2025-09-30: The Coffin Trick
- Log: The Coffin Trick
- Cast: Umie Akabane, Goro Akechi
- Where: Aoba Park, Sumaru City
- OOC Date: September 30, 2025
- IC Date: July 19, 2012
- Summary: Umie tries to give Akechi a nice excuse to reveal that he's a Persona user, but since he is Akechi and she is Umie, she can't have nice things. Nonetheless they talk about serial murderers, arson, death, giant conspiracies, a possible entity that exists a level above a persona, final messages, bad omens, the allure of sudden offered power to fill the gaping void in one's life, and other normal topics. Also some last minute demon interrogation, as a treat!
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
> Meet me at Aoba Park, 11:45pm. Green bench by entrance.
Direct to the point of impoliteness, but giving no explanations at the same time. Would Akechi even show up to such an rude request? Umie has a few theories that say 'yes', but even if they fall through, or, despite her utmost confidence after encountering 'Prince-san' (or would it be better to call him 'Band Member-san?') two times, Akechi turns out to be unrelated, she'll make the most of her time. Time is of the essence, after all, and her stint in the hospital has left her scrambling to catch up.
Umie barely has the faintest ideas of how these 'Mask-sans' work, or if they even operate that differently at all from other types. Cognitive armor(?) that's possibly man-made, masks that don't seem to crack or burn easily, and an ability to preserve the secret of their identity that's more thorough than hers, as far as she can tell. How much of it would exist beyond a cognitive arena is unknown; their outfits don't seem to be the kind someone could put on in a hurry, unlike the simpleness of Umie's own.
Then there's Akechi. It *has* to be intentionally sloppy, in the same way Umie has been sloppy with hers; Akechi perhaps needs at least some people to know who he is to avoid confusion and to avoid being at the wrong end of a misunderstanding during a life or death situation. Or maybe, Akechi's still figuring it all out because he's new at it, or, like her, he's never had to, up until this point.
Which leads naturally to Aoba Park. Dressed in her usual red tee, black shirts, and sneakers, with her blonde hair done back in a ponytail, Umie has on a hooded white windbreaker, thin enough to put up a barrier to the night breeze, but not trap heat or moisture. A shoulder bag is slung over one shoulder, carrying the necessary items for tonight's venture.
One of which is a curry bun wrapped in plastic, which she digs into. The Satomi Tadashi Super Spicy Supreme Curry Bun... if nothing else goes right tonight, she'll have her curry bun. It's the best thing to eat before Dealing WIth Demons.
..... which is what the plan is, if all else fails: interview/barter with some demons, see if a Mark-summoned demon stays around in the 'same area', and gather clues.
She checks her phone as she sits on a bench, taking another bite of her Curry Bun and drinking it down with a Cielo Mist, courtesy of the nearby soda machine. Aughhhhh, why do these have to be so bad for you if they're so delicioussss
<Pose Tracker> Goro Akechi has posed.
There was no answer at first. Goro Akechi is a busy busy little bee after all. Then:
>How could I refuse?
>I may run a tad late. I'm in Tokyo today.
Later on!
>Sadly I missed the train. I may be about thirteen minutes late, give or take?
23:59:24
He is in fact, fourteen minutes and twenty four seconds late! She catches sight of him. There in the summer uniform for Seven Sisters, with gloves on, his hands bearing the briefcase he's well known for, "What a refreshing evening! How are you doing, Akabane-san?"
He approaches, all smiles, "Now are you going to tell me what calling me here this hour is all about?"
00:00
The strike of midnight, the world is covered in shades of hue, the waters becoming a gleaming, sanguine red.
This is the time known as the Dark Hour. Umie Akabane's plan certainly would reveal if he's a Persona User or not, would it not?
Except there's now a coffin where Goro Akechi was standing.
Huh!?
THAT MAKES NO SENSE WHATSOEVER!
But, there it is. A coffin! Who has egg(Karepan?) on their face now, Umie?
[OOC] Goro Akechi says, "*blu-ray covered in hues of green"
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
Umie reads her phone, munching on her karepan as she crosses her legs, kicking one foot in the air. The glow of the phone reflects on her eyes as she reads. "Of course you'll run late," she murmurs, softly. "... And then you'll probably miss your train, and be completely unable to come." (She is partially right.)
Umie is immediately surprised when she hears Akechi's voice, mouth still full of karepan as she sits up, eyes wide open--
--and begins to sputter, a fragment of curry bun going down the wrong tube. Hacking, she thrusts a hand out to wash the coughing fit away with the refreshing taste of Cielo Mist, when the world goes green. The Dark Hour begins.
Wiping her mouth, one eye opens to see the sight of a coffin inexplicably there, in that very spot. ".... Eh?"
wait. What. Wait. _WHAT_.
The clues just don't line up on him *not* being a Persona User, so what did Umie screw up this time?!
'Maybe you just want it to be true, Umie-chan? All the Mask-sans are so dashing~ which one is your favorite? The band prince, or the mysterious thief?' _SHUT UP MAI-CHAN, THIS IS NOT THE TIME_.
".... No arm sling," she says aloud, softly. Akechi had one in the news report. But it didn't stop 'Prince-san' from shooting, so maybe it wasn't that serious an injury? If only she hadn't been so focused on trying to strangle that damn serial murderer.
.....
There is a method, and she knows it. No whispers, coy or darkly muttering, has to remind her. Just one mental image of Akechi's face being twisted in pain as he dissolved into Shadow is enough to make the last of her curry pan taste like ash. If this was some double (would Akechi really be able to find someone who could pass as him?), it wouldn't solve anything.
Umie sighs, uncrossing her legs as she slips out her secret weapon: a palm-sized red apple, which she tosses in the air once with a grin and catching it. Then, holding the curry bread in her mouth, she plants the palm of her other atop it, giving it a good twist. The white numbers have been worn from constant use, a white line in paint marker graciously extending the little gadget's lifespan.
Nothing beats an egg timer.
She finishes her karepan and washes it down, wiping her hands off on her shorts and throws the wrapper and empty can into the trash. ".... Seriously." She holds up her hand, summoning the dark grey-shawled Badb. "I'll figure you out later."
She has demons to interview and barter with.
<Pose Tracker> Goro Akechi has posed.
And then right as Umie turns around, to toss the Apple!
Creakkkkkk.
She may miss her catch, maybe. Because that sounded like wood creaking.
