8086/PNL: Welcome... to Lampport

PNL: Welcome... to Lampport
Date of Scene:	29 August 2022
Location:	Lampport, Tapestries
Synopsis:	Stanley meets a BUNCH of Elites, and shows them a smidge of what life is like in Lampport.
Cast of Characters:	Stanley Padgett, 7132, 7417, 7511, 6895, 7494

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Stanley Padgett has posed:
    Lampport is... well, it's a city in flux. Offworlders who arrive will poof in from one of the very recently constructed Gate Terminals, with multi-facet corporate branding with names like NovaTech, Technodyne Industries, Lampport Community Improvement Agency, and a bunch of others. It's spic and span, it's clean, there are Helpful People Here and Signs to Get You Places that are fresh and new and clean and fantastic.

    Jimmy's Grotto is nowhere near any of those places. It's in a section of what USED to be Downtown before Downtown moved to where the Money said it was now. It's in a strip mall, next to an arcade, a nail parlor, a tattoo shop, a massage place, and another nail parlor. It's busy enough for one of these sorts of places though, and smells fantastically of garlic, carbohydrates, cheese and grease. A pair of pizza runners flits out the doors, a pair of teens on bikes heading in opposite directions to deliver pies.
    Stanley's locator is tracking deeper inside the facility.

Ishirou (7132) has posed:
Ishirou decides to check things out, not that he thinks Stanley is in trouble or anything...but because if there was something up it'd be a good chance to check things out. Also because the Watch and Concord were getting involved, it seemed like a good idea to keep an eye on things before they got new members.

The first thing first, is to find Stanley. His phone says he's still inside the strip mall, which...

"Geeze.." he says, considering the building. Lilian was right about Americans, he thinks to himself, but decides to push through. Also, with this much garlic, you'd think nobody would be able to smell anything ever..? Though he did always end up liking these hole-in-the-wall shops. His eyes look around, and if failing that, uses POD to try and pinpoint the signal and move towards it.

He also looks out for any cop cars. There were sirens, right? So cops had to be nearby, right?

Rita Ma (7417) has posed:
     Rita glances up at the Jimmy's Grotto sign, then down at her phone, then back up at the sign again.

     "It doesn't look very much like a grotto, does it, Mr. Ishirou?"

     Her usual outfit is only a little too dressed-up for the mall, so she doesn't bother shifting disguises: green skirt, white blouse, blue cropped jacket. "We'll just pretend we're customers, make sure he's okay, and it'll all be fine. Maybe we can even get some food afterwards, right?"

     She opens the door and walks in with a distinct sense of optimism, albeit a fragile one. But unease is still prickling at the back of her neck. Rita takes a little breath in through her mouth, drawing air over her tongue to take advantage of her sharklike sensitivity. Beneath the smell of garlic and tomato sauce, is there a hint of blood in the air?

Timespace Riders (7511) has posed:
     "Uwoh!" Sougo's eyes light up, on the other side of the gate. Dressed in rolled-up jeans that show off his colorful red hi-top sneakers, and a (just-slightly-too-large) short sleeve salmon button up, he is a stark contrast to his retainer. "This place looks like it sprung up barely a month ago--look how shiny!" He can see his reflection in the branding on the gate, even--which allows him to fix his auburn, medium hair just so.

     Woz doesn't seem nearly as excited, nor as well-suited to this world. A mysterious book is clutched to his side, its cover a faded blue, with strange symbols like the whorls of a tree appearing here and there. A rugged wasteland cloak, black leggings and matching leather boots make him easy to pick out in a crowd. "Lampport, my Demon King," he says after a brief glance into the book. "This Stanley will be a ways away, if you insist on meeting him." The book is snapped shut.

THE MALL

     Sougo nearly bowls into one of the pizza couriers, while Woz gracefully (and with care for the book) weaves between them. "According to this book," says the retainer cryptically, "The tracking beacon will lead the others inside there."

     Naturally, the two end up running into Rita and Ishirou, just past the front door. "Hi!" says Sougo with a warm smile. Stepping up to the counter, he procures his Concord card.

     "Could we get a large pizza, for here? Oh, and, um..." He smiles sweetly, tapping the card softly. "I've heard you're supposed to tip, so... I'll tip for the pizza, and for anything you might know about the sirens we heard on our way in."

Stanley Padgett has posed:
    No cops, at least none that Ishirou can see or spot. Those kids sort of give the incoming Elites a once over, whisper amongst themselves and then continue on their merry pizza-delivering ways.
    Rita can catch the hint of blood in the air. Human. Several humans. No way of telling from here why it's there.
    Woz and Sougo could fit in with the kids here, probably, if not for the fact that they're presenting Extraversal credentials.
    ...Inside it looks like your usual dive Italian place, but no one in here looks Italian. A heavy-set Czech fellow looks up as 'customers' come in, and frowns at their appearances. "...This is about young Stanley, yes? He is no trouble, just go home, he is fine." But someone IS ordering a pizza... and "Jan" according to that nametag... isn't about to say no to money. "...what kind pizza? All we got is cheese pizza or pepperoni tonight."
    The two kinds of pizza, then.

    But as the noise reaches father into the pizza place, someone pokes their nose around the hallway to the dining room/delivery kid space in the back. A lanky young man, wearing a school uniform complete with tie and a little silver badge sewn into the breast pocket... and a shockingly pink hairdo. Not like... anime pink though. It's been dyed pink, and poorly. "....It's okay Jan, I think... This will be fine."
    Jan hrumphs, looks at Woz and Sougi, and takes their money. "...pizza will be out in a bit. Don't make trouble." Despite the fact that this man... is not an Elite, he looks perfectly ready to throw down to protect Stanley. Hmmm.

Ishirou (7132) has posed:
"I don't think it was meant to be a grotto in the traditional sense...we're quite away from the water here," Ishirou says, with a frown. When they cross paths with Woz and Sougo, he offers his own wave. "Hi!"

