Sokila quietly tapped Margaret on the side of her hip.
"Margaret-senpai...why is Adachi like he is...?"
The older Attendant's expression was cool, yet knowing.
"He is one who had Potential."
Sokila tilted her head.
"Potential? Like...a Guest?"
Margaret nodded, gazing up at the rafters of the Velvet Room.
"Everyone who exists has Potential...yet how do they use it? How do they turn it into an Act? What Acts do they manifest from it? For one such as Adachi, his Acts are entirely self-centered...and so his Potential cannot become anything other than what it is. He is a human who has willingly chosen to stagnate...even after coming to know the truth of things, to an extent."
Sokila frowned, looking rather confused.
"...does...that mean my Guest could be like that...?"
Margaret smiled knowingly.
"Humans are capable of using their Potential for good or evil: our Guests are no different. Yet by establishing bonds with others beyond himself, your Guest's Potential is able to Act upon others...and they, in turn, Act upon him. Thus does he grow, and change, and come to be someone new...and this has already manifested in various ways. In light of this...I find it very unlikely that your Guest would become like Adachi."
At this, Sokila could only smile.
The faint haze of blue began to brighten-
xxxx
/Sunday: September 27, 2015/
/Courtyards, Hakone Academy/
Shinji Ikari—out on a morning jog—stared from afar at where he had battled Tohru Adachi yesterday: apparently, the explosion unleashed by Sahaquiel had created a miniature dead zone within the Metaverse. Beyond the telltale signs warding it off — purple caution tape, with square icons depicting crossed out icons of brains — there were already a few teams of Task Force Agents working in rotations to forcefully reintroduce cognitive stability to the region. Once that was done, the physical damage could then be fixed.
All told, it was a sobering reminder of just what they were all dealing with, and who their enemies were.
As such, Shinji Ikari mustered up his determination...and made a decision.
-Team Statherós Group-
S. Ikari: good morning everyone
K. Aida: yo
T. Suzuhara: dude, it's Sunday, lemme sleep
M. Yamagishi: Good morning! (^.^)/
S. Ikari: Can we talk over breakfast? All five of us?
M. Yamagishi: 'Five of us'? Just Team Statherós?
S. Ikari: yes
Mana: why
S. Ikari: it's about Sohryu and Horaki
S. Ikari: I think we need to invite them in
K. Aida: you mean like
K. Aida: telling The Truth™ (?_?)
S. Ikari: Yes
T. Suzuhara: this ain't the sorta thing to talk in public about
Mana: might as well come to Katsuragi's then
S. Ikari: ?
K. Aida: won't that be risky?
M. Yamagishi: She already left earlier for some investigation of hers.
M. Yamagishi: She said she would be out all day.
T. Suzuhara: that's convenient
M. Yamagishi: If you three boys hurry over, we'll have breakfast ready by the time you arrive! (* ^◇^)_旦
Mana: its jus leftoverss from last night
M. Yamagishi: MANA-SAN!
K. Aida: i'm down for leftovers (ノ^∇^)
T. Suzuhara: ugh, lemme get out of bed
S. Ikari: then I'll see you all soon
Shinji Ikari quickly made a trip to the convenience store to grab a few snacks and drinks, if only to be polite. After all...this is going to be a serious conversation...
xxxx
Asuka Langley-Sohryu had originally intended to return to the dorm, the prior night.
Alas, Nozomi Horaki had sufficiently distracted her with an actual video game system, thus resulting in an impromptu gaming session on her Nintega DreamStation which ran into the night. (As it turned out, the little girl was an absolute nightmare to play against on Lord of Battlers Vs. Street Warrior 3.) By that point, Hikari had brought out a set of spare pajamas and a futon in her elder sister's empty room, and there was really no good reason to say no.
Which is why she woke up feeling relatively recharged, all things considered. The fact Hikari was already up and making breakfast was an added bonus. "You don't even take a break in your own home?"
"Oh, good morning Sohryu-san," greeted Hikari, stirring rice together in a pan as she lightly fried it in oil. "I'm glad you got along well with my little sister."
