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 Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 10:17 pm
Quote: *~:: P1-Grand Prix [Quarterfinals] ::~*
"Captain Ressentiment" Yosuke Hanamura vs. "The Terminal Red-Eye Samurai" Okita Shisui
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Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2012 12:05 pm
Okita Shisui, the Terminal Red-Eye Samurai
"Born in the wrong age, this world and I are beyond our expiration."He cursed his frail body; two fights into the Grand Prix with two victories and yet he couldn't help but curse his body for its weakness, its inability to maintain strain over an extended period of time and effort. And it was all the worse because he had been forced to such extremes by his last opponent, that talkative relic who spoke as though he knew everything about him without ever really understanding anything. For all of his rhetoric, he hadn't grasped the simple fact that the samurai had already gone too far to turn back from the path he had chosen now, and even if he wished it, his code would not allow it. It was as much a part of him as the illness that debilitated him, that had him walking a little more slowly than before en route to the next round of the Tournament. Stairs were a chore; his blood-stained clothes swished against his sides, brushing lightly along his legs and sticking here and there, making an uncomfortable chill run from the tiny hairs on his legs to the base of his neck. It made him feel weak, insignificant, like a failure to the master who had allowed him to step out of the darkness and into his new life. Crowley had fought well...well enough to force him to use the dark power that he hated to overcome him...and even with the ability he had to replenish his health when he was not ill, he could not heal all of the wounds that man's claws had left on him. And now he was growing more and more unwell, the compounded efforts against Naoto and Crowley both taking away his breath and the vitality that had filled him. He had wanted to go so much further in this Tournament, but one way or another, he was coming to the end of his rope. Perhaps one more fight against someone on his own level was all that he had left in him. He could win one more and observe what he could...he repeated that mantra in his mind, swallowing a cough as he stepped out onto the entrance to the Television world, the rooftop of the school building where he would face his next opponent.
The lights were bright, but he adjusted quickly to the new atmosphere. To any normal person it might have been oppressive...but to the Messengers like himself, it was a breath of fresh air. Perhaps it might play to his favor...but he did not want the help. He would stand on his own two feet and fight to victory under his own power, or not at all. Soon, his enemy would stand before him...and he was sure that looking into his eyes would fill him with the resolve he needed to win.
"Master Hetero...I find myself now deep in the midst of his Tournament, and I've deduced much of its intentions and the forces behind it," he thought to himself aloud, finding that with no one around he did not feel so conscious of the need not to speak...though he said nothing that would have been of any benefit against he or his master to any enemies who might happen by, "I believe the bear is a shadow...but not the actual bear. This shadow has the power to use illusions controlling the senses of those within its range of effect. And for some reason, this shadow finds it important to pit humans against one another in combat. ...Your enemies are investigating this as well, and Seta's crew are inside the tower to recover the human who is the source of the shadow, as per the usual. There are also others, but I have not fought them directly. ...In all, I believe that none of this is a threat to your plans. But you should be wary; your enemies are rapidly becoming stronger. The mental stress of these matches is likely to push them beyond their current limits, if it hasn't already. I will advance until I can progress no longer. That is all." Was he talking to himself? It surely seemed that way...until a single serpent slithered from the bottom of his right leg and disappeared into the mass of televisions that lined the battlefield. Even in a place like this, the Serpent of Lore had his eyes and ears; he had his ways to bypass the firewalls, to infect the server, to manipulate the world to his own designs. That was the power of the man called Hetero...the master of Okita Shisui and the Black Messengers. The swordsman did not admire him for no reason.
And he would use that admiration now as fuel when his lungs failed him; until his body could not endure it any longer.
