2025-07-13: A Lazy Morning
- Log: A Lazy Morning
- Cast: Yua Ooshiro, Miho Ijuuin
- Where: Aoba Penthouse
- OOC Date: 2025-07-13
- IC Date: Saturday June 09 2012
- Summary: Yua struggles to maintain her morning routine, as Miho deals with the Order.
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ooshiro has posed.
Remi and Miho got Yua back safe, after their mission... but she was clearly exhausted. None of the tests they'd put her through... really prepared her being made part of a fight. All her witchcraft, as Ulala called it -- it was deeply taxing, on her.
After a full night's sleep, she at least looks less liable to faint where she stands, though she's still a touch ashen. She was too sad to get up and exercise this morning, though she did at least drag herself out of bed -- perhaps with aid -- in time to make Miho breakfast. She normally takes so much joy in cooking, but...
Wisely, Miho called Eiko out to prepare lunch and dinner for them; one has been eaten, the other waiting in the fridge. Yua's draped in front of the television, half-watching something in English, where the Americans decided to stage an action movie during Christmas. (That must be what Americans think is romantic.) She'd made noises about having a swim in their rooftop pool, earlier, but never actually roused herself to do that; she just doesn't feel like potentially running into their neighbour.
(Neighbour singular. The top of this tower is separated into two penthouses, one facing North and the other South so that they both receive sun in the morning and the afternoon; there's only one other man who might be using that pool, plus any guests he might have.)
Instead, she heaves a great breath, and siiiighs.
Even Tiger, draped over her lap, can tell she's sad.
<Pose Tracker> Miho Ijuuin has posed.
It was... problematic. It was not Miho's first battle of Personas, but it was the first of such scale... and there was more to keep track of than she imagined. They called her outnumbered, and that much was true... until she summoned forth the demons.
Miho did get up and exercise this morning. She does not expect Yua to take joy in much at the moment. She is fond of the movie that Yua has on, but has not been watching it. Instead, she was busy doing... other things. Like exercise. And dealing with the aftermath of that business.
Miho, for her part, had some very cross words about the idea of blaming them for someone leaking details of the Operation to others, and thus ensuring that they would be opposed by a much greater force than would otherwise have been the case.
But now...
"Yua," Miho says. "I am back."
She walks over, and slides onto the couch next to Yua.
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ooshiro has posed.
They're blaming them for all that opposition...
Honestly, Yua wishes she'd known before it was going to happen. Though... who would she even tell? She hasn't uncovered any culprits at school -- wouldn't want to endanger them even if she had. It's not like they just -- just -- have a SUGGESTION BOX, right?!
(Yua hasn't used technology for four years, and so, has no idea who or what a Phan-Site is.)
Miho's dealing with it, though. (Dealing with them, for her, and she feels a little guilty for that.) It's depressing, so not even a man dropping down and clobbering another guy with a gleeful one-liner can cheer her up. ... American romance is so much.
Her head snaps up, at least, when Miho announces herself. "Mimi!" As she straightens, Tiger pours himself off the couch, padding over to weave around Miho's legs as she takes her place next to her. Yua scooches over, to seat herself in Miho's lap, apparently taking notes from the fluffiest man in the world.
"How did it go?" She asks, hooking her legs in around Miho's legs and an arm about her waist. Sorry, Miho. You're not getting up again that easily.
<Pose Tracker> Miho Ijuuin has posed.
They do not have a suggestion box. Miho is saving up her commentary for later.
She would say--has said--that there is no need for Yua to feel guilty. But for right now, she instead leans down to pet Tiger before she sits, and after that, accepts the fact that she isn't going anywhere for a while because it's Yua time now. "Yes," she says, and puts an arm about Yua in turn, with a brief smile.
The smile is brief because of the question.
"They wanted to shoulder the blame for the difficulties to us," Miho says simply. "I did not allow it. Someone leaked details of our operation to others, and that is the reason that we had such robust opposition."
"...I dealt with the matter that would have been a problem, in any case. Our 'handler' can deal himself with the loose lips that sunk this ship."
A shake of her head. "So it is fine."
She is also told that the ninja lived. Sadly.
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ooshiro has posed.
Once the humans are resettled, Tiger leaps back up onto the couch, to curl up in the spot Yua was draped over before she draped over Miho instead. It's still warm! And thanks to their excellent air conditioning, he's comfortable enough to still enjoy warms instead of being distressed about how long and fine his coat is.
He's big enough to basically take up her entire cushion all on his own, and only part of that is because he's the fluffiest man alive.
"But!" Yua exclaims, her eye widening. "But we didn't even know! Not about that one..." She wonders, briefly, if Rokuro is testing her, telling her about another of his(?) plans in advance.
She sighs, visibly deflating with a pout. "If you manage us, and he manages you, someone's got to manage him, right?" She asks, petulant. "Isn't that how it works? Everyone's just getting fed information from someone a step up... I don't think I've ever even met anyone in charge. Well... except, that one time..."
<Pose Tracker> Miho Ijuuin has posed.
Tiger! What a fine cat. Miho is pleased at his presence. He will guard the couch...!
