tunein | 04 ❥

[Her first thought is to say that that's not possible.

It's not something that could happen. It's not something that's true.

But, she knows that it is, to both things. She knows it's real. It was the one to lull her in, with soothing stories of times when her parents lived and her family was whole. She knows she is running away from things. She just hasn't stopped, allowed herself the time to think about it.

Because it hurts.

That's all the reasoning there is.

She takes a long hard look at the shadow. But the shadow is already taking in those thoughts, those two doubts, and twisting them, though it's still hunched over, shaking its head.]

He's lying! He's lying. Don't listen to him. Come back. Don't leave me here alone!

[She doesn't know what to think. It's her words, her voice, her face. But it's not.]

Let me speak. If you are as Souji says, surely you will allow for that? Why would you not wish for me to leave?

[Something snaps in that moment. The shadow looks up, straight at the both of them.]

You won't. I won't let you! I won't let you leave!

[Apparantly this one doesn't need denial to go beserk.

Irises swirl, and a wind, a tornado, something, rips through the black nothingness, what should be a vacuum but isn't. Its form changes. Where once stood a girl, now looms a dragonesque figure, hard and sharp scales, with wings, long and spiked. What passes for a face is lost behind a butterfly mask, covering eyes to snout; what can be seen are lines of long, sharp teeth.

Lucina takes a long hard look. She gently brushes away Souji's support, standing on her own two legs.]

If this is the way you wish for it. It is how I would do things. I will leave. And it will not just be myself that does!

[And here is one Yosuke, who had up until this point been standing on the sidelines, watching as Souji took the lead. But with a shadow's true form appearing, he runs over to the two of them.]

Dammit... just when I thought we were in the clear... well, no use worrying about it now. You ready, partner?

[And a Teddie, squeaking footsteps included.]

Luci-chan, you should listen to Luci-chan!! [How that makes sense we don't know but grrr anyway.] Sensei, we need to calm her down! I don't think you'd be beary happy if it went to full power...

Senpai, I'm with you. [Directed to Souji. And then, to Lucina:] If you can fight, Lucina-senpai, then we'd gladly have you with us.

[He should have figured it wouldn't be so easy. A Shadow that didn't go berserk when it was rejected, though...it was, to say the least, a huge change from the norm. Then again, with how much it wanted her to stay, it was probably inevitable that it'd get to this point. He looks to Yosuke--]

Ready as ever. [--then to Yukiko, the only one left of the group.] Will you be fine on your own?

I might need some help here and there if any Shadows come running...but I'll be fine. You just worry about the one in front of you.

Alright. [Forming the World Arcana in his hand again, he gets back into his leading role as he looks to the approaching Teddie.] We won't allow it. Just make sure Yukiko-san has support if she needs it. [To Naoto, he manages a brief nod.] Cover her as much as you can. We've come too far to lose her now. [And finally...to Lucina herself -- he motions to her for Teddie. She's going to need a spare pair if she's going to fight alongside them. And only one reminder, now that he knows how badly tired out she was earlier.] Don't strain yourself.

[With those orders given, he turns to the dragon Shadow Lucina has become, tranquil fury settling in.] We're leaving. And I won't let you have any say in it.

Edited (Misrepresentation. 8|a) 2013-10-13 10:44 (UTC)

[Naoto nods in acknwoledgement, and Yosuke takes the time to give Lucina a reassuring hand on her shoulder before he turns back to the shadow. Teddie, equally as much, takes his cue before pulling out a pair of glasses that he made, just in case glasses were needed again.

Lucina puts them on as told, and- hey, she actually see a lot clearer now. Thanks for that. She turns to Souji with a grim smile.] I'll try not to. I don't know how much help I can be, but... there's something she needs to hear, when we're done.

[She needs a weapon. It's as she thinks that that her eyes catch a glint, nearby, in the irises that sprouted when the shadow began to cry. There's a sword there. Not just any sword, she notes with surprise - the ceremonial sword of the house. Or at least, a very good replica of one, despite the fact it's mostly transparent and its existance is hazy. Perhaps not a true weapon, then, but a manifestation of it. She picks it up.

Shadow Lucina scoffs at the sentiment from Souji, as well as really much of the party. Her eyes linger on Yukiko, as if debating to call for reinforcements to take her to task, but that moment passes, instead rolling once in the air, stretching, preparing. She also eyes the sword, but disregards it. It's of no issue to her. It's not the real thing, and that legend is just that. It is not a sword to fell dragons.

The first thing she does is cast; Weight of the World. You'll find all your movements are... a lot more... sluggish. And your SP is... going down more than it should... probably should... try to... get rid of that...]

