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Persona: Gardens and Graveyards (R)

InnerFlame

Fire and Ice Combo
Romulus 'Rome' Caesar
The Star
Dorm Room -----> Boy's Communal Bathroom


The beeping and vibrating of his cellphone on his face startled Rome awake. Sleepily his hazel eyes opened and he stared at the phone for a moment before turning the morning alarm off. His face plopped onto his pillow once more. Not wanting to get up, he debated on sleeping a little longer even closing eyes for a few seconds..... Suddenly the guy sat up and slapped his cheeks. If he didn't do that he definitely would have fallen back asleep. Looking across the darkened dorm room, Rome's roommate appeared to be still sleeping. He let out a yawn as he inched to the edge of his bed. Rome had to get ready now or he wouldn't have time to go out for coffee... Using the light on his phone, the teen located a change of clothes, toiletries, comb, brush, and hair products before he exited.

There wasn't anyone around outside, it was usually like that when it was this early but Rome didn't let his guard down. As he walked alert towards the bathroom he was undoing his braid with one hand. He was trying to decide if he should braid the wavy brown hair again while he opened to door the boy's communal bathroom. Something pink caught his eyes and he was taken back, a girl? He couldn't have wandered into a girl's bathroom with them separated by floors and opposite was also very unlikely, so he stood puzzled. Pushing the confusion aside he approached the blonde... she was actually pretty tall.

"Good morning. What are you doing here, this is the boy's bathroom. The girl's one is a floor down." Rome smiled gently as he informed the lady in the skirt. His hazel looks straight at her in the pink uniform. He was feeling a bit nervous still in his pajamas: a black long-sleeved shirt, gray plaid lounge pants. Though the longer Rome stared at the girl, he started to get the feeling he had seen this person somewhere fairly recently. A classmate...? However, there weren't any tall girls that popped into his brain. Maybe it was because it was too early in the morning and he was too drowsy for it register.

pudJ19N.png
 

TheSequelReturns

Faithful Crusader
~ Cassandra Winter ~
- Cassandra's Dorm Room -

"So, what's his name?" Noel teased for what felt like the hundredth time.

Cassandra dismissed her with a wave and busied herself with collecting her homework from the night before. "I told you, its not like that." When Cassandra had sleepily climbed back into bed last night, her mind had been so preoccupied with sorting out the craziness her life had become that she had completely forgotten to close the window. And now, since Cassandra never opened the window, Noel was convinced she had sneaked out of the room. Or, at the very least, was getting a good laugh out of the idea.

"That's what they all say." Noel smirked. "But seriously, I didn't think you were the type to sneak around after dark."

"I'm not." By this point Cassandra was fully prepared for the school day. Noel hadn't even crawled out from under the blanket.

"You sure~" Noel started, but quickly cut herself off with a sigh. "Yeah, who am I kidding. You hate the outdoors. And you hate dating even more."

"I do not hate dating. I just... there's school, and hobbies, and..." And a certain new revelation that her life had become an urban fantasy novel. But Noel didn't need to know that.

Her roommate raised an eyebrow. "And...?"

Cassandra grabbed her cell phone off the charger and shoved it in her pocket. "And a lot of things. Besides, shouldn't you be getting ready? First bell is in fifteen minutes."

"Then I've got twenty." Noel mumbled as she forced her feet onto the ground. "Relax."

That girl and her morning lethargy. How Noel hadn't gotten a lecture about her tardiness by now a mystery. "Ok." Cassandra walked over to the door and gave her belongings a final check. "See at you at lunch then?"

Noel mumbled a reply and Cassandra slipped out the door and made her way to class at a leisurely pace. The benefits of being ahead of schedule.

~ Later that day
- School -


The school day had been relatively uneventful, all things considered.

Cassandra had almost expected a monster to come scuttling down the hall at some point. Or for a creepy little face to pop up in a window or mirror or something. She was glancing over her shoulder all the way through 3rd period and only the growing suspicion that someone might notice and ask why made her stop.

That said, Taylor, bless her heart, had been devastated by a poor grade in Tech Ed. She'd heard the girl took her grades seriously, but to see her that heartbroken over it was something else altogether. She looked like someone had died. Cassandra felt so sorry for her, that she had Noel join for a group lunch and wound up giving Taylor her pudding cup. And she didn't make a habit of giving away pudding cups.

She'd heard later that there was some sort of event at lunch that day, but as she and the other two girls ate lunch outside they missed it.

But now, Study Hall had rolled around. And that meant it was time to confirm a theory. She had thought she'd recognized the teacher who was with them in the strange velvety place last night. And now, she thought she knew from where. She really should be studying for History class, as her head was still spinning from the sheer amount of names and dates that had been thrown around today, but her curiosity was stronger than her desire to pass the next hypothetical pop quiz.

Cassandra entered the library and spotted her target at the counter, right where she expected her to be. Person of Interest number one, Kat Dyson.

But, now that she was here, what did Cassandra say? Hi, how are you, did we kill a bunch of shadow creatures last night? That would be real smooth.

She opted for something simpler. Cassandra approached the desk and waited her turn in line (she wasn't the only one who spent study hall in the library after all) and when she finally made it up to the desk she was relieved to see that no one was behind her at the moment. "Miss Dyson," she said with a smile, "Hi, um, I just wanted to make sure that the... club activities we talked about yesterday are still going on?"

Part of her hoped that Kat wouldn't know what she was talking about. That all of this had been some kind of strange dream. But the weight of the small key in her pocket was telling her otherwise.
 

TheCharredDragon

Tis the Hour to Reload
Flashback
Earlier that day...

Raven Desposito
The Priestess
Cantillion Academy: 6th Class - Shop


Raven was honestly a little bit surprised that Shop class existed when he was given the choice of which classes to choose from. There wasn't anything close to a legitimate class dedicated to teaching things like carpentry and metalwork being visiting a local professional doing that and learning from them, which was easiest if one of your parents was one. But it was because of that, the choice was a pleasant surprise so he picked it.

Both he and Celes found it ironically amusing considering his typical nature.

But really, his love for making plushies just meant shop was enjoyable, if somewhat tiring, to do. It certainly helped that their teacher, Mr. Jenson, was nice man. He reminded him a bit of his sister in his "sort of" clumsiness of trying his best and then realizing that it perhaps it wasn't the best idea.

Which, unfortunately, Raven thought perfectly encapsulated what he just told them.

"All right everyone, I want you to pair up because I have an assignment for you," he said. "I want you to try your hand at making a chair in pairs. Any kind of design you want, as long as you can sit on it safely and you finish by next week, all right?"

There was a collective groan among the less enthusiastic as Raven frowned. He would've thought Mr. Jenson would save an assignment until at least next week, but he guessed wrong. Though, then again, from the fact he wanted them to pair up, perhaps it was his attempt to have his students get to know each other, as well as apply their lessons in a practical manner. Two birds with one stone, as they say. Still, he would've preferred if he had done it later, since Raven had guessed a good chunk of their class wasn't familiar with well, carpentry, himself included.

There wasn't anything he could do about that though, especially as Mr. Jenson started pairing off, but now consciously acknowledging these people made a shot of anxiety speed his heart. He held Blacky tighter and took deep breaths to calm himself. It was fine. It'll be fine. These were his classmates. There were plenty of people in here that were nice, and Mr. Jenson wouldn't pair people who were...hostile to each other. He repeated this again and again until it was his turn.

"Raven Desposito?"

He perked up and looked at the teacher in acknowledgement.

"You'll be paired with...Morgan Valentine."

Morgan Valentine? He remembered her from yesterday. She had noticed him when had been focusing on his breathing, just like he was now, having been worried he had a panic attack. Her concern had reminded him of his mother and it made him calm down a lot sooner. He had thanked her for that and simply explained he just didn't like crowds, that was all. So he's glad he was paired with her. But when he found her after a quick search among their classmates...she seemed almost dazed, like she hadn't gotten enough sleep.

So, with a brief squeeze on Blacky for reassurance, went through the admittedly sparse crowd towards her.

"Are you okay, Morgan?" he said when he reached her. "You...heard the teacher, right? Wanna start planning now?"
 
Last edited:

Vern

Why not both?
Morgan Valentine
The Moon
The Velvet Room


Morgan gave a tired smile as she listened to the teacher explain their situation to her over-eager roommate, mostly happy that they were heading off to bed now. All of this was overwhelming, and tiring too. She was aware that she was still a little in shock, and needed time to rest — and then time after to process… well, everything, really.

“Yeah, I heard,” she chuckled in response as Sofiya eagerly repeated Kat’s words to her, “You’re right… it’s quite something.”

