[it takes a moment for Akira-- a teenager who isn't used to dealing with dead bodies-- to swallow down his frustration and instinctive anger at the situation. fortunately, if there's anything Akira is good at, it's keeping his temper under control]
[. . . and so, after a few deep breaths, he starts to make his way quickly (albeit painfully) to his room. or. . . he would, but he gets distracted by a certain hobo poking around the hallways like the lawyer he is]
[ he catches the look in akira's eye and can place it easily enough. and while phoenix's placid expression doesn't change (he's got his pokerface on, after all), it's hard not to feel some sympathy. kids shouldn't have to see things like this. ]
[ not that there's much he can do it about it. ]
You'll have to speak up. My hearing is stating to go with my age.
[ah, right. Akira almost forgot. with a sheepish, apologetic expression, he pulls his HANDY DANDY NOTEBOOK from his pocket and begins to scrawl on one of the pages with his aegean crayon]
[when he's done, he shows the message to Phoenix in lieu of speaking]
Sorry. My head's a little fuzzy right now, so I forgot.
I'm just trying to make sure you keep your act fresh. That's all.
[the response comes delivered with the slightest quirk of a smile, though notably it doesn't reach Akira's eyes. humor is difficult in the wake of someone dying in a very public, very violent manner]
[ALSO HIS HEAD IS OKAY other than the indention of a pool table pocket on his cheek. almost like he. . . fell asleep on the pool table? hm]
[his back is what he's favoring; he's a little hunched even now, making sure to rest his shoulder against the wall to keep himself propped upright so he doesn't have to rely on his muscles alone to keep him from falling over. and he scrawls out an answer to that question in his notebook]
[this time, it takes a while for Akira to write down his response, mostly because it looks like he's fighting his hand. it trembles slightly as he squints at it, as he tries his best to FORCE IT INTO WRITING WHAT HE WANTS IT TO WRITE instead of the words it actually wants to write. but despite his efforts?]
[gives Phoenix a long, hard look, knowing that he's being DEMANDING because demands are one way to circumvent his little 8-ball problem. but it's difficult not to want to sass over those demands anyway!!]
No. . . I haven't noticed any others. I didn't get the chance to investigate the scene of Haruka-san's death.
[anyway Akira is nursing a cup of coffee because SWEET, SWEET SENSE OF TASTE. he blinks at Phoenix, a bit surprised at the honest, blunt greeting, before he lets out an amused snort]
[what's up hobo uncle. . . it seems like the past few days have been rough on everyone, Akira included. today, after Asch's not-so-graceful death, Akira can be found soaking up some of the sunshine outside near the garden. he might've only worked in a flower shop for a few months, but for some reason the colorful blossoms are soothing]
[he looks pensive as he runs his fingers across a flower's petals, expression distant and unfocused]
[tilts his head in Phoenix's direction, mouth twitching a little. it's a humorless smile, one that doesn't quite reach his eyes, despite his calm demeanor]
It's peaceful out here.
[AKIRA A MONSTER TORE THROUGH THE GARDEN WHILE TRYING TO KILL ASCH, PROBABLY]
I don't know what it is about flowers, but they're calming.
[Akira opens his mouth, then shuts it again with a click. he forces himself to calm down with a deep breath as he puts his thinking cap on]
I didn't vote for Asch because I thought he was guilty. I voted for him because I didn't have a valid theory, and. . . it seemed-- better.
[to vote for someone willing to take the blow (EVEN IF HE WAS STUPID ABOUT IT) than to vote blindly and convict someone innocent and unwilling to be a sacrifice]
. . . my theory is still the same as it was at the trial. The map you and Horikawa-san drew was pretty clear.
It had to have been someone in the basement-- 45-san, Nic-san, Meltryllis-san-- or in the main hall-- Ayabe-san, Luna, or Asch-san himself.
[. . . Akira recognizes those boxes, and knows for sure that Phoenix isn't pulling his leg. after all. . . those boxes resemble the one he found in his room last week, after Nikki-san's trial]
[Akira closes his eyes and thinks through everything he can remember from the last hour (or two) he was awake at the trial. he thinks back to Nic and 45 and Luna and Ayabe and Melt's reactions, and. . .]
[. . .]
. . . 45-san.
After all. . . it doesn't make sense for her to have not been affected by a rampaging monster when she was supposedly sleeping in the gun room, right?
[not 45, not Asch. . . honestly, Akira doesn't think it was Ayabe or Luna or Nic. which leaves the one person he almost voted for, but in the end. . . did not]
[ sincerely. because then 10 people would know the truth. anyway, he's not.. great at the comfort, and what's done is done. phoenix could have saved asch if he was more insistent, too. so: ]
[will Meltryllis kill again. . .? Asch was turned into a monster during his execution; did Meltryllis's monster form transfer to him, rendering her completely harmless. now that they know for certain she was the culprit. . . what do they do about it?]
I need to talk to the sisters again. I want to ask them why Asch turned into a monster. I want to ask them if Nia's killer— if Meltryllis— is still dangerous.
I want to ask if there is some way to find out who is going to turn into a monster and kill on Thursday nights before it happens.
[FURRY CONVERSATIONS. . .]
Your bracelet, though. . . that'll come in really handy. Make sure you don't tell too many people about it.
[the next question he asks is spoken evenly and without any inflection in his tone, but there's something fragile hidden thinly behind his words anyway. what is it? it's hard to tell]
If Meltryllis-san is still dangerous. . . if there's a chance she'll kill again. . . what will you do about it?
[exhales a bit, but he looks. . . a bit torn about that response. but what Phoenix says afterwards catches his attention enough to prevent him from dwelling too much on this moral dilemma]
Which rule?
[also HA HA BUCK PASS YOU PRESUME AKIRA HAS A BRAIN CELL AT ALL]
Either way, we don't know a thing about how these play out. Meltryllis herself made no secret of the fact that she's willing to kill as her regular self.... but I didn't get the same impression from Nikki.
You were sleeping, but she talked a lot about how little human lives mattered to her and that killing them wouldn't be any skin off her nose. Not exactly confidence inspiring.
[folds his hands in front of him, gaze affixed on the curve of his own fingers, as though following those lines can distract him from the sudden discomfort he feels churning in his stomach]
It isn't just to stand by and watch an injustice occur when you know you could have stopped it. I'm not saying we have to-- to kill her, but. . .
Getting ourselves killed isn't going to help anyone.
[there's a flicker of gratefulness that appears in his expression when Phoenix says that. because sometimes. . . you have to be reminded to slow down. to not do anything stupid]
[by Wednesday, Akira looks terrible. he's disheveled and haggard, probably didn't shower last night, and there are bags under his eyes as he shuffles his way slowly towards Phoenix's room]
Today. . . earlier this morning. I tried writing a message in public to get whoever gave it to me to come talk to me in person, but I haven't gotten any bites yet.
It still doesn't make sense, though. If Asch transformation wasn't Meltryllis shifting the infection to him, then why would someone out there write me a note that says she isn't the. . . fish snake? Dragon?
I'm still not sure what the message means, though. It'd be easier to say if it was a coincidence or not if I could interpret what they were trying to tell me.
. . . yeah. The person who sent me that message seemed to know something that the rest of us didn't. Like they were trying to tell us about Valentini, while also telling us that Galo and Meltryllis weren't. . . or were, in Meltryllis's case. . . monsters.
[as for that question. . . Akira shakes his head]
Not exactly.
My initial theory was that we had two monster kills, and one vigilante kill. But. . . it's hard to tell when we haven't been able to examine the evidence yet.
