[ And Maya will take the Evoker, doing a bit of a double take when she spots Yusuke doing-- whatever the heck that was. Magically changing his clothes??
Minato just drags in a slow breath, following Yusuke to that clear area amongst the trees. He feels...totally, completely naked without his Evoker in hand; he can at least swap Personas to Byakko to try to minimize the damage he knows Yusuke can do with his ice, but he still won't be able to do much if he can't figure out how to summon.
Another slow breath.
Just hesitating over this forever won't help him.]
Yusuke watches him closely, like he's taking in the hesitation, glancing over to Maya before he raises his hand to his mask.]
Here I come.
[It feels somewhat like he's attacking someone defenseless, but he's imagining they're going to have to put that sense of danger and urgency in Minato. So he rips off his mask and Kamu Susano-o appears, sending a blast of ice with a wave of his giant sword.]
[ Carry on, boys. Maya's going to watch, but if it looks like Minato's actually in trouble, she'll step in. She's got healing spells, anyway, just in case. ]
In truth, while he doesn't need that now... he might, eventually. He stares Yusuke down, and that blast of ice comes his way, and Minato can feel his Personas in his mind, he knows they're there, but--
He can't reach them. He doesn't know how to reach them without his Evoker, and trying to reach out to them just distracts him; he ends up taking that ice head on, though at least it's render mostly unproblematic by Byakko's strong resistance to the element.
He still hast to lift his arms to shield his face as it slams into him, though, taking a step back and shaking ice shards from his sleeves. It should be his turn now. He should summon his Persona, and launch an attack at Yusuke in return and--
He can't. He's just left standing there, brow furrowed fiercely, but utterly unable to call upon any of them, no matter how hard he tries.
[Yusuke stares intently at him through his mask, hoping, waiting with bated breath even... but nothing. He sees Minato's furrowed brow and he draws in his own breath deeply... and steps forward.]
It is going to be difficult.
[So, he thinks they should go again.
Yusuke makes a gesture, a physical announcement that he's going to call upon his persona again. Kamu Susano-o appears, sword swinging in a physical attack that thuds into the ground before Minato rather than actually at him... but ice flashes in another wave.]
[That's all well and good to say, but in practice, Minato doesn't have one single aspect that makes him him. Even in terms of his own Personas, he has Orpheus and Thanatos and Messiah, complicated further by the many, many others he can summon. He's never had a crisis of who he is, but when Yusuke says that he needs to grasp what makes him him, he finds that he's...drawing a blank.
He's always had an affinity for the Death arcana, but he's still a Fool--or the World? He hasn't really had to examine himself closely after the events of Nyx, after grasping the Universe (and what's the difference, what's the significance of it being from a totally different deck?) and right now, with Yusuke demanding that he grasps what makes him him, Minato's finding that he doesn't actually...know.
He's entirely unprepared for the ice this time, and he stumbles back, tossing his arms up to protect his face again, jaw clenched as he tries to reach, and fumbles by nature of not knowing what to reach for.]
[Yusuke watches him, his expression changing subtly as he wonders what it is that Minato is struggling with. Is it locating the essence that gives him such trouble? Human beings are changeable by nature, Yusuke thinks, and he himself avoided a strong part of himself for a long time.
He calls for his Persona again and Kamu Susano-o hovers, almost threatening, though he doesn't attack.]
It is not so simple... and I cannot tell you who you are. It doesn't have to be one thing. Nor does it have to be something significant. It could be something like... your feelings toward others. Your outlook on the world. Those feelings.
[It's really not simple at all, and Minato hadn't really expected he would ever struggle like this. Not over summoning his Persona. He'd been the one capable of doing so most easily before, and now here he is, the only one who can't do it without the help of a trigger.
Minato reaches, and reaches, and he can feel Messiah right there, whispering words of encouragement in his mind, but he can't--
Without the Evoker, he can't reach, and after trying fruitlessly, struggling with himself for a few moments... he just sighs, shoulders slumping.
He's always been the sort of person who keeps chugging forward, and keeps trying no matter what, but--he can't waste their time, either.]
... Sorry, Kitagawa-san. I can't seem to...reach them. [His fingers curl into a bit of a fist, as if to prevent himself from reaching for them physically, too.]
I don't know why, but I... can't seem to do it yet.
[Minato peers up at her beneath bangs that are slightly pressed down from her hand, but manages an expression that's more rueful than resigned, at least.]
