2022-09-30: What Shows Beneath The Masks

• Cast: Akane Shinjo, Orpheus Zevon
• Where: Tsutsujidai
• Date: U.C. 0096 09 30
• Summary: Orpheus Zevon breaches into Tsutsujidai seeking Akane Shinjo for answers. As these two liars tear away at the mask of the other, their truthes laid bare. . .An odd but sincere trust is formed.

---

<Pose Tracker> Orpheus Zevon has posed.

It had been nearly three weeks since Orpheus' last visit to Tsutsujidai. At that time, he had been invited for recreation, for fun, for a sleepover amongst friends of a friend. By the time it was over and done, one could have assumed that he really had enjoyed himself. He would have described how surprised he had been that they had been so welcoming of his arrival, and so eager to have him for this occasion. The truth of the matter was, that night he hadn't come for the sleepover. At least, not in earnest.

The route to Tsutsujidai had been obstructed for months, and without a proper guide it was nearly impossible to navigate the fog around the space. Simply, it was a means to an end. To what end exactly? As the others would have been sleeping, he had taken to the streets under the veil of night. During that time, he made rounds about the city, a weapon concealed on each side should he had been outed preemptively. He made himself familiar with the roads, with the buildings, and with the residence of his target. . .Ensuring that they would be there.

The weeks came and went, and news of his target had spread as she made herself known. It was only as news died down and the dust settled would he act. If he was wrong in this timing. . .The next time he could intercept her could take months. That was something he refused to wait on. Thus, when all had gone somewhat quiet in the world, he made his move. Acting as a representative for the GUTS Alliance, he was able to return back into Tsutsujidai with guided aid under one excuse or another. Though, when it was his time to be guided back home. . .He never showed. He lingered in the city for hours on end till night fell once more. When the lights had gone out, when all should have been in bed, the harmless outsider had wandered the streets with a map in hand, not trusting the reliability of a phone's stability or its security in this city. He roamed the streets alone in silence, following the map that he had devised from the information he had acquired up to this point. A map that detailed the city of Tsutsujidai and one particular location in particular. . .


On the following road his eyes had looked up. In front of him he found a building of smaller stature. In the black of the night, its features didn't stand out. Though the smell of something. . . Questionable could be traced nearby. Junk Shop Aya, the name that was the label for this establishment. As he found the sign up above its doors, he slowly reached to his side, the handle of a gun ready to be pulled from its holster. If anyone had seen what was about to transpire, one might have assumed this building was about to be the target of a burglary.

Yet. . . This shop had nothing to do with him whatsoever. No, the place he had business with was the residence beside it. At this hour of the night, only the street lights should have been on as the rest of the world slept. In this residence there is one. A singular light showing out from the second floor. On this entire block, in this entire city, it's the only building he's seen where the light still shines, and it's the building he believes that houses the creator of this world.

"Akane Shinjo."

He had hoped that by the time he arrived she would have slept. That he would have snuck in with the cover of this night to acquire what he needed from Akane. He wanted to avoid the chance of her overseer, of her allies, or the chance of her bringing her Kaiju. Though, as he sees the light from that room. . . A small breath is taken, his grip on his weapon tightens. The use of force becomes likelier. Though his mission stays the same. One way or another, the two were going to meet face to face. The only question left was, would it be Akane who would greet the outsider first before he went from outsider to invader as he planned to infiltrate through her window ? Or would Orpheus be the one to steal the initiative from this girl. To break into the sanctum of her home? He was going to learn just how omnipotent this girl trying to be a god actually was.

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

The unfortunate truth is: Akane doesn't sleep. When she's addressed from outside her window, she's sitting at the L-desk in her room as always; she's only recently returned from having a nice extended sitsy-sit on a construction crane, feelng... well, the big world is too much for her to handle and the stasis of Tsutsujidai is a welcome reprieve from it.

Unfortunately, the big world is right outside, literally calling her name.

Stretching out slightly as she hears that voice outside, Akane lets out a slightly tense sigh; it's hard to say whether what she notices is that firm 'Akane Shinjo.' or the faint pressure of another human this close to her domain with intent to bother her in the innermost sanctum of her heart.

Either way: she can't let that stand.

Going to the large windows to the side of her desk, Akane pops out -- and, as she's done during several kaiju attacks, heads up to the roof. When Orpheus sees her, she's sitting at the roof's edge, looking down at him with a flat expression.

