He was as ready as he was going to be, and this wasn’t his first rodeo. The moment the first shoe dropped, Daimon sprinted forth, keeping low and to the sides. The big guy—Baron? Baron—began to unleash hell.

Perfect, he thought, slipping into better positioning now that their attention was pulled toward the rapid fire.

“Lackland!” The summoning cut through the din. Daimon watched the meta-flames burst forth and manifest the entity named.

“I’ll keep you covered! Get in there!”

Daimon nodded once and darted forward. With Baron drawing the Orthrus’s attention, he moved toward one of the Garm instead; thinning the pack would shift the momentum early.


He leapt with all his will, sliding the blade from within his robes into view, feeling only a subtle vibration as the edge kissed the cloth. He angled it and plunged it into the Garm’s back, letting inertia slide the blade free as he continued his arc. As he touched down, he let the momentum roll him forward—hands to the ground, legs kicking up—springing back onto his feet in one fluid motion.


He reached into his robes and revealed his phone, the screen glowing crimson beneath his thumb.

“Persona!” Daimon roared.

The presence resonated through him—radiant, grounding, powerful. He felt the surge not as chaos, but as harmony. Resonance. Daimon let the light suffuse him, then directed it outward in a focused flare, aiming it directly into the fresh wound he’d carved into the creature’s dorsal side.

Minamoto Seiji - NOBLESSE [Emperor]
@Randomguy Hikari Kasuga - SIGNORA [High Priestess]

---

"It's begun, let's move"

Vaulting the crates to the top of the train carriage was surprisingly easy work. Within the Metarealm, physical abilities appeared to be tied to cognition and so if one were to believe the role they played at greater ability, then it would manifest. Of course in the real world were they to try to climb over these crates it would be slow and cumbersome, but here they moved like the wind itself.

Capes and loose clothing billowed behind the group as they ran down the train, it felt like sprinting through headwind, by all accounts would be hard to do, but here they cut through it like a missile. Their footsteps would be heard from underneath, but those in the first carriage would not notice, however the second carriage still had shadows on watch. As they sprinted down, they could hear some clambering behind them as a large, thick-bodied shadow climbed up onto the roof.

"Intruders on the roof!"

"Allow me a moment, Napoleon!", Seiji turned with all the drama of a theatre actor, and in a wide swing pulled his phone out and tapped it, summoning a figure in blue with two large cannons on it's back, appearing in an aura of red and black flame. He immediately took up a pose, pointing a finger gun at the large shadow, and just as he did his Persona behind him would line it's cannons up to face the front.

"Bang", the cannons fired and destroyed the roofing underneath the Shadow, causing it to fall underneath, ensuring their continued run across was unimpeded.

"Now onwards Signora, we need only reach the head compartment and disable the driver"

---

@Aurkanthis Toma Ishikawa - DAIMON [Hierophant]
@TruthHurts Ayo Suematsu - FREE [Hanged Man]
@Bacon Osamu Ichikawa - BARON [Emperor]
@Digmata Shirona Hoshino - THESPIAN [Lovers]

BARON, DAIMON, FREE, and THESPIAN were the ones to take part in battle. Their job? To clear the carriages out, and do their job they did. A combination of heavy machine-gun fire and a blade would take down the nearest Garm immediately, while leaving the other riddled with bullets. The Orthrus being so large had definitely taken more than a few shots, but it did not seem to do anything noticable, until it was hit with a light spell, Makouha.

The strike was noticeable, especially to the second Garm, who upon being hit incinerated in the holy light. However, the large Orthrus still stood tall taking the hit. It did not seem to be weak to light at all, but it wasn't resistant either. The Orthrus seeing an opportunity leaped forward for the party and took a swing at at DAIMON, raising it's claws as it executed Fatal End.



The claw strike would leave DAIMON no worse for wear. Just a single strike, nothing he couldn't handle, especially with a melee weapon out he could attempt to guard against the strike more effectively than if he had a gun out. But this was not a life threatening attack by any account, if he chose to just stand and bear it too. He had allies to support him, so there was no poor option.

In the midst of all this the group would hear a loud bang in the carriage up ahead too followed by a thud.

---

Thespian smiled as her ploy fall hook line and sinker, she rarely gets the chance to use this talent for a good cause. So she is glad that it went well, it is a shame that it is the extent of her ploy.

She quietly stepped away letting Baron to start the fight against the shadows, behind her was a furnace turned into a throne and a kitsune who sitting with arrogance on her face. Thespian would then pointed her right arm to the charging Orthus.

