3/1, Wednesday After School

The door was there the first time he passed by where it had always been before.

It had been a message from Iwai, a few days after Akira had been released, telling him to stop by. Let the owner of Untouchable, the Phantom Thieves' favourite (and only) arms dealer, see that his shop's best (and only) assistant was doing fine.

So Akira had made his way to Untouchable after school, taken the same path as ever, and turned into the alleyway leading to the store.

Then come to a dead stop.

As always, the entrance to the Velvet Room awaited, blue light stretching out to envelop Akira as he approached. The illusion of bars flickered across the door, yet provided no purchase to Akira's outstretched hand. And whatever the material that made up the door itself was, it was solid and smooth. Nowhere to grip, no way to open it. Unresponsive to a push. So close, and yet so far.

It took a while for Akira to give up on the door, trying anything and everything he could think of to get it to open. He knocked and it gave no response. He threw his weight against it and it did not give. His fingers scrabbled at the edges but could find no way to force it open. In the end, the door bested him, and he was forced to give up.

But he didn't forget it.

So whenever Akira passed by where the door remained in Shibuya, or Shinjuku, or Akihabara, he always took a second to stop and rap his knuckles against it. Yet never was there a response. Never ever.

He wasn't even really sure why he so wanted it to open. Did he want things to not be over? For the Velvet Room to continue being necessary to him? If life was the same as the last year, the Phantom Thieves still needed, a very significant part of him wouldn't hate that.

But he'd accepted it was over. He was trying to move on. Perhaps the door was just taunting him that he couldn't let go, not just yet. It annoyed him.

But in the end, he adapted. After the tenth attempt it had become more tradition than anything, no real acknowledgement of the possibility of answer. Simply a moment to stop by and say hello. To the door.

Listen.

Just a little over two weeks after he'd been released and Akira was on his way to Untouchable once more. This time it wasn't an invite, he was stopping in to see how Iwai was doing himself. Akira had taken on numerous jobs during his time in Tokyo, and he'd had to visit each to inform them of his oncoming departure. Hanasaki, at the Flower Shop, had been the most distressed, pushing a book on flower care and arrangement into Akira's hands, insisting he practise what he could back home. His sense for flowers was too good to let go to waste, she'd told him. He'd appreciated that.

It was thoughts of the jobs he was leaving behind, and the people he'd worked for and with, that were swirling in Akira's mind as he turned the corner into the alleyway off of Shibuya's Central Street. So even though his eyes passed over the door, and the one standing before it, Akira still managed a few steps forward before coming to a dead stop, eyes widening rapidly.

Waiting there before that sealed entrance, Lavenza, Velvet Room attendant, looked up at Akira with a simple smile.

"Good afternoon, my Trickster."

Back then, it was thanks to the countenance of Joker, alongside his unwavering focus on just how off the rails things presently were, that Akira had found himself immunised to a lot of the shock regarding the fusion of Caroline and Justine. He'd taken it in stride because, really, it was hardly the most messed up thing he'd seen that day. Maybe not even top five. It had been rough.

So he'd accepted Lavenza's appearance with barely a missed step, acknowledged and worked alongside her, and that had been that. Now though, well…

Lavenza didn't quite have the grin of Caroline, the face-covering dark glee she'd expressed when she was ready to really swing that baton. Yet neither was it the phantasmal, barely-there smile Justine would wear when approving Akira's progress. It was somewhere in-between, as all things about Lavenza were, and translated to a simple, though exceedingly pleased, smile.

Trickster he may be, but Akira Kurusu was not above a good surprise once in a while. Something to remember.

"Have you been well?"

It was the follow-up question that jolted Akira from his state of surprise – shaking him from the myriad thoughts and questions no doubt forming in his mind. Akira Kurusu was a sharp analyst, and had the keenest raw instincts of the Phantom Thieves by far. It would not surprise Lavenza in the least if he were to ask a particularly insightful question regarding her presence here.

