Bringing the Light Together (Open + Specific)

[Ayakura Alisa]

I was starting to get to know many people out there. Many people capable of using the Persona. I think... Maybe I should try and get everyone to know each other; I am sure that if they got acquainted with each other it would serve to strengthen the network of people capable of investigating the mission. Also, it would allow me to... Ahem, be better protected. That encounter with the shadows really took a lot out of me. If it weren't for Chidori-san helping me back there, I might still be quite injured. I think it was time for me to organize a formal meeting, a get-together, an ice-breaker of sorts. I think the people interested in this may know each other, but then, I'd like to see what our course of action could actually be. First of all, I had to send messages to all the pertinent parties. Some would need to be text, some on e-mail, but I had who I needed to message.

There was Luka... Seiji... Jonathon... ...Chidori might be there? I gave her my details. Hmm. Who else... ...Right, only four Persona-users? I think that was it. Anyway, if anyone else is interested, they might hop by. I'll ignore the others for now, I can contact them individually for the mean time. Alright, let me get down to the message...

Hey,

I'd like to meet with you to discuss something important about the outer circle. Don't be surprised if you see people you don't recognize. If you can't make it, respond and tell me as soon as you can. When will we meet? Sometime later today. Try not to be late if you can make it. As for where we'll meet, there's an unused playground near the Red Sun Heights. Why there? Don't ask. It's close to where I assume most of us live. That's all.

That was good. Brief and to the point. Me, I'm going to make my way there and work on some line-art to add to my blog portfolio. I stretched after sending my messages to the people involved and made my way to a single playground that was unusually close to Red Sun Heights, yet unusually... empty. It almost looked abandoned. I sat down somewhere and got my sketchpad out which I brought, along with a mechanical graphite pencil, and started drawing.

[Chidori Tsukino]

She'd been busy recording details from her latest explorations, adding information on the enemies she'd encountered (along with hand-drawn renditions of their likeness) and making sure all her photos were backed up, organised and sorted. She'd even begun the cartography process, mapping out each section she'd explored so that things became more efficient in the future. That was when her mobile buzzed in her pocket, and the brunette casually retrieved it whilst she finished drawing the lines of the sewer hallways, using her photos as reference points in tandem with her own memories. Reading over the message, she blinked a few times before the idea actually registered; Alisa was proposing a bigger alliance effectively. That could help a great deal when it came to investigating - more people meant more strength they could rely on. More resources, more manpower. More time, since people could split up if needs be.

Hoping for the best, Chidori didn't take long to pack up her travel camera and a sketchpad, noting that the playground wasn't really far from her own apartment - she'd likely be there pretty early but that gave her time to just sit and draw. Apparently she'd not be on the only one with such a thought; upon arriving at the unused playground the brunette spotted Alisa sitting down with a sketchpad of her own, obviously busy with drawing something. Not wishing to disturb her too much, she quietly approached and scanned over the playground. Her gaze settled on one piece of equipment in particular - a swing-set off to the side, currently sporting 3 decent-looking seats. With a small smile, she occupied one of them, placing her sketchpad on her lap and simply viewing the area around them. If Alisa noticed her, she would offer a wave, but aside from that, the brunette was happy to relax for a little while, and do a little drawing herself, sketching a scene involving purple-haired creature curled up amongst splashed of crimson and ivory.

[Ayakura Alisa]

I was drawing lineart that I would eventually scan and then digitally process. I quickly sketched out general shapes... I would be drawing a cinematic view of my battle against the Shadows I saw. I wouldn't be including myself in it, of course, rather, a certain point of view from my own perspective. I had a vivid image within my mind on how I wanted it to look, so it didn't take very long for me to finish the line-art. The walls of the inner executive building stretched forward into a proper vanishing point in the distance, and I tried my best to recreate the mask-like Shadows I saw at the time. Did they in fact possess names? Maybe someone else might know. Speaking of other people, I heard some footsteps as I was drawing, and then I heard the sound of one of the swings being occupied. I turned my head around and saw that it was none other than Chidori-san who happened to have her own sketchpad and was doodling something. A fellow artist, huh? I yawned and stood up, holding my sketchpad and putting my pencil in my jacket pocket, making my way towards Chidori. I sat next to her on the swing-set, and watched her.

