lakebrat | [ic] find the line, find the shape, find the outline

And it seems that Akechi did, in fact, see movement as a figure approaches the door to Leblanc, casually opening it without a single thought.

It seems to be... Ren? Not the one he knows, obviously, this one has much longer hair and is wearing makeup, but it's definitely Ren.

She stops at the door, eyes widening when she sees Akechi in the doorway... before her she settles, her eyes shifting to the kettle.

"...Never thought I'd see the day."

That's what comes out of her mouth, as she cracks a smile as she steps in, hands in her pockets... but judging by her shock from seeing him at first, there's definitely something on her mind.

'It's not him', she reminds herself. 'Just keep it cool'. Sure, it's the first Akechi she's seen in person since arriving here. She can handle this, just treat him like she'd treat anyone else. Don't think too hard about it.

Even in Leblanc's low evening light, Goro can see Ren; would know him in the dark despite the hair, the makeup. Ren's hands on his face, no more than a breath away as he painted and combed; his eyes burning in the shadows. Just a little on the lower lid, I think... there, perfect....

His own Ren, the real one, could be there in Leblanc with him, coming behind the counter to annoy him and tell him he's doing it wrong. Goro gathers himself and smiles, a little subdued as he glances back to the coffee. "Looking good," he says, friendly rather than flattering. "I'm sorry—I'm not in your way, am I, by any chance? There wasn't anyone else here."

Edited 2024-04-22 21:16 (UTC)

Well, she wasn't expecting that kind of reaction. She actually brightens a little, despite herself.

"Oh... Thanks."

She sounds a bit taken off guard, and... is that a hint of pink on her face-- No, of course not! She quickly faux-coughs into her hand, regaining her sense of coolness before stepping further into the store, across from Akechi.

"And no, you're not. Leblanc is open to everybody. So help yourself."

She at least seems genuine despite her somewhat terseness. After a second, she nearly sits down across from Akechi before stopping...

"...Want some company?"

May as well check if he's up for it. If he is, then it'll at least be better than being completely alone with her thoughts.

Edited 2024-04-22 21:58 (UTC)

"I wouldn't say no. I was just going to make coffee and take it upstairs." Certainly it beats looking around for Morgana every thirty seconds, or compulsively not texting Ren, who more than needs space. He has no reason, so far, to think there are any rooms upstairs but his own.

It's funny to see Ren turn pink. "Actually, I should ask up front, gosh. Are you an Amamiya-kun, or are you a Kurusu-kun?" And come to that—something less like he remembers his own Ren, something about the tone and carriage: "Or is it -san?"

Edited 2024-04-22 22:06 (UTC)

'Take it upstairs'? Wait, that means... Ohhhhh, this Akechi must be staying here as well then.

"So, you're staying here, too?"

And as for the question, well...

"Amamiya-san, yeah. Long story, did some soul-searching."

She shrugs nonchalantly, moving to sit across from Akechi. Wow, it's weird with the two of them having swapped sides of the counter...

"What about you? You're different than the Akechi I know. The clothes, coffee, staying at Leblanc..."

There's something in her eyes as she looks at Akechi... Almost like she's distracted, thinking back on something. Probably her own Akechi...

Edited 2024-04-22 22:32 (UTC)

He doesn't make a big deal of it—Lala-chan, after all, would clip him round the ear if he so much as considered it. Besides, there's that look in her eye, like she's seeing someone else. There must, he thinks, be a lot of that going around here.

"Am I different?" He finishes up the pour, setting the kettle down as it drains. Something is odd here; something that doesn't make sense. There were no signs of anyone having been into his room, but....

"You say you're staying here? I'm not exactly objecting, but there's only one attic, isn't there?"

"Definitely different. You're nicer."

Absolutely bluntly stated. She can tell, this isn't the same kind of act as her Akechi's. No, this is an entirely different sort of Akechi... She has no idea what to expect from him, either.

Despite the bluntness though, there was fondness in that tone.

She nods in response to the fact she's staying here before continuing.

"You'd think there's only one attic, but other people would have this problem. Maybe there's a fail-safe or something Igor's got set up."

