2025-08-12: Stolen Lives
- Log: Stolen Lives
- Cast: Umie Akabane, Ren Amamiya, Tatsuya Sudou, Yusuke Kitagawa, Ann Takamaki, Makoto Niijima, Morgana (played by Ren)
- Where: An Alleyway in Shibuya
- OOC Date: August 12, 2025
- IC Date: June 24, 2012
- Summary: A call is made to the Joker Killer, and he goes on the hunt: this time in Shibuya, where circumstances allow for the former king to glance at a vision that reminds him of what he's lost.
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
The letter is inconspicuous at first glance: a plain, standard issue envelope that was laid on the sales counter at some point, its carrier anonymous and unnoticed. Flipped over, it displays a colorful mismatch of fonts, each letter clipped from a magazine or newspaper and pasted on.
'TO: UMiE AkaBAnE'
"Aoki-san, you still need me to fill in tomorrow night, right?" Adjusting the top of her red uniform as she steps behind the counter, Umie chats back with the slightly older co-worker disappearing through the back doors. After Aoki's reply, Umie grins. "Yeah, it's fine." She adjusts the pins in her two hair buns. "You covered for me earlier, remember? Fair's fair."
The fingertips that flip over the envelope may not be the first, if Ren (or Morgana, somehow) had tried to examine it before Umie came in for her shift. "... Huh."
"...!" If Ren or Morgana are nearby, they'd also feel the reaction: the sudden blip of resonance appearing from out of the blue with a grim intensity, like a lightbulb shorting out in one swift burst of light. It's unmistakably Umie, and on top of that, she's highly disturbed.
The envelope falls to the floor as Umie ducks behind a display of wrapped pastries by the cash register, opening the folded letter to read over garishly arranged text.
'Dear Soon to be Dead Umie Akabane, I don't know where, I don't know when, but I will find you, I will kill you, and I will enjoy it, signed Joker Killer'
The resonance dims, like a slowing heartbeat, before climbing to an even higher summit.
To any customer that comes in at that moment, they'd see just a cashier, staring at the letter with a blank, banal expression, eyes distant. It'd take someone more observant to notice the slight tremble of her red-nailed fingers, or how the fingers begin to crease the paper.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
For all that Ren is aware that Umie's a Persona User, he doesn't have a reason to rifle through her personal mail--especially when they're both on the job.
He's busy re-stocking the shelves when it happens: that blip of resonance, like a storm surge through the store, emanating from Umie. He pauses and looks up in time to see Umie duck behind the pastries and the envelope drift to the floor.
"..." Glancing at his workload, Ren slips closer to the register counter and gingerly picks up the envelope. The cut-and-paste letters don't inspire confidence, any more than that dip and climb of Resonance does.
"Akabane-san?" he says quietly, slipping around the counter. His eyes dip to her fingers, trembling as they crinkle the letter she's reading. Even so, he offers her the envelope. "You dropped this..."
Once he has her attention, regardless of whether she takes the envelope back or not, his gaze darts to the letter, trying to see what has her so shaken.
"Is everything okay?" he asks as he does so.
It's all nosy of him, he knows, but some serious alarm bells are ringing in his head. This isn't something he can pretend to not notice.
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
Already, that resonance is disappearing like passing raindrops on a dry sidewalk, leaving no evidence it was even there to begin with.
'Akabane-san?'
Umie's head snaps up towards Ren with a sharp look, like a ready knife that just as quickly is pulled back from an unintended target. "... Oh, Amamiya-kun." Her gaze flicks to the side, apologetic.
Umie stills the instinct to snatch that stupid envelope from Ren with a swift swipe of her hand; instead, she politely tugs it out from his grip.
'Is everything okay?'
Ren Amamiya: a co-worker who seemed to be all around a nice person, whose avoidance of certain topics in their occasional chitchat suggested to Umie that he was someone who kept his personal life private, even in casual conversations. In other words, he was a normal teenager. He wanted no trouble. He, and everyone in this store, are people who *need* no trouble. They're just ordinary people, and she's the one who carelessly let trouble follow her back.
"It's just a rude prank," she lies through her teeth, trying to fold the letter away from his eyes.
She can't help the soft smile that bleeds through, however, recognizing the initiative in his words and actions. He didn't need to be concerned about her. He could have pretended he saw nothing and been on his way.
"You know... being curious like that could get a person into trouble." She dips her head, hushing her voice for Ren to hear alone. "... But maybe that's why I find you a likable person, Amamiya-kun."
She folds the letter and pushes it into the pocket of her pants. "I need to get out of work, just in case. Gotta report this to the proper authorities, and all that jazz."
Umie's lying; why would she want to get out of work immediately, if she says it's just a prank?
She also doesn't see that parts of the glued together words have come undone from the bottom portion of the letter as she folds it; with her eyes on Ren, there was no chance she'd see the words fall to the floor as she attempts to brush by him to the back room.
Will kill you
I wil enjoy it
Joker Kill r
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
No evidence but what Ren sensed--and there's no denying what he sensed just then. Too sharp and too intense for it to be just his imagination, and too familiar to what he encountered that day in the Metaverse to be someone else, he knows it was her.
It could just be a "rude prank." Depending on just how rude it is, maybe it could've prompted a reaction like that. But...
"Oh--thanks," he murmurs, offering her a small smile back. He doesn't argue with what she has to say. He recognizes she's trying to avoid getting him caught up in whatever just happened. He simply watches her, stepping back out of her way as she shoves the letter in a pocket and leaves for the back room.
Something falls from her pocket, maybe dislodged from the sharp motion. His eyes follow the cut-and-paste words to the floor, and when he reads them, his pulse jumps.
He's not supposed to mess with his phone on the store floor. He has to focus on his work. All the same, when he returns to the shelves he was stocking, cut-out words untouched so Umie can let herself think they were unnoticed, he takes a moment to furtively pull his smartphone out and send a few messages to a certain group chat.
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
Ren answers Umie's smile with one of his own just before he steps aside. As terrible as retail can be, it's never been... unpleasant, working here. It's nice, even, in those times she gets to chat. Certainly more foot traffic that she's used to, but everyone's just trying to get through their day. It solidifies her resolve: she'll handle it, and all of them will be none the wiser.
Just like always.
Glancing back towards the counter in case anything was left, she finds the words that slipped from her pocket; with a covert glance towards Ren (who seems to be none-the-wiser by ducking back into work), she picks up the leftover evidence and stuffs it into her pocket.
There's some cover inadvertently created when Umie talks to their boss in the back; from the awkward words back and forth, the lies, the apologies, the promises, it's clear she's *not* letting their boss know about the letter, which has made things harder on her, and easier on Ren as attention is brought to her.
The clock is already ticking, when, finally, after promising to make up with a string of night shifts, she wears their boss down. Umie isn't completely concerned; she has time. While nothing rules out the Joker Killer coming after her during the day, his past attacks, from her research with Shinjiro, point to them being tied with the supernatural, like with the attack on Kasugayama High. He(?) would attack during the Dark Hour, then. He'd likely use that... power. He'd never expect it to be used against him, if it came down to it, right? But before that, she should think of other measures...
She needs to get her weapon, some supplies, and oh. Right. She needs to call people. Whipping out her phone as she opens the door to the back alley, she scrolls through her contact list. Katsuya? Yes. Shinjiro? Yes. Tatsuya? .... All Umie could think about is how he held that Kasaugayama student, like he was scared that that young man would evaporate out of his arms. (As well as the other things that happened, but her mind is currently not touching that with a ten foot pole.)
It's okay. She has this all figured out.
It'll be alright.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
It's convenient that Umie goes into the back to talk to the boss and takes a good long while into talking them into letting her leave early today. It means Ren has time to go outside to "sweep the entryway" (actually get Morgana's attention and let him know to follow Umie when she leaves).
Maybe it's an unnecessary concern. She's a Persona User; she has Persona User friends. Ren knows this about her. At the same time, it's just not in his nature to see someone clearly in trouble and not at least try to do something to help.
Now it's just a matter of seeing if he and his friends can converge on her location in time to help her against the evil Joker.
