The Duel Must Go On!

[stringmods]

Who: Tournament Fighters and those who wish to watch them.
Where: Aries Arena & Televised
Summary: 10/10. A day of shooting and Persona battles.
Warnings: D-D-DUELS!

Cloudy days didn't deteriorate citizens of Hinoto-Ri to flock to the Arena that night. After all, there was a special treat promised to them, tickets at ten dollars off the usual price for a sight yet unseen!

The entire place was filled with cheering spectators and for those who missed out, the usual pay-per-view channels were going to post the entire thing live. Or you could go to your local pub. They had all come to see one thing: and it was to see how these newcomers from otherworlds fared in their favorite sport. In a way it was showing the natural pride to them, and watching how they did at it.

Gambling wasn't allowed publicly. So naturally it flourished underground. Odds today were 1:1, those looking to make a lot of money were simply out of luck. Today was a day for watching. And learning.

For those who had answered the call, prizes had been lined up. At best, it was a demonstration. As long as there was entertainment, the public really didn't care who lost or who won.

From the side ring "Jay Queen" and "Bob Sternhammer", the two ringside announcer, excitedly begin the pre-game talk.

"What a crowd today Jay! You can feel and hear the energy coming right off of 'em!"

"A stadium of Ten Thousand filled to the brim! And this ain't even the Grand Prix!"

"Can't blame 'em. Hell, if I wasn't announcing this, I'd be ringside looking at the newcomers. For those at home watching on Pay-Per-View, we're gonna remind you of the few ground rules."

"Tonight's matches are demonstration only. No returning champions, in fact, if you look to the left there, you'll see Seaside Dragoon waving at the ground. He's last year's reigning champ."

"Man they just love the guy."

"Names are drawn based on known skill. Randomization is under the supervision of the Hinoto-Ri Lotto Society."

"Contestants pick their own Evoker ten minutes before the duel, and are asked to fire a blank shot in the air to insure security before it is scanned. Contestants then are brought into their isolation zones and are kept there until they are ready to be brought up to the ring."

"Turns are taken, each allowed only one command from their Personas."

"As usual, Instant Death Spells are forbidden of usage. You may not kill your opponent. If your opponent is knocked unconscious, they have five seconds to get up. You are only allowed to attack your opponents Persona."

"Oh! Looks like the national anthem's gonna start."

There was some singing, as everyone stood up. After, the shouts became louder and louder, as a single man dressed in a tuxedo walked in, grabbing a futuristic microphone and speaking in it.

"LET'S GET IT ON!"

The crowed cheered, as a series of fireworks tore off into the sky.

"This is Bob live from the Outerworld Demo Tournament! Only on Pay-Per-View!"

[OOC- Minako vs Eikichi & Oersted vs Link will be posted as soon as both parties have submitted their titles and theme music.]

Comments

Ludwig vs Hitoshura

[stringmods]

THE MATCH ITSELF

[stringmods]

"First up is one hell of a match! And I use that term for more than just effect."

"Right you are. We've been asked to call her Shura. She's certainly somethin' alright."

"Be glad this is on Pay Per View and you can see everything folks!"

"Considering the demon and Persona population, this isn't too surprise. Wonder what her world is like?"

"Mysteries we may never solve, Jay. Let's look at what we do know..."

As they talked, a few things flashed on the screen.

"She's 18, Sagittarius and her Arcana is...Death."

"What a deadly combination!"

"FROM OUT OF THIS WORLD, OUR FIRST CONTESTANT IS AS BEAUTIFUL AS SHE IS DEADLY! THE DEADLY LOTUS FROM THE VOID!"

As she rose, music filled the coliseum, echoing into the night sky. An image of her was being displayed behind, as her nickname was overlapped in special effects.

"Interesting name choice. Makes you excited to see what type of Persona will emerge from her soul don't it?"

When she was done being raised from the bottom, the music changed as the machines turned again, as the crowd went into a screaming frenzy.

