destinystrings | The Duel Must Go On!

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

"Hehheh right back at you, chica!" He raised his hands to work up the crowd one last time before they were asked to stand back to back. Man he really towered her, he realized. But size meant nothing! ...he had Jun and Lisa to drill him in that.

Hey Hades? You give em a show too!

Ten...on man it was coming soon...wait how was he supposed to use his gun again. Aim for the head right? Alright, he just had to pick the most dramatic way to do that. His hand tightened on his evoker and he decided right there and then - under the gun.

"ONE!"

Gangster style as he twisted it just enough and fired.

The sensation was different than he was used to. Instead of being a flame of energy bursting out of him, it was like someone had dosed that flame with a few buckets of gasoline. It was stronger than normal calling...but also much more fleeting. Regardless of his own personal feelings, Hades, nearly two and a half times his already high size, was now towered above him. The Ruler of the dead was certainly as flamboyant as the User below him. It raised his skull bouquet into the air.

"I am Hades... King of the underworld who judges the evil and the righteous alike. I am thou... Thou art I... Let us walk this path together...AND LET US CRUSH THY COMPETITION!" Both Hades and Eikichi got into a battle position together.

"HELL YEAH!"

Did Persona talk with other people? He didn't know, but the crowd was eating it up. Maaaan he could do this all day. THIS is what he was talking about and signed up for! Let this place become his stage. Win or Lose, this was going to be Awesome.

"C'mon, babe!" Hades advanced towards his opponent. "Deathbound!" Persona and user spoke at the same time, as Hades used its body weight and bouquet to slam the physical attack into the other.

Edited 2012-10-12 22:06 (UTC)

As the countdown begins, she calms her breathing and focuses. There's no music, or crowd. Only Orpheus and her and the enemy Persona.

Eikichi may have drama on his side, but if there's one thing Minako has learned over the past year, it's being quick on the draw. Her Evoker fires the instant the countdown ends, bringing the usual sound of shattering glass and rush of blue.

"Come! Orpheus!"

In contrast to the opponent, Orpheus' voice is calm and to the point (and also, oddly feminine?) "I am Orpheus, master of strings..."

It didn't seem right not to answer an introduction. But allowing Eikichi the first move is a different matter. Orpheus makes no motion to dodge, but as the physical charge begins, he strums the lyre.

A wall of fire springs to life across the center of the field, directly in the path of the charging Persona. It's a gamble - Minako has no support to tell her strengths or weaknesses. But Maragion seems more appropriate to halt a a charge than Magarula, and she's not ready to pit physical against physical.

Edited 2012-10-12 22:27 (UTC)

"Son of a bitch!" Too late, he couldn't stop Hades from rushing into that fire, and the Persona burst into flames, Eikichi clutching his arms as he felt part of the pain as well, sweat running down his brow.

"GEKKOUKAN'S FIERY WILDCARD HAS FOUND A WEAKNESS OF THE PULCHRITUDINOUS HADOPELAGIC ZONE!"

The crowd broke into cheers.

The Persona finished it's journey slamming into the other, delivering the attack it had ready, still on flames, before disappearing. At least Minako had that to contend with, although it wasn't' as hard-hitting as it should have been, due to Eikichi's mind trying to numb the pain.

She might have struck at his weakness, but her foe was the hard-hitting member of his own group. Eikichi, despite his thinness, was built to take pain. Lisa punched him so many times that he lost count, and he merely got up. He took knives to the chest, and called it even.

"GEKKOUKAN'S FIERY WILDCARD MAY ATTACK AGAIN! THE PULCHRITUDINOUS HADOPELAGIC ZONE MAY ONLY USE AN ATTACK IN AN ATTEMPT TO DEFEND HIMSELF!"

...crap that didn't sound good.

So he had to wait until she attacked him and then use his own attack to stop her? What was this, were they really turning Hades into a glorified goalie defending his net in football?

It was on. The atmosphere just made him want to push harder and he found himself almost growling. He fired another shot in his head this time with a lot more conviction, and the Persona stood above him again.

"Hades! We can't let her just walk all over us with that!" Alright, let her strike first. He was so ready for this.

Minako winces as Deathbound connects, Orpheus' outstretched lyre not doing much to soften the physical blow. But she couldn't have made it through Tartarus if an attack like that broke her concentration. Shadows aren't polite enough to wait their turns like these rules apparently state. Minako isn't sure if she likes that, but still...

The Evoker is raised again, and fired. "Orpheus! Maragion again!"

Hope you're prepared for the heat, Eikichi, because she's not about to let an opportunity past her. This is an all-out attack.

