2026-01-15: Ancient History, Revived
- Log: 2026-01-15 Ancient History, Revived
- Cast: Ren Amamiya, Shinjiro Aragaki
- Where: Port Island Station, Tatsumi Port Island
- OOC Date: January 15, 2026
- IC Date: September 10, 2012
- Summary: While in Tatsumi Port Island to make a delivery for one of their part-time jobs, Ren runs into Shinjiro and asks him for more details on what Akihiko told them about their childhood history with Akechi.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Delivering an order from the Shibuya Underground Mall branch of Rafflesia to the Port Island branch is technically not in Ren's job description. They're a high schooler with no driver's license and certainly no car; they can't run a speedy delivery from one city to the other. But it was apparently an emergency, as the Port Island manager explained over the phone, so they'd pay double for the delivery to the part-timer. Ren agreed, and so they helped their boss with getting together a fancy bouquet for someone in Port Island who is apparently very rich and very desperate, and then rushed out to catch the train to Aoyama-Itchome Station, and from there, Tatsumi Port Island.
Hey, there are worse things to end up doing. Ren even lucked out and snagged a seat, giving them time to get some reading in. They get a good ways through their book with the hour-long ride, though they need to take one more transfer from Iwatodai Station to Port Island Station. At least the local Rafflesia is right there, and when they walk down the stairs and round the corner with the bouquet carefully in hand, the manager there flashes them a grateful smile.
"Ah, just in the nick of time! My client's going to be here soon," she says, accepting it from them with careful hands. "We of course had to get a rush order for a very specific flower we don't have in stock right now. I'd have sent him directly to you, but he insisted he didn't have the time..." She looks over the bouquet, then smiles at Ren. "This is perfect! Thank you so much for bringing it here directly. Wait just one moment..."
And so, once she puts the bouquet away in a safe spot within the store, she brings out an envelope, and Ren is ¥3000 richer for their efforts, quite on top of what they're going to earn once they get back to their local branch--which they don't need to hurry on, because the round trip will take them to the end of their shift all on its own.
The two of them bow to each other, and Ren walks off. It'll be a bit longer before the train back arrives, so they swing around towards the vending machine next to the movie theatre for something to drink. Do they have any grape Manta...?
Either way, given that they're still in the Rafflesia work apron, they might look a little odd, given that they're clearly not working (anymore, anyway) even though the store is right there.
<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.
Shinjiro stands out a mile away, in that red coat and beanie he's always wearing. He's at the station to get flowers for some mysterious reason, as he walks the path across the movie theater towards Rafflesia.
Yet, as he is, he sees an employee... and then recognizes him. Ren Amamiya. Curiosity strikes him - especially if his leader is dating this guy. That's mostly her business, but learning a bit about him might be nice, and he seemed pretty decent before.
Approaching the vending machine to get something once Ren is done, he nods to him. "Amamiya, right? Small world."
"You work here, huh?" he pans over to Rafflesia, nodding appreciatively. "Seems like a decent job."
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
There isn't a grape Manta here. More's the pity. There's Dr. Salt, Moonkist, and 1 Up, though. Ren's taking some time to mull over their choices when they spot someone approach in their peripheral vision. They glance up just as Shinjiro greets them.
"Aragaki-san," they say with a bit of surprise. "Yeah." They follow his nod and nods once themself. "For a different branch. But yeah. There was an emergency rush order for a fancy bouquet that they needed help with, so my branch store stepped up to make it and I came here to deliver it."
They look at him thoughtfully. Shinjiro hadn't approved of the Phantom Thieves, but Umie had suggested he had some emotional damage that made him say so. And he did support Minako... and apparently he's familiar with young Akechi. Akihiko even told them to talk to him if they want to know more about Akechi--and they do. It's worth talking to Shinjiro more for a long of reasons.
"How's your afternoon been going?" they say with a touch of irony, so they don't just dive headlong into a potentially painful discussion of his past.
<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.
Shinjiro can be patient about the drink. He listens to Ren as they mention they work for a different branch. "Makes sense. I hadn't seen you before, though it's not like I'm buying flowers *that* often." So he does buy them sometimes, at least.
As they ask the question, he's handwaving a bit, considering how to put it. "Fine, been kind of boring. I was actually gonna buy something here after I get a drink."
A glance, though. "Not that I'm in a rush or anything," he says, since Ren is still picking a drink.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
"What're you buying flowers for?" Ren wonders in genuine curiosity. By outward appearances, Shinjiro doesn't seem like the type who'd be interested in flowers, so the fact that he is intrigues them. (Ren might be easily lured in by contradictions. They're just so fascinating.)
At the same time, while 'not that I'm in a rush' might sound backhanded from some people, from Shinjiro, it feels to Ren like he means exactly what he says. Still, that prompts them to just go for Moonkist. "Don't think I've ever had this brand before," they remark, and something about the full moon just feels appropriate for the town where Minako lives.
They step back out of Shinjiro's way as they crack open the drink. It's an interesting flavor, and they consider it for a moment before they look back his way.
"So, I ran into Sanada-san the other day," they say. "We had some ramen together at Hagakure, since I was waiting for a train anyway. He mentioned something interesting, though. Something about him, you, and Goro Akechi."
Ren pauses there to gauge his reaction.
<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.
"They're white chrysanthemums. I buy them every so often," Shinjiro explains quietly, white chrysanthemums very frequently used for funerals and graves.
As he gets his Dr. Salt, he takes a step back, head turning to Ren as they mention who they talked to.
"Ah, you've met Aki?" Shinjiro has no reason to doubt Ren, at least, and if Aki mentioned Akechi, well, with happened recently where they all met, he probably wouldn't to someone who was a threat, at least. Not that Ren seemed like one anyway - he had no Resonance. Shinjiro's attitude and tone is still kinda brusque, but it may seem more like Resting Brusque Face than an actual distaste for the line of conversation.
"Yeah, we grew up together. What'd Aki say?"
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
"..."
Ren isn't that familiar with flower language; they only know any at all because they started working at Rafflesia at the start of summer. The significance of white chrysanthemums is not beyond them, though.
Birthdays, anniversaries, and funerals. Those are the big three flower-buying events they've noticed so far. (Wedding bouquets go to much bigger branches than the one they work at.)
They nod once about Akihiko. "A couple times, yeah." They opt not to add the particulars of their first meeting. Shinjiro might find it annoying, or he might get amused, but either way...
"It sounded like the two of them have bad blood. He didn't mention the specifics--said he got adopted out, so it'd be better to ask you what was going on with Akechi back then." A pause. "He's my rival," they clarify. "He mentioned he used to get in lots of fights when he was a kid... I was wondering if it was true, so that's why I asked Sanada-san about it."
So it's not interest in a celebrity.
<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.
Shinjiro appreciates that the flowers aren't pried into, as he considers about Akihiko and Akechi.
"They definitely do." There's a small grin when Ren calls Akechi his 'rival' though. "Why am I not surprised he got himself a rival? Really is a small world."
He tosses it around in his head. What to share...
"So, we all grew up in the same orphanage, yeah. Akechi didn't... really have friends. While me, Aki, and Aki's sister were inseparable, he was so standoffish that no one really wanted to spend time with him. So, yeah, he got into a lot of fights. Fought dirty, usually, compared to someone like me."
A beat.
"Honestly kind of regret how things turned out between everyone, if you ask me, but he was a little prick."
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
It's the sort of thing that does not invite prying. Ren hasn't heard of any major deaths in Port Island lately, so their first guess is that it's for visiting someone's grave, and that's really none of their business.
They crook a half-smile back when Shinjiro seems to approve of Ren naming Akechi their rival. It's a more complicated relationship than that, but it doesn't feel wrong, at least--either when they said it to Akihiko or just now.
They want to beat him. Whatever else goes into that feeling, that much is true.
For now, they listen to Shinjiro. He corroborates what Akechi's told them in the past. Something stands out to them, though--that Akechi didn't just fight, he fought dirty. They rest a hand on their chin for a moment, considering that.
But then they slip that hand back into their pocket. "And now he's a big prick," they say laconically. "Yeah, that's about what he told me before."
He's told them even more than that, really--thinks that might shed like to Shinjiro and Akihiko why Akechi was a little prick when he was little--but that's not for Ren to share.
Despite that, they still wonder, "What do you mean by 'how things turned out'?"
They might not share gossip, but they'll still listen to it. Tea is delicious.
<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.
"Oh yeah, the only change about him is he's learned how to hide it half the time," Shinjiro says with a mild smile of his own.
Though, as he's asked why things turned out the way they did, his casual demeanor starts to fade, as he exhales. Should he tell Ren? It's not really their business...
But it's also a matter of public fact. It's a matter of something important. And besides, if Aki pointed him to Shinjiro, then Aki was okay with it being said.
Shinjiro sighs. "I assume Aki didn't tell you what happened when he got adopted. That day, a fire broke out, and our orphanage was burned down. Someone died. Akechi was really a dick about it, and it frayed everything forever."
A pause, as he swallows. He probably should give context.
"...Akechi had said he saw someone suspicious before the fire was set. But because it was him... none of us believed him. And maybe if something had been different, back then, we could have stopped it."
As if, he too, believes Akechi. But they had to be kids, right?
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<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
"That sounds right," Ren says wryly. "Emphasis on the 'half the time.'" They shake their head, though the gesture is more amused than irritated as it might have been only a month ago. Really, they've only known him for a few months, but still.
Their own demeanor flattens out as they take in how Shinjiro exhales, how he takes a moment to think. They give him the space to do so, merely watching and listening as he mulls things over and finally chooses to speak.
Their eyes widen when he does. It's proof enough that Ren wasn't told--by Akihiko or Akechi. Their frown turns sympathetic, a silent That's horrible, but they assume Shinjiro's heard it all before. Akechi... That sounds like him. He's the kind of person who's prone to lashing out when he's unhappy. Ren's experienced that for themself--recently, even.
It frayed everything forever is an intense thing to say, though--especially if Akechi was already not actually friends with them. But... Shinjiro had mentioned Akihiko had a sister... and if someone died--and Akihiko had trouble talking about it, to the point of pointing Ren to someone else...
"...."
But Ren still listens as Shinjiro goes on. That's... honestly so tragic. Ren's expression is sympathetic as they nod again. Akechi hadn't mentioned this part either, but... he did allude to it. He talked about how people didn't believe him because he was an orphan, because he had a bad attitude.
It's nice to have full confirmation Akechi was telling the truth about his past, but damn if it isn't depressing.
"That's incredibly rough," they say quietly. "Thanks for telling me about it, Aragaki-san." A pause. "Though... that's not the end of it, is it?"
Not if Shinjiro is implying that Akechi told the truth about 'someone suspicious.' If that fire was arson and not an accident, that changes a lot. And if Akechi saw someone who might happen to wear a black mask today...
If that's the connection between them, then...
<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.
Shinjiro takes another breath after he finishes speaking. It is tragic. A bunch of kids forever affected by kid behavior and the actions of an arsonist.
"Yeah. Maybe it'll give you better insight into him. And... no, it isn't."
He looks around, before looking back.
"He gave me a lead on the arsonist's identity a few months back. He's been looking into it this whole time, and it's a whole mess. Not one he can just solve the regular way, if he came to me and Aki." Exhale. "He was right the whole fucking time."
Shinjiro can't say more, and won't, especially since Ren's just a civilian. But...
"...I'm glad he has a rival, at least. Might be able to find the real Akechi, convince him to let that out more. That charming private detective is just a mask, but I think the smug asshole might partially be one, too."
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
That's an interesting thing for him to say, the bit about better insight. That pans out when Shinjiro follows up about his rivalry with Ren--how maybe that'll help them find the real him. But we'll return to that in a moment.
"He did?" they utter, standing up straight when Shinjiro drops the bombshell about the arsonist's identity. Not one he can solve the regular way, if he's asking for help from a pair of Persona Users. "Damn," they breathe. They won't try to push it--if Shinjiro really does believe in personal responsibility, there's no way he'll tell someone he believes is a civilian about a Persona-Using murderer--but they don't need to. They're sure Akechi will tell them himself. "I doubt it's as gratifying as it sounds. I sure hope you three catch the guy, though," they say instead.
They rub the back of their neck. As far as drawing the real Akechi out of his shell, they're pretty certain they're succeeding at that, but that's something they can't tell Shinjiro about in turn. It's based too much in something Akechi swore them to secrecy about.
"Me too," they say quietly. "At first I couldn't stand him. This smug asshole who thinks he's right about everything--right? But the more I get to know him... You're right. Maybe I can find the real him. One day."
They let out a long breath, then take a long drink of the Moonkist they'd forgotten up until now. When they're done, they reflect, "All that must've really messed you up too." They glance at him. "...After all, you haven't mentioned Sanada-san's sister again since the first time."
<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.
"Thanks," Shinjiro says, though his tone is stressed, like the very thought of it is frustrating. A case that can't easily be solved...
He does smile a bit as Ren tries to find the real Akechi. "Heh. Hoping you can, then. You don't seem half-bad."
And that's reinforced when Ren realizes what Shinjiro left in the gaps, and how it messed him up. "...clever. Yeah. Miki's death... I think it changed everyone involved. I've had a much different life than both of them. Aki got adopted, and Akechi at least has something to be proud of, you know? Being a great detective's nothing to sneeze at."
He waves a hand, finally remembering to crack his soda and take a drink. "I just want to make sure no one makes the kind of mistakes that really fuck you up. So I'll help Akechi despite my misgivings, and Aki's like my brother, so." Another gesture.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
It should be frustrating. It'll stay frustrating until they can bring that arsonist to justice. Ren understands that well... and Akechi must too. They know what he told them about his father...
They smile a bit back though at Shinjiro's assessment. Ironic, but still... "Thanks," they say back.
This does give them better insight too on why Shinjiro places more emphasis on 'taking personal responsibility' than anything else. If he'd just listened to Akechi back then... It's not full insight--it doesn't make total sense, at least not to Ren--but better.
"Yeah. I get it," they say quietly. "Not perfectly, but anyone would get messed up by something like that." Knowing the background, he really does make more sense as a person. He and Ren might not see eye to eye on changes of heart, but it's good to know that he's a good person at heart.
Maybe they can work together, eventually.
Or maybe he'll end up helping Akechi catch the Phantom Thieves...
"Good luck with that then, to all three of you," they continue. "And thanks for letting me in on it."
They'll both have a moment to take a drink near the vending machine. Despite the late summer/early autumn warm, it's not too hot in the station shadows, and the drinks are refreshing besides. Maybe that's good for both of them.
<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.
"Yeah. But that's life," Shinjiro says with a sigh. As Ren tells them good luck, though, he nods. "Thanks. Obviously, this doesn't get spread around, but I don't think you'd do that."
He'll take his drink and drink it quietly. Seems like Minako's found a good guy. Hopefully it works out. He considers saying something about her, but it's not the time. Maybe if they talk again, he can learn more about Ren, make sure she'll be okay.
For now, he has flowers to get once he's done. Miki's waiting.