riverviewlogs | A moment in time...[closed]

Willa had just finished her shift and was contemplating what to do with the rest of her day when she stepped out of the bar.

The wind was chilly and she pulled her jacket a little tighter around her shoulders. She had arrived with clothes subtitle for Florida weather and the cold was kicking her ass. Willa knew that she could purchase a jacket and anything else she needed but she was too used to traveling light to want something as big and puffy as a winter coat. Instead she had a second hand knit hat and a pair of matching gloves. Her scarf was a little more worn and made of a softer material but the same teal color of her other winter gear.

She turned when she heard a stranger calling her name.

Normally, Willa would have walked away but she knew Yu's face from the friendr app. "If it isn't the elusive tinder-boy. Hey." She knew his name but since they hadn't met she hadn't bothered to call him by it in her mind. "Didn't know that you came by this way."

Usually, Yu never addresses people like this. It needs some guts to approach someone you never met before. But- he talked to her before. A lot. And he enjoyed the conversations they had. A few days ago, he thought of sending her a message to finally meet up. Although, he's not sure what had stopped him from doing it.

In the end, it didn't matter.

He gave her a huge grin and walked over:"I sometimes take a walk here and visit the park," he nods at the park that down the street.

"I usually do after work, to unwind a little. What about you? What are you doing here?"

"I work here." She pointed at the Quarantine Bar behind them. "Just finished my shift for the day."

Willa was naturally at ease around people, it was part of her job as a bartender and a con-artist. Not to mention that she felt like she already knew Yu. She had been texting him a lot, usually during the slow boring moments at work. He helped those hours go by faster.

Her gaze glanced behind him and then over to the park. She knew where it was because it was a place she scouted for targets.

"Where do you work?"

"Really!?" Yu looks at the bar, eyes widened. If he had known-!

He sighs, "And this is what happens. I never asked where you work. If I did, maybe we would've met sooner." Yu didn't have the habit to visit bars and honestly, he didn't meet anyone here that would like to do such a thing in their free time.

"I work at the at the border as a Perimeter Guard and Orientation Support." He had a lot of skills he could offer there, something he was really versatile in. A bit of training to get more Personas in his inventory would be of huge help though.

Willa lifted her shoulders in a lazy shrug as she turned to face Yu. "We're meeting now." She didn't see anything wrong with the delay. Besides, they've had some fun phone conversations, meeting might spoil all of that.

A smile touched the corner of Willa's lips. "Ah, Perimeter Guard. That seems to be the big profession around here. That or people just really like having the excuse to beat something up." The dynamic was very unlike any where she had been before though she imagined that this was what the Mexican boarder might look like.

"How about you show me this park? I don't think I've seen it." That was a lie but whatever.

"Really?" Is that really why people join the Perimeter Guard? He never thought that that could be a possibility. He shakes his head: "When I arrived, that was the position suggested to me, so I took it."

Yu scratches his chin: "And with my abilities, I would be the most useful there than working as a tutor or janitor at the hospital." Honestly, he worked everywhere, even at the daycare center. But he suspects that there are no children of that age invited on the Moon.

"Sure!" And that's the easiest way to perk Yu up. He has some suspicions that this is the truth, but he goes along with it because, in the end, it didn't really matter. "There is a guy that sells amazing roasted chestnuts. It's a great way to warm up- aside from coffee," he laughs, slowly leading the way towards the park.

She shrugged. "It seems that way." It was just an observation and Willa wasn't sure if she was right, just that she knew a lot of people who were in the Perimeter Guard. She wondered if the creatures in the forest were that dangerous.

"Roasted chestnuts?" Willa squinted at him, her lips twisting into a light smile. "I don't think I've had that before. Is that common?" She waited for Yu to lead the way before walking along at his side. She was used to seeing a lot of touristy junk food but not roasted chestnuts.

"So tell me what it's like. Life in the Perimeter Guard that I hear so much about."

