2026-06-07: Exchange
- Log: Exchange
- Cast: Reiya Aomori, Yusuke Kitagawa
- Where: Mementos, from Shibuya Station, Tokyo
- OOC Date: June 07, 2026
- IC Date: November 21, 2012
- Summary: Reiya Aomori has put out a message to the Phan-Site asking to meet a Phantom Thief. Fox answers his call; Reiya shares a request, and they share information. Inspiration may strike...
<Pose Tracker> Reiya Aomori has posed.
Reiya Aomori posted anonymously on the Phan-Site--well, as anonymously as one can, when Futaba Sakura exists and might go trawling through the histories later. Either way, the message was simple:
'I will be waiting beneath the station, in that place, at 1730. Please attend, at least one Phantom Thief.'
Now, he's here! Reiya wears no mask, as it happens; he has put on his SEES armband now that he's in Mementos proper, and indeed, in the lobby he is...
Measuring.
He has a notebook out, some paper, and a tape measure, and he is gathering the dimensions of the Mementos lobby. As he does, he prods the walls, and writes down his findings.
He is a blue-haired boy of about 5'7", with purple eyes and a Gekkoukan uniform. He looks very intent upon his work.
Reiya Aomori(#515PenA)
5'7", blue hair, purple eyes. Intense. (Placeholder)
<Pose Tracker> Yusuke Kitagawa has posed.
17:30, sharp.
'Destination: Mementos. Beginning navigation.'
Yusuke Kitagawa winces as the air distorts around him, the Meta-Nav app splicing the supernatural world with the real before yanking him bodily into the former with only the hint of a ripple in the air as the cognitive layers separate again. His Phantom guise wraps around him, the familiar weight of the kitsune mask on his face helping him step into the role of Fox.
White motorcycle boots squeak on the stained laminate flooring as he enters the lobby, grey eyes watching Reiya take his measurements with curiosity. Fox remains silent, leaning against a wall that once boasted some kind of advertisement, now ancient and illegible from water damage, ink-black tinged with pink and red.
He watches for another long moment, before speaking: "Greetings."
<Pose Tracker> Reiya Aomori has posed.
Reiya's been here early; after all, he was the one who called the meeting. It wouldn't do to be late... and he couldn't guarantee an empty restroom at any given time, for using his Evoker to enter Mementos.
But now, he hears someone coming; the slight squeak of stained laminate flooring... he does not turn immediately, but instead finishes recording the last bit of data.
Then, when greeted, he turns to Fox.
"Good evening," Reiya answers. "You would be... the one known as 'Fox'?" he inquires, given the mask.
"Thank you for coming. My name is Reiya Aomori. I am acting on behalf of the organization 'SEES' in an effort to contact you all."
<Pose Tracker> Yusuke Kitagawa has posed.
"That's correct," Fox answers Reiya, stepping away from the wall he was leaning against. His eyes flick to Reiya's armband as he says he's acting on behalf of SEES. "I see. Do you mind if I inquire as to the purpose of your taking measurements?"
<Pose Tracker> Reiya Aomori has posed.
"I do not," Reiya answers as to the question. There's a moment where it seems like that's all he'll say, but it's only because he's storing the pen in the spine of the spiral notebook for a moment.
"I am attempting to study the physical components of Mementos. Like Tartarus in Tatumi Port Island, Mementos's floors beyond the first change each time one visits. I am curious whether the lobby changes at all in the same way. When I have more of a group, I intend to see whether the general 'size' of a floor is consistent day to day, or whether that varies, too."
Pause. "Any data we can glean on the nature of Mementos, Tartarus, or the Dark Hour will allow us to see that these supernatural spaces and entities harm fewer people. ...In theory, at least."
A pause. "I also wanted something to do while I waited."
<Pose Tracker> Yusuke Kitagawa has posed.
"Ah." Fox nods. "That makes sense. I personally have not noticed changes to the lobby area's dimensions, but there may well be minor discrepancies between visits."
He makes a mental note to stay alert for other sorts of changes the next time the group visits.
"The size of each floor does seem to vary, but it seems to do so within specific bounds," he says, by way of assisting Reiya's investigation. "Is this part of the reason you made contact with the Phantom Thieves?"
