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

[lakebrat]

Finally alone in Leblanc, or at least in a facsimile of Leblanc devoid of people, Goro trails down the stairs and starts—what else?—making coffee. Crystal Mountain, he thinks; not that he's not in the mood for something more challenging, but after the day he's had... maybe a little comfort isn't too much to ask. He's already changed down, into a green overshirt of his own with a collared shirt beneath it, clothes of his own that were waiting upstairs for him like the pot of sunflowers.

Every minute or so, he finds himself looking around for Morgana. Every time, his heart sinks. Because this Leblanc isn't like the street outside, polished and plastic. No, for two pins, he could be unwinding in the dusty twilight back home. He'd give a lot, right now, to be able to snap at Mona to take his paws off the counter.

Wait, did he just see movement outside the door? His hands freeze, and he lifts the kettle to stop it pouring.

Comments

[phantomlotus]

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.

[lakebrat]

"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.

[phantomlotus]

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."

[lakebrat]

"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?"

[phantomlotus]

"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."

[lakebrat]

"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?"

[phantomlotus]

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.

[lakebrat]

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?

[phantomlotus]

"...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..."

[lakebrat]

"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.

[phantomlotus]

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.

[lakebrat]

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."

[phantomlotus]

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.

[lakebrat]

"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."

[phantomlotus]

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."

[lakebrat]

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.

[phantomlotus]

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.

[lakebrat]

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."

[phantomlotus]

"...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.

[lakebrat]

"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.

[phantomlotus]

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."

[lakebrat]

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?"

[phantomlotus]

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...

[lakebrat]

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.

[phantomlotus]

"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."

[lakebrat]

"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.

[phantomlotus]

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

She looks towards the staircase.

"Wanna test it?"

[lakebrat]

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

[phantomlotus]

"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."

[lakebrat]

"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.]]