Yes. [ Granted, Ryoji has a lot of favorite people, but Noah is definitely up there as somebody he finds very easy to talk to and be comfortable around. ]
Robin, then? [ —he should order, before all the ice cream melts ] Do you like chocolate cupcakes? I'll take three. And what's wrong with people at school knowing you're Noah?
I see. [He's glad he put on foundation today, because man he may be blushing a little]
Yeah, it's my middle name so it's not a lie or anything. [he nods at the order and takes out three chocolate cupcakes.]
Uh, 'cause I'm a 16 year old guy who wears a pink frilly dress for a job? [He rolls his eyes] I don't give a shit about wearing a dress, but there's arseholes at my school who would. Just don't wanna deal with it.
[ Ryoji slides his credit card over thoughtfully. Considering his own reaction to seeing Noah wearing the uniform- surprise, curiosity, confusion- it seems like a lot to deal with from multiple people. ]
Wouldn't it have been easier to wear a pink suit instead? Ah- does the Confectionary even have a male uniform...?
[He'll run the credit card through, pulling down a receipt for him to sign]
They technically do, but they would've had to special order it. Seemed like a lot to ask for a new guy.
'Sides, I think the colour pink would be enough for some of those guys. [He sighs] Fucking homophobes. [He'll start boxing the cupcakes] Whatever, don't worry about me. I can take 'em in a fight if I have to.
[ If money's a problem, then Ryoji could make good on his promise to come by every day so the Confectionary could use that extra profit to buy Noah a uniform, but already Ryoji knows he wouldn't accept the help. ]
Pink's such a happy color though... Like the color of the sunrise, or the best starburst flavor. You shouldn't have to fight, either, because—
[ Fighting isn't good, but before that, Ryoji reaches out to stop Noah from putting the cupcakes away. They're here for dessert! Inside the plastic bag he's brought the ice cream in, there's a plastic knife and spoons to make their ice cream cupcakes. ]
I know, I'm fine with pink. But people think it's a girl's colour so--
[He's cut off though when Ryoji touches his left arm to stop putting the cupcakes away. Suddenly, he feels a strong jolt of energy shoot through his left arm. A jolt of energy that's enough to send him falling back a little. Not only that, but there's a burst of (formerly green) grayish-white light as his arm transforms]
[ Ryoji yells his bloody murder much more incoherently, jumping back away from the counter as the arm emerges, not enough space on the counter top so that the ice cream and cupcakes get swept sideways and come crashing onto the ground.
He clamps his mouth shut at first, lost for words— he wants to call out for someone- Minako? Noah? ] —Noah! What happened? Is it...? [ He steps forward again to see. ]
[Except the arm is not just going to hang out there doing nothing. Instead, knowing that there's something here with dark energy and the host isn't moving to do anything about it, it's lifting itself up by it's clawed digits -- dragging Noah with it like a rag doll.]
[ How is he supposed to get back, he can't when he doesn't know what's going on or whether the arm is hurting Noah. He ducks behind the front of the counter, as if it would be enough to keep him and Noah separated but still close enough that Ryoji could help— somehow?? He has no clue how, but he has to be able to do something. ]
You can't control it at all?! What's it trying to do?
[The claw will answer that question itself, as it takes a giant swipe in front of it. Without the host really doing anything to focus it, it's a blind swipe so- so it's possible for it to easily miss Ryoji.
That said, the display next to him and a part of the wall aren't so lucky as it swipes and smashes clean through them]
[A last minute supply delivery had kept Minako busy in the very back of the store, so it's only now that she's coming back and hearing the commotion that she realizes something has happened. She bolts into the front room, ready to fight tooth and nail to break up a fight of any kind-- but she's not expecting this.]
What the-- Noah?! Ryoji!
[She immediately darts between the two boys to act as a wall, arms spread out to protect Ryoji, but all her concern for Noah.]
[ As the display and wall crumbles like dust, Ryoji falls hard to the ground, hands behind his head like this is an earthquake drill and not a monster arm wreaking havoc in the store. He scrambles up quickly, staring wide-eyed at the gap that's suddenly opened up between him and Noah, the gap that's filled in by Minako who stands in front of him like she is invincible. Whenever she does that, he wants so badly to believe in her, but he doesn't know what that arm is and what strength it holds.
All he can do is put up a barrier around himself and Minako for the time being— three times is his limit, but anything that hits it will be rebounded, and before that limit is up, he has to figure out how to help Noah.