Ishirou stares at Jan who frowns, and for a moment sounds like he's about to throw down. Ishirou raises his hands up, "Hey, nothing is wrong. We're just checking up on him because we heard sirens.." After a pause, he looks at Rita who informs them about blood. Though when the signal bearer comes out himself, and Sougo offers to pay for food, things are settling down.

Of course, Ishirou calls Stanley a /kid/ so that...is a thing that just happened. He's not correcting himself though. Just going to own it! "No trouble from us Mr. Jam..." a pause, "Man I never tried making pizza before.." he looks towards Rita, "Have you?"

Then to Stanley, "So what happened? Where are the police? Is everything okay..?"

Timespace Riders (7511) has posed:
     "Oh, pepperoni, please!" Sougo smiles brightly, looking over his shoulder. "I hope you guys don't mind."

     "Those who dislike pepperonis are free to pick them off, my Demon King," says Woz coolly.

     "Ah..." Stanley reveals himself. "Hey, pink," Sougo says, pointing with a goofy grin at Stanley's hair, before flicking the collar of his own shirt. "I like pink, too! Oh, but--" Sougo hurriedly turns to Jan.

     Offering a brief bow at the waist, "I can tell you care a lot about Stanley. We won't insult that by making trouble, right, Woz?"

     "Hmph."

     "That means yes," Sougo glowingly translates. Turning his attention back to Stanley, Sougo marches right up, extending a hand. "My name's Sougo Tokiwa! That's Woz," he says, gesturing with a sweep of his hand to the time traveler taking a seat in the nearest booth. "I think he's Ishirou," Sougo continues, "Which would make her Rita! I think..."

     "Anyway, are you Stanley? It sounded like he was in trouble."

Rita Ma (7417) has posed:
     Rita's eyes dilate. She closes her mouth. Her gaze unfocuses for a moment, as if she were trying to stare through the back wall.

     Then she's jostled out of it by Sougo's greeting, giving him and his companion both a quick head-bow in rapid succession. "Ah- hi! You're the two others who were on the radio, right? It's great to meet you!"

     "I'm sorry, Mr. Jimmy," she starts saying to the burly man- it's Jimmy's Grotto, so he must be Jimmy, right?- "but I'm still worried about him. I think something's gone really wrong. If you can just let us into the back..."

     "Oh! Stanley!" She recognizes the young man's voice immediately, rushing over to the counter to get a closer look at him. The missing honorific is notable. "Are you okay? Nobody's hurt, are they?"

     She knows someone is hurt. The real question is: is it anyone they should care about?

     When Woz sits down in a booth, Rita follows, flopping down on the padded seat before scooting herself over to the far side and beckoning the rest of the group to join them. "No," she says to Ishirou: "I looked it up, but the 'tossing' part seemed kind of scary. And it's not something me and Ms. Grier could share anyway, so..."

     Her attention turns back to Stanley, whenever he gets close enough to the booth. "How do you know that man? Do you come here often?" She's got the youthful energy to be direly full of questions.

Stanley Padgett has posed:
    The little 'dining room' is a bunch of tables and chairs as one would expect, but this place seems to cater more to carryout or delivery. There are some fans to keep the air moving in the little place, and the back door is propped open. As Stanley comes to sit the four Elites down at a table, he winces, and puts a hand up to the back of his head, pulling away a hand with some drying blood. "...dammit. Right uh, I guess. You guys found my phone or something. Hi... I'm Stanley. Stanley Padg-"
    And his own introduction is cut off by Sougo, who introduces everyone else. Stanley takes that hand and shakes it, and then grumps, as he gets some dried blood on the Rider. "...sorry, let me..." He grabs a wad of wet naps from a bin by the trash cans and plonks it on the table for people, as he sits back down. "....Stanley Padgett, and I am messing this all up already. Dang." He huffs. Anyone who's taking a moment to look will see a pretty sizable knot growing on the back of Stan's head, the bleeding mostly done. The questions from Rita though get him to perk up. "...Oh that's Jan, he's lived here for ages, I think. I'm still new to town, but Jan's uh.... he came over during the war. He's from Czechoslovakia. He sorta... takes care of all the neighborhood kids. Just... he's good, okay? He's a friend."

    Ishirou gets a look, though ,and Stanley takes a breath. Looks like he was practicing this one. "...The cops are long gone, I lost them on the way back here, but I sorta took a tumble into a curb. Dumb." He grumps. "But the cops are all... they're fidgety with the big case over at the school, that I uh... I sorta." He huffs, and then reaches into his pocket to pull out a newspaper clipping. Frontpage. Top of the fold. ((+bbread 23/104))
    There's a measure of frustration, glee, and accomplishment in his voice. "...I did that. I mean, I got them all free. But like... I can't just... tell people, you know? I don't think people are supposed to know about what I can do."

Ishirou (7132) has posed:
Ishirou looks over towards Sougo, "Yeah, I'm Ishirou!" he says, upbeat but he still gives Woz an eye and a bit of distance. He doesn't trust Woz. Woz has the eyes of someone who knows too much and is also dramatic. also, he calls this guy a demon king and thinks it's a good thing. Also, he's dramatic. There are so many red flags for Ishirou, there is a worker's uprising going on whenever he looks at him.

Sitting down in the booth, he looks across at Stanley first. "Your head has a nasty bump on it," he says. There is also the flying box with arms floating around him. Right now it's seemingly picking up a wet nap and carrying it towards Ishirou, who starts opening it up. "Rita, maybe you want to look at it..?" he suggests, as she actually has medical training (or he suspects because of all the fretting over his own wounds she's done.)

Ishirou is doing better, thank you very much! He's healing!

"So...then why would the cops be after you at all? Or why would you be nervous about them? I think there are some important bits we're missing here.."

When the topic of pizza comes up again, he nods once to Rita, understanding what she means. "Hmm...probably wouldn't work well, considering..." a pause, "I wonder if there is a sushi place nearby.." he considers.

He looks it up on Google. Then remembering something, "Oh right so you're Sougo..?" he asks, looking at Sougo. "You don't look very demon king-y."

