Blink your eyes just once

[floreatnoctem]

Characters: Chidori & Whoever volunteered to rescue her and open for commentary to pretty much anyone on the dormitory floor late in the morning
Setting: The hallways on the dorm floor
Format: Starting off in prose, but either that or action brackets are both okay.
Summary: Chidori's been skimping on the suppressants lately, and the mounting stress of worrying over things has given her persona more than enough leeway to pull another attempt on her life
Warnings: Violence, language, general mental health warning as is standard with 3 out of 4 Stregakids.



She thinks she's somehow died again, at first.

The feeling of being unable to breathe is the same, in those first few instants when her body jerks awake as the oxygen stops reaching her lungs. It's only when she feels her limbs respond that she realizes that no, she hasn't died and that the situation is something else entirely, though not in the slightest bit unfamiliar. She opens her eyes to see Medea, monstrous and looming, the edges of her figure blurred by Chidori's own weakness and the darkness of her room- and it only serves to make her seem larger, more imposing. She realizes a moment later what the pressure keeping her from breathing is- one of Medea's hands is around her throat, squeezing hard enough that she'll bruise if she survives, the other pressing down on her chest, slowly expelling what little oxygen was still in her lungs.

"M-Medea..."

She raises her hands to the one wrapped around her neck, trying feebly to pry the bony fingers off, while trying to leverage herself away with her legs. The lack of air makes her struggles feeble and half-hearted, and before long, she's just scrabbling at Medea's wrist, desperate for air so that she can try and regain some form of control. Then very suddenly, the pressure is gone, and she takes in a gulp of air, rolling to her side to try and get her limbs back in working order-

-Medea is having none of it.

The door slams open and Chidori is heaved out of bed and out, against the wall opposite, dangled a good ways from the floor as both of Medea's hands take their place around her throat. She struggles again, attempting to use the wall as leverage again, using what little oxygen she still has to fight against her. But she's too weak, and Medea is larger, stronger, and has started out this fight with the upper hand. Chidori's hands drop from her wrists limply, and she stares into the glowing eyes beneath the bone helm that covers Medea's face and waits for the blackness edging her vision to overtake her.

Comments

[floreatnoctem]

Medea and Chidori both are a bit more resistant to magic than your average persona users- but the hit does leave Chidori gasping for breath as Medea's grip loosens, her attention momentarily focused on Ken and Dike. She ignores the Persona for a moment, and reaches out to swat Ken out of the air as he leaps.

She's still, however, got one hand on Chidori's throat, and a watchful eye on Dike.

[miseris_socios]

Crap. Not enough of a distraction, clearly, as Ken's batted out of the air and lands hard on his knees. He staggers to his feet again and summons Dike once more for a Cruel Attack.

He won't leave Chidori here. He won't fall. He refuses to.

[floreatnoctem]

The attack connects, and Medea's grip on Chidori falters- but then she rearranges her grip, claws now digging into her neck. Another wave of fire strikes out against him, not nearly as wide as before, but more concentrated. At the very least, Medea cannot be said to be the most tactical of personas- all she'll do is try and make anyone and anything who opposes her burn.

[miseris_socios]

He cries out in pain, Dike disappearing. He needs to heal - but Chidori needs help - he can't think. It hurts...

Ken slowly walks closer to the two, trying to keep himself moving. Shakily, he puts his Evoker to his head again and casts another Zionga.

He has to get to Chidori. As soon as he's close enough - if he can get close enough - he'll reach out and try to physically pry Medea's fingers away from Chidori's throat.

[imperialsun]

The commotion didn't go unnoticed, and Naoya had somehow found himself there a few minutes into the battle. At first he freezes, as the thought of seeing anyone being choked doesn't sit to well with him, considering his own family history. Once the gears were set in motion, however, Vishnu nearly burst forth from his back at the speed he summoned him in anger. A Diarahan healing spell is cast on Ken before his entire attention is turned towards Medea, his own Persona towering and floating above him.

"LET. HER. GO."

It's a threat, an order, an absolute warning. The voice doesn't just sound like him, it echos with Vishnu's, and fills the hallway, the full power of fury from a holder of the Emperor Arcana magnified hundredfold.

[floreatnoctem]

Where anyone else- and likely anything else- would tremble at the power, the command behind those words, Medea simply lets out a huff like she can't be bothered, rolling her head to look in Naoya's direction, though she does loosen her grip on Chidori's neck for a moment. She takes the opportunity to breathe, deep and fast, near to hyperventilating, before turning her attention to Naoya, shaking her head. He shouldn't help her, that motion says, and her eyes land on Ken briefly before looking back up at him, meaningfully.

Take him and go.

