Agitated...There was only one word to describe how Quintus felt when he heard the voice. He could tell he was being called or driven somewhere by something and almost thought not to accept such an invitation but regardless he would follow it. He wanted to know who and why the voice was calling to him regardless of what it may cost. He'd appear before the man, draped in a gray cloak with a hood to cover his own face. His agitation was clear as he spoke not even showing much surprise at the appearance of the figure. "Alright, let's start things off simple. Who are you and what's with the weird mouthless speaking? Typically, that's not the best way to get people's attention."

The figure of a young man of average build, cloaked under a black robe walks towards the seated "man". His name is Raidou Kuzunoha XIV, and he stops next to the figure, and glares at him from beneath the front of his hat. A black cat with piercing green eyes leapt up onto the young man's shoulder, and stared at the seated figure with a gaze of almost equal disdain to Raidou. The cat, known as Gotou, speaks in his mostly silent companion's place. "Bet you're feeling pretty satisfied with yourself, huh...Melbourne, was it? Since your little performance from back then worked out so fabulously and all. What're you doing here? Nothing happens around you without giving me a headache, I don't like it."

Ene strolls past all the shops and people with purpose upon entering the underground mall of Shinjuku. She has had a number of bad experiences from following voices in her head, but once again she feels compelled to seek out the source. If only to sate her insatiable curiosity. In a matter of seconds she arrives in front of the strange man and tilts her hide to the side in an attempt to see the cover of his pretty beat up book. Hey mister. The Alternative is a pretty weird name for a book that you seem to be reading for fun. She smiles to dissuade the feeling of wrongness creeping up on her. So time for what?

Tatsuya walks up to... Oh god dammit, not that creepy eldritch mofo again. Anything but him. Oh well, could be worse. At least he isn't outright hostile or something. Oh dear, Raidou again too huh? Good to know he'll be around if anything goes down. Then there's Ene, and Quin... Well, quite the gathering. The man would casually run a hand over a sword strapped to his back that radiates heat as he pulls out his lighter. "Wasn't expecting to see you again, Melbourne. In fact if anything, I'd say I'm quite shocked. Gotou's got the right of it though, I'm entirely in agreement. Despite that though, I'm unable to simply leave it be. So, shall we get on with the show?" He'd smile slightly at that, despite the fact he knows this is going to be horrible. He can't help but show off a grin, it'll be horrible, but damn if it isn't his exact kind of horrible to deal with.

There is this matter to attend to, Jessica Praise, that is very true indeed. But you will know soon enough. [He replied to the strange magical girl who had just gotten there. After which, he would turn to look at the recent arrival, Quintus.] I have no need for a mouth, for I can formulate words regardless and I do not find in me the need to eat. [Soon after, Ene would show up, and so would Raidou and the one feline.] Blue haired miss, perhaps the one with the hat would be best suited to answer your questions, or the one with the lighter, or the other woman with blue hair. See, this book, after all, is about the adventures of three remarkable people risking their own lives for their friend, Kazuya. [Melbourne did not dignify the ancient duo with an answer, as he knows they will know soon enough regardless. Now, a good group was gathering around him, so he waited for a moment before "opening his mouth" again.] Though my name is known amongst some of you, I shall...I must introduce myself, me. I am Lester P. Melbourne...you may call me Melbourne; I enjoy such designation. [He would take off the old-fashioned hat over his head and reveal a somewhat messy hair. When they saw his face, they could notice some very hard shadows under his eyes, one could assume they were made by the hat. But this is far from the truth. The shadows under his eyes are being casted by themselves, on their own. After this, he would close the book and put on his hat once more.] There is no need for yourselves to tell me your names, for I know everything already. [He makes a circle on the air with the fingertip of his thumb.] Rest assured, you are all getting some help, yes.

Quintus seemed more annoyed now than anything. It seemed to him that this firgure before them was speaking in such a cryptic manner on purpose. He wasn't crazy about the notion of already being known either. "You already know me? Then you should already know just how annoying this is sounding. What do you mean by getting some help and what's this have to do with some story about...Kazuya?" Quintus remembered a certain Kazuya from a while ago but he hadn't seen much of them since that time. It was then that he noticed the others around. He didn't know the guy in the hat but the other two would be familiar. Ene was from that time too though his memories of her were vague since he was more focused on...other things. And finally...Tatsuya. "Great, Tatsuya is here. This is already looking like a great set of circumstances."

Melbourne no offense but you are kinda weird and off. Ene takes a few steps back and keeps her distance from Melbourne after his almost evasive response. Her eyes remain on him in case he were to do anything as she instead addresses the people she actually knows in the place. Hey guys does anyone know what this guys is talking about? I don't really like the sound of his help.

Tatsu sighs a bit and nods to Ene, Quin... He doesn't really feel the need to interact with Quin all that much. The man clearly doesn't like him, so that's fine then. "Yeah Ene, he uh... Long story short, he sent myself, Raidou, and that blue seal named Prim into another dimension. Shit happened, but we all lived and things turned out for the best. In the end, I think Mel here is more after fun and amusement than trying to hurt people. So, you should question his idea of help, but I wouldn't call him a foe." He is entirely comfy talking about Mel in such blunt terms right in front of the man, and he'd turn back to their... Helper with a blank stare on his face. "Anyway, I already know that even if I could leave I wouldn't. So, I'm waiting on you here Melbourne."

Raidou straightened the bill of his hat, and nodded to Gouto. The cat blinked at him, before hopping onto Raidou's head and looking Ene in the eyes. Raidou, meanwhile, kept his eyes on Melbourne. "Well, young lady...that's a bit of a story to tell. For one, I'm Gouto-Doji, though just Gouto is fine, and this fella here is named Raidou Kuzunoha. Moving on...more or less, this..."man", or Melbourne as he prefers, has some degree of omnipotence. Is that the right word for it? Aw, who cares? Regardless, reality is nothing short of a plaything to him. As long as something catches his eye, he'll be there, and be sure to meddle in things as well." The cat would begin to clean himself as he nonchalantly glanced in Melbourne's direction before continuing. "It's as Tatsuya says, he lent a hand to our buddy, Kazuya, a while back. Put simply, we were sent to a...different reality from our own. Sent to the time where all of that kid's troubles began, and given a chance to change the course of that reality's history. Our Kazuya wasn't affected, but a different Kazuya out there got to live his life free of constant battles, free from the senseless killing. Suppose in that sense, it really is like something out of a book. In most senses, purely fictitious." Raidou nodded, a sad look, while subtle, was still ever so visible on his face. This nod caused Gouto to lose his balance and fall down to the young detective's shoulder. This earned the young man a light slap on the nose from Gouto's tail as he finished up his explanation. "So in short, we can't really call him friend or foe. Though, his motives are hard to trace. Sure, he let us help our buddy out once before, but we still can't fully trust him. Not sure what he means by help, but I don't think I like the sound of it."[/i]like something out of a book. In most senses, purely fictitious." "So in short, we can't really call him friend or foe. Though, his motives are hard to trace. Sure, he let us help our buddy out once before, but we still can't fully trust him. Not sure what he means by help, but I don't think I like the sound of it."

Of course, I do Quintus. But this is far more entertaining. There is nothing to get if one already knows the future. [He would almost chuckle at this, and then...clap once.] Indeed, it is as they all say. They made the impossible possible. As it could be considered impossible for you. [The man "smiles".] Working together or working alone, the fact remains that you have one thing to do. Survive, become like the Three Survivors. Will you have faith in a greater cause? Will you rebel and walk your own path? Or will you find the balance of both? [Melbourne movements seem to accelerate at a steady pace, almost like a machine moving perfectly as the circle become clearer. It is black in color, or rather, it seems like black, the human brain cannot exactly recognize a void and the closest thing it does to identify it is with the color "black". His finger gets quicker.] I am not the one in need for help, every one of you are. Perhaps in fighting to stay alive will you truly find what you seek. Perhaps it is mortality what you will discover. [His fingers stop dead on its track, but the circle remains.] The destination is this very city, but a different one. Back in November of 1992. If any of you would rather leave, your chance is now.

Quintus would just look away from Tatsuya, already aware that he'd rather not interact much with them. The feeling was mutual either way. "Still too good for that then." He wasn't sure whether or not he should leave now. For a moment he felt somewhat apathetic about the situation, just staring at the void Melbourne creates. "Whatever, if you're gonna do something just do it. It's easier to be somewhere else right now anyway."

Gouto's features sharpened at what Melbourne said, and he turned to look at Melbourne with disdain evident on even his kitty face. "If I'm hearing that right, you're sending us back to fight for our lives for the sake of...what, self-discovery? What a load. Raidou, get your ass in gear, we're baggin' this one already." Raidou deftly threw his cloak behind him and drew his sword. Perhaps in parallel to Tatsuya's blade that simmered with heat, Raidou's exuded a cool, refined feeling. Almighty affinity, the blade known as Kusanagi. ...However, when Raidou did so, he caught a glimpse of his sword hand, his right. A beautiful assortment of colors adorned his wrist, a floral bracelet from a certain someone. "1992?" Raidou thought to himself, "Would that mean I could...?" Raidou's hesitation took hold, and he lowered his sword, reduced to merely staring at the bracelet around his wrist.

Tatsuya and Raidou's lukewarm judgement on Melbourne isn't too inspiring, but at least its something. Ene considers what they have said and carefully decides to trust the strange man for now. Reserving further judgement for when Melbourne actually does more than just say some strange cryptic stuff. I'm ready for whatever you throw at us! Ene is unsure what stance she will take for now or what she may do. Yet she doesn't doubt that things will probably turn fine if she just stays focused on what ends up happening.

Tatsu stares over at Quin for a moment, he doesn't know how the fuck this guy came to hate him. He doe care to find out though if he's entirely honest. That's not here or there though, much like Raidou he'd draw out his blade and scoff openly. Flames bursting off the weapon and glowing around his whole body as a ghostly image of a red clad sun god forms over him. "And yet again, I am in agreement with Gouto. Not sure how that'd go at all, but I almost want to find out ya know? You're something else Mel..." As the hat-wearing man pauses though, he'd sigh a bit and lower his own blade. He isn't taking this fight on alone, that's just too insane even for him. So instead he waits. "If we're gonna do it Raidou, now's the time. Otherwise... Here we fucking go again I guess..."

[Melbourne almost bursts as he sees Raidou's floral bracelet. He does laugh at their quick movement to violence.] I'll say it, you will have your chance, I do know you, powerful folk, like to get all messy. Now, this...perhaps this will be like last time, although I cannot guarantee it will be the same. If it is fun, nothing else matters. [His image glitches out for a moment before the part of his face where his mouth should be at does, in fact, "conjure up" a mouth. His skin seemed to melt away as he opened his mouth, revealing a mess of razor-sharp teeth, covering his whole mouth from top to bottom. His size increases but he also gets smaller. The decoration too, shifts. It goes from bloodied to well cleaned, to ruined and decayed each time everyone blinks.] Let me take you back to November 13th, 1992. Some of you know very well what's going on in this very day. [Melbourne was gone from sight, and so were all the people, replaced by new sets of men and women moving in groups with military equipment and white robes on them. On one side, some were preparing to go out, on the other, there were heavily injured ones; some had frostbite, some had awful third degree burns on their faces.] The situation is escalating too fast, no matter what we do, we can't hold them off anymore. [In front of the group they would see a man with long hair and a moustache, and the only thing between them and him was a big city map with various markings all around it. They would also come to realize that they had lost most of their "Powers" and "Equipment". They could feel it deep inside that they had a new set of vaguely related abilities to the ones they had beforehand and knew how to use them. As it stands, they may need to get weapons and armor on their own. Furthermore, any non-human would turn into their human equivalent. Prima was able to retain her weapon of choice, and so were Tatsuya and Raidou. They all have the same kind of energy the world and Melbourne seem to exude. In the end, it would be best if each one took a moment to look at themselves and see exactly what it is, they have and can do.]

His annoyance from before would now be replaced by confusion at the sudden change. He could no longer feel his Persona at all and Hookworm felt...suppressed It would take him a moment to fully realize what was going on and where he was. His clothes would also be changed, his gray cloak from before gone and replaced with a simple white coat. He'd unfortunately not have anything else on him as he never made it a habit to be armed to the teeth anyway. "Odd, well...what now?" He said this to no one in particular as he already had noted that Melbourne was gone.

The man reaches up for his blade, flames glowing around it as he smiles just a bit. What a great thing to have on hand, far better than some random knife or something. Wouldn't do to get cocky though, not when his magic feels so weak... But he can make it stronger, used right that could help them a great deal in fact. He speaks to all of them at once, a grim look of determination on his face. "Alright so, Quin I don't know what your issue with me is but whatever. It'd be best if we all at least try to keep each other informed and aware from here on out. Even if we aren't working directly with one and other, info is a valuable resource and one we lose nothing by sharing. I can burn things, not very well but I can burn things with normal flames and nuclear ones. And make us stronger, still got Gram too. It also burns things so, that's me in a nutshell there. What all you guys got?" He'd look around the area a bit, curious at the things he's a bit taken aback by how the people around here look. Gotta be something they can do to help, gonna need more gear too. No explosives, no guns, no nothing except a to be fair very useful mystic blade.

Ene's hands immediately fly up to her cheeks once the location and people change. Along with these alterations she also felt a change within herself and the lack of metallic circuits on her cheeks prove that it is beyond her own imagination. She still feels the tingle of pure electricity, but it no longer feels as combined with her body. A strange sensation that only grows stranger once she notices the firmness of her feet against the ground and the pull of gravity on her hair. This could take some getting used to for Ene. Woah so this is really the past!? Ene after studying herself for a few more seconds is soon able to take in the surroundings instead and is surprised at all the different looking people. However, the presence of injuries has a sobering effect on any potential wonder she could feel and instead concern over the state of things floods in.

Raidou's eyes opened with a start as he looked around at the sudden shift in his surroundings. His cloak was gone, but his usual outfit of a highschool uniform seemed mostly unchanged, hat and flower bracelet included. Gouto was present as well, and sat on Raidou's shoulder with a cross expression. "You blew it, Raidou. Look where we are now, back in '92. Great." Raidou sighed, and looked down at his feet, seemingly ashamed. Meddling with the timeline was a big no-no with the Kuzunohas, but Raidou has made exceptions in the past for cases like Kazuya's. Still, hesitating to stop such a major event because of his own feelings was childish. Gouto got the young man's attention by pawing his face, snapping him out of his daydreaming. "Whatever, what's done is done. We've got bigger fish to fry now, check your pockets." Raidou did as Gouto commanded, and while Kusanagi was still present at his hip, he found that his revolver was missing, as were most of his summoning tubes. Only two remained, which Raidou could feel contained two demons: Raiho and Tsuchigumo. The detective nodded, and Gouto turned to Tatsuya. "You should remember Raidou's sword, but for the uninitiated, it functions similarly to Tatsuya's. It can cut like you'd expect, and has almighty energy imbued into the blade. Aside from that, Raidou's mostly a well-trained human. We have demonic companions, though. Raiho: A Jack Frost who calls himself a Kuzunoha, does what you'd expect of his race, and Tsuchigumo: Big spider-like fella, bites things with poison and can use Zio spells." "It's worth noting that Raidou's demons aren't tools, they're allies. The Kuzunohas train to fight alongside their demonic partners, so Raidou is at his best when he can fight side-by-side with them." Gouto straightened his back...as best he could, and turned to address everyone present. "Take it in folks, this is the past. Or at least...one version of it, presumably. Things are gonna get real rough, so we need to watch each others' backs. This is real, people; so don't take any unnecessary risks. We're all getting outta this alive."

[Both Prima and Tot would check the map to find some important locations, as well as some info on each one. Rowan would look around and find out that the armory is to their right, the infirmary to their left, and the highest-ranking officer is the one speaking to them now. Tatsuya too would notice the very same things Rowan did on his own inspection, though he may also be able to recall the man in front of them, at least from the past “Alternative”. Penny, acting like her usual self, would realize what she’s holding is, in fact, the demon Bugsbear. The Resistance Man would speak up regarding this.] You...should be aware they are demons. That's what you have on your arms, is it not? What was its name again...? "Bugsbear"? Maybe you should check that small computer of yours. [Spell Punk would explore the HQ. He would notice many civilians, of all ages and sizes hurdled up together trying to calm down; some are crying, some have a blank, cold stare on their eyes, alive, but with blood stains on their clothes. Some were injured, there didn't seem to be a single happy person in the entire building, as at best, some were furious, or crying in a horrifyingly guttural way about their children and friends. However, as he walked around, he realized the HQ had two exits, on the west and another on the east. Every shop had been repurposed to serve as a place for soldiers and civilians to stay at; for food; and for special medical care.] [Ene does her best to adjust to her new context, as her body is completely human, and may be subjected to very same peril everyone is now.] [The Resitance Man would just give Raidou and his cat a weird look. He was wondering if that was also a demon, since everything supernatural now seemed like some sort of demon pulling strange, awful shenanigans.] I don't know what it is you're saying but...as long as it's valuable information...? [The Resistance Man, right after replying to Penny and...Raidou? The cat?...would speak up once more.] Alright... As you know, our leader, Yuka parted towards Gotou's HQ alongside that friend of hers that can summon demons. And so far, we're getting calls from everywhere, from everyone...and so, we're putting all our efforts into helping with all we can, because there is no point in getting in the way of neither the American army, nor the SDF. Is this everyone? There are some tasks I would like to ask you to do...but...they won't be easy. Still, I believe you are all the best equipped to deal with them, given your abilities.

Quintus would just...wave Tatsuya and the others off, going off on his own. "Sorry, but I'm not too keen on working with anyone or trusting anyone until I'm fully aware of the nature of this world. besides, I'm used to being alone anyway and I'm sure you guys don't need dead weight dragging you down." He'd seem to snicker a bit at that last comment before trying to move towards the resistance man who seemed to know what was going on. "I'll take on one of these tasks. But I'd like to know what exactly needs to be done."

I don't have much experience with things here ... Ene anxiously taps her fingers and musters a sincere smile. But i'll be happy to help if I can. She follows after Quintus to the resistance man in hopes of a possible task that could actually help people. So what do you have?

The man would just stare at Quin quietly for a moment, is he fucking kidding? That's... "Dead weight huh, I don't buy that for a damn second. The eldritch freak wouldn't have dragged you in if you were dead weight. I'm not asking for much here, not even your direct help unless something is pressingly threatening us all." He flicks the lighter on and walks over to the resistance type himself, eyes gleaming a bit. "You want to know this world's nature? Alright, I've been here before. Kinda. It's dangerous, full of demons, and anything we can learn we should share. I want everyone to make it out of here alive, but if we don't at least cooperate on a basic level that ain't happening. Anyways, lay it on us pal." With that, he'd glance over towards the... Quest giver for lack of a better term right now. Putting his lighter away and focusing.

Raidou's face would tighten up a bit at Quintus' comment, but he also wasn't precisely incorrect. The man placed a finger on his chin as he ran over the current facts in his head. This was likely not the same instance as the old "Alternative", and seemed to be sometime after Kazuya joined up with this Resistance. Gotou...Shit, that doesn't leave much time. Then again, Melbourne never said he or that ambassador were meant to be hunted this time around. Quintus was right, for the time being, the group was without a goal. The young man sighed, and made a clicking sound with his tongue before pointing to Quintus with his thumb. Gouto picked up on the signal pretty quickly, and would follow the young man for a bit and call out to him. "Hold up now, are you suicidal? This is a warzone, kid; a brutal one at that. If you're insistent on going off alone then I can't do a ton to stop you, but I'd rather you be a bit mo..." Gouto's voice trailed off as Ene trailed him, and he simply sat in silence as he observed the odd pair. Raidou, meanwhile, would snap his fingers and give the aptly named Resistance Man a thumbs up.

