genessia | [Video] > [Action] Reincarnation

Something feels familiar about this boy, even though Akira is sure he's never met him before. Weird. Well, he supposes he'll give him what he asked for.

"From your pod, walk north for 10 meters and then turn 90 degrees to the left." Yup, literal directions. He even recites them in the same robotic tone a talking GPS would have. They should bring Minato right in front of Weiss's hologram and the rack of informative pamphlets.

Minato's registers faint surprise at the prompt reply. Doesn't seem that far off, either. "...Well, that's a start, anyway. Thanks." Funny, he thinks, how someone's able to get in touch with him so quickly. Nobody Minato knows, of course, but presumably a kindred spirit stuck in this weird place. Any port in a storm.

He heads off in the direction suggested, pretty interested about learning of his situation, if his eventual digging for said pamphlets is any indication. So it's a visitor's centre of sorts. Looks like it.

Maybe the owner of that fancy hologram was a big deal. Her attitude reminded Minato a bit of a certain ice queen he knew. He muses... "People have built up this place a lot, haven't they?" As he leafs through the pamphlets and takes it all in, at least he has a moment to think. "Anything else I should know?"

Most of his statements are incisive, but not really in an unpleasant way. His manner's still a bit aloof, but there's a bit of curiosity underneath it. Maybe waking up here wasn't so bad. It beats the alternative.

Edited 2017-09-21 03:13 (UTC)

Akira just watches quietly with a neutral expression as the boy follows his instructions and digests all the information. He seems to be taking all of this pretty well. There musn't be a lot that can faze this guy. The silence on Akira's end continues until that last question; he digs through his brain for a moment to come up with bits of information that the hologram and pamphlets don't cover, and then he finally speaks again, without the robotic tone this time.

"The current City Guardians are David Haller in Genessia City, Mercury Black and Garrus Vakarian in Nova City, Yukiko Amagi in Fayren, Grell Sutcliff in Everglade, and Cassian Andor in Attleton. People who arrive from the same world as you can come from different points in time. The time flow between this world and other worlds in general is pretty weird, so apparently people back home don't even realize that you're gone. Dead people can show up here after they've passed away in their home worlds too. Not as actual corpses, obviously. People who disappear from Genessia aren't always sent home. The best coffee in this world is served at the Bunny Poof Cafe in Nova City on weekday mornings and early afternoons." Yes, he absolutely has to get that last one in to every newbie he meets.

He contemplates for another moment, and then shrugs. "That's all I can come up with right now. If you want to know anything else, feel free to ask."

"Guardians, huh? Now I know who to complain to."

A faint, sardonic chuckle as Minato shrugs a bit. His responses were still terse as he soaked up as much of the info as he could manage. "As for the time thing, it certainly feels like the case. I'm guessing I'm all over the place, time-wise, compared to a lot of people."

He goes quiet when he starts thinking of the whole 'dead coming back' thing. Noticeably, he winces just a little, as if he's remembering something unpleasant. "So I'm guessing it's complicated is what you're saying? Your guess is as good as mine as to why this is all going on, though. People might be so thrilled at a second chance that they don't question why."

Another little pause as he formulates what else to say while he walks about and explores the nearby area. "I can't say I want to go back home, but I can't really say I don't want to, either. My friends can handle themselves, even if they end up here. And besides, I feel like a dead man walking."

There goes that odd humour of his. It's almost dark humour but he doesn't entirely say anything too dark, either. He takes a mental note of the coffee place and asks a rather apt question. Since he's making small-talk with this guy, he might as well keep going.

"Oh, about the cafe: do you work there or something? Or is it just your preference? Either way, I'll check it out. Might be worth it."

Edited 2017-09-30 02:42 (UTC)

Oh ho! Another newcomer! That made him the second person Orihime's seen since her arrival just last night. How could she fail to respond to these newcomers, when their appearances were clustered so closely together? Besides, he looked to be about her age, so she had no business being shy.

If it was even possible for her to be shy to begin with.

"I'd be happy to help!" she volunteered readily enough, clutching her device in both hands as she shot up to her feet. She was eager, and a little restless besides to get in more footwork and exploration. "Do you want me to guide you from here, or would you rather meet in person? I'm Orihime."

She bowed a little, even though they were only connected via transmitter screens.

"I arrived just last night, but I was here before for a little while, so I can at least help with the basics!"

"Alright. Call me Minato, if you want. Or not, I guess." He shrugs his shoulders. A rather flippant response, but at least it's something. While he doesn't bow back, he at least inclines his head in a nod to show his interest. "...I found some stuff around here already, but I'd appreciate the help. That, and you probably know a bit more than I do."

That said, even a loner like him might benefit from having a guide that isn't over the phone. "If you want to come along, I won't stop you. I just don't want to get lost." Great, another person that reminded him of someone else. How many more times would this happen?

He shifts gears so he doesn't have to think about it. "I'm getting the gist of this place, but you're new as well, right? And...you aren't, either? How does that work?" Does that mean people can enter and leave? Now that piques his interest. "I read we might be 'gathered' here somehow. Something doesn't add up. I'd have remembered something like that."

Come to think of it, his memories were a little out of joint. Even after asking around, wandering around, he still felt tired and heavy.

Orihime grinned, humor lighting up her dark eyes. "Minato is fine! Why, were there other options I didn't know about?"

He might seems free of cares, but to her, that seemed like a mark of strength. She'd been pretty shaken up the first time she'd appeared here, though she'd done a decent job of hiding the signs and bottling them up until she could get her bearings. Minato, on the other hand, seemed genuinely accepting of his circumstances, and that was impressive!

The moment he gave his agreement, Orihime was out the door and down the stairs, not even bothering to grab her jacket on the way in her haste to ensure that her new acquaintance wasn't left waiting.

"Don't worry about losing your way! Navigating this city is pretty easy. The streets are numbered in one direction, and in the other they go alphabetically. It makes it simple to navigate as long as you have a cross-road to work with!" The door creaked open and banged shut behind her as she hurried onto the walk, glanced both ways to be sure she wouldn't get hit by a car ~~again~~, then continued.

To answer his question about being new, she nodded with a crooked little smile. "Yes. The total time I've been here isn't quite a month, but there's a big gap between my first day and this one. I don't know much about it...the last days before I woke up again were kind of a blur. Then I woke up in a blur again! I was pretty groggy, and thought I was late for work. ...Ha ha, I guess I was!"

She could see the Bay looming up ahead, so she quickened her steps. "I'm almost there. Can you see me yet?"

He chuckles a bit... "Well, better than calling me 'Makoto' or something. People get weird ideas." Considering she was on the way, Minato didn't really move from where he'd stopped exploring The Bay. He'd wait. It isn't as if he had another choice. "Not a bad way to plan out a city. Sounds easy enough. This is far from Iwatodai, I figure."

As for the topic of memories and time, Minato isn't too sure about how any of this works. But he does let slip a few facts. "Where ever this place is, at least you've got something to work with. I don't really remember much else before I got here. Except my...friends, I remember them pretty clearly." He trails off a little. His memories are so vivid, so clear that way, but some of what's in between just isn't...

After spacing out again, he snaps back to reality a little more at Orihime's question. Focus, already. "...I think so?" He hesitantly offers a half-hearted wave from a distance to see if she responds.

Iwatodai... She'd just heard about that place last night! Well this was a happy coincidence, wasn't it? Of course, cities were big places, and there was no guarantee that everyone in Iwatodai knew everyone else, but...

"I just met someone last night over the communicator who said he was from Iwatodai too! Do you know Aragaki Shinjiro?" With Minato being from Japan and all, she figured it was safe to use the non-western naming convention of family name first and given name second.

Her head jerked up at the sight of movement, and sure enough, she spotted Minato in a heartbeat. Beaming, she thrust her own arm into the air and waved back vigorously, then grinned down at the communicator. "I'll be right over!" she promised, and shut off the feed.

She didn't even wait to find out if he knew Shinjiro or not...