"She's a pretty intense gamer for a Rotzgöre," she lightly remarked, thinking back to how colorful the girl's language became when she was under pressure. "Did you know your sister is capable of insulting her opponents without a single curse word? That takes talent."
Hikari's eyes boggled with alarm. "What?!"
"Oh relax, she's just competitive. She had fun." And I did too.
"But..." Hikari looked like she wanted to protest, but instead sagged on her feet. "...I see..."
Asuka, fiddling with the yellow hem of her borrowed pajamas, pulled up a seat at the kitchen table. "And judging by how your old man acted last night, he seemed pretty chill." Bunzaemon Horaki had come across as a rather quiet man, all things considered. He had been watching the news — programs dealing with the upcoming constitutional referendum on Tuesday, mostly — last night, providing little in the way of conversation. And that suits me just fine.
"...chill, huh..."
Asuka noted her sober tone, and wondered just what was behind Hikari's seeming despondence. (Thoughts of a berserk Shadow; of a teary-eyed girl, angry at her own impotence; these quickly filtered through her mind.) "So, I looked at some of the pictures hanging off of the walls; you have an older sister?"
Hikari looked over her shoulder with a frown. "...you're surprisingly nosy, Sohryu-san."
Asuka shrugged, not giving an apology in the slightest. "Well, you did all but invite me to sleep over."
Hikari inhaled deeply, letting her frustration build up, only to release it with a heavy breath. "...that was Kodama-neesan. She goes to university in Ehime Prefecture."
Asuka briefly recalled her lessons on Japanese geography, if only to justify how much she blinked. "...that's on Shikoku. That's pretty damn fair to go to a university."
"Well, St. Catherine's University is very good-"
"Good enough to move several hundred kilometers away?" Asuka leaned on the kitchen table, tapping the surface with her fingers. "If you don't want me to pry, then just say so."
"...I'd rather you not pry, Sohryu-san," Hikari finally admitted after several seconds of silence. "Maybe...another time..." She quietly turned the stovetop heat element to a lower burn. "I'm going to go wake up Nozomi-chan and otousan."
Asuka quietly watched as Hikari walked away to rouse her family, even as her mind churned with the intrigue. Hmm...there's something interesting there...
Her Other giggled knowingly.
"For one who's so prickly, perhaps it's only appropriate that you poke ceaselessly at others..."
...well, it's not like any of us have a monopoly on crappy family situations. She quietly browsed the Mission Board on her phone, hiding her curiosity behind an air of detachment. Man, missions always dry up near the full moon...wonder what the others are up to?
xxxx
At Misato Katsuragi's apartment, five teenagers sat down at a kitchen table, ready to eat...and speak of important matters.
"Can we eat first before doing all of the heavy talk?" asked Mana.
"Seconded!" echoed Toji.
With breakfast devoured in relative swiftness, it was time to talk. "So...what exactly are we going to talk about?" asked Mana, wiping at her lips with a napkin.
Before Shinji opened his mouth, Kensuke interrupted. "Should we really be doing it here?" Looking around, the bespectacled boy added, "I mean...this place could be bugged..."
"Why would you think that?" wondered Mayumi.
...now that they mention it, that does sound like something Misato-san would do. "...then we'll move into the Metaverse. We'll be able to perceive more things anyhow."
When there was no immediate objection, Mana reached for her axe and tore a hole open into the Metaverse. "In you guys go," she said, placing both axe and shield upon her back.
The teenagers moved through in a single line, followed by Mana at the rear; once she entered the tear, it sealed shut behind them.
Moments later, Pen-Pen quietly waddled out of his refrigerator, yawning widely. He looked around with visible confusion, as if expecting to see someone present. "Wark?"
xxxx
Elsewhere in Tokyo-3, Misato Katsuragi watched her phone with concern; the app geared to the miniature cameras in her house had been showing the kids partaking of food...only for it show them head into the Metaverse afterwards. Is there something you didn't feel comfortable talking about in reality...?
"Things okay?"
Misato looked up from where she was sitting at Ryuji Sakamoto; the man, standing by the sole window of his window, looked over at her with a curious expression. "Yeah. Trying not to get distracted."