She followed everyone else as they walked further into the room, passing by the piano — where a mysterious looking lady was seated — and coming to a stop in front of the desk, where a peculiar looking man with a very long nose was waiting for them. Sofiya eagerly greeted him, but was ignored.

The man spoke in a vaguely archaic fashion, introducing himself as Igor. A few words in particular struck her as odd — he’d called their return to the ‘real world’ a burden. Why a burden? Although now that she stopped and thought about it… there was very little she really liked about her ‘real life’, and quite a lot she didn’t like at all, so maybe the man’s words weren’t a hint at something more sinister. If she could stay in this new world forever, transforming from whatever the hell she is now to a superhero who helped people like Sofiya clearly thought they’d be… it would be nice.

Yeah, it would be really nice.

But things are never that simple, are they? She certainly couldn’t bring herself to think so. After all, that’d be to easy. As Igor extended an invitation to them, Morgan felt a strange weight in the pocket of her pyjama pants — her hand closed around a key-shaped object that she didn’t take out to examine. That could wait till later.

“All you who wield Persona,” Igor continued, concluding his speech, “Beware of the potential you now hold: you wouldn’t want to make things worse, would you? I wish you all luck and discipline. It will be a wicked road ahead for you all.”

No, Morgan thought to herself, No, I wouldn’t...

But things are never that easy, are they. A wicked road ahead — that didn’t bode well for the shadow of a superhero fantasy that’d been tangled tantalisingly in front of her. Luck, she never had, discipline… it was tiring, remaining disciplined. Perhaps all that potential Igor claimed she had would only go towards yet another disappointment. Looking down at the floor, she tried to force those thoughts away. It wasn’t good to think about those kinds of things when you were tired and overwhelmed — the result is never positive.

Making a note of Kat’s instruction to meet in the library after school, Morgan exited the room at a brisk pace, eager to leave all of this behind for a moment. Trotting off after Sofiya, she entered their room a few minutes after her roommate and collapsed onto the bed, wrapping herself tightly under the covers with a muffled ‘good night’.

As she drifted off to sleep, the voice of Jekyll echoed in her head: Good night, Morgan.

///
Dormitory Room

Morgan was woken by a shift in the mattress, and opened her eyes to an unusual sight — Sofiya, with a bunch of skirts wrapped around her head like some sort of makeshift turban, eyes gleaming excitedly. “Morrey! Morning! What do you think? They’ll never see me coming!”

It took her a moment to fully leave that sweet world of nothing that she’d been in mere moments before. Thankfully, she’d been gifted with a dreamless sleep, which in her opinion was the sweetest dream of all — so despite the rude awakening, she was feeling surprisingly well rested, even more so than normal. Rubbing her eyes, she reached forward with her other hand and gently plucked the main skirt off of Sofiya’s face.

“Is that your superhero costume?” She laughed, voice still a little hoarse, “Maybe you should save it for later — us heroes have to hide our identities, remember?”

After forcing herself out of bed, she told Sofiya to go ahead to class without her, letting out a sigh of relief when the girl left the room, clearly excited about the prospect of facing the day ahead. When she was sure she was alone, she reached into her pockets, and felt her fingers close around a still-unfamiliar weight. Looking down at the violet-tinted key in her palm, she sat down on her bed as the reality sank in again. All of that really did happen.

The shadow, the ‘personas’… everything. She tried calling out to Jekyll in her head, but received no response. Maybe the two of them were still asleep? Somehow, the thought of those two figures curled up underneath blankets made her smile.

But those warm feelings faded away quickly, replaced by more... serious thoughts. She’d signed some spiritual contract to ‘write her own destiny’, she’d made a promise to another part of herself — one so full of hurt and anger that it deemed fit to kill her, and take her place. Where did that leave her? What does all that really mean? She’ll have to change things, that’s for sure, but what things, and how? There were obvious answers, but they scared her, and she deliberately skirted around them, pushing them back down into the back of her mind when the popped up at the surface.

She hadn’t forgotten that music either. That tune echoed in her head, coming back stronger every time her eyes fell back onto the key in her palm. It was tantalisingly familiar, warm — maybe, if she hummed it, she’d experience that sensation again, the warmth of her sister’s embrace. But when she did, it seemed to lose its magic, and she decided not to do that again. Better to try and retain what little magic remained.

After a while, she put the key back into her pocket, slipped on her gloves, and exited the dormitory room. She was so preoccupied that her usual makeup routine slipped her mind entirely, leaving the discoloured patches on her face distinctly visible — but she’d taken long enough that most of the other girls had already finished their own morning routine, and there was nobody around to comment on it as she brushed her teeth in the communal bathroom.

///​

6th Class: Shop

Although it hadn’t gotten worse than a few stray, not even ill-natured comments, Morgan found herself acutely aware of the mistake she’d made, and had spent the majority of her day beating herself up over it. Thankfully, at the very least, lunchtime was near. She’d be able to sneak back to her room and apply that makeup she’d forgotten — and maybe, then, those disgusting shapes on her face would stop burning whenever someone so much as glanced in her direction.

She sat with her head on the desk, arms crossed together in front of her face, blocking out most of it. A few teachers had made comments, but she had a good enough reputation that she was able to brush it off by claiming she’d slept very, very poorly — which technically wasn’t untrue. She remained in this position during the beginning of the Shop class as well, the teacher’s voice passing into her ears and disappearing into the void, unable to find any traction on her mind.

You’re a fake, inadequate. You’ll never be good enough and you know. That figure’s voice, her own voice, refused to leave her alone. And you know what, it had a point, one that she’d been whispering to herself for years now. If she couldn’t even do something as simple as look someone in the eye without half an hour’s worth of art drawn on her own face, couldn’t even remember to do that most basic little thing… what the hell is wrong with me?

"Are you okay, Morgan?" A voice cut through the thoughts bouncing back and forth in her head. She looked up to see a face she remembered — Raven Desposito. She’d met him yesterday, when he was looking a little… distressed, and tried her best to comfort him a little, although some part of her suspected she’d only been intruding. But that aside, asking people if they were okay was her job. She needed to be the one caring for others, not being cared for. I’m getting sloppy.

You’re a fake. You’ll… she forced the voice away and looked up, giving Raven a smile. She felt the boy’s eyes glance over those cursed marks, and the burning returned, but she did her best to ignore it.

"You...heard the teacher, right?” Raven asked, “Wanna start planning now?"

“I… sorry, yeah, I'm fine,” she replied with what she hoped was an easy laugh, “I didn’t get much sleep yesterday, so I’ve been kind of out of it. I take it we’re working together on something?”

Normally, she would’ve thrown in a remark asking about how his day was going, but from what little she knew, he seemed like the kind of person who’d be more comfortable focusing on the task at hand instead of making small talk. He’d mentioned something about plans — with that in mind, Morgan reached into her bag and retrieved her pencil-case and sketchbook, flipping the latter onto an empty page and handing Raven a pen from the former. “All right, let’s get started!” She smiled as enthusiastically as she could, “What are we planning, exactly?”
 

TheCharredDragon

Tis the Hour to Reload
Raven Desposito
The Priestess
Cantillion Academy: 6th Class - Shop


Raven couldn't help but frown. Perhaps he was reading too much into it since she was entirely reasonable she was tired, but when Morgan answered him with a light tone, easy smile, and a laugh, Raven couldn't help but be reminded of his father whenever he was trying to hide something, usually with a politician or co-worker he thought was...less than stellar, to put it mildly. It was the mask he wore to throw off other people from his real thoughts. And the only reason he could tell was because he found it rather jarring to see his father's smile be a lot brighter than it was supposed to be, like the shiny facade of a buffed car. So he wondered if it was the same with Morgan...and he couldn't help but be worried. And, well, as Celes would put it, her excuse sounded like "crap" if she was trying to be cheerful while being tired. It meant she was tying to hard to be energetic even though she didn't have the energy for it since she clearly had no reason to pretend to be tired.

But he wasn't close with her, so he would have to leave it for now. He doubted she wanted him to pry into her personal life with someone who was, for all intents and purposes, a stranger. If he was going to find out more, he was going to have to get close...and if she was anything like his father before he met Mother, then perhaps he should.

So, for now, he just let her bring out her things before he said, returning his expression to be neutral,

"Mr. Jenson gave us an assignment. We're supposed to make a chair as practice," he said. "We can design it any way we want."

He looked around if he would be able to take a seat, and seeing that there was an empty one because the occupant was talking with their partner, he reached out for it and, careful to keep it quiet, pull it near Morgan and then sitting down.

"Perhaps a stool? It would be simple," Raven said. "All we need to do are make four legs and a seat. Maybe add struts between the legs for extra support, if necessary."
 