Swiftly she jogged to the Bay, not slowing until she was finally at his side. "Whew! And here we are!" She slipped the radio into her skirt pocket where it weighed heavily in a bulky lump. "It's nice to meet you in person, Minato-san. Where would you like to go first?"

Edited (past tense, present tense, IT'S ALL THE SAME IN MY WORLD!) 2017-09-21 05:23 (UTC)

He put his hands back into his pockets and listened for a while. But a familiar name caught him offguard. Was this some kind of joke? Or could this be a ray of hope? Were there any others? For a moment, something caught in Minato's throat as he tried to reply. He thought he'd never hear that name since emerging into this bizarre place.

Either way, he'd end up looking away from the viewport for a moment in silence. "Yes, I do. He's a friend of mine." he added, quietly. Though his melancholy mood wasn't visible for long.

When Orihime finally showed up, he still felt a little hesitant. Perhaps it wasn't right to have said so much. But if he hadn't, he wouldn't have known. "Just...bring me somewhere interesting, maybe." Minato's gaze focused on the distance, not seeming to look at her directly, a little lost in his thoughts. He turned back to her with a little. "What'd you two talk about, by the way? Shinji's...had his own share of troubles. If he's here, I hope he hasn't found any more."

Oh...oh yes, she asked him a question before her feet carried her away, hadn't she? She smiled apologetically, but her cheer was quick to take command once again. "That's amazing! I bet he'll be overwhelmed with joy to see you here too! He said he's been here for a month, so I guess it's been a while for him."

Couldn't you picture it clearly, Minato? Shinjiro, smiling tearfully and laughing with delight to be reunited with his good friend after being apart for so many days. Cue the slow motion open-armed run through fields of flowers and bubbles.

"Troubles? No, he seemed just fine. I think he was more worried about me than anything," she admitted, rubbing the back of her head. "He's really nice!" However, the spark of curiosity had caught in her heart. What kind of troubles would Shinjiro be hiding? It certainly wasn't her place to ask, as she'd only just met him, but she told herself to pay close attention the next time they spoke to see if she couldn't figure it out without forcing Minato to betray any confidences.

Somewhere interesting, though, hmmmm... She turned her head to look around Genessia's streets thoughtfully. Maybe she should have paid more attention to the hub city instead of charging off for Fayren with child-like hopes of spotting a dragon (that had never appeared, sadly). Fayren was too far to walk, though, and he seemed like he might be a little tired.

She looked at the headphones resting around his neck. So he liked music... That gave her a good starting point for suggestions. "There's a music store," she turned to point in a somewhat vague direction. "Or if you're hungry, I think there's a karaoke bar around here too." Orihime doubted he was in the mood to do much singing, but he could listen to everyone else while enjoying a meal and getting caught up to speed.

"Overjoyed, huh?"

That's funny. And not at all the word he had in mind, but he'll take it.

"Yeah, I guess?" He shrugs once again, shaking his head with a small sigh. "See, I wasn't as close to him as some others might've been. Good guy if you don't mind rough edges." Minato continues with remarkable honesty, stating... "This place seems to be better off than we came from. Makes me wonder who else made it, if any."

For a moment, he couldn't help but let out a bit of an amused - or bemused - little snicker. "...Man, Aki'd be mad as hell at Shinji for going off somewhere without him." It was hard enough not to mention what else he knew. If he told the poor girl about what he'd been through all in one go, she wouldn't believe it. And probably stop being nearly as bubbly and kind-hearted. She didn't really deserve that.

"Oh, right." Yeah, she did suggest going somewhere, right? He was only half-listening. His mind had more than a few gaps since he woke up. "Mm...I'm fine with either one." Her suggestions were a welcome change of subject... "The last thing I want to be in a new place is bored. Surprise me."

Edited 2017-09-21 07:32 (UTC)

"Ha ha! I think most of my friends have rough edges. I think he's great!" And he seemed to genuinely care about the welfare of strangers, which definitely gave him points. But oh, how her curiosity burned as he gave that little hint about where he'd come from. She'd just assumed that Iwatodai was like any other Japanese town. Just how bad off were the two of them?

And what did they make it out of?

She wanted to ask so badly that she had to knot her fingers in her skirt to remind herself that he scarcely knew her and likely wouldn't welcome such prying questions. He'd alluded to them though, so maybe...

"Let's try the music store, then!" she said, making up her mind. "I'm pretty curious about the karaoke bar, but it might be too loud to talk there. We can pick up something hot to drink along the way." Some tea or coffee might perk him up, right? Orihime fell into step beside Minato and set off to lead him away from the place of his awakening.

"I've never been to Iwatodai," she commented, "so I'm not sure what it's like." It was a way to ask about it without really asking. Ho ho, she was getting sharper at this sort of thing!

From the little nod the young man gave, he seemed okay with that. As he kept walking, he figured it wouldn't hurt to give her a little idea of the place.

"Iwatodai's defies description, sometimes. It's a city like any other." He nods... "Crowded, unfamiliar, full of people struggling to live their day-to-day lives. And full of foreign street names." That always bugged him. "At least I learned a bit of English and French out of it, I guess."

As he kept making his way to the music store and following her path, he seemed to avoid looking at her, directly. Not really out of any sense of malice. It just seemed like he wasn't used to it. Not with her, anyway. He's more focused on learning the way to their destination...

"It wasn't the city that was the problem, anyway. I had plenty of good times. But...My friends and I got in over out heads. And I haven't seen any of them for a long time. I don't remember having that many friends before that." He doesn't turn as much as tilts his eyes over to her as he continues... "My life's always been a bit of a mess, though. Maybe this place won't be so bad."

"You didn't grow up there, then?" she asked, curious. She, herself, had always lived in Karakura Town. She'd had to change apartment buildings once, but she couldn't imagine having to move away, especially now that she'd grown so close to the friends she'd made there. But he'd said Iwatodai was unfamiliar, so that suggested it was relatively new to him.

The more she listened, the stronger her sense of sympathy grew. She thought she could hear the loneliness or pain in his words even though his voice was so calm.

Maybe she'd been wrong to think that he didn't want her to pry. It sounded like he was carrying a heavy burden on his shoulders, and from what she could tell, it might actually be nice for him to talk about it with someone who was willing to listen.

Her head dipped once in a solemn nod before she smiled quietly. "I didn't have many friends growing up either. So I think I can understand that." Unless he literally couldn't remember having friends before that. Genessia did exact a price from those who awoke in its realm, so that might have been what Minato gave up. She was suddenly very glad that Shinjiro had arrived in this place, so Minato had someone he could rely on and trust.

"Well, I like it a lot so far," she replied with a hitch of her shoulders and a grin. She studied the path ahead, pursing her mouth pensively for a moment. It was probably best just to be straightforward with him instead of assuming and guessing what his needs might be.

"Anou...I don't want to be the kind of person who asks you too many personal things, or intrudes on really private matters. But... I mean, I'm a pretty good listener! And if your life was hard before and you need to talk about it, then you should! I wouldn't think poorly of you or your circumstances!"

Orihime paused to take a breath and reflect on what she'd said. "...That didn't sound too weird or forward, did it?" Because it kind of seemed that way.

"No, you're fine. I'm just not too talkative, that's all."

His reply was quick and curt, but not disrespectful. He merely didn't want to get too personal with the girl, just yet. "I lived there when I was younger. Then I moved away and came back. That's basically like coming back to a different place, right?"

Minato, once again, gave a little shrug. "I'd rather focus on now than worry about the past, though. No offense. I just want to get my bearings and maybe see if there's anyone else that's worth talking to."

Naturally, he probably meant his friends. If Shinji was around - which was likely true, the girl didn't seem like the lying type - maybe he could have some good news. And if the others were around, maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

"...I guess being here's better than nothing..." He looked down to his feet. Where was he even going? Every step felt alien to him. Even if it was to somewhere innocuous, something felt off about it. Maybe it was just him. "Is the store close by? You said it's down this way, right?"

A new pair of headphones would do him good, probably. He takes a moment to check his phone, trying to see if it had a map or anything. And probably to check if anyone else picked up on him.