"AND HER OPPONENT, FROM OUT OF THIS WORLD, A GREAT WARRIOR, DAZING AND POWERFUL! HE IS THE LIGHTNING KAISER!"

"Wow! That's a pretty bold name. Speaking of which, his name is Ludwig Beilschmidt, aged...'a few hundred years old. Got any idea what that means Bob?"

"Maybe when you get there, you just forget counting."

"Perhaps. He's a Gemini and his arcana's the Emperor."

Once Ludwig was raised into the air along with the other, the ring around them began to close, forming a metal cage between both, like a long corridor. A team of three healers stood by in the wings.

"If you've just come into this Pay-Per-View special, this is an intergalatic Demonstration matches. Currently we're at the start of the first, The Lightning Kaiser vs Deadly Lotus from the Void. This promises to be interesting."

"Those new to the sport watching we'd like to remind you that Contestants start close to each other, back faced. After that, they take ten steps, Evokers in the air."

"Reminds you of old American Wild West Duels! Crowd loves to count down until they start."

"After that, it's the first who shoots who goes first."

"CONTESTANTS ARE READY!"

"It's starting! And look at the crowd, eating it all up."

"TEN! NINE! EIGHT! SEVEN! SIX! FIVE! FOUR! THREE! TWO! ONE!"

"Here we go!"

[OOC - Ludwig won the coin toss, he goes first.]

[blitzkriegzwei]

This was really something. Ludwig had wanted to test out the effects of his training, but he didn't quite expect there to be so many people. And what an opponent! The "tattooed" woman didn't exactly intimidate him, but he had to admit that those demonic lines made her look a bit imposing. What kind of being was he fighting?

He swallowed nervously when he heard his age read out over the loudspeaker. His nationhood was not exactly a secret (he simply told no one because he thought no one would believe him), but now he was probably going to be bombarded with all manner of questions. Great.

Without a word, Ludwig turned his back and began to take his steps. All business, this one.

SPECTATOR (OR REACTIONS)

[stringmods]

[ineedthemforanalyzing]

Latooni was excited for the first match, especially when she realized that Shura was one of the participants. Even only having met the girl once, she was excited to she what she could do.

The only snag to getting in had been the rule that she couldn't use her COMP glasses to record, which was an understandable rule from an intellectual property perspective, but put a damper on her goal of gathering data on Personas. Fortunately, she'd been tinkering with attaching a similar mini-camera to her regular glasses (they're more ergonomic, after all, or so Shine had explained when replacing her old glasses in the first place) and was confident she could use that to get at least a few minutes of data.

It seemed like cheating, but it's not like she was going to distribute her video. This was strictly for gathering combat data in a simulated environment, like recording matches in Burning PT. At least, she had always assumed that was why people recorded matches in Burning PT.

Pit vs Sasha

[stringmods]

THE MATCH ITSELF

[stringmods]

"Next up is a guy with wings."

"Wait what, you mean like angel wings from a Persona?"

"Yeah. Make you wonder what type of Persona they'll call forth!"

As they talked, a few things flashed on the screen.

"He's 50, Aries and his Arcana is the Chariot."

"Fifty? Guess he's got some sort of secret to stay so young-looking. Well we'll see how he does in an arena with the same name."

"FROM OUT OF THIS WORLD, OUR FIRST CONTESTANT HAS WINGS OF THE PUREST WHITE! THE STEAMROLLING SERVANT OF LIGHT!"

As he rose, music filled the coliseum, echoing into the night sky. An image of him was being displayed behind, as his nickname was overlapped in special effects.

"Hahaha! Steamroller! Think we had a guy named like that two years ago, right Bob?"

"Lasted for three matches! Not bad considering how short the Arena life."

"One of the crazier guys we got! Let's see how this guy does..."

When he was done being raised from the bottom, the music changed as the machines turned again, as the crowd went into a screaming frenzy.

"AND HIS OPPONENT, FROM OUT OF THIS WORLD, EYES AS RED AS RUBIES! SHE IS THE FLAME OF FORTUNE!"