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Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2012 8:52 pm
"You just came because you thought it sounded like a good time!" "Maybe if you got lucky, you could be a hero."  "I see...I guess this must be my next battle. And you're my opponent huh? " Yosuke seemed to be taking things in stride as he met up with Okita, though it wasn't like he was completely unruffled. Whatever happened in the last round was still getting under his skin, but he didn't want to let it show on his face that he was worried about those nurse's mags, nor that Zeo had some some things too that made him feel guilty for this whole situation. It was all because of what that damn Teddie on the monitor had said, that now he felt so rotten on the inside. Needless to say, he wasn't in any mood to hold back if he was about to meet another Shadow User, damn it! "Geesh, you're not even trying to hide it. Judging from all that blood, I'd say someone went all out against you. If you hurt one of my friends though..." Yosuke's grip on his daggers tightened, glaring at Okita with a show of determination that wasn't going to simply vanish if Okita glared back. "...then there's no reason for me to hold back. I'll make sure you pay for laying a hand on Yukiko, Chie, or any of the rest! Hah, you better not ask for mercy later." Yosuke liked to act the cool type, but the truth was he was far less forgiving than the others when someone he knew got hurt. If Okita was at fault, he wasn't going to simply kick his butt and then offer to be friends later, he was going to make sure he returned every bit of pain the others had to endure. That was the only way he could make up for dragging them all inside the tower, unknowingly forcing them straight into a trap meant for him...he couldn't forgive himself if this was done by him, the one person he expected caused all this, damn it. "Sukukaja!" Yosuke shouted, making a chopping motion with his hand and the golden star on the back of it, magic rushing through his body. If he was going to be up against a real opponent this time, then he had to make sure his reflexes were max...and that's why he would blow past this guy in one go!
"Everything that bores me has got to go!"
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Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2012 10:03 pm
Okita Shisui, the Terminal Red-Eye Samurai
"Born in the wrong age, this world and I are beyond our expiration."Just as his resolve had been steeled, the maestro of this event delivered Okita his next opponent; this time there seemed to be no pleading for him to look the other way, to change his mind, only a similar determination to beat him and move on from this place unto the next battlefield. Turning around to take a look at his enemy, he saw that it was another of Soji Seta's friends...this time his second-in-command on the team, the supposedly laid-back Hanamura kid. And yet despite the comedy that surrounded him, there was a legitimate aura of steel and anger about him that immediately set off his warrior's instincts at high velocity. Even though Yosuke looked like a high school student, normal as any other you might find walking the halls of Yasogami High School, it was clear that he had the spirit of a hero inside of him. He supposed that made the teen something of his own natural foil, didn't it? The unwilling hero versus the willful monster; even if his blood was spilled upon his clothes and the power which had been meant to mend him was failing, this was a fight that someone like him could not avoid. Nor would he wish to avoid it. His sword itched to cross blades with someone who had those determined eyes, and he could suppress his growing cough, sure enough, to see this fight through to its end. Fingers wrapped around the hilt of the katana at his waist, drawing it from its sheath and sliding into a matching stance.
"Your friends will live; I don't recall hearing any order to kill in this contest. It is my role merely to observe," the samurai spoke calmly, filling his body with a power that would sustain his normal pace longer, even if his fatigue began to get the best of him. Judging by this boy's stance and his weapons, he would need all of the speed that he could manage in order to keep up. "But you're right, you need not hold back against me," he warned sternly, eyes growing cold from behind the shade of his weapon's blade, "I am your enemy, Yosuke Hanamura. My name is Okita Shisui of the Black Messengers...now show me the strength of your resolve."Quote: Heat Riser - Raise attack, defense, and evasion for three turns. [Target: Okita]
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Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2012 5:45 pm
"You just came because you thought it sounded like a good time!" "Maybe if you got lucky, you could be a hero." "Yeah, whatever." Some days, you just didn't have enough snappy one liners for all the baddies you were going to encounter. Yosuke dashed towards Okita, leaping into the air in a flash and flicking his wrist as he clenched a number of kunai between his fingers. With a snap of of his arm the blades went flying at Okita in a line, covering any immediate area if he tried to backstep away from them in order to catch him off guard as Yosuke "I don't have time to waste on you." It wasn't a diminution of Okita's skills, but rather more of a statement of the fact. There was plenty going on, but getting bogged down and wasting all this time in round after round of battle was only going to make the situation worse. In a sudden burst of energy Yosuke's falling turned into a flip as he snapped over Okita's head, coming down with his blades aimed towards the back of the samurai if he could land a blow before his guard was restored. "Too slow!" Yosuke vanished as a cloud of green smoke suddenly sprayed out around him obscuring his movements, only for a figure to lunge forward out of the smoke at Okita...while another shot downwards, barely touched it's feet to the ground, and dashed forward to slash in an x-form with his kunai as he passed the warrior once more. "Mirage Slash!" Yosuke shouted, belatedly enlightening Okita of the trick of his deadly move.
