"Takajin!" Ryoma cried out in surprise as something struck the other student square in the gut. Ryoma glared at the hand that was holding onto the broom before making his way down the arm and seeing a girl with grey hair and no uniform. 'Must be one of the detention kids.' Ryoma thought quickly. Which was confirmed when he looked behind the girl quickly and see a sign that reads detention on the blackboard. Ryoma looked back at Jin and asked worryingly, "Are you okay, Takajin?"

Before he could get a reply the girl confusingly said 'human', Ryoma nodded as he was still uncomfortable talking to a stranger, Persona summoning be damn. His smile from moments ago turned more sullen and serious, how he normally looks during school. Even having a super power didn't make him social, Ryoma swallowed his nerves and asked the girl a simple question. "Y-yes we're humans... y-you haven't encountered a-anything e-else besides us yet have you...?" Ryoma said with difficulty, his social anxiety flaring up again. "I-I mean...y-you wouldn't have attacked us if you did... I t-think..." Ryoma was stuttering like mad. 'Great, even after learning how to summon the god of death and judgement you can't talk to people.' Ryoma thought to himself in a belittling manner.

@SMS @Crimmy @chukklehed


Saturday Morning – Practice Building?

---

The blond’s sheepish grin twitched a bit out of nervousness, as even without his glasses Yuuhei had quite a bit of practice when it came to picking up on the telltale signs of a disappointed underclassmen thanks to Saika. But even as he noticed her expression narrow accusatorially, part of him was quite intrigued to see what kind of reaction his blunder was going to reward him with.

Yuuhei let out a pained grunt and recoiled physically from Natsume’s admonishment, throwing a hand over his heart as if it had just been pierced by her words. His theatrics, like usual, went largely unnoticed as the white haired girl turned to Ms. I Want Off This Ride and asked for her name.

A playful smirk pulled at Yuuhei’s lips as the young girl bowed deeply after stumbling shyly through her introduction. If they made it out of this alive, he had to remember to rope her into joining the Newspaper Club as well, because he could tell this Tsubaki girl could give him plenty of amusing reactions. But before the gears in his head could start turning to make his whim a reality, the dark haired girl was already taking off down the hallway.

The blond could only blink a few times and turn to the fuzzy outline of Natsume and shrug before chasing after his new ward. Whatever she had come up with was almost certainly better than just hanging around in this sketchy corridor, just waiting for something else to go terribly wrong.

---

He should have been born a burger.

Kimiko stared expressionlessly at her shirtless classmate; he had barely accentuated pectorals, toned biceps, and abdominals that suggested he was well-fed and kept a decent diet on top of his exercise regimen and dalliances with the rough parts of town. Much in the way that grass-fed cows and chicken on a bed of lettuce provided a juicier meal, Daisuke was clearly raised right by whatever pasture he had come from.

He needs fry oil if he wants to be perfect.

Hm, he looked pretty cut up. That would need fixing. Can't have any wounds spoiling the Miyamoto wagyu...

"Oh," she said to herself, and half to Sasori, quietly.

This thing was gonna sell itself.

"Shotgun," she concluded. "I call shotgun."

@AGenericUser Hans sighed to himself as he considered how to best put the kid down that he was just as clueless as he was. In the end Hans really wasn't good at dealing with bizarre situations like this. It's one thing to be inquisitive. It's another to be involved in the paranormal. Whatever was going on was not something that Hans himself was particularly good at figuring out. He was good at thinking outside the box on practical situations. Not thinking outside the box in an already unfamiliar space. "Simply put my good sir is that I got here the same way. And no I don't know anything about the fog, or this place. This house looks like it's empty maybe it has some clues inside. I'm not going in though. I know horror movies like this usually have some sort of dumb monster inside looking for dumb kids to eat. I'd rather not end up in a horror film watched by dumb eight year olds." Hans informed the new kid rather exhaustively. He had put in so much work working out that he himself was now mostly spent.

@vancexentan

The other boy informed Ishido that he, too, had been teleported by a pink light to his present location. But, the boy said something else... something that particularly stuck out to Ishido. What he'd said to Ishido that he knew nothing about the fog, or the nearby house.

'I was hoping he'd know... I guess he's just as clueless as me... On this topic, at least.'

