[Day 15, afternoon: Akechi]

[purrtagonist]

[Ichigo sleeps the day away. and honestly, Akira almost does, too. but at some point he manages to disentangle himself from his napping buddy to sneak out and pull a certain someone aside, right into an empty classroom]

[once they're there? Akira leans his shoulder against a wall, crutch tucked underneath one arm, back facing Akechi]

I need your help.

Comments

[purrtagonist]

[YES LET US CONTINUE WITH THIS WRYNESS]

But we have made many attempts.

And you didn't kill me that one time we explored the nurse's office together, so that makes us friends.

[afailedmurder]

[laughs darkly]

You were worried, huh? Even though I think you're probably the one person I definitely wouldn't have killed that night.

[purrtagonist]

[HONESTLY, he wouldn't mind continuing with the wryness, but also pissing off Akechi right before asking him to be his alibi seems like a bad. . . idea]

[so he drops the dark humor for something a little more honest. why not? Akechi's already seen far more of him than he ever wanted to share. they're at this point now, and there's no turning back]

I was worried. A little bit for me, but mostly for everyone else.

But ultimately, I'm glad I decided to trust you that night.

[afailedmurder]

[probably a wise call there]

It worked out well, didn't it? Now we can save everyone.

[purrtagonist]

Aha. . .

[the wan smile is back. but he needs to have more conviction about this, right? this is his choice, it's for the good of everyone here, and he needs to follow through]

[(are these the thoughts that ran through Akechi's head when he first awoke his Persona, when he first realized he had the power to enact his kind of justice?)]

Yeah. We can.

[afailedmurder]

[regards him for a moment]

...I know it won't be easy.

[purrtagonist]

Of course not.

[a small, tiny shrug]

But for the sake of everyone here, I can do it.

[afailedmurder]

You can. And then afterward, you'll be finished with all of this.

[purrtagonist]

[. . . nts: don't tell Akechi he has no intention of quitting]

That's not why I'm doing this.

[afailedmurder]

I wasn't trying to insinuate otherwise. But it's, mm... nice to have something to look forward to, during the most unpleasant parts.

[murder protips!]

[purrtagonist]

[THANKS AKECHI]

A silver lining to compromising my values as a Phantom Thief for what I feel like is a good cause?

[. . .]

[ugh. grimaces when he says that]

[afailedmurder]

[well la-de-dah Mr. Values—but no, don't get irritated, he doesn't get it]

Even ordinary people do what they must in dire situations. It will only change who you are if you let it.

[purrtagonist]

[now that's actual good advice]

. . . right. Of course.

[afailedmurder]

...Don't take for granted that she can't defend herself, either. Even if she looks weak, she's probably armed.

[purrtagonist]

I'd be surprised if she isn't armed, actually.

[CONSIDERING. . . Erika]

There aren't any firearms in this school.

[he doesn't say this aloud, but he is quietly wondering if the raccoons would give him one]

[afailedmurder]

You're still injured as well...

You may be able to deceive her, but as she is both observant and deeply paranoid, that'll be easier said than done.

[frowns. he'll say it:]

Talk to the raccoons. I'm sure they'll accommodate you.

[purrtagonist]

[Goro Akechi: there to say things you're a bit afraid to ask aloud]

I'll-- figure something out.

She is the one who asked me to accompany her, so she must have some level of. . . trust. For me.

[mmmmm yeah that only makes it worse]

[afailedmurder]

...

It's best not to focus on that.

[purrtagonist]

[. . .]

Yeah, probably not.

[best not to think about how she has shown him her weaker, more desperate sides. how she had fallen to her knees in tears, begging him to kill her the last killing night, to create a mystery for this mysterious god who created her, who could send her back to oblivion with a snap of their fingers]

[best not to think about how she's absolutely a Confidant at this point and it's totally in bad taste to murder your Confidants]

But, anyway. . . thank you, Akechi.

[afailedmurder]

Mm. If you need more advice, don't hesitate to find me.

[don't chicken out, Kurusu]

Aside from checking in on Saihara, I don't have much else to do today.

[purrtagonist]

[he won't!! once he decides to do something, he doesn't change his mind]

[he might cry a lot afterwards, though. sorry in advance for those feelings]

Neither do I. I'm going to spend most of it sleeping.

[hesitation]

Akechi--

[afailedmurder]

Yes?

[purrtagonist]

How did you. . . [gestures. with his free hand]

Cope? Afterwards.

[afailedmurder]

Not very well, clearly.

[laughs to himself, then shakes his head]

No, sorry, that's not helpful. But I don't think I'm qualified to advise you here, since I took more of... let's say a "boiling the frog" approach to morality. Early on, I only targeted those who had hurt me; bullies, teachers, foster parents. When I ran out of those, I went after those who were harming others. Then it was anyone who would help my career, then those who would get me closer to Shido. I never felt guilty.

[he looks a little guilty, though, shrugging slightly]

By the time I was actually killing people, I'd already caused so much carnage that I didn't feel anything.

[purrtagonist]

[It will only change who you are if you let it.]

[out of everything Akechi's said, that's resonated with Akira the most. and now, he kind of sees why. because when it comes down to it, he doesn't want to be that person who slowly descends into killing without feeling anything. if he can feel remorse, or pain, or sympathy, then. . . then doesn't that at least mean he's managing to hold onto the person he always thought he was?]

[even so, he doesn't really miss that flicker of guilt in Akechi's expression, and he capitalizes on it to sway the conversation away from himself (and his own questionably moral choices) and back to Akechi]

How do you feel about it all now? Now that everything is said and done.