Enter The Arena As Your Avatar -- The Spinoff!

She hugs him even harder. She just can't find it in herself to be angry at him. "Oh Ness... my poor dear... If only there was a way out of this... but even the best doctors just can't figure out... Surely there has to be something we can do in the meantime. Maybe you'd feel better at the beach? Maybe a trip around the world? I could get a whole luxury liner just for you. You could stay there on the days you're feeling sick, and when you're feeling better you could- no, that's no good at all, you'll just get seasick. But surely, anywhere in Gensokyo is better than here. Especially while this wretched war of light and darkness is going on and whoever wins, everyone loses."

Floating City, Inn

"What can I say, it never hurts to be careful. Besides, you actually look pretty good in that jacket; not that I'm all that surprised there."

BE!Pietro then moves to scoop Lust up in his arms, offering her a grin.

"Ready to head out?"

Edited by IchigoMontoya on Mar 2nd 2021 at 9:39:21 AM

   "... hm. I suppose both of them losing is preferable to Dharkon winning."   , the Batter says to them.    "I still consider Galeem a pure being. But after the facts that were represented to me... perhaps I do not absolutely require him for my holy mission after all."   

He turns to look at the faraway Dharkon and Galeem.

   "Sacrifices have to be made for a pure world. If he has to be one, so be it."   

He hugs her back now. He doesn't appear sure when he speaks though.

"Away from the Arena? But... what if they need..."

He doesn't finish that sentence, sounding defeated.

"Who'm I kidding, nobody needs me like this.", he mutters with a sigh. Despite that comment, he then tries to bring the mood up a little again.

"It's actually that other me who's bad with seafaring.", he says. "But I've lived on an island surrounded by water. And Krakens. I'm used to waves."

He breaks off the hug and looks at her.

"But if we're leaving until this battle is over...", he mutters, giving her the puppy-dog eyes treatment. "Can I first go say goodbye to Ninten and his friends, and Claus? They took care of me while I was here. I promise I won't get into any arguments with Ninten. I... I won't break that one."

She gets picked up and laughs.

   "All ready. Hm... I should convince Father to hire you as my personal carrier."   , she jokingly says.

Majima shrugs. Kenshiro huffs.

They both leave.

"Of course. I wouldn't force you to go without saying goodbye to your friends. Just don't take too long, ok? And please be careful."

Edited by Arachnos on Jul 20th 2019 at 10:10:07 AM

Floating City, Inn

"Heh, better keep that in mind once everything's gone back to normal. Now make sure you're nice and comfortable, Lust, we've got a whole lot of ground to cover."

BE!Pietro heads out to begin their scouting run with Lust in his arms.

The Batter walks off as well, though remains in the Final Battle. He wants to be there when it's time to face his enemy and puppeteer.

"I will. ... thanks...", he says, after which he gives her another short hug.

"... you wouldn't mind flying me back, would you?", he sheepishly asks. "Walking is gonna take forever in this state, and I can't use PSI without hurting my head, so I can't teleport..."

Lust grins, and is then taken for a fast-paced scouting mission, remaining in BE!Pietro's arms.

???

Somewhere in Skyrim, on the edge of a cliffside, sits Pride◊, who's just looking forward, arms on his knees and head on his arms. He sits there silently, confused and conflicted.

   "..."   

The realization had set in a little bit after Greed left. Pride kept denying it once he knew, but a moment ago, he'd figured it was no more use.

Frustrated, he buries his face in his arms.

   "Damnit... how disgusting..."   , he mumbles, after which silence returns.

She merely nods, cradles him in his arms, and with one flap of her wings, they're gone.

He lets himself get carried away by Mystia. Despite the reasons he had to come here, he really does feel guilty for putting Mystia through anguish yet again.

He'll make it up to her somehow during that cruise, he decides. And he silently wishes everyone who remains here and fights good luck.

Cradlecrush Rock

Rin approaches the clamorous noises emitting from the nightclub, a disdainful look on her face.

She stops just outside the door and clutches her forehead as she suddenly gets a headache, and begins to feel nauseous.

Edited by KiriK on Jul 21st 2019 at 1:01:19 PM

There's a bouncer at the entrance of the nightclub, but he does not step out to help Rin and, should anyone approach, he vanish... which make him a pretty crappy bouncer.

He does look pretty weird, with his Obsidian skin, yellow glowing eyes, black clothes, and sort of long claws.

Rin brusquely brushes past the bouncer, stumbling a bit on her way in.

—

Inside

Rin sets foot into the nightclub.

... Hold on. What happened between the outside and inside? Rin's yellow hair has suddenly gone white, her guitar has become a bat, and her outfit has changed completely.

She looks around the nightclub with a flat, emotionless expression.

"Huh..."

'Bad Girl' Rin looks herself over, as if only just realizing she had changed. She cracks half a smile.

Edited by KiriK on Jul 21st 2019 at 12:48:59 PM

The club's the same as it was before, full of shadow people dancing the day and night away tirelessly. It's all a maze of shape, colors, lights, darkness and... what have you, and describing it any further is difficult.

Stuff is spooky and surreal. Rin, so far, seems to be the only non-shadow person within the establishment.

Rin silently wades through the crowd of sleep paralysis demons shadow people, looking for something that resembles a bar.

There is one, and there's one free place. The clients nearby are busy drinking vague imitations of actual drinks, and speak to one another in a forgotten language.

The barman, a large shadow, sit silently behind the counter, with his numerous tentacles serving anyone without fail. The glass is very brightly lit, and the numerous bottles behind it seems to change with every flash.

Rin stares at the scene curiously.

Then she jumps up onto the one available seat. "Hey," she says, raising a hand up to the bartender-creature to try and get his attention.

It turns to her, yet does not speak.

Her blank gaze slowly becomes a small, yet visible glare.

"Um... do you... talk?"

It doesn't speak, but, somehow, it's intentions are clear. It's not telepathy, but it's as if she know what he's thinking.

What does Rin want to drink ?

She raises an eyebrow.

Weird. "Surprise me."

It hand her a yellow drink, the glass is of unknown composition and the drink is eerily still, not rippling or moving when the bartender put it down.

Rin looks at the drink, then at the bartender, then at the other shadow beings around her.

She looks back down at the drink and just fucking chugs it.

It's... a very strong drink, but it shouldn't harm her, beyond the "holy shit it's a strong drink" feeling.

"... Whoa."

Rin shivers briefly as the buzz kicks in.

"Do I owe you anything for this?"

It quietly shake its head. It does so by distorting its body, though, and she may spot another "human" in the reflection of the mirror behind it.