[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

[viditlibertas]

It wasn't that he...wanted to avoid Yamato. It was that he felt he had no other choice than to do so. Given his form, and their parting, it just wasn't the sort of confrontation he was eager for.

Eventually, he accepted it'd just be worse if the Shining One or Daichi mentioned him, and tentatively, warily floated over to where Yamato was (hopefully) distracted. His sides were fluctuating in and out at a slow pace, not quite making points, but enough to show that there was some serious unease going on in his thought process.

[drakenguard]

There was a foreboding sensation creeping over Yamato, like he was walking in the woods and some sort of predator was closing in on him. He shifted his weight, looking sharply to his left - but only saw the strange people mingling about as usual - before heaving a small frown. Perhaps his death was just throwing off his sense...

Then Yamato looked to his right and-

oh.

okay.

Yamato stared at- Alcor. Box Alcor. The form he had only seen once in his life. It had been during childhood, when Yamato was a stupid child and found the form fascinating rather than horrifying as it should be.

"..." Yamato closed his eyes, then opened them again. Alcor was still there.

"No."

[viditlibertas]

The second Yamato uttered that one single word, Alcor made his decision and pushed in to his spiked form, teetering uneasily.

"..."

But he had, no idea what to even say to Yamato. How to even talk to him anymore. He had given mankind language, but they had given those words meaning.

". . ."

Well, that forced his hand.

"Ψ%%δΩ."

[drakenguard]

Yamato stiffened up when Alcor shifted into starform - which Yamato automatically translated into "READY TO ATTACK" - and looked absolutely frozen when the gargled Septentrione language issued forth from the alien.

For a moment, it simply looked like Yamato was going to stand there, completely frozen, until Alcor left, but then the man practically jumped back a step like some startled rabbit, throwing a hand out to point angrily at Alcor.

"What...what are you doing here?! Why are you dogging my steps even in death-!!"

Wait, in death. No. No no no what if this was purgatory for lost souls and- Alcor, had died too - he would have to die for them to find the way to Polaris so was-

No. No he wasn't spending an eternity with Alcor in purgatory!!

HE WASN'T!!

And commence meltdown of epic proportions, Yamato looking to be on the verge of a full on mental collapse as he bowed his head, clutching at his hair. No no no this couldn't be happening...!!!

/not here (yet)

[awww_yeeeeeaaaah]

"...?"

>You sense a disturbance in the air, as if there is a huge storm or earthquake about to hit this very auditorium.

>...Hmm, but be just your imagination.

It's not until afterwards that he hears the screaming, though and, being an SMT protagonist the type who helps people in danger, he rushes over to where the screaming is coming from.

Re: /not here (yet)

[viditlibertas]

His wires knotted and swarmed over his frame, slithering quickly to contract and expand over his points and curves. It was obvious the star was up to something, but it was hard to gauge what.

For the time being, however, Alcor didn't move from the spot he hovered in. Even without eyes, or a human presence, he was staring Yamato down from where the teen was crouched and breaking down.

Saiduq didn't say anything. Even another word would have only escalated the situation beyond repair.

...it also helped that he didn't know what to do.

here they come to wreck the daaaaay

[hetried]

Well, when an SMT protagonist darts off in the middle of a conversation, you know something's bad. You also know something's bad when someone's screaming. So Daichi hurried after him towards the source of the outburst.

"H-Hey! What's going on?!"

YAMATO PANIC ATTACK AHOY

[drakenguard]

Okay so, while all of this craziness was happening, Yamato was safely wedged into 'Panic Attack' territory. Normally the presence of Alcor, even one that would be there for eternity, wouldn't be enough to wind Yamato up to this state, but it was like the straw that broke the camel's back.

Hiro didn't join his ambitions.

He lost the fight against Kuriki of all people, and had his dreams shattered to dust at his feet.

He fucking died in a highly painful and unpleasant way.

And now Alcor was before him in Septentrione form, ready to kill him perhaps, as punishment for all eternity and no Yamato was not having that he is not going to do that no no no no-

So yeah. Basically too much shit happened all at once and now Yamato was crouching on the floor looking like he was trying to just magically ignore everything, his breathing choppy and unsteady.

[awww_yeeeeeaaaah]

Here comes Kaito, pushing through a bunch of people (who were starting to stare...) and he comes skidding to a halt to see...Yamato. And Saiduq. And...

...Oh crap, he forgot to tell him about Saiduq, oh crap oh crap yeah that is looking like a panic attack. "...Dammit." He crouches to the floor so he can get on Yamato's eye-level and at least tries to get him to notice him.

"Yamato?" His breathing didn't sound very good, and he looks up at Saiduq. "What happened?"

[viditlibertas]

The spiky edges slowly, gradually pushed back in as Kaito approached. And even though the star still remained perfectly in place otherwise, it's wires seemed less taught, and its form seemed less hard and exact.

And then Kaito was looking up at him, asking for an explanation.

"He is nothing more than a monster sent by Polaris to destroy the human world...!"

But there wasn't a need to talk about it- Alcor already knew why this was happening. The cube simply began floating away.

