Velvet Room Mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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personavelvetroomdr2024-11-21 04:38 pm
vrdr_mods) wrote in personavelvetroomdr2024-11-21 04:38 pm
Entry tags:
[EVENT] Memory Tapes
On the morning of November 21st, denizens in the Velvet Room will awake to a message on their phones or by their bedsides in an envelope. Perhaps even on their computer screens.
Greetings! If you've received this message, then you've been selected as a participant in a new activity to strengthen bonds within this community.
In order to facilitate connections with your fellow residents, we advise you to watch this video. Watch it and return the tape to its rightful owner. If you lacked the means to watch VHS tapes before, we have provided you with the necessary equipment.
Failure to do so may put your own memories at risk. Do not be selfish, lest you find yourself struggling to recall crucial moments of your life. You have no way of knowing which memories have been shared, so ask yourself if it is worth the risk to selfishly hoard another's secrets.
They will soon find a VHS tape, with a case that gives off a soft, blue glow to symbolize its importance. If they lack a TV or VCR, they will find one in their living space.
What they do is up to them, but they should heed the warning, if they value their own memories.
[For links to characters' memories, please see this post in the OOC comm. Have fun!]
Greetings! If you've received this message, then you've been selected as a participant in a new activity to strengthen bonds within this community.
In order to facilitate connections with your fellow residents, we advise you to watch this video. Watch it and return the tape to its rightful owner. If you lacked the means to watch VHS tapes before, we have provided you with the necessary equipment.
Failure to do so may put your own memories at risk. Do not be selfish, lest you find yourself struggling to recall crucial moments of your life. You have no way of knowing which memories have been shared, so ask yourself if it is worth the risk to selfishly hoard another's secrets.
They will soon find a VHS tape, with a case that gives off a soft, blue glow to symbolize its importance. If they lack a TV or VCR, they will find one in their living space.
What they do is up to them, but they should heed the warning, if they value their own memories.
[For links to characters' memories, please see this post in the OOC comm. Have fun!]
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“Huh,” he mutters under his breath, just loud enough for Akechi to catch. He chuckles, more to himself than anyone else, his hands still tucked casually into his hoodie pockets. “You are actually staying.”
He doesn’t elaborate on the statement, doesn’t prod or demand an explanation. Instead, he lets the silence stretch just long enough to feel weighty before breaking it with a low laugh. “Makes sense I guess- you arrived from April. You are yet to run into me...if there is a version of me in your world."
His gaze slides across the room, landing on the dartboard mounted on the wall. His expression shifts, a flicker of mischief lighting up his features.
He gestures at the dartboard with a tilt of his head, his grin widening. “So,” he begins, his tone light and playful, "Wanna play darts?"
Akira’s grin widens, his voice dropping to a teasing lilt with his hands raised up. “Promise I won’t shoot the board.”
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He lets the silence stand.
And when Kira does speak, he shrugs. “That’d be correct, I haven’t had the… pleasure of becoming acquainted with the Akira or Ren from my world.” It’ll be nice to know what name to use that’s for sure. “I’ve no reason to believe there isn’t one. We just haven’t met yet… and if this universal constant is upheld we inevitably will” He just feels like there’d be more drastically different if there wasn’t. He’s still a little miffed Kira didn’t just ask him for that information directly but, fine, he’ll let it slide.
And then Kira asks if he wants to play darts. He blinks in surprise a moment, considering the offer.
You know what? Why not. He does still want to ask a few questions, for his own curiosities sake.
And considering the fucking ride he’s been on today throwing sharp objects at a board sounds like great stress relief.
“Sure, I’m up for a few games” he smirks a bit in a silent challenge, “though be aware, I only play 701” why not? He’s up for a challenge. And he did notice how well Kira was playing when he arrived. So screw it why not?
Mockingbird actually snorts at Kira’s last comment, “I’d hope not, it’d be difficult to play with the dart board full of bullet holes”
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Well. Everything.
"Do you?" He raises a brow at Akechi's "warning" and for a moment he wonders if he even realizes who he was challenging. "Go easy on me then, please." He grins- knowing that it will just further fuel the Akechi to rub his face to the ground in some way of showing himself off before actually going easy on him. Always going for the Bullseye, taking no more than five to ten seconds to land his mark and only messing up when Akira was messing with him. The perfect recipe for disaster.
Akira strolls up to the dartboard, picking up the set of darts with a casual air, though his sharp eyes betray a flicker of anticipation. He spins one dart lazily between his fingers as he turns back to Akechi. He doesn’t seem fazed. He’s grinning wide, the type of grin that says he’s walking straight into a storm—and enjoying every second of it.
