TITAL 2: Why did It Take Me So Long To Do This?

Kazuya: Getting better, that's for sure. Although it might be better if you accelerate faster.

Meanwhile, his demons are still attacking with no direction.

Naoya: Perhaps we could focus on the actual battle?

Kazuya: Good plan.

Both: *turn to face the fight*

Aleri: *Blinks* ...I had the strangest feeling that Kazaya just responded to my quip. From the ground. While I'm thousands of miles above him. ...Dammit, no, it wasn't Kazaya, it was... Takaya? No, NO, no, that's further from it. I'll have to ask him if he has something simpler I can call him by, That japanese name keeps tripping me up. I mean, Minato Arisato, that rhymes, flows perfectly, and is easy to remember. I always screw up Kashuya's name. ...This is taking too long, so I'm gonna have to break the sound barrier. Man, this is gonna hurt when I hit the target... Also, I believe that I have caught fire. So that's what re-entry feels like! Fascinatingly hellish. Well, I'll be nice and warm when I crash into the monster. It's awfully cold out.

<True story: I have a friend who only remembered Minato's name because of the way I always say it. Good thing, too; she had just picked up P3, and was wondering what to call the protagonist. Cue an Igor-style echoey voice clip repeat.>

<I remember Kazuya because his cousin is Naoya, and they both end with '-ya'. As for his last name, I just remember names.>

<I remember the name Kazuya easily, too. I just have Al forget for comedic effect. But I'm pretty sure you knew that.>

Rekoka glanced up, then made a panicked run away from the BEAST, jumping into a snowdrift and hiding there.

The object of her worry became apparent in a second. A flaming mass was coming down, aimed right for the BEAST's head, moving at a speed that barely registered with even the eyesight of people who were USED to this.

An instant before it crashed into the BEAST, the object's identity became apparent: Aleri, a look on his face that was a combination of determination... and a clear "I could've planned this better" face.

<I wonder how the BEAST will be effected by this attack. I mean, you don't just shrug that off, but if that can kill it in one blow, it'd be anticlimactic. I'd think it'd be wounded enough to make damaging it easier, but there's nothing more dangerous than a wounded animal.>

<Who said the BEAST is an animal? Maybe BEAST is an acronym. Maybe it stands for something like:

Biped Eating All Supremely Trained
Blasting Every Alumni Sky-high Transport
etc, etc.

Not saying that's particularly LIKELY, but it's possible.>

<It's the best word to describe an eight-legged, mammilian, bloody-fanged, demon with red eyes whose primary prey is lost souls. And I capitalize it to differentiate between it and The Beast who is far more friendly. XD>

The BEAST roared tempermentally knocking everyone away from it only becoming angrier from the blow.

"Thank you, jack*** for ruining my plan. F*** it, let's get rid of this thing." Shinjiro groaned as he summoned his persona, luanching numerous physical attacks.

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Yukari began to reassemble Blake's shoulder, the chipped and broken peices slowly coming back together and forming a recognizable joint.

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Joy laughed, "Yeah, Admin is... a special case... He's really out there. More so than you. Which is saying something." She poked fun at Athez receiving a silent smile from Mimi.

"We should go downstairs. I think the others might still need help." Jeff voiced his opinion from the birdcage at Mimi's hip and the demon girl sped out the door.

"Ready to cause some trouble?" Athez asked as he grins and draws his blades.

Aleri: *Having landed in a nearby snowdrift* ...There was a plan? I was just told there was some kinda monster out here, and we were trying to kill it. I thought dropping from space would actually work. Silly me.
Rekoka: *Poking her head out of the same snowdrift* ...How the hell did that not work?
Aleri: Exactly! Damn thing's tougher than I thought.
Rekoka: Oh, and next time...

*She kicks him out of the pile, then jumps out herself, brushing snow off her clothes.*

Rekoka: A LITTLE warning would be appreciated.
Aleri: ...Duly noted. *Rolls back, then flips forward and lands on his feet* So, now we kick its ass, right?
Rekoka: That's the plan. I see you're not flinching as you usually do.
Aleri: Hax Mode. How do you think I survived falling from space? ...And how do you know that I flinch? Mind telling me who you are?
Rekoka: I'm Rekoka. I'm a friend of Rexial's, and he's told me about you. Back to the fight!
Aleri: *Assumes ready position* ...So, Shinjiro, there was a plan, but I screwed it over, and now we're just gonna go berserk on it, right?

Kazuya noticed his demons fighting. "You two are still at it? Odin, back. Nyalatotep!" Odin vanished, replaced by a tall, thin, black, long-tailed, faceless demon, wearing a crown. "Both of you, Deathbound." Both of the physically-oriented demons attacked the BEAST five times in rapid succession, as did Kazuya.

Naoya, however, hung back. "Entering skirmish. Activate Auto-Skill, Full Might." A green aura flashed around him and his demons. "One critical hit, guaranteed," he said. Kresnik leapt at BEAST, slashing downward with his sword. Yama hefted his fan-like blade and slashed across the demon, while Naoya was content to sit back and cast Megidolaon.

<Nyalatotep's Racial Skill: Chaos Wave. Attack range is 3, no Extra turn, movement drops by 1.>

Julie ran to where The BEAST was... and her arm turned into the XM25. The young woman smiled."Look at this mofo..." she began to say as she aimed,"It's just screaming,'Hey! I ENJOY this ****!'" She then fired, from its feet to its head.

The BEAST shuddered, falling to the ground. Slowly, it's essence began to dissipate sinking back into the basement of the House as the building repaired itself.

