[Ryuji had been a little vague on the mechanics, and Hajime had been overwhelmed enough at the time not to think of asking.
Does he want her to? It sounds like something wildly unreal. The source of her powers... But it's Haru. And while he doesn't know much, he does want to get to know his friends, as well as they'll let him. So he nods, eyes flicking curiously over her mask again.]
I... yeah. As long as you want me to, um, see her, I'd... be honored.
[No, wait, that sounds too formal, too uptight. He laughs quietly and runs a hand through his hair. God, can't he be cool for once in his life??]
S-sorry, I'm not... All of this is so different, it's hard to know what to say. I meant to say, um, I'd like that.
[He falls into step beside her, sneaking sideways glances at her face as if trying to tell if she's actually angry at him, and just hiding it really well.]
We're going somewhere more open, I need a little room.
[He will see why in a moment. Once they arrive at the fitness center, she will look around to make sure no one else is watching or around. She takes a deep breath and literally rips the mask from her face.
It isn't as intense as the first time she ever did it, but... the notion is all the same.
[He truly doesn't know what to expect. Ryuji hadn't shown him anything other than the mask; he'd let him hold it, confirm it was a real, physical object, but this--
Hajime's voice catches in his throat. When he's afraid, truly frightened by something out of his experience, he can't react at all. He can only stare, eyes wide, face pale, as he stares up at the... something that's just appeared.]
Eh...?
[When he finds his voice, it's smaller than he would like. He feels small; more than just making a mask appear out of nowhere like Ryuji had, this is obviously some kind of supernatural being. Haru... is on an entirely different level than he could ever be, and he's realizing it in one sharp shock.]
[She knows Milady is big, she knows she is intimidating. But the nuances behind Milady are very Haru. Milady is Haru, Haru is Milady. I am thou, thou art I. That kind of thing.]
Milady is a part of me, you know. The part of me that wants to do better for our broken world. She is my flag of rebellion.
[Milady floats there, not making much of a move besides the gentle wave of her fan.] If I didn't have Milady, I would never have been able to attempt to save my Father from his horrible deeds.
[Words are failing him in the face of what's obviously a supernatural entity. Is this... Haru's soul? That can't be the right word, it just can't. It doesn't make sense with how Ryuji described what they do, so it's... it's a part of her. A facet of herself that she can just summon, and presumably fight with.
He feels like if he tries to move, he'll just collapse to the deck. It's hard not to bluescreen right now; his head feels like it's swimming.]
I... don't know what I was expecting, [he says finally, exhaling a shaky breath.] I've just... I've never seen anything like her.
[It wouldn't be wrong to say this is a piece of Haru's soul. She made a lasting contract with Milady. One that would not break until her job was done. Seeing Milady fight right now isn't something that will happen.
Haru doesn't use her irresponsibly.]
Before I came into contact with the Phantom Thieves, and before I gained a Persona myself... I would have said the exact same thing. I would have never believed anyone.
[He can't stare at Milady any longer. Not only is it rude to stare at a lady, it's seriously freaking him out. So he looks back to Haru, though he stops short of asking her to put Milady away. Or... whatever it is she does when Milady isn't floating around nearby. God.]
Um... th-thank you. For showing me. I... how did you get involved? If... it's not too much to ask.
[Soon enough, Milady will give a wave of her fan and disappear. The mask reappears on Haru's face in blue flame.
She doesn't want to scare Hinata off.]
My Father. I wanted to save my Father from going downhill any more than he already had. I thought if I could steal his deep rooted desires from him... well, he would be the loving Father that I remembered.
[He tenses when Milady just vanishes, but it eases quickly enough. It's a lot less intimidating when there isn't a hovering guns-under-skirt spirit visibly watching him, after all.]
I... see. I get it.
[And... he thinks he does, really. Even if Haru's father had been a terrible person, making her go along with that arranged marriage, she remembers him as someone different. If she really thought she could bring him back... of course she'd do whatever she could.
He's still not completely sold on the morality of forcibly going into someone's soul to change them. He's certain he doesn't want that ever to happen to him, because he wants to make his own choices, even if they're wrong. But he can understand Haru, at the very least. He can understand Haru, and Ryuji with Kamoshida. He can understand the feeling of wanting to fight, to do whatever one's capable of to try to change things.
He shakes himself out of his own thoughts, lowering a hand he hadn't realized he'd brought up to his lips.]
I'm... sorry about what happened. And, um... I'm sorry I brought it up, too. I really... didn't mean to pry and get involved like this.
I have to understand that perhaps Akechi-san didn't have a choice. There was a possibility that Shido would have gotten rid him if he didn't do what he did, I'm sure of it.
[Her fists are clenched. She hates Akechi to an extent, his actions altering her life to an extreme. She hated to think about it. She hated so much to always be conflicted about what she should think or how she should feel.]
Please, do not worry or blame yourself. I know you are trustworthy.
[Perhaps he didn't have a choice. A possibility. Hajime's lips twist into another frown, gaze returning to the floor for a moment. Maybe that's true, and he didn't have a choice. But he won't know until he asks Goro himself.
A sigh, then he looks back up, frown fading into a small smile.]
I'm glad you think so. I'm... gonna have to talk to Amamiya and the others, huh...? I hope they agree with you.
