entrancelogs | first notes § a classy diner

who: goro & you
where: diner
when: first week of may
rating: pg-13 (probably? will update if necessary)
the story: a detective walks into a diner for some pancakes and....

option 1 - for the employees

[ while this isn't leblanc, per say, it still has a rather comforting feel to it. he isn't sure if it's the decor or the general energy in the diner, but it seems to call to him the same way that the tiny curry and coffeeshop did back in tokyo. it's not insanely crowded but it has enough interesting faces to keep him intrigued. still, that's not to say he's actively seeking conversation. rather, he's brought a book from the library down to the diner to thumb through as he takes a break from investigating the hot mess he's found himself in.

there's a pencil stuck between his teeth, brown fringe covering his eyes as he skims the pages of the book. occasionally, he plucks the pencil out to scribble something down in the margin, and then just like that, the pencil returns dutifully to his mouth.

he hasn't ordered yet, a bit lost in thought over the pages of paradise lost. ]

option 2 - for others

[ now that he has his coffee (it's really a necessity in life), he's taken a break from the pages of the riveting story to glance around the diner. simply surveying the area for any "familiar faces." one leg is crossed against another, dangling off the edge of the stool, toe of his shoe tapping light sounds against the counter in front of him.

as usual, each and every lock of hair is perfectly in place and he's wearing his tan jacket complete with a drab, striped tie. although he enjoys the tranquility, he can't help but catch the gaze of anyone who walks into this diner. namely, you.

there's a bright, undeniably charismatic smile that appears and he lifts a hand politely up in way of greeting. ]

May I ask you a question?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

It's a bit complicated. I don't know the exact details, but it deals with changing the heart.

So that's what you and the Prosecutor have been working on.

[He says that mostly to himself.]

You seemed a little... [He searches for a good word, but all he comes up with is:] unhappy when you saw my Persona.

[He's perceptive enough to have noticed the hesitation--again, it seemed oddly like Adachi in the rare moments he'd seen Adachi genuinely taken off guard--but he's not sure what it means. It's been a long time since he last saw Adachi, but meeting Goro has brought his thoughts back around to the detective. He's sure he's just being paranoid--or he wants to think so, anyway. He doesn't know Goro all that well, after all.]

Not unhappy, no. I was just a bit surprised. I was thinking we were from the same time and that there were other users of the App that I hadn't accounted for.

[ it's mostly the truth, just not framed properly. he smiles nonetheless, passing over closer to souji as a sign of good faith. ]

This is all new to me so it's taken some getting used to.

[Souji nods and decides to accept that explanation. He has no real reason not to, after all.]

I can understand that.

As far as I can tell, we're from the same world, but you're from what would be the future for me.

What year was it for you before you came here?

[ his interest is entirely piqued now. ]

It was 2012 when I ended up here.

Hm. I see, then yes, that could be it. It was 2016 when I left.

[Soji thinks about that and the fact that he'd finally be in his twenties in 2016. Man, actually being the right age sounds pretty nice.]

...It's kind of nice the world went that long without needing people with Personas.

[Because there's no doubt in his mind that, if there are people with Personas again, the world must somehow be in danger.]

Yes, that does sound like a nice thought, though I have to wonder if that's truly the case. After all, this is the first time I'm hearing about previous users.

[ this is just a great, great conversation for goro okay ]

I hadn't heard about them either until I came here and met some of them.

[He's not sure they're meant to know, but he won't say so. The idea that there's something more behind it all seems like a conspiracy theory even to him.]

Is it worrying you?

A bit. It's not everyday you become privy to something like this, especially when you are committed to the law.

[ a precious position, for anyone glancing in as an outsider. perfectly planned for akechi, though. ]

Does using a Persona necessarily mean you're opposed to the law somehow? In cases other than yours, I mean.

I don't think so. While the power is uncharted territory, as long as you aren't using it to circumvent the law, I don't really see a problem with it.

[Souji nods.]

We used it to solve a murder case.

[Too bad their attempts kind of fanned the flames a bit...]

Really? How so?

[He lets out a breath.]

Someone was pushing people into the world inside the TV, where Shadows would attack them and kill them. At first we just rescued the people who were pushed inside, but then we had to start investigating who was doing it in the first place.

Ah.

[ there isn't anything illegal about that, goro doesn't think. perhaps accessing that world could be a violation of something or another, but there aren't any written rules on it. so... hm. ]

Did you apprehend the criminal?

...Eventually.

[Not soon enough, in his opinion. It's not really his fault Nanako got mixed up in things, but that doesn't stop him from feeling responsible.]

I'm glad things worked out for the better, then. That was a rather noble pursuit of you and your friends.

[ he gives a small nod. ]

I'm not sure what you said is going on in your world is less noble.

[Can something be noble while still being ethically questionable?]

I think there's a difference between putting an end to a crime and completely rewriting a person's personality.

I won't argue that.

[But he knows at least one detective who probably wouldn't have a problem with the latter... She had no problem with killing a guy after all.]

It becomes a question of whether or not the ends justify the means.

[ he definitely agrees with that. deep down he does. but on paper-- ]

I suppose. Then again, if allow everyone the privilege of doing as they please so long as the end is just, that isn't much justice, is it?

It depends on if you think justice is universal or relative.

Justice is universal. It treats everyone equally.

(no subject)

eatsyourscience - 2017-05-12 23:47 (UTC) - Expand

jurisdick - 2017-05-12 23:48 (UTC) - Expand

eatsyourscience - 2017-05-13 00:02 (UTC) - Expand