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destinystrings2013-07-26 09:58 pm
stringmods) wrote in destinystrings2013-07-26 09:58 pm
A Game of Cat and Mouse
It was surely a long and boring day and a half spent in the cages, but finally you're getting to stretch your legs... in the arena, of course.
Without much of a warning, you suddenly find yourself ushered in to a new room, the roaring sounds of cheering demons practically bursting your eardrums with the sheer volume. Looking up, you can see their looming forms seated all around you with no end in sight, as if you were on the field in a large stadium surrounded by seating. However, you seem to be stuck in your own little space, the walls just high enough to prevent any climbing or flying to escape them. Wait... your own space doesn't seem to quite be the right word, as there is someone else stuck in here looking just as confused and overwhelmed as you are.
Ah yes, this was an illegal fighting tournament, wasn't it?
Not a beat later you're dragged into a mental commlink with Q, one of the members of the Seven. Q is gathering all the resources he has available and help is on the way; it just might take a little while yet. Your role is a small but important one: do not succumb to the will of the demons, and do please try to stay alive until your fellow Visitors arrive! He or one of the others in the group will keep you updated as they progress.
So, there it is. You need to stall, to buy time. It might not seem like it sometimes, but demons are pretty simple creatures when you get down to it. As long as they're entertained... well, you could probably stall a fight for as long as needed. Remember, your life and the lives of those stuck in the situation with you depends on it. You don't want this 'fight to the death' to come to its logical conclusion, do you? Q has an entire search team on its way, so hold tight until then.
As the demons continue whoop and cheer, you can hear the sounds of a microphone being adjusted, as if someone is about to speak. The voices begin to quiet down to an excited murmur, and as far as those involved in the tournament are concerned, you could cut the building tension with a knife. After this announcement...it would be time to begin.
(ooc: Welcome to the Arena! Your job is a simple one; keep the crowd interested, and try not to hurt each other too horribly until the cavalry arrives. During your fights, you may find a tag here and there from a demon from the crowd either cheering you on or booing your poor tactics-- sometimes they might even give you some help if you catch their favor. Or maybe they'll throw things at you for being boring, who knows. Be on the look out, and have fun!)
Without much of a warning, you suddenly find yourself ushered in to a new room, the roaring sounds of cheering demons practically bursting your eardrums with the sheer volume. Looking up, you can see their looming forms seated all around you with no end in sight, as if you were on the field in a large stadium surrounded by seating. However, you seem to be stuck in your own little space, the walls just high enough to prevent any climbing or flying to escape them. Wait... your own space doesn't seem to quite be the right word, as there is someone else stuck in here looking just as confused and overwhelmed as you are.
Ah yes, this was an illegal fighting tournament, wasn't it?
Not a beat later you're dragged into a mental commlink with Q, one of the members of the Seven. Q is gathering all the resources he has available and help is on the way; it just might take a little while yet. Your role is a small but important one: do not succumb to the will of the demons, and do please try to stay alive until your fellow Visitors arrive! He or one of the others in the group will keep you updated as they progress.
So, there it is. You need to stall, to buy time. It might not seem like it sometimes, but demons are pretty simple creatures when you get down to it. As long as they're entertained... well, you could probably stall a fight for as long as needed. Remember, your life and the lives of those stuck in the situation with you depends on it. You don't want this 'fight to the death' to come to its logical conclusion, do you? Q has an entire search team on its way, so hold tight until then.
As the demons continue whoop and cheer, you can hear the sounds of a microphone being adjusted, as if someone is about to speak. The voices begin to quiet down to an excited murmur, and as far as those involved in the tournament are concerned, you could cut the building tension with a knife. After this announcement...it would be time to begin.
(ooc: Welcome to the Arena! Your job is a simple one; keep the crowd interested, and try not to hurt each other too horribly until the cavalry arrives. During your fights, you may find a tag here and there from a demon from the crowd either cheering you on or booing your poor tactics-- sometimes they might even give you some help if you catch their favor. Or maybe they'll throw things at you for being boring, who knows. Be on the look out, and have fun!)
off with your head :I
Just, act like everything hurts a lot more than it does. And uh-- brace yourself.