Yua's eyes widen, and Miho shakes her head gently. "We did not," she says, "And they are looking for a scapegoat to blame for the trouble. I have ensured it will not be us." This time, anyway. She didn't even have to start stabbing people! ...This time. "That's true," she says of management.
"..."
"That one time... Gozen, yes?" Miho confirms. "Well. That is how they operate. They try to jockey for position, to become closer to the top. But those at the top have no intention of allowing anyone to take their place."
"...What they do not have is the dreams," she says.
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ooshiro has posed.
"You work so hard, Mimi," Yua says, lifting a hand to cup Miho's cheek. She's sure life would be much harder for her and Remi both, if Miho weren't smoothing the path for them.
But...
"Mm," Yua hums, looking down. "They... took me out of the facility, once. Well -- it took a few tries, it -- it hurt too badly, up here. My eye... they'd just finished with it."
She touches the dark-to-oblivion patch, over her eye, lightly. "I met... him," she confirms, but slowly, as if the details are more complicated -- horrifying -- than that. "The people there... were different. I wanted to kill them, but no one came...! It just grew grey... and... I could barely take it," she remembers, growing more ashen still.
"That's the only time I wanted to kill someone," she sighs, her hand dropping to Miho's chest. "But... I guess I was trying to kill those officers. I would have killed them... it's frightening." Yua looks up to Miho, her brow knit. "It's better, in the dreams? Isn't it?"
<Pose Tracker> Miho Ijuuin has posed.
Miho does work hard. ...But it's necessary. If she didn't, then things would be much worse for Yua. Much worse for Remi.
Out of the facility... "I see," Miho says. She looks to the eyepatch, and back to Yua's face more generally. Her eyes focus. "They are different," Miho agrees. "Those... Yes, it would be well if they died. But not yet. We are not yet prepared."
The Mark that Yua has...
"I know," Miho says. "...It is not troublesome to me, that the officers lived. Perhaps they will do something worthwhile with the reprieve they were given. Perhaps they will be trouble in the future. I am fine with finding out which."
"...But it is better there, yes."
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ooshiro has posed.
"Is that why..?" Yua wonders, delicately, of their preparedness. "I invoked that space many times, for them... even when I'd be choking on my own blood. But it was always empty... empty space for me to fill. Eventually, they made medicines... it wasn't as bad, after that."
She doesn't know how bad those experiments were, for her. It was worse than that bad.
"I wish we were there," Yua sighs, hugging herself to Miho. "I wish we could just... be happy."
She pauses, though, biting at her lip.
"But... Mimi... is Myucchi really going to betray us...? They helped save me, too..." Yua gave them her one possession in the world, when they helped drag her from the facility. She had but two things to give, when she was freed; and herself, she gave to Miho. "I just... I don't understand. I don't see what you see, Mimi..."
<Pose Tracker> Miho Ijuuin has posed.
Empty space. 'Medicines'. Miho frowns, and shakes her head. "...I do not know what they saw, what it was that they did. I know only that some of them have a power that I also have, and that that power has caused them to trust me more than they otherwise would. ...It is useful enough."
A pause. Miho hugs Yua, too. "I wish that too," she says. "It is difficult, to see you troubled so."
She pauses--and shakes her head. "...They did, in the True World. Perhaps something changed here, that they did not. Perhaps that means that our friendship will survive this time, when we restore that world."
"I do not know why things happened as they did, or why they happen as they do. I only know what I See."
...But they stand against us now, as surely as they stand for us. They do not understand... that their 'hope' is not what we need."
"We have our own hope."
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ooshiro has posed.
"The power I have... they wanted me to have it, for some reason. They say it makes me special... but... if it was realy a special power, wouldn't they treat me like you, not like -- me?"
Of course, there are a lot of ways to be special.
But that their friendship might survive -- it's something she clings to, as surely as she clings to Miho. "The things you See... I believe them," she affirms, quietly. "You give me hope, Mimi..."
Still, Yua sighs.
"But... I still want to see them," she adds, a touch sulky, thinking of Myunghon again. "Even though they were fighting you... they didn't hurt you too bad, right? Maybe -- maybe they didn't even realise who we really were! My disguises are really good, you know!"
Sure, for everyone who didn't hear Yua's chants in the school bleachers.
<Pose Tracker> Miho Ijuuin has posed.
"'Special' is a word," Miho says. "It is the nature of greedy men to take that which is sacred and make it 'useful'. I believe that is what they do. They cannot make me 'useful' in the same way that they can you... or be assured, they would try."
Still... "It is important," Miho says. "To hold on. ...I am glad you believe me. It was lonely, without you..."
She wants to see. "No, I am fine," Miho says. "Nothing that will not heal--no worse than a particularly intense training session, thanks to the power of Persona."
A smile. "Yes, your prowess is significant in this way."
"...Yes."
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ooshiro has posed.
"Am I special... because I couldn't kill them, when I wanted to? That's..."
Yua sighs, downcast.
"... well, I shouldn't have ever wanted to do that, anyway..."
But she smiles, to Miho. "Okay," she says, relieved to hear her say she's well. "Then... maybe I'll go see them, later."
She nestles in, against Miho, and insists: "... but first, you've gotta watch this with me, okay? It looks like an action movie, but it's actually a Christmas movie... Americans have some pretty weird takes on romance."
Oh no.