Take a second look, the lid of the coffin is... cracked, just a smidge.
Assuming this attracts her attention, to get close enough, to peer inside... she'll see... she'll see...!
Nothing?!
Which is when she would then hear behind her. "How do you like my disappearing act?" Comes Goro Akechi's voice, as he stands behind her, still in his uniform and bearing that briefcase.
There is indeed... no sling.
"I do believe I could make quite the splash as a stage magician- if ever I fell out of favor as a detective."
What!? But... coffin! Empty!
"You're definitely not the first Persona User that has tried to figure me out that way." He says with a sort of blaise cheer, "So I found my own method to thwart that. You did give me quite the opportunity to get in some practice though!"
Terrible.
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
_creaaakkkk_
"Gh-!!" The apple egg timer bounces once as Umie fumbles with it, twice as she tries to snatch it, and three times, alas....
There's a cracking sound as the cheery red exterior smashes on the sidewalk, revealing the tiny metal and plastic components inside. ... It's broken.... All... 100 yen of it.
Umie'd be more heartbroken if she didn't see the cracked open coffin in front of her.
Logic would state that this cannot be a coffin like the other coffins, because if someone was inside, naturally, it'd mean...
Akechi would be...
_He'd be turning into a shadow_.
Indeed, Umie jumps to her feet and runs to the coffin in a cold panic, taking the cracked open lid...
... *and slamming it closed*.
She barely has a chance to catch her breath before she hears Akechi's voice behind her.
Which means, as the 155cm young woman spins around, Akechi will now have an answer to the question of which Umie is here tonight: the one that flees, the one that fawns, or the one that fights?
(It's the last one. She attempting a very sloppy punch, and it will be pretty easy for Akechi to maneuver around.)
The logic centers of her brain catch up in that short amount of time, however, as Umie switches to another tactic: yelling.
"You _IDIOT_, I was _trying_ to give you a graceful way of just-- I thought you were-- I THOUGHT YOU--" sputters Umie, before she massages her temples with one hand. "... Forget it, you *did* show up, when you could've clearly just... hid. From me."
She looks up. "Okay, then. I'll be direct. You're clearly not in a coffin, so you're *something* like a Persona user. So." Her heart's *still* pounding in her chest from that initial scare. This bastard...! "... So I'm just going to ask you, very directly: do you, Goro Akechi, have a Persona?" She clears her throat. "And I do *not* mean the psychological concept."
<Pose Tracker> Goro Akechi has posed.
What one is supposed to do when scaring a young lady so, is to take it on the chin. That's the graceful way of doing it, at least.
He doesn't take it on the chin, but he does allow her punch to land against his right shoulder, still chuckling.
"And what would be the fun in that? Isn't this much more interesting than 'Ah, you got me' as the Dark Hour begins?"
He's definitely being incorrigible on purpose, before her rage. "I'm no Shadow, as you can well see. And I don't feel like I'm on my way into turning into one."
She then asks him flat out, and he shifts his pose, putting a hand to his chin, "Well, that is an interesting question. Do I have a Persona or don't I?"
He strokes his chin for a moment, before his eyes look towards Umie and-
"What makes you think I might have one?" He asks her, looking suddenly quite smug, likely to her IMMENSE frustration, "You haven't hired me to solve your mysteries for you. So, present your case, Akabane-san."
He drops his hand back to his side, "And if your rationale and evidence are sound enough, then I'll happily confirm your answer."
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
Thankfully for Akechi's boy next door good looks, it's easy enough to ensure that punch lands on his right shoulder.
"...." Isn't it more interesting? ".... Don't make me aim for your left shoulder." (In other words, Akechi is very much correct. This *is* more fun.)
.... Give Umie a moment; she's rebooting. That's clearly what those fingers pressed into the bridge of her nose mean, right now, as Akechi assures her he doesn't feel like he's turning into one.
"....." Umie gives Akechi a long, suspicious look, and sighs. ".... I'm not about to unpack that can of beans tonight, so let's just settle on me being glad there's not a double of you running around out there." Unless this is a double of Akechi that not only sounds like him, looks like him, and acts like them, but also can stand in the middle of the Dark Hourannnnnddd Umie's just moving on at this point. "I'm not sure the world's ready for that."
But Umie, fortunately, is ready to answer Akechi's question, at least.
.....
"... Pretty sure there's a quicker way of doing things," Umie says as she crosses her arms. She almost seems to consider it for a moment, peering at Akechi through through lowered eyelids, a growing, sharp grin on her lips, before she shakes her head. "But that'd be no fun either, whether it worked or not. Besides..." Stepping away from the coffin, past Akechi, and over the poor remains of her beloved apple-shaped egg timer, Umie plops herself back on the bench. "If you *were* going to fall for me, it'd be so much more fun if it happened naturally, as a consequence of your terrible meddling." She crosses her legs, waving a red-nailed index finger. "Like a punishment."
Thankfully, Umie's had enough time to think on Akechi's question, as it turned out. "Your reaction to the Phantom Thieves is my first bit. But who knows? Maybe there's another 'Mask-san' running around trying to prevent the Phantom Thieves from... doing..." She waves her hands vaguely. "Besides, 'Prince-san' may be gracious to them, but would _Goro Akechi_ be that way?" .... Yes, Umie's certain Akechi would, seeing as how the Phantom Thieves weren't going to steal any 'hearts' right then and there, and....
"Prince-san also seemed *very* invested in the Old Maid. But, who wouldn't? A previous victim, maybe? Maybe he awakened from the stress, and decided to become an ally for justice? Sure, Goro Akechi is interested in this case too, but why to this level?"
"The biggest clue... is how you and Katsuya-san reacted to each other. ... I admit, the first time we met, I didn't catch it. It always seemed like people with masks show up and conveniently disappeared." Umie knows a possibility of why, but she's not revealing that no matter how smug she'd feel about it. "A young man who called him. 'It is safely in her hands'. Katsuya told me it was with the Police, but yet... you were the one who gave my phone to me. Plus the other things, like... 'I'm your backup'. Katsuya-san is a very by the book person. Why would he accept all that so easily? If I put this together with all the other consequences... " She shakes her head. "But even this may be forcing a conclusion.
"The first time I met Prince-san, yo-, that is, he, mentioned his justice."
She leans forward. "You're the one person I could think of that would be so devoted to his concept of Justice," with a capital J, somehow. "If I revisit that thought... that this Prince-san may have a personal connection..."
