★ -- the aftermath [naito]

Tsurinai Naito would look over his shoulder at the sound of a Persona being summoned. He was sure Barbados Cole would be down for the count after that trade, but it seemed this opponent was as hard headed as he looked. Keeping his blade and scabbard in his right hand, the silver haired teenager would turn and look at the relationship the boxer had with his Persona. It took the form of some kind of heavenly dog, or perhaps a wolf? Regardless, Naito's expression remained rather blank throughout the entire interaction between the young man and his wolf. Once the Persona did its duty and vanished, the swordsman couldn't help but raise a single eye brow. "A healing aura, hmm? That's a handy little trait to have for a Persona." Naito spoke in his usual blunt tone as his own tarot card began to slowly descend before him. Holding his left hand out, with its palm facing towards the sky, the card would slowly fall within his grasp. With a sudden grip, Naito would crush the card into a shower of light, and his inner strength would be shown in all its splendor. Appearing before him, Jinmu-tennō stabbed its blade into the ground and slammed its hands together. Creating a healing wave, the Persona would heal not only Tsurinai Naito's injuries, but Barbados Cole's aswell. The silver haired Persona-User would raise his scabbard and grasp the hilt of his blade with his left hand. Looking at the sudden change in stance, Naito couldn't help but raise a brow as his Persona vanished back within his subconscious. A thin smile came across his face as he tilted his head slightly forward. "You should use your Persona more. It's the only thing standing between yourself, and the Shadows. This may be a simple spar, but when you're not there surrounded by the enemy, and you can't control your Persona, you're dead." He spoke with a blunt tone, as he narrowed his eyes towards Barbados Cole once again.

"This time you and that beast need to fight as one. No excuses." Drawing his blade from his scabbard, Tsurinai Naito would change his own way about going things. Where as before he was using Iaido's swiftness in combat, this time he was to be focused primarily on Kendo strikes, giving him more power behind his blows when it came to two handed use. So by tossing his scabbard to the side, he'd place both hands on the handle of his O-katana, and take a left foot before right stance. His blade remained tilted forward, its tip pointing towards the opponent that was several feet away once again. "Don't be afraid to call the little puppy out." The swordsman taunted his opponent this time around as the second round of the spar was soon to begin. This time, he was considering on calling his Persona out, just to see how Barbados Cole worked under some real pressure. After all, everything up to the specific moment was normal. Nothing supernatural about it. The Shadows were supernatural entities, and had to be handled in a specific manner. If Cole didn't understand that, then he'd be just as useless as the rest of the dregs in the current society. However, if he could adapt and change there may have been hope for him yet... "I'm impressed that you're taking this all in so fast, Barbados Cole. I have yet to tell if this is because you're simply confident, or too ignorant to understand what's going on around you. Regardless of that, your skill is formidable. Perhaps you're even a natural when it comes to ridding yourself of enemies. I look forward to seeing if you'll continue to grow into a competent ally, or a competent threat." On one hand, the Tsurinai teenager was praising Barbados Cole for his strength. On the other, he was also condemning him if he chose to stand against him with that strength in the future.

Stats:

As the opponent's Tarot card appeared, Tsurinai Naito's own card would appear before him. In complete unison, he'd use the tip of his blade to break his own card as Barbados Cole broke his own. Instead of a fiery mutt appearing for his own, the samurai clad in armor would appear before Naito. Its blade was drawn, and held in a backhanded grip as the Persona-User stood behind it, using it like a sort of shield. The first Emperor of Japan stood firm, with no signs of falter, as it shining blue eyes narrowed towards the two opponents before it. Being a being created and formed from Tsurinai Naito's will, it was more than formidable than one would think. Naito was a student so dead set on what he wanted, and what he wished to accomplish that it translated over to his Persona. Now even Jinmu-tennō seemed to have an aura of superiority permeating from its being. This aura contained confidence, arrogance, and a high amount of pride. Something almost every member of the Tsurinai Group had deep within themselves. It ran in their blood, after all. Where flames resonated off the wolf, small sparks of lightning crackled around the frame of Jinmu-tennō. With both Personas out on the field of battle, the second round would now commence. The wolf shot forward, and in return the samurai would do the same. When it launched into the air, Jinmu-tennō would position its own blade horizontally across its body. Using one hand to hold the hilt, and the other to support the katana, it would leap up to meet the beast into the air, causing both Personas to clash with one another before hitting the ground. It gave its owner enough time to move out the way of danger and focus on the true opponent.

During this, Naito would shift to the left, keeping focused on Barbados Cole coming his way. He was not sure what the change in stance meant exactly, but it was probably safe to say the opponent would stop rushing recklessly in from this point on. Well, this was an assumption, of course. Tsurinai Naito would continue to lay his baits and see of the boxer continued to take them, or if he wised up. Regardless, it was going to be interesting seeing how Kendo faired against an opponent who used boxing. Where Iaido could compensate for switch attacks, Naito used Kendo more primarily for power behind his strikes. Though, even then, Kendo attacks were not slow in any regard. With two hands on the handle one had way more control through their swing, where with Tsurinai's Iaido he was more focused on the speed of the strike, and performing clean cuts with a swift single slice. Not saying he did not have control, he had plenty of it to where it couldn't be used against him. But not to the same degree as two hands on the blade, using Kendo has the forefront of his assaults, which allowed him to alter his angles mid-attack. Basically the two styles had some minor differences, but in the end they both served the same purpose and could be used together. In this case, the silver haired teenager was looking to practice it in actual combat. His Kendo skills weren't as good as his Iaido skills, that went without saying. But his time with the Kendo club back at home, and in Ueitawa, helped him brush up on his skills to say the least. Keeping his arms bent, he'd make sure to remain centered in a powerful stance. There was no scabbard involved for a parry to assault here, so the game plan would be altered ever so slightly.

Stats:

With two hands still supporting the blade, the First Emperor of Japan would apply the same amount of force back into the canine opponent, standing his ground and not faltering. The Persona noticed its opponent take a step back and move in once again for another attack. This time Jinmu-tennō shuffled back himself, in an attempt of escaping the wolf's slash. It still kept its blade up towards its chest, simply for safety measure. But right after the slash ended, the armor clad Persona would have shot forward with a knee, looking to hit the canine straight in the nose. Even if the armor clad Persona missed, it continued on towards one of the various buildings of Limbo City and would latch onto the wall with one of its powerful armored hands. From this point, it would vanish in a fit of pearls, returning to its master. This was the faster way of closing the distance between itself and the one who summoned it. Meanwhile, Tsurinai Naito continued to keep his blade at the ready, and his arms bent. He felt his Persona return, and was already prepared to summon it right back out. Now with Jinmu-tennō back with him, he had two opponents to make sure to keep his eyes on. So in a clever act of movement, he'd strafe around the approaching Cole, keeping not only him in the line of sight, but also the canine aswell. The silver haired teenager had his fair share of matches involving more than one opponent, however he had never fought a canine before. It would be better off leaving his Persona to that one, as no human's physical strength could match up to that of a Persona, who could take the form of Gods on a whim.

Barbados Cole was a worthy opponent. He seemed to already adapt to his Persona's strengths, and were using it in actual battle without worry. Tsurinai Naito, himself, had much more experience when it came to working with his other self. It came to the point that he had even learned some new moves recently, the more he used his inner power. It made him wonder if he would continue to grow in strength the longer he used his Persona. Regardless of these thoughts, he knew he had achieved this power for a reason. The power to use his own will to reshape the world. When it came to those who shared this power, he believed they were either with him or against him. If they were with him, then he'd let them stand at the top of the new world. If they were against him? Well let's just say he was not a stranger to removing people who posed as threats to his business. Tsurinai Naito was not above killing those like a bird protecting its nest. Getting rid of someone was necessary, and if they became his target it simply meant they shouldn't have crossed his path. Perhaps this was too cruel, especially coming from a teenager. But being a member of the Tsurinai Group, they had certain rules to follow here. Just like those of his family, Naito took simple measures to accomplish his goals. Opposition left to linger became a cancer. However, removing them from the equation before they had the opportunity to become a problem was the way to go. Tsurinai Naito wondered if this opponent before him would agree with such tendencies. It was time to surely find out.

"Tell me, Barbados Cole.." The teenager began to speak with a calm tone while remaining focused on battle. "..tell me, why did you become a boxer? Do you enjoy beating on those weaker than yourself? Tired of being clung too by the weak, or simply attempting to prove you're above them?" Naito spoke bluntly, just like always. He was not the type to mince words for anyone.

Stats:

Tsurinai Naito listened to the boxer's answer with his usual blank stare. It was obvious something was running throughout his skull with the answer he had just received. The first sentence was powerful enough to warrant the silver haired teenagers attention. Barbados Cole was sick of being weak... Yes, he recalled his Shadow working that angle. Barbados Cole was sick of being a dreg of this current society, and wished to push himself pass it all. Tsurinai Naito respected this. Anyone who know slightly about him also knew he despised weakness himself. Those who didn't apply themselves and wished to only reach the status quo made him rather sick, if not completely livid. This Barbados Cole continue on to speak of a promise he made to someone. This caused Tsurinai Naito's eye to twitch. Though for just a millisecond, the blank faced Tsurinai had lost his composure and showed some form of emotion. Perhaps this mention of promises held something to his own life? That was something he'd never to care to admit to anyone, no matter how close they were to try and grow near him. "I see, Barbados Cole. How admirable of you. I am impressed you've found such resolve in this day and age where people are so dead set on self preservation." He spoke with his usual calm tone. "Will you still have the same resolve even if I were to tell you the world you know is soon to disappear? The plain of existence we're standing in now will become a new reality. We call this place Limbo. What I've seen, it can shape itself to the will of those within it. If that is the case, this can become anything we wish. It is an empty canvas awaiting a paint brush. The one who holds this brush has the potential to rewrite everything we know. It's quite interesting." A thin smile came across Naito's face that held some intent behind it. A subtle intent, but an intent none the less. When a Tsurinai took interest in something they followed through with it. Naito was no different in this regard, even though he had become a black sheep within his family.

Suddenly, out of the blue, Tsurinai's coat pocket began to vibrate. This caused his thin smile to disappear, as his silver eyes shifted to Cole and then to his blade. Spinning the handle of his O-katana, he'd stab the blade into the earth and reach into his coat with a gloved hand. Removing his cellphone, he'd stare at the number calling him. It had to be the Velvet Room, as he didn't get service for anything else in Limbo. Opening the message, he'd read the one sent by William about another person being in Limbo. This was getting annoying... Placing his cellphone back within his jacket pocket, Tsurinai would summon his scabbard to his right hand while grasping the handle of his blade with his left. Lifting both horizontally infront of his body, he'd sheath his blade back within its scabbard before letting it vanish before him. "We're done here, Barbados Cole. However, an opportunity has arrived to prove you're not weak. Apparently another fool was pulled into this world and could use some assistance. I'm becoming quite tired of it, but perhaps you'd like to handle this one in my stead?" The teenager spoke with his usual calm tone as he looked towards the ebony skinned male and his Persona. Honestly Naito was not for helping people who were not soldiers to his goal. They were cannon fodder. The foundation of the new world that would be built before them. "Of course, if you're not willing to take the challenge, simply let me know." His last words were taunting, even though he shared no smile or laughs after them.

"Heh, you can't be afraid to dream bigger, Barbados Cole. This place surely has the power to change when one with a strong will wishes for it. No one can compare to my drives. Now let's go, and don't get yourself killed. It'd force me to dirty my hands by cleaning up your mess." With that said, Tsurinai Naito showed the boxer the way to the Shadow, however; he would not show his own support directly.

[exit]