"Everything that bores me has got to go!"
Quote: Sage Mode: Boost all stats. Sukukaja: Boost speed. Mirage Slash: Something.
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Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 11:10 pm
Okita Shisui, the Terminal Red-Eye Samurai
"Born in the wrong age, this world and I are beyond our expiration."He could tell that even with his increase in abilities from the Heat Riser and the upgraded senses of his new form in this world, his physical state was deteriorating quickly, making it difficult to keep up with the immense speed of this surprisingly agile enemy. No, that wasn't accurate...it would have been quite difficult to stay at this foe's pace even if he was completely healed and at his best. Yosuke Hanamura was not a foe that could be taken lightly, his instincts had told him that from the outset of the fight, and immediately he could see that his warnings were not without good grounding. Yosuke was a veteran of countless life or death battles, someone who did not get intimidated by the sight of a blade or a skilled man wielding it, nor did he care about the monster or whatever else might be standing in his way; he had been through all of this before, emerged victorious on his own and with the help of his Partner. He had confidence, strength, and more than that, he relied on the physical abilities he had (speed, skill) more than the ones he lacked in comparison with other members of his team (brute strength, sturdy defense) in order to raise himself to another plateau in battle. Oh yes, this was an enemy worthy of fighting, and though his blood was leaking from the wounds he couldn't mend after fighting Crowley, it still pumped quickly through his veins at the thought of it. Yosuke jumped and tossed some kunai, but his defense was tight, letting none of them get through to reach his body, however that was only the prelude to the real attack. The misdirection was a near success, only instinct allowing Okita to raise his sword in time to deflect the Mirage Slash away from his vital spots, though rough red cuts appeared in a thin line on one side opposite claw marks and the other on his upper left arm. Both of them stung, but nothing he couldn't ignore. To win this fight, he would have to stay compact and defend as best he could while gathering his power. High speed, high output, low defense...even in his persona fusion form, that was his enemy's M.O. He had to take advantage, to deal enough damage in what few strikes he could land on such a fast foe to bring him to his knees...or at least slow him down and even it out. And he had to avoid giving out before then. His will was strong enough to last, he was certain...now if only his body would endure it with him...
"You'll have to make time, Yosuke Hanamura," his green eyes followed his foe as he reset with his weapon in preparation for another round of assault, raising his power again where he stood, "I won't allow you to surpass me so easily." It wasn't a boast or some sort of smack talk so much as it was a declaration of intent. He knew this fight would push him to the brink, and he knew that the boy had somewhere else he needed to be if he wanted to save his friends...but there was something pure and real in focusing intently on a fight with another person. The thought of him simply looking past him towards the next fight left an unpleasant taste in the samurai's mouth, knowing that at his best, his own skills were easily enough to push his enemy to his limits and beyond. This match, this fated, scripted, or whatever fortuitous sort of meeting this was between them, it was an opportunity for the two of them to measure themselves against a fighter who was a lot like them...high-level, supports to their leader, using antiquated styles to overcome the trials laid before them. It harkened back to the most unique of Sengoku Age matches, the ninja versus the samurai, and it made his blood pump just to think of it. It would have been a shame not to enjoy the match while it lasted, and in all honesty, he would not deign to be set aside so easily, even if he was quite injured before it began. He was a warrior...whether his foe wanted to see him as a villain or not did not change that fact...and he would fight like one unto the end.Quote: Power Charge - Raise attack power x2.5 for next phys attack. [Target: Okita]
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Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2012 11:08 am
"You just came because you thought it sounded like a good time!" "Maybe if you got lucky, you could be a hero." "Heh, whatever." Yosuke could feel his blood pumping as the Black Messenger cast another spell on himself, tingling at the sense of danger in the air. He knew that it was something he didn't want to confront if he could help it, but it was also something he wanted to avoid if at all possible. "Too late to beg for mercy." It might have sounded like a joke to Okita, if not for the sudden swell of power in Yosuke as he leaped upwards, throwing the golden stars on the back of his hands towards his opponent. One of them quickly turned as Yosuke leaped upwards, balancing himself carefully upon the top of the blade suddenly as he purposely looked down on Okita with a snickering grin. His opponent seemed like the type to get riled up pretty easily if someone he wanted to be on equal ground with look down on him, and Yosuke wasn't above provocation if it made his opponent sloppy. And then of course there was the second attack to worry about; the golden star that flashed forward, propelled by the wind, and attempted to embed itself in Okita's chest in a flash. The fact that it was capable of misdirection was the second reason it was deadly, but that wasn't necessary for now...if he did deflect the first blow, it simply left Yosuke more room to counter his opponent when he struck, and with a level of strength like he had, that was definitely going to come. Whether he could dodge it or not was the real threat, and one that left Yosuke wondering...
