[Game Opening, Part 1 - What Souls Here May Bring]

[stringmods]

The drawstrings cut,
my hollow ebony stained wood plomps to the floor—
THUD

Eyes open, souls recollect.
The new me, erect.

I make my own decisions, have my own priorities,
have my own thoughts.

No external force taps into me—
Freedom.
- Jana Bielecki
Who: (Everyone OPEN LOG)
Where: (City Hall)
Summary: (You've just arrived in the city. Welcome.)
Warnings: (Intro logs are pretty warnable.)
Style: (The text is in prose, but feel free to write back in action tags if you feel more comfortable.)

They always say the first day on a new job is always the hardest.

But tell me...did those tasks include being taken from your own homeworld, dumped into a city you didn't recognize, meeting a man dressed in the purest of whites with a butterfly mask, to be bestowed the power of Persona, and then having some Men in Black lead you to the city hall saying you were expected?

...

...at least your things are apparently safe in your new apartments?

...

...looks like you might be here for a while.


What a way to start the first of September...

As they usher the last of you in, you realize that they've been preparing this for quite a while. There is a small table with food on the right, mixed cuisine (although the main theme seems to be Japanese dishes). Some strange computer program appears next to you and seems to be translating what you are saying so those before you understand. Language barriers? Don't be silly!

Most of the men ignore you after that. You are expected to mingle amongst yourselves a bit before the main 'show' starts, it seems....

Comments

[canteachyoumore]

Theodore would allow her to finish up an interview or four before approaching her himself, because wowzer you know you were at your stop, Miss Universe, and you did that thing with the Seal and then he didn't see you ever again.

No, he'd stayed behind to help those who would later come to the Velvet Room (if any) in order to help protect her as well. As well as the world she'd cherished so much. Enough to give her life...

So yes imagine his surprise and excitement. Both of which he'll fail to contain within himself. Look at those jolly steps.

"Master Minako, you've awoken. Not exactly in the area I had imagined for your consciousness to return in, nor the time, but I am happy to see you're well enough in this situation." Fast adapting as always.

[greatseal]

Minako whirls around at the sound of a familiar voice. "--Theo?"

Of all the people to appear here -- ....well, actually, Theo is one of the few she would expect to see. And with that brings some relief. Since he's here, things would all work out, in some eventual fashion. She allows most of the worry she'd been secretly carrying to seep away.

"You know, you're late! I've been hanging around here all by myself!" She adds an exaggerated pout to this completely false statement.

[canteachyoumore]

"My apologies. I hadn't realized that one such as myself would be expected to attend, though it seems they've been waiting for me as well." He's so sorry, Minako, look at this face. But Theodore smiles a little. "However, it appears you've been conversing with a number of people already."

So you're not really alone. He's got your number, girl.

[greatseal]

"I'm just trying to figure out what's going on." She says this with a smile and a tone that clearly says she thought exposition about such topics was his job. But then it softens. "...I thought my journey was over."

[canteachyoumore]

"As did I. It was your last stop, and even if I... In any case, there isn't much I can figure out myself. I'm rather blind, though I will say there are a great number of people here who have the ability to summon Persona. All of them do, in fact." If he knew much more else he would gladly tell her. As it stands, he knows as much as the next guy as long as that next guy wasn't the perpetrator of these circumstances. He bows his head in apology, but straightens up when he realizes he does have something he can tell her. More than the Persona thing, that is, and much more important.

"Did you meet a man whose mask resembled a butterfly when you arrived as well?"

[greatseal]

"...You don't know?" That is rather unsettling. If someone from the Velvet Room itself didn't understand the situation, did she really have a chance?

But she nods immediately to his question. "I did! Another person here told me he's actually Igor-san's master."

[canteachyoumore]

"Unfortunately not."

Aaaand there goes his surprise. Darn. And here he thought he could keep her in suspense a tad longer! Oh well. Theodore's got a serious look on his face - more than he usually does - though it deepens into a bothered one as he talks. Especially since residents aren't usually called into audience by Lord Philemon himself or at all actually. Their purpose is to help their guests and find why they exist, though it hasn't occurred to Theodore that his true purpose might lie outside the Velvet Room.

"Indeed. He's referred by us as Lord Philemon, a being who once made a bet with Nyarlathotep, the Crawling Chaos, on the destruction or continuation of this world." If it sounds familiar, that's because they were in three games. Pardon the shudder at the Crawling Chaos's true name by the way. "He was for humanity, though he hasn't appeared in that form for many a year. My master Igor, along with those who are residents of the Velvet Room like myself, are in his service. For him to appear at all is very troubling and should not be taken lightly. Everyone, even you and I, have been called for a reason that pertains to the success of humanity."

[greatseal]

"Destruction of the world..." Actually, that makes some sense. It at least explains something about why the Velvet Room had appeared to help her in the past year. If Philemon wishes humanity to succeed, he definitely would oppose the Fall. "...But what about Nyx, Theo? If I'm not there-"

If she isn't there, no matter what help she could be here, Philemon wouldn't be winning the bet.

[canteachyoumore]

"I assume Lord Philemon has a plan for that as well. He's a very powerful being, even if he doesn't show it off." Theodore's pretty concerned about that as well, but there's really no way to tell the result of her being here and not keeping Nyx in check. Up-most trust in his master's master too, one could call it blinding. "Perhaps we'll be able to ask if they explain everything. I don't see why we couldn't, after all."

[greatseal]

"...Okay. If you believe that, then there's no reason to worry."

Theo had never been one to lie to her, and he was the expert here. Even if the description of Philemon she'd heard from Michel was much less charitable.

"I'm just glad I can spend more time with you."

And to be alive, in general.

[canteachyoumore]

Michel's just a meaniebutt.

Theodore's quiet, thinking about the time they'd already spent together and how he'd vowed not to make another request like that line again. It wasn't doing any harm, spending time with his guest, but it was imperative of him to return to the Velvet Room if he could. There, he was much more needed. There, he could actually do something instead of being a bother that was toted around as she selflessly answered his requests and humored his knowledge, even if most of the time it ended up wrong. In the Velvet Room lay his purpose, and outside of it was just a distraction from his duties.

... But right now, Master Minako needs his company and okay that single train of thought is the excuse that lets him nod and be kinda excited. Spending time with his guest again!! How wonderful! He'd missed it, he really did.

"I look forward to it as well! This area is quite new, after all, and it would be a waste of time not to familiarize ourselves with it when we have the chance to. There might even be things here that you haven't seen before, Master Minako." Theodore would explain them to her, of course, as is his duty.

[greatseal]

Oh, Theo. She really had missed spending time with him like this, even if she'd promised herself not to tempt him to try and break his vow. Remaining professional and performing his duties to Velvet Room was a decision he'd come to himself and she had to respect that.

But the situation is different now, so the boundaries they'd made can afford to be bent a little... right? "Then we'll have to learn together... Or maybe, you can teach me." Again.

[canteachyoumore]

"I... I would be happy to assist you in any way possible, as always." Theodore's a little uncertain at her wording, mostly because it inflames the sinful feelings he still holds for her close to his heart, and he's quick to continue.

"Of course, I suppose I wouldn't be against listening to your idea of what the purpose of new objects could be. I keenly remember you being much more well-versed in the outside world than even my vast knowledge could afford."

No this is not just words to cover up his future mistakes and gaps in knowledge of course not. He's just being courteous as always. And praising. Give credit where credit's due and all.

[greatseal]

He stuttered. JustAsPlanned.jpg.

"I'll do my best. Though considering how we got here, I'm sure some things will be more in your area of expertise than mine." And she's willing to humor him regardless.

[canteachyoumore]

You're so mean, Minako.

"Is there anything you wish to ask right now? I'll do my best to answer it with my previous knowledge concerning Lord Philemon and the war humanity plays a part in. However, it's rather incomplete compared to what my master knows."

Theodore can't say he knows all, he's more of a secondary source than a primary one and the only one who'd really know what's going on anymore would be Master Igor himself. And that man barely gave an inch more than his nose! Margaret might know more, too, but he hasn't seen either of his sisters yet...

[greatseal]

Well, since he's offering - and Igor is nowhere in sight to ask anyway - "You said Philemon-san made a bet with someone named Nyarlathotep... Why would they do something like that?"

