006 - Connecting Lines, Connecting Lives

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Connecting Lines, Connecting Lives New Imprints ▲ Comments The Ground Shakes
It begins unremarkably enough, with the light tremors of the ground so small they might easily go unnoticed, or else dismissed as the movement of some creature nearby. As time goes on, however, those little tremors begin to grow in both strength and duration, the length of time shortening between each one. To begin with only small, light, unsecured objects are rattled loose by the rumbling of the ground, but as the tremors grow in strength there is a growing danger of much larger things being moved.

The realm’s clear lack of understanding of how things work cannot be relied upon in such a situation. If the tremors have grown strong enough to throw all the books of Hammerhead to the ground and throw over all the clothes rails and capsule machines and furniture in the Academy, then what if they grow strong enough to move the heavy blanket of snow atop Mount Silver? What if they grow strong enough to damage the caverns within?

Then there is the question of how, or why, the realm has made the land shake. It must surely have picked up the idea of an earthquake from someone, right? An answer to the question is not immediately forthcoming, but should one stay low to the ground and listen, they might well hear the muffled, distorted sound of screaming.

Creature Chaos
As the rumbling and shaking continues, it is clear to see that the local wildlife has been disturbed, and they seem remarkably active. Critters can be seen running and flying to and fro, and any who go out to investigate may find themselves the center of attention. Brushboys may paint arrows on the ground in an effort to lead them somewhere, or bluurgobos might actively offer rides, or the flying cat-like creatures will excitedly circle someone before attempting to lead them somewhere. Going along with them will lead to one of two places:

1. The meaty, pulsating, cavernous tunnels of Mementos shudder and convulse in a way quite unlike before, and closer inspection will quickly reveal why. The flesh has been cut and torn, hacked apart, leaving gaping and bleeding wounds to spill over the subway tracks. Whichever critter has brought someone here excitedly gestures towards the wounds, and as it does a giant and painful shudder goes through the tunnels and shakes the earth. All those earthquakes… could this be the source?


2. The road to the Hammerlocke Citadel Ruins are as long as winding as ever, and precarious with the risk of an earthquake dislodging snow and rock from the mountainside. The animal that has taken the lead is on a mission, however, as unclear as that mission might be. On arriving, it turns its attention to a group of the spiky, bear-headed beasts that are lazing about as though the land is not currently shaking and quaking around them, and tries to draw their attention. Clearly, these bear heads are expected to do something, and they aren’t doing it.

First Words
Though the tremors have finally stopped, they have left a significant change to the World in their wake. Where the ground above was once flat and untouched, there now lay cracks and fissures that glow with a strange, but enchantingly warm light. There doesn’t seem to be a single area that has been left untouched by them - though the number of cracks are denser in some places than others, it’s difficult to find a place completely devoid of them. Could this be the world’s attempt at trying to heal itself?

If all of that wasn’t enough to warrant investigation, the sound of whispers that appear to be coming from they might do the trick. Upon closer inspection, however, it becomes apparent that the whispers aren’t coming from the lights, but from inside your own head. Focus a little more, and some of the voices may sound familiar…

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goro akechi | ota

[simulatio]

(spoilers for Persona 5 Royal in all prompts)

A. where people like you see problems, i see the opportunity to create bigger problems

[Well then.

Akechi hasn't exactly made a secret of owning a serrated sword; he's been carrying it with him just about everywhere for the last several months, with a polite, almost-embarrassed laugh in response to just how brutal it looks. "Beggars can't be choosers," when it comes to weapons, and for a long time, that's the only one he's had.

Of course, that doesn't mean he's needed to use it all that often. But he has been using it, especially in more recent weeks since his return from his and Ren's inexplicable trip home.]

Son of a bitch!

[A snarl bursts from his lips as the fleshy walls of Mementos shudder and convulse violently, bodily hurling him backward in the middle of one of his frenzied attempts to carve himself a path through the maze. It's frankly disgusting the way that the tunnel starts closing around him like a throat, forcing him backward and threatening to engulf him in walls of flesh. Sinew snaps, lashing a bloody line across his cheek and eliciting another fierce snarl as he's driven farther back.

One of the brushboys is chattering nearby in alarm, but he can barely hear it through the angry roaring in his ears.]

Shut the fuck up and get out of here!

