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

[beguiledcard]

[ He's looking down... and very serious. ]

She would have been going against a brick wall if she tried to treat you bad in front of any version remotely similar to me.

[ There's a moment of thought, and then he nods. ]

Makes sense...

[hairpincurves]

[She smiles sheepishly and nods.]

And I'm not sure how much good it would've done, but I'd have definitely stood up for you, too, if I'd had to.

[She makes a face.]

If I've got a different Persona, you've probably still got Arsene, I imagine. Still, the Fiend with Twenty Faces, huh...? I guess that's not too bad. Not even too different, really.

[beguiledcard]

[ He gives a small smile at that first part, though it shifts into something a tiny bit playful as he reaches out; he's very gently (not hard enough to really mess up hair, at least) ruffling her hair.

Why not try lightening the mood, huh? ]

Heh... Yeah, that's actually pretty close - and fitting. [ grin fading to a small smile ] Are you a fan?

[hairpincurves]

[She laughs a bit as her hair's ruffled, half-heartedly swatting at his hand.]

Sure am. I wonder how much that version's gonna laugh about having a detective named Akechi after the Phantom Thieves.

[Because she sure did, and then laughed even more after meeting Goro.]

[beguiledcard]

[ That actually gets a laugh from him, too. ]

Hopefully at least as hard as I did--

[ And, then, a much younger-sounding Akana's voice calls out:

"Woah, watch out-!"

It's in that moment, the hand of a little boy (one looking pretty identical to that child Akana) is getting yanked. He's getting pulled much closer to child-who-looks-like-Akana.

"Ugh, Akira, I would have been fine! I totally had it, okay??"

"Shut up, Ren! If you fall into the water, who do you think's gonna get you out, huh!? Neither've us can even swim, yet!"

... Well, that at least seems to get tiny Ren to stop arguing? He simply huffs a little and looks away. He isn't remotely pulling away from Akira. At least, not until a woman's voice calls out:

"Akira! Ren! Time for lunch!" ]

[hairpincurves]

[She's about to respond when the vision starts playing out. She watches the scene, looking positively charmed at the sight.]

What the hell, that's so cute...

[She was totally the responsible twin, wasn't she.]

[beguiledcard]

Heh... guess it is.

[ Akira's giving a soft chuckle, even after the memory's faded from the rocky surface. ]

Guess she was the one that kept Ren in line...

[hairpincurves]

It seems so... They really looked out for each other.

[Based on this vision and the last one.]

This is... actually pretty nice to watch, compared to some of the others.

[beguiledcard]

[ He smiles warmly. ]

Agreed. Some of the others I've seen haven't exactly been... [ a wry 'heh' ] ... Even a little okay, in most cases.

[hairpincurves]

Mmph, same.

[She laughs weakly. Another scene starts playing out, though, and it grabs her attention pretty quickly. Though, she can't help but stiffen a little at the sight...

A woman, cold in demeanor, fixing her sharp gaze on both versions of Akira (both looking closer to how they did the April they arrived in Tokyo), who stand in front of her. The male Akira's doing his best to seem neutral (while not completely succeeding, he looks worried), while the female one is clearly worked up about something. A bag sits off to the side, halfway packed with some of the female Akira's belongings.

"Akira, I thought I told you that you'll be staying here."

"And I thought I told you that I wasn't accepting that! I'm not... I'm not leaving Ren in a huge city like Tokyo all by himself. No way, no how. Either you let me go with him, or I find a way to Tokyo all on my own!"

There's a tense staredown between mother and daughter, before the mother huffs and relents. "Fine. I'll call to make the arrangements. But if you get into trouble yourself..."

Akira's ignoring her now, though, having gone over to Ren to grasp his hands. "There, see? I told you I wasn't gonna let you face this alone! That's a big sister's promise~"

Ren quirks one eyebrow, amusement finally tugging at the ends of his mouth. "... you're only a few minutes older than me."

"Shhhh!"]

[beguiledcard]

[ He blinks... and then he looks down. ]

So... It was Ren who wound up on probation...

[ A tiny smile. ]

No surprises, at all, that she wouldn't let him go alone.

[hairpincurves]

Honestly, knowing both of us, it could've been either of us.

[She chuckles sheepishly.]

I'm surprised Mother gave in that quickly. Maybe she knew I was going to be especially stubborn about it...?

[beguiledcard]

True. I was mainly focusing on the fact that he was the one getting shipped away.

[ He tilts his head. ]

Who knows...? I have to admit the mother I grew up with was... nothing like her.

[ His dad, on the other hand...... ]

[hairpincurves]

[She glances over, then leans against him a bit, closing her eyes.]

... What was she like, then?

[beguiledcard]

[ He leans back. ]

Quiet... Withdrawn.

[ There's a pause. ]

She let dad do basically whatever he wanted without putting up any kind of fight. She let him- mold her into his idea of an "ideal woman" - his words, not mine.

[ Now his jawline is tightening. ]

But, she's... someone who enjoys action movies and horror movies. She has a collection stashed away that she'll only bring out whenever dad's away on a business trip. Sometimes, she'll even rush through housework just to be able to watch one while he's still at work.

... I've seen her nearly jump out of her seat, just because I came home from school early. She looked... terrified, for a moment. That was the first time she ever outright yelled at me... and the last time I ever went home early.

[hairpincurves]

[She frowns as she listens.]

... This... really isn't making me want to kick your old man's ass any less.