- Location
- The Sea of Souls
I'll probably just do a subvote it that happens to reallocate.
You're right. Too many vowels...
Persona: HEAVEN (Persona/Sword Art Online/Isekai Multicross)
I'll probably just do a subvote it that happens to reallocate.
You're right. Too many vowels...
Winged One
Not the Simurgh
- Location
- definitely the ground
- Pronouns
- They/Them/It
Dammit, Tamotsu, if we could stop your shitty game from turning into SAO with guns, we'd be happy to ignore it after instead of giving it the ALO treatment.
No, it's Kazutrash. Also known as Scumzuma.
Ryumancer
Dragons Are Romance
Oh, the irony...
Underdog Emiya
God-Emperor of Underkind
- Location
- Brazil
- Pronouns
- He
We must larp thrice. Let's be three people at same time and fool everyone. Best magic trick ever.
This would be very funny if we went went the fission route instead of fusion.
- Location
- The Z-Cave
So did she accept or not? She seems the most sane of the Death Gun canidates.
So I was right and XeXeed does have a heart. Despite how much of an asshole he is, he's ultimately just a jerk with some decency hidden underneath. Out of all the canidates, I think he's the one best suited for a Persona-styled positive character arc so I want to keep up with him and see if we can help him grow as a person.
A low-tier SAO jerk getting character development and upping his game? Only in fanfiction.
Forgot how big an asshole those two were. Not gonna lie it would be pretty sweet to punch through these two pricks' plot armor and give them a real lose.
Miller lost to Sora and Shiro here, right? So he knows that BLANK's on a whole other level.
How sentient did the ArFa act in the Fatal Bullet games? Lierve is far beyond any of how ALO's NPCs acted.
I knew Lugh wouldn't sell us out. If we continue his link we could easily flip him.
A woman after my own heart. Next turn I'll gladly back any plans investigating Fluegal.
So the reason why XaXa's Death Gun actions are completely different is because PoH accidentally peer-reviewed his evil plan.
So PoH thinks Hiyori has potential as a real merc? If he's as racist as in canon this is very high praise coming from him.
So if we kept the Lux avatar Sublitzer would have been knocking on our door. Really glad we didn't keep it now.
But I agree with UnderdogEmiya. Larping as three different identities Nyarlathotep-style sounds really fun if we can pull it off.
Woah, woah, woah. I missed this the first time. Sublitzer might be working for Quinella here? That's a major step up from where she was in canon.
Yeah, it's a shame that you're brilliant plan of doing nothing didn't work.
Okay, so Sublitzer is still an insane sicko. I hope Pete gives him a major glow up like how the rest of the bad guys got so he can live up to his initial hype as a dangerous mercenary instead of the Aizen-tier general failure he ended up being in canon.
The first time I met this I thought the scene didn't change and couldn't tell if this was Sterben or Sublizter.
So just like Hiyori Shino has a secret pride for the darkest moment of her life where she beat the odds and did the impossible.
Sinon's Persona here is number nine of the Justice Arcana which is the Thoth version instead of the normal one. Very interesting given that Kayaba and Sugou use the normal system.
Going by this Sinon's normal Persona is supposed to be Hecate but due to her VR addiction, it's been turned into some kind of Death Gun or Reversed Persona. Aimopotis was one of Hecate's epitets in Greek mythology and it meant 'blood-drinker' or 'murderer'. So it's still Hecate but syncretized with something else. Could this be like the JOKER curse in Eternal Punishment where a form of corruption overwrites the original Persona and all the Chosen candidates will have some variant of the Freeshooter Persona? Sadly, there's not a big enough sample size to be sure.
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I took it as a no. She treated it like a spam email.
Almost certainly. I qualify "almost" because after my snafu with Elsa I tried to look up an explicit mention of Subtilizer losing to them because, again, could have sworn there was one... but no dice in my search.
That said, I feel like we can reasonably conclude he did indeed lose to them based on the fact that 『 』 is the 3-time champion and that would imply they overrode his canon victory in the backstory. AFAIK we know of 4 BoBs in canon and he won 1 (though IIRC this was a tied win where the other player pulled the grenade double kill that inspired Kirito's use of it) and 4 (the one where he traumatized Sinon in canon) and simply didn't participate in 2 (XeXeeD) and 3 (Kirito+Sinon tie.)
I think the quest has shuffled things around though in terms of what happened when. We know there have been at least 3 BoBs because 『 』 is a 3-time champion, XeXeeD was runner-up in the last BoB held, and Subtilizer's creep moment was confirmed to now have taken place in the 1st BoB per Sinon's flashback above. I've been tentatively assuming the upcoming BoB is the 4th but recognize that that is simply an assumption. It's like... technically not impossible that that Sinon event was the 1st BoB and before 『 』's arrival which would allow for Subtilizer to have never crossed paths with them but that seems overcomplicated.
