Catch-22: The Present Tense II
By: M14Mouse
Summary: The thieves have no idea to make of the new guy expect that he is strange and can read minds
Disclaimer: Don't own them.
Any fool can know. The point is to understand. -Albert Einstein
Ryuji didn't know about how anyone else in the group thought about the new guy.
He knew what he thought.
He was utterly terrifying and can apparently read minds.
"Skull…" The new guy said.
It is strange. He doesn't scream or yell like other adults. He doesn't give that look either. You know, the disappointing one. The one that most adults wear while looking at him. Or they look down on him like he was some bug. Like he is somethin' to chase away…or step on or whatever. He didn't care.
This guy…this Gambler…this Sensei didn' do the same thing that other adults.
"Skull…sit down," The Gambler dude said once they made it to the rest stop.
"I'm fine!" He said in a panic.
"You have been limping for quite a bit of time. Sit down or I will have Queen sit you down for me," Scary dude said.
"Yes, Skull…it might be a good idea," Makoto said…in that voice.
"Fine," He said as he flopped on the bench.
The scary guy smiled.
"Give me a moment."
The scary guy nodded his head before going to the rails. He jumped down for a moment before coming back with…a rock. The weird guy took a card out of his pocket and touched the rock with it. It burst into a small flame before it died down. He undid his tie and wrapped it around the rock. He picked the rock and walked back over them.
"That's amazing. I never thought of that," Makoto mumbled next to him.
"Here, press against your knee," The scary guy said as he handed him the rock. He took the warm rock from his hand and pressed it against his knee.
He sighed as he felt the pain and tension drain from his knee.
He sighed in relief.
"Thanks…"
"Where did you learn to do that?" Makoto asked.
"Healing spells can only do so much. Yes, it will take some injuries but aches and pains…it can't touch. You must be creative. Feel better? Have you thought about getting it looked at?" The scary dude asked him.
"Yes…thanks….uhh…After…I'm planning to see some doctor that knows this stuff. Maybe, to run again. At least to help when it acts up. The money that we saved as thieves. We aren't going to be doing this stuff anymore. So, sell it for appointments and stuff. I mean…," He said as he scratched the back of his head.
"I didn't know that you had plans for that…" Makoto said in awe.
"I didn't want to tell anyone…just in case, you know, if..nothing works," He mumbled.
"I have faith that it will," The scary guy said.
"But you don't know. No one knows and I…"
"Skull…it's okay to be afraid. I know…one of us will go with you!" Makoto said with concern in her voice.
"But you guys have school and stuff. It isn't a big deal," He said as he shook his head.
"R…Skull, you're our friend and that friendship goes beyond us being phantom thieves," Makoto said in a matter of fact tone.
He ducked his head as his cheeks turned red.
Out of the corner, he could swear the guy was smiling.
Creepy scary guy.
-P4P5P4-
Makoto didn't know what to make of Gambler.
He wasn't like any other adults that she met. Most adults, she was able to figure out quickly. He was pleasant, calm, and nothing seemed to get it to him. Well for the most part.
She has seen steel in his eyes. She could almost feel the air around him crack and pop.
This man was dangerous.
He made every one of her senses scream.
But…but….
He is also remarkably kind.
She saw how he was Ryuji and his knee. He wasn't judgmental or pitied him. He was concerned and used a very clever method of helping with Ryuji's pain. A pain that she didn't even notice.
"If I buy you some ice cream, will you stop looking like I ran over Morgana with my car?" The stranger said mildly as they watched Ryuji leave to do something for his mom.
"Wha-?" She said in shock.
"You look downtrodden since we have returned from Mementos. Are you worried about our confrontation with the doctor?"
"No…no, it isn't that. I'm just disappointed that I didn't see that Ryuji was in pain."
"Ah…he was very good at hiding. He had practice but didn't we all?"
"Huh?" She said in confusion.
"Not all secrets are life or death, some are minor like your love of everything cute."
She felt her entire face turn red. How did he
"That…that isn't true. I mean…It is…I really like cute things."
The stranger grinned softly.
"It isn't a bad thing. But some things…well, it is like our masks. It protects us from the world and sometimes, ourselves. I'm not sure what his injury is related to…it could be guilt, weakness, and a host of other things. We try to protect those closest to us. He wants to protect you and the others because he cares what you think."
"But we do care and he shouldn't worry about that. We know about his injury and to hide it…"
"Makoto…humans are deeply irrational creatures that you will ever meet. So, we tend to do those irrational things quite often."
She blinked then started to laugh.
"You're right. I…I want to help," She said.
"I think that you already have."
Despite her unsureness of this man…he was also very wise.
Perhaps, that is why his students call him Sensei.
-P4P5P4-
Morgana wanted to scratch this "Sensei" guy's eyes out and look at him in awe.
He was like if Master and Ren had a baby. He was cool and calm like the Master and charming like Ren.
"That is an interesting mental picture," The voice said behind him.
Oh, crap….he said that out loud.
"It would be an ugly baby since you know…uhh…" He said awkwardly as he turned around.
"Sensei" guy looked so amused.
Urgh.
He wanted to die somewhere.
"Oh? Ren looks quite charming. Although, I'm not sure who your Master is…"
"He has a big nose…and…and he has no hair. Well…he has a little hair but! He is old!" He said in a rush.
Inside, he was panicking.
"So, it is the hair?" The stranger said.
"No…No…"
"Because I'm cool, calm and say very cryptic things?"
"YES!"
"Ah…so, your Master is Igor then?"
His eyes widened. How did he know the Master?
"Igor is more cryptic than me. I like truth. It saves time."
"How…how do you know him?!" He said in shock.
"I have been a persona user for many years. We have crossed paths from time to time. We have different options on some things but we get along for the most part. He makes a wonderful English Breakfast tea and sucks at poker but is a demon at Bridge."
He made a sound.
"Don't worry, Morgana. I'm sure that he would be amused with the comparison."
Another sound escaped his lips.
-P4P5P4-
Haru thinks that Mr. Gambler is a perfect gentleman.
He is also very sweet and knowledgeable about business
"Have you thought about a stall? At least, at first…," He said thoughtfully as he stared at the city's busy streets.
"No…my dream has been to open a café. Is there a reason?"
"Close your eyes and listen."
She closed her eyes and started to listen. She heard cars on the street and the footsteps of people walking by. She heard the distant sound of conversations of shop owners and customers. She heard the shouting of orders, the hitting of plates and utensils, and opening and closing of doors.
"Now, what do you smell?"
She took a deep breath.
She could smell the smoke from the nearby cars and trash. Slowly, she started to smell the fading odors of the different stalls. She could smell the fresh baked crepes, the ginger from the Takoyaki, the familiar smell of oil to cook the noodles for Yakisoba.
It was such a comforting smell.
"What do you think?"
"The sounds and smells are wonderful…but I am not sure what you're trying to tell me," She said.
"They can tell you everything and become your foundation. Where can you buy the best of everything…and the prices to go along with it? Once you are ready…."
"I can open my café and the community would support it," She said in awe.
"Symbolic relationship. You help each other grow. From the business standpoint, a stall is cheaper but space is limited. This will give you a chance to fine tune your menu. What works, what doesn't. Find your staple items." He said wisely.
"Honestly, I never thought about it."
"It is just an idea. You could also do a pop-up café especially if you do it in relation to your company. Those are always popular but limited and themed. On the positive side, it will give you an understanding of marketing and a general feel of what your café would be like…"
She stared at him with a sense of amazement. These were wonderful ideas. She needed a notebook or something. Maybe, she could pick his brain about menu ideas!
Oh, this is exciting.
-P4P5P4-
Sensei is the most confusing person that Yusuke ever met.
On that note, he is also the most fascinating person that he has ever met.
On the surface, he was tranquil like an ocean on a clear day but underneath, his demander is like a hurricane. His voice holds a resolution that most people don't have. Sometimes, he heard it in his friends' voices and even in his own.
"This is one of your pieces," Sensei noted.
"Ah, yes…how can you tell?" He asked.
It was a piece that he had done under his old Sensei. He liked the piece well enough even if it was tainted with an unfair legacy.
"Beside, your name on it, it has your style."
He felt his face become red.
"My style? It is a simple landscape."
"Perhaps…. you use the same brush strokes and colors in both pieces. You like to blend the colors together, especially lighter and darker colors. I think that I like it too. It makes the paintings really pop and draw your eye in. It allows the viewer to become part of your painting," Sensei said as he waved to his piece of Mementos.
"I…I didn't know that it was notable."