[ you're a lawyer... with one case under your belt. you're new, and green, but under the steady hand of your mentor, you're growing. ]
[ or at least, that's what should have happened. but it didn't. she was murdered in her office...... when you stumbled upon the seen you saw her younger sister, a girl in her teens, sobbing over the corpse. she didn't seem guilty to you..... but everyone else seemed to think so. you try to find a lawyer to defend her, but no one will. you offer to contact her family for her, but she tells you she had no one but her sister. ]
[ that's when you make the decision. the whole reason you became a lawyer? because someone has to look out for the people who have no on their side. ]
[ your investigation brings you to one man.. redd white. a blackmailer who has history with your mentor and his sister -- on top of killing mia and framing maya for it, he has further history. apparently, he ruined their mother... the whole reason mia started investigating him. ]
[ as you investigate, you notice that he's stolen much of the evidence she had on him. almost all of it, actually. but you find some... linking his blackmail to suicides across the country. it's enough to confront him, maybe make him confess. ]
[ the last time you spoke to this guy, he punched you. but you can't leave this be. you confront him. ]
[ it doesn't go well. he tells you he has the courts and the police in his pocket and he's right -- before you know what's happening, you're arrested for mia's murder instead. maya shows up, and she wants to help you.... but you don't think she can. ]
[ after all, the court system changed years ago. now, trials are settled within days, if not just one..... and the verdicts are always guilty. you don't doubt that the prosecution will be in redd's plan to frame you, either. ]
[Akira jerks back as soon as the images of the memory flash before him, and when it ends. . . he's staring into the distance, eyes wide, gaze unfocused]
What. . . ?
[that busy-tailed and bright-eyed lawyer in that memory. . . was that Phoenix??]
[ yeah and they were pretty rough, buddy. the overwhelming grief and feeling of being lost.. it definitely permeated through the memory. ]
[ it was a long time ago, though. and it's not like he hasn't had opportunities to see mia.... though he wouldn't want her to see what he's doing now. ]
[ why did he become a lawyer in the first place? someone had to help the people who had no one on their side. ]
[ but he's not that man anymore. you lost the right to be. ]
[ and suddenly, akira gets another memory: ]
[ you're a lawyer, trying to defend your client, a world-class magician... but something goes wrong. you're careless. you present a piece of evidence you got from somewhere.. that turns out to be forged. ]
[ the prosecution calls a special witness, to prove you're "guilty". you're disbarred. ]
[ despite the fact that you've just lost everything, the first thing you do is worry for your client. he has a young daughter. but then... something strange happens. he disappears. ]
[ ... like magic. but then, his daughter is left behind. you search for relatives for her to stay with.... but nothing. ]
[mild surprise crosses Akira's features when that memory flashes in his vision, but it's replaced by understanding pretty quickly. if Phoenix was trying to get Akira to not trust him, then. . . well]
[he huffs a little, lifting a hand to tug at his bangs, smile working its way onto his features]
[. . . it should be noted the bed is stripped bare and there is a PILLOW FORT made out of blankets and a pillow near the chaise and dresser. this is how Akira and Chuuya have been sleeping]
[but Akira does take a seat on the edge of the bed, shooting Phoenix a grateful look as he's helped there. but. . .]
[at that question?]
[he freezes]
. . .
[his expression turns neutral and difficult to read, gaze locked with Phoenix's]
[his mouth twitches, but the smile (if it could be called a smile) is. . . almost sad]
No.
[. . .]
Maybe. I don't know.
[god. what a complicated subject is Akechi Goro]
I have no reason to trust him. I have every reason not to. And maybe part of me still wonders. . . [if he wouldn't stab me in the back the first opportunity he had. here, he trails off]
Regardless, I do.
[maybe it's because, with Akechi, he 100% knows what he's getting]
[ phoenix gets that. unfortunately. he's no stranger to murderers, even ones who act like detectives while perpetrating their own crimes. ]
[ none of them were kids, though. none of them were used by their own father for murder. the closest approximation.... is pearl, and that twists his heart a little. ]
[ it's complicated is right. he'd only had this knowledge for a few hours. ]
Do you think he's sincere in wanting to help? Here?
Now. . . do I think his reasons for wanting to help are the right ones? Absolutely not.
[because in the end, Akechi will always be himself: selfish and petty. that's something Akira knows deep down, no matter how much he may trust the detective to do his best to solve the mysteries of the mansion]
But so long as his goals are the same as everyone else's, he'll give his best efforts.
One day an app appeared on my phone. My best friend and I somehow activated it, and it took us to the Metaverse. It was there that I awoke to my Persona.
[early, early Thursday morning, Akira makes his way to the kitchen, limping on his prosthetic leg as he does so. he still has the assistance of his crutch, but he is getting more and more used to the weight of his new leg every single day]
According to Akechi-- who got this information from Blue-- we're in the middle of a feud between gods, with the fates of our worlds hanging in the balance.
Those two gods are the mansion, and Master Blue themselves.
... No surprise there. The mansion has been set on demonizing them from day 1.
[ though.... ]
Someone managed to get a memory out of Master Blue. It involved the house... eating them, and wanting to play a game. Now, knowing this... it puts things in a different light.
I don't blame them at all. In fact, I. . . [a pause, and he shakes his head] I want to save them as much as I want to save everyone else here.
Blue told me to look for the "source" of the house and all of the things it's doing. They couldn't tell me exactly where or what it was, but they did give me hints.
It's closer than we think it is.
The source is available to anyone who seeks it out.
Still thinking about it... but Blue was the first of the house's victims. Now, they're forced to keep inviting us here, or the house will take matters into its own.... whatever it has that qualifies for hands.
[WELCOME BACK DEADNIX. and of course he is swamped with people who are happy to see him again, Akira being one of those. . . but Akira also waits until the crowds thin a bit to approach again]
Can we talk in private? I know now isn't the time to keep secrets from everyone else, but this secret isn't mine to share.
[somewhat bashfully, Akira lifts a hand to twirl his fingers in is bangs, tugging lightly]
I don't know. If you asked him, he'd just call me a nuisance.
[a bit exasperated, a bit fond]
But he told me about the offer you made him, and that he still plans on coming home with me to turn himself in. [. . .] So maybe. . . somewhere deep down. . .
It talked a lot about how we were it's "prey" and itself a predator. It spoke about how it had consumed Master Blue to increase its ability to eat, and it sounded like it looked down on Master Blue for not wanting to consume.
We don't. Saving Blue is just as much of a priority as saving ourselves.
. . . when Luna, Akechi and I went into that room, we weren't let out until a few hours later. By then, we were all exhausted-- mentally and physically.
Agni and Nie-san felt the same way after they used the room to search for the "heart" and for a "method of separation." I'm not aware that anything happened to anyone else who used it for a more lighthearted reason.
Mmm. So Blue confirmed shortly after I sent you that letter. The house holds a piece of me, Akechi, Luna, Agni and Nie Huaisang, at the very least.
Nie-san saw a room with wooden walls and a single chair, and in the room he could hear and feel a persistent heartbeat.
Agni saw. . . visions. He was in the house, and he saw the people who died this round just doing random, mundane things. Then he saw the door to the room, pulsing red and beating like a heart. When he opened the door, he saw people he cared about getting torn apart.
At the end, he heard a voice-- "to separate, all must gather."
[a beat]
That doesn't mean that everyone needs to die, for the record. He asked Peach for clarification just in case.
[GOOD MORNING PHOENIX. . . Akira is shuffling through the mansion in search of dad this morning, expression a bit worn and haggard for reasons (???) so]
Her age is a little-- [WAGS HANDS] She told me she remembers seventeen years of life, so. . . that's the age she'd go with, even if she looks older.
[don't kinkshame me!!]
[as for the second part. . . Akira kind of deflates a little when Nick asks]
. . .
