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The School of Strategy: Demon Negotiation 101
[The familiar Dojo stood where it should. At the feet Mount Fuji, everything was silent, and not even the small and cute animals ran in this ample terrain. Yes, it was as it always was. However, the Dojo was closed and no one but Kazuya was sitting in front of the door. A closer look at it would make it clear that the door was locked.]
I wonder if they will show up this time, the training will take a different turn...
[Kazuya looks at his COMP for a brief moment, wondering who would be a good idea to use at this time, especially if some of them could easily freak out or immediately attack. Perhaps Pixie or Jack Frost, even Shiki-Ouji.]
Definitely, the bigger ones are a total no.
Pascal might be good for more advanced lessons...
[Indeed, a lot was in his mind. From Ene, to Nana, to Takeno. The young man feels a bit restless as well, anxious even. However, now his class had more priority. He keeps looking at the clear sky as he lets the time pass.]
*The Stormcaller Renox enters into the Dojo, the bottom parts of his legs being that of Vex Goblins, the sound of whirring circuits being moved*
Nice place.
Kotori walks up to the dojo, sees Kazuya and waves
Sensei!
Training today?
Cold, cold, cold...
Some muttering comes from nearby as a seal-like creature approaches the building. It soon smiles as it spots Kazuya at the entrance.
Ah, there you are! I heard something about you running a dojo, so I was rather curious and decided to visit.
*suddenly appears inside of a barrel*
...I have no excuses for how I did this. So... is a lesson going to be taught? To be honest, I'm a little rusty with how everything works.
[Kazuya looks up to see Kotori and Prima. He smiles at them and nods.]
Hey you two, it's been a while, especially you Prima!
Well...yeah, I decided to open this small place, share some of my own knowledge, you know?
[Kazuya then turns to Star, he random shenanigans not making him feel confused anymore.]
Well, you could say that.
I'm just waiting a bit before starting.
*he looks at the Primarina with interest*
Interesting...
*he turns back to Kazuya*
What's the point of the Dojo... well never mind you answered my question.
(edited by Stormcall_Warlock)
Sounds wonderful.
Prima smiles, then claps her fins together.
I suppose you wouldn't mind if I joined everyone?
Okay. Gonna be honest, I'm running out of ideas for appearing. I'm sure I'll think of something later.
Right!
Well, Call me when we start!
Kotori draws her sword and begins practice swings off to the side
(Suddenly, a skeleton turtle rise's from the grave behind kazuya) clonky clank!
[Kazuya is admittedly curious at Prima's interest in all of this. Of course, it was not a bad thing, but this training also included sword fighting. How she would do it without turning human like she did back at the Other Kazuya's world, he didn't know. Luckily this time the training was not physical, but verbal.]
Of course not, anyone can join in at any time as long as they don't interrupt the lessons.
[Kazuya gives everyone a warm smile.]
However, the only rule we have here is no magic, abilities or strange powers.
We don't accept anything but the use of the mind and body.
That's because everyone should be in an equal position during training.
[Kazuya then stands up and makes a quick gesture for them to follow him. He begins to walk around the Dojo and towards the part in the back.]
Today, we will not use a sword, but our words.
You may want to open your minds a bit as well.
Take stepped in front the dojo, rubbing her hands together and wrapping a scarf around her neck even more than before.. The rest of her clothing didn't seem to be very geared toward the cold, looking like the standard sweater and coat that she wore on a regular basis.
"Kazuya-san! Why are we standing out here?"
Clanking clonk?..
Ah, right, this is mostly sword fighting. Nearly forgot. But I was going to at least watch either way... although I suppose I'm lucky enough to participate this time!
She nods, then follows Kazuya inside. She's rather glad to be out of the cold. Alola was certainly much warmer than these "Japanese winters"....
(The skeleton would BONK kazuya on the back of the head gently with a rib bone) clank....
Oh....
Words?
Kotori sheaths her sword and sits down in front of Kazuya
Raidou rushes inside, obviously out of breath. He made it in time, at least. Gouto sat on the boy's hat, realxed.
"Hope you don't mind if we ran a bit late, good to see you Kazuya."
Seeing as the rest were following Kaz, Raidou did so as well, eager to see what his friend had been up to.
Clonk clank (the skeleton walks to kotori) clonk clink
[Kazuya leads the group to the back of the Dojo. Of course, he locked the front door a while ago, like he tried to make sure to express before any of them showed up. Outside, not because he enjoyed the cold, but because Demons are a bit numerous and big to bring out inside of the Dojo without ruining anything inside. Therefore he prepared a simple arena with a few seats to the sides and a concrete floor. Kazuya then went down the stairs and stood in the middle of the arena.]
Alright everyone!
Today we will not study the sword, or the basic anymore.
Those were taught in the past, and it's the job of older students to answer any of the newbies questions.
[Kazuya places his right hand over his left arm, right on top of his COMP.]
Instead, today we will look at what we will be fighting.
As enemies, and as allies.
Today, we will study demons.
