[Open] From the Shadows

[not_that_sasuke]

[The first day the dungeon appears, Sasuke doesn't get far in his attempt to check it out thanks to his inability to breathe underwater. Fortunately, the day after is when he receives the feather-shaped stone bequeathed by a crow, kept on hand because although he doesn't know what it does, all gifts from the crows in this world seem to be important somehow.

It's once he's returned to the Velvet Room for the day that he begins to hear it. A voice in his head he can't block out, calling to him.

"She's here. She's really, really here.”

“She can finally lock everything away."

He leaves Kurou behind in the Velvet Room, shutting the door behind him in spite of the cat's cries. Lucky him he's already outside once he's out the door, heading once again to the dungeon, puzzled, yet no less determined. It's a surprise when he's able to breathe underwater, but not at all unwelcome given the situation. The rest of the journey, he spends trying to be as stealthy as possible, avoiding fights in favor of speed.

And so, he eventually makes it to the forest on the third floor. Or at least, what was once the forest.

Instead, the floor is shrouded in darkness, countless drawers appearing to form "walls" in a slowly spinning spiral. However, a quick examination proves they are no more than illusions, all centered around one person:

Himself.

Indeed, a golden-eyed Sasuke stands in the midst of it all, completely unperturbed by the surroundings. It's enough to make the real one stop in his tracks, staring in confusion.]

Who-?

"Yuusuke was right, you know."

[He gapes at the- illusion? Impostor? Before replying flatly:]

What-

"You're such an idiot. No, worse than that."

"You're nothing."

[OOC details about this can be found here! The attendants will also be letting people know that Sasuke’s disappeared, if a reason to venture that deep is needed - or if they just want to talk with the attendants about what's going on.]

Comments

[overstrain]

[ Vassago definitely looks like he's itching for round two, but Terry won't have it. He doesn't have any more healing items on him and he wouldn't want to strain Nekogami for all the Dia spells. Terry is standing near Sasuke's Shadow though, but it's mostly to get in Vassago's way of attacking the Shadow even more.

Also why are you two staring at him... this is Sasuke's Shadow thing, not his. ]

Yeah, we'll be here. Do your best.

[reveilation]

[ Nekogami goes back to sitting on Kido's shoulders but he's also ready to shoot the Shadow down at any given notice. Kido is also ready to punch the Shadow in the face if it starts spewing any bs.

Ganba, Sasuke. ]

[not_that_sasuke]

[This is... so awkward. He knows what his Shadow's saying, and he still wants to reject all of it, especially in front of people, but that's just going to start the fight all over again, isn't it?

He hesitates for some time before getting up properly to approach the Shadow.]

...What do you want me to say?

[He doesn't even know what the right answer to give is, and the Shadow picks up on that, eyes narrowing in a mild annoyance.]

"You're so useless. You hate everything you are, but you aren't doing a thing to change any of that."

[He bites back whatever retort first comes to mind at that.]

...I know.

"Yuusuke's gone, but you still pretend like you aren't getting hurt, or like anything affects you. You aren't really strong at all. You're just good at acting like it because you don't want to cry in front of people again."

[That one gets a slight flinch, but again:] ...I know.

[overstrain]

[ Watching this is somewhat painful for Terry. He frowns and just wants to yell that Sasuke doesn't have to just take that shit, but. That's what he told him to do, right? But still, there has to be a better way. ]

... Sasuke, it's okay to cry when you want to. But remember to keep your resolve close to your heart.

[ You know, so that the Shadow can see it since it's a part of you and all that stuff. ]

[reveilation]

[ Nobody likes crying, especially not Kido who denies it with tears streaming down her face, but maybe it's worse for Sasuke who... it doesn't even look like it's the tough act. It looks more like he hasn't done it for so long— cried, or laughed, or screamed, or any of that- that it's so hard to show unbridled emotion again.

It's tough, and she doesn't know what to say, so she just claps him on the back and stays by his side. At the very least, she can do that. ]

[not_that_sasuke]

[He shoots a glance at Terry and Kido, grateful, yet still ashamed. The Shadow just keeps talking.]

"You've been ready to disappear for two years already. The only reason you came back is because that girl got pulled in because you were using that spirit for her powers."

[He shuts his eyes tightly at that.]

...I know.

[overstrain]

[ With all the stuff he's extracted out of Sasuke so far, he feels like he gets the gist of what they're talking about. He stays there, silent, in hopes that things will be okay. That things will turn out well. That he won't have to attack Sasuke's Shadow that's right next to him. That they can all have a happy ending. ]

[reveilation]

[ Kido has no idea what's going on, but the hand on Sasuke's back freezes when she hears that bit about a girl, and it sounds like something bad happened to her because Sasuke was abusing some sort of power. Kido being here is probably doing the opposite of helping, sorry. ]

[not_that_sasuke]

--There was an ancient snake spirit. She was on the verge of fading away.

[Sasuke cuts in abruptly, not willing to let the Shadow explain this part.]

She had incredible power, but she didn't seem to have a name - or feelings. She found me when I collapsed in the forest trying to run away from home, and she took me to a place that looked like... this.

[A quick gesture at the walls. The thousands and thousands of drawers, all spinning in a spiral, seemingly endless.]

I realized that she had the power to lock things away. People or things, or even stuff like memories, or feelings. So... I had her lock away things too. Pain, heat, cold. It was easier for me if I couldn't feel those things anymore.

[The Shadow watches him levelly, even as his own gaze dips to the "floor."]

...One day I noticed she was watching a girl in the human world. I didn't mean to, but... I thought to myself that she was so powerful. If she really wanted that girl, it would be so easy for her to just... take her.

