aterat | Log - Chance meeting in the marketplace

Entry tags:

Log - Chance meeting in the marketplace

Who; Yusuke and Mitsuru
What; Yusuke runs into his friend and wants to see how she’s doing and hopefully talk!
Where; The market
When; June… something… Late June? Late June.
Warnings; None to start but we will update if things come up.

Yusuke frowned at the dark lingering clouds above, silently begging for once for the skies to not open up an inconvenient moment for once. There had been a downpour a few minutes ago, and there… usually was time between one and the next based on the weather patterns in the last few days. If he were patrolling the streets of the harbor district looking for trouble or poking his nose around for clues on the odd goings on of Aterat of late he wouldn’t care quite so much… Adapting and pushing through inconveniences was to be expected when you were phantom thieving, right?

But today was a bit of a break from all that, being sorely in need of replenishing art supplies and finding the small break in the rain to be a potentially good time to run out and do that. Mentally going over the list of what was needed, he strolled among the stalls in the market on his way to the shop that he purchased his paints from. Browsing as he chose his path, he sometimes stopped as he found himself distracted by the more odd or colourful items that he absolutely did not need, but there was no supervision to remind him of this.

Tempted by an interesting scarf (he had always been a bit weak for a nice scarf) that seemed lightweight enough for the time of year, he halted his steps for a better look… When a flash of scarlet caught his eye instead, a familiar head of red hair distracting him successfully from the potential unnecessary purchase.

The phantom thief smiled lightly as he noticed Mitsuru there, realizing that perhaps she was taking his prior advice to heart and actually trying new sorts of fashion by starting small with accessories! Maybe his idea really had been a good one, or at least a helpful nudge for her to do what she wished to do deep down…

Although…

Although she seemed somewhat preoccupied, and not by indecision over what to try. Her expression looked somewhat distracted and, dare he say… hesitant? Yusuke’s own face shifted to something of a mixture of curiosity and concern as he tilted his head slightly and spoke up to gain her attention. “Mitsuru?”

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In her own mind she had dubbed the loss of control over her Persona as 'the incident' and ever since that incident she'd been...hesitant in the market to say the least. She'd wanted to offer to pay for any damages she'd caused, but it had all been taken care of before she could. Besides that, she hardly had the funds here to simply toss at a problem like that. Which had been precisely how they had handled the problem back in her own world when it had been Shinjiro's Persona. They had used the power and wealth of the Kirijo name to simply get rid of the problem.

That train of thought had left her rather...unsettled to say the least. It had never been something she had really thought too much of until now. At the time it had seemed like the most logical thing to do and after that well, it had seemed like the best thing to do. Any other choice would have resulted in an abundance of legal problems for the Kirijo Group and Shinjiro himself. There was also the simple fact that the public at large would have been in danger had the truth of the Dark Hour been revealed. Yet...now, after having witnessed something like that, and having seen the consequence back home of having hidden the truth, she couldn't help but wonder what the best solution would have been. It left her lingering on thoughts of the past failures of the Group as well as her own failures, both here and back home.

All and all the end result was her overthinking a lot of things, including just how terrible she felt about what had happened. It wasn't simply guilt over the destruction either, she also felt considerable guilt for those that had seen her like that. Particularly those that had tried to help only to get caught up in her loss of control. There was guilt mixed with a considerable amount of embarrassment over it having happened in the first place. Needless to say she was a bit more cautious and guarded in her market visits now. Both out of a nervousness over what others may think and out of an intense desire to avoid discussing any of it with anyone.

Still, she knew she had to get out and Yusuke's words echoed in her mind occasionally: that she should try to see what she may like for herself. Currently she was looking at delicately made white coverup. Or at least she had it in her hands, her mind was a bit elsewhere. She did snap back upon hearing her name.

"Yusuke," she gave him a polite smile as she quickly put the coverup down. "How are you today?"

Yusuke waited for her attention to shift, eyes glancing at the cover-up for a moment again. It was, in his opinion, a good fit for Mitsuru. The detail work on it was very intricate and fine, and would make such a lovely addition to more than a few outfits should she so desire! If her hesitance was born of an uncertainty about it, the teen was definitely going to have to offer his encouragement.

Though it was hard to not wonder if there was more to it, having gotten to know the young woman a little better over the last few months. Her greeting is met with a return of his own smile, and a light gesture. “I’m well, the damp weather aside, thank you! I hope you’re also doing well of late?” He returned the question, glad for the opportunity to actually ask without having to bring it up out of the blue.

