Amends and Preparations (Akira)

[Luka Kurokawa]

Luka seemed to be enjoying her hunt more than usual. Perhaps it was her newfound power that left her in a constant state of empowerment and rushing adrenaline. Perhaps it was the fact that she had someone to constantly heal her and back her up when necessary. Or perhaps she was just in a good mood. Sword in had, the girl slashed at the troll in her path. Her attack patterns were a blur but masterfully executed. Truly, the technique of a master swordsman. Before she had been complaining about her lack of skills. Now she simply wanted a real sword to go along with her newfound combat abilities. For now though? This was fine. Even if she was worried the sword may break any day now.

Unleashing one more deadly combo, the girl was struck with a boosted slash attack. Even if she resisted it, it was still a significant blow. Luckily, she felt herself being healed along the way. And with that, she simply jumped back into the fight with her sword in hand. It wasn't more than a combo or two that led the giant troll to its eventual demise. Slicing the youkai down the side one last time, it fell, never to get back up. Wiping the blood off of her battle-worn blade, Luka sheathed it once more and returned back to the boy who was backing her up tonight with a smile. Her breathing was a little uneven, but otherwise normal. All that physical training and stamina was starting to pay off.

When Luka had gotten a call from that boy from the other night, she was honestly loathing what he had to say. Seeing as how they last talk didn't exactly go down well, she figured he wouldn't bother talking to her. It was quite the surprise when he offered to go fighting with her. She had the mind to reject him right then and there. But the idea of having someone else there consistently, as well as someone to heal her was just a little too enticing. And so, on a whim, the girl accepted the proposal and began fighting with him since. After their hunt was over, she was honestly a bit more happy with her decision.

Getting herself fully healed, she slowly walked back to him with a small skip to her steps. Honestly, she was still happy that she had some potential abilities in her. The fact that none showed up for so long bothered her deeply. Almost as if she had been wrong. I'm thinking that's enough for today. We did pretty good I'd say. It's more efficient to have you along than go myself, I have to admit. Or perhaps you wanted to keep going? She wouldn't deny him if he wanted to keep going. She personally was for calling it done here, though. The girl was used to gauging her effectiveness in combat in terms of hits. Every time she got a little too beat up or managed to get hit, she would need to take a break in between. It was hardly the most effective method. Honestly, she was starting to hope for some passive regenerative abilities. But what she got was more than fine too.

[Akira Nakajima]

Following the battle with Seiji and Luka, Akira had made sure to get Luka's contact information, if only for the sake of keeping tabs on her outside of his persona of “Miki^3”. More than that, for her to have a Persona, yet no “active” skills was a bit suspicious. He didn't think it was anything nefarious, but he wanted to believe there was some sort of equalization- hidden potential, or something. Keeping himself on her good side, as well as keeping her in his gaze, was a good idea. However, in addition, it would have been very unfortunate if she managed to do something extraordinarily stupid and get herself killed. Not just for their duo, but for her and her future, naturally. He wasn't really being soft on her. He just felt almost as though he were dealing with a child.

Whatever the reason was was irrelevant. He got her information, and, for the sake of safer exploration, called on her. Truly, it seemed some latent power had awakened. The girl was fighting tremendously well compared to before. Not that she was weak to begin with- Persona-users, in general, seemed to be a bit. . . sturdy- but there was an obvious improvement in her output. He was a little proud of his intuition, even if it was borderline obvious. She performed the majority of the offensive, and he provided support. While he would've felt better being on a balanced mixture of offense and support, it wasn't terrible. It also gave him a chance to observe their enemies. In a way, for a while, the setup could have even been seen as preferable. The girl had taken out what he had begun to call a Troll. Large, slow, powerful, and capable of regenerating and healing its own wounds, it matched with information he gained through research on fairy tales. The fact that Luka could take one on mostly on her own was impressive in its own way, especially considering how they initially met. It was after that victory that she seemed satisfied.

”No, that should be enough, Rukako-san. While neither of us are exhausted, it wouldn't be wise to fight to that point. No telling when something unexpected might occur. Still, good job. Thanks for all the hard work.” The last bit was, no doubt, a set of words she was intimately familiar with if her colleagues were polite. The boy was riding Hayagriva, as usual. Maybe it was because it was not a real horse, but he was always extremely comfortable on the beast. His attire was simple, designed for ease of wear and lack of issues. It wasn't a combination he seldom wore with things the way they were, either. A gray vest and black jeans. The combination was light and comfortable, and, while not terribly showy, it still looked nice. It was slightly daring, even, considering that the vest was sleeveless. If someone were really trying to, they could have tried peeking inside.

”If that's the case, we should make our way back. Is everything all right? Or should I heal you one more time for good measure, just in case?” The question was delivered in a neutral tone, neither condescending nor excessively concerned. It was a basic inquiry delivered in good faith. Of course, while he asked, he gaze their surroundings a good scan. Everything did look clear. Either they had cleared out the immediate threat, or the lesser beings were being evasive due to the destructive path of the idol-slash-model. He leveled his spear, grip firm. The tip lightly trace over the nearly-conquered pavement. Grassy, leafy, strange mess claimed the majority of that patch of ground. It was still an utter mockery of their world's Yoyogi Park. Well. They'd fix it eventually. Of that, he was sure.

”You're definitely stronger than before, though. Seems like you managed to unlock something good. I bet you have plenty more in stock. I look forward to seeing it, so just let me know if you need a partner again.” He nodded starting to have Hayagriva move. Healing could be done on the move, anyway, so it wasn't like he had to wait for an answer. The pace was slow enough, though. He just wanted to get moving before the nest set of inhabitants moved in.

