compnetwork | 02

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02 - [Video]

[This...is going to be a problem.]

[He was curious, really, to hang around until the 13th hour came along, and had been quite shocked by the enormous amount of monsters hanging around. So shocked that he was quite unprepared for when they started attacking- he thought he'd find a way to avoid them, honestly. And just when he was cornered...it had finally come out. His Persona.]

[And honestly, he wasn't too surprised. Not even scared, really, he's seen worse. His Persona is himself, isn't it? But this would pose a problem if he showed it to other people, because that would be going and showing them something very deep and personal that might turn them against him. No, he has to turn this into an advantage, a way to get people to pity him and go on his side.]

[And he knows exactly how to get that to happen.]

[The video turns on, and the first thing one hears is the rather terrified and stammering voice of one (1) Sam Erstwhile.]

This-this is really not okay! I mean, it's my birthday today, I really didn't need this as a birthday present!

[The guy seems to be on the verge of fainting, he's so pale. It's oddly dark behind him, even though it's morning...]

I-I...listen, is it possible to just refund a Persona? That's possible, right? Because...mine is a freakin' abomination, and I'm not really sure I want it. How come all of you get the cool ones and I get the one that looks like it feeds on little kid's nightmares??

[And then the darkness behind him moves, and what looks to be like a dark tentacle rests on Sam's shoulder. Sam shudders, letting out a slight whimper, as the skull-like face of his Persona drops down into view.]

[Looks like Sam wasn't kidding about that abomination stuff at all.]

They said having a Persona was a good thing. They said you'd love it, and that it'd help you, and...ugh, this isn't what I was expecting at all!

[And he buries his face in his trembling hands. He really looks like he's going to have a nervous breakdown over this.]

Happy birthday to me...

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I think you're kinda gonna have to though.

*The smile she gives is sympathetic and understanding, and she bows her head as she finishes off her muffin*

Cause, I'm not calling you creepy or anything, cause you're not, but that thing is really closely linked to you. All the Personas are. Or, well, that's what I heard.

*Her smile becomes a little more uncertain and she shrugs with one shoulder*

[He frowns, staring down at the muffins in front of him. He doesn't look too happy.]

I get that, but...I'd rather it not be closely linked with me. I don't know what it says about me, that my mind brought forth that-that thing. I don't want to know...

[And he mutters under his breath..]

I thought I was normal. I guess this place thinks I'm a monster, too...

*That wasn't quite the reaction she was expecting, and she instantly shows a face of concern*

Sam..you know, your thing looks creepy but..it is kinda sweet. I mean, it clearly likes spending time with you and, I think it might even be a little put out that you don't like it so much.

*Selphie sighs softly, and reaches a hand over the table to pat at his forearm*

For what it's worth...as a total stranger that you've only just met...I think you're lovely, and I bet your persona thingy isn't so bad either, he just doesn't look as cute as you do.

[A long pause, and then:]

Y-you think so?

[He looks up, attempting that smile again, even looking a bit bashful.]

Yeah...I guess you're right. It hasn't attacked me or anything. And...you really think I'm cute? I don't think anyone has called me that, heh...

*Selphie looks absolutely positive as she gives a firm nod and sits back in her chair*

Exactly. Maybe you just need to hang out with it a little bit more.

*When he asks the question, Selphie flushes gently ~ she meant it, but she'd just spoken her mind to make him feel better*

Oh! Yeah.. I do..

Okay. That sounds like good advice.

[He lowers his head again, wringing his hands slightly in his lap as if trying to figure out what to do in such a situation. He sounds touched, though.]

Thanks, I guess...I don't think I'm very cute at all, but I guess what I say won't change your mind, will it?

Least then, even if you don't love it, you'll be more used to it.

*She glances up to see Sam looking down, and she smiles quite bashfully. Then she starts laughing and shakes her head*

Nope! Too stubborn for that!

Yeah...I need to ask if it has a name, too. It seems other Personas have names...

[He lets out a slight laugh at that, though it's so quiet that one might not even identify it as a laugh at all.]

Stubborn, huh? Not even when the going gets tough?

That's a good idea. I recognise my Persona from back home, so I know its name and that's kinda nice. Maybe knowing its name will help you bond, too.

*Selphie blinks at Sam, not sure whether it was a laugh or a cough that she heard*

Hmm.. When the going gets tough I think I'm the most stubborn of all!

Oh, you recognize your Persona? Are you one of those people who had Personas at home? But yes, I think a name would be important to know if we are to get along.

[He's the worst at these things, okay. But he does seem to be smiling when he looks back at her.]

Man...I wish I had your courage, really.

Nah. We didn't have Personas..but one of our Guardian Spirits has become my Persona here. They're basically elemental spirits that I can summon to help me out in battle. For the bigger monsters, not just for the usual dudes who are being jerks.