Ryuji huffed, wandering to the other wall, leaned against with a tired expression. "Distracted isn't exactly the mood to be in for this sort of thing."
"I'll be ready when we actually put in our order." She tapped her fingers against the tatami mat, her eyes wandering through the one-room apartment: the kitchenette was tiny, the water closet was tiny, the table was tiny, everything was tiny. "...I was wondering why you've never invited anyone over to your place."
"The life of a Freelancer is a pretty minimalist one, especially if you're always on the move." Ryuji fiddled with the head of his cane, moving his bum leg in a manner that evoked irritation. "This is the longest I've been in one place for...a while."
"Thinking of getting a bigger place?" she asked.
Ryuji shrugged. "No need to, at the moment. So long as Suzuhara-kun has a place at the Academy dorms, I really don't have a need for a bigger place. Now, if his little sister ever wakes up...well, that's a discussion best saved for their custodian. So...I guess you could say I'm too busy to need a place bigger than this."
A subconscious inkling was squelched so quickly that it didn't even have the chance to cross from the realm of idea to thought; as such, Misato simply settled for a joke. "A real hustler, huh?"
A quiet silence filtered through the tiny apartment, leaving the two in a place of uncertain tension. "...you sure this'll work?"
Misato nodded. "I got Mayumi-chan's message yesterday while I was having lunch downtime; I made a quick stop by Neo Hagakure and caught a peek at their shift schedule for the weekend; Amamiya's shift begins in about an hour."
Ryuji chuckled, pulling out his phone. "Guess we'd better get our order ready for when the time comes."
"Make sure to order for three." After all, there was no need to let the kid go hungry whilst they questioned him.
xxxx
Meanwhile, in the Metaverse, Mayumi sat within the floating throne of her Persona; as Armisael's helical body chimed, she said, "I'm not sensing any unusual presences..."
With everyone's Personas standing outside to serve as impromptu security, it resulted in the unusual picture of everyone sitting on cognitive furniture in their outfits; despite the influences of Mana and Mayumi's thoughts — Featherman action figures stood protectively in front of the former's, whilst books were spilling out of the latter's — the apartment was relatively similar to the real-life equivalent...save for the phantoms of alcoholic beverages that flickered in and out of existence, but that was a minor detail.
"...so. Team Statherós." Kensuke, sitting on the couch, leaned forward. "The induction of two new members has been proposed: Asuka Langley-Sohryu...and Hikari Horaki. Are there any legitimate objections?"
"Question: why are we making a big deal out of it?" wondered Toji. "I mean, we fight alongside each other all the time. Sohryu's as involved with the Angels as the rest of us, and as for the Class Rep...she probably will be too, as well."
"But there's a difference between being comrades in a fight against the Angels...and knowing the truth of the world," interjected Mayumi. "The nature of reality...the Velvet Room...the Usurper...that's a much bigger step."
"Especially since there's the threat of the Usurper hanging over our heads," remarked Shinji, speaking with as much gravity as he could muster. "Especially with regards to that Persona-user...Minako."
Mana huffed with frustration. "The one put down Junpei Iori and Ken Amada...and the one who instigated that whole mess with the Ai Ferry..."
"And briefly hospitalized Katsuragi-san, let's not forget that," added Kensuke.
Mayumi hummed audibly. "Do we even know why the Usurper would feel threatened by us bringing Sohryu-san and Horaki-san into the fold?"
"...I think it's not so much being threatened," wondered Shinji, trying to recall what all he knew about the One Who Sat Upon the Throne. "For one who has so much power, why would they feel threatened by that?"
Mana scowled. "Do we know what this Usurper wants? We don't even have a name, or if they're even human."
"Hard to make a plan for an opponent whose motives are unknown," mused Kensuke.
The discussion went back and forth for a time, as the teenagers all tried weighing the merits of the options available to them; in truth, the nature of the Velvet Room and of the Sea of Souls was bizarre enough. The point was raised that, practically speaking, Asuka and Hikari would still be fighting the same enemies, even if they didn't know the truth. However, the sheer inevitability of the task before them was always present.
