Round 1

[boxingemperor]

Who: Akihiko Sanada, friends, and you!
Where: Dormitory, perhaps eventually around the city. Backdated before the Coming of Age event.
Summary: Akihiko gets reacquainted with a semi-normal life, a new body,...and maybe some real food.
Warnings: Language?


After a few days cooped up in the hospital, Akihiko was finally released under the promise that he would return regularly for a checkup. Compared the many checkups he'd had six months prior, he was more than happy to oblige. (Hopefully Hinoto-Ri's hospital wouldn't send out people to drag him back there for them.)

He steps outside of the dormitory, idly touching at his neck and taking a deep breath. It's nice to be outdoors. He can't wait to start running again! Maybe he could try jogging to start? Or-maybe not yet. He loses his footing for a moment, but swiftly grabs the railing of the staircase.

"Ha! No harm done. I wonder if there's a ramen place nearby."

Comments

[demifemme]

A girl in shorts and T-shirt despite the weather jogs past, followed by Jack Frosts and Pyro Jacks.

Say, doesn't that horn on the back of her neck look familiar?

[boxingemperor]

When Akihiko looks up after catching his balance, a strange sight appears before him. A short-haired girl covered in full body tattoos wearing summer attire dashes past him, followed by...

...Those things look like some of Minako's personae.

Wait a sec. Girl in full body tattoos?

"H-hey! Wait a sec!" Akihiko carefully but as quickly as he can manage descends the rest of the stairs in an attempt to get her attention.

[dontrunawayfromliving]

Sarah hears the call pretty easily and taps on Shura's shoulder, jerking her head back in Akihiko's direction. She doesn't say anything, but it's pretty clear what she means - wanna stop?

[demifemme]

Shura's attention is easily grabbed by Sarah touching her. She looks in the direction Sarah is pointing out and stops suddenly, making a bunch of Jacks ram into her. That guy... he looked like the guy who had helped her in that traumatic tower thing... was that one of his doubles?

[boxingemperor]

Oh good, her running partner saw him. He always wanted to apologize to her... "You're the Demi-Fiend, right?" He was friends with her male counterpart who was also a resident of the tower. (It was probably the shirt that made him not realize things right away, oddly enough.)

[demifemme]

Shura blinked. "Yes, that's me." He knew her. So... "Are you... from the tower?"

[boxingemperor]

Oh, she remembers him! And probably in a not-so-flattering way. He smooths his hand over his hair nervously. "Y-yeah, that was me. I said some weird stuff when we met, but then my eye, because of my friend, and..." He shakes it off. Get it together Akihiko. "I didn't mean those things I said. The tower put these music players all over the place when you were there, and they made us act like idiots."

[demifemme]

Was it a good time Shura had no recollection of the things he said? "It's okay, I... back then I was in a really bad place mentally. I was grateful to have found someone to help me even if I was probably a liability. So... thanks."

[dontrunawayfromliving]

Sarah glances between the two of them and asks a question.

"Shura, care to introduce me?"

[demifemme]

"Oh! Right, right. Uhm, Akihito, right? This is my friend, Sarah. Sarah, Akihito helped me out after I died in a strange tower-world."

[boxingemperor]

"Akihiko, actually." He corrects, but offers a smile. "Just trying to help out. I wouldn't wish that place on my enemies..." Fun fact: some of them actually were there.

[dontrunawayfromliving]

"...I will ask about that 'died' thing later."

With that, Sarah extends her left hand, which has a bulky red bracelet on it.

"Pleasure to meet you."

[demifemme]

"It's a story I remember just enough of to be traumatized for life, honestly..."

[boxingemperor]

"It's good that all of you were only there briefly." Akihiko feels apologetic. The tower isn't exactly visitor friendly...or safe in the least bit.

[demifemme]

"I think you'll find this place more... okay." Yeah, that's it.

[all_wound_up]

Oh, be careful! It's getting colder, so some of the sidewalks might be icy.

[Just a concerned robot teenager over here watching Akihiko stumble.]

[boxingemperor]

Akihiko looks down at the stairs, then the sidewalk, which does sport a few small patches of ice, and then at...the robot girl. He blinks, the large turn key attracting his attention before he looks at her directly.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine." Maybe. Another step. There we go.

[all_wound_up]

[Nano notices where his eyes are drawn first and shyly shuffles her feet for a moment before nodding back at him.]