*Because it would be mean to kill those guys with a GF when a punch or a kick would do.
When he smiles, Selphie can't help but smile more, and she looks excited ~ after all, it's a huge difference to how glum he looked in his video*

Nah..it's nothing, really!

Whoah...Guardian spirits? Your world sounds really cool. We don't have anything like that where I come from.

[It seems Selphie is putting him more at ease, really- he doesn't seem so timid as he was before.]

No, really! I mean...you can do so much with that courage, you know? [And a somber frown.] And I can't really do anything with what little courage I have.

Uh huh! They are pretty cool, so I'm lucky to have one with me here, I guess.

*She grins at his enthusiasm, then looks down at the plate of muffins. There's two left, and he's barely touched his, so she figures that he won't mind too much if she lowly takes a lemon one.. But at his compliment she shakes her head and waves a hand dismissively*

Nah - mostly, back home, it was more...being stupid than being courageous. I just get a lotta people into trouble that way. But y'know, I reckon you've got a lot more courage than you think.

You are...we don't even have anything related to magic or spirits. Everything just works via technology or science. So, hearing about magic is pretty exciting...

[He doesn't even notice her taking another one, just focusing on her instead.]

Oh, you're just being really modest, aren't you? And no, what courage I think I have is even more than what I really do have. It's just the way I am.

*Selphie grins at that, looking pleased, but sympathetic too since she'd met plenty people from a world that didn't have any magic. She nods her head and gives a quick wink*

Maybe you'll get a chance to see some magic sometime!

*Then she looks away and shakes her head*

Nah. Really. I get in a lotta trouble from my friends. But ya know..I think courage isn't such a huge deal. It's about how you act in a hard situation that's most important.

Perhaps.

[He smiles slightly at the wink, though it disappears as quickly as it came as he looks towards his water glass instead, as if trying to find something to say there.]

And if you run away when you're in a hard situation because you don't know how to deal with it...isn't that bad?

*She shuffles a little in her chair and reaches to refill his glass, even if there was still plenty of water left*

Maybe. Maybe it is. But maybe it takes time to think things through, to really work out what the best thing is to do for that situation..

*Pretty cryptic maybe, but then, she wasn't really sure what kind of situation he was talking about*

[He nods as thanks for that, reaching down to sip at it before putting it back down.]

Maybe, but sometimes I do it without thinking, you know? It's like seeing a tiger and turning immediately to run for your life. Like that.

Guess that depends on the situation. I mean, if I didn't have my magic or some way to fight then I'd run too. That just makes sense, and there's nothing wrong with that.

*She narrows her eyes gently, looking him over slowly and carefully, but not judgemental*

Is there anything you wanna talk about?

You think so? People just call me a coward. That's usually an insult where I come from.

[He doesn't answer that second question for a while, slowly running his finger over the glass in front of him. To tell or not to tell? And if to tell, what story would he craft for her, like a fisherman crafting a net to catch a very unique fish?]

[After he's made his internal decision, he nods, looking to the window.]

Well, um, I don't really want to talk about stuff. Not really. But...ever since I came here, I find myself really missing my sister...

Well, those people are just meanies. You gotta think about where the insults come from too - if they're just cowards and idiots themselves, then it doesn't matter, ya know?

*Selphie lifts her glass to take a sip of water, watching his finger over the rim of her glass. She catches his nod, and she follows his line of sight, whatever he might be looking at*

Oh... I miss a lot of people too. From my home world, from where I was before I came here... But, I like to think that everyone at home is safe and happy, and most don't even realise that we're gone, so I think she'll be okay.

*She wasn't always one to want to tell stories about herself either, but it helped to be comforting, she thought*

Yeah...I guess that's true. But still, I often think they have a point.

[He just lets out a sigh at what she says- it would be nice, really, to know his sister was waiting for him back home, but what's done is done.]

That's the point, though. I know she won't be okay. She's...she's...

[And he clenches his hand into a fist as he frowns, before he retracts the hand and stares forlornly at the table.]

She's gone.

*Immediately Selphie's features soften and she reaches a hand across the table to rest on Sam's arm, eyes wide with sympathy. Having no family of her own, she's not sure about how these things work, but when she speaks her voice is soft and understanding*

Then..she is okay, and safe from everything now. And, maybe here, a new place, you can keep her memory but..it's a chance to move on, too.

I don't know if I can move on, that's the problem.

[But his expression softens somewhat at the touch, even if his first urge is to recoil.]

...I'm sorry. I shouldn't have made this a sad case...I mean, it's supposed to be happy and all, my birthday, and here I am ruining it.

Maybe right now you don't know if you can, but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't try.

*She gives his arm an extra comforting squeeze before withdrawing her hand and looking at her glass of water*

Hey - no - that's okay. I mean, sure, you're totally right about being happy on your birthday but.. maybe talking about stuff is what you need, more than cake and parties and stuff.

*Uh yeah, Selphie, like this is even close to a party. But she knows what she means*

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