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AWAKENING
Who: Everyone
When: Midnight, July 7th
Where: Green Valley School
What: It is time
Earlier that day, the Navigators' message echo in the minds of Awakened and soon-to-be-Awakened alike.They are being hunted and they need to come together if they are to survive. They must get to the school at all costs...
Perhaps some might think back to horror movies, but for those who chose not to follow the warnings, a feeling of dread will begin to overtake them as the sun goes down until finally they hear an echoing annoyed sigh inside their head.
Seriously, this is not the time to kid around! You want others around you to die? Get going!
If they still chose not to go, they'll quickly find that their muscles are forced to act on their own and they make their way to the school as well with only an hour to spare. The target, a corridor in a wing of the school, is one of many and mostly empty at this time of year. Only a few people move between groups, casting a few confused whispers but ignoring them for the most part.
The phone's countdown continues to tick until the next day. It appears that Luci is still working on getting the network free of whatever is causing this problem for them in the first place, so all they have is the ability to speak to each other telepathically with the help of the Navigators...but perhaps they won't realize that the Navigators can hear everything that they think...and sometimes some thoughts might just leak out...
Whatever's causing this, they'll quickly realize once night falls that we're here. You guys better be prepared...this is it, lambs. Live free or die hard."
It's going to be a long hour inside the corridor.
At exactly 24 hours left to spare on their phone's countdown, all of the lights in the school go out. Anyone who is not Awakened becomes stone statues, unmoving, while the area around them begins to shift and change. The windows shrink to sizes impossible for a human to pass through, cracking as dark mist fills the area around them.
If they walk into the mist, they'll quickly find that they reappear at the end of the corridor, essentially stuck in a loop in a particular area of the school.
They move fast. Looks like they've already trapped you in here...
There’s a terrifying sound of scuttling feet, of a thousand legs moving in the corridors, in the pipes, in the walls and in the ground, as the tiles part like water before they rise above it. In this state, the world doesn't seem to play by the rules, and without the application to give them data, it's impossible to see what's going on...at least until the Shadows reveal themselves.
They look like giant rats, nearly half the size of a full grown human, they are unlike anything they fought before.
As their eyes glow in the dark, mist pours from their bodies constantly, causing the area around them to shift and move . The wallpaper begins to move, the portraits on the walls become corpses, and the lockers begin to grow metal teeth, attempting to pull them inside. The ceiling rises until it's impossible to see. If they are pulled in, they will find themselves thrown out in another part of the corridor, from the ceiling to the ground, or out of a portrait into the other wall - anything to give them significant damage. The school is like a giant, living entity that wants them to die...
Awakened will find themselves in their changed clothes, their magical skills and Persona at their fingertips once more.
However, the Shadows’ targets seem to be the Navigators first...Awakened or not, it does not seem to matter. The Shadows will not ignore Combatants should they chose to fight them, but the rats move towards the Navigators and school's lockers will try to grab them to keep them inside. It seems whatever is after them wishes to destroy the only advantage the group has in battle.
When the Shadows speak, they echo together.
And the Combatants will soon learn how difficult it is to fight these pests.
[OOC: For this prompt, the Awakened will have access to their skills, and the Unawakened will need to be helped out. Additional notes can be found in the OOC part below]
Even the Awakened can't continue this fight alone. They've already had many of their numbers disappear lately...they need reinforcements. With the Shadows giving them so much trouble, help is needed.
And so, a voice echoes inside the Combatants. Their hearts begin to glow, and the rats hiss backwards from the light. A voice will echo inside of their head...
The Navigators, on the other hand...their inner voice is softer. There is knowledge, and they'll need to stay calm if they are to control this chaotic battlefield.
The shadow rats scream together in anger.
The beasts' forms become more chaotic - additional legs on some rats, larger heads and tails on others, gigantic teeth on some, and they begin to match the pattern of the corridor - there's no guessing at what they can do.
Good thing you've got a few of you who can help out with that…
You've only got one shot at this! If you get it angry enough, it will show us its true form instead of this vermin bullshit!
Luci doesn't sound happy.
When: Midnight, July 7th
Where: Green Valley School
What: It is time
THE CURTAIN FALLS
Earlier that day, the Navigators' message echo in the minds of Awakened and soon-to-be-Awakened alike.They are being hunted and they need to come together if they are to survive. They must get to the school at all costs...