[The man would then nod at everyone's resolve and...show some surprise at Penny's enthusiasm? It didn't matter, there was a job to be done and all he could do was to direct them to the most dangerous missions of the bunch.] Alright, since everyone's agreed I will now explain the things we need to sort out. [The man would get closer to the map and start by pointing at Kichijouji.] The father of our leader, Yuka, has been asking for help. He's running low on supplies and his patients still need help. We've been thinking about evacuating them, but the area is too full of demons to go through without any issue, furthermore, we've been receiving reports that there's some kind of...demon, a powerful one, lurking the area, not letting anyone get through. Then there's Destinyland, which, strangely, has been working all fine and well, despite everything going on. We've sent two other teams and not even a single person there has returned. We need someone to go there and learn what is going on...and comeback to let us now. Then, Tokyo Tower is currently under siege. Flying demons are attacking and both civilians and rescue teams are trapped inside. Furthermore, the structure seems to be in bad shape, so anyone with demon experience is good. Afterwards we have, Yongen-Jaya, that street is crawling with demons but apparently a group of people is still alive. We've been called by a man named Sojiro Sakura. He barely even sounded past his 20s, and according to him, they won't be able to hold on for much longer. He seems to have been able to notice there is some powerful demon commanding the weaker ones. Akihabara has been recently successfully evacuated, but a truck was attacked on its way out and some people stayed inside, so we're sending back a group of our men to get them back. This mission is important because some kids are involved in it, and although he's of high school age, it's still our failure which got them into all this mess. Besides, there may be even more people trapped. Then we got Shibuya, Americans and the SDF are close to fighting. We believe there must be a way to stop them, because if they fight now then the demons will be the last of our worries in the middle of an all-out war. However, I'm not sure of success in that one... Next, we have Ikebukuro, there is a rumor saying that a massive warehouse filled with supplies of all kind is in there and seems big enough to hold tons of people. If that is true then we could move everyone here there safely and abandon this place, why that's important is because... We're about to get attacked, or at least we believe so. Tons of demons have been slowly gathering around Shinjuku from all over the city, called upon by a strange horseman with a massive scythe on it. We know for a fact that they aren't going to attack anytime soon so it would be best if we took on these guys prepared...so if any of you actually succeeds, I would hope you comeback, if anything to get people out of here, or to defend them...somehow. [The man covers his face with his hand for a moment, stress being clear to everyone. Soon after, a mature woman with short hair walk in and tell the man something to his ear, then she would quickly walk out and the man would speak once more.] If any of you decide to go to Kichijouji we have another request. A girl of the name Ryoko Edogawa has been missing for a while and her mother is requesting any info, whatever. She says the last time she heard of her was from classmates seeing her go to the Inokashira park, so... At any rate, do what you find best. Once you've decided, gear up at the armory to my left, and to your right.

Raidou listened intently to the explanation, and his eyes widened at the mention of a certain Ryoko Edogawa. He glanced at Gouto, and wondered what his mentor would expect of him here. Still, the bright assortment of colors that adorned his wrist spoke to his heart moreso than his mind. He also thought that helping a man who is both Yuka's father and a doctor would be a good place to start anyway. There was a lot to do, and having an extra medical expert on-hand would be excellent for making the recovery from the other missions easier. ...Maybe he was just trying to justify going to Kichijouji in his head. Regardless, he'd nod and point at the spot where Kichijouji was located on the map, and then to himself.

Quin would seem to work something out in his head for a moment before turning back to face the others approaching. "But I am wether you believe it or not. I'm someone who focuses on survival because I have a goal I'll do anything to accomplish and that's more of a weight on a group than anything else. Warzone? I'm not familiar with war but I know what it feels like to fight something inevitable, to lose people around you simply on the whims of a greater force. Maybe I'm not the strongest but I know how to take care of myself by now. Besides, I feel the need to restate that I'm in this for me and nothing else. Watch..." Quintus would take a moment to pick one of the tasks. Seeming to play some sort of number game with himself in order to pick one at random. "I'll take #5. Don't care what it is but I'll do it. Just tell me where to go and I'll be off."

Gouto hissed lowly, and started to lose his temper a bit. "Survival? That's what we're all here for, you idiot! None of us know what to do here, all we can do is survive until we can find a way outta this mess! If you go off alone you're as good as dead, would you really endanger yourself because of some false assumption that your goals won't align with ours?!" Gouto did the closest thing a cat can do to sigh, and turned to Raidou. "Ugh, whaddaya wanna do here, Raid-" He'd see that Raidou already chose a location, and turned to Quintus briefly before shaking his head and slinking back towards his partner. He doesn't want the kid to die, but Raidou is his priority.

Tatsu just sighs and looks over at Quin, he's yet again in agreement with Gouto. But he really has nothing to add there. Beyond that, Raidou's his friend and by now, trusted ally. A fact which the older demon hunter isn't about to forget by any means. "Be careful out there, and try not to bite the dust. Anyway, I'm with you two for now. There seems to be plenty in need of doing over there, and I haven't forgotten your help prior to this. For good or ill, I'm with you guys." He'd toss his hands into his pockets, though he doesn't walk off entirely. Instead pausing for a moment to ask a question of the resistance. "Any way we could get a gun or something? Raidou and I got our swords, yeah, but it'd be nice to have an option we can use without being in spitting distance of freaking demons." If they said yes, he'd ask the pair to hold up so they can get some more gear. If not, he'd just follow after them with a hand on Gram and a concerned look over his face.

Ene attempts to attentively listen to the man, but finds her focus drifting to Quintus and his actions. She doesn't quite understand why he is so adamant to go about it alone. Yet seeing his resolve to not be a burden sticks with her and she begins considering her own role. Her past had certainly given trouble to plenty of people. It even resulted in a few deaths for her sake. Her hands noticeably begin to tremble as she lands on an idea. Hey mister do you mind if I go to Ikebukuro? I want to help find the warehouse you need. Ene asks this with a stressed smile, but she knows she must to not be as much of an obstacle at this point for others. If she could at least do one thing alone it would mean she wasn't a safety hazard all along.

Whatever happens, please be careful. Surviving is the most important part of it all, to do anything reckless without being sure you can come out alive is unnecessary. It is true that we cannot save everybody but we might as well try to protect what we have. [The Resistance Man would than walk towards his left, in front of a room called "Armory".] In here you'll find different types of body armor and weaponry we've managed to snatch from the americans, Gotou's people and even some demons. It should be plenty for everyone here...besides, you will need it. You're the best of the best. [After saying this, the man would let them to their devices as he leaves the room and towards the larger halls, presumably among the many civilians and Resistance members. The armory is now free to use for the group.]

"An armory...well, without Hookworm or Yggdrasil..." Quintus felt the need to check the armory first. He'd be on the lookout for anything similar to the dual hooked blades he'd used before. As for armor he knew he'd prefer something on the lighter side as to not hinder his own movement. He was, however, confused by the prospect of demons. He'd seen creatures that were called demons before but he'd never seen them used openly in combat much. He remembered that this was supposedly Kazuya's word though so it made sense, still, he wondered how one might command demons.

Gouto hopped onto Raidou's shoulder. The Kuzunoha looked at Quintus with concern evident on his face, but he didn't see anything he could do to convince the man. He wasn't great with words, that was Gouto's job. If he couldn't convince him, then Raidou didn't see a point in trying; maybe his mind was too busy elsewhere. Ene's demeanor was concerning too, and if she stuck around he'd offer for her to accompany him and Tatsuya to Kichijouji, putting on the best smile that he could manage and suggesting that it might be dangerous to be so split up. Either way, he'd smile at Tatsuya and nod at his offer of helping him. They'd fought together before, and even fought each other at one point. He trusted Tatsuya, 100%. He also nodded in agreement to Tatsuya's suggestion of getting a gun or two. He explained to the best of his ability to Tatsuya that while Kusanagi was indeed powerful, unless he was in perfect sync with his demonic allies, he couldn't utilize their powers to strengthen his own attacks. It would be too much for the sword, and dangerous to even consider. Thus, having a more traditional weapon on-hand would make life a lot easier. He'd search the armory for any decent light body armor, and hopefully a handgun if possible.

[As they all head inside, they would realize the armory is, in fact, a complete store filled from wall to wall with all types of gear of all kinds, almost as if a gun shop combined itself with a weapon shop from the medieval times, of different eras and cultures, that is. As such, Quin had a relatively easy time finding what he was looking for. He would find a pair of twin knives, or rather, a pair of twin knives, and a pair of one-handed, Arabic looking swords. Besides this, he would find a lightweight assault vest with next to no pouches, a pair of tactical shin guards, and finally, elbow protectors. All very light in comparison to everything else.] [As Raidou looks for firearms, he would find quite the selection for them. Most of all, the always popular M16 is there, many, many of them. Besides that, a riot shotgun, a magnum revolver "Python", a simple New Nambu revolver, and a pair of Berettas 92F. On the light armor end, he wouldn't exactly find anything different from Quin. However, on top of all that, he is also able to find tactical gloves, and slightly different model of assault vest that features tons, and tons of pouches.] [Tatsuya would look around for explosives and is able to find more than one type of grenade. He was able to find 5 explosive ones, 3 flashbangs and surprisingly, one fully prepared molotov. As Raidou was able to find, Tatsuya may be happy to know the M16 was available, thanks to the American troops coming into Japan. On top of all that, he was able to scout a complete set of tactical armor. It wasn't exactly chunky, but it covered every single important part of the body, minus most part of the arm and legs. The are, of course, various sets of shin guard scattered around, gloves and elbow protection.]

Raidou would examine each revolver individually, picking each one up and twirling them on his finger to get a feel for the weight. He eventually settles for the heavy-duty Python, stashing it in its matching holster along with whatever matching ammo he could get his hands on. He settles on the vest with more storage available, for the sake of carrying his tubes and ammunition more easily. He decides against the shin guards, and leaves with the elbow guards and gloves. He'd stand outside the armory building, and adjust his hat with a determined look on his face as he begins to head out alongside his allies. He'd mutter under his breath. Ryoko...wait for me.

Ene stares at all the weaponry and equipment with wide eyes having little to no experience with any particular weapon. All she knows is that she lacks the strength to really lift anything so she immediately skips over all the huge and heavy stuff. Nevertheless, she stops once she sees a matriarch edge knife and carefully holds it in her palm. It's a really tiny blade, but something she knows she can at least use and the edge looks dangerous enough. She stores the knife in a pocket and then goes for equipment. Nothing really stands out to her except for a dark shaded clock with tiny inner pockets inside. Ene has no interest in wearing something that would slow her down so she takes the cloak and puts it on. Then she shoves the knife into one of the pockets.

[As they make their way outside, they may be able to recognize this place. They spent a good portion of their time in this area in the past, exploring and trying to find anything useful. It used to be filled with scared bewildered people, but now, all they see is injured people; scared, in despair, not even the kids, who are unable to process exactly what is going on, have much light inside of their eyes. Soldiers sit against the wall, sobbing. Mothers cry out names as they walk aimlessly. Fathers seem to be on the verge of puking. Brothers and sisters hanging on to each other, hoping they won't be forcefully separated like everyone else.] [Their roads now separate. To reach Kichijouji, they must go through the East exit of the mall; to reach Akihabara, they must go through the West exit. Ikebukuro is to the East exit, but after, it is important to go North. The mall does not have any other exits.] [The outside world has the skies turn to red; energy emanating from the ground and unto nowhere. Perhaps Raidou may be able to recognize such energy, as it flows through the Amala Network and the demons need it to become more powerful. On to the road there, they may be able to tell that the bodies are slowly raising in number with each meter they advance. They cannot see any demon yet, but it is clear they have been around the area recently, as fresh blood is dripping from bodies crushed against the walls, with such strength that the remains are not even falling off. Perhaps a closer look could reveal more about the gruesome scene. In front of them, the road seems pretty clear, but they can hear a faint noise; something close to growling and... mouth swiping...? To their right, a dark alleyway, and to their left a car with all its doors closed; it crashed and slowly catching on fire. However, it seems to be rumbling a bit.] [Quintus wastes no time as he heads out in a similar direction to Penny and Tot, however, his road diverges drastically as they keep moving towards the general direction of the Imperial Palace, as it is in the route, and he instead moves a bit to the North, following the small canal around Ichigaya. So far, things don't seem too complicated, however, he can hear the faint sound of giggling somewhere above him. To his right, of course, is the Kanda River that leads very easily towards his destination, Akihabara. To his left, is nothing but ruined streets, forgotten, rotting corpses and dead vegetation.] [Ene, equipped with a simple clock and knife, finally moves out of the armory and rejoins the entire group as they prepare to leave. Either exit would be fine, for her destination leads to the far North, an hour from where she’s standing; Ikebukuro. Shockingly, she would immediately notice a group of men with Katanas facing off a single Momunofu, armed with the lance their species is known for. One of the men is pierced through the chest and quickly dies as his lungs get filled with blood. The others fight with even more aggression. Why is this happening? Because they are all standing right next to the Samurai Museum. There are many smaller streets and alleyways around their hopeless battle however, both to the left and to the right. The right one, however, seems to have something moving around the trash, and to the left, a strange odor can be felt.]

Quintus would be a bit disgusted by the sights. This world seemed to be exactly what he was trying to avoid and yet to see it before him was even worse than he had imagined. The sights filled him with a sense of rage that felt fresh from those times before. This moment was interrupted by the faint giggling from overhead though. He knew he needed to hurry to his destination but simply ignoring something so random seemed unwise. He'd take a moment to look up at the sky, weapon ready. "If there's something there, laughing out loud isn't exactly subtle."

[Quintus would call out to the skies, towards the source of that which was laughing. From the burning skies, a winged female would descend. Her hair was blue and wavy, and wearing nothing but skintight white cloth. Besides this, she had a long tail with a pointy end, pointy ears and wings which she was using to stay afloat. Not counting the obvious demonic features, she was actually quite attractive.] Not something, but rather someone~ [She would say, circling the young man.] Say, you're very handsome and look so, so strong... Do you go to the gym, love~? You caught my attention so easily, I couldn't just stay above and let any of the girls have you before I got a piece of you~ [The demon winks at him.]

Tatsuya stares up at the horrible energy in the sky. It's a sign of Armageddon if ever he's seen one. Even so, it doesn't deter the man as he holds his rifle at the ready, eyes darting about with practiced ease while he prepares to fire if needed. "Hell of a thing to see huh, but I guess there's no helping it either. We're here now, so let's try and make the best of it... And start by making sure we help out who we can, even if that involves doing this bullshit." He'd stow away the gun and draw out Gram, staring down the pile of corpses as if it might spring up and attack them. It might though as he's well aware. Despite that though, he's willing to advance closer to the terrible mess and try to get a better idea of the cause behind it. Any warning of their foes is good warning, even if it comes off slain victims.

Quintus wasn't completely sure how to respond. He'd almost blush a little before remembering that what he was facing was in fact a demon. He tried to stay level headed but her humanoid appearance wasn't something he was used to when facing a potential threat. "I'm flattered but what exactly does a piece mean to you?" He was worried about his mission but he also knew better than to rush this. He wasn't sure what this demon was capable of but the fact that she seemed confident enough to simply approach him was somewhat off putting.

Raidou grimaced at the brutal sight. Still, nothing particularly new when it came to demons. He sighed, a task that felt more difficult than it really was with the heavy feeling in the air. Was this...Magnetite in the atmosphere? Something made things rather stuffy at all times. Still, no point just standing around. He'd approach the mutilated bodies on the wall, giving them the best autopsy that he could given the state they were in. How long they'd been there for, what kind of force did this to them, etc. He also hoped that Tatsuya would cover his ass while he did this, though Raidou himself was still on high alert as he examined the mess of bodies. Gouto remained poised standing next to Raidou, performing the same action he was. "You've got that right. Not a fan of this stuff, but any information is valuable right now. We really only have a vague idea of what we're up against here, from our last visit and from stories Kazuya has told us. We need to be ready for the worst."

[Tatsuya and Raidou get closer to the brutal mess of corpses, and as Raidou takes a better, closer look at the scene, he's able to find out quite a bit. The corpses were not exactly days old but not too recent either as the blood was still somewhat fresh at parts. Their bodies, too, had the worst trauma on the chest area, like gigantic hands pushed them and slowly crushed them into the wall. Raidou, being the demon expert that he is, comes to the realization that the ones at fault here were most likely demons from the Brute race, any related to the Oni line could've done it, but if they were still around, there is no way of knowing. The crashed car's flames would then grow, and the pair is able to hear a muffled, desperate "help" from somewhere. That aside, the way towards Kichijouji remains very much obstacle free.] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [The demonic being would slowly approach the young man who seemed somewhat flustered. She probably found it cute.] Not many can pull off the handsome and cute sides all at once, you must feel so lucky. [Closer and closer, she would speak directly into Quintus ear.] Your all, handsome. I mean that I want your all, every inch of it. So, you better give the name I'll be moaning~ [Quintus may be able to hear a distinct wing flapping sound in the distance, and even more giggling from somewhere, as he can't tell exactly from where. The demon in front of him, however, is taking the liberty to feel him up. That is, if Quintus allows it to happen.]

Raidou relayed what he was able to deduce to Tatsuya, and pinches his chin in thought. In their current state, an Oni would be a difficult task to deal with, for sure. His attention was caught by the plea for help, and he'd make eye contact with Gouto, and then with Tatsuya. Deciding to play it safe, he'd draw out one of his summoning tubes, for Raiho specifically, and initiate his summon. He'd be out soon, but for the time being Raidou would creep along in the direction of the voice in an attempt to not be too noisy in his approach.

Quintus was growing considerably uncomfortable with the situation and would opt to try and back away from the demon. The flapping and giggling seeming to grow louder was also troubling. It seemed that the best option might be to get away for now. "Sorry, but I'm not exactly the type who likes it when people come on so strong and from what I can tell we were about to be interrupted anyway." He hadn't yet even thought to try it but he'd attempt to use the power he had. He'd try and summon a vortex that would tear apart the earth itself. "Garutera." The only difference is, he'd aim it at his own feet rather than the demon herself. It was an attempt to create a form of cover that would give him a chance to retreat as the situation was looking less favorable by the second.

[The demon would be pushed back by Quin's cover. Unable to keep touching the man, she pouts and angrily attempt to find her way around to bite him. Quintus would also notice that the other incoming being were nothing but copies of the one that was already with him. Of course, they all had slight difference amongst each other, but it was clear, at least, they were all of the same species.] You do not refuse a Lilim just like that, I'll eat you whole for this! [The other two Lilim were quickly descending with murderous intent. The streets, besides this...unfavorable situation, were luckily free of too much obstacles, maybe a car or two. Besides this, the riverside to his right was open, almost untouched by the massacre tearing the city apart. Even though the Lilims can fly, they are not particularly fast.]

Quintus would no longer hesitate, he no longer had the time to even consider trying to talk them down. Not that he even would consider such a tactic with such kinds of demons again. He'd run over to the river before the dust settled, diving in at the first chance he got in order to try and get away. "Sorry, I'm a bit too much for you to chew. Maybe you should try something more tender first."

[The three Lilims, in their stupidity, would hit each other, as they could not see a thing with the dust getting inside of their eyes. Moving franctically from side to side, trying to find where their prey was, the original one lets out one big sigh of frustration.] Ugh! Human guys are supposed to be easy! Let's just find someone that is normal. [Quintus, having avoided the threat of demons by diving into the river, may notice that he's moving without actually swimming. He was, in fact, starting to get taken away by the current, which is slowly starting to gain power out of nowhere and taking him further North.]

Quintus would be able to do much about the current. It wasn't as if he had magic that would be especially effective in water and it also didn't seem that the current was normal either. "*Cough* The river isn't normally this strong, right? *Cough*" He almost felt like the world himself was trying to impede his progress but he couldn't focus on that right now. For the moment he'd simply try and stay above the water while seeing where the current lead him.

It certainly is not, sonny. [A voice would speak from under the water. The clear weird part of it being that it was easy to understand. Surrounding him, making circles around him was a strange, long shadow.] Ya shouldn't have come here, boy. Should've agreed to that missy's advances, they never mean ill. [The demon kept circling Quintus, taunting him, studying him. The water would get stronger too, moving him more and more towards the North. If he had seen the map, he should be able o realize that this river may take him even closer to Akihabara. The problem being that Quintus isn't exactly close to anything that he can use to hang on to. On the distance, he may be able to notice some kind of dock, just a bit too high for his reach.] They're every bit as good as their momma, you are gonna miss them in a sec.

He already could tell what was going on, another demon. He was more surprised at how well they managed to use their environments to their advantage rather than anything else. "I guess we look at things from different perspectives. I'm more inclined to go for a calm relaxing day over one with too much excitement. I guess I'm a little older at heart though." The dock up ahead seemed like his only chance to escape. He'd try to swim over to it as best he could, keeping his magic ready in case the demon decided to try anything. Although, he wasn't quite sure how effective it would be with the rushing water.