Timespace Riders (7511) has posed:
     "Don't worry, Stanley," Sougo says assuagingly. "I'm just glad you're safe." Indeed, he reaches over and grabs a napkin from the dispenser on the table. Woz halts his hand with a firm grip, placing a sanitary wipe there instead. Wiping his hands with a small smile, the would-be king listens to Stanley talk about Jan. "Ah... yeah, I can tell. Anyone who sticks up for people like that has a good heart."

     Sougo does, indeed, not look like a Demon King. No horns, or fangs, or ghastly retinues. "That's me!" he nevertheless says to Ishirou, with a sunny smile. "I think... if people like you think that I don't look like one, but people with bad hearts do... I could live with that."

     Woz, meanwhile, peers intently at the newspaper clipping. "Missing students," he intones gravely. "This Hunnicutt, then, would be the principal that was mentioned." With a flourish of his free hand, he looks Stanley in the eyes, smiling confidently. "People are often afraid of excellence, dear Stanley. Especially when it is put to virtuous ends." He lowers his hand, shrugging his shoulders. "Perhaps you're right to stay quiet--at least where the common folk are concerned."

     Sougo smiles brightly at Stanley. "Just because you don't feel safe yelling it from rooftops like Woz doesn't mean there aren't people you can talk to. I think... if you were willing to go through all of that for other people," he says, eyes softly glimmering, "Then I'd be glad to be your friend."

Rita Ma (7417) has posed:
     "Oh! So Mr. Jan's like a public servant. I get it," Rita says, not getting it at all. At least that gets her to smile gratefully over at him, her earlier suspicion thoroughly forgotten.

     Her eyebrows rise when she reads the clipping, and then her expression drops. "Mmmm. It's uncomfortable, isn't it? To have things you're proud of, or scared of, that you can't tell anyone else about. The people around you can start feeling further away."

     At Ishirou's prompting, she stands up from the booth, rummages around in her little satchel, and pulls out some simple medical supplies: disinfectant, a wax cautery pencil, gauze, et cetera. "Mr. Stanley, is it okay if I have a look at the back of your head? I'll make sure it's bandaged and everything. It's just... distracting me."

     While she does so (or after Stanley refuses her), she chides Ishirou: "It's rude to ask someone why the police are after them, you know. I'll be okay without sushi, though! I already ate."

     Once she's seated and settled in again, she thinks to ask: "Can other people fight ghosts like you do, or are you just... doing it on your own? And what about the ghosts? Are there more of them?"

Stanley Padgett has posed:
    Stanley holds very still as people start to dote on his head injury. "...Okay sorry I guess you are missing some info, yeah, I got uh... okay so I ran out of hair dye the other week and I was short on money so uh..." A huff. "Also the school resource officer hates me cause I talked back to Mr. Hunnicut in front of him and they were trying to find reasons to put me in In School so-"
    He frowns. "...do I really gotta give you my permanent record?"
    His sudden rising TEENAGE REBELLION is tamped off as Rita starts to fix his head, and he holds /very/ still. "...I mean... I don't know. I mean about other people with..." He grumps. "...So they're not all ghosts, that's just like how I was trying to talk about stuff with people I didn't know, it's..." He takes his phone, and flicks the screen on. "...So there's this game that we can play here in Lampport, it's called Reversal. It's this sorta AR game where you capture city landmarks and stuff with other people and you can pay to get better units and stuff... but... there's also another Reversal. The /real/ one."

    He quickly shuts up as Jan lumbers out of the door to the kitchen, drops a few pizzas on the tables nearby... and gives EVERYONE around Stanley a "I've Got My Eye On You" look, before the kitchen door slams shut again.

    Stanley takes a breath, and sighs. "...So there's an ACTUAL Reversal, like the other side of Lampport, where the Shadows live, right? Where... uh, what did Igor call it... Collective... uh..."

Ishirou (7132) has posed:
"I mean if you don't want to tell us I'm not going to push.." Ishirou says, shrugging at being scolded by both Stanley AND Rita. "I was just trying to figure out how much trouble you are in, and if you needed help.." He says, slightly deflating.

Sougo gets his attention, which causes him to tilt his head slightly. "I...Suppose that's a good thing.." he says, unsure of the guy who's calling themselves a Demon King.

"Also, it's probably a GOOD idea to not shout your identity and that there are...ghost demon things around and sending people to ghost jail.." a pause, looking at Woz. "I mean, basically if Woz thinks it is a good idea, I'd suggest doing the reverse.."

When the Reversal gets brought up, he listens. "Another...side of Lampport? Oh, a OTHER side..."

Lilian Rook (6895) has posed:
    Lilian has been listening to the radio. She keeps it on while studying or training just to stay apprised of things, but she tends to pay more attention when it sounds like 'Ishirou getting himself intro trouble again' or 'Rita being lured into aiding and abetting terrorism again'.

    She did not ask for permission to show up. Nor did she warn anybody. That would be akin to having the idea that there's anywhere she isn't allowed to go.

    Even undergoing her modern arc of 'trying to dress in ways other than portraiture', she still painfully stands out; something she'd managed by simply choosing to exist around the building corner at the earliest, just in time for her to visibly open a door and jingle a little bell and establish visual confirmation that she is Here and Normal. Letting her hair down, exposing shoulders, wearing summer cross straps, and reluctantly disposing of tights, would never in a million years make up for the white-gold lily hairpin she hasn't left alone since she was given it, to say nothing of the subtle scar in such a dramatic location.

    Asides, nobody who shops at a strip mall ever had a private makeup tutor, nor does any girl her age here subtly look like they curl thirty.

    Two hands drop on Rita's shoulders, and the familiar voice says "I leave you alone with these people for five minutes and you're already speaking that way?" Yeah, the Received Pronunciation doesn't help either. Then she looks up across the table at Stanley. Even remaining perfectly silent for the whole three seconds it takes her to think, it is probably the most intensely anyone has ever looked at him in his life.