"Everything that bores me has got to go!"
Quote: Sage Mode: Boost all stats. Sukukaja: Boost speed. Storm Dance: Yosuke fills his weapons with wind and causes them to deal Severe Wind and Physical (Brave Blade) damage, then throws them out or at the opponent. Using wind, he can control them to attack from different directions, leading some to believe the trickster Susano-O might be controlling the blades himself.
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Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 10:07 pm
Okita Shisui, the Terminal Red-Eye Samurai
"Born in the wrong age, this world and I are beyond our expiration."It was a mistake to think that he could ruffle the samurai's feathers so easily, the first of Yosuke's stars lashing forward but finding no skin to sever as Shisui took distance and kept his sword at the ready for the follow-up assaults...which no doubt were sure to come. Hanamura's Storm Dance wasn't something that could be easily thwarted, and this wasn't the first time that he had employed his Persona Fusion's unique abilities. His master's scouting had been excellent, and this wasn't entirely unexpected. His blood burned for the fight, but that excitement also raised the tension and allowed him to focus more clearly. There would be no underestimating him, no tricks in the employ of the ninja would deceive him; using his blade to only partially thwart the secondary attack at his chest that smashed awkwardly into the lower left portion of his chest and drew crimson blood, Okita retreated a little further, muffling a cough with the sound of his movement until he had landed further away from his foe than he had intended. Injured, sick, or whatever...it didn't change the fact that a warrior had to get the job done once he had made the move to stand on the battlefield. He didn't like his current range, but he judged that he could still cross the distance and strike in the time necessary to catch his foe by surprise. Until now, he had kept his speed down in order to lower his enemy's expectations...he hadn't done anything spectacular at all, actually. Countering, raising his power, letting his foe say whatever he wanted, it was all for this moment that was about to come. His blade called out for the blood of a worthy opponent...not his head, but just the feeling of victory, of serving his master as best he could. Of upholding his oath...
"You needn't waste your breath provoking me. I've been planning to attack from the beginning," his words were simple, clear, and they left no room for doubt that he had been planning his attack all along. Yosuke might be too hot-headed to understand or converse on even terms with the samurai, but that didn't mean that his foe was the same. Even if his foe disrespected him, he would not return that favor. Even if his foe mocked him, he would not do the same. He, like his ancestors before him, would do their speaking with their blade and in the fight that lay before him. If there was any truth or honor inside of him to be found, it could be seen in those actions. And as his sword shifted from defense into an attacking stance, feet pressing smoothly against the ground to rocket him forward through the misdirected blades (likely still about) of his foe with a speed that would surprise even him, he would make no attempt to convince Yosuke Hanamura of the truth within his path because he doubted he could justify it with words if he wished to. He did wrong, he had stained his honor, certainly. But he would not sever the last threads of it by disrespecting the promise that he had made to serve the man who gave his life meaning. And as his blade descended in a calculated arc towards his enemy, his red eyes flashed and liquid red cascaded from the corner of his lips! "Brave Blade!" It was a slash so sharp that it pierced the air between them and nearly whistled. And yet he knew that even this dash and slash would likely not be enough to finish an enemy of this level.
