Mark! Mark! I said short!
Oh well, enjoy!
Nanjo should not be on your mind so much, as you storm the Sebec building alongside the girl you are crushing on.
But it's hard to help it. Nanjo has been on your mind ever since you flead the police together. The police who are now zombies. And maybe you would have panicked more if you were alone, but he was there, and offering scathing commentary on the artwork, and you kind of wish he were here now, as surely he would have a lot to say about Kandori's interior decorating choices. Maki has a lot to say on it, and you kind of wish you could take your mind off of everything by having a three way debate about it.
He also knows a lot more about Kandori than either of you, and you regret that he got hurt and isn't here. Watching him tear into Kandori verbally would be fantastic after all the trouble this building has given you.
Maki is great. Cringe has a way of convincing forceful demons that neither you nor Nanjo had a knack for. And she is very knowledgeable about demons in a way you had previously thought Elly to have mastery over. Why aren't they closer friends? Was she learning all this stuff while in the hospital? Why didn't she mention it any of the previous times you had visited her?
There's a lot that's different about Maki. Things like how she is suddenly healthy. Like how she knows things about Demons that you hadn't expected her to. Like how she expects the stores to sell weapons.
You would like to say that you know her best, but that does not feel true anymore when so many things about her feel surprising. Did she change and never tell you about it? Or did you fail to notice so many things about her? Both answers make you feel like you failed her in some way. It's not a good feeling.
You live in a Mafia town, and your mother lets you carry around an axe for protection, even if the most you use it for is to break into places for graffiti purposes. But even Maki knew that you traded for weapons at the casino, not bought them at the store. Unfortunately, neither of you are gamblers. Another thing Nanjo would have been good for, alongside the verbal battle with Kandori. Your attempts at it are embarrassing (not that you will ever let him know). And now you are the prime target for getting bit and hit by monsters. They used to ask to bite him most of the time, and often enough he would let them. You're not sure why he keeps saying yes, but it never fails to be funny somehow.
It would be really good to have someone else here with the two of you. Maki is a good friend, and even let you try out her bow for a time, as she borrowed your axe. You swapped back, fun as it was to try out. You were both laughing as you did it. It's a good memory. You like her, and you like spending time with her, but with only two people, you are spending most of the time when you flub negotiations trying to deal damage as she heals you, and are making slow unsteady progress through the building. Even Brown would be welcome at this point, Persona using or not. It would be nice to talk to someone else and see if it's just you seeing more than there really is.
You've tried to use negotiation tactics you have seen others use, but you lack a knack for soothing or scolding, and your attempts to taunt or be sarcastic do not persuade gloomy demons.
Someday, when you get out of this mess and treat everyone to Peace Dinner, you will have to ask them to teach you. But until then, the streets are filled with demons, the buildings filled with stronger demons, and you and Maki are going to solve it together.
Regardless of the strength of your friendship, it could always be stronger. So when you find a stairwell with little chance of monster encounters, you decide to brighten up Kandori's building with a little art.
You bring out your paints, and offer a can to her. She did say once in the hospital that she wanted to try Graffiti when she got out. You know better to bring up the hospital by now, and instead smile back as she smiles with mischief and takes the can.
Her aim is slightly off, paint staining her sleeve. You spray under the line she has made, thinking to create a tail. She sprays you with blue, and you return fire with red.
The resulting paint war creates two thoroughly paint stained school uniforms (with the amount of blood and demon fluids on them, this is an improvement), and what could charitably be called an abstract bird. You are both laughing as you ascend the stairs and ready your weapons.
Nanjo was pretty worried for them on the Snow Queen route, and I like to think it went both ways. I do think escaping from the zombie police together was a bonding moment, and that while climbing the tower Mark was kind of lonely and missing the chatter (and battle talents) of the rest of the party. And he got to do an artistic collab with Maki (let the artists art together) even if it wasn't the one they would have planned, it was a better memory for the spontinuity.
Also I had them swap weapons for a little as he and Nanjo did seem interested in the archery club when the party visited.