Something else that the boy said to Ishido was rather interesting, too. He said that the nearby house 'looked empty', and 'maybe it has clues inside'. Along with that... he spoke about horror movies, horror movies that 'usually have some sort of dumb monster looking for dumb kids to eat'.

Ishido wondered. Was that common in horror movies? The house caught Ishido's attention, but he didn't see anything that made him think there would be monsters within. The other boy seemed to be interested in it, though... or at least, Ishido thought so.

'If he's interested in it, then I'm interested too.' Ishido thought to himself. If this boy didn't know something, then chances were that Ishido didn't know it, either... and not knowing something left Ishido with a burning curiosity that he needed to sate. 'It'll be an experience... maybe that'll make me less of a blank slate? Hopefully...'

"I'm going to check," Ishido spoke as he stepped over to the door of the house, and pushed open the door without much finesse. He wanted to know what was within.

Briefly, Ishido considered something... wasn't it rude to just barge into someone's house, unannounced?

"Hello. Is anybody home?" Ishido calmly asked into the now open house. Was anybody there? Perhaps Ishido would find out...

@liferusher@Crimmy@Melpaws

The rock had less than no effect. It had served no purpose and failed to get the creatures attention. Deep down somewhere in Jacks stomach he felt it turn to knots not out of fear but a wounding of his pride. Jack was going to be crushed by this... THING, whatever it was, and lose for good. There was no second try. No chance to improve and finally.. Jack could see his father then in that horrible choking cloud.
The monster was gone from his sight, a brilliant radiance was shining through the mist permeating the area with a light that stung his eyes. The monster was just a silhouette now and in it was..

"Dad.." he mouthed, the worlds failing to escape his lips.

His father was looking down on him with a mixture of something.. Pity? anger? It made no sense!

The phoenix creature shimmering in the daylight was lost to his eyes as they failed to see what was happening. The beam of light, the creatures roar of pain, even the creeping vines failed to be registered to Jacks mind as whatever madness of near death was showing him.

It can't end this way! I haven't beaten you yet. I promised to win one day, to finally crush you, and its all going to be for nothing!

His mind was screaming the bitter hatred mirrored in his soul directed at his misfortune. It was the quiet but stern voice of an older male voice that cut through the haze clouding his thoughts that brought clarity for the briefest of moments. A breath of fresh air sweeping over his tensed muscles.

Do you want to fight too?
Jacks eyes saw the scene unfolding around him in a new light. The phoenix and that pink haired girl.. Was she fighting? But how. Jack tried to move towards the monster but his legs were bound painfully tight. A painful throb rocked his brain, a gasping hiss escaping his lips.

You want to win. Don't you, Jack?
The voice teased him with the very words screaming in his heart. Every syllable only brought with it a wave of fresh agony, enough to make his knees week. If not for the vines he might have fallen to his knees.
Of course Jack wanted to fight, to win, to survive! Nothing meant more to Jack than the freedom he would earn when he could overcome his father and earn the right to stand as a man. The rock he had thrown earlier wasn't to help the girls.. it was his own selfish need to be stronger than this circumstance.

I can show you the path to power and freedom. Will you hear me, Jack.
The pain had become excruciating. It gnawed at the last lingering threads of his sanity like wolves to a fresh corpse, eliciting a breathless scream of frustration and anger Jack had never known inside of him. The knotted feeling of his stomach now felt like something was trying to tear it out, and the crashing waves of searing agony hitting his mind like a sledgehammer had all but erased any thought beyond accepting.

Very well..
Jack clutched his head and felt the words bubbling up inside of him. A name he did not know and a word he did not understand..

Thou art I, and I art thou.. Together we will achieve glory eternal and stand atop the mountains peak of perfection as the ultimate warrior, he who stands above all others in the face of obliteration!
All he had to do now was win.

".. Persona."

Orange flames races across his body from the tips of his hair all the way down to the soles of his shoes, scorching away his fears and worries as it burned bright as the sun. A white hot fire that burned with no heat. From inside the heart of this centralized firestorm rose the blackened form of the warrior. A hulking being seemingly sculpted from gold and steel given a humanized form. In it's gold-plated fists was a sharp gladius, held with familiar ease.