"Flame of Fortune is right! Her name's Sasha Fyer and the area for her age seems to say 'about a century'. We call them as they are on the card folks!"

"Seem to have a few of those in this group. She's a Gemini and her Arcana's the Fortune."

Once Sasha was raised into the air along with the other, the ring around them began to close, forming a metal cage between both, like a long corridor. A team of three healers stood by in the wings.

"If you've just come into this Pay-Per-View special, this is an intergalatic Demonstration matches. Currently we're at the start of The Flame of Fortune taking on The Steamrolling Servant of Light! The entire night's gonna be crazy."

"Those new to the sport watching we'd like to remind you that Contestants start close to each other, back faced. After that, they take ten steps, Evokers in the air."

"It's set up like Westernized Duels. Crowd loves to count with them too."

"After that, it's the first who shoots who goes first."

"CONTESTANTS ARE READY!"

"Here we go! And the crowd's still eating it all up."

"TEN! NINE! EIGHT! SEVEN! SIX! FIVE! FOUR! THREE! TWO! ONE!"

"Here we go!"

[OOC - Pit won the coin toss and goes first]

[gforceinmyfaaaace]

Okay. No.

That sign up there? Should say thirteen. Thirteen. Not fifty, and certainly not up where everyone in Hinoto-Ri can see! Now everyone in the city was going to call him "old man" and "geezer". He said he was fine with being called "sir", not with being seen as a senior citizen on his way to a retirement home in Florida. So he's already riled up before he sees who his opponent is, and once he does, the wings that were once folded in tightly spread open wide.

"You!" he calls out over the noise. "Listen well: the only one making a profit off of my story is Mr. Sakurai and the fine people at Nintendo! The only story you'll be telling your bosses is how I defeated you in the arena!"



Yeah someone's riled up and ready to go.

SPECTATOR (OR REACTIONS)

[stringmods]

Neku vs Atsuro

[stringmods]

THE MATCH ITSELF

[stringmods]

"Next up, it's teenager vs teenager! After all the older guys, let's see how the younger generation goes at it."

"Better than most reality shows! And with Persona battles to boot."

"Only on Pay-Per-View, Folks!"

As they talked, a few things flashed on the screen.

"First up, Atsuro Kihara! He's 17, Capricorn and his Arcana is the Emperor."

"We'll see how he rules over his opponent."

"FROM OUT OF THIS WORLD, OUR FIRST CONTESTANT IS A TECHNICAL KNOW-HOW! HE SITS ENTHRONED UPON THE FLOOD!"

As he rose, music filled the coliseum, echoing into the night sky. An image of him was being displayed behind, as well as his nickname, overlapped in special effects.

"...the hell does that mean?"

"Probably significant in his world."

When he was done being raised from the bottom, the music changed as the machines turned again, and the crowd went into a screaming frenzy.

"AND HIS OPPONENT, FROM OUT OF THIS WORLD, A KID WITH SOMETHING TO PROVE! HE IS THE MOONLIT ELEMENTAL GHOST!"

"Kid's right, his name is Neku Sakuraba and he's only 15. Our youngest contestant today! What guts!"

"Pisces and Moon Arcana. Not too surprised."

Once Neku was raised into the air along with the other, the ring around them began to close, forming a metal cage between both, like a long corridor. A team of three healers stood by in the wings.

"If you've just come into this Pay-Per-View special, this is an intergalatic Demonstration matches. Currently we're at the start of the match of He Sits Enthroned Upon the Flood and The Moonlit Elemental Ghost. This promises to be interesting."

"Those new to the sport watching we'd like to remind you that Contestants start close to each other, back faced. After that, they take ten steps, Evokers in the air."

"It's like old American Wild West Duels. Crowd helps to count too."

"After that, it's the first who shoots who goes first."

"CONTESTANTS ARE READY!"

"It's starting! And look at the crowd, eating it all up."

