Disclaimer: None of the authors own any of the referenced properties.
[Nocturne], [My Little Pony]
Naoki loses it – FINALE
Author: Gamerex27
"For fuck's sake, Chiaki, listen to me! Don't go near the statue!"
"Isamu, shut the fuck up about how everyone should leave everyone else alone! You know damn well that's bullshit!"
"Yuko, don't!"
"STOP IT!"
"DON'T YOU DARE DIE ON ME AGAIN!"
"PLEASE!"
Phrases like these echoed all throughout the void as Nyx came close to the bulging mass of flesh that had to be the parasite she was looking for.
She had come in hating Naoki-he had murdered her mommy, tried to kill her and all her friends, and was generally being a plothead. But, was all this really his fault?
"Maybe," she said to herself aloud. "I mean, he does have a terrible life. He did everything he could, everything he could think of to save his friends, and none of it worked. Not through any Loop at all. But he should have told someone. I mean, maybe he could have fixed this if he swallowed his pride and asked for help! Maybe he didn't want to whine, but if he had mentioned this at all, I wouldn't be here, and Mommy wouldn't be dead!"
She took a deep breath, and wracked her brain for the spells she needed to purge this virus. "One way or another, I'm ending this. Vas Mani. An Nox. In Mani Corp..."
…
"Ha...ha...ha..." Shadow Naoki gasped, as he narrowly dodged a blast of holy light from Rarity's dress powers. "Kinda sad, really. All your eons of experience, and you can't beat one guy? No, scratch that: you can," he realized, firing bolts of pure magic at the tired and very angry Equestrians. "You're just too cowardly and obsessed with your Sanctuary that you can't admit to yourselves that some people are beyond saving. I don't want your help. I don't need your help. And if I need to hammer this lesson into your stupid heads, then-"
"JUST SHUT UP ALREADY!" Something in Fluttershy's brain snapped. In a split second, she dropped out of her dragon form and slipped right into her Flying Hatred persona. "NOPONY CARES ABOUT THAT!" she screeched, launching herself at Naoki's Shadow Self to impale him on her horn.
"GHK-" the monster was cut off mid rant when Flying Hatred's horn pierced his barrel.
"DIE!" Fluttershy screeched, as she knocked Naoki to the ground and proceeded to ram her forehooves all over his body. "JUST DIE! DIE! DIE! LEAVE US ALONE AND DIE!"
Responding with a laugh, the Fiend pushed himself to his shaky hooves and blasted Fluttershy with a pair of eye lasers. "You sound just like my friends," he sneered. "Trying to help me and support me one second, then stabbing me in the back and trying to kill me for all time the next! I work my ass off trying to save them time and time again, and for what?! NOTHING! That friendship you depend on is a lie! Your friends will leave you when it's best for them, and land you along for all-"
"Shut. Up."
The voice wasn't that loud, but the attempt to try and counter his lecture got Shadow Naoki's attention enough that he turned to eh speaker.
But, right as he opened his mouth to respond, Nyx unleashed all the healing magic that she possessed and eradicated the parasite from Naoki's mind.
It was a momentary distraction, one that temporarily made him pause as he was forced to re-evaluate his plans.
But a second was all Gilda needed, as she tackled Naoki's possessed body right through the Domain's walls, overwhelming his power and control over the pocket dimension with the sheer power of her holy might.
"I'm going to put these in human terms," she said slowly, "since you seem to be too stubborn to listen to anything else. Shut. The. Fahck. Up!" she said, not even caring that she had gotten the pronunciation of the foreign cuss wrong. "I don't care about what you've supposedly suffered. What you've been through. You don't have any right to push us around and try to kill us just because you have a bad Loop-"
"Wha-" the Shadow's eyes widened, as the parasites' absence returned the smallest sliver of Naoki's rationality to his mind. Not enough to stop howling and raging like a beast inside his mental prison, but just enough to subconsciously hear Gilda.
"So what that your friends keep leaving you?!" she hissed. "Make new ones! News flash! You're in a Time Loop! And it's not going to change, it's not going to get better, no matter what you do!
"So quit your whining and just move on," she bellowed into his ear. "You had people that are Looping with you, and you ignored them to obsess over some other people! You are the most selfish, bull-headed idiot I have ever met! If you are too stupid to just see that you can't change some things and let it go, then you're not really Looping, now, are you?! You're just as static and blind as any other Sleeping idiot out there!"
"No," the Shadow breathed, his eyes widening in fear. "No, no, no! Stop it! Stop talking!"
He shoved Gilda off of him, but she kept on talking. "You aren't any better than any Bureau member," she continued. "You're plugging your ears and ignoring what's right in front of you to make sure that you won't see what you're doing will fail! Grow up! You're not some genius, deconstructing our ideas and rubbing our mistakes in our faces! You're a child who is whining about the clock getting stopped!"
"No, no, no, shut up, YOU WHORE!" the Shadow screeched. "SHUT UP! YOU WON'T SAVE HIM, YOU WON'T SAVE HIM, YOU WON'T SAVE HIM!"
"And NOW you're just some nutjob babbling crazy talk!" she said, as the other Loopers flew and ran out of the hole in the rapidly-collapsing Domain to follow her. "We were going to help you, but you bucked it up! So, yeah, we're going to kill you now, and make sure you can't hurt any other Loopers ever again!"
"SHUT UP!" the Shadow screamed at the top of his lungs. "You won't save him."
His face twisted into a mad grin.
"I won't let you," he said triumphantly, as energy gathered around his body. "Adios, assholes!"
And then, he blew himself up.
…
And then he blew hi5el7f$*%&$( *#Y
In the blink of an eye, Fluttershy went from the scorched and blasted battlefield outside of the fairgrounds to a familiar frozen landscape, dotted with frozen valleys. Stumbling around, she automatically shifted into a wolf to survive the blistering cold, and the haze at the start of a new Loop cleared.
"That...that's it?!" she demanded as soon as she could speak. "Gilda makes one speech, and you rage quit?! ARGH!"
Fluttershy howled in rage for a few moments. Somewhere in the back of her mind, a little voice was telling her that she should be panicking for some reason or another.
But she was too ticked off to listen. She sent out a Ping, but only got one response, deep in the Immaterium. So, clearly Leman had yet to Awaken. Sighing, she slowly walked forwards, quickly finding Leman's pod by scent.
"Great," she muttered, "now I have to wait years before I can talk to my son again. Buck you, Naoki," she hissed, as she dragged the pod out of the snow in her powerful jaws. "Buck. You."
"What's wrong, my dear girl?" said a voice from behind her.
