destinystrings | [Game Opening, Part 3

Entry tags:

[Game Opening, Part 3 - A Call To Action]

Who: (Everyone OPEN LOG)
Where: (City Hall)
Summary: (After your Arrival and being Explained the Situation...things start to get a little...tense)
Warnings: (Action)
Style: (The text is in prose, but feel free to write back in action tags if you feel more comfortable.)

After questions were answered, a man finally appears into the room, after having talked with his daughter.

"I apologize for making you all wait."

After introducing himself, Takeharu begins to explain in more detail what they've learned from this world. He goes on about the life in the city, the hurdles they had to overcome...and the strange phenomenon of the 13th hour.

"...and once midnight hits, a 13th hour commences. We had a name for a similar phenomenon in my world; the Dark Hour. However, this one doesn't seem to be caused by rampaging Shadows. We are still investigating as to why it exists...and in due time you might aid us in this task. You will all be able to observe it for yourselves quickly enough, although I would strongly suggest doing so in your own apartments. Not only are you all new visitors, previous Persona users or otherwise, but the moon is full tonight, which means the demonic population will be at a dangerous, aggressive level."

"Now before we continue, we should talk about the--"

Aries Sector : SECURED.

Taurus Sector: WARNING! SECTOR F1 CURRENTLY COMPROMISED!

Gemini Sector: WARNING! SECTOR E8 & E9 CURRENTLY COMPROMISED!

Cancer Sector: SECURED.

Leo Sector: SECURED.

Virgo Sector: WARNING! SECTOR A7 CURRENTLY COMPROMISED!

Libra Sector: WARNING! SECTOR G5 CURRENTLY COMPROMISED!

Scorpio Sector: SECURED.

Sagittarius Sector: WARNING! SECTOR C4 & B4 CURRENTLY COMPROMISED!

Capricorn Sector: WARNING! SECTOR A3 CURRENTLY COMPROMISED!

Aquarius Sector: SECURED.

Pisces Sector: SECURED.

"I repeat..."

"Damn! Six out of Twelve," A gruff-looking man stepped into the room. Judging from his outfit, he was important.

"I only know one group who's able to pull this off...the Anoli."

Takeharu looks at Kiyoshi and both men nod silently.

"We were going to talk about this later, but we don't have much time to explain who they are..."

More men appear; members of the city's Special Assault Team. About half of the men have a small flame insignia on their uniform's elbow; this signifies they are Persona users.

While Takeharu explains to the new arrivals, Kiyoshi is busy on some screens, and is talking to others by holographic projection.

"Give me a status report!"

"Sir! I've got two men down here. The doors are holding but we'll need backup as soon as you can give it to me!"

"I've got a group in route, and soon a Persona team as well."

"Reiko and myself are holding, but I believe they've been sending the blunt of their force here and in the Gemini area. No doubt to steal the prototypes we've been working on..."

"We should be able to fight them back for now, but I can't tell how many they are."

"I've got team Beta heading over. I'll send a team of Users as well."

"Sir! Massive attack in the Virgo Sector! They've broken some of the fences holding back the demonic population. There's risk of civilian casualties at this rate..."

"DAMMIT! Send a team of Wands there to patch that up as soon as they are available. I'll send a team with them to protect while they do their work."

"Sir! The Gemini Power Plant is under attack! I think they're attempting a blackout so they can get into the Laboratory."

"This is a nightmare. And where is--"

"--he went off to fight them."

"DAMMIT! We can't let him get harmed. I'm sending a team after him."

"Libra's Coin Office Tower is under attack, Sir! They're trying to get to the upper levels where we have the monetary databanks."

"A heist as well...damn they really went all out for this one...trying to cripple us from all angles."

When he's finally done, he turns over to the entire crowd. His voice is as booming as his body language. Despite the crisis he is calm and collected, easy to see why he is the Commissioner General.

"Alright listen up, since I can't repeat myself twice! We have a major crisis our hands. Anoli have broken into six sectors and my men can't fight all of them at once. None of you know me and I only know your names. Most of you haven't used a Persona yet, but I bet you've all got a few tricks up your sleeves. Magic, Weapons, Technology, whatever it is, bring it with you and we'll form you into teams. We were going to do this much more quietly later, but it looks like the Anoli have a different idea."

