Tonight's the night. I didn't bother going to bed, instead opting to go over my Persona and pick up some bullet proof vests from the cop Akihiko introduced us to.
"We're here!" Yukari announced as the other three came in. She and Iori seemed to have scrambled into their clothes. Inoue however…
Apparently, she at the very least suspected something would happen tonight. She carried a Naginata in one hand, the other holding a backpack over a single shoulder. Bad for your spine, that. Comfortable black jeans and a bullet-proof vest over her sweater.
Not as good as my own, but I've had a long time to get this kind of gear together. A belt with an incendiary grenade, three flashbangs, and a bag full of gems with a fun variety of effects were clipped to my belt. Of course, the others wouldn't notice that with the jacket hanging down over them. Very thick, very heavy. Two layers of fabric, with a set of chainmail between two sets of Kevlar between those two layers. Well, except for my shoulder. That thing in Tartarus took care of that, and a good bit of bone and muscle with it, with that Megidola. Damn near took my head off there.
"Where is it?" Iori asked. "I'll rip it a new one." Oh look, he's grown enough problem solving skills to realize that if it's worth waking everyone up for and half of the combat team is already geared up, there's probably a Shadow.
"We've detected a Shadow outside of Tartarus," Kirijo said.
Well, they have been known to be in other places but- "Wait, you were able to pick one up outside Tartarus?" she nodded. Okay, given all of the buildings and the much wider range, that's either very impressive or very bad.
"We don't know for sure, but we think it's another big one." Bad it is. "We have to defeat any of them we find, as quickly as possible." Isn't that kind of the point of S.E.E.S.? "Most people don't know the Dark Hour exists," she reminded us.
"Without trying, a big or strong enough Shadow could cause some serious damage. Damaged infrastructure, destroyed buildings, people suddenly trapped under debris… All in a moment, without any evidence of what happened. The people would panic if that happened."
Kirijo nodded. "That must be avoided at all costs." I wonder if I'm the only one that caught on to the unspoken 'Even your lives'.
Iori punched into his own palm. "In other words, we need to kick some ass, right? Count me in!"
Inoue sighed. "Junpei…"
"Akihiko, you stay here and wait for the Chairman," Kirijo ordered.
"Wha-! Are you kidding?" he shouted. "I'm going!"
"Sanada, if you were to accompany us on this mission, you would slow the team down due to your injuries. The most likely event would be your own death, closely followed by one of us dying while trying to cover your ass. If you insist upon making yourself a liability, I will ensure you are no longer able to be one." He glanced at my sword, probably trying to judge if he could draw and fire his notagun before I could pin his good arm to the wall.
"Damnit," he muttered.
"Relax! I've got it covered!" Junpei assured him.
Sanada made a sound that was equal parts sigh, grunt, and growl. For those who cannot grasp the subtle nuances of the male grunt, he was dissatisfied with the resulting situation, but understood he would not be able to take in active part in changing it. However, he was going to at least offer what was in his opinion superior to the current situation. You need a Y-chromosome to get it. His eyes ran over us as a group before settling on Inoue. "Marina, you're in charge."
"Again?" Iori muttered.
"Leave it to me!" she declared. Huh, must not have heard him.
"Guess it's pretty much decided that you're our leader, huh?" Iori asked.
"You four should go on ahead," Sanada advised us. "Mitsuru, you need to get ready, right?"
We'd agreed to rendaevoo at Iwatodai station. I glanced over at Minato, who just sat on the steps staring at his hand.
"Where is she?" Yukari asked.
"She'll be here soon," Junpei told himself as much as her.
The bastard leaned back on the stairs, looking up at the green moon. "It's full tonight." He seemed to mutter something else to himself, but I couldn't hear him.
Leaning against a bit of railing Yukari looked up. "It's creepy during the Dark Hour…"
We stood like that for maybe another minute before hearing an engine. Minato tensed up for a second before looking around.