"If you wanted Akane Shinjo, you've got her," she half-calls -- not quite storming out to seize the initiative, but not allowing Orpheus the pleasure of seeing her most sacred of spaces, either. She's holding a tablet computer in one hand, which she lazily taps at a bit. "Any particular questions, or is this just a social call? 'Cuz I actually have stuff to do for once." Her lips quirk up in a smile, and she giggles -- though behind that giggle is no small amount of malice. "Unless you wanna go shopping for girls' school uniforms with me~?"

Despite how she's playing this, she honestly already feels threatened; almost every time someone shows up wanting to talk to her, there's... complications.

<Pose Tracker> Orpheus Zevon has posed.

"When I called out your name, I didn't actually expect you to show up. I thought that was the other one's gimmick. . ." When he had said her name, it wasn't intentionally to call her out. It was just a simple speaking aloud the name of the person who was his target. Here she was though, calling him out. Sitting atop her roof's edge as she looks down upon him. Though for her to have spotted him so quickly, it wasn't exactly the ideal situation. Though, it was probably better that he had said her name than that of Alexis'. From what he had been told, it was one thing to deal with this girl, but that one was more of a wild card.

If that one was to show up though. . .

He knew that things would become more complicated. If he wanted to get answers, he needed to get them before things escalated. At least that was his goal up to this point. After all, it wasn't like he was able to sneak in a KMF with him.

"Fine with me. Feel free to hop on down and we can have a nice long chat while we walk."

Obviously, he wasn't one for fashion, but he wasn't ignorant of that malice either. So if she was going to tease him, he was going to call the bluff. He can't imagine she wants him here more than he wants to be here. So once the remark is left, he calls out her name again. A sterner tone in his voice. Though even he in the heat of the moment can feel his fingers all but ready to draw on his weapon at his side. It wasn't like he was sure what she had up her own sleeves. "Akane Shinjo. I'll cut to the chase. I need answers, and the sooner I get them from you. The sooner I'm gone."

It's stern, but at least the words would have hopefully sounded appealing. "Let me make this clear, right here and right now, I don't care about your little alliance, I don't care about your Kaiju or what you do with them. . .I don't care about your fights with the powers that be. All I want is the truth, and you're the only one who can give it. . . So here's the deal, you answer my question honestly and I promise to leave you in peace."

There was probably some sort of irony for the girl to hear such a thing. Though, maybe this would be one of those rare moments where it would be worth it. After all, thus far his words did seem to be honest. Blunt. . .But honest. Hopefully it would have seemed a good deal for her. After all, she already had so much more on her plate that was it worth it to deal with this? Plus. . .Maybe it was just in the way that he was looking at her, but it almost felt like those emerald eyes were piercing. Yes, just like the eyes of others she's had to deal with before, there's a certain look to his eyes that shines even in the darkness. A look that refuses to disengage her own eyes. It tells her that he isn't playing around. He's honest to his word, but at the same time he wasn't going to disappear empty handed. Even if it's an unintentional look, one would have hoped that it'd be enough to suffice. All that needed to be done was for her to give him what he wanted and then as he kindly put it.

"I don't want to be left in your poorly made art project more than you want me to be here."

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

Perhaps Akane moves more the way Alexis does every day -- in little fits and spurts, the shape her patron carves her into becomes more and more obvious. In the end, there's only one thing that can be carved by someone as creatively spent as Alexis:

himself.

Orpheus suggests she hop down -- and perhaps surprisingly, she does hop down, very literally. Scooting off the roof like it's a seat in high school bleachers, Akane falls some 25 feet to the ground without so much as batting an eye; she heads out of her walled garden (or at least, out of its innermost walls) and forms up with Orpheus. All she has is a tablet computer in one hand -- surely she's harmless.

She seems more interested in it than in him, in fact. "Sounds fine with me. I don't really care what happens as long as outside stays outside," Akane says, meeting those piercing eyes without a flinch, starting to walk. She's at least heading in the right direction to pick up some shirts that fit the loose uniform standards of Tsutsujidai High School; whether she's actually doing that is its own question.

"Let's see here," Akane murmurs to herself as she looks at... whatever is going on on her tablet, only half-interested in Orpheus's words. He's a relative stranger -- she's guessing he's a friend of an enemy. (Something she's looking at on her tablet confirms that.)

There's a faint shimmer in the dimness of Tsutsujidai. Surely it's nothing.

Akane hates feeling like there's a hostage involved... but she's at least listening. For now. While she waits for her... solution to this problem to get more comfortably positioned -- and waits to find an appropriate 'point of entry' in what she's scrolling through on her tablet. "You had questions?" she prompts, utterly disinterested.

<Pose Tracker> Orpheus Zevon has posed.