    "Mm, maybe, if not for the disastrous dye." says Lilian, ostensibly to herself. She does not elaborate. She pulls out a seat, sits down, folds one leg over the other, and says offhandedly to Sougou "That's fine. I'd really prefer that Rita try one." A moment passes before she actually looks at him. "Wait, beg pardon? You're that 'demon king' w- person?" Her mouth hangs open by a sliver, eyes roving down his jeans and button up. Lilian shakes her head. "No. Never mind. This comes first. Ignoring the highschol drama. Haunted video game? Kidnapped children? But you've solved the case, so why are the police involved with you? Is that enormous Czech involved?"

    Evidently annoyed by his verbal fumbling, Lilian folds her arms across her waist and interjects "Collective Unconsciousness. You were talking about Jung earlier."

Stanley Padgett has posed:
    Lilian CRASHES in on the humble gathering, and Stanley blinks and actually flinches out of his spot for a moment, thumping into Rita, before he slinks back to his spot. Lilian's Exacting Glare will see... a scared young man, but more in there. He's got a spine, a strong one, but it needs tempering.
    Potential Hero.

    "Yeah, that was it, Collective Unconcious. And there's a whole other world in there, it's all neon and smoke and shadows and..." A breath. "And it's dangerous, you gotta know what you're doing or the Shadows will try and get you."
    "...and the police are involved because they can't just IGNORE 'oh, a bunch of kids that Dr. Hunnicutt reported missing are chained up in a basement of the school and he's one of the people with the key' so now they're mad and trying to find out... everything. School was a fuckin-" He huffs. "Sorry, it was an awful mess today. Cops everywhere, they dumped everyone's lockers, and I had to just... dip. I couldn't deal."

Timespace Riders (7511) has posed:
     "Oh, is it?" Sougo asks Rita, on the topic of police pursuit inquiries. "I didn't know that... but it makes sense," he concludes with a serene nod.

     "Thank you, Jan!" Sougo thankfully bows his head for the 'public servant' of the pizza parlor. "Wow, he made so much! I'd feel bad if any went to--"

     Woz sends his scarf billowing over to one of the pizzas. It envelops the pie, folding into itself like water disappearing down a drain. As the garment returns to him, he places a hand over his heart and bows *his* head for Sougo.

     "Um..." Sougo scratches the back of his head bashfully. Thankfully, Stanley provides a little more context for the Reversal, which he's more than happy to hear. "Oh! I know this! If Ishirou mentioned... it's the Collective Rambunctious!"

     Woz blanches, withering in a moment of quiet as Lilian gets it right. "Unconscious, my Demon King," he quietly corrects.

     "Unconscious," Sougo beams. "Eh?" Lilian asks him if he is That Demon King. "Yes, that's me--oh, alright." After a smile and a nod, "...So these Shadows are the parts of people's hearts they don't want others to see," he muses thoughtfully.

     "And they wander around in the Reversal. But some people, like you..." He lets the thought trail off,that he might grab a slice, motioning for anyone else who'd like one to do the same. "Is that how you found out where the students were? Going into the Reversal to find his Shadow?"

KNK (7494) has posed:
    A ninja steps out from behind Woz, as if she had been there, just out of sight, this entire time, flowing ponytail and scarf and all, and leans in to look at the newspaper clipping. "Oh, neat!"

    She is not in any manner of disguise, unless 'ninja' is a disguise. There's no obvious indication of how she got there, and no indication that this is other than her true appearance. Woz's nature can at least rule out temporal causes from how she'd arrived, though that leaves a few good possibilities.

    Her usual partner is not visible.

    "But, hey, this place is weird, isn't it?" She frowns, taking a few moments before detailing her suspicions.

    "What kind of pizza place doesn't have mushroom?"

Lilian Rook (6895) has posed:
    "Well, better smoke and shadow than plastic and asbestos." Lilian replies, tapping her finger against the inside of her arm, leaned well back in her chair. She looks a little bit ill-at-ease here, in an ordinary place for normal working class Americans, which is to say this is the most comfortable Rita has ever seen her act in a place like this. "You didn't-- couldn't get them out of the basement? Did you simply tip off the police and book it?" What looks like the start of a smile twitches at the corner of her lips. "Oh, or was it to directly implicate this 'Hunnicutt' you detest? You might actually have promise~" she purrs.

    She considers Sougou's blasé response to being incredulously fingered as a Demon King for a good while. Her hair slides gently over her shoulder as she tilts over to regard Woz. "My condolences." she says, over Sougou's head, and sounds like she means it.

    "Violet~ A pleasure~" says Lilian next, apparently glad to rest her eyes on something other than chintzy tile. She begins counting on her fingers. "A poor one, one that does very little business per day, one that hates you, or one that's a money laundering scheme. Take your pick." She glances around the table. "They must at least have paper napkins . . ."

    'Shadows are the parts of people's hearts they don't want others to see'

    She frowns, just the slightest bit. A finger lightly touches her face, tracing the razor thin scar across the bridge of her nose, under her eye.

Rita Ma (7417) has posed:
     The disinfectant stings a little, and the cautery pencil stings a little more, but when Rita's done he'll feel a decent amount better. She lets out a little sigh of relief once he's not bleeding anymore, too, and eases back down into her seat. "There. You're all- ah!!"

     Lilian's hands on her shoulders nearly make her drop her iodine bottle before she can put it back in her satchel, but recognizing that voice stops her from jumping five feet in the air. Instead she sits up on her knees on the booth seat, turns around, and gives Lilian an awkwardly-positioned hug. "Ms. Rook!! You didn't say you'd be coming! Do you want some pizza, too? That's okay, isn't it, Mr. Sougo?"

     She eagerly makes room for Lilian to sit next to her, of course. This achieved, she is fully content.

     "Oh! Ms. Violet!" She doesn't startle quite as badly at the second appearing act, but does softly gasp in delight. "You and Ms. Rook haven't met each other outside of that video game, right? I'm glad you get to see each other in person!"

     'Shadows are the parts of people's hearts they don't want others to see.'

     Rita winces, and tries to hide it, almost in synchrony with Lilian.

     Finally her attention returns to Stanley. "So how do you get there? To the real Reversal. And how do the people who make the video game know about it? ... Mmmm. I'm sorry. This is kind of a lot all at once, isn't it? And you've been through a lot, too."

