♪001 | Video

[shibuyasmusic]

[Joshua is holding his wrist out before him, smiling at the watch's camera. This thing is interesting... this whole place, really, is interesting to him. He's sitting in a cafe, with a steaming cup of coffee in his hand. While aware of his need to spare the money he had for food here- after all he was practically human again- it did good to rest his nerves.]

I've been investigating this extra thirteenth hour in the day as others are calling it. It's quite interesting, really, for more reasons than one. Most interestingly... restrictions on my abilities are lifted during the Thirteenth Hour.

[In other words, he's completely human every other hour of the day, and that's incredibly frustrating.]

I'm perfectly aware that there are those here who are more experienced with this world than I am. I'd like to know more about the Thirteenth Hour, if it's possible. What exactly it is, why it exists, what effects it has on this world... Anything you can tell me~

Comments

[shibuyasmusic]

He likely wouldn't start causing issues until the Thirteenth Hour when his power is unlocked, in which case I can easily take him out with my own power. But trust me, Minamimoto is anything but stupid. He won't pull a stunt like that.

He's currently fixated on a solution home, and getting himself killed is no way to reach that solution. So, like I said, cooperative... for Minamimoto.

[poweryetunknown]

[His eyebrows raise. Huh. He'll have to try using his pins then... though maybe it still wouldn't work unless he made a pact with Shiki. He'll have to see.]

Right.

... And what are you going to do, aside from keeping tabs on Pi-Face?

[shibuyasmusic]

I'm with him on finding a way home. [He looks away, hands going into his pockets.] We've been discussing theories, but so far neither of us know enough to get home.

We'll all go home, okay Neku? Back to our world, to Shibuya.

[poweryetunknown]

Good.

[There's an awkward moment of silence.]

... I don't know if you care, but there's a couple other people here who are dead where they're from, or should be.

[shibuyasmusic]

...Dead? [Joshua furrows a brow.] ... I'm not sure how that fits into the equation. All that it really confirms is that the god who brought us here is insanely powerful, which we already knew.

[poweryetunknown]

I guess, yeah.

[Hm...]

Do you think me and Shiki will need to pact to use our pins? Or will we be able to use them at all here? They weren't working before...

[shibuyasmusic]

Did you try using them during the Thirteenth Hour? It seems as though the city turns into a temporary UG and allows access to UG-related powers, such as my abilities, Sho's Reaper powers, and likely your psychs as well.

A pact... shouldn't be necessary, but I'm not sure how this world works in comparison to ours.

[poweryetunknown]

They weren't working then before other people from our world showed up. I'll have to try them out.

[shibuyasmusic]

... Strange... If they work now, that means the condition of this world would have changed since you arrived. That's... frightening power. [Is it clear that Joshua isn't used to being the less powerful entity in another god's domain?]

[poweryetunknown]

Like I said, I'll have to check... but yeah.

Look, uh... if you need help with anything, just ask, okay?

[shibuyasmusic]

... There is something I could use from you. I'm a little new at this, but can you tell me how to effectively use your Persona? I assume you've figured it out. I've been able to summon mine, but I haven't figured out any of its abilities.

[poweryetunknown]

Huh? Oh. Hm. I guess... it's mostly through trial and error, but everything here seems to have at least some sort of elemental weakness. Narasimha has a bunch of different elemental spells so I'm pretty good at covering a lot of weaknesses... if you've got a Persona that only specializes in one element it might be a good idea to pick up another one at the Velvet Room that's more diverse.

Though if you're talking about seeing what its attacks do, we could probably head out during the Thirteenth Hour and test it out on some enemies.

[shibuyasmusic]

Your Persona is Narasimha, then? The Hindu deity? That's... interesting, actually, and fitting. [He seems to be implying that he doesn't find his own at all interesting or fitting.] I don't know much about my Persona yet, but it wouldn't hurt to discover what it can do during the Thirteenth Hour...

... Is it just me or are you actually proposing to spend time with me, Neku? [He gives a kind of snorting laugh of disbelief, shaking his head.]

[poweryetunknown]

Really? I don't know that much about him, to be honest.

[...]

Look, you getting killed because you don't know how to fight with your Persona properly would just be stupid.

[IT'S NOT ANYTHING ELSE OKAY.]

[shibuyasmusic]

He reminds me of CAT, honestly. A very noble deity that acts as a protector of the people and an avatar for Vishnu. If I recall correctly~ [Shrug.]

... I told you the restrictions on my powers lift during the Thirteenth Hour, the most dangerous hour of the day. I highly doubt I'm going to get killed, Neku. But if you really insist.

It's still beyond me how you can trust me so much.

[poweryetunknown]

And it's beyond me why someone who's supposed to look over an entire city seems to not get people even more than I don't get people.

[shibuyasmusic]

[Joshua laughs a little.] Touche...

I think that won't be such a huge problem anymore, though, Neku-kun. [Something's still sort of bothering him, though.]

Why do you think of us as friends?

[poweryetunknown]

[Neku runs a hand through his hair. How to put this...]

Maybe 'friends' is too strong a word. But I do trust you. As much as you were a pain in the ass, you helped me in a lot of ways. And friends... help each other, right?

I can't forgive you. But I can't not trust you.

[shibuyasmusic]

Lovely use of a double negative. But you've made your point. You trust me. [Though it's beyond him why Neku trusts him.]

I'm not helping you as a friendly gesture, though, Neku-kun. I'm doing it because it's my responsibility to take care of the people from my world.

[poweryetunknown]

[Shut up you're not his Japanese teacher. :| ]

Maybe. But somehow I don't think that's all.

[If you wanted to make things difficult for him you would. :| You've done it before.]

[shibuyasmusic]

[That doesn't excuse your atrocious grammar, Neku.

Ugh, but Neku's words kind of throw him off a little. If he was being entirely honest, while it's true that he feels responsible for the Shibuya residents here, he also feels like he owes Neku and Shiki their lives...]

I'm not sure what you mean by that.

[poweryetunknown]

Let's just say I have a little faith in you.

[He smirks a little bit. If he can lose some of the douche, so can you.]

[shibuyasmusic]

[Joshua just furrows a brow at him. No smirking or anything, just a look of genuine confusion.]

You have faith in me...? Well we've established that you trust me, for some reason, but what I'm wondering is why you think that my desire to see those from Shibuya returned home safe and soundly is evidence that I have any feelings for you or the others past an obligation to my responsibility. You're all from my city, that's why I care.

That's the only reason I care.