If there's anything that screams DARK ENERGY, though, it's this Shadow power of a barrier. ]
[He's as surprised as Ryoji when Minako darts between them, having forgotten she was there in all the commotion. And considering the damage that the claw- his claw did in one swap, her jumping in like a human shield does little to comfort him]
Minako?! Get out of here, it's dangerou--
[At that time, Ryoji puts up that barrier between him and Minako. Which sure enough the surge of dark energy is more than enough to alert the claw of their location. The next swipe isn't as blindly swung, but instead collides right into the barrier. The barrier blocks it, but it's a powerful hit, enough to shake the barrier and in the rebound, make Noah go falling back with the claw. But while Noah looks a bit hurt from the impact, that claw is simply pulling itself up again to prepare for another hit]
[ Yeah! Just. Just shout at that claw like it has ears, Noah. The barrier shatters into light under the force of the hit, and Ryoji immediately puts up the second one, reaching for Minako's hand so he can pull her aside and they could get out of the store to minimize the damages.
—-but that would mean putting the people outside in danger; that would mean people seeing Noah's monstrous arm, and pink dresses would be the least of his worries, then.
So it's Bad Decision Number Two: Ryoji lets the barrier drop, and in its place, he himself transforms into Thanatos, the shadows in the room seeming to merge with its body and give it form. Thanatos leaves its sword sheathed, gloved hands out protectively to keep that claw from swinging wildly around and laying waste to the Confectionary. Ryoji is scared as all hell, but he can't let that thing drag his friend around like that; he knows exactly what it feels like to attack your friends without being able to control your own body. ]
[Minako barely registers the ripple of power from Thanatos, only looking at his back in dismay. Things have gotten way out of hand way too quickly, and since she's essentially useless and in danger staying where she is, Minako scrambles back towards the kitchen area for cover, praying that Ryoji can hold off Noah's strange arm while she figures out something, anything, to help.
She blinks hard, and forces herself away from panicky thoughts, instead directing her focus into observing. The other Minako had a navigator feeding her information about Shadow resistances and weaknesses, but with nobody like that here, she has to rely on herself.
Please god, let her be enough.]
Ryoji, keep defending, save your last Moonless Gown for now!
[Even if Noah knew about Ryoji's monster form, he had never seen it in person- so that alone causes him to pause as the large creature form from the shadows in the room. Were he not dealing with the current situation, that alone would be enough to give him a jolt of fear. It was different than Yu summoning Izanagi, this thing was a lot stronger and bigger looking.
But right now, Noah has other matters to attend to, like attempting again in vain to try to stop this claw. With his human hand, he attempts to grab onto a counter top he can to keep him away from his friend. ]
W-we were just talking! [Wait no] Then Ryoji touched my hand and this thing appeared! I don't know what it-
[Unfortunately, his human strength really isn't any match for a weapon that could feel the mass of dark energy in the room, not when his mind isn't the slightest bit synchronized to this weapon. The claw yanks him hard enough to break his grip on the counter- and then tries to take a swipe of claws straight at him.
Luckily, at this level of strength? The claw isn't strong enough to do that much damage to Thanatos. If it hits, it'll at least hurt some just from the sheer force that it's swinging - along with taking out a few chairs.]
[ Minako tells him to defend, but what can he even do in this situation? The counter is destroyed, there is glass everywhere, Thanatos crosses its arms in front of its face to guard against the blow that forces it back to slam against the wall. Some of the decorations fall and clatter to the ground, but Thanatos is already up, able to withstand physical attacks and shrug them off like nothing. Thanatos can stand and take it for as long as he needs it to. But that's still not doing anything.
If Noah doesn't know, then how is Minako supposed to tell what the arm's weaknesses are unless they fight? But how is he supposed to draw his sword against Noah? He can't. He could so easily blast him apart with magic, he could use Ghastly Wail and knock him out right away, but how could he fight Noah? He can't do this on his own, without instruction, wary glances between Noah and the wall that shields Minako from all of this. ]
Noah, tell me about your arm before it turned into this! Can it bleed? Does it have tendons I can cut?
[The claw lurches forward again, trying once again to go for the attack even though it's clearly not effective against Thanatos. Noah once again tries to hold it back, but it seems like he's putting up an even more pitiful effort than before doing so, simply out of exhaustion. He stumbles and is breathing heavy with his face paling. The energy for this weapon has to come from somewhere after all, and Noah's nowhere near the level of a host that can maintain this form for a long time.