Perhaps some might think back to horror movies, but for those who chose not to follow the warnings, a feeling of dread will begin to overtake them as the sun goes down until finally they hear an echoing annoyed sigh inside their head.
Seriously, this is not the time to kid around! You want others around you to die? Get going!
If they still chose not to go, they'll quickly find that their muscles are forced to act on their own and they make their way to the school as well with only an hour to spare. The target, a corridor in a wing of the school, is one of many and mostly empty at this time of year. Only a few people move between groups, casting a few confused whispers but ignoring them for the most part.
The phone's countdown continues to tick until the next day. It appears that Luci is still working on getting the network free of whatever is causing this problem for them in the first place, so all they have is the ability to speak to each other telepathically with the help of the Navigators...but perhaps they won't realize that the Navigators can hear everything that they think...and sometimes some thoughts might just leak out...
Whatever's causing this, they'll quickly realize once night falls that we're here. You guys better be prepared...this is it, lambs. Live free or die hard."
It's going to be a long hour inside the corridor.
THE SHADOWS RISE
At exactly 24 hours left to spare on their phone's countdown, all of the lights in the school go out. Anyone who is not Awakened becomes stone statues, unmoving, while the area around them begins to shift and change. The windows shrink to sizes impossible for a human to pass through, cracking as dark mist fills the area around them.
If they walk into the mist, they'll quickly find that they reappear at the end of the corridor, essentially stuck in a loop in a particular area of the school.
They move fast. Looks like they've already trapped you in here...
There’s a terrifying sound of scuttling feet, of a thousand legs moving in the corridors, in the pipes, in the walls and in the ground, as the tiles part like water before they rise above it. In this state, the world doesn't seem to play by the rules, and without the application to give them data, it's impossible to see what's going on...at least until the Shadows reveal themselves.
They look like giant rats, nearly half the size of a full grown human, they are unlike anything they fought before.
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I ̧s͢ee ͡you. ̡Í ͢see ̢y͞ơu̕ a̧l̛l̷...̢h̡eh ̵he͞h͠ H͘AHA҉H̨AHA̵HAHA!̨
As their eyes glow in the dark, mist pours from their bodies constantly, causing the area around them to shift and move . The wallpaper begins to move, the portraits on the walls become corpses, and the lockers begin to grow metal teeth, attempting to pull them inside. The ceiling rises until it's impossible to see. If they are pulled in, they will find themselves thrown out in another part of the corridor, from the ceiling to the ground, or out of a portrait into the other wall - anything to give them significant damage. The school is like a giant, living entity that wants them to die...
Awakened will find themselves in their changed clothes, their magical skills and Persona at their fingertips once more.
However, the Shadows’ targets seem to be the Navigators first...Awakened or not, it does not seem to matter. The Shadows will not ignore Combatants should they chose to fight them, but the rats move towards the Navigators and school's lockers will try to grab them to keep them inside. It seems whatever is after them wishes to destroy the only advantage the group has in battle.
When the Shadows speak, they echo together.
W͏h̸y fi̶gh̵t̸?̴ ͡I͢gno͟r̵ąnce͏ i͠s͢ b̷lis̨s.̷.͞.͝so͏o̶n ̶de̢at͝h w͘ill͝ e̶n͏ve͞l͏ope̕ ̶you͘.̸ Do̡ņ'̕t ͘str̵u̢ģg̨l҉e̡.
And the Combatants will soon learn how difficult it is to fight these pests.
[OOC: For this prompt, the Awakened will have access to their skills, and the Unawakened will need to be helped out. Additional notes can be found in the OOC part below]
AWAKENING
Even the Awakened can't continue this fight alone. They've already had many of their numbers disappear lately...they need reinforcements. With the Shadows giving them so much trouble, help is needed.
And so, a voice echoes inside the Combatants. Their hearts begin to glow, and the rats hiss backwards from the light. A voice will echo inside of their head...
The time is now. I am thou, thou art I! Your mind is trapped, but I can set your soul free! My other self, will you die, or fight back?
Accept me for who I am! Forge this contract by letting go of your fears! Revolt against this world, and TEAR OUT YOUR HEART!
