destinystrings | (no subject)

Who: Hoshi Takeda and open.
Where: All over the place.
Summary: Yet another arrival log; Hoshi is lost and confused and also sad. 8c
Warnings: None at the moment. Feel free to tag with action brackets rather than prose, if you'd prefer!

The concept of loneliness is not a foreign one to Hoshi; for nine years, she has always been alone, in some fashion. But even then, she'd always had Hotaru, the strange purple wolf that appeared on her doorstep the night her mother was killed, by her side. Ever since then, Hotaru had always been there and now, suddenly, she is not. Her friends, too: the first people she has been able to open up to in almost a decade are worlds away as well.

"I'm alone," she says softly, and it's a painful realization.

She unhooks a key from her belt and clenches her fist around it, squeezing so tightly her knuckles turn white. Moping about her friends accomplishes nothing. She must fend for herself now, just as she did before she met any of them. And as long as she has that key, she can survive. Maybe she can even defend this city, too, just as she did for Sugikishi. This could be another twist of fate; just as she was destined to become a Magical Hunter, perhaps coming to this place on her own was meant to be as well.

With this in mind, she tucks her hands in her pockets and walks forward - wanders, more like, looking all around with the quiet wonder that can only be found on the face of someone new to the city. She notes places of interest to herself as she passes them - shops, schools, anything that seems useful or bizarre - though she doesn't enter any buildings. She only peers in the windows.

She quickly finds that all this wandering around, however aimless it might be, puts her at ease, if just a little bit. If she can't find her friends, she'll find a purpose eventually. Or at least some answers.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I see. They only come out at night?

[She'll have to look into the demon issue later on, see if they are the same as the Devouring, or a whole new threat altogether. Either way, it sounds like she has her work cut out for her. If only the others were here...

When Nano mentions a dream and a man in a mask, though, her eyes widen as the memory returns to her.]

Ah...! Yes, that does sound familiar. [She frowns.] It was not a dream?

Um... the bad ones do. There are nice ones that just live around the city and help people out, too.

[It's confusing and contradictory, perhaps purposely so. Nano shakes her head at the other question.]

No, it was real. The man in the mask's name is Philemon, and he gives everyone who comes here a Persona, but you have to wake it up yourself.

[Nice demons? Contradictory indeed, but Hoshi will roll with it for now. The whole Persona thing has her intrigued. She's fairly certain she could get by without, but even so, it's difficult to turn down more help.]

Who is this Philemon, who has the power to appear in our dreams and give us such a thing?

[Yeah, she doesn't get it either.]

I... don't know. I've never seen him besides that one time.

And no one else has either, I assume? Strange. [And suspicious, but it doesn't seem like there's anything she can do about that at the moment.

Might as well worry about things that she can do, anyway. MOVING RIGHT ALONG:]

How does one awaken their Persona?

I don't think so, no.

Oh, I can help you with that, though! Mine awakened when I was being attacked by monsters. I think that's how everyone gets theirs.

[Attacked by monsters? Well, it makes sense, if this Persona business is meant for combat. And it's easy enough, for her; she's sure she'll be getting into a fight sooner or later.]

So I will have to wait until nightfall. Very well, then. [She bows her head politely.] Thank you very much, for answering my questions...

[And then she sort of falters and trails off. This is where a normal girl who understands social cues would ask for the other person's name. Hoshi is not that girl. HERP A DERP.]

Are you going to be all right by yourself? I can help back you up, if you'd like.

[Because Nano is nothing if not conscientious.]

Oh! I'm sorry. My name is Nano. Nano Shinonome.

[She bows her head politely, hands folded in front of her.]

[Aw, Nano. Her offer makes Hoshi feel... flattered, almost, if a bit confused. Why would anyone want to help her, when they've only just met? She's not used to this.]

Shinonome-san. [She bows again, because wow these two are polite as fuck aren't they.] I am Hoshi Takeda. Thank you, again, but I will be all right on my own.

[Because demons ain't shit to a Magical Hunter.]

[Nano likes to help people!]

It's nice to meet you, Takeda-san.

[She'll move to a first name basis once they know each other better.]

Well, if you're sure...