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

[jumyouboshi]

"...There are two beings known as Philemon and Nyarlathotep. The former has brought those who possess potential here, and granted them with the power of Persona."

He sighed. Mentally, he didn't quite count himself in the category of "those with potential"; he simply used that phrase in order to simplify things, and to make it more...explainable as to why Yamato was here. It was rather clear that he disliked the notion of humanity being toyed with...yet again (though Yamato wouldn't know about the first time, at his age). Alcor stepped (well, more like floated) forward, closing the distance between them.

[bittydragon]

"For what purpose?" Yamato's tone was turning a bit... clipped, more professional as he gleaned whatever information he could from Alcor. Nyarlathotep he was aware of - it was a creature of primordial chaos, one of many faces, and who revelled in the dark desires of humanity. Philemon... he was not so familiar with. An opposite of Nyarlathotep perhaps? An entity of law and order?

[jumyouboshi]

"To defend this city. It is part of a game of sorts between them."

Normally, Alcor was alright with games, given his own with Yamato, and so he would have normally responded with at least a bit of mirth in it. However, his displeasure of the idea was becoming rather obvious. Nevertheless, he had little say in it. All he could do was observe and provide humanity with the tools to forge their own fates, without divine intervention.

[bittydragon]

Well, this is was peculiar. Yamato rarely saw Alcor getting aggravated or annoyed, and he eyed the entity with renewed interest, even as he mulled over the words. To defend this city...? A game? Ridiculous.

"I don't understand why they would presume people to just obediently defend this city," Yamato muttered, crossing his arms with a small huff. He smiled though, the curve of his mouth razor thin like a knife.

"Ah, how interesting. But troublesome. I have no intention of being some stranger's pawn."

[jumyouboshi]

"I doubt many do," he sighed.

Humans valued their freedom, after all. Alcor floated even closer, and bent down a little, almost kneeling, before stretching out his hand. Whether the young boy would take it or not...was another matter.

Attempt number two.

"...It would be wise to take caution while navigating the city. You are not exactly knowledgeable about it."

[bittydragon]

Yamato stared at the hand with a frown, his body tense before he slowly, very slowly, reached out - almost hesitatingly, like a feral cat...

Only to gently push Alcor's hand away from him, pulling away with a prideful tilt to his jaw. "Then you lead, and I'll follow," he said, keeping his hands tight against his side. Stubborn pride, not even strange circumstances would weaken it.

[jumyouboshi]

"...Very well," he complied.

Alcor pulled away, straightened up once more, literally looking down on Yamato as the latter was so short and tiny. Then, he began to float in some direction, looking back at Yamato and Cerberus, making sure that he wasn't floating too quickly, but not too slowly so the boy wouldn't become aggravated at his speed either.

[bittydragon]

Yamato walked after him, his geta clacking loudly against the tarmac of the street. He stuck quite close to Alcor, not allowing him to move beyond four feet away. The red light district was thick with crowd, and, truthfully, Alcor's black and red stripped attire was blending in quite nicely with all the bright neon colours. It made Yamato genuinely worried that he would lose the entity in this place.

Soon, though, the crowd began to thin out, and Yamato huffed a little in exertion. He had spent a somewhat sedentary life thus far, reading and learning, and being chauffeured to his destinations by car... yes, walking long distances was not something Yamato was used to, although he'd be damned before he admitted exhaustion.

[jumyouboshi]

Alcor looked back behind him, only to see a slightly tired Yamato trailing behind him. The first thought that came to mind was that he pick the boy up and carry him in his arms, but judging from his response to holding out his hand earlier, Alcor could guess that that wouldn't be well met.

"Why not use Cerberus?", he suggested.

[bittydragon]

Yamato shot Alcor a venomous look - irritated mostly at himself for being found out, than for the suggestion itself.

"I'm fine," he said stiffly, his pride wounded. "I'm not so incapable that walking to our destination is beyond me."

[jumyouboshi]

"Yet...are you aware of what our destination is?"

Because as far as Alcor knew, Yamato was only a recent arrival, and somewhat blindly placing his trust in Alcor. A sobering thought.

[bittydragon]

"No," Yamato said without hesitation. He looked up at Alcor, and for a moment, he truly did look like a child. There was no suspicion or wariness in his wide eyes as he looked up at the star, just simple expectation that wherever Alcor was leading him, it wasn't dangerous.

Yes, it was trust that was shining in his eyes - although Yamato would sooner rip out his tongue than admit it.

[jumyouboshi]

...

...There was no way that he could refuse that. Perhaps it was care, perhaps it was his own guilt (for twisted the Hotsuin family into what it became, limiting the freedoms of its own members), but whatever it was, something made him slightly more down at the thought.

"The government building. It possesses information that you require, such as where you will be staying."

[bittydragon]

"I don't understand," Yamato said, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "Are we not returning to the manor?"

The thought that Alcor could be trapped here admittedly didn't cross his mind. He was used to Alcor being unbound, able to slip between even the most powerful of enchantments and prisons as he pleased. Always unhindered. World hopping was probably ridiculously easy for him, yes?

[jumyouboshi]

He had him there. It was true, he had the ability to hop between worlds, but what good would that do if he 1. couldn't do it anymore and 2. didn't want to in the first place, as that meant that he would go back to being nothing...?

"...Suffice it to say that I have duties to attend to here, so if you were to return, I cannot accompany you."

Of course, it would have certainly helped if he elaborated on what "here" was.

[bittydragon]

There was a bit of a pause.

"I see," Yamato said neutrally, his mouth flattening into a somewhat unhappy line. What duties were these? Yamato felt something... odd stir in his stomach. It was an unpleasant feeling. He ignored it, shoving it down into a dark little box.

[jumyouboshi]

Alcor continued to float in silence. Even though he could have simply teleported the both of them to the government building, it was probably better that the boy get a feel for the city now, with Alcor hovering by his side if anything went wrong, as opposed to wandering out later and escaping his watchful eye.

Finally, the government building came into view, looming ahead.

[bittydragon]

Yamato had been drinking in the sights at they walked, trying to commit as much as possible to memory. He could see demons in full view in this city, meshing well with the human populace. It was... bewildering. In their world, demons were hidden from the public eye, but here...

"Is demon summoning a common art here?"

If so, Yamato could at least continue his studies here, or, perhaps, learn something new and innovative for when he returned.

[jumyouboshi]

Alcor nodded.

"That's correct. The population is familiar with demons, and the dangers they present to them."

Of course, Yamato Hotsuin would pick up on that much. He was a sharp boy, very much so, and he would probably find a wealth of knowledge in regards to demon summoning and the duties of his clan here. ...Not to mention the Personae either.

[bittydragon]

There was no other way to describe it; Yamato's eyes lit up in what could only be called childish fascination.

"Is that so...? I wonder if they've developed differing techniques than those in our world? It would be interesting to compare and contrast, see if they have something more efficient to incorporate into the Hotsuin's way..."

[jumyouboshi]

"Yes, they have. There are a great many things here you can learn."

Alcor suddenly stopped his floating, planting his feet on the ground, and reached down to lightly pet the top of Yamato's hair, mess of hair in the back that resembled a duckbutt included. Then, he pulled his hand away quickly, as if he did nothing out of the ordinary.

[bittydragon]

"Ah-?"

Yamato stood stock still, blinking up at Alcor in obvious confusion at the affectionate gesture. They rarely touched, if ever. Yamato could count on one hand the amount of times Alcor had touched him in their two years together, and they hadn't been little hair pets or- anything, really.

He wasn't sure how to react. "Wh... why did...?"

[jumyouboshi]

"I had thought it an appropriate gesture. Was I wrong?"

After all, it was partly because he was acting on feeling, and partly because he had observed that physical contact was a good way to convey one's feelings. Guilt, nostalgia, a slight bit of happiness, and more remorse...it was a confusing mix of emotions. Actions spoke louder than words, was it? Of course, it also helped that Alcor didn't quite mind initiating physical contact...just when he was receiving it. Nevertheless, he seemed to have shrugged it off, continuing to float toward their destination.

[bittydragon]

Yamato quickly composed himself when he realised that Alcor was beginning to move away, and trotted after him. He still looked ruffled, and he was shooting the star agitated looks, his mouth twisted unhappily. He said nothing more on the matter, however.

"Will my accommodations be close to yours?" he asked at last.

[jumyouboshi]

"Who knows? I cannot say."

It wasn't under his control whether Yamato would be assigned a certain homestead or not. ...However, they could certainly request that he move in, or something along those lines. It might be better for him to move in with his own twin sister, though. Hotsuins sticking with Hotsuins.