Dansen's House of Cards

Tch, this was annoying. Tsurinai Naito despised enemies that used cheap tactics to remain competent in battle. Those who lacked true strength fell back onto using cowardly tricks to stay in the game. The silver haired teenager would shift his eyes over to Barbados Cole, who had just healed himself, and he'd narrow his eyes. "Barbados, leave the healing to me. I need you to attack when you have the opportunity too. Without that, it's just a waste of time. I won't let this pathetic Shadow continue with these useless parlour tricks for much longer. Surely it has a pattern." His tone was calm and blunt as he focused his silver hues to the Joker card next. Shooting forward, he would slash through the card twice like before, attempting to find the Shadow once again. This Shadow was more than just annoying and irritating. It seemed the Shadows were continuing to get stronger the longer Limbo was allowed to exist so freely. If the Persona-Users were going to stay in this fight against the shadows they would need to become more organized. How things were going on now, it was unorganized and scattered. This most likely called for a meeting between all the known users to get things together alittle more. Kano Genji seemed to be working with Kiyomi Mio and Ogami Gabishi while Naito took Barbados Cole under his wing. After this battle, Sukumada Dansen would most likely join their fight against the supernatural creatures, creating another player, or in Naito's case, pawn for exploring Limbo's bowels. Even then, the silver haired teen knew he would need to communicate with the whole team if they were to be making any progress in solving the mystery of Limbo. After all, they were growing stagnant, which was something he despised. But first thing was first, and it was ridding this problem before him.

His Persona was awaiting the time it'd be called upon the battlefield, but Naito knew it would be a waste of strength to send him out now. Since he couldn't pinpoint the shadow's exact location, he could not debuff it. And risking HP attacks just to attack an empty card was not only foolish but a waste of strength aswell. So once the swordsman finished his own attack, he would reclaim his original position an hold his blade at the ready. It was obvious he'd need to take an attack for Barbados Cole if he missed since it appeared like the ebony skinned male was about to keel over. How troublesome...

Tsurinai Stats:

Sending a backhand towards Barbados, Naito would know him out of the way of the Shadow's attack and take the blow for him. For that time, the blow didn't seem to hurt as much as it could have, and the silver haired boy looked back towards Cole once more. "Don't get used to me saving your tail constantly. Everyone gets atleast one, and no more. Now let's keep attacking, we can't let him have us against the ropes like this." He used a boxing term to get Barabdos back on his feet. Looking back towards the cards, Naito would dash forward and slash through the Queen of Diamonds first this time around. One slash would be vertical and the next horizontal, splicing them into four separate pieces.

Naito:

Tsurinai Naito watched the cards shatter before him, and a thin smile would find itself coming upon his face. Was this Shadow finally finished playing these remedial games? Analyzing the situation, Naito's silver eyes would focus on the Shadow beginning to guard. Was it protecting a weak spot, or just attempting to bide its time? Something wasn't right here. Instead of attacking blindly, Naito would raise his blade before Barbados Cole and give a narrow eyed gaze towards him. "Something isn't right about this one. Since you seem like you're on your last leg, I'll attack. But for the Shadow to suddenly break its pattern and simply guard probably means this is bait for a trap. As long as one of us isn't caught in it, that means someone can finish it. So hold your attack this time around, Barbados." The teenage swordsman would summon his scabbard back to his right hand. Taking it in a firm grip, he'd sheath his blade and hold it to his side at the ready. Now with his left hand free, he'd summon the tarot card of the Emperor, and it'd slowly descend before him. Without hesitation, Naito would crush the card in his palm and cause it to shatter into pieces. A power would erupt from his being, and the form of Jinmu-tennō would show itself. Sparks of electricity focused around its blade as it stabbed it into the ground. The sparks traveled around the floor below them, circling around the Shadow and then causing multiple pillars of lightning to shoot up from the ground and fry it where it stood. It was certainly a massive light show for those watching, and the sudden flash could cause unsuspecting eyes to close. Regardless, Naito watched the display of his Persona's mettle before the light show would abruptly end. Once the attack was complete, the Persona would grasp the hilt of its blade and vanish before their eyes. 

Naito had chose to use a zio skill simply because if it were deflected, or sent back at him, it wouldn't cause much damage. He found himself much more resilient to zio skills than anything else. It made some sense...

Naito Stats:

The attack was sent back, and Tsurinai Naito would be hit completely by the bolts of lightning. Thanks to his resistance, he kept his ground, but this damn Shadow was nothing more than annoying. Calling forth his tarot card once again, Naito would once again crush it in his palm, recalling his inner strength. His Persona, once again, called down a flurry of lightning bolts upon the Shadow hopefully finishing this annoying battle. Once the Persona finished its attack, it would vanish back within Naito's subconscious, leaving the silver haired boy standing there with narrowed eyes. "Annoying pissant.." He mumbled the words under his breath. If this was any indication of how Sukumada was going to be in the future, perhaps fighting off this Shadow was counterproductive. 