[Luka Kurokawa]

Akira seemed to be in agreeance with her decision to turn back now. Seemed he was at least sensible in reasoning. She wasn't sure how many people she could say the same for out here. From people out wandering with little to no protection to simply being unable to defend themselves properly, making smart decisions ahead of time is where it counts. She was glad to be with someone who had a bit of both. The boy even thanked her for all of her hard work and so forth. Honestly, Luka must have been in some sort of good mood considering the fact that she giggled in response to his words. Likewise. Good work keeping me standing. Honestly, how many times over would she have died from the total hits she had taken today? Probably not too many given she still managed to avoid a good deal of them. She wasn't planning to get lazy and rely on someone's healing abilities. That's a recipe for disaster.

Looking out from the area they were in and back up at the pale, depressing sky, Luka tried to figure out just where they were. Honestly, she had no clue. This was the farthest she had ever been out in this area. She wasn't exactly lost, but she couldn't run off in a direction for a minute or two and tell exactly where she was like before. Oh well. If that was the one downside to a long trip, it was fine. At the boy's question of her current status she gave a natural, positive answer. I should be good now, thank you. Nothing hurts. I avoided any large injuries and I still feel ready if we needed to fight. Not that they would need to, but preparation is key. We can simply begin to head out now. Though, I'm not exactly sure where we are right now. I have an idea of which direction to go though. Honestly, this conversation reminded her of one she'd have with her driver when going to and from her various appointments.

At the mention of her increase in strength, Luka puffed out her chest in pride. Isn't it great? All I need is a weapon and I know exactly what needs to be done with it. It's actually really convenient. If she needed to, she could likely pick up something laying around and suddenly be a master with it's usage as a weapon. The only limitation would be the weapon's actual effectiveness. And, as she tested earlier, the effects persist in the normal world. It was certainly very handy. Thinking over it, she was quite pleased thus far. But now thinking back to when they originally met, she recalled how poorly the whole situation went down. It was partly her fault, honestly. Hey. By the way. Her tone was a little quieter now. About before. I was just a little ticked off by everything that happened during that fight. I kind of acted like a jerk at the time. So. . . Sorry. Her last few words trailed off a bit. It was a bit embarrassing to apologize like this. Even so, she felt it would be best.

Trying to move on from that topic quickly, she decided to take a step forward in the direction to returning home. Must be nice being able to ride your persona though. You don't ever need to walk back or anything. She was honestly a little jealous of that. While she thought her own persona was pretty, she only saw her once. She also had no intentions of trying to ride her. Mounted combat was actually starting to sound pretty interesting now. Then again, she would be easier to hit. She'd like to avoid that.

[Akira Nakajima]

The girl seemed to be in an especially good mood compared to the first evening they had battled together. Perhaps it was because she was on the front-lines, managing the majority of the monster traffic. Maybe she just didn't mesh well with Seiji. It was uncertain exactly what it was that had caused it, but, either way, the girl was in an infinitely more sociable mood, and seemed much more reasonable. All in all, he had to say that it was going well. The girl seemed to be having issues keeping track of where they were, but “had an idea” of where they needed to go. Honestly, he wasn't one to follow gut hunches. Especially when he was careful to keep their progression in mind. Actually, it was partially because of the excessive focus he had had on the demonic park, but that wasn't something that needed to be commented on in excess. The point was that he wasn't lost.

”It certainly is convenient, yes. I'd imagine it works well for self-defense in the real world.” He noted in addition to the girl's boasting. Truthfully, he was slightly envious, if only because he could greatly benefit from the increased damage output. Still, he had plenty to work with that nobody else he knew had access to. One that chases two hares catches neither. He blinked with the girl's sudden demureness. He crooked his neck towards her before smiling slightly with the apology. ”It's fine.” He didn't say there was no need to apologize, though. That was considered “polite”, but it also led to issues with some people. Unsure if it'd have an effect on her sense of guilt, he left it out. ”It was a first meeting, and it wasn't exactly under ideal circumstances. Friction was to be expected, in hindsight.” Rather than pointing fingers, he opted to consider the entire situation back then unfavorable. ”In a way, I don't support it could be helped back then.” He nodded, giving a roughly honest opinion on their first meeting.

”Ho?” Akira, or- more correctly- Hayagriva, came to a stop with that sound after hearing Luka's observation. For a moment, the boy just stared forward. Then, slowly, he turned at the waist and neck, looking down at the idol-model. Slowly, he developed a warm smile. It was something like what a parent that found out what their child wanted for Christmas finally would make.”I didn't figure you'd want to be that close to me, Rukako-san. That was why I hadn't offered. If it's not bothersome to you, I don't mind riding with you. So? Would you like to experience riding on a horse that's not really a horse?” There was more to it than simply being a normal, flesh and blood, horse, like one would normally see. It was a Persona. Calling it “not really a horse” was, functionally, correct. As though reacting to the boy's will, or even acting as a part of his body, Hayagriva slowly lowered himself, as though inviting the young lady aboard.

”It's not trouble to me, if you'd want to.” He plainly stated. Truthfully, it'd make keeping track of her easier, in case she got a weird idea and decided to veer off course. If anything, it was a welcome change. ”Of course, that's only if you want to. I understand if you don't.” He nodded, still keeping that welcome smile on his face. Nothing about his display was hostile or teasing. It was perfectly “clean” in that regard. Truthfully, he didn't mind. It wasn't like she was the first she had offered it to. First girl, though. Even if one could argue Takeda had some woman in him- something he'd be sure to tease the man about in the future.

Slowly, he tilted his head, watching and waiting. If she agreed, he'd wait until she mounted and got situated. If not, Hayagriva was a quick-to-rise ride. It wouldn't cause any issues.

[Luka Kurokawa]

This guy was actually really polite. A lot more than some people. Namely, her now partner Miki. If she had to choose between someone who was nice and sensible, and someone who teased her constantly, she would automatically pick the former. She strayed away from those thoughts though, since it was unfair to her partner. Honestly, Miki was just fine the way she was. Having this boy around was simply a nice change of pace. She'd get used to her partner over time, she imagined. It was a bit unexpected for her to be getting along with this person though.

It does indeed. I tried it out while I was practicing. Everything works just as well. My persona still doesn't appear though. Her new combat proficiency worked everywhere, amazingly. It could honestly serve well in lots of different situations. She wasn't too concerned about getting any other powers at this point. She figured this was the end of the line in terms of skill. It simply happened all at once for her. If she got any stronger than this, she might get worried that there were equally stronger enemies out there. And that would be scary. She may need to dip into her funds to get herself a nice metal sword. Honestly, how strong would she be at that point?

As far as her apology went, she certainly felt a bit better. Even if she still thought it was her fault, she would move on from it so they could proceed forward easier. It can't be helped I guess. She left it at that. But it seemed that her other comment turned a head or two. What the boy said in response though was highly confusing now. There was a blank pause from the girl, followed by a confused, but abrupt response. Eh? Then, the horse knelt down for her, which incited yet another response from the girl. Eeeeh!? No, no, no. I didn't mean it like that! This boy was suggesting that she ride with him on that horse. Together. Could they even fit? Would she have to be touching him? It just didn't sound safe. Still. The horse was already down, and the offer was made. A break from walking would be nice, but at what cost. I'll take you up on that offer. I guess. Slowly, but surely, Luka mounted the horse leaning back away from the boy in front of her so that they were not touching. Was this what a horse felt like? It was weird. More importantly, this position wasn't exactly the safest. She didn't actually have anywhere to grab for support. She certainly was not about to touch the boy in front of her. She had never touched a boy as far as she knew. So she simply said the only sane thing she could think of.

I'm all set. Her expression was deadpan, her hands to the sides, and her body far enough from the boy as possible without touching. It was just. . . a bit too much for her at this point. It was too sudden. Even still, she would give it a try. She nodded once more. I think I'll be fine. I won't fall. Not at all. She was mostly telling herself that at this point. She wasn't actually sure how safe she was. Well, she'd find out in just a moment. Still. This was embarrassing. Boys were the thing she was likely the least knowledgeable in. Hopefully this ride would be a quick one. Just. . . not quick enough for her to fall off.

[Akira Nakajima]

Was it that the girl had genuinely desired to a ride a horse, or was she that concerned over him making the offer? Akira would have likely put all his money on the first, really. After all, if she was trying to make him feel like he didn't make the offer in vain, he highly doubted she would be hanging off the damn horse. Almost. For a moment, the boy just stared off to the side. Blinked once, he did, then twice. Then he slowly looked forward. He tilted his head to one side, then to the other, the length of his hair shifting after him both ways. He seemed to be a little confused. Then, shaking his head, he dismissed it.

”You didn't have to feel obligated.” He commented after a moment. His tone didn't suggest it was towards her getting on as well, though. ”. . . and that can't really be safe, you know. You'll probably fall. Even if you can take a hit, and even if the ground is covered in vegetation, falling and hitting your head is pretty bad.” His tone was completely matter-of-fact, and his gaze was forward. ”Well, let's go, then.” He finally decided, Hayagriva straightening its legs. Honestly, he didn't feel comfortable with the girl hanging off like that, but, at the same time, he wasn't going to harass her over it. The last thing he needed was to indirectly force her off.

”And onward.” He announced, more as a warning than anything as the horse began to proceed. It was slow pace. Very slow. As if he were inwardly hoping the girl would panic and sit properly. And if she didn't? Well, they wouldn't be moving that slowly for the entirety of the ride. That'd just be asking for an attack from the monsters. The boy just stared forward, unsure if looking back would earn him a hit or something. Then, he tilted his head to the side. Really, this was just an altogether odd situation, all considered.

In hindsight, wasn't this eerily like the plot of a light novel? Some red string of fate, being guided by the gods, sort of generic plot piece? Meeting at a corner, ending up as co-workers, though she wasn't aware of the entirety of that. Fighting alongside each other. Riding a horse together. Thinking on it made the boy wrinkle his eyebrows. Was some higher power at work, or was this just an excessively odd and utterly convenient turn of events? Honestly, considering that this was all orchestrated was just annoying. It made his head hurt. It was better to assume that this was all some sort of convenient coincidence. It had to be.

”I don't mind if you end up touching me, you know. It's not like you have cooties, or something silly like that. I'd honestly prefer you touching me to you falling off and hurting yourself.” He added after a moment, honestly hoping he wouldn't have to fear for her state of being for too long. That would end up being just the same headache as fearing over the potential of his and her lives somehow being directed by a greater power that controlled more than they could see. That was just a thoroughly annoying and unpleasant line of thought.

. . . it really was an altogether odd scenario.

[Luka Kurokawa]

And with that, she was firmly on the horse. It was time to go. No problems whatsoever! Oh wait, he's looking back. He knows something is up. Luka simply stared ahead with an artificial grin, occasionally looking off to the side. Surely she wasn't suspicious, right? She looked fine, right? Totally. Why was he hesitating though. You don't need to think too deeply over it! Really! These are the thoughts Luka had as she sat on the end of the not-so-horse. Then the boy voiced his thoughts. Well, now Luka felt like she was being rude. I-It's not like that. I can make due just fine like this. Honestly, she was probably lying to herself too. Maybe she should just suck it up and grab a hold? That would certainly solve things, given it's such a short ride.

When the horse rose up, Luka felt herself scramble a bit on the back but soon stabilized. They weren't even moving yet and she was already like this. Looking down, she realized just how high up being on a horse was. Was she still going to test her luck? Most likely. Her stubbornness seemed to be getting the better of her at this point. I'm fine. She offered a thumbs up even if he couldn't see it. Probably not the best thing to do when the horse is about to move. On the boy's command, she felt the horse begin to move forward, and herself move back. He was gonna speed off, wasn't he? Instinctually, she moved forward, wrapping her arms around his waist and closing her eyes. She'd rather not fall from such a high height; even if the alternative was this embarrassing. Au. She could feel her chest pressing against his back. She knew she couldn't push away or scoot back either. But the worst part of it was that she realized they were going super slow at this point. Did she honestly freak out over nothing?

Even if you say that. . . This certainly wasn't a situation she would have liked to put herself into. After all, she figured it would be just fine to stay on the back of the horse. Trying to keep her mind off the subject, Luka began to ponder over what they could talk about. She certainly didn't know this boy much at all. It was a bit awkward for her even without sharing a horse. But then, something reached her senses. She sniffed. Then, she sniffed his back. It was coming from him. Akira, you smell nice. She sniffed once more, feeling totally fine with sniffing someone. Even though touching was such a gigantic 'No' in her mind. But the more she sniffed, the more she realized something. Did she smell this scent before? Actually. . . you smell kind of familiar. How odd. She couldn't have smelled this scent too long ago either if she really did recognize it. How odd. She stopped her nose's exploration of the boy with a confused look. Now she had such an odd dilemma on her mind. So much for talking about something productive with the situation at hand.

[Akira Nakajima]

Ah! There it was. Much better. She was actually sitting properly. Well, more specifically, she clung to him. No fear of her falling. And it didn't feel bad, either. Admittedly, subtracting his sister, no female had clung to him before. It was an odd and unique experience. Again, though, it wasn't bad. Just different. Hayagriva had slightly accelerated after everything had gotten situated. It was still a slow pace, but it was much more realistic than the extremely slow, careful pace prior to the hug. The fact that Luka had made an odd sound, as though embarrassed, made her come off as endearing, though. She had potential- not just in battle. He stood by his opinion. She could be cute if she tried, not that he was going to comment on it at the present. He had relaxed slightly after the initial grip that suddenly wrapped around him. Between a certain sound and sensation, though, his back had immediately tensed back up. More so than before, even.

”H-huh?” He jokingly, and seriously, called her a bit off. Okay, he'd admit that. He had absolutely no qualms with saying that the entity called “Kurokawa Rukako” was a bit odd and sheltered. Socially awkward, for sure. However, not once had he thought she had an inherently skewed view of standards. He swore that. He'd swear it in court under penalty of law. He'd swear it to the gods. That was why his eyes were wide and his expression was that of a person that found themselves stuck in a very odd and potentially uncomfortable situation. Akira wasn't a very large person. With his small frame and shorter-than-average stature, an observer could have (accurately) guessed he was younger than the girl behind him. However, with his back scrounged up the way it was, he probably felt even smaller than he was.

”Wh-while I appreciate compliments, I'm not so sure if I feel comfortable with you sniffing me like that.” He spoke quickly. His words almost ran together. It wasn't that he was panicking, not really, but he really didn't like being sniffed all that much. Maybe it was an acquired taste- or scent, in this case- but it was something that he couldn't say he was comfortable with in the middle of a possessed forest. He did, however, feel a slight twinge of surprise go through his mind when the girl said he smelled “familiar”. That was absurd. While there were certain scents that would likely have been similar between the normal him and “Miki”, they were the more subdued scents. There was no way in all the hells that he was going to be found out by a girl's nose! Even if she was part-beast, he refused to believe his careful planning could be ruined by the sense of smell! That was absurd. Completely. Utterly. It wouldn't happen.

”Please stop reminiscing about my scent.” He added after the next comment. He practically wriggled a bit in response to her “odd” comment. Fortunately, she did stop. With a low grunt, his back gradually relaxed. His cheeks had developed a faint red tint. Did she do that in public? Fortunately, that never happened as Miki. He would. . . need to be especially careful. Careful, but no different. Careful to avoid having his body violated by her nose, no different to ensure that the girl didn't notice anything odd. He was probably going to have issues relaxing around her in the near future, though. Hopefully, that was an odd, one-off thing. No more horseback riding, though.

”M. . . more importantly. Have you had any luck meeting with others outside of myself and Seiji Dalton?” He put forth a new, and one hundred percent better, topic. ”Other Persona-users, I mean.” He clarified, perhaps unnecessarily, just to make sure he broke her out of any odd thoughts or considerations she might have been having. Like sniffing him again. Or worse.

[Luka Kurokawa]

Maybe it was her imagination, but Akira seemed to be acting a bit weird after she sniffed him. She couldn't fathom the reason for it though. He seemed to be tripping over his words a bit all of a sudden too. It wasn't until he voiced his concerns that she began to really believe it. What's wrong? Hm. . . well, alright then. She wasn't going to question him over being uncomfortable. He was rather nice to her, so she decided to stop without any further question. After all, some people had aversions to strange things. Why sniffing was one for him would simply be a mystery left on its own. Still. Was that scent really familiar to her? It's possible she was completely wrong. Maybe if she tried sniffing again. . . No. She'd stop. Her gut had a lingering feeling of foreboding over the whole thing.

It seemed that Akira wanted to change the subject though. Something about coming into contact with people other than herself. Honestly, she seemed to have quite a bit of information in that regard. Actually I've met several now. I started gather their information too, since it might come in handy. I have a bad feeling about us not working together at this point. She had made a full turnaround from her previous plan of working solo into opting for teamwork. From close calls, to seeing new powers that complimented hers, to discovering stronger enemies that she may not be able to beat herself, the girl realized that there may be something dangers to face in the future. She had a deadly premonition for future events.

Off the top of my head, I think I've met like. . . five or so? Besides you two. I have a means of contacting only four of them though. The one she couldn't contact would be that kid with the sword she met when she was with that girl who could use telepathy for the first time. Hm. I also noticed that two of them have a special ability that helps outside of combat. It seems to act as a sort of radar for enemies and allies. I'm not sure about the range, but they can also perform telepathy. And inside combat, they're able to tell what kind of attacks function or not. She wasn't sure if Akira had run into anyone like that before. It might be good to get a tally on what kinds of people were walking around, trying to figure everything out just like them. Anything out of the ordinary like that? You still seem to be the only one I know who can heal though. And nobody seems to have this weapon affinity like me. Some of them may have been able to heal, but simply never needed to when they met. Either way, this was a better opportunity to share info than before. Now they were getting somewhere with this info. At least, that's what she hoped. There was still the ever-present fact that they still knew nothing about the threat. They could only learn about themselves; and slowly at that.

[Akira Nakajima]

It seemed that the topic was successfully diverted to something less bothersome. Wonderful! More than that, it seemed that the girl had managed to get in contact with others. Surprisingly, she even thought to collect contact information. Maybe he was a little wrong about her. Maybe she just had selected knowledge over certain fields. Or maybe she just played too many games or watched too much anime, or something along those lines. Really, either case could have been the truth, but he'd choose to believe that her knowledge was just uniquely dispensed across fields. It was better to assume the nicer, more positive, thing in this case. Maybe things like socially appropriate actions were just a bit of a deficit with her.

”I see.” Akira quietly noted as his thoughts wandered. Not only had the girl been meeting people, but she met more than he had. Interesting, impressive, and altogether respectable. Perhaps he needed to focus less on the park and more on other locations as well? Granted, the park was also the key place he'd met people. Was it simply a lack of luck? Or something else? Either way, there was only so much he could do. More importantly, it seemed that Personas really were multi-functional. Scanners, communicators, weapons specialists, magicians, healers. It really did seem like there'd be plenty of roles for people to play. It was mildly disconcerting that he was the only known healer- twice had that been mentioned with people that'd met others- but he was sure someone else, at some point, would have access to healing skills. And, if not? He'd just have to do his best, should things have gotten nasty.

”Excluding you and myself, there's only three Persona-users I know of. One is our mutual acquaintance, Seiji Dalton. Of the others, one is a male, adult, that goes by the name of Takeda. He's a spell-caster, but purely offensive in nature. The other is a young lady, a westerner, that prefers to be called Anne. She's also offensive in nature. I was told by the latter that, despite having met others, I was the only healer she'd met so far. Going by what you've said, I'll have my work cut out for me if something large occurs. But I'll do what I can.” He paused and tilted his head. ”I do recall Anne mentioning that there was a girl who helped her in battle- mentioned that they performed a support role. Could potentially be one of those scanner-types you mentioned. Unfortunately, nothing unique on my end to report. It seems you have a bit more luck in these things than I do.” He went silent for a moment before nodding, as though he had come up with an idea.

”Of all those people you met, how many of them know each other? We could potentially try to get everyone together for a show of heads, figure out who can do what, and generally exchange information on the situation, our enemies, and the like. I've been getting the contact information of people I met to facilitate communication and management, and it seems you've been doing the same. I think it'd be a good idea to try to gather as many people like us as possible. Thoughts?” Frankly, there was no two ways about it. Even if the girl disagreed, he believed it was a solid idea. Those contacts, however, would be necessary for any degree of organization among them. They didn't really need a leader, but general communication and cooperation would go a long way- towards their survival and towards fixing the situation.

He just needed to sell the idea to her, make it sound good. Hopefully he did a good job.

[Luka Kurokawa]

Akira seemed to be thinking intently on something. It was honestly a bit relieving and worrying at the same time. There was the fact that he was certainly shaping up to be pretty reliable, but the fact that there was such a worrying problem looming above them was still ever-present in her mind. Honestly, she would do good to brainstorm herself. She had no idea where to start though. They were taking the first few steps now. Who knows where the future would push them.

Either way, Akira began listing the Users that he had come into contact with. Most of them had been offensive-based in nature though, compared to her. At the very least, they didn't seem to run into any of the same people. In a way that was good since they covered more ground, albeit inadvertently. There were people who could use elemental attacks. That would certainly help against the enemies who were weak to all the things Luka couldn't even attack. None of them seemed to be like her though. The only worrying thing was that neither of them had actually run into any other healer-types. It wouldn't be good if only one person out of their group could heal.

Either way, Luka decided it would be good to list her own findings in more detail. I guess I'll elaborate on mine as well. I know of two who have offensive abilities. They have a mix of physical and magic attacks. One's name is Ringo. The other one is the one I didn't get contact info from. There was also another person who didn't seem to summon his persona. Then again, that was certainly. . . a unique battle. She recalled how her close call with the Spriggan Mk. III ended abruptly by dropping a burning tree on top of it. Of those three, the first two are pretty simple. Nothing really noteworthy that I can think of. But the third is older and apparently with the government. I think his rank was Lieutenant Colonel. I'm not actually sure how high that is. Honestly, Luka would have done the research had she remembered to. It simply slipped her mind. He seems the most shady, even if he helped me. It's not that I can't trust him, but he might have ulterior motives. Oh right. His name was Takada. She felt that would suffice on those three.

The other two are the two special cases I mentioned. One is a guy that looks to be in his twenties and has a bad leg. The name is Jacob Peeters. Didn't get on well with Takada when we grouped up. I was able to confirm he had the ability when I suggested he try using telepathy with us. He was analyzing enemies during our fight so I figured that was the case. But the person that I learned about the ability from was a girl named Ru. . . Rucreshia. Good thing she wasn't around to hear that. She seemed fairly useful in combat even if she didn't actually fight directly. Peeters was useful too, but I'm still not sure he should be out and about on his own like he was. The guy was using a freaking walking stick! She was merely expressing concern. Either way, they had certainly put together an extensive list of people if they combined their contacts.

As far as the boy's other question went, she was honestly unsure. I think Ru. . . She made an unpleasant face and sighed. The analyzer girl seems to be able to track people she's met before. At the very least, she knows Ringo since they were together. Takada and Peeters know each other, but they don't seem to be on good terms. I think Lu-that girl might be able to locate that other boy I don't know since that was where I first saw her. I don't know if they know of anyone else. Honestly, it was a bit of help that they could possibly get one more person in. As for the boy's plan though. . . Luka had to think over it; the pros and the cons.

She stopped speaking to think over it carefully. At the very least, none of the people she met seemed malicious. While she doubted any of them could by spies, she also figured a spy would have nothing to gain from people who know so little in the first place. After all, the meeting would bring light to everything going on at that point. Cautions would be made, of course. Only to ensure everyone would keep their abilities and such under radar. She could discuss that later if need be or at the meeting if they did have one. I. . . don't see immediate harm in it. There will definitely be plenty of things we should bring up if we do though. Now they were planning a possible meeting. Just how big in scale was this thing going to grow? It was honestly getting a little scary at this point.

[Akira Nakajima]

So they had common Joe's, government agents, and cripples. No shortage of variety, it seemed. Then again, that was indeed the spice of life, and life was quite spicy. Not only did they have a small variety of people in regards to walks of life, but also in capabilities. Knowing that there were older people- rank being something he'd need to look into- though, did open some new windows. Until then, the oldest individual he knew that was involved was Takeda. At best, the man had to be twenty-five. If there was a government worker with a rank of note, they'd have to at least be in their thirties unless they were some superhuman. In other words, there was potentially no age ceiling for a Persona-user. Conversely, this almost meant that there might not have been an age floor, either. Well, beyond individual differences in terms of developing a “self”. The exchange, though brief to that point, was opening a number of windows. Not all of them were good, either. He didn't like the idea of kids getting involved in the mess they found themselves.

”So long as there's no volatile individuals involved, I don't think a meet-up will be too big of an issue. Though anybody immediately notable as 'dangerous' should be excluded for obvious reasons, I feel that, if the majority of us are average people, the only issue will be that of friction due to differences of opinions.” It was a hopeful analysis. Truthfully, he'd like to think that humans could go beyond their basic instincts for conflict and instead work together for a greater cause. He supported people, directly with money and indirectly with jobs. Those that received his aid had proven themselves, but there were many that did not receive his help. He saw the good and the bad. Despite that, he wanted to believe that people could work together. Life was painful, unpleasant, and often never going the way one wanted, but a lot of things- the present and overall situations included- were seemingly out of fiction. What was stopping them all from working together at that point?

”Assuming we can manage this, and get enough people together to make it count, there's a few basic things we'd never to cover, yes. First and foremost, we need to get everyone on the same page with the situation, in case anybody has freshly gained their powers or has otherwise been too afraid to explore on their own. That means covering the time and longevity of that 'extra period' at midnight, the existence of portals, and the enemies included with both and their mannerisms. Additionally, we should cover the coffins and all information gathered about the normal people during that time frame at midnight, as well as how our own powers effect the real world during the day. Once all the essential information that can directly effect one's safety- be it ours or, I really don't want to use the term but, civilians'- next would be theories that could verified or disproven by piecing together our testimonies. This could include things like who could possibly awaken to this power, and under what circumstances. I haven't seen anyone younger than their teens, but you'd apparently seen middle-aged individuals. This raises some questions regarding 'eligibility' and the lack of it.” For a moment, the boy went silent. He scanned the area. No disturbances yet. The path back to the portal seemed clear for the time being, and Hayagriva kept a steady pace, one that gradually increased to a normal, respectable trot. Stealth had since been discarded, though, so the “clop-clop” of hooves could occasionally be heard when hooves managed to find bare pavement.

”Finally, putting together both gathered information and theories regarding us, our powers, our enemies, and their capabilities would follow. This would be a general overview of our capabilities and what may or may not be possible with the power of Persona. In retrospect, it can also give us an idea of what to expect from the. . . creatures during the midnight period, as well as the monsters- or demons, I suppose- encountered here in this, hm, 'dark world' I guess we can call it. General strategies, methods of neutralizing, and information like this would come into play at that point. I suppose what I'm suggesting is a division of the topics to instill the best understanding of the situation, first. Then, cover the risks and dangers of 'joking around' with these new-found powers, as well as how we can affect normal people. Finally, how to best address the looming threat we have- our enemies.” He slowly nodded. It was a mouthful, but it was put together mostly on the spot.

”It's a lot of information to cover. And it probably sounds messy, at that. However, in covering all this, we get as high a level of understanding of the current situation as possible, improve our safety, and also ensure that no unfortunate accidents between us and normal people occur.” He paused before his expression darkened. There was no true way to verify that it'd help on the last bit. Though, fortunately, he was pretty sure anybody demented enough to utilize the power to harm others would have thought to try long before it was brought up at that prospective meeting.

”Is there anything I missed? They're broad categories, but I'm only human. I'm sure there's probably something I overlooked.” He tilted his head slightly, eyes still cutting through the greenery and scouting for movement. ”And thoughts and opinions, of course.”

[Luka Kurokawa]

Luka's mind stuck on the phrase 'volatile individuals.' She remembered seeing that trope in many movies and games. Generally, they find themselves to be the chief example of doing the right thing; generally plunging the group into further chaos and all around trouble. She didn't have any of those on her end. Or at the very least, they hadn't revealed themselves as such yet. Hopefully this movie trope would remain simply so. They didn't need to deal with any problematic people this early on. She could only agree with the notion to keep such individuals away. Though, should they arise, they should be monitored carefully. Small disagreements could be easily settled, but people with drastic ideals would be a big problem.

Naturally. If anything, they should be carefully watched. I'm thankful to have found nobody like that yet. At the very least, they don't seem it. She couldn't say for sure. Her interactions with each person had, on average, been a fight together followed by a small conversation. She knew nothing of what kind of drastic decisions they may make. If anything, a meeting would only help to locate anyone like that to prevent issues down the road. Suddenly, a meeting was sounding more and more reasonable. I imagine we would need to keep order. I expect some small arguments popping up at the very least that may detract from our goal. She was only really recalling that fight that happened with Takada and Peeters. She had no clue how the others may interact. She could only hope that uniting towards a common goal could, at the very least, hold off the fighting enough to get things together.

Akira began explaining his basic plan for the meeting itself. Honestly, it was a lot to take in. Luka did her best though. If anything, it only raised her approval of him. He seemed more than capable of arranging something like this. She certainly picked the right response when he asked her to meet up tonight. First they had a great training session and now they were planning a large scale meeting to rally everyone. Things were progressing rather quickly. In regards to the boy's points, he had raised a number of interesting topics to talk about. Luka herself had a few things to add to that though. That definitely sounds good, but I think it might be safe to cover more than just getting ourselves familiarized with what's going on. Call it pessimistic or being overly worrisome, but Luka had a bad feeling. We need to make sure nobody is going and spreading this stuff to the public. I have a bad feeling about what may happen if everyone finds out. Panic and mayhem came to mind. What would happen when the government steps in too? Even if Takada was already in on this, they weren't acting yet. In regards to ages, yeah. I don't think there is an age ceiling. I'm not too sure about anyone younger though. Eligibility is something we may need to figure out soon if possible. All these things would certainly bring them closer to an exact answer.

Next would be the talk of enemies and info gathering. This is where their knowledge was the smallest. Luka was under the impression that these were youkai, but even that was beginning to fade. Several matched creatures and demons of myth, but then there were some that fit none of these molds. The masked creatures in the Museum were such an example. As far as their own powers went, they seemed to be capable of growth. To what degree was still a complete mystery though. They could only hope that there would be some sort of breakthrough in their knowledge soon. Indeed. We may want to compile what kinds of abilities we all have and what we know about the different enemies. In case you never went to the Museum over in Toshima, the enemies are much different. They don't seem to be demons. Instead, they seem to be various shapes and forms. Most of them have masks on them. They still function mostly the same as those demons though. Hopefully, their targets wouldn't get too diverse.

It was certainly a lot of information. This is what Luka thought just as Akira had said it himself at that moment. Messy indeed. If anything, we need to make sure we don't have everyone talking over everyone else. Someone should be compiling all that we know too; since I imagine lots of things will be going around. If there is one thing Luka learned from being in front of crowds, it's that the more people there are, the more likely everyone will be trampling over each other. Smaller groups always maintain more control and order. They conform. The mention of unfortunate accidents was also a bit bothersome. These abilities were akin to superpowers. While they could all easily be acting as good-willed heroes, someone could use their powers to get away with awful things. The worse case scenario might be a witch hunt where all Users may be persecuted as dangerous threats. No. They'd avoid that. If someone dangerous was out and about in the city, they'd stop them.

Other than what I already noted, do you have a place in mind for where we could hold this meeting? She figured Akira could be trusted to find a spot. If not, they could easily look for one. Tokyo was a big city. Plenty of spots could do. Other than that, I think I'm convinced we should have this meeting at some point soon. The sooner we get more people informed, the more likely we might save someone from a bad ending. Honestly, how many had died while exploring since the day this had started? Had someone she met already died by this point? Worrisome thoughts filled her head once more. She stopped them though. This was definitely why they needed to tell people and have them organize. If nobody else was going to do it, they would need to.

[Akira Nakajima]

At first, the girl simply agreed on his points, giving general comments that would have come to be expected. People were diverse and unique. Rarely did two exceedingly similar individuals come to meet, and, even in those occasions, that didn't mean they'd get along. To humans, disagreement instinctive. He was at peace for the most part. That was, until Luka mentioned ensuring that the information was kept to themselves- that is, the other Users. That was silly, though. Something like that was common sen- . . . no, actually, that was a dangerous line of reasoning. Common sense and decency were things that weren't exactly common anymore. Well-intentioned idiots, or just panicking youths looking for some degree of assurance from someone older would have likely spewed the information to and fro. While most would be seen as delusions of highly imaginative children or people out of their mind, he couldn't deny the possibility that these people would, perhaps, involve their friends or family. While they did need more on their side, he didn't believe that dragging people into the situation would solve anything. Rather, it'd potentially make things worse. He ran some of his own experiments, sure, but he also verified that everything was all right afterward.

All in all, he had to worry anew.

”I had thought that keeping these things secret would have been a given. When you mentioned it, though, I stopped and considered it. We should make that one of the most important things to drill in. While I doubt that it'll cause widespread panic, it could lead to others being dragged into this mess. While we need allies, we do not need to draw others in unnecessarily. Coincidental and circumstantial allies are what we'll need to make due with.” It was clear that the boy did not agree with dragging people- willing or not- into this battle. He had, since the sniffing, gradually relaxed, as well. Despite their topic, his back had reverted to its softer state. He considered the other points that the girl raised before slowly nodding. Documentation and location, huh? Well, proper documentation would have to wait until after the meeting, if only so that all their resources could come together. However, that didn't mean he couldn't get his- and Luka's- information and compile it neatly. As for location, that was simple. He owned plenty of locations. Making a “reservation” was simple. And, for the most part, he'd remain a casual youth with, perhaps, a large allowance in the eyes of others. All problems solved.

”I think we should wait until after the meeting to put together a comprehensive report, but I can certainly put our information together into brief sheets covering everything. It'll help tide anybody over for resources until the next version of the report is released, at least. Depending on the size of the group, we could even perhaps organize website. That Anne girl I mentioned? She suggested a forum. Either way, I do think, once we get enough people or information together, that a database of sorts would be a good idea. It could be quickly accessed, regardless of location. A simple bookmark, or saved settings, would also ensure that they wouldn't lose the means of access, as well. I'll have to see about it if we don't have anybody with those skills. And, regarding locations, I can arrange something. Don't worry about that. The first thing to verify would be a date and time. People are busy entities with their own plans. Even if this might improve their survivability, some may very well not make time for such a meeting. We'll have to try to work around that and arrange to get as many individuals as possible together as soon as possible.” Having spoken his conclusion, the boy went silent. His eyes scanned across the landscape, but he was otherwise doing nothing. Physically, at least.

