expiationlogs | I am a Shadow, the true self [open]

[You're not sure how you got here. The world was normal, and in the next step, everything changed. What you see before you is a large maze, impenetrable, with wisps of fog crossing the paths. This maze may be familiar to some, but regardless, you seem to be here alone.

Or are you?

Distant footsteps echo, scuffing a bit, as if someone is dragging their feet. Occasionally, you hear a small sniff. These sniffs abate as you reach the source of them: a small child, no more than six or seven, who seems to be wandering the maze alone. As he sees an approach, he hastily scrubs at his eyes with a sleeve, sniffing in a deep breath. It's only then that he speaks.]

Hello.

[His eyes are yellow, wide and searching as if he's analyzing anyone he meets. Trying to figure them out before he's even met them.]

[The maze is just the same, here, except that Yu comes to seek you out. He's his normal age, here, and seems perfectly normal, if a little quiet.

Except for the eyes, of course.

He approaches with a nod in greeting, a smile growing in his expression.]

I don't suppose you've seen an exit, have you?

[Unlike the child's version of the maze, Shadow Yu is subconsciously controlling this one, procedurally generating halls that will go on indefinitely until your character figures it out.]

TEXT POST
SENDER:

narukami
Looking for an opponent who can put up a decent fight.
No holds barred. Any weapons or powers ok.
Don't hold back or I'll decimate you.

[There's an image attached with a map location pinned on it.]

[Most messages on the network post just get left on read, but somehow, Yu is at the location --a large park near the center of town-- no matter when any opponent shows up.

Friends or acquaintances might notice something very, very wrong with the way Yu carries himself, here. There's a certain amount of bravado in his posture; a cocky swagger, as if he thinks he's the hottest shit in the world. There's also the wide, curving smirk pulling across his face.

And the eyes. Yellow, faintly glowing.

Strangers? They probably won't have the slightest hint that something isn't right.

ooc note: this shadow will 100% be fighting to HURT as much as possible. he can be stopped by knockout, or by knocking out an opponent]

[A summer downpour. Classic.

Yu doesn't really have an opinion on the weather, except that he's forgotten his umbrella, apparently, and it's a long walk home. The raindrops thud heavily and consistently on the awning he's standing under, wiping a few droplets from his hair and shirt. Otherwise, he's motionless.

It... it's not precisely that he doesn't know what to do about this. He's just waiting to see if it lets up.

(Hmm. Maybe he really doesn't know what to do about it.)

Asking for help is out of the question. He's still new, and he doesn't know anyone yet, and besides, he's fine. It's just rain. He's just working himself up to it, anyway -- the thought of running full tilt all the way home is a little daunting, but he can handle it. He always does.]

(he isn't coming to fight - he's done fighting yu, at least with fists and kicks. instead, that message made his heart nearly drop from his chest, the words too familiar - almost like him. it's fine when manjiro does it, he's always been like this, but yu? hardly so. babu had never roared so loudly, the engine working overtime, overheating through unlevelled terrain as he ran his motorcycle to the gym at the club building as fast as he possibly could.

concern is all over his face once he does arrive, not too long after the message is sent, although the noise of his bike might as well have stated his approach. he jumps off and runs right towards the building, searching, searching-- until his gaze falls onto something he has never seen.

... he does not like it.

yu couldn't be there for mikey, because mikey never allowed it. he won't let yu make the same mistake.)

I ain't gon fight you, we both know that ain't a good idea, and this? Also not a good idea. C'mon, you coming with me and sleeping whatever the fuck this is off. Did you take something?

Edited 2024-07-11 13:08 (UTC)

[Finding yourself stuck in a maze with no memory of getting here is one of the strangest things that has happened to Ryoji, and yet somehow he's not surprised that this is a thing that can just happen here, apparently. Best to take this in stride, especially when he doesn't feel afraid at all. Maybe it's because Yu is a familiar face? But something is a little bit off with him today.

Yu's eyes aren't supposed to be yellow, Ryoji is sure of this fact. And yet, just like this labyrinth, it doesn't spike caution in him at all. He's quick to smile back, as if this is just like any other day.]

I've tried going from that direction [- he points at the path where he came from -] but it only led me here. No dead ends, either.

[Crouched where he is on the bleachers, the Shadow watches and waits. He has no idea if anyone will show --people are cowards, after all-- but the wicked curve of his smile sharpens as the door opens. Even more as he realizes who it is. Sword slung over his shoulder, he approaches with a sauntering gait, head held high as he looks down on Mikey.]

Of all people, I wasn't expecting you to show your face.

[The smirk remains for only another moment. It's hard to say precisely what changes; maybe it's Mikey's words. Maybe it's something internal. Whatever the case, the smirk falls away, revealing an expression of disdain, defiance, loathing.

