- Pages:
- 1
- 2
| Destination Reached (Yukari); Open | |
|---|---|
| Topic Started: Feb 8 2012, 08:57 PM (355 Views) | |
| Akihiko Sanada | Feb 8 2012, 08:57 PM Post #1 |
|
May 25, 2012 (2:00 PM) It was a difficult idea in attempt to blend in with a rush of people emerging from the train. While the tide of passengers filtered out and proceeded into the depths of Inaba, Akihiko stood like a statue, one hand shoved in the pocket of his jacket and the other holding an umbrella. He supposed he could have found a better place to blend in at, but no other area was as wide and accessible as close to the train as he was. He glanced around here and there looking for fog. So far, nothing except rain. He was glad. He'd decided to keep close to the more congregated places in Inaba and the train station was prime opportunity to do as such. There was no stopping a shadow from feasting on those that had just arrived, not when so many were weary and rushing home. So Akihiko made it his duty, at least for now, to stand in silent watch as the most recent train arrived. He finally decided to move, attempting to moderately blend in, as he pushed against the crowd. He ended up bumping into a few people while surviving their stares of fire. But he ignored their looks of disdain. If they even understood what he was trying to do, they wouldn't be glaring daggers into his back. He stopped again at a new spot, a better vantage point in a different direction than before. Nope, still no fog. Good. He didn't even know what he would do if a fog did settle into the area. He couldn't very well summon his persona with so many people nearby, could he? All they'd see was a gun and a guy pointing it into his own head. Akihiko shrugged the thought away. He'd end up finding some way to clear the area. Besides, it was pointless to think about that when there wasn't anything going t--Wait. Akihiko peered at a figure that emerged from the train. Did he know that person? No, it couldn't be. It'd be too much of a coincidence. First Aigis and now..., "Takeba?" Her name carried from his lips, and he prayed it wasn't her. |
 |
 
|
| Deleted User | Feb 9 2012, 10:56 AM Post #2 |
|
Deleted User
|
Yukari had spent the trip to Inaba staring out of the train window, barely even taking in the scenery as the memories of S.E.E.S surfaced, playing before her mind's eye. From when she was recruited, handed her Evoker to their journey upwards Tartarus, to Minato's sacrifice to when they were once gathered again when they thought it was all over... It wasn't as though there wasn't something in her everyday life that would somehow remind her of those days. Recalling all of it now served to remind herself of the battles they faced, the experience they had gained, and she wondered if it would be awkward to summon Isis once again if... or when she had to. She sighed as she watched the raindrops slide down the window, retrieving her umbrella from her purse before slinging it on her shoulder, along with a long bag that contained her bow and arrow. There was a pink luggage as well; who knew how long she had to stay here should the worst happen? And Yukari intended that should that happen, she would not run out of any essentials. Her holster was sewn into the underside of her left jacket pocket, and her Evoker lay there, hidden by pink-striped fabric. After all, this wasn't exactly like how the Dark Hour had been; they were free to carry Evokers in plain sight without worrying about anyone arresting them for handling guns. The weight certainly felt rather strange, and Yukari had tried to balance it out by stuffing her right pocket with her S.E.E.S armband and her phone. While making her way through the crowd, she certainly hadn't expected to hear someone call out her name. Alright, that was probably stupid of her, because if Mitsuru-senpai was here, why not the others? Especially him. It had been a while since she heard his voice, but she had recognized it immediately when it reached her ears. For a moment, she froze and then turned slowly, easily spotting the man with a head of snow-white hair. "Senpai?" A small smile formed on her lips; partly glad to see him again, and that he looked relatively well, but there was a hint of sadness to it. "I knew it." She declared, dragging her luggage to where he stood. "There is something going on, isn't there?" |
|
|
|
| Akihiko Sanada | Feb 9 2012, 09:11 PM Post #3 |
|
Don't let it be her... As every second ticked by, he was having a harder and harder time convincing himself it wasn't Yukari. He had already pushed Mitsuru away for fear of her dying in the Arena, and now, he had another person on his list that he needed to force out of Inaba. God, what the hell was going on? People were flocking to Inaba like moths. It seemed like the more Akihiko swatted them away, the more that came fluttering back. He frowned seeing her luggage--she was here to stay. As she came to stand beside him, Akihiko was momentarily speechless. What could he say? He didn't want her involved, but keeping her in the dark was wrong. Sighing to himself, he waved a hand to the streets of Inaba so they wouldn't be caught loitering in the rain. "C'mon, this way." Keeping silent for a few moments, Akihiko was confident enough the rain would drown out any words if others were trying to pick up on what he was saying. "Yes, there is something going on." Too much, really. "There's shadows here, in the fog. SEES is actively patrolling area, but...," He scrunched up his forehead. What was he doing? Yukari just got here. He shouldn't be debriefing her like this was some war strategy. "Nevermind that for now. How've you been? You look like you've been holding up well." Two years now and she still looked the same. Giving her a timid smile, he stretched out his hand to take her luggage. She shouldn't be here, he kept telling himself. If she got an invite to the arena, she'd be another person he'd have to kill to get the box back for Mitsuru. He swore if more people he was close to came, the closer he would be to breaking down and saying screw it. But then he'd have to live with the guilt in knowing if he didn't intervene, they'd end up dying because of him. There were too many conflicting emotions and too many people adding to it. Still, it was nice to see Yukari, even if he hated to admit it right now. |
|
|
|
| Deleted User | Feb 10 2012, 09:07 AM Post #4 |
|
Deleted User
|
She nodded, lips pursed as she followed him. Her ears were slowly tuning out the murmur of voices around them and the pitter patter of the rain, focusing on his voice, eager for an explanation. It was why she had come here after all, and before he even said anything, she had a horrible sinking feeling that her suspicions were about to be confirmed. It was an expected outcome, of course; why else would she have brought her Evoker and her weapon along in preparation? Shadows. In the fog. Not the Dark Hour then, she thought, and would have questioned it if not for him mentioning that SEES was actively patrolling. So did that mean that besides him and Mitsuru, the others were here too? Had they been gathered, just like the last time they met? And, a small part of her mind whispered, had she been left out because she had been irritable and reluctant to return the last time they had reunited? Yukari sucked in a deep breath. Or maybe she was just being unreasonable, because it wasn't out of the question for the two senpais to check things out themselves, given their close friendship. "You look well too." She told him, with a wry smile. "You've seem to have lost weight, though?" "So, when you said SEES," She asked him carefully, trying to keep her tone as measured as possible, as he took over her luggage. Bottling it all up in wouldn't do any good; on the contrary, it would drive her into a constant state of paranoia. "Did you mean the others, beside you and Mitsuru-senpai?" Their faces flashed through her mind. Junpei, Fuuka, Ken, Koromaru and Aigis, most of which she hadn't seen since graduating from Gekkoukan High. |
|
|
|
| Akihiko Sanada | Feb 10 2012, 12:31 PM Post #5 |
|
Lost weight? The question startled him a bit. Did it actually look like he lost weight? The amount of protein he put into his daily diet should be building up his muscles. His regimen should be helping in that matter. Was Yukari telling him those two hour long jogs across flowing fields, fighting bears three times his own weight, wearing skin-tight swimsuits that decreased water resistance to decrease the amount of time it took to swi...m... He was getting off track. Wait, was she being sarcastic? It was hard to tell with girls at times, especially for someone like Akihiko. "Mitsuru, Aigis, and myself, for the most part," Akihiko frowned. He was still debating in telling her the whole story--the reason he was actually here. "Mitsuru came here to track something that was stolen from the Kirijo Group. She called me to help. Aigis...," Akihiko shook his head. "Aigis sensed the shadows. She and I didn't see eye to eye when it came to you and the others." How much was he truly willing to divulge? That he was preparing to kill other persona users in the arena and that's why he didn't want the rest here? "She wanted the rest to be notified and I said no. You guys would have moved on by now." He abruptly stopped walking, propping Yukari's luggage beside him. "And I need you to do me a favor. If you get an invite to something called the Mayonaka Arena, I need you to throw it away. Don't even think about opening it, Yukari." Gritting his teeth and glancing away, he finally relented in his mental war. She would find out sooner or later. "The object stolen from the Kirijo group is the prize in the Mayonaka Arena that's aired on the Midnight Channel, and I'm assuming favors persona users. Mitsuru contacted me to compete. When Aigis and I spoke about it, I realized...," he sighed again, "I realized the only way to win was to kill the other competitors. Mitsuru and I... had a fight about it." He continued to walk again, finding it easier to let the cool air sweep away his frustration as he moved. "I told her to let me handle it and for her to go home. It didn't go over well. Her pride is... tch. Her pride is going to get her killed, Yukari. She's being stupid and bull-headed. Nothing I tell her is going to convince her to let me fight alone. I can't stand the thought of having to kill her... or you.. or Aigis... just to keep my deal with her." His face fell. "And there's more persona users here. It's like we're being gathered together on purpose before this arena starts. Now that you're here," he looked at her again, "please tell me it's just coincidence." |
|
|
|
| Deleted User | Feb 10 2012, 01:37 PM Post #6 |
|
Deleted User
|
Ah. Yukari's shoulders relaxed slightly. Well, that made sense. It was lucky she hadn't immediately jumped to conclusions and lapsed into grouchiness, to only find out eventually that she had been acting like an idiot. Stolen? From Kirijo Group? That snapped her back into the severity of things, as she tried to imagine what it was that would make Mitsuru-senpai so anxious. Did it have anything to do with the Shadows? And if so... would it have anything to do with Father? She bit her lip, waiting to hear his whole story out. "We did promise to make the most out of our own lives." She admitted grudgingly, despite her earlier indignation at not being contacted. To drag Ken and Koromaru back into this, especially, seemed too harsh. Especially Ken, Yukari had been opposed to him joining them from the start and it wasn't fair to deprive him of a normal Shadow-less childhood. But... even though the three of them here were technically more experienced with Shadows, they had gone through so much together, and had been strong as a team. On that note, she certainly could agree with Aigis. Yukari bit her lip, her train of thought broken as Akihiko suddenly stopped, causing her to halt in her steps as well. "Mayonaka Arena?" She echoed, then narrowed her eyes at him in confusion. And then, the thing that struck her most was Akihiko talking about killing others. For a moment, Yukari could only stare at him, an eyebrow raised slightly in skepticism before remembering that this wasn't Junpei she was talking to. It was Akihiko, and he was serious. About killing. For now, Yukari could care less about learning that there were other persona users besides them. "What?" She queried, breaking into a stride to keep up with him. Minato would not want this, of Akihiko, of any of them. "I mean, I get that the prize is important, but to kill, Senpai?" Her voice was rising; it was getting difficult to keep her calm composure when faced with such a chilling realization. "Let's just assume the three of us won't participate. You're still going to do something against your conscience! Don't you remember Strega? How they just killed people without any mercy?" Yukari was trembling now, her free hand grasping at the heart on her choker, desperately trying to find the right words to persuade Akihiko otherwise. It wouldn't be easy, not when Mitsuru-senpai and Aigis couldn't, but she wouldn't give up without a fight. "I heard that Mitsuru-senpai was here, along with strange stories, plus I needed a vacation." She replied briskly, and then stopped to take a few deep breaths before starting again, voice faltering slightly. "Is that box... really that worth it, Senpai?" |
|
|
|
| Akihiko Sanada | Feb 10 2012, 05:50 PM Post #7 |
|
He'd heard the arguments before. Aigis didn't try to oppose him, not much anyways. Mitsuru had tried to threaten him that it's supposed to be her in the arena, not him. But Mitsuru was the one who invited him, and there was no going back from that. "Strega killed for money. This is different, Yukari. I'm not an assassin. I won't be doing it because it feels good." The fact he had to do it was painful enough, but he would. Just like Yukari realized, Akihiko was very serious. He understood she was trying to stop him, but he was also trying to stop her from even thinking about participating. No one really knew what the arena entailed, but Akihiko was preparing himself for the worst. As she asked if the box was truly worth it, Akihiko slowed his pace. He played the question in his mind, trying to come up with a suitable answer. He could only come up with one reason that made him becoming a murderer sound... reasonable? "Mitsuru cried when I arrived." He could remember seeing the tears glistening in her eyes as she tried to hold them back while she sat on her bed. "Have you ever seen her cry, Yukari? She was too overwhelmed with everything. If killing is the only option to keep her from crying again, I don't have a choice." He frowned again, thinking back to their argument. "When I told her to go home, she ended up hitting me, saying the responsibility was hers, not mine. Out of the two of us, who do you think could actually live with themselves?" Mitsuru the socialite, or Akihiko the lone wolf? "I would do the same for you, or Iori, or Ken if you were placed in her shoes. Nobody is allowed to feel so broken when I'm around. Not after... everything." He had enough of seeing people cry. "Mitsuru thinks the box is related to the shadows here in Inaba. If I don't win it," Akihiko shrugged, "who would?" Those who would use whatever is inside for malicious intent? Or someone who would actually give the box back? It was a gamble Sanada wasn't willing to take, not when he knew he'd give the box right back to Kirijo. "So if you receive an invite, rip it up, Yukari. I don't want you involved." |
|
|
|
| Deleted User | Feb 11 2012, 09:30 AM Post #8 |
|
Deleted User
|
"They killed for money, and you're killing for a prize." Yukari said thickly, her shoulders slumping; of course it was different and she was being unfair by comparing Akihiko to the likes of Strega. But still, she couldn't help but draw parallels between the two. The moral ambiguity of the matter was messing with her, and it was so hard to find the right words to say without sounding offensive. She tensed then, when he said that Mitsuru had cried. She had always thought of Mitsuru as a smart and beautiful leader; so perfect that Yukari had once despised her for it. The first time she had seen Mitsuru crumble was when her father had died, and she had then thrown away that hatred that had stemmed from jealousy. And to hear that Mitsuru had shed tears over this whole arena thing, it certainly meant that a lot was at risk. It was no wonder Akihiko did what he did, decided what he did, but Yukari didn't like it. It reminded her of a certain someone else, whom her heart still ached for terribly. "You boys like to shoulder everything yourselves." She said quietly, a bitter smile playing on her lips. "I understand that you want to protect everyone, Senpai, but SEES is a team. I know you're strong, but what if, Senpai... I mean no offense, but let's just say what if an opponent strikes you down and we have to live with knowing we weren't there to do anything about it?" To know that she couldn't have done anything when Minato willingly sacrificed himself hurt, but that was because he had a special power that none of them possessed. And to stand aside and watch Akihiko take on this responsibility alone? There was no way in hell Yukari would do that. But arguing with Akihiko was like trying to topple a bull, and two people had already tried, and failed. "I can rip it up." She said. Perhaps, just perhaps, a compromise would help. "I don't want to fight against you guys, not after..." She trailed off; he would know what she meant. The time when she wanted to return to the past to change what Minato had done, only to be met with opposition, to settle their decision through fighting each other. Looking back at it filled her with guilt; she had been the one to initiate such in-fighting because she had been too blinded by her grief. "But only if you let me help in whatever way I can. We could talk to the other persona users; perhaps some of them would be willing to help us. Find out more about this Arena and all." Perhaps there was another way they could get that box back. Besides, she didn't say anything about reading the invite before ripping it up. Or finding out more information from Aigis or Mitsuru, both whom she assumed would be more willing to share. Yukari intended to be present when the battles in the Arena happened, and do what she could for them that which she couldn't for Minato in the past. |
|
|
|
| Senkoku Hoshizuki | Feb 11 2012, 06:28 PM Post #9 |
|
Senkoku had gotten himself to sleep for most of the train ride. He had woken up when the train lurched to hault. Senkoku gathered up his luggage and disembarked the train. As he got off the train, Senkoku noticed a girl with brown hair who was a few years older than him. She seemed to be distressed in some way. He followed her line of vision to a white haired boy of about the same age as the girl, give or take a year. Senkoku made little of it and walked on. It couldn't be that odd to see someone that distressed you when you got off a train. Senkoku had left his home in Goin to come to a much quieter place. He hoped to find peace and quiet . . . and no one that already knew him. Senkoky knew no one back in Goin that would want anyone to do with him. He feared hurting people, but it certainly didn't get any less lonely when no one wanted anything to dow ith you because of events that happened a decade ago. As Senkoku walked on through the station, he came by the brown haired girl and white haired boy once again. He heard the word "shadow" and stopped in these tracks, then listened to the conversation and parsed out the emotions of the two. Senkoku walked up, shouldering one suitcase and pulling another behind him. "It's odd to come across someone else who knows about Shadows." Senkoku said, "So, there are shadows here too?" Senkoku would seem disappointed if he gave any emotion off whatsoever. Shadows made him think of how drastically his life had changed 10 years ago. "Hmph, and to think I came to Yasoinaba to find peace." Senkoku said. He had hoped he was done with shadows 2 years ago, but he apparently wasn't so lucky. |
|
|
|
| Akihiko Sanada | Feb 12 2012, 03:09 PM Post #10 |
|
A prize Akihiko wasn't winning for himself, he wanted to say, but he kept his thoughts to himself. It seemed the more he kept telling people what he was thinking, the more they kept getting upset with him. And she was right. Certain boys did like to shoulder everything by themselves. Maybe it was a gender complex to be a man and protect everyone, he didn't know. He only knew what he had to do and what felt right, complex or not. He frowned as the familiar argument of them seeing him die and feeling helpless came up. "I could say the same for you. I wouldn't be strong enough to see all of you fight in the arena if I didn't try to stop it." And possibly die. He was just more thick headed than the rest. He'd try everything to convince others not participate, but the same wouldn't work on him, not after what he experienced with Miki and Shinji. As Yukari spoke more, Akihiko's eyes focused through the rain, his mind a whirl of tactics and thought processes. He was truly paying attention to Takeba, but a part of him wondered if he could squeeze in some extra time to take a quick lap as a scouting opportunity. It was his way of handling the idea of having to think of... him... as Yukari brought him up. "SEES is actively recruiting," he shrugged. He gave a small smile. "But I'm not stupid, Yukari. The odds of you ripping up the invite are just the same as me learning ballet." Which was pretty much zilch. "We only know previews of the arena show up on a Midnight Channel when it rains. We haven't found out much more than that." At least, not that Akihiko recalled. Akihiko's attention redirected to someone who had apparently been watching them. In a wave of blue-gray hair, the stranger approached the duo, earning him a blank mask from Akihiko who only stared. Baited or not, Akihiko wasn't willing to respond directly to the statements. He only gave a side-long glance to Yukari before returning to the stranger. "I'm Akihiko. You are...?" |
|
|
|
| 1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous) | |
| Go to Next Page | |
| « Previous Topic · City Limits · Next Topic » |
- Pages:
- 1
- 2
4:21 AM May 25