[They couldn't keep talking too long, or the crazy demons that arranged this would probably get angry. So, he took a step back to widen his stance, pulled back his fist, and swung it forward to hit Sam in the stomach-- pointedly avoiding the jaw an the solar plexus, but hopefully it wouldn't do much more than knock the wind out of the guy.]
Mordiggian - Cell breaker
[He trails off awkwardly.] And brace myself...?
[And whoah, he's already starting? Sam gets knocked back, blinking- that hurt, it did, but it definitely wasn't enough to get him out of the game. He lets out a huff. If it's a fight they want, then it's a fight they'll get.]
[But Sam is no expert at physical fighting, (he can't even aim a punch correctly, so that's no go), so he merely stands back and concentrates. Behind him, black tendrils grow out of the ground, and the temperature of the air in the arena drops a few degrees. Finally, the blackness coalesces into something grotesque and monstrous, a creature that stares at Daichi with soulless, empty eyes.]
[And Sam stands beneath it, looking particularly determined for a man who was once falling all over himself in an attempt not to be a bother to anyone else.]
Mordiggian. Cell Breaker.
[Hope you're ready for that attack, Daichi, it's coming straight for you.]
Daichi - Bufu
Uuuhh.... [The sight of the... Persona, did make his stance fall a bit because... holy shit what the hell was he looking at?
wait no time for that
He threw his arms up in defense, bracing himself for the attack.]
Augh--! [Actually, it didn't hurt all that bad-- he'd definitely taken worst than that-- but he fell back onto the floor anyway, making as if it did hurt.
Another grunt, and he sat up, whipping out his phone and holding it forward. He couldn't really summon Taown or Wu Kong and risk them going all-out... so he settled for a regular Bufu spell.
Thank god he still had the weaker level spells in his repertoire.]
Mordiggian- Double Fangs
U-using a cell phone to summon magic, huh?
[He just shakes his head, the expression on his face caught between subtle confusion and a frown. Sam folds his arms, before glancing back at Mordiggian again.]
Double Fangs, Mordiggian.
[And his Persona slithers forward, opening its dark jaws wide to give Daichi a few bites- although they're not that serious, the way it clamps on Daichi's arms as it squirms like a rattlesnake makes it looks like it is.]
Agni - Agi
[He jumped up to his feet as he spoke; normally he would never dare to take his concentration off of the fight with actually trying to be clever, but this as an exception.
The snake bite doesn't hurt that much-- not much more than the Cell Breaker at least. But the sight of that damn thing rattlesnakin' it up like it was gonna actually eat him-- may have made him flinch more than the actual pain.]
Gah-- Agni!
[The hindu deity came forth above him, and a relatively small plume of fire erupted on Sam. He didn't forget that much that it was fake.]
Mordiggian- Mudo
[It's fire.]
[This is the thing that can kill him, the thing that can reduce him down to nothing more than a pile of ashes. This is the thing he hates beyond all reason.]
[So, even though it's small, the effect it has on Sam is tremendous- he throws up an arm to protect himself as his Persona lets out a shriek, and when the damage is done, the look on Sam's face is nothing like the pathetic expressions he had before.]
[The look on his face is one of pure, unadulterated anger. So much so that he looks about ready to go over there and strangle Daichi with his own hands. His voice raises into a shout, his hands curling into trembling fists at his sides.]
Mordiggian! MUDO!!
[And the air darkens around Daichi as Mordiggian screams loudly and launches the attack. Looks like it isn't very happy, either.]
Daichi - Multi-Hit
He was looking fine until he was able to notice Sam's face, and uh... that... didn't look like the face of a guy that was faking it any more.
