CALL ME OUT: i'm in psl hell edition

[majinken]

MINAKO ARISATO
persona 3

GENKI SILENT PROTAG. She'll probably strong-arm you into doing something ridiculous, and do so with the cutest smile on earth. She might also poke you with a naginata if you're a punk.

orphean

AKIRA KURUSU
persona 5

THE SASSY PROTAG. a phantom thief with a heart of gold. lives rebelliously and without regrets, though spends most of his time feigning a very unassuming persona. #nailedit

jokered

STAHN AILERON
tales of destiny

A true sunshine protagonist. Country bumpkin, slow on the uptake. Wants to be everyone's friend. Swordian Master of fire, incredibly hot-blooded. A GOOD BEAN. Please love him. He's my favorite and I am biased.

majinken

HAROLD BERSELIUS
tales of destiny 2

The original fabulous Tales science lady. Probably wants to dissect you pretty shamelessly. Loves and adores cute things. Inventor of the Swordians. Definitely the definition of Mad Scientist.

probings

all others are lower priority, but available upon request!

Comments

[orphean]

It's not really all that far, but I guess it's tough if you don't know your way around, huh.

[she pauses, thoughtfully.]

Would it be safer to wait for Ryuji-san to find you so you don't get more lost in passing? Or... is he lost, too...

[since it doesn't seem like he's from around here at all.]

[purrtagonist]

[. . . he hadn't even thought about the possibility of Ryuji also being lost. . . you're supposed to know your way around, friend!1]

Neither of us are exactly from around this part of the city, so it's. . . possible.

[god]

Maybe I should put up signs. Or practice my vending machine foraging techniques.

[orphean]

Hm... maybe you should try to call him at the right number before you work on your train station hobo techniques?

[she's helping. she's also getting off the monorail and casually making her way to the escalator. time to try to spot this lost stranger from afar!]

[purrtagonist]

That sounds like a logical and reasonable solution. [har] I prefer jumping straight to the worst case scenario.

[HE SAYS THAT SO DRYLY, it's obvious he's not being serious]

[also! as advertised, there's some weirdo teen standing at the bottom of the escalator, phone to his ear, bag slung over his shoulder. it's a shame he's cat-less today, but Morgana tends to take walks when Confidants are happening]

[orphean]

Well, I guess I'll have to hang up, then! Good luck finding Ryuji-san!

[C L I C K!!!

except, no. they'll probably meet again, because the unfamiliar guy standing there with a phone to his ear and looking confused as hell is definitely him, which she's sure will be made more clear by his reaction to her hanging up.

she's a cunning lady, one who is... meandering to the vending machines and keeping an eye on him.

really, she plans on helping this poor nerd out. he seems like he's probably harmless, in any case.]

[purrtagonist]

What? No wait, hey--!

[HE WAS JOKING 8(]

[. . . but nope, she's gone. as predicted, his reaction makes his identity pretty obvious, especially since he's pulling his phone away from his ear and giving it the stink eye. well, a stink eye that's mitigated with a slightly amused twitch of his mouth. jiiiiii. . .]

[he has a message from Ryuji waiting for him when she hangs up ("Dude, where ARE you?"), to which he swiftly replies ("I went home without you. Just kidding, I'm at the base of the escalator"). and this time, he makes extra sure it's actually the right number]

[and then he lifts his phone to his ear again, and from Minako's perspective, it probably looks like he's just trying to call his friend again]

[but then her phone buzzes]

[hi :)]

[orphean]

[buzzes, more like MAKE LOUD RINGING FLIP PHONE SOUNDS which leaves her.

kind of busted? if he notices that her phone is ringing and that it stops as soon as he picks up.]

Hello...?

[she knows it's him, but still!]

[purrtagonist]

[oh my god]

[slowly, very slowly, he turns around to face the direction of that ringing sound. his gaze flickers across the area, searching, until it finally stops on the only person who is a) looking in his direction, and b) holding a phone]

[silence]

[and then he grins, addressing her through the phone even though he is staring straight at her]

Are you spying on me?