You bastard.
What gives you the right?
You think you can control me?
You'll never bring me down again.
I could kill you.
Maybe I should kill you.

He doesn't move, for now, but his stance is rock solid, his feet planted firmly, as if they've grown roots. He is, at the moment, an immovable object. Maybe they'll see whether Mikey is enough of an unstoppable force to do anything about it.]

I'm not going anywhere, especially not with you. You can fight me, or you can get the hell out.

[His tone is acid laced with honey; the smoothness of someone who feels an unbridled confidence in his own abilities, and the viciousness of someone who wants to burn the world. Sickly yellow eyes watch the other boy, waiting to see what he's going to do about it.]

Then this version of you is an imbecile.

(scared is not the exact word. manjiro has never had a problem with pain, with violence, he accepts them and approves of the soreness in his muscles, in his skin, open wounds and bleeding hearts in a battle.

he has never backed out from a fight, this wouldn't be what he does now. concerned is the best descriptor - clearly, yu's different. in some ways, he can't help but think he can understand it way too well, he's not himself, and when he is, manjiro would hate for him to have done something he regrets - like manjiro does.

if he is to hurt someone, might as well be him. this is also a type of strength manjiro could never shed, no matter how old he gets, no matter how many things life throws at his way. he can sacrifice himself, so that others can live well.

his steps are decisive, until he comes to bend way too close to yu's face, hands gripping on the bleacher edges so he can cage the man between his arms. his eyes stare right at the yellow glow, and this...

is not right.)

I didn't fucking ask you to. You're going with me, and it's end of story. You'll do something you'll regret, do you really want a walk a mile in my shoes? Don't make me drag you.

[ A familiar silhouette stands in the distance. He's there behind a curtain of rainfall, taking shelter beneath an awning.

The rain cascades off Minato's umbrella and scatters around his feet. They carry him to the familiar figure before finally pausing in front of the other teen. He cants his head a bit, silver headphones around his neck shifting slightly with the movement.

Minato speaks, just barely audible above the muted pitter-patter beating upon the awning and the clear plastic of his umbrella: ]

Waiting out the rain? ...might be awhile.

[ He's inspecting Yu closely even though his expression remains impassive. News had spread across Aldrip about its residents behaving strangely or even physically transforming. While Yu certainly looks the same as ever, there's something slightly different in the way he's carrying himself, a subtle shift in tension of his shoulder.

A microscopic change, perhaps. Wholly imperceptible to those who aren't accustomed to constantly studying the people around them. ]

[It's not very visible, but there is calculation behind each expression, each thought. Yu doesn't know Ryoji very well, but there is opportunity for growth, there. He seems friendly enough, and that means Yu mirrors the friendliness, his smile genial and maybe a touch generic.]

I haven't seen any, either. [He sounds confident in that fact, but unconcerned, at the same time. His attention goes to the selection of different paths for a moment before he turns his attention back to the other boy.]

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't relieved to see a friendly face, though. Maybe we'll have better luck getting through it together?

[... There's something about this boy...

Yu's posture straightens by fractions. He doesn't mean to be guarded; it's habit, more than anything, really. Whatever the case or the reason, he maintains his distance, both physically and metaphorically. The nod he offers in response to Minato's words is neutral, detached; not only does he not recognize the other boy, he seems unable or maybe unwilling to close distance between them.]

Maybe.

[Hands slide into his pockets, yellow eyes scan first Minato and then the surrounding area.]

It's alright. I'll wait.

[It's his own fault for leaving his umbrella, anyway.]

[They're so close that they're sharing the same air, but that is not enough; the Shadow grabs a fistful of Mikey's shirt, dragging them closer, nose-to-nose. Venom drips from every word as he hisses,] You can't make me do anything.

[Then he lets go, pushing back against the other boy's chest as he does. The smirk returns, knife-sharp, as he unfolds and steps off of the bleachers, his steps heavy with a confidence that borders on too much.

No one can make him do anything.]

Last chance, [he says, acidic, yellow eyes turning back on Mikey for another moment.] If you're not here to fight, then you're in my way...

[But clearly that wasn't enough of a warning for him, last time. Clearly, he needs some stronger messaging, here. It's hard to say exactly what changes, here; the quality of the air becomes tense, electric, and something about him starts to feel more imposing, as if his shadow is lengthening.

It's power. He's radiating pure, uncontrolled power.]

... And the only story that's ending here will be yours.

Edited 2024-07-12 20:55 (UTC)

[ Minato's gaze lingers a touch too long on Yu's eyes. Ah. That soft amber glow is definitely different from the teen's usual pair. While Minato's not certain what exactly he's dealing with, this Yu doesn't appear to be hostile.