"TEN! NINE! EIGHT! SEVEN! SIX! FIVE! FOUR! THREE! TWO! ONE!"

"Here we go!"

[OOC - Neku won the coin toss, he goes first.]

SPECTATOR (OR REACTIONS)

[stringmods]

Miki vs Yu

[stringmods]

THE DUEL ITSELF

[stringmods]

"I heard that both of the next contestants have experience with Persona before."

"I was wondering if Philemon had called a few of those. Weirdly enough, neither said they knew him before. One's got experience with an Evoker too. Now we can see how they fight!"

"Only on Pay-Per-View, Folks!"

As they talked, a few things flashed on the screen.

"First up, Miki Sanada! She's 16, Capricorn and her Arcana is the Star."

"Let's hope that Arcana will be her status in the ring after this match!"

"FROM OUT OF THIS WORLD, A DEADLY BEAUTY! THE LUMINOUS LIGHTNING DEFENDER!"

As she rose, music filled the coliseum, echoing into the night sky. An image of her was being displayed behind, as well as her nickname, overlapped in special effects.

"A sensible name. Strange how she mentions defending."

"The contestant is apparently a Jujutsu practitioner although she isn't going to be able to use it tonight..Persona only!"

When she was done being raised from the bottom, the music changed as the machines turned again, and the crowd went into a screaming frenzy.

"AND HIS OPPONENT, FROM OUT OF THIS WORLD, THE MAN OF MANY TALENTS! HE IS THE FOG FIGHTING FOOL!"

"...well I hope that's his arcana or a hell of an ironic nickname."

"Pisces and Fool Arcana. You have a good guess. His name is Yu Narukami and he's 18. We'll see how he does against his younger female contestant. As we learned over the years, age and sex holds no meaning in the ring!"

Once Yu was raised into the air along with the other, the ring around them began to close, forming a metal cage between both, like a long corridor. A team of three healers stood by in the wings.

"If you've just come into this Pay-Per-View special, this is an intergalactic Demonstration matches. Currently we're at the start of the match of the Fog Fighting Fool and The Luminous Lightning Defender. Both are previous persona users with field experience before arriving to the city."

"Those new to the sport watching we'd like to remind you that Contestants start close to each other, back faced. After that, they take ten steps, Evokers in the air."

"Just like old American Wild West Duels. Crowd loves to count them too."

"After that, it's the first who shoots who goes first."

"CONTESTANTS ARE READY!"

"After these matches, the crowd is still excited! We may have won over a few folks with these matches!"

"TEN! NINE! EIGHT! SEVEN! SIX! FIVE! FOUR! THREE! TWO! ONE!"

"Here we go!"

[OOC - Miki won the coin toss, she goes first.]

SPECTATOR (OR REACTIONS)

[stringmods]

Elizabeth vs Minato

[stringmods]

THE MATCH ITSELF

[stringmods]

"...now this is interesting..."

"That it is Bob. For the first time, we have a contestant that once used to be in the Velvet Room."

"A lady that was a sevant of Philemon himself! And now she's here to show her skills as an Evoker user for all of us."

"Only on Pay-Per-View, Folks!"

As they talked, a few things flashed on the screen.

"Her name's Elizabeth! She's...well I suppose I shouldn't expect a contestant like her to have a set age, but she's a Scorpio and her Arcana is the Fool."

"This promises to be interesting."

"FROM OUT OF THIS WORLD, KEEPER OF THE SACRED BOOK! THE LETHAL ELEVATOR ATTENDANT!"

As she rose, music filled the coliseum, echoing into the night sky. An image of her was being displayed behind, as well as her nickname, overlapped in special effects.

"Well she certainly looks the part."

"I don't know how I'd feel having her help me climb up the floors of a Coin building, ha ha ha!!"

When she was done being raised from the bottom, the music changed as the machines turned again, and the crowd went into a screaming frenzy.

