recolle | ( OPEN ) are_we_there

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( OPEN ) are_we_there_yet.mp3

WHO: the infamous nasty crimeboy, Akira Kurusu, and you!
WHERE: ALL OVER RECOLLE
WHEN: during our darkest month of the year, January
WHAT: We punch the dome, we hit the tunnels, and we check out the hub! I'll be using this as a catchall for some other things, but why not make it open, right?? Plot with me at

aftertaste or hei#2323 on discord if you have something specific in mind!
WARNINGS: possible Persona 5 spoilers

this is definitely not dome town

[ Akira's curiosity is unfortunately piqued by the sudden darkness, but what kind of person wouldn't find this strange and unsettling? There's a saying that curiosity kills the cat and that may very well be the case right now. He nicked the dome with his dagger and took a nasty shock... If only Yoshitsune or Kohryu was equipped, then he could have been saved.

You may find him passed out in the cold by the edge. Rest in peace, Akira. ]

where's my cat bus?

[ The subway isn't foreign to Akira, but it's surprising how long Recolle has gone without it... But America was a bit behind when it comes to public transportation aside from some small yet impacted places. You may find him snooping around the ENTRANCE (A), fiddling with his bangs as he does so (is this suspicious), before heading him by himself. On other days, he may go with other people.

If you decide to join him and they get far enough, Akira points out an abandoned SUBWAY CAR (B) in the distance. Which car will they find?
CAR 1 — He thinks it's worth investigating, looking through these personal belongings with no issues. Don't mind if he tries on some hats from the old era.
CAR 2 — He lies down on a bed and rates it on a 10-point scale. Eight times out of ten, he will ask your character to try it.
CAR 3 — He's suspicious of the food and doesn't plan on eating anything (yet), but he pitches that maybe your character should try some. For science.
CAR 4 — Oh, boy. Here are some choices to watch from Akira, though he doesn't... Seem comfortable if either of the last two play. If you would like a different memory, go ahead and pick from his regain list.

MEMORIES

🍔
BIG BANG BURGER (VIDEO)
Akira Kurusu decides to head to Big Bang Burger and take on their cosmic challenge.

🚪
LOST THE GAME (1:26:56-1:29:00)
Akira is brought to the velvet room and sentenced to death for losing the game. He's left to his twin executioners.

🔒
FRAMED (QUICK SCENE, VIDEO)
Akira intervenes what seems to be a quarrel between a drunkard and a woman. The man falls on his own and threatens to sue him.

CODE BY TESSISAMESS
CAR 5 — While it may seem better to book it, Akira decides to practice his skills on the skeleton car. Catch him by chance showing off... He's the type to climb on the car, scale its limbs, and be in the middle of danger. If you were with him since the beginning of the descent into this craziness, it doesn't change how reckless he is. With one slip, he may be crushed—a metal arm finally smacks him several feet back.

This is fine. He stays in the crater he made for himself, discerning what exactly happened. There's no groan or sign of fatigue in his movements as he picks himself up, but the car is preparing its charge.

When they reach the HUB (C), you're right to assume he's going to take pictures of everything... Including a selfie that they've found something. Hooray! High spirits. Keep up the morale. After the fun is through, he mentions how surprising it is to have this system. ]

wildcard

[ you do you ]

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[Lucy's mind is a...special place. He's right in assuming she isn't on the best terms with her parents, though. More rank ups required before learning her sad backstory.]

A construction manager. The police.

[Where she's going it's probably going to involve trespassing. It did in the past. Lucy has a problem with respecting fences and locked doors.]

[ Akira doesn't seem to mind that. Even when they see the domineering fences and unwelcoming locked doors, he doesn't bat an eyelash. He has trespassed quite... Often. Just small, abandoned places, but they were still off-limits.

He focuses on the conversation, either way. ]

I have a feeling you know what you're doing for the most part... And I think I would be the last person to tell the police.

[ Y...eah— ] Are you going to pick the lock?

Yes.

[There, an access tunnel just off an unpaved but well-used road. It was ringed with a chain link fence, the door heavy framed metal and secured with a padlock.

But first, the fence. It was also locked, but that one she didn't bother with. Instead, a distortion appeared at her back like a many-limbed ghost, reaching to the ground at her feet--and launching her up and straight over the fence like a pole vaulter. Lucy landed in a puff of snow, four handprints visible in the drift around her.

...she might have been showing off a little, yes.]

You coming or not?

[ He... blinks ever so slowly as that happens, but does seem impressed overall. While it's a bit strange, he's not surprised or worried. He does think he can probably jump the fence, but if this is a sharing contest, then he'll have to step up.

Kohryu, a golden dragon, appears and quickly lifts Akira over the fence and she falls into a pile of snow himself right beside her. ]

Right behind you.

[Lucy turns back with a frown when the wind kicked up, blinking in surprise when suddenly the space behind her was much more occupied.

--she knew that dragon. From last August, but someone else had called it out. Lucy's still staring up at Kohryu, but her question is directed at Akira.]

Where did you get that?

[ Kohryu doesn't stay for too long. Dee done, the dragon disperses into a blue flame in the dark night, illuminating everything around it for a millisecond. Akira is actually quite used to these questions the more he uses his Persona for trivial and convenient purposes...

Hmmm. Let's keep it simple. ]

Retrospec gave it to me. It probably belonged to my other self. Isn't that the same with whatever you have?

[ He doesn't think people are born with that here. ]

[Lucy twitches at the unexpected burst of light, but she didn't back up.]

I guess so. I woke up like this.

[She stares at where Kohryu used to be, eyes narrowed.]

I've seen that dragon before. Souji has it.

[Were they playing pass the dragon, or...]

[ So Lucy woke up like Beyoncé, fabulous. Akira can see that they got their abilities from the same source since... He also woke up sensing there’s something else inside him. How it works? He will never know. ]

So does his twin, Yu. Personas take form of mythical creatures and figures of lore because they embody the human psyche—at least that was what I was told... I think our dragons are a little different, though.

[ ... Is this too much information? He hopes that it doesn’t overwhelm her. Rubbing his neck, he tries to steer this adventure back on track. ]

Let’s head in before we get caught.

[Persona was a term passingly familiar to her, at least in the way Minako used it. Hers were also associated with blue flames, just like this one, and Souji's. Her brows did knit together at the exact details of Why Dragons and Other Things; she never thought of that specific one before. Was it because she was...whatever these horns made her?

Akira's reminder made Lucy shake her head, clearing out the dust. She turned to the locked door again, trudging through the snow with a mumble. Another time she might have had the patience to actually pick the lock, but this time—

—snikt, and Lucy tossed the severed padlock into a snowdrift. The door opened easily, the tunnel down lit by yellow lights.]

[ ?! Akira pulls his head back when it's quickly broken. It's the last thing he expected... While sometimes reckless (okay, maybe most of the time), he's a lot more careful with locks. It's better to make it seem like they were never here. Snow at least would cover their track and scent, too.

Oh, well. ]

Someone's in a hurry...

[ But he doesn't add more to that. What's done is done! Don't mind that he'll dip into the tunnel. At least there are some lights in here. ]

[Another grumble. Lucy makes as many of those as words sometimes.]

Said I was going to do it, didn't I?

[Lucy edges in front of him, rudely, and then mostly ignores Akira's presence until the base of the stairs. This part of the tunnels looked different; there was no platform, just an unlocked service door leading to a narrow walkway on the side of the tracks. Something for employees only, most likely.]

...the lights better not die again. [She muttered to herself.]

Even if they do, I don't think it'll be an issue if we want to keep going.

[ Only because he can see, but he takes out a pocket flashlight from his bag to shine it on and off. It's battery-powered, so it's not the best thing, but better than nothing.

He doesn't mind if she takes the lead, tailing after her by the heels. ]

Do you do this kind of thing often?

Trespassing?

[There was a sense of humor buried in there somewhere. A small one, but it did exist on occasion.

Lucy didn't look back at him, though her head did turn slightly at the clicking flashlight.]

Before the sun fucked off I tried to come down here once. Too many fences and construction workers.

As my boyfriend would say, exploring.

[ Hm... He clicks the flashlight on when the lights start dimming out, illuminating the tunnel as they continue down. There are vines left and right, but nothing to suspicious yet?

He thinks. ]

I hung around here before August, then even after August... But I ran into the same problem as you. I would have gone in anyway if it wouldn't exhaust me to try.

[Geez, people keeping nosy teenagers from walking into active construction sites and getting themselves hurt.

Lucy muttered in brief commiseration, steps steady as the lights changed over to just the one they brought with them.]

You'd think they'd have fixed the lights by now.

[ Ah... Well, at least Akira has a supply (okay, four) flashlights in his bag. He waves it around a bit to make sure they're safe overall. There are some vines here and there.

Rats in bunches here and there. ]

I have a feeling this is on purpose or not on their radar. [ Hm. ] The dark doesn't bother me, though. It's kind of comforting.

I can feel my way around. [ha ha get it] I don't like doing that for hours.

[It didn't stop her from manifesting a vector now, though--which dislodged a rat, which shrieked indignantly about it. Half a dozen more red eye reflections glinted back at them, attracted by the noise.

Oops.]

I can see still, so you can follow me—[ He doesn't mind, but right when he offers his services he heard that squeak...

And he sees the army of rats scurrying towards them. Their outlines showed them barings their fangs, ready to go into battle. ]

Well. There are a lot of rats. Maybe even a sea of them.

Ugh. [It's a very eloquent response.] Thought I liked animals before this.

[That vector hummed louder--and smashed its fist on the floor in front of the nearest one's nose, startling the rats back. But they were only momentarily deterred, charging right back in.]

They don't know any better.

[ He can't find it in himself to annihilate all of the rats, but they are standing in their way. Best if they just scared them off—looks like they're on the same page?

A blue flame ignites in the darkness behind them for a split second before a myriad of bullets shoot past them. It hits none, but the shattering noise startles a good portion. Some are still there, frozen in place...

Before they are back to charging at them. ]

It... Kind of worked?

...I know.

[It was the one thing holding her back, their being animals. Strange animals. If they were people this would be an easier decision.

Lucy twitches at the sound of shattering and gunfire behind her, but none of the bullets were for her.

It didn't stop the rats for long, though. A vector swept across the first rank of them, sweeping the creatures back--and again, more forcefully, when they returned. A few hit the walls with considerable force and unsettling thuds, not getting up very quickly. If at all.

That left the rest, close enough to swarm within range of Akira's flashlight.]

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( OPEN ) are_we_there_yet.mp3

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