From the brief months he'd spent with the other teen, Narukami Yu hadn't seemed like a particularly boisterous person. However, a more measured personality did not necessarily mean he was withdrawn and reserved. Yu's demeanor evokes an exchange they'd shared in the past:

"It felt easier to find new hobbies, instead of finding new friends." ]

Oh.

[ Had this been ordinary Narukami Yu, perhaps Minato would merely offer Yu a polite dip of the head before excusing himself. Instead, he cants his head a bit and asks: ]

...are you new to this Tokyo ward?

[This maze already has her on edge, and while it could just be another quirk of this place, it reminds her too much of Tartarus.

She automatically switches into scouting mode, her weapon ready for whatever she might find here. It's now been some time since she's done a mission like this, but it still feels second nature to her. After all, it's what she was made for.

As she moves through the maze, she suddenly picks up a presence nearby. A Shadow... here? That's what she had feared, especially after the incident with Thanatos. Not thinking anything of the small sniffs she hears, Aigis turns the corner, weapon drawn.]

...!

[And that is a child! Her body freezes, unsure how to proceed. Defeating a Shadow is easy, dealing with a child is... something else.]

H-Hello?

[ Ange's first and strongest instinct is not this fucking thing again.

She did not have a great experience in the slightest the last time she found herself here. And considering she was in town one moment and then here the next, it feels like all of that might just happen all over again. This dumb maze tearing open her heart to show everyone its ugly pathetic content.

It might Yu might have to do a little work in approaching Ange, since the girl is absolutely speed walking through the maze as fast as she can. Like she's hoping she might approach an exit more quickly - or at least by herself, without someone else having to see her here - if she just hurries.

That's obviously not happening though. But it does explain why she looks kind of agitated when Yu approaches her, especially compared to the way she usually looks around him. ]

Let's just keep going. [ She says - and indeed, Ange doesn't stop for a moment, already continuing to walk. Like just standing still in this place makes her antsy, even when it's with Yu. ] Neither of us want to be here. We got to reach the exit soon.

[ Before Yu has to learn even more embarrassing things about her - or vice versa. They already had enough of that back in that tower, surely. ]

(his gaze matches - disobedient, cutting, and the fact he's being pulled does nothing to break the stance, much less when he's pulled. part of him wonders - is this how he sounds like, how he is, because it is not a great look... on yu, that is, on him it's great!

a different taste in the air, he can smell it, he can feel it in his skin, his veins, and on the way those words sound. it's not good at all. seems like he won't have an option, and there's nothing he could loathe more, but there's no way he will allow yu to go through what he is going through. with his knuckles pressed against his jaw, he cracks them, one hand, another hand, and his neck.

he's unmoving.)

[Huh.

Out of all things Goro Akechi expected to see today an open invitation to a fight by Yu Narukami sure wasn't on it. On one hand? Awesome. Their previous encounter in battle had had a rather anticlimactic ending, with both of them running out of SP and being unable summon their Personas. So, this would be a perfect change to finish what they started that day months ago.

But at the same time? He can tell that this isn't Yu. Not really. He must've been inflicted by one of this world's ailments, making him lose grasp of himself. And that sits badly with Akechi. Despite all of his own questionable morals and worldview and what not, he detest manipulation like this.

So, really. Better go to him and see that Yu won't do anything he'll regret later.

Akechi had lost his gun previously during the incident with Gogol and organs, which is a shame, but he's certain he can do without it. He arrives to the marked spot shortly after the message goes live, armed with his trusty breadknife.]

I'm offended. If you were feeling bored you should have just asked me, Narukami-san.

[Even through the red lens of his ever present shades, he can tell that something is off with Yu's eyes. The red is just slightly off, meaning that there's a change in the color of his friend's irises. And uh that's probably worrying, right? He can't think of a reason why Yu would suddenly wear color contacts or something like that. Not to mention that the real reason behind his change probably has something to do with the maze he's currently stuck in. A maze that he hoped he'd never step foot in again.

Great.

So, there's a small frown on Scott's face, a hint of concern etched into it as well. He's not in a combative stance or anything, not with his hands by his sides, but that normal ease he would have around his friend isn't there either.]

I haven't. [Guess the only real question is... is this an illusion or is his friend affected by something? That concern stops Scott from just blasting him immediately or running away, because he's not abandoning someone that might need help. He can get through this, he's better now compared to the last time this maze appeared.]

Yu... are you feeling okay? [Probably not, but he has to start somewhere.]

Edited 2024-07-14 21:16 (UTC)

[They may only have conversed for just a couple of times, but Ryoji has always been a trusting person. All of his encounters with Yu have been pleasant, and there’s no reason for this to be any different! Unfortunately this also means that Ryoji doesn’t know Yu well enough to notice anything off in his smile.]

