01: action -> video

[realmenknitplushies]

[First District, Traverse Town. Kanji's spent a little while getting settled in, but he's out and exploring right now, getting his bearings.
Or, at least, he is until trouble hits.
A mob of Nightmares. Nothing spectacular, a gang of Meow Wows, but it's enough to catch him off guard. How can anything so adorable be so vicious...! Then again: he's hardly unfamiliar with getting into a fight. Now, what can he use around here to take those damn things out with...

Shortly after, parked on the steps leading down to the town gates, he'll be making a call to get some more answers while he recovers a bit.]

...anyone getting this? Uh, hi, anyway. Name's Kanji - I got here earlier. And - I've got a coupla questions. About these guys.

[He pans the camera around to show his Pricklemane bouncing happily nearby.]

This little dude saved my ass earlier, but I don't know anything about it. Or about the ones who were trying to eat me. ... That's how it works, right? They're 'Dream Eaters', we're dreaming...

[Kanji logic, everyone.]

So is there anything I need to know? Like, how do I look after this guy? Does anywhere sell food for 'em?

...uh, and does anyone know who owns the café by the 'item' shop? The one with the chairs outside? I ... can't see 'em anywhere but I think I kinda owe 'em some cash.
I just... didn't exactly have anythin' else I could use, here...

Comments

[guerriera]

[ She's not surprised he doesn't meet her gaze. Carolina's something of a force of personality, nearly always intentionally, though in this instance she hadn't meant to intimidate. ]

[ It's that last line that catches and holds her attention. If she stiffens beneath her armor, it's hard to tell. Dax doesn't seem to notice, but Lela does, and she scoots up against her person until she's nudged away gentle with a steel booted toe. ]

Can't say I've encountered anything like that here. Though some of the nightmares --the spirit kind-- are worse than others. [The worst parts of a mind, though? Oh, she can comprehend that. Her tone shifts, softening hard edges.] How'd you fight back against things like that?

[realmenknitplushies]

Most of 'em, you just kick their asses the same as anythin' else. [He shrugs a bit, there.] The biggest ones, though... they ain't gonna stay down.

[As he goes on, he's a bit subdued, not wanting to think about it too hard - but he'd brought it up in the first place, after all... his Pricklemane gives him a little nudge.]

They come from a real person. They're part of 'em. The only way to deal with 'em is for the person whose they are, whose mind they came from, to accept what they mean.
[A pause-] ...You've pretty much gotta kick their ass before you get to that stage, too.

[guerriera]

Sounds like most things in life.

[ She's not being sarcastic when she says that, either, though the tilt of that helm with it's glaring visor makes it difficult to determine her mood outside of 'stare', 'glare' and 'really pissed' if you haven't known her very long.

Your own worst enemy being inside your head. She doesn't really want to think how closely what he said hits home, strikes an unexpected nerve. Instead, she straightens up; how someone who's a good few inches shorter than Kanji can give the impression of greater height is a trick she hasn't bothered to share with anyone else yet. ]

Not sure what's going on here is quite like that. But sounds like you might be able to handle what this place throws at you. [His obvious discomfort is obvious - unlike others, she doesn't bother to pry] How did you fight?

[realmenknitplushies]

Heh.

[He's not sure whether to start going into the details of his Persona with someone who he barely knows. Calling out a guardian from your heart to fight for you? Even in a place like this, it sounds a bit weird. He'll get there, perhaps. For the moment, he starts with-]

I kinda learned as I went along. Used to get into a lot of fights before that whole mess started. I'm... [and he shrugs] pretty good at improvisin', really. Whatever I can get my hands on, I use.

[guerriera]

[ There's time yet, Kanji. Maybe not today, though. ]

[ She nods slightly as she listens, right up until he uses her favourite word - 'improvising'. He can't see the way her eyebrow arches, or the quirk of her lips to one side. ]

Being able to react and adapt to your surroundings isn't an easy skill to learn. Most people flounder when it comes to making use of objects at hand. [Not her, though, that much she doesn't even need to imply.] It'll help you stay one step ahead of the nightmares here. 'Specially when you get used to working with your dream eater.

[realmenknitplushies]

...Thanks.

[He's not used to compliments coming from anyone but his team's leader, so there's a spot of red coming to his face there, a touch awkward.]

Damn things still caught me out before, though. Guess I'm gonna need practice.

[guerriera]

[ She doesn't respond to the thank you; just hold that approval close like a gold star, Kanji, because Heaven knows that's harder to come by than gold dust. ]

They do that.

[ She tapped the sealed compartment at shoulder level, and retrieved her communicator, briefly flicking the screen in Kanji's direction. ]

There's a file on the network with a map for Traverse Town, shows where the higher concentration of nightmares are likely to appear. Use that to avoid getting caught out without back up.

[realmenknitplushies]

[He'll take what he can get. On seeing the screen, he peers over, nods-]

Huh, alright. Yeah, I'll take a look later. There a lot of good stuff on there?

[guerriera]

Good and bad. Depends on what you think is useful.

[ Casual chatter? Not really of much interest to Carolina. But the network had its uses. ]

Holds files for people who've since left. They call that 'waking up' here. Doesn't seem to delete what they've written in the past, though.

[realmenknitplushies]

'Waking up'. I guess that makes sense, with everythin'... kinda. Okay.

[He nods.]

[guerriera]

It's as close an explaination as we can manage right now.

[Headtilt.] Any questions?

[realmenknitplushies]

[Thinking for a moment-] Nothin' off the top of my head.

[guerriera]

[ Suit yourself, kid. ]

[She nodded at the doors to the hotel.] Moogles should have a spare room, settling in shouldn't be too hard. Don't have to stay there forever, though.

[ She began to walk away, heading towards the stairs that lead down to the portal by the Second District fountain. Lela paused to run up and rub her face happily against Kanji's leg, purr at his spirit, and then skip after Carolina again. ]

[realmenknitplushies]

Thanks. ... Uh, catch ya around.

[He gives Lela one last scratch as her owner heads on her way, and heads on into the hotel himself. Right. Time to make himself at home.]

[guerriera]

No doubt.

[ There's a two-finger salute cast over her shoulder before Carolina vaults over the wall down into the square and steps over to the portal.

It doesn't occur to her until later that she never mentioned her name to Kanji. Oh well. He'd likely learn it soon enough. ]