Ishirou (7132) has posed:
Ishirou looks up to Lilian, now literally instead of just figuratively, and gives her a sunny smile. "Hello, Lilian!" He says with a smile, and coughs once, "Sorry, this is Dame Commander Lilian Rook! She's a friend of mine, and Rita's."

Violet appears, which...to be fair he'd be more surprised, but it's like every time he's about to work with Xion, she does the same thing out of his shadow so he's grown a bit jaded to it!

"So this other world is like...hmmm...parts of people's subconsciousness running around. I guess it's not like the OTHER sides I am used to. Though I suppose given the nature of these things that it's not impossible for another world to be created out of the minds of others.."

"I wonder what causes the psychosphere to be so thin here to be able to walk into...assuming it's such a phenomenon.."

Stanley Padgett has posed:
    Stanley looks at Lilian and Rita, and realization dawns on him. "OH."
    He takes a deep breath, and looks at everyone. "You get there through the game. There's a function to do it, but I think mine's the only one that can. No one else's version seems to have that button."
    Big Secret time. "...The Reversal of the school was a MESS. Like, twisted and awful and shi-Stuff. Like... pieces of it were just outright glitched, like someone put bad data into a game or something. Shadows were much angrier, and I don't think they were just people Shadows. Like... something more. And I had to fight Dr. Hunnicutt's Shadow, only it was... his Shadow was Attilia the Hun. And he had all these awful horse demon things protecting him, but Mercutio and I get in, we got-" He mimes fencing motions at the table, and sweeps an invisible rapier...

    And we beat his Shadow. Forced him to Go Away. And then it all broke down and sorta exploded and that's when the kids came back in the basement. Just... reappeared. I mean, on the real side. They were all trapped down there in the Reversal in like... these block things the spacy guy got put into in that old movie, you know..." He makes a noise like Han Solo being frozen in Carbonite and makes everyone feel old.
    "And I checked the Reversal today at the school and it's all... as normal as that place usually is."

    And it's now that his brain catches up that he's been rambling, and Stanley shrinks in his spot and shoves a slice of pizza in his face. Carbs don't ask questions and they can't be awkward.

Timespace Riders (7511) has posed:
     Woz shares a quiet Moment with Lilian, nodding solemnly. The work of a retainer is demanding, indeed.

     "Ha, of course it is," says Sougo to Rita, oblivious to this exchange, nodding fervently. "Especially if she's a friend of yours and Ishirou's. I haven't eaten with this many people in a long time. The more, the merrier!"

     Woz, meanwhile, thumbs the spine of that book, after diligently wiping his hands. It doesn't do, to get pepperoni grease on temporal artifacts. "A game with hidden depths, farther than the average eye might ever see," ponders the retainer thoughtfully. Sougo, who is 19, and Woz, who is from an indeterminate part of the near future, look blankly at Stanley when he pantomimes carbonite. Then each other.

     Sougo smiles, and pulls out a futuristic-looking pocketwatch. The face and bezel are colorful, pinks and greens and oranges in a kind of vaguely retro-90s scheme. The bottom portion of the face reads AU24 in liquid crystal display font--six years ago. "I have the power of someone who's really good at games," he says with a small smile. "And I'm pretty good at seeing people's hearts. If something like this happens again..." Sougo looks from the watch to Stanley, smiling. "You and Mercutio can count on me to be there. Um..."

     Sougo's good-natured smile nevertheless displays some mild perplexment. "Who's Mercutio?" he asks, repeating Stanley's sword-fight gesture.

KNK (7494) has posed:
    "Hey, Rita!" Violet gives her a wave. She's almost completely covered up, long gloves included, but doing that in August still doesn't seem to bother her.

    "And Lilian, too. Oh, you look pretty similar, huh? Just without the nubs. You know, the nubb--" She's soon distracted by actually getting her hands on pepperoni pizza, which she digs into while pulling up a seat near Sougo, thus implicitly confirming Woz's assumption.

    Rose is certainly 'somewhere nearby,' though well-hidden and far enough away that someone could spend hours, if not weeks, looking for her. She hasn't said anything on the radio, even after being mentioned.

    For her own part, Violet looks considerably different from her avatar, not having the leather armor, and not having any visible weapon, and her outfit being as loud as it is. She is almost certainly recording everything, herself, but has no idea what Lilian was getting at about that.

    "Oh, it's almost like real meat! I guess they can't be doing that poorly."

    After listening to the explanation, and having no idea which movies are being referenced, Violet asks, "Is an unconscious world like a dream world? It sounds pretty fake, but also kind of cool? Hmm, but are you really the only one in there? Maybe it's just a big secret. I bet I'd keep it a secret, if I could do that"

Stanley Padgett has posed:
    MORE PEOPLE! Stanley looks up with his mouth full of pizza, swallows and waves to Violet. "...Hi, I'm Stanley. I didn't think I'd uh.... the phone said make friends and this is a lot of uh.... a lot of people."

    Sougo asks the right question though, and... and Stanley puffs up a bit. "Oh uh..." He coughs. "Mercutio is my Persona." A blink. "It's what happens if you sort things out properly with your Shadow, I guess?"
    He looks at the big crowd of people, and then lets out a careful breath. "...I'm not sure if I'm supposed to let it out here, with people around, or inside of the pizza place. Or on this side of the Reversal."

Ishirou (7132) has posed:
Ishirou grabs a slice of pepperoni and starts eating. He's mostly listening as people talk, and deciding to move to a more listening role as things are explained. He puts this all together in his brain, hopefully, he can get a report or something together later.

"It...it is meat, Violet..." he says, confused at why it wouldn't be real meat. Though he does look at her, "You do look the same as in the game.." he almost loses it when she says nubs and looks back towards Lilian trying to hide his laughing smile.

"Persona..? That seems familiar somehow. He thinks out loud and seems to be searching for something. "Persona, Persona, Persona.." he muses.

Lilian Rook (6895) has posed:
    Of course Lilian will set next to Rita. Not doing that much would just be cruel. "Indeed, where are my manners. It's as Ishirou says. Dame Commander Lilian Isabelle Rook, of various qualifications that currently have no bearing here, just yet. I will admit that I did want to make certain he wasn't breaking his bones again, but short of offending the Czech, that seems unlikely."

    She squints at Stanley. Incapable of projecting a single innocent emotion, she does it with chin tilted, cheek turned, eyes narrowed, and lip slightly curled. "Don't get any funny ideas." It's too menacing for such a minor faux pas.

    Reaching for a slice of pizza, Lilian first makes to fold up some cheap paper napkin to protect her fingers from grease (huh, she has them painted, black with faint dusty gold ripples) and, after a bracing breath, takes a bite. Chewing it thoughtfully for a little while, she swallows, makes a slightly annoyed sigh, and then reaches for some crushed pepper and parmesan sprinkle. "I'll admit, I expected much worse. Go on Rita. You should try some as well. It'll be fine. Like the tea." Making no expression that would betray what that means, she remarks to Violet "Technically, it is. Just machine-separated meat, blended together, spiced, and compressed into a tube. Prime cuts are sort of a waste on pizza." She inspects a slice. "Maybe with some oregano . . . Ah, but please let Rose know that lurking around in private and recording me is utterly forbidden~ She can join us or she can go away, not hover around the middle like an awkward teen boy at prom." Chomp. "Jesus Christ, and stop using that word! They have tines in the first place! And can't you tell? I'm obviously far more gorgeous in real life."

    When Stanley resumes, Lilian leans over to Ishirou, and whispers "What movie is he talking about?"

    A moment passes. "We can always disable the camera, or block up the windows. I'm not bothering with magic for this, though. Are you really that afraid of people knowing you have power? We're the only ones here. It should be fine, by the Ninth." Chomp. "Of course the manifestation of a highschool would be a miserable hellhole in the collective subconsciousness. Have you any idea how much teenaged angst and envy and resentment stews in one of those public hives?" Chomp. "Nary a clue why your teacher would somehow be connected to the the Hun, though." She looks back at Ishirou, at the mention of 'reappearing'. "Doesn't that sound like Adachi's awful television game?"

Ishirou (7132) has posed:
Ishirou leans back, "I think either Romeo and Juliet...or Star Wars. Honestly, they're pretty similar stories if you think about it."

KNK (7494) has posed:
    "Oh, right!" the ninja claps her hands together, making a completely normal glove-clapping noise and not one weighted by an unusual body density. "I'm Violet. Guess I forgot to mention. Or did I?"

    Turning from Stanley to Lilian, she says, "Okay!" and is completely silent, and almost completely still, for about three seconds, before continuing. "She said, 'fuck you.'" She doesn't bother to change her intonation to fully capture Rose's manner of speaking, which wouldn't go with her smiling expression, anyway.

    After a few moments, "What's wrong with huns?" That might not be translating correctly.

Rita Ma (7417) has posed:
     "The nubblies," Rita says, giving Violet a knowing and very earnest nod. "I'm sad Ms. Rook doesn't have them here, too."

     Later: "If Shadows are the darker parts of your heart, and 'Mercutio' is your Shadow that you made friends with, then... you must have a really strong heart, right? If even the dark parts of it aren't all bad. And if you can forgive yourself like that." Rita smiles at Stanley. There's a slightly forlorn note in it.

     That bit of melancholy is wiped away first by confusion, and then by delight. "Like the tea...? Oh! Thank you, Ms. Rook!" That gives her permission to plate herself up some right away. She absolutely destroys a slice with rapidity that brings to mind factoids about piranha and cows, but at least has the decency to wait a little while before serving herself a second one.

     While she's taking a breather between slices, she asks: "Mr. Stanley, if there's problems here with more Shadows, it'd be good if we could help you, right? Is there any way for you to take other people with you to the Reversal?"

Lilian Rook (6895) has posed:
    Lilian tilts her head slowly, putting a fingertip on her chin, and nodding slowly in regards to Violet's answer. "I see, I see." she says. "So she's like that."

    Lilian gets up.

    Lilian walks to the door.

    Lilian opens the door.

    Lilian leans outside.

    Lilian raises her voice at the building across the street.

    "Fuck me yourself, you coward!"

    Lilian turns on her heel and slams the door behind her.

    The click click click of heels returns to the booth, the squeak of cheap pleather cushioning announcing the realignment of her weight. "If only we were all so fortunate." Lilian says to Rita, as if she hadn't exited the conversation at all, now focusing on ensuring Rita's dining experience. "And stop calling them-- wait, why do you want them here?!"

Stanley Padgett has posed:
    ....Miss Lilian, possibly the scariest person here besides Jan, seems to think this will be okay. Stanley lets out a breath, and then gets up from his spot to head over to the bike rack. He reaches in and pulls out a long case, which he zips open to pull out... a fencing sabre. Like, a real one, not a training one.

    He smiles vaguely at the rest of the group... takes a breath, and murmurs out.
    "Per..."
        So...
            Na~"

    There's a muted flash of color at Stanley's feet, that bursts out up and around him like a... like a neon light skittering through a glass tube as it activates. And around Stanley's body spirals up a costume. Imagine if someone went to your local ren-faire, bought a full set of light armor, mail and leathers and such, and then brought it home and had Lisa Frank puke neon colors all over it. That's what Stanley looks like. Garish, bold, and certainly not the scared young boy he was 10 seconds ago.

    Also the towering neon white and blue faceless man in a gambeson carrying a rapier and a flintlock that sprouts over Stanley's head a moment before vanishing.

    The pink hair actually fits Stanley now, and he poses for the group, trying to look cool.

    Oh Stanley.

KNK (7494) has posed:
    No one responds to Lilian's challenge. Unfortunately, being easy to draw out of hiding isn't among Rose's weaknesses, even if she thought it was safe to touch Lilian, which it very obviously isn't. Violet waits patiently for her return, still smiling, except when she's nibbling pizza, or mumbling about 'mushroom meat.'