Accept me for who I am! Forge this contract by letting go of your fears! Revolt against this world, and TEAR OUT YOUR HEART!
The Navigators, on the other hand...their inner voice is softer. There is knowledge, and they'll need to stay calm if they are to control this chaotic battlefield.
The time is now. I am thou, thou art I! Your mind is trapped, but I can set your soul free! My other self, your soul already knows part the truth.
My other self, shall we show them what it means to cross us? Let us finish forging this contract by letting go of your fears! Revolt against this world, and TEAR OUT YOUR HEART!
My other self, shall we show them what it means to cross us? Let us finish forging this contract by letting go of your fears! Revolt against this world, and TEAR OUT YOUR HEART!
The shadow rats scream together in anger.
No! NO NO NO NO ! You're not supposed to Awaken! Stay asleep! You aren't
supposed to awaken! STOP IT! STOP THEM! K̢I͏L͡L!͜ CR̨US̡H҉! ͘D͘ESTR̛OY͘!
supposed to awaken! STOP IT! STOP THEM! K̢I͏L͡L!͜ CR̨US̡H҉! ͘D͘ESTR̛OY͘!
The beasts' forms become more chaotic - additional legs on some rats, larger heads and tails on others, gigantic teeth on some, and they begin to match the pattern of the corridor - there's no guessing at what they can do.
Good thing you've got a few of you who can help out with that…
You've only got one shot at this! If you get it angry enough, it will show us its true form instead of this vermin bullshit!
Luci doesn't sound happy.
OOC
Everyone is able to speak to each together thanks to the Navigator's telepathic abilities (but always keep in mind that any Navigator can hear you even if you try to speak to just someone else).
For now, characters can only use single spells. The boss battle will unlock the teaming up skills.
The lockers that grab a character will throw them out as mentioned in the prompts and will additionally deal DARK damage and may confuse users, causing them to see other users as the enemy. They will need to be healed by any of the dispell spells to cure them.
The Rat Shadows only have 1 HP and attack with physical spells which can poison about 1/4 times (or more if you want to poison your character), HOWEVER they will be constantly going from Fire, Ice, Wind, Electrical, Nuclear, Psy, Dark, Light, Physical and Gun in that order, and switch constantly as to not be hit.
Only Navigators will know when the time to hit them is correct for your character, so make sure to aid them as much as possible! Navigators have also been given additional data regarding how the Shadow rats move and what spells can cause one hit-Kos or what spells can be used against them, so when it doubt, tag it out and see if it hits! There are over a thousand of them, and, as mentioned in the prompts, the school itself is also alive, so feel free to make this as terrifying for your characters as you wish.
An OOC PLANNING POST can be used to ask questions or to form teams.
For now, characters can only use single spells. The boss battle will unlock the teaming up skills.
The lockers that grab a character will throw them out as mentioned in the prompts and will additionally deal DARK damage and may confuse users, causing them to see other users as the enemy. They will need to be healed by any of the dispell spells to cure them.
The Rat Shadows only have 1 HP and attack with physical spells which can poison about 1/4 times (or more if you want to poison your character), HOWEVER they will be constantly going from Fire, Ice, Wind, Electrical, Nuclear, Psy, Dark, Light, Physical and Gun in that order, and switch constantly as to not be hit.
Only Navigators will know when the time to hit them is correct for your character, so make sure to aid them as much as possible! Navigators have also been given additional data regarding how the Shadow rats move and what spells can cause one hit-Kos or what spells can be used against them, so when it doubt, tag it out and see if it hits! There are over a thousand of them, and, as mentioned in the prompts, the school itself is also alive, so feel free to make this as terrifying for your characters as you wish.
An OOC PLANNING POST can be used to ask questions or to form teams.
who said anything about burning the cookies
It comes out in quiet confusion, like a little kid learning for the first time that the teachers do not, in fact, live at school. He hadn't thought there could be anyone like him, was fairly certain his circumstances were....the epitome of abnormal. But then again, he's at least one reality and two lifetimes (and who knows how many years) away from that, anything could happen.
