| In the Depths of Winter...; [Open to respondents to the thread "Emergency."] | |
|---|---|
| Tweet Topic Started: Feb 3 2014, 09:44 AM (1,439 Views) | |
| Czernobog | Feb 20 2014, 03:46 PM Post #41 |
|
Best Influence.
|
Shin almost swallowed his tongue as the situation went south in a rather spectacular manner rather quickly. The forest was on fire, Kyo Charinko and Jiro Takenaka -- both people with whom he had had disagreements, but who he had no interest in seeing injured -- were in danger of burning up, Chika Nakadachi's persona was some kind of horrible monster, and his nephew had just exploded. He had gotten better, but still. Moreover, he was going to have to apply nuclear magic to Kyo Charinko to heal her. Naoya forced himself up and looked around, frowning. This...wasn't what he had been expecting when he came to. He put his cowl-and-mask back on, and Kalkin appeared above him, the great and terrible horseman raised its torch and there was a flash of light: the blue-green radiance of a diarahan constricted around Kyo, washing away her energies. He didn't feel the dizziness that the third-tier spell had brought over him previously...he was back up to full. Who all was here...? He had heard Jiro speak from behind him, and could see Daichi -- were they actually working together? -- and Kyo. He had recognized Tisiphone, and Hanako was somewhere nearby. There. His uncle. He looked over at Shin, and then pointed out: "Fire won't burn if it ain't got fuel." Shin paused for a moment, thinking about what Naoya said. This was true: fire fighters often used controlled burns to eat up flammable material in the path of a forest fire. With a tired half-smile, Shin nodded, and donned his mask. "Avert your eyes!" he called out as a warning. Solomon flickered into being and then floated up, reorienting so that it was parallel to the ground. The wise king poured out the cup in the direction of the ground, and the fluid within sparked and turned to the pale green radiance of nuclear magic. The tree under which Naoya had sat was highlighted in silhouette, then began to dissolve, the relatively weak -- and utterly natural -- blaze out-competed by the force of the Freidyne. When Shin stopped, the tree was gone, replaced by a glass-walled crater. He gathered strength, preparing to eliminate another burning tree. |
![]() |
|
| The One True Nobody | Feb 20 2014, 04:12 PM Post #42 |
|
"...does this clockwork hand follow you... or guide you?"
|
The Diarahan magic erased all of the stinging that remained in the aftermath of Kyo's stupid, impulsive rescue of Jiro Takenaka. She was left swaying in the residual high of the third-tier magic, staring at Jiro in mingled relief and embarrassment, unsure why she'd been so frantic to save the boy. She hadn't even been doing it for Naoya's sake, as much as her brain reached for that as an excuse. She hadn't even been thinking of Naoya. Chika, for her part, felt Kakeru's healing magic restoring something in her body, but the after-effects of her Pain Siphon spell remained--unaltered, unalterable. When she wondered why there was no change, she heard Tisiphone hiss in derision in her mind. Even with their feeble sympathies, your pain is forever your own. You will not rid yourself of it so easily. The girl pushed herself to her feet, trying to stop herself from shaking, from clutching at her arms and rubbing at her aching muscles. She schooled her face into what she hoped was neutral but what was actually quite strained. "Thanks, Kakeru-san..." she muttered. More importantly, things were heating up around here... And Kyo was a little too close to that not to feel it. The green-haired girl brushed a hand over the hairband she wore, and felt sweat building just beneath it. Her clothes were still smoking a bit where they'd caught fire, though Tisiphone had smothered the flames. She made her way toward Naoya, regardless, swaying a bit from the pain. "You're lookin' pretty healthy for a guy who just exploded," she quipped with a grin, before snapping her finger and summoning her Persona again--it swooped off to the side with a single of its butterfly wings, landing in a crouch next to the next tree Shin aimed to Freidyne into oblivion--when he began casting his spell, she would add her own Freila magic to speed up the process. She looked over at Shin as he worked. The sight of the nuclear magic was, in her case, kind of comforting. Like staring into the sun if it did the opposite