Shin Megami Tensei Persona: Dissonant Strain (Private RP)

[ShadowFolk]

"Hey! It's down! Let's break it's face in!" Kumiko was about to unearth a whole new level of stomping on the downed enemy. She darted forward and did just as she said. Her heel dug into the shadow's face repeatedly. She was making up for being so frightened of it. It's head was a new soccer ball for her to practice on.

 

[PresqueVu]

Yamada raced forward and rammed his spear into it over and over getting in at least one solid kick as well, determined not to let the monster rise up again. He aimed for any and everything vital, surprised that he enjoyed these battles so much.

 

[Cinnonym]

Eventually the Shadow ceases to struggle and its shape melts away into the concrete, dissolving. The three of you stand panting over where it had been, shaken by fear and adrenaline.

HP: =====
MP: ====

Eber looked ahead, gesturing loosely with the flashlight.

"There. That one must have been... patrolling..." Down the way, just on the edge of the light's reach, the tunnel split into two. Neither branch looked particularly more appealing than the other, and Eber wished he had seen which side the Knight had come from. "Strange. I wonder why they possess such vastly different forms."

 

[ShadowFolk]

Kumiko wiped her brow. In most cases one option would have a better outcome, but each direction was bound to bring the same amount of struggle, if not more. It hadn't even occurred to her that there might be more dangerous forms than the ones they'd already seen. How many different shapes could they take? "Well damn. Which way do we go? I say we pick a direction and return later. There's no telling whats down there."

 

[PresqueVu]

Yamada paused for a moment and through it over. "I've no idea how many there are, but I have a feeling we're going to become acquainted with all of them." He stared down the split in the path and badly wanted to go further but he thought on Mizushima's words and realized just how tired he was.

"You're right. We should turn around after we decide on one. There's no telling if more may have appeared behind us. We may have to fight our way there too." He stepped forward to examine each of the two directions and though the left side felt somewhat colder he had a better feeling about it than the other side. "I'd be happy to follow either path, but for some reason I prefer this one."

 

[Cinnonym]

Eber nodded and approached the divide in the path to mark the left side with Kumiko's lipstick. He admired his handiwork for a moment before rubbing his forehead with a hand.

"I feel like my head is full of cotton... If it is like this every time we explore, we must be cautious." Giving the area a quick once-over with the flashlight, he took his two partners and headed back the way they came, to the platform in the distance. "Perhaps we ought to schedule a meeting... Choose a day during the week to discuss our tactics, decide when to return to the tunnels..."

 

[PresqueVu]

Yamada agreed with the idea. "That sounds perfect." He was so much more tired than he was even used to. "Maybe we should exchange phone numbers as well. We have to be in contact if anything arises."

The atmosphere wasn't as heavy as it had been, but still wasn't calm in the least. He was just as intrigued as he was horrified by everything. He wanted to question them about Seiya, but wasn't sure he could get the full effect of their answers in his state.

 

[ShadowFolk]

"Yes, that'd be for the best." the sight of the platform was the greatest thing she'd ever laid eyes on. At least she wasn't as tired as their first battle. "When's a good day for you two?" she thought about the tunnels and her mind went back to Kojiro and the others. "Should we let the others know too?"

Kumiko pulled out her cellphone and exchanged numbers with Yamada. "Hey, Furidomon-kun? What should we do with this?" she flicked her pocket, clinking the vial.

 

[Cinnonym]

"I am not certain. Basketball is beginning soon, so..." He rubbed the back of his head, shrugging. "We will discuss it soon, I am sure."

Eber climbed up onto the platform and reached down to help Kumiko up, "Hang onto that. Perhaps we can examine it with the chemistry class equipment." His gaze went to Yamada and he nodded. "...Excellent work tonight."

 

[ShadowFolk]

"I am so ready to take a shower and go to bed." she reached up and held onto Eber's to hoist herself up. Of course when she was actually up and off of the tracks she thought of a new trail. "We need to think of a better way to get off and on campus at night." Kumiko wracked her brain for ways to get into the girl's dormitory unnoticed.

She stretched and looked over to Eber, "Mind walking me part of the way?" she smiled.

 

[PresqueVu]

He smiled his tired smile and pocketed his phone before he pulled his way onto the platform. "Both of you as well. Thank you for bearing with me."

He turned his attention to the vial and narrowed his eyes. "That's a very odd item to have fallen off one of those things. It's something else we should show the others."

He began to head to the school with them half relieved to be on the way there. He was hoping he'd be able to get up in time to get a few things done before class, but wasn't sure that was going to happen.

 

[Cinnonym]

"Be careful, Yamada. It is late; aside from the streets you also have the campus security to worry over."

He watched the other boy head back and offered his arm politely to Kumiko.

"We will be just behind him. Stay close--only in case."

Eber smiled, tired but still as charming as usual. He brought Kumiko back to the main campus and around one side, keeping an eye on the walls to find a spot to climb over without being caught by camera.

 

[ShadowFolk]

"Thanks." Kumiko waved, whispering a good night before hopping over the wall.

As soon as she made it back to her room she showered off the filth she gained from the tunnels. There was just enough energy left in her to throw something on her body before crashing in her bed, closing her eyes to sleep.

The girl smiled, thinking of the up coming day.

 

[PresqueVu]

Yamada tried to come up with the best way to get on again without being noticed and ended up climbing the fence as well before making his way to his room too. He had the sense of mind to put down his spear and find his way to his bed before collapsing on it and falling dead asleep in his clothes from the day.

 

[Cinnonym]

Eber followed Yukimura back to the boys' dorms, climbing up to his second story window to sneak in; he waved at him from the window sill and then disappeared inside.

------

Those who were out during the night return to bed. When six o'clock comes, you feel ten times as tired as you had when you left the tracks last night... Fortunately, it's Saturday, and that means only a half day of school. You tell yourself you can make it through as you drag yourself out of bed by force.

Everyone except Eber, of course, who is suspended and is able to sleep in today.

[b]SATURDAY: AUGUST 20th, 2016[/b]

Class will begin soon. You'd better get ready.

 

[PresqueVu]

Yamada got up, so exhausted he wondered how he was going to manage the day. His alarm went off as always and he nearly hit the snooze before he pulled himself out of the bed and dragged himself to the shower. He stood there half asleep before remembering what he was there for, bathed, then got out and into his usual uniform. He was pleased, at least, that he didn't have to fix a lunch right now and trudged off to class, trying to look more awake than he feels.

 

[Rosen2012]

Kojiro rolled out of bed as late as possible. He was so tired. He just wanted to go back to sleep. But he had to go to class, and he had work to go to after school, and he had to meet up with Karin. Oh what a long day it would be...

He slowly showered, dressed and made his way out of the boys dorms. His mind half registered that today the security doors were up and running. How wonderful. The day could just not get better. Night wasted, no sleep, horrid sister coming to see him. Yep another stellar weekend ahead of him.


----

When the light from the Saturday sun broke through his window Takuya frowned. Saturday. Already? The night had passed without any appearance of his 'friend'.

He sat on his bed surrounded by mirrors. He had gathered them from several rooms in the house and sat up all night, just staring into them. Its what he had been doing since he saw her that night. Sitting up, waiting, watching. He felt her pulling at him. Mocking him...from somewhere close he knew she was watching him. And he did not like it.

He felt it always, but the most at night. So he sat in the darkness with the mirrors, waiting. But she had not come back. God why was he feeling this pull if the monster was not going to return! It was making him hate her more! How he wanted her to reappear so he could reach out and grab her. To drag her through the reflect surface and beat her until her already dead eyes indicated she was no longer watching him. Looking through him. Right at his soul...

His soul. His lips twitched at the thought. Into a little smile and then faded away. When he heard his alarm clock sound, that indicated it was time to give up. He had set to go off around the time she disappeared on the first night. He had to move the mirrors back into place around the house and get ready for a day of his grandfather's incessant demands. And also to make a few phone calls.

Ah, in about twenty minutes, Seiya would be ready to receive a call from him. He just had to know how the students felt about the new security doors. It put a smile on his face.

 

[ShadowFolk]

Beep! Beep! Beeeep!

?Finally?? Kumiko stretched after spending much of the morning in bed. She slapped her hand on the alarm clock next to her bed. It was creeping passed passed six and she still hadn't gotten out of bed. There was still time to get to school, she'd just wouldn't be early today. "Ok! You can do this. Just a couple of hours and you're free to do what you want."

Kumiko arrived on campus only a few minutes before the bell and sat herself down in her seat, ready for a nap.

-----

Akinari awoke before dawn again. There was just far too much to cook. The little bits of food showed characters from the tale of The Journey To The West. He boxed that up and put it in a separate carrying case than his own. The boy wanted to go right ahead and bring his friend his lunch, but then he figured no other person besides him was likely to be awake at this hour.

He finished his school work, had a quick chat with his mother. He gave Eber a text to see if he was awake enough to take his lunch. It took a couple of minutes for it to register that Eber was probably sleep. He couldn't blame him, if he didn't have to go to school, why wake up? He'd simply deliver the food around lunch time anyway.

Since there was no reply, Akinari went for a jog on his own. Eber was right, he did need to stay in shape for swim team.

When his training had finished for the day he cleaned up and headed for school.

 

[Cinnonym]

Eber was indeed asleep, completely dead on his mattress. His phone went off on his nightstand and he smothered it under a spare pillow. His head felt like a lead weight... Nope, nothing on earth was going to get him out of this bed.

------

Hikaru was at school quite early and lingered in the courtyard, watching worriedly for signs of Kojiro and his friends. She knew that they hadn't remained on campus the previous night, despite her warnings, and she knew that they'd returned... But in what condition? In idleness, she touched the pocket of her bookbag that held the earpiece she used to channel her own Persona. The girl was torn between offering up the technology or hoping that the difficulties of proceeding without it would become a deterrent.

 

[Rosen2012]

With ever step he took into the courtyard, Kojiro felt like he was dragging a set of lead weights around under him. His mood was terrible, not that it usually wasn't, but fatigue made it worse. He looked up and saw Seiya standing around in the courtyard and he sighed.

'Is she here to try and expel me? For crying out loud...' The boy thought about sneaking around her, but decided to face her head on. He walked forward slowly, "Good morning, Seiya-senpai," he managed to grunt out.