Fluttershy instantly wrinkled her nose in disgust, as the awful smell of death, decay, and dozens of diseases yet to be discovered anywhere except this Branch reached her. "Hello, Nurgle," she sighed, turning around to face the plague god.
"I suppose it's fruitless to ask if you're feeling Loopy," he continued. "I don't think I've ever heard your ponies' Ping quite that loudly. I take it Leman..."
"Is still sleeping," Fluttershy confirmed. "At least, I hope so. Twilight Woke Up in a situation like this once, and she drank herself into a week-long coma because of it."
"And you're that upset too?" Nurgle sat down on a snowbank, looking Fluttershy in the eye. "Now, what's the matter."
Fluttershy deeply sighed, before pulling some alcohol-infused tea leaves out of her Pocket and set a fire to begin making a drink she really needed. "We met this new Malevolent Looping Entity. His name is Naoki Kashima, and he's a monster. He..."
…
Nyx Awoke (and awoke) in her bed.
For a few moments, she just sat there. Wasn't she just somewhere else?
She idlly tapped her hoof against a bedpost, trying to remember what she had been doing. The last thing she remembered was casting a lot of spells at a giant ball of-
Oh. Oh.
She sprang out of bed as fast as she could, sending out a flurry of Pings. She got several responses: a Magic, a Kindness, a Loyalty, but it didn't matter she had to find them now!
There was still time. If she found them before they could tell anyone, she could stop them and save him.
…
The doors to Big Mac's bar flew open, and Nyx touched down on the doorstep, panting. The bar's proprietor glanced at her for a moment, then shrugged, muttering something about backup doors and Make Whole rituals.
"...looks about right" Rainbow Dash said, lounging back on her barstool. "We've got a few new Loopers, Silver Spoon's species code got messed up in that Crash, and there was the incident a few dozen Loops back they covered pretty good." She slid the magazine over to Fluttershy, then took a swig of her drink. "This magazine is pretty awesome. You don't have to wait, like, a thousand years to figure out who's signed up for an inter-Looper race or not!"
No. No.
"I guess so," Fluttershy said. "Speaking of a race, that bird-feeder I was working on might have been raided by Gilda. I told her, she can't have the birdseed, but she didn't listen, and now the poor little hatchlings' stomachs are growling loud enough to be a new song in their choir. Can you help me find her?"
"She's now Awake this Loop, Shy," Dashie muttered as she got up from the stool. "Sometimes, it's kinda easy to forget that some Loopers aren't always Awake. I mean, the Anchor is, and they remember everything, and Twi's told me a hundred times how frustrating it is to just wait out Lonely Loops until one of us Wakes Up to work on a project or prank someone."
"Well, Unawake ponies are still ponies," Fluttershy said, also getting up, "so Twilight's never really alone. Um, excuse us, Nyxie, we wanted to leave, and Big Mac doesn't like it when we break through the windows to get-"
"No, no, NO!" Nyx shrieked, falling to a sitting position and hyperventillating.
"Sheesh, if it's that annoying," Dashie said as she reached for the door handle, "you can just ask Big Mac to make them easier to open. It's really hard to grab a handle that small without fingers, and I guess it is kinda-"
"How...how many Loops has it been?!" Nyx asked, breathing speeding up even more along with her heart rate.
"Since...what?" Fluttershy asked, tilting her head. "Oh, do you mean the last time you were Awake the same time as us? It must have been...around six hundred Loops ago," she said, tapping her chin thoughtfully with her hoof.
"Wasn't that when we ran into that plothead new MLE?" Rainbow Dash said, groaning.
"Yes. Naoki," Fluttershy said, with the same tone of voice one would use to describe a mass-murdering serial killer. "I told Twilight the second we Woke up in the same Loop, along with Lemon and some other Loopers. That is how we're supposed to deal with MLEs, right?"
"I think so. Remind me to tell Sleipnir to yell at whoever's Admining that moron to-"
"It wasn't his fault!"
Both mares stopped talking, and stared at the Nightmare. "What?" both of them said.
"It...the Nightmare Force goaded him on, his Shadow took control, he was totally alone, and-"
"Wait, wait, hang on," Rainbow Dash said, sharing a confused glance with Fluttershy. "What do you mean, 'it wasn't his fault?'"
"Did we overlook something when we put up the warning?" Fluttershy said, in a tone even softer than her usual speaking voice. "Was...was someone trying to frame him? Is that what you're saying?"
"He WAS framed!" Nyx said, tears welling up in her eyes. "You...we fell for it! He wanted him alone forever and we helped him!"
Nyx's choked sobs turned into full-fledged crying. Before Fluttershy could move forward to comfort Nyx about her troubles, she vanished.
"...I've got a really bad feeling about this," Dashie moaned, her face turning pale. "If...if he wasn't responsible..."
"We need to give her some space for a while," Fluttershy said, her gut clenching as she realized that she may have made a terrible mistake. "Maybe he put some illusions in his mind to fool her...but we can't ask her what happened now. There's only one pony she wants to be with right now..."
…
Twilight was reshelfing the bookshelf when something on her mother radar went off.
Turning her head, she saw Nyx sitting in the corner, crying. Dropping the book and walking over to her daughter, Twilight gave a Fluttershy-grade hug which Nyx shrugged off, crying even more.
Twilight shook her head, already knowing that this was not going to be a good day if her daughter was feeling this bad about something she did. Turning her around and bringing out Smarty Pants, Twilight covered her beloved daughter with a wing and waited for her sobs to stop.
Finally, after a long time Nyx stopped crying, wiping her puffy eyes with her hoof, the other one tightly clenched around the doll that Twilight still had in her long lonely loops without any of her friends.
"Ready to tell me what's wrong?"
"We did a very bad thing, Twilight." Nyx spoke softly.
Twilight? Not momma, mom, mother, or anything else? This was very bad news. The ice ball in her stomach grew larger.
"What did we do, Nyx, that was so bad?" Twilight knew she didn't want to hear the answer, that this peaceful loop would be lost forever.
"Do you remember Naoki?" Twilight winced at that name: that very dangerous, insane, murderous anchor. The horrible things he had done to her and her friends. She had never seen Fluttershy so angry, and no one hurt her friends and got away with it.
"It's alright," Twilight said in a motherly voice, though hesitantly. "We've already warned as many Loopers as we could. He can't hurt anyone any-"
"Stop!" Nyx ordered in her other voice, the voice of Nightmare Moon. "I-" She hiccuped, wiping her snout with the napkin Twilight instantly summoned for her. "It wasn't his fault, momma."
Twilight heard the doors to her treehouse creak open, followed by the other Elements of Harmony walking in.
"Y'allright, Nyx?" Applejack asked, uneasy.
