An Invitation [tagging Verity Willis]
Aug. 31st, 2015 01:49 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sumarusfinestThere is no pomp and circumstance as Katsuya pulls open the glass door leading back to his world. His home. Sumaru City. No witty mechanics or magics bar the path. One moment he and Verity are standing in the Nexus forum, the next they are facing the waters outside of the Konan Police department.
The noise is the first thing Verity will notice. The distinct hum of millions of people speaking a foreign language all around her. That being said most of the signs have at least made an effort to include English subtitles on them, to varying degrees of accuracy.
What little abnormality of this world is felt, rather than seen. As soon as Katsuya's feet touch pavement, there's a ripple in his senses as Helios scans the area for signs of demon activity. So second nature to him now. Like coming home. They walk past a vending machine selling soda, juice, cigarettes and beer--NasTea! the sign gleefully reads in sloping English letters that seem ill fitting considering the brand name.
It isn't until they are off the main road that Katsuya stops and gives his guest a small smile.
"Here we are. My home. What would you like to do first?"
The noise is the first thing Verity will notice. The distinct hum of millions of people speaking a foreign language all around her. That being said most of the signs have at least made an effort to include English subtitles on them, to varying degrees of accuracy.
What little abnormality of this world is felt, rather than seen. As soon as Katsuya's feet touch pavement, there's a ripple in his senses as Helios scans the area for signs of demon activity. So second nature to him now. Like coming home. They walk past a vending machine selling soda, juice, cigarettes and beer--NasTea! the sign gleefully reads in sloping English letters that seem ill fitting considering the brand name.
It isn't until they are off the main road that Katsuya stops and gives his guest a small smile.
"Here we are. My home. What would you like to do first?"
(no subject)
Date: 2015-09-01 05:27 am (UTC)The phone makes her smile, especially when she sees her nickname there. The size of the contact list won't get a comment from her. Quality over quantity and all that. She runs a thumb along the side of the phone, the way she'd touch him if he'd let her, and then types in her number. It takes a bit for her to remember the international codes; she doesn't call overseas much. What is the roaming charge in the Nexus even like? That's a scary thought. "Fancy. I'll have to get an upgrade. And then make sure none of the crazy scientists back home get a hold of it. Thank you for using my name. And. Everything."
(no subject)
Date: 2015-09-01 05:40 am (UTC)At least this phone is a flip phone. Before the Nexus he had one of those old Nokia bricks. Smartphones are a thing now, but Katsuya doesn't know if he'll ever be able to get a Nexus-capable phone again, so he's never bothered upgrading.
"Now then." Katsuya slips his phone away and leans down somewhat to better be at Verity's eye level. "I believe someone special was requesting sushi?"
(no subject)
Date: 2015-09-01 05:49 am (UTC)Say what you will about the Nokia brick, those things were crazy durable. And that has its charms, especially in his line of work. But now that he can get back to the Nexus, getting an upgrade might be a good idea. StarkPhones are reliable and so stylish. They can get him a case that looks like a suit, it'll be perfect.
Verity just blinks at him a few times. She's not sure if he's joking or being patronizing. It's uncomfortably like how her mom's creepy boyfriends would treat her when she was little. "Er. Yes. Please. If you don't mind?"
(no subject)
Date: 2015-09-01 05:58 am (UTC)"It's...rare." Katsuya admits. "To have someone use your given name. It's a private name. One used by family and loved ones. Close friends. A nickname using one's given name is nearly as intimate. I don't mind that you call me Katsuya. I've grown accustomed to American culture in that regard. But it..surprised me, is all. That you requested me to use yours." He hopes that clears up some things? He's learned the hard way that waiting to explain that causes a lot of weird lost in translation problems. People getting mad that he's 'too formal' or impersonal when he's only trying to be respectful.
"You did want sushi, right?" Katsuya pulls back again and pauses. "We don't have to if you're not hungry. But I do know a locally owned shop close by. An acquaintance's father runs it, even."
(no subject)
Date: 2015-09-01 06:18 am (UTC)She rubs the back of her head and sighs. "No, that'd be nice. It's just. The guys my mom dated when I was little used to do that. It's. Uncomfortable. You're not that much older than me."
(no subject)
Date: 2015-09-01 06:29 am (UTC)"Are you not my guest? That makes you special." Katsuya gives her an apologetic sort of smile. "I meant no offense. Age has nothing to do with it. Height, however..."
