(Open/Intro) Familiar Unfamiliarity

[shatteredtrickster]

 Akira's eyes fluttered open. He found himself staring at a familiar blue ceiling, one he had seen a dozen times. In truth, he wasn't surprised. How long had it been since he had last been summoned to the Velvet Room? If his memory was correct, it was the day before Akechi sold him and his team out...

Yet as he pushed himself up to his feet, he'd notice the lack of metal hitting metal or the stale smell that accompanied his usual prison cell. It... wasn't even a cell at all, not anymore. Though the layout of the Velvet Room was the same, there were no bars keeping him hostage. A single glance down allowed him to take in his altered attire; instead of being clad in rags suiting a prisoner, he had taken up the guise of his rebellious form. Perhaps this was due to the nature of his heart changing? Certainly Igor would explain. Looking up, Akira awaited an explanation, but the voice he heard from the long-nosed man was entirely foreign to him.

"Welcome to the Velvet Room..." Igor began, speaking as if this were their first meeting. Akira saw none of the familiarity he expected of Igor, nor did he spot Caroline or Justine, who had always accompanied him before. As he took a few steps out of his 'cell', Akira took in the sight of five doors behind Igor. One called out to him; it was familiar, but it had been a while since he had laid eyes on that particular door. The door to Leblanc... 

The others he couldn't pin down. A door adjacent felt familiar, but in a nostalgic way. It reminded him of home. 

"If you have any concerns about the world from which you have come..." Igor continued as Akira turned his attention back to his guide. So, this was another world entirely. He needed answers. Besides the doors, what caught his eye was a board far too haphazard to be Igor's doing. He could see writing pinned to it. If Akechi were here, certainly he'd be able to figure out what had happened in an instant. But for now, however, Akira found himself alone.

Option 1: Akira approached the Conspiracy Board, gaze trailing across the various notes. There had to be something of use here...

Option 2: The best course of action would be to reunite with Akechi. Hopefully, that would be his Akechi, but even another version of him from another world should have some inkling of what was going on. Approaching the door to Tokyo, he'd step inside, finding himself on Central Street, dressed in his usual summer attire. 

Option 3: Akira's eyes couldn't leave the door beside his own. Despite the pull of information or the desire to reunite with his one ally, he wanted to ease the curiosity in his heart. Opening the door to Inaba, he only felt his nostalgia growing stronger as the smells and sounds from his childhood spilled out. With one more step, he was through, unknowingly in a new time. His outfit returned to normal, becoming his typical summer outfit. Now where would his curiosity lead him...? 
 

 

Comments

2

[willowandoak]

Ren is leaning against the wall a little ways away, staring blankly at the buildings across the street as he eats an ice cream cone. He feels so much better than he did, fuck, he didn't even realize how bad it was; but that still doesn't mean he's doing great.

Movement catches his eye, and he turns, transferring his ice cream cone to his left hand and sliding the other casually into his pocket. He can't identify the other Ren (or Akira...?) at a glance, or even at a closer look, so he heads over to say hi. And maybe to help the guy out, if he needs it. Ren is confident that he can tell all the versions of himself apart on sight; he would bet a good amount of money, therefore, that he's looking at Igor's newest kidnapping victim.

"Hey, man. Just get here?"

Re: 2

[shatteredtrickster]

As he turned, he'd come face to face with... himself? For a moment, Akira was shocked, but remembered... he was in a different world. Perhaps this was the Akira... or rather, Ren, of this world. Or maybe he was from another world altogether. Either was a possibility, given how nonchalantly the other approached.

"Yes. Where exactly am I?" He'd begin, not wanting to overload his other self with questions - or reveal too much about himself.

[willowandoak]

"Hell," Ren says brightly. He shoves the rest of the cone in his mouth. "Or the Velvet Room," he adds, speaking with his mouth full. "But same difference, if I'm honest."

What an encouraging thing to say to a newcomer...

option 2

[lilcomputer]

Futaba had been wandering, she mostly walked around trying to catch the monsters on her phone. She blinked when she saw something that wasn't a cognition move. Her eyes stared at him for a minute, deciding between the game and him. It would be rude if she didn't say hello at least.

She walked over. "Are you new here?"

Re: option 2

[shatteredtrickster]

...Futaba? For a moment, Akira felt a pang in his chest - a mix of worry and guilt. But then she would speak... she was from another world. Akira mentally kicked himself for forgetting such a simple fact.

"Yeah. You're... not my Futaba, are you?"

Re: option 2

[lilcomputer]

She shrugged. "Is your Futaba ten years old?" She hummed. "I don't know who I belong to. Everyone is so much older than me." She kicked her foot on the ground.

1

[goddessarcher]

She didn't get many answers in Tokyo, so she returns to the Velvet Room where there's another strange boy standing. May as well try to smooth things over for him. She approaches him cautiously.

"Would be nice of someone to explain things to us, right? I'm Yukari Takeba by the way, did you just get here?"

Re: 1

[shatteredtrickster]

Yukari Takeba... he hadn't heard the name before. Still, Akira was intrigued, as he would be by anyone who stumbled into the Velvet Room.

"Yes. I'm Akira Kurusu," He'd say, his new name flowing from his lips naturally. "I guess you don't know much more than me, huh?"

Re: 1

[goddessarcher]

"Not really. I met someone from an alternate timeline of mine but they didn't explain too much. Honestly I think I explained more to them." It was disappointing for sure, but what could she really do about it?

"I can explain what I've gathered to you if you want." He probably already got a lot from the board though.

Option 3!

[rookandhound]

Somewhere, he'd acquired a laptop. The summer air was hot, but he'd set up in the shade and- fairly brazenly- plugged in a fan at a nearby business, which was serving the purpose of keeping him cool. Somewhat absently, he prodded at a rice bowl with fish, his focus on the screen in front of him.

"Yeah, the wireless coverage is weird. It's perfectly strong, right up until it hits some arbitrary distance and stops, and that leaves a lot of gaps. And it's all working by 2011 standards out in the sticks, so... garbage, honestly. I know you like it, but..."

"I think you should consider it. You obviously hate the city, and somewhere quiet might do you some good."

"Yeah, but I don't like how exposed we'd be without-" Goro paused. Looked up as footsteps passed, into eyes that were slowly becoming familiar. "Hey."

Re: Option 3!

[shatteredtrickster]

Perhaps it was his natural urge from living in the city for so long, but Akira found himself heading towards the center of town, where an oddly modern and tall building jutted out of the idyllic town.

Entering the building, he'd find himself in a food court with an all-too-familiar jingle playing from the speakers. As his head turned to the right, he'd spot someone familiar... but it couldn't be, could it?

As he approached who he thought was Akechi, he'd hear the other mention the date... it was 2011. And as he further examined the other, he could tell this Akechi appeared... younger. Akira took a step back, deciding to make his retreat to consider his options, but the young Goro had spotted him before he was able to slip away.

"Hey." He'd approach, acting as natural as possible. Would this Goro even know him?

[rookandhound]

Unfortunately... there was no real recognition. It was a face he'd seen around, now, but there was no relationship there, no background. "It's Amamiya, isn't it? Or Kurusu, one of the two. Are you new too, or one of the locals?"

2

[seekerofjustice]

Dove was passing through Central Street for a change, when he spots... Ren? For a second he almost dared to hope it's somehow his own, but he is not naive enough to bank on it. So he approaches Akira from behind, though he doesn't get too close.

"Ah, you must be new here."

That's the first thing he finds himself saying. With the way this Akira seems to be almost lost, he couldn't help but come to that conclusion.

"You look a bit lost. Do you need any help?"

If Akira were to turn around and face him, he would find an Akechi with smile close to the Detective Prince persona, but the look in his eyes is... genuine?

Re: 2

[shatteredtrickster]

With a glance back, he'd find himself greeted with an Akechi, one with a sincere look in his eyes and a kindness he had only just become acquainted with. Was this his Akechi...?

"Goro..." He examined the other. "I'm in another world, aren't I?" He'd ask, wondering what he could learn from this Akechi, partly hoping this was his own. But when had his Akechi smiled so widely?

[seekerofjustice]

Dove is a little surprised by the use of his given name, but he doesn't comment on it. Truth be told, he doesn't even know what his own world's Ren called him... Could he have used Goro for him?

Instead of focusing on that though, he nods.

"Of sorts, yes. Are you acquainted with the Velvet Room? Though I suppose if you are, you still wouldn't be used to the cognitive version of Tokyo. If your world is anything like mine, then it should be very similar."

He steps a little closer, looking at Akira with a somewhat curious look, finger to his chin.

"It seems that Igor wants for the people here to make bonds... I still haven't entirely discerned his reason for it, but that seems to be the purpose of people arriving here."

Of course, Akira probably already knows that thanks to Igor himself. Or perhaps he left the area in a rush similar to another recent arrival. It's hard to say.

2

[noheroesnavi]

She notices a new person, a new real person on Central Street. He looks like Akira, but that wasn't much comfort, given the fact that it probably wasn't her Akira. He seems like he's looking for something though, and it was possible that she could be of help in that case. She hadn't tried, but since this whole world was cognitive it was possible she could use her Persona's navigation powers.

Or at least her own hacking powers. She approaches him with a wave. "Looking for something?" She asks.

Re: 2

[shatteredtrickster]

Through the crowd, he'd notice a familiar individual, identified by her bright orange hair. Futaba... though not his own, from the looks of it.

"I can't say I'm looking for anything in particular. But... I can't say I know where I'm heading, either."

Re: 2

[noheroesnavi]

He wasn't looking for anything? Hm. "If you're trying to leave that's a moot point. We're stuck here, but it is just like back home at least." Assuming that this Akira really did think of Tokyo as home.

3

[rosemaudite]

It's probably no surprise to spot Haru examining some plants and seedlings at a stand in the shopping district.

It might be a surprise to see that she's a bit gothier than Akira might expect, but some things are constant, and her love of plants is one of them.

Re: 3

[shatteredtrickster]

Was that... Haru? He hadn't expected to see her here, in a small town in the middle of nowhere. She looked a bit different - in style, that was, but he didn't think much of it. Reminding himself that this was unlikely to be his Haru, he'd approach. Chances are, she may consider him an ally. Any help in this strange world would be appreciated.

"Haru? What brings you here?"

[rosemaudite]

"Oh, Kurusu. Unless you're one of the Amamiyas, or something else entirely."

There's a lot packed in there, with some of the name question having been addressed by Raven's conspiracy board - at the same time, she's not referring to Akira by a given name, which suggests she's not expecting any particular closeness. She doesn't object to the use of her given name, though - and why would she, when her family name just drags her worthless father into things needlessly?

"The plants, of course."

option 2

[thedevilinyourdetails]

When Akira sees a new person emerging from the door to the Velvet Room, he waves. "Hiya, stranger," he grins. "Watcha lookin' for?"

Re: option 2

[shatteredtrickster]

He had barely taken a step out of the door to Tokyo when he spotted another version of himself, with the door to the Velvet Room still behind himself, its telltale blue smoke brushing up against Akira's ankles.

Akira found himself dumbstruck for a moment before finally speaking up, responding to the other Akira's question with one of his own: "Where am I?"

1

[fogboundcrow]

Oho... A new Akira. Or Ren. Odds are it's a Ren at this point, but there's always one way to find out. That way, obviously, requires Raven to approach with a confident stride and a smirk lining his lips.

"Admiring my handiwork, are we? A wise decision." ...Damn it. His voice cracked. Stupid puberty.

Re: 1

[shatteredtrickster]

"Goro?" Upon hearing the semi-familiar voice, Akira turned his head to face the source of the sound. He found his gaze travelling down a few inches, landing on a smaller - yet somehow more confident - version of Akechi. Upon hearing his voice crack, Akira held back a chuckle. Surely his own Akechi would have been able to handle a jab or two, but to this young one, he was a stranger. Well, a stranger with a familiar face. Besides, Akira was... impressed.

"You could say that. But... how did you find yourself here?"