amperor | INBOX (labyrinthum)

[All things considered, Ken had been wondering how Akihiko was doing. Now that things have cleared up, he had to make sure if his senpai was okay. Looking around, he entered into the area before looking downward.]

Uh....Sanada-san, how are you doing?

[ Akihiko is taking a break for now - what, you thought he would let a couple wounds stop him from helping people - when Ken approaches. Immediately, Akihiko sits up a little more, and he gives Ken a small smile. ]

I'm okay. How are you doing?

[ He hasn't forgotten what happened, though the details are jumbled up. He knows he attacked Ken. ]

I’m doing fine. I’m more worried about you.

[Because looking at his wounds, he could tell that it hurt a lot more than it looked.]

Are you sure you’re going to be okay?

I will be.

[ He shrugs one shoulder and then the other, gamely not wincing at all. ]

Shinji healed up the worst of it, and I've fought with more severe wounds. That's why I'm taking it easy right now.

[ He pats the spot next to him if Ken wants to sit too. ]

[He wasn't going to argue with that. As he sat next to Akihiko, all Ken could do was mumble a little.]

...Sorry, I didn't expect to fight you like that.

You don't have anything to apologize for, Ken.

[ His voice is serious when he says it. He's not good with this kind of thing, but he reaches out to rest his hand on top of Ken's head. ]

I attacked you first - and I was the one who transformed as well. I'd say I wished you had run away instead of trying to fight, but you and Haru-san saved me, so I can't exactly complain about that.

[Even though he knew he had nothing to apologize for, it still felt like he need to. It was his senpai after all. He couldn't do that to him.]

I know but...it's the polite thing to do, right? That's what my mother always told me.

[ That makes him pause, a little - makes him want to press why Ken thinks he'd apologize. It's something his mother taught him, though. He tries to put himself in Ken's shoes; if he had to fight Ken off because he was transformed, he'd likely apologize too.

So, Akihiko takes a small breath and ruffles Ken's hair a little. ]

In that case, I accept the apology. If it needs to be said, too, I forgive you about it.

I wasn't expecting you to forgive me, I just wanted to do what was the right thing.

[He said with a mumble or two as he felt Akihiko's hand on his head.]

Besides, I can't let you be trapped in that thing either. That's not what teammates are supposed to do.

I'm glad I'm not stuck in it anymore.

[ He lowers his hand back to the ground, giving Ken a break. He doesn't really want to talk about what it was like. It was eerily similar to the focus he got before a match, shutting out everything other than the upcoming fight. Instead of being a point of pride, though, it'd been about infecting others.

He doesn't know if he succeeded in dragging anyone else away and was only stopped at Ken. Specific memories are hard, and he doesn't want to look too closely at them yet. ]

[At first, Ken didn't say anything and let the silence do the talking. He knew that his teammate was from the future and that he was no longer holding back on anything. Meanwhile here Ken was, still trying to figure out how to move on with his life.

And yet, it feels like he should say something...]

May I ask something, Sanada-san? What happens in the future? After Aragaki-san's death, what happens?

[ Akihiko is silent, at first. If Ken looks at him, he'll see that his brows are drawn down, his lips pressed tightly together - a pensive look that he's likely seen on Sanada before. Finally, he speaks. ]

The Kirijo group covered it up - all anyone else knows is that Shinji was at the wrong place at the wrong time in Port Island and died as a result of his wounds. They held a memorial service at Gekkoukan the next day.

[ A memorial service that Akihiko avoided, but attended later. ]

I realized all my strength and training had meant nothing to protecting the people most important to me. That I had to do better going forward, and end the dark hour.

I asked.... Shinji, and my sister, to watch over us.

[ Perhaps Akihiko's problems weren't what Ken was asking about, but he shares it anyways. ]

You ran away from the dorm the day of his memorial. Spent the night out on the streets, and I found you at Port Island the next day. I told you the dead were never coming back; that it was your choice to rot and fade away, or that you could move forward for the people we'd lost. I walked away to wait you out.

[ It's similar to the conversation they had here. A little more harsh, perhaps, which is why Akihiko admits that he'd walked away after the conversation. ]

I don't know exactly what decision you made, but you came back to the dorms with me, and your persona had changed, just like mine had. Everyone was worried when we arrived, but you were allowed to stay with SEES. We spent a lot more time together - training, studying. You even showed me and Minato how to make coffee.

Before we fought the last Shadow... we both visited Port Island again. You said you wanted to live a life you could tell Shinji about and be proud of.

[ He exhales. ]

I don't know if you want to hear the rest of it. It's not good. But if you want, I'll tell you. You're owed that much.