So, Minako and Ryoji have one of two choices: try something to stop the claw from attacking anymore and hope it doesn't damage Noah or the store too badly in the process, or try to withstand the attack until it exhausts it's energy source and hope it doesn't damage Noah or the store too badly in the process.]
[ "I've never been able to" meaning you've tried before, Noah? Because why the fuck.
Still, it's information and he'll take it, Thanatos' grip tightening around the hilt of his sword. He has to fight. He has to try. He has to—
-—he's staring into ice blue eyes. lifeless eyes. gunpowder is thick in the air, blinding lights flashing at his eyes like a strobe in its stubborn perseverance in trying to break the barrier that protects him. he does not move; does not have to do anything but stand there and exert the pressure that comes off him in waves-- the persona shatters, and alongside it, his friend—-
Thanatos starts from where it had been standing motionless, Ryoji's voice coming after, dazed. ]
...Minako. I need you to cover your ears.
[ He's not going to fight Noah. He can't, not after seeing that memory of him and a friend fighting head to head, how easily she was blown apart. But if there's a way to get Noah to fall unconscious, maybe his hand would stop functioning as well... It's the last move Thanatos has: ghastly wail. If Noah hears it, he would fall unconscious. Or die. Hopefully just unconscious. Ryoji's out of ideas otherwise, turning to the wall for Minako's confirmation or rebuttal. ]
[Though she doesn't see the memory he sees, Ryoji's sudden switch from determination to reluctance throws Minako into a similar daze, and she has to shake her head physically to stop herself from succumbing to their connection. If she gets distracted, she's going to miss something that could potentially help end this...!
But she thinks she might be onto something anyways. Noah's arm so far has only targeted Ryoji. It's in a rampage, yes, but it's not blindly destroying the other parts of the shop at all. It's unlikely that Noah has a part in encouraging that, since his efforts to command the arm to do anything seem to be in vain, so Minako can only assume the arm is reacting to Ryoji. All of this had apparently started when he'd touched Noah's arm, too.
Ryoji's idea to use Ghastly Wail is too risky to try just yet. Neither of them want to hurt Noah if they can help it, and Minako intends to try every other option at her disposal first.
Option three: get Ryoji out of the shop ASAP. Hoping he heard her flurry of thoughts and reasoning, she commands in a voice that brooks no argument:]
Not yet, Ryoji. Dismiss Thanatos and then on my signal, run for it. I'll call for you again if we're in danger, but for now, just get as far away as you can. [And then in a louder voice, her Evoker tugged out of her purse and at her temple:] I summon you! Kartikeya!
[The deity spins into existence, cramping up the already crowded shop with his peacock, but he's only there for a moment to lift his spear into the air, casting a Masukukaja over her and Thanatos before disappearing.]
[ Thanatos' head snaps over to look at Minako, clearly spurning this proposal: she's asking him to abandon two of his closest friends— how is he supposed to do that? If something were to happen, how is he supposed to live with himself?
But all it takes is Minako summoning Kartikeya. There's no room for another soul, and Thanatos reverts, Ryoji severing his connection with Minako and taking his distress and reluctance with him where she can no longer share in. He ducks around the splintered walls and towards the door— but where is he even supposed to go? What is he supposed to do? How is he supposed to leave...
Ryoji squeezes his eyes tight, pausing at the doorway with what little time he probably should not waste. Trust her. He would trust her with his life without hesitation, but her life? Noah's life? ]
—Keep me on speaker.
[ And he's out the door. Not two seconds later, Minako's phone will ring. At the very, very least, keep him in the loop. He can't share in what Minako thinks and feels as Ryoji, but this way, he can at least hear and lend his voice. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
[That's a lot of pressure Ryoji. The only time he's ever made that list is with his dad. ]
Well, fine, come by when you want. Just don't call me Noah in front of other customers? I'm trying to avoid getting my arse kicked at school.
no subject
Robin, then? [ —he should order, before all the ice cream melts ] Do you like chocolate cupcakes? I'll take three. And what's wrong with people at school knowing you're Noah?
no subject
Yeah, it's my middle name so it's not a lie or anything. [he nods at the order and takes out three chocolate cupcakes.]