(no subject)
Date: 2015-09-01 06:35 am (UTC)She'll follow him down, her heels click-click-clicking, hands out to her sides a bit to keep her balance. (Railings are amazing things and she misses them right now.) "I know. I don't think you're capable of trying to offend me. I'm not sure you're capable of offending me at all," she teases. "I could get taller shoes if you want. I'm not sure I could go anywhere in them..."
(no subject)
Date: 2015-09-01 06:53 am (UTC)"I don't know, I've upset quite a number of people in my day." With fists and pistol whippings, no less! Katsuya so doesn't look like the vigilante bringer of justice and protector of the free world that he once was. More like an office worker trying to stay trendy in this year's fashions. He pauses once they've left the stairs and glances down at her feet. Concern spreads.
"Please don't cause yourself discomfort, Miss Verity. I should have noticed. Would you like to ride to the sushi shop rather than walk?" Ever the gentleman.
(no subject)
Date: 2015-09-01 07:13 am (UTC)She knows he's a hero, she hasn't forgotten the stories he's told her, but the idea of his upsetting people still makes her laugh. "Oh, how do you do that? Forgetting to say 'please' before you arrest someone?"
She likes his suits. For all she might tease him sometimes about being stiff and formal, she likes him the way he is. (A little softening around the edges might not hurt.)
When he looks concerned she looks down at her feet as well. "Oh! No, I'm fine. Really. These are everyday walking-around shoes for me." They're hardly fetish wear; they're not even on the extreme side of fashionable. But they are an extra few inches that nature had denied her. "They don't even hurt."
(no subject)
Date: 2015-09-01 07:33 am (UTC)Katsuya probably couldn't name the last time he'd worn something as mundane as a tshirt and jeans. He wore his suit to the end of the world. (Okay a few suits, he had to replace them once or twice.) He's not changing clothes for Space Hitler/God of Chaos/Nyarlathotep. Screw that guy. He has however noticed their gap in dress, and has as such left his suit jacket and tie back at his apartment.
Contrary to popular belief, showing ankle isn't considered fetish wear for Katsuya. He's had to deal with Maya Amano's fashion sense for years. His sensibilities have coped. If she says she's fine, he'll believe her.
Gatten Sushi is a small hole in the wall shop in one of the corner stalls of the Lotus Plaza. Across the street there is what looks to be a watch repair shop and an aromatherapy store. There are only a few tables, and most of the seats by the kitchen/bar are taken by regulars.
A heavier set man looks up from his newspaper and gives Katsuya a nod in way of greeting.
[Here to trade in information today, Officer? There's plenty of rumors going around.]
[Not today. Just dinner with a friend. Nothing dangerous, I hope?] When the regular shakes his head, Katsuya seems satisfied before turning to Verity and giving her a brief translation.
Katsuya takes them to a small corner table and pulls out a chair for Verity before sitting himself. As the menu is impossible to read, Katsuya points out his favorites--they have fatty tuna here, salmon roe, and eel dishes that are all superb
stat boostersmeals.((I'll try to use brackets anytime I need to put speech in native Japanese to make it easier to differentiate.))
The howling guy in that music really makes me wonder what kind of place he's taken her to...
Date: 2015-09-01 04:18 pm (UTC)handsome"symmetrical."Everyone should dress up for the end of the world. (She's going to be caught out in fuzzy slippers when it happens, but if it were nice enough to schedule itself with her she'd totally dig out her prom dress.) It's just good manners.
She's glad her ankles aren't making him swoon. If he were that Victorian in his sensibilities they'd have some serious problems. For one thing, she's never worn a corset and has no interest in starting now. As it stands, she's keeping up just fine. She'd have to hustle a bit no matter what kind of shoes she's wearing because he's so much taller.
These little places you can only find if you already know about them are usually quite good, in Verity's experience, so she's not going to complain. Then again, she and Loki started off eating dinner on his living room floor. She's not picky about the place so long as the company is good. And having never been before, it's only natural she'll be looking around a bit while he talks with the man with the newspaper, although she quickly looks back at Katsuya when he translates.
"You come here a lot?" She figures he must, to know the regulars. There's a brief hesitation while she works out what he's doing with the chair (Americans have terrible manners, and don't get her started on Asgardians), but when she sits there's a smile and a little blush aimed at the table. She's starting to see the appeal of fancy manners.
The chance to lean close and examine the menu together is definitely worth not telling him about the translation app on her phone.
((That's a good way to handle it, thanks.))
The nineties man, the nineties.
Date: 2015-09-01 04:32 pm (UTC)That's probably good enough, for now. He doesn't need to explain about running black market arms dealings if requested. Or boutique stores developing armor plated fashions. So they used rumors to their advantage a few times. It was a necessary tactic.
"The man I was speaking to is another Persona user." Katsuya adds. "There are more than you would expect in this city, though most lead rather normal lives." Really, pulling the chair out for Verity is a practical action. She's never been in here before and he noticed her taking in the place. He'd like to allow her to do that as much as she wishes.
The owner, Kankichi, is a thin gnarled older gentleman who looks to be in a perpetual bad mood. His face splits into a wry smile when he recognizes Katsuya.
[Welcome back! Nothing stirring in Rengedai, Officer?]
[Nothing to worry about, sir.] Katsuya turns to Verity.
"Do you know what you'd like?"
It was a great time to be alive. A time when men could howl in peace.
Date: 2015-09-01 05:10 pm (UTC)Armor plated fashion is just a good idea, and it's really a tragedy the 616 never developed that. She'd feel a hell of a lot safer with some armor.
Just take her good opinion and run with it, Katsuya. It doesn't happen often. "So he's got somet--someone like Helios?" Being scrupulously polite is almost as foreign to her as the Personas and the Japanese. But for the right reasons, she'll try.
"Oh. Um. The shrimp? What are you getting?" She's too used to the American custom of getting one or two pieces of lots of different kinds. Picking just one seems so weird to her.
Canon takes place in 1999. Katsuya's timeline is roughly 2003 given years spent in the Nexus.
Date: 2015-09-01 05:26 pm (UTC)It is really quite useful, and quite impressive that clothing designers managed it while still keeping their logos signature fashions. also made fighting demons slightly less lethal.
"Indeed. He awakened his Persona years before, when I was still quite young." There's an
entire gameintricate story behind this, but it's admittedly one Katsuya only vaguely knows through his contact with two of the first generation Persona users."I prefer the eel, myself." Katsuya smiles before relaying the order to Kankichi and settling in.
It's been a while since he ventured out to this district, visited the shrine. Walked the streets again. Helios stirs with the Resonance of the regular's Persona, giving the officer once again a nostalgic jolt of adrenaline, despite nothing going on. It was shameful to miss those days, even if only in passing. Terrible times, world ending times. And yet, there's a part of Katsuya that wishes he could do it again. Fighting demons with his allies, uncovering the truths in Sumaru's past.
Oh dear. Verity's going to be disturbingly liberal in her worldview to him isn't she?
Date: 2015-09-01 05:41 pm (UTC)She may have to do some shopping before she leaves.
"How long have people had Personas?" She doesn't rise to the bait of talking about him as a child. He'd probably prefer she forget about that little scene. But there's a little smile, just a hint that she's thinking about it. She hopes the question doesn't bring up any upsetting memories for him. It's so hard to tell when she might bump into those accidentally.
She'll be filing away the preference for eel. It may be useful to know this someday.
There's nothing shameful about missing old friends and the woman he loves.
He'll have to do some cross dimensional current events reading.
Date: 2015-09-01 06:00 pm (UTC)'I heard Rosa Candida is selling riot gear level armor in their signature style.' 'Really? There's apparently a strange noise coming from the Smile Mall late at night. People are afraid to go near.' 'Did you know you can buy weapons at Parabellum?!' Lies. Rumors spread throughout Sumaru. But truths as well. YOu could indeed buy weapons and armor. There were strange noises in the mall at night, a place where demons congregated to feed. They weren't the truth Before. But they are now. Mixed signals for Verity's powers.
"I'm not sure." Katsuya turns thoughtful. "We knew of a handful of users from St. Hermalin high school--alumni who developed Personae while attending the school. Several of them helped us during the fight to save the city. If it goes back beyond that...we don't know of it."
It's the action he misses, most days. Feeling like he was making a difference, the sensation of calling upon Helios. investigating warped places in Sumaru's dark corners, twisted by rumor, and setting them right. As right as they could be. He doesn't miss the world ending, but he does miss the journey. Especially when he's out in places like this where they'd rest and refuel before heading out again.
Poor man, trying to understand American politics. And Trump's hair.