    And then Stanley does his thing.

    "Ohhh!" Violet applauds, with the wide-eyed wonder of someone who has no idea what just happened but is there to enjoy the show.

    Things she's already been told and/or heard repeatedly only start slowly clicking sometime afterward. "Persona? Darkness in hearts? Huh, doesn't Xion talk about that sometimes? Oh, but how did a phone game do that? Or did a phone game do that? Is it an augmentation thing? Or a projection? Or..." Her head tilts while she checks for hidden holographic projectors.

Ishirou (7132) has posed:
The transformation happens, revealing the ghost in all of its cool glory. Of course, this means that while this was happening, Ishirou was scanning every square inch of Stanley and his persona to try and understand what he was seeing better. POD, floating and holding a piece of pizza, drops it in front of Ishirou to also help with scanning.

"That's...interesting," trying to hold back a chuckle at Stanley's posing. "It's just like Go.." he says, with a bit of a giggle.

"So a Persona is...this, and it's formed from coming into an agreement or resolution with your Shadow..? A phone app gives you, for some reason, access into another world which seems to be the collection of human consciousness..."

Though when Violet mentions stuff Xion has said, he nods. "She does say that a lot. Maybe she'll have more insight into all of this. Though Persona as a term seems /familiar/." He also spends a moment to try and hack Stanley's phone to see if he can get a copy of his phone app and mess around with it.

Timespace Riders (7511) has posed:
     "Attila the Hun ruled a people called the Huns," Sougo explains to Violet. "And Ostrogoths... Alans... Bulgars... he ruled over a lot, actually!" His helpful smile dims somewhat. "But he was also really scary. He took things by force, pretty often, and attacked pretty much whoever he felt like. People either had to pay up or fight him off. So..." Sougo frowns. "It makes sense that someone wouldn't want others to know that's how they really were, inside."

     His somber reflection is shattered with the arrival of Stanley's wonderfully garish armor--and the towering Persona behind him. "Ouhh!" He cries excitedly. "So cool!" Sougo can't help pointing at the pose, forgetting himself for a moment before he lowers his voice. "Stanley..."

     Sougo steps out of the booth, grinning. "I've got a good feeling about this! Your armor... that and Mercutio, they're the shape of your heart, aren't they?" His eyes twinkle with admiration.

     "You remind me of someone I met, once--someone with a strong heart, like yours. That's why I've decided..." Sougo extends his hand to the gaily-armored, pink-haired boy. "We're going to be good friends!" For the second time, Sougo extends a hand, but if Stanley accepts, he'll find both of Sougo's grasp his, shaking more firmly than before.

Rita Ma (7417) has posed:
     "Huh? Because they're really cute, Ms. Rook! They suit you a whole whole lot! And you really liked it when I touched them, didn't you? I want to have more ways to make you happy, like you make me happy."

     That's a terrifying way to put it, but given that Rita's currently eating ensorcelled pizza courtesy of Lilian herself, it's presently a little harder to argue against.

     Both of Rita's hands go over her mouth when Stanley does his transformation sequence, her eyes wide and practically sparkling. "Wow! That's incredible, Mr. Stanley! Is that the shape of your heart? Is it solid? Can I touch it?" (She does, in fact, get up from the table and very gingerly poke the armor's shoulder if allowed.) "It looks amazing with your hair!"

     Once she's seated again, she adds: "That really big thing was your Persona, wasn't it? 'Mercutio'. Can I say hi to Mercutio? Or is it more like... just part of you, that doesn't talk?"

Lilian Rook (6895) has posed:
    Lilian's interest visibly increases by about fifty percent when Stanley brings out a sword. Her eyebrows disappear into her bangs, and a sly grin creeps up the corner of her mouth. "You would be the type, wouldn't you? Ah, but I suppose it's hardly that easy to find anything else in America. Do tell me if you need a recommendation for proper steel, though that model is far too light for my personal taste."

    She beholds his transformation silently, fingers laced over her knee, but she just sort of seems to be the type to do that. Given a moment for him to say anything, she quietly hums to herself, then says "I can see what you were going with that dye attempt now. Well, I can hardly blame a man for wanting to dress like his birthright, stolen by the advent of the Frenchman. But that certainly does appear . . ."

    "Useful. And you fought like that? How much experience do you have?"

    Lilian shrugs lightly in Ishirou's direction. "Stranger things have happened." Then to Rita and Violet, "No, this doesn't seem anything like anything to do with Castle Oblivion, or that business with 'Heartless'. But Xion is . . . perhaps something of an expert on this as well. Inner darkness. Sides and facets of people. Choosing and confronting." She scoffs at Sougo. "You can't simply walk up to someone and assign yourself as their friend. What happened to becoming King?"

    A cold shiver runs up Lilian's spine at hearing Rita's innocent declaration. "Of course they don't suit me. I know you've barely ever seen a terrestrial mammal, but even without knowing that much, you should at least think of aesthetics!" A beat. "And you shouldn't try to touch every new part of people you meet!"

Rita Ma (7417) has posed:
     "But I asked if I could touch them, Ms. Rook," Rita says innocently. "And you said yes, didn't you?"

Lilian Rook (6895) has posed:
    "You should really take some responsibility for how difficult you are to say 'no' to." Lilian huffs. "If I had antlers all the time then people would stare. And make assumptions."

Ishirou (7132) has posed:
Ishirou, still looking at Stanley very firmly, speaks up to Lilian, "You mean to say that people don't already do that?"

Stanley Padgett has posed:
    Aw, jeez people are COMPLIMENTING STANLEY. There's a little flutter in the boy's chest, as he swishes his sabre once or twice, and then sheathes it again. Rita and Sougo get a happy grin. "...That's what Igor and Delilah tell me. They're my guides, sort of. I can introduce you sometime if you want..."
    He reaches out that hand to Sougo, and clasps it, smiling. This is the most brilliant look any of you have seen on Stanley all night. A /friend/. "...Sure, thanks, I... I've been..." He huffs, and sighs. "It's fine, yes, thank you. I accept."

