Week 2

[linkupmods]

WEEK 2

WAKE UP, GET UP, GET OUT THERE.

Saturday rolls around and characters may see that there are notices from Mina, saying that everyone will be taking a trip at noon sharp on Saturday, and to have their weapons. Whether characters pay this heed or not, they will in fact hear a ding from their phones at noon, their screens glowing a sunset red with the word "TRANSFERRING..." the only thing to be seen. And then, just like that –

You all enter.

The new world before you can be described in one word: twisted. It doesn't feel great, but it doesn't feel extremely awful, either, depending on how you look at it – it's a distorted version of the already grim city that you've been brought to, and you are specifically in the shopping district. Everything seems to be darker shades of red, yellow, and purple, if you can see it through the haze ominously floating about.

That feeling of something stirring in your chest seems to grow stronger, more potent, burning with the desire to be let free…

…and you, all of you, are surrounded. Various monsters and demons are threatening to attack you, looking at you like you are their prey. That's because you are…but you don't have to be for long. The moment that you engage in battle with them, no matter who strikes first, is the moment your emancipation begins.

Welcome to your awakening.

You feel a surge of energy rush to your palm – for some, it burns like a fiery blaze. For others, it sparks with electricity; perhaps wind circles around it, or a mysterious frost begins to blanket it. Maybe you have a mysterious pink aura around it, or a bright turquoise light; a dark, sinister glow or a calming light. Whatever the case may be, it drives you to place your hand over your heart.

You latch onto something. It is not your chest, it's not your heart, but it's something deeper than that, something from your being. You pull, you drag it out, and there is no bloodshed or any sort of pain, only a very bright light and some struggle as you unearth what is within. You finally, finally feel free as a new part of you literally stands before you. Say hello to your new friend: Your Persona.

Your new skills feel intuitive, and you feel like you can navigate them well enough to at least try to survive. You don't need to question how or why you understand them just yet; all you need to do is let yourself experience your power, and you'll stand a chance.

And with that, it's time to fight.

(Note: Weapon attacks will always deal Phys damage, but Phys spells will naturally do more than just whacking enemies with your weapons. Go wild, dodge, parry – combat is more freeform here than it is in Persona, so play this out however you'd like.

Furthermore, you'll be able to see everyone's cool Personas! You just won't be able to really interact with them directly.)

???

(Picrew by ~danidoninha!)

After the battle, there's the sound of a whistle. Turn your heads towards the source, and…huh? A cat?

"Alright, newbies, it's time to roll out."

…And it talks???

She says it with a scowl on her face, and soon, she leaps up – poof, and suddenly, there is a cat train in front of you. Weirdly enough, this cat is the one driving it. How did she summon the train…who knows.

"Get in, unless you wanna get your asses kicked!"

And sure enough, she's right, because there seem to be more enemies flocking towards you. She will drag you all in whether you like it or not.

SAFE AREA.

And, after a quick ride on the cat train, you find yourselves back at the dorms! ...Kind of. Much like the rest of this alternate world, it’s distorted in shape, though there’s none of the haze you saw when you first arrived. It seems this area, at least, is safe - characters would be wise to note it as a location to base any Nekyia operations out of in the future.

Mina is also here! She looks, quite frankly, relieved to see everyone show up alive in the train. The train, by the way, is gone, because it seems like your mysterious cat friend is now back to her…first…form? And seems to be on her way out. Back to Mina, though:


“Thank goodness... Okay, um, app hiccups aside...

Welcome to the Nekyia - the world of the unconscious. As you can see, the unconscious version of the city is, um... Very, very messed up. The more commissions you complete, the more connections you forge, the more bonds you repair, and the more Shadows you take out will help return the Nekyia to normal - and with it, the real world!

The people of this world don’t have the power to summon Personas... You’re the only ones who can save this city from the influence now. So please...

Help me fix this city from the inside-out!”

Mina has also set up a folding table set up with divinity cookies and water bottles from “Ambrosial Water Co”, judging by the labels. Characters who partake in these proffered snacks will find them rejuvenating - literally. Using a Persona’s abilities takes spiritual energy, but these snacks replenish one’s energy to full again with a single bite or sip. Any characters who want to try venturing back into the thick of the Nekyia today are free to take some with them, but do take care! Mina is only providing snacks for today, and after this characters will need to monitor their energy levels on their own.

