Practicing New Powers

[prometheanflame]

WHO: Mohammed and You
WHERE: Around Recolle (museum, around town, woods, library, etc.)
WHEN: July 5th - 11th
WHAT: Mohammed's Stand is starting to manifest, and he's trying to deal with developing fire powers and a giant chicken man on fire following him around.
WARNINGS: will add if applicable

A. July 5 - 7, people he met before only

[He should have known when he was the only one in the office without a sweater. His desk was visited by complaints about the AC being too high today, which he ascribed to his coworkers being too sensitive, but considering how warm he felt there had to be a heating vent directly pointed at him or else he'd understand what they were feeling. After arriving home that day, he checked for any signs of a fever. Nothing. When why was he so warm?

He either had to go to the hospital, or Retrospec was doing something to his body without his permission again. When he's with a person he knows, he'll quietly tap them on the shoulder and whisper.] Could you check something for me? I can't tell if my body temperature is high or if I'm imagining things.

[Better them than a non-Retrospec user wouldn't see why it's so concerning. His skin is normally the expected temperature, but there are periods where it feels abnormally warm, especially when he's nervous like this.]

B. July 8 - 10, OTA

[You might be taking a walk along the beach, studying in the library, or sitting on the bus when you see something bright and orange flash out of the corner of your eye. It's nothing, you might think, before seeing fire once again. Definitely fire floating beside Mohammed, who is pointedly focusing on his book or whatever else there is to focus on. Inside that fire is a very buff chicken-man crossing his arms as if he were meditating yet on alert for any potential danger.

No one else (that is on the app, anyway) seems to notice this clearly bizarre sight in public, but a few react to the heat if they get too close.

Mohammed quietly prays that this being - his Persona as far as he knows - escapes notice until he draws it back. Magician's Red has been manifesting at random, and he really need to find a way to control when it shows up.]

C. July, in an abandoned alleyway near the museums, OTA

[Alright, so this Persona doesn't show up by crushing a card or whatever dramatic gesture Souji and Yukiko used, but by willing it? That works. He's found a pattern to its accidental summonings, which is likely tied to his emotions, but that means he just has to learn to control them, right? All it takes is some practice.

After work, he heads to the mostly empty area behind the buildings, where he's sure he'll be left alone to stand in the middle of an empty alleyway and stare at the empty walkway before him. He practices bringing out Magician's Red, letting him linger unmoving, then works on calling him back. Rinse, repeat.

That's easy. The cool part comes next. He could summon enormous flames in those visions, and he has to work to that point, starting with small fireballs.

You know, if he could actually create fireballs. With each triumphant fist, he thinks he sees a hint of smoke on the end of Magician's Red's talons, but in the end, he's just posing in the middle of an empty alleyway. He hopes he doesn't look like a fool doing this.

Comments

A

[truedetective]

[Naoto isn't expecting to be tapped on the shoulder by a much larger, older, man. She blinks, it taking a second before she recognizes him.] Mohammed Hefaz, correct?

You're saying you feel abnormally warm...?

[prometheanflame]

[He nods. While she was young, his experience talking with her over Retrospec gave him the impression of someone responsible enough not to joke around.]

It's not that I feel warm, but I've found myself unbothered by the cold at times. I haven't had any symptoms of a fever the past few days, but I can't be sure.

[A pause.]

I don't know if there's another reason for that.

omg I totally lost this notif I'm so sorry

[truedetective]

Have you tried taking your temperature? A thermometer is likely more accurate than I would be by estimating. Is this a chronic, ongoing issue? ...have you noticed any other chances in your bodily state? [She says, thinking of Ryoji.]

[prometheanflame]

I did a few times, but there are times when it's normal and times when it's hot. It's as if it fluctuates regularly.

[He's certain sick people don't do that.]

Nothing else, just the heat.

[truedetective]

Regularly... is it predictable, or is it random? Do you find these moments of increased heat are periodic in nature?

[prometheanflame]

Not at all. Hours could pass before I feel like I'm warm, and I don't think I've ever felt hot during the night.

[truedetective]

Interesting. So it's semi predictable. I wonder how we could test this... did you ever get in touch with Yukiko Amagi?

[prometheanflame]

I spoke with her last month. I had a vision of my Persona, and she was the one to explain what it was.

[...]

I had fire magic.

[truedetective]

You too, then... So there are Persona users outside of our group. Still, she hasn't mentioned anything to me about temperature fluctuations, though she does seem to be, uh, immune to fire.

C to be different

[burningblossoms]

[Yukiko turns the corner to take a shortcut, having decided to head that way to hit one of the good stationary shops nearby when she stops, finding herself a few feet away from Mohammed.

