Establishing Connections (Vice)

[Gin Takemoto]

The Shadowlands, the most dangerous place for humans, was now the stomping grounds for new creatures. Many of these creatures were appearing of what seemed to be thin air. One such creature was the new Shadow possessor- as Gin called his kind- Vice. The new shadow abruptly appeared during the fight against the Full Moon Shadow, attacking everything in sight.

Gin had been amazed at the power, but he was more shocked to find that the Shadow had once been a friend to many of the Users. It appeared he had been powerful, as well. Thus, Gin was out searching for the man in human form, as he was hoping for information on the Users and the abilities of Persona. After all, if anyone knew; it would be the new Shadow.

---

Vice Ysal

[Vice Ysal]

It was such a deathly land scape. Filled with dread, decay, and desolation as buildings of years past could be seen crumbling away, and the fields that had once held so many people frolicking about to have been burned away into nothing but unhealthy soil. And as if it was all just the same to him, the young man sat upon a slab of stone,the very same one he'd often use as a waiting area for whenever something ever came up, looking through the eyes of a shadow as he examined the area once more.

Dressed in his new attire: a pair of black pants and a long black parka lined with greyed out faux-fur, topped off with a blank tank top and completed with a pair of overly durable black combat boots. The shadow didn't necessarily feel like unfurling his wings, or letting his true form be revealed. It felt oddly nice to reminisce about his human's memories as if they were his own and obviously being a tower monster wouldn't help in creating that setting.

So again, his eyes lingering over through the landscape, did Vice breathe out a sigh and lingered.

[Gin Takemoto]

When Gin thought of his plan to find Vice, he didn't realize just how much his power repelled weaker shadows. He was finishing off yet another maya when he saw his quarry, though. The shadow was sitting on a big rock, seeming entranced by something.

Gin was curious.

He approached, making sure that the other shadow knew that he, too, was a shadow. Then, with a small sigh, the tiger-in-human-form spoke."You're Vice, right? The former User?" With a small grin, Gin continued. "I have to say, you really rocked the boat during the full moon. I'm Gin." The young man then extended his hand in a symbol of greeting.

[Vice Ysal]

He felt the sudden urge to stretch out his wings, to let out a mighty bestial roar for the sole sake of doing so. To call upon everything around him and to fight them…but he knew better. He was still trying to get a better feel of just what he could do and much as he wanted to just burn everything to the ground, brute force was such a tempting weapon to use after all, he still had to learn the theoretical limits he was currently capable of. He was just musing out a potential step by step plan when a voice broke through his reverie.

It wasn't significant enough for Vice to look back on his Human's memories to pillage and search anything but the presence was noticeable enough to know that it was more than just one of the regular shmucks that avoided him. The hood of his black parka still pulled down to cover majority of his face, only the sharp almost glowing red eyes visible behind his black forelocks, Vice then looked back and gave the new entry a mandatory once over. The name then rang a few bells and suddenly, recognition flitted through his eyes, albeit momentarily.

Giving out an almost exasperated sigh, Vice turned to look back at the scenery that had been in front of him, with the only thing to note was the change in tension of his shoulders.

"What do you want?"

[Gin Takemoto]

Intrigued, Gin looked over the newer shadow. It was hard to believe that this guy had once been a User and was now probably stronger than the tiger. Still, the tiger could see that Vice had recognized him.

Still, why was he here? The tiger had come for only one thing: information.Still, something told him to be careful- newer shadows were extremely unpredictable. Thus, Gin decided to choose his words carefully.

"I'm just looking for information, and I figured you might be able to help with that. After all, if anyone would know about Persona, it would be someone with former experience with them."

[Vice Ysal]

"Why ask someone who had been a former user? Why bother with someone who had lost that particular gift?"

The voice was gruff, bored, and rather indifferent. He wasn't trying to be sarcastic or anything, nor was there really any kind of inclination to the intent behind his words aside from the sake of simply saying them out loud.

"Would it not be more beneficial to ask, to pry information from those who still carry their masks around as if they were trophies? I've seen what you've been trying to do, though I doubt it's my place to tell you what you're supposed to be doing with your life." The newer shadow shook its head, a scornful chuckle threatening to break from his throat.

"Or is it because the other users have understood your actual agenda? Or were they paranoid enough to secure such information from you?"