Uh, 'cause I'm a 16 year old guy who wears a pink frilly dress for a job? [He rolls his eyes] I don't give a shit about wearing a dress, but there's arseholes at my school who would. Just don't wanna deal with it.
no subject
Wouldn't it have been easier to wear a pink suit instead? Ah- does the Confectionary even have a male uniform...?
no subject
They technically do, but they would've had to special order it. Seemed like a lot to ask for a new guy.
'Sides, I think the colour pink would be enough for some of those guys. [He sighs] Fucking homophobes. [He'll start boxing the cupcakes] Whatever, don't worry about me. I can take 'em in a fight if I have to.
no subject
Pink's such a happy color though... Like the color of the sunrise, or the best starburst flavor. You shouldn't have to fight, either, because—
[ Fighting isn't good, but before that, Ryoji reaches out to stop Noah from putting the cupcakes away. They're here for dessert! Inside the plastic bag he's brought the ice cream in, there's a plastic knife and spoons to make their ice cream cupcakes. ]
no subject
[He's cut off though when Ryoji touches his left arm to stop putting the cupcakes away. Suddenly, he feels a strong jolt of energy shoot through his left arm. A jolt of energy that's enough to send him falling back a little. Not only that, but there's a burst of (formerly green) grayish-white light as his arm transforms]
- !!!!!!
What the fuck?!?!?
no subject
He clamps his mouth shut at first, lost for words— he wants to call out for someone- Minako? Noah? ] —Noah! What happened? Is it...? [ He steps forward again to see. ]
no subject
[Except the arm is not just going to hang out there doing nothing. Instead, knowing that there's something here with dark energy and the host isn't moving to do anything about it, it's lifting itself up by it's clawed digits -- dragging Noah with it like a rag doll.]
Shit -- it's moving on it's own?!?!
Ryoji get back!
no subject
You can't control it at all?! What's it trying to do?
no subject
[The claw will answer that question itself, as it takes a giant swipe in front of it. Without the host really doing anything to focus it, it's a blind swipe so- so it's possible for it to easily miss Ryoji.
That said, the display next to him and a part of the wall aren't so lucky as it swipes and smashes clean through them]
Ah!
no subject
What the-- Noah?! Ryoji!
[She immediately darts between the two boys to act as a wall, arms spread out to protect Ryoji, but all her concern for Noah.]
Noah, your arm--!
no subject
All he can do is put up a barrier around himself and Minako for the time being— three times is his limit, but anything that hits it will be rebounded, and before that limit is up, he has to figure out how to help Noah.
If there's anything that screams DARK ENERGY, though, it's this Shadow power of a barrier. ]
no subject
Minako?! Get out of here, it's dangerou--
[At that time, Ryoji puts up that barrier between him and Minako. Which sure enough the surge of dark energy is more than enough to alert the claw of their location. The next swipe isn't as blindly swung, but instead collides right into the barrier. The barrier blocks it, but it's a powerful hit, enough to shake the barrier and in the rebound, make Noah go falling back with the claw. But while Noah looks a bit hurt from the impact, that claw is simply pulling itself up again to prepare for another hit]
Ow- no, stop! These are my friends!!
no subject
—-but that would mean putting the people outside in danger; that would mean people seeing Noah's monstrous arm, and pink dresses would be the least of his worries, then.
So it's Bad Decision Number Two: Ryoji lets the barrier drop, and in its place, he himself transforms into Thanatos, the shadows in the room seeming to merge with its body and give it form. Thanatos leaves its sword sheathed, gloved hands out protectively to keep that claw from swinging wildly around and laying waste to the Confectionary. Ryoji is scared as all hell, but he can't let that thing drag his friend around like that; he knows exactly what it feels like to attack your friends without being able to control your own body. ]
no subject
She blinks hard, and forces herself away from panicky thoughts, instead directing her focus into observing. The other Minako had a navigator feeding her information about Shadow resistances and weaknesses, but with nobody like that here, she has to rely on herself.
Please god, let her be enough.]
Ryoji, keep defending, save your last Moonless Gown for now!
Noah! What were you two doing when this started?!
no subject
But right now, Noah has other matters to attend to, like attempting again in vain to try to stop this claw. With his human hand, he attempts to grab onto a counter top he can to keep him away from his friend. ]
W-we were just talking! [Wait no] Then Ryoji touched my hand and this thing appeared! I don't know what it-
[Unfortunately, his human strength really isn't any match for a weapon that could feel the mass of dark energy in the room, not when his mind isn't the slightest bit synchronized to this weapon. The claw yanks him hard enough to break his grip on the counter- and then tries to take a swipe of claws straight at him.
