Open Post - Persona 4 AU!Akechi

[fogboundcrow]

A. A Boy Jumps Out of a TV, When...

[For reasons you're not too sure about, you are in the Junes Department Store's electronics department.

Maybe you live in Inaba. Maybe you just walked through a door and ended up there. Regardless, there is a twelve year old boy climbing out of one of the TVs, with the screen rippling black and white, and it's probably all very unsettling.

He did not expect to have company, and so when he drops to the floor, he stops and stares.

He wanted recognition, but not like this.

He straightens his stance, removing his thin, brown-framed glasses, and blurts out a snappy-]

Don't mind what you just saw! It's all an elaborate magic trick.

[...That's a terrible excuse. More likely, he's going to have to explain.

Lovely.]

B. Damn it, Teddie! Where the hell are we?!

[Akechi meant to go into the TV to try and bribe Teddie with more snacks and perhaps, maybe, finally get a better feel for the TV world.

One problem: He did not end up in the TV world. He ended up where your character is, and now there's a very puzzled tween glancing around with thin, brown-framed glasses and a middle school uniform.

But he lifts the glasses. There's no fog. Everything's clear.]

What the hell is going on here?!

[Did he go in the wrong screen? But that makes no sense. He knows which screen to use!]

C. Wildcard

[Got another idea? Have at it!]

[ooc: This Akechi is from my currently ongoing fic. More info on his profile!]

Comments

[fogboundcrow]

Impressive.

[Ah, but manners! He bows respectfully. Holy shit, it's a demon overlord who just gave him access to this highly dangerous area. Take that, Narukami! This is how you earn his trust!]

I'm deeply honored to have earned your blessing, Kazuya-san. If there is anything I can do in return, do let me know.

[There's probably an unspoken desire for something. Dealings with the supernatural are seldom a one-way street. The fox, the attendant... even Marie all have gotten something out of their alliances. He said no strings attached, but still.]

[belheir]

[The bow has him laugh, and he straightens up in turn for it.]

Don't worry about it. Mostly, I'm just curious to know how you even ended up here in the first place, if your TV world normally leads to the same place again and again.

[He waves his hand dismissively, but good naturedly.]

Honestly, I'd rather get you home safe than anything else... And you don't have anywhere to stay yet. [So he considers, looking up at the Hills building itself. It's certainly the safest spot in Tokyo, at least when it comes to humans and demons. Angels haven't made any attacks on it, but that's because he doesn't usually stray too far, and his power is threatening enough on it's own to keep it that way.]

I can have someone set something up for you inside, if you want? Though I'd also understand if you wanted somewhere a little less... apocalyptic. [He says, to throw Akechi's words back at him.]

[fogboundcrow]

Ha. If anything, I find it all rather fascinating.

[It's like something out of a movie, only real. And real people have died. That isn't pleasant, but if a Demon Overlord insists that he'll be safe, well... he tips his chin up, squares his shoulders, and tries to assume a posture that radiates confidence.]

I'm still grasping how to fight with a Persona, but I'm assuming that won't be necessary unless any "intrepid heroes" try to barge their way in again.

[belheir]

[It's kind of cute, the way he assumes that posture. He'll be just fine, Kazuya thinks.

Though he does raise a valid point, and he lifts his hand, snapping his fingers. Electricity crackles, and two demons step out of whirling dark portals. a Murmur and a Fafnir.]

Since you just said you're new to fighting, and I don't really want you going up against any hero types to begin with, these two will keep an eye on you while you're here if I'm not around.

[To which they nod, subtly, and seem to vanish into thin air.]

They won't get in the way of whatever it is you choose to do, but they'll appear in an instant if it looks like you've found yourself some trouble.

[fogboundcrow]

[Akechi looks at the two demons and whistles in approval. Very, very cool. Very impressive. He can certainly work with this.]

So I get my Persona and some reinforcements. Sounds like a rather convenient arrangement, all things considered.

[Though that begs a very important question...]

What shall I do in the mean time?

[belheir]

[ Of course, he can't have this interesting kid be grabbed up by any of the angels, especially not Remiel, who is particularly good at sweet talking with his whole son-of-man bullshit.

As for what he should do in the mean time... that's a good question. He himself should bother Naoya, who might know something for all of the lives he's lived. ]

What do you want to do? I'm guessing you wanna at least get back to your Tokyo as soon as you can, right? And to do that you need TVs?

