[he can probably tell them both the story without getting into his recent arrest, right? right. . .]
It isn't that, it's just--
[and as they slip into the next car (which is, just like the one before it, another ravaged passenger car), he cuts himself off abruptly. because standing just ahead with its back towards them is another Shadow dressed as a train conductor. Akira darts behind a seat quickly, gesturing silently at Souji and Minato and indicating that they should do the same. QUICK, HIDE BEFORE THEY'RE SEEN]
[Minato is quick to follow after, though not entirely stealthily either. He ducks beneath the seat with a bit of a hint of clatter; the Shadow turns, tilting its head, but...
[super close, and Akira lets out a quiet, shaky exhale. he lifts one red finger to his lips, indicating that Souji and Minato should remain quiet and in place, before he darts out from behind the seats to the next set ahead]
[he moves quickly on his feet, a black streak against the bright interior of the train car. but he also doesn't make a single sound; stealth is his area of expertise, after all. . . and Minato and Souji get a front row seat to that fact as he creeps ever closer to the conductor Shadow]
[Akira is really cool, and he isn't even showing off]
[but he is going to wait until the conductor Shadow moseys past him, until he can see their enemy's back and a clear path to its mask. his mouth curves into a confident smile, and suddenly. . .]
[he rockets out of his hiding place like a bullet shot from a gun, uses the leverage of the seat to launch himself into the air and wrap his legs tightly around the Shadow's neck. the creature lets out a surprised yell as Akira's fingers dig into its mask to rip away its outer shell. the mask tears away from the creature's face easily, drops of black goop spattering onto the ground]
[and then Joker is gone, landing in a crouch a few feet away from Souji and Minato]
Come on! Now!
[the Shadow is twisting and distorting until it takes the new form of three different angels, all of them spread out in a line in front of the other wild cards. they look dazed and completely taken off guard]
[ Excellent, that's always a good sign. Of course, Souji once again has no idea what these guys are weak to and has a Certain Feeling he probably doesn't have it, so he'll have to go for something else. A Megidolaon can wait; for now, he lets the tarot card materialize over his palm and crushes it in his fist.
Once Izanagi-no-Okami appears, so too does the Ziodyne, plummeting down to slam into the angel closest to him. ]
[a pretty excellent and smooth double assault by Souji and Minato, and Akira lets out an impressed whistle]
Keep it up!
[Souji and Minato may not have any attacks that can hit these Shadows' weaknesses, but. . . in a whirl of blue fire, Satanael rises up at Akira's back again, wings spreading wide as he levels the barrel of his shotgun at the two remaining Dominions. Akira mirrors this motion, only with his forefinger instead of an actual gun, and cries out--]
Take them down, Satanael!
[and, with a sharp rapport, the Riot Gun assault kicks back the Persona's gun and rains down on the field, tearing through their enemies and knocking them both to their knees with a pained cry. WEAKNESS, GET]
[they're down, but they aren't out yet, which means there's only one thing left for this trio of wild cards to do. right??]
[ One of these days they'll get to hit the weaknesses too. But Minato's already helped take down one, and when Akira downs the other two, Souji glances at them only briefly. ]
[FOR NOW. . . they're on top of the world. and as Souji and Minato dart in, Akira is right behind them, his dagger glinting in the light as the blade slices through one of the Shadows, reducing it to a dissipating cloud of black smoke]
Shadows that powerful can create their own dungeons. Palaces, we call them. You've heard me use that term before.
If we steal a Palace's Treasure-- the item that forms the core of that world-- then the Palace is destroyed, and the Shadow returns to its true self. That is. . . the distorted desires of the person who owned the Shadow disappear.
And in real life? That person feels immeasurable guilt for the crimes they've committed.
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messianic) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
realpolitik2018-09-25 10:30 pm
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If you don't want to tell us, that's fine too. You can just say so.
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[he can probably tell them both the story without getting into his recent arrest, right? right. . .]