"AND HER OPPONENT, FROM OUT OF THIS WORLD, BEWARE OF THE SILENT ONES! HE IS THE QUIET MAN!"

"...the Quiet Man."

"Gemini and Universe Arcana. That's a surprisingly rare one, so I'd watch this match folks! His name is Minato Arisato and the twin brother of another of the fighters tonight. At 17, he is a previous Persona user and knows how to use Evokers. We'll see if that helps him win this battle! But this is certainly something we don't see every day, Velvet attendant and an Evoker user! The match promises to be FURIOUS!"

Once Minato was raised into the air along with the other, the ring around them began to close, forming a metal cage between both, like a long corridor. A team of three healers stood by in the wings.

"If you've just come into this Pay-Per-View special, this is an intergalactic Demonstration matches. Currently we're at the start of the match of a deadly match between The Lethal Elevator Attendant and The Quiet Man. One is a persona users with field experience before arriving to the city, the other a Velvet Room attendant."

"Those new to the sport watching we'd like to remind you that Contestants start close to each other, back faced. After that, they take ten steps, Evokers in the air."

"Just like old American Wild West Duels. Crowd loves to count with them too."

"After that, it's the first who shoots who goes first."

"CONTESTANTS ARE READY!"

"After these matches, the crowd is still excited! They know this is going to be one hell of a thing!"

"TEN! NINE! EIGHT! SEVEN! SIX! FIVE! FOUR! THREE! TWO! ONE!"

"Here we go!"

[OOC - Elizabeth won the coin toss, she goes first. I will toss for the battle result later]

SPECTATOR (OR REACTIONS)

[stringmods]

Oersted vs Link

[stringmods]

THE MATCH ITSELF

[stringmods]

"...So what's next? Two men going against each other!"

"Wait both of them are men? I cuold have sworn they might have been girls..."

"...."

"...normally they both clash using their swords, but today it is Persona Only!"

"Only on Pay-Per-View, Folks!"

As they talked, a few things flashed on the screen.

"His name is Oersted! He's got an unknown age, but is a Virgo and of the Hanged Man Arcana."

"This promises to be interesting."

"FROM OUT OF THIS WORLD, A DANGEROUS FOE TO ALL THOSE HE CROSSES! THE BEARER OF ALL HATRED!!"

As he rose, music filled the coliseum, echoing into the night sky. An image of him was being displayed behind, as well as his nickname, overlapped in special effects.

"...that's a rather bold claim."

"Gotta watch out for this guy, that's all I have to say!"

When he was done being raised from the bottom, the music changed as the machines turned again, and the crowd went into a screaming frenzy.

"AND HIS OPPONENT, FROM OUT OF THIS WORLD, A WARRIOR NOT AFRAID TO WEAR A TUNIC HE IS THE GREEN LIGHT THAT PIERCES THE DARKNESS!"

"Taurus and Star Arcana. His name is Link and he's...17. At least that's what they claim. Apparently there was a ten crossed out..."

"Haha! Tell me we ain't got a scandal on our hands."

Once Link was raised into the air along with the other, the ring around them began to close, forming a metal cage between both, like a long corridor. A team of three healers stood by in the wings.

"If you've just come into this Pay-Per-View special, this is an intergalactic Demonstration matches. Currently we're at the start of the match of a match between The Bearer of All Hatred and The Green Light That Pierces the Darkness. Both seem to lack pants..."

"Those new to the sport watching we'd like to remind you that Contestants start close to each other, back faced. After that, they take ten steps, Evokers in the air."

"Just like old American Wild West Duels. Crowd loves to count with them too."

"After that, it's the first who shoots who goes first."

"CONTESTANTS ARE READY!"

"After these matches, the crowd is still excited! They know this is going to be one hell of a thing!"

"TEN! NINE! EIGHT! SEVEN! SIX! FIVE! FOUR! THREE! TWO! ONE!"

"Here we go!"

[OOC - Link won the coin toss, he goes first.]

