destinystrings | The Duel Must Go On!

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.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Everything feels so familiar.

The crowd, cheering with all their might; the announcers, although these ones aren't as pretty nor as mean as the one that had been announcing for the P-1 Grand Prix; the feel of Thanatos ready to rip out and give out his first call for the match to begin; her guest as her opponent. The only the new is the weight of the Evoker in her hand, and she feels the upraised marks on the hilt of it it as she begins her steps.

One, two, three. Like Western duels, hm? Cowboys, running across the field. Shooting and dodging blows, then relaxing under starlight.

Four, five, six. Had she gotten stronger -- could she defeat him this time? She had finished that beast, for the moment. Human malice would always rise again, unless one was to defeat it permanently. Could this, she muses, be part of her Journey as well?

Seven, eight, nine -- and a small hop for the tenth. She turns to meet her opponent and smiles. The Evoker's uncomfortable, and she wishes she had her book. Never mind --

"Here is my request for today: Please fight with the intent to kill, just as you did last time."

Minato almost laughed when he was told who he would be fighting - almost being the operative, for he well remembers his last match with her, and although he knows they are limited to only one persona and no weapons, he does not doubt that Elizabeth will remain just as much of a challenge. But there is no point in psyching himself out - he's beaten her before, and how things will go here, well... not knowing was half the excitement.

He's not so sure how much he'll like fighting in front of a crowd like this, but... well, despite his sleepy looks, he's just as much of an adrenaline junkie as Junpei.

And so, when he steps out and turns to face Elizabeth, he can't help but smile, flexing his fingers around the hilt of the Evoker, ready and eager. He meets her gaze and he nods, lifting his Evoker in salute.

"I will. Don't hold back."

She doesn't plan to. She resists the urge to call Thanatos just as she can and instead puts the gun to her head. There's no fear of dying (as they cannot die -- nor is the feeling of overwhelming strength she had felt that day in the Grand Prix washing over her), so perhaps it isn't quite the same. The fear of shooting yourself - the primal instinct of humans to flinch and call forth what power they had in order to save their lives - doesn't apply to Elizabeth.

But she calls Thanatos to her as soon as she pulls the trigger, feeling his power rush up and out. There's no need for introductions, and she unleashes a command instead of letting her Persona introduce himself.

Not that he had ever done so during the Prix, and why should he start now? Hated son of man --

"Thanatos, my God of Death -- show no mercy! Tempest Slash!"

The Persona draws his sword and charges Minato's way, raising it for the strong attack.

Seeing Thanatos again - and seeing it come forth from Elizabeth - is at once startling and yet... not really surprising at all for Minato. It makes sense to him, somehow, that Elizabeth would take to that Persona, given the things she's said, though he has a feeling her Thanatos is probably distinctly souped up, like that one Pixie she'd used. And yet... he finds himself wondering what exactly it means for her... She said she started on a Journey of her own...

But now isn't the time to be startled or to stop and reminisce, so Minato is quick to push his thoughts aside and fall back on adrenaline and instinct. He lifts his own Evoker to his head and pulls the trigger without a second thought - he's done this so many times that it feels like he never really stopped, and the cold shock and the shattering noise - it all feels almost comforting, in a way. Like things are normal again.

He speaks only one word as he fires and gives no orders after, nor does his Persona seek to introduce itself, for although it gleams bright white, it is neither ostentatious nor a facet of his personality that seeks attention, for it is...

"Messiah!"

And at his silent command, the Persona rushes forward, drawing its sword to counter Thanatos, Heaven's Blade against the Tempest Slash...

His Persona's name -- carried on by a voice so familiar in tone, the authoritative order and exciting of meeting him once again in battle...

It's no time to be breathless, however. Messiah -- a rather straightforward legend, one of a man who allowed himself to be sacrificed in order to save the souls of those he loved. It fits him, she thinks. A little too well.

Elizabeth doesn't flinch when the powerful attacks collide, nor when sparks fly from the swords clashing (and admittedly, Messiah's attack would be much more effective had Thanatos not had a resistance to such parlor tricks). It makes an awful sound, though the crowd seems to find it incredibly pleasing and roars even louder than at the beginning of the match.

My, but humans were noisy. This was even greater a sound than the shadowy crowd at that primary high school.

...Primary? Primal? Purgatorial?

No matter; she shouldn't let her concentration waver from the fight, lest her former guest win against her. Thanatos slips to the side instead of continuing the stalemate, heading in for a Vicious Strike at Messiah's side.

Minato does not flinch at the clash of their Persona's swords, either, though it is more of a struggle for Messiah than Thanatos, for it lacks the same resistance to physical damage. Still, the match is still in its beginning, and even this damage is nowhere near enough to stop him yet. Tuning out the noise of the crowd - all it is is a colorful distraction that he really can't afford right now - he once again directs Messiah to spin to meet Thanatos' attack with another one of his own. Messiah only seems capable of Heaven's Blade, but it's just as well, since that is what he wields.

Visually, a more aethetic match could not be asked for, with the dark blues and blacks of Thanatos clashing against the shining white of Messiah - death against one who in many stories defied it and returned...

But of course, it remains to be seen which will be the victor here. And as Minato braces himself against another clash between the pair, he contemplates other options at his disposal.

Elizabeth weighs her choices as easily as she ever has, with a small tightening of lips each time their Personas clash again and again, continuously.

Thanatos would surely continue to wear down Messiah, however if her guest has anything special up his sleeve - and he always does, she reminds herself with a smile - Thanatos would be too worn to contend with it. Even if she had that skill to save her for a retaliation, it might not be enough.

She's also aware that Minato would be aware of her Persona's weaknesses -- it had, after all, been his initially. As a being of power, she had a vast knowledge of the Personas he had summoned from the immense sea of his soul, and if she recalled correctly, her foe's weakness was...

A little longer. If Thanatos couldn't turn the tide - if it continued to be a stalemate - she would use her trump card. It only had a coin's toss chance of working, anyway; an incredibly risky move in a fast-paced battle such as this.

But just clashing would bore their spectators, despite the aesthetic look over the match-up. Showmanship is important in battles such as this, as she's learned from the Grand Prix she entered herself into.

The Duel Must Go On!

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ignore the blood in the icon....

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