Monster Guy

Fairy type Trainer
André Bellamy
The Lovers
Boys Communal Bathroom


As he was admiring his reflection in the mirror, he heard another boy's voice speaking to him. "Good morning. What are you doing here, this is the boy's bathroom. The girl's one is a floor down." André smirked. Did somebody actually mistake him for a girl? He loved it when that happened! Everyone in this school knew of his habits, so it wasn't something that happened often. It meant he was pretty as a man or a woman. Of course, he always knew that, but he still liked the validation from others.

André looked at the other boy, who was still in his pajamas. They were both seniors, and André had heard his name around campus. He was also fairly popular. Not as popular as André was, but close. The two had never really spoken before, but now seemed like a good time to fix that. He spoke In the most girly voice he could pull off. "Trop mignon!" Then gave Rome a kiss on the cheek. "You are so cute! Merci beaucoup, but ah..." Then he spoke in his normal voice. "I am not in the wrong room."

André grinned, showing off his perfectly white teeth. "Bonjour. I am André Bellamy, mon ami." He turned back to the mirror to reapply the lip gloss he had just smudged by kissing Rome. "You probably already knew that. Everyone at this school knows who I am. Everyone at this school seems to know who you are as well. You are Romulus Caesar, non?"
 

Skillfulness

Well-Known Member
|~ Kat Dyson ~|
'~ Location: Cantillion Academy Library ~'


As the students bled in and out of the library, Kat had hoped to see glimpses of the students she met last night. Though she hadn’t seen any face to face yet, she could’ve sworn she heard some French and saw a pink clad boy floating through the hall with a gaggle of fans following him. Whether or not this was Andre was impossible to tell though. It was only a couple hours they had spent together at most which was barely enough time to make an impression. Plus there was the one student who decided not to join them, what if the others had the same idea?

Kat, what did I say earlier!? Quit worrying so much, Nyx’s piercing voice broke through her troubling thoughts. Whoever shows up today will show up and we’ll get to help them learn to fight Shadows and it will be awesome! The encouragement was enough to drive off her negative feelings and Kat smiled while shelving some books.

You’re right, it can’t be helped who will and won’t show up. We’ll take what we can get and make the most of it. After sliding in the last book, the bell rang for the next period of class to begin and Kat moved back to the main desk. A handful of study hall students wandered in and started lining up with books to check out. Kat mindlessly went through the motions until the last person in line stepped up and her heartbeat picked up.
"Miss Dyson," the girl said with a smile, "Hi, um, I just wanted to make sure that the... club activities we talked about yesterday are still going on?" The long black hair was what sparked her memory. This was Cassandra, the one with the chess Persona. Kat had to remember to have them go over Persona names as well later. But she was so excited to see her and her face broke out into a huge grin.

“Of course! It was Cassandra, right? Yes we’re planning on having our book club meeting once classes are done for today. I hope the other students show up as well so we can discuss what to start with. Having a good day of school I hope?” Kat spun the lie in a flash in case anyone nearby was listening. She was glad Cassandra was wise enough to avoid directly bringing the topic up in public as well. As excited as she was to get them all back into the Velvet Room, she didn’t want to spoil everything, so she just winked and left it at that.
 

InnerFlame

Fire and Ice Combo
Romulus Ceasar
The Star
Boy's Communal Bathroom


The tall girl revealed that not only she wasn't in the wrong bathroom but she was actually famous actor André Bellamy. That reveal made the reason for thinking she... he looked familiar more understandable. Rome's initial early morning drowsiness faded a little after being kissed on his cheek. The boy stood a bit dazed at the sneak attack greet and reveal... His brain wasn't nearly awake enough for him to process this at the current moment, but he managed to shake off his confusion.

"I see. That explains why I thought you look familiar. It's very well done. It's still a bit too early for me." Rome admitted with a sheepish smile. Had the young actor done this at school before? Their social circles were different and he was almost always busy with some activity so he never noticed if he did. The guy was acting too natural for it to be the first time.

When he thought about it with a more awake mind he had heard others mention that André did occasionally dress up as a girl. Rome, however, was under the impression it was for his job as an actor and not a hobby. It was quite admirable. Didn't the blond think others would judge him negatively as a man crossdressing? Rome couldn't let his guard down even slightly if he even thought someone might stumble upon him not acting as he should. Just the idea that Rome's actions might shatter someone's expectations of him, terrified the teen.

"I'm not sure about that. Gossip about me does get around I suppose." Rome modestly denied that with a shake of his head. "Also feel free to call me Rome. Most people do." While the wavy-haired boy was obviously aware he was more popular than most, there was no way he was at that level of popularity... right? Realizing he had been standing in a stupor for too long, he decided to start washing up.

The shorter of the two boys turned to the mirror and he saw a clear kiss mark on his freckled cheek. He blushed a bit... This was first for him. Being kissed by a guy in full makeup even though he knew it was just a French greeting. Though he wonders if him telling the boy thank you very much in french and that he was cute had any other meaning...? Surely not, it was just a friendly greeting the teen convince himself. He started with washing off the stain on his pale skin. After that's he brushed teeth, his hazel eyes glance over at André... for a tall man he really pulled off pretty well... it was a bit shocking.

Leaving his toiletries behind he made his way back to a stall to change clothes... His pajamas were loose-fitting so his... soft form wasn't noticeable... probably. He might actually die of embarrassment if he had noticed and brought it up. Replacing his sleepwear immediately with a black v-neck, gray hoodie, and blue jeans, Rome had only one major fix to his appearance to make, his hair. The hair had some define waviness after being released from the braid. The teen decided on a loose ponytail for his style, it was quicker than braiding it again. He took a quick look at his phone. Thankfully there was still plenty of time for him to go out on a coffee run. He began to smooth out the more wild curls in a neater fashion.

"Was everything alright yesterday?" Rome asked a friendly question. Even though he didn't notice anything in the classes they shared, he wanted to make sure. "Being as popular as you are, a lot of people gravitate towards you. If it becomes too overwhelming to handle alone just let me know, d'accord." He glanced at him with a smile as tied his light brown hair up.

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--------

Jamie Austin Moore
The Emperor
Courtyard Early Morning


Jamie is up earlier than normal. Long before the sunrise and before anyone attempts to pull themselves out of bed, she is moving about her single dorm room. She throws on a black tank top. Wearing that and some basketball shorts, she heads for the door. Grabbing one finally small towel she puts around her neck, the tall blonde girl exits her dorm room and goes jogging around the school courtyard. Normally her morning workouts are calming but today there are no effects from it. Her mind is troubled and her blood boiling. Jamie stops after a few laps and begins to shadow box with a scowl on her face. As she throws punches and kicks those words repeats in her head.

Have you always been this slow?

I'm not slow. Jamie throws a swift punching combo through the air at her invisible partner.

I am obviously the superior part of you!

Shut up, that's not true! Her strikes gradually gain more power and viciousness as she glares at the space in front of her.

You're still weak! Just because your body is strong doesn't mean the rest of you is.

"That's not true, I'm strong in body and mind!" Jamie shouts full of rage as she throws one finally powerful cross. Sweat drips down her face. Her fists are clenched so tightly they are trembling. "Damnit!" She punches a nearby tree, full force with her right hand. The sting of her knuckles... blood begins to spill out of them... it didn't change her seriously enrage expression. There is an irritable and annoyed feeling bubbling in her chest as she remembers the words of that doppelganger. She hasn't felt so much rage and frustration in a long time.

It would be great for Jamie if this was all a terrible nightmare. But there is evidence to prove against that. She fishes a violet key out of her pocket. Her blue eyes lock on the mysterious object before it. It suddenly appears in her possession after signing that suspicious contract.

You are quite troubled, Jamie. You must calm yourself. A stern female spoke to the tall girl. Her Persona, Hippolyta, is more proof of what transpired earlier this night. It is a bit jarring to hear the disembodied voice in her head, but the girl is quicker at recovering from that.

"I know..." She response out loud as press her fingertips into her sweaty forehead. "Damnit, I know! I should just let it go but..." The teen's emotions couldn't be calmed. These tangled emotions of irritation, fury, and hopelessness just rampage through her. Jamie didn't want to admit it, but deep down she knew... That shadow of herself isn't completely wrong. There is quite a bit of truth in what it said... that is where the seed of her frustrations has rooted itself.

She lets out an annoyed grunt as she shoves the key back in her pocket. Then she proceeds to wrap the towel around her bleeding knuckles. Some of the skin has just been scrape off by the impact of her punch against the coarse bark. Jamie would have to sanitize and wrap it up for a while to prevent an infection. With her horrid mood still intact, Jamie heads back to the dorms to prepare for the day.
 

