2025-10-14: The Great X-Gender Meetup
- Log: The Great X-Gender Meetup
- Cast: Myunghon Yeo, Tsubasa Seki, Ren Amamiya
- Where: The Cardboard Dragon, Hirasaka Ward
- OOC Date: October 14, 2025
- IC Date: July 26, 2012
- Summary: Ren visits the Cardboard Dragon in search of more books in the midst of their exams, and find Tsubasa relaxing after school and Myunghon tending to the store.
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
The Cardboard Dragon!!
Myunghon Yeo is, somehow, surviving, despite not being able to survive an encounter with Tsumugi Kujaku without crying.
And getting grabbed by a Speedo-wearing Shadow Gigas that required Umie's intervention last Dark Hour, but that was pretty easy by comparison.
It's daylight hours now though, sometime after school hours, and despite not being a big caffeine person, the Rumourmonger is upright and has largely opened up the store and is likely distracting themself making sure Lance is well-fed and happy with her food and water bowls refilled. The bags (bag?) underneath their eye is particularly intense as they move towards the till to check a Kasu High student out. "Two booster packs and a set of card sleeves... these are particularly nice, I hope you enjoy them," Myunghon makes idle, pleasant small talk, though their eye is somewhere far away.
Have they ever had someone to look after them? Tsubasa asked.
It's a work in progress.
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
Lance is here refueling, of course, because Tsubasa is also here. They're dressed in their uniform, because they at least tried to go to school today -- and Dr. Ichika's Dad helped to convince the school body to actually let them take their exams next week.
So, of course, they're running from both that problem and the problem of moving by sitting on the couch back there playing video games.
"Stone? Bullshiiiit," Tsubasa snaps at the screen, as one of the characters in their lineup freezes up and refuses to issue any more commands. "Cleanse don't even touch that shit!"
Of course it wouldn't, you need Destone to fix the Stone ailment.
"Ugggghhh," Tsubasa flops back on the couch, their neon blue hair (Myunghon got them a new wig) fanning back on the headrest as they look backwards over the storefront.
Lance, of course, is busy making friends with e v e r y o n e.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
It's still finals week for Ren, so they really shouldn't be a city over from what currently stands in for home. However, they've finished reading the books they've currently got, and leisure reading after taking their tests has been their way of unwinding in the afternoon after said grueling exams, and while there are book stores closer to home... this is the only one they know of that's run by an X-gender person. Ren would like to support that to the extent they're able to.
It's thus sometime in the afternoon that they show up at the Cardboard Dragon, dressed in their Shujin summer uniform, Morgana hanging out in their shoulder bag. They look around as they walk in and soon spot Myunghon behind the register servicing as Kasugayama student--and Tsubasa on the couch while Lance noshes on kibble and makes friends. They smile to see the tosa-inu and her guardian; they got that mass text from Tsubasa letting everyone know they're okay but not open to talk, which has been both a relief and a worry. It's good to know they're both doing fine. Morgana makes an approving noise from over their shoulder, too.
They give Myunghon an amiable nod as they walk deeper inside. The tired, distant look on their face does not convince them they're in a state to notice, so they head over for the bookshelves for something new to read. There's still lots of Arsene Lupin books they could pick up... but they don't want to get too predictable. Instead, they opt to look for advanced books on billiards... and any English folklore books they can find on Robin Hood.
Along the way, Tsubasa pauses in complaining at their video game to phump on that couch and look their way, or rather, look towards the storefront where they just entered a moment ago. They offer them a smile of greeting--and to Lance, when she inevitably comes to say hello, they offer one of their hands, withdrawn from their pocket, for her to sniff.
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
Ren is somewhat on the money -- the somewhat fugue-esque state that they're in rearranging the money at the register prompts a somewhat distant, "Good afternoon," with their not terribly alert eyesight mostly parsing Ren as a white and tartan blur in the summer uniform -- but the brain kickstarts a little after as Ren moves towards the shelves. "Ah, Amamiya-kun? Good afternoon," they repeat again, a little warmer this time.
Billiards are a little out of the purview of the Cardboard Dragon, given how author-centric Myunghon is, rather than topic-centric. Robin Hood, however, is another matter, since the lack of a clear source of the legend has inevitably drawn Myunghon's interest, and there are Japanese-annotated and Japanese-translated copies of various essays of the origin of 15th century English legends, including Guy of Warwick, Bevis of Hampton, and Sir Lybeaus.