He hands the darts to Akechi, the gesture smooth and deliberate, as though relinquishing control in a game he’s already planning to upend.
“Alright, Akechi-san,” he says, putting just enough emphasis on the name to make it sound like both a compliment and a jab. “You’re up first. Show me what you’ve got.”
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And oh boy Kira’s taunt works. He’s aware he’s probably being goaded, but screw it he’s a competitive little shit! He gives a competitive smirk as he accepts the darts.
“Of course, of course” he keeps his tone pleasant but the slight twitch in his smile means he acknowledged the jab. ‘go easy on me’ he says, like Kira isn’t the one with objectively more time to practice between the two. But akechi will give it his all. Maybe he can surprise the time traveler yet!
Which is an objectively ridiculous sentence he thinks but screw it better to just roll with the weirdness in this place.
Akechi steps up to the line and readies his aim.
And of course, he hits the bullseye on all his throws. Not perfect shots, mind you, but he’s consistent and that’s what matters to him. After his turn he looks to Kira and smirks.
“Don’t hold back on my account.” He says with a overly sweet cadence that makes it pretty clear he’s exaggerating. But the meaning is there, he will be insulted if Kira tries to ‘let akechi win’ he wants to see just how skilled this time traveler is.
And maybe it’s because he’s competitive more than curious but seriously if he wins it wants to be because he genuinely won, not because this guy was handicapping himself.
That also means the possibility of loosing but he can put up a fight.
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And he sees it. The three consecutive bullseyes. Kira whistles in acknowledgement, very much impressed still.
When Akechi turns his smile sharpens to his usual unusual self. "A hat trick. Classic."
"I will not-" he raises his palm up- almost muscle memory before he stops. Eyes widening midway as he was about to prepare for a high-five like he always shared with his Akechi as a joke. "...Sorry- force of habit."
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He blink. Dangit, Futaba made this muscle memory for him.
Um.
…
“…I’m not going to get time traveled or something if we high five, right?” Is what he says instead. Look the tape didn’t exactly give him context here.
He doesn’t even seem that upset? Then again, futaba would drag him into a high five or some sort of similarly playfully silly gesture whenever they played video games, and thanks to her Hannei would start doing that too.
For better or for worse he’s a little more relaxed about these things.
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“…I’m not going to get time traveled or something if we high five, right?”
The words make Akira pause, his eyes meeting Akechi’s as if to gauge whether the question was genuine or just deadpan humor. He doesn’t answer immediately; instead, a snort escapes him, low and amused. His grin returns in full force, sharp and mischievous, as he wordlessly brings his palm forward to meet Akechi’s gloved one with a loud, satisfying clap.
For a moment, Akira holds the connection, leaning slightly closer as if sharing a great cosmic secret.
“There,” he says, voice light with mock gravity. “You have now time traveled 69 years into the future.” His grin only widens as he pulls his hand back, the glint in his eyes daring Akechi to take the comment seriously.
Akira straightens, his tone shifting to a faux-professorial cadence. “Don’t worry,” he adds with a wink. “The time resonant theory won’t work with you. It only triggers if you have the specific power set. My Akechi used to have it—worked like a charm because it triggered a unique chemical reaction when he overthought everything. Poor guy.”
He waves his hand lazily as he steps past Akechi, heading toward the dartboard to grab his own set of darts. “And, for the record, there’s no photo in play here, so we’re safe,” he says, almost as an afterthought.
For a moment, Akira’s pace slows, his grin dimming into something more contemplative. He taps the end of one dart against the tips of his fingers, his brows knitting together as if an idea had begun brewing in the back of his mind.
“I really had to convince my Akechi to high-five me, though,” he says suddenly, the words carrying a hint of nostalgia. “Like, really had to convince him. This—” he gestures between himself and Akechi with a faint smirk, “this is a first across all the timelines. Well, aside from one… but you guys usually act like you’re allergic to being remotely fun. Real grandpa energy.”
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But then quickly realizes Kira is in fact joking and he got concerned over nothing. He frowns, but shakes his head instead of saying anything.
“I’m starting to understand why Joker seems to Be the default nickname for Akirens” he deadpans, god is his Akira/Ren going to be like this?
What a headache… not that he hates this.
But at Kira’s explanation, he actually looks curious, “so the time travel ability is like a chemical reaction in your world? Fascinating.” And photos are required? Hm. Neat. He files that away for knowledge he isn’t sure if he’ll use but likes to know.