[Kazuya is one button push away from the summoning, but he waits for everyone to get there and prepare.]
(Sneakily trailing behind the group Kisaragi makes it quite a ways before being seen. Yet her natural clumsiness kicks in as her foot catches on some floor and she trips. Landing in her face and knees she awkwardly makes a peace sign with a smile.)
Hey everyone~
Just a Kisaragi here visiting~
CLONK!....
Kotori stands up, runs to a seat and sits, paying full attention
*four little armless and three toed creatures scuttle into the dojo as they starts rambling in their language*
Demons...
Prima... has mixed feelings about those. On one hand, they were great allies, and loyal ones as well. On the other hand, the hostile ones could cause great destruction... But there were probably good and bad demons, just like there were good and bad pokemon. She'd get some more answers to those questions now. She nods and waits for Kazuya to continue.
(The skeleton rises its hand to kazyuya) clink clonk pomk kink?
Welp, the door was a no-go. The pair heard commotion behind the building though, and decided to follow. Hearing the tail end of Kaz's explanation, Raidou was a bit shocked. Sure, teaching people about demons was always a good thing, but some of these students seemed a bit...shall we say unassuming? That was the right word. Still, he trusted Kaz's judgement, and if worst came to worst the pair could probably handle anything that might happen. He shoots Kaz a wave as he stands among the seats he had prepared.
*the four looks at PrimPrim with interest as the looks and nods at each other*
(Kisaragi happily follows the rest after making a quick recovery. Her skin is a bit red around the knees after the fall but she could just fix that later. Standing with the rest of the group she can't help her surprise at seeing such a varied ensamble. It was just like this one group she had to partner with a while ago. Also wait did the guy say demons? Even better!)
(edited by Kisaragi)
"Demons?! I don't think I've ever had to deal with those before... but I'm sure things will go fine! Assuming the lesson is anything like we did before."
She'd pump her fists in excitement, flashing Kazuya a wide smile and a quick wink.
"Wait, should I have brought something to trade for negotiations?"
(The skeleton kind of speaks English): d......Mon...I am..clonk
(edited by Dry-bones)
Prima smiles as she notices the small creatures.
Ah, hello. Are you here to watch?
She gently scoops them up in one of her fins so they can get a better view of Kazuya.
Clank....
*all four of them begins to look at each other and begins to nods up and down in unision, one of them burps but having the pleasant scent of strawberries*
[Kazuya gives Raidou a quick smile, quickly followed by a nod. However he then notices Kisaragi among the group. Of course, this could end badly in one way or another, however, he had the feeling he didn't need to worry all that much today.]
So, demo-
[The young man closes both eyes and keeps his mouth open as if the words coudn't escape his throat. A certain wink made him a bit flustered. However, this was not the end of him. Kazuya pushed a button and suddenly the entire place was filled with dark presence. Behind Kazuya, a vortex of color green appeared, flickering between yellow and crimson.]
Demons and gods are real, as all of you know.
Those being of legend and myth breath and live, hidden and sealed away.
However, some can call upon them and fight with them.
[Electricity covered the vortex as a shadowy figure slowly came out of it. Without a form, colossal and yet, small.]
In my world, they escaped the Abyss, or "Expanse", and tried to invade.
They were successful, but a man developed the Demon Summoning Program.
A computer program designed to communicate with them, negotiate and store them as data.
[The formless mass quickly separated took the form of a tall demon made off what looked like paper, Shiki-Ouji. While the bit that separated turned into a small winged human-like being, Pixie. They stood by Kazuya's side.]
These beings exist here as well, and today, I will teach you all about them.
(The skeleton would throw a bone at the paper demon) CLANK!
(edited by Dry-bones)
Kotori's eyes catch on the pixie and waves to it
(Kisaragi was never one for long stories, but upon seeing the paper-like demon a surpprised yelp slips out of her. She thought she had seen it all from snake women to virtual beings yet this new world had plenty of surprises in store. She should have known better then to openly laugh at the great scaly. One thought in particular stood out the most in this new situation.)
And can anyone summon one ...
I mean is it an accepted thing?
(She couldn't help the flashbacks to her own sense of freakyness.)
Won't other people freak if they see us with demons?
(edited by Kisaragi)
Prima flinches, and lightly taps Dry Bones's shoulder with her free flipper.
Please don't do that. It's rude.
She then focuses on the demons once more. The small one is probably a fairy-type-
Right. Demons don't have types like pokémon do.
She widened her eyes, reaching out as if she had to physically touch the two demons before she'd actually believe their presence. She wouldn't actually touch them however, simply sitting back down and rubbing the back of her head.
"Wait... but that's not a Persona, right? So then this Demon Summoning Program can allow you to have more than just one monster to summon? That's insane!"
Her voice seemed to elevate with excitement, her overall mannerisms becoming more dramatic and eccentric.
Clank! CLONK CLINK!
Raidou nods, Pixie is a pretty tame place to start. Shiki-Ouji was a bit tougher, but it should be fine. He walks a bit closer to the group, keeping his cloak closed over his body.
