2026-10-02: Don't You Love to be Challenged?
- Log: 2026-10-02 Don't You Love to be Challenged?
- Cast: Ren Amamiya, Futaba Sakura, Goro Akechi
- Where: Back Alleys - Leblanc Cafe
- OOC Date: October 02, 2026
- IC Date: January 18, 2013
- Summary: While Ren and Futaba are worrying about Morgana at Leblanc, Akechi comes by. After Futaba's reaction to learning that Akechi knows Ren is a Phantom Thief, Ren does their best to introduce the two in a positive way. It's a little tough for both of them--but there's always Featherman.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Ren taps a pencil to their homework, chin resting on their other hand. Though their eyes are on their textbook, their gaze is somewhere else. Hibari had called them a short while ago to let them know she'd run into Morgana at Meiji Shrine and he's doing OK but she hadn't tried to convince him to come back to the team. It's good to know he's still doing OK--not that they expected anything less with him staying with Kasumi--but... it's making them feel restless.
They've let Futaba know too, of course. She's sitting opposite them, at a booth in Leblanc. Usually it'd be Morgana keeping them company while they try to study, but, well, he isn't here. Ren can't help but worry.
...it doesn't really help that history is their worst subject. Kurou's made it interesting for them, but he's not here now either.
If only they had a cool and handsome detective here to help them out instead... For now, they'll zone out to the sound of the TV running in the background, as watched by Sojiro and the paying customers of Leblanc, as they continue to tap their pencil on their notebook.
This would be an excellent time for a Futaba to mess with them--if she isn't busy being sad about Morgana too, that is. Maybe a cool and handsome detective will come save her from that too.
<Pose Tracker> Futaba Sakura has posed.
He left.
Morgana left them.
That sweet wonderful heroic kitty cat whose cheeks she loved to smush.
There's context, obviously, and history and stuff, but it has not helped Futaba's mood. (And that mournful memoryshape in her head has its own problems.) The recent upheavals (she has not been a bearer of the blessing of Persona for *that* long) mean that she didn't just sink back into her room. See? She's right here.
But he left.
Futaba has another of those phone-directory-like coding books in front of her. This one's about a newer language, though the book was procured from a secondhand shop. (It was published in April. The language isn't that old yet. The pace isn't that fast, yet.) She has been leafing through it. Ren might have had the impression she's not quite reading it, because the pages are turning quite quickly.
At the same time, it's a thick book, and she does tap the page with her fingertip sometimes, or pick it up and riffle back to another part she'd already read, or a couple of times back to the index.
To an outside observer, of course, this is obviously two students studying. (Futaba isn't taking notes, she's just reading the book.)
Life's hard, thinks Futaba, as she reaches the end of the third chapter and pauses for a moment. Her eyes actually close, though since she doesn't lift her head (being propped up on her left hand, palm supporting cheekbone) it's hard to quite tell, other than the pause in page cycling.
<Pose Tracker> Goro Akechi has posed.
Meanwhile, Goro Akechi is entirely ignorant to the fact that the Phantom Thieves of Hearts were catless. In part because of his 'Don't ask' and his significant other's 'Don't Tell' policy.
Perhaps it is the first time that such phrases were used in a queer friendly sort of way.
(Love wins.)
No no. He has no idea that Ren is troubled over this. So, he's instead coming by just to have a 'spontaneous' visit wherein it has the plausible deniability of 'just so happened to be free'.
And so, there comes a moment when the bell rings at the Leblanc. And a certain detective walks in, with coat and scarf- and briefcase in hand.
His eyes light up, then subtly fall as he sees that shock of orange hair, those glasses. Blink and you miss it, as he regains his smiling composure as he addresses Ren. "Why hello. I was in the neighborhood, and thought I'd swing by to check if you were in."
A glance then towards Futaba, "I'm not interrupting anything... am I?"