TheSequelReturns

Faithful Crusader
~ Cassandra Winter ~
- Library -


“Of course! It was Cassandra, right?" Kat said with a huge grin on her face. "Yes we’re planning on having our book club meeting once classes are done for today. I hope the other students show up as well so we can discuss what to start with. Having a good day of school I hope?”

She seemed so... excited? There were worse things for a mentor to be, for sure, but it still felt odd to Cassandra. Was this woman not scared of the monsters? How long had she been doing this? Would Cassandra be stuck in this world for the rest of her life? She quickly gathered up those thoughts and shoved them into the broom closet of her mind. She'd deal with them later.

Cassandra nodded to her enthusiastic mentor. "Yes, fairly normal so far. Though, its been hard to concentrate. I didn't sleep to well last night and its made me a bit jumpy." She looked away nervously.

Well, that was one theory confirmed. This was the same woman. Last night did happen. The key in her pocket was really magical. She'd still want to test that last bit out herself but that opportunity would come soon enough.

She turned back to Kat. "That said, I'm kind of excited to see what this book's about. This genre is new to me so hopefully I'll catch on quick." Cassandra flashed a smile. "Thanks Miss Dyson." she waved goodbye and made her way back to her desk to study.
 

InnerFlame

Fire and Ice Combo
Jamie Austin Moore
The Emperor
School: Periods 1->10


Jamie washes up and wraps up her injured knuckles. The bandage matches her pale skin, which makes it difficult to notice. That is good as it would keep nosy people from asking questions. In the silence of her single person room, the manly girl begins to look through her neatly folded clothes. After looking through both casual and formal clothing, she decides on what to wear. A loose-fitting long white shirt with a navy blue t-shirt over it, a pair of blue jeans, and her everyday tennis shoes to finish it off. After getting dress, Jamie heads off to start her day. It is still quite early though the sun is rising, covering everything in hue orange. Walks off on a mission to locate some good food.

Jamie goes through the begin of the day in foulest of moods. Even when she spots some of the girls from last night, she has no desire to talk to them. She keeps her blue-eyes glued to the front of the room or on her schoolwork in her first-period Calculus class. The teacher's strictness also keeps the students behaving. After some strict schoolwork, Jamie's two physical classes followed. The blonde girl pushed through Dance class, though getting to move her body more did improve her mood a bit. The following weight training class is much more enjoyable with lots of guys and building up her strength. Jamie's mindset had greatly improved by the end.

In the fourth-period Sociology class, the blonde could not believe her eyes, André in a girl's outfit. Everyone just acts like this is normal, which meant he did such stunts before and quite regularly. How Jamie wish she didn't know such a weirdo and that she wouldn't have to see him again at least two more times today. Why couldn't there be one guy in the group so she wouldn't have to surrounded by nothing of girls? Mentally just groaning, the blonde girl tried to block him out and focus on Mr. Sandwich's lesson. Without looking like she is rushing, she exits the classroom.

At the fifth-period is Jamie's final physical class, Track-and-Field. Despite the two previous workout classes, the tall girl is still ready to commit to running the track. With this class, she finally fixes her crappy mood from the morning. Jamie could get through Shop, Lunch, Home Economics, and Literature without the urge to punch something. This very helpful in her final class of the day, Physics. Someone got a question wrong, and two of their classmates began to consistently pick on him for it. Bullying... it really gets her blood boiling. Before the tall blonde could intervene herself, someone else spoke up. The girl looked fully ready to deck those unsympathetic classmates, and that earns her major respect points from Jamie.

"Will guys just shut up and leave that guy alone? You are disturbing me." Jamie adds her comment. The blonde voice was firm, but obviously quite annoyed. Her blue eyes give them a threatening stare before Mrs. Nelson intervene and told them to quiet down. While she didn't particularly care for the teacher's teaching style, Jamie is still respectful. The class resumes, and it annoyed her to see the bullying continue. The girl would have intervened, but Jamie really couldn't afford detention today. The teen needed answers to what exactly went on last night. Though the bullies better watch out next time, because there will be no second chance. As the bell rings and class ended, she left promptly. Glancing at the girl the spoke up and glaring the two that annoyed her, Jamie exits with a confident stride.
 
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Monster Guy

Fairy type Trainer
André Bellamy
The Lovers
Boys Communal Bathroom > The rest ot the day


After the confusion was cleared up, André and Rome had a friendly chat in the bathroom. In response to Rome's comment, André laughed. "Oh mon ami. Everything is fine." He put his arm around Rome's shoulder. I enjoy the attention. People love me!... I always appreciate new friends though." He was finally done getting ready, and he looked at his phone. It was still early. "Since we still have time. How about the two of us have breakfast together hm?"

André did not take no for an answer, Whether Rome wanted it or not, the two boys had breakfast. Of course, by his standards, the food at this school wasn't the best quality... However, it got the job done. He did have his people bring him a nicer lunch in the afternoon.

After breakfast, André went about the rest of his day. In spite of the events of last night, The day pretty much went normally. One notable thing that happened was during technology class, Taylor, the smartest person in the class was upset about having received a bad grade. Sensing the opportunity to make a new friend, André handed her a pink rose, a kiss on the cheek, and the best words of encouragement he could give. "ma chérie, it is but one bad grade. You will do better the next time. You have proven to be one of the smartest ones in this class. There is no need for tears."

There was of course, drama in some of his other classes, but André didn't get involved. He had other things to worry about.

---

Library

Finally, classes for the day came to end. Now, he had agreed to meet up with his new friends at the library regarding the events of last night. André definitely wasn't going to miss it. Of course, getting into the library without being followed by a crowd was a problem. Well, it wasn't an issue for André, but this meeting was supposed to be a secret.

"Merci beaucoup mesdames et messieurs. As usual, you are a wonderful audience. But now I must go. Au revoir!" He then pulled out another pink rose, and threw it for his fans to catch. André went inside the library, while several of his screaming fans were arguing over who would get the rose...

Once he was inside the library, André took a seat at one of the tables in front of Ms. Dyson's desk. He was certain she would see him there... Then again, she didn't seem to know who he was last night... She may not recognize him in his current state of dress. After all, Rome didn't... So, André waved at her. "Mademoiselle Dyson. It is I. André!"
 
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InnerFlame

Fire and Ice Combo
Romulus 'Rome' Caesar
The Star
Boy's Communal Bathroom--->To classes


André appeared to have no problem with all the attention of it, love it even. Rome didn't hate having people's attention either, but sometimes it could be a little too much. The light brown-haired teen softly smiled as he glanced down at his phone. The time was still quite a bit of time before classes start, "I can make my coffee run and still have time to get breakfast at the cafeteria." A large cup of coffee from the nearby coffee shop, got him going in the morning. Just as he was about to bid his farewell, the man in drag wrapped an arm around his shoulder.

"Since we still have time. How about the two of us have breakfast together, hm?" Without Rome saying a single word André began dragging him along with him. The shorter teen in his initial surprise failed to voice his opposition to the suggestion, so he ended going with the actor to breakfast. He succeeded in not showing his dismay about his interrupted coffee run. While coffee wasn't terrible, it lacked the caffeine that desperately needed. Even having two cups of the school's coffee wasn't doing it for him. All Rome could do was sigh to himself as he pushes through it.

The teen was able to handle his chemistry class as the teacher's passion was able to hold his attention. When health class came, he was really struggling to not zone out. Rome was also having trouble in his following class... As people in his circle of friends began to ask him if something was wrong, Rome knew he had to pull himself together. In between his third and fourth class, the teen went to the bathroom to splash water on his freckled face. Then he went to the vending machine to purchase a can of Mad Bull. After doing those things, Rome was feeling a bit more energized and ready to conquer the rest of the day's classes.

Rome was able to tackle his classes with the amount of effort and focus he normally had. While their interactions as at a minimum there was minor acknowledge between him and André. Besides his rough morning and hyper-awareness toward the crossdressing man, it was a pretty regular school day. Though in Dance class, ninth period, Genevive was particularly annoyed around warm-up time. Rome went over to try to comfort her. It appeared Henry had been teasing her. Chatting with her and telling the girl that if Henry causes her any more issue, he'll step in seem to be enough to calm her down. With that settled, Dance and his finally class went by smoothly.

Classed ended, leaving Rome feeling somewhat drained. Holding himself back from yawning, the teen still had things to do before he could return to his room. That something was his student council duties. It was late, but he had the time now to go get that coffee. Nodding to himself, he headed off campus to go grab a coffee.