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- Location
- The Sea of Souls
Yeah, had to do a lot of Time Compression for this quest, especially with regards to conforming it to a daily schedule.
I'm basically chopping up the timeline. I use the SAO wiki timeline to keep things on track, as well as a few internal timeline notes of my own for events out of player control. Canon BoB took place in August/October/December, so two months in between each tournament. I think the double grenade kill was an American server BoB, the 1st BoB was Subtilizer win and the 2nd BoB was XeXeeD.
In this timeline the 3rd BoB is way back in May in order to fit the tentative schedule of this quest.
In Persona Heaven verse Subtilizer never won a single BoB. He's a powerful player but never placed well, mostly because he's been unlucky and spawned close to Blank in both BoBs. XeXeeD claims he 'beat' Subtilizer once but all he really did was force Subtilizer to retreat after he realized XeXeeD couldn't be one-shot. Best way to describe Subtilizer's performance is 'his heart's not in it'.
XeXeeD is explicitly the highest level player, and probably has one of the more 'superhuman' builds. Canon GGO has stats but honestly they aren't used all that much, with the exception of LLENN everyone else just seems to behave like normal humans, moving at human speeds and whatnot, with LLENN being the only 'superhuman' with her AGI (maybe Behemoth for actually firing a Minigun). So in this quest GGO stats provide relatively minor bonuses with the effects mostly notable for things like vitality so that I can justify everything not dying to one bullet.
Fatal Bullet depicts them as more or less human. I'm surprised people are recognizing Lievre, she doesn't even have a wiki entry. Shame, because she is, of course, the best SAO gameverse villain by a significant margin.
In terms of characters who I thought got done dirty, #1 was Sigurd with his insane grand-theft-faction plot, and #2? XeXeeD. His design is fire. GGO doesn't get enough credit. With the exception of what, Musketeer X, all the GGO character designs are insanely good.
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If we somehow manage to get an army of ArFa at our disposal/command, would it be better to crib designs from Girls' Frontline, Goddess of Victory: Nikke, or both?
Thebigpieman
I've got this, I think.
- Location
- United States
I'm not terribly fond of Nikke's designs personally.
- Location
- The Z-Cave
I shall happily back the Skynet Uprising. The difference between a mere troll and a proper Artiste is style and presentation as Ragnarok proved.
Our avatar IS MDR from Girls' Frontline, so it would fit.
"Who does this Edge Punisher copycat think she is!?"
"Edge Punisher, obviously."
"Oh yeah that makes sense."
- Location
- New Carollton, Maryland
"Oh, you're a troll alright. Just not a game-ending one!"
"Oh yeah? What's the difference?!"
"PRESENTATION!"
I had to.
05/27: Thrill, Risk, Heartless
- Location
- The Sea of Souls
[X] Plan Points of Contact 2.0
-[X]Major Actions
--[X][Visit the SAO Survivors]
--[X][Consult//Karen]
--[X][Consult//JSDF]
--[X][Glint of PENTACLES]
--[X][Blooming JUSTICE]
--[X][SHADOW//Breaking Wind]
--[X][SHADOW//DEVIL's Day Off]
-[X]Minor Actions
--[X][Cram School]
--[X][High Love]
--[X][Work//Augma]
--[X][Work//Augma]
-[X]Free Actions
--[X][Nekoya!]
--[X][Sweets!]
-[X]Major Actions
--[X][Visit the SAO Survivors]
--[X][Consult//Karen]
--[X][Consult//JSDF]
--[X][Glint of PENTACLES]
--[X][Blooming JUSTICE]
--[X][SHADOW//Breaking Wind]
--[X][SHADOW//DEVIL's Day Off]
-[X]Minor Actions
--[X][Cram School]
--[X][High Love]
--[X][Work//Augma]
--[X][Work//Augma]
-[X]Free Actions
--[X][Nekoya!]
--[X][Sweets!]
TUESDAY - May 27, 2025
Lunchtime
"Shinkawa... Kyouji?"
Subaru rolls the name off his tongue a few times, wracking his brain as he tries to search through his memory. He doesn't get very far.
"Nope. Not ringing a bell. Why, he got another part-time job for you?"
You unsuccessfully resist the urge to facepalm. "Subaru, you've got a real distorted view of reality. I do more things than work part time."