"Sukunda!" she ordered as disorienting orb hits the goliath, hopefully give the opening the group needs for a quick kill.

---

Hikari followed Seiji to the roof of the train with one graceful jump, landing behind Seiji with ease.

As when they were rearranging the boxes, she found herself impressed with the newfound athletic capability her body had in the metaverse. It was a world of cognition, so she supposed the only thing that mattered was if she was able to conceptualise jumping to the roof rather than having the necessary physical conditioning.

She did not have much time to indulge in her reverie, however, as shadows emerged from the Second Compartment.

Hikari grabbed hold of her phone before seeing Seiji taking out his first, summoning his persona.

Napoleon was...an interesting persona. Certainly, it would be hard to say that Napoleon was a completely good person, but neither was her persona, Lucrezia.

She did feel herself sympathising with Lucrezia, however...there were many historians who opined that her bad reputation was a fabrication or at the very least exaggeration, mostly borne due to jealousy or envy for her position and beauty...Well, it was something that resonated with her.

She wondered what aspects of Napoleon resonated with Seiji.

Another one of the observation best saved for later.

As Seiji dispatched the shadows, Hikari continued ahead, finding herself on top of the head compartment.



"Lucrezia!"

With a call and a tap on the phone, Hikari's persona appeared, the regal woman in black, aiming her silver crossbow arms at the hatch leading to the compartment below.

Hikari opened the hatch as her persona found her target, launching a surprise attack [Double Shot].

With the suppressing fire he’d been laying down, Osamu anticipated the enemy’s incoming fire to be directed at him. A part of him almost took offense to seemingly being ignored by the Orthus as it opted to attack Daimon instead. He gritted his teeth, then looked at the large knife on his belt with a grin. If this thing wanted to ignore him, he’d show it exactly why that was a bad idea.

With the Orthus slowed and seemingly focused on Daimon, Baron seized the opportunity and dropped his machine gun. Seeing his chance, thanks to Thespian and Daimon drawing it’s attention, he leapt at the beast, clinging to it’s mane as he hung from it’s side, pulling himself atop the beast before producing his kukri from his belt.

ATTACK

ATTACK

ATTACK

Again and again, Baron brought his blade down across the shadow’s back, laughing like a madman as he did. He held on to the thing as long as he could, driving blow after blow into the Orthus as he was intent to either bring it down, or get thrown across the room trying.

---

The operation was proceeding as intended, the back carriage attracted the bulk of the shadows on board, while the rooftop group made it to the head of the train to quickly dispatch the driver, and take control. The musty smell of coal and smoke became stronger the closer Noblesse and Thespian got to the front carriage, and given the noise behind him having died down, the rest of the group were not far behind. It'd be good to get started on whoever was driving the carriage.

Through a chute on the driver's compartment, the two dropped inside. Without hesitation he pulled his revolver out and pointed it at the driver, a shadow it seems, but this one was dressed a little differently. They had to be quick about it, so he fired a few shots, landing clean upon it's chest, and just as he began to put his gun away the shadow seemed to yell in anger.

"Auuggh! Did you just shoot me?! Oooh I get it, you're jealous I get to drive a train! Pretty cool right?!" Noblesse sighed, and just pointed it again, firing, but this time the shadow erupted into a haze of black and red flames as it revealed it's true form. A white mane made itself visible beneath the flames, along with a black tail, it appeared in a form similar to a lion, though larger and much fiercer.

"Well, I guess that'd be a little too easy, Thespian back me up", as soon as Noblesse took a stance, the compartment door behind them slammed open. It seemed everyone was now present.

"Good, it seems you all made quick work of them... Now let's do the same for this mutt"

---

NOBLESSE made the first move, his phone seemingly manifesting in his hand alongside his Persona in a brilliant array of black and red flames. With the group now here, his focus had changed for tactics as Napoleon gathered energy within it's hand, and pointed it skyward. An orange and red aura enveloped the entire Liberation Brigade as they felt a surge in strength.



"Hold nothing back everyone, the sooner this train is ours the better", he announced, drawing his saber and pointing it directly at the Cerberus.

---

"Disgusting, are trains in the Wild West really that bad?" Thespian complained as she covered her nose from the disgusting odor, she needs to work on it later it would be embarrassing if she taken down because her nose is too sensitive after all. Taking a deep breath she opened her eyes at the shadow yelling about the awesomeness of riding trains which she reluctantly agree considering what kind of train they are standing it.

Still it was a horrible reaction to getting shot, she glad that Shadows are not human because she get a headache otherwise.

"Understood, one roasted King coming up!" the fox masked woman declared as she called upon her other self who moved towards the beast with a stride harmless casualty even petting the beast as he stood there distracted to the klin she is sitting upon.



As soon as yelled her moved, the klin suddenly went alive widening it's jaw like door as it devour the oversized lion in its face. Scorching hot flames inflicted the lion as burns began spreading to its desperate trashing body.

"Is that enough support for everyone, your excellency?" she asked with joking bow as she spins her staff, ready to launch herself with anyone who wants to charge.

---

"Indeed, a lion does not feel they belong in the Wild West," Hikari remarked amusedly, in response to Thespian's banter.



"Lucrezia!"

Hikari summoned her persona once more, as the golden-haired persona in black manifested, the hems of her dress fluttering, as if being blown from the air current produced by the moving train.

Lucrezia was more of a support persona, inconveniencing enemies with ailments and healing allies. Still, having been bolstered in strength by Noblesse's persona, it would be a waste not to go on the offensive.

Still, her more 'special skills', not unlike what Thespian just unleashed, were more suitable for either multiple enemies or a protracted battle, neither of which was the current condition of the battle.

Thus, Hikari instead commanded Lucrezia to aim both of her crossbow arms at the burning lion. [Double Shot]

The twin arrows flew through the remaining flames to pierce the lion.

Osamu followed through the door, and couldn’t help but smirk as he saw the towering shadow before him. “This shouldn’t take too long.” He said as he stepped out of the doorframe, feeling the surge of power Noblesse granted the party, his smile only widening as Thespian stepped forward.

“Oh, I like you already.” He said with a confident smirk as Thespian danced forward, using the firebox of the train to open her assault, and while Signora launched her own attack and drew the beast’s ire, he found himself at risk of being written off on the battlefield. So, he decided to prevent that.

“Bring it on, you oversized kitten!” He shouted as he slammed his finger down onto a different button on his phone than he’d used to summon Lackland. “If you ain’t scared of me, then I’ll straighten you out myself!”



An air of power and authority, though greatly diminished from what it was intended to be, radiated from Osamu as he grinned almost manically, staring down the large, stark-white beast as if it wasn’t even a challenge to him.

“Let’s go, Lackland!” Osamu exclaimed, as he called the lanky steel-clad figure, causing it to emerge through a burst of crimson meta-flames. The figure raised it’s hand almost lazily, before Prince Lackland simply snapped it’s fingers, and released a burst of burning azure light.

---

No sooner did the battle begin that a bronze contraption clamped it's jaws around the Cerberus, and though it was heavily resistant to fire, it was still inflicted with burns. Such was the incredible power of a Persona's signature skill, though an unfitting solution it still managed to do something. It was immediately followed by twin bolts as Double Shot from Signora landed it's mark clean around it's neck and shoulder as the bronze toaster had kept it in place. The area around the white beast would immediately be set alight in blue radiance as Baron's Mafrei turned the area into a warzone.

Still it was not enough to keep the beast down. When the smoke cleared it's eyes glowed as it howled, causing a rain of fire as it cast Maragi on the party, pelting them with falling flames that exploded upon impact. By no means was it particularly powerful, but it applied pressure to the entire group allowing it to break free and strike the nearest fighter, which so happened to be Seiji.



Noblesse managed to weather the blow, using his saber to help ward off a particularly nasty attack, before he would resume with an immediate counterattack. Swinging his blade with one hand, while pulling out his phone with the other. "Hmph! So fire is it? By decree I forbid it", as Napoleon appeared behind him he took a step forward and pointed at the beast as a his Persona appeared to sign a parchment before throwing it out, a mysterious shroud would cover the entire party.

---

“Everyone be careful, it is resistant to flames.” Thespian yelled uncharacteristic seriousness, her usual bravado and flair gone. She might be a bit dramatic but she is very aware when she needs to treat a situation carefully and her other self’s greatest attack being shrugged off is one of those situations.

She took the moment Nobleese gave to give the staff a few practice swings. Watching as she the Persona of great general signed a paper and cloaked her. A protection skill against fire? Likely but not guaranteed.

Does it even matter though?

Using her staff as a pole, she would leap into the air before slamming her staff to the lion’s head, playfully hitting the lion with surprising speed and grace.