"Stop it, now.." Jacks voice was raspy from the lack of air entering his lungs, "DENTATUS!"

The steel soldier cleared the distance in an instant, blade flashing side to side as it slashed at the reaching vines with deft precision before leaping the lunging..
To stand in front of Blair and Enju. Its defensive capabilities were well balanced with its offense. Protecting the girls was top priority until they could get clear of the fiends range, then Dentatus would go for the kill.

@Sarcelle Renard@SMS@Crimmy

The AV club wasn't far, in fact the school hadn't really changed at all. Sure, there was blood on the walls and monsters roaming the hallways, but everything was exactly where it should be. Since her clubroom was in the practice building still, a fact that had annoyed her to no end before but now was a true blessing, it took less than a minute to reach her destination. All she needed were the projector she had been working on before, plus the tools she had left behind when she left and... The camera. It was still there, lying in it's bag across her shoulder. Somehow she hadn't managed to crush it while she had been running for her life, and it was the last part she needed. An electric thrill ran up her spine as she thought of the work she was about to do, an entirely new form of machinery she would put together with her own two hands. Despite her grim surroundings, an almost manic smile split Tsubaki's face as she threw open the door to the AV Clubroom.

With a yawn and a drowsy expression on his face Satoshi woke up and after a minute or two realized it was a little later then he expected to wake up. By a little of course he meant alot like at least a couple of hours.

"Crap...probably shouldn't have stayed up watching anime all night...Oh well not like I'm missing much today anyway."

Satoshi then yawned a second time and forced himself out of bed and got himself dressed. He then decided he might aswell check his fridge for something to eat but ultimately felt too lazy to cook and just ate a bowl of cereal. "Likely should at least head to the school maybe something fun's happening".

Satoshi then began to grab all his stuff which was likely more then necessary as he always brings some first aid stuff as well as emergency food and drinks with him everywhere aswell as his trusty laptop and his phone. He then began to walk outside and start walking towards the school hopefully nobody would notice how late he was.

"Lets go HIJIKATA!" Kagami screamed as she managed to get her hands once more on her discarded weapons. She could do this she would not falter. Taking advantage of the openings "Dont give it chance to recover GARU!" She called out as a small gale of wind came forth the wind blades cutting into the enemy. Jumping back Kagami landed in a crouch Hijikata mimicking her actions in a more elegant fashion as he landed and sheathed his swords. "Tarukaga" Kagami intoned as she felt her strength increase from the skill she cast it was time to start act 2.

@Crimmy@JBRam2002

"Now's our chance!" Kimiko cried out. With the combined efforts of the group, the flaming monsters were driven back slowly, their forms seemingly less vibrant than before. The attacks took their toll on the conflagrations, while Kimiko seemed completely unphased by their flames. Not even attempting to maintain any sort of defensive posture, Kimiko danced among the flames, her blade darting out to crash against the foe at every opening.

This fight was her tempering, the trial that would reform her into a steel stronger than ever before. This pain was but temporary, a flickering candle before a summer zephyr. The dance was all that mattered in the present moment; all other thoughts cast aside. She cared naught for thoughts of Alex, or her father, or the empty sake bottle. To hold on to these thoughts was to lose focus on the now. The harmonies of the universe balanced delicately for Kimiko on the tip of her blade, swinging in wide arcs as it sang a song the miko had never sung before.

She could leave this battle, chasing after her schoolmate who had been dragged away. She could stand still, a shielding bulwark betaeen Suzune and danger. She could cast her magic, ensuring the safety and longevity of those in the fight. But her choice was the dance, her footsteps matching the rhythm beating in her heart. Yatsu's joy mingled with her own as they closed in on the foe, a fiery whirling dervish besetting on this unknown assailant. For in this moment, Kimiko was free. No command pressed upon her; no chiding from her father. No expectations of excellence to live up to. It was all gone, discarded with the other world's cares.

And thus, she danced.

^{Current Group:@Krayzikk@Write@Plank Sinatra}
Kazou huffed in a bit of amusement and derision at Kimiko's joking reply, but softened himself up. He was in good company (assumably) and it was rude to sneer at them, even if you wanted straight answers. He followed her hands odd dance while she explained exactly what happened. She described it as a "summoning" or "exorcism," both of which had very different meanings... Either way, she couldn't replicate what had given her the power to rip apart metal with ease. Neither could Daisuke-senpai.

