Cole's Lost Home

The world was cold... Cole Bardados would wake to find himself face down in a place all too familiar. It was his old home in America where he spent most of his childhood before flying to Japan. Was this a dream? That was a strong possibility. Regardless of the fact, if he were to look around he'd be able to see black silhouettes staring out at him from the walls. Whispers littered the area, though the words that were contained within them were inaudible. What was safe to assume was the fact they were whispering about him. It was strange. The room held no light source, but for some reason one could see clearly within it. Towards the corner, a pool of darkness began to form ever so subtly, as a mass of malice seemed to be brimming from within it. "He's fake." A voice could be heard within the home, coming from one of the many Shadows plaguing the wall. It took the form of one of his cousins, though only a silhouette was there, so details were not present. "How could we possibly be related to a giant ape, such as him? It gives me the goosebumps." The voice echoed within the dark room, as the walls seemed to close in on the trapped Kizuna student ever so slightly.

It wasn't that Tsurinai Naito liked this one named Cole Barbados, to put himself in danger to go save him. Nor did he dislike the ebony skinned male that he had only met once. When he received the call from William basically telling him that they had a further connection, Tsurinai was on the brink of hanging up on the Attendant. After all, how could he have such a bond with an inferior subject? All they spoke of was music, and how Naito's taste was extremely superior when compared to Cole's own. Hah, the thought of the conversation did bring a thin smile to the silver haired boy's face, as he stared at the screen of his phone from his dormitory room. It wasn't like they he had much to do that day anyway, so there was no excuse when it came to not saving the loser from Limbo. Perhaps Cole could remember what had happened? Well, that was a long shot wasn't it. Considering the fact people seem to lose some memory when thrown into Limbo abruptly, it's safe to say he would be just as dumbfounded as the rest. Well regardless, it seemed Tsurinai had somewhere to be this fine day, instead of studying within his room. The thought did cross his mind to contact Kano Genji, but he thought against it. He was at his weakest when it came to others, and protecting them during combat. Though he had a high opinion of Kano Genji, Tsurinai was no where near admitting that he wanted his help. Not whatsoever. Pride was not an easy thing to toss aside, and no one had more pride than the imperious Tsurinai Naito himself. So as he closed his phone and slide it into his coat pockets, the young man would press himself up from his chair and crack his knuckles. Things would surely be interesting this time around.

Leaving the dorm, Naito would make his way to the closest entrance to the Velvet Room that he could find. Seeing how the normal door to the Dreamscape Aberration was within the school grounds, and the school was currently closed, reaching it would be far too much trouble. On his way down the rather empty streets of Hayabusa, Tsurinai took some time to think to himself. It was strange how the Dreamscape was so different than the other sections of Limbo. Was it because it was another branch entirely, when it came to the different levels of Limbo itself? They were lacking on information, and the clues were the only way they'd learn more. If Tsurinai Naito truly wished to take Limbo and use its power for a better future, he would need to learn all the mechanics of it. This was a quest for the good of mankind, and those blessed with the potency of strength. As he thought of the situation, his legs carried him to the doorway of the Velvet Room that stood firmly in the back alley near the Satoshi Everyday Market. Looking left and right, he'd be sure to check his surroundings before walking into the alleyway. Before anyone could follow behind him, he'd disappear within the doorway without a trace, and would be transported to the Velvet Room. Not wasting time talking to the Attendants, he'd head straight for the Crimson door that would lead him into the dreamscape. What kind of person was Cole? How would his world look? These questions did come to mind as Naito grasped the handle and slowly turned it. Looking back towards the attendants with narrowed eyes, he'd give a subtle nod before being bathed in light. In that moment, his descent into the madness of limbo began anew.