"Yori-chan I think it's too late," your loud friend chimes in, spitting melonpan all over her desk as she speaks. "You get a special deal to get out of school early, just so you can work more! The whole school's talking about it!"
"Is it? Why am I the center of all the rumors? Wasn't a mind control victim last week? Or... what was it..." You snap your fingers, "You know, that one time everybody at school thought I was a serial killer!?"
"You're like, super mysterious. People in school keep seeing you running around town all the time. Some people think you're trying to save up money for your dying family. Others think you owe money to the yakuza. Wait, do you owe money to the yakuza? If so I'll totally help you beat them up!"
Setting aside your loud friend's open offer of violence, you continue questioning whoever you can on lunch break about the whereabouts of the wayward Shinkawa Kyouji. It strikes you that the most obvious person to ask is Shino, but you're not entirely certain the two of you are on speaking terms.
"Hey Hiyori, is this Shinkawa guy even in our school?" asks Subaru.
"No. He dropped out last year from bullying."
"Oi, then why are you asking us? We're all first years!"
"Well, I uh, figured you might know him from junior high, seeing as..." you trail off, finding no diplomatic way of phrasing your suspicion.
Subaru just crosses his arms and huffs. "Did you just assume I was bullied?"
"Um... weren't... you?"
"No!"
Well, swing and a miss. Your friend and Atsuko have no clue who Shinkawa Kyouji is either. It was a bit optimistic to expect a hit from your homeroom, but you didn't really know anyone in the upper years except for Shino and Wakaba-senpai. She wasn't your first, second or frankly even last choice to ask about this, but you're fast running out of ideas...
TUESDAY - May 27, 2025
After School
"Hmm..."
You sit next to the giant pile of blankets, staring at the writhing mass of limbs and fabric that is Wakaba Hiiro. Your understanding is that she's an upperclassman, and you've even heard rumors that she too was the victim of bullying. Which surprises you, because you don't think you've ever even seen her outside of the literature club.
"Shinkawa... Kyouji..."
You choose to interpret the latest undulation of her bedding mountain as an optimistic response. It's getting hotter and hotter, how the hell was she still comfortable buried underneath all of those blankets?
"Yeah. I guess I remember him."
"You do!? Tell me everything you know!" Progress, and from the most unlikely of sources!
"He was allowed the opportunity to reflect upon himself and face the reality of his circumstances," the blankets explain, "But he refused, as it is within the prerogative of human nature to deny reality."
You let Wakaba-senpai's borrow your copy of Prince of Nightmares, which means you're going to forgive her for being a cryptic ass. It's probably a phase. "I'd appreciate something a little more specific, please? Like where he is right now?"
"Hmm... I suppose he's drifting somewhere in that sea of life," your senior mumbles, before breaking out into a humongous yawn.
Translation: she doesn't know.
"Now leave me in peace. I've got to sneak a nap in."
"It's 2 in the afternoon."
"I've got to work later tonight... so bother me later... I'm on break..."
So great, Wakaba-senpai has confirmed that Shinkawa Kyouji exists, at some point, in some time. You are precisely no closer to your goal than when you started. You briefly consider the risks and benefits of knocking over the blanket pile, but you expect you'll end up sucked inside if you get any closer.
"Kashiwazaka-san, if you're not going to read, I must ask you to leave. This is not a social club."
It's Motosu-sensei. She's giving you the stink eye, some primal librarian instinct allowing you to intuit that you were here for secondary gain. It bristles that you weren't even technically in the library, but the distinction is rather pointless given how there are more books here than there are in the actual school library. It just seems Motosu-sensei keeps piling more and more tomes in here...
"Why aren't you kicking Wakaba senpai out? She's just napping!"
Your teacher doesn't bother to dignify your question with a response, merely pointing behind you with a bookmark at the snoring pile. Right, Wakaba-senpai is pretty much fused to the floor at this point. This problem is best solved by ignoring it.
"Sensei, sorry to bug you, but do you remember a student called Shinkawa Kyouji?"
"Did he write a book?"
"No?"
"Then I have no idea."
You're not even sure why you bothered asking.
It's official. You are out of ideas.
No you're not. You have an idea. You have an idea so extremely obvious that it was literally the first thing you thought of.
Lately, it seems as if your Shadow was no longer speaking to you. You'd have entire days without her speaking, something you chalked up to your resolution. However, other times her voice is like a nail getting driven into your temple, constantly nagging you about one thing or another. This is one of those latter times.
C'mon you know we need the money. Endou's always loaded, let's go ask her for another loan.
Absolutely not! We're not engaging in extortion!
It's for a good cause.
It's also a crime!