She could see it in his eyes, consideration as he now properly paid her attention instead of his own thoughts. He nodded, a slight smile curved at his lips, and Lavenza immediately felt her own heart lift. His smiles had been rarely won things, after all.

"It's been a while."

"I hope you have not been too lonely in my absence."

"It hasn't been easy, I'll admit."

"I see."

Alongside his lack of preparedness for Lavenza's surprising appearance this day was Akira's general lack of understanding of Lavenza herself. Oh he knew Caroline and Justine, had grown to understand their quirks and mannerisms over the time they had spent together, and so had a strong approximation of Lavenza from imagining those two as one person, yes. But there was still a gap between imagining Lavenza's two halves as one individual and Lavenza herself. It was all but obvious to her that Akira had come to that conclusion already. Again, a swift mind, as was necessary for the one who had saved the souls of humanity.

"Uh," the most significant question finally appeared, the wording of which Akira had clearly been struggling with since his eyes had set upon the awaiting attendant, "so what brings you here today?"

"You sound disappointed." He didn't, but the opportunity to tease was one to be relished. Akira shook his head, immediately concerned that his attempt to figure out just what the hell was going on had managed to insult the girl. Lavenza laughed lightly. "It is my day off."

Another victory over her Trickster, the one known as Akira Kurusu reduced to a blank stare. His pace had been shattered by Lavenza's sudden appearance this day, and until he'd recovered she was enjoying every moment she could savour of his surprise.

"Oh, really?"

"Another joke."

"Oh."

Justine had been the one to joke, but her jokes had always been things delivered like a professional surgeon, a cutting and merciless line scoring a great mark against a target, far too often Caroline. Caroline had the more bombastic personality, but lacked the same sharp wit. Combining the two seemed to have resulted in a most relentless tease, one to outpace perhaps even the Joker himself.

Still, there was a point where it began to be less a manner of amusement and more of concern. The separation from the Velvet Room for guests was a time of victory, the conclusion of their journey one to be celebrated. Akira had remained imprisoned, victorious, yet alone. And though now he was recovering, something Lavenza could see clearly, he was still not the same as he had been before.

She sighed, and left jokes behind for the moment.

"I remembered," Lavenza spoke, "something from before you were found. Before that false god arrived, imprisoned my master, and tore me in two." Having been split into two people, and then merged back into one, had left Lavenza with a most deep impression. Although as a resident of the Velvet Room she was far less affected by the experience than any human would be, it was undeniable that some effects would remain. One of which was that her memories from before the separation seemed to come and go, ebbing and flowing like waves.

Akira was listening intently, his expression similar to what he had worn while Caroline and Justine assessed his progress with the challenges Lavenza had left behind. It was an incredibly familiar sight to Lavenza, who found herself inordinately pleased to see it.

"Though we had yet to know of our next guest," she continued, "we were aware that one would soon arrive. Because of that, I had begun to think of the outside world." Akira knew little of the Velvet Room's residents, of the nature of attendants – the false god's machinations stifling the bond that should have been forged between attendant and guest. Neither of Lavenza's halves had ever been able to express, or acknowledge, their fascination with the world beyond. "Specifically, I had begun to look forward to seeing it. I had… hoped for our next guest to be willing to show me the world in which they lived."

"Huh." Akira clued in quickly with that statement. Lavenza was here to see the world beyond the Velvet Room's entrance. "Is that why the door is still here?"

"Indeed," the girl nodded, "I had asked my master to maintain the link between the Velvet Room and your world for a little longer. Just until I had taken the chance to see the world beyond."

"I didn't even know that was a thing you could do."

Lavenza smiled lightly. "Normally it is not, attendants are bound to the Velvet Room after all. But we do possess the ability to travel further afield. And while ultimately we must return, I have to admit, the stories I have been told have… inspired me to experience the world in which you live."

There was a lot to unpack there. Lavenza's use of the word 'attendants', that she had been told 'stories', it implied a conversation with others like her. Akira considered that quickly, but was already focusing on what was actually at hand. He gave a smile of his own.