[okay, so she looks pretty harmless. PROBABLY NOT A SERIAL KILLER? he's probably okay. she definitely doesn't exude the I'M GOING TO MURDER YOU AND CUT OFF YOUR HANDS kind of aura, or anything]

[orphean]

[well, this is embarrassing! and she flusters just a little, but it's fine.]

We-well!

[look, she's a small teenage girl in a gekkoukan school uniform, she's not exactly looking like a threat.

she doesn't have her evoker out or her naginata on hand, so she doesn't exactly look like a threat here.]

I'm working on my super stealth techniques!

[she's not.]

[purrtagonist]

[he's not even in uniform, he went back to the cafe and changed before being dragged out. A SHAME]

[there's a brief moment of hesitation-- they are strangers, after all, but she was surprisingly receptive to the way he attempted to deflect the awkwardness of mis-dialing someone. . . and also extremely willing to help him out-- before he eventually takes a step towards her. just a step. he isn't hanging up yet]

Next time, you might want to try putting your phone on silent.

[orphean]

Next time, you probably don't have to call back the person you mis-dialed!

[slightly! flustered!]

I was going to pass through here anyway, it's on my way home.

[purrtagonist]

[only slightly!! meanwhile he's over here, very obviously trying not to break into full on laughter]

You hung up on me. . . what else was I supposed to do?

[he says with faux offense (he's not really offended)]

At least you didn't go out of your way to track me down.

[THAT'D BE WEIRD. like this whole thing isn't already weird]

[orphean]

[it is pretty funny, even if minako herself is pretty faux-huffy at it.]

I think if you got in touch with your friend, probably just wait for him and forget about the mysterious girl behind the...

Vending machine.

[why are they still on the phone when they're like fifteen feet away from each other.]

[purrtagonist]

[BECAUSE THEY CAN, the world doesn't own them!!]

But if I did that, then I never would've gotten to thank the mysterious girl behind the vending machine for being so helpful.

[or, at least, willing to help]

[orphean]

I don't really think I did much to help. I mean, aside from telling to you call your friend back!

[she was willing to help, though.]

[purrtagonist]

[willing to help is good enough!!]

Still. I appreciate it. Thanks.

[THERE, now his gratitude is official]

Speaking of, I got in contact with him. He'll probably be bursting out of the crowds aaaaany minute now.

[orphean]

That's good! I doubt you'll get lost from there to get back on your train to... wherever it is you're going!

[good job, stranger!]

[purrtagonist]

Yongen-Jaya.

[he answers that easily, because why not!!]

Well, we might stop in Shibuya first. There's an arcade there we both really like.

[orphean]

Ohh, Tokyo boys! I didn't realize I was contending with the big city slickers here.

[iwatodai is big, but it's not. you know. the capital city.]

Good luck then, with your game, too. It sounds like a bunch of fun! [she just likes arcades too, it's fine.]

[purrtagonist]

[HA HA]

One Tokyo boy, and that'd be Ryuji, not me. Technically.

[he says with a lilt of amusement, although he's gotta admit, it feels kind of nice to be referred to as such]

And thanks again. [he pauses, and hums thoughtfully] Does the mysterious vending machine girl have a name, perchance?

[orphean]

[he carries himself well enough that she has no reason to think he's a bit of a bumpkin. it's fine?]

I have a name if the mysterious, lost, not-Tokyo, not-Iwatodai boy with my number does.

[nailed it.]

[purrtagonist]

[hmmmmmmm]

[hmmmmmmmmmmmm!!]

[he can see a familiar head of blond weaving its way through the crowds now, and he knows he doesn't have much time life. so he makes his decision quickly, eyes practically sparkling with mischief. not that she can see the depths of that from fifteen feet away, but you know]

I think it might be more fun to keep you guessing.

[~how mysterious~]

[orphean]

[yeah, she definitely can't see that at all from where she's standing.

what a weird kid, even if she is admittedly intrigued by him? huh.]

Now who sounds kind of like a spy?

[just saying.]

[purrtagonist]

Never said I wasn't one, did I?

[JUST SAYING!!]

[orphean]

True enough!

[and since ryuji seems to be closing the gap here—]

Catch you on the flip side, then, Spy kid-san!

[that's contradictory, minako.]