It isn't that, it's just--
[and as they slip into the next car (which is, just like the one before it, another ravaged passenger car), he cuts himself off abruptly. because standing just ahead with its back towards them is another Shadow dressed as a train conductor. Akira darts behind a seat quickly, gesturing silently at Souji and Minato and indicating that they should do the same. QUICK, HIDE BEFORE THEY'RE SEEN]
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Hold on, Souji's freezing up before diving for that same seat. Not quite as gracefully, but he's managing. ]
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IT doesn't seem like it can see them.
That was close.]
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[he moves quickly on his feet, a black streak against the bright interior of the train car. but he also doesn't make a single sound; stealth is his area of expertise, after all. . . and Minato and Souji get a front row seat to that fact as he creeps ever closer to the conductor Shadow]
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... Honestly, he's impressed. Moving that swiftly and silently is a skill he hasn't quite acquired for himself. ]
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It's...really cool.
Akira's really cool.]
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[but he is going to wait until the conductor Shadow moseys past him, until he can see their enemy's back and a clear path to its mask. his mouth curves into a confident smile, and suddenly. . .]
[he rockets out of his hiding place like a bullet shot from a gun, uses the leverage of the seat to launch himself into the air and wrap his legs tightly around the Shadow's neck. the creature lets out a surprised yell as Akira's fingers dig into its mask to rip away its outer shell. the mask tears away from the creature's face easily, drops of black goop spattering onto the ground]
[and then Joker is gone, landing in a crouch a few feet away from Souji and Minato]
Come on! Now!
[the Shadow is twisting and distorting until it takes the new form of three different angels, all of them spread out in a line in front of the other wild cards. they look dazed and completely taken off guard]
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Once Izanagi-no-Okami appears, so too does the Ziodyne, plummeting down to slam into the angel closest to him. ]
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Instead, he follows up Souji's Ziodyne to lunge forward, slamming his sword down on the already listing Shadow, dissolving it into nothing but goop.
Two more...!!]
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Keep it up!
[Souji and Minato may not have any attacks that can hit these Shadows' weaknesses, but. . . in a whirl of blue fire, Satanael rises up at Akira's back again, wings spreading wide as he levels the barrel of his shotgun at the two remaining Dominions. Akira mirrors this motion, only with his forefinger instead of an actual gun, and cries out--]
Take them down, Satanael!
[and, with a sharp rapport, the Riot Gun assault kicks back the Persona's gun and rains down on the field, tearing through their enemies and knocking them both to their knees with a pained cry. WEAKNESS, GET]
[they're down, but they aren't out yet, which means there's only one thing left for this trio of wild cards to do. right??]
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Now's our chance! Let's end this in one go!
[ CHAAAAARGE. ]
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Time to take out those nasty Shadows.]
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[EASY]
Whew. . .
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[ Souji's so quietly proud. ]
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[!!]
I think we'll be fine if we keep going like this.
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[adjusts his gloves, fingers wagging, before he deposits his dagger back into its sheathe]
. . . anyway.
[FORWARD, HO!!!]
You wanted to know what I was rebelling against outside the Metaverse, right?
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[ But he does think it'll help them understand Akira a little more. ]
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Whatever you're comfortable sharing.
[Peacefully, as they begin to walk through the train cars...!!]
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[. . .]
[that isn't everything. it probably won't be everything; at least, not for a long time. but he can share something]
You all know that Shadows are created by the distorted desires and negative emotions of society, right?
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In a sense. I also know that they can be the reflection of a person's most innermost thoughts and desires, just-- distorted, like you said.
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[?? Where is this going, exactly...?]
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Shadows that powerful can create their own dungeons. Palaces, we call them. You've heard me use that term before.
If we steal a Palace's Treasure-- the item that forms the core of that world-- then the Palace is destroyed, and the Shadow returns to its true self. That is. . . the distorted desires of the person who owned the Shadow disappear.
And in real life? That person feels immeasurable guilt for the crimes they've committed.
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They take responsibility? [ Somehow? ]
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So forgive him for looking...mildly perplexed.
In theory, he understands a little.
In practice, he has no idea what this all looks like.]
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