Exiting the crimson door, Tsurinai Naito found himself within a strange room. Immediately he flexed his right hand, and his blade and scabbard appeared in a flash of blue light. With this done, his silver eyes scanned the area, glancing at the various silhouettes that were spread out amongst the walls. It was funny how everyone else had so many third parties in their areas, yet Naito's shadow was completely alone in a large Empire by himself. Was he signifying by the end of the journey, Naito would be alone? Perhaps... Regardless of that matter, the silver haired student saw Cole. Well, the duo of Coles. It appeared that the shadow was already on the scene, and the ebony male was arguing with it. Hah! Tsurinai would be lying if he said he didn't enjoy the site. Perhaps the Shadow had a better taste in music than the original. Now that would be a laugh. Regardless, Naito took a step forward and finally let his presence be known to the duo. "Barbados, I'd step back if I were you. This creature before you is not lying, it is you. However, it looks to twist words and feelings to its liking, just so it can weaken your spirit and feast on your mind. It is a Shadow of yourself, and my prey." His words were blunt, as a blue mist began to form by his ankles. His Persona was begging to come out... Heh, it seemed the first emperor of Japan also craved the violence of battle. Tsurinai was glad his other self was just as competent. "Once you accept this trash, you'll become a stronger person. The strength you have now is surely laughable, just like your taste in music, if I may add." Was THE Tsurinai Naito telling a joke? Especially in such a dire situation such as this? How lovely. "Now stand aside so I can rid myself of this atrocious sight." And with those final words spoken, the silver haired swordsman would grasp the hilt of his blade while narrowing his eyes towards the Shadow before him.

Tsurinai Naito stood with his eyes closed as both the Shadow, and the insolent human, spoke down upon him like he was someone to be trifled with. When the real Cole continued to speak towards Naito, the silver haired boy would suddenly raise his voice and cut him off. "Silence, swine." His silver eyes finally opened as he turned to look back towards the Shadow with a cold glare. "I don't have the patience of hearing both of you bickering back and forth, and involving me in your useless dribble is disgusting. Like I said Barbados Cole, this one is my prey. Stand aside and I'll forgive your ignorance when it comes to taste of music." Naito spoke with a blunt tone towards his fellow student. For someone who was to be his "senpai", Tsurinai spoke to him as if he were the under classman. He expected Cole, out of all people, to be more calm when facing his other self. Seeing this side of him was so unbecoming of the image he had created in his head of the ebony skinned male. He'd be lying if he said he didn't enjoy watching him squirm, however. Tsurinai was rather cynical when it came to other people he didn't have such a high opinion of. When he heard Cole continue to bicker back and forth with his Shadow, he knew it was only a matter of time before he said the magic words. Reaching into his vest with his free hand, Tsurinai Naito began to place his clean white gloves upon each of his hands with a nonchalant movement. He had seen this time and time again, so it was nothing new that made him shake, or worry. Telling from what he knew of Barbados Cole, the young man was quite a fighter. His Shadow probably shared that trait, so perhaps this would be something worthy of Naito's time. The thoughts made a thin smile come across the silver haired boy's face. It would soon be showtime..

As the darkness bathed the room, a feint blue light slowly feel before Tsurinai Naito's head. Reaching out with his free hand, the young teenager would crush the card of the Emperor within his palm. In that instant, an eruption of power escaped his body, and the First Emperor of Japan made his presence known with all its glory. Appearing behind the silver haired Persona-User, the Persona would begin to spin its blade with a dazzling effect before focusing upon the Shadow. Normally, Tsurinai Naito would have left the moment he was disrespected by a dreg, as he simply did not waste time giving them any mind. However, he had reason to test his strength against the Shadow before him. After his battle with the Shadow posing as the famous Deity, and the one who was Shadow Mio, Tsurinai Naito knew he was only brushing his true potential. He'd have to tackle this objective head first to reach his next step in evolution... He'd never be satisfied with his current strength. With Jinmu backing him, the silver haired teen would await the Shadow's transformation. He was more focused on battle, than actually saving anyone there. After all, Naito was against saving the weak. They didn't deserve to be saved if they couldn't fend for themselves. "If you're going to kill anyone here, Shadow, then save me the annoyance of your voice. Skip to the climax, I've never been the type to wait through the rising action."