Oh no, the big bad government intern can't bear the weight of breaking the law. You're just a regular white knight now, aren't you?
Argh, no. We're going to talk to Endou. We are not going to threaten her, we're not going to manipulate her. We're just going to ask her for some advice on where we can find Kyouji.
Get real. And why would Endou tell us anything? Oh, I know! It's because she's scared of us! And we're going to leverage that fear to get us what we want. Which is called extortion.
Do you even know how to find Endou? You could check out Shino's classroom, but what would be the point if Shino's skipping school?
Do you think she's skipping school? Truly?
Shino's become obsessed with strength. She's got the BoB coming up, you bet she'll spend every minute of everyday training for the BoB. She's addicted, she's ensnared like all the Pookas were in ALO— no doubt school would at the bottom of the priority list.
Think. I'm sick of being the brains of this operation. You know where Shino is.
...
You stand up. It hits you like a lightning bolt.
To say Shino lived solely in the world of Gun Gale Online would be the obvious answer. But you remember— Endou, betraying her trust. Endou, bullying her for almost a year. Endou, extorting Shino for money.
Endou, exposing her deepest secrets to whoever asked.
Shino never started playing GGO seeking an escape from her reality. Nor did she become addicted to the game world, supplanting the fantasy for reality. You can't keep assigning the circumstances of ALO to GGO.
You know of the great Fairy Lords, and their reputation for roleplaying, the utter inability of players to separate the virtual worlds. ALO demanded dedication and acceptance of the fake for the real.
But you've seen how high-level GGO players act. Itsuki. XeXeeD, the functional equivalents to the Lords of GGO. There was no delusion, no conflating of the fake for the real. XeXeeD knew he was playing a game the whole time— he even exploited the fact that it was a game. You remember Lugh, freshly spawned, who made the mistake of assuming that just because GGO felt real then it should obey the laws of reality.
You never asked Shino why she played GGO. But you can hazard a guess.
It wasn't because she was obsessed with guns, or that she simply enjoyed gaming. It wasn't to make friends, or to dodge troubles at home, or her tormentors in school. Shino wasn't looking to escape.
No. Shino's playing GGO because she wants to prove that she's strong.
So here, on the eve of GGO's greatest tournament, what would she be looking for? If VR Psychosis has truly taken ahold of your neighbor, how would it manifest? You've seen ALO players believe they could fly, you've seen ALO players believe they could sing.
Shino... believes she is strong. Or is the process of trying to convince herself she is. So how will she prove to herself that she's strong? When you think about it in those terms it's quite obvious. You know where you'll find her.
There's a spot by the edge of the school, behind the science building. Out of sight, with a single point of entry, and too far away to be overheard by the main campus. Perhaps in a less cruel world, this would be where blushing maidens confess to graduating senpais, all while sakura petals billow in the wind.
In reality, it's the delinquent's hangout, a desolate spot of dirt with cigarette stubs sticking out of the ground and the occasional muffled sounds of some poor bastard being held in a headlock.
Endou, back when you were on speaking terms, could often be found ditching class in this secluded location. It was your best bet to find her after school, and you suspect you're not the only one to have come to that conclusion. There was someone else who likely knew Endou's schedule much more intimately than you did.
"Yo, Endou! Long time no see!" You round the corner, waving hi to your one-time friend. She's frazzled but fashionably dressed as always, clutching her schoolbag like it was a lifevest. Endou flinches, your eyes locking for a brief second before she scrambles backward, almost tripping over her legs as she backpedals away from you. Rude. You were playing it casual. What's wrong with saying hello?
"Hiyori? What are you—" calls out another girl, one who becomes visible as you finally enter the alcove proper. It's Shino. Her hands are clenched, her teeth bared, every single muscle in her body tensed. You caught the two in the middle of a discussion, one that you doubt will end in the two hugging and making up. As she stares forward, a complex array of emotions cross her face. Fear. Loathing.
Anger.
"—No. It doesn't matter why you're here. Rather, I'm glad you are, Hiyori. I want you to be here to see this. The new me."
"Did you call your attack dog!?" Endou shouts back, spittle flying out of her mouth, "I came as instructed, but if you think you're gonna blackmail me then you're out of your mind! I want nothing to do with you anymore Asada!"
Shino just steps forward, eyes locked on Endou, ignoring the woman's taunts.
"G-get away! What the fuck is wrong with you?"
Now what exactly is going on here? Was Shino extorting Endou for money this whole time? No, you don't think that's the case. Shino told you already she just wanted Endou to leave her alone, so why the change in opinion? You walk forward yourself, coming in at a side angle, trying to bite back your laughter as Endou's panicked face turns to horror, the upperclassman suddenly realizing just how cornered she was.
