Off Track (Open/Party of Two)

[Luka Kurokawa]

Today Luka decided to venture a bit further than she usually did. Specifically, back to that place with all the neat stores and even a few arcades. Specifically, Akihabara. She didn't really get a chance to look at it before, so she was taking that opportunity. However, when she got there, she noticed one of those portals nearby. Part of her wanted to stay and look around the normal world, but the other half wanted to go exploring. She didn't have her sword on her, of course. Why would she have it around while planning to play games and browse shops? Regardless, she figured a peak couldn't hurt.

Upon entering, she noticed that things. . . didn't seem all that different. Really, the only difference was that the people were replaced with demons. And hey, these ones didn't seem to mind her presence either. There were a few like that such as the ones at the fight pit. Specifically that adorable oni whom she kind of wanted to hug. Right now her mind was focused on some of the shops which she began to browse with great interest. What could she find in the stores over here? Frankly, everything seemed just the same. How odd. There was certainly all types of demon places. That was for sure.

[Sayu Nakano]

In all honesty, while her passionate distaste for Shadows and Demons was still burning as brightly as a Mind Charged Trisagion, Sayu found that she could at least somewhat tolerate the latter of the her enemies to a degree. Though the “China Incident” had been mostly feral beasts that seemed mostly like Shadows in their desire to feed or slaughter, she realized that the ones scattered around Tokyo were broken up into the ones that were hostile and the ones that simply existed. Demons might have been a byproduct of the animosity and filth of humanity as a whole, and they might have committed any number of atrocities, in some cases, but she could not fault them for simply existing. Though the majority of their lives were indeed filled with sins, violence, and the very same shortcomings humans had, to simply live was not, in itself, a sin.

Who would have thought that stepping into a demonified Akihabara would lead one to change their views on a race?

A silent sigh escaped from the woman's mouth as she shook her head. She couldn't stop herself from smiling when she saw the equivalent of demonic children floating about and having fun. It seemed as though she needed to make a great deal more observations. At the very least, her time in Tokyo would not be fruitless this time around, that much was certain. She highly doubted she'd be changing her views on Shadows anytime soon, though.

While she wasn't looking to impress, Sayu was certainly dressed well. With her hair tied back in subtle pigtails by black ribbons that spread out almost like flower petals. A sleeveless peach blouse with a modest V-cut at the top was protected by her jacket-turned-armor. Said jacket was rather magnificent piece, scarlet and reaching past her hips, easily. With only the upper buttons secured, it gave the wearer easy access to the firearm holstered at her side. The long sleeves served as protection to her arms, and, despite being left open, it still clung to her well enough that there was little threat of an attack striking at her unprotected stomach. Her skirt, pleated and a mixture of maroon and black, served two purposes- ease of mobility and a darker scheme to match her jacket. It didn't quite reach her knees, though. Well, it wasn't like she was in school.

From her black leather boots, which looked oddly stylish despite being essentially combat boots- possibly because of the intricate lacework- fed thighhighs, which shot all the way into her skirt. She even wore a small accessory on her upper-thigh: a nice “holster” for her phone. With minimal difficulty, she could reach down and pad in messages for the sake of communication. One could argue her side would have been a better spot, but she'd had more luck there. Plus, it made for a good tease whenever she was around someone a little more innocent. All in all, she was dressed for battle- but was that battle one in the streets?

Something caught the young woman's gaze as she scanned across an expanse. Seemed like there was another human there. Or a really modern-looking demon. Well, it was probably a human. Most humanoid demons had odd fashion sense. Closing in on the other, she made no effort to hide her presence. Hell, she increased the overall force in her steps to produce a bit more sound. She didn't want to scare the girl, after all.

”Why hello there, young lady. Taking in the sights? It's an odd place, isn't it?” Her lips didn't move, though. No, the only excess of movement going on was that of her fingers, rapidly strumming over the touch-pad surface of her phone. She had leaned forward slightly to allow for that, but the arrangement was for ease of communication during combat, not during peace. After all, she was a damn good shot while crouching. Well, either way. Hopefully the girl before her would be easy to speak with.

She did need information, after all. How many Users were around this time around? Provided the girl was, indeed, a human, her abilities as a User were all but guaranteed.

[Satanick]

Kikuri-hime
Repel: Light
Weak: Fire
Skills: Diarahan, Mediarama, Samarecarm, Allure

Giant
Null: Dark
Weak: Wind, Fire
Skills: Gigantic Fist, Brave Blade, Counter

Sarutahiko
Null: Light, Dark
Weak: Pierce
Skills: Brave Blade, Death Chill, Garula, Power charge

[Luka Kurokawa]

Luka wasn't expecting to hear anyone call out to her in this mess; especially someone who was human. Of course, when she did hear them, she wasn't looking at them. Thus, she completely missed the fact that their words were not coming from their mouth. Young lady? Looking over at the girl who had called out to her, Luka saw someone who seemed to be, not exactly old, but older than her. If she was a young lady, this was a young woman. Luka could only nod to the response. Everyone here seems a lot nicer. I don't think I'll need to kill them. So far, Luka's motto had been to 'keep safe, make no risks.' This usually involved just going right for the kill. Who could blame her? Nothing she found in this world seemed to want her to live. Here was different though. Sort of like that really cute oni.

It's nicer. These words would probably have been cut off had Luka seen the enemies converging on their location. These ones seemed more aggressive than the others. The other demons paid them no mind as they made an aggressive turn on her and this mysterious woman. Dammit. I don't have my sword on me. Luka didn't plan to fight today. Why would she bother bringing a sword to Akihabara? If you can fight, mind getting the giant and the lady? I'll go for the sword dude. If not, don't worry. I can handle them all. Luka still had some wind needles on her. That could last her one fight. If not, she'd have to get up close and start attacking him with her fists.