"So would you like me to show you around?"

"Please, my Trickster."

A slight frown creased the edges of Akira's mouth and he shook his head for a moment, eyes focused upon the blue-clad girl. Lavenza stared back up at him, her own golden eyes intimidatingly bright.

"Let's not use 'Trickster' while we're out today," Akira spoke after a moment, "You can just use 'Akira' for me, it's fine."

"Is it?" Lavenza considered the young man with her own curiosity, "You offer familiarity freely."

"You think?" Akira nonchalantly dismissed Lavenza's own thoughts, "I'd say it's more than paid for, after everything we've been through."

"Hmm," Lavenza acknowledged the thought as, with measured step, she broke away from the blue light emanating from the entrance to the Velvet Room, the large tome she always carried dispersing into the same light as she went, "very well."

If Akira, as he followed Lavenza out onto the main street of Shibuya, had been preparing to ask whether today was going to be a 'ghost' situation or not, he didn't need to. Almost immediately he could spot the glances passerbys threw at the young girl, her blue garb more than ornate enough, her platinum-blonde hair more than striking enough, to draw attention. Okay, so she really was actually really real in the real world. Akira rubbed the back of his head and followed after her.

"So why today?"

The Velvet Room's door had been there every day Akira had passed it by since he'd been released. It seemed for sure that the option to go out had been available to Lavenza every single day he'd been by and knocked upon it.

"I was leaving you time to spend with your fellows before I demanded some of my own," the girl replied simply, roaming eyes studying the street, its storefronts, the signs, the people; everything she could observe Lavenza was drinking in with her sight. "I believe you needed it."

There was something innately Morgana-ish in that statement, a degree of tone indicating superiority. Akira quickly began to wonder if that was a Velvet Room resident trait.

"I guess I can stop knocking on the door then?"

"Please," Lavenza intoned, "It was growing unbearable."

Akira paused. "Joke?"

"No."

Further down the street Lavenza came to a halt, the scent of Big Bang Burger thick in the air, a constant stream of light and sound washing out from the entrance of the Gigolo Arcade, and announcements of available products loudly broadcast from the discount store Rocinante ahead. It had been overwhelming to Akira when first he'd walked these streets, and though he'd come from a relatively quiet town, it had still been far louder than the Velvet Room. He quickly moved up beside the still Lavenza.

"Holding up okay?"

"Yes," Lavenza's gaze didn't rise to consider Akira, her golden eyes still flicking from side to side, "there is simply quite… a lot out here. Even from where I stood at the entrance to the Velvet Room, I was unable to imagine such an… abundance."

"Take it at your own pace," Akira nodded, understanding just how much this could be, "no need to rush it."

As if spurred to do the opposite of Akira's words, Lavenza immediately turned on her heel, pointing herself directly at the arcade. A steady march brought her to the doors and then through as they opened up, Akira quickly following behind. At this point the day was already so far out of control that the only sensible thing for him to do was simply just roll with it.

An act he was quite experienced in, after this long.

"Ah!" Lavenza was looking this way and that, enraptured by the manifold games set within the arcade. While Akira hadn't spent too much time in the Shibuya branch of the Gigolo Arcade, its layout was more than reminiscent enough of the branch in Akihabara that he felt confident in being able to give the full package tour to the enthralled Lavenza. For as much as one could tour an arcade.

"How wonderful," Lavenza's delight was infectious enough to get Akira to smile back at her when she looked up at him, enjoying her outright fascination with the mundane world in which he lived. He kept a few paces behind the girl as she approached one of the game cabinets, watching as she pushed at the buttons and frowned when they gave no response. Okay that was actually kind of cute.

"Hmm," Lavenza looked up at Akira with a frown, "I had heard that an arcade was a place of adventure overseen by electronic spirits, but they seem unresponsive at the moment. Is there a way to wake them?"