A couple weeks ago I kissed Akechi, too. Not because I have-- those kinds of feelings for him. But because I was trying to calm him down.
[. . .]
I didn't want to keep it a secret, so I told her about it. And I didn't want to hurt Akechi's feelings, so I asked for a bit of time to. . . talk to him. To resolve what had happened between us.
No, we stopped fighting after that. Then we just got into an argument about whether people cared about him, and about whether he should start being himself around people instead of putting on that stupid pleasant mask that makes me wanna shove his head into a pillow.
[and into the kitchen they go!! despite missing a leg, Akira uses the countertops to maneuver his way around the kitchen so he can fetch coffee supplies]
[he watches Nick out of the corners of his vision the entire time]
[ assume phoenix found him a crutch of sorts..... he fetches coffee supplies for akira to try to ease the burden and pulls up a chair for akira to sit in, but he's not talking at all. just. quiet. going through the motions ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
week 0, friday post-body announcement
[. . . and so, after a few deep breaths, he starts to make his way quickly (albeit painfully) to his room. or. . . he would, but he gets distracted by a certain hobo poking around the hallways like the lawyer he is]
-- Wright-san?
[people who forgot Phoenix was deaf: this guy]
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[ not that there's much he can do it about it. ]
You'll have to speak up. My hearing is stating to go with my age.
[ why is he this way ]
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[when he's done, he shows the message to Phoenix in lieu of speaking]
Sorry. My head's a little fuzzy right now, so I forgot.
Are you okay?
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I was going to say I was Wright as rain.... until a certain somebody told me to change up my material.
Are you okay?
[ what happened to his head!!! ]
1/2
[the response comes delivered with the slightest quirk of a smile, though notably it doesn't reach Akira's eyes. humor is difficult in the wake of someone dying in a very public, very violent manner]
[ALSO HIS HEAD IS OKAY other than the indention of a pool table pocket on his cheek. almost like he. . . fell asleep on the pool table? hm]
[his back is what he's favoring; he's a little hunched even now, making sure to rest his shoulder against the wall to keep himself propped upright so he doesn't have to rely on his muscles alone to keep him from falling over. and he scrawls out an answer to that question in his notebook]
Reply hazy, try again.
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[gives his newly written message a really bewildered look]
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[ phoenix takes note of this, though for his part he looks as casual ever. weird, really. ]
Something the matter?
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Better not tell you now.
[. . . . . . . ?????]
[STARES AT THE WORDS LIKE THEY JUST. . . LEAPED ONTO THE PAGE, and he did not just write them with his own hand and crayon]
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[ intelesting ]
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Cannot predict now.
[. . . out comes another magic 8-ball shitpost]
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Try writing something on your own.
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[an annoyed breath, but Akira jots down a message, this time with little resistance from his rebel of a hand]
Sorry about that. I'm not exactly sure. . . what happened?
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[ time to test his theory! ]
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Outlook not so good.
[ANOTHER HEAVY SIGH, but he resists writing these words a bit less than he did earlier]
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So I'm guessing this is a new development.
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Ditto.
[PHOENIX HAS CRACKED THE CODE]
But if you asked why, I couldn't tell you. It just happened.
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But I'm also guessing that this happened today. And that other odd things are happening to other people.
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I wouldn't be surprised. It's almost similar to how everyone lost their senses throughout the week.
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[ this time phoenix offers his own notebook. ]
It's probably going to be a theme.
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The billiards room, with Akechi. We were both locked in there accidentally at around eleven.
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Seems like he's suffering from the same affliction. I wonder if it's a coincidence.
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Probably not. It's too convenient to be a coincidence.
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[ gosh so demanding! but he's phrasing it this way so it's not a question. ]
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[gives Phoenix a long, hard look, knowing that he's being DEMANDING because demands are one way to circumvent his little 8-ball problem. but it's difficult not to want to sass over those demands anyway!!]
No. . . I haven't noticed any others. I didn't get the chance to investigate the scene of Haruka-san's death.
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[ there, giving some info!!!!! is he a good hobodad now? ]
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Fur?
[Akira is a bit surprised to hear there was fur at the scene so he totally forgets to write down his question]
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Fur. Kind of like it was part of a story.....
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Did the trail of blood lead anywhere?
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[ why is he this way. ]
.... Or at least, that's what it seemed to suggest. It just stopped.
1/2
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It just. . . stopped? Like whatever was creating the trail disappeared?
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... Basically. But no one other than the four of us could see it. Which makes you wonder how legitimate it is.
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That. . . doesn't make sense. A blood trail is a blood trail.
Nevermind I just caught myself trying to be logical in an illogical place.
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My guess? It's part of the show.
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Whatever this "show" is supposed to be.
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[just gonna STRAIGHT UP insult Master Blue because Fuck You]
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[ like he agrees but ]
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Try asking Pete.
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[ god. ]
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Whoever they are, they're the kidnapper and orchestrator of this whole thing.
My opinion on them isn't very high, but it isn't based on anything except us being kidnapped and speculation about their intentions.
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There's those three girls, too..... Wonder what their role is in all this.
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[he has mixed feelings on them!! because he likes them!! but also!!!]
They seemed like they were expecting whatever happened to Haruka-san.
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[WHY DO I KEEP FORGETTING COURIER]
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But that Master Blue is sentimental. It's interesting...
[ is it? ]
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[seems a bit surprised to hear that]
Really?
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Interesting.
I wouldn't have thought Plum would have anything positive to say about Master Blue.
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Makes you wonder a little.
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[another pause where Akira taps the crayon against the side of his notebook]
I don't know. I just don't have enough information to come up with answers to anything.
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Looks like we're all in the same boat.
week 0, post-execution
[ phoenix is here for a secret checkup shhhhh ]
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[anyway Akira is nursing a cup of coffee because SWEET, SWEET SENSE OF TASTE. he blinks at Phoenix, a bit surprised at the honest, blunt greeting, before he lets out an amused snort]
Thanks.
[PHANTOM THIEVES GOTTA PHANTOM THIEF]
I took self-defense classes.
[he did not]
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[ he doesn't buy that, but he smiles. ]
Good classes. I might hire you as an instructor after all this.
Did you talk to Nikki?
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[lifts his cup!!]
[. . .]
[and then his expression falls]
No. . . I didn't.
[he sounds a bit guilty when he says that, but he just didn't have it in him to talk to her while she was in that state]
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[ .... ]
I did. Didn't shed any light on what happened, though.
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[unfortunately all coffee jokes are shoved aside in favor of talking about Nikki]
Was she even able to hold a conversation?
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More or less. Not much to say, though.
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I wish-- [he stops himself, and then starts over]
What did she manage to say?
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I wonder. . . was she always like that? Or did something about her change when she got here?
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Wonder if it's related to the message we heard at the beginning of the week.
[ mystery. ]
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I'd ask one of the sisters about it, but Pumpkin-san said she tunes those messages out. I wonder if that's true for all three of them?
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[ that's a good question, though. ]
I haven't asked them about it.
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You can try. I wonder if you'll manage to get more out of them than I did?
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[PLZ CHARM DOESN'T UNLOCK EVERYTHING HAVEN'T YOU PLAYED A PERSONA GAME PHOENIX GOSH]
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[ he can't do any social links ]
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Don't sell yourself short, Wright-san.
I absolutely think you have a punny stat.
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That's an unpopular opinion.
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[BEST PART: he is being sincere]
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[that's. okay, Akira]
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w1, sunday post-execution
[he looks pensive as he runs his fingers across a flower's petals, expression distant and unfocused]
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[ his hand pops off to tap akira's shoulder while he's still two feet away. ]
Stopping to smell the roses?
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It's peaceful out here.
[AKIRA A MONSTER TORE THROUGH THE GARDEN WHILE TRYING TO KILL ASCH, PROBABLY]
I don't know what it is about flowers, but they're calming.
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[ way to ruin the mood, phoenix!! ]
Hm. Can't say I'm too knowledgeable on the subject.
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Mmm. It might just be me; I worked in a flower shop for a few months.
[looking up now, hand falling back to his side]
Do you need something, Wright-san?
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[ normally, he would vague some more, but it seems like he's serious. ]
Who did you vote for, Akira?
[ and very direct. ]
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[that gives Akira pause, and it's the direct and serious way that Phoenix asks that has him not answering right off the bat]
. . . why are you asking?
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[ extremely real answer. ]
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The Lake Monster.
[EXTREMELY REAL (???) ANSWER]
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Get any nice items from Master Blue?
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[Akira's mouth twitches]
. . . so that's why.
[he shakes his head]
I voted for Asch. [UNDER DURESS!!!!] . . . and obviously, I didn't get any items for it.
Did you?
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What made you think Asch was guilty?
[ he's not mad he's just disappointed. ]
I did, actually. I can even show it to you.
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[SORRY HE'S NOT ANSWERING THAT RIGHT NOW (the answer is "I didn't vote for him because I thought he was guilty") BECAUSE???]
From this week? For getting all three right?!
Who did you vote for??
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[ even when he's infosharing he's being a shitty cryptic mentor about it!! ]
Let's hear your theory.
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[Akira opens his mouth, then shuts it again with a click. he forces himself to calm down with a deep breath as he puts his thinking cap on]
I didn't vote for Asch because I thought he was guilty. I voted for him because I didn't have a valid theory, and. . . it seemed-- better.
[to vote for someone willing to take the blow (EVEN IF HE WAS STUPID ABOUT IT) than to vote blindly and convict someone innocent and unwilling to be a sacrifice]
. . . my theory is still the same as it was at the trial. The map you and Horikawa-san drew was pretty clear.
It had to have been someone in the basement-- 45-san, Nic-san, Meltryllis-san-- or in the main hall-- Ayabe-san, Luna, or Asch-san himself.
[. . .]
Was my theory wrong?
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It's a good theory. We can take Asch out of that. So.... Luna, Ayabe, Nic, 45, Meltryllis.
[ phoenix pulls out two boxes.... both with tags from master blue. ]
Care to take a wild guess?
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[Akira closes his eyes and thinks through everything he can remember from the last hour (or two) he was awake at the trial. he thinks back to Nic and 45 and Luna and Ayabe and Melt's reactions, and. . .]
[. . .]
. . . 45-san.
After all. . . it doesn't make sense for her to have not been affected by a rampaging monster when she was supposedly sleeping in the gun room, right?
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[ look at the court record and try again! next time it'll be a penalty!! ]
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. . . was it really Meltryllis-san?
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[ but yeah. bingo! phoenix smiles. ]
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[just]
[fucking]
[closes his eyes]
[and takes this in for a long, long moment]
[. . .]
[he whirls on his heel and slams his fist against a nearby stone bench]
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Punching me would probably be more satisfying.
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. . . I have no reason to punch you. She was the ten count, wasn't she. . .?
[thanks to her suspicious behavior near the end, there. it isn't all that surprising to him, but what really gets his goat is the fact that he. . .]
I almost-- I almost. . . I almost put down her name.
[. . . he could have been the one person to tip the vote in the right direction]
[and he didn't]
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[ sincerely. because then 10 people would know the truth. anyway, he's not.. great at the comfort, and what's done is done. phoenix could have saved asch if he was more insistent, too. so: ]
Trust your instincts.
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[. . .]
I usually do.
[it's just. . .]
This time, I was being too cautious.
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We couldn't save Asch. But maybe we can save others.
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How?
[will Meltryllis kill again. . .? Asch was turned into a monster during his execution; did Meltryllis's monster form transfer to him, rendering her completely harmless. now that they know for certain she was the culprit. . . what do they do about it?]
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[ he wishes he had the answer. he only barely managed to put kristoph away, and his evil hold isn't vanquished..... ]
.... But the gift I got from Master Blue is a lie detecting bracelet. That would be handy in trial.
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I need to talk to the sisters again. I want to ask them why Asch turned into a monster. I want to ask them if Nia's killer— if Meltryllis— is still dangerous.
I want to ask if there is some way to find out who is going to turn into a monster and kill on Thursday nights before it happens.
[FURRY CONVERSATIONS. . .]
Your bracelet, though. . . that'll come in really handy. Make sure you don't tell too many people about it.
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Let me know what you find out.
Never thought I'd end up with a trinket like this. [ ty is trying to make me rp apollo justice. ]
Consider it an ace up our sleeves.
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[. . .]
[the next question he asks is spoken evenly and without any inflection in his tone, but there's something fragile hidden thinly behind his words anyway. what is it? it's hard to tell]
If Meltryllis-san is still dangerous. . . if there's a chance she'll kill again. . . what will you do about it?
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[ Your Hobo Confidant has increased to Rank 2! You will now earn more EXP from Arcana Burst when fusing Personas of the Hobo arcana! ]
[ NEW ABILITY: Buck Pass: Allows you to pass the responsibility to being a brain cell in court to other Buck Pass users after a 1 More. ]
Not much to do about it. I'm not exactly a dragon-slaying knight.
.... But if we find out a way to contain her... could be a good opportunity to overturn that rule.
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Which rule?
[also HA HA BUCK PASS YOU PRESUME AKIRA HAS A BRAIN CELL AT ALL]
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"All guests must vote for a culprit to be executed for the sake of the house."
Apparently, it's not set in stone.
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What?
[WHAT DOES THAT MEAN]
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If we find a good enough alternative to contain these transformations.... execution might not be necessary.
If.
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Ah. Did you talk to one of the sisters about this?
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[ it's a yes or no question you cryptic fuck. ]
Either way, we don't know a thing about how these play out. Meltryllis herself made no secret of the fact that she's willing to kill as her regular self.... but I didn't get the same impression from Nikki.
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. . . no. I think. . . Nikki-san was a very kind person at her core.
I don't know Meltryllis-san at all. We haven't spoken beyond the words we exchanged at the trial.
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I don't think any of that means she deserves to die.
[she does not!! she is a person too!!!]
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[ did he!!! ]
But there's not much correlation between our two "monsters".
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You mean the rat and the dragon?
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What about them? They're not monsters.
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[i mean. he has no idea???]
I don't know. Pumpkin said something about someone's subconscious, so maybe. . . it's that?
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[ deets ]
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That's all I know. I think that's why the monsters are so different. They're personalized to everyone who becomes one.
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. . . and that's the difficult part.
w2, tuesday
[very loudly]
[and kind of urgently]
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[ ok but no he's opening the door. ]
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Ice cream.
[IS NOW THE TIME]
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Ice cream who?
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[but if it's as urgent as that FRANTIC KNOCKING implies then WHY]
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[ hon hon hon ]
[ steps back to allow him in ]
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Thanks.
[stepping inside and immediately shutting said door behind him]
. . . you're the only one here, right?
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[ which he takes a sip of. ]
What's up?
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[Akira comes right out and says it, though his tone is a little bland]
Nic-san also received an item for correctly voting for Meltryllis-san.
[SURPRISE: PHOENIX IS NOT THE ONLY ONE]
And he went straight to her to corner her about it, so she knows that there are people in the mansion who are aware of her nature.
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[ nic and nick... it is kind of a relief to know he's not the only one, though confronting her right away.... yikes. ]
Did he tell you what she said?
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I haven't spoken to him, actually. Hunter was the one who told me about it, so I assume Hunter was the one who spoke to him.
[. . .]
I don't know why Nic-san confronted her first. I wonder. . . if he thought he could get through to her?
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Sounds like something I would have done, back in my youth. [ and gotten fucking tazed over. ]
[ also he and nic are like the same age but whatever ] Can't say it's the wisest of moves.
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[one of the most reliable people here in Akira's opinion which clearly means that eventually he has to turn maf and do a MURDER]
Yeah; it really isn't. She might kill him now that she knows he knows. But. . . it was his choice.
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[ what the fuck does that even mean. ]
It was. Now we have to think about what we'll do.
[ aka it's time for akira to do all the legwork and phoenix to stand there and make vague comments. ]
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[it's fine Akira knows what that means]
[. . .]
I talked to Peach-san about the transformations. She said that as far as she knows, the only way to cure someone from them is to. . .
[he trails off]
[PHOENIX KNOWS WHAT HE MEANS]
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[ use that protag shounen. ]
It'd be a little early in the game to give up, wouldn't it?
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[that sounds. . . more like him. more like what he wants to believe. more like his justice]
You don't think it's irresponsible of us to stand back and do nothing, knowing that she could-- and probably will-- kill someone again on Thursday?
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[ .... ]
Do you?
[ what the fuck is a straight answer. ]
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. . .
Yes. In. . . a way.
[folds his hands in front of him, gaze affixed on the curve of his own fingers, as though following those lines can distract him from the sudden discomfort he feels churning in his stomach]
It isn't just to stand by and watch an injustice occur when you know you could have stopped it. I'm not saying we have to-- to kill her, but. . .
[looking up again, face determined]
We should do something.
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Running in headfirst is likely to get us in the same situation as Asch.
[ just saying. he's done his fair share of confronting the murderer. it doesn't end too well. ]
So, we should be smart about it.
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You're not wrong.
Getting ourselves killed isn't going to help anyone.
[there's a flicker of gratefulness that appears in his expression when Phoenix says that. because sometimes. . . you have to be reminded to slow down. to not do anything stupid]
So. . . we should come up with a plan.
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[ and still get executed. anyway, he is level-headed??? maybe. ]
We need an ace up our sleeve to take on a dragon.
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Mmm.
Any ideas?
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[amused]
I'm all for it.
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[ so... old... ]
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[33 IS NOT OLD PHOENIX DAMN IT]
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[ this is anime he's over the hill ]
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I won't let you down.
w2, wednesday
[SOMEONE HAD A VERY. . . VERY BAD NIGHT]
[knock knock Nick are you home]
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Who's there?
[ this is going to be a running gag, isn't it. ]
[ for his part, phoenix also looks disheveled and a little scruffier..... ]
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[and yawning]
[. . . and yawning. . .]
[. . .]
Can I get a pass this time around? I can't think of anything funny. . .
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[ there, he saved it. ]
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Thanks.
[he reaches into his pocket as he steps through the door, pulling a piece of paper out of same]
I did art todayyyyy.
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[ smiles! ]
Let me take a look.
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[on the front side is this drawing]
[and on the other side of the drawing is this message in scrawled letters and emojis I HAD TO SCREENCAP IT BECAUSE I COULDN'T COPY THE EMOJIS]
[. . . yawns again]
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[ phoenix looks at it. ]
Could use a few more years of practice.....
[ wow. ]
Where'd you get this?
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I found it in my pocket today. It was just. . . there.
I don't know what it means.
[help]
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[ it's not like they were sleeping. he turns it over ]
There's a camera.
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[YOUR MESSAGE SUCKED, AKIRA]
Maybe my art wasn't artsy enough.
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[ phoenix is a bit jelly. ]
Hm. You probably needed more training.
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[an amused huff]
If it was from someone else in the mansion, I presume they got one of the sisters to help them.
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[ ..... ]
I wonder if this is meant to imply Stefano is our horse killer.
[ the brony part. ]
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[. . . mmm]
Thought it might be that. But what really gets me is the part talking about Meltryllis and Galo.
[leans over to point to the emoji chain next to their names]
It's kind of like it's saying. . . "Melt and Galo are a-okay, no fish-snake."
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[ it looks like it'd be written up by a dog. ]
Fish snake..... dragon?
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[leans his back against a wall and lifts a hand to rub at one eye]
Possibly. But that part of the message would imply that they have some way to check.
[. . .]
. . . and it doesn't make sense, if Meltryllis is responsible for killing Nia.
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[ so maybe that has something to do with it. ]
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I talked to Toi-san about that. He told me the sisters said that Asch was infected when he was bitten by the monster.
But Toi-san assured me that he wouldn't be infected, too. That's because Asch-san's transformation wasn't complete.
[. . .]
. . . Peach also guaranteed me that Meltryllis is still dangeorus.
[she didn't say it in THOSE many words but it was close enough]
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[ .... ]
She doesn't have to transform to be dangerous.
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[POINT TAKEN]
It still doesn't make sense, though. If Asch transformation wasn't Meltryllis shifting the infection to him, then why would someone out there write me a note that says she isn't the. . . fish snake? Dragon?
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[ or transformation can be transmitted like stds.... murder stds. ]
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[that sounds so exciting-- oh wait]
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w2, post-body
Did you ever figure out who sent you that message?
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What?
[he blinks a few times, then realizes what Phoenix is talking about and shakes his head]
No. . . I didn't.
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Two of the three listed on that note are dead now. I wonder if it's a coincidence.
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. . . I thought about that, too.
[yeah it didn't escape Akira's notice at all]
I'm still not sure what the message means, though. It'd be easier to say if it was a coincidence or not if I could interpret what they were trying to tell me.
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[ ..... ]
Did you investigate?
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[a sigh]
Mmm. I did.
Did you?
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[ it's hard to tell whether or not he's joking. ]
Yep. Infirmary. We should look into it tomorrow.
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The garden seemed okay, but we found some drops of water leading towards the duck pond. We absolutely need to check there, too.
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[SAID. SUPER BLANDLY]
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[ shut up phoenix. ]
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[JUST RUBS HIS FACE]
You know, at the trial, people thought that the horse killer might've been another monster.
Do you think it's possible someone went after Valentini thinking he was a monster?
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Is that your theory?
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[as for that question. . . Akira shakes his head]
Not exactly.
My initial theory was that we had two monster kills, and one vigilante kill. But. . . it's hard to tell when we haven't been able to examine the evidence yet.
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[ ha ha ha just kidding. ]
Vigilante, or to stop the lack of sleep.
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Master Blue. . .? Why would it be them?
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[ he's very tired ok ]
But I do wonder how our note sender would have known whether or not they were fishsnakes.
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The reason everyone knew about Meltryllis was obvious, but how could anyone know about Galo. . .?
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I could ask the sisters tomorrow.
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Especially now that Valentini's dead.
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Yeah. Probably. I tried being subtle but maybe I just suck at it.
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I don't speak fluent emoji.
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[ phoenix is emoji illiterate he has a nokia block phone. ]
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[BUT ONCE AGAIN, NOBODY PAID ATTENTION TO HIS ART]
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[because Plum absolutely would not give him one]
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Thanks. I thought it might be.
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Maybe a megaphone, too.
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Plum is going to kill us.
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[ which it would be ]
w3, Tuesday
[he perks up a bit when he sees Phoenix, though he keeps his distance]
Busy day today?
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Lots of babysitting to do.
[ just like he has to babysit you, akira!! ]
What are you up to?
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[HM]
[THAT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE AKIRA???]
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[ that doesn't sound like akira indeed ]
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I have enough memories of my own that I don't need to be seeing everyone else's, too.