"Do you want to talk about it, dear?" Rarity asked. "We're here for you, and we always will be."
Sniffling again, Nyx climbed to her hooves, walked over to one of Twilight's armchairs and collaped into it.
"Do...do you know what a Shadow is?" she asked meekly.
"Oh! Oh!" Pinkie Pie said, bouncing up and down. "Isn't it a kind of Heartless? The ones made of mousse that melt into the floor?"
"No," Nyx said, rubbing at her eyes with her forehooves, "not that kind. From the Persona Branch. A Jungian Shadow."
"...What is it, then?" Rarity asked.
"It...it's all the bad stuff in a person. All their darkest secrets, all the things they think but never want to say to anyone, all their self-loathing, all of the things they hate about themselves and try to deny," Nyx said, hanging her head. "And in that Branch, a Shadow can exit its self's body and try to kill them in the right conditions to take their place."
"...But what's this gotta do with Naoki?!" Applejack asked.
"I went into his mind," she said, after blowing her nose into the tissue, "and it knew. It knew about the Loops, it knew that it couldn't kill Naoki-not forever. So...so it wanted to do the next best thing...ruin his life."
"...But...that would mean-" Rainbow said, then stopped, as the full implications of Nyx's experiences hit her like a runaway train.
"When he was on the moon, the Nightmare Force tried to take over his body," Nyx said, tears welling up again, "and the Shadow used its power to take control of Naoki. And it wanted to ruin him by making everyone hate him!
"In his Loop," she said, sniffling, "he was almost always alone. The world ends in the first half-hour, and he's never been able to stop it. All that's left are ghosts, demons, and three of his friends. But no matter what he did, those friends always ended up dying! They went insane in the Vortex World, and he had to kill them every Loop! He tried everything-I could see everything-and none of it worked! And, somehow, he never had a single Variant, and had so little Fused Loops I can remember how many there were! He only had one other constant Looper, and she was barely ever Awake!"
"But how...what'd the Shadow..." Pinkie Pie said, trailing off as her ever present smile slowly vanished from her face.
"It wanted us to hate him!" Nyx yelled, sobbing into her armrest. "It wanted us to hate him with everything we had! It wanted us to tell Yggdrasil that he was a monster, a thing to be killed on sight! Even if he got out of his Loop, and even if he tried to ask someone for help, no one would! It wanted him to be dead to the world!"
The entire room was silent. No one could think of anything to say. And who could, when confronted with something this disturbing.
"And we helped it," Nyx concluded. "It crashed the Loop before I could get out of his mind. And the next time you Awoke...you did your jobs and warned other Loopers!"
"It...it was using us," Dashie realized. "It never wanted to kill us, or our friends, or anypony at all. Just means to an end."
"All it wanted was to ruin Naoki's life," Nyx concluded. "And you, Momma, and all the others...you helped it. You didn't know, you couldn't know...but now it's too late."
"Oh sweet Celestia, no." Twilight gasped, falling back into her old habits of language at she realized what she and her friends had done. All their victories, and all their successes, and they still failed. They found someone who needed help, more than anything, and they made it worse. And now no one else would help.
What had they done?
[Nocturne], [Warhammer 40000], [Bar loop]
April's Fools
Author: Evilhumour
Naoki stumbled into the bar, shuddering violently as he constantly looked over his shoulder. Ryu blinked in concern with the rest of the other loopers at this strange behaviour and inquired what was making him so jumpy and worried.
"It's Slaanesh!" He all but shouted, afraid saying hir name would summon the chaos god. "Shi came to me, fully dressed in appropriate clothing, told me that shi has something big planned for me, gave me some clothes to cover up and then shi left without making a single lewd comment or gesture! I've got no idea what the hell is going on or what shi's planning and it's scaring the crap out of me!"
There was silence in the bar until someone coughed and slid a calendar over to the anchor. He stared at the date for a moment before he started to curse and crash the loop.
[Persona 4], [My Little Pony]
My Little Persona – part 2
Author: Gamerex27
"How's everyone holding up?" Yu asked as he sat down in the school's cafeteria with the rest of his friends.
"Don't you mean 'everypony hoofing up?'" Yukiko asked, biting back giggles again.
"Yeah, that got old after the first dozen pony puns," Daisy Kicker/Chie groaned, sliding down in her seat.
"I dunno about you guys," Kanji said with a grin, "but this is friggin' awesome! I can f_ing fly, and everything's so cute that I could explode!"
"Whatever floats your boat," Yosuke muttered, taking a bite out of his daisy sandwich, and wincing at the taste. "Ugrh. Reflex and memories says it tastes good, but it's a flower. It just feels weird eating one."
"I haven't been in the Loops for long," Beautiful Mind/Naoto admitted, sipping her wheatgrass juice, "but I can't say I've been in a Loop this strange. We've been outside Inaba before, but this is the first time I wasn't..."
"Human?" Yu guessed.
"Yes," she said with a sigh. "It's odd...they don't have hands, yet they can still use tools, books, utensils, and more with their hooves. They're descended from a herd species, but they still have Western-based schooling, government, and social systems in place. It's brighter and more colorful than Earth, but judging from a lot of the cases I helped to investigate prior to Waking Up, there's still just as many tragedies, crimes, and dark spots in this society, too. Different...yet the same."
"Well, duh," Yosuke snorted. "I mean, Americans made the show for girls Nanako-chan's age. I think. I don't watch it!" he quickly added.
"Yosuke-sempai, you know that's not true," Rise replied. "All those shows are just Yggdrasil's backups. They're just as real as we are."
"The implications of every work of fiction ever being a real place are...disturbing," Naoto interjected, rubbing at her forehead with a forehoof. "But let's not get into that. The Loop lasts for five years-"
"HELL YEAH!"
"...as I was saying," the detective continued after Kanji's enthusiastic interruption, "it lasts for five years. That's several years longer than the Baseline when we usually Wake Up, so we should be able to enjoy the peace and continue whatever experiments we're working on. What's everyone up to?"
"Trying to figure out Persona Fusion," Yu replied, in between mouthfuls of noodles. "Igor won't help with it, so all he's been doing is giving me hints on how it might work."
"I'm just trying to catch up on all the anime," said Yosuke. "It...kinda sucks I'll run outta it eventually, though Teddie complains about it more."
"Hey," Chie asked, "where IS Teddie? I didn't see him anywhere in the school."
"Maybe he's the Ursa Major?"
"...I thought you didn't watch the show, Sempai," Kanji said with a smirk.
"Uh...I...saw it in my Loop Memories?" Yosuke said, blushing and suddenly becoming much more interested at staring at his flowery lunch than looking his friends in the eye.
"There's nothing to be ashamed about watching it, Yosuke," Yu said with a smirk.
"Look, Partner-I don't-"
"You ain't foolin' nobody," Kanji said, rolling his eyes as he turned back to the. "Look, it's ain't half bad, even dubbed."
"I said I don't-"
"Aw, horsefeathers. Somepony's sitting at our table."
"Ah, well. Mind if we sit with you?"
The Investigation Team turned around to see the Cutie Mark Crusaders, carrying lunch trays with their horns/wings/mouths.
"Sure, why not?"
"Thnks," Applebloom muttered, as she sat down and spat out her tray. "Y'all are other Loopers, right? Where y'all from?"
"Amala," Kanji said before anyone could stop him. "The Per-"
Before he could continue, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo swiftly grabbed their chairs and scooted them several spaces back from the group.
"Really?" Applebloom asked. "Y'all remember what Nyx told us, right?"
"Oh...sorry," Scootaloo grinned apoligetically, scooting back to the table. "Instinctive reaction. Things are better there now-right?"
"Oh, look, a blank flank convention," Silver Spoon said, interrupting them all.
Sighing, the entire table turned as one to glare at the two bullies.
"Well, well, well," Diamond Tiara said, "looks like you're as stupid as ever. Seriously," she said, nosing on Kanji's work by poking her head over his shoulder, "knitting? You're a stallion and you're knitting? How sad is it that you're trying to get a Cutie Mark for girl stuff?"
"You talkin' to me?" Kanji said softly.
"Really sad," Silver Spoon, laughing. "May as well go grab a dress or a boyfriend while you're at it."
"...are you talkin' to me?" Kanji asked, dropping his doll and needle and climbing off his chair. He stretched himself up to his full (impressive for a colt) height, towering over the bullies.
"I said..." he continued in a dangerous tone, as lightning cackled around his body and his Persona Takeji Zaiten spontaneously manifested in the background, hovering over the ponies' lunches, "Are. You Talkin'. TO. ME?"
The two mares promptly did a total 180 in composure, as their knees turned to jelly and their smug grins were replaced by looks of sheer terror. "Uh...no?" Silver Spoon managed to squeak, shrinking in on herself to avoid this crazy stallion and his gigantic monster.
"Cool," Kanji said, climbing back into his seat and finishing the final stitch on the stuffed bear he as knitting.
"Still," he continued, dropping the doll and needle, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders held in their laughter, "scram."
They didn't need to be told twice, as they reached sub-Rainboom speeds running away.
The three native Loopers looked at each other for a second. then cracked up.
"Kanji" Rise groaned, "wasn't that a bit harsh? You really couldn't think of a better prank?"
"Hey, I've never been good at that kinda stuff," Kanji muttered, grinning. "May as well do what I'm used to. 'Cept this time, the assholes I'm scaring off deserve it."
"So, do you guys have any more ideas for pranks?" Sweetie Belle asked, as her friends were still too indisposed laughing their flanks off to rejoin the conversation.
"I was...kinda thinking i'd flirt with 'em to make them uncomfortable," Yosuke admitted, "but my partner beat me to it. Guess it's back to square one to me."
"Oooh!" Chie said, snapping her hoof (then staring at it for a few seconds, wondering how the hell she had done that). "Why don't we go find Teddie! We've done all sorts of funny stuff with his suit on Adachi!"
"No matter where you go," Yu agreed, "people are alwasy creeped out by a hollow bear suit."
"Again," Naoto said, "the more things change...the more they stay the same. Now, I don't like to brag, but I was thinking my idea would best be saved for last. Here's my plan..."
[Digital Devil Saga], [My Little Pony]
Atma Variant: Herbivore (title added by compiler) – part 1
Author: Gamerex27
Sweetie Belle sniffled, as she lay on her back in her bed. It was around this time that she Awoke. No matter which healing magics she poured over, the disease didn't seem to go away.
"Sweetie?" Rarity asked, from outside her closed door. "Are you Awake?"
"Yeah," she confirmed, then blew her nose. "In both senses of the word."
"Wonderful." Rarity cautiously opened the door. "Er...it's a Fused Loop. With an Amala Branch."
Sweetie blinked. "What's bad about that?"
"You don't-" Rarity stopped herself, then exhaled. "I suppose there's no getting around what happened. But he's not here, so it can wait for later. It's with the one where Seraph is from. Or Serph and Sera, if they haven't fused together yet. And...they brought along a virus with them."
"An...inter-Loop virus?" Sweetie Belle asked, as she felt a massive sneeze coming on. "Ah...ah...what is it?"
"They're calling it Atma, and it causes you to-"
"AH-CHOOOOO!"
Glowing lines and veins spread from her face to cover every part of Sweetie Belle's body. She was evneloped in line after line of glowing computer code, as the word "APSARAS" ran over her eyes.
Eventually, the light faded, and...well, she wasn't blind, but her eyes were gone. Sniffing again, Sweetie realized that her sinuses were clear. Also that she was currently seeing through scent.
"-turn into a demon," Rarity finished. "At the moment, I'm just thankful that it's not the normal kind that causes you to eat people."
"...eat...people?" Sweetie Belle asked. Wait...her mouth wasn't where it should be. Opening and closing it again, she realized that...it was on her forehead? And...she had the oddest craving for...for...
"Er...hang on a moment," she said, pulling a note from her Pocket. "'Atma Variant Strain:Herbivore. Rather than surviving off of Magnetite found in human bodies, infectees of this strain of the virus are compelled to-'"
In the span of a split second, Sweetie Belle jumped from her bed, crashed through her window, and flew towards their new backyard with the wings that had replaced her forelegs. Opening her forehead mouth wider than it should have been able to, she proceeded to tear out a chunk of the tree with her teeth, swallowing the bark whole.
"'-Eat the cellulose in plant organisms,'" Rarity finished. "I suppose it could be worse, but..."
…
"-Everypony, calm down!" Ivory Scroll yelled over the rabble.
"Calm down?" one of the ponies near the front said, incredulously. "I'm tucking my colt into bed one second, then I've eating the bonasi I gave him as a birthday present the next!"
"We're going to go out of business!" Mr. Cake screamed. "If everypony is too busy eating trees, how are we going to keep the bakery open? How are we going to pay our bills?!"
Near the back of the town hall, several ponies with technicolor manes and eyes glanced at one another.
"I do not comprehend," said the green one. "Consuming cellulose to gain Magnetite is a far more favorable alternative to consuming human flesh for the same material. Why, then, is everyone, as Cielo put is, 'flipping out?'"
"Oh, I don't know, Gale," muttered the pink one, "maybe it's because they're turning into monsters, and the only way for them to live is to eat all of their surroundings?!"