"Firstie, what the fuck is this!? I-I didn't say nothing! My lips are sealed, I promise! Did you put Asada up to this?"
It was fun seeing this bully get her just desserts. But right now, cowering like a pathetic little insect, you have to admit it takes most of the fun right out of it. Shino doesn't say a word, stalking forward towards Endou, until they're practically face to face.
"Yo, Shino. I was hoping to talk to our mutual friend here, but I see you got here first." You try to close the distance but Shino lifts up her empty hand, gesturing you to stay away. "Gotta ask though, what exactly are the two of you doing here together? Secret rendezvous? Cause I think I missed page one."
Sensing a lifeline, Endou screams out to you, "No, Asada here demanded I meet her with threats! You know what she's capable of, you've got to stop her!"
"And you just decided to come here alone, without any backup?" You ask, raising an eyebrow.
"I-it was sudden! A-and I'm not scared of her!"
You look back to Shino. She just keeps staring straight on, forward and focused, lips tugged into a scowl.
"Is... that so, Shino? Mind telling me what's up?"
Shino doesn't turn away from her gaze. She keeps staring at Endou. She's waiting, no, she's expecting something. "Watch, Hiyori. I'm different now."
"Oh, easy for you to say, you called the psycho firstie as backup. You're pathetic Asada, you know that? Can't even fight your own battles, gotta go running off for somebody to save you every time," Endou snorts, and you see her posture begin to change. The more she talks the more her courage returns, you note she's shoved a hand into her schoolbag, rummaging around for something.
"Hiyori's presence here is a coincidence." Shino says, refusing to take the bait, staring straight forward with an eerie stillness, "I should've done this a long time ago. Go ahead and do it Endou. You've done it before. Do it again. What are you waiting for Endou!? DO IT! "
Endou growls, "Fucking crazy bitch—!"
It happens so fast that you barely even register the motion. Endou reaches deep into her school bag, pulling out some sort of black metal object. With agility that spoke more of desperation than skill, she braces the object on her forearm, a loud *CRACK* resounding through the air as the airsoft pistol discharges right against Shino's head.
And Shino just stands there, letting a few strands of her hair be severed by the pellet, looking almost bored.
"Endou. I was stupid. I let you into my apartment, allowed you to abuse my generosity. But I don't care about that. You even managed to teach me some important lessons."
"STAY AWAY YOU LUNATIC!"
You don't know the name of the gun, but you recognize the model from movies and advertisements in GGO. It's large, metallic, barely fitting within Endou's trembling hands.
"You found my secrets. You extorted me for money. But I don't care about that."
*CRACK*
A pellet, awkwardly aimed, flies through the air.
"You ruined any chance I had to make friends. You made school miserable. But I don't care about that."
*CRACK*
The school building is struck by another stray.
"But do you know something Endou? Day after day, week after week..."
*CRACK*
A shallow scuff mark appears on Shino's uniform.
"You would bring that thing to me. Laugh as I ran, screamed, and cried."
*CRACK*
Random fire, almost as if Endou no longer even cared to aim.
"An American-made Colt M1911A1. It's the second gun I cared to learn the name of. How could I not, when you were waving it in my face every single day?"
*CRACK*
Endou lets out a wail, any semblance of accuracy sabotaged by the tears in her eyes.
"You brought that thing to school just to torment me. You knew what happened to me, you knew how I'd react. But you kept on doing it, because you thought it was funny. I told myself I didn't care anymore. It was all behind me. I'd never had to talk to you ever again."
*CRACK*
Shino's close. Too close even for Endou to miss. Something bounces off Shino's glasses, the material of the frame not even dented by the impact.
"But I'm done. I'm done forgiving, I'm done ignoring what you did to me Endou! I'm not afraid of you. I'm not afraid of your plastic toy! I'm not afraid of anything!"
*CRACK*
Shino's hands are wrapped around the barrel of the pistol, Endou's pellet ejecting uselessly into the ground. The former bully can't muster the energy to resist, her grip feeble, the gun seconds away from falling to the ground. Shino rips the weapon from Endou's grasp, holding the black firearm in her hand like she was born with it.
A wide stance. Fingers resting around the trigger. Eye aligned against the iron sights. Steady. Unwavering. Cold as ice.
"Here, this is what you wanted, isn't it? Putting a gun to my forehead, terrifying me, listening to me beg. But this is just a toy to you, isn't it Endou? Can you even begin to fathom what the real deal is like?"