Maintaining a neutral expression in day-to-day life had been a natural skill for Akira over the last year, but listening to Lavenza describing the arcade was really testing him. He had to bite the inside of his cheeks as he fumbled with his wallet to produce some coins.

"They take money to run."

"Oh!" Lavenza's eyes immediately widened, "Of course! Much like the cost of summoning a Persona, these spirits require fiscal sacrifice before they will aid you. How foolish of me to miss that."

Akira's outstretching hand, coins in palm, went ignored as Lavenza withdrew a small purse of her own from her skirt. Opening it up Akira caught a brief glimpse of a truly exceptional number of coins (it almost felt like more than the purse should hold?) before Lavenza had withdrawn three and begun feeding the machine.

"I didn't think you had your own money," he remarked, watching as the game booted up. It was a left to right run-and-gun, the mechanics of which Lavenza was attempting to figure out without ever having touched a videogame before in her life.

"Payments made to perform summoning are for the act of sacrifice, not compensation," Lavenza explained as she pressed the jump button over and over, seemingly pleased with that action alone, "all funding paid to the Velvet Room is available for our use as necessary."

Akira paused. Ran some quick calculations. He'd done a lot of fusion before. So then…

"Wait, you have all the money I paid for summoning and fusion in there?"

Lavenza had decided to move her character forward, and made it roughly half a screen before the first enemy of the first level reduced the player to a series of fading pixels. She frowned.

"It is not only you," she remarked, inserting another coin into the cabinet, "you know you are not the first after all."

Akira's head started spinning as he began to comprehend just how much potential money Lavenza might have. Oh. Oh wow.

"You need to press that button to shoot or they'll always get you."

"Oh!"

With key pointers from Akira, Lavenza did manage to, after a few more coins, make her way through the level until the first boss. After being defeated by a wave of its attacks however, the blue-clad girl seemed to grow disinterested and wandered off to study a crane game.

A handful of coins and an exceptionally ugly looking stuffed rabbit later, and Lavenza's attention turned to the largest installation in the arcade, only just vacated by the group who had been using it. It was right next to the entrance, and featured the most flashing lights and blaring music of the entire establishment. It was also the one game Akira was far and away most familiar with.

"What is the purpose of this machine? 'Gun About: The Super Real?'"

"That's a popular one," Akira watched as Lavenza picked up one of the gun-controllers, passing it from hand to hand, grip never quite right. "You aim the gun at the screen and squeeze the trigger to fire. One of my Confidants taught me how to play it."

"Hmm." Lavenza was continuing to mishandle the controller, eventually leading Akira to fit it into her hands himself. She seemed pleased once he had done so. "Very well then, I will attempt its trials."

This time, with Lavenza's hands tied up in holding onto the controller, it was up to Akira to put in the money to start the game. While he still possessed an impressive amount of savings thanks to his Phantom Thief exploits over the last year, Akira couldn't help but feel a slight twinge of annoyance at covering the costs of someone who likely had more money than he could possibly imagine. Ah well, whatever. Once the game began, he instructed Lavenza on how to begin the game tutorial – a far kinder teacher than his own.

Being given a controller and told to 'get shooting' by an irate Shinya Oda when Akira had never touched the game before had been quite the harrowing experience.

"Kurusu?"

As Lavenza set her mind to learning the ropes of Gun About, Akira turned around to find another ally having entered the Shibuya arcade.

Yuuki Mishima, running a hand through blue-tinted hair, settling it from the winds outside, raised his other hand in greeting. Akira smiled and raised a hand of his own.

"Hey Mishima."

A tap of their wrists against each other was the greeting between the two, before Akira turned back to check how Lavenza was holding up. In opposition to Makoto's loud enthusiasm when playing the game, Lavenza was silent and focused, like a hunter poised to spring upon its prey.

Mishima was the first to notice what was off here.

"Wait! Can you even get that score in the tutorial level?!"

Huh? Oh shit. Wow.

