【 Thank you for choosing the Golden Peacock, 5-star resort and casino. You are currently registered as a WILDCARD in our system.
It has recently come to our attention that many of our guests have not been focusing on their health and wellness. In an effort to encourage healthy living and help our beloved guests get in shape, a grand sports festival will be held in the Golden Peacock. This sports festival will include many small games and four large games.
Prior to the festival, guests will have the opportunity to train and prepare for the games with our expert coaches.
We hope you are as excited as we are! And, as always, we hope you enjoy your stay. 】
BEAK
MEET THE TEAM
♦ DIAMONDS GAME ♦
OMEGADOME: HUNTING GAME
A cheerful pair of game managers stand outside the conservatory doors and block all guests that try to enter. They quickly explain that a special Diamonds game is taking place inside and only guests that agree to participate may enter. This game is a physical exercise that riffs on "Hunting", which is a popular sport in many different countries and civilizations. Of course, it is one hundred percent safe, and all guests that play are eligible to win massive chip prizes, store vouchers, fabulous prizes, and more.
Details about the game? Those can't be shared outside of the conservatory. Only the brave and those willing to risks will reap the benefits of this Diamonds game. So step right up, dear guests, and sign this waiver before stepping into the flourishing beauty of the conservatory for a brand new adventure.
♥ HEARTS GAME ♥
DOUBLES' THERMO: SURVIVAL GAME
Chickadees is sparing no expense on advertising their e-sport games over the course of the sports festival. Posters, notifications, stickers, fliers! Come one, come all. Sports don't need to be physical. Guests that duck into the arcade will find a variety of e-sport games to enjoy, but the real showstopper that every single employee is aggressively promoting is the new immersive VR game, DOUBLES' THERMO.
A large swath of egg-shaped pods have been installed in the back half of Chickadees. Any guest that shows an iota of interest will be assaulted by employees encouraging them to give it a try. They will offer vouchers for a free session, encourage with mentions of prizes that can be won from the arcade's coveted prize wall, and persuade by praising how high tech and immersive the experience is. Some employees are desperate enough to trick or push guests into the pods if they aren't willing to go in themselves.
However they've ended up inside the VR egg, guests will find themselves submerged in strange fluid as the lid closes. Everything fades away into darkness as the game loads...
♣ CLUBS GAME ♣
QUACK AND COVER: SHOOTING GAME
Cloaca & Dagger has temporarily outfitted itself as a neon-bright paintball course. Gone are the wild sex setups in exchange for series of obstacles and obstructions for guests to navigate while in pursuit of paintball championship. This high intensity game of strategy and physical fitness promises to exhilarate! Welcome to Quack and Cover, a game where your shooting skills and ingenuity will be put to the test.
So say the game managers at the door before following up with a few disclaimers. Cloaca & Dagger is not responsible for any physical or psychological trauma guests may incur while inside. Guests that join the game will then be outfitted in tight black underarmor and supplied with a paintball gun and protective mask before being let loose on the course.
♠ SPADES GAME ♠
PECKING ORDER: MMA GAME
During night hours, many long-standing guests make their way through Talon toward the gym’s creaky basement stairs. Three floors down and then through a desolate hallway with littered with abandoned equipment. Double doors wait at the end, unassuming until they’ve been opened…
Flashing lights, jeers, and the thick odor of sweat. You’ve found the Pecking Order, a late-night mixed martial arts event where guests show their prowess in the ring. Spectating guests shout and messily eat snacks on make-shift bleachers while fighters clash inches away, using only their bodies to fight for dominance and win. Pecking Order is very informal; guests only need to sign up in order to get added to the docket. Anyone can watch, though they will be vaguely warned at the door that even spectating comes with risks.
LOCKER ROOMS
YOU WASH MY BACK, I'LL WASH YOURS
Every training and game location has a door labeled LOCKER ROOM right outside the entrance. These doors all connect to the same massive locker room. The magic of these locker room doors goes one way. Trying to go back to the place you just were by backtracking will not work — you’ll just end up in Beak! All guests will be advised to finish their games before hitting the showers.
The Golden Peacock is proud to present our upgraded and extended locker room. Please come in and enjoy the facilities, catch-up with your teammates, and enjoy some healthy drinks provided by our favorite resort convenience store, Cock-a-doodle-doo’s!
▶ All characters on the TDM are WILDCARDS, which means they have not yet been assigned a card value. Suits will not manifest until characters are accepted into the game.
▶ All TDMs are game canon. This TDM acts as the game's March event.
▶ Current characters may top level on the TDM. Any current characters posting to the TDM should note they are current in their subject header.
▶ The top level directory is for new characters only. We want to make sure new characters are prioritized and receive attention! If you would be interested in a game invitation, you can note that in your comment header.
▶ If you aren't satisfied with these prompts, please feel free to check out our LOCATIONS to explore more of the resort!
▶ Smut threads that take place on this TDM can be used for rewards. If both parties in the smut thread join the game, you may retroactively apply the character's initial card values to your 52 bank. If one character does not join the game the thread will not be applicable toward rewards (as that character would not have a card value). The character that does join would still receive a small payout for the encounter. Hopefully it was a fun thread regardless!
▶ We ask you to kindly add content warnings to your threads as appropriate.
▶ If you do not currently have permissions and kinks listed in your character’s journal we suggest leaving a note in your top level of any limits or boundaries for other players to reference.
[SNEAKY KOTONE. . . whether Akira realizes he has been had or not is a mystery, because he maintains a hold of the coconuts without much complaint. even after he ducks his head so his new companion can replace his mask delicately atop that nest of hair]
Eh. . . it's okay.
[truly, he doesn't mind. if he was going to share with anyone, it may have been another wild card, right?]
Nobody's ever asked to touch it before. [a beat] Now that I think about it, that was rather bold of you.
[but the lightness in his voice, the teasing notes in his words, makes it clear that he truly does not mind]
[She laughs herself, only half-meaning it -- but then again, most of the SEES girls were the strongest and most assertive people she'd known! So maybe it's right after all.
Anyway, now that his mask has been returned to its rightful owner, she turns on her heel and skips a little forward, clearly expecting him to follow behind her.]
C'mon, let's try to find some shelter! Oh, and maybe we can build a bonfire, that sounds fun!
[She's never gotten to be at a bonfire before! The amount of work to gather all the wood for it absolutely hasn't registered yet.]
If you're a Wildcard, you've probably got a whole bunch of Personas, right? [she continues with barely a pause for breath -- and not allowing a lot of space for him to ask questions in return.] Who was your first one?
[it's totally right!! after all, the girls on Akira's team were also bold and assertive and strong. he had a healthy respect for how each and every one of them could pound him into dust, if they truly wanted to. her comment also draws an amused hum from Akira as he falls into step behind her, still hanging onto their haul of coconuts. how are they going to open these? problem for later protagonists!!]
If we want a bonfire, we'll have to collect a ton of kindling and wood. [growing up in the Japanese countryside means aspects of country living have stuck with him. like how to build a fire!]
As for my Personas. . . I have twelve on me right now. [he makes a face as he remembers that he still can't summon, but that's a complaint to make later, after he has answered her flurry of inquiries] My first was Arsene. Though, ah. . . he's kind of grown up into something bigger.
[Hm, her enthusiasm for the bonfire has definitely gone down somewhat. Not completely, but definitely lessened with the prospect of doing actual work. If Junpei or Akihiko were here, she's certain she could get them to do it, and they'd probably rope Ken in to help, but with just her and Akira...? That's a lot of effort.
There's a moment of resigned melancholy in her eyes as she thinks about her friends, but it passes quickly as she looks back to Akira and offers him another bright smile. It's okay to be sad about the people she's not with anymore, but not at the expense of forgetting how to live every day. And right now, her "living every day" involves "interrogating this funny other Wildcard."]
Arsene? [she echoes curiously, raising both eyebrows.] I've never heard of him! And you managed to awaken a second form for him?
[perceptive as he is, Akira doesn't miss that moment of melancholy. but he is also perfectly respectful of other people's personal business, so. . . he doesn't ask, though he does give his companion a mildly curious look before answering her question]
Arsene. Like Lupin, from Maurice Leblanc's novels.
[. . . he wonders if that gives away too much. . . though so many other people here have already heard the Phantom Thief story that it probably isn't a big deal at all. especially not when it's another Wild Card]
He turned into Satanael during my final battle with. . . [god this is going to sound so braggy. and honestly, he likes being braggy sometimes, but only when it's funny! not when people could accidentally take him seriously!! his features turn a bit sheepish] . . . the first god I fought.
[She definitely didn't read those novels, but she's seen an anime! She smacks her fist into her opposite hand with the realization. Her mental image probably doesn't line up at all with reality, but then again, Personas are really kind of abstract guys, aren't they? So that's probably fine.
Her eyebrows raise at the mention of Satanael, and then raise just a little further at,] You fought more than one? [Very impressive! And an awful lot of work. After everything they'd have to sacrifice to end the Dark Hour and stop Nyx... her smile softens a bit as she glances back toward him again, trying to read his face more closely.] Your journey must have been really long then, huh...? Mine was only a year.
Mmm. It was more like two separate Journeys, actually.
[Akira finally stops in front of one of the many huts that line the beach, staking his claim by spreading their coconuts on the tiny wooden porch. he was getting awfully tired of carrying those things]
The first one-- that was a year. It started at the beginning of my second year of high school and ended. . . well. At the end.
[culminating in his obtaining of the World, of course. his hand comes to rest against his chest, right over his heart, features softening]
And the second was over summer break of my third year.
. . . I had just finished it right before being brought here, actually.
Kotone hums to indicate that she's listening, her eyes following his gesture to his heart before flicking up to study his face. So his journey had finished, but then he'd been called back once again. She has to wonder -- is that what would have happened to her, if they'd been able to beat Nyx without her sacrifice? She'd known it had to be her to do it. Could the rest of SEES somehow still be fighting without her...? Nyx had seemed like the biggest threat imaginable, but...]
Sounds like Igor kept you busy!! [is what she says aloud, though, giving him a smile as she scoots past him to throw the doors open to the hut. There's not a lot in there, considering it's a survival game, but there's at least a relatively clean-looking mattress and a few other useful odds and ends that could have been left behind by the last guest, or purposely planted there as part of the VR.
Planting her hands on her hips, she looks around, then back to Akira with a little curiosity.] Did you ever work with a group called SEES?
[IGOR. . . Akira can't help but make a face when that name is mentioned, and when he grumbles, he does so with a mild pout]
Ah. . . yeah. The long nose of my nightmares.
[he says that SO EVENLY, though truth be told, it hadn't been Igor the first time, had it? but that is a long story, so. . . he leaves things there as he hops into the hut once she throws the doors open, brows raising as he surveys their furnishings. only one mattress?? hm!! seems par for the course for this place, honestly]
SEES. . . huh. Can't say that I have. Should I know them?
[. . . was SEES the name of her team? the one she fought side-by-side with while battling Shadows?]
[And There Was Only One Bed, except for all the other ones in all the other huts along the beach--
She laughs aloud when Akira calls Igor the "long nose from his nightmares," though. Rude to that weird old man!! And yet, not wrong, either, though she has no way of knowing just what he's thinking about.
Ever ready to click on everything explore, she moves on ahead into the little cabin, checking for anything useful and more than willing to just move stuff around and peer behind furniture in an attempt to uncover it all.]
That's my team! [she answers with undisguised affection in her voice as she yanks out the drawers of a dresser to rummage through them.] If you were fighting Shadows, I'd kind of expect them to be there! Akihiko-senpai or Mitsuru-senpai, at least.
[Wait. He was fighting Shadows, right? She'd just kind of assumed.]
[how are they supposed to form an emotional bond from MULTIPLE HUTS AWAY??]
[either way, he pauses when she drops those names, because while both of them invoke the same sense of vague familiarity. . . one of them he knows he has heard more recently than the other]
Kirijo Mitsuru?
[THE PRETTY WOMAN HE MADE OUT WITH IN A PHONE BOOTH? hm. no he's keeping that part to himself]
No. . . it was just me and my team. I didn't even know this organization called SEES existed.
[By now, Kotone would have met Mitsuru in the resort already, so she's not surprised Akira would know of her. It's hard to miss Mitsuru Kirijo, honestly; she's the kind of person who steals all the attention in the room just by walking into it. There's a slightly melancholic tinge to Kotone's smile as she keeps moving around the cabin, opening a door to find a bathroom (yay!! with running water!!), then opening another door to find a closet with nothing but rusty metal hangers.
Maybe SEES isn't around anymore...? Kotone doesn't really know how long it's been since the rooftop. Time hadn't really meant anything for a while. Or maybe they're still fighting, but in secret. It wouldn't be too weird for Akira to have his own team, even if she'd have hoped that stopping Nyx and the Dark Hour would mean there weren't any more Shadows.
More than anything, though, she misses her friends. The other members of SEES. It's why she just hums and tries to dredge more brightness into her smile, as if Akira not knowing them doesn't really matter at all.]
But it's okay if you've never met them. It's not like we really advertised what we were doing or anything.
[Ah? What's that on a top shelf? A distraction? She reaches up and pulls something down, displaying it triumphantly to Akira.]
[. . . the longer she talks, the more Akira realizes there's somethings strange about the way Kotone is referring to her own team. them. a word implying distance. she quickly course corrects to we shortly thereafter, but it still sticks out fairly starkly in his mind. and the way she had asked if he had met SEES in the first place, like she wouldn't have known if he had. . .
[hn]
[there isn't much he can make of those slips of tongue, though. so instead, he tucks the strange feelings he has away for another time. right now, he is too busy being QUIETLY GRATEFUL that they have a bathroom with running water. thank god they aren't roughing it completely out here]
I suppose we never did, either. [. . . wait. that's not entirely right, is it?] Not in great detail, anyway.
[the Metaverse was, and is, a secret only a few are in the know about, even if the Phantom Thieves themselves were a big name across Japan]
-- aha. [he holds out his hand for that box of matches] Looks like we can get that bonfire after all. It's too bad they didn't give us marshmallows.
She beams when he holds out his hand, pumping her fists in excitement with an enthusiastic,] Yes!! [before passing the box over. Her fingers brush his palm, and maybe that's another clue as to why she's so excited about the prospect of a bonfire -- her fingers are icy cold in spite of the blisteringly hot sun outside, a chill she's been dealing with since she woke up in this weird resort. She, of course, has no idea why she shivers every now and then, or feels this bone-deep chill every so often; even if a few people have mentioned she's been here before, a long time ago, she has no way to connect that fact and this feeling.]
Now that we know there's somewhere to stay, maybe we should go out and look for more food?
[MA'AM. . . THOSE ARE SOME AWFULLY COLD FINGERS. . . Akira's smile falters a bit, giving way to surprise as his brows creep upwards. is it rude to ask someone why their skin is so cold? wait, no, there's a much better way to do it, isn't there--]
Definitely. But before we do that-- [his brows furrow a bit, frown deepening] -- are you cold?
[Her hand goes to the middle of her chest, near her heart but not quite the same gesture as when she was thinking about her Personas earlier -- this looks more like she wants to reach inside herself, but obviously can't.]
You know when you get caught in the rain and can't really get dry? It feels like that, but on the inside.
[She lowers her hand and shrugs, as if it's no big deal. To her, it really isn't! She'd been through enough difficult stuff already that "sometimes it feels like my bones have turned to ice" doesn't seem all that important.]
Did you not feel like that after you showed up at this resort?
[huh. . . it's hard for Akira to say whether it's a big deal or not, especially when she is downplaying it so much. still, he shakes his head at her question]
No. Not even a little bit.
[was he supposed to. . .? that doesn't seem right. is there something off about Kotone's constitution. . .?]
[he suspects that neither of them have an answer to that question right now. so instead, he slips the matches into his pocket, before turning on his heel and gesturing towards the hut's exit]
I left my jacket outside, but it's pretty thick. Do you want to borrow it for a bit?
[it's far too heavy for him to wear in the hot island heat. but maybe Kotone will get better use out of it!]
[Yeah, it seems none of the other people she's talked to about this have any idea. Could it be connected to the Seal...? This cold is different from the all-consuming lethargy that had plagued her all through February and the beginning of March, though.
Well, nothing to be done about it!! She considers the offer of jacket before finally shaking her head and offering him a grateful smile. Even if she's not accepting it, it matters that he thought to ask.]
I'll just sweat it in once we go back outside. If I stop thinking about it, it'll probably go away!
[With that (apparently) settled, she claps her hands.]
[This is definitely how it works... problems that affect only you are not important... simply ignore...]
Got it!
[She pumps her fist in the air, taking one more look around the hut for anything they missed before venturing back out into the sun and skipping out onto the sand. The temperature contrast makes her shiver once again, but she doesn't show any sign of discomfort beyond that.]
Hey-hey, while we're getting sticks, could you tell me more about your team? [She shades her eyes with her hand as she glances back with another smile.] I wanna hear all about them.
[Kotone may have turned down his offer, but that doesn't mean Akira isn't keeping a wary eye on her as they trudge towards the trees. if her shivering gets too bad, he is not above taking matters into his own hands. forcing self-care onto someone who clearly prefers to handle her burdens alone]
Ah. That's a dangerous topic. [he responds with amusement. but Kotone had spoken a bit about SEES, so it's only fair that he returns the favor, right?] I think I might be talking until sundown, if you let me.
[There's something genuine in her voice as she glances back to him, her lips curved into a smaller smile than her earlier playful grins. Learning about the people who accompanied someone on their Journey is just as important as learning about the person himself, she's pretty sure. Igor and Theo had talked a lot about the strength of one's bonds, and the year she spent on Tatsumi Port Island really proved how important it could be.
Plus... she has to wonder if this is how Shinji had felt in September, asking her for stories about her life, about her friends, like he could somehow live vicariously through her. Hearing about Akira and his Journey kind of makes her wonder what could have happened after her final choice. Maybe that hint of wistfulness leaks into her voice as she adds,] Please?
[. . . dimly, Akira can't help but compare Kotone's slew of questions-- about his Personas, about his team-- to the ones that Yu had asked him back when they had discovered their mutual long-nosed friend. it must be a Wild Card thing, huh. . .? the innate instinct to understand, to connect, with other people. . .?]
[he notes the wistfulness in her voice. but much like the way she had referred to SEES as "them," he doesn't know what to make of it. it's just another little note to tuck away in the back of his mind for later]
[for now, his thoughts drift towards the faces of those he'd give anything to protect, his smile softening]
If I were to describe us as a whole, I'd say. . . we're an eclectic group of misfits.
[amusement seeps into his voice as he begins to scoop up a small armful of twigs and tiny branches. kindling first!!]
In fact, I think most people would look at us and be surprised that we hang out together. Student council presidents don't normally spend time with school delinquents, do they?
[Don't worry about those weird moments of distance! There's probably nothing tragic behind them.
Her smile softens in a mirror of his own, her eyes flitting across his face when he talks about his team. It's cute, in a way, though she laughs when he calls them misfits. That's not very nice! And yet, is SEES any less of a weird bunch?
She'll also pick up her own sticks, following his lead. Following his lead a little too closely, because once she has a good handful, she adds it to Akira's pile immediately. Helping!
Her eyes sparkle as she can't help but laugh when he mentions the student council president, though.]
I mean, ours did! But I guess it doesn't count 'cause they'd known each other for a long time.
[Her chest aches for a moment, her hand going to her heart as she thinks about Shinji. She'd heard his voice on the rooftop too, hadn't she...? It had been so hard to hear, but she could swear she'd heard him. That someone in town said he'd woken up. It's nice to think so.
Anyway, she sets that aside, once again focusing on Akira (and collecting sticks).] So how did you all get together?
[nothing tragic at all!! Kotone is the PICTURE PERFECT EXAMPLE OF HEALTH AND LONGEVITY--]
[also help. Kotone?? this is the second time she has foisted her carrying duties onto him! and yet, he doesn't seem to mind, responding only with an amused huff as he adjusts the bundle of sticks in his arms so none fall by the wayside]
Ours did, too. But she only met us about a year ago.
[hm. . . Kotone reaches for her heart a lot, doesn't she. . .? is him talking about his team reminding her of her own?]
And it's a long story. But to put it simply. . .
[a beat. should he tell her. . .? Yu knows. Kazuya knows. Minato. . . doesn't know, but probably will know eventually. . .]
[mmm. if there is anyone he can tell about this. . . it's another Wild Card, right? both Kazuya and Yu had proven that point. so with a deep exhale, Akira schools his expression, features suddenly stony and unreadable]
. . . we were all hurt by some corrupt adult trying to use us to further their own agenda. [. . .] And we wanted justice.
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peacockstop2025-03-15 09:00 pm
no subject
Eh. . . it's okay.
[truly, he doesn't mind. if he was going to share with anyone, it may have been another wild card, right?]
Nobody's ever asked to touch it before. [a beat] Now that I think about it, that was rather bold of you.
[but the lightness in his voice, the teasing notes in his words, makes it clear that he truly does not mind]
no subject
[She laughs herself, only half-meaning it -- but then again, most of the SEES girls were the strongest and most assertive people she'd known! So maybe it's right after all.
Anyway, now that his mask has been returned to its rightful owner, she turns on her heel and skips a little forward, clearly expecting him to follow behind her.]
C'mon, let's try to find some shelter! Oh, and maybe we can build a bonfire, that sounds fun!
[She's never gotten to be at a bonfire before! The amount of work to gather all the wood for it absolutely hasn't registered yet.]
If you're a Wildcard, you've probably got a whole bunch of Personas, right? [she continues with barely a pause for breath -- and not allowing a lot of space for him to ask questions in return.] Who was your first one?
no subject
If we want a bonfire, we'll have to collect a ton of kindling and wood. [growing up in the Japanese countryside means aspects of country living have stuck with him. like how to build a fire!]
As for my Personas. . . I have twelve on me right now. [he makes a face as he remembers that he still can't summon, but that's a complaint to make later, after he has answered her flurry of inquiries] My first was Arsene. Though, ah. . . he's kind of grown up into something bigger.
[SO MUCH BIGGER. Arsene Digivolved into Satanael]
no subject
[Hm, her enthusiasm for the bonfire has definitely gone down somewhat. Not completely, but definitely lessened with the prospect of doing actual work. If Junpei or Akihiko were here, she's certain she could get them to do it, and they'd probably rope Ken in to help, but with just her and Akira...? That's a lot of effort.
There's a moment of resigned melancholy in her eyes as she thinks about her friends, but it passes quickly as she looks back to Akira and offers him another bright smile. It's okay to be sad about the people she's not with anymore, but not at the expense of forgetting how to live every day. And right now, her "living every day" involves "interrogating this funny other Wildcard."]
Arsene? [she echoes curiously, raising both eyebrows.] I've never heard of him! And you managed to awaken a second form for him?
no subject
[perceptive as he is, Akira doesn't miss that moment of melancholy. but he is also perfectly respectful of other people's personal business, so. . . he doesn't ask, though he does give his companion a mildly curious look before answering her question]
Arsene. Like Lupin, from Maurice Leblanc's novels.
[. . . he wonders if that gives away too much. . . though so many other people here have already heard the Phantom Thief story that it probably isn't a big deal at all. especially not when it's another Wild Card]
He turned into Satanael during my final battle with. . . [god this is going to sound so braggy. and honestly, he likes being braggy sometimes, but only when it's funny! not when people could accidentally take him seriously!! his features turn a bit sheepish] . . . the first god I fought.
no subject
[She definitely didn't read those novels, but she's seen an anime! She smacks her fist into her opposite hand with the realization. Her mental image probably doesn't line up at all with reality, but then again, Personas are really kind of abstract guys, aren't they? So that's probably fine.
Her eyebrows raise at the mention of Satanael, and then raise just a little further at,] You fought more than one? [Very impressive! And an awful lot of work. After everything they'd have to sacrifice to end the Dark Hour and stop Nyx... her smile softens a bit as she glances back toward him again, trying to read his face more closely.] Your journey must have been really long then, huh...? Mine was only a year.
no subject
[Akira finally stops in front of one of the many huts that line the beach, staking his claim by spreading their coconuts on the tiny wooden porch. he was getting awfully tired of carrying those things]
The first one-- that was a year. It started at the beginning of my second year of high school and ended. . . well. At the end.
[culminating in his obtaining of the World, of course. his hand comes to rest against his chest, right over his heart, features softening]
And the second was over summer break of my third year.
. . . I had just finished it right before being brought here, actually.
no subject
Kotone hums to indicate that she's listening, her eyes following his gesture to his heart before flicking up to study his face. So his journey had finished, but then he'd been called back once again. She has to wonder -- is that what would have happened to her, if they'd been able to beat Nyx without her sacrifice? She'd known it had to be her to do it. Could the rest of SEES somehow still be fighting without her...? Nyx had seemed like the biggest threat imaginable, but...]
Sounds like Igor kept you busy!! [is what she says aloud, though, giving him a smile as she scoots past him to throw the doors open to the hut. There's not a lot in there, considering it's a survival game, but there's at least a relatively clean-looking mattress and a few other useful odds and ends that could have been left behind by the last guest, or purposely planted there as part of the VR.
Planting her hands on her hips, she looks around, then back to Akira with a little curiosity.] Did you ever work with a group called SEES?
no subject
Ah. . . yeah. The long nose of my nightmares.
[he says that SO EVENLY, though truth be told, it hadn't been Igor the first time, had it? but that is a long story, so. . . he leaves things there as he hops into the hut once she throws the doors open, brows raising as he surveys their furnishings. only one mattress?? hm!! seems par for the course for this place, honestly]
SEES. . . huh. Can't say that I have. Should I know them?
[. . . was SEES the name of her team? the one she fought side-by-side with while battling Shadows?]
no subject
She laughs aloud when Akira calls Igor the "long nose from his nightmares," though. Rude to that weird old man!! And yet, not wrong, either, though she has no way of knowing just what he's thinking about.
Ever ready to
click on everythingexplore, she moves on ahead into the little cabin, checking for anything useful and more than willing to just move stuff around and peer behind furniture in an attempt to uncover it all.]That's my team! [she answers with undisguised affection in her voice as she yanks out the drawers of a dresser to rummage through them.] If you were fighting Shadows, I'd kind of expect them to be there! Akihiko-senpai or Mitsuru-senpai, at least.
[Wait. He was fighting Shadows, right? She'd just kind of assumed.]
no subject
[either way, he pauses when she drops those names, because while both of them invoke the same sense of vague familiarity. . . one of them he knows he has heard more recently than the other]
Kirijo Mitsuru?
[THE PRETTY WOMAN HE MADE OUT WITH IN A PHONE BOOTH? hm. no he's keeping that part to himself]
No. . . it was just me and my team. I didn't even know this organization called SEES existed.
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[By now, Kotone would have met Mitsuru in the resort already, so she's not surprised Akira would know of her. It's hard to miss Mitsuru Kirijo, honestly; she's the kind of person who steals all the attention in the room just by walking into it. There's a slightly melancholic tinge to Kotone's smile as she keeps moving around the cabin, opening a door to find a bathroom (yay!! with running water!!), then opening another door to find a closet with nothing but rusty metal hangers.
Maybe SEES isn't around anymore...? Kotone doesn't really know how long it's been since the rooftop. Time hadn't really meant anything for a while. Or maybe they're still fighting, but in secret. It wouldn't be too weird for Akira to have his own team, even if she'd have hoped that stopping Nyx and the Dark Hour would mean there weren't any more Shadows.
More than anything, though, she misses her friends. The other members of SEES. It's why she just hums and tries to dredge more brightness into her smile, as if Akira not knowing them doesn't really matter at all.]
But it's okay if you've never met them. It's not like we really advertised what we were doing or anything.
[Ah? What's that on a top shelf? A distraction? She reaches up and pulls something down, displaying it triumphantly to Akira.]
Look!! Matches!!
[Bonfire? Campfire? Maybe? For her?]
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[hn]
[there isn't much he can make of those slips of tongue, though. so instead, he tucks the strange feelings he has away for another time. right now, he is too busy being QUIETLY GRATEFUL that they have a bathroom with running water. thank god they aren't roughing it completely out here]
I suppose we never did, either. [. . . wait. that's not entirely right, is it?] Not in great detail, anyway.
[the Metaverse was, and is, a secret only a few are in the know about, even if the Phantom Thieves themselves were a big name across Japan]
-- aha. [he holds out his hand for that box of matches] Looks like we can get that bonfire after all. It's too bad they didn't give us marshmallows.
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She beams when he holds out his hand, pumping her fists in excitement with an enthusiastic,] Yes!! [before passing the box over. Her fingers brush his palm, and maybe that's another clue as to why she's so excited about the prospect of a bonfire -- her fingers are icy cold in spite of the blisteringly hot sun outside, a chill she's been dealing with since she woke up in this weird resort. She, of course, has no idea why she shivers every now and then, or feels this bone-deep chill every so often; even if a few people have mentioned she's been here before, a long time ago, she has no way to connect that fact and this feeling.]
Now that we know there's somewhere to stay, maybe we should go out and look for more food?
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Definitely. But before we do that-- [his brows furrow a bit, frown deepening] -- are you cold?
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Yeah, a little! It'll go away soon.
[Her hand goes to the middle of her chest, near her heart but not quite the same gesture as when she was thinking about her Personas earlier -- this looks more like she wants to reach inside herself, but obviously can't.]
You know when you get caught in the rain and can't really get dry? It feels like that, but on the inside.
[She lowers her hand and shrugs, as if it's no big deal. To her, it really isn't! She'd been through enough difficult stuff already that "sometimes it feels like my bones have turned to ice" doesn't seem all that important.]
Did you not feel like that after you showed up at this resort?
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No. Not even a little bit.
[was he supposed to. . .? that doesn't seem right. is there something off about Kotone's constitution. . .?]
[he suspects that neither of them have an answer to that question right now. so instead, he slips the matches into his pocket, before turning on his heel and gesturing towards the hut's exit]
I left my jacket outside, but it's pretty thick. Do you want to borrow it for a bit?
[it's far too heavy for him to wear in the hot island heat. but maybe Kotone will get better use out of it!]
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[Yeah, it seems none of the other people she's talked to about this have any idea. Could it be connected to the Seal...? This cold is different from the all-consuming lethargy that had plagued her all through February and the beginning of March, though.
Well, nothing to be done about it!! She considers the offer of jacket before finally shaking her head and offering him a grateful smile. Even if she's not accepting it, it matters that he thought to ask.]
I'll just sweat it in once we go back outside. If I stop thinking about it, it'll probably go away!
[With that (apparently) settled, she claps her hands.]
Okay! Where to next?
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All right. If you change your mind, the offer still stands.
[but he responds with little more than a breathless laugh as he steps back out onto the soft, beach-y sand]
If we're building a fire, we need wood. So we should probably start picking up sticks near the trees.
[he points further inland, where a small thicket of trees is bunched together]
That way?
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Got it!
[She pumps her fist in the air, taking one more look around the hut for anything they missed before venturing back out into the sun and skipping out onto the sand. The temperature contrast makes her shiver once again, but she doesn't show any sign of discomfort beyond that.]
Hey-hey, while we're getting sticks, could you tell me more about your team? [She shades her eyes with her hand as she glances back with another smile.] I wanna hear all about them.
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[Kotone may have turned down his offer, but that doesn't mean Akira isn't keeping a wary eye on her as they trudge towards the trees. if her shivering gets too bad, he is not above taking matters into his own hands. forcing self-care onto someone who clearly prefers to handle her burdens alone]
Ah. That's a dangerous topic. [he responds with amusement. but Kotone had spoken a bit about SEES, so it's only fair that he returns the favor, right?] I think I might be talking until sundown, if you let me.
[HE POKES GENTLE FUN AT HIMSELF. . .]
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I'd like to listen.
[There's something genuine in her voice as she glances back to him, her lips curved into a smaller smile than her earlier playful grins. Learning about the people who accompanied someone on their Journey is just as important as learning about the person himself, she's pretty sure. Igor and Theo had talked a lot about the strength of one's bonds, and the year she spent on Tatsumi Port Island really proved how important it could be.
Plus... she has to wonder if this is how Shinji had felt in September, asking her for stories about her life, about her friends, like he could somehow live vicariously through her. Hearing about Akira and his Journey kind of makes her wonder what could have happened after her final choice. Maybe that hint of wistfulness leaks into her voice as she adds,] Please?
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[. . . dimly, Akira can't help but compare Kotone's slew of questions-- about his Personas, about his team-- to the ones that Yu had asked him back when they had discovered their mutual long-nosed friend. it must be a Wild Card thing, huh. . .? the innate instinct to understand, to connect, with other people. . .?]
[he notes the wistfulness in her voice. but much like the way she had referred to SEES as "them," he doesn't know what to make of it. it's just another little note to tuck away in the back of his mind for later]
[for now, his thoughts drift towards the faces of those he'd give anything to protect, his smile softening]
If I were to describe us as a whole, I'd say. . . we're an eclectic group of misfits.
[amusement seeps into his voice as he begins to scoop up a small armful of twigs and tiny branches. kindling first!!]
In fact, I think most people would look at us and be surprised that we hang out together. Student council presidents don't normally spend time with school delinquents, do they?
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Her smile softens in a mirror of his own, her eyes flitting across his face when he talks about his team. It's cute, in a way, though she laughs when he calls them misfits. That's not very nice! And yet, is SEES any less of a weird bunch?
She'll also pick up her own sticks, following his lead. Following his lead a little too closely, because once she has a good handful, she adds it to Akira's pile immediately. Helping!
Her eyes sparkle as she can't help but laugh when he mentions the student council president, though.]
I mean, ours did! But I guess it doesn't count 'cause they'd known each other for a long time.
[Her chest aches for a moment, her hand going to her heart as she thinks about Shinji. She'd heard his voice on the rooftop too, hadn't she...? It had been so hard to hear, but she could swear she'd heard him. That someone in town said he'd woken up. It's nice to think so.
Anyway, she sets that aside, once again focusing on Akira (and collecting sticks).] So how did you all get together?
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[also help. Kotone?? this is the second time she has foisted her carrying duties onto him! and yet, he doesn't seem to mind, responding only with an amused huff as he adjusts the bundle of sticks in his arms so none fall by the wayside]
Ours did, too. But she only met us about a year ago.
[hm. . . Kotone reaches for her heart a lot, doesn't she. . .? is him talking about his team reminding her of her own?]
And it's a long story. But to put it simply. . .
[a beat. should he tell her. . .? Yu knows. Kazuya knows. Minato. . . doesn't know, but probably will know eventually. . .]
[mmm. if there is anyone he can tell about this. . . it's another Wild Card, right? both Kazuya and Yu had proven that point. so with a deep exhale, Akira schools his expression, features suddenly stony and unreadable]
. . . we were all hurt by some corrupt adult trying to use us to further their own agenda. [. . .] And we wanted justice.
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