"They...also don't know why all this is happening," the silver/black..mare?...stallion?...pony-let's go with that- said. "This is what it must have been like when all of this happened on Earth."
"At least de sun isn't doin' all it dis time, ja?" the purple and yellow one said. "...and when'd ya bring 'I do not comprehend' back?"
"...for old times sake."
"Look," Ivory Scroll stressed, "this is a simple problem to fix. All we need to do is start growing more barked-plants, and maybe some trees, speed it up with earth pony magic, and ask Princess Aditi-um, Princess Celestia to go to the Sun and stop it from transmitting the viral data to Equis!"
"...data?" the audience asked in unison.
"...never mind," Ivory Scroll muttered, as her stomach growled. "But...in the meantime...I have a solution!"
In a burst of light, the mayor shapeshifted into her demon form.
"I thought of a way to sate our appeties until then!" she announced. "EVERYPONY, LET'S EAT THE EVERFREE!"
"YAAAAAAAAY!" all but one audience member cheered in unison!
"NO!" The lone dissenter pleaded. "If you do, all those poor animals will be homeless!"
"Don't care, hungry!" Pushing past her, the native ponies slowly filed out of the meeting hall. Once they were all gone, Fluttershy sighed and stared at the other Loopers in the room.
"Okay...okay," she said, sighing. "I'm...going to teleport to the forest and start evacuating all the animals. It doesn't look like they're interested in eating them, anyways. I'll just move them into the portable forest I've been working on. Could you..."
"...help?" Seraph finished. "It is our fault all this happened. We're Patient Zero, after all." Shi nodded. "Yes, we'll try and help out."
"...and promise not to eat any of them?" Fluttershy added. "I know how Atma usually works, and your strain...is less pleasant."
"We possess sufficient Titan Meat in our Pockets to feed us for several thousand Loops to come," Gale told her. " As well as a stockpile of crystalized Magnetite, taken from the main Branch. As long as we stop for several 'snack breaks,' we shall be able to control ourselves."
"...but we don't even need to do that this time," the pink one pointed out. "That tree house we found earlier was big enough to sate our hunger."
"...that, too, should alleviate your concerns," Gale agreed.
"Good," Fluttershy said. "Seraph...you can still use that calming song, just in case all this gets out of hoof?"
"Yes, but I'm going to need some kind of amplifier to affect so many people all at once. There's no electricity here, so a microphone won't work." Seraph sighed. "I hate to ask, but could you..."
"I'll ask Rarity what she can whip up." Fluttershy said, already cantering out the door. "By the way," she said, turning around, "try not to eat any more tree houses while I'm gone. Twilight is still mad that you guys ate the Golden Oaks."
[SMT I], [Nocturne], [Strange Journey], [SMT IV]
Futuso's Nut Cracker Awakening
Author: Gamerex27
Slowly, Flynn and Isabeau turned as one to stare at Langdon. "Why?" the Anchor of the two simply asked.
"Look, Cage's movies have never been good," the American soldier said, frowning, "but they're usually better than this. I thought we would like it. Y'know, celebrate after the whole incident with angels invading Leman Russ's wedding. Maybe he's lost his touch after millions of years Looping...Naoki, why are you clutching the remote like that?"
"'Cause the movie's so bad, it has to be haunted," the demon muttered. "If this turns out like Ringu and Cage climbs through the screen to (try and) kill us all, I'm changing the channel."
That is far from sound reasoning, Kashima whispered from within his mind, echoing to the group.
"Eh," Naoki said, shrugging, "let me have my fantasy. It's a lot more interesting than this. Yo, new guy, how you holding up?"
The group turned to the brown-haired boy in cobbled-together armor and a massive, unweildly metal gauntlet on his arm. He shifted in place uncomfortably.
"...I'm still trying to get used to all of this," Futsuo admitted. "I mean, Time Loops? Admins? Pockets? Edits? I thought the world getting blown up, summoning demons, and killing gods was weird enough. Kind of scary, to know I'll have to do all that over again."
"...We're not going to let you go through the same things we did," Naoki said, smirking.
"You're not alone," Isabeau added. "None of us are."
The (possible) reincarnation of Adam pondered this for a moment, then smiled.
"Thanks," he said. "At least I've always got Pascal and...her...by my side, too. Shame the movie sucks, though."
[Persona 3], [Persona 4], [Persona Q]
(no title)
Author: wildrook
When Igor found out what he had missed during the Typhoon of 2009 as well as after the Culture Festival of 2011 was a bit surprising. However, he had admitted that the nullifying of the Wild Card in certain areas had made an interesting experience, even more-so on those rare occasions where everyone is Awake.
"Hmm..." Igor muttered. "Those who don't have the contract has a minor variation. Now I'm reminded of the first two moments that it happened. Tatsuya might luck out, but Naoya and Maki..."
He then cleared his throat.
"I'm muttering to myself," he said. "Now I remember why I usually have assistants...speaking of...ah, welcome to the Velvet Room. Especially those who don't originally have a contract."
"Igor," Yu replied, looking around and noting that the head count was different...and there was a massive ping from everyone. "And I guess everyone's here...more than everyone..."
The blue-haired male groaned. "Usually, we DON'T show up at the same time," he replied. "And...Narukami."
"Arisato," Yu said. "Nice to see you again."
Yosuke then cringed. "I'm still surprised that he and I sound alike," he said. "Nice to see you again, Junpei."
"Same here," Junpei replied. "I'm still surprised that we're meeting again...what is this?"
Igor then chuckled. "I assume you're not talking about the Velvet Room?" he asked the groups. "I may have missed this the first time, but not only am I here this time, I can assist with extra fusions this time."
"Oh, you mean up to Hexogonal Fusions?" Yu asked him.
"That reminds me," a gruff voice muttered. "Who's the grey-haired girl?"
"You must be Shinjiro Aragaki," the woman replied, wearing a Yasogami High uniform. "Nice to meet you in person. My name is Labrys, and I'm an Anti-Shadow Surpression Weapon of the Fifth Generation."
"You're like Aigis, then," Shinjiro replied. "Still, what's with the uniform?"
"Long story," Mitsuru said. "And...talk about familiar faces you never see again..."
The young man with the yellow scarf blinked as he looked around...then grins.
"Well, this is a surprise," he said. "I'm usually not around until AFTER the Bridge, but being here in person this time is a new development."
"Sensei," a voice said, the bear coming over to Yu Narukami, "What IS that!? He looks human, but my nose is sniffing a super-dangerous Shadow!"
"That's just Ryoji," Akihiko said.
"Sorry if I scared you," Ryoji said to Teddie. "Still, it's nice to meet a young Shadow like yourself."