But it might cripple him. It might land critical and fell him long enough to move forward. And in his current condition, he didn't have much other choice save to measure his foe as he had, to build up his strength, and then aim for a blow that would finish the fight quickly. This was the move he had been waiting for, where his foe become overconfident. He was not provoked...he had been merely ready. And if his foe had any doubts that he could lose this match, he would erase them...whether he could pull through with that or not.Quote: Brave Blade - Very High Phys. Damage [Target: Yosuke]
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Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2012 5:23 pm
"You just came because you thought it sounded like a good time!" "Maybe if you got lucky, you could be a hero." "Captain Ressentiment""You're underestimating me." Yosuke grit his teeth together as he jumped backwards, kicking the star he'd been standing on haughtily towards his opponent. When the attack was smashed through however, Yosuke had to say he was way more surprised by the guy's strength than he should have been; he'd known he was powering up, but he didn't realize just how strong one of those Black Messengers could really get. If he got this far, could he have hurt his teammates for real...? "Throwdown!" Yosuke's kunai shot forward, twin blades crossing to meet the katana, but just like with the lesser Black Messenger he felt his guard shatter...this time literally as one of his kunai smashed into shards before his eyes, the blade crossing his chest in almost identical fashion to where he'd been hit before as an even larger splash of blood came from his chest. 'Oh man, I got those things for killing a Reaper! You better pay me back for this!' Yosuke thought whimsically, using any snide remarks he could think of to keep his mind off the sudden pain and thus, away from things like running away or passing out. Before Okita could follow up on his body-rending blow however, Yosuke flexed the fingers in his now free hand, breathing heavy...and the stars that he'd sent flying before came streaking back. One aimed for the small of Okita's back, intent on stabbing the figure in one quick finisher through his guard. It was the other that Yosuke really focused on however, as it shot towards them, just under Okita's arm...and stopped in front of the palm of Yosuke's hand, a mere inch in front of Okita's chest. The last thing he could do after taking a hit like that was to make sure not to give his opponent a chance to back away again, and to counter attack quickly...it was really all he could do now with his low stamina but incredible speed. The ability to not flinch after taking such a hit however was nothing to sneeze at. "Ready or not, here we come!" And suddenly his hand shot forward, slamming into the star with an open strike, and in turn driving it forward in hopes of impaling Shisui directly through to the other side, a point-blank assault with the blade backed by his own body to make sure it hit home. Maybe he couldn't defeat the samurai without getting out of here unharmed, but if he could do this...if this was it, then he could ignore the shaking in his knees long enough to make sure his friends were avenged, before he practically fell on his a** in exhaustion!
"Everything that bores me has got to go!"
Quote: Sage Mode: Boost all stats. Sukukaja: Boost speed. Storm Dance: Yosuke fills his weapons with wind and causes them to deal Severe Wind and Physical (Brave Blade) damage, then throws them out or at the opponent. Using wind, he can control them to attack from different directions, leading some to believe the trickster Susano-O might be controlling the blades himself.
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Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2012 11:31 am
Okita Shisui, the Terminal Red-Eye Samurai
"Born in the wrong age, this world and I are beyond our expiration."The double-edged sword of placing all of your eggs into a single basket, of placing all of your power and stamina into a single swing of your blade, was that you put yourself at risk if your attack wasn't enough to finish your foe. Perhaps he had been underestimating his foe when he thought that putting his all into a single Brave Blade might be enough to subdue him; he had felt his satisfaction grow when the blade of his attack cut into Yosuke's chest, his gamble seemingly having paid off in full. However, it wasn't enough...the boy didn't fall, only recovered and set his Storm Dance to work again, circling around him in an ominous fashion. He had hurt his foe, but he hadn't beaten him, depleting a lot of his own remaining strength in the process. He couldn't simply blame his body for its own weakness this time, not when his tactical bargain had come up just a bit too short of its goal. Perhaps if he had come out attacking from the start he could have accumulated damage on his enemy...enough to slow that impressive speed and bring him to his knees before his own shaking joints gave out on him. No, he couldn't blame his illness, nor could he discredit the will of an opponent who could suffer the sharp edge of his blade and remain standing. Drawing his sword back into a ready position, he had no time to rest or set up for a counter to the star-shaped blades approaching from the front and back. He glanced over his shoulder just in time to realize that he had fallen directly into the trap he had been hoping to avoid, and with the decrease in stamina he found that dodging as swiftly as he needed to was impossible. His breath caught in his throat, his body twisting sharply as pure adrenaline coursed through him, and he raised his weapon as swiftly as possible to try and force the star off its deadly course...