"Priority number one is to protect all civilians and to keep deaths as low as possible, even against the Anoli. Disarm, disable, diswhatever, as long as it's not kill and destroy. I'd rather let them in jail and face justice than to spill even more blood from this conflict." He turns around and starts to leave,

"If any of you lack weapons, talk to Q. I'm sure he'll be happy to provide you with some."

Policemen swarm around him and they start to go off in work and prepare, leaving you a bit of time before you are all called out in groups.

[OOC - Groups will be rolled later tonight, and then each mission will get it's own log. Those who wish to join in the first mission must do so in the sign-up post [LINKED HERE], but signing up doesn't mean you'll get picked - only that you are okay with joining this mission.]

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Well, she sure seemed to miss quite a bit while she was meeting up with her father. The Dark Hour, but lack of Shadows. The Fulls Moons still having an effect, and... also Takeba's father.

Not more than a few hours and this world's already throwing her for a loop.

Nonetheless, despite better judgement and the wanting to stay behind to help protect her father, Mitsuru knew she could be of use on the field. She didn't quite have the same field leadership capabilities as Minato all the time, but the people new to Persona would need some help, not to mention that not everyone was proficient in wielding a weapon.

She stands at the ready, hovering near the walls of where her father exited. They will not going to break through on her watch.

This had been a night of many emotions - for Minako, and even more certainly for the familiar red-haired young woman she spots standing by the door.

But one of Minako's greatest traits is her ability to bounce back. Speaking with Akihiko - and Minato - had prepared her for what could happen, and regardless of it Mitsuru could definitely use a friendly face right now. If there's a chance she can provide that, she has to try.

"Hello, Mitsuru-senpai..." An easy, friendly smile goes with the greeting. "This... may be a strange question, but do you remember me?"

Senpai and a uniform. Once her attention is fully turned to the girl, Mitsuru is raking her brain for a memory, a conversation. Hell, even a mention from Yukari about a particular girl at school, or someone coming to her about a conflict for Student Council to handle.

But nothing comes up. And for some reason, she gets the feeling that Minako would stand out to her.

There's a sigh, and Mitsuru looks a bit forlorn and apologetic. "I apologize, I don't. But you've attended Gekkoukan, have you not?"

The news is exactly what she'd feared, but the smile doesn't leave her face. "That's right. But don't worry... it seems that it's not the same Gekkoukan you know."

She blinks, slightly confused. Was she referencing parallel universes like in some science fiction? Mitsuru would think something like that would be impossible, but she's already been hit several times with impossible news today.

"May I ask how it is different?"

Sorry, Mitsuru... the sci-fi became real a few hours ago when Philemon brought them here.

"...You know my brother. Minato Arisato."

"...Your brother?"

Excuse her, she's not completely brain broken, but if memory serves her right...

"I don't remember coming across that he had a sister in his records."

"He didn't... anymore. In your world I died ten years ago."

Which should be enough for Mitsuru to fill in some blanks. Because she's definitely not brain broken.

It does, but it still leaves her with a lingering brain broken feeling. She needs to consider this for a moment.

"So you-- does that mean you were involved in the accident where he lost his parents?" She glances downward, closing her eyes and thinking. "Then, if that's true, that must been that he faced the same fate as you."

She looks back up at Minako, face searching for a correction to her theory. It's not exactly a parallel universe theory, but something close to it. "Correct?"

"That's right. From what he's told me, anyway, it sounds like we've been through the same things. I... was surprised to see him here, too."

She pauses, then smiles again. "I know this is awkward... you don't know anything about me, after all. But if things in your world worked out anything like they did in mine... Thank you so much for supporting him, Senpai."

Edited 2012-09-04 18:51 (UTC)

"This place is full of surprises it seems." She's trying to lighten the mood a little, having someone with Minako's personality does help too.

She nods, looking a little pensive at the thank you. It's honest, she can tell, but everything that they all went through-- that she lead them too, just comes rushing back. Mitsuru's expression becomes a little strained again.

"You're welcome, although it was a group effort. And..." Man, this really is awkward, "...if you went through the same trials as he did, then I must thank you as well."

Assuming she met the same fate as Minato of course.

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greatseal - 2012-09-05 00:09 (UTC) - Expand

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empressive - 2012-09-05 00:17 (UTC) - Expand

Once he learned about terrorist factions, this 13th hour, and other portions of the city's defense, Barnaby realized that they had barely scratched the surface of what was here. Not only that, but the explosion that rocked the building was a pretty good indicator that they might see combat sooner than anyone had anticipated.

In some ways, maybe that was for the best. Barnaby couldn't go all out unless he was on the field. If he was expected to wield this Persona ability, now was as good a time as any to figure out how to do that.

Thankfully, no one appeared to be hurt, but that didn't mean they were safe. With no use for a weapon (his body and abilities served well enough), all he and Kotetsu could do was wait for them to get sorted into teams. Of course, Barnaby thought it was awfully presumptuous of these people to assume they would be so quick to cooperate. But if civilians were truly in danger, then...

Barnaby shook himself out of his thoughts as his gaze settled on a young woman he'd seen earlier. Once again flipping the mask back from his suit in order to reveal his face, he approached her.

"Excuse me, but am I correct in assuming you were escorted here like the rest of us?" Barnaby asked.

Really, she shouldn't be surprised at the sight of Barnaby's suit. With people from different worlds here, it's not a far cry that someone would arrive in something like that. Still, when he approaches her, she can't help but give him a look over. A... suit for protection maybe? Her curiousity is definitely peeked. Maybe they can recreate something like that for the citizens here.

"Yes, I have. Unfortunately, I seemed to have missed some of the announcements made earlier though." She sighs. Family matters are quite important, but she wouldn't have minded being around to be informed of the situation.

Helmet no longer covering his face, Barnaby had difficulty seeing the young woman without his glasses, but he held himself in a way that didn't betray that fact. Countless appearances in front of the cameras made him an expert at it. Going by what he had seen of her before, though, he suspected she couldn't have been much older than Blue Rose.

"That is unfortunate," Barnaby politely agreed. "Since we have some time before we're separated into groups, I could try to cover some of the main points for you if you'd like."

Of course, his offer didn't exactly come from the generosity of his heart. Barnaby mostly wanted to make sure everyone was up to speed with what was happening in case they got swept into combat sooner than they expected. Things were confusing enough without seeing someone who missed the informational session get sent out onto the field.

Besides, it tied into the reason why he'd come to speak to her in the first place.

"Although," he added, "it seems you might be more informed about certain things than some of the others here. I noticed you speaking with Mr. Kirijo, for example."

She nods politely. At least someone was willing to fill her in, and was quite polite about it himself. "I'd appreciate that very much, thank you. It seems a great deal was explained."

But, ah, was that his reason for the offer? Her face returns to it's usual demeanor, and she considers perhaps telling the truth. It was bound to come out after all eventually, but she may be pressed for more information or private access to him, or make a target of herself and be a burden to her father and disturb his work.

No. It was probably for the best right now that she doesn't associate with him. In a city where people come from all sorts of different worlds and have different goals, she can't quite afford to trust others just yet, fearing another Ikutsuki incident might happen.

"...We come from the same world, and I had previous business with him that needed to be attended to. I'm afraid I might not know much else about this city than what he disclosed just now."

So there was a definite connection between the two of them before her arrival, even if the young woman only offered a few vague details about it. He suspected there was more to the story, and Barnaby wasn't sure how he felt about how easily people accepted the "different worlds" spiel, but he didn't feel inclined to point either of that out. Instead, his expression remained perfectly unassuming.

"I see," he answered. Although he figured this "business" would shed more light on their relationship and her possible connection to this place, Barnaby didn't pry. If she'd wanted him to know the details, she would have been more specific. More questions or comments could come across as rude or obnoxious. There was nothing else for him to do except move onto a different topic for the time being.

"Well, in any case, they covered a lot of material while you busy," Barnaby continued, easily moving onto the other vein of conversation. "It seems there were seven others brought here before the rest of us arrived. Several people from that group did most of the speaking. They've apparently been busy with preparing for our arrival.

"For example--" He paused as he willed his COMP to spring into motion across his eyes. "--they developed this device so we could have easy access to information about the city, among other things. The watches as well."

Seven others? She had to wonder if her father was included within that group, but then if he was, he might have stayed a little longer to deal with the new arrivals. No, he probably had another position of power here.

"They had foresight in knowing we'd be here? Or just general preparation?" It's not the strangest thing she's heard tonight, but it was a little unnerving. Knowing her father, it was probably the later, making sure that anyone and everyone that arrived here was well suited for the city's situation.

At the sight of the comp, Mitsuru almost instinctively reached back to check one of her own ears. She hadn't even felt that something was placed there. "A curious piece of technology. It looks like it can be used for communication as well. Which one of them designed it?"

This world's thrown just about everyone on their asses, though Shinjiro doubts many can handle the recent circumstances with the same kind of sophisticated decorum Mitsuru can.

After running in to Aki, he's been more inclined to walking around, searching for the familiar. He spots her not long after the announcements—that was Mitsuru's father all right—and eventually finds his way into her area.

His approach is a meandering one, and almost awkward, in Shinjiro's own concealed way: stiff, hunched shoulders, hands shoved deep into his apparently bottomless pockets as if he might strangle someone if he were to pull them out. It suggests that he doesn't have the foggiest idea how he should go about this kind of thing (dead people usually don't just pop out of thin air and say hello), and to be quite frank, he doesn't.

The only thing that makes any sort of difference is she's not the first. Aki was. Makes things a bit easier to handle, now that you have a general idea about what to expect.

"Hey."

Luckily enough for Shinjiro, Mitsuru's seen enough dead people walking around breathing to not be entirely freaked out. While she hasn't been purposefully looking for him, the idea that he would be here was plausible.

That's why when she catches sight of that familiar coat, that gait and stance, she can't help but stare in wonder. There still didn't seem to be a reason of how Minato, her father and him were here, but she knows she shouldn't be worrying over the whys and hows. She should just be glad enough that they are here now and alive.

"Shinjiro," She relaxes a bit, her smile a little tired, but sincere. She never was as close to him at Akihiko was-- is, but she still missed him when he left SEES and after his death.

"...It's good to see you."

A nod. "Yeah."

He keeps his legs rooted to where he stands, straightening, and looking her over. She seems okay, if tired. Probably shouldn't be a surprise, considering this place, and how she always seemed to be trying to manage everything and make sure shit didn't fall apart at her feet. He can take that. As long as she's still alive, that's fine. Aki had said as much, hadn't he? Though he had yet to get his ears stuffed with all the thrilling details.

"You look like you could use some coffee."

Her smile almost falls at his comment. A Kirijo looking exhausted? Even through all the curve balls that were thrown her way, she couldn't have that, especially if they were to be dispatched into combat.

"That sounds like an excellent idea." Her smile comes back, weak but honest. He looked good, far better than the blood soaked and weak state he was in when she last saw him. Akihiko will be very pleased to see him.

"It seems we still have some time here before we need to be separated into groups. Would you care to join me?"

Thinly-veiled conscription. It was making his hell of a day even better.

But he tilts his head at the invitation. The food had looked decent—at least enough to pass his initial inspection—and if this place couldn't make a decent cup of coffee, it's more of a lost cause than he initially thought.

He nods. "If you're buying."

"It would be my pleasure." Provided, of course, that this place actually recognized Yen as currency. If not, then she owes him. Simple as that.

Truthfully though, she's a little relieved to see him complying and taking up the invitation. They never really did 'hang out' together, not in the same sense as the two boys did. And if they did, it was all three of them. She's glad to get the opportunity now to talk to him, after all that's happened.

She starts toward the tables, heading more for the beverages and not even batting an eyelash at the food. This really wasn't the time to be gorge oneself. She should say something to start off, but small talk never was Mitsuru's forte.

"...How are you?"

Luckily for Mitsuru, she probably won't even have to shell out a single yen or any other type of currency. He's pretty sure all the refreshments are as free as anything in life is going to get. Nothing like free food and shit to woo the kidnapped population into complacency, after all.

Shinjiro follows her to the tables, just a step or two behind, and though he's no master of small talk himself—he'd rather everyone just shuddup and mind their own goddamn business—he narrows his eyes, staring at her for a few seconds after hearing her question. At least he knows it's well-meaning. She's just better at giving commands than exchanging menial pleasantries.

"Apparently not dead."

And, taking a leaf out of her social etiquette book, he adds a moment later: "You?"

That had been her father up there talking, hadn't it?

She'll just have to remember to owe him a drink later. A little celebratory thing for being 'not-dead'.

She looks back at him when she catches that answer, for a moment looking a little guilty for even asking that. It's one of those moments where she's envious of her friends for being able to know just what to say at the right time. Even Akihiko has more tact in that department than her.

"To be honest, I've had better days." Reaching the table, she crosses her arms, almost defensively as if she was locking herself down again. But taking another minute to compose herself, Mitsuru pulls over two mugs, offering one to Shinjiro. "Although, that could apply to anyone here."

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