2025-09-24: No One Warned Umie About Maya Amano
- Log: No One Warned Umie About Maya Amano
- Cast: Umie Akabane, Maya Amano
- Where: Double Slash, Aoba Ward, Sumaru City
- OOC Date: September 24, 2025
- IC Date: July 16, 2012
- Summary: One of the people Tatsuya Suou told Umie to keep an eye on was Maya Amano. However, none of Umie's research prepares Umie for the force of nature known as Maya 'Let's Think Positive' Amano.
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
If only Umie hadn't gotten sidetracked, she could have had more luck with leads. However, with all her leads concerning the Old Maid (which she insists is the Old Maid, for some reason, avoiding the words 'Joker Killer' deliberately) having gone dry, Umie is back to the dry well: drinking some Milk Tea at the Double Slash while listening to the Wang Long addict tell her about her romantic compatibility with other 'dragons'.
Umie is currently dressed in her fact-hunting 'disguise' (which is built around a thrift store haul, please don't tell anyone): a baseball cap with a cursive letter 'P' on it (which she latter found out stood for the 'Aoba Penguins', a random amateur sports team that may or may not be around anymore), clear pink plastic glasses, a pale pink tee, a white windbreaker, white shorts, sneakers, and big earrings. Her dyed blonde hair is threaded through the hole at the back of the baseball cap, to complete the look.
... It's mainly just to control her body's outline and put one step between Umie Akabane, normal, boring adult, and this person, Sporty Girl.
And Sporty Girl is currently very, very, very close to being done with listening on the specifics on whether she, a Scarlet Dragon, is compatible with Moon and Gold Dragons. "So the Moon Dragon enables the hasty nature of the Scarlet Dragon, meaning any relationship they have is fast-paced and hot, hot hot! But then *disaster*. Gold dragons temper Scarlet dragons by slowing them down, leading to a stable relationship--"
"... And bad luck. How does bad luck happen, again?" Umie says, attempting to wedge in that topic change where she can.
"Oh, that's got nothing to do with Affinity! It comes and goes!"
Umie did not ask about Affinity, of course. She is keeping her expression as calm as possible, bringing her cup of milk tea at her lips.
<Pose Tracker> Maya Amano has posed.
"Your usual?"
"Yeah, thanks!"
Maya Amano is a regular here at the Double Slash. Most of the time, she'll grab a drink on the way to work (as long as she isn't running late, anyway!), but sometimes she'll stop in for their curry special. Occasionally, like today, she'll grab a tea to drink on her way home. Maya is helpless when it comes to cooking and she's no better at boiling water for tea, either.
Maya hangs idly by the counter, scrolling through her phone as she waits for her order.
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
If there's one name keeps coming up, it's Maya Amano.
'Oh right, I know you! You were there with Maya. Is she here? That would make things easier!'
'... I know you're probably already looking into Amano-san and the team of Persona-Users around her, which includes my brother--'
Well, partially, anyway. It was Sudou who mentioned Maya's first name, allowing Umie to eventually piece it together with the last name of Amano after Tatsuya directly confirmed it. There are many Amanos, and there are many Mayas, but there is only one Maya Amano that's been associated with Katsuya, enough that when Sudou mentions it to Katsuya, the latter reacted.
An internet search confirmed it as someone Umie's seen, even if she's not directly met them: she was at the Peacock Silk, and before that, wasn't she at Ebisu Beach? And before that... the festival. (Why does everything go back to that Chick-tan mascot costume? It truly is cursed.)
"Oh, sorry to cut you off," Umie says, holding up a hand to the Wang Long Addict. "I think the person I was going to meet just came!"
Nevermind this is the first time she's going to talk to this person face to face. What sort of force of nature could force a man like Katsuya to play as her photo assistant? Time will tell!
Settling into the counter next to Maya, Umie glances over and, carefully, begins to thread that needle of connection. "... You look familiar," she says, with a small grin. "Peacock Silk, right?"
Maya may notice that there's no resonance to be found on Mysterious(?) Sporty Girl. She may not recognize her either, if Umie played her cards right.
(..... which may be a pain.)
<Pose Tracker> Maya Amano has posed.
Maya doesn't recognize the sporty girl in front of her, but the sporty girl seems to remember her. For some people, this would trigger a flight or fight response, but those people aren't Maya Amano!
"The opening, right?" Maya had been so preoccupied with her talking peacock scoop that she neglected to absorb anything else around her. Such was the charm and charisma of Pernelle.
"I'm sorry, but I don't remember meeting you. I'm Maya Amano, Coolest Magazine's Ace Reporter. It's good to meet you!" (Again?)
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
Usually, the way it goes, Umie could garner an in and bulldoze the rest of the way. Maya, however, doesn't need reassurance, or Umie backing down to keep things friendly.
,,,, this must be what it takes to be a reporter...
"Yeah," Umie nods in confirmation. "... We... didn't meet face to face, but I'm a friend of Katsuya Suou's." Should she say friend?
.... she *did* tell off a police officer that was aiming a gun around, because he insulted Katsuya. That's got to be at least 'person who associates with Katsuya Suou' level, right?
"I'm Umie Akabane," Umie finally offers. "You've been helping Katsuya-san on a case, right? I suppose that's the reason you got him to help you take photos, that day." She sips from her milk tea.
Umie, you're moving too fast. Be less like a Scarlet Dragon and more like... a Dragon who is not the reckless one!
<Pose Tracker> Maya Amano has posed.
"You know Katsuya-san?" Maya's smile widens and she claps her hands together, her smartphone sandwiched between both palms. "He won't admit it, but he's got the makings of a great photographer!" Too bad he had no interest in playing photographer-in-crime again.
Maybe with another Katsuya-ally on her side she could convince him to have another go of it, though!
"We ran into one another investigating the same thing," Maya says, tucking her phone into her bag. Mr. Bun-Bun hangs from the strap's triangle ring. "So we're actually both helping one another!"
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
"Yeah." Umie nods. "Through his b--" _Damn it, Umie_, pull back, pull back. "Through his cases," she diverts.
'He won't admit it, but he's got the makings of a great photographer!'
Umie has to sit there a moment as she fights to keep from giggling.
"... Something for Coolest Magazine?" Umie floats, attempting to stall her approach to the real answer-- at least, the one Umie assumes is the correct answer.
Her eyes drift to Mr. Bun-Bun, the gaze softening slightly. "... That's a cute bunny." There's something more genuine in her response, as embarrassing as it may feel a moment later.
<Pose Tracker> Maya Amano has posed.
"Yeah, a special on the grand opening! You can see it in..." Maya taps a finger against her cheek, trying to remember how far back it was. "...July's issue! We just barely made the cutoff for that month's printing!" She nods firmly. "If I send the photos to you, do you think you can tell him how good of a job he did?" Maya bows forward slightly, her hands pressed together; she looks up with furrowed brows, one eye closed and the other one up. Maybe some encouragement from the outside would help convince him of his talent!
"Oh, this?" Maya lifts up the keychain to give Umie a better look. "This is Mr. Bun-Bun. I've had him ever since I was a kid. He's a kind of lucky charm!"
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
'Yes, a special on the--'
Umie's heartrate increases. She's doing a special on the Old Maid?! No wonder Sudou asked about--
'grand opening!'
..... oh, yeah, there was a mixup here, Umie, you need to be more clear on wtf you're talking about
Like a swan drifting across a placid lake, Umie's expression is calm, reflecting none of the furious paddling her little feet are doing below the surface. "... I'll... have to take a look!" she lies.
(Wait, no, it may be valuable information about Peacock Silk! This is good, she thinks.)
But there's still the matter of Maya's 'favor', which blasts the calm swan out of the water with a headshot, exposing the waddling feet to the open air."... I could... try...," Umie stammers, "I'm not sure if he'd, uh, listen? To me. We don't have that kind of... uh." Nono, Umie thinks, this is good, bond with Maya, so that she doesn't ask why you're being protective of her! You can't literally say 'Tatsuya Suou sent me' since you have no clue if Maya's under the same restriction as Jun and Eikichi!
"I-I'll do it!" Umie says, a little too eagerly, given what she just said moments earlier. Mr. Bun-Bun, please help Umie, she's looking at you with a sort of bewildered, but pleading look--
... Actually, no, Umie just finds Mr. Bun-Bun cute, especially when she hears Maya's explanation. "... That's... really kind of sweet," she admits. "I was going to ask where you got him, but it sounds like he's one of a kind. Perfect for a good luck charm."
<Pose Tracker> Maya Amano has posed.
"Thank you! If you give me your LINE ID or your cell phone number, I can send them your way tonight!" Maya is clearly in a good mood now. Even if they weren't successful in convincing him to side gig as Maya's photographer... "I think it'd be good for him to hear more good things about himself. He could definitely use a confidence boost!"
Maya lets go of Mr. Bun-Bun so he's dangling from his place on her bag. "How do you know Katsuya-san? Is it through work?"
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
Maya is quickly becoming more of a force of nature than Umie could ever be. Just who is this person??
"A-ah... sure..." Umie takes out her phone: a red, outdated model, paired with a braided silk cord charm. She displays her number to Maya.
"Mmn," Umie then says, pursing her lips on the topic of Katsuya's confidence. She leans forward into the counter, taking off her glasses, which click audibly as she stuffs them into her purse. "Maybe he just doesn't like to show if he's bad at something?" No, that's you, Umie. You are the one who hates showing ineptitude at something you're expected to be good at.
Is it through work? "You could say that." They *did* reconnect at the Triple 7, leading to the most embarrassing conversation she's ever had in months. 'What's a Persona', indeed.
"... We connected over a certain case," she begins threading, "50... something, I... think." She's looking at Maya, hoping she'll make the rest of the connection.
<Pose Tracker> Maya Amano has posed.
Maya tugs her phone out of her bag and starts tapping the phone rapidly. Maya's phone is a newer smart phone model and it's clear she's done more than her fair share of texting on it.
"50-something?" she asks, looking up. Sorry, Umie, Maya's not quite making the connection.
Behind her, the woman who made Maya's tea wordlessly sets it down on the counter and pushes it towards her, not wanting to interrupt their conversation.
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
Success! Umie got a phone number of someone Tatsuya wanted her to keep an eye on!
Failure! Maya's not getting what she means! oh no, this is bad
Umie resists the urge to openly spill the full case number. Of course Maya wouldn't know the case number, she's a reporter, not a cashier clerk who's trapped inside her own brain for most of her shift!
Finishing her milk tea, Umie clears her throat. ".... Um. Well. The case he was, working on, primarily."
Red brown eyes plead with Maya, as her milk tea is refilled. "The one I can't say aloud, for reasons?"
<Pose Tracker> Maya Amano has posed.
"Oh, you mean the Joker Killer Case?" Maya says it in the same tone she would if she were pitching a new article or asking Ulala what they should order for dinner.
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
'Oh, you mean the Joker Killer Case?'
How.
How does someone just come out and _say that_?
Umie flinches immediately. "... y-.... ye.... ah," she stammers out, bewilderment creasing her face. ".... I've been... using the name, uh, Old Maid. For reasons."
It blatantly shows connections with the police file, she realizes. But, if Phantom Joker's name ever gets out, it'll be a nice buffer against him getting killed, wouldn't it? (... Not that she can *reveal* that, for similar reasons.)
"I was one of his targets. I managed to get away. This was in Shibuya, though, so, it didn't get in the news." Umie drinks her milk tea, trying to cover just how completely shocked she is.
HOW?!
<Pose Tracker> Maya Amano has posed.
"I wonder why he wouldn't mention you. It's good thta you're all right! Not a lot of people get away from him." Maya loathed to admit it, but whoever-he-was was good at his job. Speaking of... "There's some of us who are trying to uncover the true identity of the Joker Killer. Did Katsuya-san mention us at all?"
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
"The... Old Maid? Or Katsuya-san?" Umie asks, still bewildered. "But yeah, I had some help."
'There's some of us who are trying to uncover the true identity of the Joker Killer.' Umie's expression grows vague; she nods. "Mmn, yeah. If we could encounter him outside of his usual state, his resonance would maybe give him away..."
Umie knows his identity, of course, but she can't say that.
"... Um, no," Umie says, softly. "Usually our conversations have been about other things."
<Pose Tracker> Maya Amano has posed.
'Usually our conversations have been about other things.'
Other things.
"Oh," Maya says, pressing a hand to her mouth. "Are the two of you seeing one another, then?"
That certainly would explain why Katsuya hadn't mentioned Umie! He always seemed to be the sort of guy who would be shy when it came to romance.
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
'Are the two of you seeing one another, then?'
How unfortunate, for Umie to be drinking her milk tea when Maya says that. She sputters as milk tea comes out her nose; one thumbsleeve'ed hand goes for a napkin to cough into.
Well, Maya will get to see Umie's nail polish at the moment is a nice coral orange.
"Nonono," Umie finally manages, clearing her throat, "Tutored his younger brother back in high school, that's how we know each other!"
.... oops
Well, maybe if she continues on, Maya won't seize on it. "I mostly see him as... I guess, in a big brother light? Just his general aura." She looks down, instantly regretting it. ".... please don't tell him that."
<Pose Tracker> Maya Amano has posed.
Sorry, Umie.
"I thought you said that the two of you met because you were targeted by the Joker Killer," she says, tapping a finger against her cheek. She talks like Umie hadn't just spewed a mouthful of tea into her napkin.
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
Oh no, Maya caught on something Umie had overlooked. It's like Maya is a reporter, or something!
"Well, that's kind of... well, I thought..." Umie immediately regrets taking off those glasses; maybe Katsuya has the right idea by wearing tinted glasses. However, just because they look good on *him* (NOT IN THAT WAY MAYA) doesn't mean they'd look good on _Umie_.
"Look, it's true that I was targetted by the... Joker Killer," Umie says, with some hesitation, glancing aside, "but I knew him before that. It just... happened."
<Pose Tracker> Maya Amano has posed.
Maya continues tapping a finger against her cheek. "Why wouldn't you say that to start?" She leans forward with an a playful seriousness, her hands locked behind her back. "What else are you hiding from me, A-ka-ba-ne-san?"
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
Ah, and Umie was doing so well, too.
"... Well, if Katsuya-san didn't volunteer it, it seemed like..." Umie trails off. "It was personal information." Yes, that's her final answer.
And yet, Maya hits her with a tried and true tactic. That's no fair, that's Umie's tactic!!
.... Wait, is this what it's like, to be on the other end of it?
She takes a moment to close her eyes and settle back, taking a sip of her milk tea. "Well," she starts, leaning on a hand, "if I should be a little more direct." She will not be; Tatsuya's goal is clear, but Umie has her own things she wants to find out. "What drove you, a reporter for a trendy magazine, into doing this story, Amano-san?"
Umie knows it's not a story, of course, but it obfuscates her true purpose here: what is Maya's connection to all of this, and how much does she know?
<Pose Tracker> Maya Amano has posed.
"Don't think that you can get out of answering me by deflecting!" Maya is an ace reporter, after all! There is always one truth -- and Maya's out here to find it!
"If you don't want to tell me the truth for nothing, how about we do an exchange of info? You tell me why you were being untruthful and I'll answer your question." That sounds like a fair exchange to Maya!
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
'Isn't it funny, for someone who says she prefers people who are truthful and honest with you, that you can't be the same yourself?' Oh, be quiet, Mai-chan.
An exchange of information. No, don't screw this up-- oh.
"What part of what I said was untruthful?" Umie grins. "Katsuya-san's a private person. Revealing I knew him from before might lead to awkward questions, such as," Umie holds up a finger, "'did you two date'." Nevermind it was through Umie's unwillingness to give personal information that the confusion initially happened.
... It's because of Tatsuya Suou, of course. That's the reason she's not being truthful. But maybe, this would be a good way to see if Maya understands or knows about Tatsuya yet, or his relation to Katsuya.
"Maybe you're sweet on Katsuya-san yourself, Amano-san?" _Take that._
<Pose Tracker> Maya Amano has posed.
"No, Katsuya-san's..." Maya takes a moment to think about her answer. "...a co-worker." Well, not exactly, but that's the closest that she can think of how to describe it. "You're not supposed to date your co-workers, are you?"
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
Wait, does that hesitation mean--!?
Umie hides a shark-like smile behind the straw of her drink, red-brown eyes twinkling. "If it's work to you... so it is a story, then? Is that why you're digging into the Old Maid?"
But if Katsuya's there, why wouldn't they already know Joker Killer's identity? Katsuya certainly wouldn't omit it without good reason, and she just can't see him doing it for malicious reasons, either...
Is this something the police are withholding from him, despite being a police officer himself? Maybe something to do with what Officer Ishiba insinuated that night... which means...
The NWO is covering it up, most likely, because it's Tatsuzou's son. Just how much trouble is Shinjirou in, just by knowing about this? If Umie had leaked that instead of her connection with Tatsuya (thankfully not by name), it'd be...
... Maybe, they already know themselves.
"Amano-san, I'm wondering if you've been lying to me yourself."
<Pose Tracker> Maya Amano has posed.
Maya is unbothered by the accusation; if anything, she seems amused by it.
"I started investigating the Joker Killer after the story was assigned to me by Editor-in-Chief Mizuno." Exactly as Umie suspected. "I'm working with Katsuya-san and the others to get the bottom of it. Now it's a little more than a story to me. We all want to stop the Joker Killer before he kills again."
But she had mentioned that earlier, right. "That's all there is to it. So, Akabane-san, why are you so interested in what I'm doing?"
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
Wait, so it *was* a story. Maya wasn't lying at all. Umie looks surprised, then, a second later, as her gaze lowers, it betrays a hint of guilt as well. "... I do too. Not just because he attacked me, but..."
Shinjiro may only have a year left, if his treatments don't take. Even if that was the last thing on his mind when he told her, it solidified it in hers.
There's also Tatsuya.
And...
'A child lies on the edge of two breaths.'
"Amano-san, you need to be careful. That man knows your name. Even if you have a Persona youself, that's not going to be enough, even in areas outside of Sumaru City."
Wait, Shinjiro was surprised when she revealed that one thing about Sudou's attack. Maybe it'll be the same here?
"This is going to sound weird, but bear with me. My skill set," she begins, with a measure of pride, "is being able to get in and out of a sticky situation, when I have access to my Persona." She pauses, for emphasis. "_When I have access to my Persona_. In Shibuya. You shouldn't be able to do that, but he was able to create the conditions to do it. I knew it the second he did it. Secondly... despite that, he kept up with me. He shouldn't be able to."
She frowns, leaning forward. "He can teleport, but only in certain situations. I haven't figured out the hows and whys of it-- it could be due to rumors, if it's specific."
<Pose Tracker> Maya Amano has posed.
Maya almost can't believe the intel she's getting! "Now we know how he got out of the sanatorium!" Maya exclaims. Thankfully for them, the store's other patrons are too preoccupied with their drinks and meals to listen in on their rather bizarre conversation.
"Akabane-san, is there anything else that you know that might be helpful? Our group is planning to lure him out. The more information we have, the better prepared we'll be to take him on!"
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
".... Yeah, I called him a teleportation cheating son of a bitch," Umie says with a straight face, her tone imbued a wry bluntness she hasn't used up until now. "... He deserved it, since he was going to kill me while I was still wearing my cashier's uniform. Really, is there a worse way to go than that?"
Maybe, that's why she started laughing with the Phantom Thieves showed up. .... No, it was because it made the Phantom Thieves of Hearts turn from a simple rumor to something even better than she had imagined.
'Now we know how he got out of the sanatorium!'
WAIT, SHE KNEW?!
".... wh..."
Umie stares at Maya. "... Y...."
"You can't just say that aloud!" she hisses, leaning forward. "I'm not supposed to know that; what if I fed that information to someone else?!"
Pause. "... You better let me in on it. You're going to need me. That guy's got everyone on his tail; I know a few people who'd likely want a piece themselves."
<Pose Tracker> Maya Amano has posed.
Maya claps her hands together in obvious pleasure. "I'll talk to the others!" she exclaims. "I already have your number, but......." She digs through her bag and retrieves a business card. "Here's mine. Call me anytime if you find anything else out!"
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
How is this person so... positive?
No wonder both Tatsuyas (THIS IS VERY CURSED, BY THE WAY) have mentioned her. Maya Amano... is something else.
"Right," she says, finally. "Call me if you need help. I realize you have people you can depend on, already, but there's some things I have access to that they may not." She gives a small, vague wink at that, as she takes the business card between two fingers, before sliding it in her purse.
Finishing her milk tea, she adds, softly, looking up from her straw at Maya, "... Do me a favor, though? If Old Maid tries to target you specifically, with anything out of the ordinary, don't listen. And most of all, don't listen to anything 'He' says, Amano-san. That's the biggest piece of advice I can give you."
How strange, that it could sound like Umie was mentioning someone other than Sudou.
It'd be great if Tatsuya would explain who 'He' is, but for some reason, out of all the things she's asked and poked after, Umie can never garner the guts to ask that one simple question.
... Because a part of her, she dreads, may already know.