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
It's comforting to have Futaba around, at least. She's someone Ren can enjoy some companionable silence with, and her presence is a reminder that they have done good in their time as leader of The Phantoms. They still don't know what they can do about Morgana, though, or what to do for her either.
"You know..." they murmur all of a sudden, glancing up at her. "About Prof. Fontaine... Did you ever make up your mind about--?"
The bell at the door rings, and Ren instinctively glances up. They break into a broad smile, only somewhat undercut by that way Goro's expression falls when he spots Futaba. Ren assumes it's because they're with someone else and so won't have time for him, and that seems to be confirmed when he asks if he's interrupting anything, so they set down their pencil and gesture him forward to join the two.
"No, we were just chilling," they reply. Their smile reignites. "I was just thinking I wish I could see you. Are you a mind reader?" They scoot over in their seat. "Come join us. I'll introduce you." Once Goro's sat himself next to them, Ren--who's wearing a black turtleneck and jeans at the moment, gestures to Futaba. "This is the Boss's daughter, Futaba. Futaba, this is Goro. I told you about him."
That could mean just about anything, but Futaba will no doubt catch that significant look they give her.
<Pose Tracker> Futaba Sakura has posed.
(It sure does, Goro Akechi!)
When Ren asks her: "?" Futaba lifts her head slowly. "Oh."
She looks down. "... I guess it's not just going to disappear like snow or something, huh?" Futaba continues, glumly. "I had figured..."
... and that is when the long shadow of the law falls upon Futaba Sakura. She turns her head to look upwards, blinking once, and looks directly at Akechi from behind those big round glasses. She shakes her head 'no' a little. Then Akechi is invited to sit... and they are Formally Introduced...!!!
(Futaba is wearing a winter jacket with a faux-fuzzy lining and a tanktop underneath it. Her headphones are on, but Akechi can doubtless tell immediately that they're not connected to something *and* they are noise-cancellers.)
"... Yeah," Futaba says, looking back at Ren.
The tension might sit for a moment. Is she... disapproving? Startled? Her face seems almost blank.
(Inwardly Futaba is screaming.)
(The screaming is more along the lines of: AAAAAHHHH HE JUST SHOWED UP AND I WAS ABOUT TO START TALKING ABOUT OTHER STUFF IN FRONT OF A POLICE DETECTIVE okay he's not actually in the police he talks about how he's some kind of amateur and besides he's with Ren He Is With REN and they are right HERE and they're going to FLIRT SHAMELESSLY AT EACH OTHER in a REALLY LOW KEY WAY and I'm going to SEE IT live and in PERSON WHY ARE EMOTIONS SO COMPLEEEEEEX)
"Nice to meet you," she finally says, tone more natural/normal/neutral, as she looks towards Akechi. "I saw you on TV." Beat.
Beat.
... That seems to be her being done, although Futaba does reach for the chopstick wrapper she was using as a bookmark. She may be about to *engage in conversation* or at least watch intently.
<Pose Tracker> Goro Akechi has posed.
'Are you a mind reader?'
"Haha... perhaps I am." He winks at them, "It's not out of the question that I took a trip to your colloquial 'Mind Palace' before coming here."
Akechi takes the invitation to sit as gracefully as he can when it comes to his history with Futaba Sakura. "Oh? Very well." A history she isn't aware of. His briefcase he places on the counter, before taking a seat in the booth.
"Ah- so you're Sakura-san's daughter." He says as he finishes scooting in, "It's very good to finally put a face to the name- I'd heard about you before, from work."
A statement that is NOT AT ALL likely to cause Futaba greater internal anxiety. Given what his work is.
But he means Sae Niijima's underhanded tactics towards Sojiro in general.
"Oh?" He gives her a questioning look and a smile at saying she saw him on TV. "Well it seems you have me at a slight disadvantage then. Might I ask what your impressions were, of my appearance?"
He has absolutely no idea how much of an understatement 'slight' disadvantage is. After all, who would think there was a BUG in a place like this- unless it were placed by him.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Unfortunately, by the time Futaba shakes her head, Ren's already invited Goro to join the two of them. Too little, too late. They do want to introduce the two, though. They know Futaba's wary of him--and even that aside, it might be a good experience for Futaba to be introduced to someone she doesn't know in a controlled environment. In particular, someone she might have cause to be afraid of, but actually doesn't (as far as Ren believes).
It'll be okay, they try to project to her with their eyes and a reassuring smile. They don't need to talk about supernatural stuff. Really, Ren would prefer they didn't now that Goro's here, just for the plausible deniability, and it's a good thing that bell rang to interrupt them both.
...it's also a good thing that Ren has no idea that Futaba a) has Leblanc bugged b) has been privy to all the flirting they and Goro have been doing for a ridiculously long time now, well before they ever started dating. Maybe the allure of ~ * the yaois * ~ will keep her present. Certainly she seems willing to put her book down.
And sure enough, as she predicted, he winks at them, and they grin at him. "Wouldn't that be something? I'd love to know what you saw there," they reply.
From work... From Sae Niijima, in other words. Ren stifles a wince, but they shoot Futaba a quick glance. This is Goro's bad grasp of others' feelings working against him again. They don't try to interrupt, though. They want to see how Futaba handles it herself first. At least he's engaging her in conversation, and they glance back at him with a slight but fond smile.
If he knows about her from work, then he probably already knows her circumstances. Not all of them, but enough. Maybe this'll be good for him, too.
One can dream, anyway.
<Pose Tracker> Futaba Sakura has posed.
Futaba's glasses gleam as she shifts her head slightly. After this, she closes the book, steadily. Her lips thin for a moment at the mention of 'from work'--
(What the hell does that mean. Wait, he's in the office. Maybe that horrible woman - right, wait, wasn't she connected to - ugh too many things at once-- The ideas wheel in Futaba's mind, what could be, what this would imply about that, how far the reach is, what's wrong with Sojiro, is there stuff with Uncle Youji, how would they *know* but it probably looks suspicious--)
But Ren at least doesn't seem to be freaking out. Frankly, they seem quite comfortable with all of this. It's a relief. They're a trustworthy guidestone.
Futaba rests her elbows on the table then, folding her hands and leaning inwards, her lips veiled by the lacing of her fingertips. Her glasses gleam again.
"Mm- m, hm," she says.
"If you mean visually, you're solid as a rock. You're not really taking any visual risks, other than that coat kind of having a Taisho vibe," Futaba says, lips veiled. (Huh, she thinks: This posture kind of rules.)
"But that also means you've got a nearly universal appeal... and you're well spoken, too. Super polite. It's actually a little nauseating, so I think you should include a tiny flaw in your next appearance."
Suddenly familiar! Maybe Akechi's mental powers have other applications beyond simple mindreading.......
<Pose Tracker> Goro Akechi has posed.
'I'd love to know what you saw there,'
"Would you believe me if I told you- 'The Stars and Me'?" He quips, as he taps Ren's leg with his own, just lightly under the cover of the booth.
Of course he's not likely to perform a PDA in front of a stranger- a visible one at least but...
Indeed, he doesn't connect immediately that 'Sae would be associated with him' in relaying that, nor grasp what's in Futaba's skull...
(In his small defense, not many could at the speed it moves.)
Those glasses gleam, and there's just the slightest tilt of his head, without any change to his smile, as he waits for her answer.
However when she does...
'Taisho vibe?'
'a little nauseating'
'a tiny flaw'
"You really don't hold back, do you?" He says, trying to take it as in stride as he can, though it's clear he's sulking some to Ren, "Perhaps I should have qualified it with 'Please go easy on me' first."
He takes a deep breath, as he tries to summon whatever gracious bones in his body he has (not many) in order to answer without something bitingly sharp as he did promise to try for Ren.