It's not comforting, either, realizing that someone else may have been through what he has. He's a hypocrite who could never think of anyone else as a bad person if they were in his situation, but will condemn himself endlessly. There's a coil of fear in him at the very idea. Another part of him is intrigued, excited by the possibilities, by the thought of power. He's not listening to that part.
But there's something else to focus on. Details. Magic.
"For one thing, all non-magic skills appear to count the same; I'm used to there being five different ways to calculate that. The guns are new, they're apparently different, so maybe they're ranged while the rest is havoc. It's still Personas, they're still much the same, but I can't switch or share with anyone. And Shax doesn't have the senses Chronos did; I can't sense what's around me or read enemy data, it's like going blind with no warning. Shax doesn't even warn me when someone significant is nearby.
And, as far as I can tell, we can't use fusion spells. We created a tornado last time, but that was more like three incredibly amplified garu skills happening at the same place and time and then getting filled with bombs. It was more improvisation than anything, and not what I'd call fusion... It's strange to start with this many skills available, too, I'm accustomed to having to work at strengthening a Persona before it can do much."
There's more to it, the demons are gone and the Shadows are different, and apparently it's not his doing this time. No, everything, all the practical points, it's all different. The question is why, not how.
the cookies are on the world and the world is burning, thus burned cookies
That's not okay.
The radio silence goes on a beat too long, and the voice that comes back can finally be pinned as 'male', just because the emotionless tone is too low a drop on the vocal register. "Not, not the same one. But. Yeah. I do. But- not the place, definitely not the time, hunt me down o'er it later. I'm calling dibs on your healspam when we get a breather, anyway."
Disconnect, or a mute button, it's like trying to have conversations with Pai, or The Old Pai, not this weird new one. And now it's anyone in range of you or The Weird Pai instead of just Them. Either way, there's no white noise or interjection of thoughts into Jun's rant, despite a choice few coming to mind ("isn't a persona a theater term? that shit hasn't been around for decades" or "why would you put bombs in a tornado, i thought my life choices were bad" or "don't ever mention Chronos around me ever again, no hard feels mate").
Never good at casting, but damn was he good at building the foundations, outright inventing in some cases, this conversation is more of a return to home than any weird Awakening Of The Self trope could've ever been.
"Blah blah, again, not a professional anymore, take me with a stone o'salt. First off, I'm not sold entirely on these things being Persona. Personas. Personae? Fuckitwhatevthey're probably just Titled demons. Proof of reasoning! Exhibit A, please stare at my wolfdogthing. It is named Paimonia. Say hi, Pai!" It does not stop to say hi. "Most likely because, back home, I had the actual goetian demon Paimonia on retainer. They've already made it clear they're not my Pai, but details. Both Pais had to fork off my appearance in some way in order to make themselves manifest in reality proper. My-Pai just looked like a crossdressing me in a ponytail, Alt-Pai is... Is. Uh. ...Hm. Alt-Pai is me when my God gets impatient with my bullshitting."
Alt-Pai is a hurricane of broken mirrors wrapped around a bundle of clustered wires, needles, and black black oil leaking from the tears. Alt-Pai is forcibly shoving itself into the form of a wolf because That's What It's Supposed To Be So That Is What It Shall Be. Alt-Pai is also very very clearly not a human body by any definition of the word. Holy shit.
"And we're gonna steamroll right past that! My bet is this whole Awakening thing of voices shouting in our heads was just to get that ability to manifest something proper. Feel free to argue me on that one on account of I have no clue what a Persona is outside of it being from a banned entertainment venue. Exhibit B! I recognize the name Shax. Never met 'em, think he was aaaaa margrave? No, marquis? One of those Born Into Power type pricks. Iiiii-well, I was about to say check Solomon's research but different realities, welp, Exhibit B Edition 2! Level grinding is probably going towards the fusion spells you're talking about rather than powering up the demon itself, as fusing magic is waaaay more annoying than just augmenting an existing spell. Especially when it's opposing elements, what a bitch.
