Mosaic City, located along China's coast, is quite large city sometimes called the Crossroads Between Nations due to its diverse population. While it was once a large tourist spot, the city was placed under a blockade as the military appeared claiming there was a radiation leak. The true hazard, however, is much more sinister.
Post by Kyle Shibata on Apr 12, 2014 16:06:53 GMT -5
Kyle went from pale to a bit... pink in the face when she asked about his education. It wasn't a sore issue, just a little... embarassing. In the good way, but even that made him feel wonky. He was never good at dealing with his emotions.
"Uh... yeah," he said and scratched the side of his nose with his index finger. "Still in college. I work at the bookstore in te evenings but I study Chemistry at Mosaic University in the mornings. I'm pretty good I guess and I like the whole subject but I ain't the 'brainbox' type."
Then he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly before picking up one half of his sliced cuban bread sandwich. "To be perfectly honest with ya, though... I'm thinking of being a chef when I'm done with that. Maybe go to a culinary school for a couple of years. Phoebe said if I can cook as good as I brew coffee I could be swimming in money but I dunno. I only cook for my uncle and me for now."
"We are so accustomed to disguise ourselves to others that in the end we become disguised to ourselves."
François de la Rochefoucauld
Post by Ayakura Alisa on Apr 13, 2014 8:27:51 GMT -5
Kyle mentioned that he was still in college, working at the bookstore in the evenings. He studied Chemistry at the local university in the mornings. He also mentioned interest in becoming a chef after his main tertiary education and considered investing into culinary studies. "I see," I mentioned, nodding and giving him a smile. "Well, best of luck in your endeavours there," I continued, hearkening back to my own studies. What did I major in again? Hmm... That wasn't really important. I continued hacking away at my food, which was dwindling at a reasonable rate; considering how good I thought of it. Which, it was pretty good.
"Being able to cook is a pretty good skill after all. Anyway, you were doing some handiwork earlier, huh? I can tell you like to do a lot of physical stuff. I don't really like fighting too much though."
Post by Kyle Shibata on Apr 14, 2014 12:52:40 GMT -5
Kyle chewed on his sandwich, feeling kind of weird.
"Yeah. Can't... say I do either. I mean, if some dude wants a scrap and all that's fine with me but just going out and trashing people..." he grumbled. "But I hate bastards who pick fights just for the sake of it. It's low. Real low."
It was easy to decide why he hated it. It reminded him of his bastard old man, who picked fights with everyone to deal with his own shitty life, and even more so, took it all out on his family. Yeah, that was a sore spot and he wasn't about to blurt that out.
"But yeah, work. Work's good. I like doing stuff with my hands," he said awkwardly. "It... feels good to make stuff instead of wreck them, know what I mean?"
"We are so accustomed to disguise ourselves to others that in the end we become disguised to ourselves."
François de la Rochefoucauld
Post by Ayakura Alisa on Apr 14, 2014 20:27:37 GMT -5
"Doing stuff with your hands..." I nodded and yawned. "Yeah, I know what you mean. I'm a freelance writer and artist, so I can make stuff too, I guess..." I said, looking a bit disheartened. Well, I mean, yes, I could make stuff, but it wasn't very good stuff. It was usually just satisfactory to the client. Or just satisfactory to my own low standards. Well I suppose the main point to take from all of this was that I guess we were fighting because we needed to, not because we particularly enjoyed it or liked it. We weren't war freaks, after all. We had a goal, we had something to fight for. So even if it's not something we necessarily enjoy doing, we have to do it. It won't fight itself.
"Well, to me, I guess, we're fighting for something, because there's something we care about. So even if we don't like it we still need to do our best."
Post by Kyle Shibata on Apr 17, 2014 8:51:07 GMT -5
Kyle was a bit taken aback at her statement and frankly, he didn't know what to say... but then he thought of asking her some random stuff.
"Y-yeah, that's true," he said. "I dunno if I'm this because I got something to fight for or I... just kinda like the rush, to be honest."
He stared at his plate. "Bit of both, I guess. There's people in the city I like and I don't want them getting messed up with the Shadows business. Say... I, uh... kinda noticed a couple of people in the last full moon fight... Are there robots in the city? 'Cuz I swear I remember a chick with guns in her hands."
"We are so accustomed to disguise ourselves to others that in the end we become disguised to ourselves."
François de la Rochefoucauld
Post by Ayakura Alisa on Apr 17, 2014 10:46:07 GMT -5
Kyle stared at his plate as he told me it was a bit of both. Yes, I supposed it was good to fight for people you cared about. It served as good motivation. Soon he asked me if there were robots in the city. I was not privy to answer that question even if I did know the answer, which was the fact there were robots in the city. The answer wouldn't come from me. I was still under an agreement of confidentiality, right? "Are there robots in the city? I couldn't tell you. Maybe she did have guns in her hands. If you ask me, you should try to find her and ask her yourself?" I said jokingly. "Well, you know, things are getting pretty crazy out there. I wouldn't be surprised if there really were robots in the city. Then again, if they were, I have a feeling they would be on our side anyway."
