Joel stares at the ceiling. It’s sure a hospital ceiling alright. Grey tiles, fluorescent lights, a steady beep in the background. Great. He’s in the hospital his first day in town. He’s sure that bodes well for the future of his time in Hermiton, truly. What had he been saying to himself before he arrived? That he just had to survive one more year of high school and then he could go be a hermit in the woods or at least pass his exams to get that architecture degree he used to dream about.
“Oh, you’re awake! You’re the last to wake up. It’s just exhaustion, don’t worry. That always happens the first few times you summon your Persona. Your body gets used to it and stops trying to force you into the ground the moment you enter Real Space again eventually.”
He tries very hard not to groan out loud. If he doesn’t move or make any noise, maybe the weird guy won’t notice he’s awake. Maybe he’ll go away and like, whatever adult in town is currently supposed to be in charge of him will show up and sign some paperwork and Joel can leave.
There’s a long, awkward silence.
“You know, I can tell you’re awake. I already said so,” the stranger says.
“Shut up, I’m trying to make you go away,” Joel says.
The stranger snorts. “What, you don’t want information on your two friends you apparently risked your life to save?”
Joel… would kind of like that information, actually, but he’s not just going to say so.
“It’s not like I know them. I’ve been here five days. Idiot,” Joel says.
“I don’t know. Seems a lot like you know them,” the stranger says. “You’ll probably get to know them even more soon, after we do an assessment to make sure it’s safe for you all to enter Altered Space. It’s just been me and Scar for so long, I didn’t think other Persona users would ever show up!”
“What,” Joel says. “I don’t believe in Personas. They’re stupid. I was lucid dreaming. This is stupid.”
“Can’t you still hear yours? I think I’d go insane if I stopped.”
Yes.
“No.”
“Well then, maybe you’re the weak one. A strong Persona user would definitely still hear their Persona,” the stranger says, and look man, Joel doesn’t want to be doing this, but he can’t let ‘maybe you’re the weak one’ stand. It’s a matter of honor. Of pride.
“No, buzz off. I’m the strong one. I didn’t just awaken Pygmalion, I kicked ass using Pygmalion. Stupid Skizz and Impulse passed out immediately. And I was the only one who knew how to get to Skizz so, so, screw you, I’m super strong with your fake brain ghost thing.”
The stranger is quiet for a long moment. “Did you say you knew how to get to Skizz?”
“Yeah you just follow the evil butterflies. You should know, since you’re crazy,” Joel says.
“Oh my god,” the stranger says. “Oh my god. This changes everything.”
Something sinks in Joel’s stomach. “Wait, what does that—”
“I have to go tell Mr. Hills. Meet us when you get out of here, a doctor should let you out once you’re awake! But I have to tell him! Being able to preemptively find entrances to Altered Space! Fighting off a shadow and rescuing people your first time summoning a Persona! Me and Scar won’t have to be alone anymore!”
“No, I, uh, was lying, stop that,” Joel says unconvincingly.
“See you!” the stranger says.
“You forgot to tell me what happened to Skizz,” Joel says, finally sitting up to try to stop the stranger, but it’s too late. He’s already gone. Joel stares blankly after the space where he’d once been.
“You also forgot to tell me your name, you moron,” Joel says weakly.
He buries his head in his hands, breathes, and calls the nurse. If his strange classmate isn’t going to tell him what’s actually happening, then Joel’s going to find out for himself.
(Power throbs beneath a scar on his hand. A voice whispers agreeing remarks in the back of his head. He has way too many aches and pangs for last night—or, well, however many nights ago it was now—to be fake. But for now, he just wants to know Skizz is okay and go back to his stupid apartment and pretend none of this happened. Is that too much to ask?)
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I love Sunny and Slimecicle’s whole dynamic because their viewpoint of each other was completely flipped when they met.
Sunny had heard the rumors, and stories and what slime had done, and she wasn’t sure what to think of him besides the fact that he was an egg murderer, if by accident.
Charlie knew he had “a” JuanaFlippa, even if she was just a code. He didn’t want another egg, he never agreed to this, and he even threatened to “missclick” Sunny if he had the chance.
but as soon as they met, they changed their minds.
Sunny got to know Charlie for who he was. A great pop, and a loving father. Charlie got to know sunny, and he began to become affectionate towards her.
they are family. They love each other, and they can’t deny that. They trust each other. Sunny knows Charlie won’t hurt her, and Charlie loves her enough to call her his daughter.
and, of course, this only reaches to a certain extent. Sunny still has many questions, and Charlie won’t have the trust or even courage to answer them yet. They might come out eventually, but for now, they are okay with what they know.
But still, Charlie has two daughters. And how will Codeflippa react to sunny if they come in contact…
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