social_linked | Meet, greet and eat

Meet, greet and eat

(To be perfectly honest, Cornelius didn't expect to find other persona users outside of himself and Guzma. The head of the Skull gang was a stroke of luck, but to have found so many others who can tap into that power and help fight off the shadows...it's a welcome relief.

Not to mention the large, large expansion to Cornelius' circle of friends.

So what's a rich kid to do when he's happy to have an extended circle like this? Throw down. A bunch of money to get everyone nice and fed for a day. He arranged for a catered picnic and invited his fellow persona-users and any friends they wanted to bring along. There's a bit of something for everyone, so pizzas, sandwiches, whatever, really. It's a large, open space, too, of anyone's in the mood for playing around. Just like the food, there's plenty of options there.

Cornelius would be lying if he said he wasn't thrilled to have so many people to hang out with. He just hopes they'll have fun while they're here.)

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It wasn't my intent to sneak up on you. Though, I suppose I've always had a quiet approach.

[She lips curled as she chuckled. It had been a while. She had let her hair grow up, but kept it cut to a professionally short height, allowing the tips to curl inward at her shoulders. The blouse, the undershirt, the pants, just like all those years ago how her looks changed during their breaks.]

Anyway, I arrived a few minutes ago. Had a few things to clear up at the station.

Heh. I-I guess some things don't change. [Okay, no littering. He crouched to gather up the cup and he gave it an underhanded toss into a wastebasket.]

I bet. Thanks... y'know, for workin' so hard like this. It can't be easy.

[He smiled, pushing off his knees to rise again before he turned to fix a drink for her.]

But it's good to see ya, and not just hear a voice over the phone.

They don't, but that's not a bad thing.

[Standing beside him, she'll let him prepare a drink for her.]

It is. I've been wanting to visit more often, but you guys have been giving the department a run-around.

Ain't surprised- there's so many of us now! It's crazy, we could practically open up a classroom for Persona Users or somethin'!

But Souji n' I have been doin' what we can to wrangle everybody up and keep shit quiet. ...-Ish. Cornelius over there's been doin' us a huge favor, too.

[He passed her the finished drink.]

...But that also means you should take it easy every once in a while, when ya can. We don't want ya gettin' gray hairs over us.

Hm, if there were more of us, a class would be possible.

Ah, yes, Abelard-san. A few officers have been 'convinced' to look the other way should they happen across anything.

[She thanked him and accepted the beverage, taking a sip.]

I'll see if I can. Besides, I wouldn't mind assisting this group on the field to have a better idea of the situation.

[He nodded. But now curiosity was stronger than anything else. Normally he'd speak confidentially, but he stood among countless people who could do the same thing.]

...You, uh... you wanna see it? The thing I told you about last phone call.

[Because maybe she could figure something out about the odd power suit. He'd never had anyone get a good look at it, and maybe there were weapons, buttons or something along the lines that she could find. Plus, she... she dug robots. Can't forget a robot nerd.]

See-- oh, yes! That. Yes, let's have a look at it.

[It had been a while since he had shown her, but now was the perfect opportunity.]

O-kay. We're on! Persona!

[His heart unexpectedly began to race as he stepped back. He'd learned how to make it happen quicker than before. It was a matter of having a 'center' to suit up from, right? When he felt that energy well and the card came down, he was used to striking it with his weapon or with a fist.

Instead, he balled both and crushed it at chest level between them. But rather than feel his soul split into two entities and having Takeji Zaiten appear behind him, the rushing light instead gathers on his body and disperses as the white armor flecked in flame decals. He flicked out both arms and completed the gauntlets. He shifted his weight and the greaves were done like dinner. The helm covered his head and his glasses were swapped for a visor.

Wait wait, gotta be cool, gotta be cool...! ...But in giving a flourish in the way he remembered his favorite superheroes did, he got his boot caught up on his freshly-formed cloak. He stumbled backward with a loud swear and hit the tree behind him with the back of the noggin. That was a heavy clank.]

[Well, it was much more than she really anticipated. Seeing the armor form and fix itself over his body, it was like watching a superhero transform - or heck, it was much closer to that one hero, Steel Man.]

[Though, as amazing as it was to watch, the posturing could use some work. She chuckled.]

Are you alright?

[Pins and prickles all up the face and the arms, but he wouldn't confess to that. Instead he sighed and sat up, untangling himself from his cloak.]

I'm- I'm good! Just tryin' some new... somethin'... stuff...

[The fingers moved as if they were his own rather than large gauntlets. The clunk denoted weight, yet he moved as if the suit was light as a feather. As he rose to his feet, he reached up and brushed the scuff out of the helm.]

