It comes to mind, as you go to the spot where you're supposed to meet Lavenza, that you've spent more time at the mall these past few weeks than you have in... well, for a very long time. And you still aren't really spending anything, it's just that this is the one place you can meet someone who is... likely fairly important that you get to know.
When she steps out of the wall- you still don't quite believe that there's a door there- you decide to try opening your senses.
Big mistake. She might be small, but the girl whose future counterpart sent you back in time is practically overflowing with power. You can barely even look at her, it's so bright.
You quickly shut off those senses, and make a mental note to never do anything to make Lavenza upset with you. Not that you were planning that in the first place, but best to be safe.
"Amada-san. I'm glad you're here so quickly. I have asked Nameless and Belladonna, along with a small number of their Guests, about places to visit in this world, and they have given me quite a list to choose from." She sounds quite pleased with herself, taking out a folded-up piece of paper from her pocket and letting it unfold.
I'm getting a bad feeling about this...
The list stretches all the way past her feet and into the main area of the mall. That's probably not a good sign.
"L-let's start with one place, okay?" You suggest.
"Just one?" Were it not for the fact that Lavenza carries an air of impossible elegance at all times, you'd almost say she was pouting. It's sort of silly, not that you'd say it out loud to someone that powerful. "Well... in that case, I would like to see how humans transport themselves from place to place."
"So... a train station?" It's that or an airport, and Iwatodai doesn't have one of those.
"If that is what is available. Well? Let us go." And suddenly she's ordering you around. Not that she wasn't before, but hearing her go from being calm, if rather pleased with herself, to sharp like that... it's like she's a whole different person.
You decide to take Lavenza to Port Island Station, because you used to live in the area and haven't been back since... well, since you first met Shinjiro-san. That was a long time ago... It feels like so much has changed, even if it really hasn't. You just... know more, that's all.
I mean, Shadows and Personas sort of go hand in hand with life-changing experiences...
Okay, so what you know now includes magic, and Personas, and a strange girl next to you who has a habit of pointing out everything that you pass by and why did you think this was a good idea? She's attracting so much attention...
"Lavenza-san, please, people are staring..." You almost miss the days when everyone would ignore you except when it was time to show pity to the orphaned kid.
"I do not see why that should matter." You aren't sure whether it's her cold side or her polite side talking here. It could be a little of both, it's not like she's split straight down the middle. "They do not know me, therefore their opinions are of no consequence." You wish you had that kind of confidence...
I don't know. In the wrong hands, that sort of thing can be dangerous.
"Yes, but it's uncomfortable..."
"...I see. My apologies, then." You have no idea what this girl's deal is, and you aren't entirely certain that you want to know.
That describes what a lot of your life has been like recently. As if you needed something to tell you that everything's sort of gone insane.
Funnily enough, despite the hassle that it is to get to the station, once you're there, things go rather smoothly. Lavenza's polite side is out for almost the entire thing, and she listens to your explanations, and while her cold side snaps at you when you can't perfectly explain how a train works, or that she can't just mess around with the turnstiles... you can't help but think things could have gone a lot worse.
Still, you're glad once your little tour is over. Lavenza is exhausting.
And then, on your way out, it finally happens. "Amada-san, I'm sorry if I shouldn't be asking this but... according to the rail map, there are a number of train stations in this city. At least two of which are closer to where we set out from. Is there a particular reason you chose to bring me this far away from the Velvet Room?"
"Well, this is... it's the one I know best. I used to live around here, right over... that way." You point in the general direction of where your house was. "I... haven't really been here in a while." You don't want to go into detail over what caused you to move. Fortunately, she doesn't ask, so you don't have to.
"So, you were suffering from the feeling that Amano-sama described as 'homesickness'?"
It's more... this place holds a lot of memories. Not necessarily good ones, but... It would be worse to forget them.
"Not... really." There's nothing really here for you, with Mom gone. "I just... needed to come here. To make sure. It's not home anymore." 'Home' is a dorm that's almost always too cold, that smells like ozone half the time and good food the other half, with people who are just like you. "It's something I had to do."
Lavenza nods, and doesn't say anything, and you almost think that she might understand, just a little. Not that you have any idea what goes on in her head.
Honestly, it's probably a lot safer that way.
The two of you start walking back- honestly, you have more than enough for train fare, but you don't trust her not to make a scene- when you hear some familiar voices nearby.
"Look, I'm telling you, it's not healthy to keep coming back here like this," Sanada-san says.
"And I keep telling you to mind your own business, but we can't always get what we want." And, sure enough, it's Shinjiro-san that replies. Honestly, you don't think Sanada-san even has any other friends but the two of you and Kirijo-san.
He has few enough connections to get away with running off to the Americas for a year and picking fights with apex predators. That should say something.
You don't even realize you've stopped walking until Lavenza turns back to you. "Come on, Amada-san, hurry up!"
"S-sorry, I just-" You don't really know how to say it.
Not that you have to. "Hey, Ken, what are you doing here?" You don't think you've ever been so glad to see Sanada-san before, aside from maybe when you were trying to learn about your powers to begin with.
Or when he came back to Japan without managing to get himself killed taking on something he couldn't handle... Persona User identity crises are dangerous.
Of course, this brings up the awkward position of you having to somehow explain Lavenza. You aren't sure how well this is going to go.
[ ] Introduce her as your friend, that you were showing around, and don't say anything else.
[ ] Admit that she is somewhat involved in the whole Persona thing... you think. At the very least, her power is terrifying.
[ ] Let Lavenza explain herself. Or not. It depends how she's feeling.
[ ] Turn the whole thing back on him and Shinjiro-san. What are they doing here?
