melodiesoflife | (no subject)

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Who: Johnny D'Amico and friends (?)
What: Time to face his Shadow self
When: January 12
Where: the lab
Warnings: Johnny's Shadow is a literal monster

[Johnny didn't want to do this. Not at all. It's taken a lot of courage for him to not only face his Shadow, but do it in front of other people. He's spent his whole life denying his demon heritage, trying to suppress it, to overcome it. But that's not possible; it's a part of who he is, and he has to accept it. He just needs to get over 24 years of repressed feelings and hidden emotions first.

The Shadow Johnny that appears has a frightening, wicked grin, highlighting those shark-like teeth, and carries himself with an air of confidence and not often seen in the real Johnny. The Shadow sizes him up, as well as everyone else in the room, with a predatory look.]

What a goddamn riot. Do you seriously think you even have the guts to take me on?

[Johnny tries to say something, but he's stuck. He doesn't even know where to start. He wishes everyone would just go away right now. Or maybe that he could disappear instead.]

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[Mary is just getting back to her feet as the Death spell begins, the image of the Grim Reaper forming above Saori and swinging its scythe down on her. The Assassin's breath hitches for a second, a strangled cry escaping her lips before the spell's failure registers.

Relief is brief and quickly replaced by anger. She was concerned about the lethality of her training, of holding back for Johnny's sake, but this side of him wasn't offering the same courtesy. She throws down a smoke bomb of her own, vanishing on the spot. A second later she's lunging at Johnny from behind, driving her hidden blade at his shoulder. She's avoiding any major bloodlines but hoping to at least disable their raging friend.]

[Ramza only had two moves he can do. He does not assess this as a rock-throwing situation, so that leaves him only one choice. The demon needs be vanquished before it harms any of Johnny's friends. Accepting his Shadow would surely be even harder knowing it had killed someone he loved.

So Ramza raises Excalibur to throw a Final Fantasy Johnny's way.]

[Just when he thought he was about to get a face full of pain, Mary saved his ass. He could barely breathe out any thanks before Johnny was targeting Saori and Mary was gone.]

[He couldn't really blame her. He felt the same way about Johnny. Which was why it was really, really hard to let everyone start hurting him.]

Dammit!

[He loved Johnny. But he couldn't let this Shadow kill anyone here.]

If this ain't about bein' a demon, what's it about? If yer ready t' kill me already, then tell me why!

[Frustrated, he cast Thundara against the smoke-restrained Shadow.]

[Duster's song does the trick this time. Mary's attack is enough to enrage Johnny that he breaks the shackles of the smoke with sheer strength. He whirls around in a flash, grabbing her by the midsection and throwing her away from him in a frenzied move. He does try to aim for Duster, hoping she'll land on him and stop the song.

In response to Reno's question, the near-berserk Johnny turns to him menacingly when the Thundara hits him. He staggers, singed but still standing - yet he doesn't make a move towards Reno yet.]

Because you'll all just get hurt or killed cuz of me anyway! That's all that ever happens!

[Really, this does have everything to do with him being a demon. Johnny's wracked with guilt and shame and hatred of everything he is. It's a simple case of pushing everyone away in order to keep from hurting them further. Staying steeped in that logic for so long becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy where he goes out of his way to hurt people before they can even have a chance to get close to him. His guilt and loneliness would him to sink into demon side, even after clinging so hard to his humanity previously. It's a thin line he'd always walk.

Thankfully, he has a lot of good people in his life to keep it from happening.

Ramza's attack manages to hit Johnny while he's distracted by Reno. He had no inkling that Ramza had such a devastating attack at his disposal. If it wasn't for the boost that being a Calamity Shadow gave, he'd be a goner for sure. After grabbing Ramza by an arm and attempting to roughly fling him into the nearest wall, he collapses face first.]

Johnny!

[Reno leaped forward into a Smoke Bomb, appearing to catch Johnny bodily and lower him gently to the ground. Hurriedly he checked for a pulse.]

Johnny?

[He ignored Ramza for now, couldn't even look at the other man for fear of snapping. Ramza was only doing what he had to do, same as Reno would. But Reno knew he'd still act on emotion if he let it in, same as Mary.]

