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Post by mugenginga on Oct 31, 2010 0:03:14 GMT -5
The clearing was a lot calmer than it had been just two days prior, what with Christmas over and most people still dealing with the after Christmas slump. It was late morning, meaning that many people were also involved in the after Christmas sales that were still going on in town. It was warmer than it had been in the past few days as well, so while there was snow on the ground a light jacket was plenty.
After the group had realized that there was no real way to find Kaiba, it had been decided the situation couldn't be handled until the New Years thing. The suggestion had been brought up by one member of the group that Atem could perhaps ask for help from the gods, but he'd been highly resistant. There was still too much friction there for consideration.
Ryoji and Minato had headed out in the morning, mostly because they didn't really have anything to do. Honestly, they both needed to get jobs soon. The ridiculous amounts of money Minato had possessed due to Tartarus before he came to this world was finally dwindling down. He probably had a month's living expenses, no more. Ryoji had been a little down since the conversation yesterday.
He let out a sigh, "I feel worthless with everything that's going on. Everyone's hands feel tied. Can't we try to find Kaiba or something? I mean, without talking to the Egyptian gods?"
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Post by Firebreath Fishslap on Oct 31, 2010 1:06:03 GMT -5
Minato had honestly been feeling a little down about things himself. Actually, it had finally looked like things were starting to calm down, and then they'd realized something was up with Kaiba. There had been a rather strong bit of resistance to the idea of consulting the Gods about Kaiba, particularly from Atem.
There was also the issue of funds. Minato was starting to run quite low on cash. The one time he'd been out job hunting, he hadn't really been in the mindset to take it seriously, and his inability to land a job was now biting him in the butt. If he didn't get that handled soon, he'd be having to ask Souji for money so he could pay rent.
He looked up as Ryoji spoke up, and then gave a sigh of his own. "Somehow, I don't think Kaiba would listen to us even if we did track him down. I think that's our main problem; he wouldn't listen to any of us even if we tried."
He frowned. At that was one of their base problems. Kaiba's inability to listen to them. Minato doubted Kaiba would even believe that Kisa had something to do with his Blue Eyes not working, for one.
He suddenly stopped and turned as he heard some rather high pitched barks from nearby. Minato didn't say anything, but there was an expression on his face that was simultaneously confused and worried.
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Post by mugenginga on Oct 31, 2010 16:08:43 GMT -5
"Is he really that bad?" Ryoji asked, "There's gotta be someone he listens to, right?"
There was no response from Minato who had stopped to look towards some dog barks. Ryoji blinked and leaned forward to look in the direction Minato was glancing.
"What's wrong, Minato?" Ryoji turned his head towards Minato while still leaning forward. It actually looked a little awkward, but there was a level of charm to it as well, "It just sounds like dogs barking to me."
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Post by Firebreath Fishslap on Oct 31, 2010 16:20:17 GMT -5
"I could have sworn that was..." Minato shook his head. "Never mind. Anyways--"
He cut off again as he heard the barking get closer. At that moment, a blue butterfly flew out from behind the bush. His jaw dropped, and he ran forward. "Hey, wait!"
A dog crashed through the bushes, still barking. It seemed to be chasing the butterfly, though the moment the dog ran onto the path, the butterfly just disappeared. The dog looked around confused for a moment before turning its attention onto Minato. Minato felt his heart nearly leap out of his chest. The dog was obviously older; there were flecks of gray around his muzzle now... but everything else was just the way he remembered him.
"Koromaru?!"
Koromaru gave a yip and bounded over to Minato, who was still gaping at the dog.
"What are you... how are you...?!" Minato couldn't find words. Koromaru gave a bark, and Minato gave a smile. He bent down and petted Koromaru's head. "I never thought I'd see you again, Koromaru."
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Post by mugenginga on Oct 31, 2010 16:31:10 GMT -5
Ryoji looked confused at Minato and straightened up as he went to continue. This time the barking was closer, and Ryoji paused for a moment this time as well. There was a distinct something to that barking. He turned in time to see the almost glowing blue butterfly swerve around a bush. Before he could come up with anything familiar about it, a dog busted through the bushes.
When Minato shouted out his name, Ryoji's eyes widened. He looked back at Minato and then at the dog. Minato crouched down and ran his hand over Koromaru's head. Ryoji gave a nervous smile, but he looked rather awkward with the situation. To be fair, it wasn't as if he'd left the world's greatest impression on SEES. He couldn't find good words due to his nervousness.
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Post by Firebreath Fishslap on Oct 31, 2010 16:44:10 GMT -5
Minato moved to scratching Koromaru behind the ears. He seemed oblivious to Ryoji's nervousness, being totally absorbed in Koromaru.
"Oh wow... I never thought I'd see you here, Koromaru," Minato said. "It's been so long... I guess it couldn't be helped, but still! Two years! Man, you're getting old... Well, I guess that's 14 years in dog years, so it makes sense. Just... wow." His smile turned a bit pained as he went on.
Even with Minato not noticing Ryoji's reaction, Koromaru did notice Ryoji. He backed away a bit and gave a whine as he noticed the scarved teenager. Minato looked a bit confused, and looked behind him at Ryoji for a moment before looking back at Koromaru.
"No, Koromaru, relax... it's okay, he's not the Appriser anymore. He's just Mochizuki Ryoji now," Minato said.