And Magician's Red.

Her eyes widen as she takes in the scene...]

It. You managed it?!

[prometheanflame]

[The man and the Stand turn their heads at Yukiko in unison, left arm still held out in an attempt to throw a fireball.]

It?

[He steps back, and Magician's Red disappears into him.]

It pops out randomly, but I'm started to take control of it.

That was a typo wow

[burningblossoms]

Yeah!

[She won't linger on that, slip of the tongue and the mun]

That's...really impressive looking. How long have you been able to make it manifest?

[prometheanflame]

I'm not sure. I think I could see parts of it a few days ago, but I've only managed to see it fully formed about three days ago. [He holds his hands out, willing his Persona back into his existence...nothing happens.]

It's a bit more difficult than I expected it to be. How do you do it?

[burningblossoms]

I...actually couldn't until I had a memory of summoning it. Then it sort of clicked for me. But what I do is concentrate. Just focus on that feeling inside me, and draw it out. Some of the other people with the same power have other ways though.

[Minako's psychic bullets...]

Yours is different than theirs though, since you can control it without an item. So...try again? Focus on the feeling and take a few deep breaths, and just coax it out.

[prometheanflame]

[He turns away from Yukiko, just in case Magician's Red comes screaming out like it did that one time.]

Perhaps I need this item to make summoning easier? [He focuses on the crack in the ground and slows his breathing.]

[burningblossoms]

I doubt it. It's...something that they can't even use the power without. You just need practice.

[She falls silent, watching him and saying nothing. Just...watching.]

[prometheanflame]

Interesting. [Continuing his breathing.] Is it because I'm older? I don't remember anything from my teenage years and I could have needed it to work.

[He also recalls playing with fire as a child, but Magician's Red wasn't there. He's a special case all around.]

b

[appraiser]

[ It's the start of summer and just looking at Magician's Red is making Ryoji feel like he's melting. He'd gone to the library this weekend to escape the heat by means of free AC, but fire and books? not a great combination. While the librarian walks on by without another word or glance at Mohammed, Ryoji continues staring at Mohammed from over the top of his book, then gets up from where he's sitting, and plops down at Mohammed's table. ]

Can you not...?

[prometheanflame]

[He looks up at this random person that just joined him -- it's just Ryoji. Mohammed looks genuinely confused.]

What is it? [He closes his book. There's nothing embarrassing on the cover, he's sure he hasn't been reading out loud or clicking his tongue. No one's ever complained to him about that.]

[appraiser]

[ Ryoji looks at him with red eyes he did not have last time, which has zero fire powers to protect him from dying from the heat Magician's Red is giving off, because he has a temporarily human body thanks to switching powers with Dave for the first half of the month and it's terrible, he's dying. ]

It's really hot... Is that your Persona Yukiko mentioned? Souji had a hard time controlling his fire, so indoors might not be a good place...

[prometheanflame]

It's warm inside, that's all--

[He's about to comment on the eyes, but something peeks into his view. Right beside him is the giant chicken man on fire that he saw in his visions. Standing there. Crossing his arms.

Mohammed jumps back an inch.]

[appraiser]

[ Yeah, and who's fault is it that it's warm inside??

Ryoji startles when Mohammed does, even thought it's been there the entire time. ]

...Did you not notice it's manifested?

[prometheanflame]

No, it does it some times, I don't even notice when it's out!

[He shuts his mouth and twists to check on the other patrons. Hopefully he wasn't too loud there.]

It's been showing up at random times. [He leans in and whispers.] Sometimes when I'm working hard or frustrated, it comes out, and then it disappears when I'm not paying attention. I thought no one else could see it except me, but...[Gestures are Ryoji.]

[appraiser]

[ He can definitely see it, and is surprised that nobody else could— part of him is relieved, for the hopes that maybe they could not see Thanatos either, but the destruction Thanatos brings is very real even if it isn't visible, and Mohammed's Persona would be the same. ]

That's no good... Stress and frustration make for an out-of-control Persona. [ He shakes his head, touching a hand to his heart ] How long ago did you first find out?

[prometheanflame]

When I realized that something was wrong? I would say a week ago. When I first saw my Persona fully realized, that would be yesterday.

[There hasn't been enough time to do anything about that. Thankfully, it hasn't flown around setting his room on fire, but one day (he fears) it will leave his control and reign destruction. Perhaps he shouldn't have wanted this power.]

I need to find time to practice summoning him, but if this keeps happening while I'm working...

[He squints at Magician's Red, which squints back.]