"Well, looks like that's it for now..." Ven admitted with a smile, "I'm impressed by the amount of damage this group can do... It's amazing really. That's the first time that I've seen the BEAST destabilize."

---------------

Joy and Mimi arrived in the living room just as everyone began to gather back inside.

"We won?" Joy looked surprised yet pleased none the less.

Kazuya looked over at Ven and nodded. "Is it, seriously? How long have you known this thing?"
---
Naoya had walked away again, and Loki appeared beside him, back in human form. "So, how'd your test go?" asked the disguised demon.

"As it turned out, someone was injured, and when I attempted to help, I was dragged into the fight. As a result, Kazuya wasn't pushed as hard as I would have hoped."

"Too bad. Even as the King of Bel, he never was able to get that particular demon to answer his calls."

"He was never powerful enough. Strong, to be sure, though there were a good number who trumped him in terms of physical power."

"So there were. Seems like you'll have to send some trials of your own after all."

"It certainly seems that way...Is there anything in particular you have in mind?"

"Actually..."

Arriving just after Joy, Athez sheathes his daggers and slips his hands into his pockets. "I'm sorta glad that the fight is over. I was hoping to get healed, as long as no one else is majorly injured."

Blake's shoulder was finally fixed.

He woke up, and said"Well...****. What happened?" Nicole said,"Your shoulder was regenerated by the way...I'm Nicole."
"Oh! Well...Umm..."
"Your name?" Nicole smiled. Blake said,"Y-yeah, I'm Blake.'

Namine walked over to Athez, "You need healing?" She asked plainly.

Yukari was still kneeled next Blake, repairing his still damaged ribs, "Melena REALLY ****ed you up." She said curtly.

"Yeah." Pulling his hands out of his pockets, he holds them up as he explains, "I picked up a person that was on fire, with metal coating my hands. Not the greatest decision in hindsight."

Blake said in a jokingly sarcastic manner,"Nooo,it was just a flesh wound." Julie said,"We need to charge into their defenses now."
'Yes,and would you like to be eviscerated?"
Will, who had said this, then said,"We need to blend in and lay low. Stay here,or if it's needed, apply to a local school."
"But--"
"No objections. Back when I fought demonteens in the hunt for the Black Prince, I tried your idea. It failed every time. We'll stay here, see how many soldiers are sent out, and blend in even more. Got it?"
"...Ok."

"You do realize that this so-called 'bad idea' you're refering to is without the most powerful group of people in the universe... Which just so happens to be assembled here. Xavier alone would more than likely destroy them all alone. And he's human, 100%, no magic, just training." Lia said confidently with a beaming smile.

Xavier nodded, "I saw the type of magic Melena was using... It wouldn't have much of an affect on me since I'm magic resistant but can't use magic myself." He explained.

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Yukari nodded, "Just a flesh wound will impair your fighting if it doesn't heal properly. So, just stop goofing off so I can heal you."

--------------

Namine gasped, "You were never the one to think ahead." She giggled a bit as she began to heal the burns on Athez's hands.

"I've found that thinking ahead doesn't go well for me. I'm better at reacting to a situation than planning for it in the first place."

Will said,"Yeah, and Melena probably has some sort of trick up her sleeve. She could have sent a spy drone while we were fighting, and found out ways to easily beat us. And not ALL of Red Purg's soldiers are magic users. Those are the seargents and up..."

Blake said,while staring at Nicole, "Well,ok then... "

Julie trembled and said,"My head hurts a lot..." She then collapsed and was caught by Will before her head was cracked off the floor,which he did without bending time.

Nicole sat down, and sheathed her katanas. She then sighed. She felt like she could have done more, as usual...
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"You're absolutley useless!"

These words echoed in her mind as she remembered her days as a child. One day in particular,around 8th grade or so, she was in her school's Acting Club.

"Alright, I'm taking role. Garret?"

The club leader was done with the role call when she asked the club what they should do for the spring play. Nicole said,"It's A Wonderful--"
"Nicole, that's a winter play.."
"Sorry, I just lost my--"
"What? Your brain?"

A student declared this. This resulted in the others laughing at Nicole and her miniscule mistake.
"C'mon, I--"
"You what? Were born into a family of introbreeders?"
"Yeah, what Paige said!"
"You're absolutley useless!"
This carried on until Nicole burst into tears and left the meeting.
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As Nicole was thinking about this, Blake said to her,"You seem pissed. Something wrong?"
"Huh? Just trying to clear my head of some terrible memories of when I was in middle school..."
"I know how you feel. We've all been through some rough times."

Aleri relaxed, returning to normal. "...Wow. That's... amazing. I guess we've become so collectively that even the BEAST isn't unbeatable. ...Now, if you excuse me, my eighth sense is telling me that I should be talking to that Blake person. Excuse me..."

He walked back into the house, dismissing TELOS as he moved.

Rekoka nodded. "Well, my work here is done, so I'll see you around!" With a mocking bow, a corridor opened beneath her, sinking her through in seconds.

Blake noticed Aleri walking towards him. He said,"Hello Aleri. I've heard of you. I just don't know where..."

Aleri: *Shrug* Well, I'm not exactly famous, and even around here, I'm not one of the more important people here. You've mentioned a group called Red Purgatory. It's always possible that you heard my name from there, since I'm already blacklisted by several corrupt organizations and companies. So, I get the feeling that you guys are gonna need my help soon.

Blake: We need to decide if we want to strike now or take a break...I prefer the latter, haha. Are my ribs fixed? *He smacks his ribs really hard* They're good.

Aleri: *Shaking his head* No, I think you ought to give those ribs a rest. You just recovered, so you're all too likely to re-break your ribcage. We'll all take a break and return to full power, then go after them.