"But... I suppose I did ask." He says after a moment, "Taisho... not even Showa..." He murmurs, as if still fixated on the criticism- showing off a little of his ego's fragility.
"Perhaps I should hire you as an image consultant, Futaba-chan." He says with a slight tease, also switching to a quick familiarity right away, "Since you know so much about me... would you mind telling me a little more about yourself?" As his eyes glance to her magazine, "Such as your interests."
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
"Hmmm... The stars and just you? I'll have to think on if I'm convinced or not," Ren teases back--and stretches out a leg to brush back against his own.
Yeah. They might not be doing any overt PDAs, but they're eager to touch him all the same. They really are completely relaxed around him, just like they are with the rest of The Phantoms--maybe even a little more so. After all, they don't have to be a leader to him.
Right now, though, none of them are Persona Users, which means there's a level of normalcy they can hew towards. For example: Futaba gives her honest impressions of Goro's TV appearances. Ren flashes her a grin at her 100% accurate read, though when Goro reacts with an attempt towards grace that does not cover up how wounded he actually is.
"You don't need that," they thus say mildly of 'going easy on him.' "Don't you love to be challenged?"
(And here Makoto thought that Goro could dispense with his image if he had to.)
"So you can keep letting him have it," they add to Futaba. They wink, as much for her as for him. "Just don't be surprised if he gives as good as he gets. He isn't the goodie-goodie boy-next-door he acts like on TV."
They brush their hand against Goro's to reassure him, keeping both under the table. If he feels like he's allowed to be sharp back, maybe he'll feel less wounded. Otherwise, they fall silent, watching the two and how much Futaba talks or doesn't talk to him about herself when prompted.
<Pose Tracker> Futaba Sakura has posed.
(Huh, thinks Futaba. That was easy.)
(Why isn't he scaring me as much as he should? I guess it's because I did see him... and I've certainly heard him talk. And Ren vouched for him... Even if he *is* a cop. Just because he's against us on TV... though, wouldn't that make him a hypocrite? Huh.)
Behind her crooked fingertips, Futaba's lips thin into a slight frown.
(... Something about this guy... Maybe that's it. The hypocrisy. If he really means what he says-- wait, but maybe he's in the throes of the struggle of doing anything about it--!!!!)
But then: he seems on the back foot.
Futaba's lip quirks to the side, subtly.
"Taisho's more distinct," Futaba says. "You don't see it so much if it's not a period piece, but Showa's so broad it's everywhere." But then! IMAGE CONSULTANT?? And -- about her?! "U-um..."
Good punchback. She instantly wilted. If she hadn't leaned forward into that cool anime mastermind pose she'd probably be scrunching up right now. But her eyes flick to Ren and some of the gathering tension dissipates, and indeed they *encourage* it. Back to Akechi...
"I'm..."
"... probably not who you want to win over on TV," Futaba continues (good save, phew, ughhh I feel like I'm turning into a noodle. are they holding hands? i bet they're holding hands. this is a definite handholding moment. where are Akechi's police hands? there they are, no, there ONE is...)
"You're probably making a great impression on salarymen and daytime TV watchers across the nation. People like me watch TV at weird hours. If we watch it at all, instead of just going on video sites."
<Pose Tracker> Goro Akechi has posed.
"I can be very convincing." He flirts back, in regards to the matter of what's inside Ren's head. As if implying that he could, through his actions put himself in there that much.
As he complains- Ren tells him he doesn't need that, and he quirks a wry smile at them, "Well- usually in a contest, not a greeting." As he quibbles, but he doesn't reject the notion.
"Though I suppose our introduction to each other was a contest of sorts..." He admits, when he thinks about it, given Ren egging her on, "Well then- I'll not back down from it."
As Futaba then elaborates on one of the things he sulked about. "Hm. So in your opinion, it's a 'vintage' look then." As he tries to come down from it, focusing instead on what she says. "An interesting point, certainly.
