maskormenacelogs | [open] ain't no party like a normandy party

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[open] ain't no party like a normandy party

WHO: The Normandy Crew + YOU!
WHERE: Some restaurant + bar in Heropa. Underage characters can totes get in!
WHEN: Evening of April 11th
WHAT: It's Commander Shepard's "surprise" birthday party!
WARNINGS: Excessive Fun?!?!

[ It's a mild, warm evening in Heropa, and although parts of the city are still recovering from the Hornet attack in February, many parts of it are bouncing back, and many local businesses are even celebrating as such, especially on a Saturday night like this.

It just so happens that one such mega-hip establishment has a particularly festive mood to it, tonight--the presence of balloons by the entrance (some of which say "Happy Birthday!" on them) might say as much. Inside, there are more balloons around one section of the joint, decorating both part of the bar and some of the tables and chairs. The place feels quite open, and they've opened up some areas to create an open-air feeling in addition to having an actual outdoor patio area. The general vibe is laid-back but energetic, the crowd a mix of regulars having dinner, people looking for an early start to getting down for the night, and people who are apparently gathering for some sort of party.

Usually, there's a live band that plays regularly at this place, but tonight? The jukebox is playing almost exclusively a selection of 90's music. For those who find themselves unable to take this music and would like to take matters into their own two hands and vocal chords, there's a karaoke machine in one corner of the restaurant, on a platform where the band would usually be playing.

For those who might get hungry, the restaurant's menu is comprised of typical bar/restaurant food. Those looking for something light might look at the appetizers like nachos, sliders, or mozzarella sticks, but those who are looking for real dinner might order a burger, pizza, or pasta. And for those who are looking to get their drink on, there's a fully-stocked bar, of course.

Also, there's a miniature model of this ship floating around, as if by magic.

So? How about it? It's Saturday night! ]

( ooc: this is an open mingle log for Commander Shepard's ~*surprise birthday party*~! if you're a friend of Shep, Kaidan, or Kasumi's, feel free to assume that you've been personally invited--otherwise, it's totally cool to have your character randomly wander in and meet people! top-level! tag around! MINGLE! PARTY! also, it's not really a surprise because Kaidan sucks at keeping secrets and let it slip to Shep. also, it's being held in a restaurant (and bar) so underage characters are more htan welcome to crash c: )

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[Dutifully, Jaime feels the fabric. He suspects he didn't need to for Ken to make his point, but never have it be said that he isn't a good sport. As Ken speaks, as usual, all the pieces fall into place.]

...so you wouldn't want to stay with people like that in the first place, huh? [He says, looking sympathetically at Ken. In his unvoiced, and altogether unbiased opinion, Ken's relatives are awful. How can you not help someone so desperately in need? Family?

In the end, he thinks Ken would have been better off with SEES anyway, with people who can understand Personas and help him with his own, but it would have been nice for him to have the option, to know that someone out there wanted him.]

[It's still nice fabric despite the nights of, you know, running around fighting monsters every night. Mitsuru's probably provided them with exchange uniforms whenever they got too messed up, though. Ken nods, affirming Jaime's statement for once.]

My only connection to them is blood, the name Amada, and the fact that they still have custody of me because I'm a minor. It's better that we stayed out from under each other's skin.

... Even with SEES, even if nothing had happened, they'll all graduate within the next two years, anyway.

[And what happens then? He knows an adult had been involved at one point - and that it had ended badly - but what happens to Ken when he's thirteen and suddenly has his peers shoved into a dorm with him instead of his elders? It's a troubling thought. Minato would surely come back to check up on him, he manages to think for a split second before the truth swings back around to remind him: no, Minato won't be doing any checking up on anyone.

And neither will Shinji.

There goes that idea.]

So... after that, you'll be rooming with a bunch of people your own age?

I haven't thought that far.

