[Voice] Arcana III - so much to lose

[onelastpromise]

[Minato couldn't not notice, this time. He'd thought at first that he might be wrong, but well... A few days and no contact can only mean one thing, can't it? The message comes late at night, and is brief. His voice is level and calm, but trained ears could tell it's only barely so.]

...I know not many of us were close to them, but I figured it's worth knowing: Marie, my housemate, seems to be gone. I'm pretty sure Shirogane Naoto is, too.

[He shuts it off quickly. Two of his closest friends here, vanished. He doesn't know if they went home or what. He's...never really thought about where the people who are no longer in Avalar may have gone. Home? Some other world? He can't help but be sad about it, no matter what the case may be. It hurts.]

Comments

[voice]

[notsogrimreaper]

Minato?

[His voice is quiet and as sympathetic as Ryoji can make it. It's not hard to feel for him though; he saw many of his friends come and go, and it was even worse at the Tower, where people were surely returning to worlds that were absolutely desolate. Here he can at least hope that the worlds they're returning to are safe and strong.]

Are you at home? I'd like to talk to you if you have the time.

[He isn't going to pressure Minato in any way to talk to him, but he can at least offer to be there for him while he sorts out his emotions on the matter, and hopefully recovers.]

[voice]

[onelastpromise]

[He take a moment to compose himself to speak again.]

Yeah, I'm in Marie's room.

[He can trust Ryoji. More than anyone else, he knows he can break down in front of the other boy comfortably. He...can't go on like this, holding everything back.]

[voice] > [action]

[notsogrimreaper]

I’ll be right there, okay? Just hang on.

[He shuts the feed off and immediately heads to the house, letting himself in and heading up to the room. He’s quick, making sure Minato doesn’t have to suffer alone much longer, and as he wraps an arm around Minato’s shoulders, it’s clear he wants to be reassuring.]

[action]

[onelastpromise]

[When Ryoji gets there, Minato is shaking slightly. He isn't crying, not yet, but he's close to it.]

S-Sorry. I knew this probably wouldn't last, but I'm so sick of losing people..

[He'd viewed Avalar as his second chance, a place to make a new life. Two of his close friends were just taken away, though - he can't really expect a strong support network with other outsiders here, can he? This sucks...]

[action]

[notsogrimreaper]

I still understand. No matter how many times it happens, you never get used to losing those you care about.

[He hugs Minato with one arm, watching him intently.]

Would it help to talk about what they were like? I never got to see how amazing they were, after all.

[action]

[onelastpromise]

Yeah, it..it might.

[He leans into the embrace, needing the comfort. His power is built on his bonds with others; to have it weakened now... It's hard not to let everything he's been holding in get to him.]

Marie was very sweet. She was from France, like Bebe, and lived in a convent. Didn't know her parents, except her mother who she only met recently. And she was a master on the violin.

Shirogane-san, though... She's a Persona-user from 2012. Apparently her senpai and leader was a Fool and Wild Card, too. She's a detective, and really good at it. She helped me out a lot.

[Like in keeping an eye on Seito, and it was Naoto that rescued both him and Chou after Seito had attacked them.]

[action]

[notsogrimreaper]

[Ryoji doesn’t let up on the hug. It’s clear Minato wants to be held like this, and Ryoji always wants to give his friend what he wants. He listens attentively, with a very small smile.]

I would have liked to meet them. I love hearing music, and I’m sure her music would have been more amazing than anything else I’ve heard.

And more Persona users… I think I remember her leader. Yu Narukami, right?

[He was a casual acquaintance to Ryoji back in the tower.]

[voice]

[angelicbadass]

[There's a sympathetic look on Pit's face. Pit never thought about what happens when people leave Avalar. His only hope was that Minato's friends were sent home safely. Minato might not be able to see it, but he can hear the sympathy in his voice when he speaks.]

Minato... I'm so sorry.

[voice]

[onelastpromise]

[He delays a few moments to steady his voice. He'll be alright. He'll always be alright.]

I'll be okay. I'm...pretty used to losing people. It's not like they've died. [Would it matter much if they had? Who knows if they'll come back. Maybe Naoto went home to get shot on her next case. Not that being dead would prevent someone from coming here. Ugh, it's complicated.]

[voice]

[angelicbadass]

[Pit can hear the sadness in Minato's voice.]

But still, it's pretty rough. Do you... need some company?

[voice]

[onelastpromise]

[He almost declines, but...isn't the reason this hurts so much because he's lost part of his support network?]

....Yeah, I'd like that. Thanks. Do you want to meet somewhere?

Re: [voice]

[angelicbadass]

Sure thing. How bout I come to your house? Where are you?

[voice]

[onelastpromise]

I'm at my place, in Idol Springs. I'll put some water on for tea...

[He doesn't much feel like going out and about. Might be a good idea, but he's not up to it.]

[Action]

[wantedittobeagame]

[...aw, crap. Adachi had a hunch something was up when he hadn't seen Naoto-kun after new years, but he was hoping...]

[Some time after Minato left his message, there was a rapid knock on Minato's door. Knock, knock, kiddo; happy police.]

[Action]

[onelastpromise]

[It takes a few moments, but Minato answers the door quietly. His face is as blank and expressionless as ever - but another Fool and Wild Card should be able to tell: he isn't okay. Hasn't been okay in a long time.]

Adachi-san... I'm sorry.

[Action]

[wantedittobeagame]

What are you apologizing for?

[He smiled faintly for him.]

C'mon kid, it's not like you personally kicked 'em out.

[Action]

[onelastpromise]

Shirogane-san was your friend, too. So... I'm sorry she's gone.

[He knows it isn't his fault. He knows which actions are his to take responsibility for.]

[Action]

[wantedittobeagame]

Yeah... and no. Look at it this way, at least she's going back to the world that makes sense for her, right?

[Because he refuses to believe that anything else could have happened.]

[Action]

[onelastpromise]

Yeah...if that's where she went. I-I know she can take care of herself, but...

[He's quiet for a bit, making a face. He isn't sure how much he's ready to open up yet - he's still bad at that. This was his chance to start over... Is it okay to be selfish, just this once?]

...I'm just so sick of losing people.

[voice]

[wildcardpotential]

[The moment she hears Minato's voice over the orbnet she knows something is wrong. He never sounds like that. It's too heavy for him. Too... raw.

She gingerly brushes her (now very irritated) dragonfly off her orb to pick it up and contact him.]

Hey, where are you?

[voice]

[onelastpromise]

[He has to take another moment to level his voice, drive the emotion from it. He's clearly making an effort - but it's a tone he's used to hearing himself take. Not for a long time, obviously, but....the end result? Probably eerily similar to the tone Seito used when she first met him.]

My house. Idol springs.

[voice] > [action]

[wildcardpotential]

[She won't bother to analyze his voice too much for the moment. He sounds like he needs company, and that's exactly what she's going to give him.]

Okay, be there in ten.

[She's there in five, having run from her own house to his. She knocks on the door.]

Minato-kun, it's me.

[action]

[onelastpromise]

[He answers the door promptly, his face an expressionless mask.]

Hey.

[action]

[wildcardpotential]

[Don't give her that face, Minato, she knows you're upset.]

Hey. I'm sorry about your friends. Let me make you some tea, huh?

[Actually no first she's going to come in the door and give him a really big hug.]

[action]

[onelastpromise]

[He is, but who is he to ever actually express his pain? He isn't surprised at the hug - he returns it, gently.]

I'll be okay. I'm pretty used to losing people.