"One way or another...we're gonna fight the Usurper, aren't we?" asked Mana.
Mayumi quietly nodded. "I don't see how we can't. If they retain their control over the Throne of God...then when this timeline ends, it'll be as if all of this had never been."
"Thing is, we don't know if this'll set the bastard off...and I don't know if we're strong enough to fight someone like that Minako lady." Toji was utterly frank about their chances. "I mean, we've gotten stronger...but is it enough?"
"If we brought Sohryu-san and Horaki-san into it? Maybe...and honestly, that's not even counting the likes of Ayanami-san." Kensuke turned to Shinji. "Shouldn't we also be inviting her as well?"
The thought of bringing Ayanami into Statherós had crossed Shinji's mind. However, her intentional aloofness was still...odd, in a way, he couldn't quite describe. "I don't think Ayanami-san would agree to it...not now, at least. She...knows a lot, but she seems intent on keeping it to herself..."
"Great team player," grumbled Mana.
"Mana-san," chided Mayumi, before voicing her own thoughts. "Rei Ayanami notwithstanding...we can't really account for what the Usurper will do. But...is it any better, letting our fear dictate our choices...?"
Toji shrugged. "Sometimes? Fear keeps you from being a dumbass."
"But is it fear of the right things, and for the right reason?" countered Mayumi.
Given what he knew of Mayumi and Toji's own particular struggles and hang-ups, Shinji privately thought the discussion about fear to be somewhat ironic...and yet, that was kind of the point of everything, wasn't it?
"You've got an odd look on your face, Ikari," remarked Mana, looking intently in his direction.
"...the things we fear...and the things we dread...the uncertain future that lies ahead...if we were alone, we wouldn't be as capable of facing them." He looked at Kensuke, Toji, Mayumi, and Mana in turn. "With you by my side...it doesn't feel as overwhelming...and I think the same applies with bringing Sohryu-san and Horaki-san onboard." Regardless of Ayanami's fears, and even notwithstanding the Usurper's mercurial capriciousness...it simply felt right to reveal the truth to Asuka and Hikari.
The others, it seemed, also agreed. "So...if we all agree...when do we bring them to the Velvet Room?" asked Kensuke.
"...well, don't we have the day off on Tuesday?" asked Toji.
Mayumi nodded, remembering the reason why. "It's because of the referendum...most businesses institutions will be closed so everyone will be able to go vote."
"Do we just bring them straight in? Do we warn them?" asked Mana.
"...I think we should at least extend an invitation," remarked Shinji. "Tomorrow...after school...I'll invite Sohryu-san and Horaki-san."
A complicated expression flashed across Toji's face. "Say...mind if I be the one who invites the Class Rep?"
Shinji blinked. "I...don't see why not. Is there a reason...?"
Toji shrugged. (Kensuke and Mayumi, to their credit, suppressed the urge to grin knowingly.) "Well...this whole life is crazy. And she's got stuff of her own to deal with. Even beyond being a Persona-user...this is crazy shit. And I just want to put it in a way she'll understand. That's all."
When there were no immediate objections, Kensuke remarked, "Guess that leaves you to invite our local red devil, Shinji."
And so the agreement was made.
xx
After Team Statherós returned to reality — visibly startling Pen-Pen, who was watching television on the couch — a certain message came to Shinji's phone.
M. Arisato: I need to meet with Mana Kirishima.
M. Arisato: I'll be at the spot where we talked about bonds.
M. Arisato: See you at noon.
I guess he got my number from Amamiya-senpai, Shinji mused, as he told Mana about the message.
Mana, glancing over her shoulder at her weapons, simply nodded.
xx
After the two departed, Toji glanced over at Kensuke and Mayumi. "So...anyone got plans for today?" he asked. When he got answers in the negative, he said, "Guess I'll go visit my sis, then. Y'all do what you want."
And then he too, departed.
xx
Kensuke huffed, feeling a strange uncertainty in the air. "Guess it's going to be a quiet Sunday; there's not much showing on the Mission Board app, either." Looking over at Mayumi, he said, "Think I'll head to NERV...and maybe get some work done while it's peaceful. I know Dr. Akagi is going to get on my case sooner or later..."
