[center][h1][color=darkgreen]Linkle[/color] and [color=red]Joker[/color][/h1][/center] [center][color=darkgreen][b] Level 7[/b][/color] - (25/70) + 3 [i][b]&[/b][/i] [color=Red][b] Level 2[/b][/color] - (6/20) + 3[/center] [center][b]Location:[/b] Lumbridge ~ The Starting Gate [b]Word Count: 1365 [/b] Collab with [@Majoras End] [/center] [hr] Linkle didn’t know it, but she had been going in circles. She had been doing that, to a lesser extent, ever since she separated from Din but now as the sun started moving into the four o’clock position it was starting to be a real problem. The winding loop-de-loop path she took to reach Mina’s and grab a bite to eat was bad enough, but if you marked down Linkle’s journey through the village after that on a map with a green marker you’d find she’d looped and crossed over herself so many times that the map would appear to be of a great grassy field rather than a town. Wandering her way back to the Guild Hall and finding her chochobo hadn’t done anything to help her navigation, but now she was at least looping herself faster. The only upside is that one of those loops of the town had brought her back to the Blacksmith Sisters in time to pick up her freshly restored crossbows. Linkle, for her part, simply marveled in frustration at how Lumbridge was so much bigger than she’d thought. She had somewhere she had to be! They were going to kill the G class! She slumped forward against her chochobo’s soft neck, groaning to herself. She didn’t want to get left behind again, not like last time. She never be able to face the others again if she missed another big fight like this. She’d even asked for directions from some of the passers by, but the town gates she’d arrived at were always empty. As they trotted down a street that felt familiar she straightened up and called out “Helllooooo? Can anybody help me?” As if by coincidence, Ren approached Linkle, having overheard her. “What do you need help with?” Linkle quickly looked down and smiled as she recognized the boy from the guildhall earlier. “Oh hey!” She said, and leaned down more towards him. “You’re one of the guys from the dead zone, right? Were you out looking for the rest of the group too? I don’t blame you, this town’s soooooo big.” It wasn’t. “There are about forty gates.” There weren't. “I just can’t seem to find the one we’re leaving from. Do you know?” She flicked her eyes dishearteningly back up to the sun for a second, biting her lip, before turning back to Ren. “You wanted to do that too, right?” The thief showed slight confusion as Linkle explained. Was the town really that big? Either way, he might as well help her find the others. “I haven’t really decided. But if you can’t find your way to the gate, I can help you look for it if you want.” Ren offered. “Thank you!” Linkle said, jumping off the Chochobo and offering her hand. “I’m Linkle.” “Ren Amamiya. Nice to meet you.” the thief introduced himself properly, shaking Linkle’s hand. The handshake was short, but vigorous. As they started walking, the bird trotting along beside them, Linkle decided to ask about something that had been on her mind ever since she’d heard these three talking at the guild hall. “You’ve got a Persona, right?” The thief curiously looked back to her. “Yeah, why? Do you wanna know about Personas?” “Heck yes, but that’s not why I asked.” Linkle replied. “A friend of mine has a Persona. Well, actually she has two. She stayed behind at the castle with who I’m pretty sure was her boyfriend. I thought they might be friends of yours. Did you guys know a Mina or a Junpei back home?” Well this is a first. Not only was someone actually interested in a part of the whole Metaverse schtick, but there’s actually more Persona users outside of the Phantom Thieves [i]and[/i] another wildcard! “Not really. Most of the Persona users I know are a part of my team, but I’m willing to meet them. If they don’t try to backstab me, of course. Long story.” Though the names seemed oddly familiar, he wasn’t exactly willing to have what happened with Akechi happen again. Linkle’s face fell a bit at first when he mentioned he didn’t know who they were, but lit up immediately when Ren said he was willing to meet them anyway. “No, no, they’re fine. Mina’s really scared of a lot of things and Junpei was a little violent when we first ran into him, but that was because of weird mind control stuff. Also a long story. Other than that they’re regular kids.” She thought about that for a minute, how anyone with a Persona could be considered regular. She flashed back to that fight and couldn't help but laugh a little at the understatement. “Those Persona things are pretty crazy. Junpei’s was shrugging off arrows and explosions. It was lucky for me he had to wait a bit in between summonings or he would’ve chopped me in half for sure.” Linkle’s eyes suddenly shot wide for a second. “You said one stabbed you in the back? There are villains running around with one of those scary monsters?” Ren chuckled a bit as Linkle told him about when she had first met the other Persona users. When asked if there were corrupted users, he hesitantly nodded. “As far as I know, they’re a rare case. But this one, Goro Akechi, he was manipulated by the same bastard that falsely accused me of assaulting him to cause mental shutdowns in people.” he explained. “Masayoshi Shido, his father and leader of a conspiracy group being puppeted by a god of control, Yalda-something. Yaldabaoth? Pretty bullshit, right?” the thief tried to joke. “But really, me and Akechi were both just the main pawns of that god’s game. I wish I could’ve helped him.” Some of that went right over Linkle’s head, mostly the part about mental shutdowns, but the real meat of the boy’s story got through. A bad guy manipulating his kid, and pawns of a controlling god. She glanced upward at the sun and frowned. Galeem and this Yalda-some-such would get on like peas in an evil pod. Three more things to watch out for. “Who knows, you might run into him if you travel far enough.” She said, trying to shake off the poor mood she got it whenever she thought of Galeem. “Goro, I mean. Maybe you can still help him out.” “You think so?” “I really do.” She said cheerily. “I’m sure he must be here somewhere.” Ren smiled. “Thanks, Linkle.” “KWEHHHH!” Came a squawk from the Chochobo. Linkle looked down the street to see The unmistakable shape of the Brother Grimm monster Kart, Peach and Michael and everyone else that had made it gathered around readying themselves to head out. It was amazing what can be easily achieved if you have someone beside you able to keep you walking in a straight line for more than four seconds. “Woohoo!” Linkle shouted, jumping into the air. “You really know how to navigate.” She said to Ren, punching him lightly in the shoulder. Then she crossed her arms, her expression getting slightly more serious. “I know you said you hadn’t decided, but I know from experience how scary strong you Persona guys are. We’re about to hunt down something really bad and kick it in the head. It's going to be really dangerous, and I think we could use all the help we could get if you’re willing to give it.” She thought back to the first time they’d fought one of Galeem’s guardians, how she’d missed that fight because she wasn’t strong enough to beat Junpei. How people had died. How maybe, if they’d had people as strong as Mina and Junpei in there with them, it could have been prevented. On one hand, he didn’t think he’d be of much help. On the other hand, Ren had his team back. He didn’t want to disappoint Linkle too. “I’ll let the others know we’ll be heading out with you guys.” the thief finally decided. “All right.” Linkle said, hopping back up on Epona II’s back and looking the boy in the eye. “It’ll help you out too, I swear.” She nodded and pointed forward. The Chochobo took off down the street to join everybody else.