*all four of them begins scurrying around on Prima's flipper even bumping into each other when seeing Shiki-Ouji*
Actually Prima, Demons are separated by types in a way, there are many races that we've been able to identify and clasify.
[There were far too many to explain here and now, but that was indeed the basic idea. He then turns to Kisaragi.]
To answer your question, Kisaragi.
Yes, anyone with a device capable of running the Demon Summoning Program can use it.
This, however has certain limits.
You can only store 12 at a time, and they need Magnetite to sustain them.
[Kazuya thinks for a moment, trying to remember the users, rather than the demon themselves.]
However, you must successfully convince them to go with you.
Otherwise you will most likely die, as most demon are rather...aggressive.
[He would then turn to Takeno.]
Yes, Persona simply take the form of these beings.
But demons? They are the real deal, their behavior and nature is far different from them.
You can summon as many as you are able to lead at one time.
He than takes a sit, while Pixie sits on Kazuya shoulder and Shiki-Ouji sits by his side.
Now, I won't give any of you the means to get them.
Demon Summoning is not the same as dealing with Persona.
[Kazuya looks to the sky, as if remembering faces and names. Indeed, they were all coming back to him.]
Many people recieved the program, Stephen sent it to as many people as he could, effectively enough to make a legion of summoners.
I can count with one hand how many survived the intial invasion in Tokyo, and the war between the Messians and Gaeans in 2022.
[Kazuya then shows them his right hand. He only lifted around 4 fingers.]
Many died by the hands of summoners, and some didn't even get demons to join them.
Others failed their negotiations.
"Wait, so what you're saying is that I can already technically summon a demon? Interesting..."
She'd rub her chin a little before she raised her hand once again, staring at the pixie on Kazuya's shoulder with an almost scary amount of focus.
"So what you're saying is that thing very well could've murdered you if you didn't say exactly the things it wanted to hear...?"
(Kisaragi immediately grimanced at hearing the grand scheme of demon summoning. She couldn't fathom why people would intentionally try the unexplainable. Wait she could curiosty. The same feeling she knew would push her to ask about persona later.)
Well thanks for scaring us a bit teach~
(The story may be grim but hey if she dealt with a demon like snake on a daily basis she could sure handle a few demons here and there.)
Soooo when do we start?
(edited by Kisaragi)
Raidou certainly knew how dangerous demons were, he deals with them on the regular after all. Still, Kaz had it much worse than Raidou ever did, looking back. He got to experience some of that hellish apocalypse for himself. Not something he wants to repeat. Gouto turned to doll Take, still sitting on his partner's head.
"That's right, little lady. Demons are fickle, they'll kill you and eat you up without a second thought, but if you give 'em what they want, then they might give you a hand."
There are many versions of this program, and the software of my world may be a bit different from the one you may have developed here.
After the Great Cataclysm, technology and culture took a very different turn from what most know here.
[Pixie then would scoff at Takeno for being called a "thing", hitting Kazuya's cheek. He would then laugh a bit.]
Yeah, even the smallest of demons can be more dangerous than a Lion or Tiger.
After all, they have access to magic of different kinds.
But don't worry, after a few zaps and getting "charmed" you get used to it.
[The young man then stands up and joins both hands together.]
Alright, now!
I want you people to approach these demons and ask away anything you may want to know.
Here, I'll summon just one more...!
[Of course, he wanted to make clear how differently demons looked from one another, and so, Kazuya made sure to summon his best pal. After pressing a few buttons in a rapid fashion, another vortex appears and from it, a very large demonic dog shows up. Three eyes of color green, blue and white furr, and even some kind of exo skeleton around certain parts of his body.]
This is a Cerberus, but he is a unique one named "Pascal".
He was my pet at some point!
[Kazuya then takes a few steps back after sharing a look with his companion. He then sits on the ground and looks at a few notes he had on a notebook.]
First, get used to them.
Then we will move on to how they act and how to react.
[Back in the day, Kazuya didn't have the privilege of asking or learning through someone else other than Mr. Nakajima. Even then, it was tough. But that's exactly why he was doing this. Demon could invade at any moment, and it was better to teach their nature instead of teaching how to kill.]
Demon and humans are more similar than you may think.
"Is the risk even worth taking then? If it's so easy for them to kill you, then perhaps conversing with them is just to be avoided, right?"
She'd scoot closer to 'Pascal' and reach out, almost to pet it. Despite its rather unconventional appearance for a canine, she seemed to already have taken a liking to it.
"Aww, what a funny looking little guy! C'mere!"
Kotori walks up to Kazuya's pixie and bows
Hello~
You're really cute!
Raidou figured he'd let the newbies do the negotiating first, but he drew two tubes from the harness beneath his cloak instead.
"Our tubes work differently than the summoning program, that's for sure; but, hey if it's a demon show and tell you want then count us in!"