He put his hands up in front of him, less to try and defend himself from the Mudo attack (though he was pretty sure his heart skipped a beat, even if the attack didn't take), but more from Mordiggian's scream.
Agni disappeared for now, as Daichi ran in close to Sam, thrusting his fists forward in a rhythmic motion towards his opponent for as long as he could-- he was still pulling his punches, but the amount was really just to buy himself time right now, as he called Sam's attention with a loud whisper.]
Hey, what's the idea?! Instant-KO isn't exactly what I'd call stalling, you know!
no subject
He hadn't the least idea what the demons had done to try and encourage these people to actually fight each other, but he was getting the feeling it hadn't been very effective. The murmurs of the demon spectators, all in all, didn't seem terribly satisfied, either...
And then a piercing scream echoes throughout the stadium, a sound that chills him to the very bone. He isn't the only one - A sudden hush comes in its wake. The source is easy to determine; all eyes turn open the horrifying Persona as it lets loose its cry, almost as much a demon as any creature in the stands. And as the wave of darkness descends upon Daichi, Tomokazu quickly grabs at the mic.
"W-What's this...? Seed 9, contestants Samuel Erstwhile and Daichi Shijima -- it's... it's a Mudo spell...!"
The sentence is breathed in disbelief as the announcer stumbles over his own words.
"Folks, this is it! The deadly Mudo-class techniques, a specialty of the Dark races - one brush with that spell and you're down for good! ...And just look at that Persona!"
Daichi cowers in place and the crowd holds its collective breath...
"Ah -- A miss!" For his part, Tomokazu sounds relieved. "But these boys aren't just playing around...! Here comes our defender, fists swinging!"
The cries of the spectators redouble now, and it seems Sam has earned himself a few fans... The screams alternately suggest going for a decapitation next or possibly a Bufu to freeze Daichi before shattering him into a thousand glass shards.
no subject
A large hairy mutt leans over the walls of the stadium now as Sam and Daichi lock in fisticuffs. Panting, it digs around at its feet for a few moments before it comes up with a shining stone grasped in its mouth. The Sukukaja Stone gleams as it flies through the air to land on Sam's side of the ring.
"Take 'em down in one shot; Mudo's as crackin' a go as any, grr! Take this! And make it land next time!"
Sam - Pick Up Item, Mordiggian - Counter
Don't. Ever. Do that again.
[And although it might be attributed to a trick of the light and the flurry of movement, for a second, just a second, those dark blue eyes of his flash yellow before it's gone, as if it was never there in the first place.]
[The crowd is roaring around him, and it's hard to concentrate, but he manages to hear the dog-demon behind him and turns just as the stone clatters to the ground beside him. With a slight growl, he pushes Daichi as hard as he can, just so he can get the space to rush towards the stone- and thanks to his nimbleness, he is able to scoop it up within a matter of seconds. He shouts to his Persona:]
Mordiggian! Counter!
Daichi - Summon, Wu Kong - Attack
It didn't last long though, because in his surprise, his punches stopped and Sam managed to knock him away, sending Daichi flat on his bum, more surprised than harmed.
He shook his head, and got back to his feet, just in time to thrust his arms up to defend against the Counter-- he was glad he'd pulled his punches, because otherwise that would've hurt way.]
Alright... I guess we're not messing around anymore.
[He pulled his cellphone out again, tapping out a few buttons.] Wu Kong!
[In a flash of light, Wu Kong appeared next to him, screeching loudly like-- well, a monkey. What did you expect.
Though uh... Daichi himself couldn't help but gulp at what he was hearing rom the spectators. Decapitation..]
A-- Attack!
[The demon thankfully obeyed, flying forward on its floating cloud to swing the staff down on Sam.]
Mordiggian - Attack
[He jumps back, but the staff hits his shoulder hard as he does so, making him falter for a few second. But he's still got his Persona and his own voice, even if he's not in the right sort of condition to fight.]
[He points at the Persona, his voice straining to rise over the furor.]
ATTACK!