Ya talk a lot of words, kid. But you say them well, I like ya, you do got them guts. [The demon would surface, and the current would get slower, easier to take. The demon's body was completely blue and, simply put, was a fish man... More of a fish then a man, of course. The dock was still a not close enough.] You tryin' to get somewhere? No other human I've seen or eaten has really been as prepared as you are. Nor faced me with this nonchalant attitude. [The demon "smirks", it seems like he's willing to hear you out.]

Ene set off for the path to Ikebukuro but a horrifying scene stops her. Watching a man die right in front of her is shocking and almost induces a few tears. Her body begins to tremble and Ene wonders what she exactly signed herself up for. She isn't a coward though at least she hopes she isn't. So she of course runs over to help out the men. Take the injured away from this! I'll cover for you guys! Ene practically screams this in the heat of the moment and draws out her tiny blade. She doesn't wait to see if anyone actually followers her orders and casts a beginning zio on Mamonofu.

[Raidou would quickly realize that the voice was, in fact, coming from somewhere very close by. Both Raidou and Tatsuya would get closer and closer to the car that had crashed, apparently, a few minutes prior to them getting there. It keeps moving a bit, and on one side, one of the ruined sides of the vehicle, a liquid is quickly filling the street. The car doors would be hit with great force, but they were unable to be open. The fire was also starting to consume the car as the screams for help grew ever more desperate, and even in pain. A hand would press itself against the now burning interior of the car, trying to break the window to no avail; the skin was steadily turning crimson in color.] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [The group of men dressed as Samurai would quickly back away, pulling their hopeless friend back as the two meters tall demon turns to face the girl, clearly upset that the electric attack actually fazed him.] Petulant child, what do you expect to do here? No human can get close to defeating me. These warriors, these "samurai" are even more of a proof. [Momunofu would quickly look at Ene's weapon and scoff, preparing for his next attack. He would spin his lance once and then hit the ground with it, some kind of static surrounding him. Chances are that his next attack will be extremely powerful. On the other hand, the "samurai" are unsure of what to do, as they cannot beat the creature with their weapons.]

Hey I am not some petulant child that you can talk down to. Ene walks right up to Momunofu with an indignant stare and silently places her hand on the shaft of his lance. She places her other hand of her hip as if daring the demon to try anything. I happen to be one very annoyed adult who finds it sad that some great warrior needs to shove people around to prove his worth. I thought the purpose of being some cool warrior was to defend people instead of a few arrogant shows of power with your tiny stick. To make her point she flicks the lance once she ends her sort speech and continue to glare at Momunofu. She remains on the balls of her feet in preparation for a quick dodge should the demon not listen to her clear logic.

[The demon grows even angrier with the words of the girl. He's now out for blood.] Power is to use against the weak, they must be used as the stepping stones to reach even higher. A worthless insect such as yourself belongs in a grave! [He had used Charge before, but now he's going for a simple attack with his lance, although the motions are a bit slower than they were before. He tries to impale Ene but since she was prepared for a dodge in case the negotiations went awry, she gets away. However, the hit was to be fatal, and even if she was able to get away, she would find one of her arms has been injured by the strike, in particular the one she had against the lance. Nothing serious of course, but enough for blood to slowly come out. Now come here and die.

A fine cut appears across Ene's right arm and rivulets of blood seep out of the line. Ene stares at the red trail with widened eyes as if not believing it. She takes a few more moments than needed to reorient her own mind to the task but when she looks again at Momunofu. Its clear that she means to deal some payback. Wonder how sad it'll be if I finish you before you can land another hit on me. She places a finger on her chin as if considering it and edges a bit more back to be out of reach. Ene then proceeds to brilliantly wave her hands for a second before using Mazio on the demon. She bows after using it to taunt him further. Eat lightning jerk!

[The demon is hit by the relatively weak electric charge, and had to kneel for a quick moment, mostly hurt but still good to go.] You have powers not many human possess, and for that I will give you some credit. [The demon would then point the palm of his hand at her as a red wave of magic covers his own body, enhancing his power with Tarukaja. After which, he would begin to close in on Ene.] But is not enough, you will die, Slime!

Not today satan! Ene continues dodging at the edges of the demon's reach and spamming Zio back and forth. So far she has cast it up to two times and feels slightly winded but not yet slowed.

Raidou cursed under his breath. Sure, he was only being cautious, but he still started to feel awful for letting this person cook. Raidou sprinted towards the car, as Raiho appeared beside him in a flash of green light. "Hee ho! I already know what you're thinking master Raidou! Behold, the resolve of two Kuzunohas working together!" Gouto shook his head, but Raidou couldn't help but smile at his companion's antics. Raiho fired off a blast of icy wind at the car, hoping to cool the hot metal down a bit and hopefully weaken the inferno inside of it; making it safer to approach.

[Although Ene is starting to get tired, the Momunofu seems to have stopped dead on its tracks, vibrating weirdly as electricity courses through his body.] Insolent brat...! [Momunofu cannot move, as he has been inflicted with Shock through the electric attacks. The previous attacks were not able to land, however, at the very least have made small cuts on Ene's clothing, perhaps even cut random bits of her ponytail.]

Quintus would see his oppurtunity in this moment. It seemed at very least it might be a bit easier to talk to this demon than the ones before. "Sounds like the humans before didn't know how to relax. Right now I'm just trying to get a lay of the land. Guess you could say I'm new around here. Though I am heading for Akihibara. There was some business I needed to do there." He'd keep an eye on the dock just in case things went South again but he was hoping he could keep the conversation going a little longer.

Yer in luck, sonny. This river leads riiiiight there, so I'll take you, just don't drown like a kitten. [It would appeared that Quintus demeanor had struck the right cords, perhaps because the alignments made it possible, or rather, the lack of it. Whatever the case, the water would get even faster that before as the demon leads the way up the river. It would almost as if the current was leading to a waterfall.] Name's Azumi, don't forget it. Now don't get yourself killed, ya seem pretty strong so if you turn out to be a weakling, I'll be sick to my stomach for letting you swim in my waters. [After a few good minutes, the water would slow down yet again as Quintus is able to see a complete group of massive, extremely tall and colorful buildings. To one side, now with the current stopped, he would see a broken down, rusting ladder that will allow him to get back on land.] Also avoid any Angel you see, they are zealots to their "God" and will kill any "heretic", so be careful. [Azumi thinks for a minute before going back the way he came from.] Eh you'll be okay; they are already escaping from the city anyways. See ya.

Ene's head feels lighter with her hair a little mained and her clothing is beginning to show some extravagant wear and tear. Yet she doesn't really focus on the cosmetic losses, but rather the many scratches that have appeared on her skin. Used to being a little scratched up she isn't squeamish at the small droplets of blood. More so the memory that comes with every new scratch. This encounter reminds her way too much of the past. Attempting to destroy the thoughts she goes right to using a majority of her power on the demon itself. Bye snake jerk! Loosing herself in the moment she uses charming bolt on the demon and immediately feels paralyzed herself. Laughter escapes her lips as she looks to where the demon was to see if she finally managed to prove her worth.

[Raiho's action could not have been better, as the ice quickly cooled down the car and even avoided the incoming explosion, as the gasoline was leaking out and the flames were about to reach it. Tatsuya is also successful at breaking the car window. Looking inside proves a bit difficult because of the still extremely hot smoke that is bound to be filled with toxic material, deadly for anyone inhaling it for too long. As there was no hostile movement, Tatsuya is, again, successful at pulling out the person out of the car, who was now resting on its back on top of the pavement. However, his... their face lacked any features, and the upper part of their clothing was completely gone, while the pants or skirt was too burnt. The person he had pulled out was victim to extremely severe third-degree burns. Besides this, their right arm was showing some bone, indicating that this person had received a bit more punishment besides burning alive; they were also most likely with broken bones and bleeding out prior to it.] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You dare compare me to a...!! [The heavy spell, Charming Bolt, seemed to have a suprisingly powerful effect besides the damage. For as soon as he recieves it, is struck by a heavy guilt.] What have I done!? Why would I hurt such a beauty!?!? Unforgivable!! [Charming Bolt' secondary ability had kicked in, charming the enemy demon into a deep state of madness before going ahead and pulverizing its entire head with his own lance. It would seem that Momunofu was weak to ailments. Of course, Ene would be exhausted by launching such a powerful attack and not being experienced enough. After the battle is over and all is said and done, ne of the men she saved would quickly approach her.] Miss, are you okay? Is there anything we can do to help? [The voice of the old man, who was still wearing a helmet, seemed to put him in the 50s to 60s age group.]

Quin would climb onto the ladder before waving back to the demon. "Alright, thanks a bunch, Azumi. I'll be sure to remember your name." For a moment his expression would grow grim just hearing the mention of angels and god. Probably would be wise to not mess with any if he saw them though part of him really wanted to teach such beings a lesson. He'd also have to take a moment though to realize the implications of one thing Azumi said. The part about them leaving the city seemed troubling. Regardless, it was too late to ask anymore questions and he still had a job to do. He'd climb up the ladder and begin heading into Akihibara, keeping an eye out for anymore demons along the way.

He looks down at the clearly burned beyond repair body and mutters a vicious curse under his breath, sword stowed away again while the man shakes his head. "Fuck, maybe..." He'd pause for a second, pulling out his lighter and flicking it on for a second while walking forward down their path. "Nah, no maybe, no what if, focus on the here and now. Help who we can, but don't ever get yourself lost in what might have happened." The past is over, no matter how recent. Rather than trying to talk about how they could have done things he'd focus on moving onward. Onward to those they still potentially can help. "For good or for ill, our choices can't be taken back. So let's not waste away thinking about them when others do need us."

Ene would tiredly look at the man and slowly nod her head to his question. Yeah could you bring me to a nurse's office or something for some rest. She then thanks any god out there for her choice in light weaponry and armor since her entire body feels pretty sluggish. Barely able to stand she ambles over to the man with her back turned to the leftovers of the demon.

[Quintus moves into the always supposedly busy Akihabara, only to find next to nothing at all. At least on the people department. First thing he would see is a turned over military truck, some crates lay close-by, everything written on them is in English. Next, the streets themselves had giant markings, as if something had been crawling at some point. Those markings quickly lead to a tall building cut in half clear, in such a way that made it seem like something had bitten the upper half off. Then, to his right, a maid cafe. Both doors were wide open so, unlike with the other doors of the many buildings, the doors weren't badly boarded up or blocked by rubble.] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [The man, grateful for the girl's action, would quickly lift her up and take her inside of the Samurai Museum, where they seemed to have a small camp. Letting her rest on top of one of the beds, an elderly woman with a very traditional haircut would quickly move in to treat her wounds.] Those abilities of yours, I can't say I've seen any human use them. Are you a... demon hybrid or something? [Yes, he was grateful, but the man still kept his hand on the grip of his blade just in case.]

Ene almost chuckles at the insinuation that she is anything similar to that demon back there, but thinks better of it. She just smiles and gives the elderly woman one of her cutest winks. Nope nothing like that. I'm just your average everday highschooler who somehow found herself here and oh guess what I now have powers apparently. I don't even begin to know it myself. She tries not to move too much so the lady can properly treat her but she does shift into a position that allows her to dramatically stare at the ceiling. This isn't even the first time I found myself dealing with stuff like this. It's my like sixth time at this point and I think some gods have it out for me.

[The grandma smiles sweetly at Ene.] But dear, if the gods granted you these powers and are forcing you into struggle, then it can only mean it must be for a purpose. There used to be a time in which I would doubt the existence of gods, because of bad luck and loss, but... [She chuckles as she cleans the girl's wounds slowly and with care. If she was telling the truth and her powers truly came out of nowhere; if such a girl could exist that would save the life of others, then surely it is important to hold on to hope.] Not anymore, not with these fantastical monsters around. [After this, she would bandage her arm, trying not to hurt her, as the injury wasn't exactly deep, but she didn't want to take any chances.] But if evil, violent monsters that prey in the dark exist, then surely, there must be those who light the fire up in the night. People like you. You saved our lives.

Ene allows the gravity of the elderly woman's words to sink in and fill her with something she has never really felt before. An odd combination of feeling useful and something else that almost makes her want sit up a bit straighter. Yet the feeling prevents her from really preening at the comment and instead Ene takes the woman's kind hands and looks her in the eyes. Well you saved my life and for that I am pretty hecking grateful. She then suddenly pulls her hands back as if burned. Her cheeks are probably red by now after what she said, but she felt that it was right so it was a fine risk. She quickly wonders if this is what the other guys feel after doing a heroic deed. Yet with a mission left to do she knows that she doesn't have much time to consider the implications of this experience. All right! Thankkkk you so much for healing me and now I need to get going. Need to find me an old shed or something to scout for some other guys. I don't want to make them wait too long. So if you don't mind I guess I will be going.

[The old woman stands up slowly and stops her.] I know you need to, but please, take some of our medicine. We were moving towards the Resistance’s base, but recently there have been demons from all over the city gathering around the area, and just as we were about to leave, that lance creature got in the way. [The woman would offer Ene a small bag with a set of bandages and disinfectant. Her smile said everything that need to be said. She wanted to make sure their savior would be successful. She had not seen anyone with her abilities and if she was around, then maybe other like here were in the city holding off the demons, perhaps the Resistance was nothing but powerful young people such as her.] Please save this city, it is all we have left. [Ene can take the bag if she wants to. If she decided to go out, all she would really need to do is to move North in a straight line while following the same street. What awaits her, however, there is no way of knowing.]

The first thing Quintus would do is check the crates. He didn't understand english but he remembered how the resistance man before had mentioned that they got most of their goods from the Americans. He would go to see if the crates could be opened and if the truck contained anything as well. "Well, seemed like it may be wise to see if I can pick up any supplies. Should be careful though, seems like these demon are all over the place."

Raidou sighed as he looked down at the charred corpse that Tatsuya drug out. He gave Raiho a pat on the head; the little guy didn't really seem that concerned about the dead body, but he is a demon after all so good on him for trying. The summoner walked towards the body and knelt beside it, closing his eyes and saying a few words of apology to what remained of the man before standing up. Gouto hopped up onto Raidou's shoulder as he followed Tatsuya. "It's harsh, but it's how things have to be. That said, we are in a world of the past itself, it might be possible to change how things turned out. Hell, for all we know, some things might have already changed from how they were in Kazuya's time. One thing's for sure though, this world isn't as nice as the "Alternative" was. We can't save everyone, Raidou." Perhaps there was a double meaning to that statement, but whether Raidou picked up on it or not, he'd keep quiet as the pair continued on their path, now followed by Raiho.

[The streets would soon become a bit more familiar to the pair of demon hunters. Perhaps it wasn't the modern streets of Tokyo 201X, but back at the "Alternative", Kichijouji was the starting point. As they get closer and closer to their destination, they see a massive fire in the distance. In particular, the hospital was in flames with no control whatsoever. Furthermore, the mall, "Arcade Street", was also burning in flames. Mannequin demons and Pretas can't do much about their situation. Just a few meters away from the separation between the road towards Yuka's home and Inokashira Park, the pair feel a strange pressure in the air. It feels dangerous; the aura of a powerful demon. It beckons them, as if asking. Will you stay or run?] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [As Quintus heads inside of the Maid Cafe, he would find it completely dark, and with whatever light was out there, he could tell the place was an absolute mess. From the entrance... to his left, he could see a faint light coming from the floor, it was clear there was a room beyond a door he couldn't see for the moment. In front of him laid the many tables and chairs, proof that something not very nice had happened inside, not unlike the rest of the city. To his left, a dark hallway towards what one can assume is the kitchen. A faint, faraway flesh munching sound can be heard.]

Raidou tightened up, his hand gripping the handle of his sword tightly. His eyes drifted towards the direction of Inokashira Park, but he also definitely didn't want to leave something like this running around. Who knows how many people it's killed already, but all Raidou knows for sure is that it won't be taking anyone else. Gouto sensed his partner's resolve, and spoke in his stead. "Knew something smelled like shit around here. Get out here, already! Unluckily for you, you're now the prey of a Kuzunoha...er..." The cat glanced at Raiho, who was seemingly raring to go as well. "T-two Kuzunohas, I guess, a-and Tatsuya. Whatever, just get out here!"

That air of power... He hasn't felt this exact thing ever, but it brings to mind memories of some battles from his younger days to be sure. A forboding warning of things to come, and a burning hosptial off in the distance. A connection might be there, but either way, what he can tell for sure is simple. "Ain't that right Gotou, I'm in of course... It's whoop ass time!" He'd draw Gram off his back as the blade's flames roar to life, a small smirk forming upon the old hunter's face as he begins walking towards the source of that strong demonic aura. There's no question about it, they might well die if they don't go about this right. But simply allowing such a thing to go isn't his style. And he damn well knows the demon summoner won't do that either. So off they go into the unknown of danger, a grim smirk of determination upon the man's face as he grips his sword tightly in both hands and steels himself for the combat to come.

[Quintus certainly is successful at avoiding the fallen chairs and tables. As he keeps moving forward towards the light, the abhorrent noise of of meat being eaten gets fainter and fainter, making it clear that it was most likely coming from the kitchen. Once at source of the light, he would notice that it was, in fact, a door. He could hear whispering on the other side, a young voice could be heard, quite high pitched.] .......dem.......ndras........kitc........get ou...................back. [That is all he can make out.] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [As they walk forward, suddenly, the demonic presence would disappear.] My pleasure to meet you two, especially you, Raidou Kuzunoha the XIV. It's been long overdue, for I have quite the history with your family. And you, Tatsuya Suou. Your name is quite infamous at Makai. [The Fiend, speaking with its fierce voice, would call out to them from the back, a few meters away. In a battle stance, they would be able to see his figure one once they decided to face him.] There is much to discuss, I'm sure. But in this unique arena of world, we stand against each other. So before anything can be discovered. I challenge you two... [The Fiend would prepare some kind of cloth, or so they seem to hear.] ...to a duel.

Tatsu would smirk a bit upon hearing those words, infamous huh... But come on. "Infamous? I'm not that bad. I at least bother to say give up or die horribly instead of just killing first. I'm flattered that my name is known to demons though, if not all told surprised." His own voice is calm and polite for the moment, it wouldn't do to be rude towards a foe that has the common decency to chat like this before trying to murder them after all. Upon hearing the Fiend's chaallenge, he would nod and bow for a moment... Along with shouting out as he looks up. "We accept, of course. MATARUKAJA!!" Glowing green light bursts up around Raidou, Raiho, and Tatsuya himself for a brief moment. They'd all find themselves growing stronger and being more capable of dealing damage both through physical and mystic means as the elder fighter now holds his blade in a ready stance and prepares to dodge as best he can if needed.

Raidou drew his own sword in a flourish, and pointed it at the Fiend. Perhaps it was in a respectful way, as the summoner merely stood there, waiting. Gouto looked at Raidou briefly, before hopping off his shoulder and backing away from what would soon become a battlefield. Raiho mimicked his master's actions despite lacking a sword, he was trying, as the two gave the fiend a respectful bow in perfect sync. Gouto merely glared at the demon from the sidelines, wagging his tail rhythmically. "We're flattered to have earned such respect from a demon of your ilk. I'd recognize that skinless face anywhere. We'll give you the respect you seem to yearn for, no... the respect you deserve; and cut you down here and now. Raidou and Raiho held their deep bow, leaving a silent tension in the air for a few brief moments before Gotuo turned toward the fiend and spoke up again in time with Tatsuya's wave of attack buffs hitting the party. "...Bring him down." Raidou did his best quickdraw and fired three shots at the Fiend, as Raiho stayed behind him to follow-up with a blast of ice, Bufu, aimed directly at the cloth-holding demon.

