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June-July 2024 Test Drive Meme
June-July 2024 TDM
Introduction
Welcome to Folkmore's monthly Test Drive Meme! Please feel free to test drive any and all characters regardless of your intent to apply or whether you have an invite or not.
All TDMs are game canon and work like "mini-events". For new players and characters, you can choose to have your TDM thread be your introduction thread upon acceptance or start fresh. Current players are also allowed to have in-game characters post to the TDM so long as they mark their top levels ‘Current Character.’
TDM threads can be used for spoon spending at any time by characters accepted into the game.
Playing and interacting with the TDMs will allow characters to immediately obtain canon items from homes especially weapons or other things they may have had on their person when they were pulled from their worlds! There will always be a prompt that provides some sort of "reward" to characters who complete certain tasks.
🦊 New Star Children meet the Fox still in their worlds, and she brings them into the new realm of Folkmore. As you follow her, your body begins to change and new characteristics emerge. These may stay for a while, or perhaps they will hide away after. And during all of this, the Fox explains to you where you will be going: to Folkmore.
and then... you fall like a shooting star, falling to the land in a burst of starlight.
🦊 Experienced Star Children are already familiar with this time of the month. There are shooting stars all across the sky, and some fall to the land, which means the Fox has brought new arrivals. These newly arrived Star Children will face some tests, but Thirteen wants the more seasoned residents to participate as well.
Perhaps you follow the falling stars on your own, or perhaps the Fox simply teleports you there, but it appears you too will be part of this.
Content Warnings: Ghosts, Potential Violence, Potential Death
Summer has hit. It's hot, and nowhere is it hotter than Cruel Summer. Naturally, new Star Children arrive in Cruel Summer with no indication of which direction to go to escape, unless they're so lucky as to arrive near the Selkie River. The water provides a break, and a selkie skin will protect Star Children from the heat. Though beware the cruelty of leaving a selkie without their skin. Along with the heat, Star Children can hear whispers and the echoes of screams throughout Cruel Summer. There's no obvious source of the noises. Not the normal creatures. Not anything anyone can see.
Whether new or old Star Child, anyone lost, overheated, in need of a rest, or anything else will find a friendly spirit will find them in the sands, rock, or shores of Cruel Summer. They'll guide the way toward the huts found in Cruel Summer. These huts have changed; the huts are bigger and grow together, making them one interconnected twisting winding empty town. No one appears to live there. The wooden town is in disrepair, varying from building to building. Even so, they are cool inside, a welcome break from the summer heat.
No matter how one entered, even through the swinging doors to the saloon, that exit disappears behind Star Children. There's no turning back. The only way out is to explore the way through the buildings. This fact continues to be true building to building as exits continue to vanish. The abandoned town isn't as empty as it first seems. As Star Children explore the branching paths through the wooden structures, they see ghosts of spirits going through the paces of their lives. They're familiar to these spaces and interact with missing objects that sometimes shimmer in spirit energy.
Spirit Children may interrupt these routines to try to talk with the ghosts. Some ghostly spirits are friendly. They may interact with Star Children as though they're someone else, someone the spirits used to know. Others, like the bartender, may treat them like a new customer. Other ghosts are determined to stick to their routines and, should Star Children continue to interrupt, will attack those who disturb them.
These spirits may kill Star Children when they attack. Normal weapons won't hurt them. There are revolvers, shotguns, iron pokers, hunting knives, and other plain weapons around to grab in self-defense. Salt bullets and iron will dispel ghosts. These weapons may be grabbed at any time. However, doing so attracts the creatures in Cruel Summer. A blood red worm spitting yellow acid may break through the floor to eat or spray Star Children. An enormous coyote may leap through the window. Whether attracted by the use of weapons or passing by, any dangerous creature found in Cruel Summer seems agitated when they come near these structures and will attack them and anyone inside. They will focus especially on anyone with a stolen selkie skin.
Should Star Children die, whether to ghosts or creatures, they will not immediately return to life.Do not pass go. Instead they will haunt the ghost town for one week in the room where they were killed. Other Star Children may recognize them and work to snap them out of their routines. Yet nothing will free the Star Children's spirits before the week is through. At the end of the week, they'll come to, alive, in their bodies in the room they died in. Best get through and out of the ghost town before dying again!