[BUT IT IS TOO LATE FOR THAT]
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[ speaking of which: time for phoenix memory!!! ]
[ you're a lawyer... with one case under your belt. you're new, and green, but under the steady hand of your mentor, you're growing. ]
[ or at least, that's what should have happened. but it didn't. she was murdered in her office...... when you stumbled upon the seen you saw her younger sister, a girl in her teens, sobbing over the corpse. she didn't seem guilty to you..... but everyone else seemed to think so. you try to find a lawyer to defend her, but no one will. you offer to contact her family for her, but she tells you she had no one but her sister. ]
[ that's when you make the decision. the whole reason you became a lawyer? because someone has to look out for the people who have no on their side. ]
[ your investigation brings you to one man.. redd white. a blackmailer who has history with your mentor and his sister -- on top of killing mia and framing maya for it, he has further history. apparently, he ruined their mother... the whole reason mia started investigating him. ]
[ as you investigate, you notice that he's stolen much of the evidence she had on him. almost all of it, actually. but you find some... linking his blackmail to suicides across the country. it's enough to confront him, maybe make him confess. ]
[ the last time you spoke to this guy, he punched you. but you can't leave this be. you confront him. ]
[ it doesn't go well. he tells you he has the courts and the police in his pocket and he's right -- before you know what's happening, you're arrested for mia's murder instead. maya shows up, and she wants to help you.... but you don't think she can. ]
[ after all, the court system changed years ago. now, trials are settled within days, if not just one..... and the verdicts are always guilty. you don't doubt that the prosecution will be in redd's plan to frame you, either. ]
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[Akira jerks back as soon as the images of the memory flash before him, and when it ends. . . he's staring into the distance, eyes wide, gaze unfocused]
What. . . ?
[that busy-tailed and bright-eyed lawyer in that memory. . . was that Phoenix??]
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Hm. That's inconvenient.
[ memsharing. ]
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Is that a cue for me to pretend like I didn't see anything?
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[ just don't expect a straight answer ]
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[. . .]
I'm sorry for your loss.
[because he probably did feel those feelings of grief Phoenix had over Mia]
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[ yeah and they were pretty rough, buddy. the overwhelming grief and feeling of being lost.. it definitely permeated through the memory. ]
[ it was a long time ago, though. and it's not like he hasn't had opportunities to see mia.... though he wouldn't want her to see what he's doing now. ]
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I had heard someone say you were an ex-attorney.
What made you quit? You were really good at what you did.
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[ that he was very good. he laughs! ]
But I was stripped of my badge. So, in a sense.... I got fired.
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["performance." but no, Akira believes Phoenix was a good lawyer, he saw it first hand in that memory!!]
[at that answer. . . he frowns, brows furrowed]
Why did they take your badge from you?
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I was caught with forged evidence.
[ what does akira have to say about that? ]
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. . . why did you have forged evidence?
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What do you think?
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You don't seem like the type to forge evidence. That's what I think.
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[ hon hon are you sure you can trust him! ]
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[HON HON CAN HE]
And in my experience, adults have done nothing for me except try to push me down and kick me when I'm already suffering.
[. . .]
[but. . . Phoenix is different. isn't he?]
But you're not like that. You never have been.
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[ why did he become a lawyer in the first place? someone had to help the people who had no one on their side. ]
[ but he's not that man anymore. you lost the right to be. ]
[ and suddenly, akira gets another memory: ]
[ you're a lawyer, trying to defend your client, a world-class magician... but something goes wrong. you're careless. you present a piece of evidence you got from somewhere.. that turns out to be forged. ]
[ the prosecution calls a special witness, to prove you're "guilty". you're disbarred. ]
[ despite the fact that you've just lost everything, the first thing you do is worry for your client. he has a young daughter. but then... something strange happens. he disappears. ]
[ ... like magic. but then, his daughter is left behind. you search for relatives for her to stay with.... but nothing. ]
[ then you offer to let her stay with you. ]
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[mild surprise crosses Akira's features when that memory flashes in his vision, but it's replaced by understanding pretty quickly. if Phoenix was trying to get Akira to not trust him, then. . . well]
[he huffs a little, lifting a hand to tug at his bangs, smile working its way onto his features]
Yeah.
. . . I think I'm right about you.
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[ illegal. ]
Very few people believed in my innocence, you know.
[ he is kind of surprised akira would just immediately trust ]
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Very few people believed in mine.
[ah. . . ah???]
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Were you falsely accused of something, Akira?
[ phoenix doesn't sound surprised, woof. ]
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Yeah. I was.
I was arrested and convicted for assault after I tried to prevent a high-ranking politician from harassing a woman on the street.
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Didn't have a good defense attorney?
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[because TRUMPED UP CHARGES and a SHAM TRIAL]
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Maybe I can help. When we're out of here.
w3, post-trial
Resting up?
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Mmm. Resting up.
[offers Phoenix a lopsided smile as he holds out a hand for painkillers and pudding]
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Good.
Mind if I ask you some questions?
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Ah. . . sure. What about?
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Your friend, Goro Akechi.
[ he puts a weird emphasis on the word 'friend' ] Do you trust him?
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[but Akira does take a seat on the edge of the bed, shooting Phoenix a grateful look as he's helped there. but. . .]
[at that question?]
[he freezes]
. . .
[his expression turns neutral and difficult to read, gaze locked with Phoenix's]
What did you see?
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[ but that about clinches it, yeah. ]
What is there to see that would make you react like that, I wonder...?
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[. . .]
I need to know what you saw.
[because obviously, Phoenix had to have seen something if he was asking Akira a question like that]
. . . so I know how much I can say. Akechi's secrets are not mine to divulge, after all.
[. . .]
But I do trust him.
[a. . . a little bit]
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[ he huffs out a laugh, though there's no mirth in it. fair enough. ]
Because he sacrificed himself?
[ oho. ]
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[his mouth twitches, but the smile (if it could be called a smile) is. . . almost sad]
No.
[. . .]
Maybe. I don't know.
[god. what a complicated subject is Akechi Goro]
I have no reason to trust him. I have every reason not to. And maybe part of me still wonders. . . [if he wouldn't stab me in the back the first opportunity he had. here, he trails off]
Regardless, I do.
[maybe it's because, with Akechi, he 100% knows what he's getting]
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[ none of them were kids, though. none of them were used by their own father for murder. the closest approximation.... is pearl, and that twists his heart a little. ]
[ it's complicated is right. he'd only had this knowledge for a few hours. ]
Do you think he's sincere in wanting to help? Here?
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[????]
Now. . . do I think his reasons for wanting to help are the right ones? Absolutely not.
[because in the end, Akechi will always be himself: selfish and petty. that's something Akira knows deep down, no matter how much he may trust the detective to do his best to solve the mysteries of the mansion]
But so long as his goals are the same as everyone else's, he'll give his best efforts.
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[ this is more or less what he expected, but he gives akira a little nod ]
That being said, can you explain why you were all having a costume party in a ship and fighting off... cognitions?
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[there's that part of things, too]
[Akira opens his mouth, then closes it again]
If I say "cosplay" you're not going to believe me, are you?
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Explain it for this old man, would you?
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[. . .]
My plaque says "professional thief" for a reason, you know? But I don't steal jewels or paintings.
I steal hearts.
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[ shut up phoenix. ]
[ he's waiting for akira to go on ]
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[HE SAYS THAT SO BLANDLY I'M SORRY PHOENIX]
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[ its fine ]
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I steal the hearts of criminals only, anyway.
[oh]
I make them confess their crimes to the public so they can be held accountable for what they've done.
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It does.
You see, where I come from, there's a world parallel to our own called the Metaverse. It's a world made up entirely of human cognition.
Actions taken in the Metaverse can affect a person's cognition in the real world.
