personavelvetroomdr | (no subject)

[It's a perfectly ordinary day in Tokyo, if you ignore the fact that Akechi just got done enduring a horrific, white palace with crumbling architecture, creepy tentacles everywhere, and scraps of memory locked away and scattered like puzzle pieces, culminating in battling a tentacled abomination to free Wakaba Isshiki's Shadow from the prison of her mind, and... well. A mother-daughter reunion is always nice, he supposes.

He's on the phone when he stumbles in, deep in the midst of a conversation.]

Isshiki-san's condition is stable, but we'll have to relocate her before he notices anything amiss. ...Yes, Dad, I'm all right. Not that I don't appreciate the concern, but-

[The signal cuts out, and... ah. The Velvet Room. And not the Velvet Room of his childhood, but... this one.

At first he bristles, eyes narrowed into a razor-sharp glare. He has half a mind to complain to Igor about locking him out, but all signs point to Ren's "Igor" being impostor, and... no. Wait.

Recollection flashes before him. With that recollection, he grimaces.]

...Of course I'd end up back here.

[He shuts his eyes, brings a hand to his face, and breathes in deeply. He was such a stupid tween, and if people connect him to said tween... Who even knows how much time has passed here?]

[ooc: Older version of

fogboundcrow for the funny. Some info on his profile. Yes, he's wearing a Shujin uniform.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

What're you going to do? Change his heart?

[ I plan to destroy that man might have given Ren hope, if he didn't know better than to hope.

His mask is back on, in any case: serious, sympathetic, in no way thinking about an upcoming murder. ]

If that is what it takes to end his crimes. Obviously, the ethical implications of a change of heart are not lost to me, but if Shido is the potential benefactor of our brainwashing culprit, then he is a most pertinent target even outside of my personal grievances.

[Heh. Of course, he knows it won't be that easy.]

I already know his palace keywords. The only reason we haven't gone yet is that I'm not sure the Phantom Thieves are ready to take on such a palace. They're stronger now, and I do have allies in the Shadow Operatives, but such a target would require careful planning.

[There are many factors to consider. Shido is a very dangerous man, in the end.]

[ That's what Ren thought. Even if Shido is Akechi's dad, even if he wronged Akechi that much, it's just a change of heart for him. His own Akechi would be the same way. There'll be no help coming from the Phantom Thieves, even if he asks for it.

At least this Akechi is onto Shido being behind all the brainwashing stuff. ]

He has a tough Palace?

[ He sure does. Ren knows that firsthand. ]

Just from a cursory investigation, it would seem to be the case. At the very least, letters of recommendation are required for any meaningful progress, and given what I know about palaces, that means doubtlessly enduring difficult challenges along the way.

[He has the connections to obtain said letters. Mitsuru herself is a veteran Persona user and a woman of status. He could simply recruit the Shadow Operatives and get it done with...

But this is more than just his fight.]

While I have allies who could help, it would be unfair to my Ren, when Shido is to blame for his probation.

...He's on probation? [ Ren is grateful for the distraction. ] What'd he even do? [ In particular, what did he do to Shido? ]

He protected a woman from being raped and the man tripped, hit his head on a car, and threw a fuss. Apparently the "police are his bitches..."

[He breathes in deeply, then growls out a sigh.]

So, obviously, it was Shido.

[ ...Yeah, that has Shido written all over it. Couldn't be more obvious if he spelled it out in skywriting. The police are my bitches. Fuck. What's Ren even killing all these people for, if Shido's going around saying that stuff? How's he going to rise to power like that?

Not that Ren can say any of that, or even admit to that much familiarity with Shido. ] I guess you'd know, if you've been in his Palace. But isn't he, like... trying to say he's a man of the people? Seems stupid to go around saying that stuff to random teenagers.

He was drunk, apparently, and Ren's description did match. Bald with sunglasses.

[He scoffs. And he thinks he's going to represent the best of this country. Ludicrous.]

Funny how it turns out. The boy I end up dating shares a mutual hatred of my damnable sperm donor.

Something you have in common. An opportunity to bond.

[ He sounds a little more jaded than he realizes. ]

...I'm guessing it's more complicated in your world.

[The tone is rather telling, after all. He didn't become a detective by ignoring subtle tells.]

[ ...Dammit. ]

We're not dating in my world. But some people would say that makes it simpler.

[ He'll let you have that one, Akechi, if it keeps you away from the real secrets. Everyone back home knows he's into Akechi. Or if they don't, they're Sakamoto-level dense. ]

Ah... I take it there are certain obstacles that would make dating difficult.

[He doesn't have that, but it isn't hard to read between the lines. That's... hm.

He stews on it quietly.]

[ Yeah, like Ren being a serial killer and Akechi being on his hit list. That's a pretty big obstacle.

He smiles wryly. ] Yeah, like me being a criminal who doesn't even go to school. My Akechi is top of his class.

I'm dating a "criminal". It's actually quite thrilling. Who knows? Perhaps he's got an eye for danger.

[While he wears a smirk and tries to speak with a playful tone, it's mostly a mask. An attempt to add some levity.]

Maybe. Maybe I'll ask him when I get home. [ He won't. But he gives Akechi an apologetic little smile. ] Sorry, didn't mean to bring down the mood. Tell me about Shido's Palace. What are the letter of recommendation things?

[ Not a cheerful topic, but at least it's not about his fucking love life. ]

It would appear that we must get the approval of those close to Shido's inner circle to progress. Or rather, cognitions of them. It fits with his over inflated ego.

[But it does make for an annoying means to progress. Then again, what's a palace without such complications?]

Can you just, like. Shoot them and loot the letters?

[ He doesn't know the answer to this. It's always been simple for him to get letters from all the cognitions; the danger of Shido's Palace lies in the Shadows you fight along the way. And in everything else about it being Shido's Palace. ]

Probably, but there's also the question of whether or not my team is prepared to take on the Shadows there. My initial readings were not exactly encouraging...

[He didn't go far, but he's spent enough time navigating to at least pick up on a thing or two. It didn't look pretty...]

You can navigate...? [ He's pretty sure his own Akechi can't do that. ]

Perhaps it's something I inherited from my Shadow, or perhaps it's simply my breadth of experience within the TV world making me more attuned to traversing cognitive spaces.

[He shrugs. The finer mechanics aren't too big of a deal at this point.]

Morgana did have to teach me a thing or two, at least where the Metaverse and TV worlds differ, but there's just enough overlap that it was easy enough to follow along. Our first venture into Kamoshida's palace was actually just the two of us, the evening I met my world's Ren.