"...can I come with?"
Kensuke looked towards Mayumi with surprise. "Really? The work is kinda dry..."
"Well, it'd be interesting to get some insights into how the MAGI function on the physical side of things," she remarked, her hand fiddling with the ends of her hair.
It'd probably make things go by faster, he inwardly mused. Blithely missing any other signs of why Mayumi would want to accompany him, Kensuke nodded. "Why not? We'll suffer together."
"I mean, Dr. Akagi isn't that bad..."
And then they too, departed.
xx
And so Pen-Pen was alone.
Well well well, he mused, thinking about the confluence of events. Things are beginning to escalate...how will the world turn from this point? Time would tell; in the meantime, the penguin nestled back into the couch, watching the news — now talking about potential candidates for the Superintendent of Kantō of Japan's Anti-Terror Task Force: a position that had been vacant since Munehisa Iwai's promotion to Commissioner — blather on. We shall see...
xxxx
Rei Ayanami quietly sat atop Mount Fuji.
It was cold, and the snow cap was already recovering; by this time of the year, access by hikers was forbidden, and so the peak was utterly isolated.
Despite the frigid air and the fierce winds, she intentionally relished the opportunity for detachment; it would with projecting her spirit tomorrow, during the lunar eclipse...
(It was an opportunity that did not come around often...and it would provide a means to gauge where exactly she stood with a certain Angel...)
xxxx
Yu Narukami stared at the various road signs which warned of the upcoming Dead Zone that consumed much of Old Tokyo; not only were signs legion, but the highway itself even terminated in a series of road blocks, as well as a guard station. Even now, so many years later, civilian access to the Dead Zone was forbidden. That's fine by me; I don't need to actually enter it.
He quietly nudged his motorbike off the side of Prefectural Highway 221, just on the southernmost fringes of Saitama Prefecture's border with Tokyo Prefecture; the homes this close to the Tokyo-1 Dead Zone tended to be abandoned, by and large. By this juncture, you were equally as likely to find either wild animals or squatters as you were to find chilling nothingness.
Such thoughts were considered and swiftly abandoned. Can't falter; I need to get my contingency plan.
Leaving his motorcycle behind a few trees, Yu briefly recalled his research into the man he was looking for; confident in what he remembered of his notes, Yu adjusted the backpack on his shoulders and set off northward into the woods.
xxxx
As Ren Amamiya picked up his first round of lunch orders, he couldn't help but notice that one of them was from Ryuji Sakamoto. Just my luck, he mused, at least somewhat grateful for the advance warning. At least it isn't anyone I don't already know, he tried to assure himself, thinking about how awkward it would have been to make a delivery to Kawakami, or Ohya, or either of the Yoshizawa sisters. (He was so glad that Haru Okumura ran a beef bowl restaurant, because the prospect of meeting her, much less delivering food, still stung.)
(And yet...something niggled at him...)
He saved Sakamoto's order for last, taking care of his other deliveries before heading towards the apartment complex where Ryuji was apparently staying. He could already tell just by looking at it that it wasn't as nice as Katsuragi's. No wonder he's usually hanging out with her...unless...? Nah, couldn't be...maybe? At least thinking about such frivolities was distracting.
(...why couldn't he get rid of this weird tension...?)
As he got off at the fifth floor and walked towards the apartment in question, he knocked on the door. When it opened up — "Sorry, kind of busy!" yelled Ryuji, rushing back inside — Ren could only marvel at the sight of smoke coming from a kitchenette.
"Uh..." Ren didn't know what to think. "Is everything okay?"
"I'm fine!" Ryuji called out. "Just a cooking mishap; just set the food on the table!"
(...oh, that's right...)
Ren stepped inside, nostrils twitching at the smell. Burnt rice? "...what in the world happened?"
Ryuji, waving at a smoking pot, went to open the window. "Eh, something I was hoping wouldn't happen...and I liked that pot..."
Ren, feeling strangely off-put by this scenario, set the bag full of cartons down onto the small table...