Oops! Had she misjudged his needs so badly? It seemed so, since she couldn't help flinching sulkily at his desire to find people worth talking to.

"Oh, er...I imagine that would be the case!" she conceded, being careful not to ask any further questions to accommodate his wishes. "I'm not offended."

She was just mentally chiding herself for being invasive and stupid.

Surprise surprise, Orihime was checking her phone too to make sure she wasn't leading him astray. When she realized he was looking at his too, she leaned over and pointed at it. "This is where we're going," she beamed. "I haven't really gone inside before, I just noticed it was there!"

Really, though, she could stand to splurge a little one of these days. As long as they were there, maybe she could look around and see if they sold radios. There was supposed to be a radio show that was really important to listen to, after all, and if they had one that doubled as an alarm too, that would be twice as convenient!

Lifting her head, she pointed down the street. "Yup, we're on the right track. This way!" She quickened her steps, making sure that Minato was close behind.

It wasn't too long before they found the shop in question. Orihime pushed open the door and stepped inside. It had a pleasantly warm musty smell of used record covers and incense. Orihime stepped aside so Minato could enter as well. "This is it! What do you think? Is it interesting enough?"

It doesn't taking Minato too long to start looking around the place and getting a feel for whatever's around. A lot of vintage stuff in there. Some old, some new, it seems. But it's small, cozy and at least seems tolerable. And quiet. He's looking around for anything that interests him of his own accord by now, rifling through shelves and racks...

"Yeah, I don't mind this place. I wonder if I can afford something, though..."

The money he had on hand from his pod didn't seem to be quite enough, to him. Unless he could find something on the cheap and snap it up. His MP3 player still worked, too, so he might be able to download more, if he had trouble.

"...I hear I'll probably have to find myself a place soon enough, right?" he added, still looking through for something portable enough to bring back with him. "I wonder if my friends here would let me hang around. If not..."

Thinking it over again, he had no doubts there would be an issue. Aside from the shock of seeing him again. "Whatever, just talking to myself, again." He shrugged... "Found anything cool, yet?"

"There's a CD from a rapping pirate," she grinned at him from over one of the dividers, holding up the case in question. It featured a man in a cheap pirate costume, complete with eyepatch and plastic parrot.

Huntin' Dat Booty - by Arrrr Kelly

He might not actually be a pirate.

Orihime put it back, content just to explore the selections. Buying music meant she would have to buy a stereo too, and she wasn't about to splurge on luxuries for a good while. "I probably can't speak for your friends, but most apartments hold up to four people. It's a possibility!" she grinned. "Even if they're full up, you can stay in The Commons for up to a month for free. So don't worry about finding a cardboard box to sleep in or a cozy park bench with newspaper blankets."

As Akihiko sees the familiar face, he stops what he's doing - jogging as per usual - and sends a quick message to Junpei, Shinjiro, and Mitsuru alerting them to their leader's presence before breaking out into a full on sprint heading to the Bay. Moments later, Minato would have a large object collide with him, and two large arms squeezing him to the point of pain inducing.

Sorry Minato. You're not escaping this one.

Minato's still a bit distant. Even after all the wandering and strangeness he's dealt with, he still isn't focused on much. And yet something sprints at him at full speed. He reaches for the holster at his side and calls... "ORPHE--!"

And fumbles, his Evoker firing a blast of blue light into the air. His stumbling to gain his balance entirely makes it impossible to prepare for the athletic blur slamming into him with the force of a billion vice grips. From the crackling feeling in his ribs, Minato had exactly an idea of who it was, now.

"G-gh...l-let go." he weakly protested. Followed by a much louder struggle to get his prodigiously strong friend off of him... "Aki-...You're...gonna break me. S-seriously..." he coughs and winces. He doesn't even shout in pain, but his discomfort is unimaginable. Nevertheless, he's still slowly trying to wriggle out.

"...Ff...G-guess I kept you waiting..." His laugh is weak and worn out from all that, but there's something in there that feels familiar. That's another one... "...What the hell happened to you?"