Raidou tossed the tubes into the air, and from a bright green light emerged a Jack Frost wearing a similar garb to Raidou's, and a large spider-like creature seemingly made of stone with an oddly human face. Raiho and Tsuchigumo respectively. Raiho took a stance next to his summoner, he was similar to Pascal, in that he was unique in the grand scheme of things. He was Raidou's closest demonic ally, in a way. Tsuchigumo wasn't far behind though, and Raidou instructed the demon to accept negotiations from the others as well, should they approach him.
A dog!!!
(Kisaragi immediately has a spasm upon seeing Pascal since she wasn't really expecting to see a dog ever again. It only takes a few seconds for her to appear beside Pascal and shove her face right into his fur. Small tears form at the corner of her eyes as she rubs Pascal with both hands.)
Yes he is so fwuffy~
I love him already~
Well, it was worth it for me.
I survived where many others didn't.
And these guys have helped me save more lives than I can count.
[Kazuya smiles at them before going back to his notes.]
----
[Pascal could feel their intent. They didn't mean any harm. And Kazuya had the tendency to strike and give orders as soon as they were summoned. He didn't now, it was safe. Pascal opened his snout. He of course didn't mind people treating him like a cute dog. He still felt more like a dog rather than a demon still.]
Pascal: "My name Pascal. Is nice to meet Hat Girl, Orange Girl."
----
[Pixie immediately blushes and places the palms of her hand on her cheeks as she makes a very exaggerated pose.]
Pixie: "Why thank you so much darling~! You are not bad yourself, cutiepie!"
(Kisaragi instantly leaps back with both hands in front of her for defense. She wasn't expecting the dog to talk and having had quite the experience with talking animals. She knew from the bottom of her heart. That she was screwed.)
Ahahaha ooh look at the time ...
(She checks the nonexistent watch on her wrist as her eyes slightly tremble.)
I-I'm late! For a concert!
(She carefully backs away while keeping an eye on Pascal. She may be friends with a talking snake now, but she knew where to draw the line.)
Ehehe~
Not really....
Kotori scratches the back of her head
So, You specialize in magic, right?
What kinds?
"Hat girl? Well... that's a new one! Pleasure to meet you Pascal!"
She started patting the Cerberus' head, ruffling his fur a little and just generally pampering her like she would a dog.
"Kazuya-san, you have good taste in pets. He's a conversationalist and he's kind of adorable!"
She'd stand up and give Pascal a firm pat before she walked over to the Shiki-Ouji, staring up at him with awe.
"Uhh... what's your name again?"
Careful Kisaragi, Pascal is part of the Beast Race, they are like wild animals in a way.
[Pascal then roars and shows his sharp teeth, dropping a bit of saliva as he does.]
They hate two things, being hungry.
[Pascal seemed ready to jump to the front at any moment.]
And cowards.
[Kazuya tries to contain his laughter, and so does Pascal appear to be. The demon watched Kisaragi's every movement as he slowly apporached her. Perhaps something had to be done, but what?]
----
[Pixie uses her small wings to float as she leans back and think for a while. Her mischivious smile is still there.]
Pixie: "Well~ Us Pixies tend to try and charm people and lower their defenses. And in our case, we usually shock people or blow them away!"
[The cute demon giggles.]
Pixie: "So we use electricity and wind silly! But that differs from Pixie to Pixie, yes!"
----
[Shiki-Ouji had his arms crossed as he looked down at Takeno. This girl didn't seem like much and he couldn't really understand why Kazuya used his precious time to deal with weaklings.]
Shiki-Ouji: "...Shiki-Ouji, what do you want?"
[She better has a good reason to talk to him before he kicked her ass. Nobody makes him lose time or waste words.]
Both Raidou and Gouto decided it'd be best to have Gouto stop talking, given how one of the students reacted to the talking dog. Out of boredom, Raidou engages in a game of Rock-Paper-Scissors with Raiho. One he never loses.
Ooh!
Those are my favorite to use!
Do you have any advice for using them?
Take gathered that the massive demon probably didn't want anything to do with her from tone alone, causing him to give the giant a cocky smile and narrows her eyes to form a sneer.
"Was just trying to figure out what your deal is. You look pretty strong! In the end though, there's only one way to test that right? Not sure this is the best place or time, but I'd bet we could have some fun, eh?"
She'd punch her fists together and lean her head back, as if to imply that she didn't think herself below the demon.
(Kisaragi carefully continues to back away, but now her trembling is more pronounced. At first she feels abject terror especially with pascal dripping at the jaws. Yet a sense of disgust begins to appear as she realizes that she is balking in front of a mangy mutt. The disgust within rapidly overshadows the fear and she lowers her stance a bit. Her teeth then press together and she lets out a slightly pissed off growl at this whole situation.)
You better back off ...
I'm not the best at dealing with dumb beasts.
(Inwardly she is surprised at her personal choice of words, but they come out as naturally as anything else she says. Her now focused red eyes really drive at her biting words.)
[Pixie quickly moves from here to there, inspecting all of Kotori's body and gear as quickly as she could. Some people would say she was studying her. But all she was doing was making it seem like that was the case.]
