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[ Though he doesn't audibly sigh, her words fill him with hefty relief. None of them are really soldiers, despite their nighttime jaunts through Tartarus.

But, wait— ]

—"King"?

[ His confusion's evident in his voice - the hell does that mean? ]

Yeah, it's a... rank here. It's kinda weird, it sounds like they base the ranks off chess pieces. I'm a King, Minato-kun's a Queen... [Yeah that's a thing.] And... I think Souji-kun's a Knight, and Aigis is a Rook. So we're all different 'ranks', but they kinda do different stuff. Far as I know, Kings are mostly healers.

[ . . . . . . .

He ain't even gonna front, that is some weird-ass ranking system they've got going right there. ]

And you guys get to pick what you want?

No, you just kinda wake up one day and your Carrier freaks out at you... and then you go and there's this ceremony where they change your rank pin. [Pause. Was that all of it? Oh, right] OH! And they let you have a new weapon, too, I guess. Or one chooses you or whatever. Kinda like when you first show up.

... But yeah, if you wake up feeling any different and your Carrier's freaking out at you to go somewhere, that's why.

[ Got it. Not happy about it, but got it. ]

And you're okay with being a king?

I don't really get a choice but...

It gives me the ability to heal again, so I can help people out. So yeah, it's probably the best one for me? [Pause.] ... I like healing people and helping them. I mean what else would I do?

[ "Live a normal life without being abducted into some alien world" is what he'd like to say, but since he can't: ]

Seems like everyone'll be counting on you then. [ He's still not really inclined to help out in this war effort, but if the rest of his little crew's here... ] What do the other ranks do?

[Well, going back home is the ideal endgame, but for as long as they're stuck in the area...]

I'm not entirely sure. I think Queens are magic users, but mostly offensive, like the opposite of a King. Knights... I'm gonna guess have something to do with being physically strong? I have no idea really what the Rooks do, or I guess the Bishops.

[ He notes for himself to look into these ranks later, when he's finished his round of check-ups for the day. Though: ]

Sounds like you guys got everything covered then.

[ Do they really even need him, at this point? ]

I guess. I dunno, I think even among the ranks there are people that are better at one thing than another. Like I guess there's a whole part of the King magic that would let me... curse things... but I can't really do it really well? [She isn't sure about that.] And I guess I can learn some offensive magic, it's just a lot harder to do than if I had my Persona.

I dunno... this whole place... it seems kinda weird. Like... I'm less powerful than I was with my Persona.

[ Hey he promised himself (and her, did he do that?) that he was gonna make an effort so here he is, calling her up out of the blue. Who does that? Not Minato. ]

Hey.

[Who knows, but she wonders about getting a random message out of nowhere from him. ... He wants something?]

Oh, hey. What's up? [She's... not in a bad mood???]

[ He's a man of mystery. Never know what to expect. ]

I was thinking about getting lunch. Are you hungry?

[... Okay now this is kind of suspicious.

She's not going to let it show too much, though.]

Um, yeah, sure. You had anywhere in mind? [She definitely sounds more surprised than suspicious, but... it's still definitely there.

What is he up to]

[ Does he ever? If there's one thing Minato does know about this place, it's where to eat. ]

Yeah, if you're up for a trip to the coastal district.

Oh, I like the area. Yeah, sign me up. [Must be a good sign when she's so willing to just go along with him... lunch doesn't sound bad, either way.

she'll figure out what he wants eventually]

[ What he really wants?

Fresh oysters. Yeeesss. ]

Meet me out front?

[Yeah but this is weird for him, so she's just going to keep being suspicious of someone she's rarely ever suspicious of. ]

Done! [She will, too.]

[ And that is that. Really, it's very ominous how inherently normal it all seems. Because they don't do normal, do they?

And sure enough, Minato is actually already waiting. Like, isn't she used to conveniently being positioned in places where he can run into her? What sort of crazy world is this?

Oh the cat is there too. She mews. ]

Hey! [They definitely don't do a whole lot of normal in their world, no. Or even between them.

Also isn't it weird when she no longer has to behave like an NPC because she's being directly controlled now. Maybe there was something to Yukari originally being the other protag.

She does, however, smile a little at Shirosaba. Argus, for its part, seems to be drifting on some thermals high above their heads and out of the way.] So what's on the menu? I'm assuming seafood?

... Do they do sushi here?

[ Not an NPC...what a strange concept. It's almost like his friends are their own people instead of conveniently placed for him to develop his own personality.

But he looks pleased to see her. Quiet, yes, but the small turn of his lips should be one she recognizes, even if it's not a full on smile. ]

Something like it. [ He motions with his head for her to follow his lead, letting his hands fall into his pockets. ] Fresh cuts of fish, grilled fish...they have a local take on sushi, if that counts. It's good.

[ Ah, yes. Obviously the topic of Personas would come up sooner or later. Shinjiro holds silent as she talks, content for the moment to let her air out her feelings. His own he keeps strictly locked inside - it doesn't feel right to say that he's relieved over this whole affair and the sudden silence in his head is comforting rather than alienating.

But just because he doesn't want his back doesn't mean others don't. ]

You can't ask for your Persona back? They're strong enough to dump us here. A Persona shouldn't be a problem.

[ Far as he can tell anyway. ]

[If only, if only.

... Ugh, she has such a cute boyfriend, too. Why the hell is he so endearing when he's not being an ass. And even when he is being an ass, but the calmer he is, the calmer she seems to be. The fact he puts his hands into his pockets helps even more. She might've had to stop and ask him what he thinks he's doing if he grabbed her hand.]

Yeah? I guess I haven't really been exploring the food much around here. I guess outside of Mondays, the food they give us back at the Hall of Glory's been fine, but I usually just skip breakfast or go pick something up, then.

[She giggles.] Guess I gotta rely on you for the food tour, since I never really took one.

[She lacks terrible, life-changing accidents with her own Persona, it's true. Io had always been a comforting presence within her - a knowledge she was strong and could take fate in her own hands and fight to find the answers she wants. Might've been a little different if hers had accidentally killed someone, definitely.]

You can't... I mean, they can't even bring in the items you had back home. There's kinda a reason you wake up nak... well, without anything. I don't know why, though. I think it's cuz even the people here don't know what brought us here. They keep saying we're gifts from the gods or something.

[ She she actually just use the B word? Is that a thing that happened?

Minato, of course, has been eating out. A lot. Especially while Souji was out. Not that he minds it much, it's nice having a variety and he was pretty used to eating out all the time back home. ]

There are a lot of good places around here. [ He says unsurprisingly. ] Some places will give you discounts if you're a hero. [ A pause. ] ...Or they used to.

[ Ever since the incident...some might be less indulgent. ]

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audio; some time after the silly fancy party

the one I didn't go to? lmaooo

GOSH YUKARI that's probably for the best. she would've hated his mask

SHE... probably would've. sorry for the inexplicable absence, though

he'll find it to forgive her

he better

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