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
It had started the moment Umie had stepped outside, phone in hand; Morgana would have had only minutes to get into position after Ren let him know to follow. The chase begins with a chaotic din of resonance, perhaps familiar to anyone who's felt the Mark used in their presence, though, with it coming from the Joker Killer himself, the conductor may have some different tricks up his sleeve for this act.
After another burst of alarm from Umie's resonance, Morgana would see the splash from her footfalls as she runs, her original plan hastily abandoned in favor of another: running away. Away from the crowd, away from Triple Seven, further into the alleyways. It's for a good reason: whatever is coming is going after Umie exclusively, she reasons.
Think. Think. Ah. Umie has plans. Let's run down them, shall we?
=Plan #1=: It comes to her, naturally: Badb's return affords Umie more than the small boost in reflex and other generalities. Her resonance cloaked itself already; it's just another step to use Badb's conceptual mein to cloak herself. It buys time, just enough to think Umie has a chance. (Unfortunately, that may complicate Morgana's task, but there's more than one way to track a target down, and Umie's no Phantom Thief.)
=Plan #2=: Get enough distance between her and Joker Killer, and call someone on her phone. Unfortunately, that's why her right hand is bleeding right now, and her phone, with its red good luck charm, is on the ground, tossed aside with a strike of the Joker Killer's weapon. Ah, he's playing with her. Great.
=Plan #3=: "I have a Sevens Badge too!" Whether or not the rumor would work outside of Sumaru City isn't tested, because she *doesn't*, and lying didn't work. She threw her work badge at the Joker Killer as a distraction and ran when it seemed to not make much of a difference.
=Plan #4=: Umie's treasure trove of status effects do not seem to work for long and that's *bullshit*. Seriously, why can't they work when you need them the most?! And Dark? Oh, Dark. You are so useful, but this is the last person it'd work on.
=Plan #5=: Water. Aqua works. Good, this is an advantage. Too bad she didn't think of it when she _had her phone_, and besides that, the moment she attacks is the same moment her shroud is blown.
=Plan #6=: Try to double back and find her phone. Ah, that'd be great, but she's gotten a few more healthy slashes since then, and the old surgical scars over her heart are beginning to remind her that she was never, ever meant to be a long-distance marathon runner.
......
=Plan.... 6? Or was it 8?=: She was going to.... do something. Did she see something? Sense something? Is someone else out there?
A child-like voice, like the tinkling of bells, distracts Umie. '... You're out of ideas... which is why you're about to die, still wearing your Triple Seven uniform.'
She's going to die _still wearing her Triple Seven uniform_.
'... It's too bad you can't fight back any other way~'
She sees the memory of Akechi's face, framed in the glow of late afternoon. Behind him was an outline of a hand, drawn in chalk, with the shape of something wrapped on it like the shadow of someone else's own, forever intertwined. 'The next time I saw her, she was no longer with us. Nothing of what was left of her was recognizable, except...'
"Teleportation... goddamn... cheating... *son of a--*" Umie gasps, as she falls into the mud.
<Pose Tracker> Tatsuya Sudou has posed.
The Old Maid had it all planned, he was simply going to wait for the prey to leave her job and then immediately stuff her into a supernatural hole. Still the voice did say that she was like him, so maybe, just maybe it was worth giving her a test. Maybe she could be another him. Yes, perhaps she could be the start of the new circles of masked people, or whatever the voice called it. A whole team of masked people going into the supernatural world and committing crimes that no one could explain.
That is of course why he sent the letter, it was a part of the test, how would she respond to it all after all. After that he simply watched from a roof top, pacing back and forth as if a lion at the zoo, waiting for one of those idiot kids to oh there she is. Sudou spots his prey stepping out of her place of work and Sudou frowns as she steps into the rift into the supernatural. For a moment he had hoped for something more. Looking at his shadow, "Yeah yeah we can't all start off like the Joker." At that point Sudou steps off the roof and disappears.
Since he stepped off the roof, he has been terrorizing Umie, toying with her, showing up no matter which way she turns. He tried to warn her though when he first showed up, he even gave a light bow before telling her "Don't run, not when we are playing lions. You know what runs? FOOD runs!" Since then he has given chase. Finally though it appears the chase is over as he appears in front of the now muddy Umie.
"Well I guess he was wrong about you, you're nothing like me."
AS: Tatsuya Sudou has readied for combat as Old Maid! He is now fully healed! Ready for 4 opponents!
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Morgana left as soon as Ren explained the situation to him. Ren still has to finish up his shift--he can't just leave early, especially not when Umie just did--but Morgana is... I mean, looks like a cat, so he can prowl where he pleases. Good thing, too: Umie is jumped almost immediately after she leaves. The supernatural space that the Joker Killer creates means Morgana becomes Mona--and Ren can feel that space get created thanks to his own supernatural sensitivity, which means he can send another text to his friends saying that actually, this is happening now.
Mona jumps from shadow to shadow as the Old Maid stalks Umie. It burns him up inside not to go immediately to her aid, but this is a dangerous enemy--the Joker Killer. He can't risk Umie's life by jumping out recklessly and making sure the others don't know where to find her. The best thing he can do is keep a close eye.
But soon it becomes clear that playtime is reaching its end. Mona will have a quick-and-dirty explanation of what's going on for Fox and Panther when they arrive-- "That maniac with the paper bag on his head is the Joker Killer, and he's out to kill that woman, Umie Akabane! We've got to stop him!" --and then it is immediately go time.
And by 'go time,' one means 'make a cool and flashy entrance to grab the evil Joker's attention.' They are phantom thieves, after all. They've got to do this with style.
<Pose Tracker> Yusuke Kitagawa has posed.
Today is going to be a strange one, even by the standards of Yusuke Kitagawa's short time as the Phantom Thieves' 'Fox'.
Summoned to Shibuya by an urgent text from their leader, Yusuke is only a short way down the street from Scramble Crossing when he feels the wave of nausea. Grimacing, he ducks into an alleyway, in part so that he doesn't gracelessly lose his lunch in the middle of the street (meagre as said lunch was), in part so that nobody sees the blue flame flickering across his body, leaving him in his Fox guise.
Relieved that he's not going to throw up, Fox makes haste towards Triple Seven, in time to rendezvous with Panther and Mona; a quick briefing, and he nods, hastening in the direction Mona guides them.
====== ======
Of all things to happen in this kind of twisted space, the sound of a gunshot was likely among the least expected. Perhaps even less expected is that the shot is empowered, blue light helping it punch through the man in the paper bag's supernatural resilience.
Atop the very rooftop Sudou abandoned, Fox lowers his assault rifle, the glowing woodcut-painting of Goemon towering over him, the stern ronin glaring fiercely down at the Joker Killer. "Halt, villain!" He yells out. "The Phantom Thieves have come, to steal your prey from you!"
AS: Persona! Yusuke Kitagawa has used the Pierce skill Single Shot on Tatsuya Sudou!
<Pose Tracker> Ann Takamaki has posed.
"W-wait. We're what?!"
This had been Ann Takamaki's alarmed question for her phone as she stares at the messages sent off in the Phantom Thieves' group DM. Unfortunately, phones can not actually respond to startled demands in this particular day and age, no matter how dismayed it may be, and so the blonde Shujin Student just belted out a little curse and flurried out a message with the swift dance of opposable thumbs:
> Wait. we're what?!
But there's no time to complain. No time to even think. Someone's life is in danger -- someone needs their help. NOW.
Already in Shibuya, Ann tries to tell herself she's ready as she grabs firm hold of her purse and starts sprinting in the direction provided.
She's not. Not at all. Not for something like -this-. Not in the real world, especially!!
"Oh no oh no oh no--!!"
But... that doesn't stop her, even for a second.
~ <3 ~
There's something viscerally frightening, being in the presence of a real killer.
That isn't to say Ann -hasn't- been in the presence of murderers. Unfortunately, she has. Kamoshida nearly got Shiho killed -- whether she chose to jump or not, he was the one who gave her the push, and that blame lies wholly with him. Madarame killed Yusuke's mother through deliberate inaction, just to steal her prize work -- to say nothing of whatever deaths might have been caused by his neglect and exploitation.
