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[IamanElfCollaborator]

"Very well.

Acura, you are hereby stripped of your leader status. Your group will now be commanded by Clair Williamson. You are also to swap to Maria's team, to prevent any further clashing. We will debrief the new Persona user tomorrow regarding his placement, but he is to take your place in the group.

As for you, Kato, you are on suspension from Achronos until further notice. You will not be permitted access to Achronos, nor will you be permitted access to anything to do with AET operations until you are deemed no longer a risk to operations regarded as vital to saving or preserving lives."

[Stirk]

((Sorry for not getting to this earlier. Today is my "Drive all day to get back to collage because spring break is over" day. It is now night time and I can do stuff.))

"So my punishment is no longer having to risk my life for chump change and a weird gem? For a mysterious and secretive organization, no less. Definitely the kind of punishment a teacher would come up with. Still, I suppose I will eventually end up returning when the group inevitably begs its most powerful member to come back..."

Karma spins his chair around, sitting on it backwards.

"It is, after all, only natural you take that 'likes to watch' guy's word over me, you have been friends so long after all. Which reminds me of a nagging question I have been meaning to ask....what happened to the others? I meant to ask in private, without Asada-tan here, but I figure if I am half way to getting kicked out I might as well push for information. We aren't the first little group you brought in that weird world, are we? It might just be a hunch on my part, but I think I have enough evidence to move on it. Musket-chan isn't strong enough to fight on her own, and we know your other friend won't be able to help. I am stronger then her, and you act like this when I run ahead, there is no chance you let her fight on her own. On top of that, our group found something Musket-chan once owned in the shadow we fought. That means she had to be fighting here, likely against enemies of the same caliber and amount, or at least more then she could handle at her current state. I can't think of any other option. We aren't the first group, are we? What happened to them? The groups that came before us?"

[scapheap]

Meanwhile at Clair's apartment.

"I'm home." Clair calls out. Nothing calls back.

She taps the phone.

"Hey sweetie, sorry it's late, but happy birth-" Clair almost break the phone cutting off the message.

((Just wanted to put Clair's home life down. Seem a fitting place))

[MrVoid]

"Acura, you are hereby stripped of your leader status. Your group will now be commanded by Clair Williamson. You are also to swap to Maria's team, to prevent any further clashing. We will debrief the new Persona user tomorrow regarding his placement, but he is to take your place in the group."

Asada nods, this was expected and, in fact, an improvement.  More a preventative measure than a punishment.  "Yes Ma'am."

As for you, Karo, you are on suspension from Achronos until further notice. You will not be permitted access to Achronos, nor will you be permitted access to anything to do with AET operations until you are deemed no longer a risk to operations regarded as vital to saving or preserving lives."

"In this, I'm afraid I must object.  Though his assertions of his strength are fallacious at best and his behavior is dangerous to everyone else, he is still a persona user and therefore useful in killing shadows.  After today, at least with my group, we needed all the help we could get.  I would suggest a probationary period with a method of keeping him on a tighter leash.  If you can't manage that however, your decision is logical and I fully endorse it." Her tone is academic.  One of the people, a computer hacker, who had supposedly used her father's influence to get off more or less scot free had received a similar sentence.  Asshat that he is, Karma still represents one more set of hands working towards victory.  She could tolerate him just so long as she wasn't supposed to control him.

[SOLDIER First]

Kiyoshi heads home as well.
After making sure he won't be disturbed, Kiyoshi takes out his copy of the Millenium Swimsuit Calendar tries to summon Amaterasu.
"Um, Amaterasu? Me? Whatever? You're still here, right?"

[Sanure]

Nadeko arrives at her apartment, which is empty as usual. She lazily tosses her stuff down in the entry way and make her way to her room, where she flops down onto her bed. She lays there for a good hour or too before getting up and heading to her kitchen, and scrounging around for food, "Another long day, another crappy evening. Just great." She heads to her television and flops down on her couch. She proceeds to watch television for another hour before haphazardly falling asleep, drink still in hand.

[IamanElfCollaborator]

((>_< I just realised Karma's last name is Kato, not Karo. Rectifying my mistake.))
Aisaka glares at him, and suddenly her expression is far less forgiving, far more punishing and bitter and yet somewhat pensive.
"You treat this like some sort of game, yet you know not the sacrifices of the people who came before. You act as if you are somehow superior to all of it, as if you somehow understand it all far more than anyone else here.

Firstly, I HAD Kyousuke analyse you and all of your peers. You are neither the strongest, nor the best, nor even unique, save for your Persona's appearance.

The physically strongest here is Mathers, the magically strongest Tachibana, and the most potential, the friend you mistreat and use as a human shield, Owen, Furukawa or the boy we saved. And you can claim that he will do anything to insult you- rest assured, he is far less petulant than that. And, if I recall, you nearly died several times, while the people you claimed were 'weak' spent effort attempting to save you despite an attitude that, in school, would be merely annoying, but in here, is almost asking for death.

Even without the analysis, that is enough proof against your claim that you must be wilfully blind to deny it- so don't attempt to speak to me about this 'strongest one' nonsense. I have more than enough to counter it.

Secondly, I did indeed have one other group with me; of that, you are correct. That other group, with the exception of one, still remains alive, if no longer active.

And the one? Her death is the reason most of the others except Maria and Kyousuke retired.

They could not handle the fact that people will and can die doing this, if they are not careful. A concept you do not seem to grasp. They did not grasp the gravity of their task.