---

"Mediarahan!"

Whatever damage the group suffered from the shadow's fire attack started to disappear, as Lucrezia appeared once more, sending a wave of healing pulse toward the group.

As always, Signora was impressed with the power bestowed by the regalia while they were in the cognitive world. Never mind almost instantly healing burn wounds, but the fact that they withstand flames such as that with little issue was already impressive in its own right.

Following up from the Thespian attack that hit the lion in the head, Signora quickly drew several of her throwing knives, launching them at the shadow's face, particularly aiming for the eyes in an effort to blind it.

Turning to Noblesse, she then asked, "Noblesse, perhaps you could elaborate more on what exactly you did?" Signora called out to their leader, who had just done something peculiar by having his persona manifest some sort of parchment.

Given the context and what he said, if Signora had to guess, then he's preventing the shadow from doing certain things. But it would be nice to have confirmation so they could better adapt their battle tactics.

Baron scowled as his attempt to take the brunt of the aggression was promptly ignored. As if even these shadows didn’t recognize him as something worthy of much notice. Rage set in, as he reaffirmed his stance, brushing off the scorched section of his armor and doing his best to ignore the searing pain underneath.

Then the pain was gone mere moments after it had come, as the wave of healing light washed over the group courtesy of Signora. “Thanks!” Baron said quickly, as he shifted towards one of Cerberus’ sides as best he could in the narrow space, to avoid catching the others in his line of fire.

Finally, deciding his abilities weren’t the best call at the moment as they had already been strengthened, and only faced one foe. For a moment, Baron couldn't help but think of himself as superfluous, just another body to throw at the problem. After a fraction of a second to catch his breath, Baron opted for the most reliable of his options; his belt-fed machine gun. With a bit more panache than it warranted, he dove towards one side of the engine car so as to not catch the others in his line of fire, before bringing his weapon to bear against the beast before them.



Baron simply held down the trigger as he attempted to stitch a line of fire across the creature’s side, hoping to draw more of the thing’s ire. Still, one particular power of his was in the back of his mind, though he’d rather avoid using it unless the fight started to appear dire. Still, Thespian had raised a point. It was better if they knew what each other were planning, or capable of.

---

Baron's more defiant stand began to have an effect as the white beast began to growl in irritation and rage, it's glowing gold eyes turned to the delinquent youth and flashed with power as a pillar of fire began to form around him, casting Agidyne. However no sooner did Baron realize he was enveloped in pure flaming light that the flames seemed to bounce off of him and turn into a myriad of blue arrows, sending the attack right back at the Cerberus.



The display certainly would answer Thespian's doubts, as it seems Cerberus had predominantly fire attacks. With Signora giving everyone some of their vitality back, and Thespian running in for a strike, the Cerberus was thoroughly pummeled. Seiji would join in too, deigning to dash right up to it's face and pepper it barrage of revolver rounds. The battle was looking close to over, Seiji made the call to end this quickly.

"It'll think twice before using fire again, now come on let's wrap this up", he began to pull his phone from his coat, ready to call in a harder hitting follow-up to his smoking gun.

---

The reveal of fire's ineffectiveness only emboldened Thespian to be more daring. Swinging her staff to the lion's head before barely evading its claws. She couldn't help but smile as she went at it again.

Answering that app is the best decision she made in her life even better that than leaving that unchanging cage that is her childhood world.

Thespian stepped back as she let the arrows hit the lion, part of her pities it, as it is likely trapped in a cage to be transported to be might be a circus. To be turned into nothing but a main attraction.

Shirona realised what she is thinking and quickly stopped her line of thought.

Ahh... she let her thoughts out and projected her past on this mindless beast. That's not how a journalist acts then again she's more of a tabloid photographer and she's not really looking for a career.

Realising that she is losing her mind to stray thoughts, she swung her staff one last time hopefully finishing the lion for good. Death is a better fate than her fantasy after all.

---

Seeing that the chimaera was seemingly on its last legs, Signora decided to go on the offensive, following up on Thespian's attack.

She took out her phone, summoning her persona once more. Lucrezia manifested behind Signora, her two crossbow arms pointed at the enemy, the clicking sounds of a mechanism signifying that the arrows had been loaded.



With the sharp crack of the string snapping forward, the two arrows were fired from the crossbows, creating a high-pitched swooshing sound of the bolt of arrows piercing through the air at the enemy.