"Woah," Akira raised an arm as a bar before Mishima, instructing him to keep a pace back. Lavenza's reactions weren't just precise, they were insanely fast. As soon as a target appeared she'd already scored a perfect hit. And it was every. Single. Time. "Can't say I saw that coming."

When the clock on the tutorial ran out, Lavenza huffed a sigh, turning around to fix Akira with a disappointed gaze. Mishima, unsure of what the hell was going on, just stared.

"I cannot say this 'Gun About' is a very enthralling experience. I find it difficult to believe it is 'popular' as you described it."

"That was the tutorial," Akira managed to contain his surprise at Lavenza's incredible videogame potential, stepping over to the setup panel. Gun About had an online component, allowing those who set up accounts to be matched with other players across the internet. There was no way any single-player experience this machine could provide would entertain Lavenza. "Let me get you online and then you can try playing against another person."

"I see," Lavenza pursed her lips, "I suppose the key unpredictability of humanity should pose a more exciting experience."

Mishima blinked. "Uh, what?" When Lavenza's brilliant golden eyes set upon him, he took a step back, trying his best not to stare.

"Yes?" Lavenza asked simply, Akira over at the Gun About console logging into his account for Lavenza.

"O-oh," still unsettled by Lavenza's gaze, Mishima defaulted to what he knew. "T-that's an interesting outfit, are you cosplaying something?"

Lavenza's stare was truly something unnerving, and the teen struggled under it. The awkward moment stretched out until just before Akira returned.

"This is the garb of a Velvet Room attendant," Lavenza finally spoke, "that is all."

"Ah," Mishima nodded, as if that explained everything, "right."

"Okay," Akira, now returned, rescued each from the other, turning Lavenza's attention back to the screen. "You just select that option there, yep you got it, and you'll be randomly matched with someone else online who's free. Hopefully that's a little more fun."

"I see, thank you." As soon as Akira stepped back Lavenza's eyes narrowed, focus absolute on the screen. Akira moved over to Mishima.

"She's... intense." The other boy spoke quietly to his friend. Akira chuckled in return.

"I'm surprised too."

"So is she like, a relative of yours?" Kurusu had never spoken much about his family to Mishima, so he wasn't really sure. There wasn't much of a resemblance, but that didn't mean as much these days. Akira looked over at Lavenza, watching her dismantling her current opponent with unerring speed and precision. He felt bad for whoever she was matched against.

"Something like that."

"Hmmm." A loud sigh from Lavenza drew Akira's attention, the girl setting the Gun About controller back into its holster. "I believe I am done. It seems there is quite a gap between myself and humans, who are able to enjoy such things freely."

Some sort of strangled, questioning noise came out of Mishima, who Akira had to attempt to wave off. Lavenza wandered over to the arcade's exit. "Shall we go somewhere else?"

"Yeah," Akira nodded, before turning back to Mishima. "Hey Mishima, I'll catch up with you later. We'll hang out some other day, okay?"

"Oh! Right!" Mishima nodded enthusiastically, broken from his bafflement at Lavenza by the promise of a future hangout with his best friend. "I'll see you later Kurusu!"

Outside of the arcade, back on the streets of Shibuya, Akira checked his phone as Lavenza wandered about. He'd received a few messages just now, and was wondering what was going on. As soon as the chat app opened though, his eyes widened in shock. Oh hell.

Shinya: Kurusu-san!
Shinya: What was that?
Shinya: Was that you?
Shinya: I've never seen a hacking program that good!
Shinya: Also why are you using hacking? You're better than that!
Shinya: If that wasn't you someone's taken your account!
Shinya: And if it was why were you doing that?
Shinya: Let me know when you get this!

"Lavenza!" The Velvet Room attendant turned back to Akira, interested by the slight tone of distress in his voice. What was on his mind? "You didn't play against someone labelled as King, did you?"

Lavenza blinked. "There were labels?" Akira sighed.

Shinya was good. Shinya was really good. But Lavenza was something else, the sort of thing a human being couldn't be in Gun About. Of all the luck for Lavenza to be paired against him. He tapped out a quick message on his phone.

Akira: I'll look into it, thanks
Shinya: I knew it wasn't you!

And that was that. Crisis averted.

It was lucky it had been here in Shibuya that Akira had met Lavenza again. If he'd been passing by Akihabara instead, and taken Lavenza to the arcade there, Shinya would be forced face-to-face with an unbeatable being. Best to spare him that experience. No-one deserved to face Lavenza in Gun About without the screen of believing there was a hacking program in play.

"I've decided."

Akira looked down at Lavenza, who had reached up to tug at his sleeve. Her golden eyes were focused on his, a gaze gentle yet intent.

"I would like to see a shrine before I return to the Velvet Room."

"A shrine, huh?"

Akira didn't know a lot of the shrines in Tokyo, mostly just the biggest ones. Asakusa was about a half-hour away by train, so maybe that would work? Lavenza seemed to approve when he suggested it.

So it was the two travelled by train, Akira needing to position himself to push back the crowds and give Lavenza a little space. Though she'd done well on the streets of Shibuya, and thanks to her laser-focus been unconcerned about people around her in the arcade, inside the train was a little different. Lavenza was definitely not used to a horde of people, and Akira could tell she was uncomfortable. So he did his best to give her what room he could.

It was still a rather tough journey all the same.

Nakamise Street was no less packed than the train itself had been, yet the sheer volume of things to see, shops to stop by, occupied Lavenza's attention enough to insure herself against the crowds. As the pair made their way up the street Lavenza moved from stall to stall, often commenting on what she saw. Nothing drew her enough to buy however. Akira wondered if she was even able to take anything back to the Velvet Room with her.

Yet near the end something did capture Lavenza's full attention. Akira had been used to watching her move from stall to stall, so while she was at one scouted what others were around to introduce. It was only after a few moments without reply from Lavenza that he noticed her gaze was intent on what this stall was offering. Moving up beside her, Akira could see a collection of decorative butterfly ornaments. Huh.

"You like butterflies, don't you?" It wasn't too hard of an assumption to make, Lavenza wore a pair of butterfly hairpins already, which the stall owner was repeatedly complimenting her on while insisting another butterfly would truly complete the look. There was also the matter of the constant sightings Akira had of butterflies, Lavenza's voice echoing in his ears, but he'd never mentioned that to anyone. It seemed like something to not bring up.

Lavenza's stare didn't waver.

"Butterflies bring good luck to those of the Wild Card," she spoke eventually, startling Akira with the information provided. Huh. "You should choose one for yourself."

Was that so? Casting his eye over the collection, the stallkeep eagerly suggesting which would suit Akira best, he paused to consider the one that had most caught his attention. It was black with white lines, a fascinating geometric design upon it. He had to admit, it looked good. He reached out a hand towards it.

Lavenza's own, her grip surprisingly strong, settled around his wrist.

"Don't." She intoned, the single word an almost unquestionable command. "Don't choose a black one."

O...kay? Akira gave her a questioning look, but Lavenza simply shook her head. Probably best not to question it. Akira focused on a brilliant red instead, Lavenza nodding with a pleased expression at the choice. The stallkeep enthusiastically tried to convince Akira he needed more.

One was enough.

Beyond that, the two made their way on to the shrine, Akira affixing the butterfly to his jacket. Lavenza smiled each time she saw it, which was more than enough reward for having bought it, Akira concluded.

Though Asakusa's Shrine was one of the most known and visited in Tokyo there was still an air of solitude within it. The environment itself demanded peace and respect from those to enter, and so as Akira and Lavenza approached it they went unaccosted.

There was something truly calming in simply walking the path.

"Hmm," Lavenza spoke evenly, eyes roving about the shrine, "there is most certainly something to this place, though I find myself unable to determine what. It differs vastly from Shadows."

