eatsyourscience | (no subject)

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To begin with, it was Naoto's idea to check up on things in the TV world, and it had become so normal to spend rainy afternoons inside that Souji agreed without requiring much in the way of an explanation, though she provided one anyway. He agreed with all the points she made--that they should keep an eye on the movements of the fog, the density of shadows in various places, if anything had changed since Adachi's defeat--but more than anything, he was beginning to miss that world and the time they spent there.

Chie and Yukiko passed, and so did Kanji when Souji tracked him down at lunch, but Rise was happy to accompany them--a good thing, because Souji didn't think it would be wise to go in without her--and so were Yousuke and Teddie, who agreed with Naoto about the importance of keeping an eye on what was going on in that world. Souji couldn't blame him.

Inside, everything seemed the same. Even the damp smell, the feeling of the fog against his cheeks in odd juxtaposition to the way it vanished in the view through his glasses were the same. He asked Rise to do a scan of the area, but wasn't expecting her excited, staccato announcement that there was a new area she hadn't seen before.

When Kanzeon vanished, Souji glanced around to find everyone looking at him and he almost smiled at how comfortable it had become to see them relying on him. He gave a slight nod and with Rise directing him, led the way past locations they already knew.

They stopped when the ground disappeared in front of them. An expanse of open, empty space spread in front of them, filled with a swirling fog that he could see. Resisting the urge to remove his glasses and clean them, Souji squinted. All that was visible were what looked like several bare, unornamented platforms hovering in the air, each at a greater distance than the last from where they stood.

He looked around, then down, then took a step into open space. Rise called out after him, but trailed off when a walkway materialized beneath his feet, extending for a short distance ahead of him. A few steps across what looked and felt like smooth, gray stone confirmed that it would continue to appear ahead of him as he walked instead of leaving him to step blindly and hope he hadn't come to a corner without noticing. Hefting his sword a little higher, he looked back and nodded to the others that they should proceed.

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Rise's pigtails bounce as she shakes her head. "I would have noticed them when I scanned the place earlier."

It seems impossible, but Souji's not ready to dismiss it yet. Teddie had told them that this world was reality for the people inside it. If that were always the case, then this place has to be someone's reality.

He pauses as they reach a straightaway that leads toward the first open platform.

"There aren't any shadows."

"Yeah. It doesn't feel right."

Their usual sinister creeping forms were nowhere to be found. That was another reason why Yousuke felt so unsettled. Nothing was ever free and easy-- if something felt too good to be true, it probably was.

Naoto still searches for anything that could be used as a clue about the origin of this new area, but it was all so blank. It was very frustrating for her, yet at the same time intriguing. Maybe now that there wasn't anyone to feed off of, the tv world was developing on it's own? But she keeps such half-brained inclinations to herself.

Souji eyes the platform ahead of them. Open spaces have always indicated just a few things in the past--areas where there was treasure or where a powerful shadow was waiting, mainly. He squints against the fog to see if there's anything waiting in the open space, then realizes something.

Looking around at the others, his eyes settle on Yousuke and he points ahead of them with one hand, letting the tip of his sword rest against the walkway.

"Can you see what's up ahead?"

"Well, it's a big platform," Yousuke replies, and looks out into the distance, "it looks like they keep going on for awhile. There's nothing in the way, so I can see pretty far."

He had the same suspicions as Souji, though.

"You think it's a trap?"

Souji looks back down the walkway. He can't see any of the other platforms right now, not with the fog in his eyes, but for the moment, he doesn't ask how Yousuke can.

"I think we should be careful." Although that really goes without saying. He knows it's not something he needs to remind any of them of.

He goes first, aware that they're leaving the choice up to him.

Being a leader wasn't easy. Sure, Yousuke envied the glory that it provided, but didn't envy the responsibility. They wait for Souji because they trust Souji's decisions with their lives, perhaps even better than their own decisions. Yousuke felt that way at least.

The fog is making him feel strange. It isn't like the first time they went into the TV, when he had no glasses and it made him feel sick. He doesn't know how to describe it except that he's starting to feel... Well, it's almost like being hungry. It's like knowing he hasn't eaten in hours, feeling his stomach hollow inside him. But he's definitely not hungry right now. Food is not even close to the forefront of his thoughts.

Still, it seems like at least Yousuke isn't seeing or feeling this fog. He thinks maybe his glasses have stopped working, but he'll wait until after they get past this platform and any dangers it might hold to bring it up.

He takes a few steps onto the platform when he reaches it, giving the others room to gather at his back. There's just enough time for him to register the large Roman numeral I engraved in the stone before he knows something's wrong. That hollow feeling expands into a moment of vertigo. Something's happening, he knows it, but he's distracted by Teddie's exclamation about the path behind them disappearing.

It's just like all the other times-- and it's always the same-- if it looks dangerous, it probably is. Yousuke and Naoto ready their weapons at the slightest inclination of an approaching enemy. Everyone's ready for something either big, or different (or both) since the shadows were acting oddly this time around.

And they're right. A dark fog gathers, seeping up around from the "bottom" of the platform and seeps around their feet, all collecting near the middle of the area.

"This is no problem," Yousuke grins and twirls his kunai in his hands, bumping shoulders with Souji, "we've already beaten the biggest shadow out there. What could they possibly throw at us now?"

"Carelessness is going to lead to your downfall, senpai."

"Shut up Naoto."

