Too long, not enough (Rinna)

She had an idea. Last time they met, she told Rinna she would try to figure out what was up with the weird Persona in her head. She had a few theories. That wasn’t the main purpose of this visit, however. She was mostly worried about how Rinna had been doing since she got out of the hospital. It had been quite some time. Still, she didn’t regret it. Rinna had needed to recover and the space may have done just that. She should have gone sooner though. She finally got around to watching that broadcast, and she had seen Rinna’s name there. That meant the island knew. She hoped she wasn’t getting a hard time because of it. Naomi sure as heck was flying under the radar. It seemed spending most of her life inside, away from people meant no one knew who she was. Even with her name out there, they didn’t know what ‘Naomi Epona’ looked like. Of course, some of her more on the up and up clients had asked her about it. To which she shrugged. Most of them thought she was so ditzy that they bought that and moved on. Her mother hadn’t been fooled though. That had been quite the emotional moment. She never meant to hurt her mother like that.

This wasn’t about her though. This was about meeting up with Rinna and seeing how she was doing. She hoped she was living her normal life, more or less. There was so much she had to do. As she looked at the entrance to the museum, she prayed to whatever god she believed in that this would go well. She couldn’t be any more nervous. She made her way in, paid the fee, and went to find the booth where she remembered Rinna worked. She didn’t know where the older girl lived, so this was the best way she had of finding her. Otherwise, she would have done this at a better time. Of course, she would keep this strictly friendly while in public. The serious stuff could wait until there weren’t other ears listening in.

Naomi would shift her weight from one foot to the other. Was it really that shocking to see her? She didn’t think so, “Hey there yourself. By the looks of it, you aren’t getting enough sleep. Maybe you have an iron deficiency?” She would comment seeing as she still seemed really out of it, “In that case, may I recommend red meat?” That stuff was supposed to be loaded with iron. That wasn’t here or there though. She rolled back on her feet before settling, “And of course I didn’t forget about you. I don’t think that’s even possible.” Naomi didn’t forget people, no matter what that meant. People, especially friends like Rinna were too important. She realized that after seeing the Rinna in that place behind the door calling her name get pushed off the side. She tried to save a Rinna she knew was fake, so why not visit the one she knew was real? Seemed logical. Then again, logic wasn’t really her thing. She pulled out a piece of chocolate from her purse and held it out to Rinna, “Coffee keeps you awake, but chocolate eases the soul.” She hadn’t missed the undertones of that remark. She was getting this feeling that something was wrong. She just couldn’t put her finger on where, “We can talk about it, if you want. Or, we can not. Your call. I’m here to listen if you need me.” It wasn’t necessarily what she came here for, but it seemed to fit under the same umbrella. What were friends for if not to be there through the hard times? Not that she had been doing a very good job of that lately. Still, she was trying. It was hard sometimes. She wasn’t always sure what to do, “If it means anything, I’m pretty sure I know a few people that haven’t forgotten you.” She didn’t, and she was sure Lune still remembered. It was something, at least, “Besides, you can’t tell me you liked all that attention from the news people?” Could she?

Naomi almost looked amazed. She loved meat. She couldn’t imagine not liking meat. How did people live that way. At least she still liked a little sugar. She would just stand and listen to Rinna’s problems. She could actually sympathize. Everything did seem to be happening at once. She had experienced the same problem not too long ago. She still was. It was hard to keep up with all of it. Maybe… maybe now wasn’t the time to be telling her about her Persona. Maybe it was though. Maybe knowing what it was would ease her mind a little. Or maybe it would have the exact opposite effect. She didn’t know what to do, “I have to agree.” Good way to start, “It’s really weird and I don’t think you ever get used to it. You just sort of roll with it and fix what you can.” That was what she found, anyway, “It’s hard to explain it all. I personally find myself moving from place to place, trying to live a normal life while doing things on the side to try and fix what I can.” It’s all she could do.

“Maybe they don’t know how…” She would suggest. Had Rinna always been like this? She knew the girl wasn’t a pushover, but had she always been so cynical of others? Last she saw her, she was in a hospital worrying about the power she had just gotten, “Most people don’t know how to change anything and some people don’t have the power to. There aren’t many of us that actually have that power. When you count those of us that know what’s happening and how to fight and that have the skills to back it up, there are even fewer.” Could she even think of more than a handful of people? She didn’t think so, “I can’t even begin to think of what would happen if everyone started trying. We’d have a bunch of people running around like chickens with their heads cut off, getting in the way of those that can actually do something.” That was a better way to think of it… maybe. Honestly, she didn’t expect anything out of them. Still, this conversation seemed… strange. What the heck was going on? Did Rinna really think this way? Well, she just said it without any shame, so probably. It just seemed really pessimistic.