<Pose Tracker> Reiya Aomori has posed.
"That's my understanding," Reiya agrees with Fox.
"I see... I have less time to investigate Mementos; SEES's remit is primarily the Dark Hour and Tartarus. But we believe that Mementos's Shadows may pose dangers, as well."
He shakes his head. "Not as such, though if we could discuss Mementos as well, that may be helpful to both our groups."
"I wish to extend an invitation: SEES would like to visit with the Phantom Thieves, and discuss the opening of talks between our groups. We have seen your actions, and wish to understand you better. In return, we will of course provide material information about ourselves, as well."
"...In disclosure, I admit; I am... unsettled, by the nature of the Change of Heart. At the same time, you have demonstrably taken dangerous criminals and awful men off the streets. So I would prefer to talk, rather than jump to conclusions."
"We do not ask that you reveal your methods at this time; merely that we talk, and see what common ground we can find, if any."
"Are you familiar with SEES as an organization? I can explain our mission, if you wish."
<Pose Tracker> Yusuke Kitagawa has posed.
Fox's expression shadows a little when Reiya expresses interested in opening talks between SEES and the Phantom Thieves, but he nods.
"Previous negotiations with other groups have... not gone well, I will admit. However, I am not opposed to seeking common ground; there are plenty of enemies for both our groups without us making enemies of each other."
He glances up at the ceiling for a moment, then returns his gaze towards Reiya. "I wouldn't ask you to say anything that would put you in conflict with your comrades; however, I would like to learn about SEES, in whatever you can tell me."
<Pose Tracker> Reiya Aomori has posed.
"I see," Reiya answers of previous negotiations. "That is unfortunate." But he's not opposed, so Reiya will accept that, his purple eyes on the masked man before him. "But I agree; we seem to have similar goals."
"That is well; I am authorized to share certain information without difficulty."
"SEES is the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad. We are an organization that operates primarily out of Iwatodai and Tatsumi Port Island, because of our emphasis: Tartarus, the tower that sleeps beneath Gekkoukan High School at night."
"Our mission in general is to protect the people from supernatural predation. Our mission in specific is to end the Dark Hour, and thus eliminate problems like Apathy Syndrome for good. In pursuit of this goal we oppose various individuals who would use the Dark Hour and other supernatural spaces for their own gain, at the cost of ordinary people."
"...And we face certain powerful Shadows that predate on many people at once."
"...The Dark Hour is not natural; I do not know if Mementos is. ...The 'execution' in our name refers to the destruction of dangerous Shadows."
Pause. "...Though I am aware that not all Shadows must be destroyed; if we could learn more about these... human Shadows, we could better understand what to do and what not to do regarding them."
<Pose Tracker> Yusuke Kitagawa has posed.
Fox nods. "The Phantom Thieves have had other priorities besides Tartarus, but its presence during the Dark Hour is... somewhat inescapable. We've also noted the feral Shadows during that time period, though they're not as numerous as those in Mementos or Palaces."
There's the subtlest hint of a frown behind his mask. "The Dark Hour is not natural? ... Curious. To the best of our knowledge, Mementos is some form of... gestalt cognitive phenomenon as a result of the density of human habitation in Tokyo. Our specialist has likened it to a 'Palace of the masses'."
Reiya wants to know more about the human Shadows, and Fox nods, though he pauses, considering how best to impart the information. "I assume you mean the ones with an actual recognisable physical form, as opposed to the faceless silhouettes that ride the trains from station to station here; to the best of our knowledge, they are connected to the actual human that shares their appearance, an expression of their repressed impulses and darker thoughts that is beginning to distort the supernatural space around them. The Phantom Thieves recommend caution if you encounter one; killing a human's Shadow seems to be the means by which the mental shutdown phenomenon is inflicted."
That explanation brings something to mind: "What does SEES know about the causes of Apathy Syndrome? You suggested it was related to the Dark Hour."
<Pose Tracker> Reiya Aomori has posed.
"Indeed. Your focus appears to have been quite different."
But, "It is not. It was created--induced." But Mementos... "Hmmm. That is consistent with our findings thus far, but it's interesting to hear it put this way. You should know that Mementos can also be reached in Hakone. We checked."
"But we have only a limited understanding of Palaces."
"I do," Reiya confirms, mean those Shadows. Connected to real humans... "Suppressed impulses and darker thoughts..." He's thoughtful. "We knew at least that killing them was a problem--but I did not realize the connection was of that nature. ...Hm. One could use that to great advantage," he says, and frowns. "It's clear that Mementos, too, can be misused..."
But something else? "Ah. Yes. When a human loses their protection in the Dark Hour--is removed from their coffin--the Shadows prey on that human's mind. This is the root of Apathy Syndrome. It is a supernatural disease, and only by defeating the Shadows that preyed on the person can it be cured."
<Pose Tracker> Yusuke Kitagawa has posed.
"It is the Phantom Thieves' understanding that an individual we can only identify as 'the Black Mask' is, indeed, doing exactly that," Fox says. This, to him, is not a breach of his team's confidentiality; he's pretty sure SEES members have briefly seen that individual. "He is a potent threat; on the occasions we have encountered him, he has forced us to retreat with apparently little exertion - he did not even call upon his Persona, if he even has one. His guise is a black-and-blue diagonally-striped jumpsuit, and his mask is more like a helmet with an open maw around the jaw, with red lenses."
Fox blinks when Reiya suggests that an individual can lose their protection in the Dark Hour. "That that is possible is alarming... but it is good to know that it can be reversed." The similarities - and the differences - between the two conditions has not escaped him. "To the best of our knowledge, it is not so simple - if indeed it's possible at all - to heal a mental shutdown."
<Pose Tracker> Reiya Aomori has posed.
"The Black Mask..." Reiya considers him. "I've heard reports--he held a child hostage, on the blimp escaping from the Aerospace Museum, for instance. I will not underestimate his power." He memorizes the description with a nod. "That he is doing these things... he is clearly an enemy of both of us, then."
"Worse," Reiya says, "We don't know why it happens. But we do have theories and correlations. I can share those with you as well, when we meet."
But it's not possible to heal a mental shutdown... "To 'feed' on the mind, versus to 'kill' a part of the person... I suppose that's the difference."
"Still, thank you for your information, Fox-san."
"SEES operates primarily out of a dormitory in Iwatodai." He offers a card with an address. "Leave a message for us here noting where and when you would like to meet, and we will meet you there at that time."
"I ask that you bring your leader; we will do the same."
"...I think that, if nothing else, an exchange of intelligence would be fruitful."
<Pose Tracker> Yusuke Kitagawa has posed.
Fox takes the card, glances at it, and tucks it somewhere indeterminable in his outfit. "Thank you. I am inclined to agree on the necessity of intelligence sharing; the more we know about the environments the other team specializes in, the better prepared we'll be when circumstance forces us outside our respective comfort zones."
"I will pass what you've shared on to my team, and when we've discussed where to go from that, we'll be in touch."
<Pose Tracker> Reiya Aomori has posed.
"Indeed," Reiya agrees. "Our focus must remain on Tartarus and the Dark Hour... but even we have occasionally found ourselves interacting with Palaces. Particularly in that of that... Kamiya." His expression darkens for a moment. He remembers; Ririka's sister. "Regardless, thank you for hearing us out."
"Your cooperation is appreciated. I will pass on what I have learned to my team, as well, and await your reply."
With that, Reiya moves towards the exit--and stops, to take off his armband and return it to an internal pocket in his jacket.
"Take care."
<Pose Tracker> Yusuke Kitagawa has posed.
"It was good to meet you, Aomori-san," Fox replies. "You take care as well."
He watches the other Gekkoukan student leave, making no hurry of stepping outside the confines of Mementos's borders.
Perhaps ten, or fifteen minutes later, he retrieves an old phone from his pocket.
'Ending navigation', the tinny voice of the Meta-Nav chimes, as he steps through the exit.
Yusuke Kitagawa shades his eyes against the setting sun over the Tokyo skyline, and looks around... only to walk over to a bench facing the sunset, and pull a sketchbook out of his bag.
One cannot ignore inspiration when it strikes, after all.