Edited 2024-04-22 22:49 (UTC)

"I'm not that nice. You should ask my Ren." Joking or not, he doesn't think of himself as nice so much as... careful. Always under a microscope. Yet he understands a little about difficult people, too.

What could be happening with the attic? "Some cognitive thing, perhaps. When I went up there, all my things were there, just as I left them this morning. Undisturbed. There was nothing there I didn't recognise."

He finishes up the cup, then offers it to her with a smile not quite customer-facing. "Would you like this, by the way? It's Crystal Mountain. I can make another."

She smiles again, this time with a hint of a joking tone to her following words.

"Maybe I will. You never know with this place."

She has to admit, she's curious about this other Ren... unless it's the one she met that was destroying a building? Nah, it couldn't be.

...Wait, could it?

Instead of following that train of thought though, she decides to follow up on the comment about the attic.

"Same with mine. It was like I never left. I could practically hear Jack Frost saying 'hee-ho' when I went inside."

The doll she got at the crane game, she means. Not that it literally say it, but still. Though she could go grab her Persona as well if she really wanted.

She raises a brow at the offer of coffee... before getting an almost competitive gleam in her eye. It's not unfriendly, just the rivalry showing through.

"Sure. I want to see how good yours is."

"Ah, the truth will out." He places the cup before her with his usual grace, before fetching more filtered water from under the counter for his own cup. "I'll have you know I took in everything Boss ever told me, and then some."

"That so? You're setting some real high standards."

What kind of world was this Akechi from? It's almost like he's in the position Ren is in her own world... Living at Leblanc, learning from Sojiro... There's no way that's true though. Surely.

There's a very slight pause before she continues.

"I learned from Boss, too. Back home."

She can't help but smirk just a little, watching as Akechi begins gathering everything. It's not that she doesn't think he can do it, it's more just... well, another thing to compete with an Akechi at. She can't help it.

"And trust me, the student has become the master."

Unfortunately, that look returns to her eye for just a second, and her smile weakens oh so slightly... before it grows again. It looks rather natural, but the keen-eyed can tell it's taking effort.

"...If you see me making coffee, hit me up. I'll make you one."

After all, it seems like they may be neighbors.

He can feel her eyes on him, as he sets the water to heat. It is so strange to picture Ren here, living in the attic instead. How would that even work? Did his so-called parents abandon him here, instead of at an orphanage?

Goro's blood still boils if he thinks about that too much. His pleasantness doesn't fade, exactly, but becomes more complex. "Likewise, of course. Well, maybe not all the time. Tit for tat, you know."

He leans on the counter. "I'm not sure I'd go so far as to call myself the master. Certainly not if Boss could hear me." He almost smiles; he's joking.

And what of Akechi's circumstances, Ren wonders? It makes her sick, thinking of what happened to her Akechi, how awful it all was... No, don't think about it too much. She'll just get pissed.

But still... Is it the same with this Akechi? Or did Sojiro somehow end up becoming his guardian and change things? It's just so... so odd, she can't begin to imagine it.

But she snaps back to reality when she hears Akechi speak up again.

"Hell no, there's no way I'd say that to Boss's face. But you're not him, so."

She says that with a small laugh, relieving some of the pressure she felt building up.

"...Seems like we have some similarities. Who would've guessed?"

She can't help but bring it up. Seriously, what is this? Of all the Akechis she meets first, it's one that practically mirrors her in terms of circumstances.

Edited 2024-04-23 01:30 (UTC)

"Maybe. Given everything that's going on, it would be surprising if it was any other way, don't you think?" It would be so much easier, after all, if he and Ren had nothing in common. But that's never been the case.

"Yeah. My Akechi is different, but... we were similar. Can't explain it."

It's really hard to put into words, and not just because she's not much of a talker. Their connection is a particular one, one that can never be replicated. A shared link between them, almost seeing herself standing in Akechi's place... and her desire to pull him out.

Meeting an Akechi that's like her in an entirely different way is just so surreal, bordering on almost comedic at this point. A strange mirror image, a 'what if'.

Her use of the word 'were' may stand out a bit, combined with a slight shift in her expression as she looks off to the side.

"...You and your Ren. You guys are probably the same?"

