Conflagration

Persona: Crossroads

I'm here! :p

Yeah, This time I've been busy but in general, don't feel bad about not waiting for me - if I haven't posted in response to something it might just mean that I've nothing to add.

That wasn't the case this time so thanks, but yeah - just saying :)

Persona: Crossroads

Nira Seritoka
The Chariot

---

As the battle raged ahead of her, Nira stood firm. Well, firmer that she had expected at any rate - she didn't turn and run or break down into tears anyway. As the motley group of teenagers somehow managed to wrestle the upper hand, she stepped forward to take action again. Whatever she had done before was so surreal, but it had helped.

"Seraph..."

... Hadn't it?

She wavered as the beast was set upon, opening her mouth but stalling - unable to form words. A familliar choking sensation formed in her throat though it was barely audible over the shouts and sounds of pain and anger. Had she really helped? Probably not.

The angel which had began to sweep forward as she spoke wavered in a similar vein to her voice. Almost like a television set with a disrupted signal, it flickered: its very existence called into question as Nira's faith in herself collapsed. Without any action it simply ceased to exist.

Stumbling back a couple of steps, the girl simply closed her eyes tightly and waited for the battle to end. Thankfully, it didn't take long.

---

As phone numbers were exchanged, she hung back. What was the point? It wasn't like she had helped - more likely she bad just gotten in the way.

A drawback. That's what I am. She found herself thinking - even after she had checked that her eyes were dry and her expression level. A liability. A useless, hopeless, stupid...

She blinked. A flash of blue - a voice that she hadn't expected to hear again. The imp was alive?

Looking up, she took a deep breath and stepped forward. Instinctively, she held out her phone to allow her number to be taken. Why? She couldn't say. Cowardice perhaps - if these were the only others that could help her should this happen again, wouldn't it be best to stay close? It was a selfish thought, but she couldn't help but think it. There was something more though - an urge that she couldn't even begin to explain: a need to try and... do something.

As she held out her phone, she raised her left hand out towards the Imp with its palm facing upwards. She didn't speak - she didn't even know if she could at that moment - but gave it a slight smile and a weak nod.

Persona: Crossroads

+1 for Fame Train! :p

Persona - Academic Akrasia (Being rebooted, see new int check)

Hitoshi Katsu

---

"Ugh..." Hitoshi found himself wondering what he was supposed to do now that he had to babysit a couple of other students as a handful seemed intent on pressing forwards instead of retreating. So much for getting everyone out of there - now that he knew these were going to insist on getting in the way, he didn't really have much choice but to... well, he wasn't really certain, but it looked like a fight was in the not-too-distant future, albeit one somewhat different to what he was accustomed.

And it had been far too long since those days.

Stepping forward, he laced his fingers together, pushing his arms outward until a series of cracking sounds accompanied the familliar limber feeling in his arms. Running a hand through his hair, he felt it sweep back out of his face before twisting his neck each way with two additional dull clicks. Flexing his fingers, he felt his hands curl into fists.

Guess you never really forget.

Perhaps it was all some kind of stupid publicity stunt for a movie or something - he was going to look damn stupid in tomorrow's if that was the case. There was something off about the whole situation that told him that was unlikely to be the case though.

"Can you things hear me? Understand what I'm saying?" He shook his head. Talking to rolling junk and circuits - what kind of response had he expected? "How about you turn right around and get out of here before there's trouble?"

The words didn't sound as threatening as he would have liked: most likely his trying to change had worked somewhat over the years. They would have to do though. In an attempt to add to the effect, he stepped forward again - directly in front of the array of machines and between them and the stragglers who were still milling around like idiots. Hurry the fuck up and run he found himself thinking desperately.

"This is my part of town, you don't want to start any trouble here."

Truthfully, he had no idea what he was doing - or why for that matter. Did he think he could punch out a machine? Of course not - but it wasn't going to stop him from trying. Call it stupidity or bravery and you would be wrong either way - the boy simply didn't understand the concept of admitting defeat.

Persona: Crossroads

Awesome!

I guess the character influences how powerful a skill is too: considering Nira really isn't likely to go on the offensive very often it likely won't be as useful as it could be.

Persona: Crossroads

Nira can't really do much at the minute either, since her only offensive ability is Agi and it's kinda pointless to buff the party at this stage. :p

That said, I was thinking about what new skill might make sense for Nira to gain from Charon's social link and not be useless, and I was wondering if fire break would be considered too powerful early on?

Persona - Academic Akrasia (Being rebooted, see new int check)

Hitoshi Katsu

---

They had only been a couple of hundred metres from the drug store that Hitoshi had needed to visit when the crash occurred. If only he had been a little faster he might have missed the events - might have been on his way none the wiser to the events taking place, with his father's sleeping pills and his own mundane concerns to deal with rather then...

Well, rather than what actually did happen.

Throwing out an arm to catch the girl by his side instinctively as the vehicle screeched past at ludicrus speed, his first response of swearing loadly after the driver was cut short as he saw the vehicle swing more and more out of control as it hurtled down the street. Either the driver had a death wish or there was something very wrong.

"Hurry home." He stated simple, placing his hands on Minori's shoulders to stop her, before turning on his heel and setting off down the street at full sprint.

The sickening sound of twisted metal colliding with brick and motar indicated that he had made the right decision. At the speed that the vehicle had been moving, an accident - which he could only hope it had been - would likely be a scene best avoided. Not something he would wish anyone have to see.

