2025-10-09: Wanna See My Card Collection

• Log: Wanna See My Card Collection?
• Cast: Jose (played by Penguin Sniper), Myunghon Yeo, Shinjiro Aragaki, Akari Hoshi, Shinobu Shimizu, Remi Ryuuja, Umie Akabane, So-young Park
• Where: Cardboard Dragon
• OOC Date: October 9, 2025
• IC Date: July 23, 2012
• Summary: A small not quite human boy shows up to the Cardboard Dragon during the Dark Hour, to trade cards. However, his cards aren't exactly their usual...

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<Pose Tracker> Penguin Sniper has posed.

It's the Dark Hour currently. A time when only Persona Users and Supernatural Beings can come to the Cardboard Dragon to peruse their wares. It's been a relatively slow night tonight, the kind wherein some might be tempted to go outside and blow off some steam on beating up some Shadows just to move around.

But then...
Listen, can't you hear it?

VROOM

If your soul truly has not truly given up hope of an exciting night...

VROOM VROOM

You should be able to hear...

BUDDABUDDABUDDABUDDABUDDABUDDABUD

What sounds like a car coming up stairs?!

The slam of a stairwell door. A screech of tires, and then a flash of headlights through the front of the Cardboard Dragon gleaming eerily in the light of the dark hour, a toyetic car catches some air like it just flew off a ramp, slamming down just inside the door, and making a quick pivot upon landing as brakes slam down at the last possible second, the rear end of the car barely tapping a display which rocks, but then goes still without dislodging anything.

Balloons flutter as they strike the ceiling patpatpatpat over a heavily laden cargo area that sways precariously, and what looks like a small boy with yellow eyes, and vaguely robotic hair and ears, wearing a white coat laden with images of crescent moons and stars, suddenly announces, "Hello-! I didn't see any parking spaces outside of your store, so I just came right in."

Wicked Plan - Persona 5 OST - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiWKPohcvsE

Image of this figure in his natural environment: https:'www.velvetroom.wikiindex.phpFile:Jose.png

He lowers his goggles to hang around his neck, and hops right out. "My name is Jose. I hear you sell cards here." He announces cheerfully before asking, "Can I see? I've got all kinds of neat stuff from my shop that I can trade for them."

Tsumugi Kujaku has arrived from Historia: The White Chronicle.

<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.

    Rumourmonger Merry is indeed hosting a sale for Skill Cards today, but given that this is happening within the bounds of exam time, there haven't been many other external Persona-Users that've come to explore the limitless and exciting bounds of Skill Cards. How disappointing. They're trying to comfort the fact that they're not making new inroads into connections with others this time by taking advantage of the fact that it is the Dark Hour by not sitting on the couch but rather--

    Sitting on their Cognitive Coat, which has become a throne all on its own with the fabric bent such that it's spilled out to become a chair of darkness. A ribbon has stretched out to hold their drink, and they have a book held out by several more twines out from their coat.

    "I suppose that if everyone is supplied and satisfied with the Skill Cards they need for the next week, we could call this sale off early--"

    vroom

    A pause from Myunghon. "... hmm?"

    VROOM VROOM

    "... is that the sound of a--"

    BUDDABUDDABUDDABUDDA

    Myunghon's singular eye widens as the stairwell door SLAMS open to a tire fire in the night, and then headlights flood the sickly-green exterior of the Cardboard Dragon and they instinctively lunge behind the couch, declaring, "Move, everyone--!!"

    ...

    What comes in is a toyetic car slamming into the Cardboard Dragon proper, with balloons attached to it. "Is it another kind of Dark Hour Shadow? They've come after us, have they become organised-- no, were organised in the first place?" Merry is clearly already falling into a thousand theoreticals as they start to finger possible culprits, but then they see--

    A small boy with yellow eyes, vaguely robotic hair and ears, wearing a white coat. The yellow eyes speak to the supernatural, perhaps of Shadows, yet...

    The boy introduces himself. Jose. "... I--" Myunghon looks flabbergasted, still thoroughly on guard.

    It is perhaps curious to some of the others who HAVE met him that Merry, despite basically half-living in Mementos, apparently has never... ever... EVER... met this individual before. How did they miss each other this entire time?

    "... yes, that is correct. This is the Cardboard Dragon, and we do trade in Skill Cards here. My apologies, your grand entrance was startling," Myunghon's mask slips back on as they peel themself out from over the couch, Cognitive Coat propping them up and around.

<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.

Shinjiro is HERE, now that he's made up with Myunghon. It's actually not been awkward on his part! He's nursing a canned coffee he bought from the fridge, browsing very carefully through the book section. He's been reading No Longer Human... what else does Myunghon have here?

"Hey, Myunghon-" he starts, when VROOM!!! As the car comes up the stairs, he's bracing, trying to get there first when instead a car smashes through. He's, as usual, going to try and TANK the car instead of escaping!

Instead, however, a toy car comes in, covered in balloons, turns around, and... deposits a child. Who is here to buy cards?!

Shinjiro's heart starts beating again at this point. He wants to be kinda gruff but this is clearly some magical child so he can't be mean.

Instead, he steps over to support Myunghon as they remask, speaking to Jose. "You've come to the right place. You looking for Vampire Bakers or the magic stuff?" He assumes the latter but...YOU NEVER KNOW.

<Pose Tracker> Akari Hoshi has posed.

Surprise! It's Ixquic!

Ixquic - as in *Ixquic*, rather than Akari - comes to the Cardboard Dragon rarely. It's hard for her to get out at night - or, rather, it's hard for her to get out *here* this late at night. She lives in Rengedai! And it's not like her parents know why she wants to stay out past midnight, nor would they approve if they did! (Well, they wouldn't believe it anyway even if she told them.)

But once in a while she manages it. Today, for instance; her father managed to get home early and he had taken her mother out. Akari suspects she knows why, and, being a teenager, she does NOT want to think about it.

It did mean that nobody was paying attention to little old her, though. And so she made it to the sale!

"Hmm..." Myunghon might actually make a sale to Ixquic - she wants a Cleave card and no doubt about it! - but she has little to trade aside from bits and pieces from inside Mementos or Ateliers, so it might be barter-based. Is this a store that takes trade-ins?

But then her head lifts. She tilts it, slightly. "What's that sound...?"

When Jose actually SLAMS inside, Ixquic has her gigantic sword out, pointing it dramatically at Jose's car. She changes the declaration she was about to give to "It's you!!" because she's actually seen him before (in Mementos; she gathered flowers for him).

Then she remembers to lower her sword. The tip touches the floor with a gentle tap. "It's cool, he's cool," Ixquic informs the others. She has the mask part of the helmet off today so it's easy to see her grin. "He's a businessman! A salvager! Searching for treasure in the depths of darkness!"

... "I didn't know his car got that good air time, though."

<Pose Tracker> Shinobu Shimizu has posed.

It's another Dark Hour Skill Card Sale, and Shinobu is here to help with the proceedings. ...At least, that was her initial reason for coming here. But as it happens, a lot of the clientele is otherwise occupied, so there's not actually a whole lot to do other than hang out.

Myunghon's about to suggest calling it off - and then, there's the sound of a vehicle. ...It's getting louder?

"What the - wait, it's coming here?" Shinobu starts. A car slams through the doors. Shinobu leaps behind the couch quickly, following Myunghon - but when the metaphorical smoke clears and she sees who it actually is...

"Oh, Jose. Hey, kiddo, what brings you here?" Shinobu greets. It's a lot more respectful than she usually greets people for the first time. That's because she knows them! They've met and had a pleasant talk. ...And also she watched him casually vaporize a Shadow. That tends to earn a certain amount of respect.

"Yeah, what she said." Shinobu says with a nod toward Ixquic. "Don't worry, he's cool."

She chuckles at the air time comment.

She looks back toward Jose with a nod toward Myunghon.

"Merry here is the boss around here. They'll get you sorted out. What kinda cards are you in the business for? Healing, support... maybe something with a bit more kick."

<Pose Tracker> Remi Ryuuja has posed.

Remi is... working the till! Well, the till isn't working--it's the Dark Hour, after all. But she is there, handling sales and clientelle with a warm, friendly smile.

Or at least, Ariel is, the cover she uses for engaging in Dark hour shenanigans. She's wearing a short black wing with straight hair that frames and changes the shape of her face, thick black glasses to obscure it further, a long brown dress with a long-sleeved white top underneath, and a leather trenchcoat. (Ignore the fact that the leather on the left forearm is cracked, now. Or the fact that it's way too warm for her to be wearing so many layers.)

But Ariel presents as a cheerful, friendly woman, albiet one with a bit more theatricality than might otherwise be proper.

"Thank you for coming to the Cardboard Dragon!" she says cheerfully as she hands over a skill card and takes some Yen in payment. She pauses as she hears the commotion outside, looking to the fire escape that is the store's entrance... and then to the actual front entrance. "My word... what rancor and din approaches!" Then, more perplexedly. "... is that an engine?"

She remains entirely too calm as a car bursts into the store and almost--but doesn't--knock over a display.

She recognizes the figure--she met Jose in Mementos previously, only then she was going as Tsurugi. She can't hiede her Resonance, by any means, but at the very least she isn't radiating the same kind of killing intent she uses to make Shadows cower.

Ariel looks at Merry starting to spiral, and in a soft, but firm tone, she says, "Dearest Merry--I believe it is only proper for you to great our new guest!"

Meanwhile, she's getting the book of Skill Cards and setting it on the counter, open, so Jose can peruse. "Is there anything you're fancying, dear?"

<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.

    A spicy sriracha chip is tossed into the air as Umie sits at one of the tables. The lack of lighting makes it hard to read, so she instead has turned to a natural task one does when bored during the Dark Hour, and that is--

    .... making origami stars from scrap receipts. Successively smaller and smaller ones, trying to feel through her fingertips alone when her eyesight begins to fail her. However, at a certain point, her stomach interrupted her, so it was time for a combini snack.

    The chip lands, and Umie makes quiet munching noises as she continues with her task.

    VROOM

    She raises an eyebrow.

    VROOM VROOM

    Oh god it's getting closer.

    BUDDABUDDABUDDABUDDABUDDABUDDABUD

    Umie *dives* under the table, fingers fumbling for her weapon when the door budges open.

    Thankfully, this is someone Umie knows.

    She also knows they're... supposed to be in Mementos, but did anyone actually *say* that to her?

    Umie's eyes widen. "Jose-san?! Y-.... _how did_..." She crawls out and rises up halfway, still managing to thud her head against the corner of the table. "... Gh....owowowowow...."

    Rising fully while holding the side of her head, she grabs a random star and offers it out to Jose. "Merry-san. Roadside delivery. We need to make that a thing." But how does someone know, during the Dark Hour, that someone outside needs a delivery?

    It, like figuring out how they can contact the Phantom Thieves, is a question for future them to figure out.

<Pose Tracker> So-young Park has posed.

    Despite spending a lot of her time in Sumaru as of late, So-young still has a job and an apartment and a life in Tokyo to go back to most nights. She's usually careful to get home before the Dark Hour hits, because the last thing she wants is to spend an hour on a stationary train full of coffins like she's the victim of the latest artsy horror movie. On the other hand, she's learned One Neat Trick to help ensure she can show up at the Cardboard Dragon during many of the Dark Hours:

    Icarus can go really, really fast, and So-young Park really, really loves flying.

    However it happened, she's around in Sumaru late enough to be present in the Cardboard Dragon during this particular Dark Hour, and here's where another perk of having the conductor around comes into play - sometimes you get some violin music as a background track. Thankfully, So-young does at least appear to be able to give some thought to matters of volume - and rather than her usual boisterous self she's leaning back against one end of the couch in the living area of the shop, spending her extra hour of practice freestyling her way through slow ('languid' in her words) and peaceful notes.

    Her gaze sometimes pauses on the people around. It's at least pleasant to see Myunghon and Shinjiro occupying the same room without clambering up the walls. She's not sure how they cleared the air, exactly, but she'll take what she can get. And it's kind of curious to see Myunghon in this environment, where their confidence in all matters Mementos kind of bolsters the 'store owner' mask.

    A frown flickers across the conductor's face as she catches onto the incoming sound remarkably quickly, shooting a glance towards her sibling with a frown that says 'what the hell is that'. She can't help the way her playing shifts to quickly deliver two suspenseful notes, because So-young is ultimately a slave to drama and instinct and whimsy - but she is also a slave to 'not getting run over', and there's something about the twin headlight beams shining through the door directly at them that activates a lizard fight-or-flight part of her brain.

    As others dive towards her she yelps. Blue lines explode around her as she rears back, but she doesn't get far enough to manifest Icarus before she pitches backwards over the arm of the couch in an extremely ungainly fashion. Fortunately, it's also enough to hinge the couch upwards, and she lunges for it to complete the process, propping the furniture upright on one side as if it were a wall to take cover behind. (Yes, this is strictly worse for cover for everyone else than having the couch sit normally. She's not thinking too straight.)

    It is a long moment before she lowers the couch again, somehow managing to not look embarrassed about the whole proceeding. It's not acting if you're simply too stubborn to feel at all bad about your reaction. It's quickly forgotten either way, because she's too busy taking in the scene in front of her. "I sincerely hope the floor holds. It creaks enough as it is," she notes, before breaking into a bright smile towards Jose. "Hello! Have you considered wings? Or a very long red scarf to trail behind you. Perhaps both."

<Pose Tracker> Akari Hoshi has posed.

"Capes are cooler," Ixquic informs So-young.

She may be slightly biased owing to the fact that she is, in fact, wearing a bright red cape.

<Pose Tracker> Penguin Sniper has posed.

"Hmm?" Myunghon looks surprised at first, and confirms it with their words. Jose actually sounds abashed, "Oh I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle anyone. I just was trying to park and couldn't find any spots inside the building." His eyes light up at Umie's suggestion, "That'd be very convenient! Can you make deliveries to the station too?"

Before he then beams at Ixquic, "Oh hey there Miss Ixquic, Miss Shimizu. I haven't seen you around in a while. I'm glad you're doing alright out here." Before he then comments to Ixquic happily, That's because I souped it up! You gotta in Mementos, those escalators don't make it the easiest to get around from place to place."

So-Young notes the floor's integrity! The building's! And Jose smiles at them, "Don't worry about that. It's actually very light. Go ahead, try lifting it yourself."

If anyone tests it, it in fact, weighs just like a heavy laden child's toy??? The heck? It feels like it goes against all the laws of physics!? But he cocks his head in thought, "Wings? A red scarf?" Before Ixquic suggests, "Capes?" He considers the matter, before deciding, "Hmmmmm. Do you think it'd go faster if I did? ... It might get too narrow for wings down there." He asides, as if giving it actually serious thought.

With a small waddle forwards he considers, "I was going to stop for refreshments on the way, but then I remembered it's really hard for places to stay open right now." His yellowed eyes then blink owlishly at Shinjiro with wide eyed innocence, "Vampire bakers? Are they open right now? Hmm... well, maybe on the way back." He considers the matter, "But I'm thirsty now, so I guess I can give this a try."

Reaching into his pocket, he pulls out something, like a boy grabbing for his allowance, but what pops out is much larger than anything that should be able to fit. "Maybe this one." A spherical bubble of stretched over flowers that glistens strangely in the gloom of the Dark Hour, orbited by many more smaller bubbles like a tiny solar system. Then, he reaches a hand towards it.

And it shimmers as it moves towards his hand, distorting into streams of light, and forming into a small drink glass of greenish liquid, garnished by a Moon and a bendy straw, "Hmmm." He takes a sip, then his eyes fall as he makes a face. "It always tastes like this at this time of night."

Shinobu tells them that Merry will sort them out, "I'd appreciate that. Huh?" He sounds confused by her offer of 'healing' and 'support' but rather than ask for clarification he then walks with a cartoonish gait forward to the counter, looking to peruse Ariel's book, "Hmmmmmmm..." A flip of a page. Another. Another. "Well... these aren't the cards I'm looking for." Jose says, as if a little disappointed. "You see, I'm trying to learn more about people... so I collect these."

And out of his pocket comes a rapidly expanding giant binder decorated in fancy stars and nebula like swirls, he opens it, showing sleeves containing cards that look quite unusual. In fact, no one in the Cardboard Dragon can say they've ever seen anything like it before.

At a glance, they look like, Arcana Cards - they've all seen those - but there's human Shadows imprinted upon them with gleaming yellowed eyes, and a swirl of distortion curling up their body, like the shadows in Mementos. A holographic shimmer, and it's instead a demon. Back... and forth like an eerie transformation, in the light of Dark Hour.

What kind of cards are these?

"Do you have anything like these here?" Jose asks, hopefully.

<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.

    Myunghon does look rather surprised that so many of the others around here -- virtually everyone but them -- seem to know who this person is. That they've met them in Mementos before... how is it that they've never run into them, despite the sheer number of runs and experiments that they've indulged in within them? Is it that a relevant data point? Should they be obsessing over the why, Umie Akabane-style? Will they? (Yes.)

    Merry would be quite pleased to trade with Ixquic -- to Ariel's dismay, the majority of the 'sales' of Skill Cards have become bargains and trade-ins rather than anything involving money, so the store's books have been solidly in the red for a while... "A businessman... a salvager?" Myunghon quietly furrows their brow at Ixquic's words. "I see..."

    Shinobu's reassurance does lend a lot of weight. With Shinjiro by their side too, they don't really have to feel like they'll be unprotected in a fight, but... they have a little pout towards Ariel to say, "It seems I was unaware of something you all had encountered in Mementos."

    They do help Umie up gently if she needs it, but then Umie has an idea! Roadside delivery!

    "... that is not the worst of ideas, but-- we are a little short on drivers," Myunghon does confess to Umie. "Kazama-kun can only do so much, and we do not have a car that works during the Dark Hour. Perhaps if nuna flies them..."

    Myunghon, please don't get any ideas on turning your sister's flying Persona into a delivery drone.

    There's an embarrassed little cough as they set their drink and book aside, not lost that Shinjiro's reading their favourite book of all time, and looks to So-young. "It would be checkmate if I had to pay reparations to the Sunny Day owner, yes..." they sigh, almost theatrically. But Jose points out the car is actually VERY LIGHT. How does that... work?

    Jose does apologise for startling them, thouh, and they shake their head in turn with a genteel smile. "Parking is at a bit of a premium here in Hirasaka, I do confess. But--"

    Jose mentions that he's thirsty, and he produces a spherical bubble stretched over flowers that glistens strangely against the sickly lights of the Dark Hour. Merry's a little entranced at this show for a moment. They have to wonder just what it is that count as refreshment to Jose -- that kind of liquid certainly doesn't look like anything anyone but the most inventive of bartenders can concoct.

    Surprisingly, however, Jose isn't even looking for Skill Cards -- he's trying to learn more about people, and instead, the cards look more like... Arcana Cards, with human Shadows with gleaming yellowed eyes that holographically play with a trick of light into demons. The metaphor is clear. Myunghon trembles gently, somehow feeling a little bit of unease.

    "... I must say that I've never seen anything like that," Myunghon does affirm, though given they're not in the know about Jose, they look to the others to see if they know something about it. "They do have a semblance to Arcana Cards, but the way they reflect and reveal yet another side of the Shadow..."

    Their eye widens slightly as they cup their cheek with their one working hand. "How fascianating. Please, tell me more."

<Pose Tracker> Akari Hoshi has posed.

Alas, Ixquic does not have a lot of spending money, and what money she has goes to art stores that definitely won't take barter. Just because her family is a long way from poor doesn't mean they give their fourteen-year-old (now) much of an allowance that she doesn't need for other purposes. So trading with Myunghon works for her, even if it leaves the books uncomfortably red.

It looks like there's no threat after all, so Ixquic leaves her sword propped up against the counter rather than hang onto it. It's within reach, she just doesn't have to carry it. She's glad to see some of her friends here - Umie, for one, who she greeted pretty excitedly and asked how she was doing, when she first got here.

Ixquic considers trying to get a car up the elevators in Mementos.

"That's fair," she agrees. You wouldn't want to drive it along the train tracks from level to level! There are trains on those.

Ixquic does not try to pick up the car, because she assumes that - having been told it doesn't weigh a lot - that the balloons are holding it up. That makes as much sense as anything else about Jose, honestly, especially because she's seen Grandpa Carl's Flying House. Instead, she wanders over to look over Jose's shoulder, because she is nosy. She's also the closest person to his (apparent) age here; of course she's willing to hang out!

"Can I try your drink?" she asks, because she has no idea what it is but it's one of the only liquids she has seen in the Dark Hour that doesn't look *red*, so it must be interesting! (She was always interested about the flowers once she saw him drink them too, but she never tried any herself.) "I'll trade you for..."

She checks her pockets. Her outfit, conveniently, has them. "...a Black Thunder bar?" Not rare at all, but she figures Jose does not have one: a cocoa-flavoured cookie bar with crunchy biscuit, all chocolate-coated. She holds one up, wiggling the wrapped snack.

But there are cards - "Oooh." Ixquic hasn't seen any of those before. "I don't have any holographic ones, but I have a few like this..." She digs in a different pocket and pulls out a (generic) Magician tarot card. "I got this one off a Pyro Jack! Though it's not like it says... I guess he is a magician though. But mine aren't lenticular like that."

<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.

As Jose indicates he's here for magic stuff, Shinjiro looks at him as he drinks his weird... drink, before asking about special cards. He recognizes him from Mementos!

Fascinating... and also spooky. But Shinjiro takes a look, musing with a hand to his chin. "Are those... people's Shadows? Or like, I don't know, Shadow trading cards? Is someone making these?"

A pause, as he looks over to Myunghon. "I don't know if we have those... but maybe we have something else you'd like? Sorry we can't be much help, little guy."

<Pose Tracker> Shinobu Shimizu has posed.

"Yeah, we're doin' alright. No need to worry about me, I'm pretty tough." Shinobu assures as Jose greets her. "Just haven't been down in the tunnels much lately, is all."

She will, in fact, marvel at how light Jose's car apparently is. The fact that the fire escape didn't collapse under the weight should've given it away, but it's still a surprise. She whistles appreciatively.

She listens as he addresses the others, chuckling slightly as he gives wings a thought, before watching him drink a bubble of flowers.

...She's not sure she'll ever get fully used to that. She isn't particularly surprised something produced from the Dark Hour isn't very appetizing, either.

She nods as he thanks her - but then notices his confusion. But he looks the book over anyway, and doesn't seem to find anything of interest. Instead, it seems what he's looking for is...

"...Huh." Shinobu says, leaning in to get a closer look. Those cards... she knows Arcana Cards, alright, but these... those are humans. Human Shadows, transforming into demons...

"...Yeah, these are new to me, too. Sorry, kiddo. We have something like that, but what you're looking for looks a little different." Shinobu says, looking toward Jose. She's about to reach into pockets, but thankfully, Ixquic already draws out a card to show him. She's not sure she even brought any with her today, anyway.

Myunghon's interest in the cards is clear, though, and Shinobu nods.

"Yeah, we might be able to figure something out, at least. What are these?" She asks.

<Pose Tracker> Remi Ryuuja has posed.

Umie suggests roadside delivery. "Excellent! So you have a car that works in the Dark Hour like this fine gentleman's?" Ariel says this brightly and cheerfully and she is definitely making a point.

No place to park. "Ahh, I see the difficulty, young traveler! Most cars are a mite larger than yours, so they tend to be parked outside, rather than in. No matter, it is an understandable confusion." ... is it?

Remi won't fuss too much about taking barter in exchange for Skill Cards. Yes, she would like to see the store's ledgers in the black, but it's not like Myunghon paid for the Skill Cards out of the store's budget, right?

"My dear Merry, did you forget I have never been to Mementos?" she lies, blatantly, with an easy smile. "I, too, am onmly just now making Jose-kun's acquaintance."

She looks on as Jose peruses the Skill Cards. "I'm sorry they aren't to your liking, young traveler. But do tell us, what is it you seek? Perhaps we may yet be able to acquire it."

The big binder comes out,and Remi moves the Skill Card binder to make room for it on the counter, then leans over to take a look. "My word. How distinctive! And such a curious trick of the light, as if bewitched wit' enchantment." But she's looking to the others--particularly Myunghon--for input.

"Still, they are quite curious..."

<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.

    This is how it starts, Myunghon. You see a small data point, and you begin to obsess over it, until you find a way to *solve* it. Except, some things can't be solved, and much of life must, and always will be, a complete mystery. But you still keep going, because you can't leave something *unfinished*.

    "He's from Mementos," Umie quickly tries to explain. "Like a... moving shop." The who and whys of Josie, however, would be best left to someone else. On the topic of station deliveries, Umie grimaces, though that's from touching the sudden sore spot on her head, after Myunghon helps her up. "... Ehhh... I meant, like, someone comes up, and someone brings it out. Easy."

    She says this, as Jose does the completely normal thing of taking out a drink from a mystical flower bubble. ..... She wants... to pat him on the head...

    To mask her urge for CUTE AGGRESSION, instead, she thinks to offer her chips, but stops when Akari offers the much better Black Thunder bar instead.

    But what Jose is really after is...

    "Hm. Do you know where you've found these? I'm guessing Mementos, but if you've come out to here, we'd better narrow it down," Umie murmurs thoughtfully, as she glances over his delightfilly whimsical card binder. "Maybe, by knowing that they exist," she says, over her shoulder to Shinjiro, "we'll notice them. Who knows if we just overlooked them up until now?"

    But if this is from Mementos...

    ".... Could they be collected from shadows, maybe? But, shadows like in Mementos, like Kaneshiro." It's not like humans can turn into the shadows like the ones that randomly wander outside in the street, ha ha ha HAAA "There's others like them, in Mementos too. Aragaki-kun, Shimizu-san, we encountered one like that just by wandering Mementos, right?"

     She peers at the cards. "If we come across any, if we collect them, would you be interested in trade, Jose?"

<Pose Tracker> So-young Park has posed.

    "I will not dispute that," So-young states in Ixquic's direction without batting an eyelid, "But when you are a driver, a scarf is much more suitable in my opinion. You cannot have too much flutter or else you'll ruin the effect," she notes with confidence, before aiming a megawatt smile at Jose. "Perhaps not faster, but certainly more dashing."

    Her eyebrows go up almost into her hairline as the boy eases her immediate worry. That is one hell of an offer Jose makes to her, and she has absolutely no reason to refuse it even before you take into account her latent curiosity. Stepping up to the car she gives it an almost friendly pat before kneeling down, bracing herself, and--

    --nearly throwing the poor thing into the ceiling given how much power she puts behind her lift. Thankfully, she manages to catch herself before anything too destructive happens, and instead she's just left holding a car a couple of feet in the air as if it were no weight at all, the tower of suitcases on the back simultaneously grazing the ceiling and also somehow remaining as steady as a rock.

    "... ... ... I definitely need someone to take my photo right now," is So-young's only awed comment - but this is the Dark Hour, and she knows that the suggestion alone would get several people reminding her of opsec. More importantly, it's probably rude to take a picture of a Metaverse inhabitant's ride without asking them for permission first. Gently, she sets the car down where it was, and pats off her hands with an aura of pride as if she just did the same thing back in normal time without the support of her Persona.

    "I am certainly not above a little gig work, but I don't think I necessarily have the time or inclination to be a delivery driver," she smirks with amusement towards Myunghon. "Besides, experience says that the moment I start flying you would have to find a way to remotely crowbar my attention span back towards work every single time." She seems... proud of this, too, somehow.

    Thinking about Jose's special skill card makes her suddenly aware of something: she doesn't even know the first thing about how 'regular' skill cards are actually produced. Tucking that question into the back of her mind for later, she hums thoughtfully over the specialized ones they're being shown. "... we can certainly tell you _about_ the shadow and his haunt, if that might help visualize things better," is her rather instinctive guess towards the process.

    She's still not familiar enough with Metaverse terminology to capital-S the word Shadow yet.

<Pose Tracker> Penguin Sniper has posed.

It's quite the contrast isn't it, Myunghon? The innocence of this small boy, versus the sinister looking nature of these cards. "Those are really nice!" They enthuse at Ixquic, "It's kind of like those - but with other stuff on them too."

However, Ixquic asks to try his drink in trade, "Oh you want to trade it for that? I don't think I want to finish it... just, it's not really that good."

It's there however, should they want to. If they accept the trade, he happily opens the wrapper, and begins to munch happily, "Mmmm! This is much better."

And if they do, it tastes like the consistency of a strange electrical buzz running through the texture not unlike that of congealed Yokan. That wouldn't be too unpleasant on it's own, but there's a layer permeating it that tastes like an unpleasant oil slick that clings to your tongue like real crude oil in a spill clings to the creatures of the ocean.

"People usually don't like them." He warns, possibly after Ixquic has already tried. "Especially during this time right now." He adds, almost apologetically, like the Dark Hour spoils the drinks.

They do try to solicit more information about the cards though, after he's told several different ways that they don't have anything like it, "Well, you see. I make them myself..." He says as he answers Umie most specifically, "... like that, yeah! Whenever a really strong Shadow in Mementos comes at me, I bop them."

Bop them? Does he mean just, beats them up?

"And a card comes out. I call them Shadow Cards. I guess I thought other people might be doing it too?"

Jose slowly withdraws one out from it's plastic sleeves, holding it forward for anyone to touch who wants to. The card itself shows a yellow-eyed shadow of a scraggly young adult tough hanging upside down, his feet bound, with a symbol of the Hanged Man there, there's a holographic shimmer as one looks at it and it becomes the monster 'Othrus' hanging on it from a similar angle.

"Go ahead. You can hold it if you want. But be careful. He's not very nice."

And as anyone present touches it, there's a flash of white light within their psyche, and suddenly their mind is flooded with information.

Seiji Oshita appears in Kanji.
Followed by: The Desire to be Top Dog

There's images of a man stalking up on stray dogs. He begins kicking them, progressively harder, even breaking ribs, or worse. You watch him recruiting friends for this, engaging in efforts to clean up the neighborhood.

'They just put them down anyway. Why not have a little fun first?'

This metastasizes, as he begins following people who rent out net cafe booths overnight to have places to stay, until eventually he confronts them in alleyways, with a mask on. Beating them to a pulp as if these people are stray dogs.

Eventually it shows an image of when he's a kid and was bit by a stray dog, developing an intense phobia of them. Kids ridiculing him for running away from tiny dogs barking at him. The need to dominate, to not be laughed at causing an infection in his soul as he grew up into a jerk.

And cost him every opportunity. His violent nature caused him to be kicked out of his parents' home. To be dumped by girlfriend after girlfriend. To be arrested by the cops. To be fired from his job and evicted from his apartment when he couldn't pay rent.

It's only now they realize, this man is homeless himself, and still keeps setting himself apart, like he doesn't consider himself the same as the people he bullies to this day.

For anyone who touches it - no time has passed at all. Jose is still looking at them. Is... every card in his binder like this? A glimpse into the hearts of distorted Shadows?
 
"I don't get why some people have desires like this. Even with this whole collection, I just can't figure it out at all? So, I'm looking for more to see if I can't understand people better..."

He actually looks pretty downcast by all this? Before he addresses Umie on the trade, "Well, I kind of don't want to break up my collection, since it's part of what I'm doing in Mementos... but I have all kinds of other things I'd trade for more?"

<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.

    Shinjiro has quite the insight. Are they people's Shadows? And if that's the case, given how much they've warned people of how not to treat others' Shadows within Mementos... that has a particularly sinister suggestion behind it. Myunghon does quietly step a little closer to Shinobu as she also says that she's never seen them herself. All right, so this isn't a case where they haven't quite experienced the supernatural like the others...

    "... true," Myunghon answers. "I only meant the rest and nothing more," they answer Ariel.

    Umie's already off on her own little spiderweb of thoughts, Myunghon knows, and her own theories. "The Shadows of people, yes, more prominent and defined than the others that form some of the connective tissue within Mementos..."

    But even their attention is partially drawn to So-young lifting the car with, indeed, as if there is no weight. Myunghon looks quizzical for a moment, before admitting, "Unfortunately, I do not have a working camera at present. Though that in itself is something that may come in useful in the future, were we able to solve for it. Obtaining photographic evidence, if only between other supernatural users..."

    A pause. "And Cognitions are often mistakable for their real counterparts..." Oh, Criminal Activity is already brewing inside of Myunghon's head, isn't it.

    Akari wants to try the drink, however, and it seems like... it might be an experience, to say the very least. How would Merry find such a drink? Perhaps their distorted tastes, that tastes most every nice, pleasant food as ashes, might be quite pleased with sticking crude oil in their mouth. But the topic of the drink is somewhat forgotten as Jose explains how these are created when...

    A really strong shadow in Mementos comes at him... and he bops them.

    Myunghon does quietly reach for the card, because the desire for knowledge is ousting their desire for safety, and for a moment they spasm mildly as information floods their mind--

    They're really glad Lance is in a little comfy dog-size coffin at this point.

    It's more than just dogs, however; his behaviour escalates to stalking people at night, following people who stay at net cafes -- vulnerable, homeless people... and the background whence this horrid behaviour came from. Because there often is trauma that becomes violent and angry, as a shell to interface with the world... and though he is homeless like the rest of them, he still sets himself apart from his victims.

    Myunghon glances to Umie, their breath still a bit weak.

    The Rumourmonger has to pause, and then eventually they steady themself against Shinjiro for a moment longer. The implications are dire, and yet clear. "Jose-kun. I don't suppose you know what happens to the people whose Shadows are captured within these cards? In all my knowledge of the supernatural, it typically is not a healthy outcome when a Shadow is ripped apart from the fabric whence it exists..."

    Those who know Merry definitely already know they're going to see what this Seiji Oshita's real life situation is. Whether they've become a victim of Apathy Syndrome or a Mental Shutdown...

    But something Jose says does catch their mind. Why is it that some people have some desires like this?

    "The world that people inevitably exist in contorts and distorts them, Jose-kun. One variable contorts upon another, and the equation is spoiled. But it is not hopeless in the slightest." Rumourmonger Merry's smile is from ear to ear, the gleam in their eye hopeful and dangerous as they say: "I shall cut through these distortions and bring a constant, a Hope that shall stir a revolution in people's hearts. That is my Rebellion."

<Pose Tracker> Akari Hoshi has posed.

"Bo-ring," is Ixquic's response to So-young, though she sounds joking about it. "My Persona... she has wheels, like a motorcycle! And I ride with my cloak. It looks awesome," she confirms, looking at the others who have seen it - Myunghon, Umie, even Shinobu - for confirmation

This is a trade Ixquic is happy to make: chocolate bar for glass of mysterious moon-aspected liquid. "Sure!" she says, and then takes a big sip of it.

...

Ixquic's eyes are, of course, hard to make out under her visor - not impossible, the tint isn't completely opaque. Her lower face is a lot easier because her helmet has a removable mask, and at times like this, when she's just meeting people in the Dark Hour, she usually leaves it off; it goes on for adventuring.

The face she makes is a lot like she bit into a lemon when her tongue tingles. That in and of itself isn't the worst - she likes sour things, she could probably learn to like tingly things too. It's the aftertaste that's the worst. She feels like she wants to scrape her tongue afterwards, except that would be gross and probably not work without a toothbrush. And a lot of toothpaste. Something that doesn't taste like that. She *does* run it along her upper teeth in the hope that that helps. It doesn't.

"...you're right," she gets out a few moments later. "It really isn't very good. I hope the flowers are better other times... maybe I'll try them some day. I'll bring you another Black Thunder," she promises.

Since she's busy putting something inadvisable in her mouth, she at least avoids also inadvisably touching the card. One stupid idea at a time!

"I did fight one of the people in Mementos," she says, before: "I didn't kill them! That would be bad. But I did knock them down so we could get past. They didn't have a card like that, or if they did I never saw it..."

She looks up at Merry as they say more. Ixquic doesn't always like to talk about things like that and she's grateful for Merry for bringing it up so she doesn't have to - even if she wouldn't admit it, and doesn't even consciously consider it.

And, her Rebellion...

Ixquic can't stop herself from grinning at that. Hers isn't the same of course, but... she understands having an ideal to which you hold, at least.

<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.

Shinjiro contemplates the shadow cards some more, and when Jose brings one out to touch... SHinjiro reaches to touch it.

He winces immediately, though instead, as he comes out of it, he's staying strong, supporting Myunghon for as long as they need. "Shit, what a *dick*," is all he can say. He's not minding the children right now!

But then, Jose says he'd have things he'd trade for more... "Well, if you're the one who makes them, how are we supposed to get more?"

He's also eying Myunghon as they ask about what happens to the Shadows. He also eyes as AKARI DRINKS THE DRINK.

And then Myunghon gives their piece, talking about their Rebellion. He looks away, but isn't awkward about it. Just because Myunghon and him decided that they can't be *his* hope, doesn't mean they can't be Hope at all.

<Pose Tracker> Shinobu Shimizu has posed.

Ixquic looks to everyone for confirmation - that it looks awesome - even her. Oh no. She's put on the spot. Even Shinobu can't quite bring herself to make her sad by saying no, or worse, not expressing a strong opinion, so...

"It does." Shinobu confirms with a nod.

Shinobu glances, just briefly, toward Myunghon as they step closer to her when she confirms she doesn't know about the cards, either, before looking back toward Jose.

Oh, Jose makes them. That explains a lot, in that his capabilities are so out of the ordinary that it makes sense. He bops them and a card comes out...

"I see... Yeah, I haven't been doing anything like that. Didn't know we could." Shinobu replies. Jose says they can hold it and she looks over to the others before reaching out -

- and then a second later recoiling back.

"Shit." Shinobu says, exhaling sharply - momentarily forgetting she's in the presence of children.

"...You were right. That guy was a real piece of work." She agrees. It's not like she doesn't know that people like that are out there, but it doesn't make it any better to get a front row seat to the events in question.

"...Wish I could tell you, kiddo." Shinobu replies, shaking her head. Myunghon has something to say about that, though. She shakes her head, still a little shaken.

"Yeah, uh... as long as nothing bad happens to the real guy, if you let us know how it works, we can try to collect some for you." Shinobu replies. "We've already got a deal going anyway, right? If we can keep helping each other out, might as well. That's how we do things around here."

<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.

    
    Sorry, Jose, you may be warning her, but Umie's already reaching to touch that card, much like Myunghon is.

    When Umie's fingertips touch the surface, and she freezes in place, flinching back her hand like it was burnt.

    'Ara, ara, wasn't that just *fun*, Umie-chan? Go on, touch some more. Let's see how deep the well of misery goes~'

    For a stray, painful moment, it shears through all the questions and hypotheticals that Umies ever produced, borne from Mai-chan's whispers of her heart being next, or Akechi wondering if the Phantom Thieves could turn her into a willing bride for Syuusei.

    A man had a delusional desire, and he paid for it. If it had just been sliced off, like a cancerous growth--

    "... _Don't touch it_," she almost snaps, to Shinjiro, but hes already done it. Then, with an apologetic nod towards Jose, "Jose wasn't kidding."

    She takes a few more steps back, politely sitting herself in a chair and crossing her legs, as if nothing had happened at all.

    How does Myunghon take all of that and still make a cohesive answer?

    "Desires can be a thing that makes people move forward," Umie attempts. "Even dark ones. We can be very flexible, but sometimes, things go out of control."

    Jose's downcast expression, though...

    Umie's chair shifts as she stands up, her left hand going towards a few of her tinier origami stars, which she turns around and offers to Jose. "Pretty brave of you to try to understand it, Jose-kun. Pretty crafty of you, too, to turn them into cards. Don't worry, I dont think anyone's going to want to break up that collection, but if we can help you complete it..." Then what?

    "Just remember you're only viewing the worst case scenarios. A lot of people probably never get that bad." A lot of people don't get Marks, or kill someone. "... This isn't for trade; consider these freebies, for coming out all this way. I like to craft things myself."

<Pose Tracker> Remi Ryuuja has posed.

Remi watches So-young almost lift the card into the ceiling. "Careful, dear music maker. We could not want to trade the safety of one floor for another, hmm?" That is kind of impressive the car is so light, though.

"Just a bop, hmm? Naught but a mere trifle?, is it?"

'Ariel' has confessed to not fighting, that her Persona simply isn't suited for it, but she does reach out to take examine the card when offered.

There is information. Entirely unpleasant, and too much, yet delivered in the blink of an eye.

Ariel does not react, at least not with outright horror and disgust. There is a frown, though, as she considers the card and its namesake. It is revolting, but... her experiences in the lab may have numbed her to some of the more savage parts of human nature.

"... he became the beast he feared..." she muses, quietly, her tone somber.

As for Jose's question. "Mmm. The thread of a person's story does not stand in isolation--it is a vast tapestry, beset upon forces both grand and gossamer-light. And some are woven in shapes that amplify and sustain themselves, that even when outside forces act upon them it does not diminish the pattern, yet drives it further. Clinging desperately to a shape it cannot afford to lose, lest it fear itself naught but a single unformed thread devoid of shape."

"But take heart, young traveler. Though this may be a foul and wretched sort, there are those with hearts gladder and less sad to meet as well."

<Pose Tracker> So-young Park has posed.

    So-young almost goes to touch the card - as much as she and Myunghon can bicker and be opposites at times, she does outright trust the rumourmonger's instincts when it comes to anything around the Metaverse, and if they're doing it, then it's probably okay - right?? But then Myunghon and Umie both freeze and jerk backwards with a sudden spasm, and So-young's hand stops on the spot, hesitating before the follow-up questions convince her she doesn't actually need to see whatever Myunghon just saw.

    "Emotions and desires are not something you can easily figure out by looking in," she says slowly to Jose after intuiting a little from what he says. "And the worst part is that emotions and desires are not necessarily something the person themselves can make sense of, or even recognize that they're feeling. Some days, we just feel bad or upset, and sometimes there's nothing we can do but wait for it to pass or wail it out on our violins or go smash something. Some people have spent years and years trying to figure out the things you're trying to figure out."

    She beams, unexpectedly. "Still, do not let that dissuade you. The more you manage it, the better your art will become, no matter what the shape of that art might be." Well, of course she had to bring it back around to that.

    So-young pauses for long enough to let Myunghon deliver their creed, because she's got a sense for the dramatic like that. She does note the way in which Shinjiro looks awkwardly away, and purses her lips briefly as she notes something else to pry at later. "Well, I'm a pilot, and I say scarf," she grumbles instead to Ixquic. "And until I meet someone else who can fly that makes me the reigning authority."

    By now, she's heard enough from other people that she can get a rough shape of what the issue with that card is, and she frowns at it, suddenly distinctly uncertain what she's looking at. Does Jose understand, or is he acting on impulse? She can't help but think of the demons she's traded kazoos with - how often the reasoning along the way doesn't matter so much as the end goal. Maybe she should actually dissuade him from putting people into cards for the sake of learning abou them - but she remains silent on that front.

<Pose Tracker> Penguin Sniper has posed.

"Oh, yes!" He says to Ixquic, "They're much better in Mementos. Well... most of them are. It's just up here during this time out here - it gets all wonky?"
 
Does the Dark Hour ruin cognitive floral drinks? Apparently so.
 
Thanks, Kirijo.

Merry asks him a question, and Jose cocks his head to the side as if in thought before, "Oh! It's not like that - I'm not ripping them apart. It's more like their Shadows are being very loud about their desires. And well, because of that, it's pretty simple to make a copy of their memories about their desires."
 
Merry will find out later that Seiji Oshita is someone homeless in the Konan district - one of the few people 'actually' on the streets as to how Japan counts people in homeless, rather than 'not homeless' by virtue of staying overnight at capsule hotels and net cafes, lashing out against others in unfortunate places from a place of past trauma.
 
Quite alive, certainly, and not in a state of apathy syndrome.
 
"They just don't like coming near me after? Usually hey're scared that because I have their Shadow Card, I can get them in trouble... honestly, it's a little disappointing. I wish they'd just talk to me as I want to ask them why they're like that."
 
What does in fact happen if he completes his collection, "Welllll to be honest... I don't really know? I figure that when I do complete it, I'll know what to do next."
 
It's not exactly him being cryptic. It's more he doesn't know what the end of this road looks like, or the start of the next one.
 
He just knows he wants to walk it.
 
"... Wow! This is really nice, Miss." As he inspects the Origami star she hands to him, "I appreciate it. Huh? Not a trade? Well, if you're sure, then I'll keep that in mind for when you come by my store next time."
 
He smiles at her happily over the gift, before adding, "Oh I know that, I deal with people who aren't like that all the time. Like you all... and SEES... and the Phantom Thieves too."
 
And So-Young tries to explain human nature. And Jose watches as if in fascination, but once finished, "Emotions are something even people themselves can't make sense of? I don't think I really get it, but maybe after I finish this, I will?"
 
Shinjiro however asks the question of, how are we supposed to get more? Well that's easy. Hmm, though." He cocks his head, looking at them thoughtfully, "You might not be able to do it like I do... but you have Personas right?" Then it's like there's a Eureka moment as his eyes light up. "I know! I'll just bop them!"
 
He reaches into a pocket, and suddenly there's one of those squeaky cartoonish accordion mallets that looks like a toy, only it's nearly as large as he is tall.
 
"All I gotta do is hit the pressure point on your Persona's forehead..." Wait, Personas have PRESSURE POINTS? "...and-! I'm pretty sure I can smack how to do it right into them." He looks up at Merry with Cherubic eyes.
 
"Can I see yours? Now... I've gotta warn you. It might hurt a little."
 
He says, while holding an enormous cartoon mallet. It seems ridiculous that such a thing could harm a Persona.
 
And yet, Shadows run in fear from this child after he strikes them with it.
 
One might learn the secrets to new cards, if they can endure a moment of pain.
 
Song Of What Comes Next: Punch de Ouch - Persona 5 OST - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QO2QJOg0zBY
 
"But I promise it's just a bop... it's like she said over there."
 
A mere, trifle*, certainly.
 
*Probably guaranteed to not make a copy of your own memories in card form, Merry. Maybe.

<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.

    It's all just a nasty Kirijo Plot. Rumourmonger Merry is onto them!!

    "It is indeed quite impressive," Myunghon does answer Ixquic, rather plainly and honestly, because -- well, it is! They don't need to fake that one bit. Ixquic's expression is a little difficult to make it, but it really doesn't seem like she has a good time with it. What would the flowers taste at a better hour? Usually it's Merry that has to be berated on putting things in their mouth that they shouldn't, like Tartarus.

    Myunghon did confess that they didn't need to be some beacon of hope for Shinjiro, but... Rumourmonger Merry never promised that. Why, that's the luxury of the flesh and blood of the revolutionary in private. No, the revolutionary of the public must become a thing greater than flesh and blood -- a being of light and stars, whose legend and inspiration far outstrips the confines of their body after death.

    That is how Rumourmonger Merry can give a cohesive answer, Umie.

    But So-young and Umie both have more thoughtful answers than the deliberately vague, grandiose one Merry gives. Ariel's answer is similarly grandiose, but Myunghon does seem to like it. Shinobu does affirm that if it doesn't hurt the person in question in the physical world... so Shinobu has a deal with them, huh. They're going to have to figure out what all this is.

    But Jose does clarify that it doesn't ruin the person in question -- and that definitely piques THEIR interest, because they were expecting something to the effect of how they aren't privy to what happens in the physical world.

    "The phenomenon you describe is not unlike that of the distortion Akabane-san and I have experienced with Palace Rulers, however..." Myunghon taps their chin. "So it is a *copy*... how extraordinary." They'll have to take him at his word for now, but they're certainly going to verify it for themself later.

    But what Jose describes is even more fascinating. Possessing a Shadow Card allows him to stay safe because they're afraid he has something on them... an act not unlike cognitive blackmail, but Merry's not about to say that out loud even if that is inevitably part of their trade. That Jose is compelled to have a Collection does worry Merry, but this is far from the last time they'll have deals with powers that they scarce understand...

    "It is true that one will scarce find someone who is a true master of their emotions," Myunghon does admit. "But-- ah?"

    He'll... BOP their Personae. Wouldn't that just make Shadow Cards... or, is the bopper multi-purpose? And now they're the guinea pig! They usually like using guinea pigs. This is highly unideal.

    "You have quite the assortment of mysterious powers, Jose-kun. Very well -- I shall endure this ordeal first for us."

    But Merry recovers from whatever rankling of their pride as they step forward, confidently focusing as they whisper--

    "Kudlak."

    And the jet-black humanoid creature rises out of their Cognitive Coat, half-melded within it, save for the head with the gleaming red eyes and silver hair and the suggestions of a 17th century aristocrat, with the jabot on their collar rapidly subsumed into darkness.

<Pose Tracker> Penguin Sniper has posed.

Kudlak rises, and Jose suddenly swings the mallet back, "Alright! Here goes!" And with a little hop, he raises the mallet overhead in a two handed strike, smashing Kudlak on their forehead dead center with an intensely cute squeaky noise sounding on the strike.
 
The Vampiric Persona instantly sees stars-! Literally, there are swirls and stars in their eyes as they list in dizzying circles like the Persona is punch drunk.
 
And so too does Merry who nearly swoons on their feet. It's like the most intense Persona Break you could ever have, like your ego is having trouble holding together coherently under the strain of taking a blow to that pressure point.
 
And then it settles, and-!
 
Kudlak has learned the ability: Card Capture
 
"There. Now you make Shadow Cards with your Persona."
 
He says, before smiling and turning to the others, "Does anyone else want me to bop their Persona?"

[OOC] Penguin Sniper says, "*blu-ray Now you can make Shadow Cards"

<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.

Umie tries to warn Shinjiro. IT'S TOO LATE!!! He might have sympathy over being homeless, but not over cruelty. Eugh.

BShinjiro does feel worried about Myunghon's attitude, about the stench he metaphorically feels about their hope and their sacrificial nature, but...

This isn't the time.

INSTEAD A MALLET IS COMING OUT??? As Jose explains, Shinjiro's breath hitches, but he's just positioning himself near Myunghon, in case the blow hurts them. As they start swooning soon after Jose begins, he's making sure they don't *fall* over.

Then, once Myunghon's on their feet... he's stepping up to Jose, pulling out his evoker. "I'll go." He's got misgivings, but if they can avoid Change of Hearts...

He puts the Evoker up to his head and summons Castor, who manifests in a stomping action before stepping before Jose. "Let's get it over with."

<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.

    So long, suckers!

    When the star cloud dissipates, Myunghon is lying completely still on the Cardboard Dragon floor.

[OOC] Shinjiro Aragaki blu-ray edit stuff about Myunghon actually falling and eating it anyays later
[OOC] Shinjiro Aragaki blu-ray move below myunghon

<Pose Tracker> Akari Hoshi has posed.

Ixquic sticks her tongue out at So-young - but again, it's more a joke than anything else. "I'd say you're just jealous because you can't ride yours, but you can... I only know, like, two other people who can do that! And one of them, I've never spoken to." Maybe she should have asked for Queen's autograph instead of Panther's? But Panther is super cool... maybe she can get both, eventually.

Collect the whole set!

She looks over at Umie. "I didn't know you like to craft things too! I thought you were just doing the mask because you needed one." Ixquic, of course - well, Akari - loves all sorts of craftiness. "I made my sword myself, and other things... but I can't just give those away. I need them!" Otherwise Jose might get a gift from her too.

With everybody warning people away from the card... well, part of Ixquic wants to touch it anyway just to be contrary, but she's willing to take their word for it this once. Especially with Jose's other offer...

"Cool! I can see everyone's Persona that way!" Ixquic is pleased by that at least. She does want to see them... *and* she wants to get in on it, if Jose is offering. "I'll go! Quixote!"

Her own Persona is - like she said - half-motorcycle; it's like if you made a motorcycle centauride (what's a centauride? it's a lady centaur, perfectly normal word) wearing light armour, wielding a sword and bearing a lance, point-up, with a banner attached. She appears, revving her wheels, though she doesn't go anywhere... she does kick up some dust though.

As for Ixquic, well...

Ixquic is poking Merry with the blunt reverse of her sword. Poke. Poke. "Are you okay?" Poke.

<Pose Tracker> Shinobu Shimizu has posed.

Their Shadows are being very loud about their desires, and that makes it simple to make a copy of their memories...

"That makes sense." Shinobu comments. ...She's mostly just going with the flow and trying not to think too deeply about it. More importantly, it sounds like it doesn't have any negative effects on the real person. The question is raised of how they can make more - and Jose says that he can just bop them!

Shinobu thinks back to her first meeting with him. She then watches him demonstrate on Myunghon.

...Is this really a good idea??

...But then again, when did Shinobu ever not do something because it didn't seem like a good idea? She's been in plenty of fights and taken plenty of hits - at least this time he isn't actually trying to hurt her.

"I'm good for it." Shinobu says. "Lachesis!"

At her call, Lachesis appears behind her - and then moves in front of her.

"Hit me, Jose." Shinobu says - and then pauses to quickly clarify, "The other me, I mean."

<Pose Tracker> Remi Ryuuja has posed.

"To teach a Persona..." Ariel muses quietly. She, certainly, has a Persona. She is awake in the Dark Hour, after all!

But she has never seen fit to summon it for anyone here, as far as anyone knows. She has begged off, that her Persona is 'not suitable' for combat. It's only a... partial lie. It is suitable for combat, but... not suitable for keeping her cover.

"How fascinating!" she exclaims, looking at the cartoonish mallet with keen interest. "I should be quite interested to see the process in action. I shan't undergo it myself, of course, as my skills do not shine in the arena of e blade and bow, but I shall eagerly watch the rest of you undergo it."

Sorry, Ixquic. You won't get to see Ariel's Persona tonight.

She watches the bop, the stars, and... Merry out cold on the floor. She seems entirely too unconcerned as she steps out from behind the counter and moves to kneel next to them. "It appears it was rather quite intense. But I'm sure our Merry will be back on their feet in no time!"

Is... is she not concerned???

<Pose Tracker> So-young Park has posed.

    Jose says patiently that a lot of the questions about whether he is ripping Shadows apart are answered by his 'I am not ripping Shadows apart' t-shirt, and while So-young can appreciate that sort of candour she is not entirely certain about the small child being able to so easily refer to ripping Shadows apart in the first place. She remains a little wary throughout, though Jose still gets a warm smile as So-young snickers. "... it might be sooner than you think," she winks.

    She can somehow manage to say that with supreme confidence. Maybe it's because a desire to complete a collection is exactly that - a desire. Maybe it's the fact that his collection _has_ an end to be discovered, which will mean anticipation or impatience or satisfaction along the way. Maybe she's just being self-confident for no reason. It wouldn't be the first time, by any means.