Date: 2015-09-01 06:20 pm (UTC)Thoughtful seems safe. Maybe this is a way into understanding his life that doesn't end with them both upset. "Maybe someone should start a club or something, so the more experienced of you can help the people who're new to it." It might do him good to have more local friends, and maybe even a chance to go out and save the world again. Or maybe he should open that bakery like they talked about.
No one is prepared for that.
Date: 2015-09-01 06:33 pm (UTC)Baofu has been hiding out in the Nexus these days, which is easy but also hard to locate since he prefers to do his work from the shadows. That only leaves Tatsuya. And...no. He's not going to open that door right now. Not when he's having such a good time.
The idea of younger Persona users is intriguing to Katsuya. He doesn't know any that aren't his brother's friends fro the Other Side. But he supposes it wouldn't be that far-fetched. When their food arrive the officer decides to switch gears a bit.
"IS it all that different from your world?" Katsuya would be lying if he said he wasn't equally as interested in the dimension Verity hails from.
Least of all the poor guinea pig.
Date: 2015-09-01 06:50 pm (UTC)Verity doesn't speak Japanese, but she's learned just enough of the social niceties to offer a decent "arigatō" when the food is brought over. American accent is American, but she tries. "Well I've never been to Japan before," she points out with a little lift of her eyebrows. She knows that isn't what he means, but she doesn't really want to admit to all of this. "I'm not sure how much is cultural differences, the fact I'm in the past, or the inherent differences between our dimensions. I'd be pretty lost if you weren't here to take care of me, that's for sure."
(no subject)
Date: 2015-09-02 03:06 am (UTC)"The language barrier makes things complicated." He nods as he splits a pair of chopsticks and digs in to his food. Normally he dislikes eating out (too critical of how they make their food when he can cook at home) but sushi is a rare treat and one he quite enjoys. "Is this the past for you?" Katsuya tilts his head to the side slightly. "I hadn't stopped to consider that time would also be different." But of course it would. Alternate dimensions.
(no subject)
Date: 2015-09-02 03:16 am (UTC)She takes a moment to appreciate her meal before she begins to eat. Well-made food should be enjoyed with all the senses. "It's 2015 where I'm from. Or I should say 'when' I suppose." So not the distant future or anything, but enough to make certain things awkward, like if she whips out her phone in public. "So not very useful, unless you want stock tips for companies that might not exist here."
She was just teasing about the stock tips. She'd give them if he asked, but she doesn't think he'd try to take advantage like that. "It's not so different, no. The brand names, the pop culture, but not the important things."
(no subject)
Date: 2015-09-02 03:29 am (UTC)"Time discrepancies rather complicate things." Katsuya winces as though it was making his head hurt, before giving a small smile. "If you followed Japanese baseball I'd ask who won the last few series' just to hold it over Baofu's head." His best friend is a secret fan of the sport when he's not doing illegal information gathering things.
(no subject)
Date: 2015-09-02 03:35 am (UTC)"Do they?" She had figured they'd just work it out. She's so easy-going about these things. "It's not that long." Twelve years. Almost half her life. "Does it really matter?"
"I don't usually follow sports, but I can find out if you want. I'd warn you not to make bets, but I'm sure an upstanding officer of the law such as yourself would never do something like that." Her tone follows the line between earnest and sarcastic so closely she might not even know which she's aiming for.
(no subject)
Date: 2015-09-02 03:53 am (UTC)"It's just hard to wrap my head around, is what I mean." He shakes his head. "It's not a trouble, it's just bizarre to try and think through. I feel rather old fashioned suddenly." He laughs though, clearly he's joking.
"Hm. Best not to look then. I wouldn't bet, no. But Baofu would." It would not surprise the officer in the least if that was one of the first things Baofu had done when he'd gotten to the Nexus, if the thought occurred to him at all.
(no subject)
Date: 2015-09-02 04:00 am (UTC)"It's the cute kind of old-fashioned," she assures him with a smile. "I'm just not going to think about it. Time isn't fixed, the future is always changing. It's better to enjoy what we have now." Which is such an odd sentiment coming from her. She hasn't had much in life worth enjoying, and she's kind of wondering where that idea came from.
"I'd look like a real idiot if something changed after your friend started betting." It worked in Back to the Future. It's a classic get-rich-quick scheme.
(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:My spirit animal is a gun (and also flame kitty)
From:Mine is Grumpy Cat.
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From: