Light up City Hall [Open]

[hinoto_ri]

✜

Who: Anyone who read the message and wants to visit Town Hall
Where: Leo Ward Town Hall, Council Chambers 2nd Floor(see the map )
Summary: The town officials talk about the Visitors and the Visitors aren't even invited! What gives?!
Warnings: Depends who shows up.
Music: Unfinished Symphony

September 13th was nothing out of the ordinary. It hadn't been long before the news of the Virgo monster, defeated by the town's weapons (and with the aid of four Visitors, but that was downplayed by the media), got out. The question now asked by the other councilmen was "why do we need the Visitors at all?"

A question that might not have been asked in the first place if it hadn't been for that strange sickness that none of them knew about: TRIHARDO.

It wasn't that they hated the Visitors - far from it. Apart from perhaps a select few councilmen and townspeople, most enjoyed having the Visitors around. However those that argued that they had too many rights, and that they were given permissions even they couldn't enjoy, grew louder and louder until the Mayor had no choice but to hold an emergency meeting. At 8 AM that morning, the rooms of town hall burst with life, the Mayor entering last in what was no doubt going to be a political headache. And with the voting just a few months away...

... The Visitors weren't invited. In fact, this meeting was not publicized at all, just rumored once or twice.

What they didn't know couldn't hurt them, right? So what if they ended up voting a few new rules to keep them in check... they'd understand that, right?

Too bad someone seemed to think they should go, or at least pay a visit and find out what was happening.

If they did climb to the 2nd floor, they would notice a force-field around the chambers - extremely powerful magic as a few demons stood guard, ironically. In front, Junko and Isabelle were discussing among themselves.

"But Junko...!" the small anthropomorphic dog with the clipboard exclaimed. "The Visitors are all doing their best for the city too! They should be able to have some input on laws that affect them!"

Once she saw the group approaching up the stairs, though, she quickly covered her mouth with a paw, staring at the ground and shuffling her feet back and forth.

Junko, on the other hand, didn't seem too surprised to see Visitors appearing and quietly adjusted her glasses.

"I'm not sure what brought you all here, but I'm afraid this meeting is off limits."

[OOC: You can specify who you want to speak in your threads or thread together without the NPCS. Isabelle or Junko might show up in their threads for a comment or two.
Just a note: no one will be able to get in, no matter how hard you try.]

Comments

[worked_through_labor_day]

I'm sorry!

[Isabelle frowns, bowing politely.]

Please bear with us just a little longer!

[phantom_envoy]

All is forgiven.

As long as you tell me in detail what you're sorry about. And you might as well explain the extenuating circumstances and repeat it a few times, too.

[worked_through_labor_day]

For all the...

[Isabelle glances back at where the barrier is set up, and the demons standing guard, shrinking a little.]

...extra security. But it's all to ensure that the Mayor's meeting goes smoothly! He's busy addressing the concerns of the citizens.

[phantom_envoy]

And the concerns of the citizens are...?

[Phantom Girl pauses before helpfully supplying -- ]

Us?

[worked_through_labor_day]

[Ouch, getting right down to business. Isabelle glances around nervously before nodding.]

Well... yes. But the Mayor is just doing his job! I'm sure he has everyone's happiness in mind, even the visitors!

[phantom_envoy]

...Trust me, I know how keeping the masses happy works. I don't blame this guy.

What I don't get is why you're having a meeting about us when you were throwing us a festival last week.

[worked_through_labor_day]

Oh... yes, that must be very confusing. The festival was to show the city's appreciation for everything the visitors have done, but after the monster attacked and it was defeated by one of the government's weapon, there were people who started to wonder why we need to keep the visitors here at all. So that's what the meeting is about.

[phantom_envoy]

...

In other words, you guys are so fickle that you can perform a total 180 without any shame whatsoever in the space of a week.

Why is this not surprising at all?

[worked_through_labor_day]

The Mayor is just responding to the will of the people! I'm sure if the visitors wanted to have a meeting of their own and asked nicely, he would be happy to hear their concerns too.

[phantom_envoy]

Why do you keep harping on the Mayor? I mean everyone in the city.

[She gives a small shrug, although she can't keep the note of disappointment out of her voice as she ascends a few feet into the world.]

