X: Wheel of Fortune

[HIATUS]

[orbofsight]

Amendment

[diagnostiics-blog]

orbofsight:

     I stifle a small chuckle and scratch the back of my head with my free hand, forcing a pained smile as I follow after the young doctor around the hallway corner.

     “Right, introductions, sorry.  It’s Seta, Souji Seta.”  In my defense, it’s a tense situation, but maybe letting him know I’m not just some random guy with magic powers carrying around a samurai sword would have put him better at ease initially.  “I’m a private eye whenever I’m not dealing with this nonsense.  Supernatural threat aside, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Keisuke.”

     The longer we stay in contact the more sure of it I feel.  Just as I draw on the strength of my friends, I can sense the same type of unbreakable connection between Keisuke and someone else.  There’s no doubt he’s close to a Persona user, but whoever that could be is something I don’t have the time deduce at present.

     On the last leg of our journey, the far end of the passage ahead of us is especially dark compared to what we’ve been through so far.  It seems like it just ends in pitch blackness.  I would owe that to the lack of windows, but seeing one caked over in black slime on my immediate right eliminates that possibility.  Straining my eyes, I finally see what’s in our way.

     It’s worse than a lack of light.  There’s a horde of Shadows completely packing this hallway, forming a physical wall of darkness.  I was right.  They’ve been drawn to the psych ward en masse.  As if sensing my focused sight, hundreds of pairs of red eyes blink into existence, all of them staring at the two of us.  This many Shadows…  It’s just absurd.  As weak as they are, I don’t have time to fight them all by virtue of their sheer numbers.  

     Withdrawing my sword once more, I step several paces in front of the other man and beckon another card into existence.  “I’m going to make a hole.  Follow me through it and don’t stop running until you’re on the other side of the door.”

     Trying to hit them all at once won’t work.  Even with a mass spell, I doubt my range would be wide enough to target them all.  I’ll have to focus everything I’ve got into one strike and clear a path.  If we can reach the one causing this, we won’t have to worry about the small fry.

     Electricity crackles at my fingertips as I summon my arcane power into physical form.   “Strike true,” commanding my other self, I crush the construct in my hand.  “Ziodyne!”

     The thunder god takes form once more, unleashing a pillar of lightning from his core.  The searing light cuts through the viscous creatures, forcing open a divide in their barricade.  Darting forward, I sprint through the shattered legion and drive my forearm into the ward’s door, slamming it shut behind me as soon as I see my companion join me.

     With nervous laughter cutting in between my heaving breaths, I lean against the door, thankful for the barrier it presents between us and them.  “Heh…  Funny thing about Shadows…  They can’t figure out how to open doors…  Isn’t that the weirdest thing?”

     I turn my hung head to the good doctor, only to see more than one of him in the room.  Haunting yellow eyes gaze down at his own face through the same pair of spectacles.  At once, it clicks in my mind.  Of course, Keisuke would have the strongest Shadow here.

     The prospect of my ordinary friends ever facing their other selves has always been a fear of mine.  Even with the support I’ve offered to help them accept themselves, I can’t begin to imagine what effect being linked to my power might have on them.  For the friend of another Wild Card, how much worse might that be?

     “Oh shit.”  As the expletive leaves me, I brace myself to learn the answer.

I return the smile with one of my own - it’s slightly strained, but given the situation I hope I can be forgiven for being on edge. Seta seems like a nice enough person that he would understand, given the supernatural monsters and the time constraints we’re under. Neither of us really have the time to stand and get to know one another, so for the moment a name will have to do. I stick close to him as we sweep through the remaining corridors; if all I can do is navigate, I’ll at least have to be efficient with it. We turn the final corner... and see nothing.

I quickly realise that I’m not staring into an abyss, and by the time I’ve glanced at Seta for an explanation I’m met with far too many pairs of glowing red eyes for comfort. Shadows...? And so many of them? Surely we have no chance of breaking through every single one of them! Instinctively I retract a step, mind racing to try and configure an alternative way through to the ward - but as I step backward, the other advances. Clearly he intends to find a way through one way or another. I’m hesitant, to say the least, but he is the one who best knows how to deal with the mess we’re in. Protesting will do nothing but waste time.

