chukklehed

Persona - Academic Akrasia

@SMS@Crimmy@Sarcelle Renard

Tsubaki blinked as she realized she still hadn't introduced herself. It was understandable, honestly, since she wasn't a people person at the best of times and these were definitely NOT the best of times. Still, she quashed the urge to simply run off after the nearest group of people and bowed to the two who had rescued her, Natsume and Yuuhei.

"My name is... Matsushida. Tsu-... Tsubaki Matsushida. I wish we could have met under better circumstances." She bowed low with her greeting, years of her father's 'society lessons' taking over in the unfamiliar situation. "I am glad to have your assistance," Now all she needed to do was figure out how to get everyone together. None of the other students had been killed yet as far as she could see, but it was only a matter of time...

"I think I can communicate with the others." Tsubaki said, "But I need something more, some kind of transmitter." Now that she was thinking about it, she could see the plans filling in in her mind. It would be so easy to build, like transmitting a cell signal. It wouldn't even have to be that big, but she would need... parts...

"I need to go to the AV Club!" She said suddenly, almost down the hall as inspiration struck her. Only by supreme force of will did she manage to stop and wait for her two bodyguards, as they had somehow become.

Mirror, Fox, Key

hugs.

Mirror, Fox, Key

hugs?

Persona - Academic Akrasia

@SMS@Sarcelle Renard@Crimmy

"It's done. You beat it." Tsubaki's eyes were unfocused as she tried to sort all the information she was still getting. Images of other groups flowed into her from her cables, but she could only get a vague idea of where any of them were. Still, a vague idea was better than nothing.

"I don't mean to rush either of you, but there are other people besides us trapped in here. Some of them need help, and we're in a better position than most to save them. I could go alone but I... can't fight, not really. Please, I need your help." Tsubaki's eyes refocused as she bowed at the waist, holding her breath as she waited for a response. Nobody would ever accuse her of being a hero or selfless, but even she couldn't just stand by and watch her fellow students die in this horrid place.

Persona - Academic Akrasia

@SMS@Crimmy@Sarcelle Renard

Tsubaki turned to the other girl, though her eyes barely saw anything. Her attention was zeroed in on the monster still staggering. It would get up soon, but now they could knock it back down again. She saw the way.

"Forget me for the moment, this is the best chance we have to kill this thing. Both of you, hit it with everything you have! Once it's down, we'll have time to talk."

And they did have things to talk about. Now that she was connected, Tsubaki could see there were others trapped in the school with them, struggling to survive themselves. Most seemed to be doing well enough, others... not so much. They would need to meet up before too long and work together.

Still, one thing at a time, and there was still something pressing right in front of them. "Go all out! Hold nothing back!"

Persona - Academic Akrasia

@Crimmy

That's not quite the right image, but yeah.

Persona - Academic Akrasia

I'll make any replies I need to do once I survive this Chemistry exam.

Praying to ancestors for just a pass.

Hopefully they accept IOUs for donations once I actually can physically visit the shrine.

@Crimmy

Don't pray to your ancestors, what do they know about chemistry? Pray to the one true god, Neil Patrick Harris.

Persona - Academic Akrasia

The world faded from view as the creature launched a killing strike on Tsubaki for the third time, and she barely scrambled out of reach of its single minded determination. The voice on her head grew to encompass her entire being, and her minds eye saw a pale, faceless queen on a skeleton throne, looking down on Tsubaki imperiously.

Is my other half really so powerless that she leaves her fate in the hands of others, cowering behind strangers to cling to a few more seconds? Are you really so worthless as to blindly accept whatever path is laid out to you?

The words stung Tsubaki, and she was about to respond in anger when another voice filled her mind.

"Tsubaki, leave that stick alone. I can't believe my daughter would be interested in something so barbaric as fighting."

A little bit of her faded away as she responded automatically.

"Yes father..."

"Tsubaki, come straight home after school. My daughter has no time for friends."

"Yes father..." the girl repeated, a little more of her fading into the darkness as she did. It didn't matter. As long as father was happy with her, she didn't need to be herself.

The faceless queen looked down on her in smug disappointment, knowing she had won the argument she had started. Still, it was a pity. Such a waste.

The girl felt a bit of anger return to her at being looked down on like that. A little of her old resentment crept back into her features as she fought against the darkness.

"Tsubaki, you're calling in sick from school today. School festivals are a waste of time, and I-"

"I refuse." The girl said, focusing directly on the smug queen. The voice cut off the instant she spoke, like a recording, but the queen sat up a bit straighter.

"I refuse. I'm done being a pawn. I'm done pretending to be someone I'm not."

The faceless queen leaned forward in her seat, propping her chin in one hand. "Oh? Is that So? Tell me then, what is your name, you who are not a pawn? Who art thou?"

"I am Tsubaki Matsushida, and I am Thou."

Her last words seemed to come from somewhere within herself, deeper than she had ever felt before, but they felt right. The world faded back in a rush with a blast of heat, and Tsubaki found herself standing in the center of the hallway.

"Persephone." She called, reaching to that deep part of herself. Behind her a woman materialized, hanging by ropes bound to her arms. Looking closer, the ropes were actually cables and wires, disappearing into the wall and extending farther still, all connected back to her Persona. A bundle of wires separated from the rest and reached toward Tsubaki, gently wrapping around her arms, torso and neck, the ends painlessly sinking into her skin and connecting her to that same network. She saw then, more than she had ever seen before. She saw and she KNEW.

"Stop! Fire won't work, use ice or wind!"

Mirror, Fox, Key

Stay away. Stay away. STAY AWAY!

Feela's mind was already in full panic when the water started streaming in, and her fear started turning to anger. She just wanted to leave now. She had no intention of letting these people confine her in an unnatural place like this.

Slam

Feela whirled around as metal bars crashed down over the way she had entered, sealing her in with the rushing water. She swiftly ran back and slammed her shoulder into the obstacle, bouncing off and falling to the floor. Now well and truly angry, Feela decided she had had quite enough of this place. These bars were in her way, and she would not let them remain so.

She thrust her hand out to her side, feeding that rage into the symbols tattooed into her right hand. As always before, her blade extended without a sound, ready to slice apart anything she needed it to.

She brought her hand across in front of her, swinging her hand with all her might through the bars that blocked her.

Persona - Academic Akrasia

Tsubaki was willing to accept her fate. She was willing to die if that was the end of the path she had taken. The one thing Tsubaki was unwilling to do right now was let herself take other people down with her. Her eyes opened at the sound of fighting, seeing the girl who had rushed to help her crumpled in a heap on the ground, the man who had followed her attacking the monster that had followed her to them, and one long, fleshy tentacle reaching toward her.

Tsubaki let out an involuntary scream, somehow finding the strength to once again scrambled out of the way as the monster reached for her. Her back wound up pressed against the wall, sticky with dripping blood, and as she looked across at the people who had tried to help her without even knowing her, a voice resonated in her head, soft and sorrowful and cutting through the weight of this place.

"Is this who you are? A meek little mouse who timidly accepts the path laid out for her?"