of irritating her eyes--if it instead relaxed them. Weird sensation, that. Kyo glanced back, and called: "Chika, don't come any closer 'til the nuclear magic's all done and stuff! In fact just sorta don't come any closer at all, aight? Even I'd take at least an hour t' drain all the rads outta here when we're done!" Chika blinked. She nodded, and hurriedly walked backward up the slope, keeping her eyes away from the scene. Yes, it was probably a good idea to stay out of the area of Shin was using third-tier nuclear magic there. As she turned her eyes down, her attention turned to the BeeZector. It was still attached to her wrist--she lifted up her arm and gave it a little tap on the back, to see if it would move. Seemed to have gone inert, though... had it run out of power? Kyo turned her focus back to Naoya, and wiped a bit of sweat off her brow. "Looks like we both made our next big step forward, huh? But damn, man..." She frowned, narrowing her eyes, and leaning in to whisper to Naoya. "Don't you ever do that again, y'hear me? I mean, shit... I ain't gonna draw it out if you're over it, but, but--shit. Scared the bejeezus outta me." The green-haired girl glanced over at Shin with an uncomfortable look on her face. She didn't want to talk about this with Naoya's uncle so close by. Had he even cottoned onto the fact that the boy had just tried hanging himself? Would it even be a good idea to let him know about that? She decided to leave that in Naoya's hands, and hoped Daichi would do the same. She leaned back and folded her arms over her chest, tapping her foot and panting a little. She could feel the heat of the fire through her Persona's connection, but being so close to Shin's Freidyne magic was more than enough of a counterbalance to keep any real injury from making it back to her physical body. Cereza's hair was looking a bit frazzled, though--and the Umbra Witch didn't look happy about her sudden bad-hair-day. |
![]() |
|
| Prince Arjuna | Feb 22 2014, 12:09 AM Post #43 |
|
-insert something witty here-
![]()
|
Kakeru averted his eyes, feeling the intense radiance from the nuclear spell that Shin had used. Somehow, he wondered to himself about the side-effect of a nuclear spell to their bodies. Would they take too much radiation which might cause something inconvenient like cancer and stuff? Meh, no time to think about that matter. Kakeru nodded when Hanako told him to stay with Chika. "You're welcome," Kakeru said to Chika. It seemed that Naoya would be alright for now. Now they had to deal with the burning trees, and he sighed in relief as he saw Shin working to get rid of them. Forest fire was something that they didn't want to happen, like, at all. He noticed that Chika seemed unwell, and out of concern, he decided to ask her about it. "What's the matter? Still hurt?" he asked. While he might have healed her physical injuries, the pain might still linger. Sometimes, he still didn't get how a healing spell worked. He preferred freezing and destroying things with his powers rather than healing people. |
![]() |
|
| Nonsequitur | Feb 22 2014, 12:23 AM Post #44 |
|
Yellow Bubblegum
|
She did as Shin requested, looking away, closing her eyes and covering them with her forearm. It was still pretty damn bright despite all that. If they kept throwing around radiation like that they'd probably all find out firsthand if magical nuclear spells meant most of them would never have children or not, wouldn't they? "At this rate the fire will be the least of our problems! Let me handle it!" She stepped forward with several Malaqua spells, cast rapidly. True, water could smother away the flames, but that'd require quite a quantity that would probably be more than she was capable of. "Just let me stop this without turning this place into a glow-in-the-dark parking lot, would ya?" She tore off her coat and threw it to Kakeru. "Hold that." Without a second thought, she assumed armored form once more a snails tail instead of legs, long claws on her fingers and in all other ways, resembling somewhat the figure of Medusa that was her persona. She didn't like the idea of being without her Persona for a week after that, but it would get the job done and not give some unlucky hiker radiation sickness if they stumbled upon this site when they were all gone. "Stay out of my line of sight." With that warning, she looked at one of the flaming trees, and her armored forms eyes glowed red. Wood turned to stone and crumbled, flames died out at once. As did everything else that fell within her gaze. And she repeated the process, again and again, with every tree that was touched by flames, and those near them too. She didn't even notice it at first, but soon it was clear. This time it was much more powerful, and terribly destructive. Or perhaps it was this time it wasn't used on an irritatingly resilient Shadow? |
![]() |
|
| Exodin | Feb 23 2014, 10:06 PM Post #45 |
|
MAHHA
|
Jiro looked at Kyo for a moment more, trying to convey an unspoken why. Then averted his eyes as soon as he heard the command to do so. What, so someone was using some sort of magic that could hurt their eyes? He took a few instinctive steps back. Then the fucking trees began to turn into stone! Jiro had realized that 'crazy' was going to become the new normal after the initial shock of having a persona. Yet some things, still got to him. Like you know, putting out forest fires by suddenly turning the forest into stone. What puzzled him more, was why someone in the giant friendship circle had decidedly saved his life at the cost of her own well being. It did not, under any circumstance make logical sense to him. He'd stabbed someone she cared about, so she repays him by saving his life? People weren't supposed to do that. People were vile, they were the worst thing on the planet. So why!? --- Daichi likewise, could not do much except for stay out of the way and not look at the magic that was being cast on the trees. He was more than a little frustrated that Hanako once again was forced to use Armored Form. The concept of being without one's persona for a week seemed...disturbing. Of course, he probably wouldn't ever really understand how it felt until he did it himself. That was, if he ever even ascended. This was no time to brood, even if the boy had to stand by the wayside again and be unable to do anything. Still...Naoya had really tried to....no that was best left between the boy and his uncle. He turned his back to the magic and the trees now becoming stone, his gaze falling on his own two feet. |
![]() |
|
| Czernobog | Feb 23 2014, 10:55 PM Post #46 |
|
Best Influence.
|
Shin stopped when Hanako began to work on the trees, looking away from her and observing them turn to stone. It was the same principle he had been using: destroy the fuel to kill the fire. Of course, stone trees would leave more questions than the glass-walled craters that he left behind, but maybe no one would notice. Possibly. The trees put out, all that was left was some smoldering brush. The problem solved, Shin looked at his erstwhile nephew. His expression was a complicated mixture of relief and a thunderhead of indignant rage. Not all of it was directed at the boy: Shin had to admit that he wasn't too good at providing emotional care for his charge, certainly not since the gut-punch of Naota Imoto's diagnosis of pancreatic cancer and all-too-quick death, nor after the strain of trying -- and failing -- to keep the city from eating itself alive. His nephew was alive. His frantic search hadn't been effective, and he had been too stiff to actually talk to him. He had seen the noose, and they would certainly be talking about it. For his part, Naoya smiled at Kyo as if the two of them were sharing a private joke, but there was something different in his manner. A smoothness in his movements that hadn't been there previously, and something else: if she were to take the time to think back on it, and bothered to care, she might realize that he hadn't blinked once since he "exploded." "Don't worry about it. I'm done with doin' that," he said, simply. Glancing around, he announced: "Let me grab a few things. Sorry to worry you all, you can tell me what an idiot I've been while I pack. Certainly deserve it." He went to the half-melted tarp that had served as the upper part of his tent and pulled it back. Dirty clothes and a canteen sat next to his backpack. It looked deflated without the food he had brought, and he quickly packed what sat in there. "Oh, Kyo, mind ridin' my motorcycle back in? I imagine I'm gettin' an earful about all of this..." he raised his voice. "Sorry, two questions: Anybody hurt? And has anyone seen that goddamn bug robot of mine? Damned thing flew off on me a couple days back and I ain't been able to find it." |
![]() |
|
| The One True Nobody | Feb 23 2014, 11:25 PM Post #47 |
|
"...does this clockwork hand follow you... or guide you?"