I swallow hard but manage to nod in response to his instructions, tensing my muscles in order to break into a sprint as soon as the opening presented itself. A bolt of lightning shoots from a type of creature that appeared to be under Seta’s command - too many things happen at once for me to really process any of it. All I really comprehend is that I need to be on the other side of that barricade by the time the monsters recover themselves. I dart forward before the lightning has even dissipated, moving for the door as if my life depended on it.

The door slams behind me and I dare to take a breath, but I don’t get time to take a break. A glance upward, and what I see freezes me to the spot in an instant. Souji speaks, but I don’t hear what he’s saying - I’ve felt weighed down this entire time, but the sight before me now almost causes me to pass out right there and then. It’s... me. I’m looking at myself, but.. something is desperately wrong. Malice rolls off of the other figure in waves, and it stares straight at me with toxic yellow eyes that seem almost luminescent in the dimness of our surroundings.

“Being led here by someone else. How predictable.”

I--no, it-- spits out a scathing laugh, the voice distorted and unnatural. A chill slips up my spine in an instant, and though I try to speak nothing seems to come out aside from a splutter. If I had any colour left in my face before it’s surely all drained out now. Why..? I don’t understand. Why am I looking at myself? I tear my eyes from the unnerving doppelgänger just long enough to glance at Souji, distantly aware that I’m bound to look every bit as shocked as I feel. I shape my mouth around a question -- am I doing this? -- but before I can speak the other figure interrupts.

“All these years and you still can’t do anything yourself. Have you ever made a decision without someone else holding your hand the whole time?”

“I - of course I have!” The retort rises in my throat before I can repress it. It just sneers in response. I don’t feel Seta at my side preparing any sort of attack, which concerns me somewhere beneath all this bewilderment. If my instinct was right... this was what was causing all the issues. As long as it remained, the patients... everyone here was in danger, and there wasn’t a single thing I could do about it.

“Liar.” It’s odd to hear my own voice with so much venom. “You and I both know the truth. Without someone else telling you how to live, you’re lost. Hasn’t it always been the same? Even your friends couldn’t stop you from pussyfooting around, umming and ahh-ing and whining about how unfair it was that you couldn’t step up and make your own decisions! And now...”

A predatory smile contorts the familiar features.

“Well. The only one who got close to changing that isn’t around any more, is he?”

I recoil instantly, as if the creature had reached out and slapped me across the face.

“D-don’t.” If it hears me, it doesn’t pay much attention - but I’m so caught up in what it’s saying that I don’t even consider how it knows so much about me. Instead, it only laughs, the sound chillingly hollow.

“Ha! Some doctor. One of our closest friends drops dead of a mystery illness and we never noticed a single symptom? For shame.” The voice oozes with feigned sincerity. “He must have suffered horribly. Maybe if we weren’t so incompetent, he’d still be--”

“Stop! Stop.” I can’t hear any more. It’s as if it knows exactly what to say to get a response - as if it can see my deepest, darkest thoughts through those glowing eyes that so resemble my own. I’ve never told a soul about this; the doubt, the guilt. 

“Am I wrong?” It’s mocking me. “Tell me I’m wrong. Go on. Say that’s not how you feel. Take control for once in your life.”

Somewhere inside, I know that I’m being goaded, but the words resonate too deeply to just ignore. I can’t help but react.

“That’s.. you, you’re--”

[diagnostiics-blog]

[alright but consider Dr. Hiraga meeting Dr. Takemi in medical school and seeking her out during the events of P5 after hearing all the terrible rumours about her

also consider Keisuke talking with Yusuke about art

P5 interactions? P5 interactions.]

[diagnostiics-blog]

@shojikisa from here

For someone who had been offered such an incredible opportunity, he certainly looked less than thrilled. Chin resting on one hand, the other picking absently at a half-eaten snack, Keisuke looked uncharacteristically glum. The weight of the decision he'd been given was clearly giving him trouble - had he ever had to decide something this important before? Almost certainly not. Up until now, his father had taken care of that for him - and as much as he hated it, it didn't appear to be any more enjoyable taking the reins for himself.