Shadow Cole Statistics:

Finally the drivel was coming to an end. Tsurinai Naito was not one for sharing words when it came to trash, and through his eyes the majority of the living beings in both Limbo, and the real world, were trash. Not many gained a high opinion from him unless they proved themselves, and even then he still did not truly respect them. When the dark miasma brushed past his frame, he simply lifted his scabbard infront of him to keep the brunt of it out of his line of sight. He watched the Shadow grow in size, like most of the rest of them, and took in its new appearance with narrowed eyes. It seemed to be the opposite of Shadow Mio. In regards to that, it was obvious she was one who used ice, and with this one's appearance it seemed fire was its preference. For once Ogami Gabishi would come in handy, but alas he was not here. No matter, Naito believed he was enough for this one alone. Friends were a crutch for the weak, and so he wished to do this himself. Perhaps this Barbados Cole fellow would be of some use in the future. He seemed competent enough in a fight, through his boxing career, which most likely translated into a strong will aswell. Even his Shadow appeared to be formidable, even though it was rather putrid in appearance. The boiling flesh didn't help its case against the claim. And oh, the smell was just as disgusting. No one enjoyed the smell of burning flesh. Raising a sleeved arm, Tsurinai Naito would cover his nose and continue to give the massive beast a cold glare. He didn't dare open his mouth as of yet, simply because vomit would be the first thing to fire out. He'd give himself a few seconds to adjust to the smell, before sending a response to Barbados Cole. "I don't take orders. Especially from someone weaker than me. Now go cower in a corner and lick your wounds; this won't take a second." His words were as blunt and cold as usual. There was no use mincing words when it came to others. If they couldn't accept their weakness and grow from it, then they were nothing but dregs.

The tarot card of the Emperor slowly fell before Naito, and in a quick draw of his blade, the silver haired student would slice through it. Once again a swell of power would emerge from his body as Jinmu-tennō took over. Stabbing its sword into the ground, the Persona would slam its two palms together, as if performing a ritual. When doing this, the Shadow would feel a sudden drop of its durability. Simply, Tsurinai Naito had ordered its Persona to debuff the Shadow before performing any complex movements. To end this fast, he had to make sure his opponent would be feeling the hits. Shadow Mio seemed rather resistant to the constant beatings they were dishing out before, so if this time was anything like the last, then he'd need to be prepared. You could always count on someone from the Tsurinai Group to think ahead, even in dire situations such as this. Once his Persona performed its duty, it would vanish back within his subconscious. Twirling his blade upon his palm, the swordsman would sheath it back within his scabbard in one swift motion. Those many years of studying Iaido came in more handy than he would have imagined. When it came to other people, he could never use his full potential. But when it came to Shadows, there was nothing he had to hold back. They were scum that needed to be eliminated, and as such, he made sure they fell by his blade. Tsurinai Naito did not truly care what the Shadows were planning, but he did know they were the natural enemy of mankind. They openly sought out violence against humans and became a sort of predator. Little did they know that when it came to the food chain, they were still below what they hunted. Humans were resilient, and they adapted quite easy. In laymen's terms, the hunters were becoming the hunted.

Tsurinai Stats:

Statistics:

Chances of missing:

"In my place, you say? Do you actually believe you can stand to me? How foolish." The silver haired teenager spoke with a blunt tone, as he watched the massive beast tower before him for an attack. Bracing himself, he'd take the attack head on, and the power behind it would send him flying slightly back. Using his scabbard, he'd stab it into the ground to regain his footing before standing straight up. Raising his gloved hand, he would dust his shoulders off from the attack and tilt his head to the side. Was that truly all this Shadow could do? How shameful. Alot of bark for a weak dog. Regardless of this, Tsurinai Naito narrowed his eyes towards the opposition. The flames began to spout across the area, yet for some reason the darkness did not recede from its presence. How strange how Shadows and Limbo defied logic and physics each time he encountered them. With such ability, he could only imagine how useful the world would become when he wished for his new world order. If it could defy logic, it could remove things in the real world that shouldn't have belonged in the first place. Hah! It was the best bet! Every battle he had gone through was building him up towards his goal. They were solidifying his resolve and giving him the will to continue forward towards the perfect world. The ambitious world where humans did not simply pray and hope for a better life. They worked for it with sweat and blood and grasphed what every they wished. The weak would be weeded out and eliminated, and those blessed with the gift of strength would shoot humanity's status quo to new reaches, and then some. No over grown cow with flames spouting from its maw would get in his way of achieving this goal. No one, whatsoever. Like a bird protecting its nest, he'd eliminate anyone who chose to stand against him.

