Embrace Your Isekai Fantasies // Locked to mountainfoggedlotus

[fogboundcrow]

This is it! Raven's chance to help the younger Ren experience his powers as a Persona user. They can fight together. Explore together. It's going to be great.

But the Metaverse is too unpredictable, and the Dark Hour fairly dangerous. So, naturally, the TV world is the best bet.

Thus, Raven leads his young compatriot to the Junes Electronics Department. How convenient that there's a little rack of glasses near the flatscreen TVs with a cute Teddie cutout nearby.

Raven glances at the selection. "You'll want to take one of these before we step inside. It'll help you see through the fog."

Comments

[fogboundcrow]

"We should probably continue through the dungeon, so you can hone your skills and acquire more Personas."

So, when Ren is ready, Raven will guide him through the corridors. The first set of stairs shouldn't be far.

[mountainfoggedlotus]

"Ok." Ren follows Goro deeper into the castle, looking down and watching his step very carefully.

[fogboundcrow]

The second floor of the castle is a straight shot with no enemies or treasures to speak of. Just a wide, open room.

As they enter it, Raven glances around. "Hm. Perhaps a battle once transpired here, but there's nothing of note now. I suppose we should proceed..."

Floor three is another labyrinthine hall with many rooms and halls scattered throughout. The Shadows that lurk here are more of the same. Lying Halberies and Calm Pesces, but it should give Ren an opportunity to practice more as they draw near to another goopy Shadow blob.

[mountainfoggedlotus]

Ren follows his Goro, shuffling his feet a bit. He's...ugh! All these emotions are so messy and he-- he wants to reach out but he can't--

Ah, new shadow blobs.

Remember what I said to you? Pokes Wormwood in his mind. Back when you had your awakening?

Ren stops and concentrates on the voice in his head. Yeah. What are you...

The world's making you feel inadequate, Wormwood sums up. It shouldn't. Get even.

Oooohhh. Rip the mask...

Tear the card. Gnash your fear. Bite. Scratch. Claw!!

The knives almost appear in Ren's hands by themselves. Yeah--!

Destroy! DESTROY! DESTROY! DESTROY! DE--

"--STROY!"

With that as his battle cry, Ren leaps into the stupid fish and slashes it like he's the world's least-careful sushi chef.

[fogboundcrow]

Raven whistles at the display. Such power. Such ferocity. "Now, that's more like it!"

He holds his gun up at the Lying Halberie, with its stupid, floppy tongue, but doesn't take a shot yet. "Show me more of that ferocity. Hold nothing back!"

[mountainfoggedlotus]

Yeah...yeah!! He can show his Raven and the world who he is--!!

And who he is right now is a screeching, feral gremlin with two knives he probably should not have against a stupid monster fish that doesn't even have a brain.

"DESTROY!!!" He charges again.

[fogboundcrow]

Very, very nice! The Pesce goes down, but the Halberie lunges toward Ren for an attack. Raven intercepts, deflecting its stupid, flopping tongue with his beam saber, but deliberately chooses not to attack to give Ren the opportunity.

[mountainfoggedlotus]

Oh! Raven coming in to take the blow for him...snaps him out of his feral rage for a moment. He turns to look Raven right in the eye. "Thank you."

And then he's right back at it, slashing away. "DON'T HURT MY FRIENDS!!"

[fogboundcrow]

"Hahaha... Yes! Slaughter everyone who stands in your way!" Is that unhinged laughter? A wild smirk? Why yes, yes it is.

The Halberie doesn't stand a chance. Before long, it dissolves, just like its comrade.

[mountainfoggedlotus]

"YEAH!!" Ren yells, laughing along. "No one stands in our way!!"

This...he looks back at Raven, grinning even wider at the smirk he sees on his friend's face...yeah, he could get used to this.

We're free to be, Wormwood croons inside him. That is what you fight for.

[fogboundcrow]

"Heh. You did well." He walks closer, sheathing his saber for now. "Do you want to seek out enemies as a priority? There are also a few chests we could scout out, or if you're feeling daring, a gold hand... but they are persistent pests that are mostly useful for the money they would drop in reality. Here, it's not quite so lucrative."

[mountainfoggedlotus]

Ren flicks his own knives back into his pockets. "It won't be feeling so handy after we're done with it."

[fogboundcrow]

"Very well. I take it you want to take the lead?" Either way, he'll guide Ren down the hall and toward a rather particular door that happens to contain a gold chest and a gold hand.

[mountainfoggedlotus]

"Yeah!" Ren follows him. "Ooh...shiny."

[fogboundcrow]

"Be careful," Raven whispers. "The gold hands are durable and will flee if not dealt with immediately." But, since he's the more experienced of the two, he rushes in for a back attack to initiate the battle before the hand can fully register them.

[mountainfoggedlotus]

"Yeah!" Ren hasn't fully registered Raven's words. "Hiiiyah!"

Ren aims for a slash at the stupid hand thing. And--

"Wh?"

It dodges out of the way at the last second, leaving Ren off-balance.

[fogboundcrow]

"Try again...? It resists all elements, but physical should be—"

The hand snaps its fingers, launching a Bufu spell that Raven swiftly intercepts.

[mountainfoggedlotus]

"Eeesh," Ren flinches back from the Ice damage. No thank you! "Uh, slash!"

Another lunge and--

"C'mon!! Seriously??"

--another dodge.

[fogboundcrow]

"I can help, if you want, but I don't want to steal your victory." He will, however, intercept another Bufu spell.

[mountainfoggedlotus]

"I just wish it'd hold-- still!" Another failed slash. "Wormwood! Eiha!"

[fogboundcrow]

Good news: The Eiha hits.

Bad news: it does barely any damage. The golden hand glances around, like it's about to turn tail and run.

Nonetheless, Ren deserves another try. "I know you can do this!"

C'mon, Ren! It's all up to you!

[mountainfoggedlotus]

"Yeah!!" Ren shakes himself off, preparing to charge. "I can--"

...Eat a critical Bufu and get frozen.

As the Golden Hand escapes.

[fogboundcrow]

Damn it! It's tempting to pursue, to blast a Megidolaon at that wretched Shadow, but Ren takes priority.

So... fine. Raven takes his beam sword and strikes the ice, careful to only hit it hard enough to free Ren without harming him.

[mountainfoggedlotus]

Ren is...kind of stunned. "Ow," he says, once he's freed enough to speak. "Cold..."

[fogboundcrow]

"Sorry about that. Those hands can be a perpetual pain in the ass if you don't have ball lightnings or Almighty attacks." But he places a hand on Ren's shoulder for support. It's okay.