Naomi would look down at her feet for a brief moment. She understood where Rinna was coming from. Not the abuse part, but the sadness and corruption part, “It feels like a long time ago, but I’ve been aware of it for less than a year. Maybe it was happening before that though. I don’t know. It’s just that everyone sees it now.” That was the only way she could answer, “The only thing I think we can do is keep looking for the answer and taking it on when we find it. Other than that, I’m not sure. I’m trying to find what I can, but I wonder who is on our side and who is against us.” She knew about the Angels, but she wasn’t sure she trusted them, “I don’t know what will happen. It’s scary and there are many things that can happen. Have to try though. If we don’t know one will.” She twirled her hair around her finger, “I’m almost afraid to ask, but how has your little friend been?” She would tap her head to indicate she meant her Persona. She needed to tell Rinna at some point. Might as well be now.

She nodded, “If she’s calmed down, that’s good. I was worried that she would still be a problem. I guess if she has nothing to say, there may not be a point in talking though. If Persona can even think that.” She knew hers didn’t talk to her. Period. She wasn’t sure how the ones like Rinna’s would react, “I mean, as long as it isn’t bothering you like it used to. Also, I think I may have figured out a few things about her. Nothing amazing, but it’s something.” She remembered how Rinna was last time they spoke. She seemed to be coming apart because of it. She formed a small smile when Rinna said she missed her… she guessed, “I missed you too.” She didn’t have to guess, “And I promise that I won’t be an idiot and run off into something I can’t handle as long as you promise the same.” She needed to know that this talk of changing things wouldn’t lead Rinna to her own destruction. This was a tricky situation they were getting into. They could stop it, change it, and fix everything, but not if they rushed in without thinking. They were just as vulnerable as anyone else if they went into other worlds. Powers be damned. She cared about Rinna. Even if the sentiment wasn’t returned to the same extent, if at all, she cared. She didn’t want anything bad to happen to someone she considered a friend.

Naomi’s feet would stumble over one another as she was dragged by Rinna. She wouldn’t fall, but walking was awkward. She followed dutifully though. When she was lead to the room, she would look around nervously, “Is it okay for me to be in here?” It didn’t seem like the kind of place where they allowed guests. More so, it seemed like the kind of place that was private, and no one could go. Not even those that were supposed to. It was cut off so no one else would hear though. That was a nice touch, “Well, like I said it’s nothing special, but I did figure out that even though she’s a Persona, she isn’t the same as mine. I guess the best way to describe it is that yours is a gift while mine is a part of me. Yours is from a third party, which is why it’s able to act on its own a bit. You can still command it, I think, but it has what could more easily be defined as a will. The ones I’m used to may act as if they have their own wills, but they really just do what they’re told and act according to how the person wishes. At least, that’s what I gather…” She had to admit, this was still confusing, “I’m not sure if you already knew that or not, but it’s what I could find. I have to admit that you’re one of the only people I know with that particular type of Persona, so I couldn’t ask a firsthand, more knowledgeable source.” The only other person she knew wasn’t on Azores anymore. That thought made her heart hurt. Still, she was trying to help Rinna as much as she could. It would help if these things came with instruction manuals.

She shook her head at the offer of a drink, “Thank you for offering.” She didn’t think she had the room for it right now. She was too nervous about being somewhere she shouldn’t be. She would almost feel bad when Rinna’s mood suddenly changed. She appeared to have a brief moment of happiness and it was gone as quickly as it came, “I don’t think that makes you a psychopath. The rules for yours are just slightly different. Maybe yours would actually have some advantages you haven’t thought about. Like, maybe you and she could talk and she could tell you more about what’s going on. She has to know what she is, at least.” That was one possibility. She knew what having a Persona was like, and it was scary at first. Rinna had it harder, since she had to figure out her unique situation all on her own. Naomi knew she wasn’t very helpful, but she was trying. She then remembered what Rinna had said earlier, “You said you learned some things too, right? What were they? Maybe there’s something more to this I can help explain or figure out.” The Persona probably had something in common.