[Matador would move out of the way of the incoming shots, courtesy of Raidou, with a swift move of his famous Red Capote. He is, however, not as lucky with Raiho's Bufu. I hits him, and while it doesn't hurt him in a considerable manner, it is enough for him to be annoyed at the fact that he lost momentum.] Small, weak demon. You have managed to land the first strike and for that I congratulate you. You are a worthy companion to Raidou Kuzunoha the XIV. But it is not enough. [He would close his both legs and raise a hand to the air as air begins to compress around each individual enemy of his own. Magaru is about to hit them all at the same time.] Perhaps Raidou Kuzunoha the XL should find a companion as reliable. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Opening the door of the Maid Cafe, Quintus would not find light at the other side of it, but a void darkness. The best way to compare such a sight would be to that of a deep abyss at the bottom of the ocean. Any step taken inside would certainly feel strange, as if the floor felt a bit cushy, and slippery. A deeper look inside would also reveal a series of dark tunnels. Quintus brain knows it's dark, but something inside of him tells him he could probably walk it without any issue. The whispering comes back again.] ......ddon.......mach.......intes..........BM?...........elp.......we............own.......... [Should Quintus take this peculiar road, there are two tunnels he could choose: One leading up, and another leading down.]

Quintus would be hesitant. It's very obvious that this road wasn't normal and yet he couldn't ignore the whispers. It almost sounded as if they were calling for help but he wasn't too sure. Despite his better judgment he'd step into the dark and begin to make his way to what he believed would be the end of the tunnels. The tunnel he'd walk down would be the one leading down. He had no way of knowing where either path led but it seemed better to make a descent first. "Well, looks like my luck just keeps getting worse. Then again, I've gone this long unscathed so maybe it's just the devil's luck."

He scoffs as the wind's rush toward them, it isn't exactly a fun thing to be hit with but he's got enough padding to hopefully help with the blunt force. Not that he doesn't try to dodge, but rushing wind magic is a lot harder to evade in his current state than normally, and a decent chunk of it flies into him as he reaches into his clothes and pulls on something inside them. "Hold up a moment guys, I got a plan!" He isn't gonna say what the plan is, that'd just reveal what his plan actually is. From a glance it seems to be simply charging forward and trying to engage the foe in a test of their blades... Except one hand would leave it again in a blur, and the hunter hangs back instead of rushing forth as a small metal object quickly flies out of his right hand with great speed. "Flash out!" Matador would be assaulted by a horribly bright flash of light and screaming light. Tatsu would divert his eyes from the horrible brightness that briefly erupts to life in front of them, and hope that the others do the same given his warning. His plan here is naturally to try and leave the enemy distracted by this attempt, with any luck it'll give Raidou and Raiho the chance they need to gain a good clean shot upon this thing. "Hope that works at least a bit..."

Gouto merely looked at Matador, his gleaming emerald eyes unblinking. "I'm sure Raiho appreciates the compliment. I'll send your regards to XL, seeing as you won't be there to see him yourself." Raidou saw the incoming attack, and decided to save his biggest asset in the fight. He grabbed Raiho by the hand, and did a twirl in place before throwing Raiho high up into the air and towards Matador. Raidou himself ate the Magaru hit head-on, and was knocked off balance by the gust of wind, various cuts appearing in his clothes and skin across his body. Meanwhile, Raiho did a flip in the air, before posing and shouting to the heavens before firing another blast of Bufu at Matador as he descends. "HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!"

[As Quintus makes his way down the quite bizarre tunnel, he would soon come across a series of steps leading even further down, the problem being that some of the said steps seemed irregular; some too small for the use of regular human beings, or too tall. Best put, the cave was slowly turning into an abyssal slippery slope with no way of knowing what was down there or any way to hold on but the random steps. From his position, a new set of steps were noticeable just ahead, the problem being that he would need to jump to the other side. Alternatively, he could brave the random steps going down, or even throw himself.] .....baddon................omach.................CBM.....................aten bui......................sistance............ [The whispering has turned into an easier to listen to distorted voice.] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Tatsuya's flashbang was successful as Matador had braced himself for a direct attack and not a distraction. Of course, the demon's eyes don't exactly work like those of a human and so, he was not blinded for long.] To rush in without a plan is foolish, but to try and sacrifice yourself. Admirable. [Matador would take Tatsuya's challenge as he unleashes the power of his sword, with Andalucia. He would quickly move in to try and land at least a dozen of stabs and cuts all over Tatsuya's body. Right after, he would be hit by Raiho's Bufu head on, the second in a row. Not being completely sure what the plan was, the Fiend moves in to catch the demon with his hand as soon as it fell. After which, he would slam it against the floor.] This is not your time, Raidou Kuzunoha the XIV. What are you doing here? Perhaps following the steps of your sucessor.

Thank you so much!!! Ene actually bows at the woman's kindness and takes the medicine back on her way out. Once she is past the door she makes sure to place the individual medicines in her cloak pockets. Then she returns to the street and heads north to the bunker.

Raidou was caught off-guard by the question, and wasn't exactly sure how to answer. Gouto as well was left only staring at Matador after that question. It was only when a certain little frost spoke up, being pinned to the floor, that Raidou snapped out of it. "H-hee's successor is right here, ho. Future Rai...Raiho Kuzunoha XL, at your service! We-hee are here to s-save everyone, ho! Including Rai-dho's sweetheart, hee ho!" Raidou sighed, but couldn't help but smile. He tightened his glove, and felt reinvigorated from his companion's words. He could see what Tatsuya was going for, but with Raiho pinned, despite the conditions being right, he'd have to free the little guy first before they could really get anything started. That in mind, he'd see that both of the demon's hands were currently occupied, and rush in, Kusanagi in hand, to attempt to deliver a well-aimed slash at the Fiend's abdomen. The single-edged blade itself didn't have that same violent roar that Gram did, instead it was a more calm, constant output of power more befitting Raidou's quiet nature.

Raidou Kuzunoha the XIV's sweetheart? This is not the first time, is it. [The creature would then turn to face Raidou with its expressionless face.] And so, it runs in the family. Perhaps, to meddle in the sands of time is a tradition started by this one. A pity. [He was distracted by Raiho's revelation for long enough to be hit by Tatsuya's Gram, leaving a bit of a black mark on Matador's elegant wear. This, followed by Raidou's attack, forces him to take a few steps backs. The damage dealt was a good done, and of course, Raiho is set free from his harsh grip. Then, the Fiend would compose himself take slow steps to his side, pointing his blade at the duo.] We are all swordsmen here, good. The blade is the finest weapon a warrior is to possess. Heroic, villainous. It exemplifies power and resolution, both, which you incarnate. Tatsuya and Raidou. [He would then stop and prepare himself, this time, moving his capote to the front.] And you both understand the importance of abilities that are not unique to soldiers and understand different aspects to your art; "From one thing, know ten thousand". I believe those were the wise word of an old, famous swords master. [He would swipe at the air with his capote, energy coursing through him, making him extremely agile. After this, he would follow up with a new Magaru of his own.] You are to be commended, Tatsuya Suou. I never knew I would be able to face you, not on this world, and this time. Although you belong to a ruined world, you are in no way part of this hopeless one. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [As Ene makes her way outside, continuing her road to Ikebukuro and way past the Samurai Museum. The road towards Ikebukuro is indeed an easy one, or rather simple, because all it needs is to follow one main street. As she did so, she would be able to get even more insight into the destruction of Tokyo. The city was almost unrecognizable, and this feeling had nothing to do with it being a version of it from 27 or so years ago. Cars were either crashed, crushed or cut into small bits; some still dripping our blood. At the top of the tallest buildings, she may be able to see Angels simply watching, talking to each other, not doing anything. And so, it was the case for the longest time. After a while, Ene would find herself in a situation. To her right, there was a series of narrow streets that will lead to Ikebukuro all the same, but are rather dark and of course, cramped. Meanwhile to her left, the main road she's been following. Angels are still very clearly watching from above, some even with their "eyes" on her.]

[The slippery nature of the Inside Cave makes it hard to maintain any kind of balance, but Quintus' Garutera makes the task a rather simple endeavor. After doing so, however, he would feel a strange rumbling that would go away as quick as it appeared. Regardless, at the other side of the hole is a wide chamber. Inside, he would notice a pile of clothes on one side, and a couple other similar items scattered all over the floor. Shirts, shoes with their pair, bits of a maid outfit as well. A closer look would reveal they had a strange, slimy substance on them. Besides this, he would find himself in front of four different tunnels. From left to right, they are numbered from one through four. The first one leads further down, the road goes to the left in downward diagonal way and from it, a beating-like noise can be felt. The second one leads directly ahead in a very straight line, and from it, some light chatter is heard, but it's impossible to make out anything from it. The third one seems like a simple cave at first sight, but you can't exactly see its "ceiling". Finally, the fourth one leads to the right; the way making a hard 90-degree turn. From here, you can make out a few words. God...................away.......................stomach......................hammer.............. [Seems to be the same voice that Quintus has been hearing the entire time.]

Ene feels her hopeful mood dim at the sight of all the wreckage on her journey. The blood tells a story that she does not think she can handle for now and a little guilt bites at her heart. She wishes she could have helped the people that were caught in this mess but it is far too late for wishes now. At least this time no one is around to point an accusatory finger at her. At a certain point of the road she notices the angels watching her with their inhuman eyes. Still remembering the damage she took from her previous opponent she decides to play it smart for once. C'mon higher power don't jinx me now. Ene whispers as she covers herself with her dark cloak and dodges into the side streets. She makes sure to make her movements light as she continues forward to not attract any unwated attention.

Raidou, being relatively close to Raiho once again, grabs the little guy and does a tumble. He protects his companion from the harmful winds, and manages to evade a good chunk of the attack himself. Still, it's not all good news as Raidou is hit even further by the barrage of painfully cutting gusts. Raiho is mostly protected though, as the pair tumbles away from the Fiend and land next to each other. They share a look with one another, and nod. The feeling is right for a combination attack, but for the time being they're left without an opportunity to strike, especially given Matador's increased agility. Gouto, meanwhile, is left to ponder what the demon had to say. "The Heisei kid, The Alternative, that...Demi-Fiend kid, and now here. I suppose Raidou here really has made a point of meddling in other time periods, but all traditions can be changed. We always leave things better than how they were when we got there, and that's what matters!" Raidou nods in affirmation, and he draws his revolver once again. He and Raiho glow with a mystical green energy, and Raidou fires two more shots from his gun. They're faster than a normal gunshot would be, and hit a bit harder too. Additionally, thanks to Raiho's help, they exude a ghostly blue energy, and are cold to the touch. Named by Raidou himself, this is his "Boogie-Woogie" technique, sharing his demonic ally's power to strengthen his weapons. Barring Kusanagi, it works with anything.

Quintus would consider each path. The first was clearly the most obvious and stand out path with the beating. The second seemed like it was likeyl filled with demons of some kind based on the chatter. The third seemed like it would be easy to be ambushed from above considering the lack of a ceiling. Finally, the fourth also seemed shady with how it had such a sharp turn. Quintus in the end would choose the first path but would still be cautious while taking it. "Alright, ominous beating. Maybe I'll be getting to the heart of the issue..." He'd sigh at himself for a moment, unsure of why he felt the need to make a pun like that.

[The chattering would stop and instead turn into a rather disappointed sigh after the horrid pun. Quintus would head down the first of the many path, following the ominous beating that would increase for every meter that he walked. Eventually, the darkness that the young man could travers without much issue would start to dissipate, as the walls were slowly lighting up. Energy was coursing each wall steadily. Soon, he would realize the textures on the wall had a reddish tint to them, that the smaller bits would vibrate and beat on their own seconds after the bigger object does it. As one would expect, Quintus would realize he's been walking inside of something; the walls being part of flesh that is very much alive. Eventually, he would find himself reaching a large chamber that is slightly different to the rest of the interior. There was a large bed, cushions, even half eaten food; the ceramic of the floor fusing itself with the flesh. On top of it all, was a massive beating heart, or at least Quintus would assume it was such, given that it's shape resembled more a bunch of piled up rotten meat with a thousand tendrils connecting it to the walls and ceiling, and four eyes.] Who are you? You are not being consumed. [The voice would question Quintus, coming from all over the chamber. The eyes would all turn to look at him, expecting an answer.] You...feel strange, like outside of our reach.

Tatsuya chuckles a bit upon hearing the being's words upon the blade, it makes a bit of sense to be sure, he even kind of agrees with the demon before them. Under differenet circumstances, this would be a fun battle. "You aren't wrong, and I must admit. Your skill with it surpasses my own Matador... Of course, there's more than one way to engage with a battle." The blows he's taken speak to the fact that swordplay isn't about to solve his greatest issues here, the skeleton is fast and the skeleton can outduel them. That much can be said for sure, but simply trying to do this in a standup fight way will clearly backfire. "Ruined, yeah you're right there. But hopeless... Heh, can't say I've been truly hopeless. Gonna try something now!" The Magaru is a pain in the ass, he isn't as fast as he could be and he doesn't have the raw magic to simply shape his elements as he'd wish either. But he can move regardless and with a quick roll to the side he'd both rush away from the attack and minimize his exposure to the slicing winds. After that quick action, the man would take note of Raidou's attack. Flashbacks to older days cross his mind for a moment upon seeing the effect taking place, and he'd snap his fingers as glowing white Nuclear energy begins taking shape from his power. Rather than simply bursting towards their foe, the aim of this spell would be to mix in alongside his allies, if it worked properly than the ice would glow with a deep white color and the bullets would speed up even more as a trail of magic bursts out behind them. "Can't say I gotta any cool name for that one, but it's a fusion spell dontcha know. Or my attempt on one."

The only thing that shall be left better, is the experience the ones who survive get. For the fate of this town and its people... was never anything but doom. [The Fiend would snicker as he is hit by one of Raidou's bullets, which also hold Raiho's power, and Tatsuya's Nuclear magic. However, he is able to completely avoid the rest of the attack. Although his senses and agility had been raised to the max, and he had noticed the incoming attack, they were indeed faster than one could possibly expect. The damage packed Raiho's magic and Tatsuya's attack buff. The better way to describe what just happened was that he had received critical damage. However, it was still a long way from being enough to beat him.] I applaud your comradery, in such a dire situation, to hold your companions close is important. But one's own strength is what makes the whole difference! [Matador would first prepare himself with a simple Charge; his body would glow for a moment as he prepares for his next move. He would quickly run at the group with sword in hand, preparing to attack with Andalucia.] Taste my blade. [In total, he would do 11 stabs at random at very high speeds. Tatsuya would receive 3, one on his left arm, another to his right shoulder and finally, one at the side of his lower torso. Raidou would receive 5 of them, all scattered across his torso and one on his right leg. Finally, Raiho would get hit the remaining 3 times. After this, Matador takes just one step back.] My "Espada" is superior, you three are quickly falling behind. Perhaps your "sweetheart" cannot be saved after all.

Quintus was a little more than creeped out by this. He felt somewhat sick just from the atmosphere alone, to the point where he almost had trouble responding to the voice alone. He'd have to take a moment to regain whatever composure he had left, trying to respon calmly to the...thing...before him. "I'm Quintus. I'm not sure why I would be strange. Maybe if you told me who or what you are that might divulge some light on this situation." He thought for a moment about just trying to jab one of his blades into the giant heart but he thought it unwise to interact with such an oddity until he knew what it was.

The best way to put it is that you do not belong in this world. I can tell there is a "you". But that "you" isn't the one standing inside of me. [The "Heart" would blink once, then twice, and the one final time with the last eye.] My name is Abaddon the Destroyer, the Angel of Destruction. Or rather, a fragment of myself. My complete self lies trapped inside of the Expanse, locked away by God. [The insides of the creature vibrate once more as he says his name, and seems to stress at the name, or rather, title he had said.] I know I have not eaten you. Why are you here?

"Abaddon...The name sounds familiar at least..." Quintus was unsure how to respond. He already feared the worst based on how Abaddon said they had consumed those within them. "I came because there were survivors reported in the area...Let me guess...they were consumed by you?" That would explain the clothes from earlier. He couldn't say he was suprised but still, the thought disgusted him. "Don't suppose you could maybe unconsume them? Not to pressure you or anything..." He remembered Azumi's warnings about angels but something was clearly very un-angelic about this one. Not to mention that he always remembered the name Abaddon belonging to a demon rather than an angel.

Impossible. That which I consume slowly corrodes into nothingness. I remember very well, however. The people you mention...they were hurdled up together on top of a building, and I was told by a higher Archangel to devour it. [The insides vibrate in a rather horrible way, almost as if the flesh was making bubbles. As it would appear, Abaddon was laughing.] But for God to require me once again, that was quite unexpected. Because Angels were sent here to save people for the Thousand Year Kingdom. Are you, too, under the orders of the Angels?

Quintus almost seemed, angry at the suggestion. He tried to hide it but he couldn't completely remove the disdain in his voice. "No, a being like god doesn't have the right to try and save humans." He'd take note of how that must have sounded and try to calm himself down. "Wait, so outside, the building with the bite marks...Guess that was them. I was too late then. Still though, why listen to this God? They keep you locked away, don't they? Did they promise you something in return?"

My original form. After Lucifer's rebellion, I was defeated and turned into an abhorrent blob, no different from a Slime. I agreed with Lucifer's plan back then because to be a slave is... ... Lucifer can never defeat YHVH, so I have to do what I must. [The furniture and ceramic would slowly melt away, the body of Abaddon consuming it and banishing it into nothingness, the void. As he does, red markings course the flesh and go into the tendrils holding Abaddon's heart, and making it beat faster.] Why do you say God does not have a right on that which He created? There is no other way, humans are but helpless against the demons and themselves. [The red markings would disappear and the heart would beat normally once more. All four eyes are closed.] You speak in an absolute way, too. Are you perhaps a heretic? If that's the case... I would advise... ... .. . No, YHVH could be watching. [The beating of the heart would accelerate.]

Raidou cursed, grabbing Raiho in a moment of desperation and turning his body to shield his companion from the attacks aimed at him. In the end, Raidou took the brunt of almost every single blow aimed at the pair. One still managed to hit Raiho's arm, and two of the hits aimed for the summoner himself would whiff on the account of him shifting his body so drastically. Still, that was 5 attacks in total he took all across his upper and lower back. The young man collapsed to the ground, barely able to stand. Raiho, a look of concern and desperation in his innocent eyes, approached his master to cast a healing spell. Raidou, however, waved him off; and while Raidou was still hurt rather badly, he struggled to his feet anyway. He propped himself up on Kusanagi, and glared at the skull-faced demon. ...You're wrong. The summoner spat a wad of blood from his mouth onto the pavement below, and wiped his face with his sleeve. We Kuzunohas, above all else, are to prioritize defending those who can't defend themselves. Our bodies shields, unbreakable in the face of adversity. Our magic, the spears with which to pierce any opposition. Most of all, our will, our lineage, our faith in those we swear to protect, that is what separates a Kuzunoha from any normal man. Magic, training, strength, all of it is meaningless before the solidarity of the Kuzunoha legacy. And so... Raidou shifted his weight back into both of his legs, swiping his sword through the air and scattering his own blood that had dripped onto the blade into the wind. ...Until the last flame within me goes out, I will never stop defending those in need. Nothing will stand in my way, not any magic, not this "doom" you speak of, and certainly not you! Raiho's eyes seemed to glisten with admiration for his superior, and the two shared another look and a nod before turning to Matador with determination clear on their faces. Trusting Tatsuya to handle providing a distraction, however brief, master and demon would both be enveloped by the Kuzunoha's signature green light. Raiho did a twirl in place, and within his hand formed his own summoning tube. He held it aloft, and from his position charged a Jack Frost the size of two men, decked out in a samurai's armor and sword in hand. Raidou dashed forward as well, his speed not at all matching that of a man who could barely stand just moments prior. The both converged on the Matador's position, and in a flash of blades they slashed at the demon's center, leaving an "X' shape in their wake, and a similar shape along the ground, as frost trailed their footsteps for the entirety of the attack. As clouds fall... "Sakura's bloom, hee ho!" Fallen warriors gather... "Hee, in the evening glho-om!" ...and I present to you, "Your doom, hee ho!" Raidou swung his sword in front of him, frost shaking off of the blade and fluttering away into the sky as the Samurai Frost vanished and Raiho tried to mimic his master's actions. He lacked a sword, but good on him for trying.

A girl hears shouting and a few voices, and runs out of the alleyway she was tucked in. She was wearing a long, black, leather jacket, red gloves, and a black mask with white around the eyes. The heels on her boots clicked on the ground as she ran out, and she stared at the fight that was unfolding. She withdrew a dagger, and slid out in front of the complete stranger, and defended them against the demon, grunting as the demon pushed against her dagger. Her eyes glowed a bright yellow with determination to defend the person, and growled. W-What the hell d-do you think you’re doing?! Th-This is a n-normal person, and does not d-deserve this! As a Phantom Thief, I-I’ve learned that all people have g-good in them, and do not have to b-be punished unless t-they truly need it!