"It's not that I'm unhappy here." He wasn't. Not at all. "Did I tell you yet? I told my parents about it all, thinking, y'know, they'd never even consider it. Last week they didn't even want me in Art Club, let alone this - and now he's suddenly all for it?" His expression darkened, a scowl of frustration souring his face. "Even just this morning we had three prospectuses come through from schools he's picked out, and I just--"

This was supposed to be his chance to step out from under his father's thumb - and it seemed that he was determined to control even that. A defeated sigh escaped, and the senior's shoulders drooped. "I don't know what I want."

What he wanted, more than anything, was some space to breathe and make the decision for himself - but all he seemed to do was go round in circles, not quite able to work out the difference between what he truly wanted and what others had told him to want. All the while, time continued to tick by, each second reminding him of how much he wasted by staying idle. Did he want to go abroad because he wanted to study art, because it would be a wasted opportunity if he didn't - or just purely to spite the plan his parents had laid out for him?

Didn't he want to be a doctor?

Didn't he want to reject his father's expectations and be his own person for once?

He couldn't do both.

"What would you do, though? You always know the right thing." Hidetoshi always seemed to succeed where he failed; cutting through the noise and arriving at the logical solution effortlessly. Keisuke had always admired that about the other boy.

[orbofsight]

Amendment

[diagnostiics-blog]

orbofsight:

     Making my way through the hospital halls at a brisk pace, I follow after the medical professional with my sword grasped firmly.  Despite keeping myself alert for any sign of more Shadows, this unfamiliar individual draws my attention to him.  I can sense something from him, but what exactly I can’t place.  It’s like the feeling I get around my friends without Personae, but different somehow.  He’s definitely made a bond with someone awakened, but if feels like the other half of it is gone.

    Ugh, now’s not the time to worry about this!   There’s a hospital full of people to save and a city more after this.  I have to work fast.

     “Don’t mention it.  As for what’s going on…  Well, there’s no harm in telling you at this point.”

     The government likes to keep all this Shadow business quiet.  From their point of view, telling people there’s another world all too close to ours where demons exist would do nothing but cause mass hysteria.  Valuing the truth more than the average person, I tend to disagree with them, but they write my checks.  If people actually knew about the monsters hiding under their beds, days like today wouldn’t be so dangerous.  With a Persona user on every corner, this little crisis would have been wrapped up before lunch.  Instead, my friends and I had to be flown in to assist the already stretched thin Shadow Operatives handle this threat.

     “Short version: monsters are real and they knocked out the power.  Less short version: they’re Shadows, monsters made from human emotion.  They’re trying to pull our world into theirs and turn all of us into them.  I’m here to stop that.”

     Crossing an intersection, a particular puny shadow leaps out at us.  Without stopping, I slash through it with my sword, reducing it to a harmless puddle of slime.  Looks like that one hadn’t manage to absorb someone yet.  That’s a good sign at the least.

     It’s odd.  There’s no shortage of these things, but they’re not all that hardy.  Again, I know I need to focus on the task at hand, but could it be whatever is causing this is trading quality for quantity?

     “The worse the mental state, the worse the Shadow.  Ipso facto, the psych ward’s our best bet for finding the one keeping this place dark.  How far out are we?”

It sounds impossible - but I’ve never seen someone so sincere, and I’m actually inclined to believe him. Given everything I’ve already seen in such a short space of time, it sounds nothing short of plausible, at the very least - and I get the feeling that denying it is only going to waste time that we really don’t have. The power has already been out for far too long; any more time spent idle is coming directly out of the life force of some very sick people. As a doctor, I can’t abide that.

“Shadows?” It makes some sense, I guess. If the monsters feed on emotion, a hospital is probably like a feast to them. Emotions of all sorts run through these halls day-in, day-out. I’m about to open my mouth and as if that’s the reason that the corridors are so empty when I’m interrupted by something lunging at us. The sight is enough to freeze me in my tracks for a moment, but it doesn’t seem to phase the other male. In a move that seems almost effortless, he slices clean through the thing - the Shadow - leaving only a pile of goo where it had been just moments previous. 

I exhale a breath that I hadn’t quite realised had gotten stuck, and suppress a shiver. It’s just hit me all over again that I really have no means of defending myself-- but there’s no time to stand and fret. I keep moving, purposefully picking up my pace as far as this weight on my shoulders will allow.