As she makes the decision to make such a flashy descent down, there's a moment he almost forgets that this place was that of low gravity. A place where the consequences of such a jump are mitigated at least to some extent. Still. . .When he sees her actually start to form up with him, and actually start to head out into the city, there's a bit more of a surprise. Not unwelcomed though to see her not immediately bring a call to arms. Thus, he does follow her, cautiously. Though at the least his hand at his side had eased.

As the two finally walk, he doesn't seem bothered that she's not keeping an eye on him. It's not like they were friends, or even acquaintances. So such courtesy for him obviously wasn't necessary. "Sounds like a pretty normal desire. Though, if that's what you intended, what was the point of revealing yourself back in France?"

Whether he's a friend of an enemy or not, at the very least he seems well informed.

"If anything, it sounds like you gave them more of an excuse to come knocking on your door, don't you think?"

For the most part as they walk, Orpheus doesn't really intend to snoop over her shoulder. It's just that, with how dark it was out it was probably one of the easiest things to see. If anything it almost draws the eyes before. . .

". . ."

Orpheus stops in the street. He doesn't look behind him, but for a moment there's a moment of hesitance as Akane keeps walking. Ultimately, he follows forward slowly. His eyes casually scan the roads ahead of them as Akane finally broaches the subject.

". . .Several months ago, an attack involving one of NERV's EVA pilots transpired in a civilian area by an assailant. A skull fracture from the bullet wound, damage to his shoulder from the assailant's blade, A deep avulsion within his thigh by the same weapon. And then several months for recovery. . ."

As he spoke, there's mild agitation that starts to bubble up. That somewhat blunt yet composed demeanor he's had thus far is slowly starting to feel like it could build into something. . .Different. "After the attack a search into the attack has been on-going, with only one potential lead. You."

Yeah, she probably could figure what the next question to escape his lips was going to be. And to her credit, he does ask that very question with very little mystery behind it.

"Akane Shinjo, were you involved with Kaworu Nagisa's attack?"

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

"I was trying to defeat Gridman," Akane answers -- she sees no reason to dress it up at this point. "If I can defeat a Vessel of Light, I can put this place back where it belongs, and then I won't need to do this anymore. Then again, I've kind of given up on the usual kaiju attack strategy. BioNet's pretty useless and the L I took in France was pretty bad."

Despite her ultimate dream being on the other side of defeating a Vessel of Light -- whatever that is -- she's... giving up on kaiju attacks? (But what's that hovering, there, in the corner of every field of vision?) What a weird girl. Her goals are all over the place.

Akane listens to the question -- though she's paying more attention to her tablet. She's a little guarded about it -- trying to keep Orpheus from seeing what's on it. When the final bullet point comes, the final underline, her answer is direct:

"I like having Kaworu around, and he's not a threat to me," Akane answers, with a shake of her head. "No real reason for me to do that one. I've actually been trying to find out what's up with that too, but my luck hasn't been super great."

Orpheus gets a glimpse of what's on Akane's tablet at that point -- and it's a very familiar scene. A village Orpheus knows -- before it was left a village no more.

Akane realizes a little too late that she's failed to keep interrupting Orpheus's gazeline... but it's just as well, because what she's seen is a memory she's getting cold feet on exploiting. It's a little too much. (She was able to keep it together for Axis; after all, everyone experienced that.)

There's a dull thud as a kaiju comes to rest -- briefly real and whole and embodied -- in a nearby park. It's only for an instant before it starts to shimmer again... but it does draw a lot of attention to the fact that Akane might have some insurance in this situation. (At least... that's what it looks like.)

<Pose Tracker> Orpheus Zevon has posed.

"Gridman. . ." It takes him a moment exactly to recall just what she's referring to though it comes back to him just as quick, "You mean Yuta Hibiki?" There's a moment of thought that comes and passes when thinking of her goal, before he speaks to those goals. "That boy, no, him and the girl both. . . I've met them. Him more than her, but I can say with full certainty that both of them at least care for you. At least, they care for you more than just as a God on a pedestal. . .If you're serious about simply staying in your little world, and living out the rest of your days in peace. I imagine that they'd want that for you as well. . ."

The remark probably seems obvious. After all, she's assuredly had to deal with them more times by now stating something along those lines. So it likely didn't take Akane long to pick up on a certain insinuation. He was thinking, keeping people out of her little world was enough for her.

It's at these thoughts that Yuta does come to Orpheus forethoughts. The young man who was a reploid, an existence by Akane Shinjo. An existence that even now he can recall being questioned at a certain meeting with Rikka as well. Whether they should even be considered real people. That same type of existence that asked him about matters of love, and reminded him of. . .More pleasant thoughts. So maybe it's just out of his own genuine curiosity that he feels like asking that one's creator the question that had come to mind when he had visited that boy's home. When he saw the photos of a family that was never there.

He finally steps forward as he speaks this time. A part of him thinks to ask what this God thinks of her creations, but, even before that he finds himself asking something more minute but perhaps for a certain someone more important "Yuta Hibiki, does that one. . .Does he actually have pare- -"

His attention is pulled more towards the screen once again. This time, there's no hiding it though. That image of that village is all too familiar, and as the images of that time run through his mind. . .It's like he can see it play out clearly. The village. . .What became of it. . .And the sound of a young man screaming into the heavens while he holds a young woman in his arms.

"That's-- Why do you?!"

He holds at his head for a moment, in confusion. Teeth gritted. Any other thoughts or worries are erased from his mind as he realized what she's got on that tablet. "The hell did you just do?"

It's only now that he got cautious. Tension in his voice. He's heard a lot of things about Akane whether it was creating Tsutsujidai, and Kaiju alike.Though this, this was something that felt like something different. Different for her, but all too familiar things for him. Something that given what she had just seen should let her know she's playing a dangerous game not clarifying. Even with the Kaiju on standby, there's just that tension. It seemed even with her insurance, that he felt he was close enough that anything could happen, like one wrong move from either of them was the difference between both of them stepping out of this fine. . .Or both of them were about to be fighting off a monster.

"How far back did you go. . .?"

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

"... That's not enough for me," Akane answers, seeing no reason to lie. The mask is cracking, in fits and spurts; though... even she would admit at this point that her grasp on her own narrative is starting to crumble. What is it she even wants anymore? (To defeat Gridman.) Why? (She'll be safe if she defeats a Vessel of Light.)

Orpheus presses in on a question -- but he's caught out of it by what he sees on the screen, so Akane's a little 50/50 on whether he'll have the mental bandwidth to parse through the answer. She gives it, though: "I forget how I set everything up." It's half-true -- though not the half of the truth that would be relevant.

... the more immediate question is the really relevant one, though. "... far enough. I... don't worry. I, uh." Having to fumble her way through a response to Orpheus knowing what Akane has on him, now -- knowing that she knows at least some of his secrets, and he has the potential to know some of hers -- is startling in a way that forces her off her current mental track, if only for a few seconds. She meets his gaze, taking a moment to just breathe.

"I... cheated. I was looking for a way my kaiju could get you onto my side," she answers. She doesn't fully know what Orpheus is capable of, or his past -- she never really dove in. But she has a pencil sketch.

In the end, then: she decides she's going to make him the same offer she made Marusan when she started pressing just a little too close into her secrets, became just a little too aware of the shape of Akane's world for her present comfort. (Not that she knows how that situation has spun out of her control.) "I -- okay. Here's the deal. I didn't hurt Kaworu. Alexis didn't hurt Kaworu, as far as I know, either. I really do like having Kaworu at school." She can feel the danger in Orpheus's situation; in this moment, they're both cornered rats. "I know... enough about your background to know I don't want to know more." Having to give the next bit of information to Orpheus makes her wince, but she doesn't see any other way to deescalate and she isn't bold enough to press forward.

"I grew up in Nagoya."

The tension slips out of her a bit; she feels defeated... but that's fine. "Honestly, I'm kind of rooting for most of what you're up to. I'm willing to call this one a push and not mess with you at all."

<Pose Tracker> Orpheus Zevon has posed.

There's quiet. A deep quiet as Akane finally unloads everything. It's the kind of quiet that probably Akane wanted to get back to. It was just rather than it being the quiet attained when having peace of mind and solace. It's a quiet that's come in suspense of the response of someone else. Even as she finally deflates, as she lets the tension slip from her, there's still that gaze from his green eyes. They still pierce as deep as before. More so than the courageous look she might have received from Yuta or Rikka in their desire to help her, more so than the kind eyes of Kaworu that felt like they truly saw everything. These were the eyes of someone who can look past the mask. Someone, who was well acquainted with wearing their own. And Akane, she had ripped his off without any warning. Exposing him in a way, that no one else has before.

It's a relief when his gaze finally deters from her and back to the Kaiju. "That one, right? This is the Kaiju. . .Nosing around. Tell me, where you planning to blackmail me?"

