August Bonding

[sleight_of_hand]

WHO: Tohru Adachi (with some open prompts)
WHERE: Largely Heropa this month
WHEN: Through the month of August
WHAT: The last two months were hell on wheels for Adachi, and he's determined to focus on work getting his schedule back on track.
WARNINGS: None yet.

[ Early Morning | Heropa Streets | Viktor ]
[ Though he had promised he wouldn't be running away from Viktor that... didn't end up being the case. Once the rains had abated and allowed for him to go back home and recover from his cold, the horror of what he did finally set in. He had kissed a drunk man. If said drunk man hadn't been sober enough to push him away... well, he wouldn't have gone that far, but he certainly would have done a little more than just a kiss. How he felt about Viktor was getting way out of hand, and was definitely probably the reason for 90% of his problems. ]

[ Dammit, why did he have to be engaged? Or why did he have to be so free with his affections? This wouldn't be as much of a problem if either of those weren't a thing. Though as soon as such a though occurred to him, he had to smack himself. He wouldn't want to wish Yuuri into non-existence! Nor did he want Viktor to change the kind of person he was; that was part of what made him so damn likable! Why the hell was this so complicated?! ]

[ He knew he couldn't avoid Viktor forever, but he didn't want the chance of running into the others when he did either. So, Adachi opted for meeting him at the early morning workouts he had been missing out on for various reasons over the last couple months; seriously, if he managed to get through this month without any kind of serious injury, he'd be impressed. ]

[ Adachi stood there awkwardly once he approached, not sure what to even say after over a week of avoiding him. He rubbed at the back of his neck, before sheepishly raising his hand in greeting. ]

Y-yo!

[ Nailed it. ]

[ Night | Heropa Ice Rink | Open ]
Why are you still paying for this?

[ Adachi looked up from where he was writing out a check, raising an eyebrow at the ice rink owner. He was "awake" for once, staring up at him from around his "I rather be fishing" hat. ]

Your friends aren't coming around, you know.

[ A sour look came to Adachi's face at that, and he ripped out the check, slapping it down. ]

Just take my money, and let me get my skates.

[ He was out on the ice before long, blades cutting along the surface as he started on his circles, but he wasn't really focused on it. He really didn't need the reminder that the others weren't around that much, that him trying to learn this was probably going to be for nothing. But, dammit, he wanted to do this; there was so much he wanted to say and didn't have a lot of time to say it, or the words to say it. He had to do this now. ]

[ Adachi went drifting from circles to some attempt at a program, not that it was very much of anything. There was still a lot he didn't understand, especially how things were supposed flow together. Anyone that came in would be able to see he made an attempt at trying to understand, though. A small notebook was sticking out from his dufflebag where he dropped it, with the names of moves and positions along with scribbled stick figure drawings giving an idea of what they were supposed to look like. There were a lot of notes on the margins as well, mostly consisting of, "Hands go where!??!?!" ]

[ He's trying at it! A little harder than he tries at anything else at least. ]

[ Private Communication to Persona Users ]
So uh...

I know there's like.

A lot.

That we need to talk about with each other and all that? But uh... we've all got the same power, and we're all more or less on the same side. It's probably best if we at least prepare ourselves to fight like a team if we need to.

So uh

I'm totally up for training with any one of you guys. I need to find a new place to do it now that my old one's been compromised, but we should try to get to know each other's skills better.

[ He really hoped that sounded sincere, because he was definitely trying to be. ]

[ Wild Card ]
[ When Adachi isn't busy with others, he'll be all around the porter cities working various cases for his native clients. He's up for being stopped for just about anything. ]

Comments

[sleight_of_hand]

We can wait for them to show up. Besides, it doesn't look like the other side of yourself likes me very much.

[ No need to get stodgy, tophat. Sheesh. ]

[ Adachi let out a grunt, jumping up to his feet, before leaning back, letting his back crack. Ugh, that felt better already. ]

I can always use the extended practice. My Persona is a bit of a pain to control sometimes.

[crimeboy]

He just doesn't like carrying people. Something about his 'aesthetic'.

[...Akira included. But he'd do it if explicitly told to.]

As long as you're able to call it off if it gets out of hand... I'm not really at 100% here.

[He'd have to rely on his own strength here rather than Arsene's. He had his super dexterity and his creative tactics, thankfully.]

[sleight_of_hand]

I should be able to; he listens to me.

[ Unlike before. More importantly though... ]

Wait, so your Personas really are super chatty or something?

[crimeboy]

Not super chatty...

I speak when it is necessary.