The people Yu know didn't work there because they craved fight. Or, at least, he hopes they don't. He knows for sure that Makoto is not like that.

"Yes, especially in winter!" Yu returned the smile. "There are also people that sell roasted corn and hazelnuts and offer tea with it." It was a great way to warm up. And while Yu doesn't mind junk food, he does prefer things like these. Maybe he's just a sentimental person...

He laughs, "Haha, it's nothing too special. We patrol the wall and keep an eye on the other side of the wall. There were some huge beetles recently so we had to keep them away." Yu shrugs, "Also, since I am in Orientation Support, I get to inform and organize new people that arrive."

"Roasted corn and hazel nuts?" Willa was trying very hard to keep the skepticism from her voice but it didn't really work. She couldn't say anything about his taste in food because she's never tried them but they should very strange. Willa was sure that hazelnut was a coffee flavor but she never stopped to consider how it really tastes.

She hummed softly.

"I heard about those bugs. That sounds awful. Thanks for not letting them smash up the town." Willa flashed him a smile as they walked. She remembered Dorian mentioning the bugs and, while she was used to Florida's level of bugs, she still didn't like them.

"Sounds odd, I know, but it is actually really tasty." Yu doesn't eat this on the everyday basis, but it is a really nice snack, especially on winter days. Or, perhaps, he's just weird. There's always space for that. "Chestnuts are the most popular so we can start with those since you never had any." And in case she doesn't like them.

"It is nothing to thank me for," Yu says with a soft smile on his face. "The powers that I have- I'd rather put them to a good use instead of just sitting around." He's gotten them at a time when he was in dire need of them so it felt only natural to do good with them in return.

"Sure." Willa didn't care one way or the other; food was food. "I'm in your capable hands."

This was nice though Willa already knew that their friendship would be short lived. Yu was too nice and as much as she liked him, she only drove away people who were nice like he was. She thought of the army brat that had come to the bar looking for his father and the look on his face after she'd lied to him.

Willa figured she'd get some free nuts today and just wait for the day when Yu decided that it wasn't worth being around her. It was disheartening but she was used to it and now, it was something she expected.

If Will thought that Yu will just walk away from her, she's very wrong. And it's not about his stubbornness and persistence either. He's handled people lying to him, he's handled people chasing him down the street wanting to beat the shit out of him but then later ended up with the guy having his back in every battle he faced.

To Yu, people are people, and all of them do what they think is correct for them. Are some of those decisions bad? Yes. But that doesn't make them bad people. Unless they are a murderer, of course. And he learned that people can change. Not immediately, of course. It takes time and support. But it can happen.

So there are extremely slim chances that he will just leave their friendship hanging.

"I'll do my best," Yu offers with a smile. They cross the street and head down then winding park pavement.

"I never worked as a bartender. Is it hard?"

Willa might not be emotionally ready for Yu's level of acceptance.

Her gaze flicked between her guide and the path in front of them. She took note of a few buildings and shops that she hadn't realize were there as they made their way to the park. The air was still a little chilly but the marks of spring were everywhere. Willa can't say that she had a favorite seasons but she preferred warmer weather and the promise of spring almost brought a smile to her lips.

Once they reached the park her focused was centered around Yu. "Not hard. Sometimes it's busy and I have to rush but it's fun and I get to meet a lot of different people." Her smile widened into an amused grin. "People talk a lot when they drink." They also sometimes divulge secrets that they mean to keep to themselves.

"It's also something I did before I arrived here."

Usually, no one is. But they get used to it. Eventually.

"I did a lot of jobs back home, but bartending was never one of them," Yu says. "The place where I spent last year was too small and the only bar worked in the evening." When he wasn't allowed to go out because of the murders. You don't want to piss off your detective uncle when you're secretly working on the same case.

"That's true! My uncle turns into real complaints center whenever he gets tipsy."

Yu looked around for the man that was selling the chestnuts (and other roasted goodies) and spotting him at the end of the path, settled next to the small fountain. Ah, perfect.

"You weren't allowed to work in the evenings?" Willa worked both day and night shifts though the night shifts were usually the most interesting. She was in a part of Florida where day drinking wasn't as prevalent. It was usually locals that came to their backwater bar. "That's weird."

Willa's seen a dead body up close but she can't say that she was used to murders; being attacked maybe.

Her lips twitch into a wider smile. "It's interesting to see what people say when they're drunk." They also usually end up saying too much which was Willa's favorite part. Getting to know a mark and an area made scamming easier.

The light hue of her gaze followed where Yu was looking. It was almost picturesque though Willa wasn't one to stop and look at the pretty scenery. The alluring scent of roasted treats filled Willa's nose and made her stomach grumble softly. Maybe she was a little hungry.

He shakes his head.

"No. Last year, there was a serial killer on the loose in the place where I lived. The place is small so everyone was scared. The killer didn't leave the police any sort of trace since the victims died under unknown circumstances. No wounds, no guns, no poison- nothing for the police to go on. And since my uncle is a detective working on the case, he was very strict about the outing schedule."

And Yu understands him completely. The case was so mind-blowingly mysterious that Yu is surprised the managed to solve it in the end. "Ah, the killer is caught, by the way, so no need to worry about that." Maybe telling her that he was involved was a bad idea. Since he can't tell, he keeps quiet about it. It's not like it's important right now.

They stop at the stand, the warmth of the roaster flowing their way.

"Two boxes please, a mix of chestnuts and hazelnuts." Yu orders with a smile. Their treats crackled loudly as they roasted and he handed Willa hers when it was all done and packed. "It will keep your hands warm too!"

Willa's expression remained stagnate when Yu began to describe the murders of his town. It wasn't that she didn't think murder was a big deal but it wasn't new to her.

The smells were a little distracting but she kept her attention focused on her guide. "So you're saying that your uncle caught the guy." She thought about that for a moment and then Walters case with the mod bosses and voodoo. She was so happy that she had bought him that charm. "I've had a lot of people threaten to kill me, a few times with a gun, but I live next to a city where crime is pretty prevalent."

It wasn't that big of a deal. She was terrified but Willa thrived under pressure. She wasn't the sort of person to panic.

Willa curled her fingers around the box of nuts with a small smile. "Multitasking. I like it." She poked between the chestnuts and hazelnuts before taking one and popping it into her mouth. The taste was rich and it caught Willa off guard. "Wow. These aren't bad." Which was her way of saying they were good.

"Yes, fortunately. He is currently paying for his crimes now so everyone back home can relax." He won't be attempting anything anymore, Yu and his friends, along with his uncle made sure of that.

Yu's eyes go wide: "Really? You didn't think of moving or changing jobs?" That sounds extremely dangerous. She's... a really tough girl to go through all of that. Yu hopes she wasn't all by herself.

After paying for their food, he returns her smile with one of his own. It looks seems she's really enjoying the small snack.

"I'm glad you like them! Usually, roasted chestnuts or hazelnuts are used for baking pastries, but they are very tasty by themselves too."

"That wasn't really an option."

Willa was pretty sure her probation officer would take issue with her leaving town or trying to change jobs. She had to have full time employment in order to keep that woman off her back, of course, Willa eventually left anyway. It was the only way for her to get out of the Uncle Shadrack's influence.

"What kind of pastries? Like cinnamon buns?" America wasn't as creative with its pastries as Japan or France was. She tried to think of pastries with nuts but all she could think of was different nut breads.

"Whatever, it's good." Willa popped a few more into her mouth, this time taking a collection between the two nuts instead of picking through the box.

"Really?" That's weird a bit, but not entirely impossible. She doesn't seem really bothered by that fact though so she probably got used to it. Or learned new stuff on how to handle such dangerous situations. She sure is a lot stronger than she lets on that's for sure.

Yu laughs, "Sure. There are all kinds of pastries that can use hazelnuts in either filling or the dough. And they are all tasty too. But nut bread is not too far off- and not bad either, especially if you make it yourself, not buy it.

He hums, eating some of the nuts himself, loving the way the crunch.

Willa was fearless and, at times, reckless. She wanted to prove her worth to herself and those around her and sometimes got carried away in the process. When it came to death and the things she didn't know, she was curious more than she was afraid. Leo had told her to stay back but Willa had continued onward anyway.

"Mm." She hummed as she popped a few more nuts into her mouth. The more she ate, the more she didn't want to stop. They were really good. "I don't really know how to bake." She could follow the directions in a cookbook but it wasn't something that she spent a lot of time doing.

"Does that mean you do?"

Following the directions of the cookbook is the first step. There are people he knows that can't even do that and end up adding mackerel or yogurt to curry. Be proud of yourself Willa!

Yu crunches through snacks he just placed in his mouth and then answers.

"Yeah, I know how to cook. I, uh," his fingers pick at the treats idly, "my parents and I moved a lot and I remained by myself a lot. Because of work. So I taught myself how to cook. It was confusing in the beginning," he chuckles.

"I mean, when you first start and you're introduced to five types of flour at once, you get confused!" He tries to keep the conversation cheerful and not focus too much on the relationship with parents.

Willa took a seat near the fountain as they talked. The water rippled pleasantly behind them making it feel a little less like winter and more akin to spring. She looked over at Yu and gestured for him to join her before placing a nut between her teeth.

"There are four types of flour?" She did not know that.

"You'll have to cook for me sometime or teach me." It wasn't like she didn't have the time to learn herself but the idea of him cooking was a lot more appealing than cooking herself. "What's your favorite thing to make or eat?" She wondered if they were different. Cooking didn't seem difficult, Leo did it at the bar, but it didn't seem fun either.

Yu gladly took a place next to her. This part of the park was always nice but the winter prevented him from hanging around too much. Also, it's not so fun when you come over by yourself.

"Oh, there are way more types than four, but people use three or four the most," Yu chuckled, popping several treats into his mouth.

He grinned:"I am down for both! Perhaps I should cook for you first so you to prove that I can cook." Cooking is always more fun when you cook with someone or for someone.

"It depends, but I love curry a lot. Also, one of my friends got me really into croquettes back home. I am still practicing to make those. But- I make mean potato salad and curry," he declares confidently.

There was something pleasant about going to the park with someone else though Willa couldn't help but spot the people that would be easy to con as they sat on the edge of the fountain. Just by looking at someone she can tell what they're annual salary was or if they carried a lot of cash on them.

Somethings didn't change from world to world. People were still people with the same ticks that gave them away.

"That sounds like a lot." Of flour. Willa hadn't put that much thought into baking but it made her wonder how difficult it would be to learn. She took to skills fairly easily, so maybe it just seems harder than it was.

"That sounds like a good idea." She liked the idea of being critical while he cooked. "I don't think I've had either of those. What are croquettes?" It was an interesting name to say the least.

It really is pleasant- although Yu doesn't have the same skills as Willa does. For him, people walking around are just that- people, with their own thoughts, wants and wishes. And while there are some traits that make people seem all the same, it couldn't be far from the truth. And Yu knows that very well.

"It does, but it's not that complicated," Yu shrugs. There will always be some trials and errors until you get it right, but once you do, there won't be any problems. And you will be proud that you managed to do it.

"Croquettes? It is usually a mix of potatoes, meat and some spices, shaped into oval balls then rolled into breadcrumbs and fried. They are very delicious, especially when you have a nice dip with them! If you want, I could prepare those for you to try them."

Willa wished she could share his thoughts but she'd seen too many people. After awhile, everyone starts to blend together. Some people are different but for as many different people out there, there were also duplicates. Same feelings, different reasons or different feelings, same reasons.

It was like god ran out of individuals and started using cookie cutters.

"Sounds good." She spoke as she popped a few more nuts in her mouth. They were good and probably a snack she'd have again in the near future. "I'd like to try them." Meat and potatoes sounded like it couldn't be bad.

Yu would definitively argue that thought. Maybe God started using a cookie cutter for people, but he ended up making all kinds of different cookies, sprinkled with all kinds of different toppings.

But then again, people did say he was overly optimistic and rather naive when it came to people.

"Then it is settled. Just tell me when you are free and we can plan everything out." It's been a while since he cooked something and for someone so he's looking forward to this small outing. She's... really fun to hang out with. Talking with her keeps all the cloudy thoughts about his friends back home at bay.

Willa paused and licked her fingers as she mentally sorted out her schedule. "I mostly work evenings and nights." As expected of a bartender. "But I don't work on Tuesdays or Thursdays. So those are probably the best time if you're busy during the day." She got off of work around midnight and usually stayed up for a bit, wandering around the city, but she didn't peg Yu as the kind of person who would be interested in meeting up in the middle of the night.

"What time works best for you?" She asked as she began to eat some of the nuts again. They were almost gone but they were so addicting that any time Willa planned to stop eating, she just continued again.

Willa had nothing back home that she thought about but she was happy to be a distraction for Yu. She knew, in theory, what it was like to miss friends. Only Willa tried to convince herself again and again that she didn't have any friends.

It's not that he didn't go out in the night, he did some late hospital work as a janitor and tutoring, but it was always very strict. His uncle didn't let them wander around too late because of the murders.

"I see. Then perhaps you can drop by for dinner? I get off the work at 5PM every day. I have free days for the weekend." Standard working schedule. "I don't mind cooking for you on any day." He truly doesn't mind. If he can prepare dinner for himself, he can make it for one more person. And Felix, of course.

"I usually grab something from work so any day I'm not working would be awesome." It wasn't that Willa couldn't cook but it wasn't something that she did all that often. She was a bartender and a waitress and a master at making oatmeal.

She flashed him a bit of a smile. "So, what's your deal? I mean, you said that you had an uncle that was a detective. Is that what you want to do?" She looked over at him curiously, a little more interested in Yu than she had been through the first part of their walk.

Turned out he was an interesting guy.

"Then Thursday it is." It was something to look forward to now. The last time he got to cook for someone was back in Inaba... it feels so long ago now.

"Oh? Hm," Yu smiles, with something sad flashing behind that smile. "Yes, he is a detective but... I am not sure I want to be a detective." He leans back on the bench staring at his hands and an empty box where the treats were a few minutes ago.

"Until I moved to Inaba last year, I thought I would end up being just like everyone else- some average office employee, working for an average paycheck in some small apartment and with no friends."

"But after spending a year in Inaba, I came to realize that things aren't black and white, that there are good people out there that can support you and that all decisions you make impact someone." He turns his head to look at Willa and smiles, "I also saw just how much someone's words can impact another person. To us, it might not seem much, but for the other, it could mean everything."

"So, I don't think I will be a detective, but maybe, some kind of job where I work with people? Like psychologist or something similar?" He chuckles, "I still haven't decided."

Edited (I forgot to answer the QUESTION she asked D:<) 2018-04-09 09:06 (UTC)

"Thursday." Willa finished her roasted treat and then devoured the small crumbs at the bottom of the box while Yu spoke. She noticed the way his expression faltered, the subtle change to his voice and while she didn't know the cause, she hoped that she'd be given a clue without having to ask Yu what was up.

"I can't imagine a life that boring." Of course, Willa's path had always been very different from the average person. Maybe that was why her and Walter got along as well as they did.

"A psychologist?" Her eyebrow rose in a curious arc. "That sounds awful. I don't think I could spend that much time listening to someone complain about things that aren't really a problem."

Maybe it was just her rough upbringing, but she thought that most people were wimps about stuff. On the plus side, good people were easily manipulate.

A moment in time...[closed]

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I dunno if you're okay with P4 spoilers so I kept it vague :D

I'm good with spoilers! I know a mess already

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