[The mook fights are honestly incredibly energizing; it feels good to be able to do something, instead of just sitting back and waiting for their fates to come to them.
But.
Minato knows he's no actual Phantom Thief! Even if he's got the outfit, he's not near as confident in his stealth stat. He'll hang back a bit while Akira (and possibly Makoto?) edge closer to eavesdrop on that conversation.]
[The sneaking works for now, at least, so you can listen in!
...admittedly it's mostly boring talk about recruiting people and making 'a strike team', but it's clear from the interactions here that these two are close. Very close. Best friends at the absolute least. They trust each other fully, and have each other's backs.
And when the scene shifts abruptly, to a time when both men are a bit older and dressed in different uniforms (different from what they wore before, and different from each other now), the change in them is quite striking. Because they are no longer standing close to each other, working on a project together. No, now they're fighting.]
"I already told you, your group can't operate in that country. We don't have permission to be there."
People are dying. People are already dead! How many of my men do I have to bury before we can take this guy down?
"It's out of my hands. We have to wait for the local government to arrest him and send him to us."
He's lining their pockets! They'll never arrest him! We need to go in with a strike team, take him out, and bring him back here.
"We can't do that, we have to operate diplomatically. If we don't, the whole world will be ripping us apart for being untrustworthy!"
[with a small shake of his head and a deep exhale, Akira motions towards the rest of the hallway and begins to swiftly but silently make his way down it. there isn't too much else to see in that board room, as far as he's concerned]
[Time to go...! Minato's got plenty to think about too, even though he couldn't hear all of what Akira heard; he glances over at Makoto, and then drags in a slow breath and follows.
Really, he has no idea what to expect from all of this, but he trusts Akira and Makoto implicitly; he can follow Akira's lead and trust that this will all come together.
He sounds a little like someone she'd admire, honestly. And the other man reminds her too much of the adults she'd grown tired of back home. Which makes his actions with Ichigo even more bewildering?
She nods at Minato. Go. And then she follows, bringing up the rear.]
But hey, there's more mook fights to come! These men and women are in a different uniform, more reminiscent of what the 'we have to follow rules' guy was wearing. Blue, with some silver on it.
Oh, but there's something else in here too. Surprise!]
[That something else is what looks almost like a powerful shadow - human shaped, with a single long, sharp horn, and bone-white skin with black markings running down his face. His long, reddish-blonde hair attracts the light, and his yellow eyes - one with a black sclera - falls on the group before he turns and starts approaching.
Makoto always seemed like the more level-headed of the Phantom Thieves he's met, but now he's starting to think that she's probably the far more brutal of the two, at least. Note to self: do not cross Makoto.
But also, maybe it's because Minato's not used to Shadows like theirs, but this doesn't seem like--
[she was about to add a diarahan, but honestly, that's overkill? Two dias look fine, and diarahan takes a lot of energy... Still, she gives Ichigo an apologetic look.]
Sorry. I can't believe I did this again?
[she moves to kneel close to him to make sure, before she truly rules out the diarahan, that he's okay.]
-- anyway, you didn't miss much. We ran from some robots, made our way down here, and eavesdropped on some conversations between what seem to be military commanders.
We're heading down this hallway now, to see what comes next.
[she just blushes, and then shoots a Look at leader, before stepping back from Ichigo, now that she knows he's okay. just so he doesn't get pinned to the wall by them crushing so close.]
What he's saying is-- we're glad you're alright. Again.
[and now she actually gets to see him. Wow.]
Anyway, by "it"? Do you mean the shadow this heart belongs to?
No, it was the, uh - weird distortion? It was - I can't really describe it, but it felt like falling in the gap between the world of the living and the world of the dead.
[That's something none of them are going to get, but he soldiers on anyway.]
Military commanders seems about right, though - he was military. 'Made to be a one man army', in his own words. At least, that's what he told me before he threatened me.
[Ichigo pauses, looking....conflicted. There's sorrow there, but also anger and frustration, and also...a little pity?]
Anyway, I'll gladly join the team if you'll have me. ....Even if I'm throwing off the...team aspect you all have?
[Akira's expression mirrors the conflict in Ichigo's pretty soundly, but. . . that isn't important right now, is it? they're here to learn as much as they can, and they can put it all into perspective later]
Of course we'll have you. And trust me, you aren't throwing anything off, here.
[gestures to Ichigo's ONE HORN jfc]
I told you a four-person team was standard when I invited you along.
[It's fine, it's not like this heart matches itself anyway. There's so many different uniforms- the blue ones from before, some ones in all grey and black, some camouflage ones, and even SCP agent uniforms- and they're all mish-mashed with each other. Eventually you reach a point where groups of enemies don't even have the same uniform in a single encounter.
Basically, this heart has been through a lot of organizations, and they all seem to blur together eventually.
But as you go deeper into the heart, there is this feeling that grows stronger and stronger:]
I'm right.
I know how to handle this.
I'm the one who will keep them alive.
I can take care of everything.
They'll all be fine, I will rescue them.
[A million scenarios, with the same feeling to them. This person takes on the burden of leading, and he takes his job very seriously. And the dark side of being a leader leaks through between those sentences:]
They will listen to me.
Anybody who doesn't fall in line will be taught a lesson.
They should just recognize that I'm right.
Why won't he just listen to me? I know what I'm doing!
I just need to push them harder. If they see the consequences of their actions, then they'll understand.
[As they go deeper, Ichigo's expression just...changes from the thrill of battle as he pushes and cuts down mooks (every cut effortless, his zanpakuto moving in tandem like extensions of his own body) to something more pained, with pity and understanding, yet still tinged with that frustration and anger.]
....Goddamnit, you idiot.
[Despite everything - despite being murdered by him -
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But.
Minato knows he's no actual Phantom Thief! Even if he's got the outfit, he's not near as confident in his stealth stat. He'll hang back a bit while Akira (and possibly Makoto?) edge closer to eavesdrop on that conversation.]
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...admittedly it's mostly boring talk about recruiting people and making 'a strike team', but it's clear from the interactions here that these two are close. Very close. Best friends at the absolute least. They trust each other fully, and have each other's backs.
And when the scene shifts abruptly, to a time when both men are a bit older and dressed in different uniforms (different from what they wore before, and different from each other now), the change in them is quite striking. Because they are no longer standing close to each other, working on a project together. No, now they're fighting.]
"I already told you, your group can't operate in that country. We don't have permission to be there."
People are dying. People are already dead! How many of my men do I have to bury before we can take this guy down?
"It's out of my hands. We have to wait for the local government to arrest him and send him to us."
He's lining their pockets! They'll never arrest him! We need to go in with a strike team, take him out, and bring him back here.
"We can't do that, we have to operate diplomatically. If we don't, the whole world will be ripping us apart for being untrustworthy!"
What good is trust if we all die earning it?!
[Hmm. Trouble in paradise.]
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[. . .]
[with a small shake of his head and a deep exhale, Akira motions towards the rest of the hallway and begins to swiftly but silently make his way down it. there isn't too much else to see in that board room, as far as he's concerned]
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Really, he has no idea what to expect from all of this, but he trusts Akira and Makoto implicitly; he can follow Akira's lead and trust that this will all come together.
Onward...!]
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He sounds a little like someone she'd admire, honestly. And the other man reminds her too much of the adults she'd grown tired of back home. Which makes his actions with Ichigo even more bewildering?
She nods at Minato. Go. And then she follows, bringing up the rear.]
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But hey, there's more mook fights to come! These men and women are in a different uniform, more reminiscent of what the 'we have to follow rules' guy was wearing. Blue, with some silver on it.
Oh, but there's something else in here too. Surprise!]
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What do?]
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OUT OF OUR WAY!
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GO QUEEN, GO!
[v-vicious]
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Makoto always seemed like the more level-headed of the Phantom Thieves he's met, but now he's starting to think that she's probably the far more brutal of the two, at least. Note to self: do not cross Makoto.
But also, maybe it's because Minato's not used to Shadows like theirs, but this doesn't seem like--
Ah.
Too late.
He winces, fiddling with his mask.]
... Ouch.
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Thankfully, Ichigo is an end of series shonen, or else you'd all be looking at a ghost murder right about now.
He wheezes, holding out his hands (which are still holding both parts of Zangetsu) and yelling out-]
HOLD ON, IT'S ME! Ichigo?! The Apprentice?! Ah...god, I think you broke my nose...
[He doesn't blame them, but -]
The hell was that for? Agh...
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Ichi-- shit, uh. . . hang on!
[brb summoning 16-bit Cybele for a dia]
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[Minato's commentary has been #helpful here.
Either way, he joins in the effort, summoning Attis to add another dia on top.
Since.
It's dia.]
Are...you okay?
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Sorry. I can't believe I did this again?
[she moves to kneel close to him to make sure, before she truly rules out the diarahan, that he's okay.]
I get a little excited when the fighting starts.
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It's alright - ghh. Just hurt a little, but I'm alright - I've had a lot worse.
[He gets to his feet, putting his Zanpakuto away on his back.]
Gotta say though, if that's how you flirt with someone, you should probably reconsider your approach.
[He smiles, obviously teasing.]
...Anyway, I finally caught up with you guys. I didn't get there in time, so I got...caught by it, I guess, and sent down here.
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Some people are into that sort of thing, Ichigo.
[IMMEDIATELY DUCKS BEHIND MINATO AFTER THAT]
-- anyway, you didn't miss much. We ran from some robots, made our way down here, and eavesdropped on some conversations between what seem to be military commanders.
We're heading down this hallway now, to see what comes next.
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Minato slowly lifts his chin, glances over at Akira, and arches an eyebrow.]
That won't save you forever.
[... anyway. To Ichigo:]
I'm glad you made it here in one piece. [A beat.] More or less in one piece.
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What he's saying is-- we're glad you're alright. Again.
[and now she actually gets to see him. Wow.]
Anyway, by "it"? Do you mean the shadow this heart belongs to?
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[That's something none of them are going to get, but he soldiers on anyway.]
Military commanders seems about right, though - he was military. 'Made to be a one man army', in his own words. At least, that's what he told me before he threatened me.
[Ichigo pauses, looking....conflicted. There's sorrow there, but also anger and frustration, and also...a little pity?]
Anyway, I'll gladly join the team if you'll have me. ....Even if I'm throwing off the...team aspect you all have?
[GESTURES AT THEIR OUTFITS WITH A HAND]
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Of course we'll have you. And trust me, you aren't throwing anything off, here.
[gestures to Ichigo's ONE HORN jfc]
I told you a four-person team was standard when I invited you along.
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Rather... he flashes Ichigo a small smile.]
I'm looking forward to working with you, Ichigo-san.
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We just need to work well together.
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Basically, this heart has been through a lot of organizations, and they all seem to blur together eventually.
But as you go deeper into the heart, there is this feeling that grows stronger and stronger:]
I'm right.
I know how to handle this.
I'm the one who will keep them alive.
I can take care of everything.
They'll all be fine, I will rescue them.
[A million scenarios, with the same feeling to them. This person takes on the burden of leading, and he takes his job very seriously. And the dark side of being a leader leaks through between those sentences:]
They will listen to me.
Anybody who doesn't fall in line will be taught a lesson.
They should just recognize that I'm right.
Why won't he just listen to me? I know what I'm doing!
I just need to push them harder. If they see the consequences of their actions, then they'll understand.
[This heart is a mess.]
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....Goddamnit, you idiot.
[Despite everything - despite being murdered by him -
He still cares, even now, and this is -]
...It's just like Aizen.
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