01 - Pint Sized Terror Unleashed!

[bittydragon]

Who: Yamato Hotsuin and YOU!
Where: Taurus Ward at night
Summary: Yamato is more than a little disorientated
Warnings: A fire breathing dog. THE FIRE BREATHING DOG. Also Taurus ward I guess.

Yamato's brain felt like it was in the middle of a grand overload.

The bright neon lights, the bustle of people in all sorts of outlandish clothing moving from building to building in groups, the loud laughter and catcalls - it was so alien to Yamato, who had spent his years isolated in a quiet, out of the way mansion, that he found himself frozen in place, his head stiffly moving from side to side as he drank in the gaudy sight.

At least he had his faithful demon companion by his side. Cerberus was looming over him, more than twice his height, the beast's shoulders hunched in a tense way. Its body language clearly stated that it was prepared to lash out at anything that exhibited the slightest bit of threat, a low, muted growl rumbling in the back of its throat.

Yamato took an abrupt, cautious step forward, and Cerberus shadowed the movement. As... bewildering and confusing this was, he couldn't stand still all night. He...had to get to the bottom of this. A calm, detached observation of his surroundings, even if the lack of memory about his arrival here was disconcerting.

So. A child by his lonesome, dressed in a traditional yukata, with a Cerberus trailing after him... in the red light district during the busiest hour. Approach?

Comments

[terminally_clever]

[Still as demanding and to the point as ever. Fumi smiles a little before nodding her assent.]

Persona, as the term is employed in this world, refers to a spiritual entity present in those Philemon calls to this place, given form according to their innermost thoughts and desires. While this ability is latent at first, it can be awakened under extreme physical, mental, or emotional stress. I awakened my own by simply wandering into the midst of the demons that roam the streets of this city at night without my own demons there to protect me.

[There's a short pause here as she smirks.]

...Well, at first, anyway. Tao Tie made short work of things after my Persona had successfully awakened.

At any rate, that's what a Persona is. If you'd like to see mine, I can show you. I have two of them at the moment - in addition to your own Persona, which is linked directly to you, each person can also visit a location called the Velvet Room to borrow a secondary Persona to compensate for the weaknesses of the first.

[bittydragon]

[Yamato soaked this up like a sponge, although there was something peculiar. Where 'Chief Hotsuin' would have absorbed this information with a cold expression and a short nod, little Yamato looked openly fascinated. There was a sparkle to his eyes as he processed this information. It was actually quite clever to Yamato - Persona, in psychology this was a shield that humans adopted for social situations, a mask that granted them many social benefits if done well. Here, that shield manifested to protect against physical threats as well...!

What were the limitations? What happened if the Persona was 'destroyed'? Would the person's psyche be eradicated along with it? Put them in a coma? Or not harm them at all? What abilities would the Persona have? Direct reflection of what would represent the person? Could you speak to them and learn of your own hidden depths? What-]

I would like to see them.

[Oh yes, Fumi had Yamato.]

[terminally_clever]

It's only possible to call forth a single Persona at a time, but I'll show you them both in turn.

[Fumi turns to Lugh, the demon she'd brought with her that has been standing idly by the entire time, alert for any interlopers.]

Lugh, see to it that we're undisturbed.

[The spearman nods back at her, and with a moment's concentration, Fumi summons her Persona.]

This is Vapula. I assume you're familiar with the name.

[bittydragon]

Great Duke of Hell that teaches philosophy, mechanics and sciences.

[That was rattled off like Yamato plucked it from a book, and he studied the Persona closely, even taking a step forwards to get a better look. Cerberus, on the other hand, looked twitchy, the demon growling uncertainly]

I see... I presume its personality isn't like the actual demon itself?

[terminally_clever]

The very same.

[As expected of the scion of the Hotsuin family.]

It's more of an amalgam of the personality of the demon and my own. It is a part of my subconscious, after all.

[bittydragon]

That is something I wish to ask - if it is part of your subconsciousness, yet is used in battle, what happens if it is damaged or destroyed?

[terminally_clever]

Damage to one's Persona translates directly into damage against the Persona user. I assume complete destruction of the Persona would result in coma or death, though I have no concrete data to back this up for what are probably obvious reasons.

