dear fellow traveler under the moon

[memori3s]

Who: Minato & You!
Where: All around Aldrip
What: Catch-all for the month with open prompts, maybe some closed starters too
Warnings: Injury, suicidal ideation, asphyxiation, updated as needed.

i. ball is life

[ City Hall's gardens have quickly become a spot that Minato frequented. He's often here in the early evenings, accompanied by Koromaru. It's an ideal place for the dog to stretch his legs. Aldrip doesn't appear to have any leash laws. Ergo, Koromaru roams free as Minato sits by himself on a bench.

The shiba inu trots about with a red ball in his mouth, tail held high with a pleased look on his face. He circles back to Minato who's seated on his usual bench today. Typically, Minato observes as Koromaru entertains himself, racing around the greenspace or flinging whatever toy he's brought with him that day.

Today though, Koromaru stands in front of Minato and presents the ball to him, tail wagging enthusiastically.

You WILL throw ball, Minato Arisato. Ball is LIFE. ]

ii. gardening

[ Visiting the farmhouse is a recent addition to Minato's daily routine. He greets the animals there even though he's technically not at the farmhouse to see them. He can't help but offer a friendly headpat or snoutpat to the ones that are bold enough to approach.

There's an empty field of soil just outside the farmhouse. Kotone's offered it to him, leaving Minato free to use it for his new project. He's there today wearing comfortable work clothes, kneeling in the dirt with a hand hoe to carefully loosen the soil.

It began with an off-the-cuff response, an answer to a question that's always been difficult for Minato to grapple with.

"Is there anything you've always wanted to try, but never have?" Kotone had asked as they walked side by side through City Center, a bag of peanuts in his hand that she'd pressed into his palm.

And even before that, there'd been Sha-Ming with earnest anger flaring in his eyes as he declared that all creatures should have dreams, desires, and things they wanted to do while clinging stubbornly to life.

He's not used to contemplating all the things he'd like to try, things he never got the opportunity to do. He's here now though, thanks to the response he'd given to Kotone's question. Minato decides this answer is satisfactory as he continues loosening the soil to prepare it for some seedlings.

There's some soil streaked on a cheek, and his elbows have some dirt on them too. He's content though, quietly working on his task. ]

iii. i am thou, thou art i

[ The mild breeze leaves delicate ripples along the oceanwater's surface. The shore's salty air fills Minato's lungs, clearing his mind and easing any troublesome thoughts that plague him as of late.

It's why he finds himself at the beach again today, shoes removed and socks tucked neatly in them. The sand is warm and silky under his feet, offering him something to focus on other than how, lately, his mind continuously strays to a ruined moonlit bridge.

Something brushes against his foot and disturbs his train of thought. It shifts his gaze from the horizon to the floor. There's a crab scuttling across his feet; it pauses in between them, freezing when it senses someone's attention focused on it. Then it's moving again, faster, making a beeline towards the water.

He takes a step forward to follow the trail left by the little crab. He doesn't get very far, interrupted by a sudden, agonizing pain in his head. He folds over with a gasp, pressing a hand against his forehead. He does not see the towering shadow taking shape from behind, unaware of its presence until a white-gloved hand grips his shoulder.

The creature shoves him down. He collapses like a marionette cut from its strings. And as he looks up to identify his assailant, he swiftly realizes there is nothing to truly fear. He immediately recognizes that metal mask. It's why he doesn't struggle against the hand holding him down, merely gazing back at the familiar Persona: Thanatos.

The Persona unsheathes its sword and releases an earsplitting wail, driving the weapon's sharpened tip through Minato's shoulder. But Minato makes no noise, even as it cuts through flesh and blood pools beneath him. There's no need to be afraid. After all, Thanatos must be here simply to remind him that, out of everything in the world, Death is the sole certainty. ]

iv. wildcard

[ Let me know if you're interested in a starter! You can send a private plurk to me at alaudarum or hmu in the Discord! ]

Comments

[laserguy]

[Scott doesn't blink twice when Orpheus appears, the Persona mostly familiar because Kotone has someone similar to him. He just feels some relief when the Persona strums its instrument, healing its user in a light and causing that injury to mostly heal. Yeah, a little raw still, but it's no longer bleeding and therefore, this fucking idiot isn't going to die in front of him.

Some irritation bubbles up in the mutant at the thought, at everything honestly, and he can't stop himself from shoving Minato right against his recently healed shoulder.]

Explain, now.

[It's so much easier to get mad at him and be upset now that he's not critically injured. Scott has no shame about this, jaw clenching as a flash of red light flickers behind his shades. If it was something external that caused Minato to lose control of Thanatos, he might apologize, but he didn't like what he heard.]

[memori3s]

[ Minato manages to catch himself with his free hand and uses it to steady himself. He's not quite able to muffle a pained gasp either when Scott makes physical contact with his injury. He shifts himself to sit up proper again, carefully laying a palm against the injury to protect it from a potential follow-up. It hasn't reopened but remains sensitive to pressure.

He's sitting up again and glances at Scott. There's wariness in his eyes, as if expecting to be shoved again. But then the expression shifts, and he has the gall to look confused and even a little startled by the other teen's reaction. ]

...I don't understand.

[ Scott heard everything, didn't he? ]

Everything comes to an end someday. It's my fault for forgetting.

[laserguy]

[It's always a rollercoaster of emotions dealing with Minato isn't it?

Because as soon as he lets out that pained gasp, a twinge of guilt passes through Scott, tempering his anger once more. What did you expect, Summers? For Minato to not be hurt by that? He's letting his anger get the better of him again and... he just needs to be better. He's made mistakes in the past because of that. Seeing the wariness in Minato's eyes only fuels that feeling and as he breathes in, he lets that frustration fade. Not entirely, but it's no longer guiding his actions.]

...Sorry.

[Comes the apology, almost quietly, the brightness from behind his shades dimming as he takes in what Minato is saying to him. Of course it's death related, why wouldn't it be, it's been a big part of him since the day he met him and... it's a big part of Kotone as well. It's easy to assume they're alike in that way, because they share the same fate. He's always hated when they talk about death like this, like it's really just okay for them to die and everyone should be fine with it, because it's still not.

But. Getting mad won't help. And if Minato forgetting about mortality and everything led to Thanatos running wild, then... he needs to understand this more. What if it happens again? What if it happens to Kotone? He... he still wants her to feel comfortable talking to him about anything.]

...Is that why you lost control of Thanatos?

[memori3s]

[ The tension in Minato's shoulders eases a bit as the bright red fades from behind Scott's shades. He doesn't speak, but nods to acknowledge Scott's apology. Slowly, he lowers his hand from his injured shoulder to rest it in his lap. ]

...I'm not sure.

[ He doesn't know whether it's a satisfactory answer to Scott, even if it's the truth. His eyes drift shut for a moment as he tries to decide how to best explain what's on his mind. ]

Ever since arriving here, others have told me I should use this time to "live."

[ In fact, Minato feels Scott is one of those very people who've advised him to do just that.

Minato opens his eyes, only to glance down at the sand. His expression twists a bit, uncertain as to whether he should continue. If he shared what was truly on his mind, would Scott be angry again? Even now, he doesn't want to upset the other teen.

But Scott asked. Minato doesn't want to lie to him, and even now, he likes Scott enough to be sincere. And in any event, he's still one of the very few handful of people who knew of Minato's ultimate fate. ]

No one ever thinks they'll get a second chance, so... I never thought about what I'd want to do.

[ He shakes his head a bit. ]

I didn't think I'd make it this far.

[ He'd lived those seventeen years passively, waiting for it all to stop someday. And while he'd learned life was worth living for the sake of the people you meet along the way, he'd never considered what he might like to do for himself. ]

I've tried thinking about it, but... I'm still figuring it out.

[ At the very least, he knows there are others who are rooting for him in their own ways. Kotone, Manjiro, Sha-Ming, even Shinjiro. It hasn't been easy though. On top of that, in between mulling it all over, the Council decided to hit him with more intense thoughts of death. It seems the simmering stress from being asked one too many times what he wanted out of life, combined with his sentencing, manifested in a berserk Thanatos.

Finally, Minato glances up at Scott with a pensive expression. ]

...I think Thanatos was trying to remind me that it's... important to know, because life is temporary.

[laserguy]

[Scott stays silent as he listens to Minato speak, wanting to fully hear out the teen before he says anything in return. Part of the whole trying to be better and calm and actually listen before speaking up with his own thoughts. He is glad, however, that others have told Minato to find the time to actually 'live' now. Guess Minato's never... had that mindset before? It's honestly depressing to think about, explains why he probably thought none of his friends cared that he died. A part of him is upset for the teen, but... holding it back, because he is glad that he's actually being honest.

He's pretty sure that Minato isn't telling him all this just to make him happy, because it's not.

He's different from Kotone in that respect though, huh? She always seemed to know what she wanted to do with her 'second chance,' making new friends and memories with everyone even if getting up is hard. She wants to live her second life to the fullest and Scott just wants to be a part of that, part of her strength. Minato, on the other hand, clearly hasn't reached that point and what he wants from his second chance may be different anyway. They both experienced the same end, but to Scott, they've always been different people.

After a moment, Scott settles on the ground next to the other teen, but his focus still on him.]

...I don't think anyone here is telling you to figure it out right away. [He says quietly, glancing at Minato as he tries to formulate what he really wants to say to him. Not telling him what he wants to hear, because Scott's never been about that, but expressing himself in a way that is actually helpful but still honest.]

