[open] someone once said burn my dread, babe

[simulatio]

Who: Goro Akechi + y'all 👀
What: early December prompts + future catch-all
Where: Throughout the Void
When: "December"ish
Content Warnings: N/A (yet)



A. Wall Market Bathhouse

[Whilst in the Mementos-that-wasn't-Mementos, Goro Akechi died.

He's no stranger to death; people die all the time. In his experience, rarely do they come back. He'd spent the time after his death with the other Phantom Thieves, doing his best to pretend that everything was normal. If he'd been more withdrawn, less prone to smile his princely smile and converse pleasantly, perhaps he could be excused. The deepest, darkest parts of his soul had been wandering around without him for a time, after all.

But he certainly can't hide forever, and the lack of showers in the apartment he shares with Ren drives him to the bathhouse. It's one of the most comfortable places for him, especially now that there aren't fish swimming in the bath. He sinks up to his chin in the warm water and closes his eyes, as relaxed as he can be in a public space.]

B. Mortis Lake

Stop following me!

[Akechi is trying his very best to sound as pleasant as possible, even as he waves his arms in an attempt to frighten off the winged giraffe-like creature that's taken to following him through the forest of trees. It's almost comical how annoyed he's getting as the animal continues to follow him, large doe-like eyes wide with interest as it pads along behind him. Every now and then, it flaps its wings to glide awkwardly over the ground to make sure it keeps up, plaintively letting out a mournful cry whenever Akechi gets too far away from it.]

Would you go find the rest of your herd already? [he snaps as it catches up and tries for a friendly nibble at the back of his hair.] What the fu-

[He freezes upon realizing that he has an audience nearby and clears his throat with a cough, correcting his tone to a more pleasant,] Pardon me. Could you give me a hand?

C. Heavenly Blanc

[Some time ago, Ren had sat outside the bar/café working on a shogi board. Now it's Akechi's turn with the same piece of wood, though he's taken over one of the tables inside. He's working on the other side of the shogi board to create a grid with fewer squares, tracing thin lines with one of the large knives from Heavenly Blanc's kitchen while using his cell phone as a guide.

Once he's done outlining the board with the knife, he goes back over the 8x8 grid with a marker, the cap held between his teeth as he concentrates. Beside him are gemstones from the Academy's store, separated into two sets of what look like clear diamonds and deep red rubies, marked with English letters: several marked with the letter "P," two each labeled "R, B, Kn," and one each "Ki" and "Q."]

A chessboard, [he'll explain to anyone who happens to glance over curiously, though he doesn't stop working.]

D. Gymnasium

[Akechi's never really been one for team sports, but the cycling machines attract special attention. Dressed in a spare gym uniform from the Academy (washed beforehand, of course), he's currently working through a rather challenging-looking course on one of the bikes. Loose strands of his hair, the parts that escaped being drawn back into the small ponytail at the base of his neck, stick to his cheeks as he huffs for air, pursuing an invisible finish line that only he can see.

It's only once he's finished that course and is taking a drink of water from a water bottle that he notices he has company, and offers an easy smile.]

Care for a race? They may be stationary machines, but we could always compare times.

E. Wildcard!

[I'll be adding additional prompts in comments as needed throughout the month, but feel free to use this post for just about anything involving Akechi! Feel free to chat with me @jaderhade if you want to do anything with this nasty man. As always, I have a screened spoiler opt-out page for anyone looking to avoid Persona 5 or Persona 5 Royal spoilers!]

Comments

[simulatio]

I haven't tried that, no.

[His tone turns thoughtful. It would be undignified to shout and wave his arms at the creature after all, but a drum... now there's a thought. And all the better if the drum wants to be a part of the process.

Distracted, the giraffe nearly gets a bite of his hair, leaving him hissing and ducking out of the way.]

The sooner the better, I'd say. I'd prefer to frighten it back in the direction of its herd, but the longer it persists, the less benevolent I feel.

[bridge_princess]

Alright, let's go to the shrine. She's already annoying enough, so we should pound her and get her to shut up for a while.

[Despite the way that that sounded, she did actually mean to pound the drum, not anything perverse. But, to her, Tsukumogami were all female, so it was always going to sound weird.]

We'll get your friend on its merry way soon.

[simulatio]

[He manages not to snort with amusement at her word choice, instead ducking another bite-attempt from the giraffe to fall into step beside her.]

I appreciate that.

[He grabs a stick off the ground and holds it behind him to give the creature something else to focus on instead of making another go for his hair.]

I simply don't have the resources to properly care for such a creature in the modest rooms of the Merlaut, after all. It's cramped enough with two people in one room as it is.

[bridge_princess]

Nice of you to consider caring for it at all. Honestly, that thing wouldn't fit in those rooms. I saw Viridi trying to have one in the outer entryway and it barely fit. They're just weird, like everything here.

[She snickered as she set off in the direction of the shrine. considering how distance refused to work around here? It could take them a minute or an hour together. As long as they wanted, really.]

Since we're being chitty-chatty, how're you and Ren?

[The gossip hound and obsessee over relationship status coming out right there.]

[simulatio]

Unfortunately, "niceness" can easily become cruelty, however unintentional, when things aren't planned out well.

[So yeah, no. No matter how much Ann makes puppy-dog eyes at him, he isn't bringing a giraffe inside. He waves the branch behind him and lets the giraffe nibble on it, treating it almost like one might wave a toy for a cat.