[And music for conveniance.]

[...This wasn't Exhaustion -- no, this was something far worse than that. Souji quickly directs Yosuke to counteract the slowdown, before summoning Izanagi and hoping that one solid casting of Salvation would curb the drain. (What a time to be without all those Amrita Sodas...) If it was anything like exhaustion, it could be cured by the best he had.

What Naoto and Lucina would do was up to them, for now; though, most certainly, some sort of attack had to be pressed.]

[And Yosuke does just that, and thanks to the combined efforts, it seems to have rectified that. For the time being.

Naoto makes the elective decision to mind charge, to later cast Megidolaon. Lucina swings her gained sword in one hand before charging over and hitting her Shadow self with the sharp side of the blade. She has no persona, no magical abilities to speak of, but it certainly packs a punch, making the shadow hiss and recoil. This is also helped when Teddie uses Bufudyne and it screeches in distaste.

In retaliation, it decides to spit fire at you, Souji, before sending out another ray across the entire field.]

[If there was a time that he was thankful that Izanagi was resilient to Fire in his current state, it was now. Souji's left reeling slightly as the flames hit, though not so much that he'd be knocked down, and once he has room to act again, he directs Yosuke to keep providing support before switching. Where the World Arcana was, Judgment takes its place as he calls upon Trumpeter to provide a well-needed Heat Riser to the only non-Persona User they had.

He hoped it would help, even as he tried to keep his eyes on what was going on.]

[Help it does. The shadow growls again as Naoto drops the Megidolaon, and hisses loudly as Lucina once again hits its torso, leaving long, slashed lines with black smoke billowing out.

Dragon slayer indeed.]

It's not possible. You can't have that sword.

[The words are slurred, moreso spoken into minds that actually out loud.

Teddie heals, Yosuke increases everyone's evasion and hit. Have fun with that one, shadow.

Licking its wounds, the shadow takes a defensive position. Probably charging up for something...]

In a world like this...anything is possible.

[What you expect makes it real. Not that he'd figure that out...

He directs Teddie to amp up the ante by making everyone's attacks hit harder, before capping off the whole endeavor with Marakukaja. That Mind Charge is still stocked and ready, and he's well aware of it. It's just a matter of using it when he's covered every track.]

[Lucina once again attacks the hide to a grunt, though its not as effective as the previous time. Once she returns to the line up, she waits, ready to duck and cover should the need arise.

She's not the only one. Anytime now...

It's amidst their next range of attacks when the dragon uncurls itself and screeches, the sound resonating around the surrounding and far off star clusters. The roar is enough to instill Fear, but no one has time for that right now, and it has no effect. This is followed up by smashing into each member in turn with its full body, and summoning more shadows.

Shadows which look very much like corpses, incidently... kind of like that boss you fought several floors down...]

[...it was probably a good thing that he'd chosen to bring their defenses up, because ow, ow, ow, something that big charging right into them hurts. Souji himself really gets the short end of the stick, because that dragon charging into him put him in a bad way, moreso with Trumpeter at the front. It doesn't help that those corpse Shadows seemed aware of who was most hurt -- or rather, who to deal with so that Lucina would be forced to stay.

Him. The one who came all this way for her.

He gets up eventually, though definitely not looking too good, and in response to her charge, goes and Debilitates the dragon. Switching to Izanagi can wait.]

[In response, Yosuke and Teddie team up to heal whilst Naoto drops another Megidoloan, hopefully wiping out some of the shadows - which it does, two of them, but two remain. Lucina grimaces - it's imperative they knock them out before they return to the shadow - before turning to Souji.]

Souji! [She raises her sword. Time for a team attack?] Lend me your aid!

[He nods firmly. While he had no weapon that would work for the task, he most certainly had Trumpeter to call on. It was a waste of the Mind Charge he'd stocked, but certainly it'd help get rid of the monstrosities they were faced with at the very least. Thanking Yosuke and Teddie for their help and letting Lucina lead, he follows after her as she makes her attack--

--and just as she finishes, without leaving any opening for either of the zombies to strike, calls down through the herald of the apocalypse a Ziodyne, the bolt directed at whichever of the two she didn't attack.]

[She takes point, and she takes it easily, allowing the hours of training to saturate her mind and guide her body, to actually be put to use - and she may just possibly have finished one of the shadows off with a rather distinct, flash move, that the Shadow Lucina growls loudly at. Not possible. She shouldn't have that. But she does.

Both of the two lesser shadows stumble at the onslaught, and fall thanks to the Ziodyne - and the remnants of it hits Shadow Lucina, hard, ripping along its wings until, cursing and shrieking, it falls to the ground, paralysed - quite clearly knocked down.