[Well, that seemed to do it. Ramza stumbled back from the wall, his face bleeding where it had impacted. He shakily slid his sword back into his belt.]

K'pandolu, can you heal him? [The danger was past, at least for now. He hoped that magic could undo the harm he had done to Johnny.]

[That's far too close for K'pandolu's liking, and she's already moving before Ramza speaks, worried for Johnny.]

Of course. [she gives him a quick glances, brows furrowed, but- she understands the urge. She focuses on Johnny once she gets to him, kneeling beside Reno and holding out her hands, focusing all the healing strength she has on Johnny.]

[Saori's blood went cold and her whole body shivered when Johnny had cast Death. This goddess had every right to be afraid given their safety net against Death was no longer there. The cold aura of the Grim Reaper brought back memories of the creature that ripped her soul and body apart. As fast as it had appeared, the spell was gone.

With Johnny being cared for, Saori went over to help Mary and Duster up to their feet. Her hands tremble a bit but she keeps quiet about it.]

I have some potions too if we need more.

[Duster is strong, but not strong enough to block the force of a fully grown woman thrown by a demon. His concertina falls out of his hands as he hits his back against the wall and collapses on the floor. The song stops, though he's not sure how long he's been out for when Saori appears in front of them.]

...That'd be great. <small.[He holds out his own shaky hand, still reeling from the attack.

[Mary flies through the air, thrown with ease given her relative weight and the Shadow's strength. At the impact with Duster she lets out a shout and then tries to curl herself so that her blade doesn't accidentally cut him. Her shoulder hits the wall as they crash back, sending a shock down her arm, and as Duster drops she's left clinging to it thanks to her ninja skills.

She forces herself to calm, to not let her anger drive her. Everyone was mostly fine for the moment. She didn't want to hurt Johnny but she didn't want to risk the others here either. And it seems he was strong enough to take what she was dishing out. As he collapses she remains tensed, just in case there's more. She hopes there isn't.]

I'm fine. How are you?

[She's not quite fine. She's clinging to the wall with one hand and her feet, but the shoulder that impacted the wall is clearly dislocated. Her eyes remain on Johnny though. Her own pain can wait.]

[When Johnny awoke, being on the floor was a surprise. Things got blurry for him after the Shadow took over, which is how things went in battle sometimes, so he has an idea of what might have just happened. He sits up quickly, hands on either of Reno's shoulders to get a good look at him and make sure he was okay. Then he gets a look at the others. Not looking great, but at least no one's dead.

Across the room, at the same time Johnny had woken up, the Shadow reappeared. Arms folded and frowning, he's obviously not too happy about what had just happened. As Johnny goes to stand up and apologize to his friends, the Shadow cuts him off.]

You all could have just listened to me, and we wouldn't have to go through this all over again.

[Johnny turns to him, surprised and angry to see the Shadow again. He's ready to tell him off, but manages to stop himself. He thinks he knows now what he needs to do here, but it's not an easy thing to do. But thinking about his friends getting hurt again because of him is a lot worse.]

[Ramza studies Johnny as he wakes, waiting for a sign the Shadow is still in control. He relaxes just a little when the Shadow manifests again. The two of them will never work out their differences if they are not able to talk.]

Speak your piece, then.

[He keeps back, not wanting to aggravate anyone's tempers more than they already are.]

[One ear turns towards the Shadow, and K'pandolu huffs at him as she gets to her feet again. There's some tension in her stance, eyes darting to the others, but- they've won a moment to speak, at least.]

And done what, left? Deserted you? No. [she shifts to look at Johnny, growing a little more solemn.] You deserve more.

[He was all right. They all were -- for now. Reno helped Johnny to stand, not about to leave him be after that blow from Ramza. But when the shadow spoke again... He squeezed Johnny's hand to stop him, if Johnny hadn't already stopped himself.]

[He gave Johnny a long look before very carefully leaving him and taking measured, determined steps toward the Shadow. He said nothing; he did nothing but approach. And when he stood before the demon, without a word he threw his arms around him and held him close.]

[Mary returns to the group while holding her arm carefully. She can deal with it momentarily but this is important as well.]

Johnny, it's not a problem if you disagree with what it says. You can always work to change yourself. All these things have been doing though is saying what you feel somewhere deep down. You need to accept that to overcome it. What it's saying may not come to pass, but it's still something that you've been telling yourself all this time.