Anyway, so that's how I've been crushin' the shadows on my end. But, uh, I wonder if I got buttons or somethin' somewhere. I can make it go but I can't make it stop unless I tire myself out... I feel like there's gotta be somethin' I can do to turn it on n' off at will, yeah?

[That was something new? She hummed and nodded. Next time, perhaps he would be more coordinated posturing then.]

[That aside, now she had a proper look at his suit. It was... incredible. And he didn't seem to have any issue maneuvering in it.]

Hm... It does seem counter intuitive to have to tire yourself out. I'll have a look and see if there's something that can be pressed.

[Though, just as he put it on... why couldn't the same method have it removed?]

Y-yeah, like... my belt or somethin' on my back or the neck or somethin'. I got no idea. I thought of all kindsa magic words or phrases. Even tried callin' Takeji Zaiten again, but... nothin'.

[He hunkered down then into a kneel.]

But it's rad, though... I can look at shadows and gauge how much pain it took, yeah? Wait, maybe I can scan peop- whoa-

[Scan the Noot, scan the Noot... but something filled his vision in the visor with a lot of red-text gobbledegook before going completely silent. His cheeks puffed as he looked away. There was a little steam coming up off the helmet. Th-that was weird. I mean, sure, Naoto wasn't a shadow but what was all that text? He needed to bring it up later.]

Erh- uh... hmm. Guess not.

Hm...

[And she does proceed to examine around his belt, back, generally anywhere that he wouldn't be able to reach or properly see. Seemed odd Takeji Zaiten would do this and then not... have a way for Kanji to take it off.]

[She paused though when he turned his head, giving him a questioning look.]

Everything alright?

[He quietly recalled that text and felt the prickles rise in his face. That was no gobbledy-gook, but the purplest, most gushy declarations of adoration he'd ever read. He'd been told he was a 'warrior poet' once, but never had he sat down to really put anything to paper.]

Y-yeah, ya just... ya blew the crap outta my scanners.

[Huh, what's this little latch on the nape of the neck?]

Oh? You didn't try scanning everyone right now, did you?

[Searching around, ah, there appeared to be something suspicious at the nape of his neck. Raising her hands to it, what would happen if she fiddled with this latch?]

N-no... just y-

[The latch was undone, and with a puff of blue light and smoke, the armor faded and Kanji landed on the backside with a leg pinned underneath.]

Whoa, what'd you find!?

[Huh, simple enough.]

There was a latch on the collar of your suit back here.

Oh... so I had a fancy robot zipper or somethin'! Good to know. I'll see if it's there next time I shift in. Thanks, Naoto.

[He pushed himself upright and dusted off. That was the answer to that, but in his next thought, he realized he wasn't talking on the phone with her, video chatting with her, sending her LINE stickers. She was here in the flesh, and it made his heart clench.]

...Let's take a walk, yeah?

You're welcome.

[Now that he was up, she was... well, she hadn't grown so she was looking up at him. She chuckled.]

I was wondering if you would ask sooner or later... Yes, let's walk.

[He's sorry he's a goddamn tree. It seemed his high school days hadn't seen the last of his growth, finishing off with another 2-3 inches of height just a year after his senior year.

Yet he never minded reaching down for her hand - public place or not - to take hold before he led the way. The park was big enough to get a little privacy, and the murmuring would just get in the way of a little catching up.]

Heh. Well, I'm still learning a thing or two, ain't I? One'a these days, I'll get a moment of intuition and climb in through your office window just when yer feelin' that little burn for company.

[Bah, she's surrounded by giants. No final growths from her... except for her hair, but that always got a slight trim back anyway.]

[Hand holding had become fine around others... took a while though. First, general appearance, and second, mild embarrassment at people always liking to comment (even if wholly unnecessary).]

Haha, you might give the chief a heart attack.

Maybe, but when's the guy ever gonna lemme in the front door after hours, huh? I'd look like a hoodlum! Nah, the window adds mystery... adds romance too, I think.

I'll sneak in and be gone before anybody knows it! Or I'll hide under the desk or somethin'.

I mean, if you called I could let you in. If they catch you coming in through the window, that would be breaking and entering...

... Though, I guess there might be some appeal if you tried.

Aw, jeez- I've spent enough nights in holding as it is. My only crime is p-passion!

But think of the story: A rogue that slipped in, scattered up those papers, left fingerprints everywhere...

[He may or may not have been reading a few choice books lately, and he subtly brought his free hand to his nose to press it closed. A nosebleed would not interrupt his imagination, damn it!]

The 'victim' is instead an accomplice...! Yet the rogue disappeared without much trace, a copycat Phantom Thief. The treasure? A detective's heart.

Passion? How devious...

[She was still listening. Sounded like he had been reading a few things... quite a few things.]

Oh... are you saying you might be the Phantom Thief?

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