"HOW DO YOU..."
"Teddie," Naoto replied, "easy. Sorry about him. He's...easily excitable."
"Yeah," Junpei replied, "Ryoji's like that as well."
"In more ways than one," Yukari muttered.
"Ah, Yuka-tan," Ryoji said, "I'm surprised that you remember that part of me..."
"Sometimes I don't want to."
Chie cringed. "Great," she muttered. "Two Teddies in one room, I thought one of them was enough..."
Igor then chuckled. "Ah, the lost one and the Avatar of Nyx," he said. "I've been wondering when you two would show up. Anyways, in order to fix the Velvet Room and return to your respective times...but you all know that already, aren't you?"
"We HAVE been through this situation before," Yukiko replied. "Although...not with Labrys and the other Shadow..."
"Believe us," Ken said, a little surprised, "Ryoji can probably help us out...although..."
"Your concern is noted," Ryoji replied, "but when time slows down to a halt before your supposed time, it's a bit of a relief this time."
"Wait," Yukiko said, "supposed time? And Avatar of Nyx..."
"Yeah," Junpei said, "this guy's the source of the Dark Hour...and the only thing keeping Minato alive."
"You're kidding," Chie muttered. "That guy is Minato's lifeline?"
"It's a long and painful story," Minato said. "Heck, I'm just surprised that I get to meet new people this way...and Ryoji's excited for the same reason."
"I believe one said this outside my Branch," Igor replied. "'It doesn't matter wherever or whenever one can be, but friendship can last a lifetime.' To me, bonds are the one thing that is constant in these worlds, and seeing so many people from different worlds interact is a most intriguing aspect of these Time Loops."
"Huh," Kanji said. "I didn't think that you'd actually enjoy them."
Igor gave Kanji a grin. "The Velvet Room itself is placed within dreams and reality, mind and matter. Wherever this Branch gets fused with, my companions and I also appear. Although...it is odd that you have the one who shares memories with one of the residents here."
Labrys blinked...then realized something. "Wait, you mean...the ill girl is here?"
Yosuke cringed. "Great," he muttered. "And considering we're all Looping...including Proto-Teddie...wouldn't it be easy to create a Time Paradox?"
"Not really," Shinjiro replied. "I've managed to survive MY own Death...although what surprises me is the variant involved when I deal with Minato's 'sister.'"
"Wait a minute," Aigis said. "You mean YOU..."
"Yeah...I have the Multiple Persona thing as well..."
"That makes four," Yu muttered. "Or five, if you include Elizabeth." That last one made Minato glance at Yu in fear. "Yeah, I know...let's just say that one time, she found the power of the Wild Card just by facing me...I take it you've fought her?"
"Word of advice," Minato replied, "do NOT use the Omnipotent Orb. Seriously, I think their attacks can break several different scales at once."
Igor then gave out a chuckle. "Before you start comparing notes between Elizabeth and Margaret," he said to the two groups, "consider their jobs as assistants and remember that I am in charge of this room. Part of the job involves a certain...training regiment if they are to adapt to the needs of the Contract Holder."
That made everyone except Ryoji cringe. Knowing how freakishly strong the assistants were, if Igor was the one who trained them, then he would make Nyx, Erebus, Ameno-Sagiri, Izanami, AND Hi-no-Kagutsuchi look like they were dust in the wind.
"And considering the rules of the Velvet Room," Yu said, "I...think we lucked out that the places we live in aren't smoking craters."
"Truth be told, that much power would require bigger threat than those you've faced combined," Igor replied. "My weaker Personae would be enough to take them out, but like you said, I cannot directly interfere in your personal adventures."
"Yeah," Minato said, "I can see that."
"You know I've apologized left and right for that," Ryoji said to Minato.
"I know, and I've forgiven you every time."
Labrys blinked. "Am I missing something?" she asked Aigis.
"Minato sacrifices his life in order to stop Erebus and Nyx from meeting," she said to her "older" sister. "Considering the results...some of us are mixed."
"I'm not going to ask anyone else to do it, either," Minato said to the others.
Yukari cringed. "Yeah, we pretty much found out after the whole thing happened," she said. "And I apologized more times than enough."
"Back to the subject at hand," Igor replied, "I will provide assistance to you all concerning this issue...in my own way. But remember that solely battling can wear the soul, so for those who haven't joined in, you can enjoy the festival outside until you find out why time is slowing down and converging. Just remember that because of the Time Loops, you already know of events to come, so you won't be able to disrupt the flow as much as you would think."
"Wait, festival?" Labrys asked them.
"Yeah," Shinjiro replied. "Turns out the whole gap outside time and space is one giant culture festival in Yasogami High."
"Gap...outside?" Ryoji asked them, clueless. "I don't know what that is, but if it means the End of the World is delayed, count me in."
"Oh yeah," Minato said. "Ryoji's never been to a festival in this branch before."
"Now's a good as time as any," Kanji replied. "However, we might have to find the two we're going to meet up with here..."
"Thanks for the info, Igor," Yu said. "And we'll make sure to visit you guys from time to time."
Igor gave out a smile as the groups left...then went to his fortune telling as he picked up a card revealing The Tower in an upright position.
'They've grown to be strong,' he thought. 'But part of me wants to see if the ones before them would be involved. Would be interesting to see four different groups interact at once...'
[Persona 4], [Gundam]
Kira Yamato's Design (title added by compiler) – parts 1 to 3
Author: Drakohahn
"Great, where am I?" Was the very first thing out of Kira Yamato's mouth as he looked around while waiting for his Loop Memories to kick in. It was rather hard to see, due to the omnipresent fog. He sent out a Ping, receiving several responses. The memories kicked in shortly thereafter.
He was Kira Hibiki, son of a prominent geneticist and quite the genius himself. At the age of 15, he was already in college and had a patented product out on the market. His Birdy robotic AI pets were becoming very popular. Kira grimaced at that memory as his Birdy represented his bond with his friend Athrun, so he wasn't so keen on sharing it. Oh well, might as well just get over it now.
After a moment, he continued his memory check; He had been interviewed plenty in the recent days as the Birdy's popularity grew. However, a few hours ago, he had received a mysterious phone call. It was somewhat frantic, saying that he was in danger and that he should meet them at a specific address and at a specific time. His unawake self would normally have ignored something like that, but something about the call tugged at him.
So, he went to meet this person at the time and place he gave. When there wasn't a person there, he waited a few minutes. As he waited, he paced around. There was a rather large TV in this place, and when he was in front of said TV he had felt something tackle him and he fell into the screen... And now he was here in this foggy place somehow. Strangely, there was something familiar, and very disquieting, about this place.
