[AQ] Demons within (Demi | Ai | Yuki | Ji-Yoo)

[Ai]

Continuation of this and this 

SPOILER: Click to show

{AQ INFO}BLACK HEARTS
You’ve been despairing for a while now.
Fall into despair: -5 Roost
Resist: +1 Guardians, +1 Faberge, +3 Roost
[Partner Option] Fight the blackened: -2 Guardians, +1 Faberge, +2 Roost
[Partner Option] Help the blackened: -1 Guardians, -2 Faberge, -3 Roost
Requirements: Must get Admin permission to fall into despair.

At Ji-Yoo's reaction to their words, Ai almost took a step back. She was transforming with an X-character. He'd never seen something like that happen before. One of his friends was turning evil and she wanted to hurt them. How was this even possible? This was not some crazy animated show, this was real life. Sure, as time passed, Ai came to accept the existence of guardian characters as part of his daily life, but so far, he didn't quite seem to grasp the negative aspects of all this. Only after seeing how bad of an effect they had on his friend did he truly come to realize that they were real, that just as they were good, they could be bad. They could change one and make them do bad things.

Would his own guardians do that to him one day? Ai really hoped they wouldn't. The boy really didn't want to be hurting anyone the way Ji-Yoo was hurting them at that moment. Although he was mentally kicking himself for thinking it, Ai saw at least some kind of logic to the egg hunters. If guardians never existed, people wouldn't have to be like this.

Just like Demi, Ai felt bad for not being able to do more for Ji-Yoo. She'd been so mean to him at first, but she was slowly starting to open up to him, to be nice... before all of this happened. Maybe she was starting to trust people, but something must have happened for her to become like this. But what? And what could they do to stop her? It seemed like all of their words had no effect on her.

Although he might not have been able to do something before, she wanted to try his best now. Seeing Demi and Yuki transform, he didn't want to be left standing there and not being able to heal Ji-yoo's heart. Ai knew Luciel trusted him and it wasn't that the trust wasn't reciprocated, but he still felt hesitant because one wrong move and their friend could be lost forever. "Luciel, I'll be counting on you then." With a sigh, Ai finally accepted the transformation. Luciel went back into his egg while Ai cradled it into his hands, bringing it to his chest.

What was this feeling? So much different from when he transformed with Nagamasa, so soothing and reassuring. His resolution was stronger, his confidence greater, although he wasn't angry and violent. He was more... in control. Out of a bright sphere of light, Angel of Mirrors emerged. He was almost too bright to look at, but his presence emanated holiness and positivity, almost in contrast with Ji-Yoo's negative aura. Now equipped with large wings, Ai flew up high, face to face with the cocoon that held his friend captive. All they could do now was wait for her to come out.


Yukiya Demi

[Ji Yoo]

Surrounded by her cocoon of ribbons, Ji-Yoo was protected from the outside world. Free from those people that called themselves her friends, free from the family that never seemed to understand her anymore. She finally felt safe. She didn't have to do anything. She didn't have to feel anything. Yet the positive energy that came from their character transformations somehow broke through her thin, protective walls. And she did not like it.

With another deafening screech, the ribbons around her broke loose, coming at high speed towards the three. Among them, Ji-Yoo could still not e seen, but her negative energy was starting to spread further and further. She had been fine while she was alone, but here come these people that, although she tried, she ultimately could not love. Their feelings and their friendship weighted heavily on her, enhancing her doubt in her dream and thus, making her transformation stronger.

[Yukiya]

Yuki felt more confident as Ai and Demi transformed with him. At least he wasn't going to be alone in fighting Ji-Yoo. He just wished it didn't have to come to this. Fighting her probably wasn't going to help her at all. Still, as the ribbons came toward them that tower of water that he had made before they transformed protected them from the first ribbons, but he could only feel Ji-Yoo getting stronger and stronger.

He looked at the other two. "What's our plan? I don't want to hurt her...but I don't want to get hurt either," he said. He held up his sword. He recognized the design - he did draw this sword a few years ago, and now he was actually holding it. It was so bizarre. Before he could say anything else, though, he thought Ji-Yoo might be on the offensive again. "The ribbons...let's just get them out of the way," he said. He held up his sword and tried to slash any oncoming attacks towards them. "Please, Ji-Yoo...this isn't the person you want to be, I'm sure," he muttered to himself. If only he knew what could help her. Mentioning her brother just seem to make things worse.

Demi

[Demi]

She definitely felt safer and more confident when both of the others around her were transformed. When Ai transformed with Luciel, she watched in almost awe as Angel of Mirrors came to be. He was so... so bright. It was so different from when he transformed with Nagamasa that she was almost thrown off of her game. She wondered what it felt like to him, but the thought was swept away almost immediately at Ji-Yoo's deafening scream once more, followed by ribbons heading toward them.

It was hard to believe her friend would do this... try and attack them... try and hurt them... their eggs... that she'd lose her faith in Kong-Ji in the first place. Her heart ached for not only Ji-Yoo and Kong-Ji, but also for taking so long to actually find out what was going on.

She heard Yukiya asking what their plan was... she nodded, biting her bottom lip as he mentioned getting the ribbons out of the way. The problem here was that Demi was slow... her weapon was heavy... it would take too long hitting the ribbons to really do much good... so at this point... she knew she needed to just avoid them as best she could. She didn't want to become the liability.

"I don't know what to do-" she admitted. She usually felt pretty sure of herself, confident in her abilities and her actions... but what was one really supposed to do in a situation like this? "Ji-Yoo please! Come back to yourself-- this definitely isn't you!" She added after Yukiya's words.

[Ai]

Although this transformation gave him more positive feelings than Shadow of Justice, it was still very new. Ai didn't know what it could or couldn't do, everything was just blank in his mind. Could he even help his friend in such a confused state? He really had no choice but to try and hope he wouldn't screw up. Back at the Tanabata, he also had no idea how to use his transformation, but that was different. Back then, he had little to no control over it, it seemed more like Nagamasa's instinct was leading him. In the end, the silver-haired would probably grow used to it, but this wasn't exactly the best moment to familiarize himself with a transformation. He needed more security.

"I... I'm not too sure about that either." Ai responded to both his friends. They came here without a plan... but it wasn't like they even had the time to make one in the first place. All of this happened just so... suddenly. As Ai soared up and towards the cocoon, he left the protective shield that Yuki's wall of water provided. And that was probably a wrong move to make. When the cocoon came apart and the ribbons attacked them, Ai was too taken aback to do anything. I all happened so fast. The ribbons wrapped themselves around him, making him lose his mobility and fall to the ground.

Ai let out a groan as he landed back on the grassy hill. Thanks to the ribbons, he couldn't move at all now. What was worse, he felt that they were slowly draining him of energy, which had already been scarce to begin with. Looking at Yuki and Demi, it seemed that they were safe. He felt bad about it but it seemed like they would probably need to come and save him, for he had no idea if his powers could do something... anything. "Ji-Yoo! Please let me go! I know you don't like seeing your friend hurt! Remember when you saved me back then? Demi and Yuki are right... this isn't like you!"

[Ji Yoo]

Although Yuki's wall of water might have temporarily stopped the ribbons from getting to them, more and more would spawn from where Ji-Yoo was at. The ones that caught Ai were slowly wrapping themselves around the boy, preventing him from moving and slowly making him look more like a mummy than an angel. He had no way of fighting back. His shields could protect him from certain attacks, but not from others. Ji-Yoo's ribbons were a weakness.

As the words of plea from her friends kept coming, Ji-Yoo became more and more unsettled. They still couldn't see her, but her expression was twisted. Suddenly, a mad laugh erupted from behind the sea of ribbons, where she was presumably at. "Would you look at yourselves...You think you know me so well. You think you're such good friends. But where were you when I needed you? Please spare me the hypocrisy." She had to suffer alone for months on end and although she hoped someone would notice she was absent and contacted her, nobody ever did. They called themselves her friends... but they were a bunch of fakers. She was better off alone... she should have cared... nor tried to care in the first place. There was no advantage in loving others. One would only end up hurt.

[Yukiya]

Yuki kept fighting through the ribbons, trying to protect the other two as much as possible. It was the nature of his wish. To keep striving when things were bad - but the inner Yuki wasn't sure how they heck they'd be able to get rid of them all. But as Ji-Yoo spoke, his will to fight decreased. She had a point. Yuki did try to find out information on where she was at one point, but never did get what he needed. And honestly, he was just scared. Ji-Yoo...almost as long as she had known her, he'd never seen her really happy. She always seemed irritated at him and Shun. Yet she was kind enough to help them. Was that really friendship, or pity?

"It doesn't matter! No matter the circumstances, she's your friend, so you have to protect her, Yukiya-dono!" shouted Kanpa from within him. And despite his inner doubt, he couldn't just let her suffer any more. Ai and Demi - they felt that too, right?
Without warning, he still tried to push forward, slashing more ribbons as they came to him, acting as a shield so the other two would be able to follow and support him.

"I...I had no idea you were suffering like this. And you're right. I never did find you or was able to comfort you like you needed. I'm sorry that we waited so long, but even so, I still want to help you! We still want to be your friend!" he shouted. "We can start over, Ji-Yoo! Talk to each other, listen to each other's problems, help solve them. Please. Just stop this..." he said. The sheer negative force within her was overwhelming. How could he take this much damage? And were the other two going to be okay?