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[purrtagonist]

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[flyingsolos]

[ casually flapping a hand-- before she leans forward, still very much invested in this story. ]

So did that guy actually end up apologizing and taking responsibility? Did your name get cleared??

[purrtagonist]

I told you my conviction was overturned.

[so, that's a yes]

[. . .]

[but here, he hesitates]

But the rest of that answer is a lot more complex.

[flyingsolos]

[ It's hard not to notice that hesitation, and Rion pauses for a moment-- before she clears her throat. ]

You know, if you'd rather not go into details, that's fine. I'm okay just knowing you're a free man again.

[ no, she's burning with curiosity, but she won't say that. ]

[purrtagonist]

[he quickly shakes his head]

No. It's not something I have a hard time talking about. It's just--

[how. . . to put it into words? he decides to start with a question]

What would you do if one of your country's most prominent leaders confessed to being a rotten, power-hungry asshole, but the entire country didn't seem to care?

[flyingsolos]

... Uh.

[ Uh??????? ]

Be... weirded out, for starters? I mean, sure, Japan doesn't really have a whole lot of faith in the government, but people shouldn't just disregard it when stuff like that comes out!

[purrtagonist]

They did back where I came from.

[aha. . .]

Stealing that man's heart and forcing him to confess his crimes was all well and good, but what were we supposed to do when everyone still wanted him to be Prime Minister?

No one cared. [somehow, he manages to keep his bitterness, his frustration out of his voice. likely because he knows what had happened next] It was almost like the public had become so distorted in and of itself, that people will willing to follow anyone they perceived as "strong." Like a flock of sheep.

[flyingsolos]

That's...

[ concerning?? Yes. And Rion's already frowning about it. ]

That... doesn't sound right. Like a whole public-wide corruption? How is anyone supposed to fix that if it's pretty much everyone?

[purrtagonist]

[his mouth twitches into the tiniest of grins]

The public had a Palace, too. Everyone's Palace. The Palace that housed the Shadows of people whose distortions weren't strong enough to break away and form their own, personal Palaces.

We stole that treasure, too.

[don't look so smug, Akira!!]

[flyingsolos]

... Was that whole Palace like, city-sized, then?

[ wow he sure looks smug.

Then again, that's a pretty huge achievement, so she can't really roll her eyes at him for it. ]

[purrtagonist]

Yeah. If not bigger. It was huge.

[sometimes he feels like he and his crew only saw like, one-third of the entirety of the Prison of Regression]

And the treasure waiting at the very end was-- [hm]

The public's distorted desire to be subjugated was so strong, that their treasure turned itself into a false god.

Yaldabaoth.

[flyingsolos]

W-- wait wait wait, hold on. Give me a minute.

[ Rion looks like she's fast developing a headache now, including rubbing her forehead with a minuscule wince. ]

Their treasure - that thing you steal - turned into a god?

[purrtagonist]

[SORRY RION this is a much bigger backstory dump than the one you gave??]

Yep.

[a beat. and then, almost nonchalantly]

They were kind of an asshole.

[flyingsolos]

[ Look, that involves Shiori and thus is not her story to tell!! ]

...

[ That... that's his reaction... to dealing with a false god.

Of course it is. ]

And did you steal... it? Although I guess at that point, it's probably better to just beat it up...

[purrtagonist]

We did both.

[oh. he extends an arm, hand curled into the shape of a gun, forefinger extended]

It took a lot out of us, but we killed it and stole the treasure it became when it died. And after that. . .

[his arm falls back to his side]

We reformed the world. People started calling for Masayoshi Shido to resign and be held accountable for his crimes.

[flyingsolos]

[ At least there's that. But what a path to take, all because Akira had stepped in to help a stranger at some point.

Rion sighs softly, slowly shaking her head. This person... ]

You and your friends are pretty incredible, you know that?

[purrtagonist]

[a huffed laugh, and Akira inclines his head]

Me? No. I'm just some boring kid doing what he feels is right.

My friends, though? [a deep exhale, and when he next speaks, there's nothing but love and admiration in his tone] They're amazing.

[flyingsolos]

Oh, stop that.

[ It's a firm, chiding tone with no real heat to it, but the sincerity behind it is completely true. ]

I'm not going to say your friends aren't amazing-- I can tell that much by having met Ann.

[ And she understands the sentiment. Her friends are just as amazing to her. But-- ]

But you fought alongside them, Akira. You helped take down some fake god. You helped reform society. You did the right thing, which is probably one of the hardest things to do. To me, that's incredible. And you know what else?

[ in typical Rion fashion, she winks. ]

Boring kids doing what they feel is right are totally my type. This comes straight from an idol's mouth, so you can't question it!

1/2

[purrtagonist]

[opens his mouth]

[closes it again]

[purrtagonist]

You're the one who turned me down for dinner.

[because a sharp and witty quip is soooo much easier than acknowledging that whole spiel just gave him a feel. or two]

[flyingsolos]

[ a very quiet snort.

Well, she expected this much. ]

Ask me again when you mean it.

1/2

[purrtagonist]

[ah]

[purrtagonist]

[he finds himself open-mouthed and without words yet again (DAMN IT, RION), and for a moment, he just. . . stares at her, expression unreadable]

[. . .]

[he wordlessly holds out another piece of jerky for her to take]

[flyingsolos]

[ LOOK HE ATTACKED HER DEFENSES FIRST.

Rion, on her end, just stares back rather serenely before she reaches out to take the jerky.

Yes, this is totally what she had in mind when she'd first called out to him. Uh-huh. ]

[purrtagonist]

[he DID NOT, she started it by insisting that he's amazing??]

A-- anyway.

[not to ruin the moment, but he's totally ruining the moment]

That's my story. You can tell Kou he was right when he called me a thief.

[flyingsolos]

[ HE JOKER SMILED!!!! ]

Yeah, I'm sure he'll hold it over your head forever.

[ no, that's Rion. ]

You're okay if I tell him, though?