[video]

[buildthatwall]

[One would think little Zia would be smart enough to not go out during something she's already been told is filled with monsters. Problem is, Zia's just curious enough to wonder. Wonder what it is, what's going on, what it looks like. 'cept for one thing: Zia can't fight. She's just a normal girl, head full of music than fighting. So when the Dark Hour hits, the Ura girl is outclassed by even the most simple of Shadows. She just manages to post a video before dropping the phone in her fear, her dark eyes wide]

Help!

Comments

[Video]

[duuuuuuude]

[Hey, isn't that...]

Zia!!

[Video]

[buildthatwall]

[Zia quickly grabbed her phone again, holding it close] Yosuke, help!

[Video]

[duuuuuuude]

[Time to panic? Pretty much.

But all of that fear and worry is temporarily being stuffed down into the bottom of his stomach, his tone shaking a bit but keeping itself as strong as possible.]

Where are you?!

[Video]

[buildthatwall]

[She shoves her phone out in front of her, eyes shut] Park I think. I-

[Video] / 1

[duuuuuuude]

[Most of Yosuke's time here had been used exploring, so he can at least get the general idea of the place in his head.]

Got it!

[Action] / 2

[duuuuuuude]

[Once the video on his end had cut off, Yosuke had stuffed the device in his pocket and run as fast as he could over to the park or, at the very least, the general vicinity. Once he's there, he catches sight of the Shadows, and the memories of the time he was first chased come back to him.]

W-What...?! Those guys again...?

[But, what's more important to him right now is Zia, so his eyes are darting to and fro to try and catch sight of her. ...And of course, he ends up shouting.]

Zia! Where are you?!

[Action]

[buildthatwall]

Yosuke! [Zia instantly starts running to him, her feet true on the pavement. That is, until one Shadow gets it in its head to knock her over]

[Action]

[duuuuuuude]

[Yosuke whirls in Zia's direction once she starts running over to him, and acts quick enough to run over himself and attempt to help her up. Inside of his head, fear and panic are running wild, and the way that his entire body is shaking isn't helping either. Before he gets the chance to, though, the Shadow looms over him. So what is the first thing Yosuke decides to do...?

He twists around to face the Shadow and, with shaking eyes, holds his arms out a bit to defend the fallen girl.]

Hey! Get the hell away from her!

[The tone is far from intimidating, especially due to the fact that his fear is practically reflecting in it.]

[Action]

[buildthatwall]

No, don't! Run! Don't face it! [Her hands reach out, grabbing his arm] You don't have a weapon!

[Action]

[duuuuuuude]

I've got my fists!

[And being the idiot he is, once he's able to get himself positioned properly and detached from Zia, Yosuke just runs forward with a loud yell, attempting to punch at the Shadow.]

HRRRRRAAAGG--!!

[WHAM!! Yosuke gets knocked back hard enough to rise him off the ground, slamming down onto his back with only his head looking up and toward the Shadow. His left eye is closed, due to the pain, though he slowly gets to his feet with a low curse.]

Damn...

[Action]

[buildthatwall]

[Her skirts swish as she stands in front of Yosuke, her own arms outstretched] Leave him alone!

[Action]

[duuuuuuude]

[Deep down, Yosuke wanted to be the hero.

He wanted to be the cool guy that could take down the Shadows and save Zia.

But, his fear coupled with his pained status causes him to end up slightly shuffling behind Zia. His full attention is on the Shadow, and the glare in his eyes is hate filled, but the weakness in his gaze as well as the weakness in his heart are both detected by the creatures.

For the first time since his stay in Prospero, Yosuke felt completely useless.]

[Action]

[buildthatwall]

[Poor Zia's arms are shaking. She can't fight. She knows it. But she ain't about to let someone hurt someone she liked.]

Leave us alone... [She lowers her arms as she shakes in fear] Please...

[And yet. What she does best grew in her throat- notes. A song.]

Action

[thanklesswork]

[Kid was preparin' to do his usual rounds of Shadow huntin'. Not much excitement to be gained otherwise, after all. He had everything he needed. His lifelong friend on his back, a few shots of alcohol in small containers, and the clothes he came there with. To be safe, though, and because the past month was still fresh on his mind, he'd stop to check on Zia's room.

He knocks once.

He knocks twice.

No answer.

And the Kid goes from grim familiarity to panic in no time as his mind races, rushing out to find her.]

Action

[buildthatwall]

[Zia's scrambling away from Shadows some good distance away from the hotel. She had managed some good mindless wandering before the Dark Hour descended on her. Terror's gripping her, but her own good friend is bubbling in her throat. A song. But why a song in this?]

Action

[thanklesswork]

[Kid finally finds her and is sprinting towards her and the Shadows starting to corner her. She's too close for him to scare them off with bullets...and that's a situation uncomfortably close to what he encountered before. The masked lady of war appears around him as he charges headlong into the Shadows with his hammer in hand, moving to push them all away from Zia.]

Action

[buildthatwall]

[Zia didn't scream. The beautifully terrifying woman around the Kid's too pure to scream at. She watches him charge in with wide eyes, coming to a stop]

Action

[thanklesswork]

[Kid's not payin' attention to much beyond his own adrenaline, any Shadows near Zia, and Valkyrie's steel. The persona would occasionally flare into existence to Bash a few heads in, but the Kid was used to fightin' crowds single-handedly...was no trouble for him. But the problem of being outnumbered was starting to rear its ugly head. The Shadows apparently saw Zia and a potentially weakened Kid as worthwhile meals.]

Action

[buildthatwall]

No.

[The word spills from Zia's mouth, her face turned towards Valkyrie. A strong woman, fighting with him. The word loosed her throat enough that a pure note escaped, loud, long, and strangely seductive. It's matched by another voice singing with her as a bird woman comes up behind her, arms ending in outstretched wings.]

[Help me.]

[I don't want him hurt.]

[Help me... protect him.]

[And the Siren screeches, each blow landing on the Kid now far softer than it has any right to be]

Action

[thanklesswork]

[Suddenly, the Kid has his old durability back and then some. He hammer-swingin' doesn't slow down any before the Shadows scurrying back into the dark corners of the Dark Hour.

Kid tries to catch his breath, bruised and scratched a little. But that ain't big news for him. He turns to face Zia, catchin' a brief glimpse of that Siren. It's a wonder, he thinks. Took Kid months of danger to get his Persona but one midnight adventure gave Zia her own.]

What were ya doin' out here, Zia...?

Action

[buildthatwall]

I'm sorry. I wanted to know what the Dark Hour was and what... [Could an Ura look pale? Zia took a deep breath] What it was. Why it... [Zia sits suddenly, her entire strength draining into the ground]

Action

[thanklesswork]

[Kid doesn't waste any time in putting his hammer away and rushing over to Zia's side, kneeling down next to her.]

You okay? [His voice fails to keep its usual flatness and is just tinged with worry.]

Action

[buildthatwall]

[Little Zia couldn't handle the awakening.] I'm... tired.

Action

[thanklesswork]

[What's a Kid to do? Well...he sees the hotel isn't that far away. And his mind tells him if he was able to carry Zulf, he could carry Zia. He'd offer a hand to help her up, and if Zia took it, he'd help support her on his shoulder.]

You'll be safe. I promise.

Action

[buildthatwall]

Thank you. Who is she? She's... beaut... [And Zia's out cold.]