...Until a moment later, the clatter of metal filled the area between them, alerting that a defining moment in this clash had come to pass.
"Not...now," a strained voice coughed and thick black-red splattered onto the ground before him, lips stained crimson as he looked up with disappointment in his expression at his enemy...a ragged gash from the star Yosuke had launched to finish him torn in his side. But it was much less damaging than what would have happened if his body hadn't failed him at just the wrong moment, his katana clattering to the floor beside him as he doubled over in coughs, the blade hitting his side instead of the small of his back and spine where it had aimed. His own weakness had caused him to double over and end his resistance to the teen before him...but in the process spared him what might have been an irrevocably damaging strike. Somewhere inside of his heart, however, he wondered if it would not have been better...for the future, for his honor...if the star of Jiraiya (Reborn) had stricken true. Bitter feelings and iron taste filled his throat, but he could not find the words to speak his hatred...not for his enemy, nor the loss that he had been dealt, but for himself...for his own weakness, for the inability to properly lose or die for his vow. He found himself here on his knees before a worthy foe and he couldn't even drag himself back to his feet to finish the match. His fingers found his weapon and slid it closer, but he coughed before he could lift it. For all intents and purposes...the match had been decided.
"Go ahead...Yosuke Hanamura," he covered his lips and muffled the shuddering noise coming from inside of his chest, "It's your...complete victory. Though, I apologize that my...infirmity...disallowed a more...suitable...conclusion."Quote: [Okita Shisui] is incapacitated by Yosuke!
Winner!
"Captain Ressentiment" Yosuke Hanamura!
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Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2012 10:35 am
Quote: *~:: P1-Grand Prix [Semifinals] ::~*
"The Sister Complex Kingpin of Steel" Soji Seta vs. "The Narcoleptic Childlike Champion" Minato Arisato
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Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2012 10:28 am
 
Soji Seta, The Sister Complex Kingpin of Steel and Minato Arisato, The Narcoleptic Childlike Champion
"...Show me a hero, and I'll write you a tragedy..."He had passed through the last match by the skin of his teeth, silver hairs singing at the thunder-clad fists of the pugilistic investigator that had been set against him by the Grand Prix rules. To say that he had escaped unscathed would have been ludicrous; even with his power, there was something to be said for tenacity and experience, both of which his foe had in spades and was more than willing to use to advance his mission. They had seen eye-to-eye, but their match had been unavoidable. He wanted to move forward to protect his friends, to investigate Nanako, and to discover the truth behind the mysteries of the reappearance of the TV World...Akihiko had wanted to complete his mission for the Shadow Operatives and retrieve an anti-shadow weapon, an automated girl with a heart called Labrys by any means necessary. They had been divided on which of them should go ahead to protect their friends, and if the very thought of destruction should be in play with Labrys should she refuse to come quietly. In the end, however, the Earth Breaker had been countered by the Myriad Truths, and the protein junkie had been caught mid-air in a shocking display of power that overwhelmed him. Beaten, but not defeated, Soji moved on from the location after learning more about the truth from his fallen enemy...heavy feet carried him up the staircase again, where the walls directed him, until the door to the rooftop was once again within his sight. Beyond, he could feel an immense power at perfect peace despite the unusual surroundings...it was a sensation that was unfortunately familiar, yet calming all the while. Blood-stained fingers pressed the door open as his other hand smoothed out the ruffles in his torn, white undershirt...also stained crimson with blood both his last enemy's and his own. Bruises littered his body beneath his clothes and a cut along his cheek, singed from the burns and streaked with matted blood was visible as he stepped out into the odd spotlights of their usual entry point into the world beyond the screen. And far on the other side of the room he could see a silhouette leaning back against a pile of useless, broken television...outlined by the floodlights with wires hanging down lazily from the headphones covering his ears. There was something very familiar in the nonchalance of that stance in spite of the strangeness of this place...he had seen it many times before, rimmed by a veil of velvet and adorned with a welcoming smile. His heart sank to the pit of his stomach, even as the comforting embrace of his next foe's presence overcame him. It had been too long...