[Matador had remained in close proximity, and he was paying absolute attention to what Raidou had to say, he, who could stand up even after the amount of injuries he had sustained. It was clear as day, the young man will not be able to fight for much longer. Regardless, his spirit was admirable, the Fiend thought, worthy of being remembered by history, for he had protected Tokyo numerous times, before even reaching the age of an adult.] Raidou, your words hold a strength not many have, and for that, I shall grant you a quick- [He had failed to notice the grenade at his feet. It explodes dealing some damage with its fire, and its shrapnel. Matador is taken aback and turns to face Tatsuya, but before he can retaliate, both Raidou and Samurai Frost were on his skulls. The attack goes through, leaving an X-shaped mark on his chest, breaking through his elegant attire and revealing a torax; inside of it, a beating heart, and nothing more. Matador needs to take a moment to recompose himself, for the damage had been massive. After a moment, however, he would stand up proud and strong as ever.] ...well done, Raidou Kuzunoha the XIV. You have proved your worth, and so have you, Raiho Kuzunoha the XL. When you're gone, I shall erect a monument to your lives. [Matador would make a quick spin and launch a barrage of powerful winds at Raiho, Garula.] Be thankful you will not be witness of the greatest tragedy in human history, as I will. And that you will not taste the ultimate failure. [He would launch another Garula at Raidou. Matador was clearly hurt but could still fight plenty, and on simpler terms, it would be better to say he was at around 35% of his complete capacity. After launching those attacks, he would turn to face Tatsuya.] And you... in the name of my capote, of my Andalucía, I hope you can keep up with the fastest of the duelists. The speed of my blade is matched by no man, it's quicker than sound.

It was obvious to anyone that Raidou was barely able to stand, and he was close to simply falling over before Matador even retaliated. Still, the Garula was all it took for Raidou to be out cold. Without medical attention, he'd likely bleed out very quickly. Raiho was sent careening as well, bouncing along the ground like a rubber ball before faceplanting. Thankfully, thanks to Raidou's protection, he wasn't down for the count yet. Gouto sighed, and as Raiho attempted to do an about-face to attack Matador again, he and Raidou were enveloped by the usual Kuzunoha light and appeared right next to the cat. "Give it up, Raiho. No point fighting a battle you're clearly outmatched for, not without Raidou. Seriously kid, I thought you knew better than to bet the entire fight on one trick. Guess there's nothing to do about it now." Raiho would pout briefly, before beginning to address his master's wounds. He certainly wouldn't be up anytime soon, but for the time being he probably isn't a dead man. Gouto, meanwhile, would turn to address Matador. "Hope it ain't too much to ask you not to just kill the guy right now. Doesn't really seem like your style to me. Whether you do it now, or if by some miracle on your part you manage to beat the red one, you do it then; nothin' much I can do about it either way..." "Still though, good luck with that one. If I had to call Raidou anything, it'd be...the calm amidst a storm, something to that effect. That one there, though...He's like a whole wildfire all on his own." The elder simply chuckled to himself after that, before simply looking down at Raidou and overseeing his slow healing process at the hands of Raiho.

[Making her way through the fence of the house and into the front yard. The house itself is standard: A two story residence, colored white; ample windows, although the ones for the living room are all shattered. The main door is wide open, with some cracks on the frame of it and some nasty bloody footprints leading to the second floor. A closer look into it would reveal three sets of shoes, two big ones and another smaller one. The front yard connects directly to the backyard, but Ene cannot exactly tell what's behind, or if there's anything. The entire home had been adorned with beautiful, colorful flowers.]

Quintus could tell...something was happening and wasn't sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing, regardless he thought it best not to push Abaddon too hard. "If you're afraid to say then you don't need to. I may just be human but I don't want to remain powerless forever. I have one last question and then I'll leave you be. I heard a whispering on my way here. It seemed to stop when I reached this place so I feel inclined to ask if it was you whispering?"

[As Quintus does not force him to continue, his heartbeat calms down, not feeling the anxiety of being watched.] Whispering...? It should be impossible, anything I devour leaves no trace of themselves at all. If it may to be someone, then they must be especially resilient to my insides. [Abaddon sounds genuinely confused by the idea of something inside of him still showing life signs, other than Quintus, that is.] Perhaps it could also be another that stumbled into me without being consumed. As it stands, looking into myself with mine own eyes is like looking into a moonless night. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Passing through the front yard and into the backyard, she notices a small bunch of growths sorted in a single straight line , though she may be unable to really recognize any of them if it's only their leaves. More importantly, the entrance to the house from the backyard reveals a rather grim image to the interior; possible thanks to the sliding glass doors. On top of the counter to what appears to be the kitchen, then decapitated head of a middle-aged man lies on top of a fine plate with the expression he most likely had before dying plastered all over it. Wide open eyes full of terror and drying tears, a gaping mouth open in abject horror. His body is nowhere to be seen, but in the puddle of blood right under the counter, bits and pieces of clothing remain. The glass door is untouched, with not a single crack or drop of blood.]

Quintus would sigh. It seemed his task wasn't over quite yet. "I'm going to go see for myself then if you don't mind. Thank you for your help, Lord Abaddon." Quintus would try to leave the room with the heart. If he wasn't stopped he would next head to the second hall with the chattering. It seemed as good as any place to start looking.

[Ene runs out of the ruined house and towards the street. She would still hear the people screaming in the distance, in the houses close, and those more than three blocks away. It was a complete purging. The Residential Area was massive, and it was never ending. At times, she would pass distracted demons who were still playing with their "prey". Some of them were extremely thin, corpse-like figures that were shaking with each step, with their faces covered and lances. Some would be massive creatures stumbling around in their paper bodies. There was now a group of Angels following Ene from up above, not getting any closer just yet. Eventually, she would come across the main street once more, at the end of the Residential Area and far from any apparent demon. To her side, she would find a park and a playground. It was completely abandoned. In front of it, there was a small store.] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Abaddon would not say anymore as Quintus left the now empty, fleshy insides of the beasts' chest? As he moves back to the Four Tunnels chamber. Nothing much had changed there, of course, just the way from which he came in was now as gone as the clothes that were lying around. There, he would hear the whispering once more.] .........HV...............trapped............changel............. [It's still hard to make out from where exactly it is coming from, regardless, Quintus heads down the second tunnel from the which he had heard the chattering. As he heads inside, the image he would see was perhaps contradicting. Various types of demons were all merging into the fleshy walls, some already losing their skin, and showing bones. Some had Slimes and Black Oozes hanging on from them, slowly corroding their bodies in a slow, tortuous manner. Despite this, the still conscious demons would not react to it, as if they were not feelings the pain. The hall would extend for as long as Quintus' eyes could see.] Andras, how have you been... ? [A Lamia would ask.] Perfectly, I have just eaten a female... she was a virgin, so full of life... [The Andras had only half of its bird head out as it was speaking, a single Slime almost completely consuming its body. Although they are still clearly alive, they have not noticed him. Closer to him were a Lamia, Andras, Jack Frost and an Angel.]

This was, probably one of the more disturbing sights he'd witnessed. Quintus would recoil, clearly not a big fanof this room. He thought about leaving immediatly but...even if he could only get a small hint as to where the whispering was coming from it might be worth it. He'd aproach the 4 demons that were closest to him but he'd keep an obvious distance to the wall, more out of disgust than caution. "Sorry to interupt your conversation but I have a question, if any of you wouldn't mind answering."

[All four demons would turn their head towards Quintus.] Is this the voice of a human...? [Lamia would ask.] It is indeed a human, a young male... [Andras would confirm.] Ho... [Jack Frost would lament.] Ask away, son of Adam. There is no reason for us to deny your inquiries. [The Angel would reply quite firmly, her body, out of the entire group, was the least destroyed one, with just her legs and wings attached to the flesh of Abaddon.]

Quintus was actually somewhat suprised with how calm the demons were. He saw them not freaking out before but it was suprising that they seemed to lack any kind of desperation. "Uh, well, I'm looking for the source of some whispering I've been hearing here. I was wondering if any of you heard it as well in this area... I guess while I'm at it, I am curious, why are you all so calm about this?"

Silly human, ho... ! We are merely chatting about our day, hee... ! [Jack Frost replies. It would be obvious to him that the demons were speaking without much energy, and yet the way the would talk made it seem like they were, in fact, full of energy.] The only one that should be scared is you, kid... ! Imply anything else and you'll end up in my stomach... ! [Andras would warn Quintus, his head starting to resemble more a strange looking skull than an actual bird.] What words were you able to make out, child? I have not heard anything, but perhaps someone is calling out to you. [Angel was able to actually answer his question. She would try to flap her wings and move her feet, but as soon as they got out, but before she even fell victim to gravity, the flesh itself would pull her back and stop her from falling. She wasn't just being absorbed by the insides of Abaddon, she was also becoming a part of him.] They have lost it already, had you gotten here an hour prior then you would've seen them all crying. Although...perhaps an hour ago is an incorrect term, the insides of this creature are...their own realm. ... God...has already abandoned us.

QUintus would feel a moment of pity for the demons before him. It was a depressing thought that they were already doomed from the get go. It was also odd hearing an angel say that God had abandoned them, it made him feel bad in all honesty. "I-I see...Is there...anything I can do? I should try to find the voice though. I think they were calling for help..." He had trouble directing this anger at anyone. He knew better than to just simply blame Abbadon. He met the demon and they didn't seem outright malicious. No, it was YHVH and their angels that ordered them to do this and that turned them into this...thing. Even consuming another angel, wether intentional or not it was too cruel.

After all the horrors she had witnessed on the way here the sight of a park is almost laughable. Seeing a small park would have forced a memory had she not already experienced the current world she is in. Somehow the snake is less worse than the screams of others and the sight of innocent decapitation. A thought which disturbed Ene to her core and almost makes her want to go back and team up with some of the people from before. Yet something keeps her moving forward. Keeps her heart beating at an erratic rate. Just a little more ... She says without knowing if that is really true or not. She just plows forward and makes it to the small convenience store on the way.

There is nothing for you to do anymore, but... [Andras could not speak anymore, Jack Frost was nothing but a carved smile on flesh, Lamia had begun blabbering and shedding tears for a moment before her head, too, became a part of the massive creature. Angel would slowly get deeper into the walls.] ...take off the binds that conceal my eyes, if you please. We, Angels, are born along with humans, every time a child is born on this Earth, one. From that moment on, we are to protect our human from malice and evil, as according to the law of God. We are blinded from the rest of the world, so we can only see our person. But now, I am in darkness. The human child who I was watching has passed on. ... Before I go where he does, I want to be able to see the same thing he saw in his last moments, here...right in front of me, from where I could see myself trapped, unable to protect him. [The Angel would turn her head towards the place she would assume Quintus was standing at, then look away.] ...It is horrific, but it is fate regardless. I shall apologize to him when I reach beyond the Styx. [The other demons had been completely consumed by now.] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Ene would make her way inside of the small Convenience Store, and as one would expect, it was completely deserted, and looked like a mess. Despite this, it was still full of different products, of all types. Muscle Drinks, Amrita Soda, Medicine... even candy bars. The cash register was open and empty. Most of the other products that do not exactly serve any purpose in the context of a demon invasion laid on the floor. It's the perfect place to recover and rest. Outside, a small shadow could be noticed. A somewhat irregular that was seemingly descending in front of the entrance to the Convenience Store.]

Quintus would be silent for a moment before trying to aproach the angel. He remembered Abaddon saying that he couldn't be consumed and he hopes that remained true. "Guess I really do posses cursed luck. I...yeah, I'll grant that wish." He'd aproach the angel, trying to avoid the parts to her of her that had already been consumed.He'd try to reach for her head, where the blindfold was to remove it. He'd try to do it quickly in order to move away again, hoping that the flesh wouldn't try and take hima s well.

[As the blindfold is taken off of Angel's eyes, her blue eyes would look around before turning to Quintus. Of course, the young man was not taken by the walls, he had ventured on his own inside of the beast, and not eaten by the strange nature of Abaddon's gapping abyss of a mouth. After this is done, Angel smiles and her eyes become a mess of tears.] Thank you, child... I pray for you, so your own guardian angel to protect you until the Thousand Year Kingdom reaches this doomed Earth. I... I shall meet, my child, Ryotaro... on the other side... ... [Angel would then stay quiet, slowly being absorbed more into the walls. After a second, she would raise her head; her face still wet from the tears.] Ryotaro... you should be careful... What will your older sister say... ? Don't make her worry like that, silly child... [Her eyes are blank, but she smiles as she looks at something that does not live anymore. In the distance, even more demons are absorbed continuously.]

Quintus would be silent for a moment. He was unsure how to feel, he barely knew the angel and yet he truly felt pity for her. He was once again reminded of the true nature of this world where the innocent were killed off simply on the whims of those above them. He felt sick, sick from knowing that out their somewhere was an archangel who had probably allowed for this to happen. "I don't even know what your name truly was or if you had one but...I..." He'd clench one of his fists is sheer anger over what he had witnessed. He had to turn away, to keep his compuser or what little of it he had left. "I won't forget this...as long as I live. I won't forgive those who would allow somethinglike this." He'd storm out of the room, with a heavier heart than before. Two hallways left but he wasn't so certain where to go next. He'd once more try to listen for the whispering. Hoping it was still there and maybe that it would be less vague than before.

[Indeed, now that the choice was down to two, the origin of the whispers can now be easily discerned.] Archangels........Expanse..................La......haos.........uintus. [The whispers were coming from the fourth hall, the last one to his right. The area in general was all better lit, and now it was easier to see each road. For example, the third one, as previously stated, leads up to somewhere, as random steps can be seen spread out from one side to another; useful for climbing. The fourth one still took a sharp turn to the right, but this one was also going up, steadily so, towards a certain light. If Quintus paid attention, he could feel a rather ominous and powerful presence. However, it did not show any violent intent.]

Quintus felt somewhat nervous. He wasn't sure if he was mentality prepared for what came but he felt as though his time might be limited in some way. He'd traverse the fourth hall, unsure of what lie ahead. "I hope this leads somewhare...did...the voice call me name? It must be a coicidence. I don't remember telling anyone my name but Abaddon so far. Maybe I'll get an answer...an answer to all of this. Nobody should have to go through this kind of suffering..."

[Quintus would traverse through the rightmost path for an unknown amount of time. Even if the pressure of the power he was approaching was massive, he would find himself allured by such spirit, calling out to him. After what could have been years or perhaps seconds, he would encounter a strange, oddly futuristic looking room at the depths of Abaddon. In front of him was a door that seemed like it came out straight out of a science fiction movie; the lights were clear as the sun, and everything was a calming white, as opposed the bizarre, awful crimson from the fallen angel's insides. Right there in front of him, a man was waiting. He was well dressed, his eyes were both red and blue, and his hair was blonde. His suit is of a dark purple, his tie yellow. The man smiles at him rather calmly.] I've been waiting for you, Quintus. Perhaps next time I should try a different method of calling to you. [He would place the palm of his right hand on his chest as he introduced himself.] My name is Louis Cyphre, and I'm truly pleasured to finally meet you.

Quintus would be a bit shocked at the change of scenery. He already felt tired form everything he had scene, emotionally drained. The man before him though, was something he hadn't expected at the end of thise tunnel. "So, you were the one calling me. Guess I shouldn't have been hopeful that some of them were still alive. So, Louis...Why are you here exactly? The inside of a fallen angel is the last place I'd expect to find someone...in a room like this." Quintus wouldn't be sure wether to be annoyed or calmed by the man's presence. It felt almost insulting to be in such a calm room after the disturbing scene he had witnessed before. It was like he had been simply asked to forget what he just saw and pretend everything was alright.

I'm here for you, Quintus. That's exactly why. [The room too was being consumed slowly, as it would appear, this areas was a place inside of Abaddon, but it did not seem like anything that 1992 would normally have.] I am guessing you've already heard of God's plan, have you not? About the Angels, about the demons, and about the fate of the people of Tokyo? [The man, with both hands behind his back, would elegantly walk forward, getting closer to Quintus.] I would imagine you have heard of those plans, otherwise, I would be unable to understand the anger that hides behind those eyes of yours.

"Any being who claims to be God is never a friend of mine. All I know is that I witnessed an Angel whose duty was only to watch over a human child be consumed on God's orders. To kill an innocent, no matter who they are...Just who does this YHVH believe they are. They all mentioned something about a thousand year kingdom and a doomed earth. I don't understand anything but I know now that this God is not a benevolent one." Quintus would try his best to focus on what exactly Louis was saying. He'd swallow his feeling trying to realize the intent of his words. "But the things you mentioned. The people of Tokyo? Is their version of saving them no diffrent from killing them?"

Do not worry, Quintus. I'm on your side here. I, too, feel disdain for this hypocrite who would call himself the ruler of the world. [Louis would walk even closer to Quintus and stand by his side, keeping his graceful stance.] The "Thousand Year Kingdom" is how he refers to his utopia. Although he created humans, they were imperfect, and so, he's judging and choosing a select few to go on to live in a perfect world of absolute order in which everyone gives glory to him and relinquish their free will. [He would cross his arm around the young man's neck, hoping for him to trust him enough as he directs him to the door in front of them.] But he can only manage this through proxies; this has been a centuries old conspiracy, for the Messians, the believers of God, to raise to power, for people to believe in him. [They would stand in front of the futuristic, pale door.] And today, the beginning of the end starts at 8 pm... when an American ICBM drops on this city with the excuse of purging the demons who have invaded. As such, God's judgement is soon to fall upon the citizens of Tokyo. He will exterminate anyone who opposes him and has no qualms about sacrificing even his most trusted servants. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Although Ene launches her attack to the possible demons outside, it misses the mark by a few inches. What has descended in front of the Convenience Store in which Ene is now hiding at is a humanoid being, better put, it's a man clad in a silver armor with red pieces of cloth. His wings, vast and majestic were red in color, and in his right hand there was a sword. He would slowly open the doors and take a step inside.] Do not be afraid, Daughter of Eve. I am not here to hurt you, but rather, I come here in the name of God and all that is right with aid. The angels above have told me of your struggle, and of your despair. [The angelical being would sheath his blade.] I am an Archangel, of the Divines. Why do you not look for shelter? Certainly, to stay in this city is suicidal.

Quintus' eyes would light up. If what Louis said was true...No, after what he'd seen he knew that there was no denying his words. He was unsure what to make of the news but he felt distraught over the news none the less. "Is there anything to do to stop such a vile act? The people have done nothing to deserve such a heavy measure, have they? And to sacrifice even his own. Just what kind of world is this to have such an unjust God?"

Tatsuya... Is frankly a cheap bastard, the Matador would find his enemy having crossed the distance between them in the time that his allies were attacked. "Match you... Directly? I doubt it, but there's a saying I think works here oh Fiend of The Blade!" "All warfare is based on deception." The swordsman darts forward with impressive speed, the best a human could reach without magic really. But not that fast to Matador. He isn't counting on speed though, instead the man holds his blade in one hand, winds up for a powerful swing while flames dance around it, and begins rushing down from the skeleton's right side... At the same time he'd slam an open palm forwards with his left side, the tell tale signature of blazing magic forming, smoke rushing off his left hand as he clearly prepares the true far faster and less telegraphed attack... Except the feint wasn't a feint, the blatantly obvious blow no skilled swordsman would ever expect another good combatant to commit on was in fact the true point. Tatsuya's smoking hand is just a smoking hand, but Gram flies downwards with incredible force at the Matador and aims to rip directly into his neck and skull from the right as a raging inferno roars up upon the blade. Gram's natural fires mixing with the power the demon hunter had gathered to create a truly impressive display. "All warfare is based on deception, Sun Tzu."