“Not that much farther. It’s just down at the end of this next corridor.” I hope the patients inside are okay. If what the man is saying is true, and the more powerful Shadows have been attracted to the psychiatric ward, surely they’re all in danger. A weight settles in the pit of my stomach as we get closer - though I’m not sure if that’s down to nerves or if it’s because this sense of exhaustion is getting worse and not better as time goes on. To distract myself, I clear my throat and glance back at the agent.

“Sorry, did I catch your name?” He feels familiar, somehow, even though I’m pretty certain we’ve never met. “Dr Hiraga - but, uh, please just call me Keisuke.”

[diagnostiics-blog]

bloodsplatteredmoon:

[~☪~] He gently shook his head as the other took the time to explain that he had come this way in order to try and take a shortcut back to his house…

Probably not the smartest move one could pull when one decides to take a shortcut through the slums that is well known to house thugs and drunk brats who just come here in order to badmouth people they had screwed over.

It probably wouldn’t have been good to find that someone else had ended up getting into trouble again, and possibly somehow a Shadow or stuck in Tartarus…

“Yes, it would be better if you didn’t come this way anymore… I’m here enough to know that a lot of the people that show up will take advantage of someone who can’t exactly fight back.” He replied to the other inquiry of whether he should came through this alleyway again.

A soft sigh escaped from him as Keisuke mentioned to him that it was good that he had been there… even if he could tell his old classmate was probably more than curious why he had been there in the first place, but he wasn’t making himself ask… that was okay…

“I suppose I’ve been okay… for the most part. Though I don’t know if I’ll get the opportunity to go back to school anytime soon… hopefully things are doing okay with you?”

Some people might have been offended if someone implied that they were unable to defend themselves, but Keisuke only continued to smile sheepishly, knowing very well that the other was right. Maybe he could defend himself - but against people who actually knew what they were doing, he likely wouldn’t stand a chance. He was much better equipped to patch people up after a scuffle, not be in one himself. It was interesting, though, that Shinjiro had said that he was ‘here enough to know’ what went on here...

“Shouldn’t you be avoiding this place, too? If it’s as risky coming here as you say it is, I mean. I wouldn’t want you to end up hurt either, right?” Granted, the other male looked slightly more equipped to deal with people like that than he did, but still... Something definitely seemed a little strange, but it wasn’t as though Shinjiro seemed as though he’d become the type of person that would corner someone in an alley, or even hang out in them at all. 

His answer didn’t sound too enthusiastic, either, which was a little concerning. Keisuke only ever wanted good things for people - which was one of the reasons he so enjoyed being able to help them when they were unwell or hurt. “Oh, really? How come?” He supposed that Gekkoukan was a private school, and they had entry requirements and things... but Shinji had been bright in classes, he remembered that. Surely the school would be eager to take someone like that back? He nodded in response to the question with a gentle smile. “Oh, I’m fine. Busy, you know? I’m graduating this year, so I have lots of work to do. I need to work out what comes after and stuff...”

[diagnostiics-blog]

putonasho:

“… Whatever.”

It was annoying, sure, but Sho knew that he was going to be stared at wherever he went. Usually, though, a scowl in the offender’s direction was enough to scare them off. It was rare that people actually approached him.

Arms crossed in front of his chest, the teen waited for him to awkwardly wander off after the apology, regretting the sad excuse of a conversation to begin with. However, he didn’t move from his spot, or even say anything, for a few moments.

And when he did speak, Sho was left… genuinely surprised. He would have never expected a stranger to be… concerned.

“I’m… not really sure. I’ve had them for awhile, so even if they did hurt, it would probably just seem normal for me. Besides…”

His crossed arms, previously showing some attitude, tightened to nearly hugging his also scarred chest.

“Treatment involves hospitals. I don’t like hospitals.”

Clearly the topic made the other uncomfortable, but Keisuke supposed that that was to be expected. The changes in body language might have gone undetected by most, but the medic had done some training on noticing the signs of stress, so he picked them up with relative ease. Going forward, he’d need to be as tactful as possible if he wanted to be of any help to the red-haired young man. To start with, he employed a reassuring smile - fear of hospitals was something he’d come across many times. 

