Minato | Open | 088

[messianic]

a

[Look, he's a Persona protag. So maybe you're having some difficulty with something--anything from looking for something to dropping things to carrying groceries and who knows what else--and after a moment of observing, he has to come over, hands tucked into his pocket and voice quiet, to ask:]

Is there anything I can help with?

[Protags gotta protag, after all; he just wants to be useful, okay!!!]

b

[Alternatively, he also seems to always find himself in these situations and can't seem to say no.... which is a life skill that would probably benefit him to learn but one he will never quite manage. HE...TRIED....

Probably.

But it's almost Easter and that's why he was dragged into helping with an easter egg hunt, wearing a stupid-ass costume complete with bunny ears and looking very puzzled about it (if you can tell beneath the lineface).

He's also, more importantly, kind of struggling to juggle all of the eggs he's supposed to be painting while more are dumped onto him by other overworked volunteers, and with paint on his face and hands and a paintbrush in his mouth as backup while he tries to paint colorful designs on one of the many eggs in his hands, he...

... Probably has bitten off more than he can chew.

Help.]

c

[if you want to see him shoot himself in the head make up a battle prompt or just tell me and i'll come up with one, it'll be Fun.]

wildcard

[Come up with your own prompt or consider one of these OR WHATEVER MAKES YOU HAPPY.]

Comments

B

[egocentricpolicedick]

[ ... Okay, he came over to make sure this brat wasn't acting up at the Easter Egg hunt that someone trusted him with watching over. ... But he's completely stopped in his tracks at the sight of that outfit.]

... Look, I know that whole "kemono" or "furry" or whatever thing is catching on, but there's kids around. This really the place to be wearing that?

[messianic]

[Wow, he's not a furry!!

He blinks, looks down at his costume, and looks back up at Adachi.

And.

Actually wait please hold, he has to juggle some easter eggs in a rather impressive maneuver so he can get the damn extra paintbrush that he doesn't even know where it came from out of his mouth.

Okay there.

After all of that effort:]

Is it really that bad? It's colorful.

[KIDS DIG COLORS.

Thanks, Minato.]

b;

[orphean]

[what's better than one protag in a bunny costume? well, two protags in bunny costumes, of course! so.

naturally, minako is much, much more enthusiastic about this whole ordeal. it's fun, okay?

so she'll saunter over, grinning brightly and holding out an empty basket for those eggs. well, a second basket, since minako already has one full of eggs as well.

#protagproblems]

Isn't that many eggs a little... eggstreme?

[yeah. that happened.]

[messianic]

[why are you like this, colorful twin.

Granted, she works the bunny costume way better than he does with her enthusiasm and bright smile, so at least the organizers of this got one of the two correct.

He looks up from his work and puts some of the dry eggs into the basket, freeing up his hands a bit. Thank god for that.]

You know what Akihiko-senpai says. If you're going to eggsercise, do it eggstremely.

[why

He doesn't even deliver it with the proper intonation for a pun.]

b

[mindandmatter]

[She may not fill out her outfit quite as well as its originator, but she certainly looks amused to be wearing it.

But then, isn't being amused her default state?]

I see. So part of being important to the fate of the world is wearing a rabbit outfit. Is this what they call a "battle standard"?

[messianic]

[JFC ELIZABETH what short straw did you pull to end up in that outfit... it even throws Minato off, and he needs a moment to respond.

Ah.... uh........]

...Elizabeth-san.

[Um???]

I think it's just a part of being important to the holiday... [but y'know, whatever floats your boat.] Would you like [something to cover up with--] some chocolate? [close enough]

b

[stophamatime]

[ what

By most definitions, yes, it's a very stupid-ass costume, but on the other hand, the ears look so...soft.

But Ken is most definitely not going to let anyone catch him staring at the ears (someone has already noticed him staring at the ears), so he quickly refocuses. It doesn't matter if they're soft and cute! Soft and cute is not something a Mature Young Man like himself should be zeroing in on. ]

Um...do you need some help, Minato-san?

[ Because wow, you look soft and cute kind of in over your head here. ]

[messianic]

[All of the above: correct. You know you want to touch the ears, Ken.

Unfortunately(?) Minato doesn't quite catch it since Ken refocuses so quickly; he fumbles with a few of the eggs, somehow manages to not drop any, and shuffles his paintbrushes off to the side.

Aha!]

Hello, Ken-kun.

[sup what up, this is totally normal.]

