[Video] Greeting newcomers with a smile!

[dualpinkpistols]

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. ]

Comments

[dualpinkpistols]

... 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. ]

[messianic]

[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.]

[dualpinkpistols]

... 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?

[messianic]

...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.]

[dualpinkpistols]

[ ... 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...

[messianic]

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.]

[dualpinkpistols]

... 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...

[messianic]

[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?

[dualpinkpistols]

... 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? ]

[messianic]

[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.]

[dualpinkpistols]

... 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...

[messianic]

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.]

[dualpinkpistols]

... 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...

[messianic]

[...

...


.......

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?

[dualpinkpistols]

... 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...

[messianic]

['If only Jun had been like you'.

...This would be the explanation why, then. He'd been wondering.]

...What happened to him?

[...what did he do--]

[dualpinkpistols]

Memories are... funny. They can be changed so easily... but they give us so much sway in the things we do.

[ ... ]

Jun... he blamed Tatsuya--the wrong one. Our Tatsu. Because his memories were manipulated...

[messianic]

[...Blame and regrets. Regrets lead to blame, which lead to...pain, really. There is no good reason to dwell on regrets. But, well...he knows that that isn't easy.

It's quiet, his tone.]

...I see. I'm sorry. Was it...ever resolved?

[dualpinkpistols]

... Not immediately. Jun was being controlled by an entity for a very long time. The "Crawling Chaos"... it changed his memories, and even caused him to believe that 'it' was his father, by taking his form. I think... at one point, he even thought I was his mother... because they had a bad relationship.

[ Poor Jun. She felt so bad for him. ]

Eventually, he gave up his Persona, and began desiring revenge because of the darkness that had taken over him. So he became the "Joker", twisted into an inhuman monster by the rumors coming true in our city...

[ ... She looks down. ] I met up with them all again at Seven Sisters High because I was doing an article on that rumor, and we... got swept up into what they were doing. Jun wanted revenge for a death that hadn't even happened... my death.

[messianic]

[He nods to show his understanding, expression still solemn.]

So you were brought back into things.

[...Somehow he doesn't believe in coincidences. He's more willing to believe that someone else orchestrated it, to be perfectly frank; not that he says so, of course.]

[dualpinkpistols]

... Yeah. To be perfectly honest, I'm certain Nyarlathotep is the one behind everything. He... didn't succeed with Jun. We saved him from himself, you know? It's just... my hope that they can go on without me.

[ A small smile. ]

I've caused them so much trouble... and I guess I got a bit carried away, huh? I wanted to hear about you, but here I am talking about me... sorry about that.

[messianic]

[...Heh. He smiles, shaking his head.]

I don't think that you have anything to regret for them as well. Things...were tragic, and difficult. But it wasn't anyone's fault in particular save Nyarlathotep, I believe. I'm sure they will realize that as well.

[c:]

You have nothing to apologize for. After all, I asked, and I wanted to know.

[dualpinkpistols]

Don't get me wrong. I don't have any regrets! I'm happy to be alive now, but... I just don't want them to hurt anymore. They're good kids like you. Though, knowing my death sort of led to the end of the world is troubling... to be honest with you, that's what that... thing was after, I think. He drew so much amusement out of it...

[ She shakes her head. ]

... But I've noticed... we have to be from the same world, right? To have Personas... what year is it where you're from? And what city are you from? ... If it's true you're after me, then that means he lost, and he lost bad.

[messianic]

[...the end of the world? He highly doubts that. Have a bit of an amused smile.]

It was December 15th, 2009, last I recall.

Does that work, Maya-chan?

[1/2]

[dualpinkpistols]

[ ... Yes. Yes it does. ]

So it was 2009...