Focusing upon his tarot card once again, the sign of the Emperor would fall before him. With a quick grasp, Tsurinai Naito would shatter the card in his palm as his Persona erupted onto the battlefield once again. Charging forward, the sword wielding entity would perform two swift slashes across the Shadow's face before suddenly vanishing from sight. Once this occurred, Tsurinai Naito would grip his scabbard and await the opponent's reciprocation to his attack. This was the moment of truth. To see if the Shadow was as difficult as Shadow Mio when it came to physical attacks. Unlike some of the others, Naito did not need some fancy ability to learn while facing an enemy. Sometimes it came down to the process of elimination when attempting to find a weakness, or strength. He believed it was quite obvious the weakness to this beast before him was most likely ice; and element he was not fluent in. When it came to his own Persona, he was more than competent in Zio elemental skills. They were quick and stuck only once. Though not lingering like most other elemental attacks, they were still a threat for most who didn't see them coming. Even so, the silver haired boy found himself using physical skills alot more than actual elemental ones. Perhaps because he felt more potent in this regard?

Tsurinai Statistics:

Chances for Critical:

The Shadow gave a disgruntled growl as the scrawny boy attacked back. His hits actually held some weight to them, as the Shadow stabbed its claws into the ground and felt the full relentless blows. Once the annoying Persona was done with its attack, the beast would begin to glow a hot red. It didn't take a rocket scientist to know it was boiling mad that the human was attempting to stand against it. Taking a howl, the beast would fire a stream of flames upon Naito, once again taking no regard to the surrounding furniture or items around. To be completely honest, the Shadow was out leveled and outmatched this battle. It would be a surprise if it lasted longer than a few more minutes. Though luckily, it was stemming from a confident person itself, so it would still fight with all its power, regardless of outcome. Shadow Cole was not a quitter, and this was its only chance at obtaining the freedom it so rightfully deserved! Oh who was it kidding? It didn't really care about getting free. It simply wished to crush the original. Not because it disliked Cole, but because the fool turned his back on it. For a "lion" he held a coward's heart!

Shadow:

Chances to Miss:

So it appeared this Shadow was not as resilient as Shadow Mio. That was good news, thought Tsurinai Naito was not worried even if it were. Even when the flames came washing about him, the silver haired boy stood his ground as it cindered his coat. How annoying, luckily he had more back at home. If this was the full extent of the Shadow's power, the fight would be over rather quickly, now wouldn't it? How pathetic. Already about to keel over when they just got started. Naito wished to use his Persona just abit more to get his experience up to a certain level. He felt as though he'd be gaining some power soon enough if Jinmu had more time to shine out upon the battlefield. Perhaps he could extend the battle out long enough until he felt confident that he'd gain strength once it were complete? It wasn't like him to play with his prey, but for something as simple as this, why not? Summoning the card like before, Naito would raise his gloved hand and would crush the card within his palm. Once again, his Persona came upon the scene, flipping down towards the Shadow and driving its electric coated blade into its skull. The impact caused a tower of lightning to explode around both the Shadow, and the Persona, causing moderate zio damage. Perhaps the arrogant sociopath should have stopped underestimating his opponent, but for the time being there was no reason why he shouldn't have switched tactics. Once the First Emperor of Japan performed its attack, it would fade back within Naito's subconscious. The young teenager would place the end of his scabbard upon the floor as his silver eyes scanned the flames surrounding him. Surely, this enemy was nothing but a hot head. Who knew he'd miss the cold grasp of death that was given to him when he had faced the last Shadow?

Tsurinai Naito Stats: