sumarusfinest | An Invitation [tagging Verity Willis]

The Yakuza ruin everything. Someone should do something about that.

It's so nice to have a friend for these things again. Someone to laugh with, to talk to, to just be with. Nobody on fire. Nobody fighting. She doesn't quite wish Loki were there, but she wishes she could talk to him after, tell him about the amazing day she had. Maybe when he comes back. If he comes back. It's easy to dismiss her sudden quiet moments as her general awkwardness.

The really heartbreaking thing is that she thinks that smile is meant for her.

"Pity it doesn't fly," she remarks after she spots the museum. "That would be fun. Where did you grow up?"

Katsuya is ~~immune to gun~~ pretty tough.

Why had he been thinking about Maya just then? It's shocking to Katsuya because he hadn't. Not for a long time. It was a precious memory buried away deep where he couldn't tarnish it with bitter feelings of regret and remorse. She was still working as a journalist, and Tatsuya had long since disappeared...but. The moment was gone. She had moved on. And he...it's a thought Katsuya tucks away to address later.

"You wouldn't' enjoy the ride." Katsuya shakes his head. "It's better like this." To be fair, Katsuya's only ever ridden in a blimp once, and it was a model blimp that by all reason and logic shouldn't have flown but did thanks to rumors. Piloted by a woman who can't drive down the block without committing ten traffic violations. His opinion is quite biased.

"We used to have a home near the shrine here." Katsuya gestures around them vaguely. "Every year they'd have a festival here in the summer. I'd take my younger brother..." When his mother was still alive. When his brother was still approachable. Katsuya's chest constricts painfully. He smiles despite that. "When everything changed, I got an apartment in Konan so I could take care of my brother."

"Wouldn't I? I'm not afraid of heights or anything. Are you?" That would surprise her. He seems so calm, so brave. It'd almost be a relief to know he's human underneath it all.

She wishes he'd tell her those parts, painful as they might be. Let her help him, just a little. Just that little bit of the burden a friend can shoulder. But she knows if she told him that he'd clam up even more. So unfair. "That sounds nice. I never had any siblings to do things with, or cousins. Or aunts of uncles. Or grandparents. That. Doesn't sound really good when I saw it out loud, does it?"

"I wasn't until I was thrown from one mid-flight because it was exploding." He sounds a tad bit sarcastic there, but it is 100% the truth. That happened. So many crazy things happened back then.

Katsuya doesn't know how to unearth those painful memories. To allow anyone else to shoulder even part of his burden. He's never had anyone else to rely on before. He's always been the one people leaned on.

"My family as well is rather...limited." Katsuya takes a breath. "My parents are deceased. My brother...I don't know where he is or if he's alright. And we don't have much in the way of extended family. I understand." It hurts. To even say that much. To be reminded that the thing most precious to him is gone. Taken away. All he'd ever cared about was his family, and he had none. Pretty hard to have a brother complex when you don't even have a brother, for all intents and purposes.

"It can be...lonely. Sometimes." All the time. Every day. Right now.

"That's a good reason to not want to try again." Definitely not going to invite him to a hot-air balloon festival.

She knows loneliness. Her losses are different, but pain is pain. But she doesn't know how to comfort him. There's a sick sort of irony in being so lonely you don't know how to fix it.

"You aren't alone, Katsuya. I'm here." That's all she's got.

Pain is pain. Loss is loss. It's a universal truth that everyone can understand on some level. Even if they can't, they will in time. One of life's little eventualities.

"I would say the same to you, Miss Verity." A thought occurs. Katsuya pulls out a rather dated looking cell phone (one that looks like it's been through the wringer and possibly set on fire before). He hands it over to Verity. There's a new contact open. Amidst all the foreign letters is the word 'Makoto' typed out in English characters. "It's a phone I had specially made...the last time I was in the Nexus." He explains. "I can communicate via text to anyone despite dimensional barriers. It also works with calls, though less accurately. I thought...it might be easier to get in touch with me, if we traded information."

That contact list is mighty small. Katsuya really doesn't get out much at all.

Life sucks. They should complain to the management. Get upgrades to a better life with less pain and more pillow mints.

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."

"You asked me to give you one. I thought it best to use it for something." Katsuya gives a small, embarrassed sort of smile. He really does intend to learn how to say her name properly. It seems important now. moreso than it did before.

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?"