    That confidence takes a hit when the mallet comes out. "Erm?" she starts to say something, then looks wide-eyed at Myunghon. "Erm???" There is clear concern in her gaze, but-- well, um, to be blunt, not enough concern to volunteer herself in Myunghon's stead. Maybe she's banking on Shinjiro doing it instead. So-young, it's not nice to exploit your friends ability to run into walls head-first to try to get them to handle the dangerous stuff--

    B O P

    With a distinct frown on her face and an ultimate degree of prim elegance to every movement, So-young Park kneels next to her fallen sibling alongside Ixquic, cautiously checks that there's evidence that Myunghon is still breathing, and then begins lightly poking them in the side until they wake. There is not a trace of sympathy on her face, despite the light shadow of relief. Sometimes you truly deserve what you get.

<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.

Not a trade? Possible store credit? Umie smirks. I wont say no~

<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.

    Not a trade? Possible store credit? Umie smirks. "I won't say no~" Using origami stars as possible store credit? Not bad, for something she was trying to do to give to Ren later. Point system rewards!

    .... look, it was an idea.

    "I mean, I do have to, for masks," Umie says, to Akari. "But origami and kumihimo weaving are things I played with even before that."

    Jose assures them that this does not affect the person whose shadow its used on, and Umie shrugs. "Sounds like a good insurance policy, too. Don't want one of them sneaking up on you when you're distracted..."

    Bop their personas, huh. She ponders.

    She doesn't need to hear Mai-chans voice to know exactly what she'd say.

    "... If you're offering," Umie says, despite looking at Myunghons fallen body. "... Ill go last, just in case."

     After all, it's a nice way to see how everyone summons, and appreciate all their Personas in turn.

     Also, it's not like it could be a bad idea. He's not bopping her _Mark_.

<Pose Tracker> Penguin Sniper has posed.

"Well... I hope so." He says to So-Young, "Sometimes I feel like I'm not making much progress."

Jose suddenly hops up as if trying to do the same to Castor!
 
Castor attempts to resist learning the ability: Card Capture
 
Even as it's bopped, Shinjiro can feel the tugging, like his Persona is about to go berserk from this pressure point being struck.
 
...
...
...
 
This could be really bad! But, as the cloud clears, Jose is still in that pose of slamming the mallet against Castor's head.
 
And then the Persona shatters, vanishing in a blast of light
 
Castor has learned the ability: Card Capture
 
"Your Persona isn't very nice, Mister. Actually it seems pretty mad at you." Jose says after he lands, with a frown. "Are you feeling alright?"
 
Quixote appears, and Jose smiles at Ixquic, "Sure! Here goes!"
 
Quixote has learned the ability: Card Capture
 
Well. She'll be good by exams tomorrow, probably!
 
(If she forgets about the existence of Algebra, that's not his fault.)
 
'The other me, I mean' Jose actually looks like he was already going to go, but then has to readjust his aim some, "Oh- Right!"
 
Wait could he do it by BOPPING the person too?
 
It's probably for the best he doesn't, even if he could.
 
Lachesis has learned the ability: Card Capture
 
Actually, weirdly? It's a little easier for Shinobu, like it feels like a normal run of the mill Persona break!
 
Ariel however turns it down, "Oh, you don't want it? That's okay!"
 
And as Umie then goes last, he leaps, bops and-!
 
"Huh?"
 
Badb has not learned the ability: Card Capture
 
As he lands, he considers the problem. "Ohhhhhhhhhh I get it! Okay let me try that again." He drops his hammer then rubs his hands together like some athlete preparing for a decathlon event, then picks up his squeaky hammer.
 
Pivots twice in circles that are quickly speeding up. Then leaps.
 
At the point of contact, there is an intense blinding light at the point of contact, from the hammer into Badb.
 
Badb has learned the ability: Card Capture
 
Also, Umie gets what everyone else got, only twice as bad... because someone is a jerk.
 
That someone is not Jose.
 
"There, I think that did it."

<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.

    Ixquic and So-young both take turns poking at Myunghon, who has for a moment become an artful line drawing like the light is about to take them at any time. Unfortunately, that'd be too easy, wouldn't it, Merry? Miho's still waiting...

    The white-haired Rumourmonger groans and peels up slowly as the Cognitive Coat helps prop them up and assert gravity the right way up again, and they collapse into their coat as if nursing a horrible headache. "I wasn't even aware Personae had pressure points in that regard. I suppose if you consider them to be cognitive beings, they may well represent models of the body or mind, suffused to nerves as they are..."

    They're going to indulge in thought for that for a while. Jose's commentary about Shinjiro's Persona being mad at him does get them to pause and become reflective, though. But rather curiously, they regard the process on Badb, and it appears that Jose's having some trouble. Their eye narrows as they consider this, given what Umie's already confided in them. But even they have to shy away from the intense, blinding light--

    "I can only scarce wonder what cognitive changes this may bring upon the person in question... I suppose naught, given what Jose-kun already shared with us," Myunghon utters. "However, the retrieval of this Shadow Card in question elucidates a wealth of information that may not even be possible from a regular Palace exploration."

    They tap their chin, smiling a little too easily as they say, "Perhaps ours is not the way of a Change of Heart after all. No, we have always been in the trade of information, have we not? Those who threaten us often deal with threatening us in the spaces where we are most vulnerable... but these Cards can aid us in placing them in check."

    Then they look to So-young. "Go get your bop on, nuna. Do you not want this advantage over mother?" they rub in.

<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.

Castor gets bopped. Shinjiro stuns backwards, bracing himself against the couch, but more than that, he feels the tug of going berserk, even as Jose wins the battle. It's a bad feeling, one that reminds him of who he is and where he is and how he got there. Of what he's become. He's been having a good week...

The words that follow it make it only worse. His Persona *is* mad at him... for good reasons. It's his fault. He's suppressing it... no wonder Castor would be angry.

If Jose hadn't been stronger, would have he just killed everyone here? Would he have torn the Cardboard Dragon asunder and slaughtered his friends for the sheer hubris of trying to become stronger?

Shinjiro snaps out of his rumination, to nod to Jose. His voice is even. "I'm okay. Thank you."

Then, he turns... and goes for the door. "I'm going to make sure everything's okay outside, see if anyone else is on the streets. I'll be back."

Shinjiro needs to go for a walk.

<Pose Tracker> Akari Hoshi has posed.

Ixquic stops poking Merry once they start to rise. They're fine! Apparently!

"Obviously they do. If they didn't have a pressure point it would be because they were the same all the way through, and they're not. We have different parts of our mind!" Ixquic says this right before -

*bop*

Well, once again, Ixquic's eyes are mostly hidden behind her visor. But if you COULD see them, if you looked real intently at her face, you might see the swirly eyes hidden in there. "Ow. See, right now PART of my brain hurts a lot," Ixquic says - not quite whines - before deciding to plop down in place to recover.

Unlike Myunghon, she sits, rather than collapses. It's much more graceful. (not really)

If Ixquic has one advantage, though, it's that she recovers pretty quickly; she's young, she's resilient, and the way she thinks doesn't really make sense to anyone else (if you were mean, you could also call her stupid, but that's not really true... weird, she'll accept, though). It's a surprisingly short period of time before she feels ready to hop up to her feet, and if she's still nursing a headache from having Quixote bopped so hard she shattered she doesn't show it.

Quixote will be fine. It's not the first time she's Broken.

She gives the others a slightly bleary look - especially Shinjiro and Umie, because Jose has more to say about their Personas than her own - but between trying to drink the foul Dark Hour Juice and this, she's not really feeling quite up to her usual energy levels.

"It would make exploring Mementos easier," she agrees with Myunghon, "but I don't know..." It's Myunghon's ideal, to learn everything like that, but is it hers? She has her own dream, but...

Hmm. She needs to think about it. When her head doesn't ache so.

"Tell me if anyone's out there!" she calls after Shinjiro. "I'm going to have to run to get home in time if I stay much later! Unless..."

...

"Jose, can you give me a ride back to Mementos?" She can take the exit from there that goes to Rengedai Station and get home in half the time!

<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.

    BOP

    It already feels like her entire Umie-ness has been bopped with a sledgehammer. She's never had her Persona properly broken before now, and the first time is always a proper Experience.

    'Oops, sorry, you flinched at the last second. Should've stayed still, Umie-chan~ Why do you have to make things so difficult?'
    
    "Nh....gh..." Bleary eyes crack open from where Umie sits, now on the floor. It is quite firm, unlike what So-young insinuated earlier. "... He's not bopping me," she slurs through her hands, as if trying to carry a conversation, "'s'it's my Persona..."

    Jose's... picking up his squeaky hammer. Surely he's going to move on to--

    oh. OH.

    This is just her life right now, okay

    at least she _won't move_
    
    B-B-B-B-B-BOP!!!

    And now Umie's on the floor, nearly completely out, mumbling complete nonsense. "...Not now, Mai-chan..." Umie slurs, through drowsy lips. "... It's too late for that kind of thing..."

    'Oh, so scandalous~ Please do make sure they hear you.'

<Pose Tracker> Shinobu Shimizu has posed.

BOP.

Jose does, in fact, hit Lachesis. It feels like a sharp headache and she winces and stumbles back - but she doesn't topple over. The sensation feels familiar, in fact. Some others seem to have gotten it worse - and in some cases, there have been some strange reactions...

"Whew. You've got a good arm, kiddo." Shinobu comments, massaging her forehead even though she didn't get hit there physically, giving Jose an approving nod. She's still just a little dazed, but powering through it. "Thanks. We'll put this to good use, yeah? And maybe see if we can't get a few more cards for your collection."

She looks toward Myunghon, then, as they consider the ramifications of this. ...That's a good point. Being able to view another's memories...

"...That's a good point. That's much more our speed." Shinobu replies with a thoughtful nod. She frowns after a moment, thinking on it further. "...But that's still something that's worth using wisely, too. Spying on someone else's memories isn't something to do lightly, yeah?"

She looks to Shinjiro. She watches him for a moment - and then, nods.

"Alright. See you soon, Aragaki." She replies.

...The almost-out-cold Umie gets a look and a raised eyebrow, but Shinobu doesn't pry. Some things are best left unknown...

<Pose Tracker> Remi Ryuuja has posed.

Ariel does watch with keen interest as the rest of the Personas presented undergo the process and learn that crucial skill of Card Captor. She focuses intently on Castor.

Like his Persona is really angry at him... her expression doesn't change, but she makes note of that. Badb's, too, is noteworthy. Though she has less things to draw inference from there.

Ariel offers Merry a hand up should they need it. And to their musings, sge smiles. "Information is the stock and trade of a Rumormonger, is it not, dear Merry? It shall be most useful to ahve such a tool at our disposal."

And then they can get an entirely new type of card that Merry doesn't sell for cash and leaves the books in the red. Win-win!

Shinjiro leaves to take a walk. "Do be careful!" she calls after him.

Umie, though... Ariel observes her curiously, then move to check on her. "Well now, you seem to have quite an experience. Shall we move you someplace more comfortable? Perhaps the couch?"

Ariel will take help, but she can also just haul the other woman up herself if need be. It won't be pretty or graceful but she can do it.

<Pose Tracker> So-young Park has posed.

    Slowly, So-young releases a breath she didn't know she was holding that hard, as Myunghon picks themselves up off the ground. She rocks back on her heels, frowning at Myunghon's teasing as she grumbles. "You're really alright?" she asks in an unguarded moment of concern, her mouth drawn into a line, before she sighs and lifts up to her feet.

    "Some days will feel like that," So-young replies placidly to Jose's concerns. Even his saying that feels like a self-fulfilling prophecy. How can someone lament a lack of progress and yet not know anything of emotion?

    She's just as struck by the way Jose evaluates some of their Persona. The idea that part of Shinjiro's identity might be mad at him is not surprising in the least, but more than anything it leaves So-young with the odd thought of 'what would Icarus think of her?' Presumably, since its even part of her, the question is moot in the first place, but it sticks to her brain and won't let go.

    Oh well. "Very well, then. But please do be careful. Icarus always feels just a little rickety, you know?" she makes a bit of a theatrical show of it, before summoning the bundle of spindly latticework and linen and feathers that somehow makes up a coherent part of her mental map.

<Pose Tracker> Penguin Sniper has posed.

Shinjiro departs, and Jose looks sad as his eyes follow him for a while, but- "Alright Mister. I hope to see you again later."

Jose considers Merry closely as they contemplate the possibilities of the Shadow Cards, and others thank him, "I hadn't even thought of that... you kind of remind me of another group I know, at least a little." He then looks at the Origami Umie gave him earlier, "Hmmm, alright, I've decided!"

And Jose brings out something that looks like a Shining Stone, glittering in multiple hues of purple and blue and green. It looks both otherworldly, and like a craft project a child might have made all at once.

"Okay and I just need to..." He puts his hands over the stone. Then folds it. Then folds it again, and again, in smaller and smaller folds. What began as a large stone now looks like it has the consistency of folded cardboard into a small Origami like Dragon. Except try as one might, it's impossible to unfold it. And the edges look more rounded than ever.

But as it becomes a Dragon, there's like a sparkle to it that wasn't there before, like the shape imbued a certain quality to it.

"Since you're collecting Shadow Cards... take this, as a sign of our friendship! Dragons are impossible creatures to humans right? And with this, I think you can make the impossible seem that much more possible."

Before he says with some thought, "Sometimes, at least." He holds it out to Myunghon as an offering, before Ixquic asks him for a favor. "Oh sure! I can do that. Though..." He walks back towards his car, "... the seat isn't really big enough for two."

So-Young makes her choice, and- "Alright. Though can you bring Icarus down lower? I promise I'll be real gentle, Miss." Jose moves forward, slowly raising his mallet, and letting it creep forward, until he does the teensiest little little...
 
...bop...
 
Which nevertheless still hits So-Young full force right in the psyche, like he hadn't held back at all.
 
Even though he did. It's just she asked him to be gentle with the Persona!
 
Icarus has learned the ability: Card Capture

-=-=-

"Hang on! I'm gonna jump it!"

Cue a car tearing across the Dark Hour at high speed, and Magical Warrior Ixquic... riding on the hood, as the headlights gleam, and they catch air going down the stairs of the train station, immediately vanishing into a swirl of distortion that appears as Jose arrives to the station, sending them both into Mementos.
 
"Good luck!" He calls out, as his car abruptly brakes, sending Ixquic careening right on the exact train back to Rengedai, just as the doors slam shut.

<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.

    Myunghon's expression turns dormant, downcast, even, as they watch Shinjiro for a moment longer than they likely should -- and he offers to go do patrols. They pull their legs up into their Cognitive Seat, and for a moment sinks back into themself--

    But Ixquic has doubts of her own. "... it is wise to have doubts," Myunghon does reassure. "The space that we are all navigating requires great care, even at a moment where we're gifted a new boon such as this."

    Ixquic needs to go home, though, and given her disguise, Myunghon does recognise the difficulty but... hitching a ride with Jose?? Hmm. They never even considered that a possibility. Still-- Umie does look like she's struggling, so Merry picks themself back up and they help Umie up again dutifully. "That was quite the experience for you, Akabane-san." A pause, as they hear Umie mumble that name. Their lips flatten for a moment, as they help transfer her over to the couch, all with the help of the Cognitive Coat and Ariel, since they're not strong enough to really do much of that themself.

    "Yes, it's quite true, Shinobu-ssi, Ariel. However, it is well worth considering giving our opponents, who frequently control media and police, a taste of their medicine." That Remi *is* here makes Myunghon know this knowledge won't remain secret for long, but even so... they haven't cast Remi out over it. If there's a dagger in their back someday over this, that's just the price of their friendship.

    So-young has a moment of more heartfelt concern, though, and their expression returns a little. More Myunghon-like, less Merry. (Yes, Myunghon is infinitely less merry than Merry, hoooooooo ho ho ho ho.) They do look to the door again, concerned. "I will be, thank you..."

    But Jose has another gift, after he says that they remind him of another group he knows. Who could that be...?

    But he procures a shining stone -- a Shining Stone, sorry -- and works upon it until it resembles a... a... a small, beautiful, colorful origami dragon. An origami are often made out of thin pieces of...

    Cardboard.

    Their very own cognitive Cardboard Dragon, impossible to unfold, as if it bears the folds of all their bonds!

    Myunghon accepts it gently as Jose reflects on the nature of dragons. Just imagine dragons, even. "Many that others consider impossible are merely improbable. But it is true that with the gifts you have unlocked for us, that new paths have now opened. Perhaps in this sense we can truly become... like a dragon."

    There is a nod towards Jose as he motions to leave. "Stay safe. You too, Ixquic."

    But So-young's about to experience why hers is the story of Icarus, and they're going to be ready to also move them to the couch because by the time this is all done, half the Cardboard Dragon is just going to be flat on it from getting the mallet.

    No, way, Jose? Yes, way, Jose!

<Pose Tracker> Akari Hoshi has posed.

Why would you not ask Jose for a ride? He's going the right way!

"I'll be safe. But you too!" Ixquic says, as she moves to go with Jose. She does crane over to look at the dragon origami -

"Oooh!" She's impressed by it. She may not be part of the group, precisely, but she knows artistry when she sees it (even if, in some ways, it looks as crude as something she would have made years ago), and she can feel something deep inside...

"With everybody's hopes and dreams in something like that, you'll never fail!"

But right now she's going to hitch a ride. With Jose. On a car. And what does she think about having to ride on top?

"Wheeee - aaah!"

...yeah okay some things don't change. Even as she's pitched into the train. Well, it was where she wanted to go, so she can't complain, but... there's got to be a way that doesn't end with her head over heels, having stopped only when she hit the far side of the train car.

<Pose Tracker> Shinobu Shimizu has posed.

Shinobu considers what Myunghon says. A taste of their own medicine to their opponents, huh...? She thinks on that for a moment, and then shrugs.

"Can't argue with that." She decides. They have to use the tools they have, after all, if they want to have a chance of coming out on top.

And, Jose seems to have reached a decision. He brings out a stone of some kind. Shinobu watches with interest as it is folded, folded, and folded, until it takes the form of... a Cardboard Dragon, which is offered to Myunghon.

...A small smile crosses Shinobu's face.

"...That's really kind of you, Jose. Thanks." She replies.

But it's time for him - and Ixquic - to leave, and she offers them both a wave.

"Take care out there." She replies.