Fandom Persona 5: The Meta War CLOSED

[Maeve Valor]

As the Manticore thrashed from side to side trying to escape Thrud's clutches, it couldn't stay still long enough for Masami to get a good last attack in. Scheherazade rushed in knowing exactly what to do as she positioned herself at the head of the two and gently placed her silhouetted, sharp hands over each side of the beast. As she wore her open-mouthed smile she whispered "Dormina" in its ear as purple mist came from her lips. The mist seemed to have sunk into its fur which had then made him fall asleep.

She leapt to action posthaste as soon as she realized that it was unconscious and threw down her chakram upon its neck that only stuck in half way. Thankfully, right then Scheherazade put a hand on Masami's shoulder as it emitted a light red light to go through her arm all the way to Masami who then started to glow red as she somehow felt even more powerful. It was then that was able to jam the blade all the way through decapitating it.

As the Tulpa began to disperse Masami started to catch her breath smiling and said finally to Shiro as she twirled her weapon around her arm like a hula hoop as the black blood splattered in a few places, "Take a joke Akiyama; No regrets here."

Nellancholy

 

[accursedjobber]

"Well they are a bunch of misfits all right," Ann responded while nervously bouncing her leg up and down not really ready for this. She felt a little bad for dragging Isao into this but she needed to know if he could be a persona and if her gut was right. She was going to have to act quick to gain Suzuki's attention and also hurry up so Shiro doesn't die since she diid care for her friend. Ann was going to prove her usefulness to the thieves and hopefully the other boy could as well.

The subway stopped and Ann stood up and grabbed Isao's hand to hopefully drag him out of the subway as she was bursting with excitement and nervousness. There was no time to explain and no time to kill. Morgana followed them to the Ginza building scoffing at his team member for her actions and that she was literally acting mental right now. Now it was game time...luckily Morgana was a pro at breaking and entering into places by now. He ran on all fours ahead of them and wondered how he could sneak in...maybe the vent? Morgana had a copy of the phantom thief card in his mouth and needed to find Suzuki's office or whatever.

"That cat is actually a member," Ann told him as she pushed open the doors to Ginza, "I am not a crazy cat lady but I am a phantom thief." Ann smirked and walked up to the front desk and looked at the person at the desk, "The order of Metatron is false! You are just using people and your leaders time is almost over so better give up." Ann trusted Morgana to deliver the calling card to Suzuki so she held out her phone as security guards walked towards her and suddenly her, Isao, and Imato were transported to the palace of Metatron and Ann was of course wearing her costume now. She aimed her gun at the shadows disguised as security guards and shot them dissolving them. Ann laughed, "that was easy..."

Then someone with a tulpa managed to ran across the wall and kick Ann in the head knocking her to the ground where shadows pointed their guns at her. The man named Goro looked at Isao and Imato with hostile eyes, "who the fuck are you guys? Eh maybe you'll make good tulpas." Goro punched Isao to hopefully knock him out and then he would try the same trick on Imato.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Morgana managed to climb into a vent and ran inside it to hopefully find the target. He was still in his cat form so if he got caught then he would be fucked. He had no idea what Suzuki would look like and where she would be but he kept traveling through the vent. He soon came to an end where he looked down below and the grate collapsed sped making him fall to the ground with a thud alerting cult members but he always had a trick...

One of the cult members found just a card and he picked it up reading it with a scrunched face confused as it was addressed to Suzuki. Morgana now had to figure out how to get to the Metaverse and he had an idea of how. He waited for the confused boy to leave to go see Suzuki and tell her the news first and started to lick his paws while he waited. His team needed him at least for a fast escape.

Anthem accursedjobber Nellancholy

Ann's response to his question would remain a oddity to Isao it would remain the most ordinary moment of the day, the situation rapidly escalating beyond Isao's understanding and preparation, even as they entered the building as his confusion started mounting as his impressions of the phantom thieves would indicate that going through the front doors would be a bad idea, coming to a fore front as Ann declared her opinions on the Metatron order and flashing her phone before the world seemed to morph around him and wherein Isao came to the obvious concept that he was truly out of his depth.

The gunfire from Ann's sudden automatic weapon drove Isao to diving behind a piece of potted cover despite the gunfire quickly becoming apparently not aimed at him and instead into ghost people, a cryptid type that he long since proved to be false until now at least. His mind racing towards as feelings confluxes as the tensely of the situation escalated, his lack of pre warning or any idea of what the hell is happening causing him freeze up in the shadow of the dismal potted plant.

Until finally the sound of body hitting the floor and the loud sound of gunfire stopped and Isao stepped out to see Ann lying in a costume that showed the true extent of her condition along with a man standing above her. His word's immediately shattering any sense of peace between them and revealed with the quick turn of a head to see another man in near the same situation, attempting to quickly reach into his bag as the revealed cryptid rushed forward and slugged him causing him to spiral to the floor.

His vision and conscious fading as he got laid out into the floor, thoughts in chaos inside, the man was going to turn them into tulips a sick twisted distortion of the mythology, as Isao tried to make sense of the sudden rise of stakes even as consciousness pattered away.

 

[Nellancholy]

"Ugh!" Some of the black blood spattered onto Shiro's jacket and helmet, but it just as quickly dissipated. Where did it go? Perhaps all the matter that Shadows (and Personae) were made out of would simply return to the "cognitive unconscious" when dissolved, or whatever it was called. In the past few days, Shiro had "killed" a fair bit, and it wasn't getting to be any less of a strange experience.

"Very well. If you insist on being obstinate, so be it." Metatron was not pleased. "Remain then, among the unenlightened masses, fit only to be ground beneath the boots of my Order! From this day on, you are but another target, Masami Ogawa!"

Suzuki's palace began to shift and slide, like a massive machine reconfiguring itself. One of the walls of the lab slid open and the floor began to slope, almost like a garbage disposal chute aiming to expel the intruders.

For once, Shiro didn't fight against this turn of events. "It appears we have made ourselves quite unwelcome, Ogawa. Shall we?" She tucked her legs in, sliding down the chute and leaping off at the end, allowing herself to be expelled from the Metaverse for now.

---

And it was then that the duo emerged inside Dr. Hiroshi's office. The devious little man cowered against the wall, his manipulative demeanor gone. "Intruder! Apostate! Heretic! Get thee out from this sacred place at once!" Even if he couldn't quite see what had transpired, it was clear that his attempt to "recruit" Masami had failed.

"We were just leaving, charlatan. Ogawa?" Expecting Masami to follow, Shiro kept her pace and ran out of the building. They'd met their exact goal this time...for once. Now they needed the final piece of the plan of attack, to make the treasure tangible and stealable. Ann had already seemed to jump the gun; Shiro could sense her and Morgana in some kind of battle nearby.

Maeve Valor

 

[Maeve Valor]

When Metatron declared her as an enemy to the order Masami only rolled her eyes as she attached her weapon to a clasp on her back so that she's able to hold it in place there all while thinking, "Adding that to the list of problems I have in my life."

In the next moment, she didn't expect the whole area to warp and in the process send her down a chute. As she was slid down with Shiro, her armor and weapon grated against the metallic interior of the chute causing a horrible screeching sound that made it hard to hear Shiro when she addressed Masami. It was such a relief when they reached the bottom that Masami patted one of her ears to make sure they weren't ringing; she didn't even notice at first that they were back in reality until she head the familiar voice of Dr. Hiroshi yelling at them to leave.

In response to Shiro making her exit, Masami gave a peace sign while sticking her tongue out at him on her way out as she followed close behind Shiro.

Once outside, Masami registered an odd feeling of the air being confined and tense. She didn't know where it was coming from since the place looked like normal buildings with a sidewalk and cars, but this sense she was getting felt much deeper that just the atmosphere she was perceiving. "Akiyama, are you sensing that too? What is that? Should we be worried about it?" she asked as unbeknownst to her, they were sensing a battle taking place involving the rest of the Phantom Thieves.

Nellancholy

 

[accursedjobber]

Truthfully the idea of Cryptids existing is a outdated and honestly dull minded farce the idea of a Ningen actually existing was slim along with the moth man, Ghosts not to mention folk creatures lumped in with them. Cryptozoology was a joke of a field with almost no evidence backing to it. But that was why Isao adored it the idea of the supernatural and the undiscovered, it may be wrong or not exist entirely but the adventure and fun involved in the search was beyond any he ever had, easily outshining crane games or even dominos giving him a drive to live his life outside of the cycle of school, even if it in the end it led to here and now. It was still unfair though, he was on the brink and literally judging by the surroundings on the edge of a breakthrough.

It was unfair that the lack of information or pre planning led to now, the only two other conscious people in the room being the random masked kid and the advancing tulip farmer who clocked him with a killer right, it would be even more unfair if he left that bystander to be attacked and he still needed to give Ann a chewing into on how terrible of a plan this was in the first place, that could be the delusional state he was in at the current moment or the adrenaline still pumping into his system as he moved his hand and attempted to wipe the unconsciousness from himself as he grasped what he assumes is the taser held at the bottom of his page before swiping it out then turning towards the two standing figures.

His vision still blurry from the double blunt trauma as he aimed his weapon towards the blurry figures in his fading line of sight, melding together in his mind as he pulls the trigger as a last ditch attempt to help whatever is happening, Isao praying that he fires true as a desperation last measure.

Anthem That Weird girl

 

[That Weird girl]

"How pathetic," Goro laughed at the two boys and then Ann on the ground. He used to be timid but when he was punished by Suzuki he decided to take matters into his own hands. He raised a sword to kill Ann but then was hit with a volt of electricity from the taser and grimaced as it did hurt a bit. "Why you little-" Goro growled and took out his machine gun and aimed it at Isao and fired but it seemed some wind protected the boy.

Morgana jumped in front of Isao and Imato holding his sword and smirking, "Your savior is here...looks like Ann failed which is not surprising to me." Ann rolled her eyes at Morgana and got up from the floor and got her whip out getting ready to face Goro with Morgana.

"Two of you huh?" Goro asked with a smirk on his face, "twice the fun to kill..." Goro ran towards them with his katana with the intent to kill Ann and Morgana. Morgana clashed his sword with his katana but not even the might of Zorro could hold thew attack as Goro managed to break through his guard and slashed at him. Morgana yelped a little bit as there was a gash on his chest. Luckily Morgana had come prepared and used a healing item on himself.

"Who is that guy?" Morgana looked at Imato as he blasted Goro back with his wind into a wall of the palace ruining the cleanness of it. Ann shrugged as she hit Goro with her whip serval times doing some damage to him. Morgana looked at Isao with a smirk, "you can turn right? Into a persona?" Morgana hoped that he could turn before they got swarmed by- aw shit...

Several shadows appeared around them making Ann and Morgana go back to back posting their weapons at the shadows who were closing in on them. "I know I messed up but you have the power," Ann said to Isao, "you always talk about cyptids and are obsessed with them so become one!" She then glanced at Imato, "I don't know who you are but you have the power as well..."

Morgana killed an incoming Bicorn that was charging at him with his slingshot, "You both are big losers if you don't transform." Being rude would helpfully help them transform and Morgana was really good at that. Ann shot down a pixie and continued to shoot at the shadows but then one knocked her to the ground and another one did the same to Morgana. Goro clapped laughing like a maniac and looked at the boys.

"You both did nothing...you really are bystanders," Goro said and walked back to Ann and Morgana and gestured for a shadow to step on them both. "The phantom thieves?!" Goro shouted with laughter, "I just stopped the phantom thieves!" Morgana groaned and clenched his fist, "No you didn't you asshole." Goro turned to Morgana and held out his sword, "what did you say to me cat?" Morgana growled and a burst of wind hit around the area, "I AM NOT A CAT! ONLY MY FRIENDS GET TO CALL ME THAT!"

Anthem accursedjobber

 

[Anthem]

Imato was shocked of everything happening right in front of him, he had never expected his illegitimate investigation to reach this point... where he could die if he wasn't careful or if he got in the way of the battle. He growled under his breath as the cat called him a loser, since the teen had no clue what to do to awaken this 'persona' that they had been speaking about. Imato continued to dodge out of the way of the attacks that got somewhat close to him, and kept his distance. Though this dodging stopped when he was called a bystander by the beast, he clenched his fist despite knowing that the thing was true.

'He's right... The one chance to do something with the world and you are blowing it! Unless... You're ready to finally awaken, Imato?' The voice within Imato's thoughts called out before falling silent. He knew that he was ready to end the mockery he had been receiving from the beast, phantom thief, everyone. Those emotions started to swell and strengthen until they were ready to be released, all that was needed at this point was the acceptance. A blue flame appeared in front of Imato's sight and he reached out to grab it, his vision faded to a shade of blue and his conscious faded from the battleground.

 

[Nellancholy]

The chaotic battle, the smell of sweat and dust and gunpowder, soon faded away. All that yielded to a tranquil and subdued blue...though the actual construction of the room was anything but. The wardens of the prison, a solid artifice of steel and stone, loomed over him. Imato would find himself seated none too ceremoniously in a metal chair, as the three watched him. Placed there with nary any hospitality, he was nonetheless not chained. Still, it seemed there was no easy way out of this little prison.

The young boy in the warden's uniform chuckled as he flipped over the papers on his clipboard. "My my, it's quite the catch we have today, don't we Lyka?" He turned the board around to show his partner. "A completely blank record. Not even an uneventful one. Utterly...empty."

"If you think you can hold back on us, you're mistaken, inmate." The tall, imposing woman's fingers brushed over her baton.

"And so it is." The hunched, long-nosed man behind the desk finally spoke up. "Call me Igor. And do excuse my wardens, dear boy. They are not quite privy to the insights you and I share. The truth is that you weren't the one who erased that which lies in your heart. Isn't it so?" His mouth grew into an unnaturally wide smile. "There's something within you that...you always felt wasn't quite you. Creeping and grasping...casting the rest of you into shadow. Well..." He chuckled. "It's time to reconnect with that something. After all, that erasure doesn't have to be a bad thing. Consider this...a new beginning."

With a wave of Igor's hand, a contract on clean white paper materialized on the desk, alongside a deck of cards. Gingerly, Igor's spindly fingers drew a single card and turned it over, setting it next to the contract.

"The Fool reversed. Apprehension. Uncertainty towards your new beginning. I must regretfully inform you that the moment is upon you, as much as I wish otherwise. If you accept this contract, you can start anew. And if not...perhaps you will simply fall. End where we found you..."

The contract, as always, was brief.

"I accept responsibility for the path my journey takes."​

"We'll be watching you." Igor grinned.

Anthem

 

[Anthem]

Imato looked at the three with blank eyes, wondering if this had been a hell he was sentenced to before realizing that it was the opposite. As Igor explained what was happening, Imato couldn't disagree with what the man was saying. He didn't know the elusive man but he seemed to know all about him. Looking at the paper while the explanation of the card was given, he wondered if this was the correct thing to do. The voice that had been leading him so long was gone, it was time for Imato to make his own choice to decide his fate.

"I bet you can tell that I have many questions, Igor. But I suppose all will be answered in due time, I trust that it will." Imato said, removing the medical mask on his face which revealed a grin. He picked up the pen, flipping it around in his hand before writing his name on the contract.

"𝓘𝓶𝓪𝓽𝓸 𝓜𝓪𝓴𝓪𝓰𝓮"
​

Imato put the pen down, knowing that his time in the Velvet Room would end shortly. He sighed and wondered if this would be his only moment here, or if coming back would be in the future.

 

[Anthem]

His conscious fading back to the battlefield, Imato's eyes flared with new found rebellion. Just as he did in the Velvet Room, he ripped off the medical mask that covered his face revealing a wicked grin. "I refuse to hold back any longer... It's time to show you bastards what real insanity is!" Imato yelled out to Goro and his shadow henchmen as a pain starts flaring in the back of his head.

'So you have finally accepted the contract, leaving behind what silenced your true self for so very long... Now's time for our contract I suppose~
I am thou
Thou art I
Long have you been shunned by the ones you longed to protect.
Embrace the insanity that drove you away from your former path
And pave a new one with your enemies blood!
Call my name, Imato
Call my name and never be a chained soul again!'
​

Refusing to let the pain drive him to his knees, Imato stood strong as a mask appeared on his face. With a smirk he grabbed one of the horns on the mask. "I hear you... Loki! And I agree, that this ends here... So awaken, my-" Ripping off the mask in an instant, blood rolled down his face as he still had the smirk. "PERSONA!!!" Imato yelled as blue flames enveloped his body, dissipating as quick as they appeared to reveal his phantom thief attire and weaponry, along with his Persona... Loki. Laughter emerged from the teen as he pulled out one of his newly equipped weapons, the Desert Eagle and pointed it at the shadows. Loki would seem to point at the shadows as well, standing tall behind Imato. "Jackpot~" Imato said with a crazed smile before bursting bullets into the shadows' heads. With the help of draining a small amount of life from Imato, Loki started blasting away at the shadows with his own gun attacks.

 

[accursedjobber]

Sensory overload was the key word of the day as Isao attempted to accept the sleepy feeling until he was reminded to his surprise the battle was still going on by how he got protected by wind from a close call with bullets. Shaking his head as he decides that he should really stop questioning what's happening and focus on the apparent problems like the fact that there was a insane guy with a machine gun and now a katana by the looks of things even as he got up off from the ground and backed away as they engaged in a duel with their respective weapons against a Bakaneko from his guesses.

Stumbling towards cover as he slid across the counter to the other side of the reception desk well aware of his vulnerability to bullets taking in Ann and the Bakeneko's words as he peeked over the counter to a un-favorable sight before returning back towards lamenting the words aimed at him before hand, grasping his head as he goes over everything desperate for a solution or way to help without being shot, there has to be one. Still trying to comprehend their words, become a cryptid?, transform?, closing his eyes and thinking came out with nothing, the only remnants of his deeds being the used taser he still had in his hand, he really was a loser right now though if he didn't do anything as he watched the fight turn sour from his piece of cover.

Though the idea that he did nothing said by the madman hurt him the most, finding himself distastefully agreeing with him believing that he failed to meet the expectation's and help those that trusted him and he failed the investigation if he continued to do nothing. No this was simply unacceptable to leave things like this, he can't just lie here and do nothing as people and the biggest Accomplishment he's ever had vanish in front of him, he was Isao Yagi and he needed to reach the true end of this investigation. Even if he had no idea what was happening he had to try to meet the expectation's of his peers and to be a true investigator through to the end as he thought up a plan to help as much as possible, a plan involving Transforming into a cryptid in the only way he knew how by doubling down despite the odds (or in their case lack of evidence) as he grasped the used taser in one hand and looks down into his bag for any remaining weapon to attempt to help as a invasive blue hue of light was glowing inside his backpack as he grasps whatever it is and then was flashed by a blue light emitting from his old rustic backpack as it enveloped his vision interrupting his planned disruption.

 

[That Weird girl]

It seemed like Ann got a second wind from seeing Imato transform and take out a lot of shadows. She got up and held her submachine gun firing it at a shadow behind Imato killing it and knew that the boy would soon crash since it was his first time. "CARMEN!" Ann shouted and the figure appeared besides her and shot fireballs at the shadows keeping them at bay from overwhelming the two. Carmen glanced at Loki and turned to the shadows and lifted her arm and caused them to have lower defenses to make it easier to kill them.

Meanwhile Morgana was working out a escape route to hopefully go before the shadows could overwhelm them. Morgana sighed and looked around the palace for anything that could get them a quick escape. Shiro was going to love this new guy since he seemed to almost love violence as much as her. He was glad he transformed when he did but of course Morgana didn't bother thanking him because well he is Morgana.

"Loki huh?" Morgana muttered to himself, "well hopefully he doesn't end up in a mental asylum so we have to break him out." The cat smirked and inspect a wall that was weakened and hit it with his sword. He hit it again with more force and the wall came tumbling down revealing a safe room that seemed to be cloaked from everything else. "Yeah will need that for sure..." Morgana mumbled looking at his friends fighting, "ain't going to last much longer without me of course."

Morgana then made his way over to them slicing through shadows with his sharp winds and held out a smoke bomb to throw if things got heavy. Suddenly shadows with guns arrived and Morgana threw the smoke bomb on the ground making them hard to see. "Thank me later," Morgana said smirking and Zorro made a giant wind attack getting the smoke in the shadows eyes and blinding them for a few seconds.

 

[Nellancholy]

accursedjobber

An experience that had happened twice today already occurred once more. As they tended to say, third time's the charm. The blue light grew, overwhelming Isao's senses.

Rather than taking him, it almost seemed more like it was consuming Isao's surroundings. Or overwriting them, like a computer writing data onto old sectors of a disk. The surreal, fearsome battle taking place before him was replaced by the stone and steel of a prison hallway cast in velvety blue. The light dimmed, even compared to what the other visitors saw, casting three figures in shadow before him.

The tallest one spoke, her tone irate as she finally allowed herself to swing her arm, extending her baton. "Just look what the Panther dragged in this time. An intrepid investigator who can't mind his own business. Curiosity killed the cat, you know..."

"And satisfaction brought it back, Lyka." The boy standing opposite her beamed. "And yet, for all your curiosity, you haven't yet found us by your own volition. It would have been truly something if you succeeded." His tone was mildly condescending. "It's a shame you had to come here like this."

"It is hardly a waste, Solon." The figure sitting behind a desk spoke. "After all, it is the machination of fate that beckons each and every one of our guests here. Call me Igor. If you care to call me at all, that is." The hunched man tended his fingers, chuckling softly as if he had delivered a fine joke. "Perhaps it is that quest for understanding that made you more...receptive to this place in the first place. Most admirable. I do hope that you will be able to join the ranks of our other guests. Some came here seeking redemption. Others, the truth behind their own masks. For you...I offer purpose."

With a gentle rap on his desk, Igor conjured a metallic pen and a neat, white sheet of paper on which was printed but a few words. Alongside it sat a deck of cards. With a gesture that had become familiar by now, Igor pulled a card...that with a flick of his finger, split into two. Apparently enjoying the opportunity to show off a bit more, Igor let one of the cards flip to the other end of his hand, before setting it down on the desk.

"The Hermit. The sum of your work, everything you've trained for...everything you learned. You've quite enjoyed yourself, haven't you? But as for how you will bring this into the world..."

The other card landed.

"The Sun. It's time for you to be a hero, hm? To beam that bright radiance of yours to all the world...you don't have to, of course. But it would indeed be quite the shame if you didn't..."

The contract sat before Isao.

"I accept full responsibility for the results of using my talents."​

 

[accursedjobber]

The heightened emotions almost instantly pushed Isao into instantly signing this contract and though he desperately wanted to ask questions and address the dim figures he needed to get back as soon as possible, wasting little time to remember what he left behind back in, not knowing whether his peer's were in anymore or less danger. He couldn't do anything else but quickly sign the document his handwriting rough even as he attempted to squeeze as many questions as possible as he signed. "What are cryptids? do get a chance to come back here?"

Aware of the absurdity of his current situation but the idea of never having the chance to investigate or come back to this prison pained him as he attempted to ask and receive answers
before his time here was over no matter how short they were, though in the end this mixed approach only lead to a few questions as he wrote his name down.
"Isao Yagi"
Glancing around rapidly at the three figures as he attempted to fit a last question "Was I on a time limit?" as the attempted final question, realizing that the need to rush his question may not have been needed. This was left unanswered as his visitation ended.

 

[Nellancholy]

Shiro's head spun as Masami and her practically spilled out onto the sidewalk outside the office building occupied by the Order. It probably wouldn't be long before Dr. Hiroshi called the police. Or perhaps the Order would come after them by more...direct means. Masami seemed none the worse for wear despite the strain of activating her Persona for the first time and fighting off several Shadows. Shiro, on the other hand, had Thrud use a fair bit of her strength allowing them to break into Suzuki's secret lab. Not to mention withstanding most of the Manticore's attacks and the venom carried in its stinger.

The worst of the pain had subsided when they left the Metaverse...for the first time, but their fight wasn't quite over yet. A strange, tingling sensation caught Shiro's attention, like radio static buzzing in her ear, filling her brain and crawling down her spine. Her head spun, with the toxins still taking their toll on her. The battle continued nearby, and...

"D-damn it. Ogawa, you still with me?"

Her hands shaking, Shiro pulled out her phone and pressed on the Metaverse app.

It was time to dive right back in.

Once again, Shiro and Thrud crashed right out of the air, slamming down onto one of the hapless Shadows and taking in the scene through the visor of their helmets.

Ann and Morgana were holding their own, having already taken out several Shadows. And an apparent new friend, already showing considerable power with his Persona.

The man they had met the other day...Goro. Beowulf's "master". He was looking far more haggard and desperate than he was just the other day...damn it. Knowing how the tulpas were made and controlled, the pieces were falling into place. She really didn't want to hurt him too badly...hopefully they'd be able to take Suzuki's treasure as they did Kajiki's, and end her grip over the Order.

Another boy lay collapsed nearby, not quite returning to consciousness.

Staggering over to him, Shiro grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him up. "Are you well? This is no place to be lying around. If you lack the fortitude to fight, I...I'll get you out of here."

accursedjobber Maeve Valor

 

[accursedjobber]

Isao eyes blinked a couple of times as he came to back in Ginza, flailing about in panic as he was lifted off his lovely spot on the floor, the whiplash causing him to shake himself free as he frantically stuttered out "I'm good, I'm good" as he landed himself on the ground again as a soft gentlemanly voice permeated itself as a whisper.

Where ever the end lies in these pursuits of Passion
Whether for justice or happiness
The Conclusion of this venture will be found after all
I am thou
Thou art I
No matter how minor or absurd all investigations must be completed
As that's where our happiness lies in this pursuit of our desires​

Grasping at his face as a mask overcast itself on his face, desperately grasping and struggling with it as it slowly gave way even as the process felt excruciating, until it gave way as the layer was flung away. The sickly pain finally ending, as the transformation into a cryptid was complete as he drew in short desperate breaths kneeling on the ground.

Throwing a hand at the person who grabbed him before or at least in the direction he remembered them being, and squeaking out "Still good". Evidence gloves covered his hands highlighted by his imitation of a investigator the oversized police jacket having a bright 'happiness investigator' in bold wording instead of it's branding on the back, the uniform warping to suit the current usage by a phantom thief, then sitting up from his position on the floor.

Raising his hand to be pointing at a group of shadows, a singular gloved hand miming his action's as it floated above him in a finger gun pointing at a group of shadow as he recited words he knew somehow "Count, Freeze them!" as the ghost hand let loose a flurry of ice from the tips of it's finger tips as it used bufu to attack the group of enemies, as Isao stood up grasping a baton and affixing his tie in a attempt to calm down, full of energy and bouncing on the spot despite the energy toll ready to continue the investigation and actually contribute to this battle.

 

[Maeve Valor]

It was only when Masami turned to Shiro to ask her if she felt the odd sensation that she realized how much in bad shape she was getting. She was about to ask about her well-being when Shiro cut her off by taking out her phone and asked if she was still going to stand by her. And without waiting for answer, Masami observed as she pressed an icon on her phone that seemed to then take them back into the dimension they just came from. With that, just as quickly as they had left, they were right back in to be met with a battle taking place right before them.

Masami was taken aback as she tried to process quickly all that was going on at the time, but Shiro was of course quicker to react as she immediately honed in on a bystander that had become unconscious. Elsewhere on the battlefield, she saw three other people- a girl, a guy, and a... cat?- that wore outrageous outfits like she did and had powerful beings that they also controlled all up against creatures like the ones she had previously faced. Masami assumed that these were the people that Shiro wanted to come and help out. She was still worried about Shiro's state that she was in so she summoned Scheherazade to send her over to Shiro and give her extra protection. The female figure flitted around Shiro as a purple glow surrounded her giving her slightly more defensive measures. In the meantime, Masami ran over as she threw out her Chakram at an enemy leaving a clean slash as she somersaulted forward to then grab her weapon and jump back to where the others were gathering at. "If you couldn't tell, the cavalry has arrived," she said sarcastically keeping her eyes on the shadows before them.

The person who was unconscious suddenly woke up as he was undergoing through some sort of transformation as she wondered if he too had accepted a pact. The answer to her question was quickly answered as raw energy permeated throughout the room unveiling a spectacular demonstration of the Count's ability to freeze all who opposed.

 

[TreasureSniper]

With the thieves finally gathered in one place, multiple bright searchlights were lit and quickly turn in their direction, signifying that they have attracted the attention of something far greater than they could imagine. Several helicopters hovered the area, dropping down squads of shadows while a few MetaMerc make themselves visible. Namely there were three. First one had a red and black cloak, wielding katana with a terrifyingly excited expression on his face. "Wait wait... these guys are the ones the cultfolk are having trouble with? They don't look so tough to me!" The figure brandished his katana as he licked his lips with delight. "Don't let your guard down just yet, Slayer. These phantom thieves were strong enough to infiltrate palaces if nothing else." spoke the white-suited individual that lovingly held a bat against his shoulder. "Yea yea, whatever. Haze, gas them." The red-haired mask man gestured to the skull masked individual who simply nodded in compliance. "If you were so strong, why do you need me to do your dirty work?" the one known as "Haze" quipped sarcastically as he ripped his mask and summoned his persona while simultaneously revealing his face.



"Enfeeble them! Arahabaki!" The young man shouted with a monotone voice while a giant vaguely humanoid robot manifested in front of the heroes. The persona would begin rapidly releasing a purple noxious gas. If any of the phantom thieves were to come into contact with the gas, they would begin to feel weak, hungry, and even drowsy. The metamerc themselves seemed immune to this affect, likely because they recognized each other as allies.


The fodder shadows begin surrounding the group, holding up riot shields and batons, creating a circular defensive barrier between them and the outside world. The sheer amount shadows was staggering. While they weren't too strong, they the numbers to make up for it. "Alright then. Which one of you phantom theives wants to go first?" Slayer taunted the group, with his two men by his side.

 

[That Weird girl]

"You gotta be kidding me...." Morgana sighed and looked the shadows surrounding them and he glanced at the robot. He was not sure what to do for once in his life and had no tricks yet...he looked at Shiro and Masami and did a second look at Masami not believing that Shiro had the capacity to make friends. "Listen meta jerks you aren't preventing me from stealing the treasure!" Morgana lunged at at a shadow with his sword but got hit by a shield hard in the face. "Ow ok maybe I was exaggerating a little bit," Morgana said and backed up and smiled out of fear.

Ann was silent as she looked at Shiro waiting for her move since she was the leader of this operation and was the one wanting to it. She was not positive they could take on that many people and honesty she wished she stayed home. Ann was scared and she was trembling a little bit and clutched her whip in her hand. "Should have never done this," Ann mumbled to herself.

"Oh I can take you on you big tin can!" Morgana shouted to the robot wanting to impress Masami by taking down the robot. He gained a little courage by her being around and he had a big crush. Morgana held his sword and pointed it at slayer, "The phantom thieves are far more stronger than you and your pathetic army!" Morgana charged into the circular defense and sliced a shadow, "LETS GO TEAM!" Morgana inhaled some of the gas but he still kept fighting.

 

[Anthem]

Imato was pissed that he had gotten surrounded along with the other Phantom Thieves. He looked at the sheer number of shadows, and the Meta Mercs that surrounded them thinking that it would be too much to handle at this point. That's what his logical side thought at least, on the other hand his current way of thinking was to cut them all down as fast as possible. Even if there's a strong chance that it will fail, that's what he wanted to do.

"I can't believe I'm saying this... but I'm with the cat! You freaks are going down!" Imato yelled out at the shadow and Meta Mercs, holstering his Desert Eagle to pull out his other weapon, a saber. Taking a deep breath of fresh air before holding his breath, the wounded thief joined Morgana in his charge against the defense the mercs put up to stop them in their tracks. Though he didn't have the same motivation as the little cat, Imato just wanted to take down as many as possible with his new power even with the surge draining a lot of his energy.

 

[Nellancholy]

Shiro coughed, her fists clenched tightly as she struggled to stay up. Damn it all. Turns out the Metaverse was a place where one could get ambushed by these abhorrent, swaggering bullies as well. Her anger flickered, the flame threatening to ignite and burn at the cost of everything else. Thrud reached into her own chest, gathering the heat in her palm. She stopped for a moment, regarding it in her fascination.

A bright yellow glow emitted from behind her visor. A new power was awakening within her. The will to resist this damnable fog, and any power that might try to weaken this band of rebels.

"Hrrrr..." Even so, it took a moment for her to summon her voice. "Another gang of thuggish pricks? In league with those knaves, Rex and Roadkill?" It was one thing to be dueling when they had more pressing matters to address. But since they were so audacious as to try and surround them, there was naught to do but fight. "It's just as well! Once we sweep you lot aside, we'll be coming for them too!"

The beam of light emitting from Thrud widened, striking Imato and Morgana as they charged. A glowing barrier formed around them, engulfing their bodies. While it might not have been able to fully counteract the effects of the toxic gas, it restored some of their strength, and could prevent them from being exposed further as long as it held up. Which might not be too long, but maybe it was all the chance they needed.

As for Thrud, she summoned her strength and allowed Shiro to grab on. With a puff of her jets, Shiro was hurled into the air...and she drew back her arm, hurling her lance straight at Arahabaki's chest.

That Weird girl Anthem TreasureSniper

 

[accursedjobber]

Wow they really are all insane aren't they. Isao was watching as the other phantom thieves fought head on with the robot, diving into the gas or apparently throwing spears at it. A desire enflamed inside to charge in, to flex his new found power and let loose the almighty power of the count!.

That was why he wasn't doing that, what ever was compounding those thoughts inside of himself that being adrenaline or this cryptid energy would lead to unwise decisions and could disrupt the others. Leaving the planning to the more experienced and wiser, choose to remain in the flank of whatever their plan was and deciding to dedicate himself to cover opposite the phantom thieves stab into the shadow's formation.

Isao staring at the weapons of their opponent's another crew of bizarrely dressed people mirroring their own abilities indicating linkage and noting the crime of procession of deadly weapon not quite bordering on assault while denoting that the definition of mystic crimes may need updating.

"If you surrender now, the sentence will only be 4 to maybe 6 years, It's a good deal!" Isao shouted in following with the other's war cry, as he called on the count again to attempt to prevent the encirclement enclosing further into them, ice cast to attempt to trip or push back the riot shadows even as he felt the drain on himself from the usage. Putting his faith that the other's had a plan here.

 

[Maeve Valor]

When helicopters descended down to the surface and three people revealed themselves from them, Masami at first thought that they were some more backup to fight along with them, but she was sorely mistaken. As they spoke to each other, their allegiance became more evident and Masami grew more worried about the situation that they were all in. The energy that came off of these men felt different from her group and even from the cultists. "Just who are these people?" She questioned in her mind as she got into a defensive stance.

As she began to feel worn down from some ability the enemy had conjured, everything started to click in Masami's head when the person called Slayer said, "Alright then. Which one of you phantom thieves wants to go first?"

"The Phantom Thieves? Isn't that the group that supposedly stole the heart of Kajiki? Is this how how they stole his heart; by coming to this dimension and tampered with stuff here to change him? Did I agree to become part of the Phantom Thieves without even knowing it?! And seriously, what is going on with this talking cat? And why does it keep looking at me like that?" Masami's thoughts swarmed as the strange cat continuously taunted the enemies. Others soon joined in, taunting and even some charging in to attack them. Masami stayed behind still bracing herself for a potential attack and commanded Scheherazade to summon a light barrier around her allies. Soon enough, all six of them glowed a faint purple around them. Shiro, glowed brighter than the others due to it now being her second layer of protection.

 

[TreasureSniper]

Seeing the valkryie like persona charge towards his arahabaki, Haze merely turned toward his white-suited friend and nodded, signaling him to do something. Fixer complied, pointing his bat towards Shiro, temporarily giving her a "Charge up" buff, giving her a significant damage boost on her next physical attack. Unfortunately for her, the assault on Arahabaki would likely be her undoing. Not only did the lance's impact have no effect on Arahabaki, it was also swiftly deflected back towards its attacker with equal force, revealing that it innately repelled physical attacks.

Haze took note of the girl's attempt to create a magical barrier around her allies and responded in kind. Directing his persona to cast the "Makara Break" spell, instantly nullifying the barrier. By now the gas has continued to permeate into the area, but thanks to Shiro's efforts, it was only half as effective. The shadows, seeing this as an opening violently pushed in with shields held high, rushing into their position without any regard for their own safety.

Slayer merely chuckled at their petty taunts, especially from the one that demanded him to surrender. "Surrender at the moment of our triumph? And don't you dare compare us to those garbage." The mad man ripped his mask in anger is he shouted the name of his persona with murderous grin. "THANATOS!" The red and black humanoid reaper materializes in front of them with a cape of coffins, each of them opening to shoot out multiple bolts of black energy toward the group. The bolts would widly fly and arc around until they hit their intended targets. Some of them even went as far as to pierce through the allied shadows to hit their mark. There was clearly a difference in strength between the two groups.



Meanwhile, the one known as fixer had also summoned his own persona, a humanoid gangster-like creature 4 arms. "Riddle them with holes, Al Capone." He said with monotounous voice. Using its machine gun arms, the gangster opened fire onto the group with rapid succession, killing countless amount of their own shadows. After unloading approximately 300 shots onto the group, he finally decided to stop, thinking that it was sufficient to defeat them.


When the dust settles, Thanatos would dash toward Thrud to hold the persona by its neck, strangling it with its vice-like grip. "All that hoo-ha for a bunch of greenhorns. Disappointing." Slayer himself would walk towards Shiro and points his blade towards the woman's chest. His persona would mimic the action by unsheathing his own blade, preparing to plunge it into the valkyrie-like persona. "Any last words before I gut you like the pitiful scum you are?" Slayer taunted the girl with a prideful and sadistic grin. What did these kids they were gonna achieve? As strong as they are, they were newbies in this field. How could they hope to stand a chance against people who have had years to perfect their craft?

 

[Nellancholy]

The hefty lance streaked forth from Shiro's hand at top speed, faster than even she could expect. Flying like a large caliber bullet, it might even have punched a hole straight through Arahabaki...if not for what happened next. The lance struck the barrier around Arahabaki, which buckled like metal girders straining in an earthquake.

And then the barrier exploded, returning all the force of Shiro's attack back at her. She could barely tuck into a stance resembling a boxing guard before it hit her, bowling her over like a tidal wave and sending her spinning to the ground like an airplane struck by a missile.

If this was the material world, a fall like that would have left her smeared across the floor. Being able to survive that here in the Metaverse...wasn't necessarily better.

The impression or rather the stereotype polite society had of people like her were of ferocious thugs, swaggering around and looking for fights. But the truth was always different. To survive when so much was turned against you, you needed to know when to stay in the shadows. And know when to strike. Some would call that preying on the weaker, when in fact the simple truth was everyone had a time and a place where they were weakest.

The past few weeks had shown that abundantly. And now, well now...things were very much NOT in the Thieves' favor.

Shiro stayed on the ground as the shielded Shadows charged, Thrud unfurling her wings to shield Shiro, Isao, and Masami. She braced herself, preparing for the Shadows to break themselves against her...only for them to be cut down by a ruthless hail of gunfire from behind them.

Many bullets out of the hundreds pinged and clanged off Thrud's wings, but the sheer volume of them made her move a single inch back...and that was when she was caught up.

Shiro grunted as the man lifted her up off the floor, her neck not quite safe from an enemy's grasp despite her helmet. Thrud was the same, not quite helpless...but certainly in a precarious situation. She didn't want to die...not here, but no one here knew how to show mercy, let alone plead for it.

"For all your talk...you're still just a lapdog for money. Or even more, a preening fool burning amidst your own power. Come on..." She choked. "Take my life if you can!" Shiro drew back her fist, aiming a sharp hook at Slayer's elbow. Thrud did the same, and with a thrust of her arm her bladed wing swung, in a desperate effort to wound Thanatos.