[As he listens to Akihiko, all he could do was sit in silence as he awaited for him to finish. There were so many things running through his mind but he dare not interrupt his senpai. Of course, Mitsuru managed to find a way to cover everything up. Normal people don't know about the Dark Hour nor did they really understand who Takaya is.

Gripping his hand, it only made him more upset that he allowed this to happen. And yet, the more he listened on, the more he realized what his resolve was. In the end, Akihiko was right. The dead aren't coming back and there was no way for him to fix what he had done.

With his grip loosening a bit, he gave out a sigh of relief. He knew why he wanted to come back to SEES, he had nowhere else to go. Not only that, if Akihiko was willing to accept him, it probably meant that the rest would too right? And that he was ready to move on. He didn't say anything but there was a small smile on his face knowing that everything was going to be okay.]

...Yes, I would like to. I'm glad that everything worked itself out in the end.

[Or at least, that's what he thought...]

Edited 2025-06-27 19:56 (UTC)

[ Ken says that and Akihiko grimaces a little. ]

We defeated the last shadow on November third, and thought we'd stopped the Dark Hour. Ikutsuki took Aigis to the lab for repairs, [ And it's telling, that he doesn't call him Ikutsuki-san, ] and we had a small party on the fourth with Kirijo-san, Mitsuru's father, to disband SEES.

The Dark Hour still happened, though. We geared up and went to Tartarus and Ikutsuki was there, with Aigis. It was...

[ Despite his attempt to relate this calmly, he looks upset. ]

He said we hadn't gotten rid of the Dark Hour. Destroying all the Arcana Shadows was never meant to end it; it brought about something called the Fall instead. Sounded like the same kind of end of the world shit Mitsuru's grandfather had been trying to do. He'd been lying to us the entire time, including about Takeba's father.

He made Aigis capture us and tie us up. Kirijo-san tried to stop Ikutsuki and they both shot each other. Ikutsuki tried to make Aigis execute us, but she resisted him and freed us instead. Then Ikutsuki just... walked backwards off of Tartarus.

[ He drags a hand down his face. ]

The last I saw of Mitsuru was her going with Aigis back to Kirijo Corp.

[ He stops there. Again, conflicted feelings rise; had they ever been doing the right thing in the first place? ]

Edited 2025-06-28 01:41 (UTC)

[That certainly wasn't the direction he thought was going. As he listened more, his face immediately turned sour. Looking in horror, he always thought that the Dark Hour would be over as soon as they defeated all the Arcana Shadows. And yet, to know that the opposite.]

I...

[He thought at everything was looking brighter and especially with how both him and Akihiko managed to move on from their past. Not knowing what to say, he looked straight at the ground as he tried to absorb what was said. Not only did they do the wrong thing, it also meant that there were responsible for bringing the end of the world.]

How...how could this happen? I thought everything was going well. I just...

[He was saying everything so quickly that he wasn't even sure what he just said.]

...That isn't fair at all.

[ Akihiko's expression is mournful, apologetic, as he watches Ken. ]

No, it's not fair, but we know better than anyone that it never is.

[ He takes a small breath. ]

I hadn't had any time to process it when I arrived here. I don't know what it is Ikutsuki was doing, or what the Fall is. I'll do everything I can to stop it, though, and get rid of the dark hour.

[ He suspects it won't be as easy as punching something in the fact and making it better. But he's prepared to put his life on the line for it. ]

That's my promise to you.

Is it even possible to beat the Dark Hour?

[Because Ken promised myself that he wouldn't dare go back anymore. He wouldn't allow himself to keep wallowing in misery after everyone knew what happened to him. He just couldn't. And yet, he can't help but feel nervous.]

I don't know why Ikutsuki-san wanted to do that but I do know that I want to beat it too. I don't even know where to start...

I don't know yet. Mitsuru's the one who's going to have to look into that. I know saying we'll do it is probably easier than actually doing it, but I still mean it.

[ otherwise a lot of people have died for nothing. ]

He must have been working with Mitsuru's grandfather somehow. I don't know how he covered it up, though.

I don't either but why would they want to do all of this.

[In his mind, it made no sense to why people would just go to great lengths to create the Fall.]

...What's the point?

[ Akihiko looks sad, for a moment, sucking in his cheeks a little and then chewing on them before he speaks. ]

Kirijo-san said his father was obsessed with 'death as deliverance'. I think maybe the prospect of living was too much for them anymore.

[ He doesn't say it, but it's clear he's thinking of someone else who couldn't live with himself when he says it - Shinji. He glances Ken over after he says it, too, concerned; he has no idea what Ken actually planned to do after killing Shinji, but he has an idea. ]

[In that moment, Ken immediately looked up at Akihiko in shock. He never said anything to him about ending his life. Was he that obvious about his intentions? He supposed it was as he didn't hide his own despair. Giving a sigh, he quickly looked away.]