Pixie: "Well darling dear, aaaaall you need to do is be cute, small, and have short hair!"
[Pixie smiles proudly as she points to herself.]
Pixie: "Like yours truly!"
----
[This girl was something else. Shiki-Ouji scoffs and shakes his head. The demon lets his long arms fall to the side as he took a much more aggressive stance. However, what seemed like a punch straight to her face, was nothing but a small pat to her head.]
Shiki-Ouji: "I like you, you have the spirit. However, it's obvious you wouldn't stand a chance against me."
[He of course had to test her a bit on this. Yes, he could beat her easily without her using any on the strange abilies this "Nexus" people had. It was clear, she stayed on her place, or ran away.]
Shiki-Ouji: "What will you do?"
----
[Pascal however, he does not back off. As soon as she says those words, the dog jumps at her and pushes her into the ground with his paws. The demon of course avoids actually hurting her. And once he is on top of her, he licks her cheek with his tongue.]
Aaaand you died.
[Kazuya laughs and claps as Pascal backs away and sits in front of the girl. He seemed a bit disappointed at this.]
Pascal: "You don't provoke angry animal. Death follows."
[Pascal awaits for Kisaragi's next move. Pascal didn't like acting like this, it felt weird an unnatural agains someone who was not an enemy or seemed dangerous. Of course, he was aware of who she was, Kazuya informed him like every other demon.]
Pascal: "Me Beast demon. You approach, calm down, show pacific intent. Not run, or we persue."
[Pascal then lays his big head against the ground, still looking at the girl.]
Pascal: "Food also good. Have something to offer."
So....
I gotta cut my hair?
.......................................
Kotori starts messing with her left ear in confusion
(Suddenly, from the sky, a 7'2 claymore falls from the sky, with a golden hilt and the blade with carvings and jems and jewels on it, and it trust into the ground, sticking up)
"Well what makes you say that huh?"
Suddenly her sneer turned into a full on menacing stare, coupled with the widest grin she'd ever given. She'd put up her fists and glare the Shiki-Ouji in what she presumed was where it saw out of.
"What, you scared?!"
(Then, when the claymore dropped. A 7'3 falls down from the sky to, and grabs his 7'2 claymore and puts it back into its beautiful wooden sheath)........ Sup
(He turns around and notices the 2 demons)...well that's there....
(He then glances over to the group)...so, ya'll gonna kill em?
(edited by Reperzel)
(Kisaragi laughs at the sensation of being licked on her cheek. It reminds her so much of the dog that she never got to see again. Yet she still trembles in anger at her own weakness against the beast. As she carefully gets up she almost wants to hit the ground in frustration but sadly people are around.)
Wow you got me. You can definitely have a career in acting~
You adorable boy~
(She says all this, but she practically has to force on smile on her face. Both her hands clamp on her waist to hide the noticeable shakes to them. She then innocently tilts her head with an exaggerated sigh.)
Dang I really should have known better then to do all that.
Haha sorry I can be a bit of a dummy sometimes~
As for food ...
(She showily checks her pockets and reveals two open, empty hands.)
I'm sad to say i'm all tapped out for that.
Ay...kisagri...weren't ya the one who "destroyed the world" mate?
Anyways.....we gonna kill em or what
[Pixie nods gleefully at Kotori. She moves her small hand through her short hair and made an overly flamboyant pose.]
Pixie: "Yes dearie! The more you look like this cute girl, the better will you use Electricity and Wind~!"
[The mischievous fairy demon giggles.]
----
[Shiki-Ouji laughs loudly, quite the spunky one we got here. Suddenly, the demon grabbed her by both arms and pulled her up.]
Shiki-Ouji: "Tell me, what is it that you want, girl?"
[The Brute looks at her straight to the eye. Meanwhile Kazuya raises his head up as he looks at the scene. She couldn't possibly have done it, right? Indeed, it was a bit early for that moment but, perhaps.]
----
[Pascal shakes his head and he makes a quick gesture with his right paw. This dog enough was big enough for Kazuya to ride as a horse, so he was big enough for the girl to lay on top of him.]
Pascal: "You said I fluffy. You can get close."
[Yes, Pascal may be part of the Beast race. But Pascal knew better. He thought the scare may have been too big. He wants to comfort her a bit. She enjoys his company it seemed.]
Pascal: "I not hungry. Just give advice for future."
(Zane walks to kazuya) ay, mate, what's going on mate?
Huh........
Kotori blinks a bit and stops playing with her ear
Ah! I see!
I'll be sure to cut it all when I get home then!
The more beautiful I look the better I'll be!
So I gotta make myself look like you!
(Kisaragi gazes down with an indecipherable look that could almost burn the grass if it got any stronger.)
I'm sorry but i'm going to have to refuse.
(The snake told her it was a bad idea to mingle and she should have listened. Now all she has to show for it is frustration at how easily she was played. She was still not better then she was before which bothered her on a spiritual level.)
Feeling a bit tired after all the scares~
(She fakes a yawn.)
She'd give the Shiki-Ouji a cackle as her gaze softens a little, looking much less taunting and more like a friendly smile.
"I've got a couple questions if you've got the time! Let's start with the easiest one shall we? It sounds like you're bound to Kazuya-san for now, but let's say you weren't bound to anyone. Would you lend me your strength?"
Hm..looks like there talking ta demons....could I join em?
(edited by Reperzel)
[After Kotori's reply. Pixie immediately returns to Kazuya's side. She talks to him for a bit as he nods, writing down a few notes on what she said. After this, a small vortex shows up and the demon disappears from sight and into the COMP.]
Kotori, come here for a bit.
[Kazuya is now talking, he needed to evaluate her now.]
----
[Pascal then nods at Kisaragi's faked yawn, the demonic dog lifts himself up and slowly makes his way back to Kazuya.]
Pascal: "Words fool some. Emotions, we Beasts perceive."
[Pascal gives Kisaragi one final look before laying down right next to Kazuya's side. He makes a series of growls and even alien words, while Kazuya presses his headgear a bit on the ear, trying to pay attention. Kazuya gives the girl one quick look before typing something down on his COMP. It's important to keep notes.]
----
[Shiki-Ouji lets Takeno go, and his entire stance shows much more relaxation, a bit of pride and even anticipation.]
Shiki-Ouji: "That's right. My name is Shiki-Ouji, and if it comes to that, I would gladly fight by your side."
[A vortex appears behind of the demon, he turns around to leave through it. But before that can happen, he has one last thing to say.]
Shiki-Ouji: "As long as we fight some pretty strong guys."
[With this said, the demon leaves through the vortex and into the COMP. Kazuya was looking at this whole ordeal, all he does is give her a smile before speaking.]
Alright, you too Takeno, come here.
And of course I get ingored, cuz by the fuck not
"Hell yeah! Until that day!"
She'd pump her fist once more out of excitement before turning to Kazuya and trotting towards him with a massive grin. She'd put her hands on her hips out of pride.
"I did good, didn't I?"
Ah well guess I failed~
(Kisaragi wraps both arms behind her head and forces on another smile. Her current stance becomes that of the lax variety suggesting acute laziness. While her mind is quite the opposite after what Pascal said.)
So am I free to leave no sensei~
Hmm or are you going to hold me back for a remedial?
(She laughs and bends her head slightly as she winks.)
I'm warning you though i'm a bad student~
Yo!
Kotori walks up to Kazuya
Waddya need Sensei?
[Kazuya laughs as soon as Takeno approaches him. The man gives her a quick tumbs up as he stands up.]
Yes, you really did.
I didn't expect any of you to actually succeed, yet you go and get an actual demon.
I'm amazed.
[The young man keeps smiling, even as he turns to Kisaragi. Given what Pascal just told him, it was obvious the girl was a good actor, he almost bought her entire facade, even. However, this was not the time or place to confront her. Therefore, he played along.]
You can always leave whenever you want, all the remedial you can get is keep trying until you succeed.
[Kazuya places a finger on his chin.]
You might be bad, but I have my way with words.
[The young man then turns to the shorter girl and sighs as he crosses his arms. He is a bit disappointed, but the girl is a bit naive after all. Not that it's a bad thing.]
Kotori, you fell for all of Pixie's jokes.
You should know better, cutting your hair and looking like a demon doesn't meant you will get better with actual magic.
I'm sorry, but you failed this time.
(edited by Kazuya)
Well duh. Of course it doesn't.
The point is to suck up to them though, right?
Throw in a bunch of complements?
Agree to them and pretend to believe them?
Kotori Giggles with a smile of confidance
If looks had anything to do with magical power, I wouldn't have any problem using magic.
(Kisaragi lets out a fake gasp and leans a bit in. Her eyes shine with red brilliance as she momentarily attempts to grab at Kazuya's attention.)
Eeeeh!
I thought teachers weren't supposed to flirt with students.
Isn't that really unprofessional you old man~
(She winks at Kazuya as her abilities wane out and motions to leave.)
Can't say i'm not interested ...
Tell you what keep up your good looks and maybe i'll consider letting you join me~
(Before finally leaving she turns her head once last time and blows Kazuya an air kiss.)
If your willing to help out in some fun world destroying activities~
(She finally walks away from the area.)
(edited by Kisaragi)
"Perhaps it was just that I didn't see him as much more than another person. I mean he talks like one, looks li- well that's a stretch, but he didn't seem too different from your average yakuza."
She seemed to have let something slip as she was gloating about her success, but rather than try to cover up her statement, she stared at Kisaragi, a brow raised.
"Was she not the one who was tormenting those children not a few days ago? What a psycho. Still, if she didn't bother killing us now, I really wonder what her agendas are. Maybe it's best I don't ask?"
You won't even get anywhere by being too passive, especially with the Fairy race, they are usually laid back and do things for fun.
You didn't get anything from that exchange, but then again, that's a part of learning.
[Kazuya does chuckle at her confidence, it's a nice thing for people to have, in both battle and negotiation.]
Now, next time have an goal to reach with this exchange, like getting useful information that makes sense, not what Pixie told you.
Maybe even ask for money, items, or even for her to leave or join you.
I'm sure you'll get it next time.
[Despite what Kisaragi said, Kazuya only bends his head a bit and looks at his own hands before looking at her leaving once more. Of course, he would not join her, the goal was very clear from the start. But something stayed on his mind.]
Flirt? Was I flirting...?
[Kazuya was honestly confused, and he kept running circles on that subject for a few seconds. He shakes his head so he can reply to Takeno properly.]
She is not a psycho, I'm sure of this...it's the Snake changing her entire demeanor. But this time...I feel like this girl actually seeked the Snake. I don't get it but...I will find out as soon enough.
All I know is that I will put an end to the Snake's game and save her.
[For a moment, he shifted back into his serious personality, only for it to break seconds after he finally processes a bit of information.]
...
...Yakuza?
"Huh? Oh did I say that out loud? Ahah! Ahahah! Well it's actually fairly simple! My father was a small time Yakuza member for a little bit! I ended up growing up with some fairly shady people paying visits."
She'd try and laugh off the situation, her smile showing more embarrassment as she went on.
"Safe to say I learned a thing or two about intimidation! Ahem..."
She'd fall into an uncharacteristic, awkward silence, just smiling and staring at Kazuya as if nothing she said was wrong in the slightest.
Oh.
I was supposed to be getting stuff?
Whoops!
Hehehe~
Kotori scratches her head
Sorry bout that....
If that's the case, you'll do great with the more abrasive and violent kind of demons.
A lot of them are also more on the "Chaos" side of things as well, but you know.
[Kazuya laughs the matter off. The entire deal about her father being a Yakuza member didn't seem to stick, he doesn't mind origins or the sort, his world taught him that at least, even if it was in a rather tragic and traumatic way.]
It makes sense Shiki-Ouji took a liking to you!
[He then places a hand on Kotori's head and gently smiles at her.]
Hey, it's fine.
I sent you in pretty blind from the start.
You still did pretty good, all considered.
Give yourself some credit!
"Great! We'll hope that I'm around whenever they show up then! T-That is if no one else can handle 'em of course. Kazuya-san, you had several different types of demons though. Do you mean to say you coaxed all of them?"
She gave Kazuya a look of pure intrigue, her hands clutched as if the fate of her future relied solely on his answer.
Most of them, some are special cases.
[Kazuya points at Pascal.]
He used to be a...normal dog, but once when I was fusing a demon with another, my dog jumped in and turned into this incredible beast!
[Kazuya pets Pascal, overly joyful.]
Pixie has been with me from the start, so has Shiki-Ouji and Jack Frost.
[Kazuya looks through his demon list. He sees a few names he would rather...avoid mentioning. Sure, he has 12, but some of them were a bit too much to simply mention.]
Trumpeter came a bit late into the fray, so did Baal, Odin and Oberon.
There is also Beelzebub who I had to beat before he joined me at all.
[Indeed, Kazuya skips the next, much more powerful demons.]
But yeah, I did have a lot of different demons over the past 5 years~
"Five years of this stuff? I've barely had my Persona for half a year. Just how long has this stuff been hiding under my nose...?"
She'd give a worried look and stare down in contemplation, shaking her head on occasion. After a good minute of pure thought she sighed and shrugged, once again staring at Kazuya.
"I guess it doesn't matter that much. Just kind of a scary thought, you know? So, anything else for this lesson, Kazuya-san?"
It is kind of scary, but you get used to it.
I just wished the world didn't end when I was 17, why not when I turn...I dunno, 92 or something?
[Kazuya scratches his cheek nervously. After Takeno's question however, he checks his notes for a few seconds. He didn't think this class would be too long after all.]
Well...actually today's class was an introduction to all this.
But you are free to leave, I don't have any other
[Kazuya replies, it seemed things had calm down and even Pascal was now sleeping. He keeps staring at her as makes some quick stretches with his body.]
"Well I guess when you've been out there dealing with this sort of thing for so long it just becomes normal. To think so many people have no idea though. I couldn't tell any one of my friends about this without them thinking I was crazy, yet here we are!"
She sighs a little, grumbling and mumbling to herself more before standing up straight and speaking normally again.
"Well if we have no further lesson then I'll be taking my leave. I just uh..."
She paused for a moment, like she was trying to think of something to say before she seemed to swat the idea out of the air with a wave of her hand.
"Nevermind. I'll get moving."
[Her not finishing her sentence seemed weird, curious even.]
Wait.
[Kazuya keeps staring at her with the curiosity of a child in his eyes. Funnily enough, he almost reaches out to her so she doesn't immediately go, but he stops himself before doing anything impulsive like that, it's not like him to be impulsive without a reason.]
What did you want to say?
I'm sorry if I'm intruding too much
"It's nothing! Don't worry about it too much. I think it's best saved for a later date!"