It's always the same, pretty much. You can spend all your time saving the universe, but you mess up once - or sometimes you don't even need to mess up - and everyone's all over you for not doing your job.

Cynicism comes with the gig.

[worked_through_labor_day]

Oh... yes, I see your point.

[Isabelle frowns, trying to think of a bright point here.]

But I think most of the people in the city like the visitors! The overall citizen satisfaction is actually pretty high.

[The news media can say whatever it wants, but Isabelle has access to the real numbers and isn't shy about sharing them.]

[phantom_envoy]

So these are the town crazies in there?

[The most vocal segment of the population did get the most attention. Squeaky wheel, grease, etc.]

I can't say I'm convinced, but. If you say so.

[A slight pause.]

...Who are you supposed to be, again?

[worked_through_labor_day]

My name is Isabelle! I'm working with Miss Junko as the Mayor's assistant.

[phantom_envoy]

...And you're a demon? Like the Pixies that work for the computer guy?

[This is probably a rude question, but it was perfectly legitimate in Hinoto-Ri.]

[worked_through_labor_day]

No, I'm a visitor too. That's why I'm not allowed inside either.

[phantom_envoy]

...Since when have we had a personal assistant to the Mayor? Shouldn't this be something we ought to hear bout?

[hinoto_ri]

Miss Isabelle has been with us for a month.

[Oh did you guys forever about Junko she's still right there, tapping her pen.]

However, she is right. Addressing the concerns of he citizens might calm them down, and the mayor is very attached to the city and protecting it. I cannot say that I understand your frustrations, as I am a permanent resident of Hinoto-Ri, but I ask that you also look at it from their point of view.

The defeat of the last Astrology Monster by our own teams is not a situation where you 'messed up' but rather that for the first time, we were able to accomplish something significant. Should that change anything? I disagree. But this meaning is also meant to addresses a few issues that had been pressured onto him lately regarding the 13th hour permits, the fact not all visitors of legal age are attending schools, the disregard for rules that our citizens have to obey and so forth.

While I would have vastly preferred a full discussion involving both Visitors and Permanent Citizens, certain members of the cabinet should be...ahh...kept in check. Keep in mind that very few normal citizens are present in this meeting, and, to put it bluntly, this is also a political discussion. If the mayor had continued to ignore the situation, especially with what happened with Virgo, it could have spelled a much worst disaster.

And I would personally enjoy continuing having him as our mayor then someone who has a dislike of Visitors. The paper nightmare that this would ensue is already giving me headaches.

[worked_through_labor_day]

I was planning on introducing myself sooner than this, but it's been a very busy month, getting used to coming to a new place and working under a new mayor. This city is so much bigger than New Leaf! It's a little overwhelming. And learning how to use my Persona was really hard, too!

[Isabelle frowns for a moment as she looks back at Phantom Girl.]

I suppose I really should say hello to the rest of the visitors now that I'm all settled in, though. I'd like to be able to represent their concerns to the Mayor if I can, so that everyone in Hinoto-Ri can come together and live peacefully as a single community. There's no reason we should all have to fight with each other.

[phantom_envoy]

This is a political discussion. Exactly.

As a matter of fact, we are not visitors or tourists or even expatriates who chose to settle in your city under the mutual understanding that we needed to abide by the laws of a different government. Visitor is a euphemism. We're Abductees. We have no representation, no diplomatic mission, and no embassy. Whether or not the citizens of the city were involved in the process, a representative of your world decided to bring us here at his whims without making any actual arrangements for the necessary bureaucracy. And yes, sometimes bureaucracy is necessary.

If you can't see why we feel threatened by secret meetings about our future, then you haven't considered it from our point of view. You could decide to vote to keep us locked in an underground bunker in 9x9 cells and it would be perfectly legal under your current laws. Do you even have a basic charter concerning human rights? What about alien rights or nonhuman person rights?

The fact that we've managed to be here for a year without any sort of institution concerning Visitor representation in political and legal affairs is just sloppy. I haven't said anything, because let's face it, an eighteen year old junior ambassador should hardly be the one informing you about proper policy, but if you're going to have awkward clandestine discussions about our rights, then something needs to change.

Frankly, this whole situation would be completely illegal in any government under the United Planets.

[Isabelle's well meaning interjections, unfortunately, go largely ignored.]