She seemed to be drawing a scene where there was some creature I could not discern possessing some manner of... purple? Purple-colored? Purple-colored hair... curled up in some environment composed mainly of crimson and ivory. I didn't know what on earth it was she was drawing, but it probably had some symbolism behind it. That or she thought it looked particularly good. I didn't want to scare her, but I needed to acknowledge that I saw her. "Hey, Chidori-san," I said softly, but audibly enough that she could hear without being startled. "I didn't know you did art as well. Interesting to know."

[Chidori Tsukino]

The scene was transforming slowly as she added more definition to it; her hands acted in a flurry of motion as she switched between coloured utensils and a mechanical pencil, sketching and shading alternately, something that came from years of practise and from having a clear mental image of what she wanted to draw. The crimson turned into a dishevelled robe curled around the purple-haired creature, while the ivory that laid beneath had shadows added to it, indicating ruffles and wrinkles - a sign of it being cloth, like a bed sheet. The edges of the image however, warped into the realms of fantasy; splashes of green and brown that coalesced into forestry, dotted with shadowy figures. That was when the voice broke through her concentration, and her hands paused whilst she looked up.

Hello Alisa-san. Drawing helps pass the time, and occupy one's mind. she mouthed, thankfully not startled since she knew the other woman was around already. The softened voice helped a little too. Perhaps somewhere down the line they could share some artwork amongst one another, when the situation around them was less dire. For now, she took a break, settling her equipment on the ground beneath her before grasping onto the chains of the swing, staring off into the sky. Once upon a time she'd played on a swing-set like this when she was a little girl, laughing with pure delight as her mother pushed her higher and higher. That was all before the incident however, that left her unable to make more than a few guttural noises, and her slim chance of having the damage reversed seemed to slip away between her fingers like ice-cold water, stinging her skin as it fled. Silently sighing, she let her feet hang, swaying a little as she reminisced, unsure of what else to say - or rather, mouth - to Alisa while they waited for others to join them.

[Ayakura Alisa]

As I saw Chidori continue to draw and color, I started to realize she was crafting an image taken from some sort of high fantasy image. It looked very good. She seemed to be around the typical age for an artist to begin his or her peak. If she continued to practice and develop her skills, I think she could make some money out of it. Something about the imagery, however, disturbed me. It almost seemed... melancholic. Once I had snapped her out of her reverie, she looked back up at me and told me through her lips that drawing was a good time killer, and a way to keep one's thoughts occupied. Fair enough to me. Her eyes though... Something about them seemed almost sad. She set down her equipment on the ground - I took note that she seemed to have a camera too... I'll ask about that later. She grabbed the chains of the swing she was on and then turned her gaze to the sky.

She looked so sad... ...So... sad. She reminded me of me when I woke up the day after my parents left and found they never came back. It was... devastating, to say the least. They were so close to me. People my age would laugh at me for how sentimental I was. But... Mother taught me so much. I felt like I had to pay her back. And now she might be dead... But it seems Chidori has her own demons, too. Something tells me she wasn't born mute. When I told her I had a knife, she was petrified for a moment until I gave her my card. It was obvious that her knife phobia had something to do with a past incident. A trauma. And that was when it hit me. My investigative senses told me that... Something forcefully cut her voice out. Perhaps permanently. Ye gods... How pitiful... I just... Losing one's voice can be just as traumatic and saddening as losing one's parents, under certain circumstances.

I could only look at Chidori as she reminisced about something in the sky. And as she did so, something in me seemed to sting. I felt a compulsion to do something. Maybe it was the kindred link I sensed between the two of us. Something she was not yet totally aware of. I could not help but utter softly... "I wish I could help you. I really do." I subconsciously stood up and held on the chains of Chidori's swing as well, gently easing it forward and making it sway. "You wish to talk, to express yourself in voice... But... Something happened, and you lost it in the blink of an eye. You want to laugh, you want to vocalize your emotions... ...I don't know what I'm saying. I'm sorry, Chidori-san." Even as I said this, I found myself pushing Chidori on the swing.

...What the hell's gone into me...?

[Chidori Tsukino]

Her own thoughts kept her distant - she was so used to being quiet when it came to social circumstances that she didn't even attempt to keep up casual conversation. Instead, her mind wandered over a great many things, past and present - her family mostly, and then worrying after their welfare now that she had no contact with the outside world. Was this happening everywhere? Or was it just Mosaic City that was affected? She really hoped it was the latter; she couldn't bear the thought of her parents facing the darkness that surrounded this place. Then her thoughts turned to their situation - it seemed so dangerous, so bizarre. What were the shadows after? Why were they surrounding the city under the guise of military personnel? Surely they could just sweep over into the rest of the city, like they'd done with the outer circle....and yet she'd not seen a single one on this side. Something was forcing them back. Perhaps they were after whatever it was keeping them at bay. If that were true, then it would probably be a good idea to look further into the matter - if there was something precious to protect, then they needed to know what it was first.

She wondered how much information the others had gathered as well; she'd only been exploring for a short while now, and the containment had been going on for months. There were some who'd probably been looking far longer than she had. If she could help out even a tiny bit though, Chidori would - that the mute vowed to herself. However, her self-reflection was interrupted when she felt the swing move beneath her, and then Alisa's words reached her ears. A faint blush burned beneath her pale cheeks, but she couldn't deny what the other was saying - there was a part of her that would always yearn for such a thing, so long as she was unable to speak. A strange feeling coiled in her chest as she was pushed on the swing - a mix of nostalgia, wistfulness and gratitude. Turning her head towards Alisa, she gazed at the older woman with deep appreciation behind her chocolate brown eyes, mouthing five words.

It's okay, but thank you.

[Ayakura Alisa]

I don't know what possessed me to push her on the swing... It was just... an automatic response. I remembered when mother first taught me how to use a knife - she held my hand and taught me hands-on how to administer killing strokes, as if she were an assassin. I could feel the warmth in her hands sometimes... Even when she's far away. The pleasure and happiness in her face as she saw me effortlessly strike through wooden dummies and even pierce through metal. I wanted to see that filial happiness again... But for some reason, it feels like the roles were reversed. I... had barely known this Chidori, yet something about her visage... Her sadness, resonated within me, causing me to discover things I had not yet learned about myself. I looked back at her appreciative expression and smiled back. I could read it in her lips - Thank you, she said. Do I think it's possible to get her voice back... I don't know. But if there is a way, I think I'd like to try. Chidori-san is the first person I have ever met in my entire life who has ever made me feel this way. It's funny, but I think I owe it to her. I definitely owe it to her. Did I blush? I couldn't tell. I hope I didn't. That would be embarrassing.

"Chidori-san..." I trailed off as I continued to push the swing. Then, I looked forward, still pushing and slowly letting her gain momentum on the seat. "We'll get to the bottom of this, okay? I can't just mosey about for my own selfish gains. As much as I'd like to find out what happened to my parents, I can't be the only victim of this... Shadow business. That's why I've attempted to gather everyone I know here. We'll team up and help each other out to solve this. And I'll be there for you."

I nodded as I looked back at her.

...If anyone else saw us, it would be so weird. I look way too young to be a mother, I think. Probably be more like an older sister goofing about with a younger sister. Haha... Geez. I feel old already, even though...

[Jonathon Montoya]

Jonathon had got the text during his last class of the day so he sat there, glancing up at the clock every couple seconds. Why was it that whenever he had something important to do, calculus seemed to stretch on for hours and hours. When the bell rang, Jonathon took off. He stopped by at his dorm to grab his sword and headed towards the place Alisa mentioned. Arriving at the play ground he saw him not to be the first one there. "He Alisa...and, uh, I don't think we've met." He said to the other girl there. "I'm Jonathon, nice to meet you."