"Huh." Akira didn't have the same depth of sense – did Morgana ever sense anything in shrines they'd visited? He'd never said so. Lavenza continued on, Akira following after.

It was the donation box that caught Lavenza's attention, luring her to its side. Akira's interest, watching her withdraw her purse and opening it up, morphed quickly into some measure of panic as Lavenza simply upended it over the box, coins pouring out like a steady river into it. The clinking of metal boomed in his ears, the sound he was sure being cast across the entire shrine and drawing all eyes to the wealthy donor. Stressed by the possibility, Akira moved to stand in a way that would best shield Lavenza from view.

It didn't really help much.

There was no way for Akira to know exactly how much Lavenza had just provided, but he was positive beyond a shadow of a doubt that if it wasn't more than he'd given in total to the Velvet Room it was very close indeed. Lavenza seemed pleased.

"Though I do not reside in this world, I would like to believe my offering will no doubt bring providence my way."

Though he couldn't compare in the slightest, Akira made sure to leave some coins of his own as well. The only providence he needed was a quiet evening after this. Moving at her own pace, Lavenza was an exhausting being to keep up with.

"Hmm," she was looking up now, studying the afternoon sky. It was beginning to darken, the evening oncoming. If there was a frown on Lavenza's face at the progress of time, she obscured it quickly enough for Akira not to notice. Or at least not to mention, for which she was thankful.

"I saw stalls," she lowered her head now, looking back towards the direction of Nakamise Street, "that offered food. It would be good to eat with you, before I return."

"Okay," Akira nodded, silent on Lavenza's thoughts of return. Back down from the shrine, back down to the stalls lining the street still filled with people, and Lavenza, following her nose, found the source of a scent that had caught her attention earlier. She stopped before the stall, waiting for Akira to step forward.

"This one."

It was a takoyaki stall, the owner giving a big grin at the pair. "That's a nice outfit, little lady, would you be interested in our takoyaki? They'll make you smile so wide you could eat an octopus whole!"

"Oh!" Lavenza took a step back, surprised by the proclamation. Akira shook his head and stepped up.

"It's an expression."

The stallkeep grinned at the two, passing over the takoyaki to the pair. "This brings back some old memories," she waved them off, "Have a good evening you two!"

It took a little bit to find somewhere to sit, the two of them relaxing as they enjoyed their food. Despite it being billed as takoyaki, the flavour was a little different than Akira had expected. Must be something special in the cooking. Lavenza stared at the package intently, but shook her head and consumed all the same. Must be okay then, Akira concluded.

The night was truly coming on now once the two were finished, purple taking more of the sky than orange. Wispy clouds trailed in the wind, chill enough to bite but not enough to force those outside to escape. Akira tugged at his jacket, but did nothing more besides that. Lavenza didn't seem uncomfortable, at least.

In the silence thoughts swirled in each of their heads, each considering the afternoon they had shared. For Lavenza, she was soon to return to the Velvet Room, this excursion her one and only. Until the next guest would arrive. For Akira, it was only a few weeks now until his return to his family home. Separated from Tokyo and all he'd come to know and love.

Each of them were already looking forward to the future beyond this day. The day they'd be free to walk the streets of Tokyo once more.

"I have sisters." Lavena announced it, startling Akira. He looked at her in interest, the word heavy in his head. 'Sisters'. Others like Lavenza? Just imagining current Lavenza as an adult was enough to evoke a sense of respectful fear. Akira was unsure if he wished to meet the sisters of his guide. "They were the ones to tell me of the world outside, to put in me the desire to see it. One day... I hope to see them again and tell them of what I have seen. And of you, my Trickster."

Despite Akira's request for Lavenza to use his name, she hadn't once. This was the first utterance of Trickster since they'd begun however, and it was in a private enough conversation. Akira didn't mention it.

"Are they somewhere else right now?"

