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@goro.akechi | ■ ▲ ◌ ▼

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It wasn't that difficult to force your hand on the matter, was it? [Meanwhile, Akechi's taking a break to drink some water. He's just completed a platforming puzzle to move deeper into the labyrinth. Unfortunately, he's hungry, but already all too aware of the quality of the food he has on hand. He'll have to take a risk with it, but ...

He's putting it off.]

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Sometimes I'm a little too easy.

[ but he doesn't seem to concern himself with admitting that. it's nice to hear Akechi's voice, to ensure himself that he's all right so many miles away. ]

How are you holding up? Since this kidnapping wasn't exactly planned.

[ he's got thoughts, but it's best to open it to Akechi first. ]

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I'm more peeved that I've been pulled away from my work. You know the changes that I've been planning, but I'm forced to stall some of them for this trip.

[That's the truth of it. Of course, Akechi doesn't like being drugged and dragged somewhere for reasons of powerlessness, but he can see the value of it here. Why it was happened.

And what it might get them in the long run.]

I suspect that the others will find this to be a sign that we'll never be allowed to live our own lives. I look forward to seeing more of the same from them.

[Sarcasm.]

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[ he never liked his autonomy being ripped from him. that was part of why he became a Phantom Thief, to give it back to others, and to express his own. while he's quiet, steady, he's not too happy. Akechi expresses his own complaints, and in Ren the anger stirs. ]

We've been uprooted for sure. [ but he never likes to say never in that respect. ] It'll be harder for people to realize that a situation like this may have more than one option.

[ either fulfill those expectations, or don't. ]

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There are multiple options, and some of them may even lead us back to whoever brought us here in the first place. We'd be fools not to take that opportunity when we still have a mess of questions. [Whoever did this to them knows more about them than they do themselves.

Answers may not come tidily, but they can and will come.]

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[ there are multiple options, but as far as Ren's concerned, there usually are if you look hard enough. there's a flash of lightning in the background that sounds close by, and there's a pause on Ren's end for half a second before he speaks again: ]

We have to continue going forward, even if it's what we were kidnapped for.

[ he says it without a hint of hesitance. ]

Even if it might be what someone else wants.

[ there are other ways of thwarting that. ]

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Doing what they want is the correct choice. We have more to gain by seeing what happens when they come calling.

[That is assuming that they will. It's possible that the findings here won't be satisfying enough.]

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[ seriously: ]

It's time to Indiana Jones this up.

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[Silence for a moment, and them:]

Do you truly need an external reference for this?

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It needs a tagline.

[ huh. ]

Hugs and kisses?

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I know you didn't handle most of the calling cards, but don't you think the Phantom Thieves are more inspiring than some fictional character?

[This is praise. Sort of.]

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You want to Phantom Thieves this up?

[ there's a little inflection in his voice that raises, and he sounds momentarily boyishly delighted. ]

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[He barks a laugh, hand coming close to his chest to twist into his shirt. Oh, he's delighted, too.]

Quite the call, Joker! It's very impressive.

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[ not delighted in the same way, but he'll take it. ]

The condition is that you do the same.

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I intend to explore with all the methods available to me.

[Including being a pain in the ass.]

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Take New Cairo by storm. Bring back a souvenir.

[ he'll be disappointed if you don't steal at least one thing, Akechi. ]

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I won't bother to correct the location.

[But he'll take what he needs.]