Sixth Bell | A SEES PSA | Video

[ktfod]

[Feed clicks on, and there’s a white, fluffy animal, all up in its grill, tail wagging and tongue hanging out, clearly excited to be the center of attention. Barely visible behind him are a few sets of feet, and finally the camera is lifted up to show the group: Minato, Ken, and Akihiko.]

It’s going-- go on with it. [Guess who doesn’t sound particularly excited- yep, it’s Shinjiro.]

[Like every time Minato has posted/been part of a post, he's staring directly into the camera with a blank expression, and says,] Hi. [Differently this time, there's two of his teammates standing next to him with Shinji manning the camera, although none of them look particularly excited to be there. They're an incredibly dour group, this selection of SEES, although Koromaru can be heard jingling his tags while scratching an itch with his leg.

Minato is also holding his communicator up like it's a microphone with all the aplomb of a karaoke champion.]

Today, we'll be educating you about something we've been fielding a lot of questions about. Ken-kun, could you hold up your Evoker?

Are you sure about this…? [But leader’s words are leader’s words, so Ken obediently pulls out the gun, a small silver pistol, and holds it up. He’s so short, is the camera catching this?]

It's okay, [says Minato, perfectly deadpan.] I'm his guardian. It's safe. … Because it's not a real gun. When we shoot ourselves, it doesn't fire anything. Please don't be alarmed. [His delivery doesn't get any less wooden as he goes on. Minato has definitely gotten sick of explaining this, no matter how patient he is every time it comes up.]

Are you just going to say it like that? We shoot ourselves? We’re trying to teach people about it so let’s just do it, they’ll see for themselves. [Akihiko cutting in with a good degree of annoyance in his voice. He’s not looking too keen about standing around here, not to mention it took Shinjiro forever to focus the damn camera on them.]

Yeah, like that’s way better. Just shoot yourself on camera and let everyone puzzle it out. Dumbass…. [It’s muttered quietly from off-screen behind the camera, almost like the worst director commentary in the world.]

What, did you say something? I’ll--

[Minato interrupts with a mild,] No flirting on camera. [Because he can't resist teasing them. It's way better than having to explain Persona again, that's for sure.]

[That comment gets the most startled look that Ken fails to hide before he looks at something above the camera like it’s the grossest thing ever. Sorry Shinji]

We’re not- tch. Here, lemme just do it. [Said as Akihiko’s the one taking out his Evoker now, but not to hold up and show. He’s quick to just put it up to his head--]

Sanada-san, no, we’re inside...

Huh? So let’s go outside then, doing it like this won’t prove anything to anyone.

Why the hell do you have to ‘prove’ shit…? [God they’re all idiots.]

[Minato belatedly decides to maybe act a little bit like a leader. Just a little.] We're Persona-users. When we shoot ourselves with special fake guns called Evokers, we summon something called Persona to defend us. So, don't worry about it. You don't need to ask me about it anymore.

[Beat.] If you have questions, ask them. [Minato leans over to hold the phone up to Akihiko like he's interviewing him with the mic.] This is Akihiko-senpai. He's been part of SEES the longest, except for Shinjiro-senpai. Ask them everything.

Are you seriously pawning this off on me? Wasn’t this your damn idea?! [Pissy.]

….And Aki is your choice for that?

Hey, fuck you! [More pissy.]

[Dryly:] Watch it, he just said no flirting.

[Meanwhile, Minato looks down at Ken.] I think they got it. Let's go get lunch.

[Ken looks to Akihiko, then grimaces at Shinjiro behind the camera, then turns to Minato with a sigh.] I don’t know if this counts as ‘they got it’ but… okay. I think I learned something today that I didn’t really want to know……..

[PSA concluded, the camera dips back down again-- and what do you know, it just so happens to land on the stylishly-dressed Koromaru. The bickering continues in the background, more muffled now, but the camera stays focused on the dog. Those especially perceptive viewers may even note that the dog has the same red armband as the rest of the group. It lingers for another half minute or so, watching the dog drag his ass on the carpet for a second, stretch, and then trot off. Film cuts.]

[Akihiko is red, Shinjiro is darker red, Minato is blue, and Ken is orange.]

Comments

video;

[rassera]

[Look who's been taking it 'easy' after his 'car accident'. Kaneda peeks over his food from resting on Nonah 05's couch, Capsule laying across his stomach. But when the feed opens up, his chewing slows, focused on following the conversation. Most of them (sans Akihiko) are familiar people, and it's hard not to crack a smile as the conversation goes on.

Really guys, you're like a sitcom.]


Sweet.

[His hand runs across Capsule's back.]

Love this episode.

[hoboagogo]

[--Hey, it's that dog!!!! oh and some asshole with him.]

-Episode?

[rassera]

[WOW okay yeah that's actually absolutely true.]

You guys. Listen to ya! You're like a soap opera!

[hoboagogo]

[A frown. All the soap operas he watches are all "¡Qué tragedia!" or whatever- not so much teenagers shooting themselves to release a manifestation of their souls. But... he can roll with it.]

-We ain't that bad.

[rassera]

You're definitely that bad.

[But that smile doesn't disappear as he puts more food in his mouth.]

So you've all got those things in your head that you have to shoot out.

[hoboagogo]

[EYEROLL.... but hey, if Kaneda will drop it, so will he. So after a second, he nods.]

Yeah. We're all Persona Users, here and back home. It's a bit more complicated than what Minato makes it out to be, but most've that doesn't matter here.

[The Dark Hour, the Potential, Shadows--]

We've all got a Persona, which is a part of ourselves. With the evokers, we can call 'em out to fight with.

[rassera]

So that giant black thing is a....part of Ken.

[Oooookay.]

And that part of Ken can kick people's asses back to Tokyo. As long as he...shoots himself in the head with a fake gun.


[Is he getting all this right?]

[amadaman]

Do you want me to bring you back any food Kaneda-san.

[rassera]

Definitely. I can't make it out to De Chima for awhile so I'm gonna need something.


And don't go flailing that thing around, okay? You might know its harmless, but the cops aren't gonna buy that.

[amadaman]

I'll listen to that from you once you stop breaking the speed limit.

But don't worry, we've been wearing these since we got here. People don't ask us too many questions once they learn we're imPorts.

[rassera]

They're not asking you questions because you're holding a goddamn gun.

[GUYS. THINK ABOUT IT.]

[amadaman]

... I didn't threaten the principal into letting me have my Evoker at school, mind you.

[rassera]

Right. Of course you didn't.

[WINK WONK.]

text; comm tag is "Hiro"

[microbrobotics]

jeez dude what happened to you

permavid;

[rassera]

This?

[There's a shrug of his shoulders, shoving more takeout into his mouth.]

Damn cop car threw me off the overpass.

[Well, almost. Tetsuo's work right there.]

[microbrobotics]

what the hell
a COP car did that

[rassera]

Yep, left me dangling off the edge for awhile--[Like a half hour.]

...

Oh yeah, it's Tetsuo's fault.

[microbrobotics]

oh jeez ... that's rough buddy

[rassera]

I've had worse.

I'd be up right now if I didn't promise Kasumi.

[Keeper of his heart, to be honest.]

video;

[ktfod]

I saw your network post.

Pretty crazy what you did, looked pretty impressive though.

-Kaneda, right?

video;

[rassera]

Finally. Getting admired for my work!

[Even if he almost became a street pancake. That's neither here nor there.]

The one and only. And you are....?

video;

[ktfod]

Sanada Akihiko. And yeah, hard not to watch it, you came out of it pretty roughed up though. Looks like it isn't getting you down. Good.

video;

[rassera]

Truth is, I've had worse.

[He likes this guy so far.]

Give me a few days and I'll be back up and walking.

[Hell, he'd be doing it right now if Charlie and Kasumi hadn't insisted/threatened.]

video;

[ktfod]

Guess we'll see then for sure. If you're not up and walking around you just weren't strong enough to handle it.

video;

[rassera]

...

[Akihiko you know how to play this guy. Whether or not it's intentional is another story.]

Hey, I walked myself home! I'm only stuck here because of them!