In the chaos of the deceitful hallways of Tartarus, a pitbull so black it puts the darkest skies to shame stands with its hackles raised. Lips pulled back and teeth bared. The patterns of blood that are splattered along the walls behind it give the impression of a modern painting. The growl emitting from the oversized beast that appears to be composed of all muscle is enough to make anyone's body thrum along in time. The threat rocked to the bones like the vibrations of the deepest base at the loudest concert hall.
Minako could feel it before she ever laid eyes on it. The fine hairs on the back of her neck prickled upwards and she spun on her heel. Great, she'd only just commanded the others to split off for awhile! Holding her naginata defensively in front of herself, her brow furrowed as she made an attempt to steel her resolve.
What kind of a leader would she make if she didn't at least do her best to be brave? That Shadow sure looked different from the ones they'd been facing up until now. But if there was no update from Fuuka, it was probably fine...
"Nnnh," she hesitated for a moment more, studying its movements.
The hellhound begins prowling towards Minako, bowled chest taking deep breaths as its growls grow deeper. Jaws snap as it erupt into snarling barks.
One two three, a trident of shadows splits before the four legged creature on the ground. Though they stay bound to two dimensions - the mouths of each hound moves differently than their owner. And a deadly chorus sounds.
Snap. Growl. Bark. Howl.
As it draws ever closer, a stark contrast of white betrays a dead eye. A ripped up ear. The harsh lighting illuminates a battlefield of scars against impossibly black fur.
The creature's focus, which could easily be mistaken for being on the schoolgirl is canted ever so slightly to the side on yet another Shadow that had appeared, this one with deadly intentions. it's the dead eye that's aimed at Minako. Somewhere nearby a voice calls out.
The breath she was holding caught in her throat at the sight of the moving shadows. An attack?! Trying to ready herself for an impact, her stomach must have dropped well beyond the floor by the time the voice sounded out its warning.
"Huh?!" her ponytail whipped around at that, red eyes widening just to see the creature take shape in the blackness that surrounded them. Thanks to that voice, she had the time she needed to react, swiping upwards with the blade of her spear. Through clenched teeth she grunted, bringing the staff back around to sweep in front of her, and jumping back.
Her breaths were starting to catch up with her now, shoulders heaving just slightly with the effort. She searched for the creature's next move, watched for the dog's reaction, and finally, tried to find the source of that voice.
"Come on, hurry." A head peeks around the a nearby corner, a girl appearing. Its owner is maybe 13 or 14, who looks to be in need of a good meal. Her clothes are sruffy and patchworked, yet kept clean. Purple highlights paint trails through jet black hair.
She's certainly not a schoolgirl anywhere local, but she carries a backpack. No - an army bag? It's covered in what appear to be band patches. They seem to be as much to hide holes as for decorations. Around her neck are bright green headphones. On her feet red converse sneakers with mutilated shoelaces that must have once been white.
Her eyes are wide, as though very very afraid - but, she does not sound it. At her appearance the dog's ruffs happily. Its stump of a tail wagging furious, even though there's nothing to whip around. "You can't stay and fight that one. That one will kill you, we have to keep you away from it."
There's a blink as she tries to get a good look at the girl, but the luxury of time wasn't on their side. Realizing that she was the senpai in this situation, Minako nodded at the advice, moving closer towards the girl. "C'mon, we'll go this way!"
Most people that found themselves in Tartarus transmogrified into the coffins that lined the city at night. Those that didn't, well... they tended to be Persona users. With one last glance towards the dog, seemingly satisfied that this was its master, she took off running, trying to grasp the younger girl's hand as she took off.
She didn't think to ask how the girl knew that the Shadow was a dangerous one. She'd been getting so used to just accepting the cryptic advice of children these days. A corner here, a turn there, Minako pressed herself against one of the walls, uncaring about the foreign, splatter blood she leaned into.
Quieting herself, she listened, then sighed in relief. "Did... did we lose it?"
It's her turn to blink as the hand finds hers, life on the street did not lead to a lot of human touch. Well, aside from the kinds you wanted to avoid, but 150 pounds of faithful pitbull saw to that.
She grasps the hand tight, her own slick from fear, happy to follow. A survivor, but no fighter herself. Taking leaps and bounds beside them, her four legged friend's tongue lolls happily out of his mouth as he keeps the pace. What should his name be today? Frank. If Frank hadn't been here, she'd be dead already. One of those things had come at her.
What she's not keen to do, is press herself against a blood stained wall, and a mortified expression criss crosses her face. Unable to hide the horror as Minako goes soldier against the gore. She looks to the panting, blissfully calm pup in answer to the question, currently trying to push his wet snout against the rouged out schoolgirl in request for pets.
Still, animals only looked so far ahead. Who knew how close they had to be or him to tell. Pulling her Tarot Deck from her bag she shuffled three times, before pulling out a card. Her brows knit down, and the younger girl chewed at her bottom lip a bit.
"For a little while."
Oops. You're not supposed to be obvious when you read cards, but it's kind of hard when you get yourself all mixed up in peoples fortunes and might get yourself all dead along with their fates. She forced the nervous gesture to stop and instead offered a bright smile, friendly and genuine, a strange mixture with the fear in her eyes. It looked to be a long...night? Hour? The reading for this girl was one of the strangest she'd ever done.
For as much as Fae seems to mind the grimy walls, Minako is already brushing it off, literally, from her school uniform. When the cold moist nose makes contact with some of the skin of her leg, she crouches down, all smiles. "You're not so scary now, are you? Who's a good boy? You like chasing Shadows, huh? Is that it?" There are plenty of headpats to go around, apparently she's quite the dog lover. Can't forget behind those ears, either.