Good. There's enough dangerous things outside already without having to worry about slipping and falling on the ice.

[boxingemperor]

"Oh really?" Akihiko had been told there were demons running around here out of necessity. But saying things like that only encourages him to want to fight.

[all_wound_up]

Well, dangerous monsters and things come out at night...

[boxingemperor]

"I'm actually kind of looking forward to that." Akihiko chuckles, punching the air a bit.

[all_wound_up]

Have you fought those kinds of things before?

[boxingemperor]

"Probably not these creatures specifically, but I've seen my share of uglies running around." And he's not about to let them tromp around like they own the place. Especially around this dormitory.

[all_wound_up]

Would you like to work together? I have a Support Persona, so I can help you if you want.

[boxingemperor]

"Oh really?" Akihiko's eyes light up with more joy. He only knows of two support persona users: Fuuka, and Mitsuru; though Mitsuru's persona is better suited for combat. But they're a valuable asset for navigation and enemy scanning. Akihiko would fight without one, but it might be nice to have a little assistance getting around.

[all_wound_up]

It's mostly healing-based, though. I don't have any of those powers that let you talk to people with your Persona or the ones that find monsters.

[boxingemperor]

While he does have a healing spell...well, his sister and his friends wouldn't get too mad if he was with someone, would they?

"Sure, that'll work. I gotta admit, I'm curious to see what other persona users can do." He smiles. "So are you an Anti-Shadow Weapon too?" Because, well...the turnkey is hard to ignore. He was told the others were deactivated apart from Aigis, but...

[all_wound_up]

Oh, this...?

[Nano smiles a little sheepishly, turning to the side to give Akihiko a better look at her key. Once upon a time it was something she'd try to hide or make up a story about, but he's meeting a much more confident Nano.]

No, it's nothing like that. I'm a robot, but nothing like Labrys-san.

[boxingemperor]

He smiles sincerely. Aigis was a little weird at first, but they all got used to each others' differences.

"...Labrys?" He met Labrys at the tower. Apparently, they would meet in the future and become allies. But he hadn't had that experience yet. And with all this universal traveling, he wondered if he'd ever make it back to reach that moment. "You know Labrys too?" Perhaps she escaped as well, or there was another incarnation of her running around.

[all_wound_up]

Mm!

[Nano nods, smiling.]

She was here in the city too until just recently.

[greatseal]

Senpai!

[Someone followed him out of the dormitory door and caught that stumble. She doesn't actually mention it, however. She'll leave the complaining about him pushing himself too hard to Shinjiro and Miki.]

Heading out to explore?

[boxingemperor]

Akihiko jumps a little, a bit of guilt washing over him as he turns to face Minako. But she doesn't seem upset, so his confidence returns instantly. "Yeah. Where are you headed?"

[helenchanted]

"And where do you think you're going?!"

There's someone behind him, crossing her arms, and pouting her face, presenting to be angry.

"You're going out for ramen and you didn't want to invite your sister?"

[boxingemperor]

Damn it, he got caught. He thought that everyone had been too preoccupied to notice him go out. But when he hears Miki's words, he smiles and turns to face her with confidence. He shouldn't be surprised that she might love ramen just as much as he does.

"You wanna come with?"

[helenchanted]

"As long as Jiji doesn't find out I'm taking you somewhere since you're supposed to be in your bed sleeping and resting."

What do you mean being irresponsible? She knew the Sanada spirit all to well, however, and being told to stay put was secretly code word for 'unless you can't move your legs, you go outside and work those troubles out.'

She also knew she didn't want to force him back into bed anyway. It was too good to have him back.

"I know a place nearby so we won't have to walk for long."

[boxingemperor]

"There's plenty of time to rest later." He playfully argued, finishing his descent down the stairs. Moving around should be a good thing, right? Everything improves with practice, and he could handle a few tumbles and spills.

"A ramen shop within walking distance? That's better than back home."

[helenchanted]

"Yeah, yeah I know." She had to laugh at that since that had been her own excuse before. They only had one life to live, why stand idle around it, right?

"It's pretty good too!" she added, walking close to him so he could use her as a clutch if he needed it. "There's a few chicken-based ones that I really like."

[boxingemperor]

He didn't need the support, but took it anyway. It was reassuring to know that she really was there, and that this wasn't a horrible nightmare.

So his sister liked chicken? Interesting. Aki was still set in his ways. "I'm craving a beef bowl. I feel like I could eat a few right now."