"I will leave him in your hands...Shining One."

[hetried]

Admittedly Daichi had no idea what to do in this situation. Calming people down was always what Kaito was good at, given that he had years to practice calming him down. But of course that mean Daichi had no idea what to do.

"Y-Yamato..." He wanted to help but...

Instead he turned his attention to the giant, retreating cube. Had it been Saiduq that set this off? Either way, Saiduq wasn't getting off that easy, as Daichi made his way over and blocked his forward path.

"Saiduq?! What happened?! Is he gonna be OK?!"

[drakenguard]

Urgh why were there people shouting around him can't he see he was busy trying to think a way out of this awful dilemma- even if nothing was coming to mind because, really, what could he do? Nothing. Absolutely nothing-

Dammit stupid body why are you being so stupid?! Why is he flipping out over something ridiculous as Alcor he- shouldn't be-!

Yamato scraped his fingers through his hair, pressing his gloved palms against his face in an effort to try and maintain some dignity. Hiro. Oh no Hiro was witnessing the last of his fall. Fan-fucking-tastic.

"...go...away..."

[awww_yeeeeeaaaah]

"No."

It's gentle, but firm, and also very final. He is not leaving. He will not leave.

"Count your breaths. Breathe through your diaphragm and hold every inhale and exhale for two seconds. Can you do that?"

[viditlibertas]

Alcor didn't see any issue bumping in to Daichi, though it did make him stop to answer.

"...this is how Yamato Hotsuin feels about my presence here."

There. He spelled it out. Can he go now?

"If I linger, he will only become worse. It is best for both of us if we are apart."

Their lot in life seemed to wait for one to end the other. And Alcor wasn't sure he could kill him twice.

[hetried]

"He reacted that badly...?"

Well, he knew Yamato was angry when he saw Saiduq before, but...

"I-I... you sure you're gonna be OK...?"

Yamato was the one doing badly here, but that didn't mean he was the only one.

[viditlibertas]

Oh, that question sure did make him straighten an sharpen his edges.

"I am fine."

...for lacking a face, Alcor is remarkably bad at maintaining a poker face in this form. Okay, any form really.

"I am trying to alleviate the cause for his concerns."

Juuuust gonna hover around Daichi's shoulder and try and leave take two-

[hetried]

Daichi almost let him leave but then... he glanced over at the other two and Yamato had apparently run off, with Kaito giving chase. "Be careful--!"

He sighed. Ah screw it, this was a mess.

"Guess that's kind of pointless now..." Aaaand turning back to Saiduq!!

"You don't seem very fine to me..."

[viditlibertas]

With Yamato and Kaito gone, Alcor visibly drooped, but still stubbornly held his ground.

"I am. Isn't it natural to not like to see others upset like that?"

[hetried]

"No...! I mean, it is normal! Unless you wanted to make someone upset, but I don't think you did!"

Wow even he wanted himself to stop talking

"But I figured whatever set him off probably didn't make you too happy either. You... gonna be OK?"

[drakenguard]

"I know how to fucking breathe," Yamato snarled from behind his hands - and he must be distressed if he resorted to using foul language of all things. He ducked his head slightly, well aware of the stares he was getting. Causing a scene. Another thing to add onto his list of failures then.

Oh look, the Heir of the Hotsuin just had a meltdown in the middle of a crowded room because he spotted a Septentrione. Scandalous. Ridiculous. Weak.

"You're weak too."

"Everyone is weak in some way."

Hahah, were Hiro and Ronaldo's words true...?

[awww_yeeeeeaaaah]

"...You're hyperventilating." Dammit, all these people crowding around weren't helping...

"Do you want to go somewhere more quiet?" At least try to stay with him or try to answer the question. Somewhere more quiet like the men's room or a hallway or whatever.

[drakenguard]

Yamato was silent for a moment before he erupted into motion, suddenly pushing himself to his feet in one strong movement. He teetered a bit unsteadily, but he caught himself, and without waiting for Hiro - no wait, Kaito, right, Kaito - he spun on his heel and made for the closest exit he could see.

[awww_yeeeeeaaaah]

Apparently, that was a yes. He just turns to look at the other two, not knowing what to say at first.

"Uh...I'll be back, okay?" Sorry, but leaving Yamato alone while he's like this could be...bad, so off he goes to follow him, going into a job to catch up with him if need be.

[drakenguard]

Yamato felt a little less agitated when stepping out into the wide, open and empty hallway, anxiously pacing about in an aimless line. He recognised a panic attack. He knew what it was, and as mortifying as it was that he was affected by one, he shouldn't allow himself to be ruled by it. He was in control of his body. Him. Not his instinctual, emotional responses.

That frightened him a little, though, that his emotions had thrown him so entirely out of control, simply at the sight of Alcor...!!

[awww_yeeeeeaaaah]

A bit later, Kaito finally caught up and...well. Just let him pace and whatever else he needed to do. He heard that it helps to give someone something constructive to do, but unfortunately, empty halls didn't provide much when it came to that.

Might as well let him know he's here though.

"Hey..."