A constant through these scenes are the spirits' spoons, visible somewhere in each scene. The ghost spoons are whole. Once free of the ghost town, Star Children may choose to travel to the Shattered Spoon Shrine in Never Fade to search for the broken fragments of any of these spoons. They are in such small pieces, however, that no Star Child may feed them enough Lore alone to bring the spirit back. Two or more Star Children may spend time in the Shrine creating and feeding Lore toward the spoons to heal them. It just may be enough to bring someone back.
Summer has hit. It's hot, and nowhere is it hotter than Cruel Summer. Naturally, new Star Children arrive in Cruel Summer with no indication of which direction to go to escape, unless they're so lucky as to arrive near the Selkie River. The water provides a break, and a selkie skin will protect Star Children from the heat. Though beware the cruelty of leaving a selkie without their skin. Along with the heat, Star Children can hear whispers and the echoes of screams throughout Cruel Summer. There's no obvious source of the noises. Not the normal creatures. Not anything anyone can see.
Whether new or old Star Child, anyone lost, overheated, in need of a rest, or anything else will find a friendly spirit will find them in the sands, rock, or shores of Cruel Summer. They'll guide the way toward the huts found in Cruel Summer. These huts have changed; the huts are bigger and grow together, making them one interconnected twisting winding empty town. No one appears to live there. The wooden town is in disrepair, varying from building to building. Even so, they are cool inside, a welcome break from the summer heat.
No matter how one entered, even through the swinging doors to the saloon, that exit disappears behind Star Children. There's no turning back. The only way out is to explore the way through the buildings. This fact continues to be true building to building as exits continue to vanish. The abandoned town isn't as empty as it first seems. As Star Children explore the branching paths through the wooden structures, they see ghosts of spirits going through the paces of their lives. They're familiar to these spaces and interact with missing objects that sometimes shimmer in spirit energy.
Spirit Children may interrupt these routines to try to talk with the ghosts. Some ghostly spirits are friendly. They may interact with Star Children as though they're someone else, someone the spirits used to know. Others, like the bartender, may treat them like a new customer. Other ghosts are determined to stick to their routines and, should Star Children continue to interrupt, will attack those who disturb them.
These spirits may kill Star Children when they attack. Normal weapons won't hurt them. There are revolvers, shotguns, iron pokers, hunting knives, and other plain weapons around to grab in self-defense. Salt bullets and iron will dispel ghosts. These weapons may be grabbed at any time. However, doing so attracts the creatures in Cruel Summer. A blood red worm spitting yellow acid may break through the floor to eat or spray Star Children. An enormous coyote may leap through the window. Whether attracted by the use of weapons or passing by, any dangerous creature found in Cruel Summer seems agitated when they come near these structures and will attack them and anyone inside. They will focus especially on anyone with a stolen selkie skin.
Should Star Children die, whether to ghosts or creatures, they will not immediately return to life.
A constant through these scenes are the spirits' spoons, visible somewhere in each scene. The ghost spoons are whole. Once free of the ghost town, Star Children may choose to travel to the Shattered Spoon Shrine in Never Fade to search for the broken fragments of any of these spoons. They are in such small pieces, however, that no Star Child may feed them enough Lore alone to bring the spirit back. Two or more Star Children may spend time in the Shrine creating and feeding Lore toward the spoons to heal them. It just may be enough to bring someone back.
- Whispers, echoes of screams, etc become common throughout Cruel Summer
- Huts become bigger, interconnected, growing together. Anyone lost, overheated, in need of something in Cruel Summer gets a friendly spirit redirecting them to these buildings
- Buildings will still be in some state of disrepair, but like a whole twisting winding town
- Insides are a cool respite
supernatural ghost spirit air conditioning - Only way out is through, no turning back, as the exits disappear behind you
- Many are friendly, but some are not. One can attempt to talk to them, but how interactive they are varies
- Occasionally other creatures from Cruel Summer may burst in and attack
- If a Star Child dies, rather than return to life immediately, they stay a ghost for about a week, part of the tour
Content Warnings: Fire, Coerced Confessions
Fire! Fire across the realm! For the second half of June, wildfire burns everywhere. While it doesn’t hurt Star Children, it can reduce everything else to ash: homes, businesses, gardens, spirits. The local spirits will be in a panic and beg Star Children for help from small ice mice in Wintermute to fennec foxes in Cruel Summer. How can Star Children help? Confessions. Anything the person they are with doesn’t know. The more earnest and meaningful the better.