Different and yet so similar...

He drums his fingers absently on the counter, watching her. In some realities, we're that agent of chaos. In others, it's Ren. "Ah, that's a difficult one. It can be so hard to really know someone, can't it?"

Ren, after all, is not someone he wants to discuss; not offhand over coffee with virtual strangers. Even if he wasn't round the corner somewhere, Goro would have been inclined to be tight-lipped.

"Did something happen with him? Your Akechi, I mean." Were. And that's never a good question to ask, not about yourself, and certainly not with an attempt on your life weeks away.

Ah, shifting it around to her. Clearly he doesn't want to talk about his Ren, which is fair.

"...It's a long story. Involved another crisis back home. Reality was being altered, and..."

She trails off. Honestly, it's a lot to throw on someone, especially a version of Akechi... so she really shouldn't say much.

Instead, she shifts gears.

"I've been looking for him. I believe he's still out there."

...Or at least she's trying to. From the looks of it, she's still suffering from grief like her Akechi died though.

"Reality was being altered?" He heard something about that, when he texted Crow. Yet the look on her face, veiled or not... he knows when to tread lightly. Gone somewhere else, and she can't find him to fix whatever went wrong. Doesn't know if he's dead or alive.

"How's that coffee? My reputation is on the line, you know." Straightening up to give her space, he starts to fold a filter paper, resting the funnel over a fresh cup.

Ah, right, the coffee. Goes to show how distracted she is. She needs to get her head on straight, she's Joker (OK, maybe she's Trickster here, but whatever) for crying out loud.

So she goes to take a sip of it, and...

"...Hmm... I can tell you're learning from Boss. You've got my seal of approval."

She actually does crack another smile as she says that, relaxing just a tad.

There's still the conversation at hand though... Maybe she should warn him about this, just in case it happens in his world? Or it could just be setting him up to worry about nothing...

"Reality was being altered, yeah. Someone was trying to make a 'perfect' reality. No pain, no suffering. Everyone would be happy... Having everyone's memories screwed with is really messed up though, and you can't just run from your problems. So we got involved. Akechi did, too."

She actually says that with a somewhat faster pace, a hint of frustration slipping into her tone. Must not be pleasant to think about.

She stares into her cup of coffee for a second... and her grip on said cup actually tightens a bit.

"...Might not be anything to worry about on your end, but I figured I'd explain."

Edited 2024-04-23 21:18 (UTC)

"Takuto Maruki." He sets the coffee scoop down with a sharp, final clink. "I've heard this story already. He seems to be quite the menace, despite his appearance."

In a way, it's reassuring that the people he's met so far are so intent on giving warning. Perhaps even that can't be trusted—yet then again, Ren himself had had that same aura through all the mist that surrounded him, that same urgency.

"Or do I have it wrong? Perhaps, in your world, the details were different?"

"Yeah. Maruki."

Her feelings towards him are... complicated, to say the least, but she's definitely not happy thinking about him.

"Ugh, that whole month was hell... Had to race against the deadline before his changes became permanent and he became a god."

She just sighs, taking another sip of the coffee.

"...Not to mention making it a 'choice'. There was no good choice, it was either accept a false reality or..."

She stops, and sets her cup back down.

"...Let's hope you won't have to deal with it. Or if you do, you'll be more prepared than we were."

"Well. As I've already been told once today, forewarned is forearmed." The kettle starts to complain, boiling on its hotplate in near-silence; he takes it up and begins to pour, with one eye on her. Yes, something is very wrong here.

"So you're saying he had a Palace. That was how you got involved—well, I suppose you would. You had to take him down before it was too late. And your Akechi?...."

There in the false reality, then not. And she still believes he's out there, but can't know. "You're saying Maruki pressured you to submit to him?"

Should she explain? Should she?

"In a way, yeah. He wanted me to agree with him. Gave me multiple reasons to change my mind. To go with it."

...She doesn't say it, but she almost caved. She really did.

Perhaps Akechi can tell by the slightly distant look in her eyes, as though she's remembering something.

"...But I didn't. I made the right decision by choosing to fight him. I'm sure. But like everyone else, I had to give up my ideal reality."