....Then I don't blame them. It is difficult to keep on living after so much pain was placed on them.

I know.

[ He's not going to lecture Ken about how living is hard; he knows that Ken is well familiar with it. There were times he wanted to give up after Miki's death, and the day after Shinji's, it felt like the earth had cracked beneath him. It'd been tempting to give up and let it swallow him.

He had promises to keep, though. ]

That doesn't mean that they get to decide everyone else's fate, though.

Are you doing well, Akihiko-kun?

As well as I can be. I'm all healed up, at least.

I'm so relieved!
I was really starting to worry when I heard you were still recovering.

[ Who told her he was still recovering? Then again, she seemed familiar with Ken and Shinji already, and now Minato. It could have been any of them. ]

You shouldn't worry, the physical injuries are healed just fine.

[ It's all mental, is what he doesn't say. ]

How have you been doing, Haru-san?

Edited (phrasing) 2025-06-28 10:03 (UTC)

I'm alright. I took some time to recovery at Dr. Maruki's machiya, so I'm fine now.
Do you remember what happened before that crystal was taking you over?

I do.

[ He doesn't want to elaborate! So he attempts to redirect her very obviously. ]

Did you hear that one of our team mates has recently arrived here? His name is Koromaru; he's a Shiba.

[ Did he just pivot into something completely different??? ]

Pardon me, but is this the same dog you mentioned before?
The dog is your teammate?

[ She says when Morgana is a not cat who turns into a car and sometimes a helicopter. ]

[ He did, and it was as subtle as a brick through a glass window.

Also fuck, in his panic he forgot he'd mentioned Koromaru to her before. At least he's offering some new information there. ]

I didn't want to mention it before but yes.

The shrine he used to live at and was guarding was attacked by Shadows. When we arrived, they were already gone - Koromaru had summoned a Persona, Cerberus, and dispatched them.

He doesn't have it here, though, so I don't think we need to worry about him running off into danger.

Wait, your dog can summon a Persona?
How does your dog do that? Is he some kind of special guide sent to you all?

[ Is he like Morgana? ]

[ Special guide??? ]

No, as far as I'm aware, he's just a normal dog who happens to summon a Persona.

He even did it without an Evoker that first time, which is impressive.

Edited 2025-06-28 10:33 (UTC)

There is much about you and the other Persona users I don't fully understand.
You don't have masks, or outfits... but I suppose those would not appear unless someone's cognition of you was perceived as a threat. Your guns are also a way of summoning your Persona, rather than a weapon?
Amada-san said he had always had his Persona...

[ Now there's Minato, who clearly is involved in this. ]

Edited (typo) 2025-06-28 10:35 (UTC)

There are things I don't understand about how you use your Persona either. The outfit is one thing, but most Persona users I know of have to use an Evoker to awaken it. Koromaru is one of the only users I know of who used it without one.

That's how I met my first Persona, Polydeuces. I was given an Evoker and summoned him. The fact that I can summon at any time here is also strange - it usually takes more effort to awaken my Persona during the daytime.

We have weapons to fight Shadows without our Persona out, too. I have my fists; I know several people who use swords, and Amada-kun uses a spear.

[ And Shinji uses an axe, but that's because Shinji's persona was all brawn and bloodthirst. ]

Edited (thinking about them beans (evokers) too much) 2025-06-28 10:46 (UTC)

Technically speaking, I should not be able to summon Milady in this reality either. Our Personas could only be summoned in the Metaverse, which is the other reality we can enter.
It must be related to the magic of this world somehow, or our powers have been altered in some form. I noticed when summoning Milady, it took more energy out of me to use certain skills.

[ Not her One Shot Kill kind of hurting her in return. ]

It's so strange to think you were able to simply summon your Persona.
There wasn't anything you had to face within yourself? Or any conditions that had to be met?

We can only summon a Persona if we're aware of the Dark Hour. if you used an evoker on someone who isn't, I - well, I don't know exactly what happens, but I assume it wouldn't work at all.

That's the only condition that ever had to be met: that you weren't sealed in a coffin during the Dark Hour. The first time Shinji and I woke up during it, we freaked out.

May I ask what this "Dark Hour" is like?

Sure. I mentioned it's a period of time that exists at midnight; for anyone who doesn't experience it, they don't notice what happens.

I don't know what it's like everywhere, but on Port Island... that's where Tartarus shows up. The moon takes up a large portion of the sky, depending on what cycle it's in. The sky turns green, and the whole world is green as well.