To finish off a man when the duel is not over would be the greatest insult, the worst sin against mine own honor. First, I shall finish off this man, Tatsuya Suou. Once I stand victorious, I shall bathe Espada in the blood of each one. Painless, that is my promise. [Matador readies himself to face the wildfire known as Tatsuya. He would see the older demon hunter approach him; he just knew something was up. But then again, he had yet to see his absolute power, for he simply supported Raidou before. Then, he would see the palm of his hand release smoke, but no fire, only for the real deal to come in through the sword. Yes, fire at such a distance, he would not be able to avoid. It was a powerful fire, certainly hot enough to melt steel if it truly desired to do so. But Matador, in his experiences that go beyond centuries, would know better. Taking full advantage of the power brought to him by Red Capote earlier, he is able to move away and even swipe and the man with his trusty red cloth.] Olé! I congratulate you for your attempt, but a swordsman must be quick and precise, especially a duelist. Do not forget my speed is not for show. Tatsuya Suou, such reckless attempts will only bring about your death, have at you. [Certainly, Matador could feel still just the pain brought by the fire, but avoiding the sword itself was an easy task. Following up on his dodge, he would quickly retaliate with his sword and make a wide cut on the man's left arm, it would be but a Regular Attack.] Mixing up will do no good if you cannot match or surpass my own reflexes or break my attention. [Matador would kick the ground and raise his blade to the air, making sure his next strike will be twice as powerful with Charge.] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I'm afraid not, Quintus. Why else would the angels evacuate the city? Whether they deserved it or not, they simply were not fit to live in God's kingdom; that is enough of a reason to purge them. [Still with a hold of the young man, and half of the white in the room consumed into flesh, Louis would push the doors in front of him to reveal a grim scenery. Quintus would see before him the ruins of Tokyo. All the buildings he had come to know, the parks, the people, the animals, the plant life, all gone and replaced by ruins. In the distance, a gigantic pyramid could be seen and, on its base, a mechanical city that hides from the outside. Demons stumble in the middle of nowhere before dropping dead.] This is the future, the estate of this world. All... just so God will have his personal choir of zealot humans. Anyone not in that group will die, they won't be treated any differently from demons. Eventually... [A gigantic ray falls from the sky and annihilates the entire city of the future, leveling mountains, evaporating the water, blowing away even the smallest of particles until nothing but the prime materials of the Earth remain.] ...all life will cease to exist. This world is but the true reality beyond alternatives and rebirths. Tokyo cannot be saved, but perhaps...

Quintus could hardly believe the site before him. It was far worse than a world he wanted to avoid. It was the very embodiment of everything he believed was wrong with the world. He felt despair for a moment. Everything he had worked towards, was it inevitably in vain? He felt perhaps that giving up was his only true option, that this world couldn't and wouldn't be saved. "So, it's all meaningless then. What's the point of struggling if a future like that is all that awaits us. Would humanity not be better of dead?" He clings onto Louis' words though as he continues. He was perhaps simply trying to find some exception, some way out. "Perhaps? Perhaps what? If there's even a chance, I want to know!"

There always is. But that is something that is to be decided in the next millennium, for this time is at its end. [The door would be closed, and they would be standing back at the flesh chamber. Louis would smile at Quintus despite it all.] Do not lose hope, the future I showed you is only partially true. A future in which God does succeed in his endeavors, because those aligned with "Law" allowed it, because they truly believed that all life must be destroyed. Those of "Law", that's the real enemy of this world. [After this, the man would walk past him.] Remember, today at 8pm, the entire city will be hit by the worst of human inventions. Humans shall be brought to the brink of extinction by their own hand. But the future in which humanity survives and must rebuild is yet to be chosen, so for now, survive. I am sure we'll meet again, Quintus. I hope you are not caught up in the blast. [Louis would walk down the long hall that lead Quintus there.]

Quintus wasn't sure how to respond. Those who are aligned with law are the true enemy. That fact would sink into his heart. A determination would begin setting in with two goals in mind. First, survive and second, make sure those who are aligned with law don't. "I understand, I'll...I'll save this world from God's wrath. I'll survive. I cannot allow humanity to be turned into...that." Quintus would be somewhat lost for a moment as Louis left. He would have to pull himself together. He no longer had any time to waste. He would begin walking down the hall as well. It seemed his job here was done.

Ene remains tense after the angel's introduction, but does give him a response. I can't look for shelter without helping some people first. The city is dangerous but if I have the ability to help then I should. Not doing anything with it would make me worse than suicidal! She naturally crosses her arms and looks hopeful. Yet the continued sight of the mess around her quickly dampens the effect her words brought to herself. Peering at the angel she then asks. How are you planning to help?

[Quintus' decision was already made and so, going into the third path would lead him into some large circular room leading up with steps and bone. This of course may not faze him, and he just knew this road was the one that would take him to the "exit". Getting to the top may be a bit of a daunting task but nothing too difficult for a man who quite possibly fights on the regular and has abilities that help him control his airtime. After he gets to the top, he would find himself in front of a simple wooden door, which would lead him back to the outside world. If he were to look back, he would realize he had left the maid cafe with no signs of any fleshy bits. Back at the main area of Akihabara, he would notice the sunset already setting in. Nothing much has changed, but he would notice something written on the half-eaten building, but it was hard to make anything out from that distance, and right in front of that building, there was a strange white portal. The way back to HQ was still free, but it would most likely take over an hour to get back.] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your words hold great kindness and selflessness, and for that, I feel thankful that such a person remains alive in this hellish city. And I, too, thank you for your efforts, us Angels have had a difficult time aiding the survivors at warding off the demons and the wicked human who keep summoning them into the world. We saw what you did before, and so did He. [Archangel does not move an inch, but he does smile at the girl.] I come here to offer you hope, and assistance were you ever need it. For God's plan is for humanity to be saved and live in His Thousand Year Kingdom, but the demons are too many to stop now. I am sure one such as yourself has a place in the promised land. We are but useless, for our people have all been massacred. [Archangel grimaces for a moment.] However, if you accept God's salvation for this world, for its people, His love, His faith. Then I can guarantee we shall march by your side; God has ordered as such. [Archangel would extend his hand to her as other Angels soon descend, doing the same, smiling at her.] You must understand the struggle of trying to save people, and of being unable to do anything but watch as they suffer and die meaningless deaths. If you have faith in the hope given from He Above All, then together, as one, can save the lives of those who still remain.

I don't know if I have any faith now but I would like to have some again. Ene says honestly as she takes Archangel's hand and proceeds to shake it. Thus, affirming their possible alliance. She takes some time to peer at the other angels and once she finished there is a manic sort of energy to her step. I still kind of need to scout a bunker for some people so umm if that is all. I guess I'll be going .... Unsure of how the angels may take this she slowly continuous on her way. Smiling and waving at them as she moves to ensure that they feel no hard feelings.

There is not much else to be said. If you need help, then we shall assist when the time is right. [The Archangel and the Angels nod as Ene keeps moving. Then they fly high up into the sky once more.] [Her way was without much issue, but the one element of angels watching over from the buildings high above had not changed. In fact, they would all pay extreme attention to every single movement Ene would make, every detail. As the minutes passed, and almost an hour went by of next to nothing but walking, eventually, she would stop hearing faraway pleas of help, in fact, she would be surrounded by absolute silence in the middle of the city. She could hear the fire still burning down smaller houses and the wind blowing. At times, she would notice some of the Angels take flight and launch lances of light, followed by the screeching of dying monstrosities. In the end, she would reach the place the map had marked at the base, a seemingly abandoned "warehouse". The giant door to the interior of it was slightly open, but it was impossible to see what was inside. Next to it was a small booth that used to belong to the security of the place, at least when it had one. An important detail was that some bits of the fence surrounding the area were completely busted.]

[The booth that had seen better times in the past did in fact have important things inside. Not in the form of more equipment or weapons, but in the form of various security cameras. They are all labeled in different ways, but all of them are different angles from inside the Warehouse, while one last one points to the open door of what seems like an underground bunker, from the which Oni, Momunofu, Yomotsu-Ikusa and Yakuza members are coming in with supplies, and coming out with nothing. The amount of supplies seems to be enough for an entire community to survive for at least a decade. Outside, the Angels keep their watch.] [There is a total number of five cameras covering different areas. The entire place is nothing but small corridors with Yomotsu-Ikusa making rounds rather slowly while other demons move the supplies inside of the bunker. There is one final camera in front of the bunker, various meters underground. Thanks to her checking out the security booth, if she were to choose to head in for any reason, she would know exactly how the rounds of each demon is done, that there is a total of 7 Oni, 3 Momunofu and 4 Yomotsu-Ikusa, not to mention the humans members of the Yakuza working alongside them, about 12 of them.]

Ene studies the camera footage for a few minutes and immediately comes with some cool plan that she may or may not have ripped off from a spy film. However, before leaving to pull off her crazy parkour run she casts a zio on the tech in the booth. Better to have no cameras at all then to risk someone catching her on them. Ene then shifts the hood of her cloak up and slips into the open warehouse door. It will take a few second for her to adjust to the dimness of the halls but after she carefully inserts herself into the rounds. Action ~ She whispers to herself and starts conducting her grand plan. Fully knowing that she can't take on so many demons and people at once. She instead prioritizes sneaking behind a momunofu first since she knows they are most likely to fall prey to her.

Tatsuya mutters a curse under his breath, this could have gone better. The cut on his left arm is far from good, but he's able to duck backwards enough that it doesn't cut in entirely deeply. His retreat would keep onwards as he reaches into his gear once again. "Yeah, that's fair. You're a better swordsman to be sure Matador. I can't win like that." Charge, that's real bad to be sure. Instead of trying to press the attack in this moment, Tatsuya does something unthinkable. He prepares, tries to set some distance between himself and his foe, and gets ready. Both hands placed on his blade as he aims to dodge and defend against the enemy's incoming onslaught to the best of his skills. Along with the flames of his blade growing brighter as he plans out a counter attack, if he can survive this. "Have at thee Fiend, for good or ill to me those who live by the sword die by the sword. That's all of us here naturally."

What are you planning, Hunter? Perhaps readying yourself for death. Vale, acabaré con esto! Os mostraré el alcance de mi hoja! [Matador would move forward towards Tatsuya, preparing his powerful strike, his Andalucía. And as if luck had been on his side the entire time, he would be able to land 10 hits with his trusty blade, each lunge avoiding any vital spot, but rather, aiming to disable his opponent, for he has the power to kill right away, but to do so would be a dishonor to their style of dueling.] Indeed, we shall all fall to the sword. [He would quickly attack with Garula, trying to stay close to the man rather than at a distance, for his Capote gives him the advantage.] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [In a smart movement, Ene would fry the security cameras. Having memorized the layout and making it safely into the warehouse, she would indeed manage to sneak past the first Momunofu who makes a rather simple cycle. Before getting to the way down the warehouse, Ene would find two roads among the giant crates that are slowly getting emptied. She knows that through the first one there are two demons chatting rather absent mindedly; they are of course ON the way, but if she went through there, she would make it very quickly to the way down. Meanwhile, the other route had a simple an easy to predict group of demons patrolling. This, of course, would make her take a bit longer.]

The Matador's blows are quiet deadly, if he were any less prepared then he might well be left quite disabled indeed. As is, he's able to cause half of those hits to merely scrape against his blade, they still slam in and deal blunt damage even with that defense. The rest are only semi blunted by his armor, and all told Tatsuya is left quite winded if still fighting. "Getting ready to die... Nah not at all!" The hunter surges backwards with a powerful leap, he isn't just trying to move. His blade is held steady at the front with one hand, blocking the raw magic rushing at him to be sure, but it still hurts... It also causes him to rush away far quicker than any mere human could normally move as he tosses the Molotov cocktail forward. If he has the needed distance to do this properly or not, a huge burst of fire would leap directly off his sword and slam into the cocktail as it flies towards Matador in a blur. Upon striking the bottle, the rushing magic would explode outwards in a surge of fire magic aided by chemicals more akin to Agidyne than anything else... Moreover, the area he'd aimed it towards wouldn't be Matador's main body, not primarily. Rather his flames main objective would be to try and target the infamous Red Capote, for good or ill the man's sure that damn thing has been a constant issue.

Such a pitiful attack will not... !?!? [He would notice too late that his Red Capote was burning to a crisp. The duelist would gasp and try to put out the fire, but it was far too late, as the flames were particularly powerful. In the end, Matador would lose all the speed he had built up until now. But while he was a bit disappointed, he was still not worried.] I applaud you, Tatsuya Suou. It would seem you have finally solved the puzzle that is my incredible speed. However, you are broken down; tired. It would be for the best if you accept defeat and lay down, perhaps I would have mercy and let you live. [Not wasting any time, Matador would rush Tatsuya to cut him up with a single sword strike, and to keep him right there, not allowing him to escape, he would shoot out a Garula behind him as to damage him and stop him if he even tried to stand back.] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What the...? Yo that's candy. [Oni would notice the candy thrown, he would gesture at his friend Momunofu to come check it out.] Indeed it is. Bet you can't eat it. [Momunofu would say.] I would rather eat a possum; I can't believe humans eat this shit. [Oni would say with disdain. Both, being as distracted as they are, would allow Ene to sneak past them and straight to a wall... that has one path to the right, which, of course, leads directly into the underground. Problem being, there is one Yomotsu-Ikusa guarding the stairway. He looks particularly stern about his position in comparison to the others who always look so fragile. If Ene were to look up, she would see a giant glass panel in the middle of the place. High above, she would see the Angels yet again, watching everything go down.] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [The half eaten building would have a couple of numbers written on it, "17:20". The message is rather clear. Meanwhile, he would look at the portal and he would receive a sudden rush of information. "Safe Escape" and "0/2" would be the message. All he knew is that it would take him somewhere, and only two people could get through. Of course, the way back to the base was clear, it would be a simple task now that he knew the way. However, it would take one hour and thirty minutes.]

Quintus didn't feel like taking any chances. He had nothing else to take care of in his own mind. Even reporting back felt pointless, there was nothing left to salvage. "Most of them will die anyway soon. I can't afford to take a risk like that...I have a reason to survive and if I die here it'll all be in vain." Without thinking on it too much longer, Quintus would enter into the portal, unsure of what was waiting for him on the other side.

Ene tries to wave at the angels above in a bid to get their attention. Yet stops just as soon knowing that she doesn't have much time left. Hopefully, the angels saw her if not she will just have to power through alone. She walks right up to the Yomotsu-Ikusa keeping a thin line of distance between and looks it right in its eye. Hey mister I was summoned to help out with some tasks here. Something about the cameras short circuiting and was told they needed my specific demonic expertise. Ene puts on her most devious smirk and talks as if she belongs in the place. The lady before asked if she was a demon so maybe she could pass of as one.

Tatsuya laughs for a moment, with Matador's speed down to normal levels... Well maybe not entirely even, but it's close enough that the man can slip by with only a light scrape upon his chest from the sword. He'd respond to the skeleton's words with a burning fire in his eyes. "Give up... You expect me. To give up?" Garula is bad news, but standing back isn't the man's goal anymore. Instead he forces himself to stay in the fight, despite the wounds he's pressing on, mostly through sheer will and adrenaline but it works for now. He's able to dart off to the side and evade much of the magic as well, though it slams into his back from the left. "Who the fuck do you think I am Fiend? I'll admit, I'm without much of my power. But I have fought Demons, I have fought Angels, I have fought Gods ever now and then." His blade would for a brief moment be placed away, moving in a blur as the man draws his rifle and channels blazing flames through it. The gun would fire straight for Matador's center mass and heat up, fire flicking on the bullets and raising the damage any of them do. He'd burn through the entre clip in mere seconds, which at this range should likely hit quite a bit thanks to foe's lost speed. "I don't give up. If I'm gonna die here then so be it, but if it happens then it'll god damn well be fighting to the end. I'm not really a duelist after all, just an old warrior!"

[Quin would decide that the best course of action was to go inside of the portal, abandoning the plane in the which he was before.] End for now ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Yomotsu-Ikusa would turn to face Ene.] ... Cameras... ? What are cameras... ? [The demon seemed genuinely confused at her attempt. After a few seconds of consideration however, he would get his face closer to her. Sniffing, he would quickly realize that the person in front of him reeked of a particular stench only found in Divines.] You... you are human. You are a human. A human. A HUMAN, A HUMAN!!! [The other demons would immediately stop their labors as they slowly approached the area. Most of them were Oni with their massive Naginatas in hand, swiping their mouths as they were drooling.] Human, here? It smells like a human woman. [One of them asked. Showing off a wicked smile. If Ene was not already pretty freaked out by the sudden turn of event created by her failed attempt, she may notice a bright light on the sky. The light separates in small light lances that quickly begin descending onto the warehouse. Behind her would me Yomotsu-Ikusa, but also the way leading underground. In front of her, the quickly approaching lights and the Oni and Momunofu seeking to satisfy themselves with the girl.] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Matador would be hit dead on by every single one of Tatsuya's bullet, which would burn right though his remaining clothes and bones, exposing his still human heart. Because of the critical damage, he would need to kneel down for a moment before standing up yet again.] It should do you well to remain humble, be aware that power is not all. Although a Fiend, I possess the aid of experience, and you, who has a human life still, should do good in understanding humility... [Matador would take one step forward, unfazed by his tremendous wounds.] ... Self-awareness. [One final step forward.] And gain wisdom with each passing event. Do not stagnate as a hunter, but live. Live on, Tatsuya Suou from the Ruined City. In each second, live to the fullest! [Matador, unable to get any closer, decides to ravage the man with a double attack of Garula. Launching both at the same time, or rather, quick succession, would give it power enough to surpass a Garudyne, but not go so quite above as to call it similar to Panta Rhei. After this, this demon would kneel once again and hold himself up by nothing but his blade.]

Not panicking quite yet Ene notices the lights in the sky and quickly charges at Yomotsu-Ikusa with everything she has. Knowing that the angels are watching her she has full faith that they will strike down the oni before they can descend on her. So she hurriedly casts mazio on the demon in front of her and lunges for the stairs leading down. Move it!

Tatsuya smirks a bit, a gleaming and evil smile taking form upon his face. "That is true, for all the power the Gods and Monsters of my soul bring me... They don't make me your equal in skill. This much is true Fiend of The Blade." The powerful winds rushing towards him are dangerous... Tatsu drives onward though, his blade raised up in a defenseive state while he dodges not back but ahead. Some of the winds would slam into him regardless, but the damage suffered is minimal thanks to both his armor and his block. "You're right of course, I don't intend to go down so easily... And I will live, not because I can with 100% clarity that's true. But rather because I must, I have to believe that. Even so, I'll live as if each day could be my last." As he takes a few staggering moves forward, the man would heft Gram to ready with both hands. And finally, with a quick powerful swing he would aim to slam the flaming sword straight into Matador's skull. Not tossing any of his own magic into it, but just stabbing straight in and aiming to tear up and split the foe's head in half. "Bad luck though, running into me."

[The demon would be taken by surprise not by the charge itself, but by the electric charge Ene would hit him with. It was strong enough to force him into the ground momentarily as the light lances coming down from the sky lay waste to the entirety of the warehouse, eliminating each and every single one of the demons unlucky enough to have been around. Thus, saving Ene from them... but not from the one demon remaining in front of her, who had a bit of an advantage with a few steps above her.] Die, human! [The weak demon had to compensate powerful moves, and as such, he would summon darkness tendrils that aim to strike at Ene with great force, Eigaon.] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You've won, congratulations... [Matador would remain quiet and completely immovable for the duration of the sword being stuck on his head. Soon, his skull, and his heart would turn to dust.] But no, luck does not exist. You three are the rightful winners of this duel, and as such, pass on my sword, "Espada"... You have incredible weapons, so if you please, pass it on to a warrior with promise... That is my one request, from a Duelist to another, who hopes for you to survive. [The rest of his body would quickly disappear with the wind and into the city. The sword would remain right there where it was last placed, standing tall and proud. The sword, "Espada", has no other quality but "Pierce". After all was said and done, it may be possible for them to rest and recover their energy. For when they choose to keep moving, Yuka's home would be a bit further ahead, and then in a street to the North. Meanwhile, Inokashira Park would remain on the exact opposite direction.]