[bittydragon]

Hm...

[A rather large drawback. Yamato was almost disappointed]

What is your other Persona?

[terminally_clever]

[Fumi's unable to stop herself from smirking a little as she dismisses Vapula and calls out her other Persona - a group of knights in black armor.]

These are the Knights Who Say Ni.

[She's carefully restraining her laughter here - if Miyako had never heard of Monty Python, there's no way Yamato ever had. Especially a Yamato this young.]

[bittydragon]

[Yamato tilts his head to the side in confusion. The Knights Who Say Ni?]

I have... never heard of them.

[terminally_clever]

I assumed as much.

[sigh]

You won't find any references to them in classical mythology. They're from a movie I was rather fond of during my time studying abroad in England. The fact that they exist in this form here does serve as an interesting illustration of the wide variety of concepts that can give rise to a Persona, however. The only limit appears to be that of the human imagination and the collective unconscious.

[bittydragon]

A... movie? The things civilians watch for entertainment?

[So a Persona could take any form? Anything could represent a human mind... interesting. What would Yamato's be? Something he would know and associate with?]

[terminally_clever]

That's correct. Fascinating, isn't it?

[bittydragon]

Yes...

[Pause]

You said that you unlocked your Persona by creating a dire situation for yourself, correct? So, if I were to mimic your technique, then...

[His Persona would arise too!]

[terminally_clever]

It's the most reliable method I've heard of. Supposedly any kind of stress will work, but physical danger seems to be the most common.

[And clearly Fumi has no problems giving this sort of advice to a child. Or rather, a child of the Hotsuin family. Which is admittedly a pretty big distinction.]

I'd be remiss in failing to mention that your sister is here in the city as well, however. You should probably take this plan up with her first just to be sure. If something were to happen to you... well, she's the one signing my research grants at the moment. I'm sure you understand my position here.

[bittydragon]

[Yamato grimaced a bit in confusion. His sister? Many questions bubbled up then, but the most prevalent was 'why take it up with her'? Signing research grants? That wasn't their job yet. She shouldn't be old enough to act in Yamato's absence...]

Why is Miyako acting as Chief? She shouldn't be old enough to yet.

[terminally_clever]

Whatever magic or other contrivance is in place in this city to draw us here to fight this battle, in addition to being capable of bringing people here from different worlds, can also access different points along the timeline of an individual plane of existence. Just as I've arrived here from a future in which I work under you once you've become the head of JP's, your sister has arrived from a point in time when she's old enough to be acting in an official capacity as well.

[bittydragon]

...

[...]

...

[Goddammit. That meant... the Hotsuin family worked on a very strict hierarchy, and Yamato had worked seven years of his life in being at the very top of that hierarchy. It helped that he and Miyako were the only sole 'pure' Hotsuin left alive, so Yamato had no other competition but Miyako. He always bested her though, which was why Yamato was on top of the pyramid, and Miyako was his support as the foundation of it.

But... if she was old enough to act officially as Chief, then... their roles have been reversed. Miyako would have experience from age, strength from a fully mature body, and the resources from her time as Chief, whereas Yamato, currently, was still learning, still growing...]

I see. Still, there is no need to bring her into this. In fact, I would appreciate if you wouldn't alert her to my existence for now.

[terminally_clever]

There's no need. I assume she'll find out in due course on her own.

[Miyako's not stupid, after all, and Fumi knows she keeps a close eye on new arrivals to the city.]

[bittydragon]

She would, but until then...

[Urgh. What a mess. Yamato feared he was pulling a bit of a face at this point]

Until then, I will require some form of lodgings until I settle myself for what's to come.

[He stared at Fumi expectantly then. If Miyako was acting as Chief, then he expected there to be some form of JP's base...?]

[terminally_clever]

You should already have a government subsidized apartment in your name that you'll be able to access once you've checked yourself in at City Hall, but if you'd prefer to stay at the JP's base, it happens to be located conveniently next door. It's only the main room, but I have a temporary sleeping arrangement set up there for when I work through the night that I don't mind allowing you to use until you've got something else arranged.