In that case... I'll be counting on both of you. If... that's okay.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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[Yusuke waves his hand and his mask appears, coupled with his fancy thief outfit. I mean, as you do.
He glances around them but he'll head to a slightly clear space, ready to go.]
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Persona users sure have come far, haven't they? ]
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Minato just drags in a slow breath, following Yusuke to that clear area amongst the trees. He feels...totally, completely naked without his Evoker in hand; he can at least swap Personas to Byakko to try to minimize the damage he knows Yusuke can do with his ice, but he still won't be able to do much if he can't figure out how to summon.
Another slow breath.
Just hesitating over this forever won't help him.]
... Okay. Ready.
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Yusuke watches him closely, like he's taking in the hesitation, glancing over to Maya before he raises his hand to his mask.]
Here I come.
[It feels somewhat like he's attacking someone defenseless, but he's imagining they're going to have to put that sense of danger and urgency in Minato. So he rips off his mask and Kamu Susano-o appears, sending a blast of ice with a wave of his giant sword.]
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In truth, while he doesn't need that now... he might, eventually. He stares Yusuke down, and that blast of ice comes his way, and Minato can feel his Personas in his mind, he knows they're there, but--
He can't reach them. He doesn't know how to reach them without his Evoker, and trying to reach out to them just distracts him; he ends up taking that ice head on, though at least it's render mostly unproblematic by Byakko's strong resistance to the element.
He still hast to lift his arms to shield his face as it slams into him, though, taking a step back and shaking ice shards from his sleeves. It should be his turn now. He should summon his Persona, and launch an attack at Yusuke in return and--
He can't. He's just left standing there, brow furrowed fiercely, but utterly unable to call upon any of them, no matter how hard he tries.
...Dammit.]
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It is going to be difficult.
[So, he thinks they should go again.
Yusuke makes a gesture, a physical announcement that he's going to call upon his persona again. Kamu Susano-o appears, sword swinging in a physical attack that thuds into the ground before Minato rather than actually at him... but ice flashes in another wave.]
Grasp your essence, what makes you you.
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He's always had an affinity for the Death arcana, but he's still a Fool--or the World? He hasn't really had to examine himself closely after the events of Nyx, after grasping the Universe (and what's the difference, what's the significance of it being from a totally different deck?) and right now, with Yusuke demanding that he grasps what makes him him, Minato's finding that he doesn't actually...know.
He's entirely unprepared for the ice this time, and he stumbles back, tossing his arms up to protect his face again, jaw clenched as he tries to reach, and fumbles by nature of not knowing what to reach for.]
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He calls for his Persona again and Kamu Susano-o hovers, almost threatening, though he doesn't attack.]
It is not so simple... and I cannot tell you who you are. It doesn't have to be one thing. Nor does it have to be something significant. It could be something like... your feelings toward others. Your outlook on the world. Those feelings.
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Minato reaches, and reaches, and he can feel Messiah right there, whispering words of encouragement in his mind, but he can't--
Without the Evoker, he can't reach, and after trying fruitlessly, struggling with himself for a few moments... he just sighs, shoulders slumping.
He's always been the sort of person who keeps chugging forward, and keeps trying no matter what, but--he can't waste their time, either.]
... Sorry, Kitagawa-san. I can't seem to...reach them. [His fingers curl into a bit of a fist, as if to prevent himself from reaching for them physically, too.]
I don't know why, but I... can't seem to do it yet.
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...I see. Shall we take a break, then?
[And perhaps there's yet brainstorming that they could do on how to help Minato reach his Personas.]
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[ So she'll just wave them both over and offer Minato his Evoker back. ]
This would be a complicated process for anyone, really. Just like how I'm pretty sure I couldn't change my outfit like Yusuke-kun did.
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(This is awful, and he hates this--but he has to remember that it'll take time, and that it's possible.
It's absolutely possible.)]
... Thanks for the try anyway. I really do appreciate it.
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Then he declares:]
I am happy to assist at any time. We can work together.
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[ And she'll rest a hand on Minato's head. ]
This is only the beginning. You'll be calling on them before you know it.
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[Minato peers up at her beneath bangs that are slightly pressed down from her hand, but manages an expression that's more rueful than resigned, at least.]
In that case... I'll be counting on both of you. If... that's okay.
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[VERY EARNESTLY.]
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[...Mm.]
Okay.
That sounds good to me, then. Honestly--I really, really appreciate it.
[and i'm going to save all of our inboxes and do us all a favor and call that a wrap for this one before they start smalltalking forever again]