Free Battle: Capricorn

[otakuro]

Who: Atsuro Kihara, Open
Where: Leo -> Capricorn District, night
Summary: Skill cracking, magnetite-farming, and leveling up. Atsuro's no stranger to training...
Warnings: None

[private, voice to Ludwig Beilschmidt]
Hey, ah... Ludwig. ...Do you mind if I call you that?

We're getting close to another full moon. ...That's when they said the demons came out in full force, right? I think we should try and get a handle on summoning our Personas before we have to face something else like last time. I've tried to call Enki a few more times; I don't think it's possible just to do it for fun - it might not work unless we're really in danger.

Can we meet tonight by the town hall in Leo? Let's say... about 11:30. I saw you were asking about Personas; I can fill you in on what Enki can do then before we head out.

[public text]
Hey! I'm heading out to do some training tonight. Free Battles are a free action, right? Don't wait up; I won't be getting back until after that 13th Hour.

Feel free to join me if you want.  I'll be outside Capricorn.

[action, town hall]
Half an hour to go.

Atsuro shuffles nervously in front of the hall, his fingers toying with the adjustable strap on his bag.  The text had essentially been spam; he wasn't sure why he'd felt the urge to announce his plans to the whole city.  He'd met maybe ten people here.  Probably three or four of them actually cared.  Naoya, of course, would want to keep tabs on him, but Naoya kept tabs on everything without anyone needing to check in, anyway.

The real reason, of course, was so that someone would come looking if he ended up dead or unconscious somewhere.  He wasn't afraid of the demons... Not really.  A pack of Waira were nothing in comparison to Belberith or Babel.  But he'd been shaken; the idea of being plucked from the verge of defeat by what was essentially a happy coincidence didn't sit well with him.  What if it'd been a one-time deal?  What if his Persona just... never came out again?

Thou art I and I am thou.  He'd never thought of himself as a great fighter.  All he'd ever wanted to do was survive.  No one had asked him to join a team or become a part of something greater - He, along with the rest of Tokyo, had simply been thrust into a situation where they had to pull out all stops if they wanted to live to see the next sunrise.  Of course, he'd given it his all.  But after living through those seven days of terror and panic, these three weeks of leisure had reminded him...  This was what he'd been fighting for.  So that the world would go back to normal and he could resume his normal life.  Did he really want to stay here and keep on fighting?  For some purpose he didn't even fully understand?  Yeah, it was neat and exciting and novel.  But so was the thought of playing an MMO with his forum buddies again, cramming for placement exams, and hanging out with Yuzu and Kazuya at the mall.

...He sighs slightly and shakes himself out of his thoughts.  The important thing at the moment was to gain control of this power he didn't understand.  Making a decision when he still felt lost and confused... Probably wasn't the best idea.

Atsuro finally stops fidgeting and seats himself on the steps of the building, watching the nightlife die down as the 13th Hour rapidly approaches.  Ludwig ought to show up soon.  ...Maybe some others would too.  He finds himself scanning the faces of those passing by, hoping to find someone familiar.

Comments

[otakuro]

At such a range, the shots are far more effective. Though the hollow eye sockets aren't any more susceptible than the rest of the skull, the concussive blast induced by an object traveling at such a high velocity is enough to send it staggering back. The laughter transforms into a shriek as the glowing lights intensify and darken.

Asem may feel his body becoming hot before an Agirama incites a wreath of flames to pop up out of thin air.

[second_destiny]

Asem tried to dodge again, but couldn't fully dodge. He screamed in pain as he felt the skin on his left arm and leg get burned. Not able to come up with anything else, he fired at the skull again.

[otakuro]

The skull can't exactly nullify Pierce attacks, but it seems to believe that in a battle of fleshy human versus grotesque supernatural entity, it can hold the upper hand as long as it keeps the heat on. ...Literally. Even as the skull continues to cackle, the flames continue to lash forth mercilessly.

Asem's shot strikes true; this one pierces the skull entirely rather than being deflected by the density of the material. But it seems the magic continues to be powered with the same efficacy regardless of how damaged the creature truly is.

Behind Asem, a slight moaning noise is evidence that Atsuro is beginning to shake off the incurred paralysis. He twitches slightly as he weakly pats at his pockets.

[second_destiny]

Asem manages to dodge some of it, but those burns are causing him pain. He's grateful when he hears Atsuro, especially since he knows he's used over half his clip on this thing already. He pumps one more shot into the enemy.

"Hey, you all right now?"

[otakuro]

"Nnh..." Atsuro shakes his head once, though it's apparent he means 'yes'. "Status effect. Wears off without lasting effects after a few rounds." He shifts himself onto one shoulder and reaches for his COMP before another burst of flame sets his arm on fire. He frantically waves it away quickly.

"Geez! So this thing specializes in Agi, huh...? How've you been holding up?"

[second_destiny]

Status effect...what was this, a video game? Asem didn't comment on it, but he did take note of it.

"Well enough to survive and do a little damage, but not much better outside of that! But it'd be a waste to call the Gundam over here for a single demon..."

[otakuro]

"I'd be screaming for the Gundam in a heartbeat depending on what demon we're talking about."