[Ken hasn't thought of anything beyond October 4th, so whenever anything after that gets brought up, all he gets is a blank. If he's taken out of this world, he'll go back to the 6th, and if Minato who's from the future says he's still in SEES, then Ken knows that that means he, in that world, ended up going back and surviving. But that's already a different Ken the one he is, and he doesn't know what that one plans to do with the life he decided to keep. But that would be the case, wouldn't it? Once SEES' operations are over, they won't need the dorm. Everyone would want to go back to some normalcy, he's sure.]

But I was in the elementary school dorms before I joined SEES, so I think so. I just hope someone takes in Koromaru, unless he decides to go back to the shrine again.

He already lives with you guys in the dorms, right? Why would that change now?

[It would be awfully sad for Koromaru, he thinks, to lose his owner and then lose his new owners in quick succession. Besides, having a dog's probably good for Ken. If nothing else, he's great company, and a good reason to drag him out of the house for plenty of walks.]

Koromaru and I are allowed in the dorm because we're Persona users. Once Persona aren't needed, we'll just be a kid and a dog.

[Ken can't imagine the school keeping the dorm open, and he doubts they'll be able to keep a dog in the other buildings.]

Kirijo-senpai had to get special permission to let him stay in the first place.

But that special permission can't be extended for a few years? [He's misunderstood the situation, misunderstood the fact that SEES has a dorm all of their own. That would seem excessive to him if not for the Shadow problem, but it's still unusual, having a bunch of kids and a dog holed up in one place.]

Seems like he'd deserve a reward after helping save so many lives. You too.

I'm sure the chairman will figure something out for us. [Too bad said chairman tries to kill them in a month for Ken but he doesn't know that.]

The Kirijo Group wouldn't let him starve. Kirijo-senpai is a good person.

As long as someone's looking out for you two! I didn't think any of you would let Koromaru just be alone, you know. I just think he'd probably be happier hanging out with you... and you'd probably be happier hanging out with him. Dogs make for pretty good company, right?

[Will seems to think so.]

[Unwavering, unconditional, constant loyalty and companionship. Koromaru is pretty much exactly what Ken wanted and needed.]

I can't take very good care of him, though... I don't have the means to.

D'you mean, like, the time to walk him and stuff? 'Cause if the chairman is paying for his food and vet bills, I don't see why he couldn't keep on doing that. I figure it's the least they could do for him... I'm sure he wants to stay with one person again too.

[It's not fair to give Koromaru to anyone else, he thinks, and with the seniors graduating, isn't Ken the only one left?]

... Do you think I could do it?

[Nemesis might heal, but as far as Ken's concerned he's only good at messing things up. He doesn't want to be a horrible owner for Koromaru, although, as he thinks about it, he supposes that no matter what he ends up doing here, the Ken back home ended up staying with SEES. And he wouldn't leave Koromaru if it came down to him.]

What, you don't?

[He leans forward and takes a sip from his coke bottle before continuing.]

Remember the first time I talked to you? You're stuck in this totally new dimension, after having -- well, a pretty rough time back home, but you didn't whine, or ask much about what was going on. The first thing you did was see if there were any parks so Koromaru could still have a happy life here. That sounds like a good dog owner to me.

[Pretty rough time is such a horrible understatement that Jaime actually get a laugh out of Ken. Sure, Jaime. He appreciates that.]

New dimensions aren't that weird to me. But... I guess. Koromaru and the priest before he died were the only ones who really talked to me since my mom's death. I care about him a lot.

[Hey, he wasn't going to say, running away from Shinjiro's death on a sadly empty stomach!... though now that Ken's laughed, he has the good grace to smile back, albeit a bit sheepishly.]

I can tell you do.

[He didn't know that Ken had been close to the priest before his death... how sad. It seems to be par for the course for SEES, though.]

And being with Koromaru is a little like being closer to the priest too, I think.

[After getting locked in his room for two days. It is best left vague.]

Koromaru and I were similar, so.

But he's a lot more admirable. He defeated a Shadow all by himself, trying to protect the shrine for the priest. It's been months since he passed away but Koromaru still protected the shrine.