"One of my students has been educating me on art. It has been enlightening. So, I have been trying to apply with I have been learning…"
"You're learning…?"
He stared at the man with awe then Sensei chuckled.
"Even if my students call me Sensei, I'm very much a student of life. If you don't learn, you become stagnant. I learn from them as they do from me…at least, I hope so."
What…a strange man.
Most adults that he met are firm in their ways and yet….
"…So, you said that this is a simple landscape? Is there a reason? I thought the shadows of the tree play well with the lighting…" Sensei asked.
"No…no…Timing."
Sensei hummed. He was waiting for him to push…to ask. Instead…
"Ah, yes, from what I learn, timing can affect an artist's work. Van Gogh is a good example of that. So, what do you think of this piece? What were they thinking?" Sensei pointed to a piece next to his.
He felt a flush of excitement. One of his classmates did that piece, they have spoken about it many times.
"Well…you see…" He started to say.
Very strange man….but most interesting…
He almost wished that he was his Sensei.
-P4P5P4-
"I AM SO SORRY ABOUT YOUR JACKET!" Ann said in a panic.
She got her chocolate crepe all over his nice jacket. She rushed back to get some napkins and tried to clean the jacket.
Urgh..they were having such a nice day too. They were talking about different places that she could go in the States to different foods. Until…
"It is fine. I will just buy a new one…" Sensei guy said.
Until the crepe…
"But you shouldn't! I can clean it!"
"The chocolate has likely set in at this point. It is a lost cause. Would you like to help me pick out a new one? Just not a yellow one with a bear on it."
That was strangely precise.
"No…No…I wouldn't do that. How about a nice sweater? Or hoodie? Aren't you cold?" She asked in a rush.
He laughed softly.
"A hoodie would be nice. My little sister said that I needed more hoodies. Most likely to steal them away."
"You have a sister?" She asked
"More like a cousin but I think of her as my sister and she thinks of me as her brother," He noted.
Ahh…that is adorable.
"Would you like to see a picture of her?"
"Yes!"
Sensei hummed softly and pulled out his phone. Few moments later, she was treated to an adorable little brown-haired girl in pigtails. She was wearing a yellow shirt under a blue jumper. She was hugging Sensi with a bright smile.
"Ahh! So cute! I bet that all of the boys are going to love her," She said.
"No."
"No?"
"No boys until she is older and over their dead bodies," Sensei said brightly.
Oh, boy. Poor girl.
She is never going to date ever.
-P4P5P4P5-
Goro liked this…Gambler. Unlike those idiots, he was resolute. No…chit chatting…no doubt….no running around in circles like fools. No, this man was made of steel and he liked it.
Of course, after some research, he was able to figure out who the man was.
He was right when he said the answers were right in front of them.
The idiots haven't figured it out yet.
Why was he working with these idiots again?
"Because you have a common goal…and they did impress you by beating you," Narukami said as he threw a dart at the board.
"Dumb luck," He remarked.
"Luck does play a role in a person's success."
He snorted.
"It is true. They took a gamble and won."
He mumbled as he threw a dart at the board.
"Even fools get lucky from time to time," He answered back.
"And you like them…as much as you can like someone. Or more like respect them."
His eyes narrowed at Narukami, who grinned.
"They can barely get their act together to beat me."
"Maybe…Despite their experiences, they are young. They are going to make mistakes and from the news reports that I read, they made a lot. How long have you been a persona user?"
"2 years…roughly."
"Me? I'm going on 6 years."
He frowned.
"The cognitive world didn't exist until a few years ago…How…?"
"What would you do if I stuck my hand inside a tv?" Narukami said with a hum.
He snorted and then a smirk formed on his face.
A world inside of a tv? That would explain a lot.
"Can we throw the doctor in there?" He said.
"Too messy and conflict of interest."
"Pity. Your turn."
"Of course. Oh, by the way….I'm impressed that you can switch your throwing hand."
He grinned.
Oh, yes. He liked this one.
End of The Present Tense II
Next Chapter: The Future Tense
A/N: I actually wrote this chapter after I finished writing the arc. Opps. I also added about 2k to the transition chapter and the start of PQ2 arc. Double Opps. I promise that you guys are in for a blast. I also have made note to any errors that I might made a mistake on (pointing out by reviewers and by myself). Thanks for point them out and I will fix them when I hit those chapters. Anyway, thanks for reviews, kudo, etc. Until next time...