(...this is a lotof food for one guy...)
...and turned around to see Misato Katsuragi close the apartment door behind her. "Thanks for the delivery, Amamiya-san."
Ren, feeling his internal alarm ringing, managed to keep a calm voice. "Didn't know you were here, Katsuragi-san."
"Was waiting at the end of the hall," she nonchalantly explained, briefly glancing over Ryuji. "Thanks for sacrificing your pot, Sakamoto-san."
"Whatever," he grumbled.
Scratch that, inner alarm is now at a full one hundred percent, Ren thought with sudden paranoia. "...so, what's the occasion?" asked Ren, trying to keep his voice even.
"...that depends on you," Misato said.
Well well well, just perfect, he inwardly griped. "...so, this is a setup." He casually stepped back towards the wall, keeping both Misato and Ryuji (and wow, it still hurt to think of Sakamoto in an antagonistic way) in his field of vision. "...you must have been on lookout for me when I pulled up to the apartment; you then got in touch with Ryuji to set up the burnt rice as a smokescreen, to give me a reason to come inside the apartment...where I could then be trapped between two of you."
"Pretty analytic of you," remarked Misato. "Way too analytic for your average high-schooler..."
"It's a pretty simple deduction," he said, trying to shrug it off. "And Hakone Academy has some pretty smart kids." Let's not beat around the bush. "Why don't you tell me what this is all about? Because I don't think you'd conspire to kidnap me and hold me against my will without a good reason."
"...it is for a good reason," said Ryuji, speaking with a certain seriousness that was almost disarming. "But this is the lady's show, so I'll let her lead." Besides, he was busy waving the last traces of smoke out of the open window, to clear out the apartment.
Misato nodded, crossing her arms to solidify her stance. "Ren Amamiya...we know you've met Goro Akechi before."
It said volumes about Ren's self-control that he didn't exhibit any outward reactions. However, the impulsive thoughts—Damn it Akechi, what did you do THIS time?!—could not be contained. "And why exactly is that important?"
"Because he's an Agent of the Anti-Terror Task Force, and Tokyo-3's former Chief Warden...that's what most would say. However, before Goro Akechi got...promoted...and reassigned to Kyoto, he decided to come clean about a little lie he told me, nearly two months ago now."
It was at a time like this that Ren rued the compartmentalized secrecy under which the various factions operated; it was hard to have countermeasures in place if you didn't know what to prepare for! "A lie about what?"
"Not important. What is important is what he told me after coming clean...or what, what he couldn't." When Ren didn't betray any confusion on his part, she said, "Speaking of an 'ultimate victory'...of how the mysterious girl named Minako is a mere pawn...of how much I've apparently 'forgotten'..." She paused, gauging his reactions.
Keep cool, Kurusu, Ren told himself.
"...and how he actually has more than one Persona..."
His face twitched. Damn it, Akechi!
Misato caught his reaction. "Needless to say, he was unwilling to speak about the 'bigger picture', as it were. He pretty much told me to butt out...but with the likes of Tohru Adachi directly targeting Shinji Ikari and the others, I needed to compare notes."
"Which is where I come in," admitted Ryuji, looking somewhat apologetic. "Sorry kid. I know you probably told a lot of stuff to me in confidence...and if circumstances weren't what they are, I probably would have kept them to myself. But I've learned that Katsuragi-san likes sticking her nose where she shouldn't, and getting into a lot of trouble because of it."
"Oi," she protested.
"Am I wrong?" Ryuji countered.
Ren tried his damnedest not to look disappointed. Of COURSE he spilled his guts to a pretty lady with a dominating personality. Ryuji had been much the same with Makoto Niijima in his 'first' life. Why did THAT have to be a recurring characteristic?! "...I see. That's a shame. Still not sure where I come into play."
Misato quickly got things back on track. "Basically: Goro Akechi has some form of contact with a man named Ryoji Kaji...and a certain fellow named Mister P. And it wasn't until a couple of days ago that I became aware of Akechi's connection to you."
"How?"
"Not important."