She chuckles and gives a big smile, her fingers wiggling a little and a blush forming on her cheeks. She'd take one more step towards the door before pausing, just to see whether or not Kazuya would decide to stop her.
[Kazuya sighs and quickly moves closer to her. His cheeks are a bit red too, and he tries to avoid her gaze, lord knows it might get worse.]
It's my job to worry for one of my students. But if you don't want to tell me, I understand as well.
[Kazuya's hair was a bit long, and just to get a bit distracted, he play with it for a couple of seconds before actually deciding to look back at her. It's not a good idea for a "decent" teacher to show awkwardness or embarrassment.]
I...guess this means I kind of want to know, and if not...
Maybe I can help you on your way back into the city, it's a bit of a long way from here.
[Kazuya blushes a bit more, what a great teacher.]
"Hmmm... well if you're that curious! I suppose it can't be helped. I guess it's kind of weird, but you can say I've taken a liking to you, Kazuya-san. Now if you're going to walk me to the train station, I think we should get moving now before all the trains shut down for the day."
Her face would glow red, but despite all that she didn't stutter for a second. With a beckon towards Kazuya, she'd take one more step towards the door, but still wait for him to follow.
[He stands there, dumbfounded for a few long seconds. His cheeks are burning right now, with nothing on his mind but "why". Of course he had more than one idea on his mind, but still, he couldn't just shut down now. The young man decides to follow her, still wondering what has been wrong with him lately.]
A...liking?
What do you mean with that?
[Kazuya takes the lead as he walks down the road back into the city, it shouldn't be that late anyway, so they had time to make it there. Pascal too wakes up to follow his master.]
And yeah, might as well get moving.
I don't want your dad to feel worried, I've heard parents get easily annoyed with the teachers.
"What I mean, Kazuya-san, is that I'm developing feelings for you! I'm sure you understood me the first time!"
She starts trotting out of the door, chuckling the whole way.
"Oh believe me, he won't be mad. I've gone home in early morning times and he didn't pay any notice. Though if he finds out I like you then he might have second thoughts.... But that's not important! Come on! The trains don't wait for anyone."
[All Kazuya does is cover his face with both hands as quickly as he can, basically slapping his own face in the process. His face was in a red tone never seen before.]
HOW DID THAT HAPPEN!?
[His voice is a bit muffled by his own hands.]
"How did what happen? What're you calling me easy or something?"
She cracks her knuckles and narrows her eyes for only half a second, quickly returning to her joking manner.
"Kidding! Are you going to be okay there, by the way? That looks a little strong for blush, Kazuya-san."
She'd step slightly closer to Kazuya, giving another embarrassed smile complete with heavy red blush of her own. She'd stand up on her toes, trying to see past his hands.
O-Of course I'm not calling you easy...!
It's just I...it's so sudden...
[Kazuya stops covering his own face, only to see Takeno closer to him. His blush is heavy still, but as terrible as it was before. Given that they were closer now, and he is relaxing a bit, Kazuya speaks in a softer tone.]
We barely even know each other, and I'm technically your teacher as well...
A-And I'm also a bit of a danger magnet.
[He wanted to look away, but at the same time he just couldn't.]
"Well you may be my teacher, but I'm still an adult. I'm twenty years old! I mean yeah, I'm going to college still, but for the most part I'm an adult!"
She nod-nods, coupled with a confident fist bump as always. As he speaks a little softer, she seems to go from her standard dramatic expression to a much more straight-faced and lax complexion.
"If I cared about danger I probably wouldn't have taunted a demon nearly twice my size and threatened to punch him. But it's okay if you don't feel the same way! It won't hurt me in the slightest! I just felt like getting it off my chest, you know?"
Y-You have a strange, weird way of doing things.
[Kazuya was really taken by surprise, more than he wanted. Kazuya breaths slowly, trying to think very well the words he wanted to say. But before speaking, he gently places his hands at the side of her arms.]
It's not that I don't feel the same, that much is certain. But I also wanted to know if you were also sure and...
[He takes a deep breath.]
What I'm trying to say is that I would love to know you better, yeah.
(edited by Kazuya)
"We'll put a hold on it then! And then once we know each other a little better, then we can make the decision. If that makes any sense..."
She paused for a moment to think her sentence over before offering a thumbs up. Quickly she'd reach into her pockets and pull out a few coins, handing them over to Kaz.
"It's for the train fares. It looks like we still have time before the station closes for the night. That said I'd like to know you better too. But I think it's safe to say I like what I see so far!"
Take chuckles one last time before sticking her hands in her pockets and walking off, slowing her average pace if only not to run away from her teacher.
Why do I feel like I'm being part of a negotiation right now?
Regardless...
[Kazuya looks at the coins for a moment before following Take. He had a lot to look forward to now, still, he felt like he was forgetting something. He laughs, it was probably nothing, right now, all he could think about was her, and his damn dog Pascal giving him this one smug look of his.]
Who would've guessed.
I'm liking it too.