◎ Bout 1: Impromptu walkabout [action]

[thunderfists]

[arrival]

[...The TV world was very strange.

Akihiko found himself waking up on the forest floor, stripped of his normal clothes and garbed in ... white pants. Fortunately, his pants, red cape, and boots were nearby, and he found himself a bush to discreetly change in -- just in case Mitsuru or Aigis showed up somewhere close. Calling out for them was out of the question; they were on a mission after all, and he didn't want to cause a ruckus if he didn't have to.

There was a book beside him when he woke up, and he blearily looked it over before snapping it shut and concentrating on the odd feeling of pain and strange sounds around him. No time to read.

The fully-functional wings were a surprise. The talking animals were even more of a surprise. But they were easy enough to dismiss as parts of the TV world, and he pushed them to the back of his mind as he started to explore. Forest, forest, forest... Were those mountains in the distance?

It was like globetrotting all over again. Before heading out, he ripped up the white pants he had woken up in, using the shredded parts to bind the book to his side; unfortunately, his pockets weren't big enough for a book. He also wrapped up his knuckles, since his gloves were missing.

And off he went in search of Mitsuru, Aigis, and Labrys. Never mind that he had no idea what the latter looked like.]

[/arrival]


[For the entire week of September 9 through 15, a young man in odd clothes can be found traveling out in the forests and as far as the foothills due east of the village. He gets his water from the rivers and carries whatever food he comes across (such as apples and mikans) in a shredded white sack that once was a pair of pants. When he's not traveling, he does some shadowboxing in the occasional clearing while it's light out.

Nothing serious, though; he wasn't getting enough protein to repair his muscles if he did any serious training.

The most rigorous of his training he'll allow of himself happens late at night in the forest behind house 21. While he tries to avoid the TV world village and its inhabitants, he can't resist the temptation of an outdoor training space complete with training dummies. He uses his Persona to charge his punches with electricity, leaving marks on the some of the dummies before he heads off again.

He may even be caught napping in a tree once in awhile. Or listening to talking bears from a distance.]

Comments

[thunderfists]

You think it'll still work even though I tore out a few pages? [Or two dozen pages.]

[emp3thy]

[.................]

You tore out pages but didn't read it?

[thunderfists]

There wasn't actually a lot on the pages I tore out -- just some pictures of people's faces. [He had no idea that was how pages would capture voice recordings.]

[emp3thy]

[akihiko........ you're supposed to be more observant when you're on a secret mission]

That's how it works. The pictures were recordings.

[look ok he'll take out his own journal and open a random voice entry on the first page.]

[thunderfists]

[It's amazing anyone actually figures out the journals are supposed to be pressed and prodded -- it's so out of the norm with books.

But Akihiko watches as Minato opens up his journal and shows one of the kinds of pages he had seen before.]

Recordings... Right.

[emp3thy]

[Minato closes the book again. Actually... he's begun to notice something. Akihiko is acting strange.

It's not just the obvious, the lack of shirt and camping in the woods for a week instead of finding an apartment. And it's not big, either. Most everything he's doing and saying is undeniably Akihiko. But his reactions to some things... they just aren't what Minato would have expected to see. And the more they talk, the more he wonders.

Just what happened to him after graduation?]

Senpai... [another pause.] How long has it been since we last saw each other?

[thunderfists]

[He doesn't say anything immediately; he's getting that trap feeling again, and he has to push the thought away. This wasn't sensitive information about the mission.]

Two years. The year is 2012. [So, if they were really counting days here, he wouldn't be the senpai between them.]

[emp3thy]

[two years.... Well, it's still a better age gap than it could be.]

For me, it's been three and a half.

[thunderfists]

[.........]

You don't look that different.

[He's not saying he hasn't changed, but. Yeah. Are you growing at all, Minato?]

[emp3thy]

[hey he grew like... one centimeter...

shut up senpai]

You do.

[thunderfists]

[He glances down at what he's wearing. Hey, he's used to it...]

I've been traveling. [Like that explains everything.]

[emp3thy]

[That's not what people wear when they travel.]

Where?

[thunderfists]

All over the place. I was in South America last. [...] Is it that strange? [Mitsuru had commented on it, too.]

[emp3thy]

[where does

he even start]

...It's a big difference. [Akihiko was never a fashion model but his weekend outfits hadn't looked too abnormal...]

[thunderfists]

No one gave me odd looks in South America... [This might be something approaching sulking.]

[emp3thy]

Really...?

[He's seen pictures of South America and he's pretty sure they wear shirts.]

[thunderfists]

Yeah. [Of course, that could be because he didn't hang around cities even over there...

Or because he just didn't notice said odd looks.]

...That reminds me. I've only found my clothes. My other things are missing.

[emp3thy]

[more like didn't notice.]

Like your Evoker? It's probably at the item shop.

[thunderfists]

Well, I was more concerned about my water bottle.

[The Evoker was a secondary concern. And then the survival knife.]

Where's this item shop?

[emp3thy]

In the square. I can show you tomorrow. [because... it's 2am. This is later than even they usually stayed up.]

[thunderfists]

Got it. I'll have to keep that in mind. [The square. That shouldn't be difficult to find if he actually followed the roads in the village.

He pushes away his bowl, stretching as he steps back from the table.]

[emp3thy]

[Minato stands up too, picking up the bowls to put into the dishwasher. Koromaru, meanwhile, seems to have given up on the excitement and has curled up in his basket, still camping the Evoker.]

There's a spare bedroom you can have.

[thunderfists]

[It's ... a little weird for Minato to be accommodating like this. A meal was one thing, since they had basically bartered for that. But a bedroom?]

You want me to sleep here?

[emp3thy]

[Minato is just as surprised that he's questioning it. It's true, the last few times he'd been around Akihiko had found his own apartment, but it's the middle of the night. Even if he wants to find his own place tomorrow, there's no point in throwing him out.]

Why not?

[thunderfists]

[Why not indeed. He had to get used to not having to trade for everything. Ever since he lost his wallet...]

...Never mind. Thanks for the offer.