If there was one thing Eikichi was good at, (apart from being beautiful, amazing and...wait who is even writing this) it was learning very quickly what worked and what didn't. An attacking might try to hit him twice, but he'd be ready that second time. Especially since right now he couldn't even attack, just try to defend himself.

She had discovered a weakness. This was now like a game of Jan-ken-pon and he had a good idea of what to do. His guess was (correctly, as he soon realized) that she'd use the same attack again. It was as if the world suddenly slowed down, and she saw that stream of fire coming towards him.

"YOU WANT SOME?!"

He tightened his fists and crossed them, holding it up. Hades did the same, a stream of water from the Malaques spell shot up. He couldn't attack the other Persona with it, but most of the fire was put out, water evaporating quickly. The rest hit Hades head on, and again, Eikichi had to bend down a bit from the pain. It was much less painful this time, and he stood up again quickly.

"THE PULCHRITUDINOUS HADOPELAGIC ZONE HAS DEFENDED HIMSELF SUCCESSFULLY!"

Yeah, thank you announcer guy. The yells of the crowd were oddly satisfying. It didn't matter what happened next; his strength slowly waning or not, he had proved she couldn't just do that on him. Somewhat. Definitely wasn't perfect.

Tch. That was just one time. She could wear him down really quickly if this continued. It was his turn now, right? Time to give it his all.

"We ain't going down that easy, chica! Hades! Sexy Dance!"

It was a risky move, but to be fair, he didn't have as many chances now. Better to go down trying everything he could than to stay here and get roasted over and over.

The water attack takes her by surprise. She's not used to seeing that kind of thing from a Persona, and it meets with approval. It's a bold move.

However, he's out of luck if he thinks that's the only trick she has left. Because first of all...

...his dance doesn't work.

Although seeing Hades sexily dancing is pretty entertaining. But, Orpheus doesn't seem to think so. His lyre gives a discordant twang as she fires the Evoker again. "Sorry, but... Neither will we!"

This time, a torrent of wind follows the lyre. Magarula sweeps across the arena to interrupt Hades' dance routine.

Edited 2012-10-16 03:20 (UTC)

Well, points for trying, he supposed. Hades flew back closer to Eikichi as he took some of the damage, but thankfully he wasn't as strong on his body as the fire had been. Just a normal attack, but he'd already been feeling the pain from the previous two. He had energy and strength to spare, but even The Boss had his limits. He couldn't just hit her, he'd need to weaken her in his turn. Or, at least, try desperate things.

If Minako could see him from her side (or just on the big screen TV that was right behind him), as it went on, Eikichi was become a lot less flamboyant a lot more serious...yet still with that smile on his lips. Was it just confidence or something else entirely?

Hades charges again with a movement of his hand, this time silently, as the Persona twirls its skull bouquet in the air. The three skull's eyes all begin to glow red and he casts Mudoon on the target's Persona. At best, it would cause an instant KO. At worst, it simply wouldn't work.

...well actually at worst she might absorb it, but he didn't want to even think about that (especially when he thought about it AFTER Hades started attacking).

Edited 2012-10-16 06:28 (UTC)

~~At worst she could reflect it back. Good thing you aren't weak to Dark anymore!~~ But, she's not actually immune to Dark, just resistant. Which means the attack misses, after a moment of trying to outrun the sigil.

But the fact that he's even trying to use Mudo skills annoys her greatly. Mudo and Hama skills were some of her biggest sources of trouble when climbing Tartarus. Her irritation reached this level because her team seemed completely incapable of carrying on without her when she happened to be knocked out. When someone else was knocked out, she could hold the party together long enough to revive them again. When it happened to her? Normally, she'd wake up back in the dorm.

It was a big problem. And because of it, she made sure she has a good supply of Homunculi, and fused Personas that blocked or resisted the skills one way or another. When surprised by an enemy such as this, she'd switch to a better Persona for the situation. Which in this case would be Lakshmi, with her Endure Dark skill. But.... she's not allowed to do that in this battle, which still leaves things to chance.

She hates leaving things to chance. And so, more fire arcs across the field. She's not letting him keep the luxury of the offensive.

Edited 2012-10-16 06:52 (UTC)

Chance has not been favorable to him so far. First facing off against a user that carried his greatest weakness, the second that neither of his two spells had worked. The fire spell had been predictable, but to Eikichi's credit, he didn't shy away, letting out a small cry as the fire engulfed the Persona and user.

This time he is knocked backwards, gun fallen on the ground as Hades disappears again. He waited for the announcer to say that the other could go again, but they did not. Instead, the lighting on his side turned red, and the voice rang out above him as he painfully got up and fired another round of the Evoker.