And Kaneshiro... well, he's a criminal. He -has- to have been involved in death somehow, directly or indirectly. (Probably indirectly, Ann assumes, which is just the gut feeling she got looking at the guy.)
But someone who deliberately, purposefully, personally takes a life? It's something you can only understand in the abstract--
"H-- HEY! You!"
--until you're suddenly face to face with it.
There's a slight hitch in that voice when it cuts through the air just behind the Old Maid. It's not nearly as dramatic or as steeled as the one preceding it; it sounds more like someone trying to convince themselves they're unafraid, then actually -being- unafraid. And yet--
"DANCE, CARMEN!"
-- and yet it doesn't stop the violent talon of pure, broiling flame that lashes across the distance between the Joker Killer and his intended victim, intending to intercept him just before he can reap his prize. In the distance, a young woman with platinum blonde hair, dressed in the red leathers of a classical cat burglar, stares him down -- one hand on an intricate whip, the other on the glowing cat's mask she wears. Behind her, Carmen looms, a large tongue of flame from her cigar dwindling down towards embers as she grinds her heel into the love-struck man beneath her.
Panther's eyes narrow. She has no idea -why- they're able to use their Personas here, but she's quietly breathing the largest sigh of relief over it. She wasn't sure her bear mace was going to cut it, here.
"Back off, you creepy Jason knockoff!"
So much so she frankly does not care that no one is going to understand that mad awesome diss.
(seriously though what kind of movies were her parents letting her watch as a kid)
AS: Persona! Ann Takamaki has used the Fire skill Agi on Tatsuya Sudou! AS: Block Worst! Tatsuya Sudou takes 78 Pierce damage from Yusuke Kitagawa's Single Shot. Critical Hit! AS: Block Worst! Tatsuya Sudou takes 48 Fire damage from Ann Takamaki's Agi. Resist!
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
In Mona's defense, it was completely the correct call. He'd have no way of knowing it, but if he had come out, Umie's weakness for furry vaguely Mothman-sized things might have circumvented her survival instincts.
Besides, Umie would've chosen the same route, if it meant setting up a proper assault. Maybe.
'Well I guess he was wrong about you, you're nothing like me.' "... I'm glad... you're just as disappointed in how things... are turning out," Umie spits into the mud, heaving herself onto her elbows.
She had just promised Tatsuya she'd help him, yesterday. If he hears about this, he'll blame herself. And Katsuya... likely the same, because he's been working on this case. Shinjiro, definitely. (Akechi? She's sure he'll live with his disappointment on a lead disappearing.) Think, Umie, think, be the tutor-sensei they all need right now!
RIght. There's one final, final plan. It's a long shot, but it just might work. ".... It took you way too long... they're here!!" She's pointing a shaky left hand behind Joker Killer. The plan? Redirect his attention, get away while he's looking.
..... Wait. Was that a gunshot? It may be the blood loss talking, but yes, there is someone, and that person looks... vaguely heroic, even if she chafes under the choice of words. Prey? _Prey_?! Keep it together, Umie, you're hallucinating. (But yeaaah, that mask looks about right.)
Umie attempts to push off her elbows onto her hands. Just back away, and...
And now, a second person. Fantastic hair, sets off the red really well. (_Umie, FOCUS_.) Umie can hear some element of fear in her voice, and why not? This is--
'Back off, creepy Jason knockoff!' Umie sputters a laugh. Someone charging into a situation like this? That's an underdog.
She likes those.
Umie points her left fingers outwards. "Badb! Go---k!" It's alright if Umie's voice cracks; Badb unfurls from her kneeling position, a proud grey humanoid woman in a hooded shawl of deep grey and dark red. With a slit smile, it gestures towards Panther, granting her a boon of a temporary shield.
Yes, Umie, give the wrong person Shroud. But it's not like you knew Joker Killer is a fire type.
AS: Persona! Umie Akabane has used the Recovery skill Shroud on Ann Takamaki!
<Pose Tracker> Tatsuya Sudou has posed.
Sudou looms over the girl, his smile hidden by the bag as he raises his sword, "Well let's just put an end to this and maybe in the real timeline you will be more worthy. " As he is about to stab it into Umie to see if she has candy inside of her what sounds like a crack of thunder echos the sky as The Old Maid stands there before stumbling back.
It felt like he got punched. No not a punch, more like something stabbed him. A bullet? Was he shot? Do people do that in the supernatural... His thought is interrupted as fire tries to hurt him, or maybe come on to him. The source of the fire has left it unclear. Sudou tilts his head a bit perplexed from the source. "Phantom...thieves?"
Sudou stares at Fox and Panther for a long moment, before looking at Umie, "I know we were having a moment and everything but are you seeing these Feathermen wanna-be's too or is it just me?" Suddenly his mark has a Persona creature with her and he chuckles. "Ok that's cute, you and the two cosplayers here think you can stand up to me. " Reaching to the bullet hole, he puts his fingers into the bullet hole and with a little fumbling around and a grimace hidden by the paper bag he retrieves Fox's bullet. "Now I'm interested."
The bullet falls to the ground as The Old Maid raises his sword and strikes the air sending blades of wind out towards Umie and Fox. Then he points his sword to Panther, "So you like to play with fire!" A ball of fire appears in his hand before he launches it at Panther. "Lets see who burns first!" His declaration breaks down into a cackle of enjoyment.
Mona goes unnoticed.
AS: Persona! Tatsuya Sudou has used the Slash skill Vortex Slash on Umie Akabane and Yusuke Kitagawa! AS: Persona! Tatsuya Sudou has used the Fire skill Blaze on Ann Takamaki! AS: Block Worst! Umie Akabane takes 67 Slash damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Vortex Slash. AS: Take! Ann Takamaki takes 57 Recovery healing from Umie Akabane's Shroud. AS: Eclipse added! AS: Avoid Neutral! Ann Takamaki takes 55 Fire damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Blaze. Resist! AS: Blast added!
AS: Counter Neutral! Yusuke Kitagawa takes 63 Slash damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Vortex Slash. AS: COUNTER! Tatsuya Sudou takes 21 Slash damage in return for his attack!
<Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
Sundays are often rather uneventful days for Makoto Niijima. Get the house tidied, do the week's grocery shopping, maybe make a visit to Jinbocho if time allows (this week it definitely doesn't), finish any outstanding homework (unfortunately necessary this week), extra study for mock exams and on a normal Sunday, preparing dinner for herself and Sae.
For the last few weeks, however, Makoto's been eating alone at night the past few weeks.
So right now, she's standing in the kitchen, trying to work up the motivation to cook a meal just for herself. Sure, there had been plenty of nights where Sis had to work late, her total absence while working on the Kaneshiro case has been... difficult.
Upsetting, even.
The beeping of her phone pulls her out of her own head, and she walks over to the counter to pick it up- and stares at the messages briefly. The Joker Killer...?
Even a week ago, Makoto would have paused, suggested calling the police or anything else. She'd think about the consequences, what other options there would be, she'd way the risk.
Today, it takes no thought of all.
>On my way.
-----
It took a little longer to make it to Shibuya from Shinjuku than expected, and while the others had met up with Mona, Makoto had managed to find Ren just getting off his shift, and that meant they were heading towards the target together- and suddenly, it feels like they cross an arbitrary threshold and it shifts. It's not Makoto anymore. She can feel the cold steel of her mask upon her face. She doesn't know how or why she can use her Persona now. But there will be time to analyze it later. Instead, she feels a sharp smile come to her lips as she turns her head to Joker. "Let's ride."
----
The cackle of the Joker Killer might find an unexpected interruption in the roar of a motorcycle engine- and the roar of something living, breathing, enjoying her freedom. Queen rides through the Shibuya in a way she never could have before. Johanna responds to her intent as much as her steering, and she can ride through somewhere that should be as crowded as Shibuya central in a way no normal person could. The wind in her hair is a thrill- and so is the chase.
"There!" She yells to her passenger, as she spots Panther and Fox facing off against a man who has murdered thousands. That nuclear flame of rage burns in her chest as much as they burst out of Johanna's exhausts.
She is notably not decelerating as she screeches around the corner, adjusting her angle to line up with the murderer.