Something in Endou's head switches, the woman frantically shaking her head. "W-what the fuck are you doing? I-it's an airsoft gun you lunatic! It was never going to hurt you—"
"NEVER GOING TO HURT!? YOU KNEW ENDOU! YOU OF ALL PEOPLE KNEW!"
The ice breaks, and Shino's resolve comes undone. The professional stance melts away in an instant, the pistol now held out awkwardly in one hand like some manner of knife. Shino's free hand seizes Endou by the hair, pulling her forward as Shino shoves the barrel straight into the open mouth of Endou.
There's no ice, no control left. Just fire. Pure, searing, fire.
"This won't hurt at all, will it Endou? Just some harmless pellets. Did I ever cry like this? Did you hear me choke, throwing up as you laughed at me? Did you think you were above it all?"
Whatever response Endou is completely masked by the barrel jammed down her throat. All that comes out is a warbling wail, mixing with the shrieks reverberating from Shino.
"I WILL MAKE YOU FEEL A FRACTION OF WHAT I FELT! I'LL TEACH YOU WHAT IT MEANS TO FEAR A GUN, ENDOU! ARE YOU READY? DO YOU THINK THIS TOY WON'T HURT!?"
*CRACK*
The airsoft gun discharges into your palm. It reminds you of the time you got stung by a hornet, a sharp pain along with the faintest tinge of numbness. Compared to getting stabbed and the pain of having your mind splinter into a million pieces, it may as well have been a lovetap.
"What are you doing, Hiyori?" Shino says, her fingers hovering over the trigger.
You scoff, keeping your hand cupped securely around the end of Shino's airsoft gun. You try not to think about Endou's slobber now covering your fingertips. "Endou. Why don't you do something smart for once and get lost?"
"F-firstie?" The girl holds her jaw, eyes darting back and forth between you and Shino, unsure who to distance herself from first.
"I said get lost! Scram!"
Endou audibly gulps before before breaking into a sprint, racing out of sight. What a piece of work, not even offering you a word of thanks for bailing her out. And now it's just you and Shino, that and the gun you still have your hands wrapped around.
The silence is uncomfortable, to say the least. Neither of you seem willing to move, instead content to stay as you are.
"So. Got your soap opera bully confrontation scene over with? You've been watching too many drama shows, Shino."
She's shaking, every breath labored. "I said. What. Are. You. Doing?"
"Oh, I'm sorry, was this meant to be ambiguous? I'm stopping your little freakout session, that's what. Now I don't know much about airsoft guns, but I'm pretty sure shooting someone in the throat is against the factory warranty."
Shino pulls back, trying to yank the pistol out of your hand, but you hold on.
"Let go! I'll pull the trigger!"
"How terrifying. Do it then."
You see Shino struggle, glaring at you, teeth grinding. And the more she sees you unmoving, the more her sanity slowly returns. You manage to grab the other half of the gun as her grip weakens, wrenching it out of her hand. It falls to the ground, unceremoniously bouncing off the dirt.
"Wow, so strong. Like some kind of American action hero, huh?"
"Shut up. Shut up. Shut. Up!"
"Could've just left her alone Shino. See, I came here to ask Endou some questions, only to find out you've gone ahead and ruined it for me. So? Got what you wanted out of this mess?"
"Shut up!"
Shino lunges forward, trying to push you aside, but you simply step backward, her movements stilted and jittery. "I was going to prove it to you, Hiyori! That I'm strong! I don't need you to save me anymore! I'm not scared... not of Endou, not of that gun! I am not weak anymore! I'm not afraid to pull the trigger!"
"Uh-huh. Sure. Doing a real good job of convincing me here," you taunt, rolling your eyes as Shino gets increasingly frustrated.
"Why do you keep butting in, Hiyori!? This doesn't concern you. You have no idea what Endou did to me, she would bring that thing to school just to scare me, laughing as she watched me squirm. Just a fraction, I just want her to feel just a fraction of what she put me through!"
Shino grabs at the front of your uniform. "What gives you the right? Just because you have it all figured out already, you think you can just play hero!?"
"Yeah? And what was your grand plan? Turn into a bully yourself, or go play vigilante? Gonna go buy yourself a crowbar and a balaclava?" You brush her off easily, backing away, letting Shino crash to the floor on her hands and knees.
"I just... I just want..!"
"Shino. Once again I find myself on a tight schedule, so I'd rather not drag this out any longer than it has to. When was the last time you talked to Kyouji? Way things went last time I figured he'd be stalking you or something, but the guy's harder to find than an affordable apartment."
"S-spiegal? Why are you looking for him?" Shino blinks, thrown off-kilter by the shift in subject.