===========

Jamie Austin Moore
The Emperor
After School: Library


Jamie didn't say anything as she stood at the entrance of the library. By furrowing brows and scowling lips, she obviously wasn't pleased with the sight before her. Quietly, she strolled over to the gathering group and took a seat. Her blue eyes avoided looking directly at the atrocity that was a man in a dress. The only guy in the group, but turned up to be the biggest girl of them all. A sigh escaped her mouth as she leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. This explanation better eyeopening good, otherwise she was ditching this group of girls and going solo.

You're still weak!

Jamie's clenched her fists tightly as she remembered that doppelganger's words. The blonde girl subconsciously rubbed her bandaged knuckles as pain jolted through it. As she scanned the group briefly it seems only, shy girl and the airhead were missing. She had a feeling Curly Bob here wasn't going to spill any information until every one of them was here. Jamie pulled out books and papers and spread them out in front of her. Her eyes turned downwards as her attention turned to doing her homework. No reason to waste her precious time because some people wanted the drag their feet.
 
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Skillfulness

Well-Known Member
|~ Kat Dyson ~|
'~ Location: Cantillion Academy Library ~'


Kat anxiously counted heads one more time to make sure everyone was here. Well, everyone aside from the other boy who decided he could not handle it given what happened last night. She definitely understood the pressure and didn’t think less of him, but she still held a slim hope that he would appear again. There was always the worry that he would get hurt on his own dealing with the Shadows. After a brief disruption at the entrance to the library, Andre appeared and eagerly greeted her. Kat returned the wave with a big smile and a clap of her hands.

“Arlight! That looks like it’s all of us here for the first Book Club meeting. We’ll get to the gritty details like rules and such in a minute, but first,” Kat winked at the group and motioned to the bookshelves, “let’s head to the back room where we’ll pick out the first book we’re going to read.” Kat led them towards the back and prattled on about how they would vote on a book from a group she pre-selected and other empty words in case there were curious ears. Their true destination would not be the back room, though they would use it’s door. Nestled in the tall shelves, barely any sound escaping this back corner, there was an unassuming door labeled “Storage”.There was only one row that led into it making it a perfect place to disappear into.

“Go ahead and use the Velvet Key and I’ll make sure we aren’t followed,” Kat whispered to them and patted her pocket, nodding to the student beside her as she shuffled to the back to watch the rows. Not a soul was around though at this time and place. Once the last student was through, Kat followed behind and closed the door after them.

'~ Location: The Velvet Room ~'

Kat quickly passed through the Velvet Room with the students. Sonder nodded to the group as they moved towards the left side of the temple center. It appeared Igor wasn’t at his desk currently, but they weren’t here to see him today. They entered one of the open doorways into a short hallway with a door at the end. A sword icon was emblazoned on it and Kat strode right up to it to hold it open, waving the students ahead of her.

'~ Location: Somewhere on the Coast of Maine, United States ~'

Past this door, there is a birch colored wall with lots of random, beach equipment stored away in a small room, another door on the other side. It doesn’t look like the kind of room that would branch off from the temple of the Velvet Room. Plus, there is the sound of waves and the smell of salt in the air. Kat moved through them to the opposite door and threw it open.

“Jewel! We’re here! Hope you got my message--the kids are ready to get their weapons.” Kat turned back and excitedly ushered them into the next room. It looked like a tiki bar, empty at the moment but clearly used to a lot of traffic. There were flowery decorations on straw covered walls with a bartop front and center. Small tables lined the walls with simple candles and island decor fitting of the theme. Soft ukulele music played and the ocean air became even stronger blowing in through wide open windows. It was a bit of a contrast with the Cantillion Academy and Velvet Room atmosphere.

“So guys, this is Jewel! She owns the Waikiki Cafe here in Maine, but we’re not here for the food. Jewel wields a Persona and has a stash of weapons in the basement here for new Persona users.”

“That’s right,” said the woman who appeared from the back room behind the bar. She had long dreads and dark skin, a youthful face and a large smile. Her hair was mostly dark brown, but the tips were dyed hot pink and she put them up in a ponytail. She held an air of confidence and relaxation, someone who could do her job well but unwind at the end of the day just as well. “I’ve had my Persona close to five years now and I owe a lot to Igor so he helped me set up a place to dish out the goods to others like me. I’ll show you down here. There’s a catalog and everything to look through.” She waved them through behind the counter and in the back room. Across the kitchen, there was a big pair of refrigerator doors Jewel went towards and she fiddled with the one on the right. Eventually, it slid sideways revealing a staircase leading down. Kat motioned to the kids to head down after Jewel while she closed the door behind them.

In the basement, there was a large, open room. It had the feel of a dojo, but the walls were covered in weapons on display. A book on a stand stood at the front of the room, flipped open to a random page. There were firearms and gauntlets, shields, spears, and maces, alongside scythes and nunchucks. A seemingly endless cache. The center area had various marks on the ground to indicate distances and some targets set up against the far wall. There were also lots of dents and scratches in the floor, appearing to be a sparring arena as well.

“I know what you’re thinking, and yes, you do get to test them before you decide if you want to keep it. You ain’t gonna practice here on a regular basis--Batu has that speciality covered--but you can play around with some things here before hitting the battlefield.”

“Yep!” Kat happily reached behind her back to show off her own weapon, a pair of hook blades. “Jewel wasn’t around when I got these beauties, but she knows what she’s doing. She helps me polish them up and has seen dozens of others come through her door. Don’t hesitate to ask for help from her or from me and we can do some target practice or sparring to test out what ya like. Your Persona may have some insight into a good weapon for you as well. Everyone feel free to look around the walls or check the catalogue and let us know when you want to try something out!”

~~~~~~~~~~

|~ Romulus Ceasar ~|
'~ Location: Off-Campus, Coffee Shop ~'


As you sit in the cafe with your coffee, sipping away, you begin to notice something is off. It’s something rather subtle, like the room growing cold or the weather changing outside. You realize the strange thing was that all sounds were suddenly missing. As you look up from your table, you notice everyone around you is frozen in place. The barista has his arm outstretched to deliver a drink while a patron stands partially in the door about to leave. You also notice a white door in the side of the large, window wall of the cafe that definitely wasn’t there before. It’s cracked open.

What will you do?

~~~~~~~~~~

|~ Raven Desposito ~|
'~ Location: Outside Cantillion Academy Boys Dorms ~'


The breeze outside is nice as you work away. It’s peaceful and the idle sounds of campus activity are soothing. A leaf flutters down in front of you while a cluster blows across the sidewalk. In the middle of their airy dance though, they slow rapidly and become completely still. The falling leaf is still in midair, seemingly stuck in time. Glancing around campus, you notice that it’s actually not just the leaves, but anyone in the area also appears frozen. The building behind you now has a pair of doors instead of just the one leading to the boys dorm. The new white one slightly opened.

