destinystrings | The Final Key

Entry tags:

The Final Key

Who: CLOSED. Nano, Kairi, and a special guest monster
Where: Castle Oblivion
Summary: Nano has a quest leading her deep within Kairi's home, and the redhead is happy to offer her a hand getting there.
Warnings: PG-13 by default

[It would be lying to say she wasn't surprised and perhaps a bit worried to get a call from Nano requesting to travel deep within the castle during the 13th hour, but Kairi was willing to hear her friend out on the matter. And, well, hearing it was a special request from the Velvet Room? She definitely couldn't turn her away from something like that, even if it did get dangerous in there; it'd at least be less so with Kairi around, now that she had inherited the castle. All in all, she had agreed to be her escort.

So, Kairi was waiting on the steps in front of the castle, laying back with fingers entwined behind her head, a small habit she had picked up from extended contact with her best friend. The stars were quite pretty and vibrant tonight, though she couldn't help but feel a twinge of homesickness staring up at them like this, even though that home wasn't technically even hers to speak of. Either way and despite the small bit of negativity, stars still had an overwhelming sense of hope to her, and she quite enjoyed looking up at them when she had an opportunity. So many other people in so many other worlds were looking up at the same sky and stars as she was, with all their own lives and dreams... and maybe, for all Kairi knew, the other her was looking up at them right now too. And maybe, just maybe, orbiting among all those stars way up there was the station, where her loved ones still lived and endured week after week of Val's whims. As long as they carried on... well, there was still hope they could end up here.

Glancing at her watch, a few minutes ticked before midnight would hit; Nano should be here any minute, so long as she hadn't gotten caught up in something. Hopefully she'd get here soon, wouldn't want to miss the rather interesting transformation...]

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[Insides, there is darkness. No gauge to say how deep this room is, and before Nano can have doubts or second guesses, the door slams behind her.

Silence for what seems like forever, or at least until she manages to do something. Maybe it's just waiting for her to do the first move...]

[Nano slowly steps into the room, cautiously looking around even though she can't see a thing.]

Hello...? Who's there?

[No answer.

Something lights up when she steps in, as the floor lights up in a pale blue light, lasting for a few seconds and following her trail until it fades, leaving her into the darkness unless she keeps walking. When she does this, Nano can make out a tiny bit of the area around her.

There are a lot of cables scattered around on the floor and in the air, but it's hard making them out without closer inspection.]

[If moving forward is the only way to get enough light to see, that's what Nano's going to do. She does her best to avoid stepping on the cables or being hit by the ones swinging from the ceiling, keeping her gaze firmly focused on the path in front of her.]

[Now each step starts to make a note. Faint at first (beep) but it follows her slow, careful steps (boop) as the cables are temporally lit before she comes to an entire mass of them, hanging from the ceiling and down to the floor, but not tired up. With the right push, she'll be able to move them away and advance forward.

But who knows what lies ahead.]

>There is a tremendous amount of power radiating from beyond this point. Continue?

[All of the cables hanging around are definitely unsettling, but despite the unease she feels from the combination of the oppressive atmosphere and the feeling of impending danger, Nano knows she has to press forward. Taking a deep breath, she tightens her grip on her sword and briefly clasps the Wayfinder charm hanging from her neck before pushing the cables aside and entering the next area.]

[The cables move as easily as curtains and close behind her. As she steps into another area, it returns to total darkness once again, no sound at her feet, but a pulsating light where she is standing, matching her own heartbeat.

...well, almost total darkness. There's a large sign flashing text from right to left, much like an announcement board. From where she's standing it's not too far in front of her, but the size is gigantic.]

ARE YOU AFRAID?

[She is.

She's very afraid.

Of course she is.

Who wouldn't be?

But Nano knows that there are lots of people who believe in her, and that's how she's learned how to believe in herself. She's accomplished things she never would have dreamed of doing before coming to Hinoto-Ri, and it's all because of the support she's had along the way. And so when she answers, even though her voice may quiver, there is a firm resolve in her heart.]

I... I am! But I'm going to face my fear! Please come out!

BEING FEARFUL IS A VERY HUMAN EMOTION.

[...well it doesn't seem to be too much in a hurry to come out. If the sign is any indication, it may be better for now...]

IS THIS WHAT MAKE YOU FEEL ALIVE?

[Nano flinches back for a moment, not entirely sure how to answer that question. If it was asked in an effort to throw her off, it worked, because now she's focusing all over again on the difference between herself and humans.]

W-well... not just that...! I have friends here, too! Friends who like me for just being me, even if I'm not human like them...

[The lighting under her changes color, now a little more brighter than before, and lighting the next few areas close to her. Still not much to see...this room appears to be very large.]

SO YOUR EMOTIONAL TIES DEFINE WHO YOU ARE?

[That question is far more philosophical than Nano had been prepared for, and probes much deeper into her understanding of herself than she'd really ever bothered to go on her own. Understandably, it takes her a moment or so to process just what she's being asked to answer here, but finally she nods.]

...Yes. Yes, they do!

[Clasping her hand over her chest, she nods again - even more vigorously this time as her voice gains in confidence.]

I wouldn't be here right now without those ties, or without the people I formed them with. I wouldn't be here in this castle, or in this city...

[She pauses for a moment, bowing her head and closing her eyes as she remembers the most important person in her life. Hakase, her best friend and creator.]

...or here at all.

[For the longest while, it seems like there is nothing to answer her new-found confidence but silence. Yet when she reopens her closed eyes, the light under her feet has spread to more tiles, whitish and blue. A music beings, slowly at first before the board in front of her displays another message for her.]

THEN PLEASE PROVE TO ME HOW STRONG THIS CONNECTION TRULY IS!

[The music starts to picks up, and the entire room's tiles light up, as the room groans with the combined with the sounds of electronics being powered on. The giant room's true look is revealed in full. Standing in the center, the presence amplified by the stage lights is a single person holding a brown leather-bond book in one hand. Clad in his usual helmet, there is no doubt that Nano knows exactly who this is.]

[William takes a small bow, before opening his book. Nano would get to go first.]

[The gap between Nano's expectation and reality is as wide as a canyon, and it takes her almost a solid minute to regain her senses as the room lights up around her to reveal her opponent. And once she's able to form coherent sentences again, fighting William is the last thing on her mind.]

W-William-san...! But why? If you and Caroline-san are having an argument, I'm sure you can work it out some other way! Fighting with your siblings isn't good!

[Caroline was the one who gave her this quest, after all. Why would she send Nano here to kill her brother? :(]

[He stands there for a few seconds more, letting her finish panicking before the board behind him lights up again, the red contracting to the blue room.]

DON'T WORRY ABOUT THAT. CONCENTRATE ON WHY YOU'RE HERE.

[And that means fighting and hopefully, defeating him. But if she's not going to make the first move, he is. The book's pages begin to move in rapid succession, before he uses one of his gloved hands to stops and points. Bringing out a card from the book, it glows a bluish light before forming the persona.

The giant monster raises its hand in silence as series of lights lower from the sky and around Nano. The persona then disappears once more.]

[Well, Nano probably deserved that for hesitating. She winces as the lights wash over her, the effect of the spell quite palpable as she feels the strength drain away from her.]

I don't want to fight you, William-san! But if it's really the only way...

[Nano frowns, closing her eyes and shaking her head as she holds out her hand, the Judgement Arcana card floating down in front of her. When she opens them again, she reaches out to punch at the card, shattering it and summoning her own Persona. The trainer stretches her arms out above her head before rushing toward William, arms outstretched to the sides in a yoga pose turned attack.]

[The Velvet Room Attendant moves backwards from the attack. For a few seconds the music stops, the lights of the floor stopping.

Silence. He cracks his neck on one side, before adjusting his tie.

Opening the book again, he takes a card between his middle and index finger before throwing it into the air spinning as it explores and forms a new persona. The man before her grins before casting a first spell on William, then before she can blink, or even react, appears behind her, snapping his finger, causing dark energy to reach from the ground and sap her energy.

Things have gotten very serious now.]

[Nano gasps as William's next Persona takes form. This is one she recognizes from very recently - in fact, it's the one she'd been using before she traded out for her current one.]

Drosselmeyer-san! B-but...!

[Her voice is somewhere between surprised and betrayed. Nano knows that Velvet Room Personas are open to use by anyone, but it still seems a little unfair that one she'd been using personally was now helping to attack her.]

Aaaahhh!

[Nano very nearly falls to her knees from the sheer exhaustion inflicted on her by the sudden energy drain. She does manage to right herself, though, and goes on the defensive this time. The Wii Fit Trainer responds to Nano's will, bringing her hands out in front of her before extending her arms above her head and slowly sweeping them down to her sides, forming a shimmering barrier in the process.]

(Repels the next Mind or Physical based attack.)

[A good choice to go for the defensive, because William doesn't seem to be relenting at all. The moment the barrier goes up, another creature appears before her, unleashing a series of eight physical attacks that cause the barrier to shatter.

Which leaves her vulnerable and in the open again.

This time there is no persona, but rather the Velvet Room resident jumps towards her with one fell swoop, before smacking the giant book across her chest, then back to where he was standing. It's a good thing that Persons make the users stronger, that hit could have caused internal damage to a civilian.]

[Mercifully, William chose two attacks that gave Nano a bit of breathing room. The Orchid Barrier sent the eight tentacle blows right back at him before shattering, and Nano's own Persona absorbed that last blow from the book, channeling the force behind it and rejuvenating her.]

William-san...

[She's not entirely sure whether those particular attacks were chosen on purpose or not - he must know what her Persona's strengths and weaknesses are. Even still, she's grateful for the opportunity she's been given, and strikes back with an attack of her own as her Persona rushes forward to unleash two precise pressure point strikes.]

[The attacks fit their mark, as, once again, William steps back. The music stops again, although this time she can hear something falling to the floor, clacking as it breaks into even smaller pieces.

It's a part of his mask.

There's a bright flash, but not from William. The music changes again. All around here, the wires slither around like snakes, rearranging the scene changes in tune, as the area shifts from a dance floor to the both of them floating into space, with just the small floor area. When the dust has cleared, there's no board in the back of him either. It looks like he won't be 'talking' any more for this battle.]

[His mask is gone, and all that stands before Nano is the black-haired being of power. William takes out another card from the book and crushes it, as a dark-skinned man floats above him and extends his arm, sending a massive amount of fire towards her.

What it makes clear is that the previous actions were just the warm up session. The real fight is now beginning.]

Ahhhhh!

[The fire washes over Nano's Persona, rushing past her and straight toward the little robot herself. She braces herself for the rush of energy, holding her keyblade up in front of her to try to deflect some of the heat. She's not down yet thanks to that earlier serendipitous healing, but she's definitely feeling the pain.]

I understand... if I'm going to win, I really do have to give this everything I have.

[Nano reaches down to her waist, where she's had Kairi's Wayfinder charm securely fastened this entire time. Grasping it tightly in her hand, she holds it out in front of her, nodding seriously back at William.]

I might have to face you alone, but my friends are still here with me in spirit. The bonds I have with them...

[The charm begins to glow.]

...will give me power!

[With a flash of light, Nano calls the spiritual essence of Namine into herself. It won't last long, but hopefully long enough to match William blow for blow. Her stance changes as she takes on some of her friend's characteristics, allowing her power into her own body.]

Prism Rain!

[Holding her replica keyblade, Lunar Eclipse, out in front of her, Nano concentrates as light gathers into its tip. Stepping forward, she points the blade directly at William, the light exploding forth from the sword in the form of a multitude of rainbow-colored beams that go rushing straight toward him.]

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Attack | Debilitate

Attack | God's Hand

Ailment Amp (Mind) | Hell's Judgment (Dark)

Orchid Barricade (Mind)

Hassou Tobi (Physical) | Book Smack (Physical)

Doremi (Physical, 20% Sleep chance if William isn't immune to ailments which I assume he is!)

1/2

Fire Dance (Fire)

1/2

2/2 - Prism Rain (Physical/Light)