[ Something restless in the depths of Maruki's soul that he can't quite put a finger on settles. Reassured. Safe. It makes sense that Azathoth inspires those feelings in Akira when it's only ever showed up to protect him, when they're more aligned than ever before– yet a prickled nerve smooths out anyway to hear it.
There's an ache at his nape, a stabbing pain. It comes and goes, always has ever since he awoke in this reality, but it comes far more often than it goes these days. ]
I've never doubted that, Kurusu. You're my ally. I trust you– you and Arsène with my life.
[ He watches Akira begin to slowly circle him, and as much as he'd like to continue the conversation, the time for talking is through.
Maruki doesn't fight physically. Can't, really. Any time it comes down to that against Akechi, it means he's on the back foot being pushed toward a cliff's edge. If Akira lunges for him with whatever weapons are on his person, he can't fight back in kind–
So, perhaps it's playing dirty to try to take that option out at the top, but Maruki didn't learn to fight fair. ]
That doesn't mean I'll go easy on you tonight, though.
[ He braces himself, adrenaline surging as all at once, several tentacles rise up around Akira as if from the sand itself, clawed hands making a grab for him to restrain him as best they can. ]
[It's fast - faster than Akira is really ready for, but his instincts make up for what his brain can't. Something is moving the way that it shouldn't, and that means Akira is already on the go. He moves and leaps - the biggest space between them isn't very big at all, but he's broken his body to get it to do more than this before. Arséne bats at them behind him, and Akira can feel something tear at his skin - adrenaline pumps too fast as he rolls to determine the cause, whether it's tentacle or rock or sand.
The wound stings. Akira doesn't hate it.]
I'd be disappointed if you gave me any less.
[It was a clumsy dodge. He won't get a second one, most likely. Not with how fast Azathoth moves.
Maruki will fight like Akechi, then. It's what Akira expected, but the part of it that's harder is that it's still a different opponent. Akira doesn't know what his weaknesses are, and he doesn't have much in the way of means or time to figure it out.
Can he fight at close range...? Akira removes any preconceptions from his mind; the answer is that he doesn't know for sure. Based just in experience, he'd say Akechi is still the strongest between the three of them. But regardless of Maruki's skills, the human will always be weaker than the Persona. His highest chance of success is still to get in close.
Between the terrain and Azathoth's speed- Akira is already fighting a losing battle. But that only makes it more of a thrill.
He doesn't have time to think anymore - the recoil will hurt him, but he already is, so he volleys a Riot Gun towards the tentacles and starts running at a diagonal.]
13 FOR DA ATTACK BUT FRANKLY DO WHATEVER YOU WANT..........
[ The way laughter jolts straight from Maruki's solar plexus, sudden and unrestrained, shocks even him. It's not the same musical delight as when they're joking around the house, or his usual self-deprecating chuckle – no, it's a bark of a laugh, more impressed than genuinely mirthful. ]
Well, that's familiar!
[ Riot Gun. Of course. Akira and Akechi, diametrically opposed rivals, opposing sides of the same coin – in what other ways are their personas similar, he wonders?
Well, perhaps he can make one educated guess, but first–
Akira's coming for him with clear intent.
Riot Gun strikes down more of the tentacles than he'd like, but there's a benefit to that, too. It likely won't escape Akira's notice that of the three largest, one goes repels the attack, while the other two falter normally. It's the Tentacle of Protection that can stand a little gunfire, and somewhere in the back of his mind he calls out for it, Shapeless Guard giving him a defensive boost he hopes to god he won't need–
But he very well might, given just how few of the lesser tentacles are able to come up around him to help shield him from Akira.
He won't be caught on the back foot. He has to act, and it might be a complete stab in the dark, but if Arsène shares anything in common with Loki, perhaps it's a weakness to Eternal Radiance as well. Maruki takes a couple long steps backwards through the shifting sands and tentacles, a hand outstretched before him as those great cosmic eyes appear in the sky above Akira and his persona to hit with pure, concentrated heavenly energy. ]
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There's an ache at his nape, a stabbing pain. It comes and goes, always has ever since he awoke in this reality, but it comes far more often than it goes these days. ]
I've never doubted that, Kurusu. You're my ally. I trust you– you and Arsène with my life.
[ He watches Akira begin to slowly circle him, and as much as he'd like to continue the conversation, the time for talking is through.
Maruki doesn't fight physically. Can't, really. Any time it comes down to that against Akechi, it means he's on the back foot being pushed toward a cliff's edge. If Akira lunges for him with whatever weapons are on his person, he can't fight back in kind–
So, perhaps it's playing dirty to try to take that option out at the top, but Maruki didn't learn to fight fair. ]
That doesn't mean I'll go easy on you tonight, though.
[ He braces himself, adrenaline surging as all at once, several tentacles rise up around Akira as if from the sand itself, clawed hands making a grab for him to restrain him as best they can. ]
smacks open random.org smacks out a d17
The wound stings. Akira doesn't hate it.]
I'd be disappointed if you gave me any less.
[It was a clumsy dodge. He won't get a second one, most likely. Not with how fast Azathoth moves.
Maruki will fight like Akechi, then. It's what Akira expected, but the part of it that's harder is that it's still a different opponent. Akira doesn't know what his weaknesses are, and he doesn't have much in the way of means or time to figure it out.
Can he fight at close range...? Akira removes any preconceptions from his mind; the answer is that he doesn't know for sure. Based just in experience, he'd say Akechi is still the strongest between the three of them. But regardless of Maruki's skills, the human will always be weaker than the Persona. His highest chance of success is still to get in close.
Between the terrain and Azathoth's speed- Akira is already fighting a losing battle. But that only makes it more of a thrill.
He doesn't have time to think anymore - the recoil will hurt him, but he already is, so he volleys a Riot Gun towards the tentacles and starts running at a diagonal.]
13 FOR DA ATTACK BUT FRANKLY DO WHATEVER YOU WANT..........
Well, that's familiar!
[ Riot Gun. Of course. Akira and Akechi, diametrically opposed rivals, opposing sides of the same coin – in what other ways are their personas similar, he wonders?
Well, perhaps he can make one educated guess, but first–
Akira's coming for him with clear intent.
Riot Gun strikes down more of the tentacles than he'd like, but there's a benefit to that, too. It likely won't escape Akira's notice that of the three largest, one goes repels the attack, while the other two falter normally. It's the Tentacle of Protection that can stand a little gunfire, and somewhere in the back of his mind he calls out for it, Shapeless Guard giving him a defensive boost he hopes to god he won't need–
But he very well might, given just how few of the lesser tentacles are able to come up around him to help shield him from Akira.
He won't be caught on the back foot. He has to act, and it might be a complete stab in the dark, but if Arsène shares anything in common with Loki, perhaps it's a weakness to Eternal Radiance as well. Maruki takes a couple long steps backwards through the shifting sands and tentacles, a hand outstretched before him as those great cosmic eyes appear in the sky above Akira and his persona to hit with pure, concentrated heavenly energy. ]