We're just here to help you, Minato. I think something like that is only something you can figure out, but just... know you won't be alone in that process. [He lets out a small sigh.] If you got Thanatos under control, it seems like he's willing to wait a bit longer too.

[memori3s]

I know.

[ Everyone's extended a hand to him. It's why Minato wishes he could sort things out for himself sooner. There's no point in forcing the issue though. Maybe that's why Thanatos was willing to wait a bit longer, understanding that this is something that'd take time. ]

...yeah, maybe you're right.

[ Minato draws his knees up to his chest as Scott takes a seat next to him. He wraps his arms around them, glancing at Scott from the corner of his eye. It seems like his answer was satisfactory?

It's still a mystery to him why others are willing to help. It's not as though they're getting anything out of it. ]

You don't have to help if you don't want to.

[ And if he didn't want to, that's fine with Minato too. The statement isn't made pettily, rather, he's offering Scott an out. He'd offer it to Manjiro, Kotone, Shinjiro, to anyone else that he happened to be discussing this topic.

The last thing he wants is to be a burden on others. Friends help each other out. It's perfectly normal. Minato, unfortunately, doesn't quite have a grasp on a healthy definition of friendship. He's the one who should be giving away pieces of himself to others. Being on the receiving end is... weird. Feels wrong. ]

[laserguy]

[He watches Minato for a moment when he says that 'he knows,' as if making sure that he really means that. Funnily enough, he's always been a little easier to read than Kotone, at least before they became really close. She smiles bright, changes the topic to something else, even though she's sad. But turning his thoughts away from her for once, Scott shakes his head to Minato's statement.]

I don't do anything I don't want to. [Maybe not 100% true, but Scott does care about the other teen. Not just because he's similar to Kotone in a lot of ways, but because he's just another teen that should experience what it is like to feel normal and shit. And okay, Scott is never going to forget how he thought that none of his friends would care about his death.]

I'm here because I want to be, because you're my friend. I didn't run towards Thanatos because I thought that was going to be easy or fun. [...Honestly he thought that was going to suck way more.] I'm not just going to leave you, got it?

[memori3s]

[ Minato's different from Kotone. It's not as easy for him to hide how he feels, what he thinks. He's never been a particularly skilled liar, always proffering responses that truly reflected what was on his mind.

Scott's provided indisputable proof of his resolve. He's right. Scott wouldn't have run straight for Thanatos if he hadn't been prepared to support him. Minato goes quiet for a little while longer, and as his gaze shifts back to the sea, it's unclear whether or not he intends to speak up again.

But eventually, he does: ]

...okay. I believe you.

[ ... ]

So--

[ Ah. No, that's... not quite it, is it? Minato shakes his head, apologetic smile settling on his face. ]

Thanks.

[laserguy]

[Really, it is important to Scott that Minato believes in him. It means a lot to see that quiet confirmation in both his voice and eyes, that trust making something in Scott's chest unclenching in response. He's been helped out by a lot of people out here, his friends supporting him in ways that he never considered before, and he's trying his best to be like that too. He... wants to help his friends get through difficult shit, be someone that people can rely on for that stuff.

It's not just because he's apparently going to be some great mutant leader in the future. Minato isn't a mutant, for one. He just... wants to do this.]

Yeah, you're welcome. [He says almost quietly, eyes gazing at the sea as well.] ...I really am sorry for shoving you earlier. You were going through a lot and I did that anyway.

[memori3s]

It's okay.

[ That's Minato, always so quick to forgive. ]

You were upset. You wouldn't be, if you didn't care.

[ Sometimes, it's easier to get angry at a person you care about. Those who developed Apathy Syndrome sleepwalked through their days without their tempers ever flaring. After all, there's no reason for a person to get angry at things if they were of no concern to them.

Absentmindedly, Minato lifts a hand to carefully trace over the healed wound with a fingertip. ]

...don't do it again, and we can call it equal?

[laserguy]

[Scott knows that it really isn't okay. He can be upset, but he can also control how he reacts and shoving his friend's injured shoulder right after he got stabbed by his Persona was bad. However, Minato probably doesn't want to keep talking about it (and okay, neither does he) and he seems willing to move on from that, so he will as well. Just, he'll do better next time.]

Yeah, that sounds fair.

[There's a light sigh in his voice, but Scott's accepted that incident for what it is. It's a part of stuff he's going to work on, along with a lot of other things he's going to think about, especially when it comes to Kotone. But he doesn't want to leave Minato just yet, one knee raising up so he can almost lean against it.]

Is Thanatos calm in your soul and stuff now? [Guess he really doesn't know how Personas really reside when they're not in use. Like, they're still connected to the user and everything, because reflections of their soul, but are they asleep until summoned?? Guess he could've asked Kotone, but instead he's asking Minato.]