It's going pretty well, aside from the paint. [(which is like 90% of the task? okay)

he'd...thumbs up...but eggs.... so many eggs.] But if you want to help, I'd appreciate it.

a.

[compliant]

Um...

[ What? ]

...

[ Okay, yes, she has been waiting at this crosswalk for several minutes now, but it's not her fault the lights won't turn! Regardless, Anri doesn't really understand how he's supposed to "help" with that.

Maybe she just looks really, really pathetic. ]

I don't understand what you're asking.

[messianic]

[A protag's gotta try, right.... but it sure isn't her fault that the sign won't change!! In fact, it seems kind of questionable, but Minato's got a solution for that!!!

No promises if it'll work, but hey.

A solution's a solution.]

It seems like the light is being difficult... just one moment.

[He's going to go ahead and, while the other light to the other side of the crosswalk is still somehow on walk (seriously, does this light ever change?) jog over there to hit the button on that side too.

SURELY IF PEOPLE ON BOTH ENDS OF THE STREET WANT TO CROSS THAT WAY, IT WILL WORK??]

a, modern au assumed social link a-go-go

[deporteure]

Haha! Arisato-kun, do you really have so much free time to offer me help? I'm honored, but I don't think going to the extents of reviewing laws would be very fair to you.

[ Instead, the college student ponders. ]

Would you like to spar instead? You've taken kendo, have you not? Don't worry, I have no intention of using my actual sword. [ Why he's even allowed to carry this in broad daylight is a true mystery. ]

hell yes social links are a go

[messianic]

[It's...hard..... admittedly. He knows nothing about law! He presumably would suck at law; he's bright and gets good scores at school, but he's just a high school kid.

But.

Uh.]

Whatever you'd prefer, Asougi-san. [thumbs up!!] I've practiced a little kendo, but if you really need to study, I can try my best to listen, at least.

a brushes off every single spec of dust

[treasurehunts]

[he's in one of his building frenzies again

which just so happens to include lugging around a giant cannon barrel - though it's also probably causing a giant racket since even motochika can't quite hold the full thing by himself? it's even longer than his anchor after all.... and that's why it's dragging behind him, probably tearing up whatever poor road there is behind him

and at the offer he turns to minato

sizes him up

and laughs]

Yeah, you wanna split the weight with me, runt?

[it might be a step above groceries]

casually dies over the nostalgia

[messianic]

[Motochika...... why are you even tearing up this poor road. What did it ever do to you? Minato's kind of just standing there, staring, hands tucked into his pocket, but eventually... he just kind of nods.

He's scrawny, sure, but he's gotta give it a try!! For the road!!]

Sure. [IT'S CASUAL CLEARLY.] That should be fine.

[maybe]

a

[dynamighty]

[ Erika looks up, grabbing a spool of thread before it can bounce off the curb and roll into a gutter (knowing her luck), and as she takes in the sight of this lanky teenage boy with his hair somehow perfectly swept into the Mysterious Side Bang, her eyes grow wide and she blurts out-- ]

Be my model!!

[messianic]

[...Well. She'd mostly looked like she had a ton of things to worry about, with all of that fabric and thread, and he'd thought maybe he could help her organize or carry things (or even sew if she needed it, thanks, Bebe), but instead...

He blinks, tilting his head slightly.]

... I don't really have any experience modeling.

[Mysterious tiny strange middle schooler.]

rise!!

[messianic]

[It's a relatively peaceful evening, which is nice for once. No Shadow fighting, no studying, nothing to really worry about or think about--

So Minato goes to karaoke.

He knows his teammates and friends think it's a little odd, but... Minato likes it. He likes to sing, he likes the thrill of having to get up on stage in front of everyone and do his best, and the sort of strange courage that it takes, and so when it turns out that it's duet night somehow, without him realizing it at all, and he ends up with a girl he's never met before...

Well, he has to roll with it.

Huh...]

Nice to meet you. [You're awfully calm about this, Minato.] I guess this will be interesting.

[pseudonyms]

[I hope you know my first thought was the opening scene of HSM. But anyway, so here they are! Truth be told, Rise was in town checking out the island and also getting a tour of Club Escapade. They wanted to schedule a show for her there and though her career is still newer she can't say she isn't flattered. Still...the tour was over short enough and she managed to slip away from Inoue-san to Mandragora upon hearing the music floating through the mall. It's been a while since she's been to a karaoke bar and sometimes she forgets how fun it is to sing for...well, fun!

Some people recognize her, but not many. She hasn't quite hit household name just yet and that also suits her just fine.

