2nd Screw [Action]

[all_wound_up]

[Nano picked a bad time to show up in Hinoto-Ri.  She's a Leo, and the fear inflicted upon her by the event has reached the point of complete unhinged terror.  At the beginning of the day, she thought to take a walk to clear her head, but as things got worse and worse, she's found herself utterly unable to deal with the world around her.  And to make matters worse, those horrible scorpion creatures are crawling all over the city - and now, perhaps smelling her fear, they're also crawling all over Nano.  She can be found running all over the city at various points throughout the day, trying desperately to shake them off and get to safety.]

Noooooooooo!  Stop it!  Get off, get off!

[She's really too afraid to do much of anything about it.  In fact, she's even too afraid to notice that in her panic, she's managed to manifest her Persona, Pinocchio, for the first time, floating protectively above her as the scorpions continue to sting at her.  Ironically, the robotic nature that Nano normally tries so hard to hide is currently her only saving grace, as her Persona reflects physical damage and the scorpions' venom can't affect someone without a genuine circulatory or nervous system.  The scorpions will eventually mindlessly sting themselves to death, but there are quite a few of them and Nano's not much for fighting, so it seems she's going to need some help here.]

Comments

[otakuro]

Phew...

[Atsuro stumbles away from the wall and exhales a sigh of relief. His legs slightly shaky, he slowly makes his way towards Nano.]

Are you OK? ...You should probably get a little bit away from the door. Let's see if the elevator's working.

[all_wound_up]

O-okay...!

[Nano's pretty unsure on her feet right now, but she does manage to force herself to move enough to follow Chrome.]

[all_wound_up]

I-I'm fine, I think. But what are we going to do? Those things are overrunning the whole city! What's going to happen?

[Still panicking because of the event, unfortunately. Nano starts pacing around in a worried little circle, her key turning in a slow grind that reflects her current state of mind.]

[theothermist]

[Chrome leads them down the street, her eye glancing around to check if there are more scorpions around.]

Which apartment do you stay in?

[Since with how much she's freaking out, it's probably best to take her back to her apartment block.]

[otakuro]

I... don't know.

[Fear didn't need to be supernaturally induced to be felt. Atsuro ignores the sinking feeling in his stomach as he shakes his head.]

Let's get some altitude. I bet scorpions can't climb up buildings.

[He glances towards Nano and finds himself blinking in surprise.]

.........Is that a key in your back?

[all_wound_up]

Right, yes, that makes sense!

[She starts heading for the elevator, WHEN--]

Oh, this...? Um... it's... it's a cosplay prop!

[all_wound_up]

Um... it's in the Pisces Ward.

[Nano is glancing around nervously as they walk, as if something might leap out and attack at any moment. Which, to be fair, is true.]

[otakuro]

Huh.

[Atsuro squints at her in obvious disbelief. Seriously who would fall for an explanation like that -- ]

Sheesh. Twice in two disasters! I guess statistically speaking, whether it's fire, flood, or demon invasion, there's always going to be at least one person in costume.

[...Atsuro heads for the elevator and presses the button without further comment.]

[all_wound_up]

[Nano blinks, letting out a relieved sigh. She can't believe that worked either.]

[theothermist]

Okay. It shouldn't take too long to get there.

[She will continue leading them down the streets, her owl soon catching up to fly beside them. There are some more scorpions ahead of them, but Chrome is able to sweep them away with her staff as the owl attacks the ones she missed. Though there are more than there was before.]

[all_wound_up]

Chrome-san... I'm scared!

[Nano clinging to Chrome's side probably isn't helping her deal with these things.]

[theothermist]

Ah... Don't worry, Nano-san, you'll be fine.

[But there are a lot of scorpions and Chrome isn't the best physical fighter around... Though her Persona should be able to help if she calls for it, right? So she just has to concentrate and-]

Persephone!

[And with that, an odd-looking woman appears behind Chrome, casting a Tarukaja over her so that the scorpions are easier to fight of with her staff, before she moves forward down the street again.]

We're almost there, Nano-san!

[otakuro]

[...The elevator takes far too long to get there. Atsuro shifts backwards uneasily from foot to foot as he tries to ignore the dull thudding that sounds against the front door every so often. After a half-eternity, the doors finally open to reveal...]

.......Phew. It would've been like a horror movie if this thing opened and more scorpions poured out.

[Thank you for that, Atsuro. He steps in.]

[all_wound_up]

[Nano, for her part, bounces uneasily on her heels, fidgeting in place while she watches the numbers tick down. When the door finally opens, she squeals a bit and covers her eyes.]

I-is it all right...?

[And then, hearing Atsuro's relief, she lets out a breath she didn't even know she was holding before following him inside.]

Thank goodness...

[all_wound_up]

[Well, that certainly is equally terrifying to Nano right now. As she looks up at Persephone, she lets out a panicked scream.]

W-what is that...!

[theothermist]

[Chrome just blinks at Nano, and then glances up at Persephone.] It's my Persona. Don't worry, she is helping us.

And we need to keep moving, Nano-san. We're close to the apartment.

[all_wound_up]

A-all right!

[She's just going to cover her head with her hands and avoid looking at it while she runs, then.]

[theothermist]

[It isn't long until the apartment is in sight, and Chrome adjusts her speed so that she's behind the other girl, making sure nothing sneaks up on them.

And luckily her owl takes care of the scorpions in front of them. But Chrome still has to stop to fight them off when their numbers become too large again.]

Get to the door! I'll keep the scorpions back!

[otakuro]

[Atsuro leans back against the far wall and allows his tightly wound muscles to relax slightly as the elevator ascends.]

...Hey, you want me to try something? Someone told me it wouldn't work, but... my Persona can cure Fear. It can't hurt to give it a shot.

[all_wound_up]

Will you be okay?

[Not that that's particularly stopping her from running ahead and cowering anyway.]

[all_wound_up]

O-okay... if you think it will work...

[otakuro]

"Alright."

Though the summoning of his Persona had initially required a dangerous situation, he had done it so many times now that it was almost second nature. Atsuro concentrates for a moment as he draws out the power...

A brief sound as of cracking glass announces the appearance of the Persona once more. Enki lowers its rod towards Nano for a moment before a flash of light envelops her.

((Sadly, it won't work.))

[theothermist]

I'll be fine. I've fought worse.

[Such as a giant squid. Persephone casts Marakukaja over the both of them, to better protect them, while Chrome pushes the scorpions back. Once there seems to be a lull in their numbers, Chrome will be turning and heading towards the door.]

Quick, get inside!

[all_wound_up]

[Nano is all but cowering and crying on the ground behind Chrome at this point, huddled up with her hands over her head. It's a miracle she's even able to stumble to her feet and through the door with everything that's going on, but she does just barely manage to make it. Once she's in, she collapses again, panting on the floor on her hands and knees.]

[all_wound_up]

[Nano shakes nervously throughout the entire process, and is still shaking when Enki disappears again.]

I... I don't think it worked...