He gave his side of the speil. A warrior double his size helped him out, described to Kazou as 'Persona.' Sadly, Kazou's thought train was interrupted as Daisuke-senpai took off his shirt nonchalantly, revealing his toned back-- and a stab wound, stitched luckily. More evidence they weren't playing a prank. "Daisuke-senpai." Kazou mumbled, absentmindedly reaching to feel the place he'd been stabbed. Luckily he stopped himself just before Dai explained that he hadn't been stabbed. Benkei, the Persona warrior assumably, had. "Makes sense to call it a Persona then. It's you. Well, it's a sort of other you. Or you're him maybe?"

Hitomi cut in, reasoning once again she'd been seeing someone too, so this was bigger than them. Kazou was a bit discouraged that he hadn't been seeing any hallucinations (he'd been blessed with the wrong mental affliction it seemed) but even if he was just a standard highschooler, he hated his fate and he was gonna wrestle with it 'till it killed him.

And he was sure it would.

"If you guys are coming then..." He paused. Best to not be too presumptuous. "I'd like to come to. If there's room. Is there room?"

@AGenericUser@vancexentan

A few blocks away from the park? bGuREjBEyQ qhATrbA

The knocking against the ajar door gave no response from any hypothetical inhabitant of the house, instead merely pushing the door further in. It creaked, the dull yet audible sound cutting through the eerie, unnatural pall that had fallen upon them in the strange golden world. Nothing leapt out from the darkness, however; the tiling of the genkan was only further revealed, black and white squares interlocked unevenly with one another, before ending at the raised wooden platform that melded into the brown hallway floor. There was one pair of shoes sitting on that boundary, brown boots that had been removed before entering the house further.

Yet something had scuffed the varnished wooden floor, the soft brown dirtied by impressions of another type of shoe.

Footsteps that disappeared further into the murky darkness.

@vancexentan


A few blocks away from the park?

Ishido's knocking on the door proved fruitless. There was not a response to the knocking sound... but the action instead slightly pushed open the door of the house with a distinctive sound. The door had been opened... and something caught Ishido's eye. A boundary, and on that boundary... was a pair of brown shoes.

'So someone must be here,' Ishido considered as he set a foot down into the house. 'Perhaps they're asleep? In that case, I will head to their room and wake them up. I hope they know about this golden fog... not even that other boy knows anything about it.'

Turning to face the other boy, Ishido spoke. Ishido thought it'd be best to introduce himself to this other boy? It was simply a hunch, but he thought it might be a good idea.

"Oh... people call me Ishido Yoichi. It's not my real name, but it's the only name I have." Ishido explained, and forced out a small chuckle. Oftentimes, Mr. Yoichi would chuckle after saying things - so Ishido was trying to replicate that.

Ishido quickly turned his attention away from the other boy to the inside of the house once more. The shoes implied that someone was there... didn't they?

@JBRam2002@Suku

And just like that, it was over.

The girls' attacks had struck true, and with final, tortured cries, the two burning figures crackled for the last time, those licking, beautiful flames extinguished like a candle in the wind. Charred black, the humanoid frames jerked. And their bodies fell apart, crumbling into a black dust that faded away in the smoke.

And just like that, they had won.

The heat of their struggle was fading away, the sizzling, faint embers once dancing against those monotonous grey walls disappearing into the void almost as if they had never been, with only the tiniest of sooty marks sign of their existence. The two monsters of fire were gone, as was that ghastly boy in the mask that floated behind the mass that stole away Alexander. Their foes had either long disappeared, or vanquished on this auspicious day.

And just like that, they were alone.

Free.

Safe.

Yet for Kaede Yamamoto, his mind's sharpness only intensifying as the adrenaline and magic rushed out of his veins, there was a reason why he had come to help them. Why he had chosen to save them. Why he had run so far, endured such pains. Why he was here.

What he couldn't fail.

Yet for Kaede Yamamoto, that answer, sinking into the growing black pits of his heart, seemed to grow more obvious by the second.

"Was ... Is this everyone? All of you? Nobody else?"

A trembling question breathed through a gasping mouth.

