Track 02 - Here Comes the Sun [OPEN]

[princeofjunes]

Characters: Yosuke Hanamura and YOU!
Setting: Floor 25
Format: I'll follow, but action is far faster for me
Summary: Yosuke's in a half-thinking, half-escapist mood. What better place to do both?
Warnings: None!

[In the middle of this springtime meadow is one high school student, sprawled out on the grass with his headphones on and blasting music. He switches every few minutes between nodding his head to the beat and looking oddly contemplative. But he's aware of his surroundings, and as people pass he'll do one of two things]

[If Yosuke doesn't know you, he'll simply smile and offer a friendly wave]

[If he does, he'll slip the headphones off his hears and give a greeting] Hey!

Comments

[evokingfool]

[Minato was walking around earlier, listening to his music and watching the scenery as he went before he notice Yosuke. Taking off his own headphones, he walks over with a small smile.]

Hey.

[princeofjunes]

[He grins up at the other boy from his spot on the ground]

Looks like we both had the same idea. This floor's not so bad, huh?

[evokingfool]

[He nods, putting one of his hands into his pockets in a relaxed stance.]

It's quite a nice floor. Good for relaxing.

[The atmosphere here is just different enough from the other floors.]

[princeofjunes]

Yeah, and napping, and warding off the boredom.

[He sighs and lets himself fall backwards on the grass, looking up]

And I thought Inaba was a small town. At least it had more than this stupid tower.

[evokingfool]

[He sit down on the grass, next to Yosuke.]

The other floors have things. But Iwatodai doesn't have us walked to places, armed.

[guardiandragon]

[Tatsuki no longer travels the Tower without a makeshift knife on hand, least of all these upper floors. As innocent as floor 25 seems, she still doesn't trust it. If the first 24 were any indication, there was a catch here.

She fidgets nervously with the shiv, wondering why she leaves the dorms for anything but food, now that monsters roam the tower. She's so lost in thought that when Yosuke calls out, she jumps, spins around, and points the knife threateningly at him as he just sits there, immediately and visibly embarrassed when she realizes what she's doing.]

...Oh, uh. Hey, Yosuke...

[princeofjunes]

[It's not like he can blame her paranoia - that's likely why he manages not to jump as well when she whirls around pointing a knife at him. He does however, hold his hands up in his best gesture of surrender]

Not that I blame you for being jumpy, but was I clear before on my 'no stabbing' policy? Because I have a pretty strict 'no stabbing' policy.

[guardiandragon]

No, that's perfectly understandable, I can support that.

[She lets out a slight nervous laugh as she tucks the offending object away in her pocket.]

So, um, mind if I join you?

[princeofjunes]

[He pats the ground near him and gives a smile]

I wouldn't have called if I didn't want the company. It's been a while, Tatsuki. You holding up alright?

[guardiandragon]

Not even a little, but it's to be expected, right?

[And that spot on the ground is where she sits.]

How about you?

[verymuchalive]

[Aradia's been spending a lot of time in the meadow of late so it's perhaps not surprising that she's there when Yosuke's there. As she sees him, she makes her way over, waving until she gets his attention]

Hi! Yosuke, right?

[princeofjunes]

[And despite being lost in thought, his attention isn't too hard to get. He's smiling as he slips the headphones off his head and around his neck]

Aradia! You remembered! Maybe it's the wings, but a place like this really suits you.

[verymuchalive]

[She giggles a little at that.]

Why wouldn't I remember?

[And then a slight blush at the latter comment]

You think so? I have been spending a lot of time here lately. We didn't really have anything like this on Alternia so it's a nice change.

[princeofjunes]

Yeah?

[He didn't really have her pegged as a city girl, but then again he never asked much about her home. Time to rectify this!]

So what was Alternia like then?

[verymuchalive]

Well, it kind-of depends. The mountains and the beaches I steered clear of...adventures are all well and good but not when you're likely to get culled on sight. Where I lived it was a little more...I guess open, like this, but without the flowers. And with more creatures roaming about.

[windykind]

[John comes to this floor sometimes; there aren't any monsters on it, and besides, it's nice. There isn't anything even close to this level of nature where he lives, unless you take the incentive to go to a park or something. Sometimes he just hangs out here. Today, however, he passes by someone that he vaguely remembers as being one of his roommates. They never talked, really, but...]

Oh, hey!

[He waves back, grinning.]

[princeofjunes]

[Oh hey, it's that guy! Yosuke can't help but feel a pang of guilt - he's never said much to his roomies since he arrived. But there's no time to change that like the present! So he slips off his headphones and motions the other boy over]

You busy? We've never really had a good introduction, so why not start now?

[windykind]

[Sure is that guy! John walks over at once and plops himself down beside Yosuke.] Nah. There's not much to do in this place anyway. Um... [He pauses awkwardly for a moment.] ...I'm John! John Egbert. [He holds a hand out to shake. That's what you do when you meet someone, right?]

[princeofjunes]

[And then, there was a handshake. A TRULY MANLY HANDSHAKE IN WHICH MEN EXCHANGED THEIR BROTHERHOOD OF MANLINESS!]

[Or something like that]

Yosuke Hanamura! Nice to finally 'meet' you, John. So, where ya from?

[windykind]

[MANDSHAKE.]

Oh, I'm from Washington! You know, in America?

...I guess you're from Japan, with a name like that. [He laughs.]

[ocariness]

[ Sup, Brosuke? Have a Hylian Hero of Time finding their way next to you, quiet.

... Link--well, since their last talk and that... weird shit the Tower pulled, has been better. Especially with that Dark clone running around saying all the insecurities that plague them.

But ah, well. Things were... a bit better, so they'd deal with it. When Yosuke speaks, Link offers a small smile. Ha ha. ]

... Hello.

[ Mostly, the thing Link wants to know about is... well, that Shadow thing Yosuke talked about before. Buuuut it'd be a pretty poor conversational move to bring that up now... right? ]

[princeofjunes]

[Largely due to the faith he's placed in Link after his 'Naoto is actually a girl' screw up, Yosuke feels a little closer to the Hylian than most of his new tower friends. Maybe that's why he feels like something might be off with the boy - though it could just be all in his head. Still, it can't hurt to ask, right?]

Hey, you doing alright? You seem... I don't know, maybe it's just tired.

[ocariness]

... I'm fine.

[ Oh. He noticed. Well... kind of doubting they'll be able to get away with that, though, so time to elaborate! Sort... of... ]

I hope this doesn't seem like a strange question...

[ Tentative pausing. ]

... What would you do if you had a Shadow of yourself also here? ... How... did you deal with yours, at the time?

[ Sadly, being a protagonist, Link isn't lucky enough to just be upset and pass out and that ended in a brawl. So. Yes. ]

[princeofjunes]

[Well, there's a leadoff topic he didn't expect. He's taken aback, and studies Link's face for a moment. For him to ask something that specific must mean - but... this isn't the TV world. He hasn't heard of anyone else having their shadows pop up, or having to deal with them. Is he just trying to be prepared?]

[... right, and Yosuke's just trying to memorize the words to the songs on his player. There's more than meets the eye here, but Yosuke isn't sure how to approach it. And that's not even getting into the fact that he's never, ever freely talked about his experience with his shadow. Dammit, couldn't Link have at least mentioned the weather or something?! Anything but dive straight into this.]

[Then again, he's the one that asked]

[After far too much hesitation, Yosuke just settles for a sigh and a sad smile]

You sure you want to hear that story? It starts with me being an ass and doesn't end a hell of a lot better. At the very least, it doesn't make me look good.

[ocariness]

[ ... Yeah, see, Yosuke, Link was never good at social stuff. So uh. ]

... He's here.

[ That--dark copy. Their Shadow... Dark Link. ]

That's all. I... I'm sorry if I'm prying, but... to be honest, I'm asking because you seem to have experience with this sort of thing. I suppose I... should also warn you he isn't... anything that I like, either. I really doubt it could be much worse.

[ Obviously, it's bothering Link that this thing knew all the things they'd hidden deep down. All the insecurities and self-loathing and--all of it. That Shadow KNEW how to get their goat, so to speak. ]

O-of course, if... you would prefer not to talk about it, I am fine with leaving...