04 - A vacancy for a meatshield is open~

[drakenguard]

Who: Yamato and YOU
Where: Taurus Ward
Summary: Yamato feels like he is The Only Sane Man and he is so sick of scorpions. So sick of them.
Warnings: Er, fight scenes, maybe some cussing.

Somehow in the span of a few days the entire population of Hinoto-Ri had gone insane

It left Yamato feeling a bit wrong-footed really, because everything was devolving as quickly as it had back home. Although there was no void devouring the entirety of world, or aliens invading, there was still the raw panic of people mindlessly reacting to a dangerous situation. Some were screaming in hysterics, some were downright psychotic and violent - and now, on top of all that, strange scorpion like creatures had morphed out of nothingness, vicious and deadly with snapping claws and poisonous stings.

Also Yamato's demon, Arioch, was being difficult with him, enough so that he simply didn't bother summoning him any more. It was just him and Remiel now.

Perhaps it had been a mistake to go out when all of this chaos was unfolding, but Yamato was no the kind to cower or hide when shit went down. So he had strolled out into this insanity, determined to get to the bottom of it...

And somehow ended up getting in skirmishes, retreating and fighting, all the way to the Taurus Ward. Hiding back in his room was sounding more and more appealing with each passing second, especially as he and Remiel were both low on energy - both physical and spiritual. Remiel could only use their physical energy to replenish their spiritual for so long before it began to be more of a liability than anything of use.

So now, to put this tl;dr log to an end, have a somewhat exhausted Yamato and Remiel resting under a protruding eave of what could be a strip club for all he cared. The entrance was closed, and the interior quiet - it was still the middle of the day, after all, despite the nightmarish insanity going on.

Comments

[greatseal]

Minako is in a somewhat similar situation. After making sure someone was looking after Shinji, on hearing the reports of scorpions swarming people she'd grabbed her naginata, evoker, and SEES armband and gone out to see what she could do to help. After a while, though, she'd wound up in this less-savory part of the city, in an area she'd never walked before.

That's when she spots a familiar face sitting to the side of the road. The black coat and silver hair is hard to forget. "Yamato-kun?"

Sorry Yamato, you look her age so you're not getting any extra special formality from her.

[drakenguard]

Yamato almost made a face at the suffix, but refrained from commenting on it. He's pretty lax when it came to titles and such from those outside of JP's, but he still liked to be regarded as an adult, or a superior.

He rose to his feet when - what was her name, ah, right, Miss Arisato - approached him, looking just as scuffled up as he was. He brushed down his coat, straightening up to his full height as he tilted his head in greeting.

"Arisato," he murmured, scrutinising her closely. She didn't seem hysterical, and neither was she sporting the strange eyes of those who have gone violently insane. He relaxed a fraction. "It seems you are one of the few sane ones left."

[greatseal]

She smiles, a little forced because the topic obviously isn't funny. "It sort of seems that way, doesn't it? You haven't been affected either, then?"

[drakenguard]

"I haven't," Yamato replied. A distant shriek that echoed down the street made him tense briefly, and he turned his gaze cautiously on their surroundings. This wasn't exactly a safe place to have a discussion, was it?

"Where have you come from? Is everywhere like this?" It would be troubling if the entirety of the city was overrun...

[greatseal]

No it wasn't, and that's why she's looking around as well. The lack of visible enemies wasn't likely to last much longer. "I was in Libra and Virgo, but ended up pushed this way. There's scorpions everywhere that I could see. Some people are having more trouble with it than others."

[meaningdies]

There was the sound of skittering, and suddenly loud cackling as a golden-eyed Naoya walked out of an alleyway, the front of his shirt stained with blood. Scorpions followed behind him, as did Behemoth.

He stopped as he spotted Yamato - and Remiel.

Remiel.

The one who turned his brother away from him, the one who he had to pretend to not acknowledge while he was in that girl's body, the one who condemned mankind to rule by force.

Naoya summoned Cleopatra, aiming for Yamato. If he took the summoner out, the demon would fall as well - so he let a Hama fly towards the other summoner, a furious expression on his face under the mask. The scorpions swarmed towards the boy as well, pincers clicking menacingly.

[drakenguard]

Yamato had developed a keen sense of instincts in his years as JP's Director, but one didn't have to be a veteran to know that nothing good would come from random maniacal laughter.

He pushed away from the wall, his phone held out and Remiel moving to shield him, just as - Naoya?

Yamato cursed and quickly threw himself to the side in a roll as the spell shot out at him, Remiel moving to take it. The bright light of the spell was voided against the angel, but Yamato had more pressing issues - like the scorpions surging upon him.

This would be when Arioch would have been useful. But nooooo, the demon had to throw a fucking bitchfit-

Yamato managed to get to his feet in time to kick out at one of the scorpions that tried to pierce him with its stinger, frantically casting Judgement upon the horde. A bright light split from the heavens, screaming as it crashed down on all opponents on the battlefield.

[meaningdies]

Naoya hissed as the spell crashed down on him. It was a good move, and if he were thinking logically he would have retreated.

Unfortunately for everyone involved, he wasn't. Cleopatra lashed out, a poisonous fog drifting over the battlefield. Provided it worked, she'd be following up with something else...

[drakenguard]

"Damn-!"

Yamato lifted up his sleeve to his nose as the fog drifted over the battlefield, holding his breath as he hastily backed away. Remiel was at his side in an instant, the angel stretching one wing around him as if shielding him from the fog.

...but Yamato could only hold his breath for so long, and the fog was lingering.

He took stock of his situation then. Scorpions amassing, Naoya was apparently one of the psychotic ones (what a shame), and Yamato was hopeless outnumbered. A retreat would be necessary. Too bad he wasn't exactly...agile.

Yamato lowered his sleeve and inhaled, wincing as the poison fog burned the back of his throat. He coughed but battled through it, turning on his heel and bolting, Remiel following after him.

He hated to retreat - but he was no fool.

[meaningdies]

Naoya followed after him, Cleopatra's eyes glinting and her form just barely out of range. Behemoth trailed behind the two, before tilting over to his side and starting to roll after them.

Better move fast or else there might be a Yamatocake.

[poweryetunknown]

Is that someone approaching them? It's someone approaching them. One of the weird masked people looks like he's getting closer - and then is abruptly set on fire, along with four of the scorpions near them. Neku walks closer, Narasimha in front of him, cracking his knuckles.

"Hey, asshole! Pick on someone else!"

[drakenguard]

Ahh, when the masked man began to approach them, Yamato had prepared to lob out the last of his spiritual energy in an attempt to create a diversion and get the hell out of dodge - but instead...

Oh, finally, someone who isn't insane.

As the masked man and his group of scorpions flailed about, Remiel launched a barrage of Holy Dance against the group, sending them flying across the street - and near obliterating some of the scorpions.

While that distraction happened, Yamato made his way over to the newcomer, although he was openly cautious.

"Ah...you're the one I messaged on the network..."

[poweryetunknown]

"Hey." Neku spotted someone else trying to approach, and sent Narasimha out, jolting them with a Zionga, before returning to hover near Neku and cast a Diarama on Yamato.

"If you're running out of energy or something you should probably pull back. No sense in getting killed over something stupid."

Or well. Killed again.

[drakenguard]

"It's fine," Yamato said, straightening himself up a little. "The Libra and Pisces wards are just like everywhere else, so there is nowhere safe to return to."

[poweryetunknown]

"Seriously? Shit. These things are even worse than the Taboo Noise - at least those didn't swarm all over you." He turned and sent a Mabufu at the approaching swarm, before barreling through some with punches and kicks, darting out of the way of the stingers.

"Oh come on!"

[travelingtheworlds]

From somewhere in the distance, a scream can be heard. "Why isn't it working?! It should be working!"

In runs Sasha, looking positively terrified, a horde of scorpions on her tail. She turns around and launches a long flame with a dragon's head towards the mob, and it knocks some of the scorpions out of the way... only for them to get right back up. "Why isn't my magic working?!" These things were most likely not strong against fire, so something else had to be wrong... she's in big trouble, and the scorpions are pushing her closer and closer to where Yamato is.

[drakenguard]

Yamato normally didn't save those who were too weak to fend for themselves, but the woman's shrieking was becoming painful (he could practically feel it boring into his brain), and if she was overrun well, Yamato would have to deal with the scorpions anyway...

So you're lucky missy. The horde of scorpions were suddenly besieged by a burst of bright light that screamed down from the heavens, making them scatter with pained screeches. Judgement is such a useful spell.

[travelingtheworlds]

Sasha watched the scorpions be blown away with a "Whoa!" She stared at the blank space left by the scorpions for a moment, then turned to Yamato. "Hey, thanks!" she called out before approaching. "I'm sorry about that. For some reason, my magic wasn't working... maybe it's an energy incompatibility here. This must be why my Persona has fire skills on top of my natural magic."

[drakenguard]

Yamato regarded the strange woman with a contemptuous stare. "Persona are still effective against them," he said coldly. "Why didn't you use it?"

[travelingtheworlds]

Sasha could feel the contempt in that stare. Ouch. Being caught messing up by someone who clearly did not tolerate mess-ups did not feel good. "My natural magic is quicker and easier for me to use... but apparently it's not effective on enemies in this world. Must be due to different Mana levels, or something." She paused to huff out a sigh. "I thought it was weird that my Persona had fire skills when my natural element was fire... I guess this is why. Maybe Persona magic is more in line with the energy here than my normal magic is?" Oh, as if she hadn't already goofed enough, she was starting to go on about world mechanics now too. Open mouth, intend to insert foot, kick self in face instead.

hope this isn't too belated?

[fools_journey]

It's been a crazy night, to say the least, and after getting separated from Saori and from other SEES members, Minato isn't quite sure how he wound up in Taurus. But really, it doesn't matter, because no matter where he goes there are scorpions to deal with - except finally here he finds a break in the swarms, and he takes advantage of to rest, as well, ducking under an eave only to realize that someone else already has that idea. More than one someone in fact.

Minato studies Yamato and Remiel for a moment or two before clearing his throat. "Ah... are you -- all right?"

Nope! Backtagging is A-Okay!

[drakenguard]

Yamato stiffened when another figure ducked beneath the eave they were resting under, and he watched them warily, Remiel shifting closer to him in a defensive manner. The stranger didn't appear to be one of the crazed ones...

"...fine. Just recuperating," Yamato replied after a pause, pushing himself away from the wall to settle himself into a firmer stance. "Who are you?"

Hurrah!

[fools_journey]

Minato noted the shift in the stance but he didn't do much with the information other than store it away. That this other young man and his winged companion seemed to be behaving with normal, understandable wariness was enough assurance for Minato to not immediately go on the defensive.

"Ah, my name is Minato Arisato. You?" He glances between both Yamato and Remiel, hoping it's clear he means both of them.

[drakenguard]

"Yamato Hotsuin," he returned. The angel remained quiet, and Yamato didn't offer his name up either. It was unimportant to know, really. "I assume you've been spending the night being chased by these ridiculous creatures as well?"

[fools_journey]

After acknowledging Yamato's name with a nod, Minato nonetheless glanced at the angel expectantly. He was not exactly used to people being accompanied by angels or demons and did not know social protocols associated with that. But as the angel remained unintroduced, his eyes slid back to Yamato and he nodded. "Much of it. ... or dealing with those acting -- strangely."