Chance Collision (Persona-SotVD)

[Kioku]

Go away, go away, goawaygoawayGOAWAY! Asami runs down the street, glancing around for any opportunity of escape from the four chasing her. It started so simple! One of them just asked for tutoring after school, and when they reached the classroom... No. No, we can handle this. Can't be friends with everyone, no matter how hard we try. There was no reason to think it was an ambush - she'd been asked for tutoring plenty of times at her old school, and it was always fine then! There!

Finally reaching a part of the city that she's already been out on a run in, Asami turns the corner, running off the wall into the alley to preserve speed. Now for the easy part... if I can climb- "Oof!" The collision is completely unexpected, running past a corner that goes back onto a main street, but that doesn't change what happens from it. Asami is sent into a spin, *almost* losing her balance before she manages to reach a wall and falls against it. "Sorry! Didn't see you in time."

[Ionbound]

There's sort of an odd thunk as Yumiko is bowled over by the unexpected collision, landing squarely and painfully on her tailbone, and she winces and groans as she says, "Ugh...What happened?" still dazed from impact.

[Kioku]

I was only about 15 seconds ahead of them, but... Asami moves to help the other girl up. She didn't want to leave her here, knowing nothing about her pursuers and their motives... or morals. "Really, really sorry, but we've got to go. It's not safe here, and I don't want you dragged into... err... this."

[Ionbound]

Yumiko nods as she's helped up, thinking Oh gods oh gods, what did I get myself into... but saying, "What, exactly?"

[Kioku]

"Four men, unknown intentions, likely malicious." As soon as the other girl is up, Asami seems to be debating between the low wall at the end of this alley and the main street. Introductions can wait... "How crowded was the street you came off of?"

[Ionbound]

Yumiko blinks and says, "Yeah, there were some people. Follow me," as she starts jogging towards the main road.

[Kioku]

Asami smiles slightly at the initiative and follows. And with two seconds to spare! She waits until they emerge back onto the road and slows her pace. "Good job keeping calm and making the quick decision. Sorry again for the suddenness of it all." She gives a smile and small nod. "Kimura Asami. Nice to meet you."

[Ionbound]

Yumiko bows and says, "Yamada Yumiko. Nice to meet you. Look...If there really are people after you, then we should get back to my dorm. We can talk there."

[Kioku]

"Ahh.." Asami blinks a couple times in surprise. Befriend everyone you can, wasn't it? She winces a little with a sheepish smile and shrugs."Sure, let's... let's do that. Thank you. Are you sure it'll be okay?"

[Ionbound]

Yumiko smiles outwardly, saying, "Absolutely not a problem at all," while thinking, Not really, but if people are chasing you, I'd rather risk it than let them beat you up...

[Kioku]

Asami glances backward over her shoulder, listening intently and stills her expression when she hears a few shouts from the alley. Good, seems they've lost the trail. I didn't want to lead them to where anyone might live, in case they mistook it for where I did... Her eyes dart around, the only outward sign that she's still wary (or maybe just learning the lay of the land), but as the walking goes on the glances become less frequent, less obvious, and don't linger quite as long, as if she knows the area. "It's starting to look like we might be neighbors, or very nearly. My dorm is in about this direction too. Have you been in the area long?" I don't think I've seen her walking to or from school before...

[Ionbound]

Yumio shakes her head and says, "No, I just moved in...My mom pulled some strings so I could enroll this far into the school year."

[Kioku]

"That's..." this is starting to sound remarkably familiar. "Interesting. I actually got moved in a couple weeks after the school year started too, but I think it was because of working out details on scholarships rather than just moving. My family isn't here with me." A fact for which I'm very glad. Asami mostly seems glad that the conversation is flowing so easily so far, despite the rather sudden introduction and coincidence of circumstance. "Oh! You must have been going somewhere when I ran into you! I completely forgot in the moment, I hope I didn't make you late for something or change your plans!"

[Ionbound]

Yumiko shakes her head and says, "I was just headed straight home, actually. Hence why I offered."

((They can arrive whenever you want, Kioku.))

[Kioku]

"If you're sure..." Asami says quietly as her concern subsides. She gets a small smile when the dorm she lives in comes into view, the pair still moving in its direction. We may be closer neighbors than I thought, but I didn't know there was another dorm around here. Unless... She turns toward Yumiko with a strange look between concentration and concern as they get closer. "Wait. Is this your dorm? But then that would mean..." Tamamo's aura flares momentarily, but it's enough to see the superimposed image of Asami's persona for a few seconds. Since they're only visible to other persona users unless fully manifested, she considers it a safe gamble.

[Ionbound]

Yumiko shivers briefly when she sees the aura, but says nothing, writing it off as just another flare of paranoia, this one coated with a hard-candy shell of hallucination. Instead, she nods and says, "Yeah, it is...What does it mean? Other than that we're apparently neighbors."

[Kioku]

No comment? Then maybe she hasn't met hers yet... I don't think the instructors would put someone in this dorm if they didn't at least have the potential. Not betraying her thoughts, Asami grins and starts toward the door, taking out a key card and spinning it between her fingers a few times in front of Yumiko. "Closer neighbors than I thought. It means that your room is probably right across from mine."

[Ionbound]

Yumiko smiles widely and says, "Really? Cool. I'm glad I saved you from those people chasing you, then. Well...It was nice meeting you, I suppose," as she lets herself in with the keycard and heads towards the stairs.

[Kioku]

That... sounds like a farewell? I thought we were going to talk once we got here... Asami looks a little put out, but heads in, takes off her shoes, and starts toward the stairs as well. "Ah... do you need any help moving in? I don't think we expected any new arrivals until tonight or tomorrow, so the others might not have prepared..."

[Ionbound]

Yumiko shakes her head and says, "Nope. Mostly I just need to unpack everything and get it all put away. I mean, I guess you can help with that if you want, but I'm not sure there's much of a point."

[Kioku]

Huh. Must have gotten here while we were all at school then. "Nnmh, I wouldn't want to invade your privacy like that. I'll be around if you want to talk though, and I get up about an hour before dawn most days to go running if you feel like getting outside or something." I'd better make sure Soga didn't leave out his evoker or something. "Most of the people in the dorm are pretty nice, so let's get along! See you around, I guess." Asami waves as they reach the top of the stairs and dashes down the hall to check with the aforethought Soga.