Steel Fist, Student President

Hey, hey, what're ya doin' standin' around for? The bell's about to ring, and ya don't wanna be late for class, do ya? But no runnin' in the hallways! I ain't your president for nothin', ya know! Part of Citta Alveare Apartment P-3 Able to summon Ariadne, limited to two string constructs per day Able to use her Chain Knuckle, usable three times per day. Armed with the Variable Configuration Ax Rank: Guardian Drives a car

[kaneowest]

The Tiger of Sector 3. [Ca Open]

[kaneowest]

Something about this girl seemed a little… off. From the moment she approached him, Takarada took the time to analyze her. That alone was enough to cause alarm in himself. He ceased fanning himself with his money, stuffing the bills back into his coat. Cocking an eyebrow at her he listened closely. 

Everyone talking about him? Well shit. He could agree with that. He nodded proudly as he began to fold his hands together, spiderlike fingers rubbing over shining rings. Shifting his head from side to side at the beat of her words, the chains of his glasses hitting the sides of his face gently. 

Bronx? Something like that. Takarada was very familiar with all forms and dialects of street talk. 

"For yo sis huh? Well sheeeyit missy fo’ tha’ right price I got anythin’ y’a need. Diamonds, pearls, sheeeyit I even got that no 55 chanelle if you’s lookin’ fo’ summin’ reeeeeeal nice. In case yo sista be treatin’ ya hella good thi-…."

He felt his eyebrows raise alarmingly fast, as it seemed to pull his head up to peer at her from behind his chin. 

Oh. Oh now this was interesting. 

"Well shit. Now I hope word hasn’t gottin’ out too far ‘bout my black market…. but if I thought it was from a lil missy like you I’d think you’s was afta’ some ah dem hacked ass phones or somethin’ cute. Gatlin’ gun huh…? Well if I wasn’t hopin to soup up my own ride I just might sell ya one. Sure I got arms.”

Takarada shifted his weight, elbows to knees as he tented his fingers looking up at the girl. 

"Question is…. how much ya willin’ ta’ pay fer tha’ right protection….? ‘course if ya’ don’t got money…" 

He leaned back into the park bench his sleazy smile returning to his face, thinking all too highly of himself. 

"…Well there’s otha’ ways y’know? I’m a pretty reasonable guy."

[artoftheweaver]

Labrys didn't like this. She didn't like the way Takarada fanned himself with money, she didn't like the way he smiled at her or ran his fingers over one another. She didn't like this sector, and she didn't like the idea of a black market. But she had a reason for being here, and she couldn't back down. It was all for Aigis, Labrys had to remind herself. The objective was simply to get what she needed as quickly as possible, and then get out. Of course, given her lack of money, she knew it might not be as easy as she wanted it to be.

"Nah, we ain't got much use fer stuff like that. Me an' my sista, we prefer stuff that has function over fashion, yanno? 'Sides, it ain't like I kin fit rings on my fingas or wear earrin's. I ain't even got ears. But I'm gettin' off track here." Merely wanting to buy seemed to get Labrys little more than a practiced spiel, but Takarada's attitude changed the moment she mentioned heavy weapons. He got even sleazier, if that was possible.

"Do I look like tha kinda girl who wants phones an' jewelry? All this metal ain't just fer show, pal." Labrys tapped one her forearms, producing a dull, metallic sound. "Me an' my sista were made fer fightin'. But I got my weapons back, an' she just got here. So I wanna make sure she kin defend herself from alla tha weirdos you find messin' around in this city. She's done a lot fer me, an' I wanna return tha favor. Ya get me?"

She had his interest now. He leaned forwards and back, displaying curiosity and arrogance in only a few seconds. Takarada was interested, sure, but he was the one with the power here. He had the weapons, and Labrys was just the buyer. As soon as he mentioned the cost, her stance wavered a little.

"Yeah, well, that's just tha problem," said Labrys, folding her arms. She gave a little sigh, confidence drooping along with her shoulders. "I don't got much money. Don't rilly gotta use fer it, yanno? I don't need new clothes or food so I mostly just ask- well, anyways. Point is, I can't rilly pay ya convention'ly..."

For a moment, it seemed like her confidence would fall further. But in an instant, the strength returned to her stance, and Labrys's eyes shone brightly. "I'm one a' the best dang fighters you'll ever meet. I was made ta fight, an' I've got more victories than you've got rings. So I kin... be yer bodyguard or somethin'. Or someone else's, or I kin guard stuff fer ya, or maybe ya wanna go some in tha districts that got them monsters in 'em, or- I dunno. Point is, I don't know no one stronger than me. If you kin get me a weapon fer my sister, I'll work fer you until it's paid off. I'll do whateva ya ask me to. Wit' a coupla exceptions." Labrys just hoped that it sounded like a reasonable offer. "That's my offer," she said, nodding. "Sound good ta you?"

[kaneowest]

The Tiger of Sector 3. [Ca Open]

Oooooooooeeeeee was Takarada a busy boy. In the short time he has been here Takarada had begun to rebuild his small fortune and business empire. You might have noticed particular streets of Sector 3 a little more… rich? Despite the fact that it was the Ghetto, you saw people not only NOT stabbing and mugging each other… but you saw them wearing actually legally obtained gold chains. Weird. Most of all, you saw the same name plastered over about 15 different Thrift stores in the area. 

Thrifty Takarada. Prices from Fiddy up. 

You’re probably asking around wondering where the guy was who did all this, someone who gave other people jobs, and you were also looking for the same. Or maybe, you heard of a bit of shady business happening here. There was no way a bunch of thrift store chains would be this…. successful? You wanted to check it out. But whatever it was you were looking for one man and one man in particular. 

Every NPC pointed him out, everyone knew of his fabulous wealth despite his short amount of time in this city. The business genius. The Tiger of Sector 03.

Takarada Kaneo. 

He sat upon a park bench relaxing and enjoying the day, a warm afternoon hitting upon him. He smiled. It was nice to be this wealthy again. He forgot what it was like. But that genuine smile turned into a wicked and sleazy grin when he noticed your presence. 

"Ayyyy, ayyyyyy you gonna stand there forever or wha’. I ‘aint got all day so how’s ‘bout you spit out what’cha want eh?"

[artoftheweaver]

It was surprisingly hard to find a nice gift for Aigis. Labrys had asked some people what made good gifts, but most of their suggestions were for humans. Labrys found things like clothes, food, and jewlery to be mostly pointless, and furthermore, Labrys couldn't help but realize that she wasn't entirely sure what her sister liked.

No, that wasn't true. Labrys knew quite a few things her sister liked, but most of them were rather impractical as gifts. Maybe they were too expensive, or maybe they'd be rather hard to find. No matter how much Labrys would've liked to get her sister something like that, it was simply out of her reach. Or so she thought.

Living in Sector oo3, she began to hear things. Thrift stores where you could get almost anything you wanted, for "fiddy and up," whatever that meant. Even the areas around these fabled stores seemed to be a little less dreary than the rest. Labrys had gone into a few, but hadn't found what she was looking for. Thankfully, some of the Sector's kinder inhabitants had been able to point her to the stores' owner.

Wasn't it a bit warm to be wearing a coat like that? she thought. As soon as the man on the bench noticed her approach, he smiled wide, revealing a mouth full of gold teeth. He was questionable at best, but if he could get Labrys what she wanted...

"Yer that guy ev'ryone's talkin' 'bout, right? Takarada? Well, I need somethin' fer my sister. She's kinda hard ta shop fer, but I been told that yer tha guy ta see if ya need somethin' that ain't exactly... easy ta find." She trailed off, pressing her lips together. Might as well get right to the point.

"I need a gatlin' gun," said Labrys, taking a step forward. "An' ammo, too. Somethin' so she kin defend herself. Also, she likes heavy weapons. Kin ya do somethin' like that?" Her eyes trained themselves on the man's face, staring so intently they might have burned holes into his jacket. If Takarada couldn't supply this for her, Labrys would probably just have to get Aigis a house plant or something.

[shringan]

ラビリス[P4U] | 橙皮糖

[athenasaeon]

xx -- ANTI-SHADOW UNIT: BOOT UP { CA Intro; Open} -- xx

[athenasaeon]

xx — “Hmm…let’s see…”

— Aigis pondered that question as she walked hand-in-hand with her sister. She wasn’t quite sure what sort of thing was appropriate to bring to a sleepover. She had always assumed sweet snacks were a popular item. Yukari-san had also said something once about “trashy movies.” And Fuuka-san had suggested raw cookies; did that mean she was meant to assemble the ingredients for cookies, but eat them without actually baking them altogether? How strange…

— “I believe our first stop ought to be a market of some kind. Then, if we can, we should go to a video store. We must rent as many garbage-themed movies as we can get our hands on.”

— As she walked, she ticked suggestions off on her fingers, with all the authority of someone who knew what she was doing.

— “Then, we must find the things necessary for baking cookies: raw eggs, flour, sugar, and the like. As I understand it, we must consume these items raw, without any sort of preparation or baking.”

— It occurred to her that she might sound a little bossy, so she gave Labrys a sheepish smile.

— “Forgive me, sister. It’s just that I’ve never done anything like this! I want to make sure it’s perfect.” — xx

[artoftheweaver]

Labrys smiled and nodded along with her sister's plans. "A movie sounds pretty good. There's lotsa cool stuff on tha TVs in tha apartments, an' I've been watchin' a lotta stuff. Neva rilly got tha chance to, yanno? But yeah, sure, I like that ide- waitasec." Labrys's gait was unaffected, but her eyebrow shot up. "Did I hear ya right? Garbage movies? I mean, I don't... rilly think that's a genre. Is it? Ya eva seen a garbage movie before?"

It didn't sound quite... right to Labrys. People usually used garbage to describe things they didn't like, so why watch movies like that? Or why watch movies about garbage? Then again, Aigis had been around a lot longer than she had...

"I mean, I guess I gotta go with what yer sayin', though. Yer tha more experienced one here." It was still weird to her, though.

Labrys's eyes turned to Aigis, and form there, to her sister's outstretched fingers. She seemed to be listing things off of them. "Cookies? I ain't eva baked nothin' before, but I guess that might be fun... We could give 'em to our friends or- Uh. Hrm."

She frowned this time. That really didn't seem right. "You sure 'bout that? I mean, I don't... I don't think yer s'pposed ta eat that stuff raw. And I can't even eat, so..."

Labrys forced a smile in return to Aigis's, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. "Oh, no, 's fine! I mean, I'm just happy ta have ya here, an' I'm rilly excited ta do stuff with ya, but... uh... Where did you get these ideas, anyways?"

[elderlion]

Fresh Start [open/mini]

[elderlion]

[ Hongou hadn’t really expected to be bothering someone; once he realized that this woman might be busy with other things, he quickly apologized. It wasn’t his intention to be rude, after all, merely to socialize more. ]

"Ah… my apologies, Miss Labrys. If you are looking for something and wish to be left to it, don’t hesitate to let me know. However, if you need help, I am also more than willing to do so."

[ It occurred to him that he hadn’t answered her question. Quickly, with a chuckle, he clarified. ]

"Expanding my social network. Does that sound like a legitimate reason? I’m afraid after my housemate was sent back, I’ve been by myself. And given that I used to be a CEO of a company, I’m used to others’ company."

[artoftheweaver]

"Oh no, 's fine," she said, giving the man a smile. He was apologetic, and Labrys felt bad for almost brushing him off.  "I ain't inna rush or nothin'. Just doin' a little shoppin' for someone. My sista showed up here not too long ago, y'see, an' I wanted ta get her a lil' housewarmin' present. Y'know, just somethin' ta welcome her! But man, I neva thought bullets'd be so expensive, so I think I might do somethin' a bit simpler. Like a can a' WD-40 or somethin', that's always useful."

Ammunition had been her first choice for Aigis, and Labrys knew where the weapon shops were in Hive City moreso than nearly anything else. But the prices here were way out of her range. It probably had something to do with so many people having their things taken from them.

Labrys shrugged. "I'll think a' somethin'. 'S kinda weird, yanno? She's my sista, but I got no idea what sorta things she'd want... Anyways, enough about me, Mr. Hongou. I guess yer just... tryin' ta meet new people? That's what means, right?" The girl's eyes widened slightly, flashing bright red even in Hive City's lit streets. She was always willing to make new friends.

"Oh yeah, I know that feelin'," she said, a sad expression making its way onto her face. "I mean, people come an' go here all tha time, but losin' someone ya knew well is..." Labrys shook her head, letting her body language speak for her. "Glad ta help, though. I mean, we all got it tough here, 's tha least I could do."

She leaned in, a smile stretching the skin of her cheeks. "You said you were a CEO, right? That's pretty impressive. I know someone back home, her family's a buncha big wigs in that sorta stuff too, kinda a conglomerate sorta thing. What did yer company do? Ya eva thought about startin' it up here? I know some people did that, kinda surprisin', if ya ask me." Labrys finally stopped talking, and looked back up at Gentarou, waiting for him to answer her stream of thoughts.

[athenasaeon]

xx -- ANTI-SHADOW UNIT: BOOT UP { CA Intro; Open} -- xx

[athenasaeon]

xx — Aigis giggled at Labrys’s enthusiasm. As much as Labrys enjoyed saying things like that, Aigis was sure she enjoyed hearing them even more. She still had not gotten used to the feeling of having a sister; she hadn’t really had time to do so. It seemed like she only got to spend mere minutes with Labrys in their own world, before being so unceremoniously sucked into this one. There had been Metis before her, of course, but Aigis and Metis had had a…different relationship. With Labrys, things were more carefree and fun.

— With Labrys, Aigis almost felt human.

— “Very well, then!” said Aigis, clapping her hands together. “I will place myself in your capable hands, Big Sister. I’m glad to hear my sector is not a dangerous one. However, I’m grateful for your guidance all the same. My GPS has been on the fritz since I woke up here. I’m sure I’d be lost without you.”

— She certainly would be lost without Labrys, in more ways than one. Aigis was suddenly struck by the realization of how lucky she was to have found Labrys so immediately upon finding herself here. She could have been like so many others in this place: stranded, without a familiar face or loved one to turn to. And yet Labrys had found her so swiftly. It was a blessing.

— Aigis reached out and took her sister’s hand, squeezing it gently within her own.

— “Lead the way,” she told her big sister. “Wherever you go, I will follow.”

— “…But first!”

— A thought occurred to Aigis that she simply could not ignore.

— “If we are to have a proper slumber party, then we must first get supplies! Games, snacks, and the like. Where might we find those in a city like this? —xx

[artoftheweaver]

Labrys laughed in turn, unable to resist her sister's laughter. This reunion was quickly becoming the best thing that had happened to Labrys in Hive City. Although there were definitely a lot offother nice things that had happened to her, Aigis was different, she was family. Around Aigis, Labrys felt like a normal person.

"Welllllll, I didn't say 'not dang'rous,' but I guess it'll be fine fer you. Most a' tha prob'lems there are stuff like pollution an' waste, but I guess we don't gotta worry 'bout stuff like that," said Labrys. "Secta oo3's gotta lotta problems with crime an' things like that. 'Course, I guess we don't rilly gotta worry 'bout that, eitha. But still, ain't rilly somethin' I'd wanna get involved with in tha first place, yanno?" She shrugged. "Anyways. I dunno if yer GPS'd eva start workin' again, ta be honest. I mean, I dunno if there are any satellites 'round here fer that ta be workin', but I guess you know more 'bout that stuff than I do."

It really was good luck that Labrys had found her sister, wasn't it? Aigis was having trouble getting around, and suddenly Labry's time spent in Hive City could be put to good use. She could finally do something for her sister rather than the other way around.

A smile appeared on Labrys's face as Aigis joined their hands together. "Awright," she said, nodding. "Secta oo2, here we co- oh, what's up?" The girl stopped mid-step, smile becoming a curious expression. A frown even flickered across her visage, but soon became a nod and a smile once more. "Yeah, sure! Ain't a problem at all, I even got a some money we could use. They gave us some a bit back but I just don't gotta use it much, yanno?"

Somewhere in the back of her mind, Labrys wondered why one of the upgrades the later generations of Anti-Shadow weapons received was the ability to eat. She shook the thought from her mind, leading Aigis down the street. "Okay, if we go this way fer a bit, there's a place where we can do some shoppin'," she said, looking over her shoulder at her sister. "Anythin' in particular yer lookin' fer?"

[athenasaeon]

xx -- ANTI-SHADOW UNIT: BOOT UP { CA Intro; Open} -- xx

[athenasaeon]

xx — “I see…”

— Aigis mused on that for a moment. She was glad to know Yu-san, Yosuke-san, and Yukiko-san were here; she had thought she’d caught sight of Naoto-san, too, though only Labrys’s word could confirm it. She was glad to know her friends were all around…even if some of them were from different times.

— At Labrys’s question, Aigis was aghast.

— “Under…ground? Would they honestly do something like that to a person? Or, I guess the better question might be: Have they done that to a person?”

— Aigis scowled. Did the barbarity of these scientists know no bounds?

— “I am housed in i-2, so you don’t have to worry about that. Although…”

— She perked up slightly as a thought occurred to her.

— “I haven’t actually seen it yet! Would you like to accompany me there? Perhaps we can have a — house-warming party, as it were!” — xx

[artoftheweaver]

She hadn't seen some of her friends in a while, come to think of it. Labrys had briefly shared her apartment with Yosuke, but he moved out one day, telling Labrys he was moving in with a princess. She didn't quite believe it, but as long as he was happy, she couldn't fault him too much.

Labrys noticed Aigis's expression, and gave a small frown in return. "They've been doin' it ta a buncha people. Wheneva they run outta room in tha apartments, people get put inta tha districts instead. They're real homes an' all, but they're all undaground, and lemme tell ya, none a' those places down there are rilly what I'd call livable." She'd only been down there a handful of times, but Labrys was sure that, even as a robot, they wouldn't be decent living conditions.

A moment of relief when Aigis revealed her apartment number, however. "Well, that's pretty lucky. I mean, a lotta new people are gettin' districts instead a' proper apartments. I-2 though, eh? That's ova in Secta oo2, Industrial zone. Ain't rilly tha best place ta live, but it could be worse. It could be Secta oo3." Labrys opted not to mention that was where she lived.

She smiled in turn with Aigis, nodding. "Yeah, sounds like a pretty good idea ta me! I kin show ya ta where yer apartment is, an I'll help ya get settled, aright? Anythin' ya wanna know, anythin' at all, just ask me. Yer big sister is here ta help!"

After a few moments, Labrys couldn't help but giggle. "I always wanted ta say somethin' like that!"

[aninnocentsinner-blog]

… Silently, he nodded, smile having faded.

Once again letting the other speak as much as she’d like before replying, the teen felt her hand tighten around his own— and naturally, his own grip tightened as well. They were pretty much squeezing each other’s hands, at this point.

“… Name’s don’t really matter all that much, anyways. So long as you’ve got those memories… I think that’s what’s important.”

Memories were all he had left, and all he’d ever have. Aside from this lighter, anyways. … Her little story sounded a little familiar, though. Albeit, a bit happier than what Tatsuya had been recollecting.

“… It’s funny. Something like that happened to me, once,” he muttered, closing his eyes for a moment, trailing off. ”… A gift is different than just a memory. … But something like this is like a physical memory, kind of. So… it’s not all that different. But you actually got her memories. You can see them. Even with this, I can forget little details. But you won’t forget them.”

Typically, he failed to elaborate on that first part. Instead, he opened his eyes once more and looked at Labrys.

“It’s never easy. … I know. I know. It might not ever be easy, either. But… that’s why… there’s the happy memories you had with her, too, and the happy memories you had with your other friends. …” He fidgets, slightly. “… I’ll give you some happy memories too. And I’ll be here if you’re feeling sad, too. So…”

Letting go, Tatsuya pulls Labrys into a tight squeeze.

“… Don’t cry anymore. Alright?”

[artoftheweaver]

It was embarrassing. She hadn't meant to cry, but her past was a sensitive subject for Labrys, and dwelling on the wrong part of it was liable to reduce her to tears. She bit at her lip, trying hard to keep from sniffling again.

"'M sorry, just gettin' a lil' emotional there," she said, voice still thick with sadness. "It's just hard, sometimes. I try not ta think about it."

She listened to Tatsuya speak of memories and gifts, hanging her head and still clutching at his hands. "...Since you told me somethin' 'bout you... I guess I owe you tha same, don't I? See, tha thing that gives an Anti-Shadow Weapon its personality is somethin' called a Plume of Dusk. It's a kinda crystal, an' all of us had it built inta us. Somethin' about it lets us develop egos and personalities, an' that's where Personas come from. But mine was special, since it was tha biggest one. So I... learned faster, I guess."

"Wheneva... Wheneva anotha one of them died, someone else would get their Plume, an' alla their memories would get transferred along with 'em. It was ta help speed tha process along, yanno? So I got... dozens a' otha memories stashed away inside me.  I've looked at 'em before, there's stuff 'bout combat, but there's also things like... How flowers smell, how a waterfall sounds, what the stars look like at night..."

The tears started again. "T-they were all people," she sniffed. "What happened to 'em ain't right!" Tatsuya's hands went unnoticed, but Labrys felt him envelop her. She continued to cry, wrapping her own arms around him as she did so, and burying her face into his shoulder. Hadn't this happened before?

"'M sorry," she gulped. "I shouldn't have said nothin'." She remained that way for a minute, trying to get a hold of her emotions. With Tatsuya's arms around her, it was easier, she felt. "I wanna be happy," she murmured. "But 's hard sometimes. Sometimes I don't even know if I deserve it, but with you... I dunno. We'll see." Labrys sighed, turning her head so that she was looking up at Tatsuya's face. "I can't forget 'em, but sometimes... I wish I could..."

[aninnocentsinner-blog]

A Little Late ~ (Labrys)

[aninnocentsinner-blog]

This girl…

She really did know how to catch him off guard. … That being said, in the first place, he wasn’t that hard to fluster if you knew all the right moves. Tricking him like this was the perfect way to make him ellicit some emotion once in a while— chocolate eyes widened as Labrys slipped out of her facade, mouth slightly ajar, missing the lid of his lighter while flicking it, having caused him to just stop altogether for the time being and simply shove it back in his pocket.

And, of course, he didn’t know what to say. That’s why he let Labrys do all the talking, and carry on excitedly at the sudden gift he had pulled out for her.

Truth be told, despite how things turned out, that’s what he had felt most nervous for. Whether or not she’d actually like something like that… well, she was a girl, yeah, but she was also a robot. A robot girl. Aside from the clothes she wore, he had no idea if robot girls really cared about accessorizing. She didn’t need to do make-up to look any better than she already did, or anything else to make her look pretty.

As she was, she was already pretty to begin with.

… That’s why, upon Labrys’ reaction, a relieved sigh relieved itself from the breath being held in Tatsuya’s throat.

“… I-I’m. … Glad… glad you like it, and that you aren’t actually mad… really glad… uh, oh— yeah, sure.”

As the other turned her back, Tatsuya’s hands moved forward and clipped the necklace together around her slender neck easily. “There,” he muttered in response.

Glancing over her shoulder a bit to get a good look at her with it, Tatsuya stared for a moment, before looking aside.

“…”

,Idly, he stopped himself from reaching for his lighter. “… It looks great on you. Really, uh… c… compliments your beauty. Not that you aren’t beautiful without it to begin with…”

Good god, did he actually just say that? He even hesitated, knowing full well how terrible that sounded. Ahh, he couldn’t look. Damn, that was embarrassing.

[artoftheweaver]

Labrys was rather pleased with herself that she'd actually been able to get a reaction out of Tatsuya, and one she'd never really imagined from him. He seemed puzzled for a moment, missing the lid of his lighter and opening his mouth without any words, unsure of what to say or do. Thankfully, Labrys excelled at filling in silences.

"How could I be mad?" she said, smiling. "I mean, ya might be a lil' late, but this kinda makes up fer it, I think. I mean, I dunno how I could be mad atcha after gettin' me somethin' like this. I mean... No one's ever got me somethin' like this before. I mean, it's just... Well, I ain't sayin' I don't like it or nothin'! I mean, I'm just sayin'- Well, I dunno what ta say!"

So she was silent for a moment, pulling her ponytail back so Tatsuya could work the clasp on her necklace. When he gave confirmation, she stepped away from him, twirling around so he could see. The effect was noticeable.

"Jeez, I don't think I eva heard ya stutter before, Tatsuya. Do I look that good? Are ya stunned by my beauty?" She could only keep the smile on her face for a few moments before laughing, closing the distance between her and Tatsuya and putting her hands on his chest.  The pinkness of her cheeks still hadn't faded. "Can't really blame ya. You're lookin' pretty good yerself, yanno. Rilly handsome, if ya don't mind me sayin'. So now we kin look rilly good tagether, right?"

Labrys smiled, pushing herself up on the tips of her feet and giving Tatsuya a small kiss on the cheek. "Thanks, Tats. This all... rilly means a lot ta me. Thanks."

She took a few steps back, holding out her hand. "Well, c'mon. Yer already late as is, an' ya still owe me a dance! So let's go!"

[athenasaeon]

xx -- ANTI-SHADOW UNIT: BOOT UP { CA Intro; Open} -- xx

[athenasaeon]

xx — Ten months?!? 

— At Labrys’s request, Aigis muted her shock. She didn’t want to alarm her sister with any reaction, but…it was just such a long time to be in a place like this.

— Aigis reached over and fondly tucked a strand of Labrys’s ice-blue hair behind her ear. “To be honest, sister, my first question was whether or not you’re okay,” she confessed. “But I can see now that you’re thriving, even in such conditions as these. I’m so proud to call you my family.”

— If Aigis had any ear for irony, she might have recognized how corny that sounded. Luckily, she didn’t.

— “As for my other questions,” she went on, “you mentioned something about Fuuka-san. If she doesn’t remember you, then is it possible she traveled here from a different timeline? Before Fuuka-san worked with Mitsuru-san, Akihiko-san and I, to rescue you from the T.V.?”

— Aigis became curious.

— “This is truly a strange feat of science. What about Naoto-san, and the others? Is Akihiko-san here? If either of them are around…do they remember you?”

— It pained Aigis to think that Labrys might have to face all of her friends alone, knowing they had no memory of her existence, let alone the bond they all shared. Aigis felt somewhat better knowing that she herself could provide Labrys with some measure of support, but…she only hoped it was good enough. — xx

[artoftheweaver]

Labrys made a face, trying to keep her smile from showing but having no luck in doing so. "Jeez, ya don't gotta worry 'bout me, sis. I'm doin' fine. An' hey, if yer tryin' ta flatter me... Well, it's workin'." She blushed a bit, rolling her eyes as she endured Aigis's sappy comments. Maybe she had a weakness for emotional moments like these, it would certainly explain a few things.

While it was nice to hear things like that coming from her friends, it was different when Aigis said it. Labrys loved her friends, but she loved and respected her sister. If she thought Labrys was doing okay out in the real world, she must have been right.

"Oh, yeah, Fuuka. I'm thinkin' it's... Kinda like exactly whatcha said." Labrys shrugged. "Good guess. I mean, it's def'nitely Fuuka, but she's younger, I guess. She don't rememba me, but she remembas you an' Mitsuru, that sorta thing."

"I've seen a few people from Inaba, too. Yu, an Yosuke, an' Yukiko, an' I'm pretty sure I saw Naoto once. I mean, it kinda... fluctuates. People come an' go, that sorta thing. Sometimes a buncha people you know are here, an' sometimes there ain't no one. I mean, there's a lotta otha people in tha city ta meet, but seein' familiar faces is nice, yanno? Mosta them remember me, though. Fuuka an' Naoto were tha only ones who didn't." Lucky for Labrys, both of them had been receptive to her claims that they did know each other. After all, she knew things that a stranger wouldn't have.

"Okay, now I get ta ask you a question," said Labrys. She frowned for a moment, deciding what the best first question would be, but only one came to mind. "Did they putcha inna apartment or down inna district? Cuz if they putcha undaground, well, I gotta lotta room back in my apartment."

[elderlion]

Fresh Start [open/mini]

[ It was time to start anew. His previous encounters in the city were erased due to the recent ‘experiment’ by the scientists - his experiences with Hazuki, his trauma with Walter, all of it - and once he gained them back, he had, quite honestly, felt empty. Hazuki was gone now, and with Walter’s ever-lurking presence still here, Hongou was alone (save for his cat). He could mope about being once more by himself, or he could do something to make his time here in the city more enjoyable.

And he would. Because Gentarou Hongou did not mope, nor drag himself around like a depressed, wilted flower. He’d been a CEO, a boss, bracelet number [1] in the Nonary Game…

He was not a loser. ]

"Hmm…"

[ Humming to himself, the older man made his way around the city some more, his revolver tucked tightly in his pocket for protection. He could start this experience by seeking another job. Or perhaps another individual that enjoyed science, or - or something. Perhaps a newcomer.

He approached the nearest person, a stranger to him as everyone else was, and put on a businessman smile. ]

"Hello. Forgive my forwardness. My name is Gentarou Hongou; it is a pleasure."

[artoftheweaver]

What did you get another machine as a housewarming gift? Even though she was a robot as well, Labrys had a bit of difficulty figuring it out. She didn't know much about Aigis's inner workings- that would've been an uncomfortable question, and now that she thought about it, she didn't know a lot about her sister's personal preferences, either. What was her favorite animal? Was there a TV show she especially liked? If Labrys knew, getting a gift would've been easy, but now...

Maybe she'd just get her a nice can of WD-40. You could never go wrong with that. Where was the hardware store, then?

Maybe her confused expression attracted some interest, because before long, someone came over to her. Labrys turned to look at the man once she was sure he was speaking to her, red optics flicking over various parts of his body. Turtleneck sweater, chinstrap beard, and streaks of grey hair presented themselves to her before she finally made eye contact.

"Oh, 's no sweat. Nice ta meetcha, Mr. Hongou. I'm Labrys." She turned away for a moment, head gazing at the area behind her as if there were a hardware store right in her blindspot. "Sorry, I was just lookin' fer... Nah, 's not important," she said, giving a shrug. "Didja need somethin', or are ya just intraducin' yerself ta people?"

[athenasaeon]

xx -- ANTI-SHADOW UNIT: BOOT UP { CA Intro; Open} -- xx

[athenasaeon]

xx — “…Labrys?”

— Aigis’ felt the familiar fluttering sensation that so often came when she met with her sister. Labrys. Of all the things she had expected to find in this awful place, her sister was not one of them.

— Aigis hurried forward to embrace her sister, a smile spreading across her lips — but paused as Labrys’s smile flickered.

— “Labrys…? What do you mean? Of course I remember you. How could I ever forget you?”

— She smiled again, briefly, then went on the defensive, afraid something had happened to Labrys to make her confused. What if those terrible scientists had tampered with her?

— “Labyrs, are you okay? Are we safe here? It appears many of my functions have been disabled, so I’m afraid I can’t defend you, should the need arise. They gave me some sort of…toy.”

— She held up the B.B. gun she had been provided with.

— “But I doubt it will be of much use.”

— Aigis was overjoyed, but somehow torn. Such a complexity of emotion: On the one hand, she was thrilled to be in the company of a loved one. On the other, she was devastated to find poor Labrys in a place like this. She tried to focus on the positive:

— “Well…perhaps it isn’t ideal, but we can search for the truth together! Unless…” She tilted her head to one side. “…you have all the answers already?” — xx

[artoftheweaver]

Aigis stared for a moment, and Labrys knew a look of fear must have crossed her face. To have Fuuka not know who she was was one thing; they were friends and all, but Aigis was her sister. To be forgotten by the only other person she could call family was...

It was...

Labrys didn't want to think about it.

But to her relief, Aigis stepped forward and wrapped Labrys in a close embrace, erasing Labrys's worries along with it. "You dunno how happy I am ta hear that. I could use a bit a' good news like that ev'ry now an' again," she said, returning the hug. She let the good feelings wash over her for a moment, the city evaporating for a few seconds. "Don't worry 'bout me, I'm fine. Are you okay? An' don't worry 'bout the weapon, they do that ta ev'ryone. They prob'ly limited yer Persona too, right? Happened ta me too."

It felt like a long time ago. It was a long time ago, Labrys realized. "I dunno if I would call it 'safe,' but it could be a lot worse. If anythin', I'll be protectin' you, since I already got some a' my stuff back. I mean, I been her fer... fer 10 months, I think. Give or take a coupla days. An' before you say anythin', I'm fine, rilly! I mean, ya kinda... get used ta it, I guess." Labrys shrugged. "Not ta sound defeatist or nothin'."

Maybe it was stuff like this that made everything a bit more bearable. Finding old friends, making new ones, trying new things, events like that helped Labrys to forget about the situation she was in. Maybe that was the scientists' intentions, but Labrys had been through much worse tortures.

Labrys finally disengaged the hug, a frown crossing her lips. "I dunno what kinda answers you want," she said. "We don't rilly know a lotta tha whos or whats or whys, yanno? I prob'ly know about as much as you do. I mean, I got otha answers, but why don't you ask yer questions first, an' we'll see what I kin tell ya."

[artoftheweaver]

[athenasaeon]

xx -- ANTI-SHADOW UNIT: BOOT UP { CA Intro; Open} -- xx

xx — LOADING INTERFACE 

  — ASSESSING PHYSICAL DAMAGE 

  — ASSESSING MEMORY DAMAGE 

  — CALIBRATING LIMB FUNCTIONS 

  — LOAD COMPLETE. WELCOME, AIGIS.

— Now, rise.

— When Aigis opened her eyes, her immediate thought was: What went wrong? She had just been in a room. A strange room, with a screen. And on that screen, a man.

— A scientist of some kind. 

— That explained it, then. As her memory fully calibrated, she began to make sense of what was going on. When confronted with the face of an unfamiliar scientist, her system must have gone into some kind of shock. Recalling the trauma of her manufacturing. Perhaps it attempted to reset her to her factory settings.

— That was the perk of being a cyborg with a developing conscience of her own: There simply was no return to factory settings, no matter how extensive the damage to her mainframe.

— Aigis dusted herself off, and patrolled the streets around her. The data stated she was to be housed in i-2. The industrial district, if her GPS served her correctly. She could get there in no time with the use of her rocket —

— NEGATIVE.

— Most of her functions had been disabled, of course. That was why they had armed her with this humorous toy gun. Aigis relished briefly in her ability to see the irony in this situation; irony was a dark humor, but humor was still a very new experience for her. She enjoyed every instance as it came.

— “When you fall,” she recited to herself, “you get right back up.”

— And she did just that. Aigis stood, stretched, and made off down the road, keeping a keen eye for any sign of a familiar face…or perhaps a new friend. — xx

[artoftheweaver]

Just wandering today, Labrys told herself. That was what she always did with her free time, just wandering through the city. Even though it felt like she'd wandered the streets dozens of times already, there was always something new to see, if you looked hard enough. Heck, she didn't even have to look, it all seemed to pop up in front of her as she went. Even the dingier Sectors, like oo2 and oo3 always had something interesting to show her.

While Labrys enjoyed surprises, this one came as a bit of a shock. Her eyes widened and her step faltered for a moment as the girl came to a halt. Labrys had always assumed it was a matter of time before this happened, but a small part of her wished it never would. As much as she enjoyed the prospect of a reunion, the idea of the people she cared about being brought to this place was... not exactly something she wanted.

"...Aigis?"

It was her, there could be no mistake about that. Still, Labrys could only stand there, a pleasant sensation surprise ebbing inside her. Despite the circumstances, it was nice to see her sister. Aigis had helped her before, so now Labrys could return the favor in Hive City.

"Aigis! Ova here! It's me!" Labrys practically ran over to her sister, smile threatening to tear her cheeks. Memories of Fuuka flashe dthrough her mind, and Labrys stopped a few steps away, wondering if this Aigis was the one she knew. "You, uh, you rememba me, right? Labrys?"

Her smile shrank, no longer a grin that showed her teeth, but a much smaller smirk, hopeful that her questions would have good answers. "Y'know, we're sistas. You rememba, right?"

[maarcelline-citta]

The Stale Cold Smell of Morning || Event Open

[maarcelline-citta]

"Hey, no worries, I’m just glad I’m not the only one confused here," Marceline says with a smirk. "An experiment, eh?" she echoes, thinking it over. "… Yeah, that… I’m not sure, but I feel like that’s right." She nods in emphasis. "The ‘H’ part sounds right too, I think. It’s like…. Hhhhh…. Hhhiiii….ve?" She tries the sounds, fitting them together. "Hive? Maybe? Iunno, that sounds funny."

Marceline returns her attention to the girl. “So, what’s your name? It seems to me a lotta us are having memory problems around this place, so you’re not alone, at least not today. I’m Marceline, by the way,” she introduces with bit of a smile.

[artoftheweaver]

Talking about it seemed to solidify the ideas in Labrys's mind. Yes, this was an experiment, run by a group of scientists. They'd been taken form their homes and brought to... this place. She still didn't remember all of it, but it was a start.

"It's not just me?" she asked, raising her eyebrows. "Well, I guess that's kinda good news. I mean, I was worried there was somethin' wrong with me. And I dunno if there's a place 'round here where I could get repaired. I mean, I thought I knew alla this stuff, it's kinda like... oh, what's it called... deja vu? Yeah, yeah."

She nodded, agreeing with herself. Talking about it with someone made the whole thing seem more manageable. "Hive... Hive somethin'. Hiveville? Hive Town? Mebbe. Ain't rilly important, I don't think," she said, tapping at her cheek. Maybe it wasn't important, but it was still bugging her. How could she not know the name of the place she'd been kidnapped to?

Her red optics flashed back towards the young woman when she introduced herself. "Well, I dunno if that's really a relief, but, whateva," she said, smiling. "Anyways, I'm Labrys, it's nice to meetcha, Marcy. Ya mind if I call ya that?"

[maarcelline-citta]

The Stale Cold Smell of Morning || Event Open

Marceline wanders aimlessly through the vaguely familiar city, having already exhausted her flight ability before she remembered that it had been limited at all. Everything was so… blurry in her head. It was like trying to recall a memory from when she was 307—just water-blurred colors of paint.

She wasn’t even sure where she was going to sleep, when it came time for that—where was her box again? Somewhere underground, but… where was that? Ugh, this was so annoying! And beyond that, she kept thinking of Simon back home—home, which was so clear, while everything else was like looking through a fogged window screen—and remembering his lack of remembering and wondering if it was anything like this. And that was a thought train of pain she did not want to go down, but kept getting caught on anyway.

She kept looking around at all the people she’d pass, hoping someone was familiar, someone would be remembered, or at the very least remember her. But none of the people she saw were clicking. Finally, after a deep breath, she approaches one of the many crowding the street.

"Hey, so uh… where are we again?"

[artoftheweaver]

Labrys thought she might have a problem with her CPU. All morning, smoke had floating at the edge of her mind, like the half-remembered dreams of someone else entirely. Was her memory corrupted? Was she malfunctioning? That was bad news, much moreso than the revelation that she was in... some city for... some experiment. Specifics escaped her, which only added to her fears.

She was alone in this city. Her friends from Inaba and Tatsumi Port Island weren't here with her, and being alone again so soon after all those awful thing sin the TV world had happened...

Metal digits wrapped themselves tightly around the shaft of Labrys's greatax. At the very least, she had her weapon, and she could feel Ariadne inside her. She wasn't defenseless, but she was still alone, lost, and very confused.

The girl gave a start when someone spoke to her, eyes widening for a moment. "Oh, um. It's uh, it's an experiment, right? We got taken from our homes an' brought here." She was just parroting what little information she remembered, but it felt good to know that she knew something. "An' this is... This city is... Uh... I think it starts with an H?" She scratched her head, frowning. "I swear, it's on tha tip a' my tongue, but I been like that all mornin'. I think I gotta memory problem or somethin'." Labrys gave a shrug and an apologetic smile. "Sorry. Wish I could help ya more."

[gunplagoddess]

"No. I don’t."

She couldn’t see the point of having fun while searching for a way out… bowing down to these people while smiling like idiots and talking about idiotic things…? What kind of Stockholm syndrome was this…

"Get comfortable…. And then what? We find a way out or do we just stay in our comfort…? I think you’re all missing a point here…." 

[artoftheweaver]

Labrys frowned, folding her arms. The other girl didn't really seem to get it. "Maybe I'm just an optimist," she said, shrugging. "Gotta look fer the bright side a' things an' all that."

Now she shifted uneasily, frown deepening. "I don't know a lotta people who don't wanna leave, but well... There ain't a way out. Sometimes people vanish, an' I guess they get taken home, but ya never know who it's gonna be, an' nothin' you do is gonna affect their choices. I been here fer... Jeez, nine months, an' I seen a lotta people come an' go. If you wanna look fer a way out, I ain't gonna stop ya, but ya ain't gonna find one. Believe me, I looked."

Labrys raised an eyebrow. "I mean, you've been here fer how long, again? You think you've just thought a' somethin' that I ain't thought of already? I don't wanna be here, but there ain't a way out, 's just how it is. An' lemme tell ya, I got more freedom here than I had back home, an' I don't gotta kill no one or nothin' ta get it. So I figure I'll enjoy myself until they decide ta send me back. You do what you wanna do, but I wouldn't go 'round implyin' people 're dumb fer tryin' ta make tha best a' things. I kin think of a few people who wouldn't take that lyin' down."