Your call, Souji. Do we all out attack it?]

[It was a perfect opportunity to lay into it, moreso with how cleanly they tore into the opposition as they did. But...there was more that could be gained by relenting, and as he lets Lucina back off, he holds out a hand to tell everyone to hold off on the charge -- opting, instead, to switch to Izanagi and re-focus for another big spell.

He checked Lucina as he retreated himself, monitoring the rest of the team with cursory glances. How was everyone? Had the Heat Riser he cast on her lost its touch? And where were Teddie, Naoto and Yosuke, when it came to being able to keep summoning their Personas?]

[Heat riser was still working fine, and as for the other three, they seem to be doing okay, still having half or more of their SP. It's what comes from having well over a year of experience and fighting Death goddesses, really.

Taking the lead, Yosuke opts to up hit/evasion again whilst Teddie casts a Bufudyne to much of the same fanfare as before; Naoto follows with a Dyne spell of her own which also hits hard, and Lucina makes use of that heat riser before the Shadow gets back up, hitting it with ease and efficiency and hoping that soon, they will triumph, soon, she will be able to say what she needs to say, what she needs to hear.]

[Then they could end this soon. Hopefully.

Souji doesn't hesitate when the others have finished their runs -- bringing the Creator-God out again to let fly with that Mind Charged Megidolaon. If this doesn't pacify Shadow Lucina, then they'll just have to keep at it until it's over. They had the means to.

He just prayed that it wouldn't stretch too far...]

[The Shadow grunts in pain, before it begins to scream - sounding much more child than dragon now - but still, it tries to get up, though its strength is waning.

But as it attempts to stand, Lucina is already there.

I say when it ends.

She hits it one last time, as Yosuke, Teddie and Naoto hit it with their respective Dyne spells - and this time, it does fall.

And doesn't get back up. But still, the scream continues, even as it disintergrates, the dragon fading back into non-existance.

Now all that's left is the child, and it's not really screaming anymore.

It's crying.

These tears aren't fake.]

[When it goes down, he heaves a sigh of relief, still feeling a hint of the hurt that the Shadow put him through. It had gone on for shorter than he'd expected...but then, with everyone having been in top form in spite of a lack of entry into the TV world, it probably said a lot. That, and they'd already seen far worse at this point.

But when the Shadow falls and reverts into its childlike form, he stops and stares at it...almost considerate of something for a moment, before he decides to approach it. His expression remained the same sort of calm that it was throughout the whole thing...though if one bothered to look, there was still a faint tinge of hurt.

There was something he needed to get off his chest as well. And he was going to do that now.]

...Do you still insist that I'd leave her alone?

[The shadow doesn't respond, instead, wailing; loud, audiable sobs.

After a few seconds it chokes out a reply.]

You aren't father, or mother. I don't want Lucina to leave. I don't want to!

I may not be either of them. That's true.

[He clenches his fist again. A subtle sign that even he has his failings.]

But if I left her here...what then? Would you rather she be remembered for dying in a place like this?

No one would remember her.

[There's a pause.]

No. That's not right. [Her eyes flicker to Lucina, who has been watching her, fixated. Almost as if that's actually Lucina's statement and not the shadow. The overlay of both voices isn't imagined, at least. She wipes her eyes.] Inigo. Lissa. Frederick. Owain. Cynthia. Kjelle. Brady. Severa. Gerome. Morgan. Noire. Laurent. Yarne. Nah.

[She says them all in rapid fire, but pauses again, her face confused, but also surprised. It's an odd expression as her gaze settles on Souji.]

And you. Seta Souji.

[The surprise is there, in her voice. But it doesn't seem to be a bad thing.]

[The boy manages a small nod, meeting Lucina's gaze with his own for all of a few lasting seconds. Yes...there would be people to remember her. There would be people who would mourn, who would cry as another name was added to the gravestones. It didn't matter where they were, or what they were doing. They'd have a new hole in their hearts that may never heal.

But there was one name she forgot...]

Yosuke, as well. [He spares a glance to the Junes boy, before returning his gaze to the Shadow.]

She may be alone now. She may have lost her mother, and her father...she may still not want to be here.

But that's why we're here. We'll make this place her home...and help her change the world. [There's only one truth that we'll accept. She will make a difference...and we'll be by her side the whole way.]

Edited 2013-10-23 13:29 (UTC)

04 ❥

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have a yosuke

did someone call for a party up in here

think they did

Hell yes they did. Time for a good old fashioned Shadow brawl! >8|

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