There's still a part of him that goes on the defensive at the question, even now, a subtle tightening of muscles in his back that he covers with an easy smile.]

We're fine. Yoshizawa-san needing a place to stay gave Ren a convenient excuse to be a mother hen while I was injured. And I'm sure it was no secret that I was... indisposed, after our time spent in Mementos.

[Read: dead.]

[bridge_princess]

Yeah... I'd noticed you went poof, not far from the time Ren went poof. I admit that I was flipping out about Ren a bit too much to delve into your disappearance as much. I'm kind of glad the two of you are back though.

We've lost too many of the originals already. What happens if we lose all of them? Who the hell's going to tell the new idiots what happened on day 1? [Cheap excuse. She just did't want ot be lonely.]

Been more of your buddies showing up. they seem... let's go with nice. They're nice people. And all very very supportive. I'm getting used to people trying to be that way. it's just...

...

I can honestly say this to you, Akechi. It's weird to get this much support. I appreciate it, but I'm not sure how to feel sometimes.

[simulatio]

[His brows quirk slightly at her honesty. A long time ago, perhaps, he'd have been resentful of Ren's popularity. Now, he's just accepted it as part of Ren's genuine charm. He actually wants to get to know these people, help them with their own problems; Akechi never bothered with that. Ren is a genuinely good person, and while Akechi can act the role, he doubts he'll ever be able to form that kind of connection with anyone.]

Perhaps someone should write a book. A log to be discovered later, like what a captain might leave behind after their ship is wrecked.

[It's not a bad idea, though personally, Akechi doesn't care overmuch about educating any of the new arrivals unless it benefits him in some way. He hums and nods, the corner of his lip curving into a small, self-deprecating smirk.]

Ren and his friends are quite supportive, aren't they? Allow me to reassure you: I feel the same. It's overwhelming sometimes, isn't it?

[bridge_princess]

Not a bad idea, for someone else to do. My writing hand's not steady enough for that, personally. And I don't think anyone needs me going on my diatribes in a historical document. Still not a bad idea.

[She snorted. Oh man, she had a lot to say about that that she was holding onto.]

Buddy, you probably know the half of it. They're all so supportive in their own ways, and in everyone's business. It's like this weirdly adorable circle of people in weird costumes trying to save everyone.

...

Haru's ok.

[Look. "widow solidarity" was a thing. Even if he probably wasn't exactly dead, and Parsee was actually the black widow of that pair.]

[simulatio]

On the contrary. I've heard that a personal perspective on contemporary events can be invaluable to historians. Ah, but I hope we won't be here long enough for that to be a concern.

[His expression twists. They've been here long enough already, even with his impromptu... absence. Things may have been resolved, after a fashion, but that doesn't mean he's any less willing to return home, no matter the cost.

He snorts a laugh at her description.]

They still have the naïve idealism that lets them think they can. Once, I thought that was a bad thing. I haven't decided yet if I still do.

[Of course she likes Haru. The one person who has the most cause to destroy him personally, even if she'd reassured him she doesn't think like that.]

[bridge_princess]

Eh... people change things from time to time. So maybe they can change the world. Who knows? They're better choices than I am. I know that much.

[She shrugged a little, unaware of the issues he might have with Haru. For her, it was just that weird solidarity.]

They're not bad. It's just so weird how pointedly endearing they are, isn't it? It's pretty harmless here though.

[simulatio]

Indeed.

[They're better choices than he is, too, objectively speaking. His vision of the world had been something entirely different from simply changing the hearts of the evil and corrupt to help others. He'd been willing to accept the destruction of the entire country as acceptable collateral damage in his plan to kill his own father. You know, as you do.]

But you're right. There are far fewer malicious intents here to take advantage of their boundless idealism and willingness to trust others. I know you're close with Ren, but have Takamaki-san and Yoshizawa-san taken to pestering you as well? Takamaki-san can be quite... persistent.

[bridge_princess]

Yeah, that's more or less the size of it. And anyone here with a nefarious edge really doesn't have much to work with, so the best they can hope for is a little petty mindfuckery.

Most don't care that much I'd bet, unless they're dicks about it.

[She folded her arms and grunted. Oh, he'd asked something right? Yoshiwara? Did he mean Violet?]

Haru and I just met. Ann talks to me sometimes, and she's definitely a little persistent. I... might have met this Yoshiwara person, but I didn't catch her name in that dream place.

[simulatio]

Yoshizawa, [he corrects.] Brilliant red hair in a ponytail, black mask, tall boots, and a sweeping coat.

[He lists her defining features and wonders why, exactly, he cares so much about Parsee getting the details right as to who Yoshizawa is. Perhaps it's because so often, he worries has concerns that perhaps she herself might once again forget.

He nods toward the shrine coming up upon them, then hisses and ducks another playful bite from the giraffe at his back.]

The drum?

[bridge_princess]

Oh, Violet. Yeah, we've met. She's a competent one.

[She hadn't really had much time to talk to Sumire. So she hadn't pinned down her name properly just yet. As such, she was still stuck with just the physical description but the girl was distinctive enough to recognize her.]

Yeah, drum. Follow me. I have it set up near the shrine itself.

[As she made her way up the steps to the shrine, the Taiko drum was obvious enough. It looked thoroughly old and well worn, but at least it was well tended enough. She looked up at his big guest and held the mallet.]

you want to do the honors or me?