Orpheus steps towards Akane, still only looking at the monstrosity she created. The sounds of his steps against the asphalt get closer and closer and yet, Bujack doesn't do anything. Surely her Kaiju are meant to intervene should threats get close, and yet. . .It does nothing immediately. Whether it's out of confusion, or something else is yet to be seen. For all he knew, maybe Akane was more bold than he thought and was willing to simply let him approach. "I believe you. . ." While he still refuses to look her way, his tone was. . .Calmer. "For a while now, people have simply been putting you as the culprit for it. I understand the logic. After all, you've got quite the nasty streak. Still. . . " Even now watching as her mask had slowly crumbled before him, not able to keep up her motivations straight, one could have easily made that assumption that she had done it. She was the one that attacked France, that attacked Japan, why would it be farfetched enough she'd go after someone like Kaworu out of spite. "I can at least tell now that this wasn't your M.O. Sending an assassin. . .Doesn't feel like your plan of attack. Though more than that. . .Seems like when you need to. . .You really can tell the truth. That's good. Then I should be honest as well. . ." Finally he turns around to look back towards Akane. The two lock eyes for a moment, though only this time instead of seeing the gaze of emerald like before. . .There's crimson, a bird within his gaze that she sees before suddenly.

"If I thought you were lying just now, about what happened to Kaworu~ About what you saw. . .' It was like a mirror image. Akane Shinjo was staring at Akane Shinjo. The man before her had faded and in his place was herself. Her hair, her eyes, her posture, the tones of her voice. All of it down to the minute detail was the same. Suddenly it might have made more sense why that Kaiju hadn't stepped forward. Seeing one Akane step towards the other likely could have confused the beast. It was assuredly confusing even now. Though now, with Akane(?)'s back to the Kaiju, and that smile. . . That deceiving smile she should be all too familiar with now being used on her. Something comes out from this imposter's sleeve and is held out towards Akane from out of sight from the beast. While Orpheus had brought a knife upon this trip, he pulled it out. . .What she sees isn't the tactical knife. . .But a box cutter. Her box cutter knife. " I might have ended up using this.~ " There's a moment where the imposter says nothing. She simply. . .Let her look into the reflection. She herself gets to look at the crumbling mask that she herself is still trying to hold onto. For once, Akane is forced to look at herself. She's forced to not just stare in the mirror, but take in the form of herself that her own mind had created of her. Her own self image. . . Whatever thoughts she had, were her own.

For most, something like this might not have been much of a punishment. Confusing sure, but painful. . .No. In truth, saying that this would hurt Akane is just something that Orpheus had made an assumption on. An assumption based on his own feelings. People who wear the mask, who cling to it as tightly as they do. . .They don't like looking at themselves in the mirror. And most of the time, they'd rather be someone else entirely.

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

"... Actually, I was planning to get you on my side a little more directly," Akane answers truthfully; she doesn't backpedal from him. She rarely flinches from threat of pain, save at the last second; emotional damage, of course, is another story. "My kaiju... helps people understand me." She doesn't fill in the blanks on how that would work, but she doesn't think she needs to --

-- and Orpheus presents her with something a little more distressing. He changes his presentation all at once, full and complete -- and in a way not far off from how Akane herself does it. It's borrowed looks, false presentations all the way down -- but Akane's had a long time to make that presentation her own, and seeing her mask on another's face is stomach-twisting. Akane's gaze tracks down to that familiar knife, all yellow and black and knobs and razor-sharpness.

She knows -- and yet, by the same token, it's hard not to fall for it. Even Akane's kaiju, that extension of her own negative feelings, seems confused; it looks between the 'two Akanes,' trying to discern what to do.

Akane herself isn't any more certain about it... so she calmly stuffs her tablet into one of her hoodie pockets. Best if that element stays entirely out of their confrontation, now.

For a moment, Akane wonders if this is how Alouette felt when Akane approached her a few hours ago, in the dream -- before she carved off Alouette's ability to feel much of anything about her present situation. ... Akane's pretty sure she's even more certain she's a bad person than she was before.

"... Enough," she muddles through. "So you can borrow faces too, huh," she says, a little flatly. "I get it. There's a lot you can't do with your own name and face, right?" ... like be loved, Akane thinks to herself.

"Yeah. I definitely don't need to mess with you. You understand me all on your own." By inches, she claws back to her own mask -- the cloying-sweet presentation she loves best. "Maybe I should make you go to class for me! ... Oh, but then I'd have to keep what you tell my friends straight, too, and that'd kinda suck... ahahaha, ridiculous, right?"

She's not fully back to comfort -- not with that staring her in the face -- but she can fake it. Nothing like a moment of mutual honesty to remind you why all the lies existed in the first place.

<Pose Tracker> Orpheus Zevon has posed.