Atsuro rolls out of the way as he feels a sudden flare of heat again, barely avoiding the next Agirama. ...Strange. He didn't doubt it was in the Agi class, but it's spread pattern wasn't anything he had seen before. It certainly didn't have the range of a Maragi.

"Laksmi! Give us a Mediarahan!"

A flash of light and the goddess of the dance appears gracefully, casting a surreptitious expression of disgust towards the enemy. She dips low to the ground and a second flash of light shines upon the two boys. Atsuro feels his strength recovering.

"How many shots do you think you have left?"

[second_destiny]

"Four in this clip -- but I've got another two clips on me." Asem stepped back, letting the healing effect work on him. "Was that your Persona?"

[otakuro]

"Nope."

Atsuro takes a breath as he gathers his strength, slowly holding out a hand, palm faced outward towards the demon. As he feels the heat announcing an imminent Agi spell washing over his body, he draws upon that instinctive sense of danger, the inherent fear of injury or death. ...There is a sound akin to shattering glass as the form of a young man wreathed in rushing streams of water appears before Atsuro in the blink of an eye.

"This is my Persona."

As the fire erupts around them, Atsuro's Persona sends a flood of water churning towards the Chatterskull. When flame and water meets, a cloud of mist roils forth, but the Agi isn't enough to stop the flood from forcefully smashing into the demon.

[second_destiny]

Asem watched in awe. Whatever he had been expecting, Atsuro's Persona had shattered it. It was more effective than he could have ever dreamed.

"Wow..."

[otakuro]

((Sorry to keep you waiting again. I've been out of town on hiatus for the last week. Again, feel free to drop if you'd rather not go on.))

"Phew..."

Atsuro allows his Persona to fade with a heavy exhalation. It was still an effort to try and control the power effectively; he takes a step back as the Chatterskull weakly chitters, bobbing about in midair.

"Tch... My dramatic flourishes never finish the demon off. I think it's got a little fight in it le -- "

He's cut off as a wave of flame is spat at his face.

[second_destiny]

It was fortunate that Asem had quick reflexes. While it was distracted, the pilot delivered the pistol whip that he could muster. If he couldn't use his fists and feet, he'd just use his gun instead.

[otakuro]

As Atsuro writhes around beating the fire out of his hair, the Chatterskull advances with a leer... Right in time to get smashed across the head with the butt of the pistol. ...Alright, it was all head, and maybe it didn't even have a brain underneath, but a physical strike was a physical strike.

If Atsuro had been paying closer attention, he would've made a comment about hearing the HP counter rolling down. As it was, the demon goes stock still at this final strike... vibrates in place slightly for a few moments.....

And with a final shriek of laughter, dissolves into an acrid, black smoke.

[second_destiny]

Asem lowered his gun, and stared at the spot where the monster had been just seconds before. "Is that normal?"

[otakuro]

With the demon goes the magic. Atsuro brushes the remaining soot off his prized headpiece before he tries to regain a semblance of dignity. He had a reputation to keep - Demon Hunter Extraordinaire or something along those lines.

"...What, disappearing? Sort of. ...The smoke is new, but they don't usually leave bodies or anything."

[second_destiny]

"Weird." Asem focused on his senses. He didn't want to be caught off-guard again. Already he was trying to form strategies in his mind to counter any more attacks.

[otakuro]

"Convenient." Atsuro remarks. "I'm sure no one wants to clean up after a demon. They're probably not biodegradable." He shudders to think what something like a Legion would leave behind after death.

"So - your first demon encounter! What'd you think?"

[second_destiny]

"I feel like it was a mismatch." Asem relaxed a bit, and lowered his gun. "It took four shots just to do some damage. It didn't even stop from the first two -- just got knocked around a bit."

[otakuro]

"Do you really think this place would've been overrun by demons if a guy with a gun could bring one down in a single shot?" Atsuro's smile is slightly subdued. "I mean, I'm assuming this world had armies, too..."

[second_destiny]

"Maybe, but that's not what I expected anyway. Still, I shouldn't have to empty half a clip into something to only wound it."

[otakuro]

"They're not all the same, defense-wise, either. Some have higher defense or are higher-leveled than others - others have resistances and weaknesses certain types of attacks." Atsuro shrugs in a resigned manner. "Sometimes, you'll shoot or punch and realize that you're actually making them stronger with your attacks."

[second_destiny]

Asem just looked at him in surprise. He couldn't quite understand how that worked.

[otakuro]

"It's... a demon thing." Atsuro looks slightly embarrassed. "Trust me, it gets annoying when everything starts absorbing physical attacks. That's when you hope there's enough Pierce to go around."

...Moving on, then. "So. You want to head back or keep on?"

[second_destiny]

"Head back." This was more difficult than mobile suit combat, so he wasn't confident enough to keep going. "Gotta get used to this one step at a time."

[otakuro]

"Sure. I've had enough of paralysis for one day."

Atsuro takes a moment to return Laksmi to wherever it is the demons waited when they weren't summoned before nodding to Asem.

"...Hey, thanks. Even if you don't think you did much, I'd have been burnt to a crisp if you weren't around."