B. well well well, if it isn't the consequences of my own actions

[By the time Akechi makes it out from the underground, he's more than a little worse for wear; blood and gore drips from his sword, there's an ugly gash across his face that he either hasn't noticed, or hasn't cared to do anything about. The sports uniform he'd been wearing, "borrowed" (stolen) from the underground academy, isn't in much better shape, shredded and coated in viscera. It looks for all the world like Akechi had been violently spit out of the underground.

His eyes wild, he doesn't seem to quite see everything around him quite right; a few steps, and he stumbles planting both hands squarely into one of these new blue-glowing rivers.]

Motherfucking piece of shit!

C. what've you got there? a knife!

[Perhaps, whilst investigating the tunnels, one could come across a rather curious sight; that is, one Goro Akechi engaged in combat with one of the hooded figures. Its doing its very best to shiv him, whilst Akechi is doing his very best not to be shived. His saw sword is strapped safely to his back; instead, he's wielding a brilliant blue laser sword in his left hand to parry the strikes. The look on his face is crazed, but with something closer to happiness than to anger.]

Well? Come on then! Is that all you've got?!

[-He might be here for a while. Maybe take a different path forward?]

D. wildcard!

[none of these prompts work for you? use this space, or hit me up on plurk @jaderhade for plotting! considering akechi is the one who sliced up meatmentos uhhhh he deserves consequences]

b the consequence of your own actions arrives

[forethinking]

(Ren has been lured into Mementos by a creature, and it was easy to tell what has been hurting the Void. Jagged cuts, cauterized wounds, all just scream the signatures of Akechi's swords. He's got to find him, inquire, because the wounds seem fresh and the earthquakes aren't becoming milder.

Lucky for him, he finds his beloved right outside the entrance of Mementos, covered in gore and blood - his voice echoeing in his brain, almost too close to a mental breakdown for his own comfort. Ren stands in front of the man, a hand so he can stand up.)

Goro.

[simulatio]

[He can hear things. Whispers. The longer he keeps his hands in this intangible pool, the closer he feels to understanding it.]

I can hear you, [he thinks into the fissure.] Reveal yourself.

[So the sound of Ren's voice is startling in its closeness. Akechi yanks his hands out of the fissure and scrambles to his feet, only noticing the extended hand once he's already up. His breath catches in his throat as his eyes sweep over Ren's face, takes in everything from the expression on his face to the set of his posture.]

Ren.

[Belatedly, he wipes the back of his gloved hand against his cheek. He only succeeds in smearing blood across his face, his back stiff with tension.]

Are you alright?

[forethinking]

Are you alright?

(After all, he's not the one whose expression screams of anger, nor is he the one covered in blood. He's worried, eyebrows almost coming together in his forehead. This could be anything - perhaps an attempt to better navigate Mementos, even if he couldn't exactly pinpoint the reason why he would. The unhinged expression on Akechi's face tells him it might be something other than that.

Are you hurt? Is everything ok? Ren can't help but to think, concerned eyes scanning the man to see and find any open wounds and with their proximity to the ley line, the thought dissipates into Akechi's own brain, even if Ren's mouth is closed.)

[simulatio]

I'm fine, [he says automatically, even he thinks do I fucking look fine?! He draws himself up, visibly tries to put himself back together for a moment, before he hears Ren's voice in his head without seeing the other boy move his lips.

All at once, a cold frisson of fear shivers through him, and he takes a step backward. The anger returns full force, coupled with a frenzied terror hidden behind his eyes.]

Get the fuck out of my head.

B

[rotomphone]

[ Raihan, who is nowhere near where Akechi is, picks up on the expletives from his location in Hammerlocke, making sure that the earthquakes haven't displaced the snow enough for a potential avalanche. there aren't many glowing lines around here, but enough that he can tap in and respond to the familiar voice.

he whistles in surprise (in his head; apparently, just imagining the sound is enough) - Akechi didn't strike him as someone that would use that kind of language, but now he's interested in what brought it on. ]

What's got you cussing up a storm? This weird mind link-thing doesn't have content filters, you know.

[simulatio]

Ah- Raihan-san?

[Ah, indeed. For his part, Akechi's struggling to put himself mentally back together after being viscerally shoved out of Meatmentos. Luckily(?) Ren's explained the very basics of the ley lines to him, but it's still disorienting to hear someone's "voice" in his head.