Edited 2017-09-21 06:12 (UTC)

It was a long moment, but after a while, Akihiko did relent. He sat Minato down - only belatedly realizing he'd picked the shorter boy up - and took a step back.

"What happened to me? ...That's... a long story. I'm more curious as to what happened to you though."

[ He wouldn't have scrambled to turn on his communicator so fast if Mitsuru hadn't told him what had happened. ]

Arisato?

He replies just as quickly, considering he didn't really keep his arrival a secret. He nods in response.

"Aragaki." Another moment of silence. "...I heard you're doing pretty well for yourself. Don't worry, welcome party's already here." With a faint smile and a little bit of pain visible on his face, he muttered... "Oh yeah. And, I'm sorry."

Just who had he been talking to? Doing pretty well? Huh. ~~Maybe the front he was putting up was working.~~

Shinjiro winces, visably. Great. He toggles on the privacy option on the broadcast. Pretty obvious when the kid was from, time-wise.

"... Pretty sure everyone else will be sayin it's me who should apologize," he muttered.

"You're the one who saved the world."

Which. Yeah. He felt awful about. They hadn't known each other as well as the rest of SEES did. But he still liked Minato. It was pretty hard not to. He sure as hell didn't deserve what happened to him.

Shinjiro? He earned what he'd gotten.

Edited 2017-09-21 15:49 (UTC)

Minato just stares back at him for a second. His expression hardens a bit and he replies, seemingly as if Shinjiro got something wrong.

"...So what if I did? I did what I had to do." Minato's voice did move out of its calm register for about a split-second. "I knew what I was getting into. It was either that or let everyone die. And..."

Something catches in his throat again. He struggles to finish what he started. "...I couldn't let anyone else get hurt. And there was so much that still needed doing." He paused once more, shaking his head.

"Let's get one thing straight: I'm no hero, Shinji. If I was, maybe I could've done more. But I did what I could." Minato ended up putting his restrained front back on as he said this. He had a lot of regrets. Everyone does, in the end. "...Look. What matters is that we're both alive and well. Maybe we can talk more in person."

A faint, weary smile. "...I missed you guys."

Edited 2017-09-21 16:06 (UTC)

Shinjiro puts his hands up. "Woah, woah. I'm gonna be the last person who blames you."

He sighs, and scratches the back of his head, looking down. "That's why I was tryin to say, you ain't gotta apologize."

Because he understood. Damn if he understood. Some things ... just needed to be done. Shinjiro also didn't think of himself as a hero, but if given the same choice? He'd still would have taken two bullets for Ken. He still would have saved the guy's life. That would never change.

"... Yeah." Shinjiro doesn't look at the camera again. Alive, sure. "Well"? The verdict was very much out, on that one. "... You're a good kid. Sorry for bringin all this shit up, rather than."

He shrugs. "It's good to see you again."

"It's fine. Things are kinda messed up right now, so I'd rather just get my feet under me." Minato just sighs. He figured this would come up, sooner or later. Regardless, he doesn't seem too angry at the topic being broached. He just doesn't feel he has time to deal with it, right now. He, too, looks away.

After a moment, he looks the camera dead on. "On the bright side: Call this a cliche, but it feels good to be back. It's all a bit hazy. I need some time to adjust. Hope you don't mind that."

With that, he keeps walking as he talks, trying to think of what to say. "What're you even up to, these days? I guess you got here pretty recently, right?"

Shrugging, Shinjiro also looked back on the screen. "You've always adapted quickly. But this place is weird as hell. Take as much time as y'need."

After hesitating, he then offered, "... if you need a hand, though. These things act pretty much like phones."

And if he was ... well. People left here all the time. Akihiko and Mitsuru were here, and they liked the guy. So, hopefully, Minato would adjust well enough to that, too. Shinjiro frowned.

"Bout a month ago," Shinjiro replied. "So, not much. Got a job, got roped into livin with Aki."

Edited 2017-09-21 18:06 (UTC)

A small chuckle escaped the dour boy's lips. "You two aren't ever apart, huh? Should've known you guys are doing okay." Akihiko's a pretty capable guy, Minato muses to himself. If anyone can keep Shinji in check, it's probably him. But still, it might be a good idea to watch out for Shinjiro's sake.

"Don't worry..." he added, in a bit of a warmer tone of voice than usual. "That goes without saying. If anything's wrong, I'll see you guys about it, first. At least I know you guys."

Another pause... "I wish I had anything else good to say, though. I'm sorta bad at this."

Edited 2017-09-22 20:33 (UTC)

Well, aside from the two years when Shinjiro ran away from SEES, sure. And, of course, aside from the two years after he got shot and died. Beyond that, though. He shrugs.

"I don't think anybody's good at this kinda thing," he said, quietly. "Comin back from ... well. Or just arrivin at a strange place against your will."

Shinjiro smirks. "They might give us a pamphlet, but there sure ain't a handbook on how to do this thing the 'right' way."

[Junpei would've arrived sooner, but his earlier knowledge of Genessia failed him as he went ahead of his (kinda former?) classmates and got lost, showing up about thirty minutes.

Junpei was panting from running to meet up with the others as he flashed Minato his good ol' boy grin.]

Heh heh, sup? About time ya showed up, Oh fearless leader~

[How about a Bro-hug?]

Minato had a feeling Junpei'd show up, too. His clothes are a bit ruffled and he's out of breath, but he's looking okay. And besides, he really couldn't feel too annoyed about Junpei.

Not yet, anyway.

"I'm okay." Minato replied with characteristic ambiguity. "...It's been a while, hasn't it? Still up to your old tricks, huh."

And yes, he goes through with the hug, albeit a bit stiffly and awkwardly. He's still not too much of a hug kinda guy, but he tries.

"There, there. Don't make me get all sentimental, Junpei."

Edited 2017-09-21 15:49 (UTC)

[The Bro-hug was short.

Very short.

It would've taken less effort to just pay each other on the back.

But screw it. Live a little! Once Junpei put a few steps of space between them, he had a look of confusion, even though he really shouldn't be at this point.]

Been a while? I know I've been back here for a week, but, c'mon, dude. We went to Mitsuru-senpai's place not that long ago.

"...It feels like it's been longer is what I mean. I can't remember all of it, but...well, a lot of stuff happened between then and now." And it's true, it feels much longer. Maybe Junpei didn't remember, either.

"Whatever. Don't worry about it. Guess I'm a bit slow on the uptake, right now. Hanging in there?" Minato didn't seem all that willing to go into why he felt so confused, of course. He didn't want to discuss that until he knew there were more people around that he could trust.

Edited 2017-09-21 17:03 (UTC)

[He's done being surprised by classmates coming from different points in time.]

Oh, totally. They got some nice diners out here. Plus we got Akihiko-senpai and Mitsuru-senpai and even Shinjiro.

Damn shame we don't have Yuka-tan, Fuuka-chan or Aigis here, though.

Minato nods a bit. Even if socializing with people outside of his peer group wasn't really his 'thing', he liked the idea that there were some places to hang out. But the fact that a few of his old friends were still missing really put things into perspective...

"Huh. So they didn't make it over. Well..." He trails off a bit. "...I guess they might show up, too. I mean, I made it, didn't I?"

From the sounds of it, poor Junpei might not know or remember the rest of things. Maybe it's better he keeps quiet.

He added, amicably, trying to change the subject, "...I'll fill you in on everything else, later. How about we go grab a bite and catch up, though? Sounds okay to you?"

Just like old times, this was an offer he knew this joker of a pal of his couldn't resist.

Edited 2017-09-30 02:27 (UTC)

[Mitsuru is walking through Genessia from her new job to her new apartment when the communicator goes off. She knows that she got a message from Akihiko before and she should check it, but her attention is focused on the video feed coming through. She frowns as she stares at a blank screen, until an extremely familiar face shows up.

One she hasn't seen in over two years.

One that she never thought to see again.]

Arisato?

It's been so long. It felt like so much longer. And it hurt, just a little. He couldn't just ignore this new message, it was too important. There's a quiet nod of recognition from Minato's end and a small affirmative noise.

"Mi-" He stops for a moment.

"Kirijo-senpai." He changes his form of address, out of habit. Typically, he was fairly informal, but the gravity of the situation hit him fairly heavily. "I had a feeling you'd give me a call. You're looking well."

"We've got plenty to talk about." Another pause and a look away. So much he could say, really. Too much for some crappy phone call. "Right. I'm sorry that I couldn't keep my promise, back then."

A very thin smile crosses his lips, however. A slightly pained one, but one that suggested he was at least pleased to see her.

"I guess you've already moved on with your life, a bit. I don't blame you, not like I could do much. I hope you'll forgive me."

[She is mistress of her own facial reactions, but it takes her a moment to breathe properly. Both Narukami and Kurusu had reminded her of Arisato, but she'd been unable to even allow herself to go that far in the thought.

And yet here he is.

She closes her eyes, because that way she can focus on his words, his voice, without the added pain of looking into his face. However, the mention of their promise makes the corners of her mouth turn up in a sad smile.]

Where are you right now, Minato?

Even if his words disturbed her, as he assumed they might have, he had to make sure. The fact that he'd remembered it wasn't lost on her. That's good. Even something so simple managed to bring a relieved smile to his face.

Might as well be truthful...

"I've just been wandering around by The Bay and taking in the sights. Such as they are." He adds, as casually as he can. He wants to see her again. That look said it all. "...Feel free to join me, if you aren't too busy. I'll wait."

Edited 2017-09-22 22:56 (UTC)

[Mitsuru is torn, an oddly familiar feeling when he's involved. She wants to see him, touch him, but she's terrified that if she goes, he'll be an illusion. She's not exactly sure what's worse.

She knows what he's enduring to make sure their world continues to exist the way they all desired. And she feels guilty that he's stuck doing that.

However, she knows where she'll be. And so does he.]

It'll take me a moment to get there. I seem to be without my motorcycle or limousine here.

With a familiar little incline of his head, he's at least providing a bit of a 'yes' to that. He still seems pretty laid back on the surface, but he's just as eager to see her again, to tell her everything he'd wanted to say before.

And, much like Mitsuru, Minato perhaps still wondered whether this was a dream or reality. But because it might vanish at any moment, he'd take this opportunity. Even if he'd taken a heavy burden for the sake of his friends - for the fate of the world - he knows he didn't feel he could do anything much else that. But the promises that he broke or took away to see it through were things he'd dimly recollect with lingering regrets. And to that end, he waved his hand as if to dissuade her worries or push his own away.

"Mn...Don't worry about it. I'm not expecting anything fancy, really. It's just...been an awfully long time. Maybe you can get yourself a new motorbike, someday, too."

Back then, it seemed awfully exciting. She offered to run away from her troubles and take him with her. But this world was awfully far away from there, right?. The camera moves a little as he takes a seat on a bench nearby, overlooking the Bay. The angle's just right, as if he's looking into it at eye level and just enough so that she can probably recognize where he's waiting. He signs off with a clipped reply, as usual...

And the smallest hint of a smile.

"...Whatever. Just rambling a bit. See you there, alright."

Edited 2017-09-29 19:34 (UTC)

[The communicator is turned off and shoved in the pocket of her coat quickly. She knows that if she dares to think this through, she might talk herself out of it.

So, she almost runs the entire trip, only slowing down when she is close enough to the bay to see the water. Deep pulls of air in to clear the fact that she's out of breath from the haste she used in arriving here.

Mitsuru spends a good few minutes straightening her hair from the wind-tattered mess it's become and trying to make sure she doesn't look a sweaty disaster and then stops mid-motion and laughs at herself. Minato won't care what she looks like and she hasn't cared in a long time about what other people think about her.

She spends the rest of the walk ignoring the way her heart races in her chest as her feet take her closer and closer to where he will be. And then she sees him and it's like being hit by a delivery truck before she swallows the lump in her throat and goes forward.]

The view here is nice, but I believe the one from the top of Gekkokan is much better.

I think it would all depend on where you wanted directions to.

[Because that was somewhat important unless you wanted directions to an extremely random place for some reason.]

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