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[The grouchy kid in the beanie makes a rare appearance over the network, but this time with a familiar feline on his shoulder; Yu's kitten, Banchou. He's also holding two handcrafted plush toys that are the work of Kanji Tatsumi: a mint-colored bunny rabbit and a Jack Frost. That little cat can wake the soundest sleepers, and by the wrinkles in his turtleneck and even more disheveled hair than usual to frame his tired eyes, it's obvious.]

Don't know how long I've been out. Everyone still closing up shop early? [He references the ordeal with the strange symbol, and panicked residents closing business early in the evening when it appeared.]

[Later, he sends a private video message to the remaining Persona users.]
So who's left?

[He's not sounding optimistic.]

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Banchou? [So this is what she means by the fact that he's always underfoot. Or overshoulder I guess in this case?]

Sorry about dat mister. That cat has a mind of his own. Where are yahs? I'll go and make sure he's with his owner as soon as possible.

Hn? [Banchou's making a name for himself it seems. The insignia on the girl's outfit looks a lot like the one on Yu's uniform jacket, but she looks a lot more like someone else he knows...a certain anti-shadow weapon that likes to be at Minako's side.

The voice doesn't sound at all like Aigis', though. Maybe she's really into cosplaying mecha characters or something.] You don't have to. His home's nearby. [Like 'right next door' nearby!]

You sure about that? He's a handful.

[Still, the way he spoke made Labrys feel that he was not a man that picked his words carelessly.]

Also, 'bout the weird marks going on. We're not entirely sure what's up, but there was a visit of some guys a few days ago. Something something, there are two groups that are lyin' to us. Yadda yadda, we're still in the dark about most things.

You follow me?

He's welcome here. [...Now where'd he go?

Oh. He's in the breast of his coat, poking his head out. Motor's running too. Why must animals be so cute...]

[...'Something something'? 'Yadda yadda'? While he's still uncertain about what she is, it kind of irks him. This is important to him.]

Who's lying? How the hell do you know?

[She's not going to argue that first point.]

Somebody. Anybody. Both of thems.

[She has a hand on her hip and chip on her shoulder the size of a hubcap.]

That's the thing. They both say stuff that are different to each other. So one of them is gotta be lying, y'know? But the thing is I don't know either to trust the guy that decided to make the town their own personal canvas, or the ones that brought us here against our will.

So you'll forgive me if I ain't trustin' either of them.

[He hasn't put his full trust in the leaders of the city since he arrived, especially with the unexplained diappearances, and at times reappearances, of his friends. Had they not lived up to the city's expectations? Was there something that made him more valuable to them than the others? He didn't know. He had a lot of questions, but he still had things he wanted to investigate.

With the appearance of another side, the girl was right in that it would be smart not to fully trust either one of them for the time being.]

You've got a point.

[That admittance disarmed the girl, for the moment. Her eyes darted as she considered the situation.]

Thanks, but that's all I got. Aside from that I don't know nothin' about what's goin' on.

Worse, it seems like everybody else is in the dark just as much as I am.

They haven't shared much with us until recently, so no one does that isn't from around here. [The people who operate Saeng Seong gradually pop out of the woodwork when the moment is appropriate, usually when something strange happens.]

I've been here for a year with nothing to show.

So, no offense, but when you got huffy at me for not telling you stuff, you really didn't legs to stand on. You're just in the dark as I am.

[Apparently she noticed the brusque tone.]

I know that this place is screwy, and that they have a hand in some of it.

Things have calmed down somewhat.

[ A pause, before the second message comes in - this one locked. ] I know a few things about what was going on. I could fill you in.

I'll take whatever I can get.

All right. Is there anywhere you feel comfortable meeting up?

[ Even with privacy filters, he doesn't quite trust the network to be totally secure anymore. ]

Quiet and out of the way works.

[He can understand that. He doesn't care if they know he doesn't trust them, but if there are more details that they aren't aware the visitors know about, it may be best to keep it that way.]

[Hey Shinji hey Shinji hey Shinji. Want another cat? Cause here's one meowing and waving at you!]

[Omigosh it's Alcyon! He tries really hard to contain himself, but his lips curl up briefly.]

Heh. You're still in good spirits. [Reassuring in some ways.]

[NO CONTAINING ONLY CUTENESS :DDDD She bounces happily at him, then pauses, looking down. Very, very slowly, a message is typed out.]

hi

Shinjiro pauses for a bit. Was it by chance that she managed to type that greeting out? Alcyon was smart, but could she understand their language as well?

Whatever. Texting with a cute cat is a go. If she responds to text better, than text it'll be.]

hi alcyon

[Alcyon watches the screen intently, taking a while to read his message. And she is, indeed, reading it! She's been learning her letters bit by bit, and she can definitely read her name. She chirps happily, bouncing!]

shingeerow

[That's your name, btw.

Look, she didn't say she could actually spell, ok.]

[OH GOD she can't spell. He finds it so endearing and not annoying in the least bit--he must contain himself. But it's getting difficult.]

that was a good try :)

shinjiro [He adds his name properly spelled at the end so she can learn it if she wants to.]

shinjiro. with a j [She's a fast learner, see :D And speaking of learning, she has a question.]

whats :) ??

a smile

look at it sideways

[~~Baby's first emote~~ He knows quite a few. Not the real elaborate ones, but a good number.]

Are you at your place?

Yeah.

I'll be over. And don't worry about Banchou, he was checking up on you.

[And a knock at the door!]

[The hallway light illuminates under the door, and Shinjiro opens it about a minute after the knock.]

Hey.

[Relief man. Thought he lost you too.]

Hey, I'm glad to see you're alright.

[Tempted to hug him to be honest.]

[He wouldn't see it coming, truth be told. There's a coldness to his apartment when he opens the door fully.]

No need to... You'll worry anyway, won't you? [He says, with a tone that's difficult to judge between joking and serious.]

[Good that Banchou came after all, it's rather chilly in here.]

It's what friends do. Now let me get you something warm and I'll tell you what's been going on.

[Hosting is his job; Yu is a guest in his apartment. He'll make an effort to handle the task himself. He closes the door behind his friend and re-enters the quiet abode. Junpei's chocobo chick is asleep in a nest of abandoned clothes, but everything else lacks life.]

Those symbols. What are they?

[It's almost haunting to think about. So much has happened and it's like Death decided to suck the life out of this place.]

They were from a group called Rangar. Some of their...more younger members thought it would be fun apparently. Their leader wasn't amused by it.

[That opens up a lot of other questions. Is it the entirety of the Rangar or just the kids capable of those damages? If that symbol is their own, and it invokes fear into all of the natives, then age has no meaning if one holds that title.]

Must be a hell of a bunch of kids if they have the city forced into hiding at night.

[Wandering into the kitchen, he searches for two clean cups.]

They're actually older than we think. Everyone in the city has stopped aging after the miasma came.

Also their leader...he and Rhea-san are brother and sister.

[He was right, in a way. A bit of disbelief is present on his face as he turns back to Yu while the water warms up on the stove, and he idly turns one of the tea cups in his hands.]

Have we stopped aging too?

[Brother and sister...]

He turns into a cat too, doesn't he?

[His weakness is cute little animals, but it might come to bite him in the ass if he accidentally takes in a member of the city or the Rangar.]

I haven't felt much in a year but we could be different.

As for the changing, I don't know what animal he becomes.

...Bunch of new faces, and little info to work with. Just a bunch of scare tactics to rattle the locals.

[When the tea is ready, he offers Yu a cup.]

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