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(This sounds like something out of a video game...)
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[phoenix that's super meta]
But only if the real person somehow travels into the cognitive world. The two worlds don't generally overlap.
Only certain people can travel to the Metaverse, and they need a certain phone app to do so.
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How'd you get involved in a world like that?
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Mostly I stumbled across it by accident.
One day an app appeared on my phone. My best friend and I somehow activated it, and it took us to the Metaverse. It was there that I awoke to my Persona.
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[ it's pronounced "personauuuuuughsjdhjsdhjksdksjdks" ]
Is that your inner thief?
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[a bit amused]
More like. . . my inner self. My soul given physical form, which just so happens to be a thief.
And about one hundred other mythological, literary and historical figures.
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[ gosh. ]
So they do the thieving for you? Your personas?
w4, thursday
[and when he gets there, guess who he sees!!]
Oh-- mornin', Wright.
You have good timing.
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Hey, Akira. You can just call me Nick... or Phoenix, if you want.
What's up?
[ does he need help hobbling around? ]
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. . . Nick, then.
[THERE THE CALL PHOENIX "NICK" CHALLENGE HAS BEEN REACHED]
Who are you making breakfast for?
[and Akira seems to have it on his own, no help needed!!]
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It's a surprise.
[ maybe it's akira??? ]
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Uuuuh huh.
Is it for the sisters?
[sorry Nick he isn't letting this go]
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Huh. You solved my riddle. Well done. As your prize.... a pudding.
[ he hands over a wrapped pop tart instead ]
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This isn't pudding, but I'm going to take it anyway.
[anyway yes yes he's making coffee for himself. . . AND GRABBING A SECOND MUG FOR DAD]
Do you have a few minutes? There's something I want to talk to you about.
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[ thanks akira ;a; good son. ]
What's up?
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[slides Phoenix a mug of coffee as he takes a seat and opens his poptarts]
Mmm. So.
Akechi met with Master Blue yesterday.
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[ sips at it.... ]
... In person? No notes?
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[he lifts a hand and mimes ringing a bell]
I think the second bell near the Master Bedroom on the fifth floor works now, though Akechi had to wait for a certain date and time to use it.
I'm going to try meeting with them myself later today.
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Yes, there do seem to be things "timelocked"..... I'll give it a try, too.
[ maybe it will be more helpful than letters!! ]
What did he find out?
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[WELL. . .]
We have a slight god problem.
[he sounds SO CRANKY about this, too]
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[ what ]
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[now he's being wry]
According to Akechi-- who got this information from Blue-- we're in the middle of a feud between gods, with the fates of our worlds hanging in the balance.
Those two gods are the mansion, and Master Blue themselves.
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God... feud?
[ honestly, though, crazier things have happened. ]
I suppose that'd explain a lot.
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Yeah. It does.
Apparently, so long as Master Blue keeps inviting people to the mansion, then the mansion itself won't invade our worlds. Or something like that.
And Master Blue is trying to help, it's just-- the mansion keeps getting in their way.
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[ though.... ]
Someone managed to get a memory out of Master Blue. It involved the house... eating them, and wanting to play a game. Now, knowing this... it puts things in a different light.
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[presuming they're talking about the same person]
. . . it makes me think that Master Blue is just as much of a captive here as we are.
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And they've been trying to guide us....
.... According to one of the ghosts, we've lasted longer than anyone else has.
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There's something special about our round. About us. What it is, I don't know. But we need to keep trying.
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[ but that's probably not it. ]
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[a light huff]
When I talk to Master Blue later, I'll ask them what makes us different.
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[and that he can't help but say with a grin slightly sharper than his usual ones]
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w4, later thursday....
How'd it go with Master Blue? Did they see you?
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[he is eyeing Phoenix's finger and burnt hand like ARE U SURE YOU'RE OKAY. . . but he trusts Phoenix to take care of himself, so. . .]
They did. I talked to them earlier this morning.
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What happened?
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I confirmed a lot of the information I got from Akechi. The house is a malevolent entity, it's trying to prove a "point" but it's doing so badly. . .
[a pause, and his expression falls]
. . . Blue is tired and wants the cycle to end. They told me how we can stop it, but I don't think they were able to give me specifics.
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[ he heard that, too. ]
Don't blame them for being tired. What did they say?
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Yeah, that sounds about right.
[and then, more softly]
I don't blame them at all. In fact, I. . . [a pause, and he shakes his head] I want to save them as much as I want to save everyone else here.
Blue told me to look for the "source" of the house and all of the things it's doing. They couldn't tell me exactly where or what it was, but they did give me hints.
It's closer than we think it is.
The source is available to anyone who seeks it out.
The heart of the matter is what's most important.
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.....
The source of the house..... hm. From what I hear, we'll have to separate Blue from the house in order to be free. I wonder if it's related.
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[ducks his head a bit underneath the hair ruffling, shooting Phoenix a slightly bewildered look for more than one reason]
Who did you hear that from?
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[ ..... ]
Did you hear about the memory of how this all started?
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[. . .]
What are you theorizing?
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It's interesting to me that we have to separate Blue from the house in order to be free.
[. . .]
And I wonder. . . how we'd even do that in the first place. And if separating Blue and the mansion would stop the cycle of violence.
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[ only he can be mysterious, akira, get your own thing. ]
It can't hurt. I have a feeling the house's power draws on Blue's... or something to that effect.
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Yeah. I wouldn't be surprised. Based on that memory Ken told me about, it almost seems if they're kind of. . . symbiotic?
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Hence why we have to separate them.
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... Ash told me something interesting.. about that "third eye"....
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What'd he say about it?
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w6, monday
Can we talk in private? I know now isn't the time to keep secrets from everyone else, but this secret isn't mine to share.
[hm]
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[ coming his way.... with pudding. ]
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[and. well. he cuts straight to the chase]
I know who your partner is.
. . . and I wanted to let you know I'm taking good care of him.
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....
Had a feeling you might, considering your adventures.
... Thank you. I left him in a bad spot.
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Yeah, well. . . I sort of suspected after we found that phone of yours.
[on your crispy body]
But he told me a week later, after Ayabe and Isaac were-- [hmmm] Anyway.
[ANYWAY]
He didn't take it well. But I did my best.
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[ don't text and run from dragons, kids. ]
I thought he wouldn't. He's been through a lot. I think you know what I'm talking about.
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[OLD MAN]
. . . yeah. I know about Mammon, too. So. . .
[. . .]
And I know what he went through back home.
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Good thing he has you. Here.... and home.
[ well, had..... until royal. ]
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I don't know. If you asked him, he'd just call me a nuisance.
[a bit exasperated, a bit fond]
But he told me about the offer you made him, and that he still plans on coming home with me to turn himself in. [. . .] So maybe. . . somewhere deep down. . .
[he actually cares, too]
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[ and akira saw how badly he took phoenix's death. ]
... I'd say him dying is punishment enough. [ he also doesn't know about the conspiracy presumably. ] But if that's his choice.
You'd be welcome, too, Akira. Though I can't say our current justice system is much better than yours.
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I agree, in a way. But I won't stop him if that's what he feels like he has to do.
[after all. . . Futaba and Haru are still hurting. they deserve justice just as much as Akechi himself did]
[at Phoenix's statement, Akira lets out a huff]
I have friends-- a family-- to return to back home, as well as an idiot detective to watch over.
But I think I'd love to come visit you.
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... But we can work out the details after we've done some renovations. [ .... ]
Thank you, though. For trying to clean up my mess.
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Phantom manager. . .
[a huff]
I wouldn't call it a mess at all. You left behind some good notes, and I think they're part of what helped us all begin to come together.
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... Glad they were useful. Can you tell me more details about the room of req-whatever?
