[@vancexentan] [b]A few blocks away from the park[/b] The woman looked in the direction that Hans was pointing in, her expression changing not a single iota even as she focused her shades-obscured gaze upon the supposed pink light that the foreign teenager was claiming to be seeing. She took her sunglasses off, blinking once and squinting, before placing them back onto her face once more. "You sure you ain't under the weather?" she asked with a note of concern (a surprising new emotion from her) as she turned back to face Hans. "Feel free to take a seat or whatever. I've gotta get to my place uh, pretty urgently, but you can stay here and take a breather if you need to." Even as she spoke, the pink light that she seemed to be incapable of seeing was still pulsing. [hr] [@Zelosse][@Melpaws][@liferusher] [b]The Park[/b] That strange, massive creature - no, that monster that had emerged before the three hapless teenagers, was unfortunately discovered to be an impatient sort. Though the boy had sought to flee, to acquiesce to its demands for the humans to remove themselves from its presence, the stumble and fall of Enju as she was pulled along and Blair's attempt to grab her friend were instead read as a failure to do so. The two powerful fists, attached to arms bulging with muscles, slammed against the earth once more, the soil and grass underneath deforming as the white, oppressive cloud that leaked from its torso intensified in quantity, and the choking golden fog in the air grew more and more untenable to breathe in. A hissing breath huffed from its reddening snout, even as its crimson, tear-filled eyes trained themselves on the teenagers in a clearly hostile glare. A guttural snarl ripped free from its long, shivering throat. "[b]HUMANS. MY PREY.[/b]" It seemed to thrust its tusks up in a threatening manner. [right][b][[SHIBABOO]][/b][/right] And from the earth, bursting from the grass and soil in a cloud of white, rose coils of sickly green energy, every single one grabbing the legs of the three teenagers and binding them to the ground. The monster's clenched fist pulled back ... [hr] [@Mistress Dizzy][@Bornlucky] [b]Uchima Senior High - A Hallway, 1st Floor, Classroom Building???[/b] "Um ... eeehhh?" Despite the danger that lurked behind the trio of unfortunate Uchima students and the eerie world that they had been thrown into, the expression that found its way to Ai Hanazawa's face was one of awkward confusion as she stared down at the knife being handed her way. The Drama Club's scriptwriter was at a loss for words, quiet sounds of bafflement leaving her mouth as she scratched the back of her neck with one hand, gaze moving towards the floor as she tried to think of a proper response to the offer and the quick lesson that followed. "Oh ah, thanks!" she finally said with a smile, taking the knife from Jin and turning it around so she could take a better look. Definitely not because it would be great writing material or anything. "But ... how did you get a knife into school, Takahashi-san?" Even though she seemed as if she had decided to simply roll with things (especially when things couldn't possibly get even weirder than an old, first-time fanfic hidden in the bowels of the Internet), Ai couldn't help but contain her curiosity. And if they could keep talking, she didn't need to think about that monster as much. [hr] [@JBRam2002][@Suku] The flames reflected towards those burning monsters did no harm, yet unlike in the case of the courageous Kimiko, those wisps of fire did not return in the direction of the young priestess-in-training, merely dissipating inside the bodies of the creatures. They instead glowed and flashed with greater intensity, the seething fire roaring brighter and hotter to a crescendo as they realised, with incredible anger, that their attack had been foiled. None of the students had fallen prey to their assault. Not even Kaede, who had been pushed free of the fire, now half-collapsed on the ground next to Kagami. The scent of charred fabric mixed with skin wafted through his nose. The heat that licked his arms could still be felt. The pain as his skin boiled away against the flames. Yet boosted by that ... [i]magic[/i] that Kimiko had cast upon him, Kaede Yamamoto was fast thinking past all of that. His body hurt. His chest was still tight. That brush with death sent sparks through his body. Lightning running through his veins. He had nearly died. The flames nearly consumed him. Could have entirely consumed him. He couldn't breathe. He gasped. It was like a shock to the system. Air flowed back into him. His body started up once more, like an awakening generator. The kendo-club girl. He staggered to his feet, the pain so dull now. Almost a forgotten feeling. The heat didn't feel as intense as it once did. Kaede ignored all of that, his legs moving at an incredible speed ([i]was it the work of the priestess?[/i]) as he made his way to Kagami's side. In front of her. "It worked," he managed to breathe out, his harried eyes glancing Kimiko's way as he gave her his reply. His body was tingling. It could have been a dream. He could have been dead. But he wasn't. Nor was the girl collapsed behind him. Adrenaline pumped through him, and his eyes met those monsters, those burning figures held back only by the priestess standing in front of them, a pillar that pushed back against the raging firestorm coming their way. It was too unreal, but he wasn't asleep. The beating of his heart, pounding constantly like thunder, reminded him of the reality of it all. This was his reality. Every single feeling in vivid detail. It was proof. Every jolt, every burning pain receptor. [right][i]of course it hurts, you're not invincible, you're not a superhero[/i][/right] The reality of a classmate holding back monsters from killing him. Nearly succeeding. Yet they were still coming. [right][i]Can you state your name?[/i][/right] This was reality. This was Kaede Yamamoto's reality. He needed help. He needed to help. His classmates. His club members. His friends. He needed to protect every single one of them. [right][i]a winged man wearing a crown[/i][/right] The words slipped out naturally. "[b]Persona.[/b]" The fairy king burst free from his shackles in a glow of golden light, an ethereal warmth that rose above the Drama Club President. If Kimiko couldn't do any more, than he would help her. Help her. Help the girl behind him. Help everyone. [i]Not a superhero, huh ...?[/i] "Oberon, Zio!" he gritted out, thrusting his burnt arm forward. The fae followed suit, and at the tip of its blade burst a bolt of lightning, striking one of the monsters in an explosion of sparks and light. The creature staggered and roared as its flames dimmed slightly, but it redoubled immediately, charging forth and seeking to bullrush past Kimiko in order to get its shot at vengeance by killing Kaede. And the other was already moving around to flank, seeking to distract the priestess' attentions so that its comrade would have its chance. If she went for one, then both Kaede and Kagami would be unprotected. [hr] [@Savo] The mass was taking Alexander somewhere. The chittering, chattering motions were purposeful. Somewhere in the school was their destination. His destination. And behind that bulbous creature, the masked monster in the gakuran followed. In this monotone, bloody facsimile of Uchima Senior High, Alexander Furst would be condemned to a strange fate.