Kira bumped into something in the gloomy haze and then he realized where he was now.
"It can't be! Why here, of all places?!"
…
Yu Narukami looked at the Awake members of his team. They had all seen Kira's face on the Midnight Channel and felt the Ping mere minutes ago. They've had more than enough experience with visiting Loopers ending up in that place to recognize when a Ping came from there. The fog was going to lift soon, so there wasn't much time. So, they were mounting a rescue mission and hope that they weren't too late.
…
Yu Narukami, Yosuke Hanamura, Chie Satonaka, Yukiko Amagi, Kanji Tatsumi, Rise Kujikawa and Naoto Shirogane all stood outside the TV they use to enter the Midnight Channel. They all shared the thought of making it to the visiting Looper and hopefully getting him to accept his Shadow before he could deny it and make it attack. Getting that to happen didn't always work out.
By this point, they didn't really need to say another word. As one, they nodded agreement before pushing into the TV. The seven humans landed on top of a black and white bull's eye with the outlines of people on it. Though the place was blanketed with heavy fog, they had special glasses that could see through it no problem. To their eyes, they saw an impressively sized TV studio with stage lights everywhere. And then...
"There you guys are! I was starting to get worried," declared a dumpy, blue bear in a red suit as he ran closer. "I sensed the arrival of the Looper awhile ago. It's rather far, so I figured I'd wait here to meet up with you, rather than try and go at it alone."
"It's fine," Yu stated. "Let's go."
…
"Is this... A hospital?" Chie spoke the question that was on everyone's mind. They found themselves in what looked like a ruined hospital lobby; benches either destroyed or torn from their spots, the long counter dirty with age and covered in ripped posters, and various papers littered the ground. However, it was the voices that started echoing through the empty halls that really made it disturbing.
"I want my child to have blue eyes and blonde hair!" One woman's voice declared.
"I want my child to possess all of my abilities!" A soft-spoken man's voice stated.
"Exceptional abilities are a gift to help improve the child's future," spoke an older male's voice as if in reply to the previous one.
"She had a miscarriage! How could you let that happen?!" An angry man's voice echoed. "We spent a fortune on the genetic enhancements!"
"Be especially careful of your nutrition and dietary intake during your pregnancy," advised a male doctor to what would obviously be a female patient. "Here's a schedule of how you should spend your days... I can't make any guarantees. Naturally, the mother's body will affect the course of embryonic development."
"Oh no! Its eyes are the wrong color!" Came the voice of one new mother. There were several more voices that spoke along those kind of lines. The Investigation Team all looked at each other during this time as understanding filled their eyes. This place dealt with genetic engineering?! Who was the visiting Looper that his space turned out like this?
…
"This place is seriously creeping me out," Yosuke stated as they worked deeper into the space, not that he could be blamed. Most people tended to have problems with hospitals at the best of times; make the place a rundown mess, add disembodied voices talking about how they wanted their children modified and how much they were paying to get these enhancements and the creep-o-meter jumped to the red zone near instantly.
"No kidding," Rise was looking especially nervous. During all the time she had her Persona's Supreme Insight, she had developed her own little sense of things. That sense was telling her that something very powerful was here. Yu had told everyone about the loop he had where Naruto and Sakura had gained their Personas. This probably wasn't even close, but still very dangerous.
"The atmosphere's horrible, but it's eight loopers with maximized Personas vs one potential Shadow Self. How bad could it be?" Kanji boasted. They were just outside of the portal to the Looper's location, but everyone else immediately stopped so they could turn fully to face their friend who just invoked Murphy's Law. He chuckled nervously at the unspoken admonishment.
The Investigation team all got their game faces on as they turned back to swirling black and red opening. As one, they marched forward.
…
Unfortunately, they were a bit late. The confrontation between Human and Shadow was in progress. They both had brown hair and wore the same black jacket. However, while they were different in eye color, the original having violet while the Shadow was gold, they were completely opposite in attitude. Normal Kira seemed like he was readying himself for a fight, combat stance all ready with grit teeth, while his double merely stood with an arrogant smirk on his face.
"No, I'm just one person same as everyone else!" Regular Kira half-shouted.
"But you're not like everyone else. You are better, perfect even. You are the Ultimate Coordinator!" Shadow Kira countered without losing his grin.
"I'm not defined by my abilities alone! Everyone I care about knows that! I KNOW THAT!" The Investigation Team realized what was about to come out of his mouth, but weren't able to interrupt fast enough. "YOU ARE NOT ME!"
Those words echoed through the room. If anything, the arrogant smirk on Shadow Kira's face became absolutely psychotic!
"THAT'S RIGHT! I'm not you! I AM ME NOW!" Many Shadows shot out of nowhere to engulf the rejected Shadow Self.
[Nocturne], [Strange Journey], [SMT IV], [Devil Survivor 1], [The Emperor's New Groove]
Amala's New Groove
Author: Gamerex27
Slowly, the former ruling senate of the kingdom and current herd of llamas glanced at one another, not quite making eye contact.
The sole female of the group opened her mouth, as if to say something, then paused. "I suppose we did wish for Variants and Fusions all this time. Perhaps we should have phrased our wishes more carefully."
"Still better than home," the mutant, horned llama told Isabeau, with the rest of the herd nodding in agreement.
"...so, who's up for getting revenge on the bitch who turned us into giant walking lamb chops?" Naoki continued.
"With no Pocket access or magic?" the llama wearing a white hat chimed in. "I dunno, I'm all for something to do other than sitting around eating grass, but we might be in over our heads here."
"We've all killed entire pantheons before: each and every single one of us," Naoki muttered. "Don't tell me you're gonna let something like no fingers stop you!"
"It's not that." The programmer sighed, then continued. "...I think this is part of the Disney universe. I'm pretty sure I saw this movie, and uh..."
"...'uh,' what?"
"...there's a lot of weird stuff later on," Atsuro explained. "Really, really weird."
"...we have been through catastrophe after catastrophe, death after death, and the EDIT," Isabeau hissed, exasperated. "This cannot be any worse!"
…
"You know, back there, I think you spoke a bit too-"
"I. Know."
"Just making sure," Naoki said, dabbing at his makeup and reapplying his rouge. "Y'know, old me might have been too much of a pussy to cross-dress for a disguise. Guess everything we've been through drilled all the hesitation for everything out of us."
"...but how is it that no one in this restaurant recognizes a herd of llamas disguised as men and women at this table?" Flynn asked, poking a polished hoof from under his capote at the "no llamas allowed" sign at the front of the bar.
"Don't know, don't care," the Demi-Fiend replied. "Makes about as much sense as anything else here."