In that moment, it struck Baron that it might not have been the wisest move, drawing the beast’s attention to himself. As the pillar of fire formed, he braced himself and felt… nothing. Not the heat of the flames, not any other attack. The blue arrows that struck back clued him in on what had happened.

He didn’t share any further snide comments towards the beast as it started to slow down, some hint that they’d worn the creature down. Now, it was finally time to put the damned thing out of it’s misery.

Baron lowered his machine gun and raised his phone as Thespian closed, opting to avoid fratricide if possible. Instead, he tapped the button on the app, summoning his other self once again. “Persona!” He exclaimed, as he called the lanky armored figure into being in that burst of crimson flames, before leveling a hand at Cerberus once again, a gesture Lackland mirrored.



He turned briefly towards Signora as she summoned her own persona, he nodded to her briefly as his attack launched in tandem, her crossbow bolts striking at the same time as the burst of searing radioactive light.

---

With dramatic flair Noblesse pointed his finger in the motif of a gun at the white beast, his usual grin visible as his Persona behind him took a stance, the massive cannons on it's back flipping over to point their barrels at the Cerberus while it struggled against the onslaught from both Thespian and Signora. First, the rapid and quick attacks from Thespian would serve to keep it from moving too far uncontested, while the skewering singing arrows of Signora's Double Shot pierced it's legs, causing the Cerberus to roar in pain and buckle. Black ash and red flames bursting from the open wounds caused by their attacks.

"Bang", with a cool grin the young man draped in blue would cock his arm as if firing, and simultaneously Napoleon's cannons would fire in unison, two hurtling bolts that spiraled before joining into one strike. For a moment it might pierce it's head and end the fight, but it managed to swerve it's head, the singular shot instead grazing deep against it's side. Though it avoided immediate fatality, it suffered major damage.

"Now for the finishing touch! Baron!"

As if on cue, Baron's Mafrei would litter the entire half of the carriage where Cerberus stood, and in a brilliant display of blue and white, illuminated the group in a dramatic display. The young man would make a pose turning around and away, taking the chance to enjoy the moment. Within the blue hellscape, the Cerberus flailed until it could no longer, and as Baron's attack subsided, it's cratered body was collapsing and fragmented, red flames erupted from missing areas, before it would begin to disappear, like watching fire burn and devour a sheet of paper, and then, not even ash remained.

"Hmph! Well done! Though we have no time to lose", he walked over to the end of the compartment, and there it was, a door leading into the driver's compartment. He looked over to the group... Right. the driver's compartment was as one would expect, a big furnace and driver's wheel and controls. No one was here right now though, supposedly because the Shadow that was meant to drive this had turned into a great white beast.

"We should be arriving in just a few minutes so I'll cut right to the point, when we arrive to the settlement, there'll be a group of shadows to receive cargo. They seem to recognize Chimeratix members though", he turned his gaze over to Baron.

"As a former member, you ought to know a little of how to speak like them. Just talk with the shadows at the checkpoint, the rest of us will sneak out and take a position", the plan was rather straightforward. The idea of stealth was useful as he'd said, just not during the train itself.

"If you need any clues Baron, all I know is Chimeratix members often do 'inspections' around here, it seems these trains are just autonomously done by groups of shadows"

---

Signora breathed out a sigh of relief. That was not her first battle using a Persona, but there was still something unnerving when fighting shadows in this strange world.

It was not all bad, as long as she kept it in check, that sense of uneasiness meant that she would be extra careful. Still...she wondered if, with time, she would ever be as nonchalant as Noblesse, who seemed to be comfortable enough to add extra flourish, such as mockingly aiming a finger gun at the shadow.

She didn't get the sense that Noblesse was being reckless, but it was a notable thing regardless.

After hearing the plan, Signora realised that she could possibly offer some valuable assistance.



Turning to Noblesse, she asked, "I think my Persona is capable of a move that would charm enemies en masse. Should I use it on the shadows receiving cargo to make things easier?"

---

Thespian watched as she looked at the lion finally enter its eternal sleep. Using her staff as a support she took the time wipe off her sweat. For a team that came together for the first time, she could say that they did well enough. She quietly listened as Nobleese explained the plan.

Admittedly part of her could do the same of what Signora was suggesting with her authority but she would like keep a few trump cards for herself.

"Well I'll go hide within the cargo just bury myself in a pile of gold coins like last time." Thespian spoke before thinking about what came out of her mouth.

"Huh, never expected at to be literal." she added as walks away to hide as she said.