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2018-07-03 03:47 am (UTC)[Ryuji had been a little vague on the mechanics, and Hajime had been overwhelmed enough at the time not to think of asking.
Does he want her to? It sounds like something wildly unreal. The source of her powers... But it's Haru. And while he doesn't know much, he does want to get to know his friends, as well as they'll let him. So he nods, eyes flicking curiously over her mask again.]
I... yeah. As long as you want me to, um, see her, I'd... be honored.
[No, wait, that sounds too formal, too uptight. He laughs quietly and runs a hand through his hair. God, can't he be cool for once in his life??]
S-sorry, I'm not... All of this is so different, it's hard to know what to say. I meant to say, um, I'd like that.
no subject
Date: 2018-07-03 04:54 am (UTC)[She talks to Milady often, the presence in her head and in her heart. The one who encouraged her to instigate her final betrayal.
Well, even so. Right now? Haru is going to start walking out of the garden. No one should be in the fitness area right now. She needs room.]
Come with me.
no subject
Date: 2018-07-03 02:01 pm (UTC)[He falls into step beside her, sneaking sideways glances at her face as if trying to tell if she's actually angry at him, and just hiding it really well.]
I, um... where are we going?
no subject
Date: 2018-07-04 03:17 am (UTC)[He will see why in a moment. Once they arrive at the fitness center, she will look around to make sure no one else is watching or around. She takes a deep breath and literally rips the mask from her face.
It isn't as intense as the first time she ever did it, but... the notion is all the same.
What appears before them is her persona, Milady.]
no subject
Date: 2018-07-04 02:15 pm (UTC)Hajime's voice catches in his throat. When he's afraid, truly frightened by something out of his experience, he can't react at all. He can only stare, eyes wide, face pale, as he stares up at the... something that's just appeared.]
Eh...?
[When he finds his voice, it's smaller than he would like. He feels small; more than just making a mask appear out of nowhere like Ryuji had, this is obviously some kind of supernatural being. Haru... is on an entirely different level than he could ever be, and he's realizing it in one sharp shock.]
no subject
Date: 2018-07-04 04:46 pm (UTC)[She knows Milady is big, she knows she is intimidating. But the nuances behind Milady are very Haru. Milady is Haru, Haru is Milady. I am thou, thou art I. That kind of thing.]
Milady is a part of me, you know. The part of me that wants to do better for our broken world. She is my flag of rebellion.
[Milady floats there, not making much of a move besides the gentle wave of her fan.] If I didn't have Milady, I would never have been able to attempt to save my Father from his horrible deeds.
no subject
Date: 2018-07-04 05:04 pm (UTC)[Words are failing him in the face of what's obviously a supernatural entity. Is this... Haru's soul? That can't be the right word, it just can't. It doesn't make sense with how Ryuji described what they do, so it's... it's a part of her. A facet of herself that she can just summon, and presumably fight with.
He feels like if he tries to move, he'll just collapse to the deck. It's hard not to bluescreen right now; his head feels like it's swimming.]
I... don't know what I was expecting, [he says finally, exhaling a shaky breath.] I've just... I've never seen anything like her.
no subject
Date: 2018-07-04 05:20 pm (UTC)Haru doesn't use her irresponsibly.]
Before I came into contact with the Phantom Thieves, and before I gained a Persona myself... I would have said the exact same thing. I would have never believed anyone.
no subject
Date: 2018-07-04 05:43 pm (UTC)Um... th-thank you. For showing me. I... how did you get involved? If... it's not too much to ask.
no subject
Date: 2018-07-06 04:53 am (UTC)She doesn't want to scare Hinata off.]
My Father. I wanted to save my Father from going downhill any more than he already had. I thought if I could steal his deep rooted desires from him... well, he would be the loving Father that I remembered.
no subject
Date: 2018-07-06 03:50 pm (UTC)I... see. I get it.
[And... he thinks he does, really. Even if Haru's father had been a terrible person, making her go along with that arranged marriage, she remembers him as someone different. If she really thought she could bring him back... of course she'd do whatever she could.
He's still not completely sold on the morality of forcibly going into someone's soul to change them. He's certain he doesn't want that ever to happen to him, because he wants to make his own choices, even if they're wrong. But he can understand Haru, at the very least. He can understand Haru, and Ryuji with Kamoshida. He can understand the feeling of wanting to fight, to do whatever one's capable of to try to change things.
He shakes himself out of his own thoughts, lowering a hand he hadn't realized he'd brought up to his lips.]
I'm... sorry about what happened. And, um... I'm sorry I brought it up, too. I really... didn't mean to pry and get involved like this.
...Thanks for trusting me.
no subject
Date: 2018-07-08 03:30 am (UTC)[Her fists are clenched. She hates Akechi to an extent, his actions altering her life to an extreme. She hated to think about it. She hated so much to always be conflicted about what she should think or how she should feel.]
Please, do not worry or blame yourself. I know you are trustworthy.
no subject
Date: 2018-07-08 01:48 pm (UTC)A sigh, then he looks back up, frown fading into a small smile.]
I'm glad you think so. I'm... gonna have to talk to Amamiya and the others, huh...? I hope they agree with you.