ic inbox.

[messianic]

pls hit Minato up with anything at any time, I love surprise inbox messages

Comments

[survivaltricks]

[. . .]

[taking aim with his dart again]

The first time I stumbled into a Palace without my Persona. . . the Shadow in charge almost killed me.

I was powerless to defend myself. Powerless to take a stand against him.

[messianic]

[Hmmm...]

I see. So your mask represents your will of rebellion, but also your ability to rebel too.

It's both at the same time, huh?

[survivaltricks]

. . . exactly.

[a small huff]

I'll have to show it to you sometime. I get a pretty cool outfit change and everything.

[messianic]

[Oh snap.]

... A cool outfit change...? Why would you need an outfit change?

[survivaltricks]

It's aesthetic.

[that's it that's the answer]

[messianic]

[...what]

Oh... I see. [he does not see]

Well... it does sound very interesting. I'll look forward to seeing it happen in person someday.

[survivaltricks]

You'll understand when you see it.

[and, like. you know. when Akira mentions the phantom thief thing]

[messianic]

I guess so...

Well, in the meantime--will you tell me about your team now?

[survivaltricks]

Mmm.

[yes yes, good, he really did want to talk about his team!! he just also didn't want to stray too far away from the topic at hand before he started gushing]

Person by person, or as a whole?

[messianic]

Hmmm... whatever comes more naturally to start is fine with me.

[He's just curious! And learning about people is always his favorite part.]

[survivaltricks]

[. . . honestly? it's the group as a whole that comes to him more naturally, simply because. . . all of them occupy a similar space in his heart]

They're my family. I can't put it any more strongly than that.

[tilts his head towards Minato, and yes he still has two darts left but no he isn't yet aiming to throw them]

When I needed them the most, they were there for me. I owe all of them my life.

[messianic]

[That...sounds achingly familiar, but in the best sort of way, and it makes Minato smile warmly.]

... They sound like amazing people. And I'm sure they feel the same way about you.

It makes me really happy to hear you have people like that by your side.

[survivaltricks]

[Akira mirrors that smile, just as warm, just as fond]

I'm really lucky to have them in my life. I don't. . . know where I'd be if I hadn't met them.

[miserable and depressed, probably. back to the beginning, as he was when he first boarded that train to Tokyo]

What about your team?

[messianic]

... Honestly? I'd describe them in much the same way.

They gave me a family... and a place to belong. Without them, I would be a different person than I am today.

[Without them, he never would've been able to do what needed to be done.]

They're all the most incredible people I've ever met.

[survivaltricks]

[there's a pause before Akira asks his next question, which he knows is a strange one, but. . . perhaps Minato, of all people, will understand]

What arcana did they represent?

[messianic]

First, the Fool.

[Contentedly, softly.]

And...when we found our way and made our decisions, then they were Judgement.

[... because Minato's team as a whole got two whole arcanas.]

[survivaltricks]

. . . hn?

[that seems to surprise him, tough only mildly so]

Your team as a whole had an arcana?

[he was totally asking for each member separately, not them as a whole!!]

[messianic]

[... ??]

Yes, two of them, like I said.

[....]

Yours didn't?

[survivaltricks]

Nope. They all did, individually-- my best friend was the Chariot, for instance.

But not as a whole.

[his fool and his judgment were. . . well. that's a story for another day]

[messianic]

Oh... yeah, my teammates all have their own Arcana individually too, of course.

But as a team... as we grew together--

[... He shrugs a little.]

It's weird that something like that wasn't the same.

[survivaltricks]

[makes a face]

We grew together as a team, too. But not through the power of the arcana. . .

[hm]

Is it really that weird? You already mentioned our Journeys were pretty different.

[messianic]

I guess not... it was just such a big, important milestone for us every time it ranked up... it just feels weird to think of a Journey without it.

[He just shrugs a little.]

But I guess our Arcana would be assigned differently too, depending on what we needed.

[survivaltricks]

[a snort]

Can't say I needed my Fool, but it was part of my whole. . . [gestures. his whole-- you know. Wild Card thing]

[messianic]

... That's pretty scathing. [SAYING YOU DIDN'T NEED ONE OF YOUR CONFIDANTS...]

[survivaltricks]

[. . . grins a little bit, the edges of his smile sharp and not. . . very friendly]

They deserve it.