eatsyourscience | (no subject)

(no subject)

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Yousuke balks, and then begins to absently count on his fingers, trying to think of all the persona he's seen and how many places he's seen them. Even Naoto has to adjust her glasses a bit at learning just how large a number it was.

"And so, after that shadow, you mean to say that any of your persona under the Magician arcana wouldn't respond to you?"

Souji's never discussed the mechanics of his Personas before, not with the other members of the Investigation Team, but he can't think of a reason to keep them in the dark about it.

"I can carry twelve at a time. One of them was Magician arcana. I can't hear him anymore, though."

Everyone goes quiet. They're not sure what to say, having just learned this. Naoto calculates through her theories quickly and airs them as they come.

"Then... we can assume that this place intends to disable you-- senpai-- as we move forward? Since the platforms in the distance seem to follow the same pattern..."

Souji looks at the fog, but can't see through to the next platform.

"Can you tell how many there are?"

Yousuke looks out into the distance.

"I can't see all the way, but there're four or five out there."

The thought of losing four or five more Personas makes a knot of cold spread through Souji's chest. The times he's had fewer than a full twelve, it was either temporary or because he wasn't able to carry that many yet. Now he was used to their voices' lullaby whispers.

On the other hand, he doesn't want to chance losing this arcana permanently. If they continue, then at least they might find some answers.

He lifts the end of his sword off of the ground and shifts it into position at his side, heading toward the new pathway.

"Let's go."

"Wait."

Everyone else had begun to follow Souji, but Naoto stood still.

"You can't see through this fog, can you senpai."

Souji pauses and glances back at her. "The rest of you can."

"Woah woah woah woah woah."

Yousuke runs ahead of Souji and blocks his path.

"We're not just glossing over this. Ted!"

He takes the glasses right off of Souji's face, and holds them in the bear's direction.

"Glasses check."

Souji pulls up short, going a little cross-eyed as Yousuke steals his glasses. Teddie, on the other hand, seeing how serious Yousuke is about it, has put on his game face and hurries forward. The squeaking footsteps ruin the effect somewhat as he takes as he takes the glasses and turns them over, inspecting them. He holds them up in front of his own face, as though to put them on his much-too-large head, then hands them back to Yousuke.

"They look fine!" He smiles brightly. "I'm a master craftsman after all!"

"Interesting..."

Naoto puts her chin in her hand.

"It seems that the tv world is specifically working to disable Souji-senpai. Could it possibly be sentient? To target the strongest in our group..."

It's obvious that she's just talking to herself at this point. She clears her throat and shakes her head.

"Pointless conjecture. It could be any one of multiple things at this juncture. We're in the dark."

"Well, then it's still just like always," Yousuke interjects, "We might as well go on ahead. It's not like standing around is going to get anything done."

"Yes. For now, it's up to Souji-senpai."

Souji nods and Rise steps up beside him, a little too close, as always.

"Don't worry, senpai! We'll watch your back!"

With a slight smile, Souji takes his glasses back from Yousuke and slips them on as he starts to walk again.

"It might not be the same all the way through anyways."

They don't have any problem with continuing. Even with one persona down, Souji still has 10 more than the rest of them. He wasn't in any danger. Right?

That's his hope. Though if the arcanas are going in number order, he's preparing himself for who he'll lose next, picking her voice out among the eleven and listening for any last minute advice before she goes silent. It's like having to say goodbye to a close friend with no warning as to when she'll actually be going, or if she'll ever come back.

Like before, there aren't any shadows on their route toward the next platform, and though the path takes a somewhat circuitous route through the empty air, it doesn't take them long to get there. When they do, it isn't quite like it was before; rather than fog roiling up around them, a fine, crystalline mist forms in the center of the platform, above the giant Roman numeral II.

Souji's in the middle of raising his sword when Scathach's voice rises with urgency and then goes abruptly silent. Down two now, he switches over to another Persona that, if she disappears later on, will at least be with him for awhile.

The pattern is obvious, and the others are already on alert when when they approach the platform. Yousuke shivers from a chill in the air, and Naoto pulls her hat down tight over her brow. They can tell something's coming, but still she launches the question;

"Is it the same as before, senpai?"

Souji nods, his eyes on the feminine form coalescing in front of them. He can make out the curves of her figure, but draped scarves hide her face and hair. All he can see clearly are her legs when the scarves flicker aside, and her arms and hands, each holding a flower, one black, one white.

"I can't hear her anymore." He lifts his sword, ignoring the familiar ache across his shoulders. "She should have ice as her strongest element."

Yousuke cranes his neck to try and get a better look at the shadow.

Naoto slaps him over the head. And she has to reach up to do that.

"Ahh-- Okay, okay!"

"What do you think our approach should be this time? Is there anything about this arcana that is different from the others?"

Souji considers. "This arcana has strong healing abilities." He glanced at Rise, who's already summoned Kanzeon and is scanning the enemy. "Look for buffing skills and healing skills. We need to get around those."

Rise chirps acknowledgment, followed a moment later by, "Good call, Senpai! It'll block most magic attacks."

Both Yousuke and Naoto nod, and attack in near unison with Brave Blade and Vorpal Blade. They'd have to look to Teddie and Souji for support-- but they're confident. This one couldn't be much worse than the last.

With Norn equipped, Souji casts Debilitate to make each attack count for more, and otherwise stuck to healing spells when the Shadow attacked with powerful light and dark skills, holding out one of the two flowers for each.

Despite the Shadow's tactics, it isn't much stronger than the last, and between the four of them, with Rise's help, they're able to progress beyond that platform before long.

Naoto being resistant to light and dark very well dooms the shadow. Carefully dodging instant kill abilities was something they were all used to, and even more so keeping Souji safe from them. If he were to go down, they'd all be lost...

That's what makes this particular dungeon a bit more unnerving than the others.

Yousuke takes his headphones off and shakes out his hair.

"Everyone cool?"

Teddie offers a thumbs up. "Crystal cool!"

Souji's nod is slight, and he presses on after only a moment for everyone to get their bearings. He's on edge, aware of the order in which the voices inside him will wink out and go silent. He wonders if the last few will echo.

He doesn't like any of this. But it doesn't look like they can go back now, and he's not sure he wants to. As much as this is unsettling him from his normal centered calm, he wants to find out what's behind it.

"That's crystal clear, Ted."

While the two continue their usual banter, Naoto looks back at Souji, right under the rim of her hat, silently asking him of all of this is alright.

Souji catches that look from the corner of his eye and gives another small nod. They should press on.

Yousuke stretches his arms over his head.

"How long do you think this is gonna be? You said 22 right? If that's how it is, we'll probably have to take it in chunks like usual."

The others should know too, he thinks, but doesn't add.