Well, I mean, I was close friends with the 'chick with guns in her hands' anyways. I would still hold myself to my agreement with her.
Post by Kyle Shibata on Apr 19, 2014 10:28:11 GMT -5
Kyle grimaced a bit which, on a face like his, was admittedly a little scary-looking, but he shrugged. Fine, if she wanted to evade so be it. He didn't like being told fibs but anyway he supposed that she thought his question was stupid. He polished off his sandwich and wiped his fingers on the paper napkin that had come with his dish. He was running out of stuff to say and it was starting to irritate him.
"So... you know other Users, right? Know Vice?" he asked, a little desperate for topics. "I'm still pretty new to this mess so all I know is him, Phoebe and Tristan... I mean, I know of others, I saw them in the full moon battle but I don't... know, know them."
"We are so accustomed to disguise ourselves to others that in the end we become disguised to ourselves."
François de la Rochefoucauld
Post by Ayakura Alisa on Apr 19, 2014 10:33:13 GMT -5
Kyle's face told me that he figured I was lying out of my ass. "Sorry. If I'm gonna be honest and straightforward with you, I can't talk about that. I have to be professional about my work," I said, grimacing back in return and probably looking more intimidating than he did. "Apologies. Anyway, about Vice... Yes, I know him. He used to be a civilian. Like myself. But we've grown to match the occasion, I guess. I know lots of people. Not everyone, for sure, since the number of Users have grown way since the first. And of course, others have fallen off the radar. I hope they're alright. But it looks like the ranks are growing larger. I'm not sure I can be happy about this. Personalities clash and may cause more volatile situations to occur during large-scale battles."
Post by Kyle Shibata on Apr 19, 2014 19:49:23 GMT -5
Oh. Well, d'uh.
Kyle's expression turned a bit embarrassed surprisingly quickly. He'd overreacted. He even sulked a bit. "Oh. Well, heck, you could've just said so. Yeah, no worries, I get that. 'S the same thing my uncle says," he said and shrugged.
Then he scoffed. "...Your scaryface looks good," he joked. "Heh, so Vice used to be a noob once upon a time," he muttered whimsically. "He's alright but sometimes I feel like the sonuvabitch... is taunting me to catch up. Bugs the hell outta me, sometimes."
He stared at his hands awkwardly. "Yeah. I know what you mean. One of the new bloods Phoebe and I were helping out called it quits. He couldn't handle the whole thing and he decided to just pull out. Smart move, I guess. We're leaving him be."
He scratched the back of his neck. "I noticed last full moon. Damn, Phoebe says I've got a hair-trigger temper, but some people seriously lose their shit in major fights. We ain't got a system or even proper communication. And some people seem to forget none of us are professional soldiers. We don't all got a head for combat. S' been bothering me for a while."
"We are so accustomed to disguise ourselves to others that in the end we become disguised to ourselves."
François de la Rochefoucauld
Post by Ayakura Alisa on Apr 21, 2014 2:22:46 GMT -5
"You'll have your time," I simply said. "Just keep working at it, I guess. It takes a certain kind of mindset to get into it. The main problem with conflicts in the large-scale battles is that we all do not mutually know each other. I know a handful of people myself, but there are always new faces coming up and when I think I've got them all, someone new shows up and unfortunately, I don't have the time or patience to be a social butterfly," I simply sighed and stretched.
"You know how it is. I'm used to fighting alone or in a small group. Nothing like the goddamn concerted war efforts we have running around at least once a month. I don't blame that guy for quitting. Sounds like he wouldn't be able to handle the pressure anyway. Not when you'll eventually be bound to see the same shit I did, and the same crap I do on a regular basis."
Post by Kyle Shibata on Apr 21, 2014 15:48:56 GMT -5
Kyle frowned. She had a point.
"We're all bound to see a lot of bullshit," he huffed. "And... why the heck have we got these Persona powers if not to fight back? Has anyone thought about it? We're all just... plungin' into the dark, I dunno. I'm just worried one of these days someone in our ranks is gonna snap and then we're all gonna get fucked because of it."
Kyle grabbed a napkin, fumbled in his pockets and took out a ball-point pen. He scribbled a number on it and gave it to her. "Here. You ever need any backup, or a handyman or something, ring me up. Might as well do something worthwhile with myself once in a while and you... look like you've got a good head on your shoulders," he said. "I... gotta go. 's getting late and my dumbass uncle might need me to go pick 'im up when he's done drinking with his buds. Was good talking with you. Dinner's on me," he added with a surprisingly nice smile.
His abrupt exit had a reason. He was getting somewhat squirmy from the conversation. Nervous and awkward and he didn't need her to have such an impression from him. Besides, it was true that he eventually had to go pick his uncle up. Tonight was when he went for a few drinks and a couple rounds of go with old friends. And he invariably got pickled. He stood up, tipped the head to her and went to the front counter to pay for their meal.
"We are so accustomed to disguise ourselves to others that in the end we become disguised to ourselves."
François de la Rochefoucauld