2025-09-10: Catching Up
- Log: Catching Up
- Cast: Shinjiro Aragaki, Akihiko Sanada
- Where: Hagakure Ramen, Iwatodai
- OOC Date: September 10, 2025
- IC Date: July 09, 2012
- Summary: After Shinjiro has decided to return to SEES, he and Akihiko catch up, discussing Ken Amada, ninja attacks, Shinjiro's arrest, and SEES as a whole.
<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.
Shinjiro's had a rough week, but it's gonna start cooling soon, he thinks. Even after learning some dire things from Tatsuya Suou, he's kept his meeting with Akihiko at Hagakure Ramen, where he's kept a seat open beside his regular one. They're meeting at a quiet time, where it's just them and the chef, because Shinjiro trusts the chef, his former mentor, not to say anything.
Shinjiro hasn't ordered yet. He's nursing a canned coffee at the bar, a seat open to his left.
He's thinking. Ruminating. Something he's prone to doing. He's also got signs of bandages on his torso and arms, some slipping out of the sleeves of his greyish-black t-shirt, his familiar red coat completely missing. It causes him to shiver lightly every so often, even in this summer heat.
<Pose Tracker> Akihiko Sanada has posed.
Akihiko arrives as promised, in his usual outfit. "Hey, Shinji." He greets his oldest friend, and a wave to the chef of Hagakure Ramen. However, the young man is seemingly... more melancholic than would perhaps have been expect. He takes the seat next to Shinjiro.
"...I'm sorry, Shinji. I didn't want you rejoining to be marred with something like that. Amada-san, he's..." Akihiko lets out a sigh. "He's just under our protection, right now."
He stops for a moment. "Where's your coat?"
<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.
Shinjiro stops as Akihiko takes the seat. The melancholy is noticed. It wouldn't stop him from punching him in the shoulder for what he's done...
But the apology does. Shinjiro sighs. "I was going to punch you, but that'd just make me feel worse now. ...it's fine, it was inevitable anyways." A single breath and his own melancholy showing through his frown.
"Amada doesn't deserve this. But it's my responsibility to make sure nothing happens to him. Not after how I've already harmed him." He exhales, before looking over the menu. He's more indecisive than usual.
The coat, though... "Some street ninja with a sword and a Persona attacked me in Sumaru. Tore it, had to go to the hospital, which is what he wanted. Weird fucking dude."
Shinjiro is absolutely telling the truth.
"You guys gonna have my old room setup by the time I get the approval to return? Physical's over, so it should be a day or two."
<Pose Tracker> Akihiko Sanada has posed.
"You're more than welcome to, still." Akihiko certainly feels like he deserves a punch. What kind of a coward does something like that? But it was the best chance for them to heal. "The house special please, chief. And whatever my friend wants."
"We're in an agreement on that. Nothing will happen to him." Even if Ken does awaken, Akihiko's not sure he'd even let the poor kid join SEES in full. Though, he remembers what he was like at that age. Wanting to grow stronger and not listening to anyone. "We'll all work together on this."
"Huh." Aki furrows his brow a bit here. "These other Persona users are pretty weird, huh?" Honestly, he isn't sure if he believes his friend, but he wouldn't think Shinji would lie to him like that.
"I imagine it was never emptied out, I'd have to ask Mitsuru. Worst comes to worst, it'll need a fine dusting. I'll work on it tomorrow."
<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.
"It's no fun when you *offer*," Shinjiro tchs. "It stops being a sucker punch then."
"...I'll get the same, and a set of tempura." He'll share the tempura if Akihiko wants, but Akihiko might not want the fried food, given his workout regimen. "Thanks."
Regarding Ken, though, Shinjiro furrows his brow. "I just... it's my fault, that he's got the Potential at all. He can't ever know. Not because he doesn't deserve to, but I think he'd stop trusting people completely."
Other Persona users gets a small smile. "Yeah. I'm friends with a few in Sumaru. Myunghon Yeo at the Cardboard Dragon bookstore is a good one to hit up, they're a 'rumormonger' who trades in information. I rely on them." If Shinjiro's relying on someone, that's pretty good praise.
"Good. I'll move back in once you're done. Give Myunghon their keys back. You have anything I should be knowing about SEES's recent activities?"
A small pang of guilt. At least his connection with Jin is over, and he can't be forced to reveal any intel any further...
<Pose Tracker> Akihiko Sanada has posed.
"No wonder you never got into boxing." Akihiko snorts. "Anyways, it's not an ideal situation. But we can all heal now. You, me, Mitsuru."
"We still don't know how the Potential works." Akihiko replies. "He could always have had it, inside him." He's not sure if Junpei has lost anyone close to him, assuming that's how the potential works. "It's not your fault. We'll take good care of him. All together." Current SEES are all good kids. They can do this.
"Oh? That's high praise." Akihiko feels similarly. "Rumourmongers, huh? Like... gossipy girls...?" He asks, a little clueless. He's kept mainly to his neck of the woods, and goodness knows does he have experience with gossips.
"I assume you're aware of the Full Moon Shadows by now. We suspect that defeating each one will result in ending the Dark Hour. Not just that, but you're aware that we have plenty of new blood now. Otherwise, we're making real progress through Tartarus now. Good progress."
<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.
"I never got into boxing because I don't derive joy from punching people like you do," Shinjiro teases. But that teasing stops when Akihiko says they can heal now. "It's not that easy, Aki," he says, but leaves it at that. He decided when he told Mitsuru that he wouldn't tell Akihiko that he was dying. It'd break his heart and put a burden he can't lift on his shoulders.
"No, like infobrokers. Rumors in Sumaru come true, believe it or not. Demons, supernatural shit, the works. I think my friend might be a vampire now, I haven't asked." He shrugs, because he does not believe Myunghon is a vampire.
"They... will?" he remarks about Full Moon Shadows will end the Dark Hour. "That's great news." Their goal can finally come true, to end it once and for all. "I've met my fair share. And I know you all got past the first floor, finally. Good to hear. I'll take a poke around on your next dive."
Even if Shinjiro doesn't want to be back, he is, so he'll help.
"On my end, been poking into supernatural bullshit with the crew at the Cardboard Dragon. ...got arrested last week. Asshole abusive cop came in and attacked my friend while drunk, so I got him in the jaw. Broke his tooth. Kirijo had to bail me out."
He doesn't mention the drugs. Akihiko doesn't need to know.
<Pose Tracker> Akihiko Sanada has posed.
"Course not. But we have a solid chance now." Akihiko is living proof of it. Sure, there's days he feels much worse about the past, about Miki. But he grows stronger by the day. If he can do it, a crybaby coward obsessed with growing stronger, then the strongest boy, his brother, knows can too.
"Oh." At least he doesn't feel nearly as stupid if someone is a somehow a vampire. For real? "Well. Other Persona Users seem like a weird group..."
"We hope so, anyways. There's something with the Full Moon Shadows. It's a relief, honestly. Finally being able to make progress after so long." He pauses to take a drink. "The Arisato twins...are really something." All of their current progress can really be marked up to the co-leaders.
"You punched a cop?!" Aki nearly spits out his ramen. He lets out an annoyed groan. "You should know better. Not that he didn't deserve it, but..." He lets out a deep sigh. He's honestly not sure what he's do in the same situation either. "I'm not going to lecture you. Just be careful, okay?"
<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.
Shinjiro takes a bite of his ramen as it's served. He uses this time not to answer the 'solid chance', because... there is no chance for him.
"They sure are," is what Shinjiro says about the other Persona users, before nodding about the Arisato twins, taking another bite before speaking. "They really are. That ability they have... it might turn the tide." Sadly, Strega now knows about it, so...
Shinjiro grumbles as Aki tells him he should know better. "He had a gun, Aki. He was telling us how he'd put us all down. Better me getting hurt than them getting shot." That same self-sacrificial nature, after all these years...
"...a friend," Shinjiro starts without revealing they're a member of Strega, "said something funny. Asked me if coming back was going to make me smile more. I don't know if it will. ...but I'd like to give it a try."
He smiles lightly at that, before digging into his noodles and tempura. He's hungry!
<Pose Tracker> Akihiko Sanada has posed.
Even if Shinji told him, Akihiko flat out wouldn't believe it. That's just not who Akihiko is. Imagining a world without Shinji won't happen.
"I'm looking forward to seeing what they pull off." Akihiko gives a goofy grin. "They'll suprass us all, I'm sure." It doesn't matter if Strega is aware. They can't beat SEES's teamwork.
"What's happening in this world..." Akihiko mutters to himself. "You're lucky he didn't kill you then." He's going to pretend like Shinji didn't say that second part. They'll be arguing all day otherwise.
"Heh. I'll certainly hope it does." Seems like something small to care about, in the grand scheme of things. Smiling. Though one day, Akihiko will figure out what it means to be strong and kind. "I'm sure we'll have plenty of fun saving the world together."