"If you're accusing me of knowing Goro Akechi, I think knowing what you're referring to is pretty damn important."
Misato frowned, weighing her options; fortunately, she decided to throw him a bone. "Jazz Jingisukan, on the night before the big summer road trip you 'volunteered' for: ring any bells? Because I've got you on video."
Ah, damn it. He couldn't really refute that; however, she clearly had no clue about what they had actually talked about, because he couldn't imagine such conversation being secret for this long in that case.
Misato continued. "And that brought to mind all sorts of things you're apparently in the know about...such as a certain door-"
"Stop." The word escaped Ren's mouth, almost uncontrollably. "You've...you've made your point." I was expecting to be confronted about the Velvet Room by Ikari's teammates, not these two!
Ryuji winced. "That big of a secret, huh?"
"You have no idea." Well, this is a problem. How in the world can I fix this? He needed to buy time for his mind to come up with a solution. "...why are you coming to me about this? If you were told by Akechi to not get involved, why are you?"
Ryuji finally closed the window, satisfied at the current condition of the air in his tiny apartment. As the frame slid shut, he said, "Well, Katsuragi-san?"
Misato, as if trying to determine the content of his character, stared intently for several seconds. Her silence was akin to a judge's gavel, signalling judgment upon a defendant. Finally, she said, "It's funny...when I got the footage of you meeting Akechi, it came with a message: 'playing it safe can only work for so long; risks must be taken'. And honestly...even if I can't know about everything...I need to at least know enough to protect the kids I've been entrusted with. Not just Mana-chan and Mayumi-chan...but Shinji-kun too, and his friends by proxy."
"...I see." That motive went a long way, to be honest. Yet, that didn't help him with fixing this...but there was no fixing this, was there? 'Fixing' the situation was thinking of it in the wrong way...what he needed to do was turn it around, because trying to play by the 'rules' he had been all but forced to adopt was a losing play. This is truly an unjust game...and my chances of winning are almost none...
His Other slept: as he was supposed to do—as he had to—in preparation for the inevitable endgame.
Yet, even though he slumbered...the memory of his voice echoed with gleeful knowing.
"I am thou...thou art I...thou who art willing to perform all sacrilegious acts for thine own justice..."
And that memory, as ever, was a reminder of who he was.
"Show the strength of thy will to ascertain all on thine own...though thou be chained to Hell itself..."
...but I can still make a winning play. There was no name to call upon (yet), and there was no rage for him to show; even so, he had enough guts to flip the script. "Okay. How about...we make a deal?" His Confidants—generally speaking—had invariably been the ones to offer him a deal, in some form or another, in so many words; now it was his turn.
Misato blinked. "A...deal?"
Arisato and Narukami may have had their own methods of ensuring they had an ace up their sleeve for future...but he could only work with what he had. He didn't have their literal millenia of experience to draw upon, so this — an act that was proverbially sacrilegious, being against the entire strategic and tactical philosophy he and his comrades had played by since their awakening in this timeline — would have to make do. "I'll be blunt: I'll tell you what I think is safe for you to know about the big picture. In return, you two work for me. And you'll have to trust that if I call on you to do something, it'll be for the sake of making sure Shinji Ikari and his allies survive to the endgame."
It was a hard ask. Misato, naturally, was immediately skeptical. "You've got a lot of balls, to think I would agree to such a one-sided deal!"
"...we should accept."
Ren and Misato turned towards Ryuji with visible surprise. "What the hell, Sakamoto-san?!" exclaimed Misato. "Are you nuts?!"
Ryuji, staring solemnly at Ren, spoke without hesitation. "It's like I told you before: I have faith in him, even if I can't explain why." (The call of the Chariot Arcana was almost intoxicating...but Ren refused to grab hold of it; he had to be stronger than his own desires, if he was going to make this gamble work.) "And besides, even if it's not the whole truth, you have someone willing to give you something. I would take it."
"But to the point of having him tell us what to do?" she protested.
"Think about it: what leverage does he actually have over us, as it stands? He has to believe that whatever he tells us will be enough for us to be willing to work for him...and we already know that he's helped out during the Ai Ferry Incident, with an Acolyte during the August New Moon, and with saving Sae Niijima during the Fog of Desolation. I think he's at least earned a chance to tell us what he's willing to share."
