☆ time loop.

[horror]

@AVOGADO6 / ALTERNATIVELY...

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JULY 2.

[horror]

[ Goro awakens to a new world, different from the rest.

The role is adhered to well enough for the first couple of months; Goro masks perplexity with disarming smiles, even as his attention wanders, unknowingly anticipating that destined glimpse of ruffled, unkempt hair to be caught in the midst of a developing crowd. A gnawing part of him worries, still; Akira's prolonged absence only ever entails the worst case scenario.

He moves to tuck strands of hair behind an ear, involuntary and ruminative; the motion comes empty-handed while the blond duo, featuring a hidden feline, resumes their back-and-forth by the branching corridor, ignorant to the meaningless gesture planted at their peripheral. Ann inquired, once, if he had longer hair prior to his transfer. He tried to break the habit ever since, but his eyes finds a figure, donned in darker colors, nearly passing by; his fingers rests behind his ear, forgetting, for a moment, that even the smallest quirks may give him away. Goro moves like he's satiating an itch -- Ryuji addresses the boy with nonchalance while Ann mutters something under her breath, like it ought to be known to her by now -- and that's how he got away with playing dumb right before the ace detective's eyes. Maybe. Possibly.

Regardless of the dichotomy between then and now, Goro still sifts through every catalogued thought, weighs their value before it wanes in its momentary recollection; he considers their use, how knowing will provide the upper hand, that societal acceptance of the adult world despite his necessary disguise. Here, he wonders if Akira is aware, recognizes the absurdity of their presented arrangement, how each other's personal lives wasn't something they ought to willingly toy with regardless of the given opportunity. Still, his covert investigation to Akira's background from before slots neatly to what he has gathered thus far: he was wrong about Akira back then, wrong about him now, too. Every day was a novelty; he wonders if it's truly an insight to what Akira had to undergo before: hearsay, like an overbearing landslide, made to distract and condone his solitude; friendships becoming so with tenacity, even at the risk of betrayal, knowing that things can go wrong at any given moment considering the odds, how much is against him now.

So when he spots Akira from afar, wandering near Yon-Germain, Goro had every mind to postpone a reunion he supposedly loathed to permit. Last words spoken back at that Palace were venomous and dishonest, wrongfully insolent; second thoughts with pride at his heel motivated regard to the spoken word, like it won't matter now, whatever they decide to do. But the distance is closed by a rare impulse; he's all politesse, a schoolboy just making friendly conversation -- with a celebrity no less. His countenance betrays him, still; inscrutable intrigue should be the showcased facade, but visceral delight gradually begins to bleed through. ]

There you are. I've been looking all over for you, detective. It's too bad we couldn't cross paths a few months earlier. I would have wished you a happier birthday.

YEEHAW.

[horror]

[ What has Akira woken up to? Wherever he is:

-- contorted vine-like appendages pulses faintly red across the darkened walls of the Metaverse, seemingly underground and grossly humid. The only source of light, unfortunately -- uncomfortably dim, even in its erratic intervals of brightening.

-- the majority of the tunnel-like pathways promises dead-ends and the occasional Shadow... that may flee from a certain overpowered NG+ ( times infinity ) protagonist. Items strewn about or found within chests will hint at certain 'past lives', but cannot be taken, no matter how much one may try to pilfer it away. Akira can take the flashlight though, if he manages to beat a Shadow up for it.

-- a radial blend of the usual red and black will lead to a randomized landing, and much like Mementos, it seems to lead Akira to a descent of numerous floors. So on and so forth.

And what role shall Goro Akechi play in this? Well. Akira may eventually feel something plummet onto him, helmet tumbling off of the casualty's head from the impact. Rather than Crow, it's the other one -- with the stripes and anger. But he's less so at the moment. Just momentarily #shooketh and incredibly miffed. Don't you mind. ]

What are you? Friend or foe. [ Listen... It's dark, okay, and if there's something jagged and sharp pressing against... whatever... can't blame the dude for being cautious. ]