There's a faint smile at Tsubasa as they get frustrated about their videogame. They've stocked a few more for interest, including some that Reiko've recommended to them. In part, they themself have become entranced with a game about Ateliers starring a young girl's quest to find her sister, suspicious that it has something to do with the supernatural Atelier space, but then they were distracted crafting paper in a loop and ended up in a bad end...
"Tsubasa-kun, Amamiya-kun, do you want a drink?"
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
Lance borks a happy greeting to Ren, and that ensures that Tsubasa actually recognises them when their head's flopped back like that. (It can be kind of hard to actually see anything upside-down.) They right themself up and turn over to the back of the couch, knees coming up on the cushion so they can lift themself up over the backrest and call out: "Yo, Amamiya-kun." (She gets -kun, because they're in public, with a private little note to themself that he's not always into that.)
Now they're not obscured by the couch, though, it's more clear that Tsubasa has several dressings over what must, presumably, be burn wounds -- though they are wearing their binder under their uniform, warnings about aggravating the dressings be damned. (Miraculously, they didn't suffer any burns to their chest under their binder, at least, so it's just a matter of catching on the ones on their arms as they take it off and put it on.)
And Myunghon... is a little more zoned-in now, judging by the way they offer them a drink. "Sure," Tsubasa says. "Got any beer?" There's a light joking edge to their gruffness, but, you know, it's very ha ha only serious.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
The lack of books on billiards is disappointing, but not surprising; they've only been here once before, but Cardboard Dragon seemed to focus more on older fiction. Still, as long as they're here, they figure they may as well check. At least they have better luck on finding books on English folklore, and when they find a title that looks promising, they pick it off the shelf and flip through for a moment.
Ren then returns a smile to Myunghon when they phase back into reality a bit and recognize them. "Hi," they reply. Tsubasa calls out to them too, and they call back, "Hey, Seki-kun. Tough game?" Their dark eyes flick towards their dressings, but Ren is conscientious enough not to remark on them.
They look up when Myunghon offers a drink. "Yes, please," they say, because it's near the end of July and it's hot out. "What do you have? Even just water's fine." They'd prefer soda or tea or coffee, but hydration's hydration. They laugh a little when Tsubasa asks for beer, but they do wonder if Myunghon's going to serve it to them...
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
"I actually do, Tsubasa-kun!" Myunghon sounds cheerful as they positively swan over to the minifridge and leans over to take a can of, seemingly, beer out! "Witness! Apparently this is a non-alcoholic beer, so you have the... best? Or worst part of the beer? Opinions seem to differ on which it is." They don't even sound like they're trying to pull one over Tsubasa, as someone who's so bereft from beer drinking culture they don't understand what the point is.
To them, after all, they're just drinking ethanol, and are upset that people have normalised that under the romanticism of beers and wines just because they masked it with some flavour.
Myunghon balances the can on their sling, and Ren also agrees to one. "There are a variety of sodas, but I can also prepare tea or coffee from the kitchenette," they offer as they place the legendary (?) can of non-alcoholic beer on the coffee table for Tsubasa. "I'm making some tea for myself, if you'd like to have some."
Their eye is on Morgana for a moment longer, with a smile as they look between them and Lance and wonder if the old adage about cats and dogs is true... but they believe in Lance. "I was reminded, Amamiya-kun, we'll have those books on Maurice Leblanc you inquired about in next week. It must be difficult to come all the way out here with exams, and I'm making trips to Tokyo proper myself now that my sister agreed to put me up some days in her apartment in Shibuya, so I don't mind delivering them myself sometime."
They don't know where Ren lives unless he's given an address as part of some of his orders, but they're extrapolating from the fact that Ren must live in the Tokyo area somewhere if he is a Shujin student.
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
Lance whines, ears all perked up, as her tail wags a million miles a minute and she stares at Morgana.
Cat. That's a cat. Wanna play with the cat. Cat cat cat. It's like a fluid dog. Cat?!
"Chyeah," Tsubasa shrugs, to Ren, putting the controller down on the cushion beside them before they shift up and just vault right over the back of the couch. Showoff. "It's whatever. Don't play that shit much, anyway." Which might explain why their ass is getting kicked by status effects.
(Or is that just the tolling bell of fate?)
"C'mon, ya makin' fun've me," Tsubasa grumbles, wandering over, when Myunghon pulls out a can of non-alcoholic beer. "Pft, joke's on you, I'll take it." They snatch the can of 'beer' up, and crack it open anyway.
And, of course, lean on the back of the couch in a very cool way as they down it. They're very cool and not at all completely wrecked.
"Yeah, you out real far," Tsubasa notes, glancing over to Ren. "What, Shujin grillin' ya on old books or somethin'?"
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
"Non-alcoholic beer? That's a thing?" Ren utters, distracted from their search by this revelation. They look at the can in fascination--and no small amount of temptation--until their cat (seems to?) meows quietly in their ear, at which point they make a face. ("If a cop walks in, they aren't going to stop to ask if that beer's alcoholic or not," he had said sotto voce, and Ren had to agree.)
They do have to agree, though: they're mystified on the point of drinking non-alcoholic alcohol.
Morgana, meanwhile, makes a face down at Lance, which might be funny to see for his onlookers. Her enthusiasm does her... some amount of credit, but by dog, have some dignity and play a little hard to get! (...thought Morgana about himself and Ann, never.) He turns his head away and deliberately grooms himself as if he doesn't notice her whining at all. See? Hard to get! Just like a cool and classy thief! You should take notes, Lance!!
"Do you have any grape Manta?" they ask Myunghon. "If not, tea's good." If they're making it for themself anyway... They smile at the news of more Maurice Leblanc books, though. "Oh yeah? Thank you very much. Finals are almost over, though, so you don't need to go to that trouble for me. Good to know they'll be in soon, though." Just in time for summer vacation. They plan on doing more part-timing, and it'll be good to have things to read on the train rides.
Ren hasn't given out his address yet--but it's a reasonable guess on Myunghon's part, and one he doesn't read into accordingly. So-young dropped by Leblanc by pure coincidence the other day, and she's talked about her concerts in Shibuya, so it's natural enough on that end too.
They grin at Tsubasa when they vault over the back of the couch--very cool--to accept that non-alcoholic beer. "How is it?" they wonder, watching them drink. The comment on how far out they are just gets a bit of a shrug. "Nah. I just like the vibe of this place," they reply. (Tsubasa will understand what they really mean by that.) They hold up the book in their hand and add, "Reading's my hobby."
They slip that title back, then try another one.
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
Myunghon is rather transfixed at the happenings between Lance and Morgana. They can't even imagine the courtly intrigues of the relationship between cat and dog. Must one play hard to get? Morgana's being aloof. Ah, how clever! How're you going to get out of this jam, Lance?
"I am not making fun of you," Myunghon protests lightly to Tsubasa. "I am very curious. Many people say the beer flavour is nasty and they are only interested in imbibing the ethanol, because it is socially acceptable to inflict yourself with it despite the obvious drawbacks. Remi was quite upset when I pointed out her beloved wine is a psychoactive depressant and I don't quite understand why."
Myunghon's usually a little more empathic on why people like things, but alcohol really gets their Koala-stacking side front and centre. It's a scientific mystery to them!!
Not only is Myunghon serving non-alcoholic beer to Tsubasa, they're providing GRAPE JUICE to Ren! This is a den of debauchery and sin! "Ah, yes, there should be one on the minifridge," Myunghon gestures. "Feel free to take one. I am not particular about people taking drinks from the fridge."
The kettle starts and the Rumourmonger is preparing just the faintest hint of what might charitably be called 'tea' -- the kind that would get customers complaining of a restaurant skimping out. "Ah, very well, then. I thought I would offer nonetheless." They don't even know So-young's been to Leblanc, not having particularly inquired about all her movements. If she went to a fancy cafe in Yongen-jaya... that's just So-young being So-young.
They try to not have a private but pleased smile as Ren shares that they like the vibe of the place.
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
"Not bad," Tsubasa shrugs, to Ren, taking another swig. "Jus' missin' the point a bit." And oh, yeah, the cops would definitely drag Tsubasa over the coals for drinking 'beer'. They're even looking for reasons to drag them over the coals. They explicitly said so!
But that's the point. Tsubasa be out here taking stupid risks because their emotional regulation hasn't finished developing yet and they're so mad about society.
And if they make a face while drinking the 'beer', no they didn't, they're super tough and cool and they could drink TEN beers.
They nod, as well, when Ren declares she likes the vibe. "Yeah," they agree. "Vibe's chill. Ya like readin', huh? That's cool. Might get some shit for it 'round here, but we got ways to solve for that shit." 'Solve for'?? Tsubasa, you're revealing your own academic nature. You're the one who's going to have to jump someone's ass to avoid being called a nerd.
Lance, meanwhile, does a little dance around the floor, paw pads padding-padding as Morgana ignores her. Whiiiine BORK!
"C'mon, leave the cat alone, Lance," Tsubasa advises her, though there's no real admonishment in their tone.
And Lance whines, gazing longingly up to the CAT. Wanna cat. Cat. Cat.
"Nah, beer's cool," Tsubasa insists, to Myunghon, even though it tastes terrible and they're lying through their teeth. Their rep's hanging on the lie, though, so it's the easiest thing in the world. "Jus' the point's gettin' drunk an' tearin' shit up. It's like... bravery juice." It's BAD IDEA JUICE, Tsubasa! Learn from your friends' misfortunes!
They wander over to the kettle, looking over to that tea. "... ya sure y'don't want me to bring somethin' in for ya?" They ask, seeing what passes for teabags in that container.
Though, of course, any fancy teabags Tsubasa got for Myunghon would assuredly be stolen.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Two petholds, both alike in dignity (in fair Hirasaka, where we lay our scene)... Morgana raises his cute little nose in the air as Lance's desperation only increases. Ren stifles a laugh, hiding a smile behind one hand. "Don't tease her, Morgana," they admonish in kind, and like Tsubasa, there's no real admonishment in their tone.
Morgana, at least, makes another face and ducks his head back down in Ren's back, hiding themself from view. (But not from scent! So it may or may not help...) Ren rubs Lance's head again meanwhile, so she can at least get some attention. "Sorry, but you'll have to make do with me," they tell her mildly.
Ren, who has never had beer, can't really speak to flavor vs. getting smashed, especially between that and wine. (They may have had a glass or two of champagne at their cousin's wedding a couple years ago. That second glass might've been snuck behind their parents' backs. It may have been more about the thrill than about the taste, absolutely.) They suspect that whoever Remi is, though, she probably got upset because calling wine a psychoactive depressant is kind of a bummer... Saying that would also be a bummer, though, so they keep that thought to themself.
They note and do not comment on the face Tsubasa makes. 'Not bad,' maybe, but definitely 'not good,' either, clearly. "It does seem weird why anyone would bother making non-alcoholic beer." They smile at Tsubasa telling on themself--their math skills leveled up recently, so they get to enjoy the joke. "Sure."
That smile fades when Tsubasa describes beer as 'bravery juice' in a way that makes it clear they've had the real deal before. "You sure you should be drinking that? Not to be a buzzkill, but you've already got enough trouble with the cops without doing something that could get you in legitimate trouble, don't you?" Then again, it isn't really Tsubasa's style to keep their head down, is it? Just looking at them and their bright blue wig and bandages reminds Ren of that--and about how they still haven't come out to anyone else.
"Thanks," they say to Myunghon, and put the book in their hand back and go to fetch a grape Manta from the mini-fridge. They smile again as they crack it open and take a nice, frosty, fizzy drink. Ahh... That really hits the spot right now. The vibe here really is immaculate. Maybe they should come by more often... "Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the offer. I might take you up on it eventually," they add to Myunghon. "There'll be more exams in the future."
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
Myunghon does smile gently as Tsubasa and Ren talk about academic interests and how much Tsubasa totally isn't a bookworm, that's for nerds, though they know from just how meticulous and thoroughly annotated that spreadsheet is that they were right on the money when they said they had a sharp mind.
Beer's cool, though, Tsubasa says. Getting drunk and tearing shit up... "Oh... is that so?" Myunghon takes a moment to redouble the shame that the first drunk that immediately comes to their mind is Officer Ishiba. For once, they don't like the rare moment in which a stench can still enter their nostrils -- and how much they despise the smell of ethyl alcohol on someone's breath, and the anger and harm that comes from it.
The topic of tea allows them to gloss right over it anyway. "No, no, a fancier tea would just be wasted on me anyhow. I wouldn't be able to taste it," Myunghon insists, as they pour water into their cup and carefully brings it to the table, given they're still one-handed, effectively, at this point.
'But it's true, isn't it?' Myunghon was pouting to Remi. 'I don't see the point in romanticising it.'
"Health reasons, perhaps...?" Myunghon ventures a guess on the topic of non-alcoholic beer. "Maybe some people really do just like the taste and nothing else." They can't really exclude that, even if it tastes like ash and alcohol to them, the real thing. But Ren does worry about Tsubasa being in trouble if the cops ever found out.
"The cops'll find another excuse whether or not there's non-alcoholic beer or not," Myunghon murmurs, rather pointedly bitter about the cops. "It's the same when I'm pulled into the station, and I never have a trace of alcohol in my breath. 'But you could have,' was the excuse, once. You may as well enjoy what you CAN have, while trying to not worry of what could happen."
Not that Myunghon's doing especially well on that front, but Ren enjoying himself does break them out of that gloomier stupor. "Mmm. I'm just glad to have a nice customer like you, Amamiya-kun. Does your friend want a drink of water or anything too, by the way...?"
At least they didn't say cat this time.
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
Lance sniffs, with a whiiiine, only to get... headrubs from Ren instead!! She borks, wagging her tail and licking Ren's hand. Ren is her friend now!!!
"Chyeah," Tsubasa shrugs, to Myunghon, "pre' much." If they were conscientious enough, they might connect that Myunghon would think of Ishiba first, but Tsubasa isn't really the kind of person who is naturally and effortlessly empathic and they're too busy thinking about themself, given, you know, the whole teenager thing. (Plus or minus being kind of self-absorbed on top of that.)
Still, Myunghon insists that nicer tea would be wasted on them. "Oh, yeah?" Tsubasa asks, leaning on the counter. "That's cool. You're like, raw an' real an' shit. You don't need the nice junk." They've also completely misinterpreted Myunghon's admission to be about them not being classy enough to appreciate nice tea.
Ren does have a good point about the riskiness of drinking quote-unquote 'beer' after what happened, though, and Tsubasa shrugs. "Cops told me not to step outta line again when they let me go, but I ain't did that the first time, so they can eat shit. I ain't scared a them." They're super scared of the cops, judging by the little twitch of a frown to their expression before they insisted on that -- but of course that wouldn't be cool, and they are so cool, so they boast about how disaffected they are instead.
(And in that bragging, they accidentally reveal to Ren how they were detained at some point during their disappearance...)
"Yeo-sama's right!" They add, raising their can for emphasis. "Those pigs ain't gon' give a shit 'bout me keepin' my nose clean, so why should I?! Ain't like it can get much worse, anyway," they add, with their own bitter stab, as they take another swig.
God, this tastes like garbage. But pretending to be into it is definitely helping their Courage...!
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
There's something... off, about the way Myunghon reacts to Tsubasa's comment on beer. But Tsubasa takes it in stride, and Myunghon mentions that they can't taste, so Ren decides it's probably not a big deal--and if it is a big deal, it's none of their business. They sip their soda and give Lance more scritches instead. This is one cat who doesn't mind being friends with dogs. Even dogs who slobber all over their hand. They'll wipe it discreetly on their pants leg later.
Ren breathes out a faint sigh when Myunghon points out that the cops don't need legitimate reason; they'll target who they'll target no matter what. Tsubasa seconds this, inadvertently revealing that they did get detained after the arson at the same time. It's not like Ren needs to be told this anyway. They know it's true already.
"...True. Guess it doesn't matter," they murmur, looking away. (How long until keeping their head down doesn't work for them? Has it ever worked, or have they only gotten lucky since they came to Tokyo?) They rub the back of their neck, then shrug, letting Tsubasa have the last word on the topic. They deserve it, honestly--and if it helps them cover up their fear, as betrayed by that twitch of their lips, Ren's more than happy to let them have it. They know how that feels, too.
"That makes sense," they say to Myunghon. "The health reasons stuff, I mean. It's why we have soda and diet soda." They take a drink of their non-diet soda, on that point. They're young and have no particular health issues! They'll be fine. "If you have any milk, that would be great. He likes it warmed, then brought down to room temperature. If that's a no go, water's good. Right, Morgana?" they add wryly, shifting their bag on their shoulder. "It's better than going thirsty."
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
Myunghon certainly doesn't mind being interpreted to not be classy enough for high tea. It really isn't their cup of proverbial and literal tea both. "Hehe... that's right. No need for the expensive stuff," they answer, putting their fingers up to their lips in their chuckle as they set their cup of tea down.
Both Myunghon and Tsubasa are pretty terrified of the cops in their own way, but they're also wearing the same bravado. It's like they share an Arcana! Myunghon's probably not going for a high score, however. They're already doing very badly on a Deathless 1CC run, ho ho ho.
Something about Ren's reaction, however, gives them a bit of pause -- perhaps it's the way they rub their hand on the back of their neck, a tic that they're well used to associating with some level of anxiety or awkwardness thanks to how observant they've been about Shinobu, who has a similar habit. It feels like they've all taken their share of lumps from it. They don't dwell on it particularly long, though.
Especially since Ren does want Morgana to have a drink! "Milk... ah, I did purchase some yesterday for a guest," Myunghon does observe, taking a single sip and taking that teabag out well before the tea is remotely even tea-coloured to most people. "Morgana. That's a lovely name," they remark, not remembering whether they've heard of it before or not. "You're quite close to him, aren't you? He was here the last time as well. I was a little intimidated by pets before, but Lance has done quite a lot to convince me otherwise. Isn't that right, Lance?"
The microwave is going now, which leaves them some time to ruminate to themself. They don't leave it in for long given how Ren said that Morgana prefers it cooled down, so they're sparing with the time in the box. The Rumourmonger is back with that thin plate not long after, setting it down on the table.
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
"Too right," Tsubasa agrees, when Ren cedes the point. It's a little callous to point out how rigged the game is when she's trying to play it, but... well, Tsubasa has feelings on that game, right now.
They just don't have any hope in getting better, in the eyes of the world.
And there's no need for expensive stuff!! Tsubasa of course quite likes expensive stuff, but they steal the expensive stuff, so it's still cool.
"Yeah, Morgana's a cool name," they nod, when Myunghon points it out. "He's cool."
And Lance wags her tail, ambling up to Myunghon to ruff happily when she hears her name from them, too. They're friends too!!
Of course, since Myunghon's in that area, she then goes off to investigate her kibble bowl. Nomnomnom.
"Pets are cool," Tsubasa shrugs. "Even if I got dog hair on everythin' now. But, like... least Lance is always happy to see me, y'know? An' she ain't like, mad at me for gettin' into shit or whatever... y'know, animals ain't gon' let ya down like people do, right?" They're telling on themself more than they intend to, talking about how meaningful the unconditional acceptance from a pet is to them, though of course they don't think about what that says about the people in their life.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Myunghon has milk after all! Morgana pokes his head straight out of the bag again, blue eyes bright with interest. He emerges the rest of the way, balancing on Ren's shoulder for but a moment before he elegantly hops over to the counter to await a plate of delicious milk. (Now, one shouldn't feed an actual cat milk, since cats are lactose intolerant after kittenhood, but Morgana's not an actual cat so it's fine.)
She doesn't fault Tsubasa for having no hope. She didn't have any hope either for a while. With the Phantom Thieves, though... they'll reform society until people like them are no longer wrongfully arrested and convicted--especially if Makoto's theory is right and Tsubasa was a victim of a purposeful psychotic breakdown. ...They and she might not be able to get justice for themselves anymore, but it's worth it to make the world better for others.
"It's from Arthurian legend," Ren says, and silently adds, Probably. After all, Morgana introduced himself that way, and he has amnesia, so maybe it's just a coincidence. But probably. "He's a good companion. Comes with me most places I go these days. He's well-mannered too," at least around people he respects (sorry Ryuji), "so you don't need to worry about him."
Morgana does indeed wait patiently for that saucer of milk. He stands when it comes out of the microwave and sniffs at it; then he sits next to the plate to wait for it to cool, the white tip of his tail flicking every so often. When Myunghon and Tsubasa both say his name is cool--that he's cool--he looks quite pleased with himself, tail curling upwards and over itself in a C shape. Even though he's just a cat...??
Ren, for his part, finishes off that can of soda and looks for a recycling bin. The can will either go in there or in their bag, depending on if one exists or not, and they pick a couple more English folklore books to flip through them. They soon find one that seems promising... It seems to have a focus on Robin Hood in particular. They nod at Tsubasa when they talk about Lance's unconditional love, and if they tell on themself in the process, she doesn't give them trouble for it.
Ren usually doesn't concern themself with what others think of them, but it might be nice sometimes to have someone you can't disappoint... Though Tsubasa seems more concerned about being disappointed. ...That's fair, really. They tuck that book under one arm and bring it to the register. "I'll take this one for now, Yeo-san."
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
"Arthurian legend...? I see, such as Morgan le Fey?" Myunghon ponders, not particularly versed on that, but knowing some of the more popular names. Hmmm. It is nice to have a close companion, they admit. Lance and Morgana do both seem to have a positive effect on both youths.
Myunghon does stop to tend to both Morgana and Lance, since they're now solidly in the friendzone with Lance!! They're getting less stiff and more warm and comfortable with their Lance-scritching. They're learning, they're learning! There's a pause as Tsubasa reflects on how one of the advantages pets are are their unconditional love, and they won't get mad just because you did something wrong...
"... true," Myunghon first answers Tsubasa, weary. They're going to have to be told that about real cats, though. They have nooooooo idea what's suddenly mysteriously toxin for cats and dogs, though Tsubasa's probably given them the rundown first for Lance. You don't feed someone else's pet anything that they haven't approved of, is the modus operandi they're functioning on.
"But that's why we'll change the world," Merry then secondly answers as they rise from their kneeling, tending position, speaking to a 'we' that's quite ambiguous. They almost seem different, stern, confident. Revolutionary.
"The law, its enforcement, and the moneyed structures it's built to guard... you don't even need to be a scholar of history to know that some of the things they're trying to pass off as 'normal', 'forever', aren't actually that old."
There is a recycling bin in the corner -- along with a typical sign distributed from the Hirasaka board that reads 'REDUCE! REUSE! RECYCLE!' but with a cute laminated Koala stuck ontop so it's like the Koala's saying it.
Myunghon seems to settle down from whatever mood it is, however, and is back to that gentle smile of theirs as they nod to Ren and move towards the counter to check her purchase out. Beep! "That will be 1,200 yen and..." They're deft at wrapping books even with only one hand.
"Thank you for your patronage at the Cardboard Dragon today, Amamiya-kun."
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
Tsubasa hasn't done the research on cats to know that they're lactose intolerant. They researched dogs. Morgana's secret is safe!
Tsubasa's secret grudge against the Phantom Thieves, though... that's just as safe.
"Oh, yeah?" Tsubasa wonders, when Ren talks about Arthurian legend. "Ain't that the shit with that guy Lancelot? Hey, Lance, ya fit right in." And Lance ruffs, happily, tail a-wagging. Don't bring up how Tsubasa knowing about something like that is also nerdy, they've already established they're the coolest.
Morgana's tail does a C for COOL and Tsubasa nods, firmly, because even if it's obviously a coincidence it is very cool.
"You wan' change th' world, huh... it sure is rotten," Tsubasa agrees with that much, though they're still a little sceptical. "Guess it really only takes one guy to wreck shit... so it all comes crashin' down." They're thoughtful, as they say that, tapping a finger at the rim of their 'beer' can.
They've been going to Mementos, you know. Just in short bursts, right now, as they try to get strong enough to carry their own weight in a place like that. If they can grasp their power... there has to be something they can do.
"Hey, uh," Tsubasa rubs at the back of their neck, looking over to Ren as they claim a book and make ready to leave. "Good luck tomorrow? Gon' have to take mine next week, since the cops had me locked down through to Tuesday... guess you're goin' through it, tho'." It explains a little more about their situation, and just why they weren't up to see many people when they finally reached out on Tuesday, even though it's just ancillary to trying to express empathy for Ren's situation.
(They can try to do that, as it happens.)
And, of course, they toss their now-empty can into the recycling too, because they're a punk but they're not going to be rude in Myunghon's house.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Ren nods once to Myunghon. Morgana turns and looks at them and Myunghon with a remarkably thoughtful look for such a cat-like face. Arthurian legend, huh... ... ... well, anyway, the milk has cooled down sufficiently, so he begins to lap it up. Delicious~!
........he's not a cat, though!!!
Tsubasa also knowing Arthurian legend via Lancelot gets them a crooked smile and another nod. "But Lance is named after the weapon, I'm guessing?" they say, since if Lance were named for Lancelot, Tsubasa would just say so instead of saying she fits in. "I should pick up a book on that too, while I'm thinking about it--and while I'm here. More English folklore seems like the ticket."