Again, no idea how your persona-thing works, but teal deers, it might be something that works similar to a persona from your world, but isn't, and trying to apply those rules too closely is just gonna much up making sense of it. Also, in regard to not being able to track people, you can take over the seeing eye dog. You can make sense of it, I can go back to stabbing, everyone wins. Traaaaadesieees~"
The music note at the end there is pretty much audible. It is also by far the most offensive part of this conversation. Worst Navi.
no the cookies are with us because we're eating them, who said we're on the world
The main response, that's a little more present tense. There are no comments, exactly, but he isn't really filtering out the way his mind races through information at lightning pace. Persona, theater term, theater acting mama not important right now, referring to a personality or alternate self, not incorrect. A reflection of the self, the true self, an alternate face than the one shown to the world, because no one ever really stops acting. A manifestation of personality. Things repressed, things help back. Goetia, Solomon, demons, old arcane knowledge left behind in his head by something he'll never be completely free of, these are Shadows not demons but they're different Shadows, but no it's all still the same That Room, flickers of deep soothing blue, is still here and involved even if it's different. Everything is different and everything is the same.
"Demons they may be, but not as I'm accustomed to fighting." And part of him tries to pitch in that he didn't just fight them, he commanded them, armies of them. "They're definitely Personae, though. I've been at this since I was seven, I think I know one when I summon one. Still reflections of the self, too. Besides, Igor - has your group met Igor yet? - is still involved, though I suppose his role is different now, too.
The other part makes sense. Hopefully that's the case, and we'll get fusion spells as we go. Many more battles like this and we'll sorely need them. I know my system doesn't apply anymore. But it's related, and this is only my second battle here so I'm still working on the rules. I expected it was possible they'd change when one reality is aborted in favor of another.
What we're up against now are Shadows, not demons, but they're unlike the Shadows I know, too. Maybe this is what Shadows are like without his meddling. They're far weaker and less sentient, which I suppose is a good thing, but there are many more of them. I'd prefer being capable of sensing and fighting like I used to be, but if we could trade - it's annoying that we can't - I'd gladly give up this one."
Long, internal conversations. It's weird, like this. Jun is used to silent communication, but not so specific, and not with anyone but Tatsuya. He definitely needs to go over everything again later, when he has a chance to think properly. This reality is removed from his, naturally, his never existed, but he's still here and the game board is the same but the pieces are different.
that means space cookies hell yes i'm up for this
Instead there's a long, long pause, mostly waiting for Jun to finish, a faint humming in the back of his head of someone possibly not listening to anything being said. Even Pai, for all that it remains attentive at shredding whatever Shadow comes close, still pauses at random to bristle its shards or scratch at a false ear. The idle dismissal lasts until the very end - then it immediately stops.
"Sweet, let's go in order. First: t'fuck is Igor?"
Well.
That answers that one.
"Aaaand second okay throw the weird boondocks dimension one a bone. I'm assuming you know these weird Contracted as Personae and these revenants as Shadows. Is that what they're actually called here, or is that you just throwing terms at the wall? No harsh feelings - until proven otherwise, let's say your world is closest. Is everyone on the same terminology page?"
There's a beat here, an inhale, a nearly visible hesitation, then the idly amused-mocking voices changes back to that strange frigid tone, an absence of anything at all, "Third, do these things indefinitely respawn?"
see i would never burn cookies we intend to eat
But no one ever told them so, did they?
"...Now I think about it, we've had no unified terms for either of them. I've been using what I know because it's extremely similar. The Personae, or Contracted as you call them, have been referred to by their names, as demons, creatures, monsters, I think I heard Stands at some point... In general as long as there's a sense of what we're referring to, it works. As for the Shadows, or revenants or what-have-you, they're mostly referred to as the enemy, or monsters. I'd thought of them as demons at first, but they're not (and the summons are, to some degree), so I used what else I could think of.
However, Eddan's media took to referring to the night murderer as Shadow. Or Shadows, should there be multiple murderers involved. And these creatures are the source of those murders, so there is some basis for that term.
Igor is the master of the Velvet Room. I'm certain you'll meet him eventually, explaining it isn't immediately relevant.
They shouldn't. I don't think they did last month, but anything that survived evaporated at dawn... I can't claim to understand how they function yet."
The tone at the end, the utter absence, is uncomfortable - reminds him of an empty house and an emptier heart, of the spaces between one thought and another where he can still feel another him waiting, hating, an eternal reminder of his sin. Hopefully he's been thorough enough while staying on topic. At least he can keep up the pace in battle.