'Enough.' It's the word Akane muses to him before continuing to challenge this image of herself. Seeing her not immediately break down, it either meant that Orpheus didn't really understand her as well as she thought he did. Or she's braver than she gives herself credit to confront herself. Though, even more noticeably is the fact she's beginning to pull that monitor away. The two gestures are enough to tell him that this was fine. So for that reason, like the fading of an illusion, like smoke the image of Akane overlaid upon Orpheus fades and with it the box cutter knife, or rather the tactical knife he had on his person is calmly put away in the same sort of gesture.

"If it was so simple, then this power would be rather worthless in my opinion."

At this point, all the tension, all the strain that came up to this point while not having dissipated for her, had vanished from him along with her Geass. Now, it almost felt like he was lecturing her like an older sibling perhaps.

"It's not on the scale of creating a city, or summoning Kaiju, but. . .Trust. The power to use someone's form, their words, their habits to take advantage of the trust they've built with others. That's what I think makes this power frightening in its own way. "

He doesn't say much else, rather he allows her to take the time to put on her mask again. To allow herself to get back behind that shield she's comfortable before finally responding to her remarks about joining her.

"The only ones who should kill, are those who are prepared to be killed." He steps into Akane's space again, "As you are now, I wouldn't trust you to fight by my side. However. . .Seems like you've learned at the very least, that if you're going to be peeking behind someone's mask, you should be prepared for someone to rip off your mask in kind.'

' It's only now does he end up resting his hand atop her head. It's probably a bit surprising (And annoying for someone so averse to bonding) but he rests it there for a moment as if he might have for Alouette. "If I understand you as well as you think I do. . . I have a feeling one day you're going to need someone who'll support you. But, you'll want someone who isn't as blinding as. . .A vessel of light?" At this point he moves his hand away as he starts stepping back in the direction they were heading only. . .He steps out from the path illuminated from the street lights and goes into the shadows of a nearby alley.A small smirk showing on his lips as she makes the joke about pretending to be her for class "Unfortunately for you, the best I could do is cover for you while you stepped away for a few minutes. . . " Another small pause ensues before he turns around to face Akane. "Shinjo, usually I'd just say that if you're a friend of Kaworu's that's enough reason for me to watch out for you when you really need it. Though, if you're actively seeking for me to join your side . . .Then first, join mine." At this point, he extends a hand to Akane, a hand that from the darkness ever so briefly shows in the light. "Kaworu's friends. . . Yuta, Rikka, Shinji, they're all good, honest people. But they won't find this person. If I wanna make sure that no one bears their fangs at him again, I'm ready to crawl through that very same darkness they hide in. I won't let them see me coming. For that though, I don't want the help of people who are a Vessel of Light or a hero. . .The sun nurtures many good things, but it can't do anything about what hides in the shadows."

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

Weaponizing trust... when Orpheus puts it like that, Akane glances over to her kaiju -- now much less confused by the situation. "... Yeah," she says, a little blandly. She can understand the frightening potential of that power. She might not have, even a week ago, but now...

... well. Bujack has made her a predator of trust as well, so she can draw the lines well enough.

When the hand comes down to rest on her head, Akane expects worse -- but she doesn't flinch. (There are a lot of times in her life when she would have; she simultaneously craves and loathes this kind of casual touch. As it is, it just feels like it isn't... connecting quite right.) She remains there, listening, as he makes an offer.

They continue walking along -- and he slips into the darkness. "That might still be helpful," she remarks, about the idea of having someone cover for her for a few minutes. When he extends a hand, she reflexively withdraws hers. "Sorry -- handshakes aren't really my thing," she notes, "but... mask to mask, I guess I can make an exception." She weighs it for a few moments -- he wants... help finding Kaworu's assailant. That's something she already kind of wanted, if only half-heartedly; it's one of the last unaddressed bubbles on the map she drew of her situation so long ago. Sure, it's not her problem -- but is she content with unanswered questions?

"... yeah, you've got a deal," Akane says, extending that hand forward again -- and cautiously, tentatively shaking it.

She lets the comment on her eventual need for support go unconfronted; she doesn't want to think about that right now. Instead, she says, "... I think I might know a few things you don't about why Kaworu might have gotten attacked, but I need a little time to put my thoughts together. ... give me your comms number and I'll tell you when I'm sure."

<Pose Tracker> Orpheus Zevon has posed.

It's exactly because she hates but yearns for such things that he does as such. A gesture of at least some form of kindness, though still with just a tad bit of irritation to reciprocate for all that had happened before. He's not Alexis, he doesn't need to work from within Akane's comfort zone. At least for now, anyway.