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[it's kind of nice, to see Phoenix speaking so fondly of his daughter. it reminds him a bit of Sojiro and Futaba, if he's being truly honest]
And of course I can. What details do you want to know?
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[ au where trucy bullies akechi into being a pleasant boy for real. ]
What did it say?
1/2
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It talked a lot about how we were it's "prey" and itself a predator. It spoke about how it had consumed Master Blue to increase its ability to eat, and it sounded like it looked down on Master Blue for not wanting to consume.
Only observe.
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.... Yes, Blue did tell me that was their job, prior to all this.
Blue also said they observed for potential. That may be what the house is after.
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[haaah. . .]
I think being fused with Blue makes the house stronger. And that's why we have to find a way to separate them.
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Do you know what happened to the others who used the room? What they found out?
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We don't. Saving Blue is just as much of a priority as saving ourselves.
. . . when Luna, Akechi and I went into that room, we weren't let out until a few hours later. By then, we were all exhausted-- mentally and physically.
Agni and Nie-san felt the same way after they used the room to search for the "heart" and for a "method of separation." I'm not aware that anything happened to anyone else who used it for a more lighthearted reason.
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And you lost a bit of your soul... or so I've heard.
....
What did the room show them, do you know?
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Nie-san saw a room with wooden walls and a single chair, and in the room he could hear and feel a persistent heartbeat.
Agni saw. . . visions. He was in the house, and he saw the people who died this round just doing random, mundane things. Then he saw the door to the room, pulsing red and beating like a heart. When he opened the door, he saw people he cared about getting torn apart.
At the end, he heard a voice-- "to separate, all must gather."
[a beat]
That doesn't mean that everyone needs to die, for the record. He asked Peach for clarification just in case.
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[ shit sucks. gives him a little blanket hair ruffle. ]
The house has claim to our souls, too.... It only stands to reason that the opposite is true. Fix this, get it all back.
[ he listens...... ]
It may mean we all need to gather in this room together..... Wooden walls, one chair. Can you think of anything that fits the bill?
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A room similar to the one with wooden walls and a chair, but not the one the Room of Req-whatever conjured up?
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But one way or another, we need to figure it out.
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w6, tuesday morning
[WHERE ARE YOU DAD, COME TO HIM]
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Just in time, Akira.
[ what's up son ]
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[and then huffs an amused laugh]
Oh? Is that for me?
[HE IS KIDDING]
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[ endgame dad pancakes......... he will put little phantom thief things on them with whipped cream ]
[ somewhere, akechi is screaming about delicious pancakes ]
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[Akira takes a seat when instructed to do so, resting his elbow on the counter and his chin in his palm as he watches Nick work]
[. . .]
. . . can I ask you some advice, too?
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What's up?
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. . .
[his hand dips into his pocket, fiddling with something completely unseen]
Luna kissed me yesterday.
[LET'S START THERE]
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Kissed you....?
[ huh. that's unexpected. ]
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Mmm. Don't get me wrong, I wanted her to-- I wanted to kiss her back, but I just--
[. . .]
I messed up afterwards.
[HE MESSED UP SO BAD]
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[ phoenix gently kinkshames atlus ]
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[this is not where he expected the conversation to go, and Akira just kind of. blinks at Nick blearily, before he makes a face]
. . . are you scolding me???
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[ listen........ he is dad what is he supposed to say. ]
[ though he's more concerned about why luna is kissing him in the first place ]
How'd you mess up?
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Her age is a little-- [WAGS HANDS] She told me she remembers seventeen years of life, so. . . that's the age she'd go with, even if she looks older.
[don't kinkshame me!!]
[as for the second part. . . Akira kind of deflates a little when Nick asks]
. . .
A couple weeks ago I kissed Akechi, too. Not because I have-- those kinds of feelings for him. But because I was trying to calm him down.
[. . .]
I didn't want to keep it a secret, so I told her about it. And I didn't want to hurt Akechi's feelings, so I asked for a bit of time to. . . talk to him. To resolve what had happened between us.
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Huh.
[ crowker kiss........... ]
Did she take it badly?
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She took it really badly.
[TO PUT IT MILDLY]
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[ is there more akira crimes, help him get the full picture ]
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[GOD STOP CALLING HIM GORO??? he blinks a little, frowning]
. . . yeah. But not because I wanted anything form him, I just-- wanted to make sure I wasn't hurting his feelings.
[HE WANTED CLOSURE!! THAT'S ALL!!!]
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I don't think that's wrong. For both you or him.
....
Were you... close, with Luna, before that?
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[. . .]
I've held her hand a lot. I've kissed her on the forehead. Nothing more, but she's been--
[. . .]
[a shaky breath]
. . . she's been the whole reason I'm still here.
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When did it turn [ ... ] romanticish?
[ Since holding hands and kissing on the forehead can be platonic... ]
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I had more than one someone, but I'm trying to be sentimental, here.
[he is just!! thinking about Luna a lot!!!]
[. . .]
It was right around the week we got those stupid DVDs. . . I think.
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[ just pretend hes saying akechi this whole time it hurts me to write ]
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That was-- [mmm] The Saturday after the trial where you died.
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[ hm. ]
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He was trying to rip his page out of your notebook.
I stopped him, and we got into a fist fight.
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And then a kiss fight?
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No, we stopped fighting after that. Then we just got into an argument about whether people cared about him, and about whether he should start being himself around people instead of putting on that stupid pleasant mask that makes me wanna shove his head into a pillow.
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So then a kiss fight.
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Yeah, sure. A kiss fight.
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[TO CALM HIM DOWN?? KEEP UP, DAD!!!]
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[ gosh. ]
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What are you getting at?
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Punching sure wasn't helping. He wouldn't have seen a kiss coming.
The shock, at the very least, would've been enough.
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[ trying to suss out whether or not akira has any feelings for akechi or just luna ]
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[Akira just. . . looks away, expression softening]
[. . .]
I don't know.
I could never get an answer from him.
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[ what are your intentions with his work wife and son, son ]
[ (this is a weird family) ]
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[THIS IS A WEIRD FAMILY]
[and suddenly, Akira seems a little. . . reticent to answer]
Don't-- don't ask me that.
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So it wasn't just to calm him down or because you wanted to shut him up?
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[lets out a frustrated sigh, a sharp exhale of breath]
. . . I don't want to date him. If that's what you're asking.
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[ gosh. ]
Do you think Luna might have picked up on something?
[ re....... rival ust or whatever is happening ]
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[he looks away again and still refuses to answer]
. . . yeah. I think so.
She did tell me she thought I didn't know what I actually wanted.
[he does know what he wants, though. even if he still can't really explain the kiss with Akechi in terms that are satisfying to anyone else]
w6, friday
[he watches Nick out of the corners of his vision the entire time]
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. . . Nick?
[gently calling out his name, trying to get his attention. to get him to a state where he can talk]
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[ he answers right away, at least. ]
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[penny for ur thoughts, dad. even though he absolutely already knows]
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[ he idly toys with the necklace.... ]
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We don't.
. . . and it doesn't make sense. I thought-- [a pause] I thought they couldn't die.
Or at the very least. . . they were extremely difficult to kill.
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The house itself.... might have been fighting with them.
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[his hand curls a little more tightly around a mug he grabbed from the cabinet, knuckles white]
. . . they put themselves in a lot of danger for us.
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[ and died for it! ha ha! ]
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[reaches out to place a hand on Nick's shoulder. he looks. . . conflicted for a moment, before he says a simple]
I'm sorry.
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I thought you finished with all your apologies before. What are you sorry for?
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Because it hurts. Doesn't it?
[lord knows for Akira it hurts. he just. . . wish he knew what to say]