For one thing, it fucking terrifies him. His mind used to be the only place he could completely be himself. Now he apparently doesn't even have that, at least for the moment until he can control it properly.]

My apologies... I'm afraid I'm still getting used to this form of communication. You... aren't anywhere near the tunnels, are you?

[rotomphone]

You got it! [ he lets out a brief chuckle. ] No worries here - I'm not the easily offended type, but someone else might be, you know?

[ he's not here to make fun of Akechi... well, not much, anyway. he's more interested in getting some experience with communicating through the ley lines, and happened to be focusing enough to hear the forcefulness of his words. he's not very keen on the idea of his thoughts being streamed out without intent either, so he's doing his best to be deliberate about his stream of consciousness.

but at the moment, what concerns him more is the hesitation in Akechi's voice. he puts aside the teasing for a moment, listening intently. ]

I can be. Did something happen?

[ with the tremors, his first thought is that there was some sort of collapse down there. a cave-in wouldn't bode well for the underground academy, and would be even worse for the train routes. ]

[simulatio]

What's the range on this?

[The thought slips out before he can stop it, and he grimaces. It's not even that it's a bad thing to "say," it's that he didn't intend to say it.

He shakes his head, quick to add,] No, that's not necessary. It's better if you aren't, to be honest. The walls started to convulse and converge on themselves as I was-- making my way through.

[It takes a supreme force of will not to say "cutting." The thought nearly slips out anyway, resulting in an awkward-sounding pause.]

More importantly, I didn't realize the tremors were so violent above ground. Is everyone alright?

B

[bridge_princess]

Hey? Voice in my head number ten. LANGUAGE!

[That was an annoyed sounding snort. She didn't actually care. She was as foul mouthed as the next person. But this was a good way to screw with someone, so why not? Besides, he took her by surprise, so she was going to snap a little.]

[simulatio]

Voice number ten?

[Well, that's a little offensive in and of itself, isn't it? He should be voice number one if anything.

Wait, that's not important. What is important is-]

Parsee-san? Is that you I hear?

[bridge_princess]

I've been getting a bunch of voices in my head right now. You are definitely not the first one.

Yeah, it's me. Is this Aechi? Do you have any clue what's going on right now?

[simulatio]

Akechi.

[First Yoshizawa, now his own name... perhaps Parsee just isn't the type to care about getting names right, but that doesn't mean he won't correct it whenever it's someone he cares about.]

And no, I don't. I was underground until just moments ago... the tunnels forced me out the surface before I quite literally stumbled into one of these blue fissures.

C

[bazooker]

[With how chaotic things have been, Haru was prepared for anything that came her way. When she managed to find the various creatures lurking around, she had to get ready for a fight. She wasn't all that surprised to see Akechi not too far away with his laser sword in hand. What she was surprised was to hear how angry he was.

It seems his bloodlust hasn't changed.]

Akechi-kun! What are you doing? You mustn't let your anger get the better of you!

[simulatio]

Not now, Okumura-san!

[It's an unapologetic snarl as he dodges the creature's next stab. His backflip isn't quite as dramatic as it would be in the Metaverse, and lacks Ren's natural grace, but it's at least enough to buy him some space.

The creature wheels, raising its knife as if it might go after Haru next, and Akechi just snarls again and lunges forward.]

Hey! Eyes on your fucking opponent!

[...Language. But the serrated edges of his sword catch the knife between two of its jagged edges. A flick of his wrist sends the knife clattering away into the darkness of the tunnels.]

[bazooker]

[Haru wasn't sure if she should be glad or worried to see him like this. While a part of her was happy to know was acting normal here, another part of her was worried how much longer his bloodlust was going to last.

She was fully prepared to take on the creature before Akechi came between the both of them. With a sigh, she just looked back at the older boy.]

Akechi-kun! Allow me to fight it too! [She shouted before she made an attempt to swing her axe at it!]

[simulatio]

[Well, color him surprised. For a moment, he only stares at her with naked surprise, then he laughs, full of delighted bloodlust. That's right, Haru was one for making Shadows scream, wasn't she?]

Now, that's more like it! All yours!

[He draws back as the creature dives away from her swinging axe. It rises up with another knife in hand and lunges for her again, and this time Akechi doesn't step in.

...He does steal that knife he'd knocked away earlier, though. You know. Just in case.]

B

[theforgottenboy]

[Cole happens to be not too far from the tunnel Akechi emerges from, but he hears the profanity from the fissure he'd been following first, sticking close to it to pick up on any voices that come through. He recognizes the voice, though it's not like he needs to for that to catch his attention.]

What's wrong? Are you hurt?

[Unfortunately, with this new development he still can't hear more than just voices. But he keeps moving along the edge of the blue "stream" as he listens; distance doesn't seem to have any effect so long as he stays close enough to the mist, and he doesn't know where Akechi is yet.]

[simulatio]

Get out of my head.

[It's a curt warning, a steady stream as Akechi tries to block every thought out of the ley line except that. Get out, get out, get out, get OUT, over and over again like a mantra, building in intensity until it's almost a scream. He almost does scream as he presses a hand against one of the many cuts lacerating his uniform, feeling blood seep through his fingers.]

[theforgottenboy]

[Well. That's not a no.]

I won't have to be if you tell me where you are. We can use our words outside of our heads, then.

[He's not sure if he'll get an answer like this, but- wait, he can see someone. The blood certainly stands out.]

[simulatio]

I'm fine.

[He repeats that over and over again, too, as he stumbles away from the glowing blue fissure. He'd dearly love to just scream fuck you into the fissure, but he doesn't know how far it will reach and how many people will hear it. Cole has a special talent for prying into his words, he does not want the spirit anywhere near his thoughts.

He doesn't make it far before he stumbles, hissing a quiet curse as he sinks down to a rock. He'd wanted to return to his apartment in Kichijoji to try to clean himself up, but he's going to have to bandage himself up a little, first.]

A

[pinwheels]

[ Apart from a brief foray into the place to see if it was the dream that returned her powers or the location itself, Rinoa has steered clear of the fleshy halls that Ren and his friends call "Mementos". She wouldn't even be here now if it weren't for Felix and a couple of the Moomba painters pretty much insisting she go.

As it is, the brushboys in her party having long fled, leaving her with a retinue consisting of one dog and one winged cat-bunny. The tunnels seem agitated, somehow (does that even make sense? She's not sure, but then again, what does make sense here?), and the young woman finds herself readying her Shooting Star on her arm, just in case.

She's not sure what she's expecting to find, but it's certainly not Akechi, bloodied and snarling, some of the braver painting creatures gathered around him and chatting in alarm. ]

Akechi!

[ Her voice is sharper than she intends it to be, something panicked fraying at its edges; There's so much blood - is he hurt? is he in danger? is he causing irreparable harm to the Void itself? - the whole situation seems like a mess. ]

What are you doing?

[simulatio]

[His sword cuts a dizzying red-black trail through the viscous bloody walls. For a long moment, it seems like he doesn't notice her; the brushboys do, taking one last look at Akechi before fleeing past Rinoa herself as if leaving him in her hands. Inexorably, no matter how much he cuts, more flesh just closes together in front of him, driving him back a few more steps.

A glance behind him, eyes wild and crazed, and he spits a curse.]

Rinoa-san?!

[Fuck. What mask does he wear in front of her again? Which one does he have to try to pull down over his face? He grips the blunted edge of his sword with his right hand and hacks another line through the flesh.]

Get out of here! You'll get yourself killed!

[pinwheels]

[ What mask, indeed. The Akechi she's met in the past is certainly not the same person in front of her now, even discounting the issue of the vicious cuts of his sword and the blood all over him. His eyes are wild; there's something almost animal about him. It could be the panic, but—

Well, she sensed it before, didn't she? When they first met. Something deeper beneath the skin.

Ignoring his command, the girl steps forward as the brushboys flee past her, and her thumb finds the trigger of her weapon. She's not planning to start shooting, not until she either has a better idea of what's going on or until she has to, but... just in case of the latter, she needs to be prepared. ]

I'm not leaving unless you come with me, Akechi! What's happening here?

b

[kimihiros]

(one time, leo told kimihiro not to go to mementos. like he'd ever listen. as the earthquakes became more frequent, that's the only place that he could have thought to check -- it is the innermost location of the void, spanning down for god knows how many floors down.

dressed comfortably for a fight, he hears the swear loud and clear in his brain before he sees the younger man soaked in gore and blood.)

Are you hurt?!