The llama with brown fur finally spoke up. "We're never going to mention this Loop ever again," Langdon said. "Agreed?"
"Agreed," said his fellow Amala Anchors in unison.
[Nocturne]
(no title)
Author: Gamerex27
"Heeeey. So you've been talking with the hemaprhodite, huh?"
Naoki backed away from the girl he loved used to love. Chiaki didn't seem to care, as she just stepped closer and closer in her newly created Baal Avatar body until she pinned him against the wall, wrapping her arm tentacle around his waist.
"So, what'd shi say? Is shi making a Reason?' the woman who established the Reason of Yosuga asked, in a pleasant sounding voice with dangerous undertones. "Did shi summon hir god yet? Did shi stick it in?"
Naoki flexed, forcing the tentacle off of him, and shoved Chiaki away. "No, no, and no. Now piss off."
"You're so angry," she said, practically purring. "I like that. I wouldn't have before, but...well, you need power in order to thrive. And anger is a very good generator."
"Who's talking?" Naoki growled. "Chiaki? Or Baal?"
"Both." She stepped closer to him again, looking the Demi-Fiend square in the eyes. "Now where is shi?"
"Slaanesh isn't making a Reason," Naoki muttered, trying to walk away, only for his former friend to place herself in his path yet again. "What do you care?"
"I saw what you did with her," Chiaki said. "How you looked at each other back in Ginza. How shi shied away from the fighting, and just sat in that bar? Love...is a weakness. And we can't have the one person who can fulfill the Reasons be weak, now can we? So, I'm going to kill hir, and prove to you that-"
Whatever she was about to say next was cut off as Naoki punched her through the wall on the other side of the room, sending her flying out of the building and clear across the ruins of Tokyo.
"No," he said to himself. "I've lost friends before. Lost you. And I won't let that happen ever again, even if just for one Loop.
"Fucking Yanderes," he said, scowling as he stepped over the corpses of dozens of dead Manikin men, women, and children that Chiaki had slaughtered, and left the building.
[Persona 4], [Gundam]
Kira Yamato's Design – part 3
Author: Drakohahn
As the Shadow Self grew bigger, Kira put a hand on his chest and collapsed into a kneeling position as he suddenly found it difficult to stay conscious. The Investigation Team summoned the cards that held their Personas and shattered them.
"Izanagi!" Yu shouted as his chosen Persona appeared above him; a mostly black humanoid figure with a strange naginata in one hand, bladed wedges on the bottom of his feet and what look like long broken belts connected to his armored head.
"Takehaya Susano-o!" Yosuke roared as his Persona faded into view over his head; a crazy colored disco-suited man with several bladed rings surrounding him... and a literally flaming afro.
"Haraedo-no-Okami!" Chie commanded with her Persona emerging in the air; a black-clad female figure wearing golden armor on her head, arms and skirt with a green cape.
"Sumeo-Okami!" Yukiko beckoned, her Persona swooping down from the ceiling; a solid gold female humanoid with a ruby-studded shield in each hand and a long string of gold feathers connecting her arms.
"Takeji Zaiten!" Kanji bellowed as his Persona appeared before him; a massive white humanoid robot with flame decals, white cape and a flame shaped sword in its left hand.
"Kamui-Moshiri!" Teddy barked with his Persona materializing next to him; a conical robotic being with a grinning face over rainbow stripes on the pointed end of its chest, stubby limbs and its arms ended with golden bear paws with sharp blades, a long red cape with white stars floating free over an equally long rocket engine sticking out of the rotund machine's backside and a crown.
"Kouzeon!" Rise entoned, her Persona sliding a large visor over her eyes; a huge six armed woman in a white dress, a telescope in place of a head and a mini-solar system around her waist.
"Yamato Sumeragi!" Naoto yelled, the last Persona to appear; a noble dressed figure with long blonde hair flowing from a biker helmet shaped like a long, pointed beak, with metal wings connecting from its back to its hands and in its right hand was an odd cross between a katana and a rapier with a basket hilt opposite the blade.
Cue I'll Face Myself Battle
The result of the Shadow Self absorbing the lesser Shadows was a humanoid at least four meters tall by himself. He wore dark grey robotic armor over his arms, legs and chest and he had some kind of massive ring on his back with three large conical pods and several more blade-like protrusions. Blonde hair, a small white mask over his eyes and a smirk both arrogant and insane completed the image.
"I AM A SHADOW, THE TRUE SELF!" It cackled psychotically. "AS THE ULTIMATE COORDINATOR, HUMANITY SHALL BOW DOWN BEFORE ME!"
[Devil Survivor 1]
(no title)
Author: Gamer A
Night of the fifth day. Atsuro told the others that he would take the first watch, but he wasn't expecting anything to happen. As usual, they were taking advantage of the safe zone maintained by the Shomunkai cult, so it was unlikely that any demons would come close to their sleeping area.
Instead, Atsuro was concentrating on fiddling with a spare Comp, taking it apart so see what made it tick. Sometimes, they needed mystical components to maintain the Harmonizer field that evened the odds in a battle between a squishy human and a nigh-invulnerable demon. But sometimes that was done purely by the software. The Harmonizer was useful, and would be even more so if he could run it off of something with more battery life than a handheld game console. The young-looking hacker chuckled to himself. Maybe it could even turn the tables on the Original Seven...
"Still not tired of computers, I see," Kazuya whispered from behind the Anchor, careful not to wake up Yuzu, Midori, or Keisuke.
"It'll take more than a few centuries to dampen that," Atsuro said.
"But it's been longer than that for you, hasn't it?"
"Well, yeah... Hard to keep track when we only have a few months at most at a time," Atsuro admitted. "Say, what do you think Belial will try this time?"
Kazuya looked down at this. "I don't know."
Atsuro tried to brighten the mood. "Don't worry, if all else fails, I can take him."
"Yup, that's why you're the anchor instead of me," Kazuya said. "And maybe we're not actually fragments of each other and he's not awake this time."
"Beldr but not Belial? Yeah, fat chance," Atsuro admitted.
While it Varied, the usual scenario was that all of the Bel demons were fragments of a single soul. It had been pretty obvious once Kazuya started Waking Up that the reason he wasn't the Anchor was that all the others would share that status, and there was too great a risk of Belberith - or whichever one had absorbed most of the others early this time - overpowering them and taking over the world - and making things miserable for mankind.
"He won't kill Haru. Deliberately, anyway," Kazuya assured his friend. Though they both knew that demons tended to forget that the keystones of their plans were easily done in by their own collateral damage.
"Get some sleep, Atsuro. It's my turn at watch, and you can fiddle with that in your Pocket when we have some peace."