But Futaba wilts immediately at his tease about her being an image consultant. And he says, "... Just kidding." He says, as if appending his earlier statement about hiring her with that tease.
"Though I admit you do possess a remarkable insight. I can't actually find fault with your evaluation of the demographics I'm popular with."
His police hands are currently inside gloves, with one, singular, glove brushing against Ren's hand. Not yet holding- but certainly not an inaccurate thing to wonder if they are.
Futaba though- what she says finally causes him to smile at her, "Well, since I'm rarely on programs that run at weird hours, does that mean you looked me up on one of your video sites?"
As he challenges her lightly, still with that slight tease in his tone, like he's now trying to give back- as good as he's getting... given Ren's goading...
It honestly felt as if Ren were challenging him to hold his own as well.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
"You can," Ren concedes fondly. They smirk. "I guess whether you're right or not is something I'll have to keep my little secret."
That smirk broadens into a grin when they manage to convince him right back to reframe this interaction he's having with Futaba. One step closer.
Meanwhile, Futaba's discovering what made Ren despise Goro at first: the two-facedness. The faux perfection. The smarm. (Well, he's not being that smarmy right now. Still.) It took seeing what's underneath that facade for them to start coming around to him. Fortunately, Ren's here to help fast-track her... and Goro, honestly, because Futaba can also be A Lot for someone who hasn't been advised on her Futabaness.
Including the fragility that is Futabaness. Ren sees her wilt, though their presence allows her to rally and respond. They certainly note that she dodges sharing anything about herself. Well, that's about what they figured... Even if she trusts them, it's still a big step to trust their not-a-cop boyfriend too. She should make her own call on it rather than relying solely on Ren's judgment.
"Don't forget the housewives and teenage girls," Ren thus adds to Futaba. "Look at that beautiful face that would make any gal age thirteen through thirty swoon." They flash a smirk at Goro and brush the backs of their fingers along the side of his head. "To say nothing of that hair~."
That hand settles back down below the eyeline of the table, just a little bit closer to Goro's hand--this time with pinkies overlapping rather than merely brushing up against each other. The hand-holding may well be imminent.
The challenge, however, is well and truly here. Ren knows well that Goro isn't good with socializing with his peers, that he just can't believe most people would like his acerbic true self. If it's a challenge to hold his own, it's also a challenge to relax and let down that silky hair of his, so to speak. The same goes double for Futaba, who's still recovering from her time as a hikikomori. You both can get along with someone you just met who you might find (more than) a little off-putting! Ren believes in you! Fight-o!!
<Pose Tracker> Futaba Sakura has posed.
"Retro. Maybe some new frontier of vintage retro," Futaba says, fingers lacing a little more firmly. She then almost breathes out a 'heh' when Akechi confirms: you looked at me *on the Internet.*
"I definitely did," Futaba says, with a slight nod. "It's way more convenient than trying to do everything with tape decks. Modern technology's improving the life of the hobbyist and enthusiast by leaps and bounds."
She straightens up and adjusts her glasses, before looking towards Ren. "Oh, def," she says, eyes widening. "Trapped in the realm of ghosts and wind, forced to sit around and eat bonbons all day if the house is already clean... Watching out the window at the endless vast emptiness of the field on the edge of town... ...It wasn't really spooky or anything, right?" Her head cants to the side. She's asking Ren.
Probably because of their Inaba background.
(Futaba has no idea how big Inaba is. While she has, from time to time, gone to the countryside when much smaller, she is *not* aware of places that aren't Tokyo. In her defense, Tokyo is about thirty percent of all existing places in Asia.)
"The hair is really amazing, though," Futaba continues, looking back at Akechi. "This isn't a slam, but it's definitely your charm point. Super fluffy without looking natural. Is it natural, just brushed?"
Futaba's hair is obviously not a color that exists in nature, at least outside of citrus groves.
"How do you like the curry here?" That one, of course, is to Akechi.
<Pose Tracker> Goro Akechi has posed.
"Not so secret as you might think- I'm allegedly an 'Esper', after all." He smirks, as he uses the Japanese slang for someone who has ESP there.
"Quite the eye for men's fashion." He notes, mildly, when it comes to Futaba continuing to clarify the style, "Maybe I will swing by before my next television appearance to assess your opinion all the same..."
There is no note of flirtation in his tone at least, when he says that. Of his many weaknesses, which Goro Akechi will never admit- fashion is one of them. Fortunately, for men- a wide variety in one's choice of clothes is rarely necessary.
Before Futaba admits, she looked him up on the internet. "I quite agree. I actually do quite a lot of streaming on my phone since I rarely have time to stop and watch TV."
Well at least they have a similar opinion on use of modern technology- indeed, he was an early adopter of social media in Japan himself, to great effect.
He does raise an eyebrow at the realm of ghosts and wind, taking a note that perhaps Futaba is a horror fan, but not commenting in the moment, just making a mental note.r
"I'm certainly not." He chuckles at Ren's insistence of another demographic, "Though, I was trying to avoid bragging in front of Futaba-chan, given that she is in fact, a teenage girl." He tilts his neck, to allow Ren access to his hair, "It is quite pleasant... if I do say so myself."
Hand-holding is imminent, at least- it would seem so, given that the pinky of a single gloved hand laces over Ren's, in this gradual working up to it in a 'clandestine' manner.
As she compliments his hair in turn, he smiles, "It's quite natural, though I do have a hair care routine to ensure its health-" As he darts a gaze towards Ren, saying with a small amount of mirth, "-which this one enjoys disrupting from time to time."
He then looks back Futaba's way, "Honestly I might say the same of yours at a glance. I don't envy having to deal with that much of it- but it seems quite naturally silky smooth. I suspect that many your age would be quite taken by it." He says, and for a moment seeming to wonder about that.
Then there's a pause at Futaba's final question, there's a certain strangeness to that coming out of nowhere, to which he considers it for a time- and then.
"To tell you the truth, I'm not a huge gourmand. To me food often tends to be just fuel." It's not something he would ordinarily say to someone he just met, but since Ren is encouraging more honesty than normal. "With that being said, however, the curry here is perhaps the best I've ever eaten. I presume you're a big fan yourself?"
It's a shot in the dark since, as far as he knows, Futaba was a shut in who never came here for the Curry...
... but the fact she asked, he at least can discern means it's important enough to her to do so.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Vintage retro... Ren considers Goro in his coat. "She's right. It does have that vibe."
To Futaba: "Eating bonbons is a myth." A beat. "The fields really could be spooky, though, depending on the season."
Ren knows exactly what she's talking about. When you grow up in a tiny country town, you find all kinds of ways to entertain yourself. One of them is imagining all kinds of ghouls and youkai lurking on the other side of those fields... No wonder wheat and corn alike have sparked the darker side of creativity for so long.
Fluffy without looking natural. Futaba has such a way with words. Ren looks at Goro with amusement. He'd seemed put off when Oracle had described it as fluffy too. "She's right again about the charm point," they tell him fondly. "I bet all kinds of girls daydream about getting to run their fingers through it."
None of them get to, though. Only her. Ren might convey that with her warm smile and the way she finally nestles the rest of her hand over Goro's to squeeze. She especially enjoyed the access he gave her. That sort of thing is precisely why he makes her feel special.
When Goro remarks on that very thing, then, they grin devilishly. "I do enjoy that. It's fun," they say with relish.
How does he like the curry, though? They've usually only talked about the coffee, so Ren listens to this with interest. The fact that he's honest about his general lack of interest in food is points with them--and maybe points with Futaba too, considering how much he admits to liking Leblanc's curry all the same.
"What kind of shows do you two like to stream?" they prompt next. If Futaba goes into Featherman, they might all be here all night. So much for history homework--but Ren isn't sad at all about it right now.