[Ah, there it was. Figures at some point Arsene would tire of being spoken about as if he were not there. Akira shrugged, not feeling a need to go into that any further. Everyone's spoke to them now and then, but Arsene was a little more vocal than others, especially in voicing his displeasure.

Guess that's what happens when they're spirits of your rebellion, huh?]

...Anyway. Gonna call first, then spar?

[sleight_of_hand]

Whoa!

[ Adachi took a step back, eyes widening in surprise. That was the first time he heard another person's Persona. The IT's hadn't exactly been chatty... but then again, they were pretty much doing enough yelling at him that their Personae couldn't get a word in edgewise. ]

Y-yeah... call first. I'll get the gremlin and Hanamura-kun. You can get your boyfriend and art boy.

[crimeboy]

Ugh, look. We're not dating. [Akira frowned at Adachi, looking more annoyed than anything. Not even blushing. God, he isn't sure how many times he can say it.]

We're fucking around a little, but it's not romantic. We're just being dumb teens, not in love or whatever, so please.

[He sighed, looking down at his phone, his expression a little deadened. Akechi and Yusuke, huh? He wasn't sure.]

I'll call Goro, but I think... we should leave Yusuke out of it for now. If you want to tell him about it later, fine, but I'm not talking to him right now.

[sleight_of_hand]

[ Adachi managed to keep back a snicker, though the shit-eating grin on his face didn't go away. Someone doth protest too much, and he was going to point out that he didn't have to be ~in luuuuuurve~ to be dating, but Akira already looked miffed enough. He didn't need to point it out. ]

[ He was halfway toward shooting Futaba a text, when what he had to say about Yusuke made him pause, and he glanced up from his communicator, raising a confused eyebrow. ]

...he's being a little shit to you guys too?

[crimeboy]

He's being presumptuous and pig-headed and really I'm just in no mood to deal with it right now.

[His jaw clenched as he continued to star at his phone. He didn't trust himself not to fight with Yusuke when he saw him. His anger was still rolling inside of him, not having ever left but having been successfully put on the back burners not long ago.]

To think I'm more worried about Yusuke fucking this all up than I am about Akechi, who had set us up, landed me in an underground interrogation room, and shot me in the head.

And yet he seems more and more reliable.

[Despite Akira still feeling some misgivings. Quite a few misgivings.]

[sleight_of_hand]

[ Adachi made a face; granted, he had noticed Yusuke was a bit on edge long before the whole torture thing happened. Hell, probably before he had even been outed as a murderer. The boy was sensitive as hell, and... well, considering how irritated Akira was at the mention of him, it sounded like he deserved whatever verbal bitch slap he got. ]

He was being pissy about Akechi-kun at me earlier. Maybe I'm a little biased, also being a murderer trying to figure out what living normal is supposed to be like, but I'm kinda wishing he had shown up before Kitagawa right about now.

[ Because there was no doubt in his mind that he would have offered him the same thing: to help with the Constellation. Maybe not as quickly as he did with Yusuke, but definitely after sitting down and talking with him. ]

If Akechi-kun has even half of the talent of the detective prince I know, then he's way too important to leave out of anything involving this. And he's trying. I can see that every time I meet up with him.

[ Adachi let out a breath. ]

Umm... Niijima-san is part of your group, right? Call her instead then. We may as well have a meeting and get everyone up to speed together.

[crimeboy]

No, that's the thing. You aren't biased in thinking that. I don't know what Goro told you, but he was manipulated, groomed into becoming a killer by his father. He was young, had no one, and he was easy prey.

He might have pulled the trigger, but he was a victim too. He deserves a chance to make things right, to have a life. But that's not all either.

[Because Yusuke had accused Akira of favoring Akechi. Why? When he knew Akira also very badly wanted to hurt him?]

If I had not extended my trust to him, Goro would be easy prey for Dooku, too. And he'd fall back into his old habits. He'd be a killer again.

[Akira sighed, shaking his head. That was it. The whole story. What he hoped for, what he was afraid of. And somehow, fucking ADACHI got it first.]

... I'll call Makoto.

[sleight_of_hand]

[ ...sometimes he forgets these guys are kids. They are capable of fighting against demons and gods, but they are still very much kids. Adachi's expression softened at Akira's rant, letting him finish, before he let out a soft breath. ]

I know. He tries the same thing with me all the time, trying to appeal to how I used to think. There are some days where it really sounds like a good idea, almost like he's trying to influence me somehow.

[ He paused, shaking his head. ]

I think Akechi-kun is stronger than you realize, though... maybe he even realizes. I've only really sat down and talked to him twice, but... I kinda get that feeling.

[ He let out a breath again, before turning his focus to his phone, tapping away at it. The gremlin he knew would enjoy this place, but Hanamura...? Hell, he wasn't even sure if he would answer. ]

[codeoracle]

[Futaba said that she'd come out, but it takes her awhile. Given everything that had gone on, she wasn't feeling the most social. She needed an SP charge or something.

She's careful following the tracks, using her light to see exactly where she was going. It doesn't take long for her to find the entrance Adachi had mentioned. She crouches down by it before calling down.]

Hello?

[ridewithdestiny]

[ Makoto pulls up on Johanna not long after Futaba arrives. She'd finally read the folder the soldier had handed her on her way out of the base, and had spent the morning figuring out how to summon her motorcycle. It had been exhausting, but worth it.

She parks by the mouth of the tunnel and uses Johanna's headlights to illuminate the darkness. After a quick loo she releases the summons and heads in. Akira had said they had found it by falling, and she was not following in those footsteps.

She reaches the hole just as Futaba yells down and crouches next to her. ]

This doesn't seem the safest place for us to gather.

[crimeboy]

[Akira sighs, stuffing his hands into his pockets, his attention still on Adachi at first.]

He told me that he doesn't think he can do romance- doesn't deserve it- until he can find peace with himself. So I'm at least confident that he is trying.

Anyway. I got some friends who need a lift. Gimme a sec.

[He'd heard Futaba and Makoto arrive, and it'd been a moment before he responded.]

Hello! Just a moment!

[That moment later, hopefully they'd stepped back because Arsene burst through the hole, carried aloft by his large wings.]

'I hear tell that you ladies are in need of a lift'

[Unlike with Adachi, or Akira for that matter, Arsene is a perfect gentleman with Makoto and Futaba, offering a large, clawed hand to each in order to escort them to where Adachi and Akira had been.

Before they got down(if they accepted the lift), Akira's voice lowered as he spoke to Adachi.]

Keep that bit to yourself, alright?

[sleight_of_hand]

[ Adachi smiled faintly; this sounded familiar. Didn't think he could be in love? Didn't think he deserved it? He really needed to sit and talk with Akechi-kun more often. Maybe he would get off his ass and buy a bigger house with enough space to convert part of it into an office. That way he could safely pull in people as partners. ]

Don't worry, I won't say anything.

[ He paused as Arsene came back down, a lopsided grin on his face. ]

Of course the ladies are the first ones here!

[cognitivism]

[ Why did Akira ask him to come to a dark tunnel? Why was their new training spot in a dark tunnel? He has so many questions but he was willing to ask them later. He stops, thief clothing ready as he inspects the entrance before he makes his way inside, following the tracks. This was more worrisome than pulling out the feathers from under the shoulder pads.

He wondered if he was being led to his own murder. Wouldn't that be divine?

He stops short of the large hole in the ground when he spots Futaba and Makoto. Ah, so he was the one running late wasn't he? At least he wasn't waltzing into his death. ]

Am I lat--??

[ He freezes when he sees Arsene - eyes wide behind the crow mask. Oh. He had forgotten what it was to see his Persona. ]

[urbanwhizkid]

[He isn't quite the latest, Yosuke is behind him by quite a bit. Enough to see another person disappear into the tunnel. God why is he here, he isn't even sure he wants to hear a recap. He's been busy doing other things, but since he's here he may as well see.

With a sigh he follows the same path as the one before him and walks into the dark tunnel. Well this was homey. Dark, check, giant hole in the floor, yep that's there too. Just as Adachi said and she wished that weren't the case.]

[He wants to call out, say something make someone else aware that he's there but as he's about to say so much as a hey the persona rises from below. Well that was one way to introduce him to a persona from the other group.]

That's pretty flashy.

[He mutters as he continues closer to the hole.]

[crimeboy]

[Arsene recognizes Goro, but makes no note of it. He was with Akira always, he wasn't out of the loop on their stance with him, though the other newcomer was offered a short bow of his head in greeting, if only because neither Arsene nor Akira were introduced to him at all, Akira having been hiding behind a counter when they'd seen Yosuke before.]

'I suppose I could give you two a lift down as well, have you need of it.'

[Sorry, Yosuke and Akechi, Arsene preferred being a gentleman to young ladies, but he was here to be certain that none of the team ended up... like Adachi, falling into the hole and landing on his ass. Indignantly, he spread his long, black wings, giving a short flap to shake himself off, and to impress upon them a need to choose whether to take his offer without too much deliberation.]

'It is a long way down.'