Naito Statistics:

(finally lol)


With the last attack, the Shadow would grab its head and fall to the ground with a distorted yell. It seemed chance was finally against him this time around, and his chance at claiming independence had passed. Why couldn't they understand? Being ignored and pushed to the dark corners of the mind was cruel. Shadows were the true self! The truth! Tch, they could never understand why a Shadow breaks off from the original. They had their freedom. Something they all took for granted.

Dansen felt the feeling of illness that had rushed over him fade away he stood up and looked at the two who had come to his aid, then he stared at the creature that had caused so much trouble. This was a representation of what he was... What he would be if he tried and made more than a glancing effort at the world around him. "When I was about this age I was already taking advantage of people, I would cheat them out of money or play tricks simply to get some fun." Dansen shifted himself upwards and stood as he walked towards the dark creature. "I felt that the world was nothing but those out for themselves and if I had no money or power then I would take it from those with the skills I had." Dansen looked at the creature that seemingly scorned the existence of him and looked with nothing but pity "I accepted I was like that but when I got into highschool I tried to play it safe and walk away from my past." 

Dansen looked around the spanning field of cards that was still surrounding him, he sighed as he continued on. "When I chose to throw away my past and I acted like that, I never gone invest in anything that surrounded me unless I was back in the place of scheming or playing a game for stakes I was bored of what I had become but realized that my old self wasn't what I wanted to be but instead of accepting it I ignored it." Dansen stared at the shadow child and said. "You were the past I wanted to stay hidden, but without the drive I had I can't continue on..." He sighed as he once again went on. "I was so bent out of shape looking to change myself that I didn't learn from my past....My mistakes....Or what they could teach me about my own strength."

Dansen's expression changed from a look of pity to one of resolution. "You are a part of me that I need to accept cause your my drive for improvement... My wishes for a goal..." Dansen continued as he put his hand out to point at his dark self. "I accept you cause now I have a goal to get stronger and hopefully, find out who or what had me confront you!" His voice grew loud as he seemingly commanded the shadowy youth "Now! Lets obtain the strength to find the truth!" He waited for his other self's answer hoping it was his new found resolve

Naito would await the sappy acceptance speech to end, and would watch Sukumada finally achieve the power of a Persona. The silver haired teenager's scabbard would vanish from his hand, and he'd place his other on his side in a nonchalant manner. Looking towards Sukumada, and then towards Barbados Cole, the Tsurinai would close his eyes and begin to speak. "Look closely at this power you've both come across... Because this power is what will be used to defend this world's future. Like I told you before, Sukumada; the world you know now is going to disappear. The culprit is this place you're standing within right now. We call this alternate world Limbo, and as you can see it can change itself to reflect the minds those within it. Now, imagine if this power could be harnessed..?" Naito slowly opened his eyes, looking towards the two with a cold glare. "Instead of cogitating over fifty year plans, we have the opportunity to change the world now. Ask yourselves, when did people become so stagnant? The weak clinging to the strong and stopping humanity from evolving as a whole. I believe Limbo has the power to change such things. I believe a world built on one's own success which determines their status in society would be beneficial for us all. In meaning, people will work harder to climb the ladder of power, and in that process the truly strong will cause an evolution of the human race. We haven't made any progress so far as people to this current day.. We need this change." At this point, Naito would shift his silver hues towards his dark skinned upperclassman. "Barbados, you once told me you despised being weak. Shouldn't everyone wish to gain strength instead of clinging to those who do? In this new world, you will find a surplus of competent individuals to test your mettle against, as each of them will wish to be stronger than the last. For an athlete such as yourself, surely you'd wish to find out if you were truly the best out of the best, correct? Competition will never be the same, simply because to be on top you'd need to continue working hard. In that truth, humanity's strength will evolve naturally." The silver haired teenager would shift his gaze over to Sukumada, the boy he knew was living in a world of pipe dreams. Hopefully this situation had some meaning to him aswell.

"I believe I once said I don't help the weak because they should fend for themselves. However, here I am assisting you. Do you wish to know why, Sukumada?" The Tsurinai's voice was calm as he continued to speak. "..It is because you show promise, even if you've deluded yourself with optimistic drivel when it comes to people. Surely I do not need to explain ever inch and detail when it comes to the possibilities of this world, do I not? While it can create a Hierarchy type foundation, it could also be used to change smaller nuisances aswell. For example: A lone child won't ever have to be afraid to walk down the street alone because of some piece of trash. Isn't this new reality worth fighting for? People with this power of Persona have an obligated duty to reach for this goal." Crossing his arms upon his chest, the silver haired teenager would close his eyes. "This world is going to change, one way or another. You could play your part and assist in this restoration, or step aside. Regardless, this is an opportunity one should not pass up in their small lifetime." With that said, Tsurinai Naito headed towards the crimson door with nothing else left to say to the first year. He'd let him decide what path he planned on taking from this day forward.

However, being exiting Limbo altogether, the silver haired teen would stop in his tracks. "Oh yes, I almost forgot. Barbados Cole, well done. We'll keep in touch." And with those final words without looking back once, he was gone in a crimson flash of light.