“I see we’ve both been drawn to this particular shop for similar reasons.” He added, fingers moving from the cover-up to the brightly coloured scarf he’d been eyeing. “They have wonderfully unique and beautiful pieces, I must say.”

"Has the weather been damp?" She hadn't even noticed, which might say something to just how she'd been deep down. "I suppose it has, though I've been fortunate enough to miss getting caught out." Now that she said something that would probably change. Of course, she was just trying to cover up from her previous statement that risked indicating she just hadn't noticed. The directness of his question caused her to force an even worse attempt at a smile.

"Better than I was the last time we ran into each other. I'm still...well, I'm still very sorry about that. You have both my thanks and my apologies for it." Her head dipped slightly in an attempt to hide her expression behind her thick red hair. It was good for multiple things evidently.

"Ah," she glanced at the scarf he was touching and then at the piece she'd put down. "You should get the scarf, I imagine it'd look quite good on you. Fitting." Much better than what she was holding would on herself. "Mm," she nodded. "The uniqueness and delicacy was what drew me to them." She thought perhaps she liked delicate and yet well crafted things. In a way they reminded her of ice, which was both delicate and strong at the same time.

The question alone was enough to indicate she hadn’t noticed the weather was damp, which was… odd, to say the least. He considered her explanation thoughtfully before finally nodding. “That is fortunate. It seems rather unpredictable these days… Though perhaps I do get preoccupied with weather like this a little more than most.” He added with a light smile in return for her forced attempt at one. Her words and expression did lend weight to his prior suspicion that she was distracted by something… But it was true that maybe he’d been watching the rain a little more closely than the average person. Maybe he was reading too much into it.

At least that seemed reasonable until she continued. “I am glad you’re doing better. That was quite the ordeal for you to endure.” He responded with a small frown of concern at her apology. The phantom thief waved it off lightly with a small shake of his head. “I was glad to do what I could to try to help, Mitsuru. You are my friend, after all. Friends are there to support and help one another when things become difficult.” And even if they hadn’t been friends, Yusuke could have hardly turned a blind eye to her situation. It was both scary and dangerous for her, as much as it was for the people around her.

But it clicked with that thought. She was feeling guilty about what had happened in the market. The hesitance with which she approached the stall, the uncertainty as she browsed… It seemed as though the experience was staying with her. Which he could understand, but also felt as though it should be recognized that she hadn’t meant for it to happen and it was over now. He looked up from the scarf with a light tone. “I am certainly considering it. The colours do draw me in!” He chuckled lightly, before shifting his focus with a gentle gesture to the piece she’d just put down. “I must say, though, that piece you were considering before I interrupted seems quite lovely as well. Are you thinking of purchasing it?”

"Perhaps?" She gave him a very gentle smile and her tone had just a hint of a friendly jest to it. It wasn't something Mitsuru was overly familiar with, but at least she as trying somewhat? That had to count for at least something. “I suppose we should be prepared for something to occur." That was what changes in this place always seemed to signal: something coming. Usually something unpleasant for all of them. Or at the very least mildly irritating. She could only hope it wouldn't result in something like before. That was... well, she was still trying to recover.

His words made her wince and she looked down awkwardly. "What I had to endure was nothing compared to the damage I caused to others, as well as the inconvenience." Those two things were what people should be focusing on, not the stress it'd put on her. "Friends should not have to clean up after the mess of friends." Which, sadly, was what she viewed that entire ordeal as. Everything about it had been her fault and it had caused others to have to clean up her mess. "It was my own fault and came from my own issues."

She nodded. "What is making it where it's only a consideration?" She shook her head rather fervently. "No, it wouldn't look good on me. I have a friend it would look lovely on though."

The lightness in her tone and her expression get a small, embarrassed grin in return. Yes, it was probably a little more than ‘perhaps,’ and he knew it. But it’s good to see the lightness there considering her expression before. That was a good point, and what with the stories told about things being in the mist? Well, it seemed like things were already edging ever closer towards something happening. “It does seem like we should be on our guard, knowing how this place tends to escalate from one thing to the next.”