Souji can't see how many more platforms there are, but the I gives him a hint about what might be coming. As the dark fog coalesces, though, something feels wrong. Taking his attention away from the new enemy, he counts the voices picking at the edges of his mind and comes up short.

There's a brief stab of panic, but he doesn't have a chance to recover or take further stock of the situation, because the shadow's fully formed now. It's familiar somehow, a creature on fire, each of its four hands holding an item he recognizes if only vaguely. He has enough time to settle his grip on his sword before it gestures with the golden cup it's holding and releases a powerful Fire attack.

Naoto calculates their battle parameters quickly. Both she and Yousuke hold a resistance to agi, and while Teddie concentrates on bufu, it wasn't his weakness. He can still heal freely.

She glances over at Souji, hoping to ascertain what persona he was currently using, but he wasn't moving yet. It strikes her as odd. He was usually the first to go in, but he was hesitating. Yousuke seems to be picking up on this as well, and he tackles Souji in the shoulder to move him out of the way of a vein of fire.

"Rise and shine, partner! We've got fish to fry!"

Souji stumbles a step, but regains his footing, snapping back into focus. Yousuke's right. Whatever's going on, they can discuss it when this fight is over.

He can see Rise's already fallen behind the group and summoned, scanning the target. With a decisive nod, he lets go of his weapon with one hand to summon, switching for the moment to Loki to case Nifelheim. Ice is usually the best bet against a fire-based opponent.

His first guess is correct-- the shadow is obviously more powerful than your usual fare, but no more complex. There's no weakness, but the attack connects with solid force. There wasn't anything quite as strong as Souji's top-level elemental attacks.

Yousuke is more confident with his magic strength, so he attacks with Garudyne. Naoto follows up with Vorpal Blade, testing the monster's physical resistance.

The shadow holds out the pentacle now, and the physical attack, at least, bounces off, back at Naoto. Souji's not sure if this means it reflects physical attacks or if it's using a counter skill, but rather than wait for confirmation from Rise, he lifts his sword and attacks. If it bounces back at him, at least it won't be enough to knock him out.

Naoto takes the hit, and so does Souji, albeit a much lighter one. Yousuke holds back, unsure if another magic cast would bounce off as well. He uses his time casting Diarama on Naoto instead, who took a rather nasty blow from her own attack. She gets to her feet and shakes it off.

"Rise-chan, what's up with this guy?"

"It reflects physical attacks!" Rise's been able to scan the enemy by now, but she still doesn't have all the information. "It doesn't look like it has any weaknesses!"

Teddie follows Yousuke's lead and heals Souji, who's barely skipped a beat before casting Niflheim again. He wants to get this thing out of the way and get some answers.

The shadow casts another Maragidyne, but everyone's ready for it. Yousuke repeats his Garudyne and Naoto pulls out the metaphorical big guns with a Megidolaon. There isn't a whole lot that can stand up to her almighty attacks, and it begins to show fatigue after their combined assault.

It doesn't take much more to defeat the shadow and when it's gone, Souji lets the end of his sword rest against the ground as the beginning of the path appears on the opposite side of the platform. He doesn't move toward it yet, taking several deep breaths, head tilted to the side as though listening for something other than Rise crowing, "We won! Great job!" as she bounces to his side.

It wasn't that trying of a battle, so the others regain their bearings very quickly. Naoto quickly busies herself with investigating the platform and where the shadow disappeared, hoping to find some sort of clue as to the origin of this dungeon. The roman numeral "I" seems to be dominating her attention. Yousuke goes to Souji as usual, but with a purpose.

"You okay dude?" he asks, and claps Souji on the back, "You were zoning out there at the beginning. Did you see something weird?"

Now isn't the time to withhold information. Not when they don't know where this area came from or why it seems so empty of shadows or...or anything.

"One of my Personas disappeared."

Everyone looks up. In truth, none of them are very sure about the nature of Souji's powers. He had a lot of persona, and they changed sometimes, and that was how it went. But otherwise...

Naoto speaks up.

"And that's not a natural occurrence?"

Souji shakes his head, still listening for that voice gone silent, panic starting to bubble in his stomach again. He swallows against it and keeps his expression neutral.

"Unless I dismiss them, they stay with me."

The team looks amongst themselves. None of them completely understood what that meant, but it was still something wrong. Yousuke picks up the line of questioning.

"Are you okay? Should we go back or something?"

Naoto adds,

"Did that shadow have any sort of connection to it?"

He isn't okay. A piece of him is missing. But he continues to swallow back any response to that and nodes in response to Naoto's question.

"Magician arcana." He points at the large I.

"The arcana..."

"Arcana?"

Naoto nods, and naturally launches into explanation whether Yousuke needed it or not.

"The 22 major arcana of the traditional tarot deck, from the Fool at 0 and the World at 21. They're supposed to represent the journey of the Fool as he learns about himself and the world around him..."

She shakes her head, as if stopping herself from continuing into more lengthy exposition. That wasn't important now.

"I've noticed that the information Rise provides us with categorizes the shadows we face into those 22 arcana. Are your persona the same?"

"Geez Naoto, how do you know all this stuff?"

"Yes." Again, Souji answers Naoto and, at least for now, lets Yousuke's question slip past. "All 22."

Teddie's eyes grow exaggeratedly round. "You have that many Personas, sensei?"

Without twitching, Souji answers, "I have 186."