Happy Birthday, Ryoji

[puppy_lancer]

Characters: You know the drill. Lancer puppy_lancer, Ryoji notsogrimreaper, the people they invited between the two of them, and everybody else who just happens to stumble into the party.
Setting: Floor 25, November 17, morning-evening
Format: Open, anything goes
Summary: It's Ryoji's birthday, so Lancer is throwing him a big party. Anyone is welcome in! (And nobody is gonna kick out those who aren't so welcome)
Warnings: None for now

[It's been a long time since Lancer had thrown any parties. Therefore, he's making this bigger and grander than the last two parties he's thrown. It's a good way for him to distract himself from all the emotional turmoil that had popped up during the battle with Sephiroth, if anything.]

[There's two tables laden with food over at one side of the floor. The centerpiece for that is a big double-tier cake with "HAPPY BIRTHDAY RYOJI" written over the side of the bottom layer. The top layer is little more than a glorified candle holder, as several handfuls of candles have been jammed all over that second layer.]

[Over on the other side, there was a variety of party games. They're all old favorites like pin the tail on the piggy (pinning spiraling paper tails onto a "pig" with Ganon's face), apple bobbing (various fruits in a water-filled wooden barrel), and everyone's favorite--the pinata (a scarecrow with a berry-filled paper mache head supposed to represent Jason).]

[In the center of the floor, there is a stage nailed together from wooden boards. A ways behind that, a pile of wood stacks into a bonfire pyre. A turnip lantern leers at the party goers from one corner of the stage.]

[For decorations, there are black feathers and crude little paper doll cutouts resembling angels scattered around on the ground or in the corners of the dining tables. There are also a few more turnip lanterns.]

[And of course, Lancer, like a good host, stands on the stage, dressed like a hobby horse, waiting for people to show up. He's feeling pretty relaxed, if only because the major unwanted guest, Sephiroth, was locked up and in no danger of crashing this party.]

Comments

[miseris_socios]

Yeah. We found him... he tried to protect his owner's shrine against Shadows. He can use a Persona, too.

[oathshackledbird]

He what?

[Diarmuid blinks his eyes in shock.]

A dog that can use a persona?

[miseris_socios]

He has a strong enough will and concept of himself, so yeah.

[oathshackledbird]

Strong will and strong concept of self... Is that all that is really needed?

[Diarmuid stops to ponder this for a few moments.]

And you guys didn't have to fight your shadow selves to earn your Persona's, right? Not like Yukiko and her friends.

[miseris_socios]

And the potential for it, but I don't know how that's decided.

[He shakes his head, but rests his hand on his Evoker in its holster.]

No. But they can summon their Persona without an Evoker. The only person I know who can do that in my world is Sakaki.

[oathshackledbird]

Sakaki?

[A curious look crosses Diarmuid's face.]

I don't think I have heard anyone mention that name before. Do you know why this Sakaki was so different from the rest of you?

[miseris_socios]

Takaya Sakaki. He escaped with Jin, Chidori, and Minato. Strega has always gotten money from assassinations - but he would kill people that weren't on the list to be killed. The others kicked him out.

But why he doesn't need an Evoker - I have no idea.

[oathshackledbird]

And they let him?

[Diarmuid shakes his head.]

No, probably it was more that he just didn't ask, right? Why would someone like that be left without the limitations the rest of you have? It doesn't make sense.

[miseris_socios]

They didn't - that's why they kicked him out. But I don't know.

[... Dammit Diarmuid stop looking cute.]

[oathshackledbird]

[Never!]

Ah...so they did kick him out. I was confused for a moment.

[Diarmuid nods, his puppy ears flicking as much as a pair of floppy ears can.]

But back to your friend, Koromaru. However did a dog use an Envoker?

[miseris_socios]

We managed to put together a modified one that attached to his collar.

[oathshackledbird]

Amazing...

[Diarmuid shakes his head.]

And lucky that you were able to find each other so that you could all work together. That sounds as if it was fated to be no matter if you believe in that kind of thing or not.

[miseris_socios]

... I don't. Those kinds of things just seem too convenient. And it takes away from what people can do on their own.

[oathshackledbird]

Fate is something very hard to deny on my world.

[There is a sad look in Diarmuid's eyes though he tries to cover it.]

I am glad you have more freedom from it on your world. I am trying hard to break my belief in it, though it is proving quite difficult.

[It's hard to shake the feeling Fate is there when he has died in such similar ways even though he has traveled very different roads to get to those spots.]

[miseris_socios]

... If fate is so absolute, then it doesn't account for people making their own choices. And the fate would have to be written by someone or something. I refuse to believe that anyone writing fate would make sure so many terrible things happened. And people are too complicated for anything to deal with how many options they can choose. There's always another option, even when it doesn't look like it. So I don't think anyone could really take all of that into... into account.

[oathshackledbird]

[Diarmuid shrugs.]

Those who believe in it would say that people aren't really making their own choices. That is all Fate's doing and so there really is no need for all those other 'options.' Fate knows what choice will be made even if we do not. The options are illusion at best.

But I have no wish to argue the details. As I said, I am trying to break my own belief in it.