Characters with further questions may ask Mina and she will do her best to answer! You can also try to catch the mysterious cat from earlier, too.

To go back to the real world, all characters need to do is press the "RETURN?" button on their phones. Much like the "TRANSFERRING..." message, this is the only thing on their screen.

All phones will now have a Nekyia app that will enable them to come in and out of the Nekyia at will.

OOC

READ ME!!!!

• Welcome to your Week 2 event log!
• Here is your promised Persona debut. Fighting is very flexible, so please just thread the fights in whatever format you'd like.
  
• A reminder for those of you who have gotten their Level 10 skills: These do not unlock ICly until Week 3, starting on 8/17.
  
• As always, please let us know if you have any questions! Enjoy!
  

ic comm | inboxes | ooc comm | full nav

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Comments

[fullmoonmutt]

awakening

[ Eli starts off their surprise dunk into another realm — world or reflection or whatever this is — surprisingly well. He's on the ball, slapping down the very first pixie that gets too close even before the burning urge to rip something from his chest sets in. When that does set in, however... a red aura burning at his fingertips...

He resists it for as long as he can. Being surrounded by demons is familiar, but so, too, is the sensation of losing control, and that is what it feels like to him. So, he resists for as long as he can, right up until he finds himself cornered away from the group by demons and finally struggling to hold his own.

He isn't strong here. He isn't. What is he supposed to do?! He doesn't even remember slapping his hand to his chest, over his heart, and pulling. He doesn't understand, but he will soon enough.

A great red-furred hound comes roaring to life, ripped from Eli's own chest. Garm tears through the demons in a heartbeat, though behind him is left Eli, who has staggered back and tripped, landing hard on his rear.

He's left staring at the hellhound, wide-eyed and not in a good way. That? That came out of him? That's... that's a... ]

...a demon... no, that... it can't...

[ Of course, even with Garm's arrival, the way Eli has frozen up only attracts twice the amount of demons their way as before. It looks like they could use some help. ]

safe area

[ So, Eli choked up, he choked up hard, all when his Persona first made his appearance. How embarrassing. Panicking like some little kid, freezing up, being useless, and a demon of all things, being his partner here? In this awful place? Yes, it's now awful. Everything is awful. He can't stand it.

Which means he'll be sitting it instead! Er, which is to say, he's sitting over in the farthest corner of the dorm's common room as he possibly can, sulking away in a chair, hunched over and staring angrily at the floor.

He has "no talk, i angy" vibes for sure, but that doesn't have to stop anyone who wants a word with him. ]

awakening

[ushirono]

[ This man is neither charitable nor a hero, but he comes across this sort of scene anyway and thinks it would be a shame if someone relatively fighty was lost when they need all the help they can get to erase all these monsters and demons.

So Fuyu summons his own Persona, Bakunawa, metaphorically drags Eli into his party, and casts Me Patra (Cure Dizzy/Forget/Sleep/Hunger of party). Even though whatever he's experiencing now is probably not a status ailment from a monster, it serves as a wake up call. ]

Get to work.

[ Anyway, he gets out a serrated knife and stabs a Hua Po to death. Yes, he's taking a bit of damage. He keeps stabbing anyway. ]

[fullmoonmutt]

[ While Me Patra isn't going to cure what ails Eli, it does pull him out of the shock he was experiencing. He stares at the hellhound a second or two longer before it turns back to glare at him, too, and after that eye contact, Garm fades away until otherwise needed. ]

Get to... [ Eli snaps his attention to Fuyu, watching him stab the Hua Po to death. Well then. ] R-right. There's. We have to kill these demons.

[ There's work to be done. He needs to stop panicking. He needs to get up. Eli staggers back to his feet, fingers curling around his brass knuckles. In a snap of action, he turns to lunge towards the nearest one: an Inugami coming in to try and snap at him. He lashes out with an uppercut, ice crackling as it covers his fists and cracked the long dog demon hard across the jaw. ]

[ushirono]

[ Look at him go! Fuyu, on the other hand, takes some fire damage as he keeps attacking Hua Po. These stabs won't do as much damage as a skill, but enough stabs should do the trick. His knife is normal.