“That’s okay. They’re nothing to be afraid of though, I promise!” The mere fact that the other was actually responding to him, rather than continuing that glare from earlier on, was encouraging. “I would know, I work in one. And besides,” he continued calmly, “there are lots of options for outpatient or over-the-counter treatment these days, too. Have you tried any of those at all?” Ahh, his curiosity wanted to investigate deeper - but he had to restrain himself. He didn’t even know the other’s name, what right did he have to go digging into what had caused his injury?

A polite, if brief, bow. “Hiraga Keisuke. I hope you don’t think I’m intruding.”

[diagnostiics-blog]

notyourprinccss:

      Naturally, Hamuko is quick to match the other student’s sunny grin before she even learns his name; her expression instantly brightens into one equally friendly as he draws near, just before mirroring his bow and offering a gentle ‘nice to meet you’ in return. She’s fully prepared to engage in amiable small-talk, too — for his is a name that she’s heard as well, however sparingly between the two notoriously stoic people they seemed to have in common — but alas, she doesn’t quite get the chance.

      Sheepishness begins to dance at the upturns of her lips as the upperclassman notes the ( barely there ) family resemblance, only to overwhelm her in full force and still her tongue entirely once she’s informed that Hidetoshi — stern, no nonsense Hidetoshi — has told someone about her, on more than one occasion. And as if that alone weren’t enough to throw her off her guard, Hiraga surprises her again by shifting the conversation straight to the one person she really doesn’t think she can handle casually chatting about.

        ✤ - “Yeah, of course,” she assures earnestly. Despite the heat beginning to gather at her throat, her voice is smooth, bright and attentive —— as much a product of the third year’s infinitely approachable demeanor as it was her interest in the topic at hand. “Is everything alright? He’s not mad at me for planning to skip Council today, is he? Because I warned him during our last meeting that I had to go to volleyball practice —”

“Oh, no, nothing like that!”

He’s quick to dismiss that possibility from the others mind with a bright, reassuring smile and a wave of his hand. Sure, the student council was important to Hidetoshi, but as far as he could tell, Hamuko had earned some leniency from the Emperor’s perspective. There weren’t many that wandered these corridors that could make such a claim, and Keisuke knew that well. The third year shifted his weight from one foot to the other with a gentle expression.

“Actually, I just wanted to ask if you thought he was doing okay recently, that’s all. From what I’ve heard, you’ve been helping him out lately, so I figured you guys have been spending a little time together.” Though the smile didn’t fade too much, his eyes did seem to soften somewhat with concern. “He mentioned something to me the other day... about someone smoking in the bathrooms or something?”

“I agree that the person needs help with their habit, but he seemed pretty intense about it, even for him. And I’ve started to hear people in the corridors talking about him. He said he was fine when I asked, but... you know. I don’t want him to get too stressed out, that’s all.” His own drama had unfortunately taken front and center recently, which meant he hadn’t had as much time to keep watch over their mutual friend. “Obviously, I don’t get to see him in council meetings, and I know you do - and it sounded like you’re the type of person who’d notice if something was different.” A pause, and a slightly sheepish chuckle. “I hope you don’t think I’m being too nosy! He’s just a really good friend.” 

[diagnostiics-blog]

canonressentiment:

Minako’s eyes glittered in surprise when she was able to point out Keisuke’s art work. Granted, she hadn’t had time to spend so much with the artist (something she was currently stressing herself over) and this was the one time she could have thought of anything could really be…of importance.

Well, to at least to talk to him except that first time she had pictures taken of her while in gym. Looking at the male, the female blinked once before looking at the painting once again. Almost as if she was a dog, she tilted her head a bit before frowning.

“Novice?” The shorter brunette of the two questioned as her head tilted a bit more. “I don’t think that, Hiraga-kun.” She commented before smiling at the male. “It looks really good, in my opinion, I see nothing wrong with it!”

She smiled happily, holding the small lunch she was suppose to be eating at that moment. “Were you trying to get a peaceful feel? Because I feel at peace with this.” Minako commented, glancing up to the male as her smile never faded.

