destinystrings | (no subject)

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Who: The Investigation Team and Nanako plus one death goddess.
Where: Yu and Nanako's apartment.
Summary: The IT celebrates Christmas together away from home... more or less.
Warnings: Yu trying to keep up his mission to bring a Green Christmas to Hinoto-ri. Horrible singing. lulz

It was a bit rushed and last minute -- and most of the work had to be done by other people because a certain grey haired leader was currently acting like an idiot -- but the apartment that Yu and Nanako shared was currently decked out for the winter holiday. Streamers hung around door frames and windows, and someone had even managed to bring in a little fake pine tree to be decorated.

There's also food, of course, though how good it is depends greatly on who cooked it. Taste with care, least you end up poisoned on Christmas.

It might not seem very festive at the moment, especially considering the current state (and presence) of certain individuals... but that will change at midnight at least.

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Well. This could not be any more awkward if they tried, and in fact... she likely only came to be sure that someone didn't wind up doing something further that they would regret. That, and she had indeed been invited...

So come she did, and in style. Wait, she had something other than a certain uniform and the burial kimono? Perish the thought!

...Though currently she is simply staying near the corner, watching her representative and possibly trying not to give a damn about the sorry state he is mentally trapped within. She tried, children. Apparently those Pyro Jacks did a number on him if even her illusion mastery could not break it for long.

There is someone close by the woman as she holds out a cup to her. Maybe a peace offering but maybe just a conversation starter. Either way, Yukiko wanted to talk with her even if her persona was starting to feel a little uneasy. While she pushed the red eyes aside for the moment, the one in the headspace didn't.

"I...wanted to say thank you. For what you did."

The woman accepted it graciously with a small nod of thanks. After all, it was only polite. Though she does not take a sip just yet, merely gazing from the child's boyfriend to her as she spoke. She could sense the uneasiness, and it was not unwarranted to say the least. However... there was naught to fear this evening, at the very least.

"Do not mention it." She smiled faintly. "I was only passing through, after all... and he likely would not have wanted to embarrass himself farther as much as I could not stand to see another in a situation like that."

She didn't want to feel that way but having someone in her head that was? Yeah, a little hard.

"You were there right when he needed it."

And she couldn't help but mentally kick herself. She couldn't even help her friends when they were in danger despite the power of persona.

"As were you." She turned to the girl, giving a faint hint of a more genuine smile. "Though we might not always be capable of doing as much as we wish, even something as small as a gentle push could make all the difference. ...Do you not agree?"

This was something small and due to prankster demons, not failures of those around him.

A gentle push? Last time she checked, Kanji's persona throwing her like a human missile was not gentle.

"In the beginning, I was..."

She made a small gesture, like she was going along with it. "I should've stepped in sooner."

Because if Rise wasn't there to snap her out of it, Yukiko would've said yes and went along with the Pyro Jacks. Hiding from the truth was not an option for them no matter where they were. But something in the other's words started to make sense. She gives the other a small smile in return.

"I guess you're right."

Clearly her version of gentle and yours are two different things, though she was speaking more in a metaphorical sense. Regardless, she chuckled.

"No one man can change the past, so do not worry over what could have been." A partial lie, but still. "You did well in the circumstance given."

Though not following that desire... a shame. Though she would at least give her something to laugh about later.

No, following that desire would've been worse. It could be something they could laugh at in the future but right now, it's a little more difficult.

"I just hope that somehow whatever's been cast on him will go away soon. Strange that it reminds me of when the scorpions attacked awhile ago."

Also the same day when she took Mitsuru's motorcycle and drove it like a boss.

"Indeed, and yet... not nearly as severe or as dangerous." If not provoked and separated from those demons. "If I am correct, it should not be too long from now... or can be easily reversed."

It was some the best home video footage and someone would likely get a copy of that later. ...Along with Green Christmas Style.

She...would watch it when she got back to her place. Better to laugh there and alone so no one would feel bad.

"That's good to hear."

The sooner, the better. Then maybe this party would be a little more livelier. ~~No offense to the pun, Death Mommy.~~

More than likely the best plan, and she did indeed leave that instruction on the video.

