Extra Scene 1: Where Art Thou, Snacks
ASHLEY: Clayton! We're supposed to be looking for Tara, not getting snacks!
The group had split into pairs the moment they arrived in the mall to search for Tara. Julie suggested going with Ian, leaving Ashley to be stuck with the one person she never wanted to be with: Clayton. The two may be friends, but they had many, many differences. This was going to be one of them.
After searching for a few minutes, Clayton thought it would be necessary to buy a snack from the vending machine since he didn't eat today. He pulled his wallet out from his pocket and looked around the inside of the machine to search for the one snack he was truly craving hunger for... which was taking an unnecessary amount of time... and an ungodly amount of Ashley's patience. She knew that Clayton often took his time when he came to certain tasks and actions, but she never thought that he was this indecisive.
CLAYTON: Let's see... what do I want?
ASHLEY: Are you even listening to me?!
Clayton turned back at her with an annoyed look on his face and scoffed.
CLAYTON: Yes, I hear you! I'm just going to get a snack! Mind you, I haven't eaten today!
ASHLEY: And just how long will that be?
CLAYTON: Not much longer!
An irritated groan failed to stand withheld and Ashley approached Clayton's side as he searched for a snack of his choice.
ASHLEY: Just make it quick! Tara could be lost for all we know!
CLAYTON: Alright, Admiral Complain-and-Moan, I'm on it!
He turned back to the machine and continued scanning for an item of choice. Of course, it took another few minutes for him to decide, which was nearing its way to an hour. Clayton didn't notice it, but Ashley could see a few eyes lingering over their way in question of why they were still present at the vending machine. For all she knew, they were probably assuming that they were trying to take money out of the machine. However, it was likely that they assumed the two were mentally challenged and didn't know how to work a vending machine and were probably too shame to try and help. She didn't know which one was worse: the possibility that people took them as crooks or the possibility that people thought of them as mentally challenged. A sweat bead fell from her head with each theory circling through her mind. She looked at the time on her phone and noticed that it had been over 45 minutes and Clayton still had not decided on what to buy.
Ashley's line of patience was wearing really thin.
ASHLEY: Oh for the love of... Just go for the Jeeto's so we can leave!
Suddenly, Clayton turned his head over to Ashley, which caught her attention, but most at how he looked. There was no emotion in his eyes, his lips failed to tremble or quiver, and the only thing Ashley heard from him was him breathing through his nostrils. This sudden silence was unusual and, for once, it made Ashley very nervous. She couldn't help but to feel a slight sense of uneasiness by this momentary silence and she felt the need to force him to say something just to keep her calm.
CLAYTON: ... Good idea, Ash! I'll just get some Jeeto's!
A smile quickly surfaced on his face and he put his dollar in the slot. Given what happened, Ashley could just tear all her hair from her head. She really had to tell him to get something for him to make up his mind? Regardless, she was relieved that she wouldn't have to wait an hour for him to make a choice.
Once the machine accepted his dollar, Clayton punched in the numbers and waited as his bag of chips slowly come forth to fall into the slot. However, the machine eventually stopped and his chips were still in the same place as they were before; they were stuck. Clayton's first reaction was astonishment.
CLAYTON: What?! Are you kidding me?!
The expression that Ashley gave did not match Clayton's as she showed casualty instead of astonishment.
ASHLEY: Hmm. So much for your chips.
Regardless if it was her intention, her apathetic words did not soothe Clayton at all. He began pounding the machine glass with his fist in anger.
CLAYTON: Aww! Come on! I'm hungry! How could my chips get stuck now?!
ASHLEY: Don't worry, we'll just get one of the mall security to open the machine and get your chips.
Clayton stopped banging the machine and quickly turned his head to her, shaking it violently.
CLAYTON: No way! That'll take up too much time! I could just get my chips out!
Quite naturally, Ashley visibly opined the notion.
ASHLEY: Won't that get us into trouble?! Besides, one of the mall security will unlock the machine door and grab your chips! We just need to find one!
CLAYTON: But there isn't one anywhere! They're probably further off from where we are!
ASHLEY: And getting the chips out by force is going help? What about the security cameras?!
CLAYTON: Bah! Those cameras don't work! The mall's manager is planning on getting some new ones, but they won't come in today!
ASHLEY: What makes you so cert-? Wait! Never mind! I give up! If you want to get your chips yourself, do it! I'm not going to waste my breath!
Ashley knew this argument was not going to get them anywhere closer than where she had planned, so just to save time, and control for her sake, she relented, much to his delight.
CLAYTON: Okay. I'm going to try and tackle the machine! My chips will probably fall from the slot by the impact!
A curious expression wore on Ashley's face as one brow stood higher than the other.
ASHLEY: Clayton, will that even work?
CLAYTON: Well, it's worth a try. Besides, I'm not going to destroy the machine.
ASHLEY: Trust me, you wouldn't be able to rock it if you tried.
After quickly scowling her, Clayton stretched out his muscles and cracked a few knuckles. He then began to jog backwards, seemingly gathering his strength as he rolled his shoulders around, pacing in a circle as he jogged. Ashley decided to move out the way and watch, given that she was apathetically anxious to see Clayton try and become victor in this battle. He stopped pacing and took a deep breath; then he got into a running man stance; hands on the ground with arms supporting his body and one knee on the ground while the other leg stretched further from it. He brought his head to the floor and looked back at the machine, turning back to Ashley, who had an unimpressed expression on her face.
His eyes reverted back to the machine. All at once, he breathed in, got up from his stance and charged at full speed to the machine shoulder-first. He charged at near blinding speed, which Ashley knew without a doubt he possessed given he was once a member of the track team until his grades forced him to quit. Once he came in contact with the machine, the force of the glass proved to be not as weak as he would've liked to think. The structure of the glass was so strong in fact that when Clayton came in contact with the glass with his shoulder, he bounced back to the ground on his back... and pretty hard. Clayton's charging attack caused the machine to rock gently, though the rock was so delicate that it would take a highly observant individual to notice. As he struggled to get up, Ashley approached him, now wavering an amused smile on her face.
ASHLEY: Well, I was wrong about one thing; you actually managed to rock it by a centimeter.
Her smile grew slightly wider while Clayton looked at her with an annoyed expression on his face.
CLAYTON: Oh, hahaha! Very funny! Now help me up! I landed too hard on my ass!
He extended his hand to her and she grabbed it, pulling him up from the ground. He wiped off some of the dust and dirt that tattered his clothing till he looked as clean as he looked before.
CLAYTON: Okay... that didn't work as I thought it would. Do not say anything smart!
With that said, Ashley kept her mouth closed as he continued.
CLAYTON: But I have an idea... I'm going to try and stick my hand into the machine and see if I can get my chips.
Another curious expression played on her face once he said that.
ASHLEY: And that's going to work how?
CLAYTON: Don't you watch television? Whenever someone's snack gets stuck in a vending machine, they stick their hand through the slot, grab it, and pulls it out. Simple.
ASHLEY: And that will work? What if you get your arm stuck in the machine?
CLAYTON: Pfft! Please! Like that'll happen to me.
...
Several minutes later, Ashley stood in front of the machine, an amused smile plastered on her face as she tried her best to resist from laughing. Slight giggles had escaped from her lips, but that was all that she had managed to let loose. This was probably the first in which Ashley was truly entertained. With all that has happened, Hofu, these entities known as Personas that she and her friends could summon, the change of events, and etc., Ashley was glad that she could get a good laugh out of this particular moment. It was truly an unexplained mystery that was counted for true humor.
She shook her head.
ASHLEY: Oh. Clayton. Clayton, Clayton, Clayton, Clayton. How? Just how?
Clayton's arm didn't get stuck in the machine, but he was inside the machine. It all happened so quickly and rather oddly if Ashley was to be painfully honest. One moment, Clayton knelt to the ground and stuck his through the slot, and the next... he was inside the machine, his entire body pressed to the glass, head turned to the left by the glass with a look of embarrassment coloring his face.
CLAYTON: ... Th-This was a bad idea, huh?
She nods.
ASHLEY: I'm glad that you think so. Now, how are you going to get out of this?
CLAYTON: ... A-Ash?
She moved closer when he said her name with the sensation of entertainment failing to dissipate. This was the funniest thing she had ever seen in her entire life and she couldn't help but to act a little... playful.
ASHLEY: Yes, Clayton?
His embarrassment colored his voice as hesitancy restricted him from actually speaking to her. However, he managed to collect a few words, but all were quite silent in emotion as the feeling of humiliation made effort in restricting any tone of emotion from his voice. Ashley never thought that Clayton would feel this embarrassed.
CLAYTON: ... Can you... find one of mall security and... ask them to let me out... please?
ASHLEY: Really? But I thought you could handle this yourself?
CLAYTON: ... I was wrong. So very, very wrong.
ASHLEY: So is this your final answer?
CLAYTON: ... Y-Yes. Also, don't tell anyone about this.
ASHLEY: Oh I won't.
Before Clayton could breath a sigh of relief, Ashley pulled out her phone and shot a picture of Clayton, quickly going to her messages, much to Clayton's horror.
CLAYTON: A-Ash...? What are you doing...?
ASHLEY: Just sending this photo to Julie and Ian. I wonder how they're going take this?
CLAYTON: Wh-What?! N-No! Seriously, Ash, don't send that picture!
ASHLEY: Too late! Now let me go find mall security and get you out of there!
After sending the message, Ashley put her phone back in her pocket and rushed over to search for mall security, quickly flashing a snarky smile at him, leaving Clayton inside the vending machine. Thankfully, there were no patrons nearby to notice him, since most of them had left the area already. All Clayton could do now was wait for mall security and lament in his humiliation.
CLAYTON: *sighs* Well, at least I'll get my chips.
A/N: These extra scenes will be written for comedic relief after the end of some acts. This is just my way of making original comedy moments without relying on specific scenes from Persona 4. So... Clayton's brilliance didn't lead him to glory. To be honest, Clayton is a smart person, but he's not what you can call "the sharpest tool in the shed". Also, Ashley isn't as mean as you think. That was just her way of teaching him a lesson for not listening to her. She cares for Clayton and berating him just happens to be her way of showing it. Also, no, I'm not making a pairing with Ashley and Clayton. To be honest, if Ashley had to be in a relationship with Clayton, they would have to be the last people on Earth. Other than that, tell me what you think of this extra scene in your review! Stay tuned for Act 10!
Plus, sorry about the last act. I need to proofread more often, it seems, because I saw so many grammar errors that I wanted to tear my hair out.