And then she did. That girl started failing all her tests, even though she shouldn't have. Everything conspired to make her come to the school where the snake spirit was enshrined.

...Why did I have to think that for even a moment...?

"She kept trying to thank you for helping her at school. She never even realized it was your fault she was there to begin with."

"She hates it there. There's no other humans for her to meet. She has to keep her humanity a secret from everyone else."

"It's all your fault."

[overstrain]

[ Species trouble is such a bitch, huh.

Hearing it out loud is different from knowing the information by pinpointing, and Terry hopes that by letting out all those words into the air, Sasuke will have a clearer head. ]

It's not like... he controlled her.

[reveilation]

Yeah, you're just a kid, Sasuke. If she was some all powerful being, that one thought of yours shouldn't have had that much weight.

[ Essentially, it doesn't matter what you think, Sasuke!! Again, she could have worded this better, but it all boils down to this: Sasuke made a suggestion, but it was the spirit that acted on it, and that's where the responsibility ultimately lies. ]

[not_that_sasuke]

"The spirit was barely aware anymore. She'd do anything you suggested in a heartbeat." [The Shadow coldly counters.] "It's so easy to manipulate people like that. Fukuta was the same, too - it didn't take much for Yuusuke to make her think she actually cared about you."

[And we're back to a look of panic, because for all his faults, he wasn't expecting that name to come up.]

...Leave her out of this.

"You'd rather run away from everything than deal with someone who cares. Push them away and they'll get hurt, or let them in and they'll still be hurt anyway - just because it's you."

[overstrain]

[ Terry frowns and grabs the back of the collar of Sasuke's Shadow as if to serve as a warning. They say that there are the more common two ways people handle anger--exploding or unleashing some tranquil fury with a smile. He looks obviously pissed off, but he doesn't yell. ]

Hey... isn't that a lot of assumptions you're making right now? How would you know? It's a possibility, sure, but it's not the only one.

[ ... ]

And everyone gets hurt eventually. Don't think you're so special in thinking you're the only one that can hurt people, because that's how it sounds like right now.

[reveilation]

[ Oh. Uh- Kido steps forward to take Terry's other hand and give it a tug, because this doesn't need to escalate into Terry ripping the Shadow's head off and Sasuke collapsing and being magically decapitated too. ]

It's not your battle, Terrence. Sasuke can handle this.

[ You wanted support from your friends? Sorry, Kido's not a friend yet and you're on your own ]

1/2

[not_that_sasuke]

[Yeah, that sounds about right.

This is honestly incredibly mortifying, having all of this spoken aloud for all to hear. Even Sasuke sounds frustrated when he speaks up again.]

I know. I get it. I'm weak and selfish and I don't know how to face my own problems. And now I hate myself- I hate everything that makes me me!

What else do I have to accept before we can move on?!

[Ah.

The Shadow freezes up at the end of that, golden eyes fixed on Sasuke.]

2/2

[not_that_sasuke]

[...Only to close them, looking solemn.]

"...It's been a really long time. Are you really ready to move on now?"

[He's taken aback by this response, but after a short pause, he nods.]

...Yeah. I... have to, don't I?

[It seems he's finally hit the right words, because the Shadow gives a faint smile as it begins to fade, the form of Sasuke's persona - that shadowy woman - appearing briefly before returning to him once more.]

[overstrain]

[ Whatever Terry was feeling before Sasuke fully accepted his Shadow is long gone. He looks up to see the Shadow fade, returning to the shadowy figure of a woman. With that, Vassago finally answers to the dismissal call, disappearing back into Terry's own normal shadow.

The tension leaves him. ]

You did it.

[reveilation]

[ Kido lets out a breath, stepping back from it all as her Persona returns to her side, rubbing against her ankle before disappearing as well.

It's like reaching rock bottom and having your face pushed into the ground; the only way to go now is up. ]

That took a lot of mettle, Sasuke. I'm proud of you.

[not_that_sasuke]

[He wobbles just a little bit - that really took it out of him, to say nothing of the attacks to top it off.

For a second, it looks like he's about to reply, but he closes his mouth and reconsiders his words carefully. He... can't just keep downplaying things after all that, can he...?]

...Thank you.

[It's lackluster, but it's also the best he can manage right now without going right back to self-depreciation again.]

[overstrain]

[ Terry sees him unsteady a bit, and goes up to Sasuke to lift him up and sling him over his shoulder. Probably not the best resting position, but Sasuke won't have to collapse again and kiss the floor. ]

Since it's over with, let's go back. You live in the Velvet Room, don't you? You should have plenty of time to rest in there.

[reveilation]

Why are you living in the Velvet Room...?

[ With Souji and Minato? Bad influence protags?? ]

You can always stay with us for a bit. Terrence and Rei won't mind, and you won't have to deal with that music.

[not_that_sasuke]

[Oh. Getting picked up is a surprise, and he's tense for all of a second before he seems to accept his fate.]

Souji... basically lets me stay there for free now.

[It's the frugal choice, even if the music is an earworm.]

[overstrain]

I don't mind if you stay over either, but it's your choice.

[ Terry slept several times in the Velvet Room too, but let's... not tell Kido that. They have a house now. It's fine. Anyway, it's time to leave this god forsaken place. Terry touches his omamori and Vassago surprisingly comes out willingly. ]

This way is faster.

[ All aboard the dragon taxi. ]

[reveilation]

[ Yeah, don't tell Kido anything, thanks.

Anyways, I guess Kido will let Terry on first and then get on after. I hope Terry just carries Sasuke over his shoulder the entire time instead of letting him lie down on Vassago's back. ]

[not_that_sasuke]

[Up onto Vassago we go!

Please do not drop him.]