”Right. I recall that Takeda had some issues getting his Persona out reliably. Unlike you, his abilities were all 'active', so anybody with skills that require the presence of their Persona will likely be in danger until they can control it properly. Anne told me about an odd blonde lady, and showed me a device she called an 'Evoker'. It looks roughly like a handgun. Supposedly, it allows one to summon their Persona without issue. I've yet to follow up on that just yet, but it's within my plans to do so soon. Getting a spare one or two for the meeting would likely be a good idea, as well, provided they function properly. Explaining the methods of usage, as well as where to acquire them, could help raise the survivability for some of our numbers.” He tossed that out there with a slight shrug. There was still much to do, in addition to what was already said. Fortunately, he was used to organizing information and making things happen. It was one of the perks of working in business. The worst that these preparations would cost him? Falling behind on his reading. After all, for a person that didn't sleep during the night like a normal person, but used strategically scheduled naps, the day was much more welcoming and accessible.

”I think that's all that we would need to cover. At least, off the top of my head. Once we head back, I'll see about organizing my information and making some calls. If time allows, I'll try to follow up on checking in with that blonde woman, as well. Thoughts?” He finally lobbed the ball into her court again, tilting his head to the left. Really and truly, there wasn't much else he could think of off-hand. Then again, part of his mind was also dedicated to staying sharp and watching for signs of enemies. If something did slip his mind at the present, he could deal with it. He'd likely have remembered after sitting down and properly going over everything. He was only human. An exceptional human, he'd been told before, but a human nonetheless. He wasn't perfect, but he could strive for perfection.

Not that that was an excuse for his mistakes, of course. He'd still face those head-on and properly address them.

[Luka Kurokawa]

They had made quite a bit of progress in terms of what they planned to do, what needed to be said, and what to worry about. The meeting would hopefully serve its rightful purpose when the time came. It seemed Akira was only just now considering that people may try to do something that they didn't need happening. While it may have been common sense for him, they couldn't be sure what others would be like, or if they had anyone they should worry about. They couldn't be sure if some people's interests deviated from theirs in some way, or worse. If abilities could be used in the real world, what was stopping someone from abusing them to no end? Some of these abilities could spell disaster for the people they're used on. It made her begin to consider what would happen if two users fought each other. She hoped such an outcome wouldn't appear any time soon. As she thought over everything, she remembered that she was sharing a horse with this boy the whole time. Despite their bodies being in such close proximity, it seemed that the two of them had relaxed back from when they were quite tense. Well, that was mostly her. Though, Akira did act strangely when sniffed. But now? Things were actually a bit comfy. Before her mind detracted any more from the conversation, she decided to continue the conversation.

I agree, even if it might be a bit harder. We've all managed up to this point. At least, I think all of us have. We don't need to bring people in who can't actually fight. The only reason they were able to combat anything was because of their elevated physical bodies. She knew a normal person wouldn't be able to take a fire blast and be able to shrug it off a minute later. For the time being, their small group would be the extent of their planning. Another thing had occurred to her to bring up. Speaking of. . . This all started happening to me a bit over a week ago. It's the same with you, right? Do you think anyone else can awaken at a later point? And for that matter, do you think there's anyone who has been at this longer than us out there? Was there someone out there who had been doing this longer than them? That would be quite useful to find out. And if new people could awaken, they would have more allies. As awful as it is to wish someone into such a world, she had hoped there would be people willing to step in.

Akira threw out some interesting propositions. They could write up what they already knew for the people who would attend just to minimize the time they'd need to waste explaining it all. After the meeting, they could compile anything new they learned. As far as a forum went, Luka figured it might be a good idea. It would be much better than simply going down a line of telling everyone about something. Unsurprisingly, Akira even had a location already in mind. Great. That would make the meeting a lot more efficient. I think a forum would really help too. If we have all of our information in one spot it will make it easier for anyone new as well. Luka looked around for a moment. She recognized the area they were in by this point. They weren't too far away from home. Home, being their world. This was good since she was starting to get a little chilly. Her clothes were for easy movement, not warmth.

But the next subject they talked about was a bit surprising. An odd blonde lady? Evoker? This was starting to sound ominous. Why had she never heard of this until now? Certainly, she needed to go find this blonde woman and speak with her. An evoker might be good to have as well. Even if she didn't have any activated abilities, it might come in handy down the road. So, let me get this straight. There's a suspicious blonde woman out there handing out tools used to summon personas? That sounds like something worth investigating. Out of anyone mentioned, she would probably know more than any of them about what was going on. Luka would have figured that mentioning this lady would be one of the first things to do. I suppose that's all you know about her? Her location would be good to know. Other than that, yes. I'll probably grab one of my own too. We'll cover them at the meeting. That was an interesting revelation nonetheless. Honestly, Luka had half the mind to go see the woman after she was done with Akira. Well, once she knew where to find her anyway.

Things just seemed to get weirder by the minute. First demons, then other people fighting them, alternate worlds, and now some blonde lady handing out guns? Just what was going on around here? Finally, Akira expressed his plans when they were done. It did indeed seem that there was nothing else to talk about. I think that's all, yes. I'll be looking out to see that blonde lady too. Maybe I'll see you there when I go. She let out a tiny laugh following her playful suggestion. If we think there's anything we missed or we learned something new, we can always just call each other. They had time for everything as it seemed. Nothing would really be causing them any trouble right now. Luka could only hope that there wouldn't suddenly be a threat coming without warning at some point. If they weren't organized, something bad could result. Nevertheless, they were nearing their destination. In the span of a horseback ride, the two of them had formulated quite the plan. They really could work well together it seems. Oh. Speaking of. . . if it isn't too much trouble. I wouldn't mind going somewhere with you again. I-I mean, like. . . to go fighting! Not like other places! She tripped over her words as she nearly implied something totally different. Luckily, she caught herself before a misunderstanding happened. Sort of. It was relieving that Akira couldn't see her expression at this point. Her grip tightened ever so slightly as they continued onward.