That said, he couldn't just ignore it himself. It was a stupid thing to do but there was something that drew him onwards. Maybe it was his connection with the area - he had spent a long time on these streets as a youth after all. Maybe he felt he owed someone or something his concern. He didn't know.

Smoke... He thought, drawing close just in time to be treated to the sound of someone - something - shrieking like a banshee or some such otherworldly being. He paused, taken aback for the first time at the sound. It didn't even seem... human.

Shaking himself off, he pushed roughly through the crowd of useless bystanders. Standing around, mouths agape as they did nothing he thought, they were worse than useless. Wasn't anobody even going to try and... help?

Huh.

He watched for a moment from the front of the crowd - a bad feeling stirring in his chest as he watched their numbers grow. It was the 'eyes' that concerned him more than anything. The eyes, and the fact that they didn't seem to be helping. In fact judging by the way they were mobilising, they almost looked hostile...

Oh.

"Move!" Hitoshi yelled, half turning to the crowd with a threatening gesture. " Get the hell out of here! Now!"

He needed something that would move them. Something that would panic them - something they would understand. Anything that would break the vacant ignorance of the crowd...

"It's going to explode! He yelled.

Persona: Crossroads

Phew. There we go - now everyone can stop waiting for me here at least.

I've only done a quick check for errors - be sure to throw stones at me or something if i've made any major spelling / grammar / anything else screw ups.

Persona: Crossroads

Nira Seritoka
The Chariot

---

As the Hellhound approached Nira and the motley gathering of concerned individuals she barely kept herself from freezing up once more. Of course, by that time she had become well aware that they were in danger, but it simply hadn't been possible to comprehend just how much so. After all, how was one supposed to fear monsters long after they had ceased to believe in such myths and fairytales? There was no feasable threat in her mind that she could have compared this to.

Staggering back a step behind the more fool... headstrong of their little group, she stumbled back slowly towards the rear of the carriage - taking as much care as one could when mortally terrified not to get in the way or bump into anyone. A weak whimper caught in her throat where it became a paniced choking sound. There was nothing they could do - nowhere they could run it hide and no way in hell that they could reason with that... that monster.

And without ceremony or due attention, the imp was gone. Swatted into oblivion by the beast.

"Oh no." She murmured softly - the sound of panic building in her voice. "No, no, no... this isn't real. This isn't happening. It's all just a nightmare. A bad dream..."

A tear ran down her cheek as Nira's eyes closed tightly, desperately trying to block out the horror ahead of her. She trembled, shaking as she waited. Nothing: of course she didn't wake up, this ordeal was as real as her own fear. A sharp pain in the palm of her right hand caused her to look downwards to see a think line of blood seeping from between the fingers of her clenched fist, where she had forgotten that she had been holding the imp's compass. From all around, the others were shouting unfamiliar words and phrases - yet more monsters appearing and doing... something.

Hopeless. Useless. Pitiful. She would be better off just cowering away. She couldn't help - would only make matters worse. She had never really helped at anything anyway, hadn't she been useless here as well? When people needed to band together she had divided them by being concerned over the wrong person, that's what they had said hadn't they? Terrible. Stupid. Weak...

The image of the Imp - extinguished by what he had called a friend that he had no chance to stand against - filled her mind.

"P... Per..."

He didn't deserve that. She didn't deserve this. None of it was fair - why him? Why her? Why was this happening?

Another tear.

A part of her wanted to fight - not to save herself but simply to lash out of the world around her. To not go quietly into the night as she should but to throw everything she had at the situation as she knew her father would want her to.

"so..."

Not even lash out, just stand up for something. To achieve something just this once - even if it was just some small act of defiance before her end. Perhaps some form of vengance for the tiny imp. Anything - she just didn't want to die cowering like a child.

Her eyes snapped open - reflecting the fire of the Hellhound before her as her mind snapped back to reality. Her senses became her own again, though she wasn't certain that she was in full control of her actions. Words seemed to be forming in her mouth that she had no control over. A power washed over her body - like a fire in her very soul. For a moment it felt like she could achieve anything and it was terrifying... though what scared her most was that she kind of liked it.

"...na."

Lifting an arm to her face, she wiped away the moisture from her eyes. In her other hand the compass lay. It could not be described as resting there: there was a distinct feeling of energy - of power - radiating from it. Nira could feel something else, something she could only describe as a bond of sorts. In her minds eye a six-winged figure swam into view. Hazy and ethereal, but unquestionably there - sone kind of angel... or deamon.

Fighting even when hope has faded is what overcomes the impossible. It seemed to whisper into her very head. In the background, her eyes barely registered the battle taking place in front of her. I am thou, and thou art I. Go forth and wield miracles.

She blinked, and the angel was gone. The sound of battle filled her head. Most of their number stood strong, save for Nao. Nao who had showed a level of compassion and level-headedness. Who hadn't jumped down her throat for showing concern. She was hurt - evidently having taken the brunt of the creatures attack. It was a wonder she was still standing at all.

"Persona!" Nira shouted - voice wavering yet clear as the angel appeared before her in a haze of golden light. "Seraphim, help them! Dia!"

She had no idea what she was saying, but the angel obeyed without question. It was a surreal feeling - more akin to an extension of her will than a seperate entity, it was almost as of the words were pointless and the creature had known her intentions even before she had stated them. With a sweeping of it's wings the light eminating from its body was directed towards Nao with an almost musical whistling.

Persona - Academic Akrasia (Being rebooted, see new int check)

Just gonna be catching up folks - not been on in a couple of days so I guess I've some reading to do before I can post anything :)