What will you do?

~~~~~~~~

|~ Celes Desposito ~|
'~ Location: Cantillion Academy Gymnasium A ~'


You’re in the zone making shots for a while. There were a few others playing on another court, but no one else had approached you yet. The sounds of squeaking sneakers and competitive shouts ring in the echoey room. There are stray students running the track and others in the weight room off to the side, music faintly emanating from within. All of that comes to a stop nearly immediately. There’s a moment as you notice it all quiets, then becomes totally silent. The people all around you are no longer moving. Some are in the middle of a motion that would be impossible to hold without breaking the laws of physics, such as the young man going for a dunk stuck a foot under the basket, a foot off the ground. Nobody is moving. Along the closest wall to you, behind the basket, you noticed a door that wasn’t there before, painted white and opened an inch or two.

What will you do?
 

InnerFlame

Fire and Ice Combo
Romulus 'Rome' Caesar
The Star
Meteor Cash: Coffee Shop


A short walk outside of Cantillion Academy, Romulus reached his favorite coffee shop, Meteor Cash. There weren't too many people inside the store, like the morning rush thankfully. The door let out a ring as he pushed his way inside. His hazel eyes glance around, there didn't appear to be anyone from school around, so he relaxed a bit. Standing in line with a slightly slackened posture, he let out a breath... today was a struggle. Rome prayed he didn't come off too inadequate than his usual standards...

Reaching the front of the line, he put on his best smile as he ordered a large triple shot mocha coffee. It didn't take long before the beverage was delivered to him. The brunette took a seat at the table, taking a test sip. Too hot to drink it all down, he blew on as he took in the little noises of the store. It was a soothing atmosphere. Taking another sip of his coffee there was a sudden... change? Rome couldn't put his finger on it at first but it became obvious. The ringing of the door when people enter and exit, the chatter of people's voices, clinging of glass, and the sipping and chewing... all sounds were gone... As he glanced around him he saw people frozen in place. A worker with an arm outstretched unmoving and a person in midstep stopped in the doorway.

The freckled face teen eyes located a new ajar door that wasn't there before. Because the regular exit was blocked by a frozen costumer, it looked like Rome's only had one option. Standing up from his seat and taking his coffee with him, he slowly strolled toward it. His shoes clicked and echoed in the dead silence with his every cautious step. Looking at and touching the frozen people he passed resulted in absolutely nothing. This whole scene was quite unsettling... Finally, he found himself face to face with the door. Holding the still-hot coffee to his body, Rome nervously opened the door more. The brunette did not fully commit, only peering inside for signs of danger with his free hand on the door.
 

TheCharredDragon

Tis the Hour to Reload
Celes Desposito
The Chariot
Cantillion Academny: Gym


Celes panted as her muscles warmed from all the hoops and dunks she did. Again and again, she dribbled the ball, then went for the hoop, and had the basketball go through it before catching it and repeating it. Despite her seeming concentration on the activity, she did notice her surroundings. She wouldn't be a good detective if she wasn't. She had noticed the faint music from the weight room nearby, the others doing a few hoops but not exactly playing with her, and people running on the track field.

So it was rather easy to notice when the world froze.

After all, it was kind of hard to do a hoop if someone else was literally stuck in the middle of dunking a ball. Celes stared when that happened, her mouth hanging open and the ball she dropped also stopping mid-air. It was like out of a dream. Or a nightmare would be better considering that not only those doing basketball were stuck, but everyone else in the gym was too. Even the music stopped. That was more than enough for her to believe the situation she got herself into.

Now the only question was what was causing it.

It was clearly supernatural. Even if aliens were highly advanced, she doubted that included the control of time and space itself to the point of playing with it like a god. Though, admittedly, the main reason she thought it was that was because, as she scanned the area, something was behind the baskets holding, well, the basketballs. It was a very plain door, flat and white. And it was slightly ajar. Unless it was like a certain British sci-fi show involving a time traveler, she doubted aliens would have a door appear there out of nowhere.

So there was only really one answer.

After getting her cloak and gloves and adjusting her glasses, she strode to the door, opened it, and went right in.



Raven Desposito
The Priestess
Cantillion Academy: Courtyard


Raven focused on his project yet relaxed as he repeated the motions, much like when one just did chores, except one he enjoyed. Slowly but surely, the Shiba Inu plush was taking proper form, but he took his time. After all, it was, as they say, beautiful day. The sun was shining but not searing, the skies were bright but still had clouds passing, and the wind was blowing but not sending anything away. Raven smiled at the sensations and smells.

Which was why he then frowned.

The wind stopped.

He looked up and he blinked.

At first, he thought nothing was amiss. Everyting was still the same. But then he noticed the leaves...and how they were suspended mid-air, as if someone had taken a snapshot. He put down his current project on the ground with care and held Blacky all the tighter before he walked up to it. Raven touched one of the leaves and his eyes widened. It was almost like trying to move a statue—no, a building, hard and unyielding to human hands. The leaf wouldn't budge. Raven looked around the campus courtyard and he caught sight of yet more snapshots. People in mid-step, mouths open, clouds not moving an inch and birds in the middle of landing on the ground or on branches.

The world was frozen.

What had happened? Why was he spared? Was his sister okay? These questions and more went through his head as he scanned the area for more information. That was when he saw it. There, right beside the door the boys' dormitory, was yet another. It was plain, if not nondescript, and white. And it was slightly open, like someone had meant to close but had not put all power into doing so. Raven frowned. It was the only other odd thing besides the frozen world, so it was reasonable to assume it was the cause of the freeze, if not related to it. But...

...even if it was, what could he do?

There were too many unknown variables, many of which could mean danger, as outlandish that could be. But the world around him had stopped, like someone hit the pause button, so he felt he should be cautious. And yet...this was his only lead. He could check on his sister, true, but...something in his heart told him that she was fine. And he believed in his sister. If anyone would somehow be unscathed in this world, it would be her, and she would be looking for a solution already in that well-meaning, reckless way of hers. And if what lay beyond this door could give the answer...

Then he would trust his heart and take it.

He took a deep breath and gave Blacky a brief squeeze before he reached out, opened the door, and walked in.
 

TheSequelReturns

Faithful Crusader
~ Cassandra Winter ~
- Magical Tiki Bar??? -


Going into the Velvet Room again was a trip in its own right. It was so casual, so easy to slip through the door that Cass had to remind herself that she was dimension hopping. But even as strange as that concept was, it was their destination that really threw her for a loop. Of all the places Cassandra could have expected to be on the other side of a Velvet Room door marked with a sword, a tiki bar was someone near the bottom of the list. Very near the bottom.

Cassandra blinked away the warm sunlight from her eyes and took in the festive, tropical decor around her and her nose picked up on the faint smell of salt in the air that she hadn’t smelled in ages.

“Jewel! We’re here! Hope you got my message--the kids are ready to get their weapons.” Kat said, calling out for the owner of this place.

Weapons, huh? That was probably to be expected. But how where they supposed to get weapons at a Tiki Bar? Was this some sort of secret base or something? If you leaned on the right tiki statue, did a secret door open? Cassandra’s mind raced down several more improbable scenarios before the owner appeared.

As the bar owner introduced herself, it became clear to Cassandra just how smooth this all was. Kat knew Jewel fairly well, and Jewel wasn’t surprised at all to see a bunch of kids suddenly appear in her bar. The talk of weapons, the way all of this seemed prepared, how long had this system been going? How many other kids, just like their group, had gotten weapons here? Where were they all now? Cassandra had so many questions flying through her head she could hardly pay attention to what was being said. That wasn’t like her at all, but this situation had her out of her element to say the least. Her head was practically spinning.

When Jewel opened the refrigerator door and revealed a secret staircase, Cassandra grinned. “I knew it. Secret door.” she said softly to herself as the group descended.

The basement looked like a place where actual ninjas trained and Cassandra’s eyes went from one weapon to the next unsure of where to rest while the adults finished their explanation.

“We can take whatever we want?” Cassandra asked, unsure if it was a rhetorical question or not. She took a few hesitant steps towards the wall. “These look legit expensive. Can I afford one of these?” Cassandra was basically talking to herself now as she moved from weapon to weapon.

This was incredible. Somewhere in here, was her weapon. *Her* weapon. The one she would slay monsters with, protect people with, save the day with. She felt like a heroine from an RPG tutorial, being asked to choose the weapon that would shape her destiny and define her path.

There was so much here, she didn’t think she could give them all a proper look if she had all day to browse. But the responsible part of her brain told her that she was technically in “Book Club” right now and the real world was ticking along like normal. She only had so long to look before it would be time to return to school.

She picked up a small round shield, testing its weight. It was surprisingly heavy for something so small.

Somewhere in her mind, she heard Nemesis scoff.

“What?” Cassandra thought back.

Shields are for protecting, not combat. It can defend, but how can you attack? It is woefully inadequate to balance the scales of combat. Nemesis said, almost sounding like a scolding.

Nemesis was born from her own mind, right? Was Cassandra really that… harsh, deep down?

“You have a point.” Cassandra said and placed the shield back down. Shields weren’t her thing anyway, as much as shield wielding heroes tended to catch her affections. Nemesis was right, as usual, what Cassandra needed was something decisive. A weapon that could strike true and clean and ensure victory.

A staff? No, not sharp enough. A spear then? Was that too unwieldy? She considered a scythe for one second before silently moving on. A sword maybe? It was standard hero fare, but was it her style? She picked up a two handed sword, grunting a bit at the weight. She was definitely going to invest in some gym time in the future. She sat the sword back down and moved on.

You are focused on form and not function. Do not follow what looks cool, follow what you can make use of. Nemesis spoke again, echoing what Cassandra already knew.

Cassandra nodded to herself and moved along. She eyed a pair of knives for a moment and was about to test them out when she saw it. It was a sword, of a kind. Long and thin and light, with a round guard over the handle. The blade seemed almost too thin until she realized that it wasn’t a typical sword, but a rapier. A weapon for stabbing and piercing armor. The moment she picked it up she knew it was right. It almost fit her hand perfectly. And it was light, much easier to handle than anything she had tried so far. She gave a few quick motions, certain that she looked like an idiot trying to mimic the moves she’d seen in movies but too excited to care, at least for the moment.

Cassandra turned and moved back towards Kat ad Jewel. “I’ll take this one.” she said, balancing the rapier delicately with both hands.
 

Monster Guy

Fairy type Trainer
André Bellamy
The Lovers

Library > Velvet Room > Magical Tiki Bar

Once everyone had arrived, the group made their way to the back of the library, and through the Velvet Room. Once they were in the Velvet Room, they went through another door marked with a sword on it, and were transported to some place completely different. They wound up in a Tiki Bar in Maine. It was quite a contrast from the Academy, and rather impressive. André wished he could get his perfectly manicured hands on this magical transporting door trick. He could visit home in Paris, go to Hollywood to film a movie, and still make it back to class in a blink of an eye!

Kat called for someone named Jewel to get their weapons. I mean it made sense that they would need weapons to do what they were doing but... the only André had with weapons was in movies. Fight scenes were choreographed to look good, and good fake knowledge of how to wield a sword well enough for a movie, but to do it for real was a whole different task.

Jewel was apparently the owner of the bar. The thing that got André's attention was that her hair was pink at the tips! He had always wanted to try pink hair himself, but it just wasn't practical most of the time. Pink wigs were the next best thing. Jewel led them through a pair of refrigerator doors that led downward. They were led into a room that had a bunch of weapons on display. They were all told to pick one.

André walked around looking at the available weapons on display. André felt most of them looked a little to barbaric for his tastes. Cassandra had chosen a rapier for herself. That was alright. It was definitely elegant and classy. He had used one in a film before, so he had some idea of how to use one... There probably would be another one around here somewhere.

He then heard Narcissus scoff, and speak up in his head. "You are not going to use the same weapon as someone else! You must set the trends, not follow them!"

His Persona did have a point...

"You need something elegant, something graceful, something beautiful just like me! More importantly, you need something that stands out from the crowd and draws attention, but is also deadly in battle."

But where was he going to get something like that? All he could see were boring weapons. A spiky ball and chain, a mace, assortments of knives, plain steel swords, why was there nothing pretty?!

And then he saw something. It appeared to be a golden sword handle. It was decorated with pink hearts and roses. It was definitely André's taste. There was just one problem. Where was the blade? The young movie star picked it up, and looked at it quizzically. "How is anyone supposed to fight with this?" Then, a pink, sparkiling beam of light shot out from the top of the hilt to form the blade. André was instantly impressed. "Oh là là là là!" Now he understood how he was supposed to fight with it. It was the type of weapon a magical girl would use. He made a few motions with it in his hand. This was definitely suited to his taste. It stood among all the other boring weapons.

"Now that's what I'm talking about!" Narcissus agreed.

André went back to Jewel and Kat. "I will take this one S'il vous plaît."
 
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InnerFlame

Fire and Ice Combo
Jamie Austin Moore
The Emperor
After School: Library-->Waikiki Cafe in Maine


Finally, everyone has gathered, it seems. Jamie closes her textbooks and neatly stores them and her homework back in her shoulder bag. Her deep blue eyes sternly stare as the teacher goes on about them joining a book club. This is a ploy to deter anyone unrelated interest, obviously. As she ushers towards the room label storage to get their first 'reading material', she whispers them to use the key they mysteriously received last night.

Their visit to the Velvet Room is short as they are quickly lead to another door that spits them out at some seaside cafe in Maine apparently. Yet another woman is there talking familiarly with Curly Bob. Jewel, the arms dealer, brings them to a refrigerator, which leads to her secret vault of weapons. The group of teens begins to explore and decide on weaponry for themselves. She watches the smart girl look over a couple of things and the outrageous sight of André looking mostly disapprovingly at them. Turning her eyes away from them, Jamie figures she might as well find something.

There isn't much time spent on choosing what type of weapon for Jamie. There is only one choice. Since she is a fist-fighter, something that goes on her hands would work. Not really caring for the aesthetics, the blonde woman grabs the first weapon that catches her eye, a pair of leather gauntlets. Jamie slips the gauntlets on, it reaches halfway up her muscular forearms. They are mostly black leather with several lighter brown leather belts going along the outside of it. Metal studs are used to connect the leather pieces to one another. The gauntlets leave the palms, a majority of the fingers uncovered. Silver metal plates are attached to the knuckle area of the gloves. The metal on the gauntlets gives the otherwise lackluster material a brilliant shine.

A quick and decisive choice. These will work great with your fighting-style. Hippolyta praises, she sounds like she has no complaints about it, even joyous at how well she understands her own fighting capabilities.

With some slight adjustment to the belted straps, it is snuggly fitted. Throwing some punches on the air, the speed and mobility of them appeared unaffected. Not feeling the need for any practice, her eyes turn to the curly-haired teacher.

"Ms. Dyson," Jamie rigidly calls out as she unblinkingly looks at the woman. "When will you be telling us what is going on here?" The blonde attempts to inquire about some facts. There is an impatience to her voice. She has bought them, a bunch of high school students, here and is now arming them. This might have distracted everyone else but Jamie wouldn't be dissuaded from getting some solid answers on the situation.
 
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Skillfulness

Well-Known Member
|~ Kat Dyson ~|
'~ Location: Waikiki Cafe Secret Basement ~'


The students were going through the various weapons, most taking their time and hopefully communicating with their Persona. Cassandra, understandably, found it hard to believe they could take anything they wanted at no price and Jewel spoke up to ease her concerns.

“No worries miss, these are supernatural weapons and Igor supplies all the resources we need for it.” She nudged Kat and motioned to the side of the room so they could talk in private for a moment.

“So you n’ Igor got a lot of new players this round. You think it’ll make up for the weird new thing going on with the Shadows?” Jewel couldn’t hide the worry and Kat understood. Dungeons were popping up with concerning frequency and before now, there weren’t enough Persona users to deal with them.

“Ah think so. We haven’t had a lot of time to go over much since the night was busy fightin’ their Shadow selves, but as long as things go smoothly here we can get ‘em warmed up and get to know each other more. I really appreciate what yer doin’ Jewel, it means a lot.”

The other woman blushed and looked away. “It’s nuthin. Just keeping the world safe, right?” Jewel laughed nervously and at this point André approached them.

“I will take this one S'il vous plaît.” He had chosen a beam sword, Casssandra picked rapier, and Jamie selected a pair of fighting gloves. All good choices. Some were still picking them out, but they had time and would be talking afterwards for a while anyway.

“Ms. Dyson,” Jamie called out to Kat and she met her steely gaze. “When will you be telling us what is going on here?” She grinned meekly and rubbed the back of her neck. At the same time, Nyx appeared beside her, floating and giving Kat a stern look.

“Yer right, Jamie. And I’m sorry we haven’t had the time to chat about… things. School’s important so I didn’t want to be keeping you lot up too late. Let me wait until everyone is listenin’ and then I’ll spill, ok?” It didn’t take much longer for everyone to be ready so Kat, with Nyx resting atop her head waiting to jump in and correct her.

“First things first--last night you were fighting your Shadow self. It’s a being that represents an actual ‘shadow’ in psychological terms, the ‘unconscious, repressed complex of an individual’. In practical terms, it is a reflection of your negative aspects and will always be a part of you. Some people become overcome by their shadow, but by accepting or defeating it, you have the potential to unlock your Persona. Fortunately, you all were able to do so last night, granting you your Persona. Not everyone has this potential which is why you didn’t see two dozen of us last night. Ah, and do stop me if you have any questions.

“There’s a dimension beyond our world where Shadows run free. But when someone is overcome by their shadow self, a sort of doorway opens and can cause terrible things to happen in our world. So our job as Persona wielders is to protect our realm from the Shadows. Shadows and Persona have an immense impact on an individual's psyche, so it’s important to be careful with your emotions and take note if you notice a shift in personality within yourself or those around you, as it could be a sign of Shadow activity. I, gosh I really should make some pamphlets with this info next time, even if Igor insists it’s pointless.

“In general, people can succumb to their shadow, or representation of negative aspects, and cause bad stuff to happen in our world. We with Persona can fight them and keep our world safe. Now with that any more questions?” Kat answered anything the kids had to ask. It was certainly a lot to take in and would likely take more than one session to answer all questions and get them comfortable with their role. But, hopefully the rest of this afternoon and evening would help them bond a bit more.

“Awright! With that out of the way, who’s ready to spar and try out yer new weapons!” Kat brandished her hook swords and grinned devilishly.

~~~~~~~~~~

|~ Romulus Ceasar ~|
'~ Location: Off-Campus, Coffee Shop ~'


As you peer into the door, the room looks totally empty except for a hallway on the opposite side. It’s white and pristine, almost with hospital vibes, but incredibly eerie. In the silence, a sound cuts through and startles you. The sound of someone sipping on a drink comes from back in the main room of the coffee shop. As you lean back to look at the source, the person making the sound is, you.

“Look Rome,” you say, or rather, this version of you says. They have this slightly off appearance. There’s no color to their body except for a pair of golden eyes and a strange shadowy effect coming off them. “I’d rather not make this complicated.” He takes another sip from the coffee the barista was serving to the customer at the counter. There’s a weary look to his eyes and he stares you down.

“I kill you after I finish this drink. Easy, right? You don’t have to do a thing, just the way you like it.” He grins at you with sharpened teeth. He lifts the cup in cheers to you, then brings it to his lips again.

~~~~~~~~~~

|~ Raven Desposito ~|
'~ Location: White Room ~'


You enter a large, white room. It’s totally empty except for one feature; a hallway on the opposite side from the door. The silence is ominous and you have a terrible feeling like you’re being watched, but you have Blacky with you. As you fully enter the room and pass the threshold the feeling grows. The door slams behind you and when you spin around, you’re looking at yourself.

“Heya, look at you being all brave.” The other you has his hand on the door, looking at you with what looks like hunger in his eyes. You realize this isn’t an exact replica, but instead it lacks all color aside from the two, gleaming golden eyes. The emphasis on his last word is unsettling to hear in your same, quiet voice.

“Isn’t that usually our sisters job? She’s not here now so I guess you had to step up. I don’t think you’re ready for what’s going to happen though.” There’s a purplish energy coming off this shadow self as he continues talking. “You aren’t getting out of here alive. I’ll rip that stupid crow from your cold, dead hands.”

~~~~~~~~

|~ Celes Desposito ~|
'~ Location: White Room ~'


The room you enter is pure white and utterly silent. The quiet is reminisce of how the sound in the gym was suddenly missing. This room before you though is empty. Not a soul or thing in sight. There is a hallway across the way though and when you notice it, there’s something else you notice at the same time. You hear footsteps.

They’re quick and close so you don’t have a chance to find cover before a figure appears in the hallway. What you notice first is how this person has no color on them, including the hair and skin. When you examine the face, it’s suddenly clear that it looks nearly exactly like you. Instead of the brown in yours eyes though you find golden orbs that pierce through you.

“Celes, took you long enough to get here. Given our determination, I figured you would’ve already rushed in and started beating me up.” This odd, near copy of you puts her hands up in mock fear and laughs.

“Man, if only you knew the things I’m planning on doing. You would be enraged. Thing is though,” she takes a moment to inspect her nails, leaving the statement hanging for a moment, “it’s the kind of stuff you wish you could do. But, I have to start by killing you, so you’ll never get to see any of it.” She gets a manic smile on her face as her body starts to emit some supernatural looking smoke. She slowly begins to walk towards you.
 

TheCharredDragon

Tis the Hour to Reload
OOC: hopefully the slight bunnying of celes's shadow is fine

Celes Desposito
The Chariot
Unknown: White Room


Celes expected a lot of things when she went through the door. Outlandish monsters, inpenetrable darkness, a twisted dream-like world, or maybe even a highly advanced area with technology she couldn't even begin to conceive. In short, she was expected the unexpected. So she felt she could be forgiven for being startled to find herself in...

...a white room.

Though, on further thought, a simple, single colored room was unexpected, so pethaps not. Either way, she looked around curiously to see if there was anything more to it. But it didn't seem that way, apart from a doorway with no door that looked like it led to an equally white hallway. If there was anything more to it, she would have to touch the walls and floor. And maybe try to reach the ceiling if she can push it.

But before she could that she heard footsteps echo from the hallway. And before she could move to see what, or who, was it, the source appeared before and...

Celes blinked.

It was a person, a person that looked like thy walked out of a pre-1960s cartoon, all black, and grey, and not-quite white. But it wasn't just any old person. No, it was her, her hair cut, glasses, nose and all. She was, for all intents and purposes, staring at a mirror. Except one thing: her eyes. Instead of the warm reddish brown that she was so proud to get from her father, it was pure gold, and they were glowing and Celes felt, on instinct, that that wasn't a good sign on top of all the craziness that was seeing a black-and-white doppelganger.

Before she could ponder on any possible hows though, it—well, she spoke.

“Celes, took you long enough to get here," she said, mocking and Celes felt her eye twitch. Then she raised her hands in mock surrender as she continued. "Given our determination, I figured you would’ve already rushed in and started beating me up.”

Then she laughed, long and hard like she always did whenever something cracked her up and Celes grimaced, her heart and stomach twisting and churning. It wad her own laugh yet it felt so wrong, further worsened at the truth of her words.

She wasn't done yet though.

“Man, if only you knew the things I’m planning on doing. You would be enraged. Thing is though..." she said, then paused for effect, letting that phrase hang in there for a moment.

Celes ignored her uneasiness as her worry and interest was piqued. Enraged...?

And when that moment passed, the copy of her said, “...it’s the kind of stuff you wish you could do."

Celes flinched. What the hell? What did she mean by that? What kind of things would she, herself, want to do that would also make herself mad? Her throat tightened. Unless...

However much she wanted to follow that line of thought to solve, she had a more pressing problem to solve now.

"But, I have to start by killing you, so you’ll never get to see any of it,” her seemingly insane copy said as she dons a manic smile, emitting some kind of odd looking smoke as she slowly made her way to Celes.

Damn it. She had no weapons nor knew any self-defense. This wasn't good. But because of that, Celes set her jaw and took a stance, shoulders squared, fists in front and close like a boxer and legs apart but not too far for the most stability, her thoughts going as fast as possible so as to not lose any ground against her opponent.

Whoever this was, if she looked exactly like her, there was a good chance she was like her physically, so her odds were fifty-fifty in there. The problem was mentally. She seemed to imply their mentalities were similar from her first words. But was that really true? She was pretty sure she wouldn't kill someone if it meant that she would get to do what she wanted... Celes frowned. Right?

The Shadow laughed again, which made her jump.

"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue? Or got cold feet?" she said, now sporting a slasher smile.

Celes gritted her teeth, absolutely annoyed at the copy for the insult and herself as she knew that it would be something she would say. But it was a small confirmation. This girl was her in a way. And she didn't want to die nor fight. So if they were alike, maybe she could...

Celes relaxed her stance somewhat, but still kept her guard because of her irritation.

"Can't we talk this out?" she said. "Like, why exactly do you want me dead? Maybe we can think of another way."

However, there was a part of her that felt like it wouldn't be that easy. It was just talking after all and this girl was out to kill her. But well...

...it's not she ever picked the easy way in anything.



Raven Desposito
The Priestess
Unknown: White Room


Raven steps were slow and steady as he finally could make out where he ended up and...he was pleasantly to surprised to find it was just a white room. No furniture, no windows, no edges...nothing, but another hallway past another doorway. Just pure white all around, barring the shadow he casted. And yet, despite there being no apparent danger, his heart sped and he gripped Blacky tighter.

Nothing was just as bad as something.

But that thought flies out of his mind when the door slammed behind him. He yelped and spun around to see if he could find the cause, and he did. But it was the last thing he thought he would ever see:

Himself.

“Heya, look at you being all brave," he said, stance mocking as his hand on the door further proved his action.

The voice was exactly the same as his own, quiet in volume and soft in tone, and yet Raven shuddered at the stranger's words. Why, he didn't know, all he just knew was that it was wrong. In fact, everything about this mirror was wrong and twisted. Instead of skin browned from the sun, there was ash grey covering him, instead of a small smile, it was a predatory grin, and instead of warm steel grey eyes, it was hungry golden, all of which was surrounded by a strange, almkst purple aura.

This man was one the hunt.

“Isn’t that usually our sisters job?" he then said, unlike himself casual and confident despite his words. "She’s not here now so I guess you had to step up. I don’t think you’re ready for what’s going to happen though.”

Raven managed to stop his whimper as he held Blacky tighter. What he said was true, whatever may happen, he was woefully underprepared for anything. He nearly did whimper though when the stranger said,

“You aren’t getting out of here alive."

And his fear spiked as he tried to think of ways to solve this situation. How he referred to himself and Celes earlier implied that they were somehow connected, which would explain why they had the similar appearances. But it wasn't exact, so that could also explain why, even though he seemed to be like him in many ways, he was also not being like himself, wanting to kill him. Was he some sort of clone? Was that why he wanted him dead?

And then the other him said,

"I’ll rip that stupid crow from your cold, dead hands.”

Raven tensed.

Raven stared.

Raven snarled.

"Don't you dare!" he said.

With one hand, Raven held Blacky behind him, while with the other, he surged forward and seemed ready to punch him when, in reality, it was feint that he hoped to followed with a sweep with his leg to topple over the enemy and allow Raven to pin him.

No one was going take his father's gift from him.

No one.
 
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