◎ 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

[emp3thy]

[Yep.] I knew I didn't make those marks.

[thunderfists]

Is this your place, then? [That familiar feeling is really nagging at him now.]

[emp3thy]

Yeah. For the past few years.

[There's a light on outside the house as they get closer to the back door, but Minato's back is still to Akihiko...]

[thunderfists]

[Akihiko frowns warily as they approach the village proper, keeping an eye on his guide. Shorter than him, slighter than him, dark hair...

He could take him. Definitely.

The mentioning of years reminds him of something Mitsuru said.]

Did something strange happen here last year?

[Maybe he was off base.]

[emp3thy]

[Akihiko...

But... that question just confuses him.]

'Strange things' happen here all the time.

[thunderfists]

[Well. That didn't help much.]

I see. [State the obvious, then.] It's a strange place anyway, this world.

[emp3thy]

[At least he's figured out that much.

Minato is about to answer, with something along the lines of asking him about the guide, but they've reached the back door... and someone else has noticed Akihiko's presence. Namely, Koromaru, who's already recognized his friend's voice and is barking and scratching frantically at the door.

So much for staying incognito... He opens the door and lets the dog race out, while deadpanning.] You're going to wake everyone up.

[thunderfists]

[The barking distracts Akihiko from answering, and he stares at the white shiba inu hurrying out the open door.] Koro-chan?

[What was he doing here?]

[emp3thy]

[Koromaru barks excitedly, runs around Akihiko in a circle, and barks again, all the while frantically wagging his tail. This seems to mean "yes." Minato, meanwhile, has turned around to watch this unfolding...

...and finally gets to see what Akihiko is wearing in the light.

Is this real life.]

[thunderfists]

[It takes a moment for Akihiko to drag his attention away from Koromaru, but when he does ... he stares right at the guy he had been following.

And stares some more.

It's a trap. Every thought in his head comes with that interrupting alarm. It's Mina-- It's a trap. Why is he--? It's a trap. And Koromaru is-- It's a trap.

He instantly springs backwards, away from the door and back towards the darkness, his cape billowing with the impressive jump.]

[emp3thy]

[For a second, Minato and Akihiko are staring directly in each other's eyes. He looks older, Minato has time to realize. It's surprising. He'd been so used to being, ironically, the only one who ages as the others appear and disappear. The other thing that's obvious is the recognition. This is his Akihiko and he's as surprised as he should be. Thirdly -

Akihiko jumps.]

Senpai! [Where is he even going - and what was that distance?! Had he become an Olympic athlete in however many years it had been -] Wait!

[thunderfists]

[As he touches ground, Akihiko considers running. Running would be a good idea; getting far away from here and getting some time to sort through his thoughts...

But no. He couldn't run -- even if he seriously considered it, he'd be sniffed out by that Koromaru TV ... version. Taking off running would also make him easy to track through the brush, with his lack of experience with making a noiseless retreat.

He didn't make it a habit to run away, after all.

He pushes back his hood and raises his clenched fists, taking on a fighting stance. Embodiment of regret, TV personification, or whatever it was, he was expecting a fight.]

Come on, then! Let's do this!

[emp3thy]

[Minato is even more confused than before. What exactly had happened in Akihiko's life? The cloak and shirtlessness, the giant scar he can now see across his chest, suddenly running away from him and Koromaru and now this - preparing for a fight? Even if he's obviously surprised to see him alive, he can't understand why Akihiko would decide he's an enemy...

Koromaru is whining, looking back and forth between Akihiko and Minato, seemingly just as confused as his master. Minato raises his hands.]

I'm not going to fight you.

[thunderfists]

[Though he hears 'Minato,' Akihiko doesn't relax. He steadies his breathing and keeps moving, his guard up as he studies his opponents. Neither of them were moving towards him, but that didn't mean anything; they didn't have to get in close to call upon a Persona -- if these TV personifications could create them, of course.]

Luring me in with the promise of a beef bowl. Pretty clever. You tipped your hand a little too early, though.

[emp3thy]

I really will make you a beef bowl.

[come on, Akihiko, seriously? Does he have to actually fight to bring you to your senses?]

[thunderfists]

[It's hard to fight that urge to say "Really?" in response; he's seriously craving a good protein boost, and bringing it up again was a mistake. He didn't need a reminder of that succulent beef, delicately-simmered onion, and that sauce...]

Yeah right, imposter. You expect me to believe something like that in another world?

[Never mind that he was totally ready to do so just a little while ago.]

[emp3thy]

You did five minutes ago.

[yep he'll go there.]

[thunderfists]

[.........

There's a very slight pause in his movement when 'Minato' points out his contradiction, but that's all.]

I'm not falling for that again. [He acknowledges.]

[emp3thy]

[sigh....

It's too late at night for this.]

What do you want me to do?

[thunderfists]

Are you going to keep up this charade?

[There's that challenging tone in his voice again.]

I know where he is. Not here.

[emp3thy]

[that's a strange way to phrase it... but regardless.]

Neither of us is where we should be right now, senpai. But I'm as real as you.

[thunderfists]

[Even calling him Senpai. Now he was curious how this TV world created these manifestations of the past.

But he had a point. The food he was eating was real, the days and nights he spent outside were real... So this 'Minato' was real, too.

A real fake.]

Obviously. But this isn't my first time around the block.

[He knew what he had to do.

And with that, he sprints at Minato with every intention of hitting him, covering that gap he had just jumped in a matter of moments.]

[emp3thy]

[Not good. Minato knows he can't take Akihiko in a fistfight. But running is a bad plan, too - Akihiko would just take that as an admission of... whatever he thought Minato was really doing.

Minato sidesteps as his senpai charges, his hand digging into the bag he's carrying. He's not unprepared for this, either.

He draws the Evoker.]

Persona!

[Yurlungur, appears, coiled around his feet... and unleashes a torrent of ice straight at Akihiko.]

[thunderfists]

[Swing and a ... miss? Akihiko hisses as his opponent dodges, correcting his stance to lunge at 'Minato' again.

This plan is derailed by the icy counterattack that assaults him, and he finds himself quickly encased.

...Damn it. Why did his Persona's weakness have to be ice, of all things? He focuses on breaking free, ignoring the sparks of pain from his still-sensitive wings.]

[emp3thy]

[Not if Minato can help it. Yurlungur disappears in that moment, but the Evoker is raised again immediately.] Thanatos!

[The black-robed swordsman roars into being, metal carapace 'grinning.' He's going for a three-strike out.]