"No, not Spi-whatever. Your friend. Kyouji, you know, the frumpy kid who's one walking red flag? The one you bragged about killing all the time? I distinctly recall recommending you talk to him about his problems, which you evidently interpreted as 'shoot him in the face a bunch of times'."
Shino growls, pushing herself back to her feet, "I'm helping him get stronger."
"Yeah and what about his studies? His lifestyle, hell anything that's not related to GGO? Are you helping him with any of that?"
"Don't talk like you know him! I'm helping him with what he wants, what he needs. Even if he's weak now, I know deep down that he has the potential to be strong! What were you expecting!? That I just give him a pat on the back and all his problems will go away!?"
"You're just making it worse you idiot!" you shout back, loud enough for Shino to cringe. "Has it crossed your mind that maybe, just maybe, being strong isn't the cure-all for everything? Have you considered, oh I dunno, being a friend and talking to him? The weak banding together, you know, real front cover manga shit?"
"It's easy for you to say," Shino says, turning her head, and avoiding your gaze. "You're strong. You can just... act without hesitation. Without guilt. You think it's so easy just to confront people and be forthright..."
The little embers of rage smother away. Her shoulders tremble, "I can't just be like you."
You crouch down, picking up the airsoft gun on the floor. Shino doesn't move, barely even acknowledging your presence, only choosing to look at the ground.
"Apparently I have trouble being me too. It's complicated. But what's not complicated is what you need to do next. You and I are gonna march up to Kyouji's house, wherever the hell that might be, and we're gonna drag him out to talk. Because you're his friend, and I have to teach you how that works."
"T-that's... I don't know where he lives..."
"Of course you don't. A classic 21st-century relationship. Let's do this instead. You are going to message Kyouji in GGO, ask to meet, then not shoot him. Then, we'll ask to hang out in the real world. I will write this down for you if I have to!"
Shino pauses. You see her mind working in the reflection of her glasses, the sudden whiplash of mood sabotaging her ability to decide. You expect her to default to her usual state of affairs— quiet acceptance. But you have to give her more credit because when her eyes raise to meet yours it's not ice that you see— but fire.
"No."
You are... mildly taken aback.
"No. That's not what Spiegal needs."
"Shino. I appreciate that you're managing some independent thought for once, but you're clearly—"
"No Hiyori. You don't know him. I do. I know how convincing you can be, I know that if you get to him, your personality will run over him like a steamroller. But he's not your friend. He doesn't need your brand of help." There's no threat in those words. Even as you call her out, even as she eyes the airsoft pistol now in your hands, she's resolute. There's no convincing her, the two of you at an impasse.
Fine. Does Shino want to do this the hard way? Then the hard way it is. "Alright then. Why don't you prove it to me your vaunted strength, Shino? Let's make ourselves a little bet. If you're truly so strong, if you're truly what's best for Kyouji, then why don't you put your money where your mouth is?"
You shake the pistol for dramatic effect.
"You and me, in your little GGO playground. BoB's this weekend isn't it? I just so happen to be participating. If I manage to kill you, then we do things my way. Got it? None of that 'killing Kyouji for his own good' bullshit."
"So you did end up joining GGO. Excellent, that suits me just fine." Shino folds her arms, mouth crooking up into a smirk. She was clearly hoping this would happen. "But if I win, then you don't interfere, ever. I will save Kyouji, and I don't need your help to do it."
The two of you stand apart from each other, the gauntlet having been thrown. It's the outcome you were hoping for, so you offer a mocking bow. "Deal. And may the strongest hunter win."
It was always going to end up like this. Neither you nor Shino placed much stock in words alone, but actions, now that's a language everyone speaks. Shino throws you one final parting nod before she turns away, wordlessly brushing past you. But as you hear her footsteps recede in the distance, she calls out one last time.
"Hiyori, I dislike loose ends so I plan on killing you first. What's your handle?"
You scoff, before answering. "Why would I tell you that? Only idiots give out valuable information before the start of a fight."
"Because in the last BoB there were only two female participants. It's going to be obvious who you are, so spare me the trouble of researching."
Right, not much point in hiding when Shino is a veteran player who can probably identify every prominent player on sight. The way your avatar stands out there's not a chance in hell of running an undercover operation. Fine. You can play this straight.
"Kuro."
"Hmph. It fits you well, Hiyori, though it's lacking in originality."
"I don't need to hear that from someone who just shuffled some letters around their real name, Sinon."
With that your neighbor rounds the bend, disappearing out of sight. All this effort just to figure out where that milquetoast Kyouji lives. He better be grateful to have two girls worried this much over his wellbeing.