Her fingernails grip the edge of the bench's seat, as something, unbidden, tries to come to her mind. ".... He's done this so many times, and even... before." She closes her eyes.
No, she's forcing a connection there. It's Shinjiro and Akihiko who lost someone, back then. Akechi may be familiar with the case, and even may make the connections that it was Sudou, but what would those past words of her younger self mean? They can apply anywhere.
<Pose Tracker> Goro Akechi has posed.
"That would certainly sting, aha." Is Akechi's response to her 'threat'. There's a smile, as she insists there's not a double of him running around out there, "Are you quite certain? It's common enough for celebrities to have a body double on their payroll in order to protect their privacy."
And indeed, thinking back towards Ren suddenly MUSSING UP HIS HAIR so thoroughly, he might try to make that happen.
Umie insists there's a quicker way of doing things, "You say that but..." And he matches her look, "... you're the one who called me out here to Aoba Park this time of night, when I was in Tokyo."
He's calling her out! If she wanted things done the EASY way she had much easier ways to ASK him, but she chose the method that called him way out here just to SEEK ANSWERS!
Akechi lets out a nefarious chuckle at Umie stating 'fall for her' "Please, that's the last thing both of us would ever want. I'm pretty sure I'd put you straight into an early grave, dating me. And then who would I banter with at this time of night?"
Amamiya-kun isn't THAT much of a night owl, he believes.
(Not shown, Morgana: Hey Ren, isn't it about time you should go to bed?)
And as if to illustrate that definitely not ominous 'joke' as to how, "How is your blood pressure by the by? You might want to get it checked."
Umie however begins to make her case, "Hmm, 'Mask-san'... 'Prince-san'..." He says, sotto voce, as if considering both terms, "He could simply be an admirer? My arguments are well known from my television appearances and many Persona Users might feel quite strongly about the Phantom Thieves as well."
He says, as he pokes a hole, and then Umie notes his interest in the Old Maid. "And yet, a great many are interested in the Old Maid case, including several friends of yours- if I'm not mistaken?" He says, as he flashes a smile at her.
But then she brings up Katsuya! And now, he puts a hand back to his chin, "My... that is compelling a compelling rationale... I must admit..." He could poke holes into it, if Umie were on the witness stand, but he sees little point in it, since even Umie states she could be forcing a conclusion.
"Perhaps so..."
There's a chuckle at the 'his justice with a capital J' part of it, "You really should watch more television, if you think I'm the only one who would ever say such a line." Is Akechi's blithe answer to her statement. Perhaps telling on himself a little, about his media.
The last part however? He closes his eyes, then smiles, "That was a rather compelling argument. Perhaps not enough if you were a prosecutor to try the case... but I didn't ask for such a high burden of proof. ... I suppose I must give credit where credit is due." And then, there's a visible shift, and what's odd to Umie is she doesn't even feel that shift as a function of resonance.
But 'Prince-san' stands before her, complete with Tengu mask and his outfit, "Now then." He says with a smug look her way, "Was this the only reason you called me out here at this hour or did you have another reason?"
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
"Wouldn't you be at least a little disappointed if they find someone who could pose as you?" Umie picks at a nail with her thumb. "I'd rather someone tell me, 'oh no, we couldn't find anyone that could pass as you', even if I bet someone *could*. But then again... for you, wouldn't they just have to act out the fantasy of the second coming of the Prince Detective?"
Thank goodness Akechi's memories of that fateful day remain private; Umie'd likely fall over laughing.
There was an even *faster* way of doing things, Akechi points out. Umie's lips widen in a prim, thin smile. "And trust a phone line? Besides, you *could* have refused. I was fully prepared for that to happen, even." She leans forward. "But you didn't, did you?"
..... Because he wanted to troll her, but that's besides the poin-- "Did you have to put it that way?" Umie snickers. "But you're right. It'd be no fun." It *is* more fun that there's no 'threat', as it were, even it means them throwing words like these just to get a reaction. "And I'd be dead. My ghost would haunt you forever. It'd be very annoying."
But he picks one topic that makes Umie nod, slowly. "... The Dark Hour... really is a gif--" Oh, Umie's blood pressure is *GREAT*, look at that deadpan expression she's giving you, Akechi. "... Yes, I think us dating would be something that would qualify as a natural disaster. Please be sure to kill that version of me, Akechi-san; it's a body snatcher for sure."
As for evidence, if Umie wasn't poking holes, Akechi certainly is, and Umie doesn't seem to argue with it, at first. "It's really all a series of coincidences." She smirks, leaning back. "But that must be why your Persona looks the way it does... like a Western superhero. Wasn't expecting it, really--"
Nor was she expecting that the last bit of 'evidence' she had would be compelling at all. ".... Really?" Umie's eyes widen. What does it mean, though? "... You mean, the fact that it's personal for you--"
But why wouldn't it? "When did it happen?!" If Umie... sounds concerned, it's because she is, dropping her irritable gremlin 'persona' briefly, before snatching it back up like a security blanket.
The visible *shift* in Akechi's appearance, makes Umie flinch back, unable to process it. "Wait, you--" She sits up, then gets up, narrowing her eyes. "Do that again."
She knows that's the best way to make Akechi *not* do something, but with that spark of interest in her eyes, she's beyond caring. "That's... so it's... not even my abilities could do that! That's so--"
And she remembers herself, pressing a hand over the lower half of her face. ".... really interesting," she amends, keeping her voice as flat as possible.
Straightening and turning away, Umie tries to pose her hand as being an expression of thoughtfulness, rather than denying evidence of outright *glee* at finally figuring out something that's confused her for what feels like ages, even if it's only been over a month.
What else was Akechi here for?
"I want to gather evidence. Going by what happened to me weeks ago, and how the police questioned me in the hospital," Umie starts, letting her hand drop down from her mouth, "they're going to find a scapegoat. If my 'tattoo' was enough to almost get on some random cops' shitlist, imagine someone like Tsubasa Seki." She raises her right hand, still covered, as an indication of her next topic. "Next, some demons were summoned. I need to see if they still hang out here, and, if possible, figure out what they know, whether it's about the Old Maid, the arson, or... this Mark." She turns now, tilting her head with a neutral expression. "Would you be up for that?"
Brown eyes look down to the broken egg timer on the ground. "... Not sure how much of the Dark Hour's left, but I can at least see if any demons are nearby."
