I. → Naoto Shirogane

[truthsfortune]

[She stands there, simply squinting at the scenery. She's standing right in the Lobby, not quite sure if she wants to venture further in or not. She looks rather uncomfortable about the whole thing, really, but you'd never be able to easily tell.

She lets out a small breath.]

I would really rather find a way back home.

Comments

[zeroth_card]

[He makes his way through the lobby, taking a look around the place. As he hears that uniformed fellow speak, another voice is heard inside his head: This one is cut from the same cloth as I, Atropos comments.

He figures he might as well approach this person.]

Do you have unfinished business back home as well?

[truthsfortune]

[She glances over the individual who approached her and something immediately jumps out at her about him. She isn't sure what it is but she's interested.]

Sort of. It's more along the lines of Inaba being where I most belong.

[zeroth_card]

I can relate. I've grown attached to Iwatodai over the year I've spent there.

[takes a moment to remember something] Inaba... is that the town that has the Amagi Inn?

[truthsfortune]

[Her eyebrows arch in surprise. Iwatodai? Wasn't that...]

That's correct. You're familiar with Inaba?

[zeroth_card]

[He notices that look of recognition. Similar world, then? Same world? Atropos mentions he should have brought Lachesis if he wanted to compare lengths]

Well, I've been around most of Japan, and tend to hear of the places I haven't been to. One of my uncles went there once.

[truthsfortune]

[Aha. Now she realizes what had intrigued her about this boy. He reminded her terribly of Souji. Not in personality or mannerisms--not that she knew anything about those yet--but in presences. She wasn't sure she could describe it.]

I see. What a strange coincidence. Inaba is a very rural town, quite isolated from most of the happenings in the country.

[zeroth_card]

[Presences is right, and Atropos is crowing about how this one recognizes Minato's power (Thor, meanwhile, grouses about how a blind monkey could recognize Minato's power if the compatible Persona chattered like Atropos has been doing; Minato figures he should continue the conversation before his guests give him a migraine)]

I think it's less a coincidence than just a few Degrees of Separation. Though it is an odd coincidence that my History teacher in Gekkoukan has a cousin who also teaches in Inaba, of all places. That's part of why I remembered hearing about that place before.

[truthsfortune]

[She's giving him a very careful look.]

I have been to Gekkoukan. Our high school in Inaba took a class trip to visit that school. Were you there at that time?

[Since it was entirely possible they had run into each other then but never knew it.]

[zeroth_card]

[He won't mention how lame it sounds to take a class trip to another school. He's more interested in the possibility that he might have seen this person before and not had the same sense of recognition he does now.]

Could be. When did you take your class trip?

[truthsfortune]

[She thinks for a moment.]

September. 2011.

[zeroth_card]

[His eyes widen a bit at that. He almost considers it being some sort of joke... but no, this fellow doesn't strike him as the sort.]

That's... nearly two years in my future.

[truthsfortune]

[Her expression is quick to match his. Then she frowns as she gives it more thought.]

I see... That's quite interesting. It must have something to do with the Time Compression.

[zeroth_card]

Probably. I did hear about some of the SeeDs being dragged from 20 years ago, so there's a precedent.

[He ponders for a moment whether to ask the following, but decides to go ahead with this. It's not fate, after all, just a possibility, and if this fellow's from 2011, either the Fall was (will be?) averted or Ryoji simply didn't know how much time it would take to happen.]

By the way, you recall that Apathy Syndrome scare of 2009, right? How did it end?

[truthsfortune]

[She nods. It makes sense to her. Well, as much sense as such a thing can make. But what are the odds she'd meet someone from her past?

Then she blinks, perplexed.]

The what?

[zeroth_card]

[Minato blinks. Slowly. He has to remind himself the Apathy Syndrome was always mostly centered on the Port Island area and its sorroundings and it only looked big because he was smack dab in the middle of it all.]

It's... an illness that grays the hair, gives a sickly complexion and makes the afflicted incapable of doing anything on their own. It mostly happened around Iwatodai, but it started getting really serious around November. You might have heard something about it by then, at least.

[truthsfortune]

[Naoto pauses, scratches her chin as she thinks. Thinks... No, something like that. She would definitely remember it if she'd heard about it. Then she shakes her head with a frown.]

No... I've never heard of such a thing. I'm certain I would remember if I had.