Kirijo stopped the white motorcycle in front of us, pulled off her helmet, and removed a strap holding a radio or something onto the back. "Sorry to keep you waiting."
Minato stared at the bike for a moment. "Nice ride."
"A motorcycle?" Yukari asked. Why does that work? Wait, don't tell me. It's special, right?
"Listen carefully," she said, ignoring the question. "Tonight, I'll be providing support from here. Everything else is the same." We all nodded. "The Shadow is currently located inside a monorail not far from the station. You'll have to follow the tracks on foot."
"Isn't that kind of dangerous?" Junpei asked.
"Not during the Dark Hour," Minato and I piped at the same time. I let him explain.
"Electronic equipment stops functioning during the Dark Hour. We'll be fine."
Junpei turned to Mitsuru. "But, you're bike…"
I held up a finger before she could answer. "Let me guess: It's 'special', right?"
Her lips seemed to twitch into a frown for a second. "If circumstances change, I'll notify you immediately." Which would be a couple of seconds later than we needed to know to get clear. "Let's get started."
"We'll get going then."
"I'll be expecting a sterling outcome."
Yukari turned back and glared at me and Iori after she'd started up the ladder. "Don't. Look. Up."
Minato obediently turned away, leaning against the train. Junpei tried to hide a blush under his cap. "Can't blame me if I happen to catch a glimpse," he muttered.
I'll kick him in the balls later.
"Say, Marina…" Yukari started from in the monorail. "What do you say we bury Junpei here and leave him behind?"
I had the good sense to let the guys go first before following up, but Minato caught my shoulder. "I'll take the other side," he said. Before going, however, he leaned in and whispered, "I'm sure you've been caught on a train during the Dark Hour once or twice, I know I have." I nodded. "When that happened while the train was in motion, did the doors ever open?"
My eyes widened as I thought through what that could mean, and scrambled up the ladder. Minato hopped in through the door on the other side. Junpei and Yukari were checking out a coffin. "Poor stiff must be a passenger…" Junpei realized.
Minato held a finger up to his lips, waiting for the trap to spring now that we'd taken the bait. Yukari gasped as the doors snapped shut.
"What's wrong?" Mitsuru asked. "What happened?"
"The doors were open, we went in, they shut behind us," I told her.
"It must be the Shadow… It knows you're there," she realized.
"Be ready for anything," Minato instructed.
"Proceed with caution," Mitsuru finished.
"Got it."
"The hell?" Junpei asked in the third car. "I don't see any Shadows…" he complained.
"It's so quiet it's creepy," Yukari agreed in the next car. She gasped as a Shadow dropped out from the ceiling.
Some kind of weird set of rags waving in the non-existence wind wearing a red mask and a crown with a book inside it.
"There it is!" Junpei shouted.
Minato hung back, glancing over his shoulder like he expected another to drop down behind us.
Junpei swung his sword as the Shadow flew back, fleeing into the next car. "Get back here!" he shouted as he started after it.
"Hold it!" Minato shouted.
"If we don't go after it, we're gonna lose it!"
"If you do, you could run into a trap!" Minato countered.
"Marina, you're in command there. What do you think?"
"We should be careful-"
"Who needs your advice?" Junpei shouted as he pulled out his earpiece. "I'll go after it myself. You just sit back and watch me beat it all by myself!"
"Wait!" Yukari and I shouted. He ignored us.
"Behind you!" Mitsuru shouted.
Before she'd finished, Minato spun around and ran his sword through one of their masks. Two more of that new Shadow Junpei ran after. Minato's target caved in on itself a moment later. I followed up with a cry of "Nekomata!" and watched the other one burn. I noticed the mask was red, with a II on it. That's Priestess, right?
I thought back through that book Minato threw me the other day. Knowledge, wisdom, and acting on instinct, reversed being someone indecisive or unable to act.