"Now's your chance to get off." She says, the one warning she gives Joker (the good one) before she guns it towards the Joker Killer (the bad one), Johanna's fury going full speed at the threat.
AS: Tandem! Makoto Niijima has used the Strike skill Vajra Strike on Tatsuya Sudou!
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
As Fox and Panther move in to decisively take the heat off of Umie, Mona leaps down next to her, scimitar in one... paw? How exactly does he hold that blade...? (Some things are better not to question too deeply.) "So you're the infamous Joker Killer, huh? Somehow I thought you'd be more dignified, but I guess this is as much as anyone can expect from a bloodthirsty murderer! You won't be claiming this life today! Zorro!"
And that's how a very small cat-looking creature summons a Persona in the shape of a large man, who raises up a rapier and calls down healing energies on Umie. It's not going to cure every single one of her wounds, but it'll at least ensure she doesn't bleed out while trying to fend off her attacker. It brings her to baseline, one might say.
A good thing, considering the Old Maid hasn't given up on cutting her down.
~ * ~
Ren meanwhile rushes out of Triple Seven the instant his shift is over, not even stopping to accept his pay for the day ("I'll come back for it later!"). This means he leaves still in uniform, but it also means that he meets up with Makoto with not a moment to spare. There is a shift--a nauseating line in reality--and the both of them transform, blue fire burning their masks and costumes onto them.
He smirks back. Looks like he gets to ride with her first, for all Panther enthused about it before him.
~ * ~
The roar of Johanna's engine is a thrill as Joker holds on to Queen from behind her. No need to ask where; he spots Panther and Fox as Queen points them out.
"More's the pity," he quips, just before he kicks a leg up and leaps off the back of Johanna. As he somersaults in mid-air, he activates the grappling hook wire on his left wrist. It catches onto the side of a building and lets him swing in from the other side of Queen. As she accelerates her Persona into the Joker Killer, Joker opens fire with his handgun, punctuating his wired flight. Partway through his arc, he disengages the wire and sails upwards, kicks off a wall, and somersaults again to nail a three-point landing in between Umie and the Old Maid. He rises up slowly, dark eyes intense behind his back; his gun is gone, replaced by a rainbow-colored knife. He smirks, taps that blade on his shoulder--and gestures at the Old Maid to 'come get some.'
What's the point in being a phantom thief if you aren't going to be as extra as possible?
AS: Weapon! Ren Amamiya has used the Pierce skill Makaronov Shot on Tatsuya Sudou! 3 Hits!
<Pose Tracker> Yusuke Kitagawa has posed.
"Feathermen wanna-be's???"
Whoops, Fox, you said that out loud.
"Excuse you, sir, these are bespoke designs, borne from our souls to armour against your wickedness!"
He would likely espouse further on the differences between the themed, shared designs of a given Featherman season versus how each of the Phantoms' Wills of Rebellion shrouds them against the supernatural - but the man in the paper bag mask pulls the bullet out of his head, and even that gives Fox some pause.
Pause enough for the serial killer to move like a blur with his sword, waves of sharp air filling the distance between them.
Grimacing, Fox throws away his rifle (it disappears in a puff of blue fire) and in a moment's thought he's drawing a blade of his own - a black blade that seems to drink in the light Goemon emits, to clash with those razor waves, and deflect some of them back at the Joker Killer.
It's an exchange that, he won't lie, he comes off worse for.
Fortunately, there is another loud sound in the air - a roaring engine.
Fox's grimace turns into a smirk as the cavalry arrives, and as Johanna barrels towards the Joker King, he approaches from the other direction, tearing at his mask in a spray of blood and cognitive flame. "GOEMON! CUT HIM DOWN!"
The incongruous woodcut-ronin manifests again, great kiseru pipe plunging down towards Sudou as Fox lunges in with his own katana, opening up with a flurry of blows from both Phantom Thief and Persona alike.
AS: Tandem! Yusuke Kitagawa has used the Slash skill Dual Slice on Tatsuya Sudou! 3 Hits!
<Pose Tracker> Ann Takamaki has posed.
He's pulling a bullet.
Out of his head.
"Wh -- are you seriously some slasher monster?!"
Behind the panther's facade, Ann visibly pales. This is beyond their ken -- all of them, really. Fighting strangeness in the Metaverse is one thing -- there's a layer of extra-reality to Palaces and Mementos that helps Ann, at least, to absord the disturbing nature of their spaces to some degree.
But this is the real world. Or at least, some degree of it.
"FOX! LOOK OUT--"
And seeing -that- happen -here- gives her the distinct impression that they might be out of their league, here.
Her warning comes too late. Yusuke's quick reaction spares him from the worst of what the Joker Killer has to offer, but still -- he's not looking good. Nor is Umie, barely choking out a sound as she... summons her own Persona? Ann's eyes go wide.
"Wait, for real--?!"
She barely gets it out before the temporary salve Umie offers is immediately countermanded by the unstable conflagration that is Tatsuya Sudou. "Oh crap--!" Panther, to her credit, reacts quickly; or at least, her subconscious does. On her way towards Umie, the leather-clad Phantom Thief is already pivoting the second she hears Sudou address her. Her gloved palm snaps -out- like a STOP motion -- and in front of her manifests Carmen, the frills of her rose-like dress swooping up like a matador with their cape.
As if in direct response, one of those love-lorn servants of the fuschia femme fatale LEAPS in front of the gout of flame like a secret service man diving in the path of a bullet, heart eyes lighting up in delight for having protected its mistress.
The force of it though, the heat of it as it buffets against the wall of her soul -- it's -still- enough to make Panther recoil with a grimace, one arm lifting to shield her face from the licking tongues of flame directly in front of her.
"This is -so- not good--" she hisses to herself--
Which is just about when the cavalry arrive.
"Joker!" Panther exclaims as the duo make their EXTRA SPECIALLY EXTRA ENTRANCE. "Queen!!" Her eyes light up. So COOL--
Ann doesn't spend any time fawning though (or at least, not anymore than is reflexive when people are doing SUPER COOL MOTORCYCLE FLIPPY GUN STUNTS IN FRONT OF YOU); soon enough she's back to sprinting towards Umie, eyes narrowed. The Old Maid wanted a firefight.
But she's got higher priorities right now.
"Come on, Carmen!"
And as Umie struggles back onto her feet -- she'll see that fuschia woman gripping the vine leashes of her servants tight as their eyes light up and healing magic emanates off them, suffusing Umie with a tender warmth. Is she -- squeezing the love out of them--??
It's a stark contrast to the genuine concern coming from Panther as she stops in front of Umie and leans down, offering a hand and a warm, confident smile.
"Hey -- it's okay," she assures, firmly. "We're not gonna let that bastard get you."
AS: Persona! Ann Takamaki has used the Recovery skill Dia on Umie Akabane! AS: Take! Umie Akabane takes 73 Recovery healing from Ann Takamaki's Dia. AS: Block Best! Tatsuya Sudou takes 83 Strike damage from Makoto Niijima's Vajra Strike. Critical Hit! AS: Block Neutral! Tatsuya Sudou takes 10 Pierce damage from Ren Amamiya's Makaronov Shot. AS: Block Best! Tatsuya Sudou takes 9 Pierce damage from Ren Amamiya's Makaronov Shot. AS: Block Best! Tatsuya Sudou takes 27 Pierce damage from Ren Amamiya's Makaronov Shot. Critical Hit! AS: Avoid Worst! Tatsuya Sudou takes 31 Slash damage from Yusuke Kitagawa's Dual Slice. AS: Avoid Best! Tatsuya Sudou takes 18 Slash damage from Yusuke Kitagawa's Dual Slice. AS: Avoid Worst! Tatsuya Sudou takes 31 Slash damage from Yusuke Kitagawa's Dual Slice.
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
Phantom thieves? ".... You're... kidding." Umie stares out at Panther, and then Fox. She's feeling delirious now, but that's probably why she's laughing, mud dripping from her chin as her head bobs with the motion.
She looks up, her face and tone completely flat now. "Nope. Just your imagination." Her smile sprouts there, ever widening until mirrors the one on Badb. "Haahhh. Stressful day?"