    Rita touching the armor will find it... very tactile. It's real alright, though it doesn't quite feel like real leather. Something /off/ about it. Stanley puffs up again. "...I guess, this is just something inside of me, you know, I... I had to do a LOT of Shakespear in school. Love, friendship, charity, are subjects all To envious and calumniating time. I am very happy to meet you..."

    And then Stanley releases the energy, and all of the trappings evaporate around him like motes of xenon and argon. "...Thanks for the offer, Miss Lilian, but... this is my mother's sword, and... I... No, I'm going to keep it, thanks." Oh ho.

    If Stanley's noticing I4's fishing around in his phone, he isn't mentioning it.

Lilian Rook (6895) has posed:
    "Very different sorts of assumptions, Ishirou." says Lilian, with the vocal tone of a knife pressed into the back of his neck. "You really can be a nasty little boy sometimes, you know?"

    Now she just looks sort of put off that Sougo's innocent little boy friendship, by cotrast, actually worked. "Your mother's sword, hm? Well, far be it for me to criticize the attachment to an heirloom." Her fingers loosely fiddle with the thin black chain around her neck. "Oh well. If it's pyshic nonsense, you'll be fine."

    "And as far as influences go, you could certainly do far, far worse than the Bard."

Ishirou (7132) has posed:
Ishirou pales a little bit at the very...knife-like tone of Lilian, followed up by the 'nasty little boy' phrase. "W-what? I was...what?" He isn't sure what happened, and how they got here, but now he's both slightly afraid and very confused.

He also starts clamming up very tightly.

He also digs around in the phone for the app that was telling him to do things...like make friends.

Stanley Padgett has posed:
    Stanley puffs up at the compliments to the Bard and then makes a face. "...so like... I've been at 9 different schools since 1st grade, and in the last..." He ticks his fingers. "...5 of them, one of my classes has always been studying Shakespeare. So... I'm getting pretty good at it?" A slightly lopsides smile...

    And then the phone rings. Stanley huffs, and goes to pick it up. The contact is named 'Uncle Sid'.
    Sid: "Hey, kid, you didn't go to the apartment tonight. Did the cops talk to you?
    Stanley sighs, and makes the 'i need to talk' face to everyone ,and wanders over to the corner of the room. "...No I didn't talk to the cops, Uncle Sid, I swear. They're just being mad about Dr. Hun is all."
    Sid: "Good, good. Get home when you can, I gotta lock the place up before my next appointment comes through."
    Stanley makes another face, and sighs. "...This late?"
    Sid: "I don't tell you how to run your business, don't you fuckin' tell me how to run mine. Go to the apartment."

    Stanley grumbles. "Yes, Uncle Sid." Sid hangs up on the other side of the phone and Stanley just... wilts.

    A look to all these important otherworldly people, and he makes plaintive teenage gestures. "...I... I gotta go, guys it's very nice to have met you all, I... you..."

    He holds up his phone. "I can call and talk with you guys still, right?" A hopeful, horrible desperate gleam in Stanley's eyes.

Rita Ma (7417) has posed:
     Rita seems entranced by the texture of the leather until Stanley snaps her out of it. She pulls her hand back sheepishly. "Oh- Igor and Delilah? How do you mean, 'your guides'? Like, to the Reversal?"

     When Stanley retreats to take the phone call, she just looks helplessly baffled. Stressful family dynamics are completely out of her purview. At the end, she puts on a sympathetic-confused smile and nods.

     "Yeah! I'd love to stay in touch with you, Mr. Stanley. Thank you! And if you ever need help with all of this Shadow stuff, or anything, just... give us a call, okay? I know there's lots of people who'd be happy to. You don't have to do it alone."

     After several moments pass, something finally occurs to her. "Hey, Ms. Rook? What kind of 'assumptions' did you mean?"

KNK (7494) has posed:
    "Oh, sure! See you later, Stanley!"

    She flicks her fingers, and they're now holding a business card. A physical, cardstock business card. It has multiversal contact numbers, should he look at it, and doesn't say 'Violet.' It instead says KNK, with what might be Chinese underneath it, and lists the business as 'Syndicate-accredited' for Infiltration, Extraction and Assassination.

    Violet gives another little smile and a wave before she gets up to go, though she never visibly reaches the door before she's gone.

Ishirou (7132) has posed:
Ishirou seems to be picking through things in his mind. A little less pale than he was a few moments ago. So a push notification...and the person looks...

Wow, is that an elevator attendant outfit? So this 'Delilah' is sending push notifications through the app on the phone, even though the app isn't reporting it...

Ishirou makes a sigh, hearing the conversation thanks to being both inside the phone, and having really good hearing. He looks a bit distressed by this but holds it together. He knows that conversational tone, he knows that feeling Stanley has.

"Nice to meet you too, Stanley...and sure. If I'm around I'll chat!"

Timespace Riders (7511) has posed:
     "Not just king," says Sougo warmly to Lilian, smiling over his shoulder. "The greatest, kindest Demon King. How can you be kind, if you don't make any friends?"

     When he pulls his hand back from the gesture, Sougo finds a new, different-looking pocketwatch in his hand. "Huh..." The LCD font reads AU30, beneath a stylized cameo of pink and blue. Sougo presses the crown, and the watch announces, PADGETT! The cameo shifts, revealing an illustrated depiction of Stanley, with one half of his face bearing Mercutio's blue and the other showing his grin and pink hair.

     "Most impressive, my Demon King," Woz says with an arch smile.

     Sougo's smile dims, slightly, after overhearing Stanley's side of the phone conversation. "So soon?" he asks. "Oh! Yes," says Sougo, beaming at Stanley. "Of course you can talk to us! Here," he offers, pulling out a weirdly shaped phone which reads SMART BRAIN on the edge. He bleep-bleep-bleeps his number onto the display, showing it to Stanley.

Stanley Padgett has posed:
    Stanley pulls away from the group, and heads out the door. The young Fool slings that sabre back into its case, over his shoulder and neatly leaps the 5 feet down from the back stairs to the street below, and starts to scamper away.

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