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 It's the start of another glorious school year at St. Raphael's Prepatory Academy. The sidewalk in front of the school is lined with leafy trees that have yet to lose their summer coloring, and the air has a light breezy quality, barely untouched by the everpresent air pollutants. In the main building, which is at least a century old, students are hard at work, absorbing knowledge into their heads as fast as pens can scratch on notebooks.(Except for those kids smart enough to sneak in their smartphones. Most of those are busily playing Candy Crush) We focus our attention on the westmost wing of this building, the third floor to be exact. Officially, this corridor is termed the "Academic and Extracurricular Excellence Hall", but when the bathrooms are labeled 'Oedipus' and 'Electra', and room names like "Jung", "Maslow", and "Zimbardo", most students call this hall "The Nuthouse" We focus even moreso, on the room titled "Jung". Inside, the walls are covered up by bookshelves full to bursting, and instead of the standard desks, a variety of chairs fill the room, from a beanbag all the way to an executive office chair. Several students are scattered across the room, all paying attention to a woman dressed in the most eyepoppingly colorful dress any of them had seen. We can hear the tail end of her speech " ...and that's how I ended up nearly destroying and saving CERN this summer." She lets out a little chuckle. "Oh my! I've been talking for nearly ten minutes, and I forgot to introduce myself! I'm Ms. Hamer, and I'm your 'Indepent Studies in Philosophy' coordinator! In other words, I'm here to teach you about Persona!" A huge, sincere grin is spread over her face. "Now, as it's the start of the term, why don't you all introduce yourselves, so we can start becoming friends that much faster!" Ms. Hamer points to the student closest to the windows. "Let's start with you!" Alright, let's get this thing started! Do your introductory posts, and we'll proceed from there. 
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Jul 21, 2014 02:43
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| # ? Apr 29, 2024 01:28 |
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 A young girl with dyed hair, torn clothes, and a little bit of face paint, speaks up in a smooth Irish brogue that betrays the roughness of her appearance and words. "Aye, th' name's Aisling Tierney. People call me Ash. All you gotta know about me 's that you don't gently caress with me and that I do what I want, got it?" She snorts and turns her head out the window, fiddling with the electric guitar in her lap.  quote:Aisling "Ash" Tierney Waffleman_ fucked around with this message at 03:19 on Jul 21, 2014 |
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Jul 21, 2014 02:52
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  A young man with a winged pin on his shirt, a head of well-pushed-down hair and a manic grin spends most of Ms. Hamer's introduction to CERN staring at the cloud formations out the window. Hey, that one looks like a satellite...and those look like an Eagle and a Flanker! Pew pew, fwoosh, fox two~ Oh, wait, she's looking at me now, right! "Hey there!" he exclaims cheerfully as he stands up from his well-cushioned seat. "My name's Charlie Turul...well, that's what my parents named me. I prefer Chuck. Y'know, like Yeager! Fwoosh! Bang!" He holds his hand up with the thumb and pinkie spread out like wings and imitates a plane breaking the sound barrier. Davin Valkri posted:High Concept: The Boy who Stares at Bombers
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Jul 21, 2014 03:05
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  A very young man, almost a child, has been sitting on an oversized office chair that makes him look even smaller than he is. He has remained hyperfocused on his instructor through the length of her tale, his elbows resting on the armrests and propping up his chin. When she gets to the end, he jerks as if startled out of a reverie. "Um, hi!" he says as he levers himself out of the enormous chair. "I'm Chris Tarn, and my Persona is King Solomon. I'm looking forward to working with you all!" He looked around quickly for everyone's reactions, and then hopped back into the office chair. Zemyla posted:Concept Aspect: A Tiny, Tiny Grade-Skipping Genius
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Jul 21, 2014 03:37
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 There's a moment of silence after Chris finishes. The next student, an upperclass girl with short dark hair and pale skin, wearing a black hoody, finally stands up. She has a neutral expression on her face. Not bored, not intentionally hiding, just without any particular emotion. She doesn't bother meeting anyone's gaze, her soft grey eyes scanning across the room slowly. After a moment, she finally speaks in a soft voice without affect. "Alita Kovacs." She stands quietly for a moment, blinks, then sits back down. Comrade Gorbash posted:
Comrade Gorbash fucked around with this message at 04:39 on Jul 21, 2014 |
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Jul 21, 2014 03:50