"Or else what?" Medea's voice is a low, creeping hiss compared to Naoya's own thundering tones, loosening her grip on Chidori if only to use her vocal chords as a medium. The girl's head lolls to one side, eyes momentarily unseeing as she's used to speak. Medea hunches closer to her, pushes her higher up the wall with one hand and the other she holds out, flaming goblet appearing, flaring brightly, then disappearing once more, a Mind Charge in preparation to retaliate for whatever he threw at her next. "You don't want to hurt her too badly, do you?"

[miseris_socios]

Ken's shaking, from fear and rage and just plain being tired of this shit. He keeps walking towards Medea, bolder now that he has backup. He looks up at her, almost challenging.

His shaking stills a bit. He's standing up for what's right, for the people he cares about. This cannot go on. He will not let it. He doesn't summon Dike again, but looks straight into Medea's eyes.

And smiles gently.

[imperialsun]

Sorry Chidori, he isn't able to do as you requested. This was Noya, who had refused to shut down the DEVA system on a friend in order to safe her life, and rescued a complete stranger in the hospital despite the fact zombies were coming to kill them.

He didn't believe in leaving others behind.

She might be unafraid of him, but the same can be said back. He isn't sure what Ken is doing, but should she start doing anything to him, Visnhu is standing on guard, its gazed fixed on the Medea. There is a strange static look to him, reflecting Naoya's state of mind.

"No." Of course he doesn't want her hurt. The urge to just run over is nearly overwhelming him, but he holds his ground. "Lower her down. What is your goal by doing this to her?" he added. "If she dies, you die as well."

[floreatnoctem]

Chidori's gaze moves between the both of them as best she can, hands coming up once again to try and pry at Medea's fingers since she's not being used to speak. The way she's being held makes doing too much without Medea's grip loosening almost impossible, but she tried regardless, managing to loosen a digit enough to rasp-

"Just go-!"

- before Medea tightens her hold once more, ignoring Ken entirely now in favor of giving Naoya the full benefit of her gaze. Her grip on Chidori shifts downward, giving her a better grip on her throat, and she uses her thumb to tilt her head in their direction, her eyes glazing over once again.

"Better dead," comes the disinterested retort, and she gives Chidori a shake, pressing her against the wall and making her emit a quiet, half-formed sound, "than trapped in someone so weak."

[fractus_animus]

He is having none of this shit. It had taken him far too long to get here, but it was Thanatos who had alerted him to this situation. Ironic that this connection that so plagued them also proved invaluable in keeping one another in check. They'd all been too hard on themselves in this place, and they were paying for it. He would not let this stand.

Minato practically flings himself in front of the scene, not daring to let it be risked that they both be hurt. His glare settles to Medea. He won't let this happen. He doesn't care if he pays for it himself later. Thanatos is at his command and he keeps everything as calm as he can possibly be--its large hands attempt to grab Medea's wrists, hoping to pry them off Chidori.

"You're a piss poor judge of who's weak considering. You have no right to push her around. Let her go. Now."

Even as this is going on, Minato gives Chidori a concerned glance--her, NOT Medea--asking an obvious question in silence: the Suppressants, they aren't working, are they? Or do you need them? Should he get more?

[miseris_socios]

Ken steps back, grateful for the help. He's terrified, honestly, but he at least distracted Medea long enough for help to arrive.

At least Chidori is still alive.

He can step out of the hero role for now. He'll just be here for support if anyone needs.

Now that my hand works again...

[imperialsun]

It was vastly different than from when they had fought against Toro. There, it was his weak mind that caused the monster's rampage. Here, it was the Shadow thinking its host was weak.

She might stare at him all she likes, but his gaze isn't going to falter. Naoya was treating this as a hostage situation. Attacking Medea right now would be a terrible idea unless he found an opening between her and Thanatos. Unconsciously, his fist tightened, and Vishnu kept appearing and disappearing behind him.

Carefully, he takes another step. Minato knows how to deal with her better than him.

"He's right." And then, "Are you afraid?"

Re: Now that my hand works again...

[floreatnoctem]

Chidori relaxes a little when Ken backs up, but it's countered by the tension that arises as soon as Thanatos sets hands on Medea. Chidori herself struggles a little harder now, and from Medea comes a crackling, hissing sound- laughter and derision as she peers down at Minato, as if Thanatos isn't even there. She speaks with Chidori's voice still, though it's warped slightly now with the force of her disdain, her anger.

"What do you know of her character aside from what it suits you to know, boy?"

Chidori's hands stop scrabbling, but only because they're digging in now, and she grits her teeth and rakes her nails down along Medea's hand, as if it will do her any good. She can take Medea's picking her apart, but she won't allow her to try it on Minato, not if she can do anything about it. Naoya's voice stops her before she can continue speaking to Minato, and Chidori's hands tremble where they're pressed tight against what would be Medea's flesh.

"Fear is for those with something to lose."

And abruptly, her hand on Chidori's throat tightens with the intent to crush her windpipe, though she still stares at Naoya, smoke curling from her fingertips toward him, attempting to use a charm spell on him.