Luckily, at this level of strength? The claw isn't strong enough to do that much damage to Thanatos. If it hits, it'll at least hurt some just from the sheer force that it's swinging - along with taking out a few chairs.]
no subject
If Noah doesn't know, then how is Minako supposed to tell what the arm's weaknesses are unless they fight? But how is he supposed to draw his sword against Noah? He can't. He could so easily blast him apart with magic, he could use Ghastly Wail and knock him out right away, but how could he fight Noah? He can't do this on his own, without instruction, wary glances between Noah and the wall that shields Minako from all of this. ]
Noah, tell me about your arm before it turned into this! Can it bleed? Does it have tendons I can cut?
sorry to break thread order!
[The claw lurches forward again, trying once again to go for the attack even though it's clearly not effective against Thanatos. Noah once again tries to hold it back, but it seems like he's putting up an even more pitiful effort than before doing so, simply out of exhaustion. He stumbles and is breathing heavy with his face paling. The energy for this weapon has to come from somewhere after all, and Noah's nowhere near the level of a host that can maintain this form for a long time.
So, Minako and Ryoji have one of two choices: try something to stop the claw from attacking anymore and hope it doesn't damage Noah or the store too badly in the process, or try to withstand the attack until it exhausts it's energy source and hope it doesn't damage Noah or the store too badly in the process.]
no subject
Still, it's information and he'll take it, Thanatos' grip tightening around the hilt of his sword. He has to fight. He has to try. He has to—
-—he's staring into ice blue eyes. lifeless eyes. gunpowder is thick in the air, blinding lights flashing at his eyes like a strobe in its stubborn perseverance in trying to break the barrier that protects him. he does not move; does not have to do anything but stand there and exert the pressure that comes off him in waves-- the persona shatters, and alongside it, his friend—-
Thanatos starts from where it had been standing motionless, Ryoji's voice coming after, dazed. ]
...Minako. I need you to cover your ears.
[ He's not going to fight Noah. He can't, not after seeing that memory of him and a friend fighting head to head, how easily she was blown apart. But if there's a way to get Noah to fall unconscious, maybe his hand would stop functioning as well... It's the last move Thanatos has: ghastly wail. If Noah hears it, he would fall unconscious. Or die. Hopefully just unconscious. Ryoji's out of ideas otherwise, turning to the wall for Minako's confirmation or rebuttal. ]
no subject
But she thinks she might be onto something anyways. Noah's arm so far has only targeted Ryoji. It's in a rampage, yes, but it's not blindly destroying the other parts of the shop at all. It's unlikely that Noah has a part in encouraging that, since his efforts to command the arm to do anything seem to be in vain, so Minako can only assume the arm is reacting to Ryoji. All of this had apparently started when he'd touched Noah's arm, too.
Ryoji's idea to use Ghastly Wail is too risky to try just yet. Neither of them want to hurt Noah if they can help it, and Minako intends to try every other option at her disposal first.
Option three: get Ryoji out of the shop ASAP. Hoping he heard her flurry of thoughts and reasoning, she commands in a voice that brooks no argument:]
Not yet, Ryoji. Dismiss Thanatos and then on my signal, run for it. I'll call for you again if we're in danger, but for now, just get as far away as you can. [And then in a louder voice, her Evoker tugged out of her purse and at her temple:] I summon you! Kartikeya!
[The deity spins into existence, cramping up the already crowded shop with his peacock, but he's only there for a moment to lift his spear into the air, casting a Masukukaja over her and Thanatos before disappearing.]
GO!
no subject
But all it takes is Minako summoning Kartikeya. There's no room for another soul, and Thanatos reverts, Ryoji severing his connection with Minako and taking his distress and reluctance with him where she can no longer share in. He ducks around the splintered walls and towards the door— but where is he even supposed to go? What is he supposed to do? How is he supposed to leave...
Ryoji squeezes his eyes tight, pausing at the doorway with what little time he probably should not waste. Trust her. He would trust her with his life without hesitation, but her life? Noah's life? ]
—Keep me on speaker.
[ And he's out the door. Not two seconds later, Minako's phone will ring. At the very, very least, keep him in the loop. He can't share in what Minako thinks and feels as Ryoji, but this way, he can at least hear and lend his voice. ]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)