When wildfire erupts and spreads, Star Children may stand in or in front of an area they want to protect and confess something to another Star Child who happens to be nearby. Their neighbor? Their partner? A stranger lost in a new land? These confessions simply need to be something the other person doesn’t know to protect structures and spirits. Memories related to the confession will show in the fire. The fire will fuel these memories until they run out of energy, dying down to embers. At least in that place at that time.
Should something start to burn before someone confesses, multiple confessions are necessary to catch the wildfire’s attention and distract it from the fuel source it is feeding on. Two or more Star Children will need to make confessions whose memories are shared in the flames. Water powers can also help quell the flames, but confessions are necessary in the end.
Once July hits, the wildfires are mostly gone, only sparking up here and there on occasion. In their stead are embers. They spark in the air like fireflies and fly around Folkmore, attracted to Star Children. These embers land on Star Children and make them glow. There’s no pain. In fact, the embers provide sparks of insight into memories, situations, and other emotional dilemmas that Star Children haven’t previously understood. Talking the issue over with another Star Children provides further emotional clarity.
Spirits are welcoming to both embers and Star Children. Confessionshelp Folkmore grow as well. Gardens bloom in beautiful displays. Crops grow healthy and joyful. It’s even possible to hear humming from some of the vegetables and fruits. The land grows with the Star Children. Anyone who lacks a green thumb can work their way around that with confessions! Save that dying plant and grow those tomatoes.
One time that a Star Child confesses, either to wildfire or to embers, they will find a jeweled box shaped like a flame. The peak of the flame comes off to reveal the insides. Within, there is an item from home. It may even be a weapon or magical item. Larger more meaningful confessions are more likely to receive weapons. These items may even be larger than should fit in the box or its entrance. Whether the box should only hold a single ring or fill the palm of one’s hand, these items fit. Star Children also can keep the jeweled box, and this one item from home can be stored within the box. Other items too large to fit the box will not enter it. Only the one from the box.
Fire! Fire across the realm! For the second half of June, wildfire burns everywhere. While it doesn’t hurt Star Children, it can reduce everything else to ash: homes, businesses, gardens, spirits. The local spirits will be in a panic and beg Star Children for help from small ice mice in Wintermute to fennec foxes in Cruel Summer. How can Star Children help? Confessions. Anything the person they are with doesn’t know. The more earnest and meaningful the better.
When wildfire erupts and spreads, Star Children may stand in or in front of an area they want to protect and confess something to another Star Child who happens to be nearby. Their neighbor? Their partner? A stranger lost in a new land? These confessions simply need to be something the other person doesn’t know to protect structures and spirits. Memories related to the confession will show in the fire. The fire will fuel these memories until they run out of energy, dying down to embers. At least in that place at that time.
Should something start to burn before someone confesses, multiple confessions are necessary to catch the wildfire’s attention and distract it from the fuel source it is feeding on. Two or more Star Children will need to make confessions whose memories are shared in the flames. Water powers can also help quell the flames, but confessions are necessary in the end.
Once July hits, the wildfires are mostly gone, only sparking up here and there on occasion. In their stead are embers. They spark in the air like fireflies and fly around Folkmore, attracted to Star Children. These embers land on Star Children and make them glow. There’s no pain. In fact, the embers provide sparks of insight into memories, situations, and other emotional dilemmas that Star Children haven’t previously understood. Talking the issue over with another Star Children provides further emotional clarity.
Spirits are welcoming to both embers and Star Children. Confessions
One time that a Star Child confesses, either to wildfire or to embers, they will find a jeweled box shaped like a flame. The peak of the flame comes off to reveal the insides. Within, there is an item from home. It may even be a weapon or magical item. Larger more meaningful confessions are more likely to receive weapons. These items may even be larger than should fit in the box or its entrance. Whether the box should only hold a single ring or fill the palm of one’s hand, these items fit. Star Children also can keep the jeweled box, and this one item from home can be stored within the box. Other items too large to fit the box will not enter it. Only the one from the box.
- Last two weeks of June, wildfire burns across Folkmore. After that, they are rare.
- Confessions can protect or rescue buildings, land areas, and spirits.
- Come July, embers spark across Folkmore like fireflies. They provide insight for Star Children. Talking helps.
- Confessions help the land grow.
- Confessions reveal a jeweled box containing an item from home.
no subject
Then Akechi-san says that and she realizes that he's going through the same thing she is, that he's having to deal with Amamiya-senpai's lack of memory too. She saw how close those two were, saw how much they meant to each other in their own unique way.
Senpai might not remember her, but she wasn't alone in this. She takes a deep breath and fortifies her spirit, grip tightening on her weapon.]
It seems the situation, yes. [She gives him a nod as if to say she's okay now.]
When things returned to how they were supposed to be, Amamiya-senpai was in juvenile detention and we learned that you were.. well, we decided to band together all our efforts and resources to prove his innocence and get him out. It worked. After that, well life moved on and people were going their separate ways, I went to training camp, so I wasn't around for all the goodbyes until I caught him at the station.
no subject
Idiot.]
A thorough synopsis. [Even if it's nothing new, Akechi appreciates Sumire's quick, fact-based response.]
We need to fight our way out of this place and then I'll fill you in on the rest of the situation here.
[And he turns then, but without warning, his free hand moves out curl gently at her upper arm. Akechi's voice doesn't soften, but it lowers, privately.]
I'll speak with him first, if you wish. To explain your situation. So he doesn't call you by her name.
no subject
When he says they need to get out of here first, she nods, resolute, though that expression cracks at the touch and words - a shuttered expression of sadness is there instead when he offers so kindly to speak to Senpai first...
Sumire almost takes the offer but...]
I... I appreciate it, Akechi-san, but I-I'll handle telling him. I can't runaway from that time in my life forever. Even if it hurts, I need to face it and explain who I am to him myself.
[Or what was all this effort to become stronger actually for?]
no subject
Admirable.
[And he will leave it at that. Akechi has seen for himself how strong she is, it's one of the reasons she's so quickly earned his respect over the other Thieves. He won't infantilize her by second-guessing her wishes. If she wants to face this herself, he trusts her to understand the full weight of what exactly that means.
And to speak up if she needs the assistance after.]
Come then. We'll slaughter through anything that stands between us and our goal.
no subject
But she might need someone to go to afterwards, that she's willing to rely on him for.]
Yes! Let's find our way out of here. [She doesn't wait for him to take point, she was the one with the poker and him the gun, even if he had a hunting knife, she was just as capable in melee combat.]
What causes them to become hostile? [She asks as she skirts around a couple ghosts and they don't attack.]
no subject
My best guess is creating any interruption into their post-death routines. The spirts here seem fixated on completing a single task for the rest of their afterlives, but disturbing the pattern seems to snap them into an immediate violent rage.
[relatable]
If we can avoid disrupting them, we'll make it out of here sooner.
no subject
[She says without looking over her shoulder at him, trusting him completely with her back. Sure, the others had seemed cautious around Akechi-san and treated him like he would betray them at any moment at times, but she never saw that side of him, so she doesn't think twice about giving him her back.
Instead, she gracefully side steps a ghost and starts through a door and down a hallway.]
And once we're out of here? We'll just be in the desert again, where do we go from there?
no subject
Either way, even when she's had significantly less exposure to the Metaverse than the Thieves, she has a mind for the bigger picture, for context beyond what is immediately right in front of her face. Without Joker to guide their vision, the rest of the Thieves lacked exactly that.
But Sumire understands. And Akechi deeply appreciates that from her.]
Outside of the desert, you'll find Folkmore is split up into seven different regions, each with its own specific weather patterns and biomes. I currently live in one called Epiphany, which is the most reminiscent of Tokyo, a sprawling, populated city.
When we've make it free of the desert, we'll go straight there and plan for what comes next. I'll tell you everything I've learned so far.
no subject
Of all the people to have with her, she can't help but be glad to have Akechi-san here - the only other person she might want more is Amamiya-senpai, but knowing he doesn't remember her makes her hesitant to actually want him here. No, having Akechi-san meant having someone capable and ruthlessly efficient with her, someone who wouldn't hesitate like she and the Phantom Thieves might. These ghosts... they remind her of people, she could see the others hesitate. She knows it gives her some pause, but she adjusts her grip on her poker and decides to get out of here alive. Both of them.]
Thank you very much, I look forward to learning all you know. [Formal as always.]
This... this Folkmore isn't some giant palace, is it? It feels as unreal as one, like reality has been altered again, but... something doesn't add up.
no subject
[So far, outside of that explosive reintroduction, their journey through this convoluted maze seems simple and quiet. The other spirits aren't going out of their way to disrupt them. It makes for a brief ease to settle between them, even if both figures are holding their weapons ready for to leap into action at a second's notice.]
With Amamiya so weak in comparison to what he was and so woefully behind in our timeline, you are the person I trust most to stand with me against whatever we end up facing in this place. To do that, you'll need the full scope of my investigation thus far.
[It's not quite as selfish as he implies it is, to tell Sumire directly of the level of trust he's placing in her. It probably won't escape her notice that he does not make any mention of Ryuji. Oof.]
It's a distinct possibility, but I have a theory that this world of the Fox's might instead be connected with Mementos to some extent.
no subject
[She doesn't like the idea that she might have been coerced here. That what she thought was willingly following the Fox might have been compelled from her.
She might be grateful to Dr. Maruki for what he did because it means she was able to learn a new way to live her life, she was able to meet Amamiya-senpai, able to meet everyone, but that doesn't mean she wants her mind toyed with again. She's already dealt with that enough for one life...
Still, Akechi-san's reasons make sense.
The lack of mention of Sakamoto-san is noticeable though. Maybe it's because they never were really part of the Phantom Thieves...]
But to do that, it would have to be a Mementos on a universal scale, not just Tokyo, right? I met a girl from another world afterall.
no subject
[It doesn't need to be said aloud. Sumire isn't stupid. She must understand.]
Either way, I believe it must be something to that effect. If not on a universal scale, than a barrier weakened between the two. The fact that we can summon our personas with such little effort, it can't be completely meaningless.
no subject
Still, it hurts her heart to know that he wants to end this no matter what, even if he means he's... yet she understands, giving him a decisive nod. She will never deny him his wish, even if that's the reality that awaits him.
That makes her pause though, looking at him with some alarm.]
We can summon our Personas here?!
[She doesn't even hesitate, putting her hand to her chest and breathing in deeply, eyes closed, pulling at the strings of her heart that speaks to her persona-- Ella? she asks in her heart...
We will not return to the ashes we have risen from, will we? is the answer she gets in response from her persona, a feeling like brightness and dancing, like a bird fluttering in her chest. Sumire shakes her head and opens her eyes, firm in her resolve.] No... no, we won't.
[She looks at Akechi-san.] I see what you mean now. I feel my persona in my heart, I just hadn't known to look for her.
no subject
Akechi gives Sumire the moment she needs to close her eyes and reach deep into herself, to make contact with the contracted shadow of herself, his own eyes sweeping the room for spirits, just to keep her out of the path of danger while she assess.
And it's ridiculous considering, but there's maybe just the barest hint of a smile curling at the corner of his mouth when she answers Ella aloud, but only because conversing with his own personas has always been as natural as anything. Akechi understands.]
Sakamoto and I discovered it our very first night in this place. [Just not going to mention the beating each other in the desert or throwing akechi off of the roof to see if he could fly like. it's fine. normal teenage boy things.]
no subject
Looking over at him, she catches what might be the barest hint of a smile, but she doesn't say anything about it, just meeting it with her own. Because she didn't even realize she answered aloud, it just came naturally to her to speak aloud, so she's not sure what she did to earn it.
But now that she has the reassurance of her Persona at her side as well as Crow-senpai, it makes her feel confident as they continue through the building.]
So you both arrived at the same time? How long have you-Ah!
[She stumbles back as a ghost enters the hallway suddenly from her left and runs right into her. Without hesitating, she brings her poker up to ward off the ghost, who becomes aggressive as soon as she does, swiping out at her and connecting, catching her off guard.]
no subject
They are close enough that the older teen grabs Sumire by the hand and swings her out of the way of the spirit, the move nowhere quite as delicate and graceful as if Joker was helping her execute it, but it's effective nonetheless. And the second she is behind him, he's raising the revolver, pressing the long barrel right to the spirit's middle, and blasting it to nothingness with the salt bullet.
For a moment, Akechi's gaze is flicking around the room, just to be certain that was the single one turned aggressive, but when he's satisfied they aren't under attack, he tucks the revolver away and turns back to Sumire, to check the severity of her injury. Hopefully it isn't too terrible, considering who knows how long they'll be trapped in this godawful maze for.]
You need to be more careful. [A mild scolding as far as Akechi goes, his gloved hand held out.] Here, let me see.
no subject
After the ghost is shot, she looks behind them just in case more aggressive ghosts show up, watching their backs as the gunshot echoes around them harshly. There was no way nothing heard it, yet nothing and no one reacts... But then she's being scolded and she winces as she looks down at her arm, hissing as the pain finally registers now that the danger has passed.]
That's my fault, I should have checked the corner before moving forward, I'll be more careful. [She lifts her arm into his hand so he can look at it, the claw marks aren't deep but they are bleeding freely.] It hurts, but I don't think it's as bad as it looks.
no subject
Hold your arm here - [He guides it into horizontal position against her body, but elevated over her heart.] And let me see what I can find.
[He turns away, cautious enough around the other spirits in this space, turning to swipe an old table runner from a crumbling table, which he takes time to aggressively shake all of the lingering dust off of it. Certainly not what Akechi is used to working with, but it'll do for now.] Once we are out of this damn desert, we'll take care of this properly.
[But for now, Akechi takes his time wrapping Sumire's open wound up with surprisingly careful, deft fingers, tying it tight enough that there's no danger of sand slipping into between the folds. The last thing they need to deal with is possible infection.]
It's passable, for now. How does it feel? That's a reliable knot, it won't slip off, no matter what kind of flips you do. [He releases her, pulling away, already scouting out their next path to take.] Is the pain manageable?
no subject
What's more surprising though is that he's taking care of her at all in a way. She didn't think he was much of someone to take care of another's wounds. Much more of a... "walk it off" kind of person, but here he was taking careful and frankly gentle care of her as he wraps the wound, only making her hiss a little in pain, but not enough to complain about it.
Still, she smiles at his concern.]
Feels secure, thank you Akechi-san, and the pain's manageable, nothing I can't power through. [She keeps her arm against her chest carefully.] You really know what you're doing. Have you treated a lot of wounds before?
[She still holds her poker in her main hand as she follows him carefully, lucky the wound was more to her off hand. Still, she won't be as fast on the draw. Too bad she didn't have any healing abilities with her Persona, having chosen to focus on strengthening everyone instead.]
no subject
Besides, he's well aware of her strength, has the utmost faith that she's more capable of handling this than any of the others might be. It's not about coddling one of the youngest members of their party but precaution in keeping her safe. It's different.
He does, however, take lead again.]
Yes.
[And for a moment, it seems that is all Akechi is going to say as they slink into the next room, his hunting knife drawn. It's strange to think that for how close he feels to Sumire in comparison to the others, she really does know the least about him.]
I came into my persona years ago, long before the others. And I've been navigating the metaverse alone since. I had to learn to care for any injuries I sustained on my own or I would have been swallowed up whole the second I showed weakness. [The spirits seem to still pay them no mind, too absorbed in their menial tasks.] I was young then and much too reckless. I got myself hurt often enough that I know how to treat wounds quickly between combat.
no subject
Still, she did think that's where he would stop, deciding not to press for more answers, but then he was offering them up without prompting to her after a moment. She blinks and blinks again... he did seem much more capable in the metaverse than most of the others, even navigating them when it was just the three of them at one point. A point that she feels some shame for because of the troubles she gave them through her grief.
She hums softly to indicate she's listening even if she doesn't say anything for a moment.]
Sounds difficult, yet you're stronger for it too. Sometimes... sometimes being alone in the world is what makes you learn to become stronger, to stand on your own feet. [Would she ever have become stronger so long as Kasumi was still around? Or did... did Kasumi have to die for her to learn to stand on her own two feet? Was she a terrible person for thinking that? Probably.
Sure, she had Amamiya-senpai to help her too, his support and kindness, but wasn't that different..?]
I won't slow you down, we'll get out of this desert together.
no subject
Enough. I'm aware you won't slow me down, Yoshizawa-san. If I had any hesitations in you joining me, I would have stated them from the start. We will get out of this desert together - [A spirit turns to lazily drift in front of him, so Akechi pauses in their forward momentum, holding out an arm to stop Sumire from stumbling forward without him.] And then we will find our way back home.
[There's just no other option.]
The difficulty was a part of the experience. I thrived working solo, in learning how to do everything myself instead of relying on a team. Watching how recklessly Sakamoto fights or how Amamiya so often ends up playing back up to his own team, it reinforces the strength and skill and knowledge I've built up working on my own. I learned to hone my fury so that I could wield it like a weapon, not to let it control me, and it shows in my every movement.
...Unlike the rest, who fight knowing they will be healed the second they make a mistake.
no subject
That's his choice, just like living on for her and Kasumi as Sumire was her's.
Yet, hearing him talk about the Phantom Thieves like that... Hone his fury, huh? No wonder he's so ruthless and maniacal in some ways.]
But working as a team is what helped us to stop Dr. Maruki and save everyone. I understand working alone, I... I've done it in my own way, [In her sister's shadow, refusing to join the Phantom Thieves,] but I think it was by our efforts combined that we were able to overcome such a difficult obstacle.
[A pause.]
Yes, you could have solved it faster by killing Dr. Maruki, I won't deny that, but you let Senpai do it his way for a reason, right? And I believe it will be together that we take down the Fox and go home again. Even if just while our goals align.
no subject
If I thought I could have taken out Maruki on my own, I never would have bothered seeking any of you out. I'm well aware of the - [and his pitch shifts a little, mockingly] - strength in numbers - [just as quickly, it flattens] - that Amamiya is always preaching about, but what I mean is the importance of reaching competency on your own first instead of blindly relying on others to cover for your own weak points.
[They've been mostly careful through this expedition so far, but as they enter the next room, there are at least four spirits who turn to look their way, already furious and raging and ready to spill more blood.
Akechi's grip on the knife tightens.]
Take the left, I'll stick to right.
no subject
[Because she does. she's a gymnast, she might work as part of a team, but you work alone almost entirely. You learn your own strength to keep from bringing the whole team down. Because that's what it was, you couldn't uplift others or make up for their weaknesses, you had to be a functional and exceptional individual within a whole or you would get replaced. Simple as that. So that, she can understand and realizes how she misunderstood him.
Maybe she understands him too well in a way and that's why she misunderstood him, because so few people understand that concept.
Then they enter a room with hostile ghosts and she's immediately at form, poker held in her good hand tightly as she nods.]
Got it. Leave it to me, Crow-senpai!
[With that she springs into action to the left closest, pirouetting across the room and doing a flip to parry an incoming hit---! She nimbly bends backwards to avoid another strike, wincing a little at her arm, before turning it into a backflip and lunging forward with her poker to stab right through its chest. It howls in fury as it strikes out at her but the claw never connects before it vanishes entirely.]
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cw: i guess i should say like violence and blood and shit LMAAAAO
CW: Yeah like violence... blood and animal/monster gore? Start of a flashback
cw: killing an animal, continued gore
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