[Layla] Beyond Danger

[Ringo Shiro]

Ringo managed to get himself in good enough condition to at least walk back to the gap to rest for a bit. He and Layla just returned from the car factory and gave the plans to their client and got their rewards. Now Ringo was just resting on the ground, lying against the wall. Still taking in that he just obtained his Persona. It was a stressful feeling...but at the same time it was soothing in its own ways. Ringo however did have one question for his companion. He placed his sheathed blade down and looked over at Layla.

"Say..." Ringo wanted to ask why didn't she just take the plans and run...but he figured that be a bit insensitive seeing as how the rest of the shadows were going to kick him around. He thought about his question for a moment. Something did catch his notice. "What was that chant when your Persona changed?" Ringo can also thank Layla in the fact that he now knows that Personas can evolve or change in certain circumstances.

[Layla Amare]

For what it was, that mission had been a lot more challenging than it should have been. Whether it be by dumb bad luck or else the sheer volume of shadows, she had taken a lit more damage back then than what the car factory could usually manage to hit her with. Having to save Ringo from his own suicidal bravery certainly hadn't helped matters.

But, at least it was over now. They had succeeded and both gotten stronger for it. She would have to have words with Ringo on what he'd done before they parted ways, but before that a question from him caught her attention. "That chant..." Layla repeated, leaning back against the wall of the subway terminal and looking up toward the ceiling. "The best translation for what it's called would probably be the 'Five Remembrances.' I'm not that familiar with the language. I know quite a few, but Pali isn't one of them. Yet. But it means something like 'I have not gone beyond aging. I have not gone beyond illness. I have not gone beyond dying. I will grow different from all that is dear to me. I am the owner of my actions. Whatever I do, for good or for evil, to that will I fall heir." That was the short version, at least, but it gave the gist of it. "Then the last line is 'One should reflect on this often, whether one is a woman or a man, lay or ordained.' My mother occasionally recited it during trying times, so I guess it rubbed off on me."

[Ringo Shiro]

"That chant..." Layla began.The best translation for what it's called would probably be the 'Five Remembrances.' I'm not that familiar with the language. I know quite a few, but Pali isn't one of them. Yet." Pali was a dead Indian language wasn't it? "But it means something like 'I have not gone beyond aging. I have not gone beyond illness. I have not gone beyond dying. I will grow different from all that is dear to me. I am the owner of my actions. Whatever I do, for good or for evil, to that will I fall heir." Ringo took a mental note of all of this. It sounded interest to say the least. "Then the last line is 'One should reflect on this often, whether one is a woman or a man, lay or ordained.' My mother occasionally recited it during trying times, so I guess it rubbed off on me."

"Trying times?" Ringo repeated. He then looked over at the ground before him. "Never mind I said that. Everyone has their own situations." It would be rude to dive into personal matters at this point. He slowly started to get up but winced as he did. A nervous laugh escape his lips. "Wow maybe I was biting the bullet there."

[Layla Amare]

Layla nodded. There was one time in particular that came to mind, but she wasn't going to say anything unless Ringo asked. It was a time where her own life was in mortal danger, not her parents', and while she had no bad feelings about it just bringing it up out of the blue felt wrong. Like she was looking for pity or something, even though nothing could be further from the truth. And since Ringo quickly negated his own question, Layla stayed silent on it.

She frowned as Ringo winced, presumably finally feeling the pain of what he'd just put himself through. "You shouldn't have done that," Layla said. "You're lucky you awakened a Persona, or else you'd have already been dead before I got back." Part of her had hoped that he would have just stuck around long enough to give her a head start on getting out, then run for it as well. But no, it seemed like he really had intended to fight to the end. In that case, she shouldn't have left in the first place, no matter what she'd intended to do. If Ringo called her on that, she'd have no good defense.

[Ringo Shiro]

"You shouldn't have done that," This was a humorous deja vu. He can just imagine Holly laughing it up right now. "You're lucky you awakened a Persona, or else you'd have already been dead before I got back." Ringo laughed as he looked away slightly. However a point suddenly came into Ringo's mind. Come to think...

"Oi I was about to follow you out." Ringo said...granted anyone who saw his condition when he summoned his persona would realize that was something he can't follow up on. "Besides we got out fine now though..." Then again it was luck that turned out that Ringo could pull a persona out. There was always the worst case scenario that he didn't summon his persona and would've been splattered against the lockers. "Guess that's not good enough explanation huh?" Ringo laughed.

[Layla Amare]

"You were going to do no such thing," Layla snapped back, unintentionally raising her voice. "You'd already collapsed by the time I got back!" She let out a sigh. Why, why were people so careless? Why did people not value what they had until it was almost gone? 'We got out fine' wasn't good enough. That was luck. Even if her own Persona had first awakened the first time she encountered Shadows, Ringo's clearly hadn't. He had no reason to believe anything different would have happened this time.

"No it's not," Layla said. "Either we should have escaped together, or it should have been me holding them off. The fact that we somehow won and got out okay doesn't change that."

[Ringo Shiro]

"You were going to do no such thing," Layla's raised voice caused Ringo to wince a little. "You'd already collapsed by the time I got back." It was...really hard to argue with that observation considering that his vision was blurring when she got over there. "No it's not, either we should have escaped together, or it should have been me holding them off. The fact that we somehow won and got out okay doesn't change that." Ringo looked at Layla.

"Weren't you just saying how stupid it was for me to stay behind?" Ringo can't help but to point a flaw in one of her suggestions. "Though in hindsight...yes I guess we should've found a way to escape together." Then again it could just be the sores talking. "Anyhow...ready to head back?" He might as well walk with her to her home...nevermind that service would be more needed for Ringo.

[Layla Amare]

"I at least knew I had a Persona," Layla said. "If nothing else, I would have lasted longer. But...yes, together would have been better." As much she would have preferred to put herself in danger in someone else's stead, the smartest thing to have been done would have been for both of them to accept getting attacked from behind and kept running. It was a bit late for that, though. As upset as Layla was with the situation, they had gotten out in one piece, and were now both stronger for it.

Just moving on was probably the best idea.

"Yeah, I'm ready," Layla said, standing up and offering a hand to Ringo. "Need any help?"

[Ringo Shiro]

"I at least knew I had a Persona," Well, Ringo could not argue with that. "If nothing else, I would have lasted longer. But...yes, together would have been better." Thinking about it, and despite Ringo's own grievences about Layla being in equal danger, running away together would've been the preferable option and the option that would've gotten less scratches so to speak. "Yeah, I'm ready," Layla stood up and offered a hand to Ringo. "Need any help?"

"No I'm perfectly fine." Ringo used his sheathe to push himself up. He smiled as he looked over at Layla and moved a bit to show he was okay even if it did hurt a little for Ringo. "See? Perfectly fine!" Ringo began walking...only to trip and crash on his face. "Ow my face..." And now the sores surge through his body.

[Layla Amare]

That didn't last long at all. Despite the boy's insistence that he was fine, he needed his sheath's support to get to his feet, and only managed to get a short distance before tripping and falling. Layla let out a small sigh, walking over to him. Normally she'd be more concerned, but...well, he had that one coming. He'd hurt now, but he'd be fine later.

"You need help," Layla said, then immediately realized the potential implications of that statement. "Not like that. Here." She offered her hand again. "I'll help you get back home, so stop trying to act like nothing's wrong."

[Ringo Shiro]

"You need help, Layla said. Ringo moved his head and looked over at her. "Not like that. Here." Layla offered her hand over to Ringo. He weakly took it and got himself up. "I'll help you get back home, so stop trying to act like nothing's wrong." Ringo laughed nervously.

"Sorry to do this to you." He had nothing to apologize for really but none the less he still felt bad that he had to get helped home especially after the trouble he no doubt caused her. Ringo placed a hand on Layla's shoulder and him using his sheathe to continue supporting himself.

[Layla Amare]

Ringo apologized, but at least he was accepting the help now. Layla moved his hand to her opposite shoulder, allowing her to better support his weight. Hopefully that would keep him from having to rely on his sheath so much. There was no way that could be good for the weapon. "If you're going to apologize for anything, apologize for doing something stupid enough to get you in this situation in the first place," Layla said. Despite her words, though, she was still smiling. "Don't worry about it. So long as both of us get home fine, it's no trouble." With that said, she turned to the exit of the subway tunnel and led Ringo out.