Sleepless Tiger, A Warrior's Lullaby: Persona in the Playground (Social Link)

[Mokou-tan]

It was late at night and Tsubaki was having issues sleeping once again. With a moderately frustrated sigh she quietly hopped out of her bunk. She reached into her chest and pulled out a small black case before stepping out of the bedroom into the girls' common room. My garlic plant is in the back corner to the left of the bathroom, the electric tea kettle was on the coffee table by the couch before we went to bed. Tea set is in the cupboard just to my left. I guess I didn't need to grab my glasses, I can find it all without. After mapping out the room in her head, she lightly steps around in the dark, first grabbing the tea and tea set and taking it to the table. She turns on the electric tea kettle to boil the water and walks over to her plant, feeling a few leaves before deciding on one to pull off. She returns to the table, lays across the couch and begins playing a soft, sad song on the leaf she picked.

[Kioku]

Cold... Asami slowly partially wakes with this thought. Practically sleepwalking, it drives her to slip out of her covers and climb across the space separating the beds, to the other top bunk. This sleepy-ninja routine has become an irregular but not uncommon occurrence the past month or two, since she became comfortable with two of her roommates. It varies which bed she sleep-slinks into, but tonight it's the one with no Tsubaki? Empty? This is a determent to my body temperature. The distinct lack of her target wakes Asami up further, as she blinks a little and climbs down, now more curious than anything. Operating by moonlight and memory, she slips out the door into the common room, to begin her very short investigation.

[Mokou-tan]

Tsubaki can vaguely see the silhouette of someone exiting the door. After a few more notes, she ends her song and places her leaf on the table. I can't make out who it is... She sits up and takes a pair of black rimmed glasses out of the case she brought with her. The little warrior opens them with a flick of her wrist and places them on her face. "Oh, hey Asami, did I wake you? Or did you try to pull a Chika and found out I wasn't there?" She smiles to her friend, even though it's dark.

[Kioku]

"Cold." Asami simply says in reply, still sleepy but glad her investigation didn't take her out of the common area. Her curiosity sated, she smiles, waves a little, and turns around with the intent of making her way to Miyuki's bed for warmth instead, but pauses as she wonders something. "Too early. You couldn't sleep?"

[Mokou-tan]

"Yeah... Couldn't stop thinking about things. I'll be fine though, I'll sleep on the roof of the school later. Or the clubroom for my old club. Or anywhere really. I'm not too picky, you know that." She turns and prepares the tea leaves as she speaks.

[Kioku]

Asami turns back again and slowly shuffles over to the couch, flopping down on it if there's any space to. "Want to talk about said thoughts?"

[Mokou-tan]

Tsubaki sighs and relaxes a bit. "I killed a man four years ago. Right in front of my sister. I can still feel the blood on me. Both of theirs..." She goes wide eyed and covers her mouth. I said it. Chika, I'm sorry! I promised I wouldn't...

[Kioku]

Sensing her friend's distress, Asami puts an arm around Tsubaki and holds her close. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to bring it back to the front of your thoughts." She appears to have, in her tiredness, misread the cause of the distress.

[Mokou-tan]

Tsubaki shakes her head. "Don't worry about it. It's always in my mind." She carefully and gracefully prepares the tea with a calm demeanor, showing lots of experience in the practice and giving a noble air similar to that found in a tea ceremony. "It's why I got this strong. If I was strong enough then, Chika would still be able to use her arm unhindered."

[Kioku]

Asami looks on with sadness in the dim light and leans her head on the other's shoulder. "Tsubaki... please don't hide like that? It's okay to let me see how you feel, you don't need to clam up and put on a calm mask..."

[Mokou-tan]

Tsubaki's hands shake as she pours a small cup of tea, tears slowly welling up in her eyes. "I have to be strong, Asami. Stronger than anyone. I have to be strong for her. Strong enough that I don't lose control. That way, she can't get hurt again. That way, she doesn't have to see the darker side of her hero."

[Kioku]

Asami reaches down to steady and guide Tsubaki's hand. "Chika will always love you, no matter what. I'm certain of it. I know you're strong... I understand why you have to be." She pulls the girl into a hug that she seems to need after gently pushing down the tea pot.

[Mokou-tan]

Tsubaki tightly embraces her friend after letting go of the teapot, fully crying for the first time in a very, very long time. "After the first couple strikes... He was no longer a threat. I kept slashing and stabbing. Over and over and over. I only stopped when Chika hugged me tightly. She was bleeding and more worried about my mental state. I know she'll always love me, but she doesn't need to see such things."

[Kioku]

Asami rubs her friend's back as she opens up. "Nobody can decide what they see though, no matter how much we wish it. We can't close our eyes and cover our ears, and still lead a full life. You were there for her, and you were there to comfort her; that's what's really important, and that's what was in your control. She knows you'll do anything for her, and I suspect that's worth more than the cost to find it out." She knows she's toeing the line here and things could blow up spectacularly if she phrases anything wrongly, but feels like she needs to keep at it. "I don't know her nearly as well as you... but do you think she'd ever blame you?"

[Mokou-tan]

Tsubaki wipes her face to little effect, a sad smile playing across her lips. "She won't. I took so many things from her and she refused to blame me. Someone has to though. I can't let myself be forgiven unless I find a way to mend her arm. For a while, I'd wake up in a cold sweat. I started sleeping better after she started sneaking into my bed." The little warrior's tears stop flowing as she speaks. She chuckles softly before speaking again. "And I'm supposed to be the big sister. She's always taking care of me."

[Kioku]

Asami bites her lip and steels her resolve before speaking this time. "As... as s-someone who was a l-little s-s-sister too, even if only b-by a few minutes, you t-take care of each other. And that's how it s-should be." She lets out a staggering breath after having managed to get that out. "You both take care of each other. Doesn't matter how it manifests. I w-was always a lot happier when I g-got to take care of... of m-mine."

[Mokou-tan]

Tsubaki moves herself and Asami so that her head on the little hero's chest and holds her close. "I understand. Her and I do take care of one another.I'm sorry that, in comforting me, you ended up hurting yourself."

[Kioku]

Asami makes several wide blinks as she's moved. "Hurting? N-no, I'm okay, I didn't... not that much..." She blushes ever so slightly.

[Mokou-tan]

Tsubaki shakes her head and gives a caring smile. "The past is painful. I know it and you know it. That's why I won't ask you about it. Just know that, no matter what, I'm going to be here for you."

[Kioku]

"I... I guess so." Asami pays attention to Tsubaki's heartbeat, using it as a focus to keep herself grounded in the present. "Do you feel a bit better at least? I hope so..."

[Mokou-tan]

Tsubaki pets Asami's hair and nods. "Yeah, I'm better. I'm really sorry about all of that." She looks over at the tea she made and sighs. "I'd offer you a cup, but you're going to want to get back to sleep. Drinking this tea isn't helpful for that."

[Kioku]

Asami makes a small affirmative sound and scoots down the couch a little so she can rest her head in Tsubaki's lap. "Cold. I miss her..." She shivers, though it's hard to tell whether her temperature or the memory is more of a factor.

[Mokou-tan]

Tsubaki takes a sip of her tea and grabs the leaf off the table. I can't do anything about her sister, but I can help her feel a little better. She begins playing a gentle song she made from fond memories.

[Kioku]

By the time the song starts Asami is nearly asleep, and about five measures in she's the rest of the way gone, vaguely smiling. Her body still shivers from time to time, and she has the sensation of someone about to resume a nearly-caught dream.

[Mokou-tan]

Tsubaki loops through the song a few more times before finishing and putting the leaf down. She looks so adorable when she's sleeping... So defenseless... She slowly leans in towards Asami before stopping abruptly and shaking her head to clear it of the thoughts. Bad Tsubaki! Bad!

[Kioku]

Asami shivers in her sleep, looking terrified of something. "...not how I feel... ...think that... ...real... ...not me, couldn't be anymore... ...has to be..." she murmurs in her sleep, twisting her body restlessly.

[Mokou-tan]

Tsubaki gently pulls Asami up into a tight embrace, more concerned with comforting her friend than letting her keep sleeping. Is this my fault? I didn't mean for this. I'm sorry Asami-chan.

[Kioku]

Asami lets out a small whimper as she's being moved, but otherwise doesn't quite wake. The shift does stop the sleep talking though, even with it being clear she's still in the same dream from her twitches and expression.

Feel free to initiate time skip if you need to, since this is pretty reactability-poor.

[Mokou-tan]

Tsubaki takes a deep breath. "I said I'd protect you. That doesn't stop just because it's not physical." She hops to her feet, pushing Asami onto the couch as she does, in hopes of waking her up.

[Kioku]

The sudden movement jolts Asami awake with a sharp breath. Her eyes snap open possessing a faint glow in the darkness that fades in a few seconds... one of her signs of a nearly-started persona invocation on this side. "A...Akemi? Where are... wait, this is... oh..." She slumps down bonelessly as reality and the present come back to her.

[Mokou-tan]

Tsubaki sits down next to Asami. "I'm sorry. You were having what looked to be a nightmare. I wasn't about to let you sit in your pain."

[Kioku]

Asami lies unresponsive for a while other than reaching a hand toward Tsubaki and leaving it to hang there in the air. After some time, she speaks with a dead, emotionless voice never before heard from her. "You did the right thing."

[Mokou-tan]

Tsubaki grabs Asami's hand and presses it against the tiny warrior's chest. "Alright. I'll act quicker next time. Are you feeling okay?"

[Kioku]

"No," she replies candidly in the same tone as before. "But I am fine." Asami says the last word in English, and something about the way she says it evokes chills. Freaked out, Insecure, Neurotic and Emotional, Beloved? Oh, no...

Remember, Asami's mother is British.

[Mokou-tan]

Tsubaki isn't quite sure what Asami means, but she gets the feeling it's not good. In this situation... She pulls her friend into a tight embrace. "I'm here, it'll be okay."

[Kioku]

Asami is more or less a rag doll in the embrace, but either it or Tsubaki's words do seem to help a little. After minutes that feel like hours, her head slowly cranes up to look at Tsubaki's face. "Sometimes the dream becomes reality," she whispers as if in answer to an unasked question, and her blank mask cracks as a tear starts to slip out.

[Mokou-tan]

Tsubaki gently wipes the tear from Asami's face. "I won't pretend to understand. But, if your nightmare becomes reality, I'll crush it into a million pieces."

[Kioku]

Asami's eyes go wide, the mask cracking further as she shakes. "I don't know if..." She presses her face into Tsubaki's shoulder. "You don't understand... I don't usually remember those dreams, but they've become much more frequent the last few months. It changes every time, but there's always one line that stays the same..." She shivers, knowing that this has to come out precise to convey the full meaning and pulls Tsubaki's head down so that she's right next to her ear. She breathes deeply and clenches up, her eyes flashing visibly and a ghostly aura of light forming as she gathers the needed mindset and strength. In the most haunting tone she's ever uttered, she whispers. "I am a Shadow; the true self."

[Mokou-tan]

Tsubaki's eyes shoot wide open, understanding it on a primal level. She closes her eyes and smiles. "No matter what's inside you. No matter what you can't show me. I'll accept you. No matter what. After all, I care a lot about you."

[Kioku]

Asami wavers dizzily as the aura fades and rests her head against Tsubaki again, breathing shallowly. She puts her weakened arms around the hero and starts slipping away to sleep again, suddenly inexplicably exhausted and more than a little delirious. "I know you will..." she murmurs just before drifting off. "Love... you... sis..ter..."

[Mokou-tan]

Tsubaki picks up her friend. "Love you too, Asami..." With those words she carries her friend back to Asami's bed and climbs in with her.