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]

I wonder...if that changed anything.

[hairpincurves]

... [She silently leans against him a bit.]

You're only going to make yourself sad if you dwell on it, you know.

CW: murder, implications of police brutality

[foolishjustice]

I know...I just can't help but wonder if there's a version of me that made the right choice without intervention.

[He steps out of the Metaverse into the real hallway, scoffing as reality reasserts itself. There's no visible difference, but checking his phone confirms he is back in the real world. Down the hall, there's a single guard in front of his target's room, and he walks up to the older officer with a practiced, meek smile.

"Would you mind accompanying me? He might just be a teenager, but I'm a little nervous being alone with a murderer."

The officer agrees and they enter the room together, only for Akechi to snatch the guard's gun and use it to shoot him. The guard falls, dead, and Akechi turns his attention to Akira, beaten, bruised, and looking thoroughly shocked.

"Did you really think your little trick would fool me?" The memory of Akechi asks, his tone cold as he draws a silencer from his pocket and attaches it to the gun.

The barrel is pointed at Akira's face by the time the other teen responds, "This isn't at all how I wanted this to go...but I'm at least glad the last thing I see is you."

Akechi snarls, hand tight on the gun. "Liar! You don't give a shit about me!"

"That's not true." Akira's voice is firm as he meets Akechi's eyes, still supporting his head with one hand.

Akechi's voice, in contrast, shakes as he struggles not to shout at the top of his lungs. "You tried to trick me!"

"Only because I had to. But you don't have to do this."

"Yes, I do." Akechi's voice has dropped, tone now firm, but pained. "It's you or me at this point."

"Then help fake my death." Akira struggles to lift his head as he looks at Akechi, eyes pleading.

The suggestion takes Akechi aback, and his aim wavers. His voice, too, is uncertain. "The other Phantom Thieves would never accept me. I can't risk them getting in my way now..."

The scene fades, resuming in the back of a car. Sae is driving, and Akira leans against Akechi's shoulder. He's unconscious, but breathing steadily, and Akechi's arm is wrapped around him to hold him steady during the long drive back, as Sae talks to Sojiro on speakerphone.]

[hairpincurves]

[... Akira stares at where the vision played out, then looks over to Goro, then back to where the vision played out.

... And then back to Goro again.]

I imagine that answers that. Conveniently enough.

[foolishjustice]

[He's staring too, before letting out a tense chuckle.]

I guess I was tempting fate, in a subfissure like this...

[hairpincurves]

... So much for "can't risk them getting in my way," huh?

[foolishjustice]

I wonder what convinced him...it is a concern I would have had.

[hairpincurves]

It's kind of a shame we couldn't see the whole thing.

[foolishjustice]

Mm...I'm also wondering...how it actually went, when they got back.

[hairpincurves]

I suppose that's something else we'll be left to wonder...

[foolishjustice]

And I can't help but dwell on it a little, for...reasons that are probably obvious.

[hairpincurves]

Yeah...

[She leans against him again.]

Can't say I blame you for that.

[foolishjustice]

At least he should have the fact that he rescued Akira himself in his favor...

[hairpincurves]

[She nods before pulling him into yet another hug.]

[foolishjustice]

[...Yeah, he's going to end up leaning against her.]

...My timeline's Akira got treated worse than the Akira-kun here, probably due to the officers' frustration at their assassin disappearing.

[hairpincurves]

... Oh... Oh no...

[foolishjustice]

By the time I got back, a week and a half later, he was...still recovering from what they'd done to him. And I think...he was also emotionally rattled by the fact that I disappeared before we were supposed to confront Sae-san's Shadow, and didn't tell him I was going to be gone.

[hairpincurves]

[She cringes a bit.]

Yeah, I'm not surprised. I... probably wouldn't be in great shape either.

[foolishjustice]

I can't help but worry that they'll blame me for his condition...especially since I was the one who suggested that the guard be a corrupt one.

[hairpincurves]

[She's still holding onto him, so... she'll just quietly rub his back.]

I can't say I blame you for worrying.

[foolishjustice]

I'm...not sure I can even properly argue. I didn't know what I was signing up for, but...I agreed to leave.

[hairpincurves]

[She looks away, quiet and not really sure what to say...

But, conveniently, comes another vision, which looks to be... in someone's house?

Akira walks into a room where Ann and Akechi are sitting at a table, playing some sort of card game. Ann's grinning widely and Akechi's burying his face in one hand--though with his hair pulled back into a ponytail, it's easy to see that even the tips of his ears are red...

"Face it, Goro, you have a type!"

Akechi mutters what sounds like a "shut up" before realizing Akira's walked in with a tray of cups of coffee--for a moment, he looks relieved, before noting Akira's mischievous smile. His blush grows a bit darker before he just quietly says "Don't."

"I didn't say anything~" Akira takes a seat, setting down cups near Ann and Akechi before taking one herself. "It's a shame nobody else could make it today... I was really hoping I could get to know the rest of the team a bit more."

"Well, it can't be helped." Ann takes a moment to stir a large amount of sugar into her coffee, prompting Akechi to make a face at the sight. "We can do something bigger when everyone else is free... tough as that might be to accomplish... Besides, you're getting to spend some time with two of the first members of the Phantom Thieves, so that's something, right?"

"Ah, I suppose it is..." Akira hums thoughtfully before taking a sip of her own coffee. "Okay, I want in on what you guys are playing when you're done with this round. In the meantime, what's this about Goro having a type...?"

"Akira!"]