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Post by mugenginga on Oct 31, 2010 16:50:43 GMT -5
Ryoji's smile really didn't improve at the introduction, and he'd looked a bit ashamed at Koromaru's whine. After Minato spoke, he crouched down into a similar position to Minato. He still looked pained.
"I'm sorry about everything before, but that's over now, okay?" Ryoji looked at Minato and opened his mouth, but he closed it with a pained expression and gave his head a slight shake as if dismissing a thought. His smile improved a bit as he turned his focus back to Koromaru, "Nyx is gone."
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Post by Firebreath Fishslap on Oct 31, 2010 17:14:31 GMT -5
Koromaru continued give Ryoji cautious looks, but he didn't seem like he was reacting further. Minato frowned, and turned toward Ryoji.
"We're going to need to take him home with us, but I don't know if the apartments will allow us to keep pets... and we'll need to buy him food," Minato groaned. "Gaah, we're already in the red as it is..."
Koromaru gave a bark. Minato sighed and looked back toward Koromaru.
"Okay, Koromaru, could you promise to not make a lot of noise at the apartment?" Minato asked. "And I won't be able to get you your usual gourmet food for a while, so you'll have to make due with the bargain brand stuff."
Koromaru gave a disappointed whine. He liked the gourmet food Mitsuru usually got him.
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Post by mugenginga on Oct 31, 2010 20:48:05 GMT -5
Ryoji looked up at Minato as he mentioned the apartments. He looked in thought for a moment and shook his head.
"I don't think there's any rules against it, but he's smart enough that if there are rules, we can probably keep him hidden," he looked back at Koromaru and his smile became bitter again, "I don't blame you for not trusting me."
He lifted a finger to his head and made a motion like a gun, "I can summon a Persona now, though. Does that help?"
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Post by Firebreath Fishslap on Oct 31, 2010 21:21:17 GMT -5
Koromaru blinked as Ryoji lifted his hand up to his head and made a motion like he was shooting a gun. Ryoji could summon a Persona now? Ryoji had said himself he was a Shadow, though... Koromaru considered what had been said. Well, Minato had said Ryoji was human now. He gave a bark.
"I think that means yes," Minato chuckled. He paused for a moment, and then looked toward Ryoji. "Oh crap, I just realized! We can't have Koromaru keep using his Evoker. The whole reason I had to stop using mine was because my Persona went berserk, and I think it went berserk because of the Evoker. What if Koromaru's goes berserk too?"
Koromaru gave a whine at that. He'd never seen Evokers as anything dangerous, just a way to summon a Persona. Now it was possible using an Evoker would cause his Persona to try to kill him?
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Post by mugenginga on Oct 31, 2010 21:27:17 GMT -5
Ryoji's eyes widened. The Personas has begun to do that? Well, come to think of it, the ability for humans to summon Persona.. hadn't that been a result of the effects of the Dark Hour and proximity to Tartarus? There was a definite tie to the Shadows, even with Aigis' series. He held a hand up to his had and winced as if something painful was crossing his mind, but some memory or another didn't seem to want to show himself. For a moment he thought he remembered a blue butterfly... he shook his head.
"I... I don't know. It might be better if he doesn't summon it, but that really hinders his ability in a fight. If that TV World thing is related to Shadows and Persona, there mght be something we can do there..." Ryoji looked like he was straining for answers, "But that isn't really safe. I saw your Shadow, I don't want to imagine what Koromaru's would be like."
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Post by Firebreath Fishslap on Oct 31, 2010 21:42:31 GMT -5
Minato had a pained expression on his face as Ryoji brought up his Shadow. Nothing more painful than having your innermost thoughts revealed to all of your friends. And if that had been his, Ryoji was right. They didn't need to see Koromaru's.
"Yeah, I think the TV World option isn't really the best one to take in this case," Minato said. He frowned. "Maybe I should consult Igor."
Which, considering Ryoji didn't even know about Igor, wasn't the smartest thing to say. Koromaru gave a bark at that, and Minato looked toward Koromaru. That had been the kind of bark Koromaru used for affirming what they said. Minato looked very confused.
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Post by mugenginga on Oct 31, 2010 21:47:14 GMT -5
Ryoji looked confused at Minato's statement. Igor... Igor... that was another one of those things. He felt he should know it but it seemed to be fluttering just out of his reach. He remembered Minato mentioning Elizabeth, and had a feeling for a moment they were connected. Koromaru barked at this point in Ryoji's thoughts and he blinked anad looked at the dog. Was it something SEES had known, then? No, Minato didn't seem to understand the bark...
"Who is that?" Ryoji finally said, "Should I know him?"
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Post by Firebreath Fishslap on Oct 31, 2010 21:49:36 GMT -5
Minato shook his head. "No, I don't think so. Only me and Souji... and I guess Teddie should know about him. So why do you?" He looked back toward Koromaru.
Koromaru only gave another bark.
"Man, I wish I could speak dog like Aigis could," Minato said. "This would make this a whole lot easier."
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Post by mugenginga on Oct 31, 2010 21:53:10 GMT -5
Ryoji looked back at Koromaru as he barked. The dog was older, and considering some of what Minato had mentioned in relation to Souji and other such things, it seemed it was possible that their original world was aligned onto the time Souji had come from. Two years, and Souji-tachi could use Persona. Ryoji's eyes widened.
"Koromaru, did something happen after you guy stopped the Fall?" Ryoji asked. He looked at Minato and began to explain the leap, "Souji-kun says he comes 2012, right? And Koromaru looks older. So maybe he met this Igor person then?"
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