IC Contact: Recollé

[notyourutopian]

Eleanor Lamb

Hello you've reached Eleanor Lamb's voicemail. I'd explain what's next but I can't imagine you don't know what to do at the beep.

VOICE | TEXT | VIDEO | ACTION

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[burningblossoms]

Oh, we can go swimming too.

[The radio blares a little bit of jazz, the NPR station she usually keeps it on.]

But...just so you're aware, it's a new power. Something a bit crazy seeming. Remember how I said I felt I had a guardian angel?

[notyourutopian]

[Eleanor can get behind jazz.]

Yeeees....

[And she was politely believing it because Yukiko believed it, and she believed Yukiko. but that wasn't the same as believing it...exactly...]

I think we're past crazy for powers, Yukiko.

[burningblossoms]

[Well, that's just it. She'll be seeing soon enough.]

Um. What if I told you I know her name.

[Very distinctly: Her]

And what if I told you I can summon her into reality.

[notyourutopian]

Well. [A beat.] I...would...proooobably...take your word for it?

[Maybe?]

Although like, seriously, you would need to show me.

[burningblossoms]

That's part of why we're going to the beach. There's a spot I found nobody bothers with.

[On the other side of some rocks. In the woods. ssssshhh]

Also, does the name Amaterasu mean anything to you?

[notyourutopian]

Uhm. [It did sound vaguely familiar.]

Asian god of some kind, right?

[burningblossoms]

Goddess from which the Imperial Household is descended. She's the Goddess of the Sun, of Japan. And in a way, war.

[notyourutopian]

Sure, her. Because I am totally up on my Japanese mythology.

[Eleanor laughed softly.]

So your...guardian angel...is a Japanese sun goddess?

[burningblossoms]

[Yukiko smiles somewhat nervously as she speeds up, head bobbing.]

She is. She's...well, I remembered her name was Sumeo-Okami. That's one of Amaterasu's names.

[One she had understood instinctively.]

And I'm not sure she's a guardian angel, not anymore. At least, not literally.

[notyourutopian]

Sumeo-Okami. Okay.

[Hm.]

So what is she then? Not actually a goddess either, I assume?

[burningblossoms]

I don't know what she is, exactly. But it doesn't feel right calling her a guardian angel.

[A sigh, and she turns down another road.]

I remember them being called Personas, though. I don't know what they are, but that's the name.

[notyourutopian]

Personas. [Eleanor was just repeating everything tonight, wasn't she. She was trying the word though, it felt familiar, really, but mostly because she was pretty sure she'd read it somewhere.]

That's like...a mask? Like with actors when they're in character?

[burningblossoms]

It's...yes that's what the word means literally but I don't know what it means in this context. It's...a psychological theory about the masks people wear to hide themselves.

[Which is weird. But yeah she's just a high schooler.]

[notyourutopian]

Right.

[Eleanor frowns faintly, but not at Yukiko, just out the window, then shakes her head.]

So...okay, I'm confused. What exactly is it?

[burningblossoms]

It's something I can summon. Something I want to show you.

[notyourutopian]

...Well, alright. [Another little laugh.] So drive faster I want to see.

[burningblossoms]

I'm already going twenty over the speed limit but we're almost there gosh.

[VROOM VROOM]

[notyourutopian]

[And then, magically, they were there!]

Speeding is a victimless crime.

[burningblossoms]

Yeah well...

[Turning off the car, she steps out into the evening and starts off down the beach, expecting Eleanor to follow.]

We're not far. I've been practicing alone or with Souji around here, so none of the Sleepers freak out.

[notyourutopian]

[Eleanor slid out of the car as well, stopping long enough to grab her backpack before she headed out onto the sand with Yukiko.]

Is that what we're calling them now? Sleepers?

[burningblossoms]

That's what Yosuke and I started calling them. It seems to fit, since they feel like they are missing a part of themselves. Or are kind of dreaming, if they think Chocobos are normal.

[Yep.]

[notyourutopian]

...I guess it fits. It's better than anything I could come up with.

[As they got closer to the water, Eleanor slowed, her attention shifting to look out over the sea itself. Hm.]

[burningblossoms]

Mmm.

[Her steps slow when Eleanor looks at the sea, but she says nothing yet, just letting her friend consider it.]

[notyourutopian]

[Eleanor had stopped before she realized it, just looking at the water, and she suddenly pulled herself out of it with a little shake of her head and hurried to catch up.]

Sorry. It's just...kind of weird about the ocean now, I guess.

[burningblossoms]

Mm. With the whole...undersea lab, thing.

[She walks over and puts a hand on Eleanor's shoulder.]

I think that sounds really interesting, you know.