[And Mordiggian does so, whipping forward with teeth and tentacles ready to tear Wu Kong apart just as Sam moves out of harm's way.]
Wu Kong - Attack, Daichi - Multi-Hit
He was a pretty tough demon, but it was clear to Daichi that Wu Kong wouldn't be able to last long if that kept up.
So, with Sam's concentration (hopefully) on Mordiggian and Wu Kong's tussle, he dashes around the edges to come up behind Sam, swinging fists for another assortment of punches courtesy of Multi-Hit-- though this time he wasn't going easy.
Gotta find some way to stop Sam before Daichi himself ended up dead...]
Mordiggian - Mudo, Sam - Attack
Mordiggian, do a Mudo!!!
[And then he turns back to Daichi, and with a frown, he throws Daichi to the ground a few feet away with surprising strength for such a weak and lanky-looking figure. Behind him, his Persona's mouth gapes wide open, and the air shivers with darkness once more as the Mudo rushes towards its target.]
Agni - Agilao
[OK slight miscalculation. He's seen people who are that fast, but he didn't expect Sam to have such good reflexes.
For the second (or was it third?) time, Daichi takes to the floor, absorbing the shock like a pro (which he kind of was by now), but nevertheless receiving a nasty shock to his spine for a moment.
Wu Kong shrieked again-- certainly he could last longer, but he wasn't as lucky when it came to this Mudo, and the demon de-summoned in the same blocky burst of light in which is had appeared.]
God-- damnit--!!
[Daichi stood back up, a bit more shaky to reclaim his footing, but the stress was getting to him-- he'd lost his best attack demon, and Sam could clearly kick his ass.
He didn't like the option, but he still had to hold out hope that the rescue team would show up, right? He was willing to moderate his punches, while Sam was clearly not.]
Agni-- Agilao!
[The persona appeared before him again to let out another plume of fire-- though one that had considerably more sting.]
Mordiggian - Evil Touch, Sam - Attack
[No. No no no NO NO NO NO NO. He was not going to almost die like he did that time in the Prix. He was a survivor. He had stayed in that lake since humanity was nothing more than a few piles of cells striving to make their way in an unforgiving world, and like hell he was going to throw that all away because of some stupid little boy with his cellphone.]
[His Persona whips back, trying its best to ignore the smoke issuing from the places where it has been burnt, while Sam slowly gets up off the ground.]
[The look he gives Daichi is completely removed from the pathetic wimpy face he showed before. There's something like an animalistic fury in those dark eyes, and his mouth curls upward into an ugly smirk. When he speaks, there's no hesitance, no stammering; his voice is cold and cruel as a knife dripping with blood.]
Big mistake. Mordiggian, show him a bit of that Evil Touch of yours, would you.
[And Sam, without even a pause, rushes forward, throwing out a hand. But that isn't a hand anymore. It's something large and black and it whips around Daichi's torso to push him back towards the wall harshly. And while Daichi is there, Mordiggian comes forward, tendrils bursting from its skin to attempt that Evil Touch it had been ordered to do by pressing against Daichi's forehead.]
Agni - Agi
However, that didn't mean that he didn't clearly start regretting that move.
He couldn't let Sam's expressions get to him-- he'd apologize later really, but right now, he had to stay alive. He learned the value and the desperation of survival, and it wasn't just something that left after the aliens moved out. he'll have to worry about Sam's change in disposition, because there was no time now.
But unfortunately, he didn't realize there wasn't time for anything now-- Daichi had made to make another dash, where to he..wasn't entirely sure of yet. But Sam's-- hand? No, that couldn't have possibly been a hand, his brain wasn't fast enough to really tell what it was, but what his brain could catch up with was the feeling of ... something around his chest, and the familiar pain of him slamming into a hard surface (the wall, as it were).
A look of panic began to cross his face; usually a temporary moment of anxiety that seized him regularly, but this wasn't the case this time. His eyes widened as Mordiggian approached, and he found himself having lost his voice.