"...Somehow, after Akihiko mentioned you were inside the TV, I knew it was going to be you," the silver-haired senior smiled faintly, earning a tilt of the head and a half-grin from a man who likely understood in an instant the same thing that he had the moment he saw him, "Though I admit I was hoping it wouldn't...Minato-senpai."
Smooth fingers deftly doffed the headphones from beneath blue hair and over ears down to the shoulders where they hung loose; a lazy but honest expression fell over the grey-eyed messiah as he pressed from the stack of televisions without so much as appearing to make an effort. His black shoes tread slowly out into the wide spread of fluorescent light and his face became clear enough to reveal the uncovered half of his face, familiar just as the other had known it would be. And with a tiny tilt of his head and a wave of two fingers, the greeting he had been given was returned with all of the vigor that he intended to muster. Not that he wasn't glad to see him, but he liked to conserve energy by nature and they were about to fight. "It's just Minato for you," the blue-haired young man couldn't help but correct his successor in the wielding of the Fool, "We're friends, right?" Coming from anyone else in that position it might have sounded a bit obstinate or perhaps even suspicious, but there was nothing like that between the two of them to make either suspect such a thing. Their respect did not need to be reflected in words, ran deeper than titles or any such thing between them. They were two young men whose fates were the same, tasked to use their immense potential to help people, to bond with people, and ultimately, to protect all of the people not just with whom they created a bond but of the world around them. Theirs was the path of power, of friendship and sacrifice; they were those who had entered into the Velvet Room and signed the contract binding their soul to the choices that they had made. And here they were now, standing before one another on divergent paths still beholden unto that same contract. Should they wish it, it might even be possible for the two of them to shatter the barriers that bound them into this place and to the rules of the fake bear's game. And yet either of them seemed to consider the option as they watched each other closely, not suspiciously, but still as though they were sizing one another up carefully. It had been a long time since they had seen one another, and despite all their conversations, neither had been there to watch the other one fight before.
"I wonder..." the blue-haired young man began again, surprising the silver-haired Senior who was well aware of the other's reputation for silence, "...Between us, whose potential do you think is stronger? When we met, I thought you might become stronger than I am..." His words were thoughtful, leading, as though he had already chosen them carefully and was merely laying them out in a proper time and order for the right effect. Within his hand, a silver gun slowly drew from his holster and was raised to the side of his head with an easy sort of grace that set his counterpart on edge. "...Can you do it? Will you find the answer...that I found? Or will you find an answer that surpasses mine...? I want to believe..." He began to trail off, but to answer his expectations, his words, Soji raised the blue card within his hand and crushed it completely, white jacket and padding surrounding him, silver mask donned over his handsome face with ashen eyes peering across the distance between them. So this was what he hoped to learn, then? He wanted the answer? To test his resolve now?
"Minato, is that why you really came inside? I remember those days in the Velvet Room so vividly...when everything else inside seems like a foggy dream. I remember what you told me about my potential, and the Fate of the Fool quite well," Soji's voice was low and serious, fingers clasping tightly around the brilliant wand-sword of Izanagi (Reborn) as he extended a hand before him, fingers spread out in a retaliatory stance, "I haven't forgotten, Minato! So I won't waste time telling you my answer...I'll show it to you! With the power of my friends...of Yukiko and Rise, Faust and Rednal, Minori, Amelia, Yosuke, and all of the others! If you want to test the power they've given me, then come and get it!"
The rooftop of Yasogami High School shook with an unbridled power, the sound of power exploding and steel heavily crashing...the clashing of two Fools to see which was the superior potential. And the watchers of the Velvet Room themselves could find no fault in the battle between them, guess at whom the winner between them might be. An evenly matched, epic struggle between heroes...Minato's Messiah unleashing its holy might against Soji's Izanagi (Reborn) and its shocking potential...the dynamic semifinal of the Grand Prix had begun!
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