“Wh- I’m not allergic to fun!” Akechi responds defensively, okay sure he’s more serious than the rest of his group but that doesn’t mean he hates fun! -Loki stop laughing Futaba isn’t here to needle him about being a grump.
“I just- well” Akechi huffs. “Futaba seems convinced she has to teach me how to be less of a ‘stick in the mud’ not that she has to… I guess some of that stuck.” He doesn’t hate the game nights Futaba drags him into, or the late night discussions of featherman or whatever other media she’s invested in that he might have done a cursory search of so he could at least follow along… and rile her up with giving purposefully bad takes.
“…I’m not a grandpa. I can be fun. I’m a delight to be around” Akechi does not pout, he does NOT-
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He draws his arm back, flicking his wrist with practiced precision. The dart sails through the air, landing dead-center on the triple 20. A perfect 60. He grabs another dart, his focus only breaking when he glances at Akechi and catches his expression—somewhere between a pout and an indignant scowl.
For a second, Akira freezes, his smirk faltering. The light in his eyes shifts, warming like a campfire sparking to life. The way Akechi’s brows furrow and his lips press together—it strikes something familiar in Akira, something achingly personal. It’s almost funny, how the smallest things can remind him of his own Akechi.
“Hey.” His voice softens as he sets the second dart loose. Another triple 20. “You are a delight to be around. Seriously. I mean it.” His tone has shifted too, as if he's talking distinctly from a world where he knows how much his own Akechi would want to hear it. "If it weren't for the whole multiversal madness I would say that to everyone here but well- rumors will follow me around everywhere so I keep to myself."
He doesn’t look at Akechi right away, instead focusing on his final dart. “In my world, you’ve kept me out of so much trouble, more than I care to admit.” He exhales slowly, releasing the third dart, which lands cleanly in the triple 20 again.
Akira exhales and leans slightly against the dartboard frame, tilting his head to glance at Akechi. There’s a flicker of something in his expression—not quite envy, but a wistful kind of longing—as he continues, “And, hey, I think it’s nice that you’re close to your Futaba. She’s got a good eye, you know. Knows who’s worth sticking around for.”
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And it’s not like he had any better bird choices he could think of.
He still feels it’s a placeholder until he does come up with something better, not that he’s really considered other options lately.
And then Kira says that. And he blinks at him, a bit surprised by the genuine comment.
It’s…
…
Damn, is this why the Akechi Akiren rivalry is common across the multiverse? If his Akiren is like this then maybe it would be nice to have him as a friend.
Or rival.
“…that’s, appreciated” is what Akechi eventually says, looking at the board and Kira’s full tripple 20s. He tries not to roll his eyes at the rumors comment, yes yes he will keep this to himself bla bla bla.
Ah, Futaba. “She does. And if she’s decided she likes you she will cling like a kuala and refuse to let go” he shakes his head, fighting back the fond smile as he thinks of her. He supposed her friendship isn’t the worst.
He still dreads the day she realizes the full extent of his involvement with her mother but… he doesn’t mind pretending that isn’t a looming issue
Just a bit longer.
… it’s his turn next isn’t it? He should get the darts.
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He grips his own chin and offers him an indignant smile. It's always nice to render another Akechi speechless here but for once- this wasn't actual teasing. He meant those words. Words he would scream to the rest of the world if he could.
His grin falters, however, as the conversation turns to Futaba. Akechi’s fond comment about her loyalty brings a flicker of something heavier into Akira’s expression. His thoughts drift, unbidden, to Glitch and then back to the Futaba in his own world—the uphill battle she faced, the betrayal she had to uncover, the pain of losing Wakaba. Akira had witnessed it all, had been there when she pieced herself back together and found her own strength while facing the other dilemmas in her life.
Mockingbird had witnessed the first instance of it in his tape.
A wistful smile tugs at his lips, faint and fleeting. “She’s… always been like that, hasn’t she?” His voice is softer now, carrying a weight of nostalgia that he doesn’t elaborate on. When she cares about someone, she’ll go through hell and high water for them. And she’ll drag you through it too—kicking and screaming, if she has to.
He grows quiet again, his gaze lingering on the dartboard as if the triple 20s still hold some unspoken answer. After a moment, he steps back, turning to Akechi with a sly smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. Without a word, he extends a hand for another high-five, his other hand holding out the darts.
“Your turn,” Akira says lightly, the weight in his tone now tucked away behind his usual ease.