Two heads are better that one! [Ryoji nods enthusiastically.] And it’s best to stick together in a place like this — you can get lost easily in here.

[He leans off to the side, squinting at the selection of corridors behind Yu.]

So where did you come from? Let’s eliminate the dead ends one by one!

[Yu is fairly used to having eyes on him; the new kid always gets an interested commotion, after all. But there's a difference between being looked at and being seen, and the way the other teen looks at him most certainly feels like the latter. It's uncomfortable to a startling degree; a feeling he's not used to. A feeling he's not sure he wants to be used to.

... More uncomfortable when he seems to be understood like that. What should he say...?

>"Is it that obvious?"
>"I could use a guide."
>"..."

...

His Expression isn't high enough to land the delivery of that line without sounding rude. And his Courage isn't quite there for the second one, either...

>"Is it that obvious?" [not enough Expression]
>"I could use a guide." [not enough Courage]
>"..."

It seems he's limited by his own shortcomings, here. So he nods, quiet for a moment before he ventures to add,] I moved here last week.

[Simple; formal; rehearsed. This is a conversation he's had many times before, though it never quite gets easier. But he's torn: the ease with which the other teen identifies him makes him wonder if they're similar in that way. There's a little inkling of curiosity; the urge to ask. All the same...he doesn't want to pry.]

[ It's never easy being the new kid in town. Always best to keep your responses short to avoid unintentionally kicking off a whirlwind of rumors. It's why Minato responds with a simple nod and readily answers Yu's unspoken question. ]

I moved here a few months ago.

[ Not quite new anymore, but also not someone who's spent enough time in this "ward" to call it home.

Minato shifts his umbrella a bit to rest it against his shoulder. He looks up at Yu. Though he's certainly seeing the other teen, his expression remains impassive. ]

...where are you headed?

[ Minato knows there's a fine balance to strike, a hair of a difference between sounding helpful as opposed to seeming as though you're pitying the new kid. Ask too many questions all at once, and you end up sounding too nosy. ]

Oh my God.

[that was Yosuke's kneejerk reaction when he finds himself in the maze. he doesn't even know what's up this time, but it feels more familiar than the last maze they'd been in. the fog... the way it's set up...

and then he hears Yu's voice. he spins around, opening his mouth to smile and say something--

and then he sees those eyes.]

Holy shit. A Shadow...! What did you do with Yu??

[If there's any indication that this Shadow understands what it is, what Aigis is, it doesn't show in his large eyes, fixed on her with a distant sort of curiosity, in spite of her weapon. Whether he's truly unafraid, or just very good at hiding it, he offers a small, formal bow.]

Sorry. I didn't mean to surprise you.

[Yu Narukami has many different selves, it seems, and this is one that has been shut away for some time: a small child trying to be much bigger than he really is. An embodiment of self-sufficiency foisted on someone far too soon. He seems unbothered by the emptiness of the maze, or maybe just used to it. That said, there's still a slight tremor in his voice as he continues:] You...haven't seen an exit, have you?

[There's a shine of hope in the child's expression. He's okay, being alone. He's really, really fine. But he is nonetheless relieved that he's not, for the moment.]

[Something flares in this Shadow: temper, disdain, maybe even distantly some sort of pain. This boy dares to stand in his way? He dares to talk down, threatens to remove him, and then does nothing? So, too, does he rage at the reversal of their roles: Mikey, now the immovable object, and him?

Well. He's always been unstoppable.

Fine. If Mikey won't move, then he will, and he does so with deadly precision. He draws his sword and surges forward, swiping at the other boy. It's a little bit of a toying move, to be honest; if Mikey won't move, then the Shadow will make him.]

[Goro Akechi.

The Shadow's mouth curves into a smile, somewhat uncharacteristically wicked for the face it belongs to. But yellow eyes watch the so-called Detective Prince, fixed on him as he moves closer, sword slung over his shoulder. There's something casual in his stance, as if he's not challenging people to duel with him. As if he doesn't think of Akechi as a formidable opponent.]

Oh. It's you.

[It'll do, he supposes, and when he's closer, he really does size up the other boy, the curve of his smile sharpening a bit.]

You really think you'd be enough to keep me occupied? [Only now does the sword come off of his shoulder, and he takes a fighting stance.] Better show me what you've got, then.

I am a Shadow, the true self [open]

we're young hearts; look at us go

there's no stopping us; we will carry on

we don't have the time to sleep;

headlines and made-up realities;

oops now its slightly wildcardish

no subject

no subject

no subject

idgaf about my baka job i've been WAITING FOR THIS

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

cw implied child endangerment but she's not actually doing anything

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

i like when you use the dialogue choices always gives me a kick

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject