entrancelogs | first notes § a classy diner

Entry tags:

first notes § a classy diner

who: goro & you
where: diner
when: first week of may
rating: pg-13 (probably? will update if necessary)
the story: a detective walks into a diner for some pancakes and....

option 1 - for the employees

[ while this isn't leblanc, per say, it still has a rather comforting feel to it. he isn't sure if it's the decor or the general energy in the diner, but it seems to call to him the same way that the tiny curry and coffeeshop did back in tokyo. it's not insanely crowded but it has enough interesting faces to keep him intrigued. still, that's not to say he's actively seeking conversation. rather, he's brought a book from the library down to the diner to thumb through as he takes a break from investigating the hot mess he's found himself in.

there's a pencil stuck between his teeth, brown fringe covering his eyes as he skims the pages of the book. occasionally, he plucks the pencil out to scribble something down in the margin, and then just like that, the pencil returns dutifully to his mouth.

he hasn't ordered yet, a bit lost in thought over the pages of paradise lost. ]

option 2 - for others

[ now that he has his coffee (it's really a necessity in life), he's taken a break from the pages of the riveting story to glance around the diner. simply surveying the area for any "familiar faces." one leg is crossed against another, dangling off the edge of the stool, toe of his shoe tapping light sounds against the counter in front of him.

as usual, each and every lock of hair is perfectly in place and he's wearing his tan jacket complete with a drab, striped tie. although he enjoys the tranquility, he can't help but catch the gaze of anyone who walks into this diner. namely, you.

there's a bright, undeniably charismatic smile that appears and he lifts a hand politely up in way of greeting. ]

May I ask you a question?

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[Only when your Social Link is high enough will you get to hear that story, Akechi. (Or if Wonderland is going to be cruel, of course.) But the word "choice" here is also interesting. Did he mean the choice to show this Persona? Or the choice that Minato made in order to make this Persona and everything else possible? Akechi couldn't be that perceptive, could he?

Minato was intrigued every time he saw someone summon a Persona, even if he'd seen them do it over and over again. Everyone else had a much more convenient summoning ritual, so to speak, that his own. Akechi was able to access people's hearts, sure, but how did he reach in and bring out parts of his own soul?]

I like him.

[Stealing from the rich to give to the poor, that type of thing? That seemed to make sense, if Akechi was in the business of changing people's hearts, though the method was a little morally ambiguous, if he could call it that. Still awesome though, looking all kinds of noble and dashing and the like. Hm. Kind of like his user.

And since fair is still fair, he dismissed Messiah and summoned Orpheus Telos next. He should show him this one too, if they were showing each other what type of deities emerged from the sea of their souls.]

Orpheus Telos. I did promise to show you who I had.

[ So that's how it was.

There are several ways he can play this. There are risks involved with each approach but... but the curiosity is killing him. And he can easily talk his way out of any webs he gets tangled in at a later date. Besides, what are the chances this all will come back and bite him in the ass? Further, what damage would it do? If what he was told about memories were true, then this had zero consequence for the time being.

Gaze sweeping away from Orpheus, he nodded and politely slid his hands into his pockets. ]

That's a very useful trick you have. A - [ he pauses, the word tasting like tar on his lips ] friend of mine can switch between them, too.

[ And a tip of his head... ]

My apologies for prying but have you seen that room?

[Minato dismissed Orpheus Telos away and reequipped Messiah at the forefront. So it was true, as he thought. More Persona users from the future. He could only rely on them to protect that future when he wasn't there to take care of it himself. It made him worry a little about Souji though, but he'd think about that later.

And then yet another Wild Card user? Again it made sense, if the Shadows were running rampant. He would have to find out who it was. Minato felt a little responsible for all of these future Persona users though as the one who had walked the path before.]

That room?

[Wait, wait, hold up... Which room? But then Minato decided to take a chance. Out of all the rooms to be asked about. The specials in the Diner weren't of a particular shade and name without reason.]

... The Velvet Room?

[ It's not something he can ask Akira about, and if Minato really asks, he can just blame his knowledge on Akira. After all, he did say they were friends, right? ]

Yes. That one. And the very curious man.

[ The big-nosed one, he means to say. But he's too polite to call attention to that bulbous atrocity. His hands lace together and he returns Robin Hood. Sitting is preferable, after all, and he sees no reason for a rather princely Persona to be towering above the booths of the diner. Don't want to scare off business! ]

You've been there, then.

[ And if Minato was from the past, then... hm. He wasn't sure what that meant, in that case. Why hadn't he heard about him before? Why hadn't Igor mentioned him? It was all rather suspicious. ]

[Minato nodded. He knew that room very well, although how well was very well now, he wasn't sure. The room had changed since his last visit there, but that was to be expected since the user changed. He could say he knew his own Velvet Room well, not a room belonging to anyone else.]

How do you know about it and him?

[Because even at home, none of his friends knew what that was and he never mentioned it. The only other person who knew of it was here. Minato became even more aware of the Velvet Key around his neck underneath his shirt.]

What was yours like then?

[Oh, if he could venture to ask that too. Since if Akechi knew about it, he had to have been there?]

[ He could pin this all on Kurusu, like originally planned, or - or he could have some fun with it. He could try to get to the bottom of things, really dig up some answers. It was a calculated risk, but maybe Kurusu's gambling tendencies were rubbing off on him. ]

Dark, for the most part. There wasn't much there besides that man and his attendants.

[ He didn't need to let on that it was a prison, that he was bound by his own sins and his own rage when he was in that room. It seemed superfluous. ]

It's not something I talk about often.

What's yours like?

[Attendants, plural. Minato thought his were in the plural too to some extent, though he didn't think that one of them would end up helping out Souji later on.

But dark? Minato wouldn't describe his that way, not with all the constant movement and what looked like gates. He didn't talk much about it either, as it was hard to explain to someone what really went on in there. It was more of a mental thing, like his friends indicated that he would zone out while in there.]

Mine was an elevator. Blue velvet, with a chair, another seat and a table.

[Basically.]

You remember the name of the attendants?

[Were they still around? Mianto wondered what happened to them, after all, now that the future was that much farther ahead.]

They didn't bother telling me their names, I'm afraid.

[ And he didn't bother asking.

Still, he dwells on Minato's description of the room. It was entirely different from his own, which instantly begged the question: was Akira's different? Did Akira even have one? He must, considering Minato confirmed that mental leap he had made. In that case, Igor had purposely not mentioned another visitor to the room. In fact, he had made it seem like (during his brief visits) that he was the only one.

Peculiar. ]

There was a table and chair in the middle of the room, though. That man - ah, Igor perhaps - never really bothered getting up from it.

[There went that idea. Minato could only hope though that they were okay. Last he heard one of them left the Room to... That was just wishful thinking though.

But Minato did nod again. True, Igor never did get up from the chair, not even when the elevator gates opened. Somehow too he ended up in the limousine after that.]

He didn't. The attendant assisted me though.

[He didn't think he had to go into the details of what that assistance really meant. Still, if Minato had a Room, Souji had one, and now Akechi? But that was confusing.]

... Are you a Wild Card too?

[Not that there was anything wrong with that. Maybe some part of him wished too that there was yet someone else like him. Someone else who could understand what it was like to have so many fragments of one's soul and what that meant.]

[ Is that what they called it? A Wild Card? ]

I suppose, yes, though I haven't heard it called that.

[ At least that was honest, that was innocent. The way Minato asks, though, makes Akechi think. Makes him wonder if they're rare. They are, aren't they? Even the Phantom Thieves only had one amongst them, and as far as Akechi knew, there weren't any others before Akira came around. So if the timeline fit, he got his powers right after the last Wildcard... ]

Are there others like us from your time?

[ He has to know - it's a burning interest now. A hunch, if you will. A detection of absolute bullshit from a certain Puppet Master. ]

[So another one. Two from the same time? Akechi mentioned the friend who could switch Personas at will. But maybe circumstances led them to have two at the same time, though he hadn't known that was possible. If he had only known that before him, it was normal to be able to switch.]

After me, before you, in 2012. Just one more. Seta Souji.

[Or one more that Minato knew of. ~~FES, he has no idea about FES and Aigis, that is a moot point right there.~~ But Minato did want to tell Akechi about Souji because they should meet at some point. It'd be best if they did.]

... Can I see who else you have then?

[ It's a very personal question.

In fact, it almost makes him feel inferior. He guesses Minato, like Akira, is similar and can switch between many masks. Not just two. Himself? Well, it's limited. It's limited because he hasn't bothered to connect with people, to negotiate and attract demons on his side. He didn't need extra help. Hell, for awhile, he just had Loki. And then Kurusu came around and Robin Hood just showed up and wouldn't leave... ]

Loki. Though he's a bit of a trouble-maker to summon. I wouldn't want him causing trouble for your diner.

[ There's something about the other boy that makes talking so easy. It's probably his downfall, he thinks, talking to other "wildcards." It happens every single time he's at Leblanc, almost tipping his hand. And now he's spilling his guts, so to speak, here, at another "coffee establishment" to a quiet, kind wild card. It's funny. So funny. ]

[Minato shook his head. Akechi didn't have to show him if he didn't want to. No pressure at all.]

Mn, it's okay. Loki... Fool?

[Minato ventured a guess to the Arcana of the other Persona. He remembered Loki, although the Loki in Akechi's arsenal could have looked different and had different qualities than the Loki Minato knew. That happened sometimes and again was to be expected. Different souls.

But it was comforting to Minato though, despite whatever it was Akechi was feeling, knowing that someone else shared something similar with his own soul, like he didn't have to be completely alone.]

The Arcana? I believe so.

[ Curiouser and Curiouser. Curiosity killed the cat, though, and he needs to be careful. ]

When you first entered that room... what did he say? What sort of pact did you make, if you don't mind me asking?

[ Like hell he'd ever say this to Akira. ]

[Don't worry, all of your secrets are safe with Minato. Minato hadn't minded the question at all. He did want to share since he should share his experience with Akechi who seemed like he had gone through something similar, pact and Room and all.

Did he need to share that the first person he saw was Pharos who told him to sign the contract? Hm.]

I signed a contract that said that I chooseth this fate of mine own free will and that I needed to abide by the terms, assume responsibility for the choices I made.

[But that was what he was told over and over again, really.]

What did he tell you?

[ There were remnants of familiarity to that, to what the man had said to Akechi, but it had been different. Much different. Filled with undertones of darkness. All circulating around the word Ruin. Should he take this power, he could lead the world to its timely Ruin, to seek his revenge, he could wreak havoc and right the wrongs of society. ]

Not that, but I suppose he was aiming for the same thing with me, in the end. That the power he was giving me was my responsibility, and the actions I took were my own.

[ He's doubting that, suddenly. That his own actions were his own.

There's something off, something suspicious about this, but he still can't pinpoint it. ]

To be honest, the nose was quite distracting. [ Just bringing back some levity because, well, that's what Akechi does when he's uncomfortable. ]

[Minato wondered too how much of it was his own choice. His own free will? But tied with fate? Didn't one dictate the other?]

I only had a year to fulfill the contract. You?

[Minato was also told several times over and over again too that he couldn't escape time and that time delivered everyone all to the same end. But that was a bit morbid and could get into more details that were a little too close to Minato's heart at the moment.

Good to hear thought that Igor hadn't really changed (in appearance) since Minato had last seen him.]

It'd be nice to see them again though.

A time limit? That doesn't sound like him. He never mentioned that to me.

[ Given how long Goro had had his powers. Given the fact that the man didn't really seem to care how long it took him. Rather, that he was placing whatever game he was playing exclusively in Goro's hands. Which just made this even more unsettling. Why had Minato been given a time limit? Had Akira? ]

... And really? I can't quite say the same, though I suppose I didn't frequent them enough.

[ Or that he just doesn't connect with people well. Womp Womp. ]

[That was generous of him. If only Minato had more than a year, he might've gotten so much more done. Then again, he wasn't sure if he could have more than a year if there were set days for judgment. Promised days. Those kinds of things. But he couldn't change it now. It was what it was.]

When you go back home, will you have the chance to visit them?

[Perhaps? If Akechi didn't have a time limit then was his journey finished? If not, then he could go back to the Velvet Room if he wanted to?]

I don't see why not.

[ He blinks, and then laughs, airy and sounding just as innocent as ever. ]

I'd pass them your good word, but I'm afraid I was told that memories don't transfer between worlds. My apologies.

[ He wasn't convinced of that, knew there had to be some way to cheat the system. There was always a way. Through the darkness, through the shit, he had always managed to find a solution. Even if it was a temporary fix. This would be no different. He'd... figure something out. He'd get the upper hand. ]

It's okay. If you're there, that's enough for me.

[Minato did have to wonder why Akechi didn't visit often. Minato couldn't remember not ever going to the Velvet Room for something. Fusing Personas, fulfilling requests, taking Elizabeth on dates, whatever. It was just somewhere he ended up a lot.]

But I do have to thank you too.

[It might've been a little early for that kind of thing, but Minato thought he could say it now. Memories might not be passed along from here, but feelings had to, right? Something like that. Plus he didn't know, with a place like Wonderland, when the last chance to say it would be.]

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first notes § a classy diner

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