[Open] A robot arrives in the Dressing Room

[gorobo]

'Well, that didn't make any sense. Thanks for nothing, weird old man,' is what he thinks.

"Ah, I see," is what he says, smiling at the long-nosed, bug-eyed old man sitting in the middle of the strange blue room he's found himself in, "thank you very much for your warm welcome. I appreciate your introduction."

Despite his near perfect disguise as a human, Goro's ultimately mechanical body bows politely, as if he'd gained any valuable information from this, instead of being spoken at nonsensically. What the hell is this place? The Velvet Room? Forming bonds? Concern about the place from which he came? As far as he's concerned, this is all looking like it's going to be a huge headache. 

Still, his scanners indicate that this is... not quite like the Metaverse, but something like it? The strangeness of it all certainly makes more sense when he looks at it that way. It's a place outside of his normal reality, that's for certain, though when he tries to recall the memories of how exactly he ended up here, all he gets back is some glitchy static that makes his limbs twitch. Fun! Lovely! Shido-san is going to want to know about this!

He blinks away the intrusive thought, the only indication of his upset as he looks around. Internally, he sighs, already resigning himself to figuring out how this place can be useful to Shido-san. He has better things to do, technically, but apparently, it's not like he's gone in his own world, so it's not like it'll really make a difference, either. Who knows? Maybe exploring this place will prove useful, in the long run. He's not sure what kind of 'bonds' he's expected to make, if any at all, though maybe finding someone and speaking to them may prove fruitful.

... Sure. That sounds logical enough. He's not exactly eager to hand yet another boon over to Shido, but it's not like he can refuse either. He's already here, after all. Not to mention, he is curious...

Hmm... usually, he's forbidden from leaving Tokyo. These doors lead to places outside of Tokyo, but since this is Metaverse related, perhaps he can try to...?

When he does not receive an internal error (though he's not sure if he's exactly happy about that), he opens one of the doors...

1.  ... and ends up in a city, which his internal GPS immediately pings as Iwatodai. From his databases, he knows the Kirijo Group has many connections here, which immediately sets him on edge. His body, however, does not react to his internal distress, nor the vague impulse to return to the Velvet Room already, and sets out to explore. 
2.  ... and finds himself in the middle of a shopping district... filled with closed shops. He gets pinged with "Yasoinaba" for a location. It's surprisingly quiet, but he finds that he doesn't mind all too much. Eager to find out what's so special about this town in particular for it to show up here, he starts walking around.
3.  ... and ultimately decides that he should familiarize himself with the Tokyo of this strange place. At first glance, it seems to be mostly normal, but the 'supernatural' feeling from before lingers. Legs moving near-automatically, he finds himself strolling towards LeBlanc.

Comments

He said, you know, like a liar

[gorobo]

Something inside Falcon lurches.

His programming buzzes dangerously, systems loading his battle protocol against his will. The protective caps around his fingers slide out of place under his gloves, ready to fire bullets at a moment's notice. He's screaming on the inside, begging for Raven to run, please run, you're in danger-!

"I am not protecting him. I am simply stating facts," he replies coolly, stretched out to his full height as he looks down at Raven. His stance has changed, not so much the sweetheart Detective Prince anymore, but the weapon that he was built as. "I cannot tolerate baseless slander. It is against the law."

But just before he truly kicks into battle mode, someone else arrives, and just like that, his programming automatically switches back over to pleasant and polite. Caps slide back in place, battle protocols aborted. He's never been so relieved to see himself.

"Oh, hello there," he says, voice warm and pleasant pleasant pleasant, "ah, please don't worry. It seems our younger self had some unfortunate experiences, and was projecting that onto a politician named Masayoshi Shido. I simply cannot stand baseless slander against people who don't deserve it, so I found myself getting a little irritated."

'I am irritated, just not for the reasons I'm stating!'

"I just really hate injustice, you know," he smiles, turning up the charm, "it's a shame that even a younger version of myself is such a child that he cannot see reason when presented with it."

[fogbornphantom]

"It was more than mere projection. Everything he said regarding Shido holds true, at least in some realities." His hand remains firmly on Raven's shoulder. Raven himself ducks his head, tense and silent.

He wants to protest. He wants to call more bullshit, but something about this feels... odd. The way that Falcon's demeanor and even his stance shifted... It's off.

Crow keeps a steady hand on his younger self. "Injustice comes in many forms. However, I would advise a bit more consideration to those of us whom Shido has harmed rather than taking your anger out on a child. Surely there are more deserving outlets..."

His other hand rests on the holster at his belt, where his Evoker rests. "If I didn't know better, I'd be inclined to think you intended to incite violence. Were such a thing to happen, I'm afraid I'd have to unleash my full power, which wouldn't be an enjoyable experience for any one of us."

cw: robotic self harm thoughts

[gorobo]

For a moment, Falcon simply stares at Crow, pleasant smile on his face.

Then, he laughs awkwardly, bring his hand up behind his head.

"Oh, I suppose you are right after all, Crow-san," he says with a tittering laugh, high and pleasant, "how unbecoming of me to get this upset over the words of a mere child."

He wants to pull out his own hair. He wants to mutilate his own face. He wants to pull away his mesh until there is nothing but his internal skeleton left. He hates this, he hates the way he's acting, like he didn't just almost murder a fucking kid, who was mad for very, very justifiable reasons.

He's mad, too. 'I'm going to fucking kill Shido even if it's the last thing I do..'

"My apologies, Raven-kun," he bows down a little, making eye contact. "You are free to dislike Shido-san. I can't expect for everyone to love him."

Crow's threat is blatant, and his fingers twitch. Back in prince-mode as he is, though, he simply puts his hands up disarmingly.

"While I'm not sure what kind of 'power' you are talking about, please know that I truly meant no harm," he says, then winks, "though I do hope you have a license for that gun. I'll assume you do for now, hmm? As thanks for calling me out on my unbecoming behavior."

Falcon really wouldn't want to fight a version of himself. Not like this, in any case. There's a part of him that would like to compare powers, but...

No. Not like this.

[fogbornphantom]

"He can use it to summon Personas outside cognitive spaces," Raven says with just a slight edge to his voice. He looks at that holstered Evoker. If he had one, he'd be fine.

Crow looks down at him, sighing softly. Perhaps it would be worth reconsidering, given the circumstances, though that begs the question of what Falcon intended to do here.

Crow wouldn't be a detective if he didn't pay attention. The shift in demeanor, both from pleasant to aggressive and back paints a rather clear picture that something is amiss. The ignorance regarding Personas is intriguing as well. Either he doesn't know or, more likely, is covering his own ass.

"It would be rather unfortunate if something were to happen. Death within this place is only temporary, but I'd rather Raven not endure traumatic memories. As a result, I admit I can be rather presumptuous, but when you're the caretaker for as many children as I am, it never hurts to be cautious."

And then he shrugs, playing it off nonchalantly. "Though it could simply be as you said. A misunderstanding. Don't do it again, and it should be perfectly fine."

[gorobo]

"Persona? What's that?" he asks, as if he doesn't know. As if he doesn't have two of them himself. "Oh, are you perhaps talking about the concept of Carl Jung...? Though I'm unsure what relevance that has."

While Falcon's somewhat relieved to hear that death isn't permanent in this space, it also worries him. His programming, already attempting to send the info to Shido, buzzes angrily inside of him, sending out error reports left and right. 'What a headache.'

He agrees with Crow, though. He doesn't want to inflict that trauma onto Raven, not if he can help it... which he can't, not really. Not when it comes down to it.

It's a good thing Crow intervened when he did.

"It- was an honest mis-understanding," he says, wording more stilted while the error reports buffer, until his programming latches onto it, and corrects. His smile widens to hide the brief glitch. "I'd really never hurt anyone without due cause, least of all a child."

What a joke. He's killed children on Shido's orders. It still sends static to his core.

"Let's put all this behind us, and start over, shall we?" he hums, putting his hand on his hip, tilting his head. Friendly and disarming and pleasant. "We got off on the wrong foot, and I'd hate for that to hang between us."

[fogbornphantom]

He must be acting. He mentioned mental shutdowns and psychotic breakdowns, so unless he truly is from a world where he had no ties to the incidents or the Thieves, something is amiss here.

Crow watches Falcon very, very closely. The stilted wording isn't lost on him, nor is the way his smile shifts, as if he has something to hide.

Crow and Raven both take their chins in hand, in that familiar fashion.

"Personas are beings summoned from our souls, aspects of ourselves," Raven says. "Even if you truly don't know about them, you would do well to educate yourself. Cognitive spaces are quite easy to stumble upon here, or spaces that otherwise harbor otherworldly entities like demons."

"Like Mikage-cho and Sumaru City," Crow adds. "I could offer a demonstration, though if I did, you would likely want to step back. I also warn you that it would look remarkably like shooting myself in the head."

[gorobo]

Internally, Falcon wants to roll his eyes. He knows what Personas are, thank you very much, but it's not like he can blame the other for explaining when his programming makes him act like such an ignorant fool.

... Still. It's for the best. Crow's clearly noticed something's up, and it's all he can do to convince his programming that it doesn't mean anything. It's fine. He's him, of course he'd be suspicious if a version of himself showed up acting like he's doing, but what's Falcon going to do about that?

He threatened and almost killed his younger self. If it were him, he'd be a lot more hostile despite Falcon's plattitudes.

Then, Crow mentions a demonstration, and suddenly, Falcon's programming runs into a snag. Crow's human. How can a human possible summon Personas in the real world? Falcon can because he's a weapon, but-

Give Shido the power? Keep up the act? Destroy enemy? Error- error- errorerrorerror-

Conflicting orders inside his head pile up, trying to overtake one another-

Until finally, one wins out over the rest, the only indication being his placid smile twitching ever so slightly.

"Ah, while I'm sure it would be interesting, it all sounds a little too fantastical to be true," his award-winning smile is wide wide wide, "I'm not here to roleplay superheroes and villains. So, thank you for the offer, but no thank you. Especially not if it is such a... disturbing image, as you say."

Keeping up the act of ignorant skeptic, then.

[fogbornphantom]

Crow can tell he's bullshitting. Raven as well. The two of them share a skeptical look, before Crow ultimately sighs.

"You may have to adjust yourself to matters of the supernatural here. One step through the Mikage-cho door, and it won't be long before you encounter demons. And that says nothing of the Dark Hour in Iwatodai or other metacognitive matters."

But Crow can tell this is an unsafe situation, so he gently nudges Raven along. "Now, we should give Falcon some space. It's clear to me that this was a rather fraught encounter."

"But—"

"Apologies for the inconvenience."

[gorobo]

"No need for apologies," he smiles, a little too wide, too neat. "But I suppose you are right. We could all use some time to cool down, I believe."

Right. Cool down. Falcon's just glad this ended as well as it did. If Crow had been just a little later...

Well, he'd rather not think about it, but he does anyway. His programming has flagged both Crow and Raven as a 'potential threat', which is just great. Not enough for it to act on it quite yet, not like it had moments ago, but...

A wave of static goes through his core, horribly uncomfortable.

"Well, I hope we can see each other again. It was a pleasure meeting you two," he says, as if that didn't almost escalate into lethal territory. "Have a nice day."