They treated it exactly the same way you did- right up to daring to rush the Reaper because it was only 'one' Shadow.

And for that, one of them died in the line of duty.

I had to tell her parents, personally, that she died. I couldn't even tell them how.

As I said, if you are not prepared for the risks of Achronos, then taking up the burden of protecting everyone from it is not a task you should consider. And you have all but proven you aren't.

Get out of my office.

As for your concerns, Acura, no, we do not have a method, regrettably.

Acura, dismissed."
She says all of this without raising her voice above a stern, calm tone.

She completely ignores any retort Karma has and simply turns around, looking at the window in her office.

[MrVoid]

"Unfortunate.  Have a nice remainder of your day ma'am."  Asada leaves, stepping out into the break room and moving to a chair near Virgil.

[Stirk]

Our old guard seems to have a talent for ignoring me. One day, they may even realize that only allows me to get the last word in.

Karma begins rocking back in forth in the chair using his feet, and waits until Asada leaves before speaking.

"And who's fault is that? You never told me about the sacrifices. You never told us anything about anything. You are the ones who understand far more then us. And I am not just talking about you, Musket-chan, and the eye guy. I am trying to understand. I am trying to piece this world together. But you are being pointlessly secretive. I don't trust authority figures. Especially not ones who don't trust me.

I thought you noticed by now. I told you before, I am not stupid. I know I am not the strongest in any field. Especially not in every field. At best, I am average. That isn't a bad thing, average people are what make the world go around. But average people don't go fighting monsters headlong. What would you prefer I shout? I am weak? I am scared? I am average? Is it really so bad to lie to yourself sometimes if it helps you feel better? Maybe the strongest, most magical, or most versatile can go into battle with no problems. 'The Best' has no reason to run from a fight either. But 'average'? He is lucky if his legs don't magically transform into jello.

I am fully aware, more so then anyone else I would guess, that I can die here. I am not stupid. I didn't know the 'reaper' was anything special, why would I have run? Even if I am afraid to fight, I am not afraid to die. I promised that to Aniki. I do put thought into my actions here, though it might not look like it to anyone else. And I can promise you that you won't have to say a single word to my parents if I end up in a coffin. If you where listening to my conversations with Clair-chan, you would know I never broke a promise before. Hell, you could tell everyone at school that I moved and the only person who's life would change significantly would be Yoshida-kun, and some would argue that it would be for the better."

Karma continues rocking, getting quicker as his little monologue goes on.

"In the end, what do you think this is? 'Do this', 'Can't do that', 'Get out of my office'. You are acting like you are the boss of me. People only act under bosses when they owe them something. Money, duty, respect...the workers always get something from the boss that they have to pay back. I am getting nothing from this. I am risking my life and have nothing to show for it. You are forgetting that I am doing this as a favor to you. Not out of money like some bag boy. Not out of duty like a soldier. For my own personal reasons, I am doing you and this town a favor by risking my life. No part of this favor makes me an underling. Not to you, not to Asada-tan, not even to Clair-chan. This favor obligates me to protect lives. It doesn't obligate me to follow orders I don't like. Going to this world isn't some privilege that you are taking away. Don't act like it is. All you are doing is refusing a favor I am offering with no strings attached."

Karma then leaves the room with his hand in his pockets, leaving the chair to rock back and forth.

***

Karma returns to his home, quickly passing by anyone on the way without so much as an acknowledgement. Once inside he flops on an old mattress lying on the floor, kicking up dust as he does so. He gives a long sigh, looking at the ceiling for a moment. He then pulls a photo out from under the pillow and raises up to the light, transforming his face into a not-at-all forced smile.

"Ah, I had a big day today, Aniki. Almost died. Got yelled at some more. More weird stuff happened. But I kept joking, smiling, and laughing, just as I always promised. I am sure you would have been able to tell a worse joke if you where there. I am also sure the story would either make you proud of me, or make you do that thing where you shake your head and sigh. Either way I would be satisfied. Ill tell you the whole thing later, first I want to run a prank past you. It involves toilet water and water-balloons...."

[Empiricist]

Branson glances up from his study materials and watches the pair leave the office. "So Asada, what happened?"

To be honest, he cared little about what happened. It was what the exact implications were that was of greater concern. Intent, specifics, it matters all quite little, relative to the final outcomes.

[kj1225]

Virgil raises an eyebrow.
"Had a nice talk Asada?"

[MrVoid]

"I am removed from command for assaulting Karma," she sounds almost pleased with that prospect, "and Karma is removed from further operations for the foreseeable future for having his head so far up his ass that it goaded me into attacking him." significantly less pleased.

[Empiricist]

Branson blinks several times before slowly beginning to speak "Congrats on your demotion, but uh" he pauses as he attempts to find the correct words, preferably ones that wouldn't offend any of the people present "isn't Karma still, kinda useful to have? I mean, if he gets kept on a leash, _{maybe even a literal one with a choke collar,} it'd be better for the people left on the team. We're still a person down since the girl from the other class didn't show up."

[kj1225]

Virgil nods.
"Well, that's good. People need to be professional on jobs like that. One wrong move and everything goes to shit."

[Empiricist]

Branson nods, through somewhat uncertainly "Maybe, maybe. I don't really trust the guy, but, well, I really would rather we find a way to keep him in check instead of just kicking him out. Worst case, he takes the other way in and we find his corpse or have to bail him out."