<Pose Tracker> Goro Akechi has posed.
"Well let's just say I'd be very particular about it, if there were someone who could." Is Akechi's brush off of it at first, because yes it would bother him if THEY found it, but if it's him? He could tolerate that.
"Precisely." He agrees, when it comes to Umie's answer, "And I didn't because I thought it would be an enjoyable way to spend an evening. And so did you- which is why I'm pointing out, you aren't actually hoping to end this quickly."
"Aha, if I see her, I won't hesitate." Is Akechi's threat which may be a little too real. "Not that many girls wouldn't dream of dating me. You should see the number of love letters I get in my shoe locker."
Worst of all, for most guys that would definitely be a boast they couldn't back up. Umie's rather certain he could.
However, at the same time, he's not doing it to be some lecher - saying he gets around. After all, he's had every opportunity to flirt with Umie because he's interested in her - but that's not why he flirts with her.
"I meant the gathered body of evidence." He says, with a smirk, "Not merely that it was personal."
When she says 'Do that again' though, Akechi literally waits for Umie to blink and then - bam, boy detective, complete with briefcase.
"I hope you're quite satisfied." He says playfully at her, perhaps enjoying that flabbergasted reaction. The Dark Hour makes that trick rather easy for him to pull off. Everything is a threat - and nothing is when a Shadow isn't present close by, all at once.
At the same time, he doesn't actually explain why it's very interesting. The Phantom Thieves could pull the same trick he's certain, if they were motivated to learn how.
"Robin Hood isn't quite all Western Superhero." He says, with a touch of pridefulness for his design, "But his 'narrative'- so to speak does allow me several useful tricks that aid in my investigations. In his tales he was well known for outwitting his opponents."
He says, as he lays the foundation to misdirect towards Robin Hood having all of those tricks. And only Robin Hood.
After all, who would have more than one Persona, without constantly switching them like say, Joker of the Phantom Thieves for an advantage?
Obviously not him, because he has just the one!
"So you believe that Seki-san will be scapegoated as the arsonist." He says, as if troubled, "Yes that's quite likely. Fortunately, even in Sumaru City, there's no prosecutor that would place their reputation on the line by pressing charges against them..."
A beat.
"... that won't stop them from trying to make their life miserable, though."
He says ominously, expression growing taut. As he considers her proposal, "Hmm, well. It's worth a try, certainly. Demons are difficult to interrogate... because it's incredibly hard to tell them apart, much less keep them on topic even if we can find one's that might know anything useful. Still, we are here." He needles her lightly, "Let's give it a try."
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
Umie smirks, leaning forward and interlacing her fingers together to form a hammock for her chin. "And why wouldn't you be? No one wants to find out how easily people can be fooled by a copy of themselves."
"Really? I'm hurt. *I* enjoy it." Umie raises her head from her interlaced fingers. "... But you're right. I would have waited until it was a better time, not drop a text out of the blue." ..... She still might, if she thought it would make a point, but that's for future Umie to think about.
Ha ha ha he agrees so quickly to killing her, _what a kidder_ ha ha... haaaa "..... You could have at least acted like you were hesitant to agree, you know." Umie's voice is appropriately deadpan, as she raises one eyebrow. "You're going to give me a complex, Akechi-san." She doesn't think much of it, in reality; Akechi has always been that sort of person, when away from social media. Could he be willing to do it?
(Don't ask hypothetical questions like that, Umie. You're paranoid enough as it is.)
".... few girls have a shrieking death goddess as a persona, Akechi-san." Umie delivers this with no derision or dislike over the fact, just a tilt of her head as she gives him a small cheeky smile. "But I believe you. And that you took no pleasure in having to refuse them, if the issue came up." She holds no illusion of Akechi; any move he's made has been a way to needle or annoy her, but never in a way that made her feel like he was trying to possess her like others have had.
It was just a game, and she was willing to play it back. "Oh, so it's a pity vote?" Umie chuckles. "Way to destroy a girl's confidence... how could you be so cruel, Akechi-san...?"
No, he's got better ways of doing that, like changing back in the space of an eyeblink.
_damn it, it's still impressive_, even if Umie's blood pressure is surging again. "... Of course I'm not!" Umie hisses through her hand. "Ggggh."
Of course, Umie's own resonance has barely changed, save for the few times Akechi has managed to spike her emotions (which has been... a few times, already). It's like a complusive need to keep hidden, to lie just below the water's surface, as if a predator could be flying overhead.
As Akechi shows that element of pride, Umie finally allows herself to be interested; it's subdued, but the appreciation is there.
".... It's unique," she says, nodding. "So it's an embodiment of Robin Hood as a bit of a trickster. I can see it. Your outfit too; it has a prince element to it, but I could see it as a band outfit too. But the mask." Her grin turns mischevious. "A tengu mask. Like something's just a little bit different, but you can't put your finger on it--"
Oh no, Umie. You're letting your pesky enthusiasm show. Nevermind she fully bought Akechi's narrative; there's only been two people she's encountered who seem to be able to possess more than one Persona, and neither were... especially talkative about it.
"... Maybe. Seki-san has been taken in once already, due to an altercation with Officer Ishiba, a guy who's been lurking around the Cardboard Dragon and harassing the owner. He ambushed the owner one night, and... the Dark Hour hit while we were dealing with him. Yeo-san was there. It's not wise to move coffins." Her lips jerk in a grimace. "That, or someone else that was there. I'm asking around to get a sense of things, but I was... a little focused, during the fight."
They can, and they will make Seki-san's life difficult. "Especially," she begins, carefully, "if it's to cover up the Old Maid's identity, or that he even exists. I was lucky; Shibuya probably just was surprised it happened at all." Pause. "... And you saw it, right? The Old Maid can teleport. But only in certain situations, like mine, and now, Seki-san's."
As for demons?
"They can be," Umie admits. There's been many, *many* times it's nearly ended badly for Umie. ... Which does mean Akechi's going to see just how she gets up to things? Surely he'll be as impressed as Vesper was. (Narrator: He wasn't impressed.)
She makes a face.
There's something else, as well: "One more bit of information, before we go on this little fool's errand: the Old Maid said a name." Umie speaks with a nervous excitement as she walks away, the sort that could potentially spoil her meal. "It's not a great sign when all the short stories involving it have someone going mad from forbidden knowledge, or things being too terrible to describe, but."
She turns to look behind her, warm brown eyes staring back at Akechi's face with trepidation. "Does the name 'Nyarlathotep' happen to ring any bells, Akechi-san?"
<Pose Tracker> Goro Akechi has posed.
"Aha. It was just a joke." Is Akechi's simple response to Umie calling him on that. "You're going to give me a complex, if indulging your jokes is the 'wrong' answer." He tells her playfully, as if to say it was a comment about 'women' and reinforcing stereotypes about them.
"More than you think, actually." On the Shrieking Death Goddess, he means. But he places a hand to his chin as Umie discusses Seki.
"No. It is not." He murmurs, as for it being unwise to move coffins, before he falls upon, "The Sumaru Police are quite dirty. It's hardly surprising that they might be covering for the Old Maid... perhaps even at his Father's direct request..."
Yet, what to do?
Umie however notes the Old Maid said a name, and Akechi looks her way, "Oh? That is intriguing. What name?"
Does it ring any bells?
"'And where Nyarlathotep went, rest vanished, for the small hours were rent with the screams of nightmare.'" Akechi says aloud, as if quoting Lovecraft. "Lovecraft's Crawling Chaos... who breaks down the very reality of those who follow him."
He could say more of him as the Egyptian man, as another example of Lovecraft's Xenophobia, but it's not pertinent to the conversation.
"Hm. The Old Maid did show qualities atypical to most Persona Users... to the point where he did seem like a man possessed at times, when he'd taken far too much punishment."
He says, as if in consideration. "But that's hardly enough evidence on it's own that such a being exists outside of the 'narrative' that Personas draw upon..."
Still, beyond the Tengu mask, his eyes look troubled, like this may be a missing link, "... writhing in hands that are not hands..." He murmurs, eyes flicking to Umie's arm.
"I see, you believe it might be connected to your own situation, if it is true..." He says, trailing off, as if in sympathy.
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
It was a joke. "Ah ha--" Umie's laugh unintentionally mimicks Akechi's own, as she stops herself. Right, she knew it was a joke, and she pushed--
But it gives her the ability to step back. The next chuckle becomes an honest one, as Umie continues, pleased that Akechi spoke up. "... Point taken," she says with a single nod, adding with a quiet smirk, "We have enough of those." Complexes, that is.
'More than you think, actually.' Shrieky death goddesses... Umie snickers. "I'll take your word for it."
As for the Old Maid, Akechi's words catches Umie off guard. "..." She gives Akechi a long, thoughtful look, a red nail tucking a long side bang behind one ear. Of course Akechi'd know. She, in turn, all but admitted she knew as well, last they met. "... Yes," she acquiesces. "... I wonder if Daddy Dearest even realizes how the Old Maid keeps getting out. Or if he even cares, as long as it's all swept under the rug." The current of contempt in her voice lends evidence that she fails to wonder at all. "... Hell, he's probably the one who..." The thought is cut off, as Umie tries to fit this in with what little of the timeline she knows for sure; so much of it is built on assumptions.
Or delusions.
It all gets murkier, the further she goes. Like... that name, Nyarlathotep. ".. Definitely familiar, then," Umie says with a wry smile, as Akechi recalls a passage. "I actually made the mistake of picking up a collection of Lovecraft's work when I was recovering. Not exactly light reading." Despite her expression, hearing the words aloud drew a chill down her spine, despite the warmth of the humid July night air.
And furthermore... "So you're thinking along the same lines... A unique Persona. Maybe Old Maid's mental state allows him to view it as something separate from himself, enough that his Persona would 'interact' with him when I tried to sneak up on him." However, Tatsuya's words, despite him never offering a name, hint at another picture, no matter how much she wants this theory to fit. 'Don't listen to 'Him, Tatsuya had said. He had also warned Umie about Akechi, but would that just be due to how Akechi operates? There's still the unasked question of his earlier joke of being in 'no danger of becoming a shadow'--
'... writhing in hands that are not hands...' Something in the way Akechi gazes at her, even through that mask, draws chills down her spine as she realizes she's on the other end of what feels like... sympathy. The fingers of her right hand turn the red bracelet on her left wrist, the protests of the bell chime barely audible in the still quiet.
The vindication of someone following along, however, belatedly sparks something in her chest. These are thoughts she cannot risk voicing to anyone just yet, sympathetic or no, and now, she feels in control again.
"It's possible," Umie finally agrees. "But I'm more concerned about the connection with the Old Maid. We can assume all of this is a mixture of a powerful persona and maybe rumors, but if one group or another goes to pay him a direct visit... It'd be safer to be prepared for more than that."
She stops, then smiles, the sharp curve of it spreading as she settles her chin on an upturned hand, her elbow balanced on her knee. "How about I make my own challenge?" Nope, she's not waiting for Akechi to respond, she's just saying it. "What is something Old Maid can do that no one should, and what would be some evidence as to *why* it can't be rumor based?"
Akechi may very well guess that it's the ability to summon demons, as well as the Mark being the source, if he's connected that dot, just yet. .... He could also refuse and not give her the satisfaction of answering, she realizes.
Oh no, Umie's not going to give up now. "If you have trouble, I can always help~" she adds, in a singsong tone.
<Pose Tracker> Goro Akechi has posed.
"That is the question now, isn't it?" Akechi murmurs, as if getting lost in thought again on the thought of whether Tatsuzou realizes. Of course, he knows that Tatsuzou knows. It's just... how long? And to what end?
Perhaps he's trying to make some use of his son after all, despite the orders to end his life.
Despite seeming lost in thought, his attention snaps back to Umie, as he asks, "Hm? ... In context, that would almost sound like you think the man is responsible for more than his current... residence."
After all, it was his 'powers' they were discussing only moments before.
Umie says she picked up Lovecraft's work while recovering, and that it's hardly light reading. "Not particularly, no. However, you might say it proved useful all the same..."
He could discuss Lovecraft, and the horror of the other. Such thoughts did make him feel all the more like some cursed other-being...
"Yes... I certainly agree that the more his identity becomes known, it becomes likelier that someone will visit him in the Sanitarium, sooner or later."
Umie offers her own challenge, and he cocks her head to the side, smiling at her, "You were there, and saw it, did you not? The man was not moving his Persona, at the end. The Persona was controlling him, even when it was causing more harm than good." He eyes her, "He even did so to deflect one of your attacks, if I'm not mistaken. All the while healing injuries that not even the greatest healing spells could manage while doing so."
There's a smirk on his expression, "And do you mean to tell me that a Rumor that he's immortal, or invincible or however one would phrase it has escaped the notice of every Rumormonger worth their salt in Sumaru City? No... you pointed out the Rumor that fuels him already."
There's something cheerfully smug about what he asks next, "Akabane-san were you expecting me to say that he can summon 'demons'? Or create 'spaces' where Personas might be utilized?" He then asks her, with a smile, "And what makes you think that particular ability has no connection to Rumors?" He says, as he offers her a counter challenge. "Do you have any evidence that it isn't?"
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
"He has to know something," Umie supposes, to Akechi's question. "A man like him doesn't survive this long in his position. How many people in the NWO are desperate to see that man fall? I'm surprised he hasn't just found a way to make his son disappear completely."
What *is* Tatsuzou responsible for? "It's a possibility," she offers, instead. "Akechi-san, in your cases concerning the Mark, did you ever find out how they got them? Some timeframe where they had and didn't have them, or locations they visited? Affliations?" Tatsuya said he didn't get his through the NWO, but... if so, how?
"Useful as a lead, yes." She raises her hands and shrugs. "But when one of the tropes is infernal knowledge driving someone insane, or something 'Other' lurking into town... It's not exactly *encouraging*." The sneaker of her crossed leg hops in the air, fraught with nervous energy.
But who would think of Goro Akechi, one of the most popular boys in Seven Sisters High, as a cursed other-being? Not Umie Akabane. Lonely, yes, when Ren's question will later make her think back, and compare what she knew of him before, up to now.
And like Ren's question accomplished that, Akechi's question accomplishes something else, in making Umie think back to their previous battles.
"Hm... I did. Pretty close up, in fact." But she had never considered a Persona that could control a person. A persona could go out of control, but... "How could something that's a part of you be something that directs or moves you, like that?" It feels... wrong. "It also told him when to leave."
A Persona that doesn't act like a Persona... where and why would such a thing ever exist?
She snerks. "That'd be the last thing we'd need. 'Sorry, guys, he's immortal now. Sucks to be you; better luck next time.' Not even a rumor's going to be enough to scrub *that* away."
Oh. Oh no. Akechi has that smirk, and his tone has gotten rather cheerfully smug.
This damn chariot's gone off the rails already, but Umie's still unable to care because it's still *movement*.
"<Nice.> Well, you got it! Though I'd say one must lead to the other; it's creating a dangerous space, right?" She gestures with a red-nailed hand. "Something about it registers as 'bad' to any Persona user around."
Ah, and there's the counter challenge. Umie's eyebrow twitches. "Alright, then."
She folds her arms. "Would you believe me, Akechi-san, if I told you?" She lets the words hang in the air like an ominious storm cloud.
".... Let's present it as a hypothetical. Say there was a young girl, who was so very, very lonely. So lonely for attention and a friend that one day, she created one, from thin air. Or, at least, it would seem like it. But it felt so very, very wrong." She leans forward, holding out her right wrist out to Akechi, still covered. "The same feeling, in fact, that the Old Maid creates, each time he used his own powers?"
"Wouldn't that," she whispers, "be something so very, very silly for someone to say, with no way or inclination to give any sort of proof, especially to a Detective Prince?"
<Pose Tracker> Goro Akechi has posed.
"Well, honestly - I don't know much about this 'NWO'. Certainly there's enough of a common link to say it exists, but I was thinking more of his connections as the 'Foreign Minister'." He tells Umie regarding Tatsuzou, "Though that begs the question, who else do you think is a part of that organization that could threaten a man such as him?"
He counters, looking at her pointedly, because it'd be useful to find out everything Umie knows about the higher ups.
She does ask however, if he ever found out how they got them. "Unfortunately not... by the time she was fleeing, what I presume was this 'NWO'- they became desperate and paranoid." He says, as if sad about that outcome, "They told me very little, instead more trying to discover what I know about it."
Hey isn't that what Umie is trying to do right now!?
"I did various background checks... but unfortunately I ran into multiple dead ends. There were signs of record tampering... but little to suggest who was responsible, other than having access in the first place."
The subject turns to Tatsuya Sudou's abilities, and Akechi answers her, "Well, we are dealing with many unknowns here. But let us consider for a moment that a being such as this 'Nyarlathotep' exists. Would it not make sense, if he possessed a degree of control over the man himself, or the man's Persona?"
As some God or Devil, it makes sense to Akechi, at least. That such beings could exist. Indeed, he thinks the Velvet Room is enough evidence of that.
He quirks a smile at Umie's statement, "I doubt it'd go all that well for anyone who actually tried that. Rumors so unrealistic are... difficult to spread. And even if it did, it would unlikely go well for whoever tried."
Umie praises him, and he chuckles, right before he smirks and issues her counter challenge, "I've probably heard far stranger." He quips lightly, before she presents a hypothetical.
He places a hand to his chin, and listens... then takes his time considering it, "You're correct that you have no way to offer proof. However... it lines up with what we've both witnessed from the Old Maid."
He then spells it out further to Umie. "Voices. The man possesses a profile bordering on psychopathy, so it's easy enough to write them off, correct? However... put it all together... perhaps he 'created' this Nyarlathotep himself, or perhaps it's a being that exists independent of his influence at all."
With a broad smile he says, "I suppose I believe you... going with my gut on this matter. It is perhaps circumstantial evidence and 'correlation' without something more concrete, but ever since awakening as a Persona User, I've learned one must at times think outside of conventional logic, when dealing with the unknown."
However, he then asks, "Though, I might ask, how this 'friend' of yours presents themself to you?"
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
Out of all the things Umie expected Akechi to not know, him not knowing what the NWO is feels like a particularly jagged bump in the road. "You don't--" She makes a confused sound, and presses a hand over her mouth, her elbow supported by her other hand.
No, don't start questioning yourself *now*. "But it's..." Your parents joined it... right? All of this was their fault.
(Or is it just a delusion she's been spreading?)
'Certainly there's enough of a common link to say it exists...' "Yes, yes, it exists," Umie says, hurriedly, with a frustrated bend to her lips. "I don't know. I've just always assumed..." Assumed it was behind everything?
Like that woman that Akechi mentions, acting much like she is, right now.
Think, think. "It's... like assuming the police are corrupt," she begins. "I can't point to every cop and say 'here is your evidence', but if I was someone who existed outside the margin of society... it's safer to assume. Call it paranoia, but if you survive another day, versus the version of you that dies because they didn't assume it, isn't that better?" Is it?
"Even 'existing' is an unknown. We've had no indication that anything summoned or whatever has been literal--" Except for... demons. ".... A demon, maybe... I've never encountered it, but maybe a demon could, if it was powerful enough, somehow control someone, especially if they were willing. And beyond that..." She closes her eyes, leaning her back against the bench, her head looking up towards the green sky. "There have been others who've confided in me about suspicions like that. Just... not with this. The Meta-nav app, for example. Why do certain people have it, but not others?" She sighs. "Before you ask? No. Not on my phone." He may already know that, having had it in his possession, but she'll just... nip that in the bud.
Akechi has heard far stranger. Umie raises her head from its relaxed pose to look back at the detective. "Why not both?"
'Though, I might ask, how this 'friend' of yours presents themself to you?'
'Ara, ara~ he launched right past your meaning to another truth. Why don't you introduce me to him? Pleasssseee? I promise I won't bite~ Oh, oh, you think he'd let me touch that soft hair? Yours got all dry and brittle since you started bleaching it.'
"...." It's much like when Umie had accidentally brushed across one of Akechi's secrets with the reference to the Hanged Man, which, in turn, was borne from Norse mythology.
This time, however, the roles are reversed.
Remember to breathe. The breath she lets out feels painful, all the same, when she finally lets go of it. ".... I called him Taro-kun. Well, 'call' him. I'm not sure how it all works." She shrugs with a fond smile. "A Mothman, I think? Mostly he just got into trouble. I'd get blamed for whatever he did, but he'd let me pet him. Sometimes I fell asleep with his wings draped over me like a blanket... he was very sweet, when he wanted to be."
She sighs, letting her head fall back. "... It was wrong. I was lucky it didn't get any worse than that."
<Pose Tracker> Goro Akechi has posed.
Perhaps it's merely that Akechi hasn't quite gotten to unmasking the clandestine secret society. But the truth is that he, unlike OTHER members of the NWO knows about Opsec.
In his civilian guise, if he simply knew all the secrets of this organization, it would look just as suspicious, now wouldn't it?
Better to act like he just hasn't quite gotten there. "...that it's behind more than I even know?" He says, as if trying to finish her sentence.
"Well, if that's the case, then the reason why is quite simple... don't you think?"
Akechi says, as he meets her eyes, in that moment, and Umie may get the sense that the answer is 'Because everyone who I investigated who might have been connected to it, ended up dead.' And not due to a lack of effort on his part.
No, indeed, he put in some effort killing them.
But she wouldn't know that!
"A demon..." Akechi murmurs, as he considers Umie's theory, "... I suppose it's possible..." He concedes, "...but that would be quite the unique demon. Some do have access to spells that can control a person, but never for long periods of time."
As for the Meta-Nav app, "Ah. Well, I certainly have my theories as to why that is." He says to Umie, "But I suppose the best way to describe it is that it is more of a function of a certain type of Persona User... such as myself."
A beat.
"Or the Phantom Thieves of Hearts."
That's interesting, he's then classifying them as a different type of Persona User entirely. "For others who awaken differently, the app will not appear."
In truth he hasn't actually checked the phones of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts, he just suspects it must be true for them, given how certain he is of how they enter Mementos and Palaces.
Certainly he can't hear the voice in Umie's head. But knowing that someone is controlling Sudou recontextualizes the Voices. And who hears them.
Of course - now Ren isn't the only one who wants to touch his hair~ Maihime has joined his Fandom.
"A Mothman... will wonders never cease? Is the demon the result of Pop Culture... or is it the other way around?" Akechi speculates quietly, as if contemplating this about Umie... before, at her prompting that 'It was wrong. I was lucky it didn't get any worse than that.'
"... I presume it didn't end well. However, you can hardly be blamed for that. You were lonely, and someone offered you a means to assuage that loneliness."
Foolish Girl
There is sympathy in his eyes, that contrasts that dark thought. Someone who is attracted to the idea of friends and connections like that can be so easily manipulated.
Fortunately he has no one like that in his life.
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
If only more people knew about opsec... then again, it'd mean Akechi's job would be so much harder.
Well, there's always Mementos.
Umie, like she's done many, many times before, foolishly supposes the answers instead of pondering further. Of course Akechi would have things he doesn't know. He's quite human, no matter how much his social media profile presents himself as the perfect boy next door detective.
A lie of approachable affablity.
"The reason why?" Why he didn't know. "Meanwhile, the coward who hid and did nothing but deal with demons... survived," Umie connects aloud, allowing a harsh smirk at her own expense. "Because she didn't do anything worth worrying about."
Which means... it's a matter of time. "... But that means you could be on their list too, Akechi-san, if you keep going. So don't die, alright?" She closes one eye in a wink, grinning. "It'd be a waste. What would I tell Amamiya-san?"
(What *is* their relationship, anyhow?)
"... We don't need another Poe."
'Some do have access to spells that can control a person...' "... Like the one I casually threatened to cast on you, you mean?" Umie interlaces the fingers of both hands on her knee. "You're right. Even that isn't as straightfoward as I'd like it to be, sometimes. The will of a Persona User has to be good enough to even get through the door."
Akechi, in just as casual a fashion drops the puzzle piece she had been trying to figure out for Myunghon (or, more like, herself, really). "... Mask-sans..." Umie says, in her dumbfounded state, before she clears her throat. "I really need to think of a better name..."
But that means... Myunghon--
Myunghon is a Mask-san too?! But which kind? If Akechi is categorizing them differently...
"Well, that clarifies a whole lot. But think about it: why is it like that? An app is something man-made; it's intentional. So... why does it not act like that..." She trails off, her eyelids lowering as she remains in thought.
"From then United States, yeah," Umie says, nodding. "A bad omen, if you see one. Pretty ironic..."
Something in his gaze disturbs her... that sympathy.
Umie makes a thoughtful sound, shifting back on her bench and slowly turning her head upward to look back at the green sky. "'It is at the guarding of thy death that I am; and I shall be', said the Badb, to Cú Chulainn. ... Or Morrigan, would be a better way to put it."
How fortunate, to be lonely, for Akechi.
"It was harmless. Mostly just some mischief. Loud banging noises in the middle of the night, plates smashed. Things stolen and found in my room." She smirks. "It's fine. I'm more concerned about the damage to my self; it was using the power behind the Mark, after all."
Which leads them back to... "So that's my proof. He has a power that cannot be derived from rumors or a persona, just like I do."
She regards him a little further, silent.
".... Time might be running out, but I think this has been a lot better than talking to demons, don't you think?"
<Pose Tracker> Goro Akechi has posed.
"Well, either that, or they believe you still have value to them." Akechi says calmly, of the idea of her not doing 'anything worth worrying about'. "That man after all, did try to hire me to find his runaway fiance."
It's unfortunate perhaps, that a woman like Umie might still be considered to have value as a bride that others might not possess.
"Aha... it's certainly possible." Akechi says with a broad grin at the idea he might be on their list, "However, I assure you, I can take care of myself quite well..."
Even against a Conspiracy that controls so much? Well, it is Goro Akechi.
"What would you tell him?"
If he ended up dead?
It's an unserious question on Umie's part (Well, half unserious, given that she cites Poe), but it gives Akechi some serious thought, what would he want Ren to be told if he ended up dead?
"Well if that came to pass, tell him that I regret we'll never have that rematch..."
It would make him the eternal winner, but that's not how he would ever want to win. One and done... and then dead.
Oh well. A win is a win, he'd accept it, he just wouldn't prefer it.
"You could certainly try it~" He says playfully, "I don't think it'll work as well as you hope it might."
Just check his passive list, Navigator!
Fortify Spirit: Reduce Susceptibility to Ailments
"... Right. I can't imagine most Persona Users being controlled by such spells for longer than a minute."
Then again, one can do a lot with a minute, he knows this from experience.
"Oh certainly... unfortunately, my tech expert has looked into it. The code is utterly impenetrable. I suspect it's because it's not truly an app, but something else entirely..."
He trails off, because indeed, the Meta-Nav has always bothered him. What God or Demon sponsors him?
He's not certain enough to say.
Umie though cites a quote from the Ulster Cycle, "The... Cattle Raid of Cooley, if I'm not mistaken? The Morrigan appearing as an old hag, to wash his bloody armor. An omen of his coming death."
He looks thoughtful, before Umie tells him it was harmless, "Is that so? Well, it's fortunate then that the risks only came from the use of that power." Akechi says, softly, "Though, it is a sinister thing, to tempt a child with..."
He stares off into the distance, and that definitely has no pertinence to himself, the allure of sudden offered power to fill the gaping void in his life.
"Well... I'm sure we can find at least a few demons before it ends."
-=-=-
Cut to...!
Akechi has a Gandharva pinned to the ground with a blade of light.
"Now, if you don't mind? We have a few questions for you. Shake your Tambourine twice, if we have an understanding that you'll cooperate."
The pinned demon shakes his Tambourine twice at them both.
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
'or they believe you still have value to them.' How does he say it so calmly?!
"... urk-" Umie, meanwhile, makes that satisfying sound of a bullseye, one hit deduction. One point for Akechi, Umie wasn't keeping score until now. "... Damn it..." She knows he's right.
"Well then, that's good to hear. I'll hold you to it." Umie smiles. "Who else can I talk like this to?" Ultimately, a selfish act, she realizes. Even if he gets information from it, is it truly something that makes it worth his time in equal measure?
..... It's still Akechi. There's too much of him that's hard for Umie to read. Perhaps... that's just part of being his role: as much as she entertains it as something that keeps her sharp, it's that rival that is the thing he's truly looking for.
"..." It's as if he's giving it some serious thought, despite the unserious nature of her question. A flash of concern passes across Umie's expression, feeling like an opening wound she has to quickly close back up.
In the end, she's Badb, again, and she hates it. "... It'd be better if you have that rematch instead," she murmurs, a little too sharply for her taste. "Instead of making him wait forever."
"... I... think I'll pass, on second thought," Umie responds, whether due to their earlier discussion ('us dating would be a disaster') or because she realized someone like him would likely have a rather well-fortified spirit.
Or, most likely, the previous conversation still weighs heavy, even if she's already pushing it from her mind.
As Akechi talks about the Meta-Nav, Umie ponders on it, as well as her earlier thoughts. ".... If I come across any information, I'll try to pass it onto you. A Persona user is a Persona user; it affects us all."
As for Badb? Umie's eyes light up as Akechi displays another facet of his knowledge. "<Close>!" Umie raises a finger. "The Cattle-Raid of Regamna. She's referred to as Morrigan there, so I cheated a little. But she appears as a black bird, so close enough. But that's the other that's associated." She sighs. "... Bah, I should have quoted that one..."
"I don't know that for sure," Umie says, to Akechi. "Just like the Meta-nav, I don't think these rules are set in stone."
'Though, it is a sinister thing, to tempt a child with...'
"..." She notes his gaze, her own narrowing, slightly. A hand raises.
By the time he speaks, blue light is already flowing from underneath Umie's feet, the shrouded greys and red claws of the Badb appearing overhead with a sharp smile.
"You're in luck, Akechi-san," Umie says, as she opens her eyes. "Shall we go?"
-=-=-
_Holy cow this is so much more fun with other people._
"Usually I'm kneedeep in spells by this point," Umie laughs with a grin that mirrors the one on Badb's face, minutes earlier, before she turns to the Gandharva.
"We'll keep this quick and to the point, then. The arson that happened here, in Aoba Park, a few days ago. The Old Maid, also know as the Joker Killer..." She stoops down into a squat by Gandharva's horned head. "What do you know? Or, maybe, you could point us to a few demons who may've been there? It's a lot faster than waiting for the Dark Hour to end."
<Pose Tracker> Goro Akechi has posed.
Gandharva looks at Umie and-
"Oh just because I know the Agi line, you think I helped with that? I'd never commit Arson, my beautiful Apsaras would be so ashamed to be married to someone who helped an arsonist."
Akechi sighs, then takes a stretch as he gets up, holding his ray gun with a bead on his head. "Then you'll point us in the direction of a demon who would know?"
The Demon lifts his Tambourine, and shakes it vaguely in that direction, "Perhaps Jack would know."
-=-=-
Cue Jack being 'negotiated with.'
"Hee-NO! I didn't have anything to do with that! Ask Nezha!"
-=-=-
And then.
"Just because I fly across the heavens On the Wind Fire Wheels-"
The Dark Hour abruptly ends.
Akechi adjusts his tie, then looks sidelong at Umie.
"... Well. That could have gone worse I suppose."