The man nods to his foe, hehe. It just became a saying, but the truth of the matter is Tatsu knows that luck's got nothing to do with it. Not really. "Got a point there, perhaps some day we'll meet again. I'd be curious to see how I can do on my own without those two... But for now, I bid you farewell." Despite the fact this being was willing and able to kill them, from his viewpoint that's simply a hazard of the job at times. The last request would bring a smile, not the deadly smirk of one finishing a foe, but a respectful somber smile. "We'll grant that request of course, only far that such a well crafted blade rest with someone who needs it. I know someone but I'm not sure if she'd really want it... A search begins though." The elder demon hunter takes a moment, cleaning Gram off and storing it away properly. Reloading his weapon, and breathing heavily as he simply takes a seat and motions to Raidou. "I know you well enough by now Raidou. To say that you plan on simply rushing ahead recklessly... I'd have done the same thing when I was younger. But trust me on this one, not as an ally, but a friend. We can't help anyone if we get killed, and we both know what's going to happen soon, later today even if I had to guess. We should take a moment to try and recover, not too long, but enough that we stand a chance if we gotta do any more real fighting... If you won't though, I'm not one to make my friends go it alone." He sits with a calm but exhausted grin, looking over at the others with a curious eye. If Raidou chooses to rush ahead it's as said, Tatsu would follow his younger ally for good or ill. But if not, then he would simply remain seated with a wary eye while waiting for his mystic power to recharge a bit.

Raidou, having regained consciousness during Tatsuya's bout with Matador, would groggily rise to a sitting position and adjust his hat with a sigh. He messed up. He'd shakily rise to his feet, giving Raiho a pat on the head before returning him to his tube to regain his strength. He'd start to hurry towards in the direction of Inokashira Park before a voice made him stop dead in his tracks. "Raidou!" For the first time in...as long as Raidou has known him, Gouto sounded well and truly pissed off. Raidou turned to his companion, and immediately felt a bit of shame. Gouto was still seated, and glaring daggers at Raidou. "Tatsuya is right, we need to sit down and think for a minute. Tatsuya is putting his life in your decision and you STILL want to just rush in recklessly after Edogawa, don't you?! What good will you dying do for her, huh? The reason we're even in this mess right now is because you hesitated in trying to put a stop to Melbourne's little scheme, and now you STILL can't think straight enough to at least do a proper job in saving the woman?! Look at you, you can barely stand!" Right on cue, Raidou would lose the strength to stand and collapse to his knees. That feeling of shame was starting to feel a lot stronger now. Gouto, meanwhile, didn't relent. "Look... I know you cherish this girl. I know you regret that you couldn't even tell her your birth name, I know, Raidou. But look around you kid, this isn't the Alternative. It's highly likely that Ryoko doesn't even know who you are in "this time". I know it's the principle of the matter and all, but you need to stop and think. What's more important, dying to save a girl who might not even know who you are, or doing it right, and surviving?" Raidou, after his scolding, would relent. He sat down with a sigh, and look of apology on his face as he glanced at Tatsuya and Gouto. It's time to take a break. Gouto would trot over to sit next to Raidou, and look up at him with a smile. "We've been at this together for a long time, Raidou, recklessness doesn't suit you. Use your head kid, I know it works well." Despite the happy note the pair ended on, it was still apparent, maybe to Tatsuya, that Gouto seemed to be hiding something from Raidou. He didn't press the conversation further, though, and merely laid down for a rest.

[The demon, hit dead on by the electricity that that would engulf the area, would become extremely hurt extremely quick. Not knowing exactly what happened to his "friends" and how it had gone so bad so quickly, he would try to shoot a powerful Eigaon once more...] ... Bad... [But in a strange turn of events, he missed completely. The chance was slim, small, and yet he missed anyways. Down to his last legs, he would not have enough time to attack once again.] [The dust would settle behind Yomotsu-Ikusa and reveal the entire warehouse in ruins and nothing but rags and bits of the Oni's weapons all over the floor. It would seem that the crates themselves hold next to no supplies, potentially meaning that most were already inside of the bunker. Archangel would slowly descend and so would another Angel, the rest keeping guard on the skies, making sure no one would come or take them by surprise. It would seem that these two are observing the girl fight.] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Tatsuya and Raidou decide to take a rest after the incredibly tough battle. Although no simple resting would be enough for them to be at full capacity anymore, this rest would certainly be enough for them to move and battle were they to need it. They will need medical attention to be properly healed. Once they decided to move, they would notice once more that Yuka's home and Inokashira Park are both on opposite ends; the house to the North, and the park to the South.]

Tatsu sighs a bit... There's no telling if they really have enough time for both things in this case, but they simply cannot afford to split up in the state they've put themselves to at this point. He takes a few moments to consider before nodding to the younger man, he doesn't entirely approve, but ulimately he'd do the same for a certain someone and can't say he fails to get it. The man also stows away Matador's blade, storing it for whoever they may find to hold this mighty weapon before stepping after the Devil Summoner. "Heh, maybe this isn't best but... I get it honestly, and like I said before. I don't leave my friends to go it alone. For good or for ill."

Raidou looked around the park, remembering his visit to it in the "other time", and his occasional stops there in recent memory. It was depressing, seeing it in this state, and that was putting it mildly. Gouto hopped up onto Raidou's head, and looked down at him. "I'm saying we try and check that shrine first, Raidou. Us Kuzunohas are kind of drawn to them, after all. I doubt we'll be entering the Dark World or anything, but who knows, might find what we're looking for there." Raidou nodded, remembering the shrine without a name in his own time period, and the mysterious woman who aided him there. Hard to call them good times exactly, but better than now, that's for sure. Raidou would follow Gouto's advice, and approach the shrine, making sure to reload his revolver while he walked. Just in case.

"Got it, I uh... Last shrine I spent any time at I got locked in, a dude tried to kill me, had to burn it down by summoning my Persona for the first time. Shrines and I just don't go great since then, I'ma check the lake instead, holler if you two need me." The man stares at them departing for a moment, grimacing slightly at the sight of a shrine. He doesn't love the places at all ever since that all happened. Instead, he keeps Gram at the ready, posed to defend himself in an instant if he must while beginning to check out the lake. Eyes searching not only the water, but anything around, and looking through the nearby plantlife for any signs of motion or items they might use.

[Raidou, deciding to move into the shrine, would quickly find out that the place is somewhat different to anything on the outside, as it had remained untouched, like the demons simply ignored its existence. The place would be nothing but a simple and traditional long hallway that leads to three different rooms. All of them to the left, one after another. Each door seemed to be different as well, the first one being dark with some velvet tones; the second would be similar to the floor, old and made out of wood; the third and final one would have nothing but a curtain.] [Despite Tatsuya's preparations, his way to the pond is silent, with nothing on it, not a single movement to be had. There were no demons around, not anymore, as they had moved on. As he approached the water however, he would find a series of particularly horrible blood puddles by the pond, most of them already dry. Furthermore, the lake would be infested with scattered, half eaten body parts of humans that are now impossible to identify.]

Tatsuya grimaces hard at the scene before him, he has seen worse things. But this is still fucking awful, it's the kind of visceral violence he associates with well... Monsters. Monsters like the ones he's now fairly sure were here not too long ago. "... too bad we couldn't show up sooner and do something about this... But this shit is also exactly why I can't stop." He steels himself for what he's about to do, namely begin eyeing through the wreckage for a few moments to see if anything on these clearly impossible to pin down bodies might be of use to their group. He doesn't really like doing this, but the dead don't need anything they have... If he found anything remotely useful looking in the search he'd take it and try to wipe off the blood best he can, if not he'd begin moving around the park some more, though staying near the shrine in case he needs to move towards Raidou.

[The room in which Raidou decides to enter is one that almost contradicts the aesthetics of the rest of the shrine. Inside, he would find various types and kinds of occult items on shelves, massive tomes, grimoires and books. In the middle of the room, there was a tetragrammaton, surrounded by three large glass tubes that connect to the center. Amidst all of this, a man dressed in blue, white bears and sunglasses would approach the Devil Summoner.] Welcome to the Cathedral of Shadows, young one. There is no need to fret, fights or aggression are not the norm. My name is Mido, how may I help you? [Tatsuya would quickly find out that the bodies of the dead would have nothing valuable on them, and nothing of use. They are nothing but the remnants of a tragedy that no one could have ever foreseen. As he found nothing useful, he would move back from the lake and maintain eye contact with the shrine. He had failed at finding anything, until the sun helped him realize a small flash of light. Something was shining somewhere behind of the shrine, of course, whatever it was, it was small.]

Raidou, sensing no hostility from the old man, would holster his gun and summoning tube to get a better look at Mido. He was...familiar. He'd never met the man before, but he still felt a bit of familiarity with the old man's demeanor. Gouto would chime in at this point, and inform Raidou a bit. "Ah, I've heard of this one. The Cathedral of Shadows is how demons are fused in this time, rather than that cooky pseudo-science that crazy guy uses. It's nice to meet you, Mido. This is Raidou Kuzunoha XIV, a devil summoner." Getting the gist of what Gouto was saying, Raidou nodded and considered fusing his companions together. Certainly, they would make something powerful together, but the versatility that came with having two demons to work with seemed too good to pass up. He's also not at peak levels right now, so summoning them both at once was probably too much for him. Instead, Raidou would ask the man if he was familiar with the Kuzunoha's tubes, and present Mido with Raiho's tube as an example. If he was lucky, maybe he could get his hands on a few more.

[As Tatsuya approaches the shiny object, he would probably find it difficult to keep track of it, as the light's reflection may not hit him as directly. Despite this, he finds it. It's an abandoned pair of glasses. Perhaps it would be best to take them.] I had a hunch myself, the Kuzunoha are quite remarkable, even if I don't usually give my services to them, I am sure I have at least given my services to Summoners who have had contact with people such as you, perhaps your successors. [Mido would say before taking the tube for a moment and examining it. After this, he would look back at the gigantic tubes of his own domain.] They are rather similar, I would say. But they are not the same kind of object. [He would then give Raidou his summoning tube back. He would seem to stay quiet for a moment before even deciding to speak up once again.] Of course, here we fuse demons in order to create more powerful ones that shall aid their master. If you desire to fuse your demons, you are free to do so. Or perhaps, it is something else you need? Certainly, a Kuzunoha is to be prepared for situations such as the one that Tokyo is currently suffering.

Taking his summoning tube back, Raidou nods at the mention of successors. He once again considers fusing his two demons together, but he wouldn't feel right about it for the time being. Still, it might be best to remember that this is here, for future reference. Gouto would speak up once again, as Raidou was considering his options. "What other services do you provide here, Mido? Aside from demon fusion, I mean. We're not quite in the position to fuse away our lifelines for the time being, but if there's anything else you can do to assist us, that would be great." Raidou would then snap his fingers, and ask if Mido has seen anyone else come through the shrine recently. His first thoughts were either this world's Kazuya, or if he was lucky, Ryoko.

Of course, recently, a young summoner came here with a young woman to fuse some of the demons he had recruited. He has been quite the regular, I must say. [Mido would chuckle before speaking once more.] However, there was a group of high schoolers that had taken refuge here. One was a blonde man with short hair, and the other was a girl also with short hair, but it was black and wore glasses. As far as I'm aware, they were heading off North to get medical attention, within Kichijouji. I do not know their names, however. [Tatsuya would quite simply move back to the shrine. He would see the same, a dark door, a wooden door, and a curtain, all to the left.]

Raidou would press his hand to his chin, thinking. The dark-haired one with glasses fits Ryoko, at the very least, his worst theory wasn't true. Still, headed north...within Kichijouji...to get medical attention... "Oh no." Oh no. Raidou and Gouto would speak in unison as they both realized what that would mean. The hospital was obviously a lost cause, and given that Ryoko was at least somewhat familiar with the area and possibly Yuka, that only left one real possibility. Raidou waved to Mido and thanked him for the help, before hurrying out the door and back into the main lobby of the shrine. If he'd meet up with Tatsuya there, he'd do his best to catch him up and see what ht wanted to do next.

Tatsu would indeed meet with the others at this point, sighing a bit as he holds up the glasses to them. "Well... They aren't bloodstained at least so that's something, but I can't imagine why the hell she'd leave em behind if not from an attack." He glances around the shrine's lobby for a second, not entirely sure where to head from this point. They have no idea exactly how short on time they are, nor the exact details of where the girl may have gone. Yuka's home might not be the worst choice, but there is the ticking clock to worry with too... "We could head for her house, to be sure. But yeesh, gotta wonder how long we've got till you know what happens. Not like sitting around here will help us on that though." For now he'd begin walking, at the least leaving the shrine, and likely heading for Yuka's home bar any better ideas from either of the other two.

The night was cold, but the embers of fire could be felt even as the wind was howling and tormenting the trees. They could hear silent screams in the distance, and small explosions; the melody of the sinister; children crying before suddenly being silenced by a maniacal laughing, distorted voice. But right in front of them, the main show. A girl with short haired, dressed in an all too familiar high school uniform was walking besides a slightly older girl, who was also wearing a similar high school uniform. “T-This is not good; they are already everywhere…! W-W-We can’t even use the subway…” The short haired girl would say. “Y-Yuriko, are you sure this is the way?” The slightly older girl would turn to her and they could very well recognize her face, from her seductive, piercing eyes, to her black hair, and her pale complexion. It would seem she guided her here, to this very place. “This is the way, indeed it is…” Yuriko’s eyes had this strange sadness to them, her very feet were fidgeting at the grass she was standing at, disgusted. Her eyes would widen, and her expression would as dark as the night of pale moonlight surrounding them. She would take the girl’s hand. “Ryoko, I think I got the place wrong, let’s hurry.” Before Ryoko could even get the chance to nod, she would very quickly be restrained by a group of three robbed men, porting the Gaean’s usual colors and symbols. Yuriko would simply take a step back and look in horror as the younger girl is forcefully dragged back behind a few nearby bushes next to a beautiful pond. She would struggle, but she was not strong enough to break free. She would try to kick the air, bite the hand that was muffling her voice, punch with weak arms at the far stronger group. It was no use. One look at her eyes would reveal a kind of horror so primitive, so deep and basic to human nature, that it was hard to even begin to grasp. Ryoko’s eyes would keep looking directly at Yuriko, pleading with already red eyes from all the tears flowing to please help her. Yuriko would turn back her head, and Ryoko’s glasses would fall to the ground, getting damaged in the constant struggle. A figure made of flies would emerge from the ground, shorter than Yuriko, it was unable to fully recreate itself. “If this one works, then the Fiends will finally be summoned.” “Yes.” Yuriko would reply, deciding to look at the moon, ignoring the girl’s desperate pleads for help; her horrifically guttural screeches for someone to rescue her. “I cannot believe finding virgin women with high spiritual power would be such a complicated task with such a big populace, for us to find only four… ridiculous. The rules set by YHVH on what makes a soul pure are preposterous.” Ryoko would be forced to the ground on top of a tetragrammaton drawn in a blood red shade. One man would hold her arms, and the other her legs; they would spread her enough as to match the stars, even if such task would be near impossible.

Raidou's hand, no, his entire right arm shook as he covered his face with his palm. The emotion on his face was unclear, and even for how long Gouto had known him, the cat didn't quite know what to say. "Raidou, I-" I knew it. Whatever Gouto was about to say was cut short by Raidou's clear words. His breath was shaky for sure, but his voice was shockingly calm. "Y-you what?" I knew, dammit. I knew that she was more than likely already dead. Of course I knew that. Time travel is my job, of course I know how this shit works. I knew it ever since we arrived here and learned the date that it was already well past the date she should have died. That's causality. That's fate. Gouto was even more stunned than before. "Then why did y-" I NEEDED TO SEE IT! I just...I had to see for myself. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I was wrong....but, I knew. Gouto was entirely silent at this point, not having any words to comfort his friend. ...You found those glasses in the park, right Tatsuya? She died ten days ago, and without a body there we can assume the Gaea have been covering their tracks pretty well. I don't recall any requests related to them either. That's fine. I'll find them. In a perhaps scary moment of absolute clarity, Raidou would press onward, wiping what seemed to be tears from his face as he completely ignored the option of a "Safe Escape", and proceeded towards Yuka's home. I'll be honest Tatsuya, I don't think we'll be saving any worlds, not this time. I don't think there's much hope of that anymore, so let's just do what we can to lessen the damage. I for one, know exactly what will make me feel better. Raidou placed a hand on the hilt of Kusanagi, and tightened his grip until his knuckles turned white. The brilliant flower bracelet still adorned his sword arm, now stained with a deeper, much sadder meaning. The emotion now clearly visible on Raidou's face was evident: Rage. She had a bright future in that "other time", didn't she? She even met your brother, huh?...Baal Zabul, huh? If only he could have known the mistake he made. Same with that girl, Yuriko. Not only have they angered one Kuzunoha, but they robbed another of her life. They'll pay with theirs. I swear it.

The older hunter stares for a moment, face blank. He knew too, mostly. Some small silly part hoped himself wrong of course, but in the end this is... Not shocking, he'd speak out an eerily even voice. "So that's it huh... This is the way it ends. Another person killed by some wacko cultists trying to unleash those fucking things by intent." For a moment he stares at Gram with flames dancing along the weapon's blade brightly. He nods at the younger man's question, marching alongside him towards Yuka's house. "I think you're right, yes. Much to my chagrin our chances of saving anything are... I'd say piss-poor at best. Zero at worst. I'm good at picking up pieces though, even if I hate it." Another pause, his own grip upon Gram is fairly light really. But the blazing fire that can be seen upon it as he walks betrays his true feelings upon the matter. "For what little it's worth, you've got my help at least. I can't say I was close to her, but she was a good kid... And times like these just remind me exactly why I got into this business, not for the money, not for the fun of it certainly. But to try and help, to try and make sure that bullshit we just saw didn't happen!..." With that he'd go silent, one hand still holding the blade as the left now reaches into a pocket and pulls out his lighter. Flicking it open and just staring absently for a moment. After that though, he'd speak up once again with a softer tone. "Don't lose yourself in it though, fucks sake. I said it before and I'll say it again, burning hate is a useful thing sometimes. But never let your rage control you, always control it. I haven't always lived up to those words in the past, which is why I'll strongly advise you to do so. Don't kill them because you're pissed, kill em because they're dangerous murderous bastards and somebody's gotta make sure no one else gets hurt."

[The pair would go past the "Safe Escape" and be on their ways to the North. The road would require them to get past the Echo Building, the mall Arcade Town, and eventually, they would reach an all too familiar direction, Kazuya's home. However, the home was now a mess. The windows were all broken, some walls were cracked; signs of a battle. And in the front yard there was a small improvised cross with flowers in front of it; the name "Kana Yasuo" is written on it as well as the small message "I promise I will sleep well." Besides this, the house next to Kazuya's was, of course, Yuka's. The doctor's home was barricaded to no ends, and there did not seems to be any way of getting through it without causing some commotion.]

Tatsuya sighs and shakes his head, not that he can blame the doc for being barricaded in given what's going on. But right about now, they need to find a way past all this mess without causing too much trouble... He'd look over at Gouto curiously. "Hey, can normal people understand you too Gouto? I honestly forgot that detail. If so though... Bet you could get past this mess without tearing it down or making a bunch of noise." If that plan is a bust though, he would aim to search for somewhere they might be able to climb over, perhaps by Tatsuya boosting Raidou onto higher ground if needed. His main goal is of course, to get by without drawing too much attention.

Raidou nodded to Tatsuya's warning, keeping his grip tight on Kusanagi. Of course. I'm sorry for my recklessness earlier. It's a Kuzunoha's duty to keep the demon and human worlds separate, or more aptly to keep both safe. Even if we have to steep ourselves in any sin to do it. Those two need to die, they're too big a threat. I guess there's just something more personal to it now. With that, Raidou's stoicism would return, and upon reaching the correct street and giving a slight nod to the conspicuous grave outside of Kazuya's home, another reminder of how things work here, Raidou would look up at the house in front of them. "Well, they can. It's just...I dunno how a dude who barricaded himself in his house like that would feel about a talking cat climbing up through a crack in his defenses, and all. Might be worth a shot, but I'd rather not get swung at if I can help it." Raidou pressed his hand to his chin, and contemplated what to do next. Gouto was one option, but maybe just...knocking would be a decent solution? The man is obviously a doctor and a father, maybe if they could get his attention without completely setting him off they could handle this calmly.

Ene casts one final zio on the demon before grasping at her knees and catching her breath. Thank you for the help. She tells the angels above and gives them a thumbs up for their effort.

