awashlogs | Event Eight.

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Event Eight.

To thee I'll return, overburdened with care;
The heart's dearest solace will smile on me there.
No more from the cottage again will I roam,
Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home.

he Town is quiet this week. No sudden quests on the forum post, no roars of werewolves in the distance... just peaceful, peaceful quiet. Of course, it's hot as hell right now, but that aside, it's pretty pleasant. You probably don't want to wander around the Town right now, but...

Naturally, now's when the Town is going to start thoroughly encouraging you to do just that.

You do want to find your doorway back home, don't you?

Better get searching! And don't mind the other worlds you might end up stumbling into first.

Welcome to Awash's eighth event log, everyone! Further information on this event can be found here at the OOC post.

You are welcome to start your own posts or logs for this event as well. If there are any questions, please ask them here. Thank you!

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[ Yes, well, Kawakami was right, Akira's cleaning skills really were less than impressive-- you know, being attic trash and all that. And that's exactly why Akechi is the most appropriate person to help him.

Although maybe he does have some ulterior motives, too. ]

Let's just call it my payment for the coffee.

[ Said with a shrug of a single shoulder, and a smile that's trying very hard to be like his usual charismatic self, but still tinted with a bit of a sheepish flair. Like things aren't quite fully back to normal just yet, but close enough. ]

Besides, a cafe might make for an even better place to gather intel. The forum is useful, but hardly as organic as face to face interaction-- tone, inflection and body language can all be vital sources of information, you see.

[ And there they are, his ulterior motives. Or at least a part of them. ]

[Some ulterior motive, alright. Akira raises an eyebrow, looking a bit skeptical.]

What do you need intel about?

[Last time he checked, the only real crime in Chroma to solve is who murdered him, and he and Akechi both know who the culprit in that case was. If he wants intel on why this is happening, well, none of the other villagers know more than the two of them.

So he's curious.]

[ Oh, but there's so much more get intel about than just crimes, even if the rest of the villagers know nothing about this world. Like the time Akechi got a message from the dead, and had nothing but sheer luck to rely on in order to find another who had allegedly returned, and ask invasive question after invasive question, as resolute as he was ruthless, all for the sake of finding the truth.

But he can't tell Akira that, not when they're just now trying to fall back into a more familiar pace, easier, without that constant reminder of death and pain and tension between them. He can never tell him how involved he got, not at all like the professional behavior one might expect from the Ace Detective, but far too personally invested.

He can never tell him how much it hurt, either. ]

Nothing in particular, at the moment. [ Another half shrug, and that choice of words is about as much of the truth as he can say without revealing too much; at the moment, though there has definitely been a topic of interest, before. ] However, strange events are commonplace in this Town, and even without that in mind, there's no kind of knowledge that isn't power. It never hurts to be well informed.

[ And he's going to drop this conversation right here, before he lets his mouth run and he lets compromising information slip. ]

That aside, a cafe is simply a good place to relax even when I'm off duty, so to speak. It's the kind of ambiance I rather enjoy.

[ Ulterior motives, part 2. The catch? It's not just the ambiance that he likes. ]

[Well, Akira supposes he has a point. He sometimes got information from the bar and Leblanc as well, information that was important for their quests in Mementos.

So he can at least understand where Akechi is coming from on that... until he suddenly seems to abort that line of thought. That's a bit curious...

He doesn't ask though.]

You always did say you could be yourself in Leblanc... always seemed more relaxed there, too.

[Akira could relax here, too; as it became more and more his home, he felt safe and happy here. He thinks he's going to miss it, when he eventually has to go home...

But that's a long time from now.]

That's what I want to bring to you, and everyone in Chroma.

[ There's a slight arch of his eyebrows when Akechi realizes Akira had noticed that much about him, little secrets spilled in between subtleties he never really intended to display. Apparently, there are things even he isn't very good at lying about; contentment, however small it might be, seems to be high on that list. ]

A place where everyone can relax, is it...? [ There's a hum as he considers the thought, followed by a smile, nostalgic and understanding. ] I can think of no one better suited for the job.

[ The fact that he can give even Akechi some small measure of peace is a testament to Akira's skill. ]

Do you plan on serving curry, as well? We could take some condiments and ingredients, if you do.

Having the spices would be nice... I'm getting tired of bland food...

[Limited spices in Chroma mean most of what he's been eating has to rely on its natural flavor, and some of it doesn't have a lot of that. He'd like to take some of the spices, for that reason.]

I know a lot of people like curry back in town, anyway. And we have most of the other ingredients I need there.

[It's starting to come together in his mind. Coffee and curry; Sojiro's tried and true menu. He might have to only allow one serving to each person a day to make it last, and even then it won't last long, but for the time it does he thinks it will be a good thing.]

Maybe we should make a list.

Why do I get the feeling you're the type to have a preference for extra spicy flavors...?

[ This one is just a suspicion, albeit a rather strong one-- it would match Akira's penchant for danger. Perhaps having limited supplies would force him to keep it mild. ]

Regardless, I do think keeping a list might be a good idea. [ That said, Akechi sets his cup of coffee aside and reaches for his jacket pocket, withdrawing a pencil and a small notebook with his trademark "A" signature on the cover. Setting it on the counter, he scribbles down a few words and then looks up at Akira, expectantly. ]

Do you have all the ingredients in mind? Or would you rather take a look around first?

[He shrugs. Maybe he does like spicy, maybe he doesn't (he does). He'll have to make the Volcano for Akechi sometime...

He can't help but smirk at that notebook. Does Akechi get that A printed on everything...?]

I'll look around first. We should prioritize things that have a lot of uses but will be hard to get in Chroma.

[So spices used in a lot of recipes, for example.]

[ This is it, isn't it? Akechi's punishment for killing him.

Akechi's hand pauses on the notebook, his eyes narrowing down at Akira's suggestion. He really doesn't know the first thing about recipes and cooking, so he's probably not going to be a lot of help here. ]

I'm afraid my culinary knowledge is far too limited to be of any assistance, so I think it's best if I leave you to handle that list.

[ And so he places the pencil inside the notebook before closing it and sliding it over to Akira. Still, he doesn't want to sit around and be useless so, hmm... ]

In the meantime, perhaps I can figure out a way to carry your stock more efficiently. I believe I saw a cardboard box in the attic, if you wouldn't mind using that?

Yeah. You can just dump my stuff out of it.

[Yes, he still lives out of a cardboard box. He doesn't really have anywhere to put clothes that won't end up covered in dust.

But there's no real guarantee that the stuff here is really his. He'll probably return home one day to find it all right back in the box where he left it.

So he slides the notebook over toward himself, idly opening it to where Akechi's pencil is placed while he turns to look at Sojiro's spice rack.]

[ Akechi gives him a bit of a frown, unsure about Akira's instructions. Even though they might be just an illusion, the idea of dumping his few belongings around just feels... not right, somehow. ]

I'll try to find a good spot to leave them, in case you decide to come back for something later.

[ That said, he stands up from his seat and heads towards the stairs, but stops before he can take the first step up. It's a weird feeling, almost like when you leave home and get the impression that you're forgetting something important behind, and he does give Akira a second glance but... Hmm. ]

I won't be long.

[ It's what he chooses to say instead, before heading to the attic. Surely that must be all in his head. ]

...Thanks.

[Akira really did mean it, that he didn't mind if Akechi just dumped his things and was done with it, but the fact that he's actually going to do something with them is really nice. It makes Akira feel... well, content.

He's felt content since he came here. And that's a good feeling.

He looks over Sojiro's spices and the ingredients he has on shelves and in fridges, taking note of what looks important and what they might be able to get or substitute in town. He's working pretty industriously until in reaching for something on a high shelf he accidentally lets the notebook slip out of his hand.

He retrieves what he was reaching for, then bends to retrieve the notebook. In its fall he lost his page, and as he's sifting through to find it again, something in Akechi's handwriting catches his eye.

Dextera reported coming back to life.

He pauses, staring at the line. He knows he shouldn't, this is Akechi's personal notebook and he shouldn't look through it, but now that he's seen it he can't stop himself. He skims the page, his eyes widening.

It's clear what this is. Akechi was researching the circumstances around his death. It seems he questioned Dextera extensively.

He was trying to find out if it was real.]

[ As soon as he makes it to the attic, Akechi grabs the box with Akira's belongings and places it on his makeshift bed, then takes another look around; he could make some room on the shelves, but then they would definitely be left to collect dust, depending on how long they would remain behind.

Eventually, he decides the best place to leave them is on the bed itself and just cover them with a blanket, but as he starts to take the out of the box one by one, he finds himself fighting the urge to hold on to them a little longer, a little closer-- and even from this distance, he can still get a whiff of that unmistakable scent of coffee, still permeating every stitch and thread. For an illusion, this is certainly awfully detailed.

Once he reaches for the last item - Akira's summer uniform - he presses it against his own chest for a second too long, under the pretense of dusting it off and straightening it out with his hand before folding it into a perfectly neat square, then deposits it on the mattress with the rest of Akira's now equally arranged belongings. Lastly, the blanket that Akira keeps by the edge of his bed is unfolded and draped over them. That should take care of it.

For someone who said he wouldn't be long, he sure took his sweet time patting and inspecting Akira's possessions. Just... doing a thorough job again. ]

Sorry for the wait! [ He calls out from the stairs, a now empty cardboard box in tow. ] It took me a short while to figure out what to do with your belongings, but I do believe I came up with a good solution...

[ Hopefully Akira isn't still peeking at his notes by the time he actually makes it back to the kitchen... ]

[He isn't; by the time Akechi reappears, he's flipped back to the page he was using and is finishing up his list of what to take. Though the words he's read buzz in his mind; he almost misses what Akechi is saying to him at first.]

Hm? Oh. [And he hopes Akechi takes that distraction as Akira being absorbed in his task.] Thanks. That'll work great.

[He wonders what Akechi did with his stuff that took him so long; he'll have to go look later. For now, he comes over to the counter and sets down the notebook, open to the list so Akechi can see it too.]

The bags of coffee are heavier than the rest of this stuff, so we should start there. Make sure the box isn't going to break and nothing will get crushed.

[ He does notice how Akira seems mildly distracted, claiming the solution he came up with will work great even though Akechi hasn't even explained what that was, but he chalks it up to being engrossed in his task. The guy probably did miss the cafe a lot, after all.

So he doesn't say anything on the matter, and instead takes his usual seat back as he gives the list a cursory glance. It does sound like quite a lot, and they only have the one box... ]

Is there anything we can use to make the box more resistant? Perhaps wrap it in duct tape?

That might work... I think we have some around here...

[He goes into the little alcove in the back, rummaging around on the shelves and in drawers. Finally he returns, holding up what looks like packing tape.]

This'll probably work, you think?

[He sets it down on the counter next to the box, then leans forward to look at his own list again. A little into Akechi's space, now.]

Maybe I picked too much... we can start smaller.

[ That is definitely moving into his personal bubble, and Akechi half turns to give him a look in mild surprise, but otherwise doesn't say anything on the matter. It is the only way for them both to go over that list, anyway... ]

Hmm, I believe that will work just fine. As for starting smaller, though...

[There's a hum, and he brings a hand to his chin. He knows he said they may take several trips doing this, but now that he's given it more thought, another hypothesis has come to mind. ]

Have you considered the possibility this illusion might not be here a second time? We have been running into them for a couple of days now, and there's no telling when they'll disappear. A single trip might be all we get.

...That's true. We can't take anything for granted in this place.

[The idea that the shop will be gone soon, possibly any moment, pains him in a way he isn't expecting. Maybe it's just the homesickness he's been feeling every now and then now amplified by being in this place, but he doesn't want to see it go away. Wants to go up to the attic and sleep and have the cafe still be here in the morning.

That would be nice. But with the way things have gone so far, he doubts that's the case.

So he nods, determined.]

Then we'll have to take as much as we can.

[ There's some mild hesitation from Akira, and Akechi doesn't let it go amiss, but... is it really his place to ask? Probably not. ]

We can always return at a later time, of course, but I do believe it is best to be safe than sorry.

[ Under different circumstances, this would be just the kind of situation in which Akechi would try to offer some reassurance in the shape of an awkward shoulder squeeze, and his hand even moves over the counter out of instinct, though halts and closes into a fist before it ever has the chance to proceed very far. Definitely not his place. ]

Are you all finished with selecting what you wish to take? If not, I can get started on the box in the meantime.

I am. I'll start gathering it up, though.

[He returns to the shelves, looking at his list before starting to grab bags off coffee, sifting for ones that are unopened or mostly full. No sense filling up space with half end bags.]

I wonder if the TV still works... we could turn something on to pass the time.

[He says it idly as he gathers bags and sets them on the bar.]

Hmm, I can check it out for you.

[ He agrees with a nod, then heads over. It's better than falling into an awkward silence, anyway.

So he grabs the remote and flips through channels, though it would seem there's a single one available-- and it just so happened to be airing one of his TV appearances. Maybe it's just the channel that was usually on, back in the real Leblanc? Who knows how these pocket dimensions work... ]

... ah, I can't seem to find anything else. [ He turns back to Akira with a bit of a sheepish smile. ] Should I... turn it off?

[Akira pauses to look over, smiling a little when he sees what it is. It's an older interview of his; Akira remembers watching this one when it aired, back when they were still getting to know each other. He remembers that he tuned in to watch, because he was interested in seeing him again...

Ah. That must be why it's the only thing on.

Suddenly, Akira feels his face heating up, and he quickly looks away to focus on the coffee, hoping Akechi doesn't notice.]

Uh-- up to you. [Flawless.] Do you, um... is it weird watching yourself on TV?

[Yeah, that's a good save.]

[ For someone with such keen sense of perception, it would be nigh impossible for Akechi not to notice that subtle but very real fluster dusting off Akira's cheeks, though figuring out why is not as easy a task. While it may be strange that this is the only channel currently available to them, it's not as if they're in control of what comes to pass within these pocket dimensions, right?

... unless Akira has begun to suspect they are based on their memories, like one of the hypotheses Akechi, himself, has been working with. And if that's the case-- ]

Ah, I don't particularly mind it. [ A shake of his head, both in response to Akira's question and as a means to ground himself back to reality. It's best not to get his hopes up, then set himself up for disappointment. ] I've been told I'm the kind of person who likes the sound of his own voice, haha.

[ Self-deprecating joke and rueful laugh out of the way, he sets the remote back where he found it, then makes the short trip back to his seat, where he quickly engages in wrapping the cardboard box in packing tape. He wants to do a thorough job, like everything he does, so he spends a good amount of time working on the bottom alone, since that's the area that's more likely to break the easiest.

Occasionally, he takes a peek at the television, and he can't help but let his own thoughts wander again, his own memories taking over. One of his earlier interviews, was it? ]

It feels like forever ago, doesn't it?

[ And for just that brief minute, he keeps his eyes on the screen, distracted from his task, a wistful flair in his voice. It's nostalgia, mixed with the knowledge that very moment set their fate into motion. ]

"They do more than the police." [ A chuckle, and then his gaze is back on Akira. ] With an answer like that, it's no wonder I've had my eyes on you from day one.

[Akira looks away from the coffee he's debating between to look over at Akechi. The wistful way he's looking at the television makes Akira feel nostalgic himself. Thoughtful.

It really was forever ago. Back before everything went to hell; back when he thought Akechi really was a good guy, if a little arrogant.

Back before he knew the pain he was truly in. Back before Akechi...

It was simpler then, though Akira didn't know it at the time. Sometimes he wishes he could go back.]

Sorry. [A shrug.] I have good reasons to distrust most police.

[Have, not had. He hopes Akechi doesn't read more into that than his faulty arrest.]

[ Oh, but he does. There's the arrest, of course, and while Akira is most likely thinking of the second time he was captured, the connection Akechi draws is something else entirely. ]

... hmm. I understand.

[ While not a member of the force, Akechi himself does work alongside the police. And right now, with only this tentative truce between them, he can't blame Akira for not trusting him.

(As it turns out, it's hard to be an Ace Detective when he can't look directly into someone's heart.) ]

Regardless, to think I would so vehemently oppose the Phantom Thieves, only to later wind up joining them... [ And he busies himself with the cardboard box again, willing away whatever feelings of disappointment had begun to crawl out of the woodwork to haunt him. ] It has surely been an unexpected turn of fate.

[ Much like right now, with the two of them cooperating against all odds, truly working towards a common goal. Even now, the thought still feel surreal to him. ]

Event Eight.

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