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 Mio is leaning against a wall in the back, arms folded, trying to look cool. She's adapted a school uniform into a sort of ninja outfit with a hakama and a dramatic scarf she can pull over her mouth if she wants. Usually, she wants to do that for about five minutes a day. So far, it's been ten. Mio finally pulls the scarf down, steps forward and puts her hands on her hips. "O-KAY! Listen up, because I'm only gonna tell you once! I am Shadow☆Nova, the great ninja! Around civilians, you can call me Mio! Try not to feel bad about living in my shadow and I'll try to teach you a thing or two!" Mio's arm snaps out with a blur into... a thumbs up. Ettin posted:
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Jul 21, 2014 04:32
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 "Hiii~ii!" From the crater of silence (and shadows), to the peak of a painfully high-pitched voice. A pinkheaded young lady practically leaps off her seat, and takes a 360 spin around to wave towards everyone in the room. There's a short, preppy J-pop tune that plays from what is most definitely the smartphone in her pocket. "I'm Elodie! I live just right here in Manhattan. Let's see, I'm sixteen years old and an Aries. I love skating, I love art, a bit of hip-hop." She says, listing off each of her interests with her fingers. "Also saving the world, 'cause I'm a magical girl, see? But it's kinda secret, but you guys are so cool, so just keep it between us, okay? Anyway, I'm totally glad we're all gonna kick some bad guy buts together, so let's all be friends, alright?" Elodie takes a deep breath, and bows. She smiles so bright that she sparkles.  TurninTrix posted:Elodie Cain / AI NO SUKETA, AERIAL IDOL ELODIE
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Jul 21, 2014 04:40
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That entrance was almost as cool as hers! Mio appears next to Elodie and puts an arm around her. "Elodie! I've decided that you can be... my sidekick! If you work hard enough, perhaps we can be rivals!"
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Jul 21, 2014 05:19
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"Wait, we're getting graded on this?!" Chuck cocks his head towards Mio/Shadow*Nova. "Aw, man, I should've come in on the Roc. It's hard to beat your own private flyer for an entrance!"
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Jul 21, 2014 05:24
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"Something's confusing me, though, Shadow*Nova," Chris puts in, rotating the chair towards her. She can tell he's not quite saying her name right. "You said we'd be in your shadow, but if you're a ninja like you say, shouldn't you be in our shadows instead?"
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Jul 21, 2014 07:50
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"Hey, aren't ninjas masters of all the shadows, anyway?" Elodie asks Tarn. "I don't think you're up for debating with one." She turns back to SuperMcCoolName Shadow☆Nova and her eyes light up! "So, does that mean you wanna hang out?!" She says, already nodding as if it is true. First day in St. Raphael, and she already has a new friend! "Wow, I don't think I've ever been a sidekick before. I always felt like main character material myself, but they say doing supporting roles helps build up your resume or something. Plus, I can totally show around places in the city if you like. Like all the shadowy back alleys and the rooftops you can jump over, since that seems your thing plus I don't think we have a ninja dojo around here..." It doesn't occur to her that there's still one more who needs to introduce herself... Mitama fucked around with this message at 10:18 on Jul 21, 2014 |
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Jul 21, 2014 10:14
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 At the back, a white-robed girl waits until an opportune moment. In the brief gap where Elodie stops to breathe, she speaks, overriding the conversation without raising her voice. In her right hand, she idly swirls a pair of yin-yang patterned Baoding balls. "Hey. I am..." Her sleeves drop to reveal their length. The outfit is ridiculous and impractical at best for school work, but she wears it with a carelessness that implies she's already done the getting-ink-on-the-sleeves and tripping-over-her-own-feet elsewhere. "Adora Muqi~! And I am here to lead this class to enlightenment~!" She pauses. Waits just a moment. Then doubles up laughing. "Oh man, your faces for a second there. Seriously, I'm Adora. And enlightenment is for-" she faux gags- "Buddhists." K Prime posted:
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Jul 21, 2014 12:24
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Mio is already gushing over the new girl. "Adora, huh?" she asks with a sparkle in her voice that implies Adora is going to hear all the jokes she has already heard a hundred times. "That's so cool!" "And I make my own shadow," she adds to Chris. "Also it's Shadow☆Nova!" "is your middle name belle"
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Jul 21, 2014 13:40
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"I don't have a middle name. Those are for white people." She pauses. "And black people. And some brownish type people? Whatever, point is WAIT YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT"
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Jul 21, 2014 13:47
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Elodie couldn't believe how cool everyone in her class is! "Ohmigosh, where do you get clothes like that?"