"...It likely won't be before the 13th Hour, however."

~~None taken, and is there something you want to ask her.~~

Best plan.

"As long as it's not forever, it would be fine." she replied to the other woman. Yukiko wasn't someone who would want everything to be fast and rushed and if it came to it, she would wait a long time.

~~After the party. Not a good time to bring it down.~~

And here's Yosuke, staring at her from the other corner with the most awkward, hostile stare he can manage, because Yu is acting terribly strange (as he has been for a while now) and the rest of the people in here were left to fend for themselves against a Death Goddess that really only a few of them remembered facing.

Why Yu trusted her was beyond him. Why anyone could trust her...

Even with the... strange get-up (how could she look almost normal?) whenever he looked at her he couldn't stop thinking about the cold, paralyzing fear of her death curse prying at his legs, dragging him down into total darkness. Sometimes he still had nightmares...

...And yet he can't help but feel like she's also the only one in this room who might possibly understand more about their situation as a whole than he does.

Soooo with that said, he is slowly, and awkwardly shuffling towards her over the course of about ten minutes until he's about five feet away...

"...Do you know how they're making Yu act like this?" Yosuke's voice is quiet, and terribly nervous.

Welcome to the perpetually confused corner, Hanamura boy. She is as perplexed about how he could trust her as you are, even with what she did indeed show him in their second meeting in this city. It left her wondering just how much it was him, and how much it was Him. Even then, though... it made little sense.

Which is why she kept her powers to a minimum, hadn't done a thing yet as they enjoyed themselves aside from use her fog to make her seem more normal than usual.

Well, most of them enjoyed themselves. She could see a certain someone in the opposing corner slowly edge his way closer. For his own benefit, she didn't look directly at him, but rather to the others. At least, until he finally spoke up.

"Indeed," Izanami admitted with a sigh, crossing her arms. Over the past few days, it had been both a source of frustration and faint amusement. Mainly because of Izanagi having to suffer secondhand embarrassment. "To put it in terms mankind would understand or find familiar, they altered his mind; brainwashed, in other words. It is a rather strong spell known to their clan that seems to have been modified and thus harder to break free from even with the aide of outside assistance. At least, until it is time for it to wear off."

When would be anyone's guess, though with the focus of it being a "green Christmas"... it did not take one with a 2000 IQ to realize it.

"You can't reverse it?" He gives her a rather incredulous look. "You're a freaking death goddess, why the hell can't you break a spell done by a bunch of stupid Pyro Jacks??" Yosuke's voice is a little louder than he meant for it to be, but he's trying really hard not to let himself get angry. Especially not with her. As much as he hated her, more than that he feared her. Maybe with Yu by his side he felt like he could take on Death itself, defy gods, but without him he felt as small as an ant in this city, and practically microscopic next to her.

He looks away, down at his feet, taking a deep breath. Maybe it didn't take a 2000 IQ, but with Yosuke he wasn't really deeming the Pyro Jacks as reasonable creatures. Even if they didn't meet their goals, who knew how long it would be before they let Yu off the hook.

The odd part of it is that she simply took the anger and shook her head, frowning faintly. There was no need to raise his voice, currently.

"Much of my powers are limited in this reality, save for during one hour." She was not pleased by this fact either, or at least made it seem to be. With these supposed limitations, if she were telling the truth, there was not much she could do during the day save patience and wearing it down. "I am able to give him moments of lucidity, but those foolish demons are as persistent as you mortals."

Oddly enough, that didn't sound as condescending so much as both amusement and annoyance. Babysitting her brother's human was not something she had planned on doing when she decided to sit back and watch events unfold in this healing world.

"Though considering the potency of the spell, the focus of what he believes must be done, and his disposition... I doubt it will last much longer."

"This place limits your powers??" Yosuke is kind of surprised by that..... Then, it dawns on him, even if it should have been obvious from the get-go. His eyes grow wide and he shifts nervously, looking out the closest window at the city lights.

"Whatever's going on, then, with us being here and with the existence of the Thirteenth Hour, demons, everyone having Personas... it's bigger than you. You nearly turned our whole world into Shadows... Whatever, or whoever organized all of this did something bigger, and is trying to do something again..." He looks from the window over to his brainwashed best friend, folding his arms over his chest. His shoulders are kind of shaking at the newly realized prospect.

