destinystrings | A Game of Cat and Mouse

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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!)

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[Wu Kong kept screeching in anger as the tentacles started swarming, and instead of dodging out of the way, flew to face them head on, swinging his staff towards the onslaught.

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...]

Edited 2013-07-31 04:21 (UTC)

[Oh, this kid again? He staggers backward at the hits, but this time, he's not going to take them on like before- he swerves to avoid a punch before he whips his arm forward and grabbing Daichi by the front of his shirt roughly. As he does so, he glances over to his Persona locked in combat, and shouts:]

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.]

Ack--!

[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.]

[A inhuman scream fills the air. It's hard to tell who it is coming from - both Sam and his Persona have their mouths open, and it vibrates through the air for a moment as Sam staggers and falls backwards from the 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.]

[Wu Kong had been his heavy hitter-- and getting too close was dangerous. Daichi was well aware that fire was his best defense, with Sam's obvious aversion.

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,]

[Yes. YES.]

[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!!!!

[~~THE LAUGH OVERED QUICKLY~~ But 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!!!!

[Daichi took in a sharp breath of air when Sam released him, panting even though there had been no actual risk of of suffocation-- but there had he could feel it, he could feel like he could barely breath at all and even though there was no more mass pressing his chest it just felt the same and shit he couldn't fucking breath

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.]

[Sam has retreated back towards his Persona now, not wanting to get another flash of fire in the face. God, he hated that. He hated that burning feeling that made his skin itch and his eyes water, and he never would allow himself to suffer another near death by the stuff as long as he lived.]

[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.]

[He should be gladder that it was successful, and it put Sam off. But Daichi was starting to get tired (he was running himself ragged almost as much as he was getting the crap beat out of him). He idly thought in the back of his head about Agni's Mediarama spell, but it didn't entirely transfer into action.

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.]

Pathetic.

[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.]

Edited 2013-08-05 18:15 (UTC)

Urk--!

[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.]

[There's a loud wail.]

[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.]

[For a moment, he thinks he succeeded-- well, yes he did succeed, and even though Sam was smirking, Daichi thinks he'd accomplished some end of his goal. He didn't react to the taunting or the laugh, just standing with his shoulders hunched slightly, breathing heavily, and trying to catch his breath.

He immediately took that thought back in the next five seconds.

The sounds alone were-- nauseating. He could hardly consciously register the sounds, but they still made him sick to his stomach. Trying to-- concentrate on-- whatever this was, it just gave him a headache and the things were touching him again and they felt wrong and unnerving, and he felt that mortifying feeling of not being able to breath again

Agni was acting on his own now, for as long as he could stay around. It was an automatic action; the Persona rushed towards Mordiggian again, swinging its hands to punch and hit as much as it could.

Daichi doesn't even have enough breath or energy in him to scream again, only able to process the tentacle letting him go and the shock of his body crashing roughly into the ground again.

The back part of his brain told him to keep trying-- get back up, but the conscious part of it could barely even process trying to move his hand, or even stay awake.

He wasn't dead at least, but it's up in the air whether it was a good thing for him to drop unconscious at this point.]

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A Game of Cat and Mouse

Wu Kong - Attack, Daichi - Multi-Hit

Mordiggian - Mudo, Sam - Attack

Agni - Agilao

Mordiggian - Evil Touch, Sam - Attack

Agni - Agi

1/2

2/2 Mordiggian - Counter

Agni - Poisma

Mordiggian - Mudo

Pass

Sam - Attack

Agni - Agilao

Sam - Attack (AND YES THIS IS STILL SAM)

Agni - Attack