[Vice Ysal]

The loud revving of the engine along the empty streets echoed out along the place as a black motorcycle cruised on the road with a speed that could have been considered a bit dangerous regardless if one wore a helmet or no. The young man sported a black leather jacket and dark grey denim pants, and at the speed he was going, black locks had managed to escape the security of the helmet and could be seen trailing against the whipping winds. Vice's red eyes took note of the street, making sure to keep his focus on it and not on the message that he had received earlier. It was the main reason as to why he had asked to change shifts with one of his colleagues so he could attend the particular meeting that had concerned the only topic that really interested him nowadays.

The Outside Circle was something he wasn't going to pass up just like that. Reaching the designated destination for their little meeting, Vice slowed his vehicle down by the park and manually parked it along the rack for the motorcycles. The engine finally died before the rider got off and proceeded to place the black schemed machinery under a lock in order to prevent from anyone stealing it. Pocketing the keys and making sure that his colt .45 magnum was within easy reach yet still concealed by his clothing, Vice then began to walk towards the small gathering whilst unstrapping the helmet from his head.

"Yo. Looks like I'm not the first for the party. Name's Vice."

[Ayakura Alisa]

My pushing weakened a little bit; I didn't want to send Chidori careening across anyone or anything... But as I was in a bit of a reverie myself, it was broken by the arrival of another kid - it was Jonathon, of course. He hailed me and as he didn't recognize Chidori, he introduced himself as such. I wasn't too concerned at first until I realized I saw the hilt of what appeared to be a sword or blade on his person, sticking out from his back. And he had it slung around him in plain sight. I soon remembered she freaked out when I told her I had a knife on me. Uh oh. This wasn't going to turn out well. However, from where she was sitting, she definitely couldn't see it like I could since I was standing and she wasn't. I won't mention it for now. "Uh, hey Jonathon, man. Nice to see you could make it," I was still pushing Chidori on the swing.

As that was happening, I heard the deafening roar of some goddarned motorbike. Christ, you don't need to go fast! Or do you gotta go fast! Seriously... Anyway, the terrifying revving of the engine stopped and the rider stepped off the bike. That figure... Yes, I could recognize it clearly. It was Vice. He soon introduced himself. I don't recall inviting him to the party! Oh well, whatever. I'll brief him in once everyone's here. I might as well. Anyway, before that interruption...

"Anyway... This is Chidori-san. She has... Well, she can't really speak. Try not to ask about it. God knows I haven't asked about it, that'd just be rude..." I ended up mouthing that last bit. "I do hope you'll be nice and respectful about it. I might do bad things if you don't." I could still see Vice conceal his something... Thingy! I wasn't blind. But gosh, does everyone out here have their weapon on them or what? "Anyway, we're still waiting on two more people. Make yourselves comfortable."

[Luka Kurokawa]

The night breeze was really nice tonight. It was chilly, but she liked it that way. Sporting a recently acquired black and blue scarf, the girl trotted along the sidewalk rather quietly. Looking up into the sky, the girl watched the moon a bit as she continued walking the path to the old playground near her apartment. She had plans to meet Alisa there. She recalled the day that she guided her across the Shadowlands to the edge of the invisible dome. Though she didn't have a persona of her own, she had apparently assembled a group of people who knew the details of the outer circle. She could only assume that most of them were persona users. If that was the case, there were more people with her power than she thought, perhaps. She figured that this might be an important meeting. As such, she wasted no time getting ready to head out for the correct time.

Despite this, the girl was running late. This was only because she had decided to make a "side stop." This stop involved waiting at the gates of the school for a little bit while waiting for Akira, whom she chose to invite to the meeting. There were two reasons that she decided to do this. On one hand, Akira was also looking to bolster the ranks of persona users known to confront what was to come. He might have liked to be in attendance. The second reason though, was more personal. It was highly likely that Alisa was the only person that she would know at the meeting. Naturally, she would feel more comfortable with more familiar people. When she made the call to ask Akira, she had apparently caught him while still in the bath, and likely on his way to bed. She tried explaining her situation to him, (which took the audible form of "whining that she didn't know anyone there" among other things) to which he reluctantly agreed to.

Following their meet up at the school, it was decided that Luka would go off ahead to meet them all first. Akira would likely be coming only a bit after her. Upon reaching the playground, she noticed that there was quite the presence already. Well, she was late after all. There wasn't much she could do about it when she had chose to wait. But finally arriving, she looked over the bunch gathered. Naturally, there was Alisa whom she recognized right away. Aside from that, two guys who were standing around and a girl on a swing were also present. Slowly, Luka walked up to the group, only half believing that she was expected. Good evening, Alisa. Sorry about the delay. Looking around, she noted each of the others present. One boy seemed a bit familiar though. She couldn't put her finger on it, but she felt like she had met him before. Good evening to you all as well. Turning to Alisa again, she spoke in her usual straightforward tone. I hope you don't mind that I invited another person. They are well aware of the situation outside the city walls and are quite interested in solving it. They'll be here shortly I believe. Either that, or she tricked me and went home to go to sleep when I wasn't looking. She spoke quite seriously even after saying something slightly ridiculous like that. Other than that, it is good to see that you are still well. It was dangerous out there; and she knew that Alisa didn't plan on stopping her exploration of that place. Seeing her here was at least reassuring.

[Akira Nakajima]

To say that Akira was only half-interested in going out to a group meeting on a random night when he had other things in mind was putting it lightly. In fact, had Luka called him for anything but a gathering of Persona-users, he likely would have declined. He was all for sociability, but he had previously-established plans for the evening. If not for the fact that impending doom and destruction loomed over them all, like a waiting predator, no, he would have enjoyed some pleasant animations while sitting comfortably at home. Instead, the boy, who had only recently gotten out of the bath, was walking to a meeting. By himself, since, for some reason, Luka decided to go off on her own.

His primary hope was that there would be some normal, upstanding individuals as this gathering. If it were a crowds of Like-Luka's, he'd possibly be better off just killing himself. One of them was stressful enough.

”Here, here. I came and--- oh, if it's not my favorite customer. Here. Alone with a bunch of kids. At a playground. At night. Uwah~ Creepy.” Whether or not it was his purely taunting Alisa or just referencing their first meeting was ultimately up to question. Regardless, the boy pushed his glasses up. His hair was still damp, freshly brushed. Smelled faintly of cherries. His gray hoodie acted as both a casual outfit and a ward for any chill. He wasn't trying to impress anybody- they sorta-kinda lost that privilege- so, for bottoms, he had on some simple red jogging pants. Tennis shoes, pure white, were the choice of footwear for the occasion. Frankly, the only reason he left the hood down was to avoid turning the aggro on within the mob. Still, casual and not-showy as his attire might have been, it didn't betray his true gender. He just didn't care about looking nice on that particular occasion.

A quick look over the group gave him plenty of info, though. The presence of Alisa presented the fact that not everybody there was, in fact, a Persona-user. His interest dwindled. He recognized the boy from the train battle. An unexpected reunion, of sorts. He still needed to look over all the student documents. Luka, he knew well enough now. Some of these people had to be students. Their faces would have to do for now, though. Moving on, there was another girl. Reddish-brown hair, writing- or drawing- utensils in hand. Finally, there was some other guy. The helmet he held suggested that the vehicular howl he heard earlier probably came from him.

. . . joy. He reviewed the information he took in. Alisa didn't appear to be armed, but her favorite little knife was probably on hand. Hero-meatshield from before had his freaking sword out. Now, Luka, being as awkward as she was, hadn't brought a weapon. Unsurprising. That left the two strangers and Akira himself. Akira hadn't brought his scissors. Of course, he had no doubt he could lay an unsuspecting asshole out using just his body. So, effectively, he was armed. That accounted for more than half the group. For the sake of safety, it was best to assume the strangers were also armed.

Of course, he knew that he, Luka, and the meatshield were all users. Alisa was not. Call it cynicism, but he was going to assume that neither of the strangers had any such gift, either.

"Ah, more seriously. Good evening. The name is Ran. A pleasure to make your acquaintances, all." Despite the almost disturbed tone he used before, the boy in drag maintained a more serious tone this time around. His voice was light and smooth; it was undeniably feminine. Practice made perfect, so, of course, his voice was just the way he needed it. "If I understand correctly, we're here to discuss the issues beyond the so-called barricade. Has that topic been breached yet?"

[Jonathon Montoya]

Jonathon turned his head at the sound of the motorcycle. "Vice?" He asked, surprised to see him here. As far as Jonathon was concerned, Vice pretty much stuck to the warehouse where he oversaw the fights. Shrugging he turned back to the group, sitting down on a bench. He then saw the two girls who fought the train shadow with him. He was surprised when the first one came forth, the one he'd protected. "It's you." He said, standing up and pointing at her. "Uh...I'm glad you're still safe." He said, not sure how to take the conversation he'd just sprung upon Luka. The other girl that was there arrived shortly there after, though something seemed strange about her. Jonathon just shrugged it off. "So, what's the plan Alisa?" He said, turning to the one who had called them all here.

[Ayakura Alisa]

Two more people had arrived as we were sitting around not really doing anything too particularly productive. Okay, one of them was significantly earlier than the other, and it happened to be Luka. Well, of course there would have had to be a second person, considering that Luka mentioned having 'invited' someone else. I had looked around and realized Jonathon had been quick to work introducing himself; I didn't really care what they did with each other, unless of course they drew their weapons on each other and started fighting. That would be a problem. I stretched and gestured for Luka to make herself comfortable, and soon thereafter, that was when the second person arrived. Well, look who it was. Dressed in something a bit too casual for my tastes, of course, Luka had invited Ran. Well, good to know that the joker had friends. Okay. Ran quipped about how I had gathered a bunch of teenagers at this time of the day at an unused playground. Whatever, it did the job.

"Oh. It's you, Ran," I sighed as I looked at her before looking at Luka. "...Anyway, failure to be witty aside, let's talk... I'm sure all of you have had some exposure to the outer circle in some form or another. I decided I'd bring everyone here in the interests of forming a group or some sort of alliance so that we may easily contact one another and create sub-groups dedicated to going out there and better investigating areas we're not particularly familiar with." I tapped my foot on the ground.

"It would also be good if we were able to pool everything we knew together. I could document it on my site where it could be accessed at any time. Thus, we would know the current situation a bit better than we already do, and on top of that we have a record of our discussion of this evening."

[Vice Ysal]

Vice was an understanding guy and all but unfortunately his understanding of the situation didn't merit anyone things called sympathy or something as warm hearted as that. Still though, since the girl, Alisa if Vice remembered right, asked nicely and threatened to them right after, the young man decided to humour the order for now. Giving the girl an informal salute, Vice then took the time to step back a bit from the congregation of people that had began to form. Among them, he noticed a familiar face and said familiar face even called out to him. Jonathon was around too huh? Well, unexpected or not, the kid was learning how to fight in the club so it wasn't like he'd just die off anyway. Nodding his head towards the green eyed individual, the unwritten way of acknowledging another male, Vice then turned around and took a couple of steps towards the nearby slide.

Leaning against the play station for kids, the male's red eyes took a casual sweep of the place. He as going to be briefed soon enough apparently, so there was no need to make friends just yet. It was better to wait for everyone to arrive, unless this was everyone already. He'd have thought for there to at least be more people at least given that Alisa worked with an information network. Hopefully any other straggler for the meeting would arrive already, Vice was already feeling the excitement flow in his veins at the possibility of going out tonight.