"If it doesn't wear off by midnight, promise you'll turn him back to normal? We really need him back."

"Unfortunately..." Why do you think she lay low after most of them first arrived and for the first few months, aside from one or two appearances? She still had to recover, and those appearances were when someone specifically asked for her presence. Though that realization caused her to smirk privately to herself.

"I would not judge so quickly... For every truth unveiled, there is always the chance that one may become blinded by they very thing they desire and seek." Her brows furrowed in thought as her gaze too lingered to the city lights outside. To each and every soul on this small patch of soil compared with the rest of the world. There's an air of approachability, and yet... a strangely saddened hint to her words. "All who were brought here were selected for a reason. Whether it was because of their strength of heart, or because they became truly lost."

Yet she nodded. "If it does not on its own, it would be far too easy to do so when this holiday has passed."

Yeah, it should be obvious why she and the God whose Son's birth (which she found hilarious, considering the inaccuracy of the dates) this holiday was initially celebrated for do not get along. Though she does seem to be contemplative for a moment.

"...Take care that your heart does not fall into utter despair of what seems to be impossible, child. Adachi was, at least, correct about what occurs when one succumbs."

Was that a godly 'Don't you even think about getting depressed or overwhelmed by what is not yet revealed'? Possibly. It was hard to tell, considering. At least she was trying to give a gentle nudge in the right direction. It was her desire to fulfill humanity's desires, after all...

Yosuke stays silent for a while and lets that sink in as he shoves his hands into his pockets. So either they were strong, or they were lost? He sincerely hoped he was the former. He believed the entire Investigation Team was drawn here for that purpose, that they were strong and experienced with using Personas. They weren't perfect, but their family of friends here was strong, all thanks to their Leader and their combined effort to search for the truth.

Yosuke glances at Izanami, and while his mouth was a cautious line, his eyes seemed to grin with confidence. "I'm not scared of the Truth." He was scared of a lot of things, like failure, and death, but he was brave enough to stand up for what he believed in. And, oddly enough, her words did offer some comfort to him... which brought up the most pressing concern to the foreground.

"Izanami." He says her name forcefully, attempting eye contact. "I still can't forgive you for what you did in Inaba. You hurt a hell of a lot of people, including me and my friends, and you especially hurt Yu. Because of you, someone who was once close to me is dead now, even if she's somehow alive in this world. I don't care what bullshit excuses you make, that you somehow weren't responsible, or that it's 'what mankind wanted', what you did had real consequences even if we were all just puppets to you."

Yosuke stands up straight and faces her, pulling his hands out of his pockets and clenching them into fists by his side. "I don't know why anyone can trust you, after what you did... I especially don't know why Yu trusts you, and to be honest I really wish that he didn't. But..."

He pauses, and swallows hard. "For now, I'm willing to believe you're not the bad guy in all of this. So tell me, why the hell are you so interested in our Leader?"

There was that confidence she both admired from afar and thought of as arrogant in some regard. It was a light that was strong in all of them who could even stand in her presence when she was in her true form. While she does indeed listen to what he had to say. Excuses were not what was going to be shared tonight, nor was she going to say otherwise. Yes, even as her gaze fell upon the one still sulking on the couch.

"I am Death itself." That was a Truth that someone had once run from when the wheel of fate had turned against them, and one she had accepted long ago. "I am what awaits every living soul, whether it is before their time or not. There are no excuses, only absolutes."

She met his gaze with ease. There was no warmth nor malice behind her gaze.

"If you mean to ask why he places any sort of trust in me, then I cannot answer you. However... Darkness has been sibling to Light since the world was young." She sighed, resigned. "I am not just interested in Narukami, but all those who eventually join me in Yomi. I was, after all, one who helped to create the very land you call home."

Perhaps it was one final act of repentance for her transgression, or a desire of her own. No one needed to tell her the pain of losing someone. Maybe that is why she even said anything.

Regardless, that is likely the most he would get out of her. Izanami never was one to reveal truths so easily...

Yosuke follows her gaze before staring back at her, folding his arms across his chest. The defensive look in his eyes seems to fade, though. He doesn't trust Izanami, not at all, but at the same time he doesn't feel like he has to be ready for her to attack at any second... so he'll let his guard down, for now. It's less exhausting that way.

"I wasn't asking you why he trusts you, I figured you wouldn't know. I've tried asking him but I can't get a straightforward answer from him... and he doesn't seem to care that I can't stand that he trusts you, either. Don't tell me you aren't singling him out, though. You chose him. You know he's special." There is no doubt in Yosuke's mind that Yu is special, considering he's a wild card, and the most powerful member of their team.

"What I'm saying is, you're trying to get close to him, you're encouraging him to trust you. There's only two possible reasons for why you'd do that: either you're trying to get close to use him and hurt us, or you legitimately are trying to patch things up with him and maybe us." And from the doubtful look on his face, you can probably guess what he thinks is more likely. It's also why he's so frustrated with Yu about this...

"You might not be the bad guy here, but that doesn't mean I think you're a good guy either."

"Perhaps not even he knows of the answer..."

The goddess chuckled faintly under her breath, patient as ever. Though if she were being honest, she would have to admit his likeness to someone else. However, she says nothing of the sort. Focusing instead on the question posed and the boy speaking to her was more important.

"I also chose two more, and countless others... though not in the same manner you are likely thinking of." One who denied the power freely given him, one who corrupted it and manipulated the small portion of the sea of unconscious thought, a team of individuals who sought their own goals, and countless others before them... "He is indeed more peculiar in the fact he is a natural wild card, I do admit."

As for the assumption, she did not respond to the former. The latter, however, earned a faint twitch at the corner of her lips that was gone like the green Christmas outside (ha ha).

The look was enough to say what she would not voice, however: "Would I be here now, answering your questions, if it were the former?"

Yosuke furrows a brow at her, leaning back against the wall, and answering her entirely wordless question. "You must think I'm stupid, don't you? I know who you are, and what you did. You were able to lay low and keep us guessing in the dark for a full goddamn year, we almost closed the case and let it happen all over again because of how damn good you are at hiding your true intentions. Why the hell should I believe that you're not going to trick us again?" And to be quite honest, he doesn't even know why she's here. He certainly didn't approve of it.

"If I even suspect you of pulling anything, I swear to god I'll kick your ass, I don't care if I have to suffer your death curse a million times over. You're not pulling any bullshit while I'm around." Yosuke can't even tell at this point if he's being brave, or just stupid, talking to a death goddess like that. It's probably clear from the way he looks away that he is scared of that prospect, though. Knowing just what she looks like, what she's capable of, is terrifying... but like hell he'll ever let his team get lost in the fog again.

"I believe you and your friends have more than earned the right to choose." Though someone certainly is close to sticking a foot in their mouth right now with just how much of an act he was portraying in the bravado sense. She could tell clear as day that he feared death; all humans did, and it made them strong in a sense.

"Whether anyone chooses to believe my words... or not... Humans have and always will see and believe only what they wish to, and there are certainly those who have not proven to be trustworthy." Including herself, even though she has not lied since her reveal as far as what they can see. "...I stand by what I said in March."

There is no need for a repetition of history just yet.

"That's the thing about bad guys: just because we deserve a break from this kind of stuff doesn't mean we'll actually get one. And I don't really believe that you actually care about what we've 'earned.'"

Yosuke sighs and just rubs his eyes a little. Talking to Izanami was like talking to a brick wall... a brick wall that spewed back cryptic messages and vague answers that had about as much substance in them as the silence of a regular brick wall. At least he learned that her powers were limited, which was a good thing as far as he could see. But otherwise he'd learned nothing. Even though she was telling him that she wasn't up to anything, it's not like he could actually believe her. Even the threat didn't seem to stir up anything in her- no hostility, not even a sarcastic chuckle.

So the Magician decides to go with a different approach. Fight fire with fire, right? That's everything that his arcana stood for.

"You said that everyone here was called here for a reason, that they're either strong of heart or they're lost. If that's true, then which one are you?"