"One left the Velvet Room," Lavenza said it looking forward, not moving her head an inch, not looking at Akira in the slightest. "My eldest sister goes out to see her, now and again, but always returns. She never will though. Not as an attendant, at least."

"As a guest?"

Slowly, Lavenza nodded.

"Are you hoping you'll see her then?"

Another nod.

"... I hope you do too then."

"Thank you."

More silence. Lavenza had withdrawn something from her skirt, playing with it in her hands, but Akira couldn't get a good look at what it was. He left the question unasked.

"We attendants," Lavenza spoke again as the light of the afternoon continued to fade away, "bond deeply to the guests we serve. It is in our nature. And it pulls us from the Velvet Room, towards the world of humans. This day, I imagine repeating it, seeing different things, over and over, and a part of my heart soars at the thought. But... I want to remain there. To greet my sister with a smile when she arrives. Two different selfish desires pulling me in two different directions. It is difficult."

"When she arrives again, will you go out with her to see the world?"

Lavenza was silent. Perhaps the question was one mortifying to consider for an attendant, who is part of the Velvet Room.

"If you really want then... you'll still get the chance for both. To see her and the world."

That wasn't really something Akira could promise, but what could he promise for the future of another? Instead he chose to believe. And in believing support with all his heart. Let the bond of Strength between them allow him to help Lavenza go on. That was his desire.

The girl turned and smiled at him, but the smile was not without sadness as well.

"I hope that if I do, I am still able to see you again one day."

Akira smiled in return.

"Just take over the Gun About scene and I'll know to come find you."

Lavenza laughed. It was a laugh Akira hadn't heard from her before, one total and consuming. The girl clutched at her stomach, tears welling at her eyes in response to Akira's complete dismissal of the seriousness of their conversation. And yet, it had been exactly what she'd needed.

Oh, her Trickster, how kind he was. This parting would be a wound that would heal neither quickly nor cleanly. Lavenza sighed through her laughter, wiping at her eyes. She didn't know which tears were of laughter and which were of sadness.

How human, she was sure.

When she stood she had clasped in her hands a gift, one she was prepared to give to the young man Akira Kurusu, who had been brought to the Velvet Room by a fiend of the foulest order, and become a shining light for the world and for her. She would never forget him. Never ever ever.

"When I return to the Velvet Room," she spoke clearly, Akira stilling as she affixed him with her golden gaze, "That will be it. The doorway will disappear, and I will be gone. My Trickster, I truly cannot thank you for all you have done. I will miss you dearly."

Akira's features were soft. He nodded, a tinge of sadness to his own face. But then a thought crossed his mind and his brow wrinkled in response. Lavenza paused her farewell speech, waiting for him to speak.

"I'm... leaving Tokyo, on the twentieth." Akira wasn't even sure if Lavenza could follow the dates in the real world, but she nodded as if she understood. He continued. "The day before, on the nineteenth, I'll be going around to see everyone one last time. It... would be good if I could say goodbye to you then. If you're able."

Eighteen days. Lavenza considered now. Spent a moment.

Then nodded in return.

"I will request the door remain until then," she announced, hands moving to her pockets. Best save this farewell gift for their true farewell then. "And on the nineteenth I will see you. For the last time."

Akira nodded, a smile that was equal parts happiness and sadness on his face as well. A true plan to say goodbye. And delaying that for just a little longer.

Lavenza couldn't help but admit that every day more was enough to make her happy. Just... a little longer.

"Then for tonight," she turned, eyes studying all the world was. Every person, every tree, every building, every cloud, every star. The world of humans. The world of those she loved. "Let us conclude. Will you take me back to the Velvet Room?"

Akira nodded and stood. "I will."

It was a short journey to Akihabara, the door there as good as any. At it, Lavenza looked up at Akira with clear eyes, gentle smile.

"Good night, Akira."

Surprised, yet pleased, Akira returned the farewell. "Until next time, Lavenza."

And as he left, as she walked through the doorway, the same words came from each. The same goodbye on their lips.

"Until the last time."