Anyway, he notes the icy fist and makes an annoyed expression, but doesn't get in the way of Eli's fight with the long dog. Bakunawa appears again, but to heal the party this time. He has a party heal instead of solo, so whatever damage Eli got from the fight will be healed up. ]

[fullmoonmutt]

[ Meanwhile, Eli is beating the snot out of this poor Inugami until it bursts into void and vanishes. That's his cue to turn and see how Fuyu is doing and— ]

You're still stabbing that thing?!

[ He's trying not to acknowledge Bakunawa and its healing. The most it'll do is cure whatever future bruising his bum would have. He should appreciate that, and yet! He won't. Rude. ]

[ushirono]

[ Hua Po also dies right as Eli says that and Fuyu turns around to look at him. ]

Unlike yours, my weapon is normal.

[fullmoonmutt]

Didn't take eyebrow chick's advice, did ya?

[ lol, lmao, even a sensible chuckle ]

awakening

[supherb]

[Just as a pixie moves in to attack, it’s swatted away with a satisfying thwack by a…giant cast iron frying pan.]

Hey!

[Arven yells, trying to get through to Eli. There’s panic in his voice, but it’s not over the massive hellhound. That might as well be an undiscovered Pokemon to him. But if that came out of Eli…then maybe there really is something to what he claimed about being a dog.]

What gives?! I thought you’d be all over these guys! [He glances to his side.] Help him up, Mabosstiff.

[Woof.

Mabosstiff charges over and tugs at Eli’s sleeve while Arven keeps batting the demons back. There’s just about as little form to his strikes as there was back at training, but he’s just trying to survive right now.

Not too far away is Arven’s own persona: a swirling storm of fire and coal that contains the figure of a woman within. She’s quietly observing the fight, as if awaiting for an order to attack.]

[fullmoonmutt]

[ For Eli, it might as well be him and Garm alone, eyes locked and staring at one another while what sounds like a dull static fills his ears. That came out of him. That came out of him. A monster came out of his heart. Though he had joked about being a dog with Arven, he hadn't been so serious about it, and now...

The tugging on his sleeve snaps him back to reality (if one can even call this place that). He gives a start, his gaze snapping over to Mabosstiff and his other arm raised as if planning to strike... but he stops, recognition halting any attack. ]

...Boss.

[ Shit. They're still surrounded and in danger; he doesn't have time to freak out! ]

[supherb]

[Mabosstiff doesn’t cower from that raised arm. He simply tugs harder until Eli snaps out of it and gets a hold of himself.

Finally, there’s some progress. Mabosstiff barks intently and nudges against him. They need to move!]

Come on, man! Get it together! [Arven’s much more frantic about it as he swings wildly at the oncoming demons.] I can’t keep ‘em back for much longer!

[fullmoonmutt]

[ Eli's attention snaps from Mabosstiff to Arven. Shit. Shit, shit, shit, this is what he was worried about! Normal dudes like his roommate having to fight! If nothing else, that thought does spur him to action, and he lunges up off the ground, his fingers curling around his brass knuckles. ]

Out of the way!

[ Because he's coming through and swinging right past Arven to connect with Hua Po's face directly. Ice crackles over his fists purely as an instinctive reaction, giving the monster that extra oomf to turn it straight into a puff of void. ]

[supherb]

Don't gotta tell me twice!

[It's by no means a smooth transition of fighters as Arven has no idea which side Eli's coming from. He stumbles out of the way without messing up Eli's aim, though.]

Think you can back him up, Mabosstiff? I'll see what this fire lady can do in the meantime.

[Mabosstiff rushes forward to join Eli on the front line, barking and snarling menacingly at the horde. He might not be at full strength, but his bites can still pack a punch.]

[fullmoonmutt]

[ Yeah, he doesn't, and so he won't. Eli even lets Arven's announcement over seeing what the fire lady can do slide. He doesn't want him to rely on whatever that demon chick is but...

He knocks another monster out of the way, then raises his forearms up to block an attack from one of the long, flying dogs. It hits him hard enough to force him back a step, snapping at him and trying to get past his block, to get at his face. ]

Awakening

[kandata]

[Well it's a good thing the demon that popped from the depths of your soul took care of the foes! All is well that ends well. Still, looks to Kirumi that someone has been caught offguard by how Personas work.

She barely has time to think about that when more enemies begin making their way towards Eli]

Take all the time you need to recover. I will keep them at bay until you're ready.