When she remarks about how useful it'd still it's then that he starts giving a bit more of a reprimanding look. "Well, depending on far this store is, maybe I'll explain why that's a terrible idea." As for the handshake, he doesn't pressure it when she makes mention of it. If anything, he could have seen her trying to force herself to do as such like she might have with others. To leave a good impression, to keep the mask on well. "It's fine, you don't have-- "

It's only then that he sees that cautious hand reach out. He doesn't force his own hand to meet hers. He simply lets her take her time and ultimately when the two are finally shaking, he lets her decide the strength of the grip. The duration. It's only as she does that he speaks up again. "Now that I think about it, you never got my name. . .Properly at least. For the GUTS alliance, the name Orpheus Zeveles is fine. But. . ." There's a long inhale in, as if what he's about to say is something he has to prepare himself for. "My true name is. . .Orpheus. . .Zevon. You're the third person who's been told that name."

Meaning don't abuse it. It was moments ago that he was upset with her about peeking into his mind, and yet now he was telling her something like that? The way he saw it, even if she said she only peeked into his mind. The fact she opened the front door was enough to assume even if she said she wasn't trying to learn more, that she knew enough. Hence the reason even now he was more casual with his Geass, and even more so with the name that he had only recently taken upon himself again.

"It's fine. Take your time. I already have some ideas myself after the last time we spoke." At the very least he hands his mobile device to her, "I keep a few secured lines, so it'd be simpler if you just send me yours. I'll make sure at least you have a public and private way to contact me. That said though. . .Should I assume that our little walk was so I could meet your. . ." He looks back at the Kaiju again, still unsure of how long it should be hanging out in the open like this, "Friend. . .? Or did you actually plan to go to a store at this hour?"

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

Akane has a decently firm grip, though not crushing by any stretch; she's petite, and force doesn't come particularly naturally to her.

As Akane leads them around the corner to a small clothing shop with relatively late hours, Akane says, "... Nice to meet you, Orpheus. It's still Akane Shinjo here, but... I'm gonna ask you to keep the Nagoya part to yourself, too. I'm better off if people don't know much about my background." She doesn't know that other people have already started looking into that -- to her, that's still worth protecting.

If nothing else, it means she feels no less vulnerable about the circumstances of her birth than Orpheus does about his name; mutually assured destruction is like trust if you squint.

"Oh, no, I really do have to pick up a school uniform shirt -- though not for me!" Akane says, and she's enthused about it -- or at least sounds it. "I've got a friend moving into town in a bit. Actually a few friends, but one of them is gonna need help getting situated with class." She considers whether she wants to go in right now... and decides she does, moving in. "Getting you on a walk was a nice bonus, but mostly I just hate having people in my room and I have stuff to do."

The kaiju has returned to full etherealness, and departed, some time while they were talking; what a strange experience.

"Oh, good, we've both got secure lines. That makes it easy," Akane says, managing to sound like the sort of very important person who has a secure line for normal reasons and not a weirdo who got a squishy lizard phone from Grace O'Connor. She fumbles in her bag for a piece of paper and a pen, a process which takes a minute -- but she does have one, and she hands it off once she's written it down.

"Unless you wanna go shopping for girls' uniforms for real, though, we might wanna split up here. Still... thanks. I was honestly kinda thinking the trail on the Kaworu thing was gonna go cold. I'll let you know once I have everything together." A beat passes, and she appends: "I hope you like charts! I'm really more of an art person than a words person."

<Pose Tracker> Orpheus Zevon has posed.

In turn, Orpheus makes due with shaking with the same amount. It's less of a shake and more of a comrade in arms solidarity type of thing. When they release, there is a bit of surprise to see something is open at this hour, but. . .It was her world. Probably he shouldn't have been too surprised. "I assumed as much. If you were willing to use it as a bartering chip then I figured it was something of the sort. And obviously. . ." He doesn't say anything for her, only bringing a finger to his lips. It was clear that he had divulged quite a bit tonight himself. "If you were serious about how far you saw, then I guess I'll say it now but. . .Kaworu's already aware of my situation. If you wish to speak to him about it, or inquire more from him, I'll permit it."

As they keep talking, there is a bit of a raised eyebrow that pops up as she makes mention of new friends. Though a small smirk again formed on his face. "Oh, so you're inviting people into this place afterall?" His look clearly calls out the hypocrisy of saying she wants to have everyone stay out, but still has people let in. He doesn't push it that far though.

"Still, it's not a bad thing though." For a moment, he feels like he's talking to Kaworu or Alouette again. He always seemed a bit more content when he could see them making friends at school and somehow, that same sort of feeling did arise when hearing of Akane seem a bit more genuinely eager for this.