Mitsuru’s words get a rather deepening frown in return, getting Yusuke’s attention to shift momentarily from the goods on the table to his friend again. “I don’t believe that to be true, Mitsuru.” Did she really think that some damaged shop stalls were worse than the pain and distress she had been put through herself? “Yes, there was some damage, but you were both injured and put in a situation of great distress as well.” Things could be both repaired or replaced, after all. Yusuke shook his head, though, as it was more than a little clear about what Mitsuru thought of herself and what had happened. “Should not have to…? Mitsuru, I stepped because I wished to help someone I cared about and knew that I had the ability to do so. I would do the same for any member of my team, or any friend I’ve made since arriving.”

And he tilted his head, because in a world like this… “Dare I ask how it’s your fault, when that month there were a number of situations that suggest that there was something else at work?

Ah, the scarf and its consideration. “In that I only just happened upon it and was still admiring the colours. It’s not a consideration I will probably deliberate upon for long.” He added with a smile, but then she was denying that the item she was looking at wouldn’t suit her… She seemed to compare herself to another friend a lot, and decide that nothing could suit her while it would suit her friend well. Hm… That won’t do. “I find the idea that it wouldn’t suit you hard to believe?”

"A good observation. Things do tend to go from ominous to bad in this place. It would be nice if we got the opposite, wouldn't it?" Alas, that never seemed to be the case in any situation. Things never went from ominous to good, not back home and certainly not here. It would be a complete lie to say that she wasn't concerned with the mist and the rumors spreading around. Then again, perhaps she was a little more concerned over the fact that nothing too bad had happened yet. Waiting just seemed to build up the apprehension inside of her.

The answer to his mental query was a decided yes, she most certainly did think the damage to shop stalls and the inconvenience that she had put others through was much worse than what she had gone through. Mitsuru may have made strides to live more for herself, but she still found it hard to put too much value on herself above others. "My distress means nothing in comparison to what I may have caused others. Both the shop stalls and you yourself." She shook her head. "Though I do truly appreciate the sentiment. It's comforting to know that I have friends that see things that way and will have my back in the same way my team would have back in my own world." There was no denying that she missed her teammates back home, they had certainly grown to be more than just teammates.

She sighed. "I do recognize it was due the month, as you say." Which...she had to admit she was a bit...well, she honestly didn't know quite how to feel about it. She blamed this place, not the one who had wished, but it was still a rather complicated situation. It brought so many memories back to the surface, so many failures, that it made it rather difficult to know what she truly felt. "I still can't help but feel I should have been able to do something to prevent it." What precisely? Well, the only thing she could think of was staying inside permanently. Was that really even an option?

She smiled gently. "I'm glad to hear that, it'd be a shame to leave it behind." Which it was clearly something well suited for you. She titled her head slightly. "Do you really? I'm...well, perhaps I could give it a try then."

It would be very nice if they could have the opposite happen for a chance, but… Well, it didn’t seem like it was that kind of world where they could reasonably hope for that without it being disappointed. Not that it couldn’t happen, it just seemed a bit… unlikely at best.

Yusuke got the sense by her response that she was going to keep blaming herself and downplaying her own injury and stress over something that not only couldn’t be helped, but hadn’t even gotten as bad as it might have. The teen could understand worrying about what might have been, but the fact that she had so little regard for herself sometimes was worrying. “And yet I walked away without injury, as I presume the others who might have been on scene that day did as well.” He tilted his head slightly, a frown gracing his features. “I can understand well feeling responsible for something, Mitsuru… we all make choices or find ourselves in difficult positions where afterward we might wish we had done differently. But that doesn’t make the fact that you were injured and put through a horrible ordeal any less important than those who were there.”

The phantom thief blinked as she continued. There was such contradiction in her words. “If you can recognize that the cause was due to what had spread across the city that month, surely you see why you simply could not have done something about it. You did all that you could to keep it from turning out worse than it did.” He gestured lightly to her with a small sweep of his hand. “And what’s more, you were willing to go beyond what was necessary simply to put an end to it. Don’t think I haven’t forgotten you asking me to knock you out just to stop your persona.”

Her decision brings a pleased smile to his face. “I would not have said it if I hadn’t believed it, I assure you!” Yusuke was a little too honest for that, which was not a detriment to the interaction for once! A nice change of pace, really. “I believe we should both be quite pleased with what we’ve picked today. It doesn’t hurt to have something new for the wardrobe once in a while, especially given we arrived with little more than the clothes on our backs.” So building up at least a variety of changes probably wasn’t a bad idea. Especially with the amount of time they’d been here already!

The thing with growing up as the heir to a group with the esteem of the Kirijo Group was the knowledge that you didn't particularly matter. That was not to say she hadn't mattered to her father, Mitsuru would have never said such a thing. She had always known how important she was to her father. However, her father had known how important the Kirijo Group was as a whole and as such he'd known she had to be strong to be the heir. This combined with how her grandfather saw her had resulted in her putting the Group and it's interests far before her own. Even after all she had gone through, she still found it rather difficult to think of putting herself first. It always seemed so much easier to just put everyone else there first.

"I was raised to take responsibility for...well, perhaps a bit too much if we're being honest." Her tone was soft with that little admission. "When you're raised to know you'll inherit such a legacy...well, it comes with quite a large weight. I suppose I've become accustomed to taking a great deal of responsibility onto myself." Like the weight of all the wrongs the Group had committed.

"It seems to have transferred itself to situations here." She shook her head, causing a large chunk of her red hair to fall into her face. "I would have rather died than cause any real harm to anyone else. Particularly with my own Persona." Perhaps that was a bit extreme, but nobody could ever say that Mitsuru wasn't a very serious person. She sighed. "I think in some ways I simply don't like the idea of not placing the blame on myself. It means accepting that so much here is completely and utterly out of our control." And she certainly hated that idea.

"I do trust that, Yusuke." She actually...wasn't entirely certain if he'd be a very competent liar now that she really thought of that. "I had a much larger wardrobe back home, though I was never the one to pick it out. I had assistances that chose most of those things." Which probably explained quite a lot about her really, now didn't it?

Yusuke frowned thoughtfully at that. “I suppose that is something I would have a hard time understanding personally, what with my own family situation being what it was… But I believe that if we’re to be honest then yes, you should not need to bear so much weight on your own.” He shook his head a little, though. “Wanting to do better than your predecessors, to try to make things right, is noble, of course. But your well-being is also necessary to ensure that, is it not?” She couldn’t right wrongs or even be there to carry the responsibility she believes she should if she was unable to function, if not worse, from self-sacrifice, could she?

As Mitsuru continued, there was a troubled expression lingering around his eyes. It was extreme, at least it seemed very extreme to him. “I wouldn’t want my persona to hurt anyone either, so I understand wanting to avoid that at all costs… But even if death is not permanent in this place, I should think that exploring all other potential answers to that problem should still be explored first.” And there were many of them with experience with persona here now, people who could call upon their own and keep one at bay if need be.

But… Yes, there was the truth of it. Someone who was used to carrying the weight of responsibility and leadership having to come to terms with the idea that they were in a world where there was too much they couldn’t control, even if they tried. “Not an easy thing to accept, least of all for you… But it’s the unfortunate truth of it, Mitsuru. None of us can control this world, even the people in charge seem to have a hard time doing that. All we can do is try to learn to adapt and do our best to help with the things we can.”

She was right. He was not the most competent liar. He could, of course, accomplish a lie now and then. Most people could… but he was a little too honest for his own good most days. It wasn’t something done lightly or on instinct, as it might be with some. “I remember you mentioning the assistants, which I certainly admit would be convenient, but… There is something exciting about picking things out for one’s self, is there not? And here you have the time and ability to explore the options on your own. Seems like something of a more enjoyable adventure to me.” And he was glad to encourage her first foray into that challenge.

"My well-being has never been a concern for...well, for anyone." As she spoke the words it hit her just how utterly terrible that sounded and yet it came out before she could stop herself. "Not that I hold any ill will towards that, it was merely that there were more important things to come before that." That was hardly true when one considered that much of her early life had been spent at the whims of her grandfather's experiments and research. That was hardly more important than her own wellbeing and yet she couldn't bring herself to accept that. Accepting that meant accepting that her beloved father had chosen to allow his father to do those unethical things without proper concern for his daughter. Which was something she was not willing at face. Though, perhaps Yusuke was one of the people here who might understand that the most.

She sighed. "I know you're correct in that, at the time it was hard to think of that though. It was strange, not only was my Persona out of control but it also felt as though I was plagued with more self-doubt than I had ever known before. I believe it was all a part of whatever was going on, the wish I suppose?" It seemed so strange to her. Yet, it really shouldn't considering how strangely this place worked and what she understood of that particular event. Though, she greatly wished she knew if there was meant to be some point to it or if it was another mess up by the Aspects themselves.

"Adapt..." she shook her head. "You're far wiser than one might believe. I do wish I was a bit better at adapting." But one could only improve, right? Or so she hoped.

"A bit exciting, though a bit nerve-wracking as well. What if I pick something completely silly out?" Was it silly in of itself to be so concerned about that? Perhaps so and yet she admitted it with only a touch of apprehension.

Yusuke tilted his head at that, a strand of hair slipping between his eyes at the utterly sad state that things would be for someone who apparently held such importance to be cared for so little. “That seems something of an oversight on their part, to have not been concerned with the wellbeing of the person that was to carry such responsibility one day.” Perhaps it’s a bit insulting of those he’s speaking of having admitted that, but it was the truth from what he could see. It seemed a little as though Mitsuru herself could not, or would not and… Well, it’s certainly something he could understand, not wanting to see how wrong a guardian might have been.

Frowning lightly, he tries to think of how to put that into words. “Perhaps I can understand, though, not wanting to think about it that way or to see it as it was. I have two images in my mind of my former mentor-” Former father figure, even… “One who took me in when I was young and alone. Who raised me and helped refine my skills… Encouraged my love of art. The other was a horrid, greedy wretch of a man who thought only of his own gain and fame. Who harshly did not care who he hurt and ruined along the way as long as his desires were met.” Brushing the stray strand back in place, he sighed. “But I cannnot forget one or the other, and I will always feel complicated about that. But I know it is best to not turn my eyes from the truth of who he was and what he did.” And she shouldn’t either, the lack of concern for her, the taken childhood? It was wrong, and the phantom thief in him felt that particular anger to think of the similarity.

The artist hummed lightly at that. “Perhaps that is the case, the nature of those wishes seemed terribly random from one to the next…?” Though… Yusuke also wondered if it was a byproduct of the loss of control over her persona as well… They were tied to the inner self, and if it began acting out rather than working with, could that have an effect on the wielder’s internal thoughts and feelings? Hopefully, they never had to find out for sure… That would mean more situations like that. Yusuke had to shake his head, smiling a little. “Why thank you, I think.” One might believe him less wise, then? How troubling, although perhaps they would be in the right given some of his past decisions and behavior. “Of course! One must at least try before they can improve, and you do not strike me as someone to simply give up because something is difficult.”

And on that note, he could point out that the same went for her attempts at exploring fashion! “What if, indeed?” Yusuke was perhaps the wrong person to ask about that line of thought. “I believe one would have two options. If it were something you found pleasing to the eyes, then you must find a way to wear it properly, to make it less silly… Or a statement! But if it were silly and you did not like it, then you know that it is not something that suits you and to avoid it in the future.” Trial and error! And Yusuke will absolutely tell you if it doesn’t suit you, Mitsuru. The Yusuke gaurentee!

"They would have never allowed any sort of permanent physical injury." Did that make it better? Perhaps not in the way she thought, but this was her best attempt at trying to save face with the situation. She moved one hand over the other arm awkwardly as she tried to defend the situation. That was always the problem with bringing such things up: it inevitably put her in a position where she felt the need to defend things, despite knowing deep down that the situation was far from ideal.

She squeezed her shoulder as a frown touched the corner of her lips. "That's quite the duality. I can only imagine how difficult that must have been to come to terms with." There was a hint of sympathy in her voice and a tad bit of understanding. "It's a shame that so many turn out to be like that. Though, to invest so much into your talent, surely he must have cared for you in some way." Perhaps not in the earnest way that a parental figure should though, which probably made it all the more complicated. "I do respect your determination to not turn your eyes from the truth you discovered. I find myself often struggling with that. I know my grandfather was not a good man, he did some truly horrible things and he was...well, he was much more interested in my Persona than me. My father however...he was a good man." There was a hint of sadness there, as well as a firmness on the word good. He was a good man, just one that was terribly beaten down by the weight of the things his father had done. It was impossible for her to acknowledge that he had complied with the the things his father had done as well as used her for her Persona to clean up the mess. "What he did, he did to fix our families mistakes. I can't fault him for that. Originally I was the only one with the capability of summoning a Persona." Which had meant she was the only one capable of helping to fix that problem.

She cast her gaze down briefly. "From what I heard they were very random." She sighed. "I do wish we had some sort of explanation. Yet I fear we will have to be content without one." She hesitated for a moment before speaking again, this time in a slightly lower voice. "I have mentioned Chidori before, the girl who lost control of her Persona. She suffered from considerable periods of depression and paranoia. I imagine some was due to the conditions she was raised in. Which..." she bowed her head. "As I said, as shameful as it is to admit, it was the Kirijo Group's doing. However...I wonder if the loss of control of her Persona played some role...." It was really impossible to know, particularly here, but it was an interested theory to think on and could be an interesting one to research. That thought led to her stomach churning slightly as she realized how dangerously close to her grandfather that line of thinking could be.

Thankfully, the smile Yusuke gave along with his thank you helped her to leave that line of thinking. "It was meant as a compliment, I apologize if it didn't fully come off that way," she gave a smile of her own there. "I'm afraid I don't think I'm bold enough for a statement." Her thick bright red hair would probably drastically disagree with that. She moved a hand to her chin thoughtfully. "Could I count on you then to tell me honestly what you might think of something I picked out?"

No, Mitsuru, that did not make it better at all. The look on Yusuke’s face said as much too, unfortunately, and he couldn’t quite keep it from showing. Yusuke let his own words sink in though, and he waits for her thoughts. The teen did not share to receive her sympathy, no, only for the offered understanding and perspective that it might give her concerning her own situation. To still want to see the good, and the temptation to ignore the bad or the wrong choices made by them. “I thought perhaps you might say as much. It is not an easy struggle and one that is easy to try to brush aside… But it is important to remember to see both sides of the person in question.” To recognize that the way one was treated was not fair. Even now, as he sometimes wavered slightly on the matter, it was easy to slip into old ways of thinking… But he didn’t want to see someone else do the same.

“Sadly, that does tend to be the norm in this rather abnormal world. It almost seems as though things are not meant to have answers by design.” He admitted with a frown, it was terribly annoying that way. If they could never have the answers needed, how could they be expected to assist around this world and help it move forward from the things that happened and the things that continued to happen? He nodded, though, recalling Chidori. Another person who had been wronged by the adults in charge, that Mitsuru seemed to feel responsible for as well… Like most things. “I admit… It had crossed my mind that such feelings might be caused by the conflict born within from the loss of control from your persona… It is a part of our inner self, and if it is not in balance and working with you but against you… It stands to reason that perhaps one might feel such negative emotions even when they normally would not?”

But her thoughts were right. They couldn’t know for sure here… Not unless such a thing happened again.

“Then I shall take it as such! I admit, if it had not been, you may not have been the first to suggest it… I do find myself rather confused by some interactions.” Sometimes the teen said things, and they certainly were taken differently than expected, and his choices were sometimes a little less than wise for someone on a limited budget on their own. So, more wise than expected was probably quite the truth at times. In fact, Yusuke could not help but continue. “I do not believe that to be the case at all, though perhaps you need time and to try things in order to recognize that.” Because, yes, Mitsuru. Your hair was very bold! A perfectly lovely, vibrant colour!! “It would be my honor to offer you my honest thoughts if you should ever need them. In fact, I would be happy to join you for a proper outing some afternoon again.” As opposed to running into each other by chance!

"Am I so predictable?" The answer to that was very clearly yes, which made her feel ever so awkward. "I...know you're correct. My father was...he was a good man, but a flawed one. He knew what his own father was doing and..." she swallowed. "I know he should have done more." It was so difficult for her to admit that, but Yusuke's words rang in her mind. A part of her strongly wished to continue to deny it and defend him, but she knew that Yusuke had a point. Perhaps she needed to admit that aloud.

"I often wonder if there is a design at all." If she sounded frustrated, it was because she was. The fact that this all seemed to have no design or point was just endlessly frustrating. She wanted to be able to research what happened and find actual answers, feel as though she actually could make progress with something. Instead they constantly seemed to be lost at what was going on. "That is precisely what I was thinking in that regard. It's surprising how little we actually know about Persona, isn't it? Particularly when they're a part of us as you said. Even my grandfather's research seemed to leave much unanswered. I wish there was a way to test more about the connections and even how they gain power." Maybe there was actually some way they could do such research here...

"I could hardly fault you for that when I'm also unfortunately known for being particularly great at certain social interactions." Business interactions? She was great at. Professional interactions? Also excellent. Casual social interactions that would be considered normal for a girl her age? What was that?

"That sounds wonderful then. Hopefully we can find a good time for such an outing in between the strangeness of this place."

Yusuke wouldn’t say predictable… So much, as he knows what it’s like to not want to admit the truth of someone who was important to you. How long had he denied Madarame was the way he was? How long had he refused to see the truth of it? Admitting it either to yourself or out loud was especially difficult, but he thought it might at least help a little… “I know how difficult it is to admit such a thing about someone you were close to. But… I think it helps, at least to keep in mind.” He offered gently, with a small, sad smile.

“True, I admit ‘by design’ might be a bit too organized for a place that seems so chaotic with leaders who don’t seem to know much about what they're doing.” He responded with a little shake of his head. It was, perhaps, wishful thinking to hope otherwise… And maybe a little worrying that one might think this all being by design was a better option. On the subject of how little they knew about persona, Yusuke had to agree… Sometimes it would be nice to know more about them and what could happen. To be better prepared for complications down the line seemed sensible. “It is surprising, given they are a part of us, that we don’t know… It seems there are many things we learn as we go along.”

Perhaps they were at least similar in that, but Yusuke supposed that meant they could learn together! “Well… Thank you for not holding it against me, then. I guess we both need a little more practice in that.” But the idea that they might have a chance to practice between all the chaos that tended to occur was something to hope for, and perhaps they could get a little better at that and other things! “Then I shall look forward to it. Surely we’ll find some time in between the many oddities and situations that crop up.”

"My father was hardly the only one. Ikutsuki...my...I suppose you could call him my advisor, he also turned out to not be what I thought." That was putting it mildly but it seemed as though Mitsuru had a knack for putting things mildly. "I had trusted him, even looked up to him, since I was very young. Only to learn he was a partner of my grandfather's who fully supported his idea of creating the Fall. He was the one who worked on the program that created the artificial Persona users. It was...very difficult to learn and acknowledge the true depths of his betrayal." He also killed her father, which was also an added level of difficulty. There was a reason Mitsuru found it difficult to open up and trust people. Several reasons actually.

"I apologize, I didn't mean to bring this all up." She let out a tiny sigh and then attempted to move on to another topic. "I think we figured out how to organize better as SEES than our so called leaders here do," she said with a small smile. Surprisingly, it wasn't nearly as forced of one as it could have been. She let out a tiny humming noise as the topic drifted back to what little they knew about their Persona. "There are times I wish I had been able to read more of my grandfather or Ikutsuki's notes." At least then the knowledge might have gone to a better use.

"They do say practice makes perfect, right?" She smiled again, this time even more genuine. "Surely."

The fact that Mitsuru had proven to… downplay how bad things really were was enough to make Yusuke read into her words a little more closely. Not what she thought could mean any number of things, but the teen felt rather confident in the idea that it was probably worse than she was trying to make it sound. The fact that she was openly admitting it, though? Well… That was a small improvement over her justifying the actions of the adults in her life without considering the truth of the matter.

“It is worrying how often it is that those we put our faith and trust in the most that have the worst intentions behind their masks…” And the conflict you felt once you saw behind them? It was terribly difficult. The hurt, the anger, the voice in the back of your head arguing against it to justify their actions… So her apology gets a firm shake of his head, hand waving away the idea that she should feel sorry at all. “That’s not necessary. I was the one who pushed the subject… And I wouldn’t have if I didn’t care about you as my friend. So you have nothing to be sorry about… And sometimes it helps to talk when you feel the need.”

Yusuke had to agree, though, on the other point. “I don’t find that strange at all. By comparison, it seems as though they flounder more than one would expect of those left in charge of an entire world.” He responded, glad to see the smile on Mitsuru’s face at least seemed a little less tense or forced than before. “Makes one wonder who thought it would be acceptable to leave the management of this world to them in the first place?” He knew there was supposedly someone, but it seemed fairly irresponsible to leave things in the aspects care based on what had happened since arriving. “Perhaps in our own time we’ll figure out more on our own. Things work rather differently here as well, where our abilities are concerned, after all.” That was the other confusing bit, at least to Yusuke. He was grateful for it, of course, but it was a curious experience.

“Indeed, they do! And I can say with the utmost certainty that it is quite true, having spent many an hour practicing other things.” He grinned, feeling rather pleased with Mitsuru for thinking of that.

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