Yeah, I remember you telling me. And now he's helping protect everyone else, too.

[It's still a little bizarre that a dog that can't talk goes around fighting Shadows with them, but he can roll with it. It's funny -- he's perfectly willing to buy a talking dog, but once he doesn't talk and still has a human capacity for intelligence? Now, that's just crazy talk.]

He must be happier being on a team too.

I can't speak for him, but if he is happy with everyone, then I think that's a good thing.

[And having a team means no matter what, someone could take care of him. Especially here, if Shinjiro is around....

He lets his shoes scuff against the floor.]

You... you know? It's weird, sometimes, talking to you. I just end up talking, and -- [Jaime just listens. It's not as weird as it is new, but in its newness, it's weird to Ken.] Do you do this sort of thing a lot back in your home, too?

[Jaime seems to follow along Ken's train of thought just fine when they're talking about anything other than himself, but when he asks direct questions about what Jaime does, he always gets thrown for a loop. He's not entirely aware of how others perceive him, and he's certainly not aware of how Ken does.]

Do I do... what sort of thing?

[He glances around the room, brows furrowing a little in the center.

Birthday parties...?]

Listening.

[What's he looking around for? Ken can't tell. He doesn't know how confused Jaime is, but Ken never really holds back from explaining.]

And talking to people, giving advice. You said you do that with Aragaki-san too, sometimes.

Oh, yeah. I guess I do.

[He's not entirely aware of how much he listens. It's always come naturally to him, and he's always liked doing it. Other people are endlessly interesting to him, and how better to help people than to listen to them when there's something they need to talk about to someone? Even when he didn't have the power to do anything, he listened.]

I dunno, I like hearing about people's lives. And sometimes, it's really the only way you can help people, y'know?

[In Ken's life, he's never met such an open person, whether it's openness to listening or openness to sharing. Emotions, especially. Even Ken, although he thinks Jaime's learned more than he might've ever wanted from talking to him, had taken to sharing everything as facts. He tried to detach his emotions as much as possible. Jaime just seemed so comfortable. His expressions changed a lot and he was so earnest.

That's so weird, to Ken. Ken could be blunt and honest, but sincerity was something he discovered upon coming here.

So when he answers, it's honest, but sincerity was the word he'd use on Jaime's statement just now.] I don't know, actually, [he says with a shake of his head.] But I think I do know that you really want to help people. You're... I don't know a lot of people like that. Are there a lot of people like that around you, Jaime-san?

Yeah, [Jaime says, and in his head, he counts off the names. His parents, of course. Brenda and Paco. The Titans, as disjointed as they are, only want to help people, and so do Wally and Bart and Ellie and Kaidan and so, so many others.

He smiles, sweet and slow.]

Been surrounded by people like that my whole life. I've gotten pretty lucky.

[A big part of trying to be good is to surround yourself with goodness in return. Who knew?]

... That sounds really nice.

[And without Ken's realizing, there comes the sincerity that he picked up here. It's really that he never had any chances for it in Iwatodai. But here, with people like Jaime or the Hamada brothers of the people he spoke to in Nonah, there were people who had things that nobody in SEES did: a place in a world outside of SEES. In the end, whether it was someone new to the city like Minato or people who grew up in Iwatodai their whole lives like Yukari or the third years, people who were members of other clubs and also had relatives, in the end SEES was alone in that bubble of people who could see and fight in the Dark Hour. For Ken, he no longer had anything outside of that (or at least he was convinced so), so hearing about something else was utterly fascinating. Especially when it's something like this.]

Your family, too?

Especially my family.

[The thing about empathy, about knowing as much about the people around him as he does, is that he's so aware of the fact that he's got what others could only wish for. He could easily tell Ken a dozen stories about his family and how wonderful they've been to him and the people around them, but it feels almost cruel, setting them on display. He's run into this problem a lot.

But he's not about to deny how important they are to him.]

I think you'd like them, Ken. They'd sure like you.

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