2026-11-10: A Friend in Need
- Log: A Friend in Need
- Cast: Kanae Fuyuki, Coin, Arisu Aizawa, Kazusa Motojima, Hitomi Mandai, Minato Arisato, Fuuka Yamagishi, Umie Akabane, Isabeau Fontaine
- Where: Paulownia Mall
- OOC Date: November 10, 2026
- IC Date: Thursday, February 07, 2013
- Summary: A Foraine has been discovered, and Kanae gathers Persona Users together to discuss it and its dangers. Coin provides information on how Foraines and Quarries work, and the means by which you can free the person trapped within. Arisu provides information on the victim—her friend—Ai Sakurai. The resolution is made not to involve the Wild hunt. However...
(|============================== Paulownia Mall ==============================|)
-======================================= Iwatodai City/Tatsumi Port Island ====-
A great glass dome surrounds Paulownia Mall, its name displayed in great letters
on its rim. Within this circular structure, made beautiful with water features,
the mall bustles. A central fountain pours out, eternally, surrounded by benches
for weary shoppers; two more pools stand by the entrance, decorated by
well-trimmed hedges behind them. The brown patterning on the floor emphasises
the circular nature of this place, all carved to equal segments; pillars
surrounding the sides provide structure and guidance, separating each store from
the other.
And the shops one can find here are many. Game Parade is a popular arcade,
particularly amongst nearby Gekkoukan students, and its crane game has foiled
many a hopeful date. Kenneth Arnold offers music albums, while Mandragora
Karaoke Bar, up a flight of stairs nearby, offers live music experiences for
those who prefer active participation. Club Escapade is another great option for
music-lovers, alongside those seeking Fortune-Telling services or looking for
shady informants -- but it's only open at night, and technically, it's only for
people who are over 18. Practically speaking, teenagers sometimes sneak in,
anyway... but curious teens ought to be careful, because a few shops over, one
can find the Tatsumi East Police Station. Chagall Cafe, at least, is both open
during the day and open to all ages! Aohige Pharmacy offers pharmaceuticals to
cure any ailment, while Be Blue V offers an eclectic variety of items and
treatments to improve one's health and wellbeing. Finally, Mayoido Antiques
offers unique weapons and armour for those who bring in supernatural
materials... and the proprietor seems to know more than she really ought to
about that world.
<Pose Tracker> Kanae Fuyuki has posed.
Kanae Fuyuki has put out the call in a few spaces--texted some people, used words to get other people to text people in others--that there was to be a meeting at Paulownia about a dangerous supernatural phenomenon. Specifically...
By the time the meeting came clear, it was time to note that they were meeting in a big karaoka room at Mandragora, and to please bring some cash to cover your seat because Kanae doesn't want to shell out for everybody.
Don't worry about it. The info will be worth it!
So Kanae has a drink and is sitting in one of the chairs--this is a big room so it's not just a small booth--dressed in casual clothes, waiting for everybody to show up. Some might likewise already be here, but Kanae isn't actually... sure who's going to show.
At least it's during the week, and late afternoon, so the room wasn't too hard to get.
She hasn't noticed the recorder stashed under one of the booths; no one is going to today, because it's an important tool that will help our antagonists later. (OOC: You're being recorded via audio! The intention is that it will be used to get the data in the +scene to our antagonists.)
But right now? Right now she has a soda, and she's looking at the door. Sssssip through the straw. She's not alone!
<Pose Tracker> Coin has posed.
Kanae definitely isn't alone! She's accompanied by... is that a kid?
The girl with her, wearing a comfy-looking green top and a black skirt with leggings under it, looks a little younger than most of the students here, but not a whole lot. Short and slender, she's a first-year high school student maybe, or a final-year junior school student at the youngest. She stands out for a couple reasons, though.
First is her colouration. She has vibrant ginger hair, almost red-orange, with an inexplicable streak of pale, nearly white blonde that starts at the back of her head and trails down the rest of her nearly waist-length hair's length, currently caught in a single long tail. She also has faint freckles and is pretty pale herself; maybe she's part European?
Second is her Resonance. Persona-users can pick her out immediately; she feels Different. She has none of the sense of wrongness a Homonculus has - she's just something, or someone, who has the vibe of an outsider who's not quite fitting in. It's doubtful someone non-Awakened would notice this, or if they did, they'd put it down to her visibly standing out.
Coin is currently playing with the karaoke equipment, which is a boxy tablet on the table to control the music and a microphone. She is poking buttons to see what happens and seems to be quite interested in this. She swings her legs occasionally as she sits.
<Pose Tracker> Arisu Aizawa has posed.
Arisu is here as well, dressed in a way that most haven't seen before. Dressed in a red French Aristocrat meets Alice in Wonderland inspired dress with bone white petticoat and stockings, she is currently embroidering something being held in her other hand. She is aware enough to smile darkly at anyone who enters the room.
She finally puts away the project and looks to Coin and Kanae. "So other than the girl who I invited, who all is coming to this? I'd rather not talk too candidly about my friend behind her back..."
She stretches out her arms casually, as if she wasn't in a poofy dress and bonnet. She swings her legs under her dress as she adjusts herself on her chair....which is just invisible under the dress.
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
Ririka had asked Arisu to be kept apprised of a meeting, and Ririka in turn kept SEES apprised. Unfortunately, she had other obligations today, so she entrusted the meeting info to her friends. (Look, her mom is due, like, any day now, things are hectic.)
But who is here today is Kazusa! She's sitting near Kanae, in a slim fitted pink dress, silver bracelets, black leggings and black ankle boots with matching silver buckles. (She has a designer coat with fur trim hunt up somewhere; she doesn't need to wear it indoors.)
She's sipping a bubble tea, and regarding Coin a little. They'd met in Mementos, but this is her first time seeing Coin's human form.
... it is kind of cute, she hates to admit.
She also regards Arisu. The outfit is a bit extra, but... she's eyeing the craftsmanship... and that dark smile. "You'll probably get all sorts. So don't be surprised. They'll... probably keep the information about your friend to themselves, though."
<Pose Tracker> Hitomi Mandai has posed.
"Huh. Karaoke, is it?" Hitomi muses. "I wonder if that's just the TT thing or if they really want to bust it out..."
("Hm? Oh, a lot of table talk style games, like Blade World, people run 'em in Karaoke rooms," Hitomi explains parenthetically. "Obviously we have space, but imagine if we were all office workers, suffering in the trenches of modern capitalism...")
A couple of knocks comes at the karaoke room door, and then it swings open, revealing...
HITOMI MANDAI
not much of a surprise
Who is a very tall girl, and still in her Gekkoukan uniform. "Oii," she says, looking around at first Kanae, then towards Coin. "Is this the designated organization meetup?" She smiles afterwards; her voice has a geniality that makes it immediately clear she is making weird jokes.
After this, Hitomi steps in, holding the door open behind her with a turn of one foot so her ankle/heel are propping it ajar, no doubt to ease Fuuka's own entrance. Hitomi's attention rests on Coin for several seconds before she says, "Nice to meet you. I'm Hitomi Mandai, a second year student from Gekkoukan High. I guess we'll cap it off once everyone else is here."
"I'm going to get the really awkward stuff out of the way just before we all sit down," Hitomi continues. "Are you guys hosting or are we going individual for the snacks and stuff?"
<Pose Tracker> Minato Arisato has posed.
Minato has cash from his latest part-timing gig over at the nearby Chagall Cafe, as it happens. His outfit is nothing special; your standard relaxed Minato fare.
His own Resonance seems to echo -- as if bouncing off all the caverns of the underworld. Echo, echo... as if there were many copies... in strange harmony.
He is not abnormally tall nor short, beside Hitomi, as it happens.
"Minato Arisato," he introduces himself, then. "I and my sister Minako are SEES's field leaders." He says this, and then looks at Hitomi, as she gets to the important question.
He blinks his blue eyes, once.
"I would also like to know about the operational status of our snacks," he concludes, looking back to the room.
<Pose Tracker> Fuuka Yamagishi has posed.
SEES had received word about a meeting to discuss a dangerous supernatural phenomenon that had appeared. Tartarus might be their primary focus, but that doesn't mean they can ignore everything else that happens... especially something so close to home.
"Oh, thank you." Fuuka offers Hitomi as she enters the room and finds her seat. She takes note of everyone around the room - though her attention lands, primarily, on Coin. She feels different - standing out to her senses... She tries to avoid staring, though, instead offering her a small smile before she moves on. Hitomi introduces herself, then Minato, and Fuuka offers a polite bow.
"I'm Fuuka Yamagishi - also of Gekkoukan." She introduces herself. "My specialty is Navigation..."
She moves to take her seat. ...She's also curious about snacks, as it happens - but she looks instead toward Arisu.
"Are you... Aizawa-san?" Fuuka asks. They go to the same school, but they've never spoken - but she feels some sympathy, for she's given to understand they have some similar experiences...
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
A few knocks more, and there is an Umie Akabane, at the door! And she is... coming in, rather than just simply here, suddenly. Alas, there's no Badb to allow her to suddenly pop in, as she is in a habit of doing.
Trading her Triple 7 outfit for her normal winter clothing, her twin buns are now replaced by a singular one, a braid slipped over the damage from the homunculus fight not too long ago. A pendant, with a pale jadeite stone in the middle of several intersecting pewter circles, is pinned to her sweater, which is visible when she takes her jacket off.
"If we're introducing ourselves, I'm Umie Akabane: a normal, boring adult," she quips, tapping a hand to her chest, as if to further indicate who the name belongs to. "I'm of the Triple 7 in Shibuya's Central Street, though I do some shifts at the Le Chat Marron as well in Shinjuku." She briefly sees Arisu's outfit, as she mentions that. Hm... Maybe there's a theme cafe around here...
The Resonances of those in the room, however... are very interesting. Coin's, in particular, since... that's not the form that resonance had before! So.... maybe she's like Roger? Minato's... he's one of those who summons multiple Personas, so... sensing it now in a smaller instance makes it easier to distinguish, with the outside context.
Umie's own, however.... is not there, but that is a trait may or may not have caught on-- though, anyone who is introducing themselves this way is likely being a little cheeky. Maybe.
<Pose Tracker> Kanae Fuyuki has posed.
"Not sure yet," Kanae answers Arisu, "But don't worry. People in this line of stuff tend to know how to be discreet."
Then she rolls her eyes. "Super reassuring, Kazusa-chan." She nudges her friend with a hand.
Then, to Hitomi as she walks in--wow! "Heh," she answers the Jokes. "Yes," Kanae answers. "Come on in, take a seat." She rises to her feet when people start arriving, setting down her drink.
"It's nice to meet you," she says to the group. "I'm Kanae Fuyuki, a second-year from Shujin Academy. I'm a Hunter."
Then, "Whoa. Field leader," she says.
Pause. "Nah, I can't afford to get everybody snacks. You're on your own."
Kazusa probably could... but Kanae's not gonna do her friend like that by assuming she will.
"A Navigator," Kanae reflects of Fuuka. "That'll help. If you can sense the Quarry, you'll have an easier time avoiding it."
Kanae looks over Umie. A normal, boring adult... Hmmm.
"It's cool," Kanae says. "Old people are welcome to help, too." She grins--it's just a little ribbing, given her prior interactions with her, but she's not going to start a fight or anything.
Then, Kanae casts her dark-eyed gaze over at Coin. "I called you all here," she says, "But Coin here is going to be better at explaining. So have a seat, grab a drink, and please listen carefully, I don't want to go over it twice."
<Pose Tracker> Coin has posed.
Coin stops playing with the karaoke machine when other people start entering, though not before accidentally turning on some rather peppy J-pop. It takes her a moment to figure out how to stop it. She does not answer the question about paying for snacks because, well. She doesn't even have much money in the first place! It's not like *she* has a part time job...
"Hi!" she says, brightly, giving those she doesn't know - like the Gekkoukan students - a big smile. "I'm called Coin!" That could be the English word, or it could be a distortion of 'kon', the sound foxes make - which, granted, makes more sense at other times, when she looks rather different than now. "And - Umie!" She brightens, recognizing her even before she introduces herself. "It is good to see you again! Look at me now!" She waves, energetically bouncing in her seat once or twice.
She notices she's getting some looks, and she ducks her head for a moment. "Anyway, I'm a Hunter too. But I'm not human," she adds, quietly, in the tone of someone imparting a secret. "But the physical world is really interesting, and... you don't really have people here who aren't human, mostly..."
what do you mean 'mostly' - Well, all right, given all the SEES students know about Aigis perhaps that part's more understandable. (Coin *doesn't* know about Aigis. She's just hedging her bets.)
"It does mean I know a lot about Foraines, though. And there's one around here - I can feel it, and I've even been inside, though not for real long. So I'm here to help deal with it!" Coin puffs out her chest, proudly, before she settles back on the seat.
Coin tends to gesture when she talks and today is no exception. She is careful not to hit anyone's drink but she comes close to hitting her own a couple times.
"A Foraine is a kind of distorted cognitive space," Coin says. "I know some of you have seen Palaces before... it's not the same at all, and if you go in thinking it is you might get hurt, but they're both caused by a distortion in cognition. People like me... we can feel them from a distance."
Coin frowns, thinking about how to put this. "In a Palace, someone's Shadow is the Ruler," she continues. "They are the ones in charge. But a Foraine's both a trap, and a way to run away and hide. It traps their Shadow inside distorted desire because they're afraid of something - some fact that they don't want to accept, that they don't want to believe is real. So in the physical world, they can seem really happy, but it's because they're running away from their problems - they can't even think straight about them!"
"And a Foraine traps other people too. The person whose Foraine it is can't make cognitive versions of other people, usually. But they can attract the real version so that they wander in, and get stuck, too, and people close to them, especially if they're part of their escape, are likely to have it happen! So it's dangerous to them to be this way, and it's dangerous to other people to be trapped in it - because if a Foraine collapses without being dealt with... well, it's really bad for them."
Coin pauses a moment. "It also attracts demons," she says. "Because it's a space where they can be, and it has a certain... feel that certain kinds of demons that resonate with it like. So that's a dangerous part. It can also attract *you*, but if you have a Persona you can usually get out. But the real danger is the Quarry. It's the defender and jailer of the Foraine, and it takes the form of a monster or a beast - and we hunt it. That's why we're called Hunters!"
Coin sweeps her arm, nearly knocks over her soda, and picks it up instead, taking a long drink through the straw. "Ah, that makes my nose tingle..." She makes a slightly pinched face for a moment as if she's trying not to sneeze, but eventually the urge passes. "Anyway, the Quarry hunts *you* if you just walk in. That's what happens to people the Foraine traps; the Quarry finds them. It controls the demons there, and as it stalks you, it gets more and more dangerous. You can't just walk in and fight a Quarry, because eventually it will go into a frenzy, and..."
"So that is the bad news. But the good news is that it's possible to relieve the pressures of a Foraine and make everything go back to normal. And I can explain how! But if you have any questions about this part, you should ask them first."
<Pose Tracker> Arisu Aizawa has posed.
Arisu nods to Kazusa. "Good."
I'm done with being a tattle tale.
She nods, regarding her outfit. Mostly designer things. She had a good eye and knew what looked good on her outline. Arisu thinks as she taps her fingers on the table.
From Arisu's matching purse, a familiar 1990's magical girl theme plays. Arisu reflexively takes out the phone and regards Ririka's text RIGHT as the two enter.
Arisu scans Hitomi as she enters. Gekkoukan Uniform? She was a student?
And so was the next guy! Probably! Unless he was one of those creepy adults who could pass for 17... At least he understood the assignment of dressing to be judged! B+ btw. The model's appeal carries the look more than the outfit.
She turns her head to regard Coin, Kanae, and Kazusa. This is who they brought? This was something that could be solved by teenagers?
A snickers escapes her lips and she cranes her head back. "Of course. Of course it's like this."
'Are you...Aizawa-san?'
Arisu looks back Fuuka with that dark amusement on her face still. It softens rather quickly as she nods. She smiles serenely, as if nothing in the world can catch her anymore. "Yeah. That's me. And you're a friend of Kawase-san?"
It doesn't escape her Fuuka also looks like a teenager.
Arisu nods to Kanae's comment about discretion. When she introduces herself, Arisu smiles and regards the others again. "I'm Arisu Aizawa. I'm a not so grim Reaper." She says this without any irony.
Then Coin talks about Foraines. Hmmm. She remembers her time in that hell. How it...changed her outlook. She listens but can only understand certain parts. Like what is a Palace or Cognitive Space?
Arisu will ask later.
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
Kazusa huffs at Kanae at the nudge. "I said probably! It's not like the information about my studio got spread around past the Persona Users, as far as I can tell. So that bodes well, right?" See? She can be reassuring!
Sh stands when Kanae does, to be polite. "Kazusa Motojima. I'm also a second year at Shujin, though I'm... not a Hunter." She frowns a little and mutters to herself. "... Do we have a name for ourselves, anyway?"
Kazusa watches the arrivals curiously, also standing up. She doesn't know Minao and Hitomi (though, she may be familiar to them, as SEES investigated her Atelier). But she nods at the introductions. "SEES, right." She glances to Arisu. "They hlped me out before. They should be trustworthy." But she does recognize... "Yamagishi-san. I'm... glad to see you."
They've talked a few times, at least. And Kazusa asked Fuuka for her help with Shinichi's Homunculus, too.
A short nod to Umie. "Akabane-san." Boring adults are fine, as long as they have Personas.
She could pick up the tab in a pinch, but she'd rather not have to explain that one.
She sits and picks up her own drink again, crossing her legs at the knee. "Coin-san, be careful with your drink," she says quietly. "They'll charge us if we damage something."
But she is listening intently. Someone looking for an escape... Hmm. She can kind of relate to that, at least on an abstract level. But one thing ssticks out. "... Demons. Of course."
"And how exactly does one get into the Foraine?" she asks, whe Coin opens up for questions. "You mentioned getting trapped, but I assume there's a way to enter intentionally if you're going to go... hunt this Quarry."
She looks at Arisu as she snicker,s frowning. "And what's so funny?" She sighs. "And don't joke about Grim Reapers. They're no laughing matter."
Yes she said that like they were a totally real thing.
<Pose Tracker> Hitomi Mandai has posed.
Hitomi's Resonance is pretty calm right now. You could compare it to a fire but it's one of those humble hearth fire kinds of things. Though, perhaps it's the kind of humble hearthfire you see in the rickety inn on your way up the mountain to meet Dracula.
The point is it's not uncomfortable, but it's not pure warmth. Either way, Hitomi moves to set herself down, so she's seated when Umie comes in. "Oh," she asks, "you're a real career woman, huh?" She glances towards Kanae and Coin -- making, perhaps, an inference that is wrong (namely, that Umie is bankrolling the snacks) (Hitomi's money has been largely going into a secret project) (but she wants snacks)
Her head tilts forwards, crestfallen, when Kanae confirms they're on the hook for their own snacks.
"Cuari?" Hitomi echoes on the proper name, head rocking to the side. But then, "Pleased to meet you, Coin," she says, before the words become more interesting and detailed. When Coin says she isn't human, Hitomi's eyebrows lift and her focus gets more intent...
... but it does settle down more about the time she moves on to talking about Moraines. "Ah, so like - no, not like," Hitomi murmurs, nodding along as the Foraine is elaborated upon. As well as the mention of demons, to which Hitomi frowns slightly.
Questions before the story continues! Hitomi raises a hand up, perhaps to not butt in front: "Do you know what makes them form? I kind of get the feeling they are a little like Palaces, but the structure sounds totally different." Hitomi is generalizing from two data points, but she also adds, "That's just curiosity, though."
Arisu gets a glance when she introduces herself. "Oho~" Though her attention is resting on Kazusa... ...perhaps not wanting to ask, but imagining doing so. Still, she's here, she's asking good questions herself! Hitomi nods, and then turns her attention to the menu with the solemn look of someone who has like 570 yen in her pocket.
<Pose Tracker> Minato Arisato has posed.
"A Hunter..." Minato starts, thoughtfully, as he considers Kanae.
His verdict, as impassive as ever, is thus:
"Cool."
Even if she's not plying him with snacks!
"When you find out, tell us," he urges Kazusa, having apparently heard her mutterings over what she's called. "I'll update the team."
And then, there's Coin -- who isn't human, by her own report. (Minato, who is friends with a robot and a dog and a mysterious boy who appears only in the Dark Hour when he's alone, isn't necessarily shaken by that.) "Mostly," he agrees. "But not always. Aigis-san is a robot, and Roger-san is a Shadow, and Koromaru-chan is a dog."
She explains a Foraine, and Minato tilts his head. "In this situation... is it the case that the 'Quarry' is just enforcing its preys' subconscious wish for escapism? I wonder if they form because reality is too harsh," he adds, with a glance to Hitomi.
Minato, as it happens, is not an adult. But Arisu introduces herself as a Reaper, and he blinks, slowly. "I see." His stoic acceptance comes with quiet contemplation of her, as if, perhaps, wondering...
... but no. 'That feeling' isn't here.
He wonders, though... what it would take, to get him to laugh...
Putting it out of his mind, for the moment, he leans over Hitomi's shoulder to examine the menu.
<Pose Tracker> Fuuka Yamagishi has posed.
"It's nice to meet you, Fuyuki-san." Fuuka offers, then smiles as Kazusa greets her. "And I'm glad to see you too, Motojima-san!"
Fuuka sees that dark amusement on Arisu's face, but it gives way to a smile and Fuuka smiles back.
"Yes, I am. I'm... sorry about your friend. But it's nice to meet you." Fuuka offers.
A not-so-grim Reaper... That's quite the title - but she can imagine why Kazusa would take the concept so seriously.
She's seen for herself the danger the Reaper can pose...
A 'Hunter'... Fuuka takes note of that term. She's seen Kanae before as they've gotten involved in various supernatural incidents, but she can't recall if she's heard that specific term being used. She'll remember it now, though. As well as...
"Yes, I'm quite talented at helping myself and others avoiding danger." Fuuka replies with a nod. She's curious about what she means by the 'Quarry' - but this is an informational meeting so she's certain the explanations on all the important things are forthcoming, so she holds her question for now. Instead, she offers Coin a smile as she introduces herself.
"It's nice to meet you, Coin." She offers. She's a Hunter... but she's not human. So that's what she felt... Is she like Roger? Or something else...?
She listens intently to Coin's explanation, nodding along.
"They draw people without Personas in, as well? That's dangerous..." She remarks with a frown. She thinks back to her time trapped in Tartarus. "It's almost like... consciously or not, they're trying to get other people wrapped up in their own illusions..."
The relevant questions are being asked already, though. So instead...
"How do you detect a Foraine, or know when you're approaching one? Is it tethered to a physical location like a Palace is?" Fuuka asks. "And are there any other concerns within the Foraine itself aside from demons and the Quarry that we should know about?"
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
There's another side of that coin, Arisu: Umie'll likely be asked for her card well into her 30s, as well as hit on by creepers. It's not fun.
(Because of course Umie will reach her 30s. Why wouldn't she?)
"Aha," Umie states, when Coin greets her back *and* identifies herself. "Not a bad look! Probably a lot easier to get around like that. Though, you're still welcome to experience the wonders of capitalism and convenience stores in your usual form if I'm on the late night shift again."
Towards Hitomi, in that vein, Umie chuckles. "I definitely dream big, don't I?" Anither joke! Ha ha ha
Looking towards Fuuka, Umie looks towards Kanae. "Foraines, huh... If it's not based in a physical space, I imagine Badb won't be able to 'sniff' it out." It was an attempt to play with this joke of 'Hunters' and the like, but...
Kazusa would know a little about the limits of Umie's Persona, given the hazardous trail they made in Shinichi's 'house'.
'Yes, I'm quite talented at helping myself and others avoiding danger.' However, it's also pointing out that Fuuka's abilities blow many Persona Users well out of the water. Given the circumstances of Fuuka's own Awakening... it's easy to draw conclusions why her abilities came to be the way they are.
If Umie was a much less selfish person... what would her own abilities been like?
'Old people are welcome to help, too.' A corner of Umie's lips perks up at that, wiggling her fingers, nails red and hands half-covered, though with it being cold out, that is most definitely a measure of keeping warm. "Of course. Who better to throw a curse or two than a crone?"
However, once Coin begins speaking, Umie quiets, nodding slowly. Minato brings up some good points, looking past the fact they exist to the cognitive implications. As she thinks more on that ".... I see... I wonder.... how long have these been around?"
Given the Hunters she knows characterize themselves as more experienced... But that may not necessarily be from Foraines alone.
<Pose Tracker> Kanae Fuyuki has posed.
Kanae laughs at Kazusa a little. "True, true."
Kanae is familiar with most of what Coin says about Foraines, having experienced them up-close and gotten the run-down from the Wild Hunt all that time ago. However, the inability to form Cognitions--that sticks in her mind as something she forgot about. But it would have be that way, wouldn't it? Since they draw people in. Since they draw demons in.
Kanae's resonance, meanwhile, is quiet--too quiet. It is the hush of the forest when something great is near, the chill of the woods when a predator comes. ...But it is not only the chill; it is the multitude of creatures within. Her resonance is empty, yet full.
She looks over at Arisu, who snickers, and lifts an eyebrow. She doesn't see what's funny here.
But...
Hitomi is sad about the snacks. Kanae gives an expansive shrug and sits back down. "Sorry."
What makes them form? Kanae frowns at that one--because she doesn't. "...They weren't, for a while," Kanae says. "They're an old phenomena that only recently reappeared."
She pauses. "But," she says, "They'll charge me if you spill anything, so please don't."
"Great," Kanae says to Fuuka. "We'll need that power."
People wrapped in their own illusions... "Yeah, actually. It is like that."
Umie, though... she asks a question. And--
Well, also, "Just try not to slow us down, huh?" she says with a smile.
The question though? "Like I was saying--these aren't new. They've been around for at least twenty years. ...Since the days the Wild Hunt dealt with them."
"I'm trying not to get them involved--I think I have a better way than theirs to solve this. If you disagree... You're welcome to ask them what they'd do."
<Pose Tracker> Coin has posed.
"I'll be careful," Coin promises Kazusa and Kanae. And she doesn't spill! So, success. "And I surely will!" she adds to Umie. "I would like another nikuman!"
Coin is pleased with the responses. "That's a good question!" she replies to Kazusa. "You can find the trails and tracks yourself. After all, the Foraine is *trying* to attract people! Normally, if they don't know you, or don't want you there, you might never find it. But you have a Persona. You're Awakened! You can feel them out... They don't have to be actual tracks, by the way. They're just routes in, or lures. A person who shouldn't be there, a voice..." She nods at Fuuka, energetically. "It's that. They treasure that person, so they want to keep them, and make them part of the world they're hiding in. So it's almost always people who are close to the person who go missing, and they can't get out on their own. I don't think they could at all unless they had a Persona, or were about to."
"The Foraine actually moves around with the person," Coin explains. "So you have to get pretty close to them... but not *that* close. If they were in the mall, you could probably get in from anywhere in it. And if they were outside..." She considers. "A block? Two blocks?" Coin isn't very good with measuring distance, but she's indicating somewhere between about a third and two thirds of a kilometer. "Mostly you just have to know where they are and be in the right area."
Hitomi and Minato ask related questions too, and Coin hesitates. "I'm not sure," she has to admit. "I know they only ever happen when there's a distorted desire for something to be *different*, to forget or escape, usually if they've lost something they treasured and don't think they can go on... but I don't know why some people have them and some people don't. But you're right! The Quarry is to keep the Foraine the way it is, to both imprison and protect the Shadow. But it's bad for them, even if it seems like it's making them happy. It's dangerous."
"Foraines aren't stable, because you can't run forever. Eventually they collapse in on themselves. And if it collapses with their Shadow still trapped inside," Coin says, "they'll lose part of themselves. It's the same as if their Shadow was taken by a mindless Shadow - not exactly the same, but... close!" She knows a little about Apathy Syndrome, and it makes her shiver.
What would happen to her, if she was trapped in one? Would she exist at all?
But how long have they been around? "Um," Coin hesitates, and when she speaks her voice is quiet again. "I'm not actually ... I don't think I've been a person for very long," she admits. "So I don't know. But I don't think they're new, they just went away for a while..." It *feels* right to her. And it matches what Kanae says, so she feels better about it.
Pretty soon, though, she's back to her normal exuberance. "If you just go into a Foraine without knowing anything," Coin says, "it's dangerous. The Quarry hunts *you*, and it's easy to get lost, and just run into demons. The demons can also hide and ambush you. They can even hide from Navigators," she adds to Fuuka. "Eventually it will know how to kill you... and it will try. You *definitely* have to leave then! It will calm down after a day or two. But there's a way around it. You need to learn about the person!"
Coin pauses. "I mean, actually know them, not just explore their Foraine - though exploring the Foraine might give you an idea of what to look for in reality, you'll never find out exactly what they're hiding from in the Foraine, since it's not there. But the more you know about the person, the safer the trails are. You can find the tracks more easily to get deeper, or escape. The more you know about what the Foraine represents, the more you can move about it before the Quarry finds you. You can even find out its name, based on what it feels like. From what I know, this one should be the Foraine de la Culture."
"And when you're ready to hunt the Quarry, you need a special weapon. It's called a Silver Bullet," she says, confidently. "But it's not an actual weapon. What you need is to break their illusions, and make it so they can't escape. It needs to be proof, aimed at the Foraine itself! If they're avoiding the fact that someone died, you need to show them they did, and probably find out how. If they're acting like something didn't happen, you need to prove to them it did."
Coin smacks one fist into her other palm. "You can't beat the Quarry without a Silver Bullet. But once you have one, once you know what the Foraine is built to hide from, and can show them it, you can. They get agitated then, and they're tough - don't go alone! - but you *can* fight them. That's why you need to know about the person," Coin explains. "Hunters have to hunt more than just beasts! You need to hunt knowledge too!"
"And after that..." Coin pauses for a moment. It's for drama. "Once the Quarry is defeated, you can talk to the Shadow. You *have* to talk to them, or all of that was pointless. You have to convince them to move on. And when you do, the Foraine will come apart on its own, safely. ...mostly safely. You probably don't want to stay in it."
Coin rises up in her seat and points directly at Arisu. "But that's why she's so important this time! She knows about the person whose Foraine it is. I can tell you all I know about Foraines, and I can help you figure out what a good Silver Bullet is... but I've never met her! But her - she knows her. She even escaped from the Foraine once, by herself! And if that's not proof that she knows what it is she's hiding from, even if she doesn't know it yet - well, I'm not a fox!"
...
"I mean. Usually." Coin slumps down, a little sheepishly, in her definitely completely human body.
<Pose Tracker> Arisu Aizawa has posed.
Arisu blinks when Kazusa questions what she finds so funny. "Heh. Don't worry about it. Just the state of things."
A grim look appears on her face. She contorts her face like a vengeful ghost as she meets eyes with Kazusa. "Eh? I'm not joking about being a reaper." She smiles sweetly in that way thats almost a little scary given context.
She has no clue why everyone is so weird about being a reaper. No clue at all.
Arisu decides to just drop it, hiding any discomfort behind a smile. Just deep breaths.
She listens as Coin describes the Foraine and the Quarry.
Arisu's face flattens as a gloom comes to her.
That thing...It patrolled the party. It's weird chirping as it stared at you with those eyes.
Arisu stares into the middle distance, looking at her hands as she remembers it all.
And all of it was being presented like a school lesson. Demons were this. Solve for Y. She smiles sadly as her trauma feels so close and yet is so far away.
She did it all correctly and yet she still had something terrible happen.
"You're fine either way, Coin." Arisu offers, trying to center herself as she tries to thin of where to begin.
"Ai...was always somewhat sick. She never was at PE or outside....Oh right. Her name is Ai Sakurai...But she has always had trouble with breathing. Especially when she got stressed. Thats why we became friends...I like to sew and so I'd be on the sidelines with her when I could." Arisu looks serious for once as she looks over the others in the room. Damnit. She's going to have to air her friend's life to stop whatever this was. Sorry, Ai-chan.
"Ai loves Cosplay and for awhile she was trying to get into the competitive scene. I don't remember her screenname but I don't think that matters...Um, during first year Ai-chan had an attack at a convention. Her doctor said the stress of competing and wearing heavy outfits was going to make her have more severe episodes. She might die if her breathing gets worse! So she gave up cosplay. She'll make fun outfits with me but her heart isn't in it anymore."
Arisu recalls the Quarry's cold eyes and that saucer of water on it's head. Like a Kappa.
"Around school, she's happier than I've seen her...Like it's not normal for her to be like she is. And if I can stop someone else from falling into this Foraine, I'll see to it so that it's stopped and Ai is back to normal.
"I---I'm not sure what else I should say." She smiles awkwardly, letting her cool weirdo mask slip a little.
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
Coin described Kazusa's Resonance as having the feeling of being pulled two ways, which is pretty apt. She's a little bit at war with herself, like the girl she is now is overshadowing some aspect of herself she's struggling to keep.
Hitomi makes a comparison. Kazusa still doesn't have a good reference point for Palaces, but... "They sound different from Ateliers, at least. As far as I know those always exist." Even if they become inaccessible once the Homunculus is defeated. but she catches Hitomi's look and arches an eyebrow. "... yes?" She's giving Hitomi a chance to ask that question, if she wants.
Kazusa blinks a little at Minato's offer. "Uh... sure. I'll... let Yamagishi-san know?" Is it that serious that SEES needs to be updated!? ... Maye, maybe not. But it is bugging Kazusa a little bit now.
She accidentally inhales some of her drink though, sputtering. "Wait--did you just say robot?" She knows a pig, a peacock, and fox, so 'dog' is relatively normal to her in this context. (It shouldn't be, she doesn't realize he's a normal dog.)
"Thank you for your help with Nagisa-san's Atelier," Kazusa says to Fuuka, since they haven't spoken properly since then.
She has seen the limits of Umie's Navigational abilities, but given how messed up that place seemed, and the only one example she has to go by... she's reserving judgement.
There is a brief flicker of a smile as Kanae laughs, though. But then she looks at Kanae curiously. "How old is 'old' in this case?" And she gets the answer a moment later. "Twenty years... I wonder why they stopped for that long."
The Wild Hunt... she's heard Isabeau's take on their methods, but she wants to form her own opinion.
Tracks and trails, moving around, drawing people in, and... an eventual collapse. "So there's still a time limit, then. That's good to know." But if it collapses... Kazusa frowns. "Do I even need to ask about the people trapped inside when that happens?"
"So we have to know the person better to get around...?" Oh, oh no. Kazusa sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose. "So that means..."
But, Silver Bullets. "So, basically you just have to make them face reality?"
"Well I'm glad the state of things amuses you then," says Kazusa with an eyeroll. She huffs at Arisu, as she insists she's not joking. "You'll change your tune when you run into the real Grim Reaper in Mementos."
But she settles down when Arisu finally gets to describing her friend, Ai Sakurai. She even sts her drink down for a moment to give Arisu her full attention. Into cosplay, but something prevented her from enjoying it... she can relate.
And a personality change, too. It's hard not feel something for this girl, even if their situations aren't similar in many other ways. "... thank you for sharing, Aizawa-san," she says, serious for a moment. "That's the kind of information we need to save your friend. So the Silver Bullet... could it have something to do with her health, maybe?"
<Pose Tracker> Hitomi Mandai has posed.
Hitomi turns her head, not seeming to object to Minato sneaking a peek over her shoulder. "So... if you've got six hundred, we could split fries and get a soft drink each... Doesn't seem like a night for six highballs, you know?"
When she says that her eyes turn towards Umie for a moment. Thoughtful. It's brief.
Which is when Umie answers her. Uh oh. Hitomi blinks, and says, "Hey, sometimes you've got to struggle for a while," which is a very adult and mature thing to say which Hitomi did not just remember from her pre-Gekkoukan high school days. (Note: They happened! Hitomi showed up in the last trimester of first year a year-ish ago! Weird!)
Fuuka's question gets a glance towards her and a nod along,
BUT COIN'S GOT THE ANSWERS. She nods along, before saying, "Oh, shit, if it moves around... that could be dangerous as hell," in a somewhat more sober version of that amiable-schoolgirl tone. She also said several cusses, which were, in fact, actual swears. (To Minato, quietly, she says, "I wish we had Silver Bullets, huh.")
She nods along, though, and her attention turns back towards Arisu. Her lips pull down for a moment into a thoughtful sort of frown, and her head rolls a bit to the other side. "So even if she's more cheerful, you think it's just hiding how she's actually doing, huh?"
Kazusa speaks, and Hitomi's head tilts back and upwards. "Hmmm... maybe she's lying to herself about the hobby? I mean, it's easy to say it's just something, but it's like a whole pursuit, right? Everyone older's always talking about the moments in their school clubs even if that's like a fraction of the time you spend in class."
Hitomi looks towards Fuuka. "If someone told me I had to give up games or I wouldn't amount to anything, I'd be all 'guess I'm not gonna amount to anything then,' but I'm weird like that."
<Pose Tracker> Fuuka Yamagishi has posed.
"If you decide, please let me know. ...But I don't think you need to rush." Fuuka comments, as Kazusa tells Minato she'll let her know if they figure out what they're called. She offers her a small smile, too, as she thanks her for her help.
"Of course. I'm glad I was able to help. I hope things are getting better..." Fuuka offers with a small nod. Most of her support was in the background, but she did help where she could.
She listens, though, as explanations continue.
Kanae and Coin both agree with her assessment. It's because they treasure that person... And a Foraine moves with the person, rather than a physical location. She nods thoughtfully.
Information-gathering is the name of the game, it seems. It's not something you can jump into unprepared... the Quarry can hide even from Navigators. Fuuka nods thoughtfully.
She doesn't have any further questions about Foraines - instead, she considers Ai herself, and her situation.
"I see... I'm sorry to hear that." Fuuka murmurs. She understands what it must be like, a little. Ai's situation is worse than hers ever was, but she used to have a reputation for being sickly, too. "It must be difficult, seeing her like that and knowing what you have to do, but... I think it's better not to look away from reality."
She looks toward Hitomi.
"It can be... difficult for some people to maintain that confidence." Fuuka admits. ...She knows this, because she's sensitive to judgment, herself. But then again, she still maintains her own hobby...
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
'I'm not joking about being a reaper.' 'Well I'm glad the state of things amuses you then.' The Badb in Umie itches. Conflict can feel like a sweet treat to encourage. However, as the adult in the room... "I'd welcome some friendlier representation, myself."
Not only an adult, a crone... To Kanae, Umie chuckles. "... I'll have you know that there's a few that are quite fast, in Sumaru City." Well, grannies.
To Coin, Umie shakes her head. "I'm afraid the BOGO deal is over," she presents, with great sadness.
As Umie takes a sip of her drink (the most inexpensive one she could net, as it so happens), Hitomi springs on her earlier comment with a sniper's accuracy (or at least, that's what it feels like to Umie): 'Hey, sometimes you've got to struggle for a while.'
The carbonated beverage slips right into her nose as Umie sputters into her hand. HA HA HA yes. Yes. Funny joke! Eyes watering, Umie manages something like a casual, pleasant confirmation to Hitomi's comment. Ha ha ha... this is what happens when people start to recognize patterns, Umie Akabane.
She could've, if not for...
.... Anyway.
That must be why Foraines escaped Umie's notice, like so many things. A section of city streets and buildings, demons, shadows, and all, did not equate to the whole expanse of the supernatural world.
'Just try not to slow us down, huh', indeed.
"Honestly, that makes me feel better," she says, to Kanae. "Their whole 'we know better than you' schtick gets on my nerves."
A glance later at Arisu, and something... causes Umie to pause. If this person is new, or is new to this social aspect of Persona users... well, Umie knows what that's like.
"... Take it easy," she says. "Having the supernatural come uninvited into your normal life... even with a Persona, it can still make a person feel powerless. But you're doing the right thing, being here instead of taking on everything by yourself."
<Pose Tracker> Kanae Fuyuki has posed.
Nikuman... That would be nice.
"Right," Kanae says. "The first Foraine I dealt with... it was the Foraine of a close friend of mine. Well... It turns out she didn't feel very friendly ways about me," Kanae admits, "But that's not the point. We got past it, after we were able to rescue her Shadow."
"That's why you need someone who knows the person, too--to talk them down. There is another way... but I don't know how to do it, and I wouldn't if I could."
"Coin is totally a Fox," Kanae adds.
Then she looks to Arisu. "I see. Well, we won't misuse that knowledge. Thank you, for telling us. ...But I think you said what you needed to say."
Kanae pauses. "Wait, he really did say 'robot'?" she asks. "That's... surprising, but kinda cool."
She nod to Kazusa though--and then shakes her head. "I don't know; the Wild Hunt didn't exactly give me their full life stories or anything. Just the basics, enough to get by on. ...And then I left them, so..." She stopped getting insider info.
"...Kinda yeah," Kanae says of facing reality. "But it's not as cold as that. If you don't bring compassion along with it... you'll just make them angry. And you'll miss the shot."
Kanae drums her fingers on the tabletop as she considers Hitomi's questions and words. "...Yamagishi-san's right. It's hard, to know what you want and stick to it that hard, in the face of... people."
"But I think I'm the same as you, Mandai-san."
Umie mentions fast. Kanae says, "I'm... aware." She knows those rumor demons.
"They know a lot of things," she says of the Wild Hunt. "But I don't like the way they do things. So I didn't stick with them."
She pauses. "...Yeah. This is difficult stuff to deal with," she offers Arisu. "But we'll save her. We will."
<Pose Tracker> Coin has posed.
"Aw," is Coin's response to the buy one get one free deal being done. She still might buy one from Umie, granted. But now, only one.
Coin listens. She is pretty sure she's missing some context ('cosplay'?) but she understands it has something to do with making costumes. And breathing...
"No, that was really good!" she assures Arisu. "I wouldn't have known where to start if I was trying to do it myself. But you know about the cosplay, and about the health, and everything else..."
"Maybe," Coin says, about the Silver Bullet being her health. "Or maybe... It sounds like it was really important to her, but when she got sick, she couldn't do it. Maybe it's that she can't do it anymore. She can't wear it, or make it, even if she still makes outfits with you sometimes... that might explain why you got pulled in. If she remembers back when you did it together, and that's where she wants to go back to, then! Then it would make sense."
Coin pauses, looking at Kanae. "I don't know any other way to do it," she says, with a slightly confused look. "You have to free the Shadow from the Quarry, then talk to it. How else would you do it safely? ...I guess if you won't do it it doesn't matter. But you're right. Compassion too."
"I tried to fix a Foraine once, by myself." Coin hasn't actually told anyone this before - not even Kanae knows it. "I just went in, without knowing anything, because I thought I could; since I could follow the tracks without knowing, and go in and out, I must be able, right? I followed some demons. That's when I got *my* Persona. I didn't, though - I had to escape, and then I had to recover. But someone else must have fixed it, because I didn't ever feel it collapse. Maybe that was them? I don't think it was you. You never mentioned it!"
"But... that's why we need to do it as a group. You just can't do it alone. And you can't do it without knowing what they're hiding from."
She swings her feet, thinking hard. Coin often misses a lot of fine detail about life; she doesn't entirely get how Japanese culture works, sometimes. She hasn't been in it too long. But people, she gets a little better. "It must be really hard for her..."
Coin looks up again. "Being really happy - that happens with most Foraines, maybe all Foraines. Because their Shadow is hiding from their problems, they don't really see any of them anymore. They can't think about them because that part of them is trapped in the Foraine. So of course they act like everything is going right! But that can be dangerous too. What if, because she felt really good about herself, because she wasn't thinking about what's really there, she did something that made her sick?"
"I think we might want to think about going in," Coin decides. "I mean, not right this minute! But we know enough to find our way around, I think, even if we don't have the Silver Bullet ready yet. And even though you can't find out everything in the Foraine, you'll never figure it out just by going in and it's dangerous to try - once you know some of it, it can help you polish your Silver Bullet, so you know *exactly* how to get it to work."
Another pause, and Coin asks an important question. To her, anyway.
"What games?" she asks Hitomi.
<Pose Tracker> Arisu Aizawa has posed.
"Oh? Will I?" Arisu smiles darkly at Kazusa. "Sounds fun." She wasn't kidding either. The idea of something dangerous sent a thrill through her. Dodging the space between life or death. Arisu really wants to see another reaper now. Until then, she's gonna strive to live up to the name. Heh, heh.
Arisu thinks when asked for a Silver Bullet. "Her inhaler. If I had to guess, that's what I'd think it would be."
Arisu nods to Hitomi, sighing. "Yeah. A friend can tell."
And yet, it was Ai who ushered Arisu into this world. A world where her heart felt free every time it dodged certain death.
"Yes. It's better to face reality. Even as dark as it is, it's still truth." Arisu says to Fuuka, nodding. "Ai was all I had for awhile...so I want to protect her."
Arisu looks at Umie as she mentions taking it on all herself. She chuckles. "That would be too much fun I think. I was always taught to share though." In reality, had she not run into Kanae and Coin, Arisu would've taken this all on herself. Gladly.
Arisu nods to Kanae's declaration, smiling oddly as she considers being this open. At least it wasn't her dirty laundry...a thought which makes Arisu feel somewhat guilty. "Thank you. As you know, I escaped that place so I think I have some idea of how it works. Let me know when you want to go in."
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
Kazusa shrugs a little atHitomi's question. "... Cosplay is really intensive if you want to do it well." Don't ask her how she knows. "... so it's possible she could be fixated on that, I suppose." She leans forward to pick up her drink again.
Background support is still background support, as far as Kazusa is concerned. "I will," she says with a nod. "And... they have." Gotten better, that is. Shujin is still Shujin, but she's not worried about a serial killer waiting in the wings.
She looks at Umie with an arched eyebrow. "Friendlier representation?" she asks. Kazusa is naturally kind of prickly and thus confrontational. She's trying to get better about it. (It's a slow process.)
("I heard 'robot'," Kazusa asides to Kanae.)
Life stories... or the lack thereof. "Mmm... so if they dealt with them twenty years ago... they would've been closer to our ages, huh?" At least, the one or two adult members she's seen that she can guestimate an age for. ""... right. Well, between what they told you, and what Coin-san knows, hopefully we can make do."
"Compassion... right. I'll remember that." She knows that's somethign he still struggles with. But she wants to get better at it.
In the face of... people. Kazusa lets her gaze drift downwards for a moment. "... guess there's more than one way to lose yourself."
But Coin has a guess on Arisu being pulled in. "A good costume can take you months to put together, if it's detailed enough. When you work on something like that with someone..." And nw she's just thinking about Wakana. Dang.
She stares at Arisu, who seems to be getting... excited by the prospect? She asides to Kanae, "... please don't tell me we're going to have to keep her reigned in, too."
But... "An inhaler could be a good start, maybe." She frowns. "Coin-san is right, though. If her health is fragile, and she's ignoring her problems... that could be the type of thing she'd avoid, right?"
"Well, if we're making plans to go in, then I'm going in with you. Something tells me you'll need a healer." She looks to Kanae. "... I'll ask Roger-san, and I can see if Nagisa-san is feeling well enough to help..."
<Pose Tracker> Minato Arisato has posed.
"I'll inform the team," Minato says, of SEES. Though... there's something on his mind, thoughtfully, as he looks to Umie.
"So, there are adults who were Persona-Users as children, too..."
Minato blinks, owlishly.
"Hey... what was it like when you were our age?" He asks, as if she's a million years old.
<Pose Tracker> Hitomi Mandai has posed.
"Is that right?" Hitomi answers Kanae, when she says she's the same as Hitomi. There seems to be some ironic undertone upon which Hitomi doesn't clarify. After adjusting her glasses, she purses her lips for a moment.
"Ah, yeah, that'll happen," she says diffidently when Coin relates how her Persona happened when demons were involved, and she askss a question that's more important to Hitomi, which makes her smile. Hitomi shifts in her seat and leans towards Coin a little, one hand sliding into her blazer for a moment.
"I like the physical kind~. Cards and dice, stuff like that. Video games are fun, but it's kind of less of a thrill, you know? By the way," and then her hand comes out and she holds out a deck of cards?! But the bottom card is visible. "Remember this card, right?"
It's the three of clubs.
After this she straightens up and brings out an empty box, no doubt where the cards had lived, and she puts them away below the surface of the table. To Arisu, she says, "I've got other commitments, and I might have to take those seriously. We're in a disciplined club, so we have to be willing to exercise self control."
is that a no?
"But other than tha-at, I'm in! That's the kind of spirit I wanna see." She does not comment on the medical stuff, though she asides to Kazusa, "Other friends of yours? Gee, it's like we're in a secret community now!"
"I wish it was for happier reasons, but it's kind of cool to know that, right?" Hitomi asides to Fuuka. After this she puts the pack of cards away in her coat pocket.
"Still, though, knowing that this has been going on for at least twenty years... even if the Foraines stopped," Hitomi muses. Minato speaks up, and Hitomi also looks at Umie, curiously.
<Pose Tracker> Fuuka Yamagishi has posed.
It's not as cold as just facing reality, Kanae says. You have to bring compassion to it, too.
"I see... I admit, that makes me feel a little relieved." Fuuka comments. It's about understanding them, too. That might make it all the harder, but... that's just the nature of dealing with other people. She might not always be the best at that, but... it's important.
Arisu agrees that it's better to face reality - the truth. Ai was all she had for a while, and she wants to protect her... Fuuka nods quietly.
"I think... if you hold those feelings in your heart, you'll be able to reach her." Fuuka assures.
Part of a secret community, Hitomi comments... Fuuka thinks about that for a moment, and then nods.
"...It kind of is, isn't it?" She agrees. "I've met a lot of people I wouldn't have otherwise..."
...She thinks about that for a moment longer, too - and then she looks toward Minato, and then to Umie as he asks his question.
...She might just be playing along with the bit.
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
'Sounds fun.' Ah, Umie misread the situation for Arisu by a mile.
The enthusiasm makes the Badb energetic, however. "That's the spirit," she goads, in spite of her earlier committment towards being the proper adult.
At least Hitomi agrees with her! .... this is good and fine
"A space that lets you spiritually disconnect from your problems... I'm surprised there's not tons of them around." She could say the same about ateliers as well, though. "But even if there was no danger, leaving them in that state's going to lead to further distortions of their self, I imagine."
They have a healer in Kazusa, a navigator in Fuuka... "And you'll have someone who's used to dealing with things hunting her, hiding, and springing surprise attacks. As long as it's not on my shift, I'm in."
Then Minato asks--- ah, wait, he's asking her a question?
It could be taken wrongly. However, Minato's expression... "You're... Second Year, right?" Umie says, after taking a quick look over his uniform and doing some math in her head. That would have been.... yes. "... Quiet. Barely any Persona Users around that I could sense. The Mikage-cho incident happened, or would happen, with someone like me none the wiser. Foraines, Ateliers, Mementos... even Tartarus." She chuckles. "I enjoyed the Dark Hour, but I didn't even have a name for it." There could have been other Persona Users around, but by that time, Umie had isolated herself.
But that's a story not meant for here. "A friend of mine once said that Persona Users tend to crop up as sort of a 'defense mechanism' to danger. That's why I disagree with the group Kanae mentioned-- if you refuse to listen to people, especially if they're younger or 'less experienced' than you, you'll commit the same mistakes over and over again." She sips her drink, then points with a red nail.
"It feels weird, though; I'm barely getting used to the idea that the Dark Hour hasn't been around forever, and now I'm being told there's something that's older than me." A sharp little smile spreads across her lips. She shrugs. "Wild times we live in, mm?"
She pauses noticing several faces looking at her, as expectant as Minato is quiet. ".... You guys... realize I just went to Seijin no Hi this year, right? I'm old to you, yes, but I'm not *that* level of old." She gets out her phone, grumbling, just in case she needs to show some proof.
<Pose Tracker> Kanae Fuyuki has posed.
Coin mentions her attempt, and Kanae is thoughtful when she says it. "I see... I stumbled into one myself--with Isabeau." She sighs. "...It was different, back then."
"Anyway," she says, picking up her drink again and tilting her head, "I didn't know that about you, Coin. Probably the Wild Hunt handled it, in that case."
She... doesn't explain what they do. Not right now.
Kanae looks to Arisu as she mentions taking it all on herself--and to Kazusa, as she says what she does about reining her in. "We'll see," Kanae says.
But Hitomi? "I mean, I don't know you," Kanae admits. "But I'd rather crash than give up the things that are important to me. So like that, yeah."
Fuuka's relief gets a smile out of Kanae. "Right. It matters."
Umie, though... She is old. So Kanae waits, too. And she explains!
"Hmmm..."
Kanae will think about what she's said; the way it reflects on Umie. The way she's having to grapple with it. ...The way even experiened people can find things they don't know. But she doesn't say any of that. Instead, "Don't discount the Wild Hunt because they're mean--they've dealt with this stuff before... They're good at this. They've probably already made most of the mistakes we've not even started thinking about--and learned from them."
"So just... don't underestimate them. Especially not if they learn about this Foraine."
She lets that go--and then looks to Umie.
"Of course, auntie," Kanae assures Umie. "You're not old."
She smiles at her, but it's one of thsoe insufferable sass smiles.
Maybe somewhere Shiryuu is really satisfied for no reason.
<Pose Tracker> Coin has posed.
Inhaler? "I don't know what that is!" Coin says, sounding surprisingly cheerful about it. "But if you think that's the right one, it won't hurt to bring. We can go in and make sure it makes sense for what the Foraine is like... but you've been there for a long time AND you know her, so you would have a better idea than I do!"
If it's something about her health, like Arisu seems to think it is, then she should have the right idea of what to show, right? Coin actually isn't sure how you'd prove something about that, so hearing that other people have an idea is reassuring.
She puffs up with some pride again: "Obviously I will come with you," Coin says. "Surely I can help! I am, after all, a Hunter! I've been doing this my whole life!" It sounds like she's going to join the squad whether wanted or not... but Kanae did promise that they'd stick together. And not the Wild Hunt...
Is this why Umie said she might want to watch where she called herself a Hunter? Would they try to Hunt her, too? Isabeau certainly didn't seem to like her. ...but she doesn't really want to think about that right now, either. She puts it aside for the moment. She can worry about it later!
"Anyway... The good news is that, even though it has a time limit, it's not right away. It takes a while before it gets unstable and I think I'll be able to tell when it's getting that way. So we do have some time to do things... it would be good to help her, of course! But we won't fail if we don't do it right this second." Coin nods, then nods again, more to herself than anyone else.
And then Hitomi shows her a card. "Okay!" she says, committing the three of clubs to memory. She watches the cards vanish beneath the table, where she can't see them and assumes she's not supposed to; instead, she gets her soda again and takes another long drink from it.
This time she does sneeze, just as Hitomi's putting away the cards. She rubs under her nose and then sits there for a few moments.
...
...
"...um, Hitomi-san?" she asks, a few moments later. "Should I keep remembering this, or...?"
Sometimes - especially when she's so knowledgeable about how cognitive space works and giving such detailed information - it's easy to forget that Coin is, technically, the kouhai here... the somewhat gullible and trickable kouhai, when it comes to reality.
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
Kazusa folds her arms at Hitomi's statement. "They're acquaintances of mine, yes. And yes, funny that. Unless you disagree with the idea that we recruit more help?" she asks,a arching an eyebrow.
Fuuka reflects on how she's met a lot of people she wouldn't have otherwise. "... same here," she admits. One only need look at her guest list this weekend to see that.
"It's probably for the best that there's not a lot more of these," Kazusa remarks. She nods to Umie though. "You helped us out in Nagisa-san's Atelier, so, sure."
A defense mechanism, huh... but the Dark Hour. "Wait, it hasn't?" She'll have to ask about that one later.
Kazusa is still worried about, well, a lot of things (Arisu among them), but she tries to cover a small snort-laugh as Kanae sasses Umie.
But Coin says they have time, and Kazusa lets out a small sigh. "That's good. Hopefully nobody else gets drawn into the Foraine, either, while we figure this all out."
And maybe she can still enjoy her weekend without suddenly feeling too guilty.
<Pose Tracker> Isabeau Fontaine has posed.
Information-gathering is the name of the game, Fuuka.
And Isabeau -- the Wild Hunt's scout -- has been perfecting her skills in the area for some months, now.
In a separate booth nearby, she's sequestered herself away, headphones over her ears as she tunes a listening device to take in what she's receiving. A sickly girl... and new allies for Kanae...
Her mouth splits into a grin, all too proud of her works, as she realises the truth of the matter.
If she hadn't overheard a few things at school... she would never have known to lay a trap, here, in the 'one free room' of Mandragora.
And now... they know just who's trapped, in there.
Her father will want to hear about this... she'll get him to gather everyone, tomorrow.
... and if those people refuse to listen to them, well, it can just be a surprise when they fix everything.