[Probably won't defeat everything because it's too many for one person, but at least she can stop them from obliterating Eli! Kirumi is ready with her axe and all]

[fullmoonmutt]

[ Look, when you spend your life worrying that you're a monster despite everything, and then a hellhound pops out of you, it's a little world-shaking, okay?!

He shakes his head, forcing his gaze away from Garm. For the Persona's part, he begins to fade away, sensing just how unwanted here he is... for now. ]

I... I don't need to recover! I just! I tripped!

[kandata]

You are not hurt, are you?

[Well at least she's not calling him out for his 'I tripped' line! She's letting that stand, while she smashes a demon with her axe, hurriedly dodging to avoid being hit by magic striking right where she had been standing]

[fullmoonmutt]

I'm fine!

[ The only trauma here is purely mental, it's all good, nothing wrong at all, a-okay. Uh, yeah, anyway, he is scrambling to his feet and grasping his brass knuckles, so there's that at least. ]

[kandata]

Then go ahead. This is your chance.

[She steps a little away, to give him space to act. Put those brass knuckles to good use! There are plenty of opponents, enough for them both to have fighting action! ]

[fullmoonmutt]

...you don't got to tell me twice.

[ But that's the only ounce of frustration aimed at her. He lunges at the nearest monster instead, putting a fist right into an Anzu that flew in too close. With it stunned, he'll grab it and dash it to the ground to keep it from going out of reach again. ]

awakening

[imperiosity]

[Surrounded by monsters and needing to fight for their lives means that Aaron's keeping an eye on the others in the vicinity, especially since it looks like there's a not-insignificant number of non-combatants here. But given that Eli appears to know what he's doing, he's content to turn his attention elsewhere... until he sees Garm come out and Eli flat on his ass.

A click of the tongue and one dropkicked demon later, and he's at least close enough to help hold off the wave of demons, although there's no way he can stop all of them from getting past.]

Hey! You gonna get your shit together or what?

[fullmoonmutt]

[ Eli only snaps out of his staring contest with the big red hound when the beast vanishes into the mist bit by bit to wait until once again summoned. When that'll be is a mystery, considering how poorly his summoner has reacted to him. Once Garm is gone from sight, he jerks his attention to Aaron, and his initial response is aggressive and angry. ]

What the fuck did you say to me?! How about you get your own shit together, huh?!

[ Tha makes no sense seeing how Aaron does have his shit together but go on, Eli, be mad. ]

[imperiosity]

[If the outburst had made more sense and been more deliberate than just parroting his words back at him, then maybe it would have riled him up a little. But as it is, the shouting just rolls right off him. Besides, he figures angry and aggressive is easier to deal with than being completely zoned out, especially if it means Eli is alert enough to react to what's around him. As such, Aaron only spares him a short glance before turning his attention back to more approaching demons.]

Big words from the guy sitting around with his thumb up his ass. You gonna help out anytime soon, or am I gonna die of old age before you stop yapping at me?

[surely provoking the angry guy can't go wrong right]

[fullmoonmutt]

I'd be happy if you did die of old age, Grandpa!

[ ...from the guy who is only one year younger than Aaron. Welp. Regardless, Eli is getting back to his feet now that Garm has taken his leave for the time being, and as he comes up, it's to put a brass knuckle directly into an Anzu's face as it swoops for him. The winged beast roars with pain, flapping wildly away again. ]

[imperiosity]

[Honestly, it's just karma at work since he does the same shit to someone at home!! Also he totally walked right into that one anyway.]

Aww, someone cranky 'cause he miss his naptime? Don't worry -- someone'll tuck you in after we're outta this shithole.

[Trash talk aside, he sees that staggering Anzu and he's more than happy to follow up. Without missing a beat, a masked woman riding a phoenix flickers into being to drive a blade straight through the creature's wings, only to vanish almost immediately afterwards. Still, this leaves the demon grounded and completely wide open, as it struggles to take to the air again.]

[fullmoonmutt]

[ Aaron's Persona gives Eli far less of a fright than his own did, thankfully, and he'll follow up that blow that grounds the Anzu with an unceremonious stomp to its head. Done. It explodes into void. ]

Don't act like you aren't pissed we got dumped into this mess! [ He turns back to snap at Aaron once more. ] Or are you too stupid to realize how dangerous this is?!