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Jul 21, 2014 13:50
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"You learn how to sew."
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Jul 21, 2014 15:52
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As the other students talk amongst themselves, Aisling keeps sneering out the window. She couldn't believe she was stuck with this gaggle of idiots for the year. She gives another small snort as she plucks on one of Scathach's strings.
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Jul 21, 2014 16:02
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For some reason, of all the things to catch someone's attention, it's the mention of sewing that makes Alita turn to the talkative group of girls. "Can you show me?" She pauses, then adds, "How to sew, I mean."
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Jul 21, 2014 16:13
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"Oh, that so awesome, you can make whole clothes! I just know to patch things up when I get into a scrape, first aid for skater clothes. My mom tells me I look like a mess 'cause I just patch holes with whatever, but everyone else thinks I look super badass. Hey, I had a design for a magical girl outfit in my scrapbook, but I haven't found anyone who can make it real, maybe you could-" Elodie realizes that the quiet girl can also talk. "Hi, there!"
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Jul 21, 2014 16:21
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"I'll be happy to add a sewing demonstration into my afterschool club, which by the way you should totally come to~" says Adora. "We have plenty of interesting and totally legal activities. Let me get my flyers."
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Jul 21, 2014 16:25
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Edit: Blarg Waffleman_ fucked around with this message at 16:34 on Jul 21, 2014 |
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Jul 21, 2014 16:29
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"That actually sounds fun." Chris says. "I mean, I've read about how to sew, but I've never actually done it. And I'm not in any afterschool clubs yet, so I figure joining yours would make things simple."
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Jul 21, 2014 18:20
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"You mean, like, canvas and silk and stuff?" Chuck finally jumps into the conversation after being distracted by another cloud that looked like a biplane. "Oh man, you gotta show me how to do it! There's, like, a Wright Flyer at the museum that's like this close to airworthy and it'd be so cool if I could help get it flying again!"
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Jul 21, 2014 19:20
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"Yeah, sewin' sounds real freakin' fun. Sorry, I got my own poo poo to do, and it's not dumb. I gotta find myself a band here, anyway." Aisling has only turned her head to the side, not directly acknowledging the others' presence.
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Jul 21, 2014 19:36
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Chris turned to Ash, looking a bit exasperated, and said, "It's not the sewing itself that's fun. It's, like," he tapped his finger on his chin for a bit as he thought. "You're envisioning something, and then with effort you create it. You're changing something from a dream to reality. I'm sure you feel the same thing whenever you actually perform a song. It's the closest thing most people will get to magic."
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Jul 21, 2014 20:11
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"Ah, come on, Ash, don't be like that!" Chuck exclaims good naturedly. "Who knows, maybe once you learn this you get to design your band's shirts when you go big time?"
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Jul 21, 2014 23:42
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Alita nods to Elodie. "Hello." There's an awkward pause, then she realizes she should say something else. "I like making things." And that's about it for now.
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Jul 22, 2014 00:23
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"I make my own outfits and my own soap," Mio says proudly.
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Jul 22, 2014 02:03
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Alita looks at Shadow☆Nova, leans in, sniffs, then leans back and nods.
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Jul 22, 2014 02:11
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Aisling glares at Chris silently for a few seconds. "Neeeeeeeerd."
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Jul 22, 2014 04:59
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"I make art!" Elodie says, not to be outdone by her friends. "Uh, murals and stuff. With spraypaint. Sometimes glitter, so they're pretty and colorful. I do them mostly down in the subways and skate parks but no one ever looks there so I'm not doing anything illegal, Ms. Hamer, I swear." A cough. "Like ohmigosh, we're all already bonding and stuff."
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Jul 22, 2014 05:05
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Ms. Hamer can't help but jump up and down with glee. "I am so excited to see my precious charges bonding!", she gushes. And, swirling around in her dress, she adds "And, guess who is the faculty advisor for the Fashion and Design Club? Come check out our booth at the Activity Fair next week!" A wave seems to come over her, as if realizing something. "I should actually lecture, shouldn't I? What would you rather hear about first, your power, or your duty?" Voice your opinions, students! 
FewtureMD fucked around with this message at 01:39 on Jul 23, 2014 |
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Jul 23, 2014 01:35
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"I don't really do duty. Let's hear about power."
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Jul 23, 2014 01:45
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"Hmm...they wouldn't even let me sit on the plane until I passed a safety test. Let's do duty first, THEN the power! I hope it's the kind you measure in horses!"
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Jul 23, 2014 01:47
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"Listen, Teach. I'm here to bash some heads in. Tell me about this drat power."
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Jul 23, 2014 01:53
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Alita shrugs slightly. "You're going to tell us both anyways."
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Jul 23, 2014 01:55
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"I already know what I have to do!" Elodie declares. "But not everyone else does. I wanna say duty!"
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Jul 23, 2014 02:00
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"I run around and be awesome, you guys back me up. There! Okay, now what's our power?"
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Jul 23, 2014 02:01
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"I've already done some experimentation with my power, but I still don't know why I have it yet. I'd like to hear about our duty."
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Jul 23, 2014 02:11
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| # ? Apr 29, 2024 01:28 |
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Ms. Hamer turns and places a hand on the blackboard. "Well, seeing as things are tied up, I'll use one to explain the other! You all have experienced things others couldn't comprehend, and done things that seem fantastical. The power that allows you all to do these things, we call Persona" Her face screws up with concentration, and she mutters a word. "Saraswati" With that, all the various chalk diagrams begin swirling around, forming swirling rainbow-colored mandalas. "A Persona is the expression of your inner self, the truest window into your soul. With it, you can perform wondrous feats, what most would call 'magic'. I've read your student files, so I have a grasp of what most of you are capable of, but one aspect of your powers has most likely not been explained." The mandalas seperate into a diagram of a globe divided into halves by a line. One side is normal-Earth colored, and the other is a riot of colors and shapes. "The world is much greater than you realize. The physical world is buoyed on a sea of what could charitably be called 'formless metaphysical chaos'. The two meet at a place termed 'The Dreamlands', where the rigid structure of reality meets the boundless possibility of chaos. The minds of humanity wander the Dreamlands when they sleep, recharging and gaining inspiration. This is what allows us to innovate and make things. It's what allows us to be great. But if the barrier based in the Dreamlands was ever to fall, everything you know would be plunged into the chaos." The globe dissolves into a mess of scribbles and lines. The teacher steps away from the board, and fixes the class with a steely gaze, her jokey demeanor evaporated like fog in the morning sun. "Your charge as Persona-wielders is nothing less than the protection of humanity as a whole. We at St. Raphael's will do our best to train you to the utmost of your abilities, and we hope you will make us proud." The bell rings, and just as suddenly as the serious mood descended on Ms. Hamer, a smile breaks out on her face. "I know, it's been a fairly intense class, and you all need some time to process everything. Luckily it's lunchtime, and I think it's Sloppy Joes today! Go enjoy yourselves students, and I'll be seeing you all tomorrow. Au revoir!"
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Jul 28, 2014 23:38
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