◎ Bout 2: The age question [action/voice]

[thunderfists]

[action]

[Akihiko's been adjusting well enough to Luceti following the crash back to reality that Luceti was a different world that was not the TV world he was supposed to have appeared in. He's back to a "civilized" level of hygiene and no longer running around in survival pants and a cape -- no, now he's back to sweatpants and T-shirts for his jogs and training. He can be found jogging on the village roads and into the forest, which he's now fairly familiar with after spending so much time out there.

Later in the day, after he's finished with his training for the day, he opens up his journal. Ever since that "experiment," he's been wondering something. But before he asks, he should probably introduce himself...]

[voice]

Hey. I'm Akihiko Sanada. I arrived here in the recent ... cycle. I guess that's what you call it. I've heard that I might have met some people here before, so I thought I'd warn you that I don't remember ever being in Luceti.

Anyway, I've got a question. How do you decide when to celebrate or acknowledge your birthdays here? There can be a lot of different kinds of calendars, even in the same world, so... I'm curious how other people handle it.

Also, if anyone knows how I can get my hands on a speed bag, I'd appreciate hearing about it.

Comments

[thunderfists]

Yeah. That whole incident was ... complicated. [His brows knit together as he thinks of how to explain it. It wasn't as if there was any clear way to explain everything that had happened to Aigis during that time.]

At the same time we were trapped in the Abyss of Time, we were attacked by someone named Metis, who looked like an anti-Shadow suppression weapon like Aigis. While fighting Metis, Aigis' Persona somehow transformed into yours -- Orpheus. After that, she was able to call on different Personas, just like you.

[emp3thy]

[He can't say that he understands why that would happen, except that Aigis was the last person he'd spoken with... And she was always the most attached to him. Maybe that let Igor do something. Or maybe he himself had (or maybe, would) without realizing it...

But the starting point aside, he can see how things proceeded from there.]

So then she could visit the Velvet Room.

[...] You're right, as far as I know only people with powers like mine are guests there. It's where I used to create new Personas.

[thunderfists]

[With the way their conversation has been going, he isn't surprised by Minato's confirmation -- though he does raise a brow at the bit about 'creating' Personas.

But he should keep explaining.]

Metis understood more about the Abyss of Time than any of us did. She guided us around, explained to keys of time to us, and told us of the purpose of the Great Seal. When we went into that ... Velvet Room, it was as if she was comfortable there. She had said that her place was there, on the "other side."

But Aigis realized that Metis was the "other her."

[...] Told you it was complicated.

[emp3thy]

...She was a Shadow?

[But that didn't entirely make sense either. From what he knew from Souji, Shadows and Personas were the same basic concept. You shouldn't be able to use a Persona if your Shadow was still running around...]

[thunderfists]

If she was, she sure didn't act like any Shadow we'd seen. But she apparently became part of Aigis again in the Velvet Room, after she had "completed her journey."

[Which had led to a troubling time where Aigis was thought dead for awhile, but maybe he shouldn't mention that, either.]

[emp3thy]

[Minato will be none the wiser if he doesn't.]

So something similar, anyway. [...so strange.] But things worked out after that?

1/2

[thunderfists]

They did, yes. After that ... detour to that elevator, we woke up in the dorms again. We could leave whenever we wanted. Mitsuru decided to have us keep our Evokers, and we left the dorms on April 1st.

2/2

[thunderfists]

[... ... ...

He glances down at Koromaru at his feet, then back over at Minato.]

I guess I'm keeping you from getting my cape, though.

[emp3thy]

[Koromaru yips (maybe he knew this story already? It's impossible to know...) and Minato cracks a small smile at that.]

Right. Wait here.

[He disappears into the laundry room finally and returns with the red cape, neatly folded.]

[thunderfists]

[Koromaru gets another pat on the head before Akihiko walks over to meet Minato with his cape. Even with the way the conversation had gone, he recalls why it had gone that way.]

So I owe you an apology. For thinking you were another fake that would attack.

[emp3thy]

[He shakes his head.]

I might have too, in your place. [No he wouldn't, but he can pretend to make Akihiko feel better.] But I'd still rather not get in a fight like that with you again. You don't pull punches.

[thunderfists]

You managed to avoid them all. [This might be an attempt to defend his tendency to put all his weight into his attacks.

But he smiles all the same, glad to have that out of the way.] It's good to know you haven't been getting rusty in your time here.

[emp3thy]

[it's still not a very good one. 8|]

There's enough trouble here even without Shadows. [Plus if he stopped training, he'd get really bored....]

[thunderfists]

That's true. This talk about war, on top of being experimented on... Then there's the fact that everyone's just thrown in here, regardless of what they may do to people. It's surprising things are okay here without police patrolling around.

[emp3thy]

There's been incidents... But most people realize there's no point to causing trouble in here. [But despite this he still carries his Evoker everywhere, as that fight they had before demonstrated.]

[thunderfists]

Most people. [Of course that part of the statement sticks out.] And the Malnosso don't do anything if things get out of hand?

[emp3thy]

They usually make it worse.

[thunderfists]

...Not surprised to hear that. [He shakes his head.

He inspects his cape thoughtfully for a moment.] I should probably get going. Still need to get a protein drink.

[emp3thy]

[Minato just smiles, not even bothering to be surprised by a statement like that.]

I shouldn't hold up your workout.

[but...] Stop by some other time though, Senpai.

[thunderfists]

[He gives a slight smile of his own at Minato's invitation.]

You're just down the road. We need to spar sometime.

[If that came from anyone else with a smile like that, it might be considered a joke. But this is Akihiko.]