For now, though, they accept the wrapped book and hand over a 1000 yen bill and two 100 yen coins to Myunghon. Considering they only have one arm available to them, they're quite particular about handing over exact change, and they slip the book into their bag. Morgana will just have to share space afterwards.
"Thank you too," Ren tells Myunghon. "You don't mind if I look around some more?"
A certain steel enters their gaze when Myunghon speaks of changing the world. They nod once, a sharp and confident gesture. They may each have their own groups of Persona-Users they lead... but they have similar ideals at heart. One of these days, the Phantom Thieves ought to pay the Cardboard Dragon a visit during the Dark Hour... and wouldn't you know, it's about to be the perfect time to take an overnight visit somewhere plausibly deniable.
Tsubasa weighs in, but a little bit from the other direction. It only takes one guy to wreck everything... Ain't that the truth. They shove their hands in their pockets and return to the shelves. Arthurian legend this time... It can't be too far from the English folklore section, if it's here.
Whether there's something like that available or not, they nod to Tsubasa. "Thanks. It hasn't been so bad, at least... They're tough, but not as tough as I was afraid of. It helps that I had some good study sessions." But... so they're taking make-up exams... That sucks that they have to do that, but at least they can at all. Ren gives them a sympathetic look and a nod back. "Good luck to you, too. You've been going through a lot lately, huh..."
...Not that Ren has explained that they were there that day at Aoba Park, but it's not like Tsubasa's been hiding their recent cop problems. At least they let them go...
"...Have you got anyone to help you out with prepping for your make-up exams?" they add. Ren's not the best person to study with, but they want to know that someone has Tsubasa's back there.
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
Hmmm. Lance from Lancelot... or from the weapon? Myunghon hasn't honestly thought much about it, so they are quite curious to hear how the name came to be. Tsubasa's reach of Arthurian legend first does make it sound more credible that it is that way. But is it only the actions of a single, great individual that shapes history? Myunghon certainly has a lot of thoughts about their skepticism of 'Great Man Theory' and how embellished it is in historical accounts, however...
Sometimes, the way history is written and espoused, over and over again, comes an accepted truth, whether or not it is fact. Just like how they burn in the sun now, and still are fighting off a craving for blood. There is a section, inevitably, on Arthurian legend -- in particular, Myunghon has a few copies of Le Morte d'Arthur that they're enamored with and have been on their backlog to read, annotated and translated to Japanese.
"But it takes tens and tens of thousands of people to believe in it for something to stick," Myunghon does advise in turn, eye closed. Ren asks if they can look around some more. "Oh, no, please, take as long as you like."
Tsubasa admits they have to take their exams next week, and Ren does express concern over whether or not they have anyone that they're studying with. Myunghon does assume that they have Ichika to help, but Ichika is a student too...
"I wouldn't mind helping you with exam prep if you have no one else, Tsubasa-kun," Myunghon's gentle smile is back on their face. "The former Student Council President in me is saying they don't want you to struggle."
They'll have to disappoint Jack Frost one of these days as they shuffle their schedule, but Jack Frost can suck on those rocks for a bit. It's not good to spoil your Pact partner too hard sometimes. They've returned to their somewhat cold cup of very lightly tea-flavoured water before long.
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
"I dunno," Tsubasa shakes their head, when Ren asks after Lance's name. "The Boss named her, not me."
Ten thousand, though? "It's cool," Tsubasa assures Myunghon. "I reckon I got people can get a story out there." The Boss is going to be a journalist, after all.
But does that mean they want to wreck shit?
They shrug, at the idea of having gone through a lot. "It's whatever," they brush it off, but there's a low tone to their voice which suggests it really isn't whatever.
"Anyway, uh... more worried 'bout movin', right now. Yeo-sama offered me a place to stay, so I wanna get my stuff over there 'fore I go hang with the Boss for the summer... prolly better if my father don't got access to my shit when I'm gone a while. I'll jus' read over shit, I'll be fine." And if they're not, well, maybe they'll have to call Jun.
"Guess I oughta get back to that, tho'," they shrug, as they amble over to the fire escape... where they pick up some boxes which have been thoughtfully flattened! "Thanks for the boxes, Yeo-sama."
And out they go... at least saying they're fine.