“Don’t worry if you are a novice or not, you enjoyed making this artwork, right?”

He grinned modestly, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. Compliments on his work were actually fairly common - whether he believed them or not was another story. Still, it would be rude to deny it when she sounded so sure, so Keisuke chuckled and settled his slightly embarrassed expression on her. “You think so? Well, um, thanks!” Minako’s comments actually made him feel a little better. “I was trying to capture the dynamics of the sea, but in a peaceful kind of way... if that makes any sense. I’m glad it comes across.”

In response to her question about whether he had enjoyed creating the piece, the senior nodded fervently - he almost always loved the process of painting. It was liberating just to focus on the brushstrokes for a time, watching colours stack on top of eachother to create an image right before his eyes. His eyes fell to the lunch in her hand, and he smiled.

“Make sure you have enough time to eat; students really shouldn’t skip meals as far as possible, you know?” He explained, nodding. “Where were you headed to eat?”

[diagnostiics-blog]

deathfortune:

“Oh! I totally get it, it’s always nice being able to explore new things, I’m happy that I can help in that way–plus if it makes other people happy that is even better.” His finger tapped onto his lips, “I really love seeing people create art it’s a real beautiful thing y’know?” Ryoji hummed, “is art something you’d like to do in the future?”

He couldn’t help but laugh at that comment, “Gosh you think he’d be upset? But someone like himself should be made aware of how handsome and amazing he is, I know people can be…unpleasant due to how he acts which is utterly crazy if you ask me!” Fingers tapped on his forearm, “I would love to join in drawing him if that is okay–..oh really? What makes you say that?”

He paused for a moment; the question Ryoji had asked was much more difficult to answer than he probably expected it to be. He enjoyed art immensely, and was (according to others) reasonably talented. If he wanted to, he probably could pursue art as a career - but his father would be livid. What exactly he wanted and what he thought he wanted was less and less clear these days. In response, Keisuke offered a small shrug. “I’m not sure. I don’t have too much longer to think about it though really, do I?”

“Actually, I think he’d be the opposite of upset.” Keisuke grinned, somewhat thankful for the change of subject. Ryoji was right, though - the Emperor’s personality had always been a polarising one, and there were quite a few in the school that didn’t understand the intensity of their shared friend. “Hidetoshi-kun has good intentions, you know? He’s always looking for the right thing to do, it’s just that some people don’t see that straight away.” A fond, gentle smile settled on his expression.

“I don’t know, really. It just seems like you two would get on well.”

[diagnostiics-blog]

[I just let myself wonder what would have become of Keisuke in a DPOE setting and made myself sad

//////:]

[diagnostiics-blog]

🌷

Tell me about…. - accepting

🌷 - your mother

“She’s a lovely lady, my mother. I got my interest in the arts from her, actually - she was a photographer before she had me. It’s still a hobby of hers, of course, and we still have all the professional equipment at home. When I was younger, she used to take me out while Dad was at work and we’d find things to take pictures of, and then we’d go home and develop them ourselves in a little darkroom. If I hadn’t joined the art club, I’d probably have joined the photography club instead.”

“I see her more than I see Dad, too, since she doesn’t work anymore aside from the occasional freelance thing. Of course, ha, that means she’s usually the one telling me to study on his behalf. I know she wants whats best for me - they both do, I guess, but… I don’t know. Sometimes I wish she’d tell him to back off just a little, you know?”

“N-not that I’m complaining!”

[assortedrpmemes]

Meet the People in My Muse’s Life

Send a Symbol, and they’ll tell you about:

🌻 - Their Father 🌷 - Their Mother 🌟 - A Different Family Member 🐶 - A Pet 👊 - A Best Friend 👋 - A Friend 🔍  - An Acquaintance 🍼 - A Child (Theirs or Not) 🎭 - A Former Friend 👿 - An Enemy 📪 - A Neighbor 💘 - A Love Interest 👻  - Someone They Don’t See Often 💀 - Someone Deceased ☀️ - Someone who Can “Turn Lemons into Lemonade” ☔️ - Someone who Can “Turn Lemonade into Lemons” 🍀 - Someone Lucky 🍰 - Someone who Loves Food 🍜 - Someone who’s A Great Cook

[diagnostiics-blog]

notyourprinccss replied to your post: notyourprinccss replied to your post “[okay but...

tbh I’ve thought about this and? if the Kirijo Group intercepts the body ( but in a super smooth way under the guise of like. offering a proper funeral for those close to them, ) they could ostensibly get away with just about any excuse they wanted bc they’d ALSO control any death certificates. poor mitsuru

the deus ex machina that is the kirijo group strikes again

[diagnostiics-blog]

notyourprinccss replied to your post “[okay but can we just talk for a second about how guilty Keisuke would...”

BLOCKED. UNFRIENDED. UNINVITED TO MY BIRTHDAY. RUDE AND ALSO ILLEGAL

what do they tell the non-persona social links

this is a serious question

[diagnostiics-blog]

[okay but

can we just talk for a second about how guilty Keisuke would feel after March 5th, thinking that the protag had died of some mystery illness and thinking that he hadn’t been able to detect/treat it in time?]

[diagnostiics-blog]

bloodsplatteredmoon:

[~☪~] Something about the luck of Gekkou seemed rather sour cause this wasn’t the first time that he had seen one from his school appear and find himself being slowly surrounded by some of the punks that were rather fond of slumming around in this alleyway… bad for him since he would usually find himself here if he didn’t fall asleep on one of the benches inside of the police station whenever Officer Kurosawa would allow him inside for the night.

The last time this kind of thing happened, the new second years in SEES had come here investigating the disappearance of the Yamagishi girl… and now it seemed this guy had ended up here… and called out to him in a puzzled tone…

“Hiraga…?” He rose an eyebrow at him… oh, he remembered him now. He was the one who sat beside him in school that was thought of to be a doctor in the future, just like his father… everytime Shinji would come to class and looked like he had gone through the ringer, this guy would see if he could help in any way…

God dammit… he soon got himself up, he wasn’t gonna watch them do anything to him after all of the times Keisuke went out of his way to help him in the past. In a few quick steps, he brought himself in front of Fortune, giving a rather menacing glare at the others, which seemed to put off one of the thugs.

“I would suggest leaving him alone, unless you want a dent in your head like the last time.” He dared them in a low tone, which caused them to take a step back.

Not missing the chance for cursing Shinjiro for getting in their way again like before, they were quick to leave the alleyway, as the silver eyes looked back to stare at Keisuke.

“What are you doing in a place like this? Do you want to mugged?”

Definitely not quite the Shinjiro he remembered - but he was grateful for the help, nonetheless. It was surprising, actually, just how quickly the trio backed off after the Hierophant stepped up to place himself between them. They’d seemed pretty set on cornering him just a few moments before. Keisuke watched them leave, opting to keep quiet and simply watch as they stalked off, carefully pushing his glasses back up his nose. Though he remained a little intimidated by the entire situation, his main feeling toward the situation remained one of concern for his would-be attackers. Hanging out on the streets as they did was far from a healthy lifestyle.

Still, he was quick to thank the other brunet, sheepishly running a hand through his hair as if in apology for getting himself in trouble. “I was just walking home, and... thought I’d look for a shortcut.” he explained with an abashed smile, the tension visibly leaving his body and slowly returning his expression to its more standard brightness. “Maybe I won’t come this way next time.”

The immaculate Gekkoukan uniform made him feel even more out of place here, where everything seemed to be covered in a sheet of dust or grime of some description. “It’s lucky you were here, really.” A moment’s thought, and something occurred to him. Why was Shinjiro here, too? Still, it would probably be rude to just outright ask - he didn’t want to make it seem as though he’d just assumed that his old classmate was one of the delinquents that frequented this spot, did he?

Instead, he opts for something a little more neutral. “How have you been? It’s been a while since I last saw you, hasn’t it? I was worried after you stopped coming to school, you know.”

[diagnostiics-blog]

You know, you needn't fight battles on my account... You'd be here all day.

He briefly pulls a face, reclining in his seat before offering a bright, reassuring smile.

“Of course I do. What else are friends for?” They’re hardly battles, anyway - more a touch of damage control, that’s all. “I know you’d do the same for me, too. It’s no trouble, really.”