Electronics stop working unless they've been built specifically for the dark hour. That time is when Shadows climb outside of Tartarus; usually they're small and easy to take care of. Lately, there'd been big ones that could do actual damage. And the damage lasts. If you crush a coffin during the dark hour, or destroy a -

[ House, he wants to type, but his memories rebel against putting it down so callously. ]

- building, it'll remain that way after the hour is up.

Edited 2025-06-29 02:09 (UTC)

I've never experienced anything like that before. It's strange how we have similar powers, but the experiences are quite different.
I wonder if it has anything to do with the malevolent god we had to face.
Could it be this power reemerges each time differently?

You fought god?

[ Then again, hadn't Ikutsuki talked about making a new world? That was kind of a delusionally god-like thing to rant about. ]

[ And she's gonna do it again. ]

A god.
He was a formidable opponent. Nothing we had ever fought before.

[ Until Maruki's Persona, but mum's the word on that. ]

Why'd you end up having to fight him?

[ It's not accusatory, but curious. (As if Akihiko won't one day resolve to do something similar.) ]

That is a story for another time.
It's a long one.
Besides, you haven't answered my question from earlier... please understand I do not mean to push, but we were all worried for you.

[ Damn, he'd really hoped he'd been able to derail her enough not to circle back to that. He considers not replying, fibbing that he'd lost the text the next time he sees Haru... but she's expressing concern.

With a not insignificant amount of chagrin, he realizes if he did do any of what he considered, he'd just be doing what Shinji did to him. So he sighs to himself. ]

I wasn't careful with what I wished for, and I hurt someone important because of it. Not the same way I hurt Ken.

[ From 'Amada-kun' to 'Ken' without thinking of it. ]

This was all due to the wishes?

[ More than ever, she's glad she didn't attempt more than a couple of them. ]

Is that why that crystal took over your body?

Yes. After I made the wish, it started growing out of my neck. It was too fast for anyone to stop.

[ He had had a band of crystal around his neck, when Haru broke him out. ]

Well, it didn't happen right away. He had to make a wish to undo mine, and once it was over, that's when it started happening.

What was the wish exactly?

[ If he's comfortable sharing.

Interesting, but she's glad she retained her concern about the wishes. Their wishes on New Year's resulted in them choosing Maruki and his reality, without proper knowledge or awareness they had done so. ]

I'm glad it's over, at least.

[ He doesn't want to talk about this but - she does know Shinjiro and Ken's situations. She knows Ken has a Persona, after all. ]

I wished that I had Shinji's Persona and he had mine instead. It wasn't even here, but I made it show up with that wish. And it immediately started trying to go for civilians.

Shinji wished for it back to get it out of me. So now he has his Persona again, even though he didn't want it.

I wasn't aware such a wish was possible.

[ Not once had she ever entertained the thought of wishing for anything but her own power.

But Akira's power... it's different. He's special. ]

It won't attack anyone again, will it?

It was trying to. I don't know.

[ Before, he'd convince himself with a steely of course it won't. Castor was - wild, unrestrained, angry in a way that Polydeuces and Caesar have never been.

He didn't realize that's what it was like, in Shinji's head. He convinced himself it was just a matter of training, but now he - well, he feels even worse that he dragged Shinji back.

He thinks of the suppressants. It makes a cold feeling settle in the thick of his stomach, unsure. He can't bring himself to mention them to Haru. ]

[ Unfortunately, she doesn't have a full picture as to why Shinjiro's Persona seems so wild and violent. It's all so confusing, as is the idea that there have been other Persona users this entire time. ]

Can he simply not wish it away?
But if that's not the case and it needs to be taken down, please know I will help.

Maybe. I'll talk to him about it, it can't hurt to try.

[ At that, though - ]

It's a part of him, how could you take it down without killing him?

I see.
So despite it going berserk, it's still not separate from him after the wish, is it?

Welk, yeah, he wished it back into his head to stop it.

[ But being in Shinji didn't stop Castor before. ]

There must be a way to prevent it from attacking others if it happens again.
A Persona should not go berserk like that, however.

~~Shinji had stopped it before but it was~~

[ He stares at the text box before he deletes it entirely. What Shinji did before was killing him. Killed him, in a way. ]

I know. I don't know why it happened to him. He's not a bad guy at all.

It isn't your problem to handle, though. It's my fault and I'll try to fix it.

I'll keep your offer in mind if it comes to something that dire, though.

I believe you, Akihiko-kun.
Please do. I will do my best to support you, if necessary.

INBOX (labyrinthum)

Action - After the intense event

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me playing through december like. MY POOR BOYS

Crrawwwlliinnnggg in my skkiiinnnn

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text | un: garden05 (after event)

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1/2

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distraction: successful... for now

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pretend courier here

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wrapped