dualpinkpistols | [Video] Greeting newcomers with a smile!

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[Video] Greeting newcomers with a smile!

Hey, Vatheon!

[ Have a smile from the camera, and a wave, Vatheon. :D The speaker is positively cheerful and bubbly, obviously unbothered by recent events. Or, rather, if she is, it isn't showing. ]

We've got some new arrivals, right~? If my info is right, that meeeeaaaans... you're all probably wondering a bunch of things! Well, never fear, because your ace reporter Maya Amano is here! The who's who, the what's what, and even anything else you can think of. As long as we've gotten it covered by someone I've probably got some info on it. After all, what good is being a journalist if you don't share?

[ If it was even possible, her smile widens. ] So! Go on, ask me anything! Oh, and don't be afraid to come see me if you want to just have some coffee or something on top of asking if you need to--I'm at this cute little café near the entrance to the Park, right? They have amazing seating.

[ A pause. ]

Oh, yeah--and if anyone's seen a guy who's a little uptight and goes by the name of Katsuya, could they drop me a little note? Thanks! And remember, "Think Positive" when things get tough! Even though our situation isn't ideal, it can still be a lot of fun if you give it a chance, right? Ciao! ♥

[ The feed cuts from there, with her blowing a kiss. ]

[ ooc: Action is fine if you want. Can't guarantee I will be able to reply right away because we're having a ton of storms here, but! Have a cheery reporter, Vat. ]

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[ A thoughtful pause. ]

Whatever you're comfortable with? Everyone starts at the beginning, but I'd really just... like to know what makes you, well, you! Your story is probably amazing, you know? I'm willing to bet you're one in a million.

Of course, this is all off the record... I guess I'm just curious as your friend.

I'd like to think that's true of everyone.

[A thoughtful pause. Begin at the beginning...?]

I'm sure my childhood was rather normal. When I was 6, we were in an accident, and my parents passed away.

[Hm...]

I moved around quite a bit after that before ending up in Iwatodai most recently.

[That about sums it up, right? Right.]

[ And she gets in real close. ]

Oh, come on now! You don't seriously think I'm going to let you get away with that short, quiet little answer! You've done more than that, Minato-kun. Besides, I'm not going to tell anyone, after all.

So why don't you be honest with me and tell me the full story?

[ Then backs away to look at him expectantly. She won't comment on his parents, because although it's sad, he doesn't seem sad. She figures positivity is better than dwelling. However... ]

... Although I will say for what it's worth, I can understand what that's like. My dad died when I was really young, too.

[ She isn't sad, merely stating something. ]

But even so, I'm making him proud. I'm sure you're doing the same thing--no, I know you are. You're a good kid.

[That...makes him smile, a little thoughtful. It isn't something he talks about much--ah, who is he kidding, at all, because everyone has their own troubles, and he can serve them better by listening to them. It has always worked out that way.

But the thought that he would be making his parents proud is...a happy one.

Perhaps it could be said that it's...something he knows and yet needed to hear nonetheless.]

I hope so.

[Another bit of a quiet pause, and...the full story.]

...The full story? It's a little complicated, to be honest.

... I know so.

[ And the topic slides away with her smile. ]

We're Persona users. I don't know about others, but it seems complicated is just part of the deal! Believe me, I've heard complicated; seen it too. And I never let it stop me. I'm willing to listen for as long as you're willing to tell me... I want to know why you're who you are, Minato-kun.

I can't call myself your friend if I don't know the basics, right? It's only fair to you.

[He looks at her then, still calm. He knows this...story proooobably won't go over well, but this is Maya. He has no reason to hide it from her, nor any reason to believe she can't handle it.]

Then I don't mind telling you. Though I do have a request of my own--

[The smile is back, then.]

I'd like to learn more about your life as well, Maya-- [er--] Maya-chan.

[ A moment's hesitation, before she nods. ... But why? She has no reason to fear telling him. Why should she? He's a good kid. Maybe it's how much he reminds her of both Tatsuya and Jun, but... she wouldn't want to burden him with her sadness.

Still... he asked. So she'll tell him. Besides, could she have hidden it forever? It wasn't as though she still didn't remember anything, after all--no, she remembered it all now. So it would be okay.

... Right? ]

... Of course. That's only fair, right? A trade.

[ But she won't stop smiling, just because of that. ]

[There's a lot lying here, isn't there? For the both of them. ...Well, it can't hurt to get it out into the open.

So he simply nods, solemn again.]

Thank you. In that case, since you asked first, I suppose I'll start?

[He waits for an acknowledgment before taking a breath and-- where to start?

With something like this? ...Always the beginning.]

I meant it when I said that I had a normal childhood. But...the accident that my parents lost their lives in...well, it was cause by a conflict between someone using her Persona and...Death.

... Somehow, I'm not surprised. That sounds pretty rough.

[ But she will not comment, merely let him go on. She wants to know, after all. ]

[Mmm how to say this...? Flat out would be best, right?]

She couldn't defeat Death, of course. So...she sealed him [Always 'him'. With Ryoji, how could he ever use 'it'?] away in the only survivor of that accident.

[He...can't help but pause then, apprehensive somewhat oh how she'll take that.]

... If you're worried about me taking this the wrong way, I won't.

[ It's... oddly similar in some ways to what they went through. ]

But you don't blame her, do you?

...Of course not. Aigis did what she had to do at the time. That's all there is to it.

[Yayyy Death in my subconscious. But he...really doesn't even know where to start from there, so he falls silent. He hasn't told this much about himself to anyone, really; he's never had anyone who could understand it outside of SEES.]

[ ... So similar. ]

If only Jun had been like you. Maybe everything that happened could have been prevented... you're very strong. Has anyone ever told you that?

[ Somehow, she just can't keep smiling while thinking this. ]

It takes a lot to forgive someone like that... that kind of strength of heart is exactly what makes Persona users what they are. Even if they don't know it at first...

Thank you, but...

[He pauses. Hmmm.]

...What happened, Maya-chan?

[Because there's a story here to be heard, and to be told, and he knows it.]

... It may not necessarily be entirely my story to tell, Minato-kun. But...

[ ... He has told her a bit. So, she will tell him a bit as well. From her pocket, she removes a dirty old rabbit; it's hand-sewn and looks quite old. ]

I made this charm for my father, when I was young. Because he would always go away and report on wars, he was never back home...

[ She looks at it for a moment, before looking back to Minato. ] He took me to the shrine in our city the day I gave this to him, before he left. She was all I got back. The Araya shrine... it became so important to me--to everyone, for so many different reasons...

[Having lost his parents too, that, at least, is something he can easily empathize with. Wanting just one last thing to hold onto that reminds you of them--

In a way, that bridge was it for him.

...but that's not all there is to it, is it?]

Did something happen?

... After that, I promised I would become a reporter just like my father. He died while he was chasing his dreams, but I studied hard to try and follow his footsteps. Maybe, if I was lucky, even surpass him... that I would become a reporter who could grant people's dreams.

[ ... It's a little painful still, to be honest. ]

For a long time, my memories about what happened during that summer a few years later were... hidden. I forgot. But... when I was younger, I met Jun, Tatsuya, Lisa, and Eikichi at that same shrine. I prayed to it a lot.

[ The simple knowledge that... because of this, Jun became what he did... it's not easy. ]

They all played there--they created a group who could be whatever they wanted. So, that summer, I played with them in the shrine... "the Masquerade", we called it. I was older than them, so I just sort of... took care of them. But, mom wanted to move away... it was my fault for hiding it from them, really, but I did it as long as I could. Until the day before...

[ ... They were so young. How could they have known any better? ]

[He's silent then. There isn't much that he can say to that, or not yet; this is Maya's story, and she's telling it.

Even if the knot in his stomach tells him that this is going to be very, very bad.]

... I don't blame them. They were kids, and... I was like a big sister to them. I was the one who taught them that Persona incantation. Maybe if I hadn't, they'd all be dead.

[ Or maybe none of this would have happened in the first place. ] In the end... they locked me in the shrine, because they thought if my family couldn't find me for one night, I'd be able to stay in Sumaru with them...

[ A breath. The memories of what happened afterwards are painful. The flames; Sudou, everything. She touches her arms, knowing that those long sleeves are covering up a lot of old burn scars. ]

Tatsuya protested, so they locked him in with me. We spent a whole night in there...

You were...locked in the shrine?

[He gets it. He really does understand the reasoning, but what he doesn't understand, is--]

...What happened?

[Next? Then? After? During? ...whatever she's willing to tell; he left it open ended for a reason.]

... An insane boy named Tatsuya Sudou happened to find it. He was the one setting fires around the city at the time. Tatsu... he tried to protect me, and got stabbed by him. I... ended up trapped in the shrine, and I didn't know any of this happened until later. I couldn't even see him... just fire, everywhere...

[ ... She touches her arms again, folding them over each other, almost out of instinct. ]

His Persona saved his life... but I had to go to the hospital after that. The kids--they... never found out I hadn't died because it wasn't really reported and they were so young, so they went on for so long believing they'd killed me...

Edited 2011-04-20 01:35 (UTC)

[...

...

.......

That...is a horrifying story. For a long moment, he is reduced to silence. That something like this happened to them--

...And he knows that is has no meaning being said to Maya of all people, but...he says it anyway, quietly.]

...It wasn't their fault.

[There are dozens of questions he could ask here, but...One stands out in his mind.]

Did you ever see them again?

... Coincidence is funny like that. I moved back later.

[ ... A pause, and she smiles. ] I'm lucky, I got to see them all again, and more. We got caught up in a lot of misfortune, that's all. Of course it's not their fault. I think... I forgot, because of the fire... but I don't want anyone else to suffer like they did because of that.

[ Though, the smile fades. ]

But Jun... he wasn't so fortunate...

Edited 2011-04-20 01:48 (UTC)

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