"THE PULCHRITUDINOUS HADOPELAGIC'S ENERGY IS RUNNING OUT! WILL THIS BE HIS LAST ATTACK?!"

How the hell did they even know that? He wasn't sure how much energy he had left himself! Wait...if they had Perssonas and an entire sport was created around it, they'd have some people in the nearby who could scan them. Sure enough when he looked pass the cage on the left, he spotted someone. Tch. Figures.

He listens to the crowd, as some call out his name, others asking Minako to finish him off. Even music starts to ~~play okay wait no not this one~~ play, working the crowd into a frenzy, especially as Eikichi moves into battle position again. Gladiatorial combat at its finest. Perhaps driven by the music or his own thickheadedness, the leader of Gas Chamber was definitely staying up as long as he could breathe. With a movement of his hand, he wipes his nose, looking at Minato like the determined Scorpio that he is who refuses to give in.

The show had to go on.

He knows that he doesn't have much in him left. But there could be one final chance; he's only used his water attack in a defense position. Now it was time to find out if she was like Tatsuya, and if water attacks would harm her like a weakness like fire did to his best friend and rival. If not...then his only chance to even win was to attempt another Mudoon. He could try that right now, but he would never forgive himself if that one attack he hadn't used could have given him a victory. He had to try it. The Dark attack could wait until the next turn.

If he survived that long.

"Never give up! Never surrender!"

"Music will not sooth me this time!" It looked like Eikichi wasn't the only one getting worked up from the fight and the stadium's energy. The fact that it was talking so much seemed to be an interest to the public who cheered even louder, unfortunately raising Eikichi's own ego.

"Let's go, Hades!" The Persona advanced forward again. He raised his bouquet again, moving it like a conductor as the water hissed, cascading from the sky directly towards Orpheus.

Edited 2012-10-16 20:56 (UTC)

It's an intelligent move. If it worked, she would be knocked back, giving him ample opportunity to counter with Mudoon or whatever he decided.

But unfortunately... this isn't Pokemon ~~despite the music~~. Fire isn't always weak to water. The torrential attack does hurt - it's an attack, and she has no particular resistances against it. But she and Orpheus stand their ground, despite becoming damp.

"Finish him, Orpheus!" The command and the attack unleash at once, as Orpheus shoots across the arena, lyre raised, to give the hopefully final Vicious Strike.

The attack sliced the Persona and Eikichi fell backwards again, this time slamming into the ground with an audible crack. The area was deadly silent for a few seconds.

One of the healers moved into position as the countdown started.

"ONE! TWO! THREE! FOUR! FI-"

First a few fingers, then there is movement on his end. The countdown stops, waiting to see what he would do. Logically, Eikichi should have stayed down. Yet instead he stands up and with a shaking hand, and grabs his Evoker again.

He's fought the Crawling Chaos. He could do this.

With a bit of difficulty, he grins at Minako, spitting out some of the blood from his mouth, then shaking a single finger at her. He is definitely running on nothing else but pure adrenaline at that moment, but the crowd was loving him for it. For someone like Eikichi who had craved that public, it was just making things worse. He is literally pushing himself to his limit at this point, unwilling to let her win.

"THE PULCHRITUDINOUS HADOPELAGIC RISES AGAIN!"

He has to use one hand to push up his the other for him to shoot the gun properly, but he does it anyway. Hades appears, flickering in and out.

This is their last chance. Eikichi knows that all too well. If the water attack didn't work, then there was no weakness he had the skills to use. There was just one thing he could do.

He head is spinning, and he shakes it off. Damn this headache, he had a battle to win, dammit! With an almost primitive cry (later he wouldn't be sure if he actually yelled out the attack at all), Hades moves forward to cast Mamudo on Orpheus.

This is it. All or nothing!

At least, that was the plan. his vision starts to blur, but Eikichi still stupidly hangs on, body shaking. When he sees the spell starting to spin around the other Persona, something in him finally gives way. Maybe his own body has had enough of him.

Regardless of what reason finally does him in, he falls to the ground, Hades disappearing a few seconds afterwards, never getting to see if his attack worked or not.

Except it does work. There's really nothing Minako can do to stop it; it's up to the luck of the dice, and this time she wasn't lucky. She orders Orpheus to move as soon as the sigil begins to form in the air in front of Orpheus. He's at the very edge when it flashes with dark energy.

She crumples to the ground, a puppet with cut strings, as Orpheus vanishes and the roar of the crowd winks out.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The Duel Must Go On!

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

Italics have stuff if you hover over them.

ditto.

aww yeah

Re: aww yeah

Wow I am so sorry for these walls of text

no subject

1/2

2/2

no subject