---

@Write@Plank Sinatra@Krayzikk@Kafka Komedy

Sasori and Co. Investigations

"Don't worry, champ. Carrying another kid ain't gonna hang a red light on my doll," said the emerald-haired detective in a tone that seemed to carry a pride, adjusted his hat snugly over his conker one last time before pulling open the agency door. "Fellas might think she's a dumb bucket, but their peepers don't get to see the good play she gets."

The newly gathered crew of kiddos, upon exiting after Sasori, would catch an eyeful of the white Toyota HiAce parked right outside. A vehicle lightly dented when some piker with pizzas tried to win the wristwatch. For some of them, there was no need to touch up on whose it was. Not when they'd already taken a gander before.

"Is Nuts and Bolts' staying in the back?" he asked even as he tried to liberate the keys from one of his pockets. "Thing didn't drop a dime. Not an easy rube at all, but thinks bearcat's the bees' knees. Don't want it scooting too far."

@AGenericUser "Olsen...Hans Olsen nice to meet you Yoichi. I'm from Norway but I've been staying in Japan as a part of an exchange program. If you want to go inside all the more power to you. I'll wait out here and make sure nothing funny happens...not that I can do much. This fog makes it hard to really see, and or do, anything." Hans grumbled as he looked around trying to think of something. He was hoping things got better soon this fog was unnaturally unnerving for Hans. But he did his best to keep a straight face. One may think that he was taking this rather well but in reality Hans was simply just doing his best to keep it together with reason. Teleportation, and weird fog wasn't exactly on his list of stuff that he liked doing, and liked seeing respectively.

@Crimmy@bornlucky

Jin’s immediate instinct was to swear, loudly, in English, at the sudden attack came hurtling forward. “Shit!” Their second instinct was to raise a hand to protect their chest. Being punched in the chest was endlessly painful, and Jin imagined a broom handle would hurt just as bad.

However, the attack was halted just in time. The pocky girl must have good reflexes. Jin’s eyes knew the room once their thinking brain caught up to the fighting brain. “Ah… good old detention.” Jin took a step back, nodding in respect for the speedy attack and the implied breaking of useless rules. If this girl hadn’t stopped it, Jin certainly would have a bruised rib or sprained wrist to deal with.

“Yeah, we’re human.” More or less? “Mind if we join you?” Jin flashed a practiced, lazy smile. It was the one they used to throw people off. A delinquent who smiled instead of snarled? Fuck everyone’s expectations – even Jin’s own. They certainly didn’t feel much like smiling. Although their lips did tug up a bit more when the last few seconds played back, and Jin shot a look to Ryoma. Takajin – the nickname had caught on that fast? Maybe they should have asked for “T-Money” instead…

@Mistress Dizzy@Bornlucky

Uchima Senior High - Barricaded Classroom, 1st Floor, Classroom Building???

Her lips pursed, the pocky being sucked into her mouth with incredible speed before she immediately dropped the broom, hand reaching forward to tug Jin into the classroom with surprising strength. Before any of the others could react (with Ai only able to yelp as she was manhandled past the boundary), they too were tugged through, and the door was frantically boarded-up once more, the door locking with an audible click and the wood thudding into place.

The three teenagers were now in the room with the androgynous girl. In the locked room.

"Don't wanna stay out there too long," she said, her body relaxing itself from her initial tense state as she let out a long breath. "Didn't think I'd see another person turn up so soon."

The thing she had been reaching for behind her back earlier was revealed to be the distinctive red box of pocky, and she popped another one of the long confectionery sticks out, pushing it up into her mouth to fill the spot the previous stick had abandoned.

The classroom was a simple-looking one, but a quick observation would immediately reveal the presence of well-worn hardcover present on the table, and a half-opened container of dice.

@Sarcelle Renard @chukklehed @Crimmy

Natsume; Saturday Morning - Practice Building?

---

Maybe it was because they had almost met their makers a few minutes ago, but a part of her felt at ease with her new group. They didn't seem like a likely bunch to happen, but their circumstances didn't really give them much of a say in things.

And although she didn't pay much mind to it, Yuuhei's antics did help with lightening her mood up a little. Almost made the last few minutes seem like a crazy daydream that she had while she was talking to them. Almost.

