babermetrics | IC OVERFLOW AND MISC.

. . . I dunno, you think it's cool? Cooler than being a musician?

[She's not wrong about any of those things, and it gets to him a little—like he needed more getting to. Actually, baseball as a whole gets to him these days. He doesn't like to admit how much he misses it, but it's always somewhere in the back of his head. Hence little displays like earlier's ballway session . . .

But admitting that to someone else? Ah, it's her, though! And she's even being encouraging! She wouldn't be tricking him, right?

Damn, he's so easy. He can already feel himself crumpling.]

I—you don't think I'm a dumbass for missing it after I made a whole thing out o' quitting, right??

I don't know. You don't think I'm crazy for having an entire televised press conference announcing that I was quitting my idol career for a while only to come back a year later? [Think about it that way, Leon. Maybe she gets it a little more than she's letting on.]

Besides! I am a musician, remember? I think they're pretty cool but I've always thought it's even cooler when my friends do really different things, too.

Kujikawa . . . anyone ever told you before you always know exactly what to say?

[Heh. That whole press conference thing puts it in perspective a bit, yeah. He's the last person to judge her for it; it's nice not to feel so alone, even if he's still embarrassed.

He reaches over to gently tug the end of a lock of her hair; it's the safest place to touch when they're in this state of undress. (Sure, they full-on hugged earlier, but that was an emotionally charged moment!)]

[She doesn't mind that either, even going as far as to laugh a little instead.]

Maybe once or twice. [There's a wink. Is she serious? Is she not? Who even knows! But there's a genuine sort of fondness in her expression.] I want to be able to connect with people as best as I can. If that means knowing what to say, then...[She trails off.

They've reached the end of their route and there's a fork in the road in the castle.]

You coming with me? [Because if so, she'll need Kanzeon again to figure out where to go next. Rise didn't look much when she initially summoned the Persona.]

'Course I am! You're not getting rid of me now, Kujikawa.

[He winks back at her and takes her hand again to squeeze it. What could he possibly have better to do than spend time with her? And he's trusting her to know the way—but even if she didn't, he'd enjoy the journey.]

That's what you get for connecting with me.

You make it sound like I should regret that. [But she doesn't, not even in the slightest. Instead she's allowing him to squeeze her hand even as she pauses to call forth Kanzeon again, band slipping over her eyes as she scans the castle.]

That's weird. Looks like Yosuke-senpai and Teddie's readings are on the move again, but we're not far from the castle's exit either. Even weirder? The sand's...shifting.

[That's probably not good, is it?]

So . . . you mean the hallways are changing, or what? I'm pretty sure that one I was in wasn't always there, but I thought I might just be losing it!

[Well, not really losing it. Distracted, more like. But now it looks like even that might not be the explanation.]

No it's not that...it's like they're starting to fall apart and become something else. [Which totally isn't good either.] How stable do you think the walls are?

. . . I mean, I was just reaching into one and grabbing out handfuls of sand, soooo . . .

[So possibly not very. Oops. He gives the nearest wall a dubious, slightly alarmed look, eyes widening just a bit.]

You think it's gonna cave?

I don't know about that, but we should definitely get out of here as soon as we can. [It's not good. It's very subtle, but it's not good. There's a pause.] Ready to run?

[ . . . He glances down at what he's wearing.

Yikes.

But it's not like he's got a choice here, so he just nods, wincing a little.]

I'm not gonna get any more ready anytime soon, so let's go!

[There's little hesitation as she takes his hand, yanking him after her and proceeding to dash off just before the walls begin to crumble.

She can make fun of his state of dress later. All that matters is getting out of here alive right now. Everything else can come another time.]

IC OVERFLOW AND MISC.

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