[Gin Takemoto]

Gin smiled wryly. Well, he definitely knows who I am. It's a shame, though. He seems to think I have ulterior motives. All that Gin really wanted was out of the city. Helping the Users just seemed like a good way to go.

The young man stretched before responding. "It's not that... Well, it might be that last one. I'm pretty sure they wouldn't tell me everything that I wanted to know. You, on the other hand, have no reason for not helping me out. At least, no reason that I can come up with." The shadow shifted on his feet, ready for any response that may come.

[Vice Ysal]

"I'm sure you knew of who my Human was. He was fairly popular with the Users and their rambunctious bunch. Tell me, when you see a person like that, what do you expect him to really be? A man with daggers in his words, or the type to carry daggers as his words?"

And now there was a philosophical shine with the conversation blooming, but Vice didn't bother upholding it. he wasn't exactly here to try and learn something new about who his Human had been before. He was him after all, and he was there for everything that had happened. All his memories, his experiences, and even the darkest secrets he couldn't bare to keep.

"Regardless of your answers for those inconsequential questions of mine, you say that you can't come up with any reason for me to not share what I do know. Have you thought about the reasons as to why I should share them with you?"

[Gin Takemoto]

With brief consideration, Gin tried to come up with reasons for the new Vice to help him. After all, what reason was there, really? Gin was motivated by a desire to leave, but he doubted that every- or any, for that matter- other shadow shared his beliefs.

With a sigh, Gin tried finding out if the shadow actually did share his concerns."I doubt you'll agree, but I want out of here. I want to have a wider variety of sights, of experiences," the young man paused for a moment before continuing. "Heck, I want some different food. As for your first question, I believe him to be the first. If he was too quick to violence and action, he wouldn't get far enough in life to become as popular as he did."

[Vice Ysal]

"Then do you know the cause of such things? the cause for our inability to leave? Is it our kin that bears such a responsibility that we are trapped here---and had they been, then should we not be allowed to travel freely from here?"

Vice shook his head once more as he shot a calculative glance over at Gin, letting the pressure around him increase just the tiny bit. It wasn't enough to declare anything like a battle, but hopefully it'd be enough to at least have the other Shadow start thinking a bit more and giving more thought to the words he was spitting out.

"And yet, it was through violence and action that he managed to do something. It isn't like most people to be fine conversing with the epitome of their own dark secrets, yes?"

[Gin Takemoto]

Gin looked at the new Vice thoughtfully. He honestly had no idea about any of the things asked. He had shown up before the lock down occurred, but was trapped inside. Vice, he imagined, probably had as little of an idea as the tiger did. Gin couldn't think of anything to say. And it didn't help that the other shadow was upping the pressure of his power.

Gin looked down and turned. He couldn't say anything. Heck, his plan on getting out was to help the Users, and they didn't trust him. They probably never will, either. The shadow sighed, obviously reconsidering why he had come out to he area anyway.

[Vice Ysal]

"Questions are a powerful thing. Allowing you to worm your way in to a standard of higher knowledge, that ability of knowing so much more than simply eat? It's a gift. Unfortunately, when you direct such questions to those along the same plateau that you yourself stand upon, often times they may not be able to give you anything."

Slowly pushing himself off of his perch, Vice came to a slow standing position before reaching out to the sky to stretch. It wasn't really required but it still gave him that surreptitiously satisfying feeling of just having your limbs stretched. Raising up to his toes before falling back flat on his feet, the biker would roll his shoulders before keeping out one hand outstretched in front of him.

"If you were strong though, with nothing to stop you from climbing to that place you wanted to be, anything should be possible. Even if the opportunity came to you, if you weren't strong enough to hold on to it then is it not useless all the same?"

[Gin Takemoto]

Gin shrugged. The other shadow had a point. He needed to get stronger. That way, if he eventually couldn't rely on the Users, he would be able to fend for himself. The tiger gave a small smile and turned to the male. He looked like he'd be able to help himself; besides, Gin saw the strength that was displayed during the battle of the full moon.

"You don't know it," Gin said with a smile, "but you just helped me make a decision. I'm going to test the strength of the Users and strengthen myself at the same time. It'll help them get stronger, and it'll help me get stronger. This may end up biting me in the ass, but I do plan on helping them for as long as they're my allies."

The shadow looked at Vice, smiling dying for a moment. Then it started up again and Gin said "I'm sure you can understand. Right?"