recolle | SPOOKY HAUNTS AND TRAILS

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SPOOKY HAUNTS AND TRAILS » OPEN

WHO: the infamous nasty crimeboy, Akira Kurusu, and you!
WHERE: Places in Recolle
WHEN: Spooky Month of October
WHAT: EVENT STUFF and mundane stuff if it comes up. if you would like to plan anything, hit me up via

halloway or hei#2323 on discord.
WARNINGS: Persona 5 spoilers for last boss battle and late-game conspiracy unveiling. Will update when necessary!

NOTE!! You can leave an empty comment with the subject header of your choice or even RANDOM for something unlisted/miscellaneous (lighthearted) and I'll write the prompt. For nightmares, it may skip around and make no sense very much like how actual dreams are.

nightmares

[ When you enter the dream, you're engulfed by darkness until you hear a deep and unfamiliar voice. It speaks in a language you are most comfortable with. ]

The contract has been sealed...

You have agreed to provide the Trickster support
in his journey to oppose fate and seek change.

CASINO
It's filled with a variety of gamblers from talking fish to actual people. Shadows are also gambling? But they're aggressive due to their mass losses. There are several elevators and it seems like the treasure is on the VIP level.

If you choose to enter the CASINO, you may appear outside of the structure or on the first floor in costume and mask. Akira will accompany you in his Joker outfit.

VELVET ROOM
Are you a prisoner? Or a keeper? You can stand behind the bars with Akira, withstand the abuse and rebel alongside him, or on the opposite side—ushered by two wardens and a man with an elongated nose to carry out discipline. Rehabilitation is important.

If you choose to enter the VELVET ROOM, you may appear inside or outside the cell. Your attire will change into prisoner wear or officer uniform respectively.

MEMENTOS (SPOILER)
In the city of Recolle, you notice there's something strange. People walk past the blood red rain and the towering skeleton pieces. The irrelevant become forgotten. The forgotten vanish. Is it your hand that's disappearing? Or is it Akira's?

If you choose MEMENTOS, you'll be in your normal attire or in your underwear. Whichever your character feels less attractive in if you want. Once again, Akira is beside you.

CODE CREDIT

fog

[ Akira has been having a hard time with his nightmares. Some of them he remembers bits and pieces (all useless), but he's thinking a jog in the ungodly time where the thick fog rolls in is a good idea? Unfortunately not... He ends up running away from one of these three tormentors in his pajamas. What's with his luck?

As he looks behind him, he crashes into someone. Sorry. ]

TWIN WARDENS (SPOILER)
Their names are unknown to you, but they're two girls with silver hair with a single golden eye (an eyepatch covers the other). As attendants of the Velvet Room, they have this ethereal aura to them, even menacing as they shoot various skills into the fog.

"Come back here, inmate! You can't hide forever!"

"You're only delaying the inevitable."

IMPERIOUS ANGEL (SPOILER)
An angel appears with an abstract body shape. Wings scaling wide and halo spinning over its head, it spreads its several hands that hold instruments. With the rise of the triangle, the angel rings it with a clear ding. In a matter of seconds, a flash of light magic strikes near.

"I am what humanity desires. Why oppose me?"

You can hear the sneer in its voice.

GOLD PIGGER
This silver piggy bank may seem cute, but it's also massively large and rolls without end. What does stop it from rolling are valuable items. Throw something expensive and it'll take a break to appraise it with a series of oinks. The one in control is a half-fly guy throwing out some mad rhymes.

"Yo yo yo! You think you can just walk into my neighborhood and disrespect me like that, dawg?"

CODE CREDIT

wildcard

[ THROW ME WHATEVER! Baby haunts from the new ghosts or even the Retrospec Maze! Even anything normal. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Elliot is also up late thanks to his nightmares. He's in his room, trying to calm himself by silently practicing finger movements on his violin, when he heard the front door open and shut. He scrambles up to the window just in time to see the hazy form of Akira in his pajamas jogging deeper into the fog. What was he doing?

For a moment, Elliot frets about what to do. The fog was really dangerous, Elliot had had his own close calls in it to know that. Both times, Minako had to bail him out with her Personas. It was wise to avoid the fog as much as possible. But on the other hand, Akira was all alone in the fog, and at this hour of the night - it was unlikely anyone would be around to step in to help.

Well, as terrified as he is of the fog, he can't leave a friend to face it alone. He'll get up, slip on his shoes, grab his staff and bag that holds his ARCUS, and head out in the direction that he saw Akira go.

Thankfully for his wimpy stamina, it's only a couple blocks before he comes across the sight of Akira running from a giant, metal...pig?

Okay, after facing tanks and a bone dragon, it's hard not to gawk a little. Just what the heck is that? But if it's in the fog, it's probably dangerous. So he'll start channeling his magic, hoping to get a spell off before the pig notices him. A ring of gray light with glyphs will appear around him as he casts-

But unfortunately, he's caught by surprised and interrupted when Akira crashes right into him. The light immediately goes away as he falls down with an "Umphf!" sound]

[ Falling noises and groans continue. Akira rubs his head as he pulls himself back, checking to see who's the victim of this crash— ]

Elliot? What are you doing out?

[ The pig is some distance away, but the sound of metal rolling over gravel grows louder with each passing second. Taking one moment to look, he notices these new items that Elliot is carrying. They must be from the boxes he received. NO TIME TO PONDER. He Quickly, Akira doesn't wait for an answer and instead pulls Elliot back up and drags him along. They can talk as they run for their lives...

In the distance, they can literally hear "you think your punk ass can just up and leave? Oh hell naw. I'm about to get some massive ass whooping down in this joint!" ]

[Elliot groans and rubs his head as he starts getting back up, the ARCUS's magic already working to heal any minor damage falling on the pavement had done to him. But what is he doing out here?? Oh come on-]

Loo-

[But before he can answer, Akira is dragging him along. He makes a little yelp sound as he gets pulled along, but he'll run because oh yeah- the crude metal pig is probably dangerous.

But he'll still try to answer]

I was looking for you! It's dangerous out here!

I... kind of forgot and wanted to go for a short walk?

[ How else can he explain himself? To be honest, being chased by a mobster on a silver piggy bank is almost humorous to him if he isn't constantly running. It really beats everything else he has seen and dreamed about. ]

I don't know what to say.

[ Unfortunately, the metal pig is faster than them, so it catches up in little time. Even if he's forcing his legs to move, he takes some time to summon Yoshitsune. The samurai flickers into existence before raising its sword, landing a strike of lightning before disappearing.

Well, the lightning did some damage, but it doesn't slow the pig. Christ. ]

[He forgot...goodness. Well luckily Elliot isn't really the type to lecture, especially when they are running for their lives, so-]

You don't- [he huffs a little. He is not cut out for this running] - L-Let's just get out of this alive first okay?! We'll talk then!

[Speaking of- how is this pig so fast? Not only that, but did Akira just summon a persona?? At least, it looked like a persona from what Minako summoned- except he didn't see Akira put a gun to his head. Though it's not like he has any real time to mull over these matters since the lighting didn't slow it down at all.

While still running, he'll do his best to turn around for a moment and swing his staff in the direction of the pig. Three magic bubbles fly out and hit the pig. Surprisingly, it does damage despite it being fricking bubbles, but it's likely not going to slow the thing down either]

[ While he doesn't find the pig menacing at all, he is scared of being rolled into a pancake. Anyone would instantly die from that. He can't even take the time to admire Elliot's resourcefulness and playful skills with how they have to keep running. He's not sure why, but this... feels familiar in some way. Why is his life like this? On the run from the police, blamed left and right, and always cornered.

Even that fly guy that's the one rolling the pig to them has it out for him, now shouting some vile words. If Elliot looks up, he's wearing a really fancy suit and has some bling on one finger, an extravagant ring. ]

Do you... have anything expensive on you?

[ It's a bank. There's another attempt to stall with a different Persona this time. Satanael, a demon lord shows up, shooting the rolling pig only for its bullets to bounce off of it. ]

Expensive? Not-

[Nothing he can really give up, like his ARCUS or his staff. He needs that. He was just a poor college student and one who was in enough of a rush to find Akira that he left behind his wallet.

But the real reason he cut off is because Elliot was not a runner. He was not athletic in the slightest. And more than that, he was easily startled. So when Satanael shows up and shoots off a gun? The sound startles Elliot enough that he loses his footing and trips - falling face first into the pavement as his staff goes skidding off into another direction.]

[ ELLIOT??? Akira guesses that's a normal answer... They're grubby college students trying to make a living while going to school at the same time. He can't imagine anything they have is that expensive. Even if Akira comes from a kind of wealthy family, he doesn't have anything worth dirt on him.

BUT WHY did he have to trip? Digging his heels into the concrete, he stops for his friend and tries to pick him up. Let's go!! Let's go!!!!! But the pig is there, within several hundred feet from them.

In a panic, Akira tosses... something random in his bag. It's like some notebook or whatever and the pig actually stops? To oink and kind of scrutinize it.

"What's with this cheap piece of trash?!" ]

[Look he's sorry he's a Magician Arcana, it's his fate to fail in some manner. But at least he's light and didn't knock himself out, so picking him up should be easy enough.]

S-Sorry!

[He doesn't even bother to brush the street gravel off him as he starts to run again. But he'll glance back when he hears the rolling stop as the pig scrutinizes it]

He really stopped to examine that?

[Well, at least that staff isn't far off from the pig's path, maybe that'll distract him to give a big more distance]

[ Yes. The big is appraising it and already guessing the price of Akira's notebook.

"Fucking college twinks don't know anything about quality—what's this?"

It seems mister oinker has found Elliot's staff. The shape itself is already enticing as the fly guy actually... Drops down from the pig to pick it up and have a closer look at it.

"What is this?! I've never seen anything like it, but this is made with such fine material. It should be worth...!" And he goes on to talk about its possible price in the black market. Damn. It leaves the pig standing there, defenseless, but he does hop back onto the driver's seat only to admire the staff more. ]

This is our chance.

[ Yoshitsune flickers back in, charging himself for the next attack. Brave blade comes next and it knocks the pig backwards. They can hear the man squeal like his vehicle before getting trapped inside the bank due to the orientation. The staff tumbles out in reach, luckily. ]

[Elliot yelps when mister oinker notices the staff and picks it up.]

No! Not my staff!

[I NEED THAT DON'T SELL IT. At least this will inspire Elliot to do more than run, because he really wants his staff back. While Akira summons Yoshitsune, Elliot will channel his own power.

When it's ready, there's a flash of ~~blue~~ gray light. In front of him, water starts to materialize, floating in midair. First in numerous droplets, but they gather and merge together to form a huge mass of water- several gallons worth. As soon as it's form, Elliot will motion for it- and it flies straight at the knocked over pig. It hits with a great deal of force, knocking the pig further back and getting water all over the machine]

Try frying it now with your lightning!

[ "H-Hey! What do you think you're doing to my bank, you lowly shits?!"

But the pig is rolled away by sheer force and the enemy, Kaneshiro, screams as he bounces around inside the pig. It took some damage, but overall it makes it shinier. The pig slowly rolls back onto all fours... Then it starts charging? A bright light starts gathering around its snout. Raising his eyebrows, he commands Yoshitsune to cast lightning again.

"HA! Thanks for the free car wash, but it could have been done better. It doesn't even deserve a tip." ]

He likes to talk a lot.

[ To be honest, the appearance creeps him out... The samurai's blade rises into the air, letting the electricity run through its blade before it shoots. It paralyzes the pig and does quite a chunk of damage, but it's... Still charging? ]

Duck!

[ A giant beam shoots out now. ]

Y-Yeah. None of the other fog monsters talked this much...

[He yelps as he jumps out of the way, covering his head as the giant beam shoots out. Fortunately, he's small enough and there was enough warning that he was able to evade it!

And once the pig is done shooting? He's going to hope there's a cool down period, and make a dash for his staff that's lying on the ground]

[ There is definitely a cooldown period... The pig seems to unwind as the electricity runs through its soaked metal body, but a fried Kaneshiro shows up with an afro looking quite burnt. While his pig is taking its time powering up again, he hops down to intervene in Elliot's pursuit of his staff.

Yeah, that means flying with his little wings and kicking Elliot straight in the face. Akira wasn't expecting someone so greedy to come down and fight them on the same ground. Sorry, Elliot. He's stunned, but comes over to help. ]

Elliot, are you all right?

[ "Look at what you done to my precious Piggyton and my snazzy suit? My slick 'do?!?! Do you know how much fucking paper this cost me? No! Of course not, you goddamn punks! It's time for you to die, yo!"

He starts moving his hands around before posing—a dark wisp engulfs them and seeps down into their bodies. It doesn't feel like anything actually happens until it clicks... Suffocating and unfounded fear. ]

[The kick is a direct hit, knocking Elliot down with a bone-cracking sound as his nose gets broken. Elliot will make a pained sound, but struggle back to his feet with Akira's help. There's blood coming out of his nose and his regeneration isn't kicking in, so he's not having a great time]

Shoot...

[So much for getting his staff back. And just when he started to try to think of what to do next, a dark wisp engulfs them and seeps into his body. ]

What the-

[He stops as he's suddenly overcome with fear. He starts shaking and his eyes squeeze shut. Those thoughts that constantly claw at his mind? Suddenly become a lot louder.

You're going to die here.

You're useless. What a mistake you were. Everything you do ends in failure.

What were you thinking running out here? That you'd help? How pathetic. You're just gonna get everyone killed.

Why even try? Just die.

The voices keep going. He grits his teeth as he shakes from the fear. There's a part of him that just wants to run, or even stop existing. He didn't want to die, he didn't want to fail everyone even though that's all he ever did...

But even though he's shaking and feels the weight of suffocating fear? Fear was something he dealt with every day. He was terrified of fighting, he was terrified of retrospec, he was terrified of losing everyone he cared about. His list of fears and anxieties were a mile long, honestly. The fear in him was constant. He didn't need a wisp to feel it.

So while he's paralyzed for these first few moments, it probably won't be very long until he fights it off. ]

[ The noise makes Akira wince, even scolding himself for not accompanying Elliot when he went to retrieve his staff. For now, he'll count it as a blessing that it's only a broken nose and nothing worse.

Except it's hard when he sees the blood, there are so many worries—what if he dies? What if they die? Even if they have power, they can fight this, and they can make it out... What if they don't? Those kind of thoughts are easier to brush off. He's used to being a pessimist, so he grits his teeth and glares at Kaneshiro who does a little shimmy and spin like he's on the disco floor.

His legs feel like lead, but he forces himself up and in front of Elliot. It's fine. They're fine.

"Haa? What's this?! You're some cheeky low lives, y'know. I'm almost impressed!"

Is it weird that these dark thoughts only make him feel more alive? It's strange, isn't it? With a shallow breath, Akira pulls out his dagger before attempting to lacerate their enemy in a series of quick swipes. The fly squeals like his pig, trying to crawl and climb back into his precious Piggyton. He's considerably damaged and they only need to land a couple of hits in to finish him off, but this one thought creeps up and stops Akira completely.

It's your fault your friends are suffering.

Gripping ]

It's... my fault.

[ The grip on the hilt only tightens, nails digging into his palm, as his mind shuts down completely. Unfortunately, Kaneshiro makes his escape back onto the pig, but it still need some more time to recharge. ]

[ Its Akira's voice that stirs Elliot from his own thoughts. He hadn't notice his friend step in front of him, trying to shield him. Oh look, another person risking their neck to protect someone as worthless as yo-

Stop it.

The hold the spell has over him weakens and breaks. That's right. Akira didn't think he was worthless. Even if he didn't understand his reasoning, he knew Akira valued him. He didn't need to understand why right now, he just needed to make sure he worked hard to keep up. Even if he was terrified, he couldn't let them die out here. At least, he had to try.

He looks up in time to see Kaneshiro get back into his pig. Oh no. He didn't have any spells that were strong enough to penetrate the hull. He had to lure the guy back out here--

!

It was crazy and could backfire, but it might just work.

He scrambles over the rest of the distance to the staff. On the way, he pulls out his ARCUS unit and opens it up, turning it upside down to shake a few times until the Master Quartz pops out. Without it's blue coloring, it looks like a beautiful spherical glowing gem that's the size of a walnut. ~~Just think materia okay, its basically materia-~~ In other words, something that would net you a fortune.

As its removed, the ARCUS goes dead, and he pockets it again. Now with a hand free, he'll pick up the staff. Soon as the staff's safely in his hands, he'll yell:]

Hey! Check this out!

[He'll chuck the gem as hard as he can in the pig's line of sight. It flies a fair distance before it reaches the ground, bounces twice, and rolls- showing off its sparkling glory.

If it works? Elliot's got a sleep spell attack powered up and ready to go.]

[ Luckily for Elliot, Kaneshiro's greed surpasses his intellect. He makes a great mobster and businessman, but a vice drags him down. His eyes practically shine as he sees the gem get tossed, but also terror that it may be scratched. Instantly, the man hops out of the pig and make a run for it.

"I need to further inspect it! It has to cost a fortune! Something that powers a device with that kind of sheen has to be worth a fortune."

This is Elliot's chance since Akira is still frozen in place, muttering to himself as he looks to the ground, trembling every once in a while before he holds his head. Make the voices stop. He knows. He knows it's his fault. How many times must he apologize? How long will this haunt him? Until he dies?

Is that it...? Does he need to die? ]

[The moment Kaneshiro is in range, Elliot swings his staff to release the spell.]

Sweet dreams!

[Several of those magic bubbles will come out, flying at Kaneshiro. As they hit, they'll hurt but a lullaby will also start filling his ears - lulling him into a magically induced sleep that should last a few minutes at least.

If that works, he'll look over his shoulder to check on Akira and notice that...he is not looking good at all]

Akira?

[ The mobster has been so enamored with the gem that he doesn't realize it until he feels his muscles become jelly. It drops out of his hand and rolls towards Elliot... There's only frustration on his face and dares uses his last breath for something important. These are his last words before he's lulled into a mystical slumber: "I will remember this, you little shit! You and your cheap ass boxers and lowbrow loafers...!"

Then plop goes Kaneshiro onto the gravel with a huge thud, catching some massive Zs. He's defenseless now and will be for some time until something wakes him.

Akira, on the other hand, is stuck in this cycle of fear before he hears his name. It takes him a moment, but he's sucked back to reality and looks around confused. For him, time actually stopped. ]

Elliot? What happened?

[ And... He sees Kaneshiro over there with his ass sticking up. Oh. ]

[ Anyone else would probably have a good witty comeback to the mobster's final words. Some one-liner that would make them sound incredibly badass. Elliot? Is just thanking his lucky stars it actually worked, taking a huge deep breath and putting his hand on his chest. ] O-oh thank goodness, it actually worked....

[Even bigger relief is that Akira responded! He turns so he can smile in relief at Akira (probably not very reassuring when Elliot's still bleeding from that broken nose), before bending down to pick that quartz back up. ]

Aha...uh, he fell asleep? [Y e a h]

[ Elliot is a blessing. Akira would never fault him for anything, but he's scratching his cheek at this all. His roommate is the last person he would think to slay the local gangster (by the way, Kaneshiro snores really strangely)—or at least hush him up with a lullaby or something.

That smile is not... The best, but he accepts it and responds with a kind smile of his own. Looking through his pockets, he takes out a handkerchief to offer to his friend to clean that mess as gently as possible. There's no way he would trust himself to help with a broken nose. While that's a work in progress, he leads them back to their lovely abode that is... maybe a couple of blocks away? Well, they still have some walking to do before they get there. ]

Thanks. You really saved me.

[ If Elliot wasn't here, Akira is sure that he would have been running forever until he jumps back into the house. ]

Edited (my reading comprehension decreases before i drive home from work) 2017-10-12 06:46 (UTC)

[Before accepting the handkerchief (but after a quick arm shuffle with that staff), he'll pull out his ARCUS and pop the quartz back into it. It immediately comes back to life. He'll pocket it again and accept that handkerchief with a "thanks". As they start to walk, he'll do what he can to wipe off the blood.

At the thank you, he'll looks sheepish]

O-Oh, it was nothing. Pretty sure you did more than me...

[If Akira's watching? He might notice that Elliot's nose seems to be repairing itself as they go.]

Was that a Persona?

Edited 2017-10-12 07:26 (UTC)

If you mean stand there looking like an idiot, sure.

[ He guesses that thing must work like a communicator...? Even if it looks like a weird steampunk pocket watch from some anime he watched. Questions for later since Elliot is leading this conversation right now. There's a shrug as if a Persona isn't a big deal. ]

Yeah, it is. I'm guessing you've seen someone else's—[WAIT. Wait. Wait? He notices how Elliot's nose is reconfiguring whenever his friend pulls the fabric away for a second. It seems to be less crooked each passing second.

What. ]

... Are you healing?

[ He has never watched it in this slow process before and it's super cool yet low key gross. ]

You did more than that!

[What with the lightning and the damage he did while Elliot was out of it- also not tripping or getting his nose broken unlike Elliot. That's a lot!]

Yeah. I saw Minako's- [Dragon, he was going to say, but Akira pointed out his healing. Oh, right. He'll touch his own nose gently. It's still repairing, but it was definitely better than before. Thank goodness.]

...Ehe, yeah. It's one of my abilities.

GOLD PIGGER

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