[The Kichijouji pair would consider to use Gouto to get through the defenses. However, in a rather average turn of events, knocking on it would prove to be... working. Of course, it would take a while before getting any kind of of reply. But soon enough, a voice, raspy, would speak from the other side.] I aM eAtInG a HuMaN gO aWaY! [It was clearly an impression of a demon, and a very bad one at that.] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Yomotsu-Ikusa would quickly turn into a scorched demonic corpse on the ground. After this, Archangel would nod at her before using his wings to stay on the ground and walk towards her, going downstairs.] This warehouse was inhabited by the wretched demons of Chaos. They had been preparing for the incoming war between Gotou's soldiers and the American army. To have them all in one place was ideal, but such a bunker is bound to have, too, humans of Chaos, making alliances with these Oni. [The way downstairs is simple, as it is nothing but ample steps leading to a gigantic and heavy metal door that leads into a very clear and well-lit collection of rooms and halls; it was hard to imagine such a place could exist with the technology that was supposed to define the 90s. Regardless, if Ene were to make her way down, she would see an ample main hall with a mechanical door right ahead and another to the right. The right one would be labeled "Security" and would feature a card reader. The one right ahead would be simply labeled as "Inner Park".] How many of them were there? Perhaps there is a way for them to find redemption were we to know exactly how many Chaotic humans are inside. I believe they are called...Yakuza... ?

Wait!!! So humans are actually siding with these things! Ene could put down everything she had seen as bad acts caused by these inhuman monsters. Yet she couldn't wrap her head around the idea that some people might have actually helped create this death and anarchy. She knew humans could be evil but not this evil. She follows behind archangel as her thoughts stir with this revelation. Figures the yakuza may be the humans behind this. An old friend of mine told me plenty about them but I had no idea they could do some demon summoning stuff. I only thought good guys could do it ... With a sense of unease Ene makes it to the door labled "inner park" and tries to open it by touching it. If that dies not work she will cast zio once again.

[Archangel would shake his head before speaking.] No, only heretics are able to wield the power of a demon. True humans of virtue would only make alliances with angels and benevolent creatures, but for anyone to contact Chaotic beings, they must be just as wicked. [Going into the Inner Park was done simply, because the door itself was not blocked. In fact, it would open as soon as the girl even approached it. Going inside, she would notice a massive park full of trees, bushes, all sorts of flowers and even a massive pond. It was big enough to hold at least thousands of people just inside this room. The park itself would have various roads leading to different areas. Namely, "Elevator"; "Entrance" which is the precious room; "Generator"; "Supplies"; "Quarters"; "Armory" and "Administration".] But yes, humans were the ones to summon the demons. At first it was caused by an experiment going wrong and opening a gate into the Expanse. But that man, that heretic Gotou started summoning demons for his own gains, to gain control of Japan. And as such, many groups swore their loyalty to this man. In the wake of his mad desires, the Americans were dispatched and so were we, the angels.

So could all these "heretics" ... Ene airquotes the word with her fingers with the same serious tone. Possibly be saved if beings like you or me show them the badness of their ways. Maybe this could all be some huge misunderstanding and they just didn't know what they were summoning. On thet hopeful note, Ene wanders down the entrance path making sure to continue looking around just in case. Her left land slips into her cloak in case she needs to pull out the knife.

[The entire park is quite beautiful indeed, trying to emulate the look of many of the most famous japanese parks, perhaps to retain some semblance of the outside world. Regardless, this means that enough clean air will be at their reach. As she moves down the road towards the "Quarters" and not the entrance because why would she, that's where she was. Anyways, besides the gorgeous artificial nature that was surrounding them, everything was left untouched, all new and ready for use.] Perhaps if they would repent and do incredible deeds in order to achieve forgivenes from Him. Then they would be allowed into His Kingdom once it finally comes to us all. But remember, some humans are just like demons, far too gone for any kind of retribution, those who deserve nothing but punishment for their evil. Perhaps some of these humans may be able to be saved, but they are greately responsible for the current massacre. [Archangel would gesture to Ene. They had finally reached the Quarters. The door was like the other ones and not locked, but still, she was able to hear something on the other side of the door.] That's is also why we offered help, because you are, among the many remaining humans, righteous, and God is certainly watching and considering you for His Kingdom of order and peace under His ever watchful, ever loving eye.

Ene marvels at the pristine scenery almost mentally going back to a time when everything seemed like this. Sadly the time is gone and archangel's words bring her back to the present. So you will kill those people like you killed those demons? She already knows the answer, but some part of her wants to hear it out loud. Pressing her ear against the door to make out the sound she continues whispering to archangel. I don't really think I'm righteous or amazing or anything special. I know plenty of others who are way more of that then me. I just do what is right you know. Helping others the way others helped me ...

Those are Gods orders and we must follow. If a person is so evil, so unforgivable, such a danger to the rest of the community, then they must be eliminated. Especially in times of peril such as this, as they are responsible for countless deaths and unfathomable suffering. [Ene would hear light movements and people whispering, although she cannot exactly tell what it is they are saying. But the fact remains that there is someone on the other side.] But that is quite why you are important, to show kindness and care for others after receiving such treatment is righteous. You also show humbleness, which is, too, commendable.

Ene is unable to prevent the frown that forms on her face after archangel's response. While it is true that something has to be done about the people that made things this way. She just can't really accept death as the only solution. Maybe the people could just be locked up or prevented from doing other bad things. She doesn't voice her thoughts though since now isn't exactly the time and she doesn't know what archangel could do to her if she disagrees. There are people behind the door. Ene whispers to him and she gestures as if asking if she should open the door. Should archangel take too long to respond or indicate his agreement than she will try to open the door by touching it or checking for an opening device,

[Archangel would simply unsheathe his shiny blade, and so would his right hand as it got brighter and brighter in light as if preparing. Ene would probably be able to tell that this was the motion to go. After the door open, three thugs armed with nothing but knives would fall to the ground and point their blades at the pair.] Y-Yo! Get the hell away, you bastard! The demons are gonna kill you both, so run before they get you! [Archangel would point his shining hand at the group and then would turn to Ene, as if waiting for her to do something before he does, just like back at the warehouse.] All of them have been vanquished, they will not come. [Archangel would simply reply.] [The "Quarters" themselves would be a massive hall with two floors filled with door after door, each one numbered from "0001" to the last number possible in this system. The rooms also seemed capable of holding two to three people at once. Certainly too massive for the rather small group of Yakuza still lurking.]

Wait! Ene practically shouts before jumping between Archangel and thugs. She lifts her arms up and gives her best pleading look in hopes that Archangel at least considers her words first. With the demons all gone can we just tie up these guys and get rid of their weapons. Hit them on the head to teach them a lesson then leave them in some prison or cell. I'm sure with the proper punishment they can learn to be better. We could also use them for information on the other bad people if we keep them alive. Ene is resolute in her stance despite the cold tremors of fear running up her spine. She knows she is doing something completely stupid, but mentally prays that the big guy in charge can have some mercy.

Y-Yeah! I-I don't want to die, we can just give out- [One of the man was about to speak before another shut him up by punching him in the face.] The Yakuza do not do that shit, what are you even doing, punk! I swear I'll kill you before you even snitch! [Archangel would lower his hand and think it over. His orders were quite clear after all. After a couple of seconds, he would agree to one simple request.] I cannot disobey my orders; however, perhaps your judgement can be done in a different way once you tell us where your boss is. If you can tell us only that, then I shall show mercy, and allow you to get off this bunker. [The one that would not snitch stayed firm with his decision. The one on the ground was clearly in the known with something. The third one also knew and was itching to get away, however, as long as the older of the trio was there, conscious, it was clear the other two would not move a muscle. Archangel was starting to get impatient as well.]

Ene turns to the thugs and walks over to the older of the trio with purposeful strides. Before long she is practically face to face with him. Her eyes searching his as if trying to read the mind of a dog. Finding something displeasing there she kicks the guy in the shin to stun him. Tsk tsk tsk I don't know who your boss is but is he really worth your life. I mean think about the guy is practically gone right. She kicks the older of the trio in the groin and feigns arrogance. This was all for their own good and maybe later they could forgive. Leaving just you poor suckers to face sadists like me and crazy winged dudes that can vaporize you in a second. Is a pat on the back from some boss really worth all this pain i'm dealing right now? Ene finishes the act with a firmly pressed foot on the old guys back if he actually doubled over after the groin kick. She then points her thumb at Archangel with a smug look. and my friend! Oh boy my friend here can just snap his fingers and you guys will be nothing but dust in seconds. Amazing right! Bet your boss can't top that so is it really worth it to keep anything from us? You boys look smart enough to think for yourselves so do it! Ene's smile curves into something malicious. Before you piss us off anymore then you have!

[The eldest of the group would end on the floor, a mess after the humiliation caused by the rather small and strange looking visual-kei girl. Archangel would simply cross his arms, waiting for the rest of the group's response. The two youngers would look at each other and then at their senior. They would then towards Ene and Archangel and quickly spill out.] O-Our boss, Ozawa is at the director's office, at the "Administration"! [Archangel would then approach the men and hit them with the hilt of his sword in a quick succession, both losing consciousness immediately.] That is the best I can do, girl. Now that you have your information you should quickly move to do whatever it is that you are in need of. [Archangel would then make a quick flash of light with his left gauntlet, awaiting for Ene's actions.]

Ene bows to Archangel in a show of gratitude. Thank you for bearing with me Archangel~ She flashes him a smile before leaving the room to head to administration. Onwards to finally take down all these baddies and make things better!

[With hope in her heart, Ene would make her way back into the Inner Park, and then follow the road towards the "Administration" section of the bunker. Archangel would quietly follow her through the park and into the section itself. After getting through, all that would she find is a room with five different desks, all of them empty and with nothing of importance. But right in front of the only private office in the room, a man dressed in blue, black, slicked back hair and the expression of an asshole would be looking at the pair in complete silence. He had a smug smile painted all over his face. He would also have a rather peculiar computer mounted on his left wrist.] So, you're that bitch who brought the angels. Why are you here. What do you honestly expect to accomplish?

I expect to find a supplies and a safe place for a bunch of people that need help. Two things that your organization seems to have a ton of. So maybe we could work out some sort of solution that could help us both? Ene asks as she allows her arms to move into a pleading gesture. Already the man annoyed her with the curse but that didn't have to be a deal breaker. She was sure something could be worked out for the sake of everyone.

Oh, well that's simple. As long as they all agree that I will be the head honcho with absolute power they can of course stay. Otherwise you and your annoying friend over there can screw off. [The man would laugh loudly at his own words, mocking the other two, looking down on them severely. Soon after, Archangel would interject.] Surely you must have seen what happened to the demons, and the rest of the humans cannot do anything to stop anything we do now. This girl has shown mercy before, you would do good in lowering your head and accepting it. [The man would laugh again and flip Archangel off.] What, is she gonna cry? Is she gonna try to pass as a demon, perhaps? She just has a knife, what else could she possibly do? I, on the other hand, have the Demon Summoning Program. The demons can finish the job for me. [Ozawa was clearly unaware of any possible power Ene had, not to mention, he was already distracted by the computer on his wrist, apparently struggling to even use the machine he flaunted so much just moments before. Perhaps there is a way to stop him before he summons any of the demons, after all, the source is a mere machine.]

Nope! I am just going to break that little toy of yours before you cute yourself with it! Ene takes the initiative and rushes at the man with the aim to place both of her hands on the device on his wrist. Should she be successful she will immediately cast zio to break it completely.

[Despite the odds against this particular action, as if it was less than a 15% chance of actually succeeding, Ene somehow manages to aim Zio at the COMP of Ozawa and actually destroy it, completely avoiding the apparition of the powerful demon that he had been able to get. Ozawa would look at Ene incredulous for a good couple of seconds before turning to Archangel who had shot a light arrow preemptively that had missed on purpose. The man would have to swallow his pride for the time being, as he also wanted to live.] ... Fine, just because I don't have much of a choice... you can bring your people here, if you so choose to. Not like I can fight back anymore anyways. [Ozawa would take hsi COMP off and throw it to the ground before liting a cigarrette and getting inside the office. Not exactly disappointed at the fact that he had lost, but that it all happenned so quickly and so... anti climatically.] Shit, Hell Rider's gonna kill me. [He would say from inside the office. After the which, he would use an intercom.] Guys, we'll have to share with some people, otherwise we're all gonna get killed. They've got us by the balls and fighting right now would be like shooting yourselves on dick. [His voice would then disappear, and an equally loud series of sighs would follow. The anti climactic nature of it all had gotten to the heads of the Yakuza. With all said and done, all that remains is, of course, to go back to the overworld.] ... Con...congratulations, young lady. [Archangel would reply, who had also prepared for an incredible battle.]

Thanks to the power of rng and believing in her new friend's potential for not killing things. Ene successfully secures the bunker without any crazy incidents and the beauty of the place is preserved for the people seeking shelter. She cutely smiles at archangel. Thanks~ Then she moves to the door but before leaving she glares at the man on the way out. No funny business while I'm gone. Then she heads back to the overworld to share the good news.

Tatsuya sighs heavily, he's dealt with enough demons to know this isn't remotely close to the real deal. He'd call out in a calm voice. "Listen Mr. We aren't demons, and I can tell you aren't either. That impression would be called demon black face or something if Demons had such a concept. It's that bad." He pauses and looks around the area for a moment. Searching for any signs of motion before he goes on. "Tatsuya Suou, we came to help if you need it. Sent by the resistance really, though I'm not sure how familiar you are with them. Long story short, we're willing to lend a hand, so long as you'll take it."

[Ene reaches the overworld to find the entire warehouse destroyed by the Angels' previous attack. Archangel would follow in silence, still amazed at the fact that but one Demon Summoner would fall so easily without being killed at the end. At least 8 angels would be waiting, all of them looking exactly the same and almost robotic in their movements. Finally, she would see a white portal right in front of her among the rubble and looking at it would relay information: "Safe Escape" and "0/1", which would of course mean that one person could get in at any point. No one but Ene seemed to be aware of it as well. Of course, the way back to the base would be completely open and free to go.] If you need to go back, then we can guarantee we shall take care of those inside and make guard for when you come back with your people who are worthy of salvation. Perhaps inside they will be spared from the carnage of both Gotou's and Thorman's armies. Who knows for how long this inevitable battle between Law and Chaos shall last. [Archangel would smile to her.] Regardless, you've done a great service. You have my thanks, and His love and respect.

Bye everyone! Confident that the angels have things under control, Ene enters the white portal with no hesitation. She can't wait to tell the others all the good things that happened despite the no so good things she witnessed.

[Ene, despite having enough time to make her way back to the base, decides to take the portal and disappears from the plane of existence in which she was.] End for now c:

Raidou pinches the bridge of his nose in frustration. Gouto expressed a similar feeling, and spoke up as well. "What the other guy said, we're here to help you. We're not demons, so cut the crap already. We need someone with your skillset to help out in the resistance, a good doctor can only help matters after all."

[The man would pay close attention to what the other two were saying before moving a piece of wood just to see them. His eyes would widen and tremble for a moment, as he was glad rescue would finally come.] Of course! You look exactly as the man who called described you. A 30 something year old with strange brown hair and red clothes, as well as a young man with a black cap and a cat. [After moving a couple of things, he would allow them to pass. The man was barely a few years older than Tatsuya, and his white robe was covered in small stains of blood, not to mention his gloves. Going inside would reveal that the entire living room had been turned into something of an operation room with different kinds of people inside. They would see a girl with black, short hair and glasses wearing a cast around her left arm. A young, blonde youth sitting next to the girl but looking uninjured. On the other side of the room, a small kid no older than 8 would be on the floor drawing on a piece of paper with an awful looking scar on the left side of his face and bandages covering it, especially the eye. Next to him, an old woman who is the grandmother of the child. Closer to the door was a man about Tatsuya's with an open white shirt and bandages covering a big portion of his torso, especially the back, covering what seems to be third degree burn marks. Finally, a 20 something year old woman sitting on a wheelchair while reading a book to keep her anxiety in check.] We've been waiting for you; our supplies are almost spent, and we have no one that can even fight the weakest of these monsters. I'm so glad you get here so quickly; I was worried not a single soldier remained. [The man would scratch his cheek.] Although...I'm not sure if it's exactly the best of ideas to remain in the city any longer. The radio keeps talking about how Gouto and the Americans are about to fight and... Well, last time this happened, something horrible happened.

Tatsu sighs a bit, he figured things would be like that... Getting out of the city though? He can't really imagine that going great. Judging by those wounds on this guy though, he can hardly blame the man for wanting to get the hell out either... "Honestly I can't say I'm sure that staying around is the best idea either, but... All told, I doubt that getting far out is gonna help much. I know demons, been dealing with them for quite some time off and on. Way before this started. Truth is, way things are going now the connection between our worlds..." He pauses for a second, glancing over to the other two as if to make sure they're on the same page. "Unless something can mess it up big time, they'll be frigging everywhere soon enough. People have always been able to pry open the door a crack. But this? This is like blowing open the whole door and the wall it was on. They'll be everywhere in Japan soon, and Tokyo's got people, weapons, supplies, for now at least it has the means to try and deal with these things... And if worst comes to worst with the armies, I don't think distance will help either honestly."

Everywhere!? Well that's really reassuring. [The burned businessman would exclaim, extremely annoyed and...terrified at the idea.] I'm sure everything will turn out fine, dear. Humans cannot be beaten so easily. [The grandmother would say right after, trying to also keep the small kid at her side calm.] I don't want to see them ever again, I just can't... [The girl with glasses would say with a pitiful voice, and the boy at her side would just look down in what seemed to be utter defeat,] So you're saying that we should go back to that base? I know it is for the best, but I still don't know. I have made an oath to help as many people as I can; that is why I became a doctor, but still. There must be something else we can do, there must be a way to stop these... "demons". Is there any hope? [The doctor would ask the pair, absolutely unsure of what to do anymore.]

Tatsuya stares over at the man, a blank look in his eyes at the sarcastic reply. The grandmother's words bring a grim smile to his face though as he reaches up for the sword strapped to his back. "She's right, the difference between man and demon... It's a smaller gap than you'd think honestly, humankind can fight just as hard as any God or beast of Maki when pushed to the brink. I've been killing em for two decades off and on, and I'm still here right?" He tries to offer the girl and boy a confident smile, it is true that humanity can stand against Demons. He has no doubt of that, but the cost... Best not to say it. As for the doctor's words though? "Stopping them... I don't think we can stop them from entering the world at this stage honestly, we fought a very powerful one on the way here. Barely won. Suffice to say, his presence within the world speaks of a greater break than can be fixed easily if at all in the barrier between our worlds." The older demon hunter pauses for a second, placing a hand on his chin and sighing before revealing something else. "That doesn't mean it's hopeless though, a man who knows far more about them even we do... He sent out a computer program, by mastering people can learn how to command and negotiate with those things. They can become Devil Summoners, but it's in the early stages, it needs more work, more devices for it are needed to. I think our best hope might be learning to work with and command them. And it is possible, I know that for a fact."

Using the power of the demons...? Is that even possible? [The doctor would shake his head.] It doesn't matter, what's important here is that if you can guarantee the safety of the injured here. I don't care if I die even if I would rather live, but they already have been through too much. So, if you can promise to me, personally, that nothing else will happen to them... I will go and do my best to heal the people there. [The small kid would look up; the bandages covering up his missing eye.] If grandma says we'll be okay, then we will be okay.

Tatsuya sighs a bit, these wounded people... That's a hard ask, but he'll say one thing at least. "Honestly Doc... I can guarantee you two things, and only these. We truly don't know of anywhere safer. 100% safe? That's asking too much, but there just isn't anywhere better any of us know about. And I can also guarantee you that Raidou and myself will do our damn best." Assuming they agreed to come along with them he would set off, rifle drawn and ready in case they need to begin firing on something that decides to pick a fight with a group of humans wandering through the city. Regardless of what happens, the group would almost surely begin heading back to the base at this point.

[As they have nothing better to do, the group of survivors take a moment to grab everything relevant to them before setting towards the base. Indeed, they had mixed thoughts about this. The kid would be hopeful, and the grandma would try to be for his sake. Both high school kids had to give it their best, just like the college student. The doctor and businessman whoever, were skeptical. Regardless, as they head back to base not much would happen, as with Matador gone, the demons had been moving to some other areas, and any demon that remained was simply too weak to even try to approach them. Of course, they had seen the pair that defeated Matador. What could they hope to accomplish?] End c: