Strangely enough, the guards did not notice a thing, or they didn't care. They weren't even in the room with the cells or the next room with all the dangerous implements of pursuasion, most of the time, unless they were working on some moaning someone-or-other. So, he had pretty much the time to himself to inspect his cell - nothing in it but a bunch - his weapons - they looked functional, at least - and of course the general surroundings. Honestly, there wasn't much to 'em. They were meant for unarmed people, and MAYBE he could do something with his weapons to get out of this cell, but what? Even if the bars were so-so in design, the door out of here was a proper door with a lock, and the door out of the torture room was similar to it. (He'd have noticed all that on the way in.) The guards had the frigging keys, and they didn't look like the type to be easily intimidated. Realistically, he might...he might... He might have to wait to be tortured to make any sort of break for it. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Bullets were annoying to the slimes, and Hakuro's slamming actions - while helpful - were not exactly doing much better. A harder recovery, but not by much. And worst of all, the bastards were multiplying on them, to the point where even as Alex shouted to the bird, Raven actively dove into the face of a slime, cawing and clawing at it, which was distracting as hell to it. Romani and Laurence pitched in, as well, but their progress was being hampered [i]THAT FUCKING CLOSE[/i] to the finishing line as they were soon surrounded. And you'd think they'd be alright to go on, but a couple of the slimes flattened, and then launched up with fists on their heads to gut-check Hakuro and Laurence. [color=ed1c24]"Get out of our way!"[/color] A bolt of energy actually shot out from the black bird, bursting the face of a slime, but another two moved in to take its place. In the meantime, Ava had been trying to calm herself to think about what Hakuro said, about the desperation of their need to defend themselves, but...but this wasn't working! It wasn't enough! There had to be something, somehow, [i]some way![/i] She couldn't stand this anymore! And then, a burst of energy released from her, one that was a little chaotic in nature. Hakuro and Alexander would hear voices in their heads. For Alex, it was [b][i]"No, it's too soon..."[/i][/b], and Hakuro heard [b][i]"She isn't ready yet."[/i][/b]. Something arose from her, crying out. It was a feathery woman, a deity of some sort, and it was manifesting a terrible whirlwing! [color=a2d39c]"I've had enough of this! Stop attacking us! Stop chasing us! Just cut it out!!"[/color] Ava cried out, both revealing the power they could all have and...showing that when one is not ready for it, one my [i]suffer[/i] for it. She was grasping her head in pain as the whirlwind became stronger and stronger! Slimes flew everywhere, people were knocked towards the subway with force, and debris was just [i]everywhere![/i] In the confusion, Romani was knocked out when he hit a wall and Raven was blown clear into the subway area, Laurence almost falling down the stairs to try and catch her if he wasn't pulled back by Hakuro. However, both of them STILL fell over and were sprawled down a couple of them as Ava [i]herself[/i] had been flung by the vortex. Whatever the case, Alex was the first to see what happened next. They were safe-ish, and then...they kind of [i]weren't[/i]. Through the dust and the debris, a black hand rimmed in red grabbed the arm of the mythical being who hung in the air where Ava had been. On contact, Ava herself grunted in pain. The wind subsided...and they could see the large spherical creature standing there in all its [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uYOCAQ12ko]hellish glory[/url]. It was black-and-red, its many eyes wide open as more arms came out of the mass and grabbed the Persona, which resisted in futility against overwhelming strength. Ava let out a choked scream, reacting as though SHE were the one being throttled by the thing...and pulled into its dense expanding mass. [color=00a651]"What the- It's killing her! How do we stop it!"[/color] From the bottom of the stairs, Raven called out. [color=ed1c24]"Get everyone down here, NOW! The train is here! HURRY!!"[/color] They couldn't do anything to that large mass of evil. Not a damn thing. It swallowed up the Persona, and Ava went limp, unconscious. They had to carry her AND pull Romani out of there, heading for the train. The...Velvet Train?! It was here?! The doors opened on cue and all of them would get in, where they would see... [b][color=fff200]"All aboard! Next stop- Oh, this is bad. Move aside!"[/color][/b] -Amari, who had started out in their usual chipper mood, but immediately got more serious as Ava was laid out before them. Heading to her side, the Velvet Room Attendant looked her over with both caution and determination, at once. Finally, Amari sighed in relief. [b][color=fff200]"She's okay. Or...she will be. Looks like you got her in here quick enough, saved her life."[/color][/b] [b][color=0076a3]"I think she just saved our lives. What happened?"[/color][/b] At this, Hakuro looked down. [color=00a651]"I told her that she had to concentrate, to think of something to help defend herself against these creatures. Alex has a gun, you're holding a machete, and I'm pretty sure I saw something in umm...Romani's? Yeah, that's Romani."[/color] Romani was out-cold and had dropped his things, so he couldn't exactly confirm it right now, but he had been, yes. [color=00a651]"I mean, it made sense. Once I knew it could be done, once I pieced together what we'd heard up until now. I thought she'd bring a weapon to the table and help out. Instead, she called upon a creature or a spirit or something."[/color] [b][color=fff200]"She called her Persona, but it was too soon. She wasn't ready for it."[/color][/b] Those exact words. Those exact fucking words were in their heads... [color=0076a3]"Wait, what's a Persona? Also, who are you?"[/color] [color=00a651]"That's... Well, that's Amari, but we met hiii...heruummm...[i]them[/i] in...kind of a dream. I guess it wasn't [i]really[/i] a dream. It's a long story."[/color] [color=ed1c24]"Yeah, a [i]very[/i] long story. You're the ones who sent me, weren't you? You sent me to help people."[/color] Amari nodded, but then said... [b][color=fff200]"I beg all your pardons, but I must attend to these two here. Master Igor can answer all of your questions, including about Shadows and the power you all witnessed."[/color][/b] The Attendant indicated further down the hall, which would be very familiar to Alex and Hakuro, less so but still somewhat to Raven, and not-at-all to Laurence. That, of course, led to that big-nosed bastard himself, Igor...and hopefully answers. Lots of answers.