Needles in hand, Luka flashed her hand longways letting a trail of seals flash at the swordsman. He took the attack easily enough, but was charging for something. Luka only had enough for one more throw now. Again, she tossed a handful of needles that hit their mark before charging in. It had been a while since she had to use her fists. The enemy had finished charging and went into Luka with a powerful slice. Unfortunately, he would learn she was unaffected the hard way. To finish him off, Luka went in for an uppercut and sent him flying. Falling to the ground, the demon stopped moving. The other enemies hadn't attacked her though. Had that other woman handled it? Luka went over to look.

[Sayu Nakano]

”Certainly. Do be careful, though. Fighting without your preferred weapon could be unpleasant.” An unbroken smile, despite the words, persisted. Sayu was certain the girl could handle herself, if she was in that place, but it was still a good point to make. If that sword was worthy of such a comment, it was clearly a significant part of her combat force. Straining wasn't good. As for her part of the labor, it seemed that she was tasked with fighting a full-on Japanese entity and a burly superhuman. Well, she might have been outnumbered, but she'd manage. She'd manage plenty well, actually. She'd fought a nice variety of things since wandering about in Akihabara. She'd seen the giant before. Needless to say, she knew what to do.

Inari, purge the sins from the world with divine fire; leave not even ash behind! True silence enveloped as the woman beckoned for her Persona in her heart. It was probably a good thing that she didn't have a voice. She had a bad case of dramatization when it came to the acts of war and all. At her beckoning, a golden, fuzzy ball appeared before her. From the seed of fuzz, a kitsune bloomed! Inari, standing in the glorious height of four feet, had appeared! Responding to her mistress' orders, she produced intense flames, an orb sprouting and rapidly growing at the tip of each of her nine tails. The nine, burning an intense yellow, converged at her extended hand, gradually turning white as their destructive force combined. She gripped the ball of destructive fire, reinforcing it further, before lobbing them at the attacking behemoth of a man! The result? Well, it was literally hell. For the enemy, of course. Flesh seemingly melted from bone. The giant's skeleton, rapidly darkening, turned to ash before gradually scattering in the air. Though it wasn't quite as serious as demanded, the enemy was, in fact, obliterated. Sadly, it wasn't a fire so intense that ash wouldn't remain. Not yet. She had to regain her former spark.

But things were not always so simple. The demonic maiden in the back revived the giant, restoring his health completely with no real difficulty. Quite an impressive spell, honestly, given that it forcefully drew the ashes back together, converting them to the original bone structure of the giant, before restoring the blood, flesh, and skin of the giant. Quite impressive, indeed. It retaliation, the giant thrust his fist at Inari, blowing the tiny fox-girl back and into a wall! Sayu's chest and back throbbed with a phantom pain. It wasn't an alien sensation. No, she'd felt it before- and worse, as well. She'd live. Straightening her body, she focused her gaze on the healer. Would fire work? She had yet to do battle with one that one's breed. Well, if the demon absorbed it, nothing was lost. If it was repelled, nothing was lost. At worst, it would simply be a waste of energy. The woman extended her left hand, as though channeling the attack herself.

Singe the demonic wench and burn away the shame; Inari, purify the darkness, leaving only the light! She could have totally gone into drama in high school, had her voice remained. Not that she would have. Responding to Sayu's wishes, the kitsune freed herself from the wall, leaving behind an imprint of her torso and fluffy tails, before each of the tails gave off a fierce glow. Flames trailed from the bases to the tips, though the rest of the process remained mostly the same, with a singular orb of white fire shooting at the healing demon. First was the elegant robes, burning away and leaving not a strand of fabric behind. There was no chance of her shame being revealed, however, as her body bathed in literal flames of purification, sparks of white trailing up her hair, drying out her scalp, and rapidly burning away her flesh. She, too, seemed to have the inherent deficiency that the giant did- that is, a weakness to fire. Much like the giant, though in a quicker display, her flesh roasted and flowed from her bones, which soon turned to dust as well. With the baptism of flames concluded, the woman made a note to herself- always, when forced into combat, kill the maiden first. Concentration was needed for proper conservation, and conservation was required to win the long battle.

Inari, make your blessings known twice over; reduce the sins to nothing and give way to the truth once more! Whether it was because of the realization that that was how he died or because he was struck with fear, the giant hesitated for just a moment. That was all the time needed for Inari to prepare a third Ragnarok. As Sayu desired, the “blessings” would be known a second time. The twice-living giant would become the twice-dead corpse. The process was roughly the same, and the smell of ash and smoke permeated in the air faintly before finally dispersing, along with the presence of the enemies. The battle was over.

Now, one might have wondered how someone that had come to such a revelation earlier could so calmly erase life from the world in such a manner. Well, while revelations like that were important, so was remaining alive. Those that would not fight would not receive her wrath. Those that took up arms against her, however, would be wiped away, much like the stains on reality that they were. For a moment, the mute remained still. She then turned to gaze at her temporary ally. It seemed the battle was over. With her smile returning, the young woman dismissed her Persona, the kitsune disappearing in a cloud of golden wisps, as though shedding transient furs in her departure. There was no more threat, so no further need for Inari. Turning to the girl, Sayu closed in just a bit before lowering her torso enough for her hand to reach the screen.

”Well done. It seems like we were both successful. Will you remain or return?”