|
Kyo blinked quite a lot, and though she hadn't realized it consciously until now, she was very used to watching people's eyes for reactions to things. The lack of blinking caused her grin to drop. She dismissed Cereza once Hanako decided stone trees were a better idea, and halfheartedly called, "Well, y'know, the alternative is I could just hang around here for three hours and let my nuclear drain clear the radiation away, but... eh. Too late now." Hanako was already in armored form, so, no sense arguing about it. She folded her arms over her chest, looked at Naoya through the eyes of her butterfly-mask, and then reached up to remove the mask, sending it back into her psyche along with her Persona with a flick of her wrist. "I think I'm the only one who legit got hurt," Kyo said, glancing at Jiro. "My mom said he's immune to physical stuff, so he'll be fine. Oi, Chika, thanks for the heal!" This sudden statement was punctuated by a Kyo twisting to look over her shoulder, where Chika was slowly approaching. She seemed to be rubbing at her own arms and was slightly hunched over; her face was schooled into an unreadable, neutral expression. To Kakeru's question, she had just shaken her head and muttered "I'm fine" before moving to approach Kyo and Naoya. "...No problem," she mumbled. Then, she held out her right arm, where the BeeZector still clung. "I thought ya sent it out t' get us away. It flew off on its own?" she asked, turning her arm over so that the lightning bug sat atop it, her hand closed in a fist, knuckles-up. "...Anyway, it's right here. Here y'go." Her arm was shaking as she held it there, almost imperceptibly, but it was shaking. The act of holding her arm horizontal was cumbersome. Tellingly, perhaps, Chika was standing more than an arm's length away from Naoya, and her eyes were averted a little, although she seemed less interested in avoiding Naoya's gaze than Shin's--it had only just dawned on her that this was the first time the Inspector had seen her Persona. Kyo looked over at the BeeZector and frowned. Had it been acting on its own? ...And it had latched onto Chika on its own, or had she managed to turn it off somehow? Interesting questions, but this was a bad time to consider them. "I'll ride your bike back, sure," she sighed, rubbing at the back of her head. "Oh, and uh, here--yikes, good thing it didn't catch fire when I did--" Kyo pulled the hat Chika had made for Naoya out from the inside pocket of her jacket (she didn't remember stashing it away, she must have done it purely by reflex), and tossed it to Naoya, figuring he might still be weak to the cold and could use the coverage. As her eyes drifted up to the much-less-seriously-looking scar on his head, it occurred to her that Naoya's stutter seemed to be... not there anymore, or really fucking diminished. Was he--wait, that firestorm explosion thing hadn't healed him that much, had it? ... Okay, this was going to be the subject of more than a few minutes' casual discussion and she wasn't going to get a chance to talk it over with Naoya in private until after he went through his obligatory gang-up telling-off. She decided not to say anything just here-- "Naoya-san, your voice's different," Chika observed quietly, her eyes finally forcing themselves away from the floor and to the boy's face. She was still holding up the BeeZector for Naoya to take as she said it. There was no indication of any awkwardness toward Naoya, but no indication of any particularly strong relief, either. That, too, was something best left for later before any discussion happened. Best to keep it inside for the time being. Even if the pendant he'd made suddenly felt strangely heavier against her undershirt. |
![]() |
|
| Prince Arjuna | Feb 24 2014, 08:53 AM Post #48 |
|
-insert something witty here-
![]()
|
Seeing that the trees were turned into stones, Kakeru made a mental reminder to himself to avoid angering Hanako in any way, or else he might have to pursue a career as a garden decoration. Just one more reason for Kakeru to feel uncomfortable around Hanako. But there's no time to think about it. Naoya was safe. No one were really hurt (except those trees, poor trees). While he felt that he didn't contribute much, he was glad that things seemed to have calmed down a bit. Now, hoping that everything would be done soon, Kakeru remained at the sideline, observing the things that happened around him. He was not personally involved into this matter, and all he could do was to wait and see whether he could provide any sort of assistance or not. Then, he looked at the trees that somehow got turned into solid rocks. Well, it might help to stop the fire from spreading, but it would be odd to have those stone trees around, especially if they were seen by normal people. He sure hoped that they would decide to get rid of them, or even better, giving him the task to get rid of them. That's the least he could do, considering how little his contribution was in this mission. Having nothing better to do, Kakeru remained there, resting his wrapped nodachi across his shoulder while holding Hanako's coat in his other hand. Being an outsider was tougher than being personally involved, the former child assassin thought to himself. |