They actually figured out it was me who saved Niijima-san back in Tokyo-2? Dang it, I really haven't been as sneaky as I thought I've been. Even so, Ren couldn't afford to show anything other than total confidence at this juncture.
Whether it was cocksure expression or Ryuji's insistence, Misato finally wavered. "...well, I haven't been able to find anyone else willing to give me answers..." The woman scowled, looking truly conflicted. "...damn it, fine. But you'd better actually have some good intel!"
Ren nodded. "Trust me; I'll make it worth your while. But first: into the Metaverse."
"Why?" she asked.
"So you'll at least have confidence that you can subdue me if you think I'm up to no good."
Ryuji snorted. "I've seen you operate in the Metaverse; you're not a slouch."
"I'm currently...debuffed, shall we say, I can't use most of my nifty tricks...but you'll have your Personas. It's all in your favor."
"...fine," agreed Misato. She gestured at Ryuji. "I'll go first; bring him in behind me." Thumbing her A.T. badge, Misato swiftly transitioned from the physical realm to the cognitive realm.
For a brief moment, Ren and Ryuji were alone. "You could make a break for it now, if you're desperate," admitted Ryuji. "I doubt my crippled ass could catch you."
It was so painfully and self-deprecatingly honest that Ren couldn't help but laugh. "True. But then you'd probably lose the trust of Katsuragi-san, and that would probably suck for you."
Ryuji shrugged, stepping forward with a tired sigh. "It would. But I wanted to at least give you the chance." Tugging his cane under his armpit, he placed a hand on Ren's shoulder before thumbing his own Freelancer badge. As he spoke the code, Ren impulsively let his conscious detach, if only to make it easier on Ryuji...
zhuu
zhuu
ZHUU
ZHUU
...but the sensation helped put him into the proper mindset. Facing Misato and her Persona, Tokoyo, helped put his current circumstances into perspective. "So...what's your story?"
Ren briefly looked around the cognitive version of Ryuji's apartment; it was pretty threadbare, not looking much different to what it was like in reality. The only difference came in the form of three picture frames: the first two depicted women who looked near identical to what he recalled of Chihaya Mifune and Shiho Suzui. Well, that's depressing, he drly thought. The third picture was more nondescript: more of a silhouette than anything else. However, if you looked at it just right, it would have overlapped Misato Katsuragi's form pretty closely...which probably explained why Ryuji quickly summoned Seiten Taisei, blocking sight of the third picture before Misato could look around. Then again, she was here for a few seconds before we jumped over...
"Okay. You're here. Now spill," demanded Misato, interrupting his internal speculations.
"Easy now," he replied, focusing on his Third Eye (because even though he had made the most use out of it as a Phantom Thief, it was a power that had become an indelible part of him in his last 'lives', such that he could use it in reality; even if that was no longer true, the mindset was easier to tap into within the cognitive world, mask or no mask); he felt nothing unusual within the vicinity. (He briefly focused upon the Magician Arcana; without even gazing too deeply at that bond, he could feel echoes of Morgana's ongoing struggle. The fact it was ongoing—still happening, how had he been fighting Minako for so long?!—only solidified his decision.) "You have to set the stage before telling a story..." Ren quietly sat down, looking up at both Misato and Ryuji. "So...how would you react if I told you that this life you're living is not the first one you've lived?"
"...you mean reincarnation?" asked Misato. "Somehow, I don't think you're referring to something like samsara..."
Ren grinned. "Oh, if only it were something so benign...the world itself is stuck in a prison of man's making. But to give you context...allow me to tell you the story of a young man by the name of Akira Kurusu, and his desire for emancipation from an unjust game..."
xxxx
TO BE CONTINUED
xxxx
Author's Note: This has been long in coming.
/guys
/I don't mean to alarm you
/but it's been about two-and-a-half years since Yu's Sidestory
/it's finally time
/for the Sidestory of Ren Amamiya...or rather, Akira Kurusu...