[fogboundcrow]

Well, that's where it gets tricky...

[A small sigh slips out, and he droops slightly.]

Normally, I enter and exit through a very specific TV in the Junes in Inaba. Any other TV runs the risk of getting stranded in the TV world, which has potentially lethal consequences if one doesn't safely escape before the fog falls over Inaba.

So if we're in Tokyo, it'd probably be quite a distance from that TV.

[belheir]

[He reaches forward as Akechi droops, putting his hand on his head comfortingly, like he'd do with Yuzu or Atsuro.]

But the TV you went in from spat you out here. Whose to say that the TV you're looking for in Inaba will lead you back home? It could be just as dangerous.

[Which are all things to consider. Along with... something slightly more pressing:]

What if the Junes you're looking for doesn't even exist where it does for you normally?

[fogboundcrow]

[Normally, Akechi would be bristly about the sudden contact with someone he doesn't know all that well, but he's been working on that since he faced his Shadow, and also...

This is a demon king.

He relaxes a little.]

Hmm, so what you're proposing is that I've not only been transported to Tokyo, but potentially to a different Tokyo, which could lead to an entirely different Inaba.

[Hmm... Given the circumstances, it's not too unreasonable.]

In that case, I wonder if the TVs will even function as they did at all.

[belheir]

I mean, it's Tokyo. Theres no way the news wouldn't have covered the lockdown that happened here, and not to sound too self important, but there's also no way they wouldn't report on me being here at the Hills Building.

[ Shoji wouldn't have let him down. He knows that she'd have made the news of him and his fight against the angels and God public immediately. And the SDF would have also reported that to the government, which had no way of enforcing a media blackout with Shoji being a friend of his. There's no way this wasn't national news, if not international by now.

He removes his hand from Akechi's head.]

So if you hadn't heard it on the news in Inaba, I feel like that's a pretty safe guess. Though I definitely can't speak for the TVs working the same way or not. There's a few inside, if you wanna give it a go?

[fogboundcrow]

...True. We haven't heard of anything particularly newsworthy in Tokyo for a while, though I admit our local media's been primarily focused on the serial murders.

[So... definitely some interdimensional travel involved. On one hand, that's fascinating. On the other hand, it means he truly is far from home.

And just when he'd started to truly value his growing friend group, that's all torn away.

His head turns downcast for a moment. His posture slightly droops, but... No. He can't lose heart.]

I suppose the least we can do is try. And if it turns out my ability is limited to the TVs in Inaba, we'll just have to find another way.

[belheir]

[He doesn't like that look, the way that Akechi's shoulders droop. He's is a long way from home, and Kazuya doesn't blame him. It's a hard situation to even imagine, let alone live, and he's more or less stranded for the moment with no one he even knows.]

Hey, chin up. I'm stronger than God, you know.

[It's why he's currently the winning party as far as the war is going.]

If your TV method doesn't work, there's no way I won't be able to do something about it.

[... Even if he doesn't know what that something could potentially be yet. He's still too new with this power.]

[fogboundcrow]

Have you ever considered punching God in the face? I would probably do so, had I the power to.

[It's said half as a joke, half as a genuine inquiry. Is it sacrilegious? Yes. Does he care? No. If God were merciful, he would still have his mother.

Regardless, he'll follow Kazuya's lead.]

[belheir]

Punching His Holiness in the face is the entire point of my little war with Him.

[He really, really likes this kid.]

Of course, that's not all I'm going to do to Him when I find out where he's cowering away from me, but I'll throw in an extra punch just for you.

[If it weren't for God being a selfish, almighty prick, maybe Kazuya might have chosen another path. But he'd instead decided to thrust an ordeal on humans because he didn't like how they played with the free will he had so... lovingly given them. Had threatened to strip it from them.

To say nothing of the fact he'd cursed his cousin, so many lifetimes ago.

Kazuya waves him on, heading towards the Hills building proper. The ground floor is shockingly in decent condition despite where it is. There's a few shattered glass doors and windows, but the inside proper looks like it was spared most of the damage.]

[fogboundcrow]

Good. I'd throw in a Megidola for good measure, but I have a nagging suspicion that wouldn't be as devastating to a literal deity.

[It'd still be satisfying, though. A big, magical burst of energy in the face of an all powerful entity...

Regardless, Akechi follows along, soaking in his surroundings with deep curiosity. His eyes dart around, scanning every little detail. It is a very different Tokyo, after all.]

[belheir]

I'll have to teach you a Megidolaondyne if you'd really like to do some damage.

[If he wants a big burst of magical energy, completely unresistable.... That'd be the one.

But he can push that for later on the docket, right now he shuffles them past the main lobby and off to look inside one of the rooms on the side.]

Sorry about the mess, but you know how it is. There should be a TV somewhere around here for you to try...

[But where...? Early looting from the lockdown has changed a bunch, and it's not like he walks most places anymore. It'll take a bit of investigating each of the rooms present.]

[fogboundcrow]

...You're saying you can teach me a more powerful version.

[Yes, hello. Please tell him more, but first... the lobby! He'll follow Kazuya around, not really knowing his way around. So, what's behind room number one?

He's wide-eyed and attentive.]

[belheir]

The most powerful version.

[Well, once past the lobby there are a lot of shops... But the door opens to the backroom and... It's nothing. Chairs overturned, papers scattered, dishes strewn about. Clearly a break room, and clearly not worth much. It's been looted, and whoof.]

Well, that probably isn't the greatest sign, but it is only the ground floor.

[... Please do not let them have to go up to the top to find a TV. That is simply unreasonable to do, and he had to do it the first time.

He shuffles some of the papers on the floor with his shoe, but it's nothing interesting. Obviously when the power went out, people just left.]

Hopefully the next one has a TV...

[fogboundcrow]

Are TVs fairly uncommon in this building? I admit, I'm not sure what to expect.

[He'll continue following along, eying the sheer emptiness all around them. It's like they've stumbled into a ghost town, if that town was condensed into a single building.]

Though I'm actually rather curious how difficult that spell is to learn. It may be advantageous in the long run...

[belheir]

Honestly, I don't normally stick around the ground floor, I'm usually up there.

[He says, with a jerk of his hand as he points his finger up.]

But there's gotta be some kind of a TV somewhere. It's an office building and a shopping complex in one, right?

[And the first few floors are said shopping complex, which must mean there's some sort of TV somewhere, if only because they'd have used it to advertise...

At least the conversation makes it mildly more interesting as they scrounge around.]

I'm not really sure? When I became the King of Bel I just kind of ended up... Knowing it, and a bunch of other magic. Makes sense though, since my power is equal to that of Gods.

[... He still isn't really sure what that means, in most cases.]

[fogboundcrow]

Hmmm... I'm willing to try. I only hope my squishy, mortal body can withstand such might.

[It's said half-jokingly, but that could be an actual problem to consider. Then again, his 'squishy, mortal body' has handled Robin Hood fine thus far.

Idly, he ponders if this place has any vending machines. A snack on the way may be handy. But hmm... an electronics store somewhere? He keeps glancing about.]

[belheir]

Well, if you get too damaged, I can always heal you. Or pluck your soul back from the sea of souls if the worst case happens.

[An awfully bold claim for the latter half, considering he actually has no clue if that's possible. It must be, he thinks. It certainly seems like a God-Like power to have.

Maybe Naoya would know, considering that he's The One Who Resurrects.

And lucky for Akechi, there's some vending machines just around the bend, though they've clearly been looted of all the better drinks and snacks. Not too far away there's a juice stand in an equally bad way, though this one actually does have a TV screen hanging lopsided on the wall, completely turned off that just might be big enough for him to fit through.]

[fogboundcrow]

...Is there even a chance I'd die from using it?

[That's kind of worrisome, Kazuya. So worrisome that he stops and stares for a moment, but... ah. A TV screen. That might work.

Squinting, he moves over to investigate it, pressing his hand on the screen as best he can, but...

Damn it. No dice. His face crumples up in frustration.]

Damn it. It just couldn't be that easy, could it?

[belheir]

I mean, I've never heard of anyone dying from using strong magic, but who knows?

[It doesn't seem likely, but honestly the whole plucking his soul from the sea of souls things was more as a joke, and only a lightly "in case".

Still, he watches Akechi place his hand on the TV screen and... nothing happens. He tilts his head a bit.]

... Does it need to maybe be powered? [Silly question, considering that he feels like Akechi might have said something to that effect if it mattered.]

[fogboundcrow]

Hmm... It's possible, but it could also simply be that I'm too far from Inaba. The TV world may not stretch this far.

[He stares at his own reflection on the television, shoulders drooping. Of course it wouldn't be so simple.]