DUNGEON - BELLMARE ENCLAVE (BELLMARE MOUNTAINS, PT 2)

[phantasmods]

The shadows are starting to grow very long as you crest his particular ridge - it's not night yet, but it will be soon. In the shadows of the afternoon, with a tall mountain already blocking the sun, lies a snow-covered valley that is different from the ones you've come across thus far in your investigation.

This valley is home to a town, and unlike all the settlements you've seen so far - Incendia, the Telovia mining town, and the manor - it's very much active. There are actual people in the streets, visible from above, going through their days on snow-free streets, bundled up against the cold.

Those of you who asked were told of the handful of people who didn't go into the slumber of stasis as the Fissure conditions of the world grew worse and worse, instead isolating themselves and trying to continue living their lives as they could. Now, it seems, you've found exactly such a group.

Welcome to the Bellmare Enclave, and enjoy your stay.

[[OOC: Welcome to part 2 of the dungeon! For the most part, interaction with the town's NPCs can be handwaved as described on the main information post. Worth noting are the following major things: The Bellmare Enclave isn't expecting visitors, though the people are generally friendly to the new arrivals. They don't know about the time dilation effect of their Fissure - to them, it's only been about eighteen years since the Slumber Plan was put in place and they withdrew from the world. And finally, by a similar token, they have no idea how far the Fissures outside of their own have grown - while it's not uncommon for them to find odd objects from time to time, they'll assume that the characters are just arrivals from other places within their own world, rather than outsiders, until told otherwise.]]

Comments

[foolishjustice]

[He snorts, tilting his head against her shoulder to wipe at his eyes again.]

I was already unstable long before any of that. I've just gotten good at lying through the psychiatric evaluations for my job.

[hairpincurves]

Still, it's...

[She trails off, frowning. She... doesn't know what to say, for once. She has no words of comfort, nothing she could possibly say to soothe him...

So, in lieu of all that, she just hugs him tighter.]

[foolishjustice]

[He just leans against her, gripping her shirt tightly.]

...I am surprised, though. That they...wanted him back.

[hairpincurves]

[She starts stroking his hair again... though, after a while, it turns into her combing her fingers through it.]

I... have to admit, I'm not. I guess the other Phantom Thieves are just... like that, regardless of universe. They understand.

[foolishjustice]

[The combing does help him relax, leaning into the touch.]

I'd...assumed Niijima and Sakamato would just be glad to be rid of me, and Okumura...I'm amazed she doesn't want me Erased.

[hairpincurves]

[At least it does help this time...]

Well, given the circumstances, I can hardly blame you for assuming...

[foolishjustice]

Akira-kun told me they'd been willing to let his timeline's version of me re-join them to finish the Palace, but...I never imagined they might have...really wanted him to help them.

[hairpincurves]

Admittedly... I did think it seemed a little out of character for all of them to actually hate you or anything...

[Aside from Haru, but it's not like she knew anything about her...]

... Does it help, seeing that with 'em?

[foolishjustice]

It does. I...hate seeing how far I would have sunk without some of what happened in the mall, but...it's a relief to see that even having done so much worse than what I have, they were still willing to reach out to him.

[hairpincurves]

[She nods, quiet.

... The end of all that seems to bother her, still... even as much as she's resolved to make sure things happen differently at home, part of her is... definitely going to worry, even now.

When she goes home... this absolutely cannot happen...

She doesn't even realize her grip's tightening a bit.]

[foolishjustice]

[He does realize, and reaches up to run his fingers through her hair.]

I'm...sorry you had to see all of that, though.

[hairpincurves]

[Oh... She leans into the touch a bit, closing her eyes.]

It's... well, it's given me more motivation to make sure something like that doesn't happen back home.

[foolishjustice]

...You'll have to convince her to trust you, if you want to avoid that fight.

[hairpincurves]

I know. I've been thinking about this for a long while now, you know? I know it'd be one hell of an uphill battle, but... I have to try.

[foolishjustice]

With me...what really cemented my trust in Akira-kun was when he pushed me for the truth behind my scars, and didn't push me away when he realized I was the Metaverse assassin. That was when I knew nothing could break our bond.

[hairpincurves]

I'll... I'll figure something out. I have to.

[foolishjustice]

Just be careful what you say over the phone. I didn't trust mine, and I doubt she trusts hers.

[hairpincurves]

Mm, with a conversation like that, I'm not sure how comfortable I'd be with having it over the phone anyway.

[She's, uh, learned her lesson about sensitive conversations and technology, thank you very much.]

[foolishjustice]

[He nods.]

...And if you succeed without getting caught, you'll have someone with security clearance inside both President Okumura's and Shido's Palaces.

[hairpincurves]

President Okumura... [She frowns, remembering the conversation the man had come up in before.]

... Do you have any advice for handling that situation?

[foolishjustice]

.....I don't know. Your version of Akechi won't want to allow him to confess and implicate Shido as the mastermind. I wouldn't be surprised if she loathes him even more intensely than I did, too.

[hairpincurves]

Mmph. What a mess...

[At this point, she wouldn't mind someone from further along in her time, if only to give her some indication of how to move forward... But, that's not something to dwell on, she supposes.]

I guess I'll have to figure it out as I go... damn it... Not really knowing Okumura-kun's exact situation doesn't help, either... Because I know that'll be different, just based on what I've heard...

[foolishjustice]

It certainly will. If you're lucky, it might be less urgent than Okumura-chan's, and you'll be able to wait until after dealing with Shido directly. Though...

[He sighs and scrubs a hand over his face.]

If he still wants a chance at a good relationship with his father, he might end up disappointed. President Okumura has requested mental shutdowns, which makes him guilty of ordering assassinations.

[hairpincurves]

If I'm lucky.

[... It's clear from her tone that she's not counting on it.]

Oof... So when it comes down to it, this is just going to be a huge mess, no matter what...

[foolishjustice]

Most likely. It was an ugly situation in my timeline, and I'm not sure if there's a way to get a good ending from it.