At this point he's taken notice of the dispersed Kaiju, a bit surprised that it was capable of disappearing into thin air like that. "Oh right, guess it would make sense you have a phone for your. . .Colleagues." Immediate thoughts of Bionet came to mind immediately. "Let me request now that you choose to put my number in another phone than the one holding that. Even if it's under an alias, it'd be problemsome for me if people assumed I was working with those kinds of people for a number of reasons. Also as for splitting up. . ."

At this point he starts scratching at the back of his head awkwardly, "As much as Yuta and Kaworu say I'd look good in women's clothes, I'll pass. Though. . .Unless you have someone who can lead me back through the fo--Out of town, I think I'm stuck in the city for the night. I ended up missing my 'ride' back with your school's GUTS representative when trying to find you."

It's a bit awkward to admit that now. Basically admitting that he had been trapped here if things had gone wrong, but that was the risk he made knowingly. "I'd ask Yuta, but frankly. . .I'd prefer to keep my visit here as low key as possible as well. It's a shame though. . ." At this point there's a little hint of a smile that curls on his lips, "If I was there, maybe I could have tried practicing that blade move again. . ." He stops for a moment realizing he might be going a bit out of context, ". . .In Brilliant Brawler Sisters. . .Wait. . .Before I even go any further. . .Do you even know what that is?" Did he seriously just ask Akane if she didn't know what a video game was?

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

"Oh -- deal. Let me give you my normal phone then. If you're already part of GUTS, that's actually easier," Akane says, writing down that number instead. She's not super pleased to have to put him on her personal line rather than (what is rapidly moving to 'used-to-be') her business line, but... it can't be helped in a situation like that.

She doesn't remark on the hypocrisy, other than to say, "Oh, the visit is... part of a plan I'm working on." Part of the reason she doesn't hate this situation is because Orpheus has shown that he's capable of discretion, which means she's pretty sure she can get away with that.

"... are you seriously asking me if I know what a video game is?" Akane asks, bringing a hand to her mouth and giggling. "Of course I do! I was one of the people botting the polls to get Tarabaman in that game!" An initiative which never did pan out -- but Akane doesn't hold it against the game, certainly.

... the uniform shopping can wait a few hours -- at least until Marusan wakes up and Akane can call her to get Orpheus out of here. "... I guess there's not a lot of harm in you seeing the first level of my house... if you want to kill a few hours, I'm game. We're going to have to sit on the floor, though. The layout in my sitting room isn't really... for watching TV or playing games."

Akane isn't exactly happy to make that offer -- but she's kind of stuck with Orpheus for now, and he's not... the worst. Certainly he, Kaworu, and Juggler would look right in a lineup next to each other -- which means maybe they can share the dubious distinction of seeing the first floor of Akane's house, too.

<Pose Tracker> Orpheus Zevon has posed.

"In that case, should it come up in the future that I simply met you on business for GUTS. Just. . . If you hear of someone named Milly Ashford, or Lelouch Lamperouge it's best not to use it." He was more a representative in the spirit of the GUTS alliance. As it stands though, being actively involved did usually mean being at the whims of Milly herself. Something he tried hard not to put himself through.

The plan she mentions does bring awareness. "I see. Well in that case, word of advice. . .If you're going to be using that thing. Be ready for what you might see this time." It was one thing if she couldn't stomach it, but if it meant it was going to put her in danger of retaliation when people were exposed then he felt the need to give some more warning. "At the very least, if you're bringing them to your door. . .Have a good back up plan."

"Also, are you seriously asking me how often I've played any of them? Also. . .They were going to put Tarabaman in there? You mean that old show that they tested radio waves with? That's his only retort as she questions him on video games. She literally just saw him living his childhood in a backwater village. He's clearly not had much opportunity for video games, so how popular they are for anyone is beyond him. And he also makes it rather clear his knowledge of Tarabaman was limited as well, knowing just enough about how it was used in history if anything.

As she presents her suggestion he does give a nod, "I'd appreciate it, though if you're planning to do your shopping I can at least wait outside. It'll kill some time for the morning at least either way. As for the housing arrangement, sitting on the floor's fine." It's not like he didn't have worse. "Anyway, if you have the game that'll be good. I was hoping to get some practice in, so as long as you're around Kaworu's level, I guess it'll be worth it."

Perhaps Akane was not happy that she had to make that offer. . .HOWEVER she might have enjoyed the situation that transpired soon after, when Orpheus soon realized that mecha combat prowess did not apparently translate to capability in video games. And that when Akane was likely in her element. She truly was a God. . .