That voice didn't say lost for very long.
He was already panicking, but the Evil Touch-- it worked, it must have worked, it escalated the temporary height of fear, and it made it worse and it made it last, and he couldn't hold himself back when he started--]
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!
[He started screaming. He was going to die, it was a fight to death it was just supposed to be pretend, but he was going to die here, he-- he felt the something, wrapped around him, holding him to the wall, crushing the life out of him-- no, surely that was an exaggeration? But no, he couldn't breath, he couldn't breath, his heart was pounding in his chest, he could hear the demons, all of them screaming for his blood, he was going to die and no one was going to come help him or even know that he was dead and it wouldn't even matter--]
G-G-GET AWAY! GET OFF ME!!
[He was panicking-- he started struggling, trying to wrench his body out of there, any direction he didn't care if he ripped a limb or crushed a rib he wanted to get away--
It wasn't even a conscious attempt, but Agni came to his aid anyway, rushing forward with another meager fire spell-- it was all either of them could muster with Daichi's current state, but hopefully it could be enough. Something could be enough. Please let it be enough,]
1/2
[As Daichi starts screaming, Sam starts to laugh. It's high in tone, almost strained (because goodness, when was the last time he laughed), but it's a laugh nevertheless, and it's all done in enjoyment of what he is seeing before him.]
[This is what he always wanted. To be feared. That is his true purpose, and he honestly hates hiding under that pathetic little mask of his. He wants them to cower and shudder when they see him. His dark eyes, almost black now, narrow in sadistic amusement.]
You should see your face-! Hhahaha!!!!
2/2 Mordiggian - Counter
THE LAUGH OVERED QUICKLYBut his fit of laughter is suddenly hated by that flash of flame, and Sam, in a sudden panic, drops Daichi to the ground, staggering back to avoid it.]Ugh-!
[Again? Sam's form ripples slightly, his skin momentarily turning dark, as he turns to his Persona. His face is full of fury.]
Mordiggian, Counter that!!!!
Agni - Poisma
He allowed himself to fall to the ground with complete disregard for the landing, much more focused on his own paranoid delusions and the monster standing in front of him. The blood was pumping through him too loudly, he could hear the pounding in his ears-- he hardly even heard Sam's taunt, much less processed what he was actually saying.
He threw his hands up again in defense against Mordiggian's attack, and winced upon impact-- feeling his own attack again, but maybe there was some part of his brain to be glad that he had some sort of natural fire resistance. It didn't hurt him nearly as badly as it could've, even if it still stung. but the irrational part of his brain was stronger, and the only part that that actually processed was the searing. And the pain. They kind of went hand in hand.]
I told you to l-leave me alone--!!
[No, there was no part of him that was actually consciously fighting and making decisions anymore, but Agni was responding on auto-pilot regardless. He stood between Daichi and Mordiggian, shaking off the Counter as if it were nothing, and waved his arms, a slow, encroaching dark cloud of what could only be described as poisonous air narrowing in on Mordiggian.
Well, maybe it wasn't the best option right now, but we did mention he wasn't exactly thinking about it anymore.]
Mordiggian - Mudo
[He hisses in between his teeth, shaking his head as he tries to shrug off the pain. He had to get rid of the threat. He had to survive.]
[That was all that mattered.]
[The gas that floats towards him makes him cough as he inhales some of it, though Mordiggian gets the full brunt of it- it hacks and coughs, wobbling slightly in place- oh man, that isn't good. There is a pang of worry, but it's soon covered with anger, and he yells at his Persona, his voice weirdly alternating between his normal timbre and something deep and strange and warped.]
Come ON, MorDIGGIAN, d-do a MUDO!!! Come on!
[His Persona, not exactly in the best shape at the moment, pauses, before slowly opening its maw again as the darkness collects there, before sending it Daichi's way. However, considering its condition, it might just miss its target.]
Pass
He was a fair bit more focused on yet another Mudo attack-- the darkness collecting, coming right towards him, it almost reminded him of-- no, he shouldn't have been thinking about that, right? That wasn't a problem anymore and besides, it had never been this aggressive, it was just a slow, consuming decay, utter darkness, inescapable, you could only run away for long unless you had something to keep it at bay--
The darkness didn't take; he was still clearly concious, after all but he was still sitting on the ground, his arms up in front of him for defense as he let out another scream that he was surprised didn't make him start coughing up blood. Agni disappeared with a look of surprise, but Daichi still remained on the ground his hands grabbing the side of his head once the wave of darkness had passed.]
Sam - Attack
[Sam is conscious of his own breath being a bit ragged, and he shudders as he pauses, trying to ignore the pain from the burns dotting his body. They're not severe, no, but they still hurt, and he blinks wearily as he stares towards the ground. Mordiggian slithers backwards, still suffering through the Poison. Sam gives it a glance, before looking back at Daichi, cowering in fear.]
You're just pathetic, aren't you?
[He walks over, a scowl across his face, before he raises his leg and gives Daichi a good swift kick in the side. It makes him feel good, kicking someone who is down. He laughs a little, before reaching down and pulling Daichi's head back painfully by pulling his hair.]
If you think you're going to kill me...think again. I won't stand for that, you know.
[His grin widens, before he lets go so he can stand up and kick Daichi again.]
Agni - Agilao
[His throat hurts from dirt and screaming, but he still has enough to let out pain reactions, it seems. He fell to his side at Sam's first kick, and if he were more experienced with these things he might be able to tell if there's a cracked rib-- or at the least bruised. Maybe he was over exaggerating.
He-- he didn't have the energy to fight back so actively. The irrational panic, he could feel that ebbing away... the onset of it may have been artificial, but now that the thoughts occurred to him, he couldn't get rid of them. They were still in his gut, and in his head, and-- still panicking. OK, great.
Another grunt-- another wince, and great, now his head hurts even more. Add that to the list. He didn't like being called pathetic. But he can still feel his eyes watering anyway.]
I'm... not-- [His voice was cracking, but whether it was from the second kick or the rest of the aches or his raw throat or just, being plain upset-- he wasn't pathetic damnit-- he didn't have a damn clue.
OK. He had one shot to keep himself from being totally annihilated, he figured. All bets were off. He looked up as far as he could, glaring as much as he could manage.]
I am not!!
[He sprang up, rushing forward to slam his shoulder into Sam's chest as Agni materializes again-- he's jittery, Daichi's exhausted, and they both know it-- but the Persona waves its arms, firing one more Agilao towards Mordiggian as it slithers away.]
Sam - Attack (AND YES THIS IS STILL SAM)
[The Agilao hits its mark, and Mordiggian squirms and shrieks as the fire burns- if it was weak before, it's almost decimated by this point, and it shudders. It won't take much now to destroy it now. But Sam doesn't have time to react, because Daichi slams into him, knocking him over.]
Nngh! YOU-!
[Oh, he's had enough. He really has. If Mordiggian isn't going to make it, then he needs to take it into his own hands. Sam lets out a laugh, slowly getting to his feet. A smile cuts across his face, as sharp as a knife.]
Wow. Nice show. You really are a determined little bug, aren't you?
[He laughs again, but this time, there is something different happening. Sam's skin bubbles, turning dark, while his form shifts and grows with nauseating squelching noises. Already, it's hard to look at him, like staring too hard at the sun, but instead of bright light it's...an incomprehensible mess filled with yellow eyes and mouths and god knows what else.]
[And before Daichi could probably react to such a sight, a tentacle whips out from the mass, curling around Daichi like a hungry boa constrictor.]
[And to make matters worse, a voice, like a parasite worm, slithers through Daichi's brain, and it could only be coming from the creature in front of him.]
You're worthless.
[The tentacle whips back, and throws Daichi roughly across the arena like a doll.]
Agni - Attack