entrancelogs | (open) feed your artists.

Entry tags:

(open) feed your artists.

Who: Yusuke Kitagawa and you!
Where: The diner & the gardens
When: The beginning of May
Rating: PG-13-ish
Summary: A starving artist wanders off on his own to explore parts of Wonderland that would grab his interest. Hijinks ensue.
The Story:

A. the diner

[ The idea that there were a number of options for food — none of which actually required any real form of currency, apparently — was almost overwhelming to Yusuke at first. With the key word there being "almost," naturally. He'd made his way down to the dining room to glance over at it briefly — charming, of course, and it certainly meshed well with the aesthetic of the rest of the mansion but in a way, it seemed like it was missing . . . something.

So after a bit of wandering, Yusuke makes his way to the diner (one floor up from his own room, he notes — far more convenient, at least). He steps in quietly, glancing around briefly before making his way over to a booth in the corner. It was, of course, a perfect place for people watching, after all. Settling in, he takes a moment to really examine his surroundings, then tilts his head to one side in consideration before he speaks to no one in particular. ]

It really is quite charming in here.

B. the gardens

[ Sustenance is all well and good but after a bit of dithering about, Yusuke is just about ready to get to work. After all, what sort of artist would he be if he let such lavish and detailed surroundings go unsketched? Surely the inspiration he'd been looking for could be found somewhere within Wonderland's various pockets. So first? Back to where he'd started off, now that he's managed to procure a sketch pad and a decent set of pencils from his closet.

Anyone passing through the gardens may find a young man standing near the fountain with said sketch pad, brows furrowed in deep concentration as he glances from the lilies back down to his pad, hand gliding across the page and etching out neat strokes. Occasionally, he stops and chews at his lip briefly, tucking the pencil behind his ear and the pad under his arm as he lifts his fingers up as if to frame it in his mind.

. . . at least whatever it is he's drawing looks nice. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Hell yeah!

_{[That one simple affirmation is unequivocally heartfelt.]}

I mean, a lot of shit happens you wouldn't believe--hell, I wouldn't believe if I hadn't been there--but it all works out! What happened to Haru's dad wasn't our fault, and everybody knows it after we got the guy that did it.

_{[The urge to reassure Yusuke swells, to crow about the Phantom Thieves' biggest achievement of all (bye, Felicia Yaldabaoth), smash the doubts and fill in the blanks Ryuji remembers laboring under back in November...

He hesitates before his mouth runs off on him, thinking back to how badly he'd spooked their unspookable leader. Er.]}

... I dunno if I'm supposed to lay out the deets? Would that break the space-time continuum or somethin'?

_{["Continuum." Proof Ryuji does know some big words, thanks to watching TV.]}

It . . . wasn't our fault.

[ That's the one bit of information Yusuke really latches onto there, as he repeats it slowly, like he's trying to cement it in his mind. It wasn't their fault. — of course it wasn't, they'd done everything exactly the same way they always had. Why would it be? And yet, it still felt so raw. They'd been the ones in there. Logic would state that it was their fault. So a bit of confirmation — just a bit, even — does wonders for the soul.

Yusuke nods once, slowly, and some of the tension seems to leave his shoulders. ]

I do not know either, but. [ Another pause. Normally, his voice would have a slight edge of humor to it, but just thinking about Okumura's shutdown and the aftermath made him so, so tired and on a completely different edge entirely. Still, he manages to twist the corners of his mouth up into a slight, almost playful smirk. Almost. ] Perhaps, given your track record, you should simply tell me what you think I should know. Otherwise, I will probably learn it eventually, in a most inconvenient manner.

_{[Funny thing about track records. Back when Ryuji had been running track, he'd aimed for the finish line the same way he approached his problems--by running straight at it, full-tilt, no holds barred. That same instinct should dictate he throw himself straight at this memory shit and spill everything he knows to Yusuke, come what may, but with at least one life in question he has to go against instinct on this.

It feels weird. Withholding anything veers uncomfortably close to lying for Ryuji's liking, and Yusuke's too good a friend for that.

Still, edging around some specifics is the best play here, right...? And Yusuke's right, it's not forever, just until they figure their shit out or the others remember it on their own, whichever comes first. Ryuji takes another moment to think.]}

I guess what matters most is that we don't give up and we set things right--for Okumura, for us, for everyone. People talk shit about us, but we pull through and kick some ass, just like we always do.

_{[A heavy, heavy sigh.]}

And you... get Valentine's Day chocolate. There's that.

_{[He's being a friggin' saint and throwing Yusuke a bone with that last one.]}

I suppose what I'm saying is that crappy feeling like we screwed up is gonna pass. Promise.

[ That seems to be enough — for now, at least. Yusuke's posture loosens up about as much as is normal for him and he tilts his head to one side at Ryuji while he speaks, as if absorbing every word. Once he's finished speaking: ]

Of course I get Valentine's Day chocolate.

[ It's probably the most nonchalant statement that's come out of his mouth in the mansion. But also, why wouldn't he? People avoided him at Kosei more often than not and he'd hardly be called Mr. Popular because of it, but girls were still drawn to his "mysterious pretty boy allure," according to some people.

That almost smirk twists into a soft smile as he exhales, as if finally letting out the breath he'd been holding for awhile. ]

If you promise, then I will take you at your word.

_{[That's--

If anything could break the tension during a discussion of heavy subjects like time travel and the yet unlived tragedies and triumphs in the other thieves' futures, it's Yusuke and his penchant for blurting out the most unexpected shit. Ryuji frowns in bewilderment at that, spluttering.]}

Y-you could at least pretend to be a little modest about it! Jeez!

_{[Still not over not getting any chocolate except from his mom, bless her heart, never gonna be over it. That's a wound that'll bleed for all time.

Slumping back against the booth, he hangs his head. Why does it always end up like this...?

... Anyway. Back to the important stuff, even though their memories don't all add up, so long as they're able to work past it and get on the same page, that's good enough for Ryuji. The vote of confidence from Yusuke brings on a laugh and a smile, the sulking passing quickly like a cloud scudding by on a stiff breeze.]}

I'm a man of my word! But you think this means Makoto could show up and be in university or something? That's an effin' weird thought.

Edited (and then i managed not to c/p the whole tag, gj me) 2017-05-23 05:54 (UTC)

But it's the truth.

[ He rolls his shoulder at that, as if to say "so?". But it's also to loosen the tension that had built up within him. They were fine. Things were fine. Things . . . would be fine. He couldn't let that cloud of uncertainty hang over his head forever. When Ryuji laughs, he leans forward, nodding slowly. ]

Do you find it to be strange? You're months ahead of me, apparently. That's rather odd in itself.

_{[Damn you, Yusuke. But he... has a point. Just as it's strange for everyone else not to remember, being the only one to clearly recall such huge, defining moments is off-putting, bringing to mind all the warnings he's received about screwed up memories. What if he's the odd man out because something's wrong with him, because this place took an eggbeater to his brain like it's done to the laws of nature...?

No. Once he starts thinking like that, he won't stop. Doubts like those get him nowhere, and he remembers things too clearly to question their validity.

Being the Phantom Thieves was balls to the wall crazy from beginning to end, but it was their life--their choice, their fight, their chains to break--and if his options are believing in time travel or giving that all up in place of self-doubt, consider him a true believer.

Meeting Yusuke halfway, Ryuji folds his arms on the tabletop, leaning on them so his head is on a level with the sweating can, which he looks hard at like the secrets of the universe are hiding in its aluminum depths.]}

Yeah, I suppose you're right... The weird part is thinking the future is this big, blank thing like one of your canvases, but someone could be walking around here with a completed picture. So we've got years on some of these other guys, and then there's me ahead of you... And then there's... Akechi.

_{[That last part may go a long way to explaining where these moments of heavy thought keep coming from. Even his name hangs heavy in Ryuji's mouth, weighted with meaning. The boy detective has been the heart of what Ryuji's found most incomprehensible about Wonderland, a wrench in the gears his friends don't remember enough to know is dangerous.]}

Edited (edits a million years late, hi) 2017-05-25 04:23 (UTC)

[ As Ryuji leans in, Yusuke shifts just a bit, crossing his arms on the table rather than letting them rest stretched out in front of him so he's not quite broaching into Ryuji's personal space. He lets out a soft hum as Ryuji speaks, almost smiling softly at the thought of the future — a wide, expansive canvas just waiting to be filled with endless possibilities.

That noise dies out in his throat when a certain name escapes Ryuji's lips, though. ]

. . . Akechi.

[ Though his tone is neutral, Yusuke frowns, brows furrowing just a bit as he stares down at the table. Akechi was . . . truth be told, Akechi was a mystery, a question mark that he didn't quite know how to define. It wasn't in his nature to trust strangers so easily — he'd nearly called the cops on Akira, Ann, and Ryuji the second or third time they'd met, and "hostile" was the polite way of describing his demeanor towards Makoto at first before she'd joined the team. Akechi had never necessarily endeared himself to him, instead setting him on edge with mentions of Madarame and wasn't it such a coincidence that he was friends with Shujin students, the former victims of Kamoshida?

Never mind the fact that he knew their names. Their names. Which meant he knew more than that — much like Ryuji.

On the other hand, Akechi . . . hadn't really done anything. He was pleasant for the most part, even. And wasn't that like how Akira and the others were when he'd first met them? He couldn't even imagine what life would be like if things hadn't turned out the way they did — or rather, he didn't want to.

With a small nod, Yusuke glances up again, looking over at Ryuji. ]

He seems to be ahead of me as well, apparently.

_{[It's fair that Yusuke would want to keep his personal bubble intact, after the greeting Ryuji had sprung on him. The thing with the can had been all in good fun, a bit of lightheartedness which Wonderland seemed in painfully short supply of, what with there being no exits, memories getting stolen, and unpleasant blasts from the past waltzing around claiming he's a member of the Thieves.

What a damn mess.

It isn't until Ryuji has to say what needs saying that he realizes just how reluctant he is to do it. He'd swerved around recounting the worst of the Phantom Thieves' struggles, Akechi included, because it was simpler than getting into it all... and truth be told, just plain nicer.

For someone who prefers looking ahead and not behind, reflecting back on all that bad stuff... kind of sucks. It's over, and a part of him wishes it could stay over--but whatever power has Akechi up and walking around has other ideas. He looks up and meets Yusuke's eyes, unhappiness flattening the line of his lips.]}

Has he been telling you he's one of the gang, too?

Edited (five thousand edits later....) 2017-05-26 09:49 (UTC)

[ Yusuke meets that question with a frown, then nods slowly. ]

Yes. When he first greeted me here, he called me "Fox."

[ "Fox." Before any of the shenanigans with the network had occurred, potentially exposing them to— god know what. He didn't want to think too hard about that. But he knew, which means he knew who the Phantom Thieves were, about the Metaverse — everything.

He grimaces at that thought. ]

It's . . . rather odd.

Goddamn it.

_{[Unable to hold it back, he makes a fist of his hand, frustration burning hot in his voice for a moment.

He doesn't have to be told to check his volume, not for something as deeply personal as this; shooting a sidelong glance around the diner to ensure they're still going unnoticed, Ryuji pushes the emotion back down and his volume with it. There's just something so fucked up about getting a second try with Akechi while Akechi takes a second stab at pulling the wool over his friends' eyes.]}

I was afraid you'd say that. _{[This is one of those ugly truths he can't sugar coat, and his gaze grimly holds Yusuke's.]} Listen, I dunno how that guy's here, but back home he only agreed to come aboard and join the group because was totally plannin' on sendin' us up shit creek without a paddle.

The person with the black mask? I'll give you three guesses who it is.

_{[He'll give you a hint: it starts with "A". Funny, so does "asshole."]}

[ That sudden outburst makes Yusuke jerk his head up in surprise. He was far too used to Ryuji's various hot-headed episodes and really, this was no different. But the suddenness of it — coupled with the fact that there'd be a very Ryuji-shaped hole in his life for approximately a single week and some change — was startling, to say the least. He frowns, meeting Ryuji's gaze as he speaks, laying it all out.

And there's really no surprise on his face at all once he finishes. ]

I'd wondered. [ There's a brief pause before he chooses to elaborate. ] — if there was some other motive there. It seemed a bit strange that after denouncing us for so long, he suddenly became our ally in the Metaverse.

[ Little things that stood out, mostly. Paying attention to the little details was an artist's bread and butter, and Yusuke was no different.

But— ]

Presumably, things work out with that based on what you've told me. [ At that, he gestures vaguely at one hand. Things work out. They're okay. He'll cling to that to the end. ] So I suppose my first question is — is Akira aware of this?

_{[And just like that, Yusuke takes the news that Akechi is the black-masked visitor to the Metaverse in stride, and Ryuji finds himself once again in admiration of (and a little envious of) Yusuke's ability to absorb something and move on.

His self-possession is like a cool breath in times like this when Ryuji can feel himself heating up like a chemical substance under an open flame, molecules ready to fly apart. Monkey see, monkey do. If Yusuke can get his head around shit he hasn't even lived yet, then Ryuji can keep his on straight.]}

Yeah, he knows.

_{[Matter-of-fact, tone even keel again. Or as even as he can get while talking about the conspiracy that had shadowed their lives for months.]}

Turns out Akechi got duped into taking marching orders from this ginormous asshat. He was using Akechi and the Metaverse to cause those mental episodes we kept hearin' about on the news--they were gonna blame us for all that shit.

We got 'em, though.

_{[The short, oversimplified version. It's weird to be explaining it again to someone who was right there in the thick of it with him.]}

It sounds . . . complicated.

[ Which is an understatement. He'd like to know more but at the same time — is it really necessary? And this is already quite a bit as it is. They have more than enough to focus on in Wonderland without bringing the various timeline shenanigans into play.

Though one question still remains.

He shifts his position just a bit so he can strum his fingers against the table, deep in thought for a moment. He then turns his head back towards Ryuji, speaking softly. ]

I'll only ask one more thing, then. And I trust your opinion — and Akira's as well, of course. [ a beat, and then: ] Here, in Wonderland, is Akechi currently posing a threat to us?

_{[That's the million dollar question, isn't it? Does the dangerous guy who tried to execute their leader, only to die himself buying time for them to escape Shido's Palace need another beatdown? Ryuji doesn't answer right away, and he suspects he looks as torn as he feels.

Making sure the people here and the Phantom Thieves are safe is his main priority. Yusuke's faith that'll he'll weigh each variable and answer as impartially as he's able to won't be misplaced.]}

If the choice was down to sendin' every last person here home, or leaving us to rot and gettin' himself out, I think we'd be watchin' him wave goodbye on his way back to reality.

_{[Which is its own answer. This is a different Akechi from the one on the ship.]}

But what can one guy do? It's not like he can cover up a bunch of murders or send the police after us like this. And crazy as it sounds, we can call on our Personas anytime we want in this world, right?

_{[He draws in an audible breath through his nose, seemingly coming to a decision. Detective Prince 2.0 is a wack job at the best of times and a problem that needs managing, but...]}

From what I'm gatherin', we're all in this mess together for better or worse. If an idiot like me can get that, he has to know it, too.

[ Yusuke gives him a long look before nodding slowly. Despite his impulsiveness, he was Ryuji — one of the few people he trusted more than life itself. Of course, he knew the limits to that and when to give him a pointed Look that said "absolutely not" and then some. But if Ryuji, someone who had lived through all of that (and he had, of course he had, Ryuji wouldn't lie about something like this to him), thought this was the best course of action, he could go along with it. ]

Very well. In that case, I shall continue to treat him as I have while keeping this new information in mind.

[ In a way, it was almost . . . refreshing? Knowing that Akechi wasn't exactly on their side. He didn't have to constantly second guess things or feel uncomfortable about how certain things had shaken out over the past few months when it came to the detective and the Phantom Thieves.

Yes, he was a traitor. Yes, he was working against them. But no, he wasn't a threat — and was being used, apparently? No matter. As long as he kept a keen eye out for any shenanigans, there wasn't really any problem.

At that, Yusuke gives Ryuji a soft smile. ]

For what it's worth, I'm quite glad we are all in this mess together.

I'll be watchin' it, too, just... watch your back. I guess.

_{[Advice, from one phantom thief who remembers Akechi's willingness to murder one of their own to another. Someone with as much power and vitriol as Akechi is always a threat on some level.

Ryuji's guts churn with apprehension just thinking the boy detective could be walking around right this very minute, let alone what he remembers, or what he could be plotting, but it's a huge weight off knowing he's not alone in this: most of the Phantom Thieves are in the thick of it with him.

No matter what "time" they hail from, once a thief, always a thief.]}

You said it, man. _{[The shared sentiment brings out a matching smile.]} I have stomach cramps just tryin' to make sense of it all, but with the team comin' together, we got this. By now, we're experts at this other world thing.

Wonderland better get ready 'cause the Phantom Thieves are here to put shit right!

_{[What did Yusuke do with his life when Ryuji wasn't around to toot the Phantom Thieves' horn with all the subtlety of an air horn at full blast?]}

Though perhaps we should keep that particular piece of information as quiet as we can.

[ Just because they could use their Personas freely here and change into their phantom thief guises at will didn't mean that they should go about advertising themselves. They'd gotten into enough trouble as is with how reckless and flashy they'd been over the network.

Or maybe that was the twisting knot of paranoia still speaking from deep within. ]

At least, it may be more beneficial to keep our alter egos up our sleeves for the time being.

_{[This is just like before the Metaverse collapsed. Strangely, being advised not to blab about their secret identities makes Ryuji smile wider.

He'd been pretty set on living the honest student life for good. Feels nice to put the mask on again.]}

So same old, same old? _{[Works for him--Ryuji's learned the hard way that notoriety is overrated.]} But what's the deal with these other guys who can use Personas like us? Do we trust 'em? This dude Arisato had two. And I think he might be onto me already after I guessed what they were.

_{[Never mind that none of them should be able to use their Personas here or anywhere else. That's a tidbit he keeps to himself, though. Being in the middle of a time travel movie plot is with their very own back-stabbing, gun-toting villain is complicated enough without adding Yaldabaoth to Yusuke's already heaping plate.]}

That I don't know.

[ He lowers his voice, looking a bit more serious at that. Arisato . . . he seemed trustworthy enough, but Yusuke couldn't help but be on edge around strangers in general — strangers that actually knew a thing or two about them, anyway. ]

But he likely is. He found out quite a bit about us. [ a beat. ] . . . When we first arrived, Futaba broadcasted over the network from Necronomicon. Some of our feeds were not private. [ He shakes his head, an acknowledgement that he of all people knows it wasn't the smartest move. ] We had no idea at the time. None of us knew. Futaba was the most exposed out of all of us, I believe, though Akechi was openly calling us by our code names.

. . . It appears that for the most part, we've gone mostly undetected and have been more careful since, but Arisato picked up on it. He asked me about it a few days ago.

_{[No shit. Ryuji's eyebrows reach for his hairline.]}

Ain't Futaba supposed to be a tech person? Some anonymous hacker she turned out to be. _{[The comment is amused rather than critical; he's unable to suppress a laugh at the thought of a UFO causing mass panic like some kind of flying saucer caught on tape.]} You guys have all the fun without me!

_{[He probably shouldn't feel relieved that he's not the one in trouble for exposing them, but... he kind of is.]}

No wonder he had me figured out. What'd you tell him? I panicked and played dumb about having one.

As I said, we had no idea at the time. We were unaware of the nature behind the network and Futaba was rather jarred.

[ He gestures vaguely at that, but he knows how she felt. They were all caught off guard by suddenly being somewhere else entirely and alone — and then, not as alone as they thought. ]

I . . . was vague.

[ which is a vague answer in itself. ]

It is strange weird phones and cameras and stuff work here... I knew right away this wasn't the Metaverse, though.

_{[And he's going to sound a bit smug about that, too. Ignoring the fact the Metaverse is toast in his time so it's off the table as an option.

He peers at Yusuke, appearing to judge this response with some sobriety.]}

In other words, you talked some gibberish about the building's golden ratio and dug yourself out of it?

_{[Sounds legit to him.]}

[ That . . . actually sounded like a good idea to him. If only he'd thought of it at the time — though it wasn't gibberish of course. He eyes him calmly instead, rolling a shoulder again. ]

I managed. [ is just about all he'll say on that. Short, sweet, and to the point — what more could he need? ]

We should get everyone together, figure out a united front. What we're gonna say if people figure out we're the Phantom Thieves.

_{[A reasonable suggestion, coming from Ryuji. They're out of their depths here, scattered and exposed in ways they never were at home. They'd gotten used to the Metaverse--complacent, in a way.

Wonderland is an entirely new kettle of fish.]}

Can't hurt to be careful with these other Persona users comin' out of the woodwork, too. Last thing we need are more Akechis makin' things harder for us.

(open) feed your artists.

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