When the girl had revealed her deck, Minako's head tilted to the side. In the Velvet Room she had seen many cards by now, but seeing someone use them for what looked to be clairvoyance of some kind, that was new.
Tartarus still had many secrets to reveal, it seemed.
"I'm Minako," she was standing straight now, with a confident smile. "Don't worry, Fae. We can get you out of here, no problem. Right, Fuuka?"
Silence.
Pressing against her ear, then her temple, she tried again. "Hey, Fuuka, can you hear me?" Nothing. Fuuka had always answered before, what could be... "Mitsuru-senpai?" That didn't seem to do any good either.
The a frown, Minako's arms crossed over her chest. "There must be some kind of interference..." But she was the leader, and so -- calm and collected was what she needed to be. Even when a wrench got thrown into things. "Well, we might as well keep moving. There has to be an access point around here somewhere..."
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What kind of a leader would she make if she didn't at least do her best to be brave? That Shadow sure looked different from the ones they'd been facing up until now. But if there was no update from Fuuka, it was probably fine...
"Nnnh," she hesitated for a moment more, studying its movements.
no subject
One two three, a trident of shadows splits before the four legged creature on the ground. Though they stay bound to two dimensions - the mouths of each hound moves differently than their owner. And a deadly chorus sounds.
Snap. Growl. Bark. Howl.
As it draws ever closer, a stark contrast of white betrays a dead eye. A ripped up ear. The harsh lighting illuminates a battlefield of scars against impossibly black fur.
The creature's focus, which could easily be mistaken for being on the schoolgirl is canted ever so slightly to the side on yet another Shadow that had appeared, this one with deadly intentions. it's the dead eye that's aimed at Minako. Somewhere nearby a voice calls out.
"Watch out, behind you!"
no subject
"Huh?!" her ponytail whipped around at that, red eyes widening just to see the creature take shape in the blackness that surrounded them. Thanks to that voice, she had the time she needed to react, swiping upwards with the blade of her spear. Through clenched teeth she grunted, bringing the staff back around to sweep in front of her, and jumping back.
Her breaths were starting to catch up with her now, shoulders heaving just slightly with the effort. She searched for the creature's next move, watched for the dog's reaction, and finally, tried to find the source of that voice.
no subject
She's certainly not a schoolgirl anywhere local, but she carries a backpack. No - an army bag? It's covered in what appear to be band patches. They seem to be as much to hide holes as for decorations. Around her neck are bright green headphones. On her feet red converse sneakers with mutilated shoelaces that must have once been white.
Her eyes are wide, as though very very afraid - but, she does not sound it. At her appearance the dog's ruffs happily. Its stump of a tail wagging furious, even though there's nothing to whip around. "You can't stay and fight that one. That one will kill you, we have to keep you away from it."
no subject
Most people that found themselves in Tartarus transmogrified into the coffins that lined the city at night. Those that didn't, well... they tended to be Persona users. With one last glance towards the dog, seemingly satisfied that this was its master, she took off running, trying to grasp the younger girl's hand as she took off.
She didn't think to ask how the girl knew that the Shadow was a dangerous one. She'd been getting so used to just accepting the cryptic advice of children these days. A corner here, a turn there, Minako pressed herself against one of the walls, uncaring about the foreign, splatter blood she leaned into.
Quieting herself, she listened, then sighed in relief. "Did... did we lose it?"
no subject
She grasps the hand tight, her own slick from fear, happy to follow. A survivor, but no fighter herself. Taking leaps and bounds beside them, her four legged friend's tongue lolls happily out of his mouth as he keeps the pace. What should his name be today? Frank. If Frank hadn't been here, she'd be dead already. One of those things had come at her.
What she's not keen to do, is press herself against a blood stained wall, and a mortified expression criss crosses her face. Unable to hide the horror as Minako goes soldier against the gore. She looks to the panting, blissfully calm pup in answer to the question, currently trying to push his wet snout against the rouged out schoolgirl in request for pets.
Still, animals only looked so far ahead. Who knew how close they had to be or him to tell. Pulling her Tarot Deck from her bag she shuffled three times, before pulling out a card. Her brows knit down, and the younger girl chewed at her bottom lip a bit.
"For a little while."
Oops. You're not supposed to be obvious when you read cards, but it's kind of hard when you get yourself all mixed up in peoples fortunes and might get yourself all dead along with their fates. She forced the nervous gesture to stop and instead offered a bright smile, friendly and genuine, a strange mixture with the fear in her eyes. It looked to be a long...night? Hour? The reading for this girl was one of the strangest she'd ever done.
"You can call me Fae."
no subject
When the girl had revealed her deck, Minako's head tilted to the side. In the Velvet Room she had seen many cards by now, but seeing someone use them for what looked to be clairvoyance of some kind, that was new.
Tartarus still had many secrets to reveal, it seemed.
"I'm Minako," she was standing straight now, with a confident smile. "Don't worry, Fae. We can get you out of here, no problem. Right, Fuuka?"
Silence.
Pressing against her ear, then her temple, she tried again. "Hey, Fuuka, can you hear me?" Nothing. Fuuka had always answered before, what could be... "Mitsuru-senpai?" That didn't seem to do any good either.
The a frown, Minako's arms crossed over her chest. "There must be some kind of interference..." But she was the leader, and so -- calm and collected was what she needed to be. Even when a wrench got thrown into things. "Well, we might as well keep moving. There has to be an access point around here somewhere..."