[canteachyoumore]

Theodore shivers at the name briefly, a reflex from when Elizabeth used to tell him the Crawling Chaos would take him as his servant if he didn't do as he was told by his elders, and frowns.

"If I remember correctly, it came around as a simple curiosity of what lay in man's heart: a wish for their demise and ultimate destruction, or a desire for growth and hope. The Crawling Chaos directs the misfortunes he can do try and win against his opponent, while Lord Philemon guides humanity by the use of us in the Velvet Room. Humanity is in control of its own future, and their decisions help or hurt them. So far, my Lord Philemon has won twice and with it the growth of man continues to spread and be ever-changing." He sighs, and despite the statement he's not very comforted looking. "However, so long as the Velvet Room exists I fear the bet will never end. This only confirms it."

[greatseal]

"Was Nyx a part of this bet?" Because it really doesn't sound that much different. In the end, it was people wishing for death and destruction that was calling Nyx down.

[canteachyoumore]

"Not a planned part, I'm sure. The Crawling Chaos has never played the rules, which states that they mustn't directly interfere with humanity to turn the tide in their favor, so I while I don't doubt he had a claw in the process it wasn't strictly something he had thought about for an extended period of time. It more or less happened in his favor, and thus you were called upon by Lord Philemon to cease the Crawling Chaos's development."

Humanity wishing for death and whatnot wasn't exactly an uncommon occurrence either, as much as many would want to opposite. That was the reason that there was this war going on in the first place: Because humanity has two desires in its deepest heart, and only one could rule the world so to speak.

[greatseal]

"I see..." It all sounds very complicated. And, if she'd been a different person, a little hopeless. How was Humanity supposed to defeat a being that preyed on the darkness of its own hearts?

But Minako isn't an ordinary person. She'd already made a bet of her own, in a way. The Seal would last until humans could stand on their own against despair and everything that aligned with it, and in believing that day will come she's squarely on Philemon's side.

"Do you know anything about the times Philemon-san has won so far?" She has a hunch they may have to do with the Persona-users she'd met earlier...

[canteachyoumore]

Theodore shakes his head with a disappointed sigh, tone matching it. "Only that both times it was due to a group much like your own, though there was something of memory loss in one incident. My apologies for not being able to give you a detailed report concerning the events that transpired."

[greatseal]

Memory loss, huh... "Don't worry, Theo. You've shared a lot already."

And she thinks she knows who she can ask next to fill in the gaps.

"...But there's another thing I was wondering... Since you're here with the rest of us, does that mean you were given a regular Persona, too?"

[canteachyoumore]

"That's absurd. Why ever would a resident of the Velvet Room, the keeper of the compendium with which the guest reveals their soul, have..."

Of course, a look through the trusty compendium ever by his side will alert him to the fact that yes, there is indeed none. Well, except for one. And he looks at it with disdain. Metatron, that loud, ruthless Aeon. Why such a physical hitter? He much preferred Sandalphon, if they had to choose... This guy was Elizabeth's choice.

"... I stand corrected. It would indeed appear that I have only one Persona in my possession, and it isn't half as strong as yours had been. Its power is... split, I should say, and is quite below the level I would imagine it should be."

Man this sucks. Who thought that his soul was a giant metallic messenger of God?

[greatseal]

She peeks at the book when he flips through it, spotting all those blank pages. "I'm having almost the same problem, actually... I have Orpheus instead of Orpheus Telos and the others I remember using last."

Although she thinks it's probably more disconcerting for him, a being of power, to have that stripped away. She could deal with having to level her Personas again. "I wonder if it's related... Do you think if I make more Social Links, your book will fill back up?"

[canteachyoumore]

Ah yes, the power of her bonds. It's a topic any attendant is fond of speaking about, though they don't exactly under it themselves since they've never had to create those sort of things.

"Perhaps. However, if you lack the ones you had before and the book is as empty as it appears, I fear that not even your bonds will fill it back up. It... might just have to stay this way." And he'd have to train Metatron himself. Their first practices together are sure to be fun. "If I cannot return to the Velvet Room as well, then I might have to start my journey to find my answer earlier than I had planned."