Does she have regrets? It seems so, given the slightly bitter smile she gets.

The kettle pours onto the grounds in the funnel unattended; water pools in the centre. There was a Ren who accepted Maruki's reality, and that is what led to Sparrow's creation....

"You mean..." What would he do for Ren, in that situation? If it was Ren, or the world? If it was Haru, or Morgana, or even Makoto or the others? Well, there should be only one thing he should do. But would he?

"...Akechi? Hey! You OK?"

Did she overload him with too much? Of course, she let herself get worked up, and this is what's to show for it. She has to keep it under control. Just be cool, calm, collected, and... well, keep it to herself.

"The water..."

Edited 2024-04-23 23:16 (UTC)

"Oh! Crap—" Quickly, he gets himself under control, easing off the stream of scalding water so the pool can sort itself out. He pulls on a smile the way some people pull on raincoats.

"I suppose that answers the question, doesn't it? Lucky I gave you the first one." Haha.

She watches as Akechi puts on another smile so effortlessly, as though she hadn't just given him some rather heavy information.

"You don't have to pretend it didn't take you off guard, you know. It's a lot."

...She looks off to the side, thinking.

All of it has been haunting her all this time. The messages left on her Akechi's phone, the endless line of texts she's tried to send him, everything. The silence is deafening. So, so deafening.

"...Sorry, I... Like I said, it's a lot. Especially since I'm still dealing with the aftermath."

After a quiet pause, she looks back towards Akechi with a more determined gleam returning to her eyes.

"I'm trying to find him though. We have promises to keep. Screw fate, he's out there still. I know it."

She's still not giving up, even if she's dealing with the grief and the silence.

Maybe it'll be the same for this Akechi, that his Ren or whoever it may be will defy fate just like her Akechi must have.

Edited 2024-04-23 23:37 (UTC)

His Shadow lurks in Mementos, carrying everything he used to be. What would even be left of Ren, if he were to hypothetically do that? Just a shell? Nothing but empty pleasantries?

The idea turns him cold. He finishes up the disastrous pour, meeting her eye with a glance here and there; if he can stomach what they serve at Baby Baby, this screwup won't pose him any problems. "Well, I wish you every good fortune looking for him. That's for sure.

"It's strange, you know. The way you said it's a lot there, as if I was the one with the problem."

She actually looks a tad confused at that.

"I meant it was a heavy subject. I sorta shoved it on you when we just met."

Oh yeah, it's definitely bothering him. It doesn't take a genius to tell that.

"So... yeah. Sorry about that."

It does beg the question though... Will something like this happen in his world? It might not, but who knows? She hopes he doesn't have to worry about it though.

"You're far from the only one." He sets the kettle down. "The first person I met here was kind enough to give me a potted history of Persona anomalies from the Heisei era onwards. As well as personal details regarding several of our—what's the term, cohabitants?

"All a bit sink or swim, though I hope I'm a good swimmer. I wouldn't have made it through my first Palace otherwise. I suppose it's just...." The uncertainty of it, perhaps? Of all these visions of what might be? Maps of his terrain that may be good guides, or may lead him and his straight to their destruction.

"... a lot less significant than what it sounds as if you're dealing with."

She raises a brow when she hears about the first person Akechi ran into here.

"Seriously? Just dropped other people's business on you?"

Granted, with this place it's probably a good idea to know what you're getting into with some things, but still. The idea of info getting spread behind your back... It irritates her. A lot.

She had to deal with the constant whispers about her arrest and reputation all throughout her time at Shujin, and it just reminds her of that.

But there's something more important to tackle here.

"Honestly, the worst of it is over. It's just a matter of finding him now."

...But she still can't help but feel like he's bothered by this... Perhaps it's her imagination, or perhaps not.

"...There's no guarantee you'll have to deal with it. Things could be different in your world."

She doesn't have to tell him; he's dealt with it all his life, not least at Shujin—whore's son, bastard child—and his eyes shadow along with hers. "He meant well. It was all what might be considered tactical background. Then again"—and he sighs—"gossip does spread in small communities.

"And that's the problem, isn't it? Things may be different. Or they may be the same. Am I being given a map, or a minefield?" Or both. He gives the filter a couple of taps.