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“Loki had taken to calling Hannei Mockingbird when we first met her… among other things,” Loki was really mean to her when they first met… not that he blames him, she was really weird. “But yes when the subject of nicknames came up, Hannei made that suggestion. Apparently she found it charming that Loki called her that” he still finds the notion ridiculous, but he didn’t feel like dissuading her.
So akechi shrugs. “I suppose it’s not bad, it is long though, but it’s not like I’ve come up with anything better” and.. well the mirror analogy does fit he supposed.
But Futaba, yeah… she’s always been like that huh? He just nods in agreement.
“…I’m not sure how I earned her friendship, but I’d hate to let her down…” he admits quietly. Akechi shakes his head and goes to take his turn, grabbing the darts he goes back to the line, and his first shot is a bulls eye.
Not perfect, guess the discussion got him distracted, better focus back up then.
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"I just used my name as a codename to be honest," he chuckles. "You will be fine."
Kira makes note of Mockingbird's actions, now narrowing his eyes at him after they high five and part again. He's distracted- probably hiding something in true Goro Akechi fashion.
So what does Akira does what he does best when he sees an Akechi in need? Get him out of his own head.
He raises his fist and goes "Go go Goro-san!" The choreography of his movements is hilarious as he jerks his closed fist up then down.
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“Yes, from what we understand it seems there’s no other variation of her. So yes it’s likely some unique condition of my world” he isn’t sure what that says about things if he’s the only one with a Hannei…
…
He really doesn’t want to think about it, he raises his arm to throw his last dart, trying to just stop his mind from running for a few seconds.
And then.
Go Go Goro-San!
HUH!? Akechi blinks and his eyes go wide as he looks over at Kira in pure shock and confusion. What- what WHAT-
“What- what was- huh???” Well good job you’ve thoroughly distracted him from getting stuck in his head. Now he’s confused and mildly angry about this.
“What was- did you do this before??” He kind of wants to hit Kira, but that would be extreme. Instead…
Instead he takes his shot, and purposefully aims away from the center. Oh drat that was a 10. Whatever will you do.
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Akira levels a grin at him as he watches the poor detective stumble off from his words. He didn't think those words had such a peculiar effect on other Akechis as well- though after the fifth time of making the same comment the glare Akechi levelled him with was close to him admitting that Akira should deal with a fate worse than death.
Classic.
"Huh," his expression does fall when he sees the dart jostling on the target before settling on the 10. "...did you need pom-poms for the celebration, detective?"
"I have no idea what you are talking about," he says in regards to the Akechi asking if he's done this before. Well...
"Guess I will take charge then," his eyes hold the same glint before as he gestures at Mockingbird while holding out his palm.
There's a brief moment of silence from him before he looks away and holds his dart up while angling his best shot. "Can I...ask you something?"
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“Don’t you dare” the glare falls fairly quick, somehow this hasn’t reached a point of annoyance where akechi wants to leave yet.
Maybe he’s just more competitive than he is frustrated?
Hm. Anyways.
Darts retrieved, he sets them in Kira’s awaiting palm. He then steps back so he can take his turn.
…oh? He tilts his head slightly when Kira speaks next.
“…I don’t see why not.” He hums, curious now.
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He steps up to the board, focusing his gaze on the target. His arm draws back with practiced ease, the dart poised between his fingers. For just a moment, the space between them feels heavier.
And then he speaks.
“Do you work for Shido?”
The words leave him with an unsettling calm, delivered so casually it takes a moment for their weight to settle. He releases the dart in sync with the question, the motion fluid and deliberate. It sails through the air and thunks against the dartboard, landing squarely on a triple 19.
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And then he asks his question.
Oh
Of course.
Akechi straightens up a bit and crosses his arms.
“…Unfortunately yes.” He answers, because what’s the point of secrets here when there’s common factors across the multiverse or whatever.
But, because he feels the need to clarify, he adds, “Just me. My teammates aren’t involved with him.” He frowns, glaring at a spot on the wall like it might burst into flames from his look alone. Sure he works for Shido but he’s rather make it clear he isn’t happy about it.
Even if he did get himself stuck…
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For a moment he pauses as he fiddles with the darts, the morning sun distinctly peaking in from the windows mounted at the side as his face pulls into a visage of indifference. Like a shrug being thrown when he can fill in the gaps of Mockingbird's words.
