Minato | Souji | Akira | 097

[messianic]

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[purrtagonist]

[raises a brow]

[pinches the edge of his own glasses and pulls them forward to the tip of his nose]

Like this?

[sworders]

Kind of. Basic concept, but they helped us get through the area we were fighting in. Without them, it would have been impossible to see what was around us.

[purrtagonist]

[huh]

[. . . like an item that helped them see through bullshit to the truth of the matter. . .]

[kind of similar to Izanagi's journey into Yomi, when he thinks about it]

Tell me about the area you were fighting in.

[sworders]

[ Fog sure is some bullshit-- ]

A fog-filled world inside the TV.

[ Well. Let's start there. ]

[purrtagonist]

[. . . . . . oh]

Huh.

[yep. just. huh]

[sworders]

Someone was throwing people in there to get killed.

[ Souji had a fun year. ]

[purrtagonist]

[. . . . . . oh]

What? Why?

[sworders]

... It's a long story. But it was more or less a game to the mastermind.

[purrtagonist]

A game?

[he feels his anger rising. . . just slightly]

People's lives aren't a game. . .!

[sworders]

I know.

[ And he says it quietly, but there's a hint of anger in that even tone. ]

We made sure he took full responsibility for the lives he toyed with-- and the ones we couldn't save.

[purrtagonist]

[Akira sets his jaw tightly, gaze flickering away. right. . .]

. . . good.

[he's glad]

[if the Phantom Thieves couldn't be there to bring a criminal like that to justice, he's glad Souji and his team were]

[sworders]

... Sorry, if I upset you. He's not going to be able to hurt anyone ever again.

[ until some little shit in a fighting game decides to be even more of a little shit, but it turns out fine so it's fine!! ]

[purrtagonist]

[IS IT REALLY FINE!!]

[either way, Akira nods]

I'm not anymore upset than anyone might be hearing that story.

I'm just glad that he was brought to justice.

[sworders]

So am I. We all had a personal connection to it.

[purrtagonist]

. . . personal how?

[sworders]

We were the victims, we knew the victims...

[ Among other things, involving a gas station attendant. But Souji smiles vaguely, and glances off to the side. He's not ready to talk about everything just yet. ]

[purrtagonist]

[. . . ah--]

It sounds kind of similar to how my team formed.

[but with a lot less murder]

[also, he notices the way Souji glances to the side, but. he won't ask. not yet]

[sworders]

Your... situation had victims too?

[purrtagonist]

[annnnd there's a pause as Akira debates how much he can give away when his teammates aren't here]

. . . yeah.

[he shakes his head]

I can't go into detail, but-- helping people who were taken advantage of by the powerful was what me and my team did.

[sworders]

... I see.

[ Well. He's not going to pry, but Souji's nodding slowly. ]

It looks like we've got more in common than I expected. If nothing else, we're used to working in a team for what we felt was right, so we should get through this just fine.

[purrtagonist]

[a deep breathe in, a slow breath out]

Yeah. I'm not really worried about us.

[kicked at the ground idly with his toes]

I'm more worried about why we're here in the first place.

[sworders]

That's something we'll learn as we go.

... So try not to worry just yet. We'll all handle it together.

[purrtagonist]

[heh]

You're pretty optimistic, aren't you?

[sworders]

I get that a lot.

[ He denies nothing. ]

[purrtagonist]

And you don't deny it.

[it's endearing]