[video/action]

[uzuki]

[It's dark hour and Shion's video shows her standing outside at night. She looks... A little beat up already. She's out of breath, and has a little blood smeared across her face, but behind her Makami floats, winding gracefully in the air. It pulls back, then lunges forward, apparently attacking a shadow.]

I just ne--

[Shion is cut off when whatever she's fighting slams into her. The video only catches a second or two of the impact before the phone is whirling through the air. It lands with a loud cracking noise, and clatters across the street. Then it shows only the sky.

Anyone coming across Shion in person, a couple blocks away from the hotel, will find that she tried to take on a group of shadows unarmed and alone because she's really smart. She managed to summon her persona, but as it's still weak, she's kind of losing... a lot.]

Comments

[want_a_vacation]

*He moves his crossbow back into a ready position and reloads it, moving quickly and smoothly, as if he's done this a million times before. He fires it a second later, once again targeting the same enemy as Hadraniel.*

People usually suggest you take at least one other person with you, just in case you run into something immune to your Persona's attacks. Or a pack of more powerful Shadows...

[uzuki]

Don't worry so much, Allen. Everything worked out. And see, I got a Persona, so I was right.

[want_a_vacation]

*He reloads without even looking at his bolt case, busy giving Shion an unimpressed look.*

You also got yourself half killed and probably would have ended up even worse if your phone hadn't caught you.

*But he's not Jr., so he does have to look at his target to fire.*

[uzuki]

[She'll just gloss over that fact, and return to his side, now that she has her phone.]

But, mine doesn't seem very useful.

[She directs it again, and it bashes into the shadow that Allen is fighting, not really making a difference.]

[want_a_vacation]

*Shion, stop ignoring the Looks he gives you. Oh well, he'll just reload again and fire off another shot, then have Hadraniel finish off the Shadow.*

That's because you just got it. Don't worry, it'll get stronger the more you use it. Mine actually started with nothing but a healing spell that's only about as effective as a basic Medica.

[uzuki]

[SORRY ALLEN Shion's ignoring skills are super effective against your disapproving looks.]

Really?

[That was a little disappointing. She had hoped it would be at least a little more effective.]

[want_a_vacation]

*What about disapproving tones?*

Yeah. It took around two months of regular practice before he even got an attack at all. But don't worry, it'll get more useful.

Maybe I'll talk to Gaignun and we can take you into Caliban. There's more Shadows in there, but the lower floors are actually pretty good for training.

[uzuki]

[Still immune~]

If you really think that would help...

[want_a_vacation]

*Drat.*

I've been in there a couple times myself. It keeps you fairly busy, especially if I use Enemy Radar to help us find where they're clustered. And with Gaignun along, we won't have to worry if we run into something that physical attacks can't hurt.

[uzuki]

I guess it wouldn't hurt to try that.

[want_a_vacation]

You can also usually find useful things in there. The only thing about it is that it's impossible to go inside on your own and you can only visit as many floors as you have people.

[uzuki]

Alright. We can access it during the dark hour?

[want_a_vacation]

Yeah. It's that building City Hall turns into. It actually used to be in the business sector, but it moved a while back.

[uzuki]

And no one knows why or how it appears?

[want_a_vacation]

*He shakes his head, not even pausing in his reloading.*

There's been a couple big trips into it, but nobody's found any sort of cause. But I don't think anyone's gotten to the end yet, either.

[uzuki]

I see...

[want_a_vacation]

If you want more details, you should probably talk to Saori at the tea shop. She organized one of the trips and was a group leader in the other.

[uzuki]

Alright, I'll keep that in mind.

[want_a_vacation]

I mostly just get dragged along by Gaignun because I'm somehow one of the more experienced Persona users around here.

[uzuki]

[She nodded and put her phone away. She then turned her attention to how many shadows were left.]

Allen?

[want_a_vacation]

*Between his crossbow and high level Persona, he's actually been making pretty quick work of them. But when she says his name, he pauses after reloading to look at her.*

What?

[uzuki]

[She was a little quieter. Maybe it was that she was tired, or because of the earlier physical toll.]

Thanks.

[want_a_vacation]

*He smiles and lowers his crossbow to put a hand on her shoulder.*

Don't mention it. I'd face much worse than a group of Shadows for you if you needed me to.

[uzuki]

Hm? Oh, well we probably will face worse shadows when we go to that training place.

[She managed a little smile at him, then turned her attention to her persona.]

I don't know though... It doesn't seem right for me, does it?

[want_a_vacation]

Well...they're supposedly parts of us. Though to be honest, I don't think an angel quite fits me, either.

*Even if it is perpetually molting.*

[uzuki]

I don't know...

[She looked from her own, over to his.]

Yours reminds me of you, for some reason.

[want_a_vacation]

I'm not sure why. Hadraniel's a lot more impressive than I could ever be.

[uzuki]

Oh, Allen.

[She shakes her head.]

[want_a_vacation]

*Blink.*

What?

[uzuki]

Oh, it's nothing...

Now what should we do?

[want_a_vacation]

Well, if you're feeling up to it, I could use Hadraniel to find some less powerful Shadows for you to practice against.

[uzuki]

That sounds good. I'm not really tired yet, so I could use something to do.

[want_a_vacation]

Alright, it shouldn't take long.

*As Hadraniel finishes off the last of the Shadows he had been fighting, Allen closes his eyes to concentrate. It always feels strange, using a mental radar like this...but it isn't long before he turns to look down the street.*

There's a small group over this way.

[uzuki]

Okay.

[She started along with him in the direction he indicated, followed by her persona.]

So you really can track these things down?

[want_a_vacation]

*He sent Hadraniel along ahead of them as he walked.*

Yeah. I can sense them through Hadraniel, at least if I focus. It makes navigating Dark Hour a lot easier.

[uzuki]

I wonder if I'll get something like that.

[want_a_vacation]

It's possible. I don't think it's possible to find out what a Persona will be able to do until it can do it, though.

[uzuki]

It's still difficult to accept... You know, being here. Not to mention Personas and Shadows. I wish this all made more sense.

[When they were finally approaching the shadows, she sent her Persona out to perform its one attack.]