closed | a day of relaxation for everyone's souls

[elevelvetor]

WHO: Persona peeps + Elliot
WHERE: An exceptionally nice bathhouse-spa-restaurant, reserved for a day
WHEN: March 17th, 12PM to 8PM
WHAT: Persona meeting #4 as hosted by Elizabeth, due to a conversation with Akira
WARNINGS: Make your own top levels, though everything in the third prompt will have its own section to keep things nice and neat. (did i smash rayne and hei's text together? a little)

I. TAKE A LOAD OFF
[ The spa is all paid for, as are the treatments, so why not take advantage of it? There's plenty to do, from all kinds of massages, to mud and ash baths, to a sauna, nail and hair salon, etc... Essentially if there's something for comfort, it's here, so don't think too hard about it. ]

II. GET SOME PRACTICE IN
[ Want to train? Well, today's host has a relaxed "no overworking" policy for today, but the spa does have a gym in reserve if you really, really want to do something. Whatever's in a gym is in this one, including a room that seems to usually be used for things like yoga classes or kickboxing or something? It's big, so there's plenty of room, but, like

please don't break anything. ]

III. I GUESS WE SHOULD HAVE SOME ACTUAL DISCUSSION THOUGH
[ For those that get hungry, you're in luck: the meeting proper is being held in the restaurant attached to this particularly fancy spa, at around 6pm. Eat some healthy, refreshing food (though you can technically do this whenever during your stay, this is the Official Dinner Meeting Time) and talk about the following things:

• Newbie introductions
• Team building (share/discuss/get to know each other + trust exercises)
• Memories/Retrospec shenanigans
• Items and abilities from Retrospec
• Privacy issues (Personas are free to be talked about, but other issues may have come up)
• Free discussion/advice corner

Elizabeth's also procured some whiteboards and markers, if illustrating things is easier for you, or if you want add to Yukiko's relationship board (which has made its reappearance once again). Don't worry about being overheard—connections being what they are, this room is fairly private and the waiters only come when called. Elizabeth's made arrangements with her fancy connections. ]

Comments

[compendiem]

[ Akira is talking to somebody who's still sporting middle school emo hair, but while Akira's hands are occupied with holding up that poster of sizeable height, Minato reaches up and takes his glasses. Puts them on his own face. ]

Idols disguise themselves all the time. Blend in with the crowd.

[maskreant]

[ Some people dig that, Minato? Akira just looks like a nerd, though a classy one sometimes.

Hey. Those are his glasses??? Doesn't do anything to take them back. ]

I... Look like a hobo all the time.

[ Wrong, but yes. ]

[compendiem]

[ Yeah he does and that's why Minato was so surprised to hear that Akira might have been an idol in his past life. ]

Sixteen, right? High school. I wore my uniform everywhere. Even to battle.

[ Even to sleep, supposedly, unless he really just wakes up to emergency alarms blaring, change out of his pajamas, and then meet up with everybody. ]

[maskreant]

[ Well then... ]

Is it weird that I don't find that too weird? I guess we Wildcards are a strange bunch, huh?

[ Akira at least remembers switching between clothes. ]

[compendiem]

It's weird. But that shouldn't have anything to do with wildcards? I forget who else you mentioned was one.

[ Akira for sure, who had claimed Minato to be one, way back when he was still just getting his footing with the whole Persona thing. ]

[maskreant]

It doesn't, but we are... Something. Minako, me, you, and the Narukami twins.

[ It's not a bad thing, but they are Let him set this straight: ]

Souji came over to my house to eat Elliot's steak and coffee, almost died, then asked to try it again.

[compendiem]

If it's Elliot's cooking, I would want to eat it again too. I'd die happy.

[ He's never tried the coffee, but Elliot was able to take forage from the forest and make things taste amazing. More importantly: ]

Do you have a twin?

[ When is Ren coming home? ]

[maskreant]

It would break your jaw, so I don't know about that.

[ It didn't smell delicious, either, but he isn't going to stop anyone from dying. He tried already with Souji and it was...

Eh. ]

... No, I'm an only child.

[ don't haunt him like this ]

[compendiem]

The coffee? [ Maybe Souji should drink the coffee instead of gnawing on the cup.

He looks at Akira for a moment. ] I can see you being an only child. [ Implying. SOMETHING. ]

Might've been separated at birth, though. You never know.

[maskreant]

The steak coated in coffee.

[ The coffee is hard to drink and that's is, so he has no issues about it. Raising his eyebrows, he considers it.

Well, it's not like it matters. ]

I can say the same thing to you. [ It's the truth. ] My parents were very loving, so I don't think they would separate my sibling in any way.

[compendiem]

My parents were loving too.

[ He shrugs. His parents are also dead. He doesn't know how much of it Akira knows, but it's painfully aware to everybody that he and Minako are more like strangers to each other than siblings.

Things happen. ]

[maskreant]

Different circumstances.

[ He has heard things. It's hard not to, but he doesn't let it get in the way of how he interacts with either them. No one needs constant sympathy—it can be like a curse, dragging you back all the time. ]

Are you getting along with your sister?

[compendiem]

[ Minato presses his lips together, caught between a yes and a no because neither of them feel like the right answer. "I'm trying" is closer to the truth, but it's also what he's been saying the past few months and the lack of progress tells him he's not trying hard enough. ]

We're getting along better. Sometimes. [ There really was only room to go up. ]

Can I describe something to you and ask for an opinion?