What also suits her just fine is this polite boy who's partnered up with her for a duet. She doesn't mind his calm demeanor, if only because it's easy for her to bounce her more cheerful nature right off of him.]

Nice to meet you, too. [There's a playful smile.] I picked something a little upbeat. I hope that's okay?

anya!!

[messianic]

[He doesn't actually intend to end up in a place like this. He was poking his head in solely because he had no idea where the door led. There's no sign for the building, and Minato...well, he likes knowing what's around him. He feels like he's at least stepped foot in most of the places around here, but this one is a mystery.

So he walks in, shoulders slumped in a relaxed posture and hands in his pockets, and blinks at what he finds.

A shooting gallery...?

He shouldn't be here, probably; a gun will never really help him, not with his Evoker as it is, but... he can't help his curiosity as he notes there's someone already here, gun in hand. So he meanders closer to watch, but still a safe distance away, and--

Wait....... she looks kind of familiar... but also wow a cute girl with a gun? What's wrong with this picture?

(Absolutely nothing, cute girls are terrifying and he knows it.)]

[constellates]

[There's no stopping the ring of gunfire as it echoes through the hall. It's good that Minato's a fair distance away as even Anya with her mufflers and glasses can sometimes recoil from the sound of it in surprise - but not when the actual gun is in her hand. She shoots with practice and ease, happy to have found a shooting gallery in the city even far away from home.

Ah, she misses her Papa.

This helps, though.

It's only after she's fired her shots at the board - no bullseyes, but close, she wonders if she should come by more often - that she takes a break and notices him. She approaches without the gun and with a different, disarming smile.]

Bсем привет...? Mm, hello?

[why are you staring can she help you please don't be creepy]

joker-san!!!!

[messianic]

[They don't meet again until Minato gets a proper day off--and in the life of a protag, that's not exactly an easy thing. But summer vacation brings with it free time, and when he's not being drilled by Mitsuru in lessons and when they're not fighting Shadows, he hops on the train and makes his way to Cafe Leblanc. ...After a lot of getting lost and wandering the streets and doing his best.

Thankfully, this isn't the first time he's been in the city proper, though it's been awhile; he manages to make it work after he takes some time to do so, and he's got his ever-trusty mp3 player and headphones to make the trip less strenuous.

It takes him a bit to find it... but when he does, peering vaguely at his GPS on his phone, he pushes open the door tentatively and peers in, pulling one headphone off idly

Hello, is there a fellow protag in here...?]

pulls down shades I HAVE ARRIVED

[purrtagonist]

[the cafe is empty today. Sojiro isn't anywhere to be seen, having left to buy some groceries and cigarettes while Akira tends to the store. and as for the black-haired, glasses-wearing protagonist? well, he's busying himself with some dirty dishes behind the counter while a black cat lounges on one of the bar chairs]

[he glances up from his work, a pleasant, customer service smile on his features, and starts]

Welco--

[but then he cuts himself off, brows arching in surprise, hands pausing in the hot sudsy water in the sink. sure, he had invited Arisato to the cafe, but honestly? he never expected him to actually show up]

[but that's probably because he wasn't completely sure that their encounters weren't, well. dreams. or something]

. . . huh. So you are real. . .

[THAT'S RUDE JOKER]

BUT IT WAS ME, ORACLE

[necromomicon]

[So at some point, midway through their conversation, the door is opening and Futaba is running in in alarm.

And then she realizes, wait, shit, there's actually a person here, so she's immediately running around behind the counter to hide behind Akira.]

What are you doing, Akira?! Who is this guy, and why are you telling him about Mona and Personae?!

I FUCKING PROMISED

[raptural]

[ What the fuck is Easter, asked anyone from Eos. ]

Please, wait.

[ Somehow she ended up in the middle of this easter egg hunt, looking very festive in her pastel-coloured dress and white shoes. Without a hair out of place, she reaches out and snatches an egg before it can fall to the grass. Likely, it would be unharmed, but the Oracle knows a little something about showmanship. ]

You dropped this.

[ Politely, Luna doesn't even address the costume. ]

GASPS

[messianic]

[You know, it's bad enough to be seen in this costume, but being seen in this costume by a regal and beautiful woman would probably be enough to make most teen boys want to crawl into a hole to never be seen again. Thankfully, Minato is not most teens; he accepts the egg with a quiet nod, and--]

Oh... thank you. That could've been bad... thanks for saving it.

[It's just an egg, Minato.]