[She pauses briefly, taking a breath to push back the pain she's feeling.]

You can do this. And we're here to help for the long run.

I already said it! I stopped caring about anyone but myself, because all caring about people does it get 'em hurt. We've spent our whole life fighting to stay human, tryin' t get a handle on emotions, when we shoulda embraced who we were a long time ago. Everyone would've been better off.

[The Shadow went back to looking smugly at the group. That expression doesn't last too long as Reno approached. The Shadow dropped back into a fighting stance, ready to start again. This was the last thing he expected. This is probably the last thing anyone expected, Johnny included. He wanted to stop Reno to tell him that was a dumb and dangerous move, but he knows Reno already knows that.

After a shocked moment, the Shadow roughly pushes Reno away, holding him by his shoulders at arm's length and baring his teeth in anger.]

Don't--! What the hell do you think you're doing?! You out of anyone here have the most reason to stay away.

Hm. [K'pandolu's tail twitches, and she nods.] That's… the harder path to have taken, then. But- it still speaks of caring to do so, to me.

[she watches Reno with some concern, ready to move- but it doesn't end as badly as maybe it could have, and she grins, looking between the Shadow and Johnny.]

[Ramza feels his lips quirking into the hint of a smile as the Shadow protests Reno's embrace. The unfeeling demon within was no so dispassionate as he claimed to be.]

It would seem those you care about will not be so easily driven away. Best for you to become strong enough to protect those who love you, so that at your side is the safest place they could be.

[Mary smiles as she watches Reno. His response to Johnny is better than anything she could have mustered. Besides, she's not quite in any state to put up any more of a fight anyway.]

S'not a thing I might have said a few years ago before I learned all there could be in other worlds. But it seems to me that there's more to being a person than being human. And as long as you have love at your back I think you'll find the right course. It's not a safe and sure passage, but it's one of the few I've seen lead to happiness.

[Reno allowed himself to be pushed away but maintained his grip on the Shadow's shoulders. He stood there, awkwardly holding on while Johnny's Shadow still held onto him, too stubborn to just let go.]

You're an idiot.

[It was certainly loud enough for Johnny to hear, as well as everyone else.]

If I wanna get into trouble an' get into danger, that's my choice, Johnny, not yours. We're all still here 'cause we think you're worth it.

This isn't my first demon-boyfriend rodeo, okay? I love you, dumbass.

[The Shadow dropped its head in defeat and disbelief of Reno's words. After a moment he shoves him away, just as the real Johnny was walking forward. He gently wrapped an arm around Reno's shoulders while addressing the Shadow.]

I know there was a time where it seemed like livin' only for myself was all I could do. Knowin' there are people who think I'm worth fighting for changes things, though. Even if it's a hard thing for me to wrap my head around most days. Even if you're always loomin' in the back of my mind telling me I need to push them all away and run before they get hurt or leave.

[His grip around Reno's shoulders tightens. All this emotional talk... That was more embarrassing to him than his Shadow's ranting or the physical harm they caused.]

Looks like they're here to stay. No matter how scary I get. I'm just gonna have to deal with that, no matter how much ya argue with me. [He turned to Reno and spoke quietly.] Love you too, jackass.

[The Shadow didn't look happy, arms folded and staring coldly at Johnny, but ultimately nodded, replying just as coldly.]

That's right. I'm always gonna be around. Remember that. Be responsible for that.

[And with that, the Shadow was gone. It took a few moments for Johnny to let out the breath he didn't even realize he was holding. Looking to all of his hurt friends made those old feelings bubble back up immediately, but he swallowed them back down.]

I... Sorry, guys. I can be a real asshole, huh. But... thanks for putting up with it for me.

Edited 2017-03-27 02:24 (UTC)

As long as you're aware.

[Reno smirked, albeit tired. His arm wrapped around Johnny's waist and held him close for a moment. He could have lost Johnny today... He could have lost Johnny any of these days. But he chose to make this relationship happen anyway, even if it was scary.]

C'mon, let's fix everyone up.

Well. I am glad to have met you, after all.

[K'pandolu grins at him, reaching out to tap his shoulder briefly.]

I've got a bit of power left in me- do you mind if I do that?

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