SPECTATOR (OR REACTIONS)

[stringmods]

Minako vs Eikichi

[stringmods]

THE MATCH ITSELF

[stringmods]

"So if I'm reading these notes correctly, one of the combatants met Philemon before."

"Interesting right? Although he didn't seem to happy about it...and his opponent is an Evoker using Persona user herself! What a match!"

"The kind of entertainment that you'll only find on Pay Per View folks!"

"We'll be learning something or two tonight I bet folks!"

As they talked, a few things flashed on the screen.

"Minako Arisato is 17, Gemini and her Arcana is the Fool."

"Not like her brother but who knows what might happen!"

"FROM OUT OF THIS WORLD, OUR FIRST CONTESTANT IS THE RADIANT SMILE THAT SHINES UPON THIS WORLD! GEKKOUKAN'S FIERY WILDCARD!"

As she rose, music filled the coliseum, echoing into the night sky. An image of her was being displayed behind, as her nickname was overlapped in special effects.

"So who do you think has advantage here? Minako has a Evoker technology..."

When she was done being raised from the bottom, the music changed as the machines turned again, as the crowd went into a screaming frenzy.

"AND HER OPPONENT, FROM OUT OF THIS WORLD, THE SO-CALLED DEATH BOSS! HE IS THE PULCHRITUDINOUS HADOPELAGIC ZONE!"

"...I'm almost feeling bad for Mayumi having to say that with a straight face. The hell did that kid even find a name like that?"

"I'm thinking a thesaurus."

"And now he's...moondancing as the stage is being raised up?"

"Eikichi Mishina, although there's a note here that he insists his stage name is Michel. We might be dealing with a band leader from another world! 16, Scorpio and Death. Somehow I'm not surprised. The guy seems to love putting on a show, and the crowd's loving it."

"This will either go down as a brilliant showman, or a complete farce."

"Perhaps both, Jay. Perhaps Both."

Once Eikichi was raised into the air along with the other, the ring around them began to close, forming a metal cage between both, like a long corridor. A team of three healers stood by in the wings.

"If you've just come into this Pay-Per-View special, this is an intergalatic Demonstration matches. The final match for tonight, Gekkoukan's Fiery Wildcard vs The Pulchritudinous Hadopelagic Zone. Titles aside, this promises to be interesting."

"Those new to the sport watching we'd like to remind you that Contestants start close to each other, back faced. After that, they take ten steps, Evokers in the air."

"Reminds you of old American Wild West Duels! Crowd loves to count down until they start."

"After that, it's the first who shoots who goes first."

"CONTESTANTS ARE READY!"

"Haha Look at that, the crowd's so hyped up for this you'd think it was the big names out there."

"TEN! NINE! EIGHT! SEVEN! SIX! FIVE! FOUR! THREE! TWO! ONE!"

"Here we go!"

[OOC - Eikichi won the coin toss, he goes first.]

SPECTATOR (OR REACTIONS)

[stringmods]

AFTER THE MATCH

[deathboss]

It was over? He isn't sure anymore. Eikichi didn't feel as dizzy, and slowly the blackness is fading and the blinding lights of the Colosseum where flooding his eyes. There is a Persona above him, and it looks like a nurse of some sort. Silence in his ears, it builds up to screaming. Thousands of people screaming. Someone has won and he quickly looks over to the display screens, rubbing his eyes.

...That isn't his name.

It isn't that Eikichi was a bad loser, far from it. Scorpios were known to never give up despite everything, and he was like that about a fight as well. But he has to admit that losing in front of so many people is, at the very least, disappointing.

Yet he isn't a sore loser either. He'd given his all and he lost. She had the advantage, and she had employed it well. He looks over to see how Minako was doing and realizes she's up as well. So his attack probably did nothing. Tch.

He finally gets up, ignoring the calls that he's still pretty weak and shouldn't be doing that, and walks over to where she is, extending his hand.

"You fought beautifully and with deadly skill, chica," he tells her grinning. "I'm glad to have fought a match against you."