Two people, plus her. It took more at Kasugayama, but they don't need to *beat* him, they just need to *survive*.
"Keep focused or you're going to lose the advantage... uh... Red-san!" The nicknames can't all be winners, but Umie doesn't want to be the reason their advantage is lost.
It's at that point, when Umie hears the sound of a motorcycle, that she feels the wounds on her body healing. Umie looks at her right hand, and then back to the emerging Mona, then gets up on her feet. Wait, no, that was a Persona, so.... It couldn't be. Still, her protective instincts are triggered. ".... Thank you. Uh, stay by me, please," she says, oddly polite.
Even if her wounds are healed, she's knows better than to try anything tricky, and besides, when the Old Maid sends out blades of wind out at her, she keeps by Mona, throwing up her hands up to try to take on the blow.
... Carmen's display of 'love' is odd, but, considering her own Persona's... tendencies, Umie gives a grateful nod back, unable to think of a proper quip.
After a moment, all Umie can find is simple: "Thank you," she says, giving Ann a slanted grin back, as well as quiet dip of her head towards the whip-wielding young woman for her help. "Fox-san, helping you next!" Oh, that's what Panther called him, right? Well, that makes it easier. She points to him now. "Badb! Shroud!"
Badb is still in the air as Queen pulls in, drawing a gasp from the muddy convenience store clerk. "... How?! Your-- but!!"
Queen. ... Joker?!
That's... Joker, landing in that same three-point crouch. No longer Mask-san.
"Detective-san." Blink, blink. "... You were a Phantom Thief the entire time. Huh." (Umie, _why would he tell you he was one?!_) "... And yeah, this is the Joker Killer," she says, attempting to project a more serious tone, "Teleportation, has a sword... Water works, I think. Seven Sisters badges... might." What element is a badge? "Get me out of this and you and your friends get information. Deal? We'll figure out the logistics later."
AS: Persona! Umie Akabane has used the Recovery skill Shroud on Yusuke Kitagawa! AS: Umie Akabane spends Limit on Shift! Ren Amamiya can use another Weak skill this round! AS: Take! Yusuke Kitagawa takes 56 Recovery healing from Umie Akabane's Shroud. AS: Eclipse added!
<Pose Tracker> Tatsuya Sudou has posed.
Sudou wasn't about to let up from all of the attacks, not when things were only getting started. That is until a motorcycle comes riding in, "I must have missed the part where people just bring things like motorcycles into the world. This place is a place of serenity and peace not a place for you to..." Sudou's crazy rant is silenced and replaced with an "Ooof" as the motorcycle hits him and despite bracing himself he still rolls backward while taking more bullets embedding themself in his body. He really is starting to feel like guns need to be outlawed in the supernatural.
Still he doesn't stay down, as he climbs to the feat, the fox one and his Persona is charging in and The Old Maid works to parry and evade the slashes until he is able to break back and keep all five or six of them in his line of sight. Despite all this Sudou was enjoying himself, this was fun, he hadn't had a fight like this since he met up with Strega in that horrible statement.
That is until a name is shouted, "Joker where?" Sudou's attention is diverted as he looks around until he tracks who the one in red is talking about. "You? They call you Joker? And you went and gathered a whole team of masked people?!" The killer intent behind the mask is all but palpable, "You damn poser!" The killer intent shifts and twists in this pocket of the supernatural and takes on a life of its own as The Old Maid's sword erupts into black flames.
"You dare try to steal my life! My real life!" Waves of heat and hatred flow off the Joker Killer through the alley. Sudou charges toward the supposed Joker shouting as he does, You are not the Joker, the Joker is not free yet. He will be though, and I will hand him each of your masks." The black flame sword comes crashing down at Joker as The Old Maid works very hard to make him mince meat.
AS: Persona! Tatsuya Sudou has used the Recovery skill Burning Spirit on Tatsuya Sudou! AS: Take! Tatsuya Sudou takes 73 Recovery healing from Tatsuya Sudou's Burning Spirit. AS: Atk_Up added! AS: Persona! Tatsuya Sudou has used the Fire skill Heat Wave on Ann Takamaki, Umie Akabane, Yusuke Kitagawa, and Makoto Niijima! AS: Tandem! Tatsuya Sudou has used the Fire skill Dark Fire Slash on Ren Amamiya! 2 Hits! AS: Block Best! Umie Akabane takes 65 Fire damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Heat Wave. AS: Avoid Best! Yusuke Kitagawa takes 31 Fire damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Heat Wave. Eclipsed! AS: Eclipse removed! AS: Avoid Worst! Ren Amamiya takes 98 Fire damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Dark Fire Slash. AS: Avoid Best! Ren Amamiya takes 90 Fire damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Dark Fire Slash. Critical Hit! AS: Block Neutral! Makoto Niijima takes 56 Fire damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Heat Wave. Resist! AS: Block Worst! Ann Takamaki takes 85 Fire damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Heat Wave. Resist!
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
"Panther!" Joker calls back to his friend. He smiles at his back as she goes to join Mona in protecting Umie. Between the two of them, they should be able to keep her safe while the rest of them take the Joker Killer on.
Which is good, because between her and Fox, it's clear the Joker Killer is living up to his name. He's out for blood and doesn't care who gets in his way... The information Umie provides gets her a crisp nod.
"Deal," Joker tells Umie. He isn't about to explain that he was going to do his damnedest to get her out of this with or without any information in return. Information is still good to have, for everyone's sake.
The Old Maid zeroes in on Joker and calls him a poser. "What?" Who's stealing his real life. "What." And he's going to hand him to the real Joker--Joker has nothing to say to this, and that's because the Old Maid is charging in at him with sword aflame. Even moving as nimbly as he can, the sheer proximity of the Old Maid's sword is enough to lick and crackle at his coat dangerously. Joker has no idea what he's talking about, but it's unmistakable that he wants to kill him for, apparently, also being called Joker.
He snarls in pain as he's forced backwards, weaving out of the way of a direct hit but taking bad damage all the same. "Get back!" he calls to Umie, sweeping his free arm around. His white mask goes up in blue flame, and he covers his face with a red-gloved hand...
"Persona!" he calls, just before a great masked fiend with black wings arises. They wave a clawed hand, and energy seeps at the Old Maid, potentially slowing his movements and making it more difficult to land critical hits.
This is before the dark Persona leers at him with a wicked smile--which might sap the Old Maid's hostility some, or might well make it even worse. "Queen! Show us what you've got!" Joker calls, meanwhile--she's the team's new tactician, and with Umie's support, now is the best possible time for her to strut her stuff.
AS: Persona! Ren Amamiya has used the Almighty skill Sukunda on Tatsuya Sudou! ARCANA: Ruin: Ren Amamiya gains 1 Limit!
AS: Persona! Ren Amamiya has used the Almighty skill Evil Smile on Tatsuya Sudou!
<Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
The fact that the Old Maid can take a Johanna going full speed and only get sent rolling is already concerning enough- that he gets back up and withstand Fox's assault and Joker's full barrage is even more concerning. No wonder the police haven't been able to stop him-
Umie's warning echoes out, and Queen takes note. He can teleport, and he might be weak to water. That's... a bigger problem. But even more worrying of all is that wave of flame and hate that Queen can feel. That burning hatred crashes against her, and it stings even as she's able to brace herself for impact, Johanna helping soften a blow that might have killed a normal human.
"...Stealing your life?" Queen frowns, but only has a moment to do so before the black flame sword cuts into Joker, with all the Old Maid's rage manifest. "JOKER!" She yells, and Johanna skids to a halt in a long 180, and she drives straight for their leader, launching off the bike shaped Persona and flipping mid air to land next to him, her Persona coming to a halt next to her. "Diarama!" She calls, manifesting Johanna's healing magic toward him- but Joker says to show them what she's got...
Fine. She can do that. "Panther!" She yells, slipping into the role Joker requested. "Pin him down as best you can, give him as little room to maneuver as possible! Fire, bullets, whatever it takes!" The Joker can teleport, but hopefully it's harder under fire. "Fox... when Panther makes an opening, freeze him and carve him up like an ice sculpture! Don't give him room to move!"
AS: Persona! Makoto Niijima has used the Recovery skill Diarama on Ren Amamiya! AS: Makoto Niijima spends Limit on Shift! Ann Takamaki can use another Weak skill this round!
<Pose Tracker> Ann Takamaki has posed.
The sight of Umie summoning up that Persona User leaves Panther with so many questions. Was the Joker Killer targeting Persona Users?? Was the whole rumor thing just a red herring this whole time?! Wait --
Does 'Joker Killer' mean he kills Jokers?!
-- no that's stupid but STILL Ann thinks she's onto something here.
Detective Princing isn't so hard, that Goro Akechi should get off his high horse!
Right now, though, the myriad questions flying through Ann's thoughts are tabled in the face of making sure Umie's still -alive- to ask questions. As Carmen's healing spell finishes itself out, Ann turns her attention back towards the Old Maid -- just in time to see him ranting, and igniting his blade in -black- flames.
The things he's saying -- they're so confusing.
"Oh god," Panther says aloud for no one's benefit, despite Umie's proximity, "this guy's completely insane--!"
Because, like. Umie probably doesn't need to hear this right now!
"Hey, look out--" Panther, at least, has Umie's safety first and foremost on her mind -- as that rippling wave of heat comes, the whip-wielding cat burglar tries to -lunge- between Umie and all that force; it might give her the precious time she needs, but as for Ann--
"ggAH!" The yelp that comes from her is palpable; even that innate resistance to passion's primal flame does little for the sheer, unhinged HEAT that exudes from Sudou, knocking her clear off her feet until she hits ground in a smoking bounce. A single rebound sends her twisting with surprising flexibility through the air (thanks, cognitive world), until she is landing in a three-point stance, skididng across the earth. "Ugh... ow... --Joker!! Watch out--!!"
But the Joker Killer is still coming after him like a man obsessed. Ren manages well enough -- but Ann is still scrambling when she hears Makoto's voice, that commanding tone providing her some manner of clarity within the firestorm of Sudou's insanity.
"R-right!" Eyes narrow behind their mask. And Ann unfurls her whip as she drags herself back up onto her feet.
"... Fine. You want to fight fire with fire, you psycho?! Let's see how you like the heat!!"
Ann grips her mask with one hand. The whip CRACKS in the other. And summoned by her fiery fury, Carmen manifests before Sudou; heeled foot digging into the back of one of her servitors head, she yanks his thorny rose-vine leash -back-. Magic RIPS out with the motion -- and all that protection Sudou's power gave him to the very fires he loves so much?
It's all gone.
"LET'S DANCE!"
Carmen draws a deep pull of her cigar.
And when she exhales, it BILLOWS outward in a plume of fire, rippling towards Sudou and -past- him. It'll burn if it manages to hit, but more importantly --
-- it IGNITES a fence of the very flames he was so resistant to before, trying to fence him in, to shepherd him into a corner--
"FOX! NOW! GET THAT CREEP!"
-- for the coup de gras.
AS: Persona! Ann Takamaki has used the Almighty skill Fire Break on Tatsuya Sudou! AS: Persona! Ann Takamaki has used the Fire skill Agi on Tatsuya Sudou! AS: Ann Takamaki: Blast removed! AS: Ann Takamaki spends Limit on Shift! Yusuke Kitagawa can use another Weak skill this round! SP +10!
<Pose Tracker> Yusuke Kitagawa has posed.
"Well. I suppose you wouldn't be a supervillain serial killer without a tentative grasp on sanity."
'the real Joker'... Curious. He's also reacting to the fact that they all wear masks...?
You can practically see the large cartoon question mark appear over Fox's head at the paper-bag-man's ranting, but there's no time to think about it - he's having fire hurled at him! He ducks away, the tip of the tail latched to his waist needing a roll to put out, and stands up, singed but focused.
Fortunately, the Phantom Thieves are a team, and their next objective is to steal their enemy's momentum. Joker saps the Killer's reflexes, and Queen steps into her role as their tactician. Fox nods once, and settles into a kendo ready stance, forcing his breathing to calm.
The Joker Killer is encircled by a ring of flame that Carmen has rendered him suddenly vulnerable to, and Fox grins. "Goemon, strike!" The phantasmal ronin inhales, and breathes out a wave of ice that coalesces around Sudou, blowing out the flames trapping him to trap him in ice instead.
Then Fox moves, blade flashing with cold intent and snowflakes trailing in its wake. One. Two. Three.
He sheathes the blades, and as it clicks home in its scabbard...
The ice shatters.
AS: Yusuke Kitagawa spends Limit on Psych! AS: Persona! Yusuke Kitagawa has used the Water skill Bufu on Tatsuya Sudou! AS: Tandem! Yusuke Kitagawa has used the Slash skill Blade and Brush on Tatsuya Sudou! 3 Hits! AS: Yusuke Kitagawa: Psych removed! AS: Yusuke Kitagawa cancels 3 attacks on Tatsuya Sudou. AS: Tandem! Yusuke Kitagawa has used the Water skill Frigid Wrath on Tatsuya Sudou! 3 Hits! AS: Take! Tatsuya Sudou takes 0 Almighty damage from Ren Amamiya's Sukunda. AS: Spd_Dn added! AS: Take! Tatsuya Sudou takes 0 Almighty damage from Ren Amamiya's Evil Smile. AS: Sick added! AS: Take! Tatsuya Sudou takes 0 Almighty damage from Ann Takamaki's Fire Break. AS: Fire_Break added! AS: Block Best! Tatsuya Sudou takes 74 Fire damage from Ann Takamaki's Agi. Weak! AS: Haze added! AS: Avoid Worst! Tatsuya Sudou takes 121 Water damage from Yusuke Kitagawa's Bufu. Critical Hit! Weak! AS: Avoid Best! Tatsuya Sudou takes 49 Water damage from Yusuke Kitagawa's Frigid Wrath. Weak! AS: Avoid Neutral! Tatsuya Sudou takes 73 Water damage from Yusuke Kitagawa's Frigid Wrath. Critical Hit! Weak! AS: Avoid Best! Tatsuya Sudou takes 59 Water damage from Yusuke Kitagawa's Frigid Wrath. Critical Hit! Weak!
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
"..." Come to think of it, Tatsuya (Suou) said similarly strange things, like 'this time'. Strange little slips that she later roughly attributed to the Mark.
But Joker said it too: 'in the real timeline', bringing up old, bad memories. (Thankfully, not of another world.)
What exactly is the Mark?
"That name's important to him, for some reason. Use it to your advantage. He doesn't have his Strega allies with him; you guys have as good a chance as any to make this a fight he'll remember."
Forgive Umie; she's still so overwhelmed by the stylish theatrics of this group she can't even be cynical about it. Instead, she feels... inspired. "... Make him rue the day he step foot in Shibuya," she hisses, anger raising in her voice at a low volume as she draws back, prompted by Joker's hand. "... and maybe he'll run and tell that *asshole* who called him on me that his heart's _not even worth the attention_."
Oh, Umie. If only if it were that simple. You've got the wrong person to send out that message, and the wrong person who called.
But she's on a roll. "... So. Yeah. I'm going to help these nice people beat you back out of Shibuya, and when I get back in tip top shape, I'll more directly help my friends _chase you out of Sumaru City_." She snaps a finger in the air, adding, in a singsong tone, "Look forward to it, _Old Maid-san_! Come to me, Badb!"
Some of this is her own frustration, but just as much, people like Shinjiro, and Tatsuya. But a lot of it? The Phantom Thieves themselves. All the questions of ethics, and how the Phantom Thieves could easily fall to corruption themselves are furthest from her mind right now.
(Wait, Umie, you are not supposed to be trying to draw aggro here.)
No, _she is_.
Because Panther's right there, taking the brunt for her, and Umie *hates it*. "Go, Panther-san!"
AS: Persona! Umie Akabane has used the Recovery skill Shroud on Ren Amamiya! AS: Umie Akabane spends Limit on Shift! Ann Takamaki can use another Weak skill this round!
<Pose Tracker> Tatsuya Sudou has posed.
The Old Maid is lost in rage and that blinds him to many things. For example that this is a well organized crew for example, or that despite some of these attacks not doing things he is slowing down and making him lose some of his rage. He doesn't even notice the fact that fire is hot, that is until that damn red persona that keeps trying to show off how in control she is by stepping on the patriarchy covered in fire. Who knew fire could be so hot, fortunately the Fox mask comes in to help cool him off, and Sudou knows one thing. Water has never done him a damn good.
The Joker Killer stumbles a bit as he tries to run from Fox boys attacks but just can't get away. They hurt in ways that Sudou wasn't ready for and as he stumbles back. One thing is true, Sudou is bleeding, a lot.
The Old Maid just stands there for a moment, like some Jason rip off, as he gathers himself. Then he begins to speak again, " Yeah yeah, I know. I know damn it. I just...just look at them and the name and... I know he isn't him. I know that, I know who that is. I just...all this. " There is a deep sigh as he seems to regain some composure. "Yeah you are right. Play it cool."
The killer intent isn't gone, its just refined. The burning blade is still burning but the flames are smaller. Looking at the Fox and the poser, he swipes his sword quickly, lashing out with blades of air again to if nothing else hold them at bay. That is when he charges forward, with a wink given to carmen through the paper bag, he runs right past the red cat girl to the motorcycle chick.
"Healing is now a punishable offense!" Sudou raises his sword and slashes with the heated blade at Makoto before turning towards the original target. "Don't think that excludes you either." A break and a mad dash as he charges at Umie before leaping into the air driving his sword forward.
AS: Persona! Tatsuya Sudou has used the Slash skill Vortex Slash on Ren Amamiya and Yusuke Kitagawa! AS: Tandem! Tatsuya Sudou has used the Fire skill Burning Slash on Makoto Niijima! AS: Weapon! Tatsuya Sudou has used the Pierce skill Stab at Thee on Umie Akabane! AS: Tatsuya Sudou: Loses 8 SP from Sick! Sick removed! AS: Block Best! Umie Akabane takes 79 Pierce damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Stab at Thee. AS: Counter Neutral! Yusuke Kitagawa takes 127 Slash damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Vortex Slash. Critical Hit! AS: COUNTER! Tatsuya Sudou takes 34 Slash damage in return for his attack! AS: Counter Best! Makoto Niijima takes 72 Fire damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Burning Slash. Resist! AS: Poison added! AS: COUNTER! Tatsuya Sudou takes 68 Fire damage in return for his attack! Weak! AS: Take! Ren Amamiya takes 93 Recovery healing from Makoto Niijima's Diarama. AS: Take! Ren Amamiya takes 54 Recovery healing from Umie Akabane's Shroud. AS: Eclipse added! AS: Avoid Best! Ren Amamiya takes 68 Slash damage from Tatsuya Sudou's Vortex Slash.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
As much as he appreciates Queen and Panther's concerned shouts of warning, Joker does not have the space to call back to them while fending off the Old Maid's attempts to straight-up skewer him. The healing energy of Johanna's Diarama lets Joker breathe out a cool, refreshed breath of relief. Queen keeps a cool head while she's at it, directing the others with a plan to counter this killer.
He does not think that he kills Jokers, but there sure as hell is something weird going on here. What's all this about a true Joker and people with masks? But--while all of them have noticed that, there's precisely nothing they can do about it right now.
Still, as Panther and Fox deliver their one-two punch, Joker grins, however grimly. Carmen's power lets her break the Old Maid's resistance to fire and turn up the heat on him, while Fox launches himself in with freezing fury.
It is, no pun meant, very cool.
Umie's mentioning something about 'Strega allies.' Joker doesn't know what that's about, nor about who (she assumes) called the Old Maid on her, but the main takeaway is that this guy could be an even worse fight than he is right now. That's sobering.
So is the Old Maid staggering back and seeming to regain some composure by talking to someone who... isn't there. Who isn't visible? He shouldn't be able to talk to someone long-distance in a space like this... should he? Joker realizes he has no idea, and that gets his guard up.
It's well-timed. The Old Maid comes at him swinging, and thanks to the shroud of darkness that Umie calls down from Badb onto his form, he manages to evade another direct hit. A very good thing, when 'a direct hit' probably would have meant getting gutted.
"Oh no you don't," he growls when the Old Maid goes after the healers. Something shifts in his mask, and the blue flames shatter as, instead of that dark-winged fiend, he calls up-- "Ame-no-Uzume!!"
A Japanese-looking woman covered in fans and cloaks dances up into existence. She sashays to one side, snapping one of her fans upwards, and waves upon waves of nuclear fire pour down on the Old Maid, taking advantage of the weakness Panther instilled in him earlier. Fitting, since she represents the bond they share-- for all that her attack is meant to give Queen the space she needs for a counter-attack against the Old Maid.
AS: Persona! Ren Amamiya has used the Fire skill Trio Freila on Tatsuya Sudou! 3 Hits! AS: Ren Amamiya spends Limit on Shift! Makoto Niijima can use another Weak skill this round!
<Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
Makoto is very occupied with tactics and Ren's injuries, and doesn't have time to focus on who or what the Old Maid is talking to- but she can hear the rage at her, the Joker Killer declaring that Healing Is Forbidden, and coming at her with his sword. The flaming blade slices at Makoto, and she moves. If her hands were empty and the sword weren't on fire, she could try for a sword catch.
With that not an option, she hurls a punch at the Old Maid's blade, her tekko smashing into it as it comes toward her, blunting the impact so it only slices at her other shoulder, the hateful flames of the Joker Killer clashing with the nuclear fires of Johanna. It hurts, sure, but it also makes Queen angry. She throws another punch, aiming to knock the Old Maid's sword out of the way before rushing in with a rapid combo of punches toward his gut, before Joker provides her an opening with fires similar to Johanna's. It'sd the opening she needs, as she launches into a high backflip to land back on Johanna, giving herself what she hopes is enough distance.
Fox has taking a hit, and a bad one too. If he takes another like that...
"Johanna, Rakukaja!" She calls, extending her hand toward Fox, letting the barrier of blue light surround and fortify him, before turning her eyes to the Old Maid.
"You're really pissing me off, you murdering trash!" She lets out a roar of defiance. "If you like fire so much, then burn to ash! FREILA!"
Her own powerful burst of nuclear fire joins in the trio sent by Joker, revving Johanna's engine to empower the blast with her anger.
AS: Persona! Makoto Niijima has used the Fire skill Freila on Tatsuya Sudou! AS: Makoto Niijima: Loses 54 HP from Poison!
<Pose Tracker> Ann Takamaki has posed.
Fading fire lapping its dwindling embers around her, Panther draws deep, steadying breaths as the exertion of this life-or-death struggle start to build up in her. She feels the cold of Yusuke's aftermath dancing at her flushed cheeks, and a smile dares to bloom on pink lips.
"Heck yeah, F--" she begins to cheer -- only to see the Old Maid still there, paper bag and all like some sort of grim mockery of their own masks, just.
Standing there.
"--ox--?"
Bleeding. Smoldering. But still -standing-.
And -talking to himself-.
There's something seriously wrong with this guy, and Ann's not entirely sure it's completely to do with mundane, everyday reasons. What is going on here...?
Of course, this is about when Umie starts taking the immortal zombie bag man to task with an untold amount of shit-talk. Sky blue eyes fluttering in a blink, Panther looks Umie's way as she cheers her on; despite everything, she manages a grin, rubbing the back of her head. "Aheh, you better believe it! But, you know, he -is- a crazy serial killer, are you sure you should be--"
And this is exactly when he rips right past Ann and her Persona with a cheeky wink and a flash of steel.
It's so fast. It's so -fast-. She just smells the stale stench of air left in his smearing wake. Her mind is still catching up with what just happened by the time he's upon Queen. There's no time to even shout; not even trust that Makoto can protect herself. By the time she begins--
"Wa-- Qu--"
he's already turned his attention on Umie.
"--NO!"
He lunges. She's too late. She knows it. Her teeth grit, she spins in the direction he's rushed off to, even as she snaps one gloved hand Yusuke's way. The snaring -yank- of a rose-thorn leash sends one of those besmitten servitors of Carmen swinging past Yusuke's orbit, the heart-shaped flashes of his eyes providing what healing it can for the onslaught he's endured. As for the rest?
"HEY! You weird scumbag! Look here!"
Ann unfurls that whip. Umie's hammering of his nerves got his attention. It's like a bull in the arena--
"I don't know who the heck you're talking to, but you heard the lady! You're getting out of Shibuya! Take your gross horror movie fetish--"
Carmen leans down, tapping the tip of her cigar to Ann's whip. And the entire weapon -ignites- in flames as Ann -dashes- for Sudou.
"--and your weird Joker obsession--"
One crack of the whip -- two. The flaming lash snaps down across the killer's shoulder, then whipcracks across his bagged face, the burning length seeking to snare there and then -yank- to unsettle his footing.
"--and get the hell out of Shibuya!"
Blue gaze livid, Ann snaps off a two-fingered salute, and ducks--
--whereupon Sudou might see Carmen behind her, already winding up to hurl a -tremendous- blaze of flames, narrow and white-hot, direct at the Joker Killer to match the torrent that Ren's Persona wields.
"There's only one Joker that matters here, and it sure isn't whatever crap you've come up with!"
AS: Persona! Ann Takamaki has used the Recovery skill Dia on Yusuke Kitagawa! AS: Weapon! Ann Takamaki has used the Fire skill Feel the Heat on Tatsuya Sudou! 2 Hits! AS: Ann Takamaki: Eclipse removed! AS: Take! Yusuke Kitagawa takes 72 Recovery healing from Ann Takamaki's Dia.
<Pose Tracker> Yusuke Kitagawa has posed.
Again, Fox strikes the whirlwind that Sudou kicks up, attempting to turn the razor-air back on their enemy... and again he comes the worse off in the exchange, this time bodily slammed against the wall of the alleyway as his black kogatama clatters to the ground.
He coughs, mask cracked and chipped, as he picks himself back up, grabbing his blade again. "Not... Finished..." he pants, reaching up to tear the damaged mask away in another spray of blue flame and blood. "GOEMON! ONCE MORE!" His persona gestures, and waves of vividly blue water crash into Sudou, swirling and pooling like that iconic woodcut the Great Wave.
Wary on account his exhaustion, Fox assumes a guarding stance while their enemy is dealing with the Thieves' renewed offensive. The sight of his muse in spectacular array fills him with new strength, though, as Carmen dances to soothe his aches and rain hellfire upon Sudou.
AS: Persona! Yusuke Kitagawa has used the Water skill Double Aques on Tatsuya Sudou! 2 Hits!
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
'But, you know, he -is- a crazy serial killer, are you sure you should be--'
It may as well be the scent of blood in the air; Umie and Badb are one in intention and spirit, wanting to push and push and push at a weakness. As the Joker Killer comes at her, there's something dark on Umie's right wrist and upper hand; it's hard to see through the mess of blood, mud, and cut fabric.
Even if someone were to look at that moment and even see it as something more than just a shadow, what else could it be but something else that'd be just as mundane? She has no cognitive armor; just the possibly luck-stated Triple Seven uniform.
(The Joker Killer himself may be a different story.)
The look on Umie's face shows that she knows it could have gone a lot differently. "...." Their personas afford them so much grace, just by existing. ".... Panther-san. Are you okay?"
The shift in Personas so close by Umie draws her attention; while she's inadvertently been in battle with Fools before, it wasn't close enough for her to notice it, before.
.... How? That's... a different persona...? How is that even possible?
It also snaps her back into the right mindframe; this isn't a normal battle. She nearly died.
They came to protect her, and she *needs to act like it*.
"Badb," comes her command, more subdued, softer, as she focuses now towards the one with the unorthodox Persona: Makoto. "... I have a bad feeling..."
That dread that begins to creep up in Umie's chest; she's not sure if it's her own paranoia, or something else she's sensing in the air.
AS: Persona! Umie Akabane has used the Recovery skill Shroud on Makoto Niijima! AS: Take! Makoto Niijima takes 56 Recovery healing from Umie Akabane's Shroud. AS: Eclipse added! AS: Avoid Neutral! Tatsuya Sudou takes 50 Fire damage from Ren Amamiya's Trio Freila. Weak! AS: Blast added! AS: Avoid Worst! Tatsuya Sudou takes 56 Fire damage from Ren Amamiya's Trio Freila. Weak! AS: Blast added! AS: Avoid Neutral! Tatsuya Sudou takes 50 Fire damage from Ren Amamiya's Trio Freila. Weak! AS: Blast added! AS: Block Best! Tatsuya Sudou takes 102 Fire damage from Makoto Niijima's Freila. Weak! AS: Block Best! Tatsuya Sudou takes 73 Fire damage from Ann Takamaki's Feel the Heat. Weak! AS: Block Best! Tatsuya Sudou takes 110 Fire damage from Ann Takamaki's Feel the Heat. Critical Hit! Weak! AS: Avoid Worst! Tatsuya Sudou takes 92 Water damage from Yusuke Kitagawa's Double Aques. Weak! AS: Avoid Neutral! Tatsuya Sudou takes 82 Water damage from Yusuke Kitagawa's Double Aques. Weak! AS: Tatsuya Sudou is unable to continue fighting!
<Pose Tracker> Tatsuya Sudou has posed.
These brats just kept coming. Over and over they kept coming, it was worse because of that damn smoke or whatever that made the burning burn more. It hurt so much.
Then of course they all decided to use fire as if they were trying to make a point about how bad fire was. In a way he even welcomes fox boys water based attacks. The cool nature seems to ease the burning. However it leaves him feeling ice cold, that could also be as a result of blood loss.
Taking a deep breath the The Old Maid raises his sword and large swirls of magic, more then he had shown to this point, seems to be gathering. That is until the wind created by magic blows a piece of cloth into Sudou's face.
Sudou looks at it, looks at Umie's uniform for a moment before saying, "Well fuck." Suddenly all the magic is gone. It's as if Sudou just pulled the plug on whatever he was doing. "You won't always have this around though." He crumbles up the emblem and throws it at Umie before he simply turns around and walks away from the fight.
Not another word is said as he walks towards a corner full of shadows. He tosses the bird to the group and then simply disappears into the shadows.
That's it...
Fight over...
Everyone go home.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
And just like that, the fight is over.
Joker stares at the Old Maid and the bird he throws as he walks off into the darkness. There is no logical connection to him for what just happened. He turns his stare to the cloth that the Old Maid had thrown back at Umie.
Then it occurs to him that if that guy somehow made a supernatural space, and he's leaving, they're all about to change into their street clothes right in front of Umie.
"The show's over," he announces to his friends. "Everyone, scatter." He locks eyes with Umie for a brief moment. "We'll call on you later."
And with that, he unleashes his grappling wire to latch it onto an overhang above. He's pulled up in a flash and vanishes an instant later.
...Ren Amamiya will be back at Triple Seven a little later to collect his pay and also his not-a-cat.
<Pose Tracker> Yusuke Kitagawa has posed.
The Old Maid looms, dread power roiling around him. Fox tenses, trying to steady his stance, but the point of his blade is wavering, and --
-- and then he stops?
The malefic serial killer simply... flips them a rude gesture and disappears?
"..."
Fox doesn't know what to make of that - it's only when their leader calls out the scatter order that he realises what Joker has - that their cognitive disguises are about to discorporate.
With a stoic nod, Fox sheathes his blade and leaps back up to the rooftop in a blur of shadows, before vanishing.
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
Or... maybe not. Well, that's enough bravery for today. As Joker said, the show's over.
Get it together, Umie, before you start making that goofy grin like you're a little kid. These are--
..... how old are these people? She'd have no way of knowing, why'd she assume--?!
"Better get going. This zone the Joker Killer's created is only going to last for so long. We'll play it by ear."
There's the sound of sirens in the distance; something must have finally caused someone to call in.
This'll need to be reported.
WAIT, SHE SHOULD--
"Thank you--" Oh no.
Damn it Umie, act like a proper adult for once!!