You plop down on the grass, the tension finally leaving your body. You wince as you check your palm, watching the patch of redness caused by the pellet resolve into a splotchy bruise. It's liberating to finally speak honestly to Shino, but you do resent getting shot in the process. Damn, this thing hurts more than you thought it would.
Wait a minute...
It's covered in dirt, grass and Endou's saliva, but now that you take a closer look at the airsoft gun... it's quite the marvel. A polished chrome finish, a rosewood grip, and surprisingly realistic weight... now that you have the time to think this airsoft gun has a functional slide and even simulated a cartridge ejection. The safety was also completely functional, a rather excessively overengineered piece of equipment for something that couldn't fire real bullets. If it wasn't for the tiny aerosol injector port at the bottom you'd have no idea this thing was a fake gun.
Well Endou's nowhere to be seen. And she technically 'lost' it by leaving the scene without. So you're not stealing it. You're just... picking it up. Forever.
Right after you wash Endou's germs off.
You've gained 1x "M1911A1 Model Gun!"
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- Location
- New Carollton, Maryland
...well, that went!
I don't know if it went well, but it certainly went!
I don't know if it went well, but it certainly went!
Truly, a confrontation of all time.
Ferb_Ancos
The one under the table
- Pronouns
- He
Yeah, Sinon is a mess. A fine mess.
Oh, look at that. An airsoft gun for free!
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Winged One
Not the Simurgh
- Location
- definitely the ground
- Pronouns
- They/Them/It
I wonder if we'll be able to use these things the way the Phantom Thieves did at some point. It has the right quality for it...
Underdog Emiya
God-Emperor of Underkind
- Location
- Brazil
- Pronouns
- He
For Lux's Neutral Special, she wields a gun!
Kitchen Gun, it sparkles like you, bang bang!
Pull my Coffin Trigger!
Alright, out of gunplay here, lay the gunpowder and blow me away.
- Location
- The Z-Cave
Hiyori does live the weirdest life of a Persona protagonist since the days of Persona 2.
I notice that there are no moral objections to Lux's idea, Hiyori, just practical ones.
I don't follow the logic the GGO addicts are using here. Even if they could somehow bring their gun collections into real life it's not like they'd have the physicality to be able to use them well. I can see how Nyarlathotep sees GGO's 'chaos' and 'strength' as shallow and weak.
Makes me wonder if her Persona can use both Agi and Bufu spells.
Just like I said before all the strength GGO offers is false. Shino's let herself waste away so much that Hiyori can overpower her.
Well, we got this way by making a contract with an Outer God and we're the only person whose made a deal with him turn out well so I don't recommend it.
What can we use this for anyway? We can't enter the Metaverse or bring it into GGO and who's stupid or cowardly enough for this to trick?
But more importantly, I want to point something out. This update Lux has shown a lot more self-restraint and forethought in her actions than she ever has before even calling Shino out for being short-sided and stupid. Lux is developing and we might be able to have more faith in her not screwing things up in the future if this continues.
Underdog Emiya
God-Emperor of Underkind
- Location
- Brazil
- Pronouns
- He
Oh, but you see...it's all about how you position yourself. Use it right, and I doubt anyone would distinguish between them. We just gotta have the smarts.
Yeah, it's big brain time.
If nothing else, it might come in handy during the Third Arc, since I have a sneaking suspicion about what might happen given some of the hints that pete's dropped...
Ryumancer
Dragons Are Romance
Hmm, it's not so much that they're 'strong' because they own strong guns, it's more... being able to set aside their own flaws, being able to refine and test themselves against opponents who are also striving to be 'strong'... Being able to prove 'hey, this guy's strong, and I beat them, so I must be strong too'. It's kinda... a self-worth thing, though I do agree that it's kinda shallow and weak. If your self-worth is based on winning against strong people, then what happens when you become unable to do so, y'know? There's only so much self-tolerance for excuses like 'they got lucky' or 'they're even stronger than me' before your ego pops and despair seeps in.
I've always had faith in her! She's simply another aspect of Hiyori - you just have to determine what situations she's best suited to handle/ones where Hiyori might struggle. I don't think she's ever actually messed things up for us - with the possible exception of signing us up for four part time jobs.
Kyouji managing to remain this hard to find in the digital age is weirdly impressive. We might need to get creative to beat Sinon in the BoB though. There's not really much prep time so I wouldn't really expect us to be much stronger than we faced XeXeeD. We struggled heavily against him when he wasn't even using his serious loadout and with a 2v1 advantage. A deadly serious Sinon feels like she'd be way out of our range unless we stack the deck against her somehow (maybe Lugh is willing to help us again in exchange for a future favor?)