Yukari sighed. "This is just what the enemy wanted…"
"C'mon, we've gotta go after him." Yukari and Minato nodded.
"If not, you'll likely be picked off one by one."
"Damnit, Stupei!" Yukari shouted as she pinned a Shadow to a chair. "What are you thinking!" Minato threw a rock he pulled from him pocket at the Shadow, freezing it and the seat before shattering. No one will notice the cracks in the seat, right?
"He's only a few cars ahead," Mitsuru told us.
"Out of my way!" Minato roared as another three Shadows dropped. A single swing of his sword cut through two of the masks, but one of the floating ones managed to dodge and rush around him.
Yukari was quicker on the draw than I was. "Io!" A burst of wind shredded the Shadow to… well, shreds.
We found Junpei a couple of cars ahead. "Junpei!"
"I've got it under control!" He shouted as he cut through a Shadow. "Take that, you freak of nature!"
"Iori! Get down!" Junpei dropped at Minato's shout, and Ara Mitama flew over him, knocking the Shadows back. Minato followed up by throwing another of those weird rocks, burning the Shadows and leaving a fairly large scorch mark on the ceiling.
"This is what happens when you don't listen!" Yukari scolded.
She took a breath to calm down as I asked, "Are you alright?"
"O-of course I am," He managed as he gasped for breath. "I was doing just fine.
"Excuse me?" Yukari shouted.
Minato snapped his fingers. "Is this really the time for this?"
"I don't detect any Shadows moving near you, but stay alert!"
Naturally, the train started moving right away.
"Why're we moving?" I shouted as I regained my footing.
"It seems the monorail is under the enemies control." Lovely.
"Whaddya mean 'it seems'?" Yukari asked.
The train sped up a bit. "That's not good," Minato noted.
"Ya think!" Junpei shouted.
"If you can't stop it, you'll crash into another train." Just fucking lovely.
"What?" Yukari shouted. Before she worked us all into a panic, Mitsuru cut her off.
"Calm down and listen. I sense a strong presence in the front car."
Minato nodded. "That's the one we're after.
"You'll have to defeat it to stop the train!" Mitsuru agreed.
More Shadows rushed to meet us as we started forward.
"What kind of messed up ride is this?" Junpei shouted as his sword bounced off of… some, weird table-thing. He jumped back, and pulled out his Evoker. "Hermes!" The table met a swift end with fire, and its companions soon joined.
"We'll have to finish this quick!" I shouted as I led the charge. "How much time do we have left?" I shouted over the gunshots, battlecries, and occasional squishy sounds whenever someone stepped on a Shadow that hadn't quite faded.
"We're gaining speed!" Yukari shouted.
"Two minutes, twenty seconds!"
"More coming from behind!" someone shouted as we reached the next to last car.
"I'll hold them!" Minato shouted. "Get the big one!"
With the right mix of adrenaline and fear for my life, I didn't question and just charged forward, flanked by Yukari and Junpei.
There was a giant woman in the next car, one half black and one half white, some cloth just covering the space between her legs, and hair fused into the trains power cables. I glance at the head confirmed that it was a Priestess, with the same red butterfly mask as the others.
"The Hell?" Junpei asked.
"No questions, just kill it!" I ran forward, hoping for an easy kill by destroying the mask, but a wall of ice appeared in mid-air and stopped me short.
"FIFTY SECONDS LEFT!"
I grunted as I hit the ground and dropped my weapon. If I couldn't get close, it wouldn't do any good. "Lilim!" The winged girl let loose a ball of fire, but the Priestess waved a hand and a Shadow… popped out, eewwwwww, and blocked it.
Another wall of ice blocked a set of arrows from Yukari, and she lost her footing as she stepped back onto yet more ice. The fresh Shadow rushed forward to cut Yukari open, and I turned away and summoned "Ara Mitama!" The Persona flew forward and smashed the Shadow against the wall, but another fresh one flew forward.
"Lookout!" Junpei warned, but it came too late.
I heard Mitsuru start to shout, "TWENTY-EIG-" before the Shadow hit me. I held my arms up to defend myself and got one of them run through for my trouble. The head of the Shadow kept going, hooking itself under my chin and knocking me upward just in time to see Junpei's feet be frozen to the ground as he approached the Shadow, and I dropped my Evoker as a sweep of its leg knocked him to the ground and probably fucked up his ankles.
I didn't get to keep thinking about that as my head hit the ceiling, and I started to fall.
Tunnel vision started to set in as I looked into the previous car, Minato with some serious bruises on his head and missing a sleeve of his jacket, revealing a blood-smeared arm. I heard a cracking noise as his sword snapped, most of the blade flying off to land in one of the seats. He swore as he smashed what remained into a Shadows mask and looked at us. Must be one hell of a sight.
He looked me in the eye as he tore off his belt, flinging the entire thing toward the Priestess. There were a few indistinctly colored balls that I couldn't see clearly attached to it, but one of them seemed to stand out. I looked around and saw Yukari, clutching at her shoulder as she fell against the wall, kick her Evoker to me.
I stood as I grabbed to Evoker.
I had no idea what the hell I was doing as I ran forward. I slid beneath one of the smaller Shadows, tracking the belt with my eye. If I'd been in my right mind, if I'd stopped to think, if I'd been running on anything other than pure instinct, I wouldn't have done what I did.
I rushed headlong at the Shadow and felt myself smile as I jumped over Junpei and a wall of ice. I put the Evoker to my head and pulled the trigger. "Unicorn!"
The Persona leapt up, impaling the differently colored thing hanging from Minato's belt and erupting into a glorious blaze. Unicorn kept going, charging straight for the big Shadow and destroying the little one as it passed. I threw the Evoker to Junpei and shouted, "Finish it!" as the Priestess was set on fire.
I kept running straight for the Shadow as Hermes flew over me and smashed into its mask. I held my breath and rolled through the muck the Shadow dissolved into. I broke through heavily weighed down and covered in filth, reached forward, grabbed at a lever, and pulled as hard as I could before the world faded to black.
Gggggggggggg
"… be alright?" someone asked.
"She should be fine, just give her a minute. You already used a dia on her head, which should take care of her purely hypothetical concussion. If she needs to rest now, let her." There was a noticeable pause before the voice continued. "She did a damn good job."
There was an unsteady series of thuds, probably footsteps, as I opened my eyes. "Are you okay?" Hi Junpei.
I managed to smile and give him a thumbs up.
"Geez, such a tomboy."
Minato held his hand to his ear for a moment. "Right, we'll head on back as soon as we've gotten the evidence."
"Evidence?" I asked. At least, I tried to. It came out, "Evdnsh?" Okay, words are still kind of problematic.
"Yeah." He turned to Yukari. "Get the Evokers, earpieces, and any clothing torn off in here. I'll run through and get the arrows, broken pieces of weapons, etcetera from the other cars." Minato walked off.
Yukari looked down at me. Why's she so tall? "How did you know which one was the break?"
I smiled weakly and managed, "Woman's intuition?"
"I… don't think this is the kind of thing woman's intuition helps with…"
"Whatever," Junpei sighed. "Wanna grab a bite to eat? I'm freakin hungry."
"Uhhh, hate to break it to you, Junpei, but girls usually don't get hungry in the middle of the night…" Her own stomach sold her out a moment later as she was squatting down. Oh, I'm lying on the floor. Of a monorail.
"Someone help me up," I moaned.
"We'll order some pizza when we get back to the dorm!" Minato shouted from the other end of the train. That's some good hearing he's got.
Thou art I
And I am Thou
Thou shalt Have Our Blessings when Thou Chooseth to Create a Persona of the Fool Arcana
On an unrelated note, pineapple pizza is awesome.