"Teammates, huh?" His voice remains even with a slight lilt of curiosity. Hannei...Futaba. "Like I said- I am surprised you have reached a point where you can call them that too. "
"Shido's a common case. I know you prefer working alone with him." Distinctly, he shifts away from him- now aiming again at the dartboard. "I get that- to some degree."
Triple 18.
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… okay fine maybe it is but you don’t have to call him out on this!
He shakes his head. “…well, I won’t deny being… stubborn… in my youth, but I’ve come to realize I can’t achieve my goal on my own. Not in the way I want to anyhow. They’re willing to help me for some reason, and I’m not in a position to deny the help” frankly he suspects had he not had the backup of Hannei and Futaba he’d be in a lot more dangerous of a situation with Shido.
… and from How Kira is acting he suspects he might be correct in that assumption.
“… nobody else gets harmed but me if I’m the only one working under him” Akechi looks away, focusing on the spot on the wall again. “Teammates offer you support which is a benefit but they can also be a hinderance since you have to look out for them in turn, some things aren’t worth the risk.” He shrugs, and ignores Robin Hood’s disappointed glare at trying to dismiss that he may or may not care for these people and how having a small group to support him has saved his ass more often than he’d like to admit.
Shut up.
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"Nobody else gets harmed but me."
"You say that," Akira tries to say but then lets the Akechi take his course anyway. There it was- the worry and the resentment. The fact that you know you could never truly belong. "...I am not going to dictate how you are going to approach this situation but sooner or later you will have to make a choice. Whether its for Hannei, or your Futaba or...me."
He throws the damn dart at the board with just the slight bit of agitation that its tail end jitters at the end.
"My Akechi did, in the second timeline- when I managed to avoid meddling into Wakaba's case and get further into the damn conspiracy..." he curls his fist before casually putting it back in his pocket. Appear as nonchalant as you can. "You want to guess what happened? Spoilers: its morbid."
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He’s aware that he’s approaching a crossroads, it’s inevitable, hell he’s been to one before with Wakaba.
…
Doesn’t mean he appreciates it, he huffs and looks away, trying and failing to mask that he’s definitely been affected by the callout.
Damn, he’s getting rusty.
When Kira speaks next he looks over, and raises a brow. Well with a tone like that,
“I’m going to guess that you both didn’t make it out the other side?” Because when Shido is involved your life is always at risk at being snuffed out on his whim.
Damnit.
He can guess what choice his Akechi made, it’s likely one he’d have picked if he was truly alone.
… is he going to have to make a choice like that with his Akiren? Is this just an inevitable fact of their lives across the multiverse?
That’s incredibly morbid.
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"The other side?" he tilts his head at the answer- a small quirk of a brow at the vague answer though it made sense, didn't it? Ever since the start- Akira thought they were on the same side until he realized they weren't. "That's a way of saying it."
And then eventually, the realization came that Goro wanted to be on the same side too.
God- if only he were ever successful in bringing them together on the other side.
"Even worse," he quips after an uncomfortable silence. "I ended up studying junior year yet again," he gestures as he makes a loop symbol with a finger. "About a hundred dozen times at this point. Would not recommend just how many times I ended up shocking Shujin and its students about the fact that I knew everything that happened there but I was a 'delinquent' student," he rolls his eyes as he makes air quotes- "so nobody even tried to spice up my school life. It sucked."
"Its your turn by the way, Goro-san," he gestures ahead at the dart-board, once again letting either of them have a breather from the shitshow that was Akira's bizarre adventures. "Unless you really want me to get the pom-poms. Believe me, I will get them."
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How- how long has Kira been 17 exactly? How many loops has he gone through to be so laze-fair about this?
…
He isn’t sure he wants the answer to that question… not today anyhow.
And especially not after practically confirming to him that his akechi has killed him at least once.
……
Fuck.
Guess the breather is a relief, he approaches the dart board to take his turn.
“Please don’t do that. I’d die from embarrassment” he groans, fine, he can let the more serious questions drop for now, he gets the picture.
What a future he has in store huh?
Darts in hand, he stands at the line and prepares his shot. To be honest, it has been a very… enlightening conversation with Kira, even setting aside all the implications with this time travel future knowledge thing, talking with Kira has been… fun, yes let’s call it fun.
Not that he’d admit it out loud, he’d never hear the end of it.
He takes his shot, it’s a bullseye.
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When there's a bullseye, Kira fondly closes his eyes and sighs before raising his arms in surrender. "Fine fine- message recieved. No pom poms."
He flickers a challenging glance at him. "How about a triple 20, detective? Or- if you think its too risky this later we can go for another."
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