OPEN POST ♞ HOT DAMN

[tarotcards]

WHO: Souji and youuuuuuuuuuu
WHERE: Apprassage
WHEN: 05/15 - 05/19
WHAT: Souji can now set things on fire. You're on fire, he's on fire, everything's on fire. It's great.
WARNINGS: Fire??
ONE

Souji hasn't been feeling easy since the night of the prom. It wasn't the prom itself that got him feeling so disembodied with himself (in fact, he had a great time being crowned Prom Princess and all) but rather, it was something else entirely. It was this feeling of "something" residing within him, as if he suddenly wasn't just Souji Narukami anymore but instead, Souji and who knows what.

Obviously, he hasn't spoken a word about this to anyone. Why would he? No need to bring on unnecessary concern and besides, this is something he should handle on his own. It can just be another one of his secrets, just like the strange voices in his head and the floating cards that he sees...

As a result, Souji has been trying to be as secretive as possible about his newfound powers. Well, as secretive as you can be with another being living in your soul, but you know, you make do. You make do by going to a semi-secluded area behind a few building and try to figure out how to summon said new monster. It's honestly just as hard as it sounds.

The first few times, almost nothing happens at all. A card engulfed in blue fire appears, Souji crushes it, there's a brief half second of an oversized monster, it disappears, rinse and repeat. Thanks to a certain memory, there is a faint sense of familiarity with the summoning process, but it doesn't suddenly endow him with the experience or knowledge that he needs to continue. All he can do right now is to practise with what he knows and that is to just summon the damn thing.

Sure would be a shame if someone walked around that corner and saw Mr Blue and Flaming Demon...

TWO

... or it'd be a greater shame if someone turned that corner at the wrong time and accidentally got hit by a spell.

Over the next few days, Souji has been diligently practising with summoning Mada, slowly learning the type of skills it possessed and how to direct it to use said skills. It certainly isn't an easy task, quickly draining Souji out and having him nearly pass out a few times. One doesn't simply become a Persona master in just a couple of days and for someone as inexperienced as him, there's bound to be some accidents.

Accidents involve fire or silencing spells.

Don't worry, the fire might just barely miss you or just catch a tiny bit of your clothes so don't worry about any serious injuries, but that silencing spell... don't worry, it'd probably wear off.

... eventually.

THREE

Remember how Souji nearly passed out from draining himself of all energy with this whole Persona nonsense? Well, it just about happened now.

Souji at least had the common sense to try and sit up against the wall right before he just suddenly dropped dead from exhaustion, but he slumps over to the side, actually kind of looking like a murder victim. It's quite terrifying, really, but hey, if you're looking for an opportunity to take his wallet then now is a good time.

WILDCARD

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Comments

[true_noir]

Considering that ... well, my hair is purple now, my body more limber than is natural with my lifestyle and [She coughed uncomfortably.] some of the skills I seem to know? They're all things that fit the girl I see in my hallucinations. Yes, it is quite related.

And yes, I think that seems fair. [She nodded.] I firmly believe that they are trying to turn us into these people. I do not know how, and I definitely do not know why, but they want us to become them.

Mind you, I won't be her. I refuse.

[tarotcards]

[ Now this is interesting. Souji hasn't heard this sort of perspective from anyone yet. Pretty much everyone he's spoken to has accepted that the person in their memories are themselves. ]

You don't believe the person in the hallucinations is you?

[true_noir]

I believe that they want it to be me. I believe that the girl I see in the mirror, in these visions, is supposed to be me. I believe that we share some things in common.

[She gripped the railing and looked at him.]

But I don't want to be her, Souji. She's a ... She's not a good person. I do not want to be a bad person. Hate cannot save people. And no matter how many times I hear the things she heard in my head, I can't see why she believed it.

[Though part of that was stubbornness. The more she saw, the easier it was to believe that Altena had a point, especially when it was becoming clear that the people on the app needed people who were willing to break the rules for their sake.]

[tarotcards]

[ Ah... is that so... That definitely makes it a lot more difficult to accept those visions as memories if you believe in something completely different. Souji has been making assumptions that the person in these visions is him, but now he's not too sure. ]

The fact that you disagree with her, it shows that you're different.

But... even if you were the same person, if this person in your visions was hypothetically you, you are not the same as them. You don't have to be defined by these visions.

[true_noir]

[It's an entirely reasonable assumption. Chloe was being very stubborn about it because of the fact that, whatever similarities they had, she really hadn't quite honed the whole killer instinct thing yet.]</small. Mmm, yes. Thank you for that. I think that's why I say she isn't me. It's my way of not being defined by her. My little defiance. I will take what I want, but not become her.

[tarotcards]

[ He nods. He can understand her perspective and thinks he can't really fault or blame anyone for this. ]

Have you been all right otherwise?

[ Asides from the whole 'you're not me!' sort of thing. ]

[true_noir]

Some of my relationships back home have been strained. Mother has been easier, but my girlfriend and I have been arguing more. She doesn't understand why I'm stressed lately.

Other than that, though... well enough. I'm not bite size anymore. Definite improvement. I'm already short enough as is.

[tarotcards]

You haven't talked to her about your memories?

[ What she just admitted to Souji right now? ]

[true_noir]

She in't on the app. I tried, months ago, but she can't understand any of it and thinks it's crazy. It was our first big fight over anything. I haven't been willing to risk it since.

But the stress has been getting to me, obviously, and the distance.

[tarotcards]

[ Souji stays silent for a moment, looking down thoughtful before he looks back up as he speaks. ]

... A friend of mine has been referring to the people off the app as "sleepers" and there's been a pattern of these sleepers not registering the changes in the city, such as that one time we shrunk or with the disappearances of the horses.

Maybe because she's not on the app, she also can't understand the kind of visions or changes that are happening to us.

[true_noir]

Oh... I know for a fact that she doesn't understand them. It's one of the things we struggled with, though I don't talk to her about it at all. Still, she seems to know because of the stress I feel and how I act.

[She sighed and raked her hand through her hair.] I still love her... but it's... it's gotten very hard to talk to her. We always seem to argue, and the next day I just smile and pretend everything's alright, but it isn't getting better.