a wild punk knitter appears

[very_elaborate]

Kanji's just confused by this whole blue room thing. The... Velvet Room? Didn't Souji-senpai mention something like that once? Well, whatever; he mostly just wants to go home.

And home is where it sinks in that whatever's happening is real enough to take seriously, because his mom's not there.

Okay. That's. That's gonna be weird, but he can work with this. He'd still rather stay at home than anywhere else - it's familiar. And it has all his craft shit.

Once he's had a moment to be weirded out, he might even take some of that craft shit outside for a little project work somewhere. The hill, probably, since it has a nice view.

Comments

[very_elaborate]

"Kid. That wasn't a suggestion." Not that he's really surprised, but still.

"And my first question still stands. What if you'd gone in and never got a chance to defend yourself?"

[fogboundcrow]

"...We didn't go very far. Teddie-san took me to the shopping district, fully intent on turning back if things got out of hand."

It's not even that he can fight back. It's... "Besides, I had obtained the power. You need a Persona to enter, correct? Even if mine ended up a Shadow, I knew there was a chance I'd see one, and I knew not to say that it wasn't me. I was... prepared."

[very_elaborate]

"Prepared doesn't mean shit can't go wrong. I can't even really say 'at least Ted was with you,' since he was pretty useless in a fight to start out."

Kanji sighs. "Look, it's just... we had to deal with an actual child gettin' chucked in there and it was bad. I guess knowing a Persona starts as a Shadow was one thing, but that still coulda blown up in your face."

[fogboundcrow]

"...The killer went after a child?" Oh, that's a glare right there, and he stiffens in his seat, gripping his chopsticks so tight, it's a wonder they don't snap. "No, that... shouldn't be a surprise. They had no qualms killing Konishi-san, after all, or attempting the same with Amagi-san."

Ugh. How reprehensible.

"Even so, I suppose a small child would have a more difficult time. I'm almost thirteen, so I'm more 'developed.' From a psychological perspective, I can only imagine it'd take a truly broken child to develop a Shadow."

[very_elaborate]

"Well, the--" And Kanji breaks off that thought right there. "Do you want the big spoilers or not."

As for the rest, he nods. "You're probably right on the bubble of 'actually repressing enough shit to get somewhere,' and... weirdly, having been through so much shit before you even got to Inaba might've given you an edge over other middle schoolers. Still one hell of a big risk to take, though."

[fogboundcrow]

"...You tempt me, but I do think I should try to solve the matter on my own, even if the knowledge would help us solve the case faster." Come to think of it, though, based on what Kanji's already revealed to him... "Actually, it seems I'm well ahead of where everyone 'should' be, and if Shirogane-san is due to arrive, I can only wonder if perhaps we'll still solve the case in record time simply due to extra hands on deck."

Yes, it's a big risk. He can concede to that, but then... "As for the dangers, well, one could just as easily argue it's a risk for Narukami-san to have brought Hanamura-san and Chie-san with him, but that clearly paid off. You do have far more hindsight, of course, whereas for us, things have only gotten started. But at least we're all on relatively the same page, even if my world's Kanji is... apprehensive about meeting his Shadow."

[very_elaborate]

"You might, but you probably still won't be ready to deal with the gas station dude until December at best. We didn't even realise there was a thing happenin' there until the day before Souji-senpai had to leave." And no matter what, she's gonna bring a high-caliber dungeon to the table.

"Well, no shit. If I'd known that was coming, I woulda been worried about it too." Kanji sighs. "And I'm definitely more worried about you because you're younger."

Not that it wasn't a calculated risk, or one worth taking, or that Akechi shouldn't be trying to set things right since the police can't tell their asses from their elbows. But he is young enough that it could've ended really fucking badly.

[fogboundcrow]

"Oh, it isn't really my priority to 'deal' with them right now. We started one of those links, so I might as well remain amicable, given that he clearly knows more than he lets on. Hell, he warned me multiple times before bestowing the power on me that it would not be simple, so at least he was more responsible than he was with Narukami..."

Heh. That brings a small smirk to his face. Favoritism with a supernatural being... Excellent.

"Right now, my priority is stopping the murders and uncovering the truth. Of course, that's obviously on hold here, and I have confidence that it'll work out eventually, given that my future self is here, having come out on the other side of it all a strangely well-adjusted person."

[very_elaborate]

"Well, you're gonna have to eventually, unless you want this shit starting up again in a few decades. But that's fair."

Is that really a good kind of favoritism to have. Is it really.

"Yeah, it would look pretty weird when you're new to the idea that people might actually give a shit, wouldn't it?"

[fogboundcrow]

"Perhaps, but the murders come first. If there comes a time to confront the attendant, I'm not opposed, but the attendant's greatest crime was getting the ball rolling. The killer is our true foe... for now."

Hmm, this seems like a good time to pause for more nikudon. Best to eat it before it gets cold, after all. "Still, it's not only that, but the fact that he's taken after some of Narukami's mannerisms. It's not that he's Yu Narukami in my body, but the more playful sense of humor. The fact that he actually knows how to cook... It's uncanny."

[very_elaborate]

"I mean, you can't really ask for a better teacher in the kitchen. Sure as shit don't want the girls doin' it, and Naoto doesn't like cooking, but can at least follow a damn recipe." Kanji does all right with cooking, himself, but Souji-senpai's just on another level.

[fogboundcrow]

"...How terrible are the girls? I've never actually tried their cooking, but we've also only recently established an amicable alliance." Still, that sounds foreboding. It also suggests personal experience with their meals.

[very_elaborate]

"Don't think Chie-senpai's been in the same room as a cookbook in her life. Yukiko-senpai's... improving, but that's still a pretty low bar. Rise does all right if you remind her she's not cookin' for just herself - otherwise it's spicy as shit."

[fogboundcrow]

"...Rise? As in the idol Risette?" That's interesting. Just how many famous people even come to Inaba?

[very_elaborate]

"Yeah, her grandma owns the tofu shop. She... needed a break pretty bad."

And now she's back in the swing of things and enjoying herself, which is cool, Kanji guesses. (Don't ask him to explain her fan club. He's not attracted to her in the slightest.)

[fogboundcrow]

"Wow. I walk by that tofu shop almost every day, and somehow it didn't occur to me." That's interesting, though. It means that, sooner or later, they're bound to meet. Still, the word of a break makes him deflate a little. "Not that I'm surprised she'd need a break. It's my understanding that the idol industry is about as cutthroat as it gets."

[very_elaborate]

"Yeah, and she's been really damn lucky, considering. Her manager really goes to bat for her against the creeps."

...Granted, he also tried to reverse-psychology into going back into the business, so he's far from perfect.

[fogboundcrow]

"A good manager? That is lucky. But I still find it abhorrent how young girls are expected to be eye candy for much older men. I've heard even dating can get them in trouble."

He huffs at that notion, scowling down at his meal.

[very_elaborate]

"It can. She tried weaselin' out of her manager asking her to come back to work by saying she was gonna marry Souji-senpai at one point. 'Have no private life of your own so other people can pretend you have it with them' is... fuckin' stupid, and I ain't even into the idol thing. And then there's the part where she was thirteen when she did that damn diet soda commercial."

Basically, the idol industry is a bunch of bullshit, and even having been very lucky Rise's had to deal with Some Shit.

[fogboundcrow]

He can't help but chuckle at the description. "I do wonder how that would fare in my world, when Narukami-san's earned the nickname 'No Girlfriends' thanks to me." There's an impish grin as he says it, as if it's a badge of pride. "Not my fault that Marie-san likes to grant people silly aliases."

The smile wanes soon, however. "Nonetheless, I had no idea it was that bad. Thirteen is barely older than me..."

[very_elaborate]

"'No Girlfriends,' huh." Kanji snorts. "Guess it'd depend on whether she still thought she had a reason to try."

Long as she doesn't claim she's gonna marry him instead. She's not Kanji's type and he doubts that's very different across universes.

"Yeah, nobody needs that kinda pressure. She said she's gonna get that part of her contract rewritten. And that was with someone who kept the real creeps away from her, and she still burnt out bad."

[fogboundcrow]

"Celebrity life seems to exhausting, idol or not." He props his cheek up with his right hand, still nibbling at his food. "The moment you're in the public eye, you forfeit all privacy. Your life is no longer your own. That she's able to return to it shows remarkable fortitude..."

[very_elaborate]

"She's actually enjoying herself, which... more power to her, I guess. I couldn't take it."

That stupid biker-gang special was bad enough. Not least because the film crew saw a tall punk with bleached hair and assumed he was involved.

[fogboundcrow]

"...That I can understand. You've a rather unfair reputation." He scowls at that fact. Things might be better now, but still. "I can only hope it's improved, but I know that some people can't see past the surface level."

[very_elaborate]

Kanji shrugs. "Kinda. It's gonna take time, but I stopped runnin' from myself, and that'll help."