[maskreant]

[ What... Is this real life? The surprise on Akira's face is genuine when Minato even asks for his opinion. He doesn't answer immediately because he has to let this set in.

Sure... Minato has told him some things before, but family matters always seemed so personal. ]

Sure, if you're really comfortable with it.

[compendiem]

[ He's not really comfortable with it, but he also doesn't know many people who aren't squarely on Minako's side, having known her longer or is better friends with her or simply likes her better because she's a better person than he is. Akira, though, seems to always have treated him as Minato, and not "Minako's brother." ]

Liz gave me the advice of starting off a message with a smiley face, and seeing how Minako responds. She seemed confused at first, but responded similarly. I made sure to be positive. Supportive. It was our first nice conversation in a long time. We kept talking, and then... [ She didn't reply back right away. He suspects she stopped to cry, but didn't ask, didn't need to because her next text more or less confirmed it. ]

Even when I tried my best, and was so careful about what I said, I managed to upset her anyways. What part of this am I doing wrong?

[maskreant]

[ This is cute so far and he listens intently, hoping to be somewhat useful to anyone. He hums thoughtfully as he runs the story again in his mind.

There's still a gap there— ]

And then what? She just suddenly became upset and told you she can't talk to you like that or something? You can't trail off and expect an unbiased opinion.

[ It doesn't sound like Minako would suddenly get upset for the wrong reasons, so he just wants to get the facts straight. However, he can at least say something about the other parts: ]

Sometimes it isn't what you did wrong, Minato. People become upset on their own and that's not something you can control or fix, but that doesn't mean you're helpless. You can be there for them, do better next time, and progress.

[compendiem]

[ It definitely is something he can, though— he has to be able to, because how else is he supposed to stop it from happening? He's tired of fixing things after the fact. ]

How am I supposed to do better than my best... [ Is he doing his best? It's one of those vague promises he makes to get people off his back, but this time, he'd really tried, and really thought it was going to work.

There's a sigh before he meets Akira's eyes again. ]

She apologized to me. I asked what for, and it was about something in the past. I'll never not remind her of the past. I'll never not be a source of pain, no matter what I do.

[ Not unless she loses her memories completely, but that's not something Minato would wish upon anybody. ]

[maskreant]

There's always an opportunity to be better than the you today as long as you keep living, likewise you can become worse. It all depends on you.

[ He was going to call Minato "son" by accident. Thank god he didn't. His expression remains neutral, but he does believe in what he's saying—at least most of it. It's normal to have doubts here and there, but everyone can do it.

It's harder for some, easier for other, but possible. Anyway, he knows a bit of what Minato is talking about... He had a conversation with Minako back in December about her relations with Minato. ]

... You know that isn't your fault, so why are you so hard on yourself? That's something she has to work out herself. For things to work, people have to compromise and collaborate. If she's stuck on the past, then she can't make new memories with you now.

[ He isn't exactly siding with him, but this is how he sees it. ]

[compendiem]

[ He's hard on himself because he can't help if that's what he feels; he can't help that what little emotion he can grab onto, it's often guilt, something that lingers and festers and turns his thoughts around. ]

It is my fault. At least part of it is— fault can be shared, and my actions and inactions have an impact on things. That's "personal responsibility." If there's nothing I can do about her being stuck in the past, then...

[ He shakes his head, breaking off again. Then what? What's he supposed to do? It's a helpless, hopeless feeling, and he hates it. ]

[maskreant]

So, basically, you agree it’s not entirely your fault.

[ Flicking his forehead, he hopes that’s sent straight to his brain. He can’t say it’s Minako’s fault in this scenario because he’s only focusing on what Minato has told him. All the underlying issues in their relationship is their own responsibility. Still, he understands it’s hard to sit at the sidelines, feeling like there’s nothing you can do. Helpless. Powerless. ]

That text message is a small step forward, so... Don’t lose hope. Keep trying.

[compendiem]

[ Minato shuts his eyes at the flick. He'd like to just keep them shut, but then he wouldn't be able to dodge any more potential onslaught, so he looks down at his hands instead, clasped lightly in front of him, fingers wringing. ]

I don't want to make people cry anymore. That comes with trying.

[maskreant]

... I know, but it's something you can't always avoid.

[ The flicking stops. There will be no poking this round, either. Akira's gaze is just stuck on Minato the whole time, but it does dart elsewhere for a second. It was something he has always wondered, too. Sometimes constantly. ]

Even in the best relationships, there will be low points. Life isn't easy.

[compendiem]

Life isn't fair, huh?

[ The best relationships he has, they've already started crumbling, in one way or another. Pen, Clover, Angela, Dave, Lalli, so many people who have been seeing him at his worst, and him theirs, and there's always that fear of having everything just end.

He'd managed to salvage these precious few relationships that he has. His relationship with Minako is still holding on, despite all odds. Maybe they're more resilient than he thinks.

Tired, Minato rubs at his eyes, heels of his palms pressing until it becomes uncomfortable, and he lets his hands drop to blink away the black spots. ]

Nothing to do but hang on. I know that. ...I won't give up.

[maskreant]

[ Akira only nods to the first part—life isn't fair... It's cruel, but it isn't as cruel as they all sometimes think. Life gives them opportunities to enjoy themselves and be with those they care about. ]

Yeah, hang in there. [ Hmmm. You look sleepy. Tilting his head, he looks over to the other parts of the spa. ] You can take a nap in the red clay room if you're tired.

[compendiem]

I think I'm going to find a sauna and boil off.

[ He can sleep and die and have soft, smooth, skin to show for it. ]