Yeah, she kind of gets it. Like the guy probably did mean well... but it's still so... so irritating.

"...It does, yeah."

And unfortunately Akechi is right about the ambiguity with his world. There really is no telling, is there?

"I don't know for sure. I think what matters is how you deal with the info. It could help you, but you can't let it haunt you."

Which she understands is easier said than done.

Yeah, he gets it. He removes the filter and sets the alleged coffee in front of him, in its little white cup. "Like you're haunted."

"...Maybe not my best choice of words, but... yeah."

She admits it point blank, looking Akechi straight in the eyes as she continues.

"If you can, just keep the info tucked away. It could be useful, but it's not the be all, end all. And if it does happen? Use it. Change fate."

She actually cracks a small, more soft smile.

"...Whatever happens, you'll rise to the challenge. I know it."

She just has a strong feeling that he will. Maybe it's her fondness for her own Akechi, or maybe she can just tell this Akechi is pretty well-grounded. Either way, she has faith in him.

Edited 2024-04-24 01:19 (UTC)

"That's a lot of faith to have, in someone you've only just met. A bit of projection, maybe?" It's teasing, rather than unkind.

He folds his arms back on the counter, leaning forward. That smile of hers is so odd. He can see Ren in it; his Ren, the real one.

Her smile becomes just a bit more teasing in turn.

"Well, you know. I'm sentimental."

She refuses to let that line go, not that this Akechi knows about it. Surprisingly, there's no hint of frustration or negativity behind her saying it.

"That, and you weigh things carefully, and you're quick on the uptake. Or at least that's what I'm getting out of this."

Those are good signs for someone stuck in the role she found herself in, if he is indeed in the same situation.

"Call it a hunch."

He lets himself smile, just barely. "Then we'll see if your hunch pans out."

There's a weight to the way she says sentimental, for sure. It seems more something Ren would say—and again, he thinks of the pot of sunflowers still glowing upstairs on his windowsill.

"Listen," he says, "we should probably ascertain just how the attic works. Either that, or I'll have to text for assistance, and I've already done that once or twice today. What do you think?"

Oh yeah, the attic...

"Right, let's get to that. No point in making you get more help."

With one last sip of her coffee, she begins to stand, straightening up just a bit.

"So. How do we do this? Like with the doors?"

Imagine the place you want to go, and then it'll be there, right? So how does it work for the attic specifically when it has no door...

Like with the doors? So there's a trick to them? "Tell me about the doors."

Now he comes to think of it, this might be how he ended up in Aoyama this afternoon.

"Not a hundred percent sure, but I think if you think of a place, you go there."

She kind of shrugs, not entirely certain of it.

"I end up in pretty convenient places around Shibuya or Yongen-Jaya when I want it, so that's the best guess I've got so far."

"So you picture the place you want, and end up on the other side?" What was he thinking about, when he took the door? He was more concerned with being ready for whatever might be there, wasn't he, than with what might be there?

"That's a convenient little trick. Quite timesaving, if I don't have to use those trains again." He winces.

"So far it's worked for me, but it could be dumb luck."

She looks towards the staircase.

"Wanna test it?"

"You think if I focus on your attic, I'll get it?" He offers her a slightly wicked grin.

"Maybe, if you know what mine looks like."

That's the trick, isn't it? Can you find someone else's version of a room if you don't actually know the specifics about it...

...Wait, she gave a hint with the Jack Frost comment earlier. She just has to hope that's not enough to lead to her version specifically.

"Give it a shot."

"Very well." It would be funny if he got it, wouldn't it?—then again, it would give her access to his space, which he isn't sure he wants.

No backing out now, though. He heads up to the stairs, speaking in a clear voice, like he would to the Nav. "The attic which belongs to the Ren Amamiya I just served coffee".

Then, quite determined (and a little concerned for opsec), he heads up the stairs.

[[ooc: and then they established that you can't get into someone else's attic, but can accompany the owner as a guest, and they saw each other's rooms including jack frost and!! the sunflowers. the end.]]

Edited 2024-04-24 20:28 (UTC)

[ic] find the line, find the shape, find the outline

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