[memori3s]

[ Minato's eyes drift shut for a moment. The residual traces of energy from Thanatos still linger in his mind, but instead of feeling like fraying nerves, there's a sense of quiet that settles over them. It's why he responds to Scott with a small nod. ]

...I think so.

[ It seems Thanatos was fully satisfied with Minato's response, that he'd promised he wouldn't forget all things would come to an end. There's a sense of peace in that, a sense of certainty.

By now, Scott's been through plenty of thick and thin with Minato. He thinks the other teen deserves something that resembles an explanation. ]

I don't... know how much Kotone's told you. But we gain our Personas after confronting and accepting death.

[ And thus, developing a fear and denial of the end could be enough to send them out of control. ]

[laserguy]

[There's a quiet intake of breath when Minato admits that particular piece of information to him.

No, Kotone hasn't really told him that before, but... given what he's learned about her and Minato, he's not surprised either. She's always so ready to sacrifice herself, to face death, and he knows Minato is probably similar, given that he shared her same fate in the end. Although, he wonders if this applies to the other teens that uses Personas, like Akira, Yu, Shinjiro, Yosuke... but that isn't important right now. He's not sure if he really wants to ask.

Besides, he's occupied enough just dealing with this feeling when it comes to his girlfriend and his friend here, one that always gets him upset, but he's learning. Trying to be better about it. Death is just... really a big part of their lives, as kind of messed up as that is. But Scott closes his eyes, pushing whatever upset anger he has to the far recesses of his mind before speaking.]

So, for a moment, you forgot about that, huh? [He adds quietly, a certain understanding in his voice.] Because you enjoyed living here?

[...Because of the friends Minato has made? Or maybe Aigis? Either way...]

[memori3s]

...yeah. I think so.

[ It's a strange thing to think about. Minato Arisato's never had a zest for life. But yes, for a moment, he supposes he had forgotten all about his ultimate fate. Not having to lead SEES will do that to a person. ]

People ask what I want to do here. What I like. What I don't like. It's... different from home.

[ That final year was full of choices, and yet, none at all. Decisions aren't as weighty here. There's no apocalypse. The option of whether or not he would condemn his friends to live with knowledge of the supposedly-inevitable fall does not weigh on his shoulders. There's no dagger being pressed into his hands, urging him to take the life of someone who'd come the closest to understanding him.

It makes it all the more difficult to whittle down a response. ]

[laserguy]

It's a start.

[Scott quietly acknowledges, once again pushing back that feeling of 'jesus fuck this guy is depressing.' Won't help, Summers, even if it's so tempting to say that. Minato is trying now at least and that's what is most important. Kind of like the whole 'give people second chances as long as they're trying now' ideology that Dazai's told him, except Minato was never a bad person. Just... give him time, especially if Thanatos is also willing to wait. If there's no danger, then it's okay.

He just hopes Minato figures it out before he disappears from this world.

He looks out at the ocean for a moment, trying to gather his thoughts. Maybe he should talk about his own experience?]

It took me a few months to figure it out myself. Not really the whole liking and disliking stuff, but what I wanted to do. Adjusting and everything.

[When he arrived over a year ago, he was angry at almost everyone. Thinking himself a freak, feeling alone. He just found a place that he finally fit in, but just after two days there, he was here. It felt like everything was taken from him.]

[memori3s]

[ A few months, huh... Maybe Minato's not doing so bad after all!

He glances back at Scott with a thoughtful expression. If Scott's managed to figure it out, then surely it's only a matter of time before he does too? The other teen is a walking testimony to how it is possible to carve a life out of nothing in Aldrip.

There's a small smile on Minato's face now. ]

...I'm glad you figured it out.

[ He means that, genuinely. Scott's a good kid. He deserves that much. But since they're on that topic, he'll ask: ]

...what do you like? Other than Kotone.

[laserguy]

Really making it hard for me, huh?

[Scott snorts lightly, unable to stop himself from lightly nudging Minato in the side in an entirely playful manner. Yeah yeah, he has it bad for her. He knows he can't deny it, so he might as well fully embrace it. She really is so important to him though, the person that changed his life for the better in this world even if she's also made it harder too in some ways. It's strange that if he never arrived here, he never would've gotten the chance to meet someone so special.

But still, Minato asked what he liked other than her. It's not like it's a difficult question, not really, despite what he said. It's easy to think about the friends he's made in this world, the valuable crap he learned from others.]

My friends. [...] Kind of a cop out answer, but it's true. Didn't really have that many back home.

[He knows it's surprising to some, Ange calls him 'social' and everything. It's funny to think of himself like that now.] Although, owning a house is definitely pretty cool.