She really doesn't mind if he doesn't. Being "Makoto" to him and only him would be just fine. Pretty fantastic really. Or he can call her "Belity", which is sweet too.

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?"

Katsuya reminds himself idly to explain to Verity the importance of names in his culture. He's had American friends before thanks to the Nexus, so he knows now that this isn't something that is natural to outsiders.

"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."

She nods understandingly when he explains. It's foreign to her, but it's important to him. So now it's important to her. It was stupid to get so excited. She'll try to keep her expression neutral. He doesn't need to know. "I'm sorry if I was... pushy about it. I didn't mean to be. Is... there something you'd rather I call you?"

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."

"It's no trouble." Katsuya reassures her even as he begins heading back toward the stone archway. "I didn't want there to be any misunderstandings, is all. Why I hesitated to use your name." The pronunciation didn't help, but it was a trifle by comparison.

"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..."

The reassurance works, and she nods again. "Okay. Just. Please tell me if I do something that makes you uncomfortable? I promise I'll knock it off."

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..."

"I promise I'll let you know." Katsuya chuckles as he leads the way down the stone stairs once more. "I'm certain you'd know it even if I didn't, however."

"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.

"There is this face you make," she admits, "and it's not my favorite of your expressions." Which ones are her favorites should be pretty obvious.

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."

"That's just my face, I'm afraid." Not only does Katsuya rarely joke, when he does he tells old man jokes. Aww. He's trying though! Marks for effort?

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 boosters~~ meals.

((I'll try to use brackets anytime I need to put speech in native Japanese to make it easier to differentiate.))

She kinda likes old man jokes. "Aw, but you have a nice face. It's so..." ~~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.))

"I..used to." Katsuya doesn't get out much now that he's not hunting down demons in every side street in Sumaru. But man, when they were fighting they ate out almost exclusively. Actually, it's a good time to pint out another of Sumaru's odd quirks. "There are several people in the city who specialize in rumors. Hardly a thing to be wary of normally, but..." There's a moment here where Katsuya tries to word what he wants to say. "Rumors become reality in Sumaru, if given enough credence. It is not as bad as it once was, but the effects never have entirely left the city. Thus, it's become rather critical for me to keep tabs on the goings on in the various districts."

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?"

The idea of rumors influencing reality isn't the strangest thing she's ever heard. It actually makes a lot of sense to her, in a weird kind of way. "We are so lucky this didn't happen in the American South, then. The church ladies would rule the world. It'd be casseroles and Bible study until the end of time." Better she makes jokes than think about how to use this to her advantage.

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.

The implications and range of their effectiveness are devastating, but the idea itself does have a certain allure to it. Katsuya couldn't believe it even when he saw it, but years of dealing with the altered reality of his home have made him used to such things by now. It's how Baofu pulled him back into the Nexus, even.

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 game~~ intricate 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.

Verity's not going to complain about something that let them meet. Not ever. Not even when it's rumors and gossip and other polite words for lies.

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.

How fitting for Sumaru to be a city where lies become truth. Katsuya hasn't made the connection between his home and Verity's abilities. What must it feel like for her?

'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.

It's very strange for her, but she's experienced it before. (The Bugle has such a grudge against Spider-Man, and she's realized how the paper's convinced people to trust the stories instead of their own experiences.) A fair bit can be explained away as cultural dissonance and wrong beliefs, neither of which are unusual in a city like New York. But when their drinks come, she'll be discreetly taking some aspirin.

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.

"I could introduce you to some of my companions." Katsuya shakes his head with a smile. "The older Persona users I'm most familiar with are quite busy..."Understatement of the year considering one is a famous model and another is the heir to the most important family in the Japanese business world, but details. "Miss Serizawa and Ma...Ms. Amano live not far from myself in Konan. I'm sure they'd love to meet you."

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.

"I would like that." She has no idea who they are and just has to hope they're not exes he's trying to make jealous. Normally she wouldn't even worry about that, but since they're both women... she has to wonder.

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."

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The howling guy in that music really makes me wonder what kind of place he's taken her to...

The nineties man, the nineties.

It was a great time to be alive. A time when men could howl in peace.

Canon takes place in 1999. Katsuya's timeline is roughly 2003 given years spent in the Nexus.

Oh dear. Verity's going to be disturbingly liberal in her worldview to him isn't she?

He'll have to do some cross dimensional current events reading.

Poor man, trying to understand American politics. And Trump's hair.

No one is prepared for that.

Least of all the poor guinea pig.