Argenti's Palace

[beautifulknight]

The stage is set they say;
They don their masks and shields,
Shadows creep and cover their minds;
Now, what beautiful role shall they play?

𝓜𝓮𝓵𝓾𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓷𝓲𝓷 𝓒𝓪𝓼𝓽𝓵𝓮


♫

Comments

[destage]

[Sayaka startles, looking at Argenti as he falls--but then the mirrors come into the picture, and perhaps most startlingly of all, Sayaka resists the voice (20). Or at the very least, doesn't fall into any sort of temptation--she feels sleepy, tired with what she's almost certain is fatigue from the battle...

But the shadow, perhaps startlingly, takes the form of someone Sayaka is hesitant to attack.

Makoto Naegi. There's a part of Sayaka that is stunned to see him, to hear him call for her, but...

...Something soft in her expression happens, and she smiles.]

...This place truly is cruel, isn't it? [...] I wish the real you could be here right now. Maybe you wouldn't be happy with fighting, but you always did have a way of making people try to grasp for hope, Naegi-kun.

I wish I could tell you I'm sorry. For everything that happened. For...trying to betray and use you. [Sayaka's expression softens, and Atropos helps support her briefly as she gets up.] ...What I wouldn't give to tell you about the people I've met here. The people I care about. The people who have...done everything to help me become stronger. I wish I could show it to you. I wish I could tell you everything, even if I don't understand it all.

[Sayaka's grip on her knives tightens, and her resolve steels.]

...But you're not real. And you're going to regret taking the form of the only friends I had in that horrible school!

[...Not sure how well the attack will do, granted, but Atropos aims an Agilao at the mirror (3). Also, Sayaka will use Media on Izou, Eli, and Mafuyu.]

INTERCESSION NEEDED

[beautifulknight]

[ The mirror remains and so does the reflection of Makoto Naegi. His soft features do not dull even in a reflection.

For whatever reason, the influence does not return, either.

In the end, the mirror ends up persisting thanks to the miss with those flames. Perhaps it is harder to take down an image of a dear friend.

...So, in the end, she will need help from one of her allies. ]

[destage]

[It's not enough.

Sayaka's fatigued as hell from this fight already and she's still trying to stand and stay determined against the reflection of her friend, but...

She hesitates nonetheless. Even if it's only a mirror image, the idea of harming him again...]

[bloodweapon]

[You know who isn't hesitating? Fray. In fact, he's already charging at Sayaka's mirror, eyes flashing red as he swings his sword down. (17)]

Fight it, Sayaka! We've come too far to stop now!

[destage]

--!!

[Fray, bless you for being the very firm period at the end of this sentence. The mirror shatters, and with it, Sayaka's hesitation falls away.

Fatigued but resolved, Sayaka looks to Fray with a renewed determination, and finds herself nodding her head.]

You're right. We still need to save Argenti--before it's too late!

Thank you for helping me, Fray. [She leaves the it's good to see you back in her head where it belongs.] Let's go help the others!

[bloodweapon]

[Fray nods at that, but there will be time to deal with all of this later. For now, it's off to help the others!!]