an arm free of her jacket to show the back brace before realizing it's... sort of irrelevant.
"I think it's a lingering thing." She agrees with So-Young. "I have water." She adds. Then her brain catches up, "Too young for the other."
And you know, riding.
<Pose Tracker> Tamaki Uchida has posed.
Change is the only constant. Thus far, Tamaki has patiently bided her time, aiding her more vulnerable companions while she waits for her own moment. She sees it in her mind's eye: as soon as Ruzica's walls fade, eroded by the passage of time, that's when she'll shift her own momentum entirely, press her advantage, and decisively strike. Even as she and Ushiwakamaru soar into the sky together, Tamaki watches and waits.
Then, instead, the hunters depart. Tamaki glances around at the coffins still surrounding the street. She understands, albeit only after the fact and after the moment has passed, unlike So-Young's more immediate recognition.
Her eyes settle on Yumi and Tsurugi. While glaring at them, scrutinizing their movements for any sign of hostility, she crab-walks over to where her dropped binder had landed. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, and right back at you. If you're leaving quietly, I'm sure not going to complain." Tsurugi may remember that Tamaki fights only to defend, not out of any sense of vindictiveness.
She grins at Kanae's compliment and stretches her arms out in front of her to crack her knuckles. "I'm no stranger to tough opponents, myself. But whew! It's been a very, very long time for me." Her expression darkens, though, and she adds, "I'm not against demoralizing her, but maybe choose a different means to do so."
To So-Young, she offers, "I could use a nightcap, myself. When the Dark Hour's over, I can get us both a round, if you'd like?"
At Moriko's offer of water, Tamaki replies, "... Might want to wait until the clock strikes 12:01 even for water, though."
<Pose Tracker> Moriko Kumamoto has posed.
Moriko gives Tamaki a baffled look. "Why would you want to wear one of those old fashioned hats?" Though the context does eventually catch up.
<Pose Tracker> Remi Ryuuja has posed.
Tsurugi and La Maupin fall back into a defensive position, side by side, in front of Yumi as the onslaught of attacks end. She does not reply to the mention of seeing her at the restaurant.
'Another time?'
"Yes," is Tsurugi's only reply.
She looks to Kanae as she looks to her and Yumi, and then the other Persona Users here. She only gives a silent nod as Yumi declares there is no quarrel... this night.
Her Persona does vanish, though, as she sheathes both her sword and her dagger. "... do not underestimate their power." She means Eveline, primarily, but she saw how Ruzica took out the taxi cab. "... or their experience." To her eye, Eveline was terribly composed during the battle, and that speaks to experience.
She walks over to Yumi to take her hand, and vanishes into the night with her.
<Pose Tracker> Kanae Fuyuki has posed.
"it's fine," Kanae says to Tamaki. "Ruzica's always broke."
A look at Moriko, and she nods.
To So-young, and shrugs expansively. "Any battle you can walk away from, right?"
Se watches Yua and Remi for a little longer. "..." Seek friendship elsewhere. And do not underestimate--
"It's not their power I doubt," Kanae says with a scowl.
She looks at Katsuko leaving, at the others... "You win some, you lose some, right?
"`C'est la vie.`"
"I just need to get back to Tokyo..."
<Pose Tracker> Moriko Kumamoto has posed.
"Tokyo?" Moriko asks. Taking a moment to look at her watch out of habit. "If we're close to the end. Could offer a ride." Said with the tone of someone that wants the excuse as much as anything.
And it gives her a chance to not have to push the thing and instead sit on a curb and quesiton her decision making priorities in a supernatural fight.