![]() |
|
| Nonsequitur | Feb 24 2014, 06:09 PM Post #49 |
|
Yellow Bubblegum
|
It seemed unlikely that a uniform and alien scape of perfectly petrified trees was to happen. Hanako's gaze wasn't like that of the Medusa of legend. It did turn things to stone, but not after almighty magic had its way. Magic in its most purest, brute force fashion meant that severely damaged trees that were now produced of brittle stone wouldn't stand long, they'd collapse, into piles of oddly shaped rubble. With large, green eyes, Hanako looked around…there weren't any more trees alight, and the potential messy affair of dealing with radiation had mostly been sidestepped. The long tail coiled around her, and she voluntarily ended the Armored form state, scales showed to the ground, now suddenly frail and brittle. She was dressed as she was before. She was a bit disoriented. It wasn't as bad as last time but… "Naoya…Naoya…" Chika and Kakeru were too far back to see what had happened before the conflagration. Hanako was a head, she saw the noose it was severed, but there was no doubt it was around his neck. Her eyes had a frightening stare when she wanted it to be, sometimes she thought that was the only feature people paid attention about her, and she stared down Naoya with full intensity. She intended to walk right by everyone there, right up to him, and take him by the collar. Her right hand moved before she realized what was going on, an open-palmed slap she directed right at his right cheek. She wanted to say so much. She was glad he was safe, she was furious he was out here, how she'd never have forgiven him if he took his life like he just tried to. But she couldn't say a thing with that lump in her throat, all she could do was scream, and cry, and sob. Everything was getting hazy, misty. Tears spilled down her cheeks. She was scared for him, and angry at him, and glad to see him, and nearly at the the point of despair at what he tried to do. But most of all? More than anything else? She was tired. |
![]() |
|
| Exodin | Feb 25 2014, 12:58 AM Post #50 |
|
MAHHA
|
Now that the fire had gone out and the initial shock of someone who should have let him burn by all rights, instead saving his life. Jiro had time to realize what happened. Naoya did it. Naoya ascended. He had to check though. He had to check which way the ascension had gone. The boys had told each other that if either of them were ever to go...the wrong way with their ascension. That the other would have to deal with them. He owed it to his friend. He might have a promise to keep. The blonde boy began trudging toward Naoya, a look that was a mix of something between anger, fear, and relief all mixed into one. He ignored the girl. The only thing that mattered right now was which way Naoya had gone. "Which way? Descension or ascension? You need to tell me right now! Remember the day at the shrine? So tell me! Tell me right fucking now Naoya! We made a promise to each other. So...tell me." The boy's cheeks were wet. Damned be the Mask right now. His words sounded like pleading even to his own ears. Each boy, and probably everyone else there knew what he wanted to hear. That his friend had done it, actually done it. That he had conquered his own personal demons. So they could all go back and things would go back to the way they were, except even better because the boy was at peace with himself and even stronger now. That was what he wanted to hear. What he knew he needed to hear though, was the truth. --- Daichi began to move when he glanced and saw that all the trees were now turning to rubble. He watched Hanako's walk path, and his face morphed into an expression of concern. Before he knew it, he was walking after her. Seeing a friend in pain was horrible. Seeing his first friend in all of Nagashima in pain was even worse. "Hanako-san...I think we should just let Naoya-san and the Inspector speak to each other." The boy made it a point of entirely ignoring Jiro's presence for now. He reached out to place a hand on Hanako's shoulder. Trying to be as calm and collected as possible. "I know you're upset, we all are. Just...let's take a step away and we'll talk about this okay? You can talk to me." He couldn't do much. What he could do, was be there for a friend and offer his shoulder to cry on. To be the eye of this massive storm, would be a job he would gladly take up if it meant he could be there for a friend. Edited by Exodin, Feb 25 2014, 12:59 AM.
|
![]() |
|
| 1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous) | |
| Go to Next Page | |
| « Previous Topic · Out of Town · Next Topic » |
| Track Topic · E-mail Topic |
2:38 AM Jul 11
|








2:38 AM Jul 11