"The AV club?" Before she could ask Tsubaki about her plan, she had already began walking to the aforementioned club room. Natsume briefly wondered about what equipment they could use there before giving up and just waited that Tsubaki would eventually explain.

After some walking, they had reached the room that had the 'AV Club' sign above the door. She wasn't sure of what to expect inside, but it'll probably look like the rest of the school. Monotone with a lot of blood splatters. "So what's the plan?", she asked as Tsubaki threw the door open. Although she didn't like to ask too many questions, it wouldn't hurt to at least be on the same page as everyone in this situation.

After Jin spoke up confirming their humanness to the girl, more or less. Suddenly the girl pulled each and every one of the three of them into the room with such speed and force that Ryoma had little time to react or object. All he let out was a quick gasp as he was pulled in. Ryoma was taken by surprised and simply watches as the girl boarded up the again room with wood and then a locking sounds once she was done. Once the girl was done boarding up the room said they shouldn't stay out there for too long, which while he agreed internally, he felt bad not looking for others lost out there. And what she said next intrigued him, another? There was another besides the four of them? Were they still alive at this point? All he could do right now is hope.

"Um... uh...." Ryoma stuttered quietly trying to figure out what to say. "Y'know this is my first time in the detention room... my parents would kill me if they knew I was ever in here..."Ryoma worriedly muttered as his parents come to mind when he looked at the blackboard again and seeing the word Detention on it. His parent's are strict. He was honestly scared of them. Being the oldest sucks sometimes. Heh. Anxiety doesn't just go away as he hoped when he awoken his Persona. Typical, nothing is that easy, but he should at least try to be more assertive and forward. "So...um... Detention...Chan?... Y'know I still don't know your name... what is it anyways?... anywayyyys can you summon a Persona?" Ryoma bluntly asked the girl as she shoved another pokey into her mouth. Ryoma doubt it but it'd be nice to know if any of those monsters attacked.

@Crimmy @vancexentan

The boy Ishido was with revealed his name - Hans Olsen. Along with that, as it would turn out... Hans was part of an exchange program, from Norway to Japan. This interested Ishido, for he knew little about other countries. After all... he needed to learn about the country he was already in, first. All Ishido knew of Norway was that it was a place that existed, out there in the vast, enormous world.

'This 'Hans' person... he seems pretty interesting.'

With a nod, Ishido began heading into the house when a realization came to his mind. The fog... the fog! Something about it clicked with him for a moment. It wasn't ordinary fog... it was something like he'd seen somewhere else! This fog was familiar.

The golden fog... had Ishido solved its secret?

"The fog...!" Ishido suddenly spoke out to Hans, as he slowly walked to the entrance of the house. "Maybe it's not fog at all. Maybe... it's toxic fumes? I learned about those recently... aren't they unhealthy to be in? Because it made me feel a little weird to be in it..."

Ishido grinned slightly at his sudden realization. He was sure that this was the true nature of the 'fog'! He thought he'd solved an enigmatic mystery, its answer lost to the ages. However, Ishido quickly and suddenly hid his small grin with his palm, which he held open and a few inches away from his face...

'This is like what the people on TV do... with their fancy poses with their hands, isn't it? I'm not sure why I did it all of a sudden, but... That could be my thing, to make myself less of a blank slate.' Ishido pondered, still hiding his grin. 'But... on a different note, I solved that mystery. I think I feel a little... prude? I think that's the right word for it.'

Ishido then abruptly turned away, and started heading deeper into the mysterious house... full of burning curiosity, and a drive for discovery. To Ishido, he'd solved one mystery already. He felt like he could easily investigate this odd house... not that he knew what was particularly odd about it, really. He simply had gained the impression that it was odd, not even knowing what made it odd.

'I came in here to ask about that golden fog, didn't I...? I almost forgot. Well... I think it's still worth looking around. I kind of feel like I'm in a bit of an odd situation... judging from what that Hans guy said.' Ishido thought to himself, as he headed into the darkness of the house without a word.

'Me and that Hans guy got teleported by that pink light. He even said so... it looks like we're near the park, but the fog just suddenly appeared... and everyone disappeared. All of that is pretty weird... apparently. I don't think this is actually the street near the park.'