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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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.”
no subject
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.
no subject
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.
no subject
“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.
no subject
"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.
no subject
“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.
no subject
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.
no subject
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…
no subject
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.
no subject
… 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.
no subject
"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."
no subject
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.
no subject
"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."
no subject
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.
no subject
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."
no subject
But oh, there’s that challenge again, okay bring it on!
“Hm, no no, don’t underestimate me now” well now he has to hit it, his pride is on the line here!
Whatever is left of it anyways.
Akechi lines up his shot, carefully aiming at the triple 20 spot.
And
That’s a hit! Just barely but that’s a hit. He feels way too smug about that!
“See? It wasn’t that hard” sure buddy.
no subject
When Akechi just barely nails the triple 20, Akira gives a slow, exaggerated clap. "Bravo," he says with a smirk. "Guess I underestimated you. I'll have to try harder next round."
The two fall into an easy rhythm, tossing quips and trading playful jabs as they continue their game. The room fills with the soft hum of the dart machine and the occasional clink of darts hitting the board. Despite the casual air, there’s a tension just beneath the surface—an undercurrent of something unsaid between them.
As the second round winds down, Akira narrows his eyes at the board, calculating his final shot. He steps forward, holding his last dart, and lines it up carefully. A moment of silence falls over them, broken only by the faint buzz of the machine. Then, with a flick of his wrist, the dart soars through the air and lands perfectly on a triple 20.
The machine lets out a loud, celebratory cheer, lights flashing in vibrant colors as it declares him the winner. Akira grins triumphantly, turning to Akechi with a mock bow.
But as the cheer fades, Akira’s demeanor shifts. He studies Akechi for a long moment, the tension from before settling between them again.
"Hey," Akira says finally, his voice quieter now. "Do you want to try it?"
"My powers," Akira clarifies, his gaze steady. "The whole... time thing. Do you want to see what it's like?"
no subject
He understands the rivalry now, the back and fourth, to have someone to match wits with, to challenge and be challenged by in turn.
He’s a little glad his Futaba isn’t here to witness this because she would give him shit for it for weeks if she knew.
But soon enough the game ends, and he gives a nod, that was fun, genuinely fun. He gives a light applaud in congratulations. But then akira’s demeanor shifts, and Akechi focuses up.
…… huh?
“…you’re asking if I want to time travel?” That’s… he puts a hand to his chin, genuinely considering the offer. To say he isn’t curious about his powers would be a downright lie, he can only glean so much from a memory tape and word of mouth, to truly understand something you have to experience it.
But on the other hand there’s a lot of things he still doesn’t know.
It’s an act of trust isn’t it? Or something like that, he looks back at Kira, taking him in.
He better choose his words carefully.
“…this isn’t a no, while I am certainly curious what your powers are like I… admittedly it’s been eventful, would a rain check be alright?” He turns to face Kira more fully now, this is something he has been considering during their game, might as well make the offer official.
“Besides, I wouldn’t be against meeting up with you again, your perspective on things is certainly enlightening.” That’s one way to describe it, but knowledge of a future, even if it’s not exactly like his, it’s something he would like to hear more of.
Even if the shape would only vaguely line up with his own.
But he’s sure Kira would likely also be getting something from their continued interactions, he’d be an idiot to assume any information given would be from the ‘goodness of his heart’
But, a voice that sounds an awful lot like Robin Hood suggests, perhaps he needs a friend?
And perhaps Akechi could use one too… or another as Robin Hopd definitely points out now.
Well, might as well make the offer.
“We could swap numbers if it’d be more convenient for you.”
The ball is in Kira’s court, he did his part.
no subject
"Are you saying my existence is your little cheat code?" He continues teasingly as he goes for his phone. “It’s fine, I’m not offended. It’s true, after all. Though,” he adds, tilting his head as if in thought, “this cheat code’s more for a... spinoff than part of the main game. The dev notes are there, but you won’t find the specific features.”
He chuckles to himself at the metaphor, his mind wandering briefly to the absurdity of all the timelines he’s been through. Even now, standing here in a dartboard-lit café with a version of Goro Akechi who wasn’t trying to kill him—it almost feels normal.
Pulling his phone from his pocket, he opens the IM app, scrolling to bring up his contact details before pausing. Instead of handing it over, he pulls the phone back slightly, meeting Akechi’s gaze with a sharp, knowing look.
“One condition,” Kira says, his tone light but carrying an unmistakable weight. “I want to know everything about this Metaverse. Personas, how you salvage it with Shido, palaces- all that jazz. I’ve been around long enough to know that knowledge like that is priceless. I’m... scouting other sources, sure, but if there’s even a sliver of viable information in what you know? I want it.”
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“Ah, yes that’s true, but I’d rather plan with partial information than zero.” At least Kira seems aware of that, no point with false pretense then, probably for the better. He pulls out his own phone as well, pulling up his contact information, and then Kira pauses and sets his own conditions.
Fair enough, Mockingbird didn’t expect any freebies here. He only thinks a moment before responding with a steady nod.
“Deal, I’m more than happy to share what information I know. It’s only fair to exchange information, right?” Certainly more than he would be with someone like Shido, and for the stuff he isn’t certain off he can always ask Hannei to look into it, he knows how determined she can be.
But then the world pauses, then something he should be used to by now happens again-
I am thou… vow… rebellion… Blasted Oak arcana…
And Akechi blinks and fights to bite back any look of confusion, what the fuuuuuck- here?? Now??? He thought he’d be immune to the brain tarot thing here!! And what the fuck is a Blasted Oak?!
For the love of all that is good and holy he better get an answer to that here if he’s going to be stuck here son of a fucking-
He offers Kira his phone, trying to play it like nothing was wrong and he wasn’t about to start drilling his persona for answers they can’t or won’t give AGAIN.
no subject
Sliding his phone back into his pocket, Kira crossed his arms and shifted his weight, raising an eyebrow with an amused smirk.
“You good there?” he teased, voice light but laced with curiosity. “I mean, I’m not gonna pry—yet—but you looked like you just tasted some particularly awful coffee.”
Akechi’s response was a practiced, polite chuckle, but Kira wasn’t buying it. There was a flash of something beneath that polished exterior, like gears grinding together just out of sync. It was enough to pique Kira’s interest even more.
But...that can wait.
"I need to return some other people's tapes as well. This whole thing is a mess and I want to get it over with as soon as I can."
"Let's get out of here."
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“Oh no I’m fine, it’s just a headache has apparently followed me here” he shakes his head, “I suppose I can tell you later, not that it’d be interesting, I’m still unsure what it means” which is a little ominous out of context.
But he doesn’t know the context either and Robin Hood and Loki are being incredibly UNHELPFUL!!
But that’s a future problem it can wait.
“Of course, I’m unsure if anyone does have a tape belonging to me but I should keep an eye out” oh god he’s going to be on the receiving end of this bullshit isn’t he?
Fuck this friendship prison.
But yes indeed, let’s go he nods and goes to grab his attaché case.
“Well, regardless of circumstances it was nice to talk with you.” And play darts, it was fun.