[Give him a break!! Is this guy a Persona user too? Akira's not getting that gut feeling, doesn't feel the hairs standing up on the back of his neck like he normally does when he's in the company of someone who shares his powers. Then again... he's been stripped of everything that made him a Wildcard to begin with, so even if Solomon is just like him, it's not like he can smell it on the guy.
Unless...
No, just kidding. Akira sighs, returning to his slump against the side of the bath.]
You could say that. [No easy hints for you either, Solomon.] So what are you, some kind of summoner commanding demons to fight on your side?
[See, there we go, Akira. Dodgy behavior is good for you.]
If you had ties, one of us would be able to sense the other the day we got here, so I know that's not going to be it.
I think most of them would be pretty offended if I said yes to that. It's not quite that simple. [While he wishes he could just summon a whole army at once, the amount of effort and bitching he'd have to put up with wouldn't quite be worth it outside extreme circumstances.] I'd call myself a sorcerer, though. Not a summoner.
[Thank fuck Shadows are only bitchy while they're being detained. Once they've accepted a place in Akira's heart, they're loyal to hell and back— quite literally. From the sounds of it, Solomon isn't quite so lucky.]
Guess we've got even more common ground, don't we? I wouldn't call myself a summoner either, but I've had a demon or two lend me their power before.
[Far more than one or two, but don't sweat the details. He's trying to be dodgy here.]
But they're not quite demons. In my world, they're called Shadows.
[The answer to that is very "yes and no," and while Akira mulls it over, he tips his head beneath the water to slick his bangs back and out of his face. What his hair and glasses obscure is a deceptively serious face... and the little wizard cutie mark taking up prime real estate smack in the middle of his forehead. Thanks mods.]
It's all interconnected. The Shadows wouldn't work on my behalf if I didn't have the strength to command them, which means the source of my power comes from something else.
[If Solomon wants the answer, he'll have to puzzle it together himself. That's only fair, no?]
So if you had to guess, where does that power come from?
[He hums quietly as he drifts over to tap a finger against that mark on his forehead. Cute spot.]
That world inside you, powered by your feelings and bonds with others, not unlike our magic here. Though I can't begin to think how literal that might be for you.
[Magic worked in strange ways like that. Hearts that became stories, curses that transported you into a world that wasn't a world, alternate timelines... why not have a power that could keep something contained in the depths of one's soul?
He lifts that finger, only to press it right beneath Akira's collarbone, the ring on his middle finger reflecting the red of the water underneath.]
Is this where you keep your stolen hearts? Or is it where you descend to steal and change them in the first place?
[Now there's a question. Akira's "destiny" was fulfilled, his tale concluded. While he's mindful who he shares such details of his life with, how he went about rewriting society at its very core is a different matter. Knowing how Mementos, the very core of society, functions... That's enough to rewrite it. That's enough to do some real, serious damage. Can he trust Solomon with the key to the heart of human consciousness itself?
In his own heart, the answer is already crystal clear. Akira's hand layers over Solomon's, warm in a way the water isn't. There's that familiar spark of connection, but it's a thin, frail thing. His magic is weak, but it won't remain that way for long.]
I wonder how you catch on so quickly? Age? Experience? It's all moot now anyway. I can't "change" people in the way I could before. My days of stealing hearts are behind me, so don't think about it too hard.
[His free hand lifts to press a finger to his own lips. Akira can keep guessing on that, it seems. Keeping his age out of the picture helped to keep the broad distance between the millenia a little closer. Or perhaps, he just likes to tell himself as much. Easier to run with a joke of mystery than to present reality on someone that wasn't quite ready for it.]
There's still a heart that beats for a purpose in that chest of yours. You wouldn't have such a fire in your words or your eyes otherwise if that cause didn't mean quite a lot to you.
[AKA his passion leaks out of every pore in the heat of the moment.
He lets his hand pull naturally under the weight of Akira's, the heat of his palm pressed against his sternum with the cool snap of the ring like the light of a star against the skin.]
Maybe you just need to find another world still unknown to you, Thief of Hearts. Don't leave yourself closed to possibility.
[What is this? Solomon's attempt to guide a wayward sheep back home? Akira would liken himself more to the wolf that goes to great lengths to blend in among the sheep, but not everyone falls for his disguise. Even the nimble wolf loses its footing sometimes, and if anyone's going to see Akira's lack of direction for what it is, it's surely Solomon.
What an interesting life. Those who don't believe in fate should really think twice. Solomon's touch is warm and grounding, a northern star shining bright in an inky black sky. Let him hold onto it for just a moment longer.]
Maybe that's why I'm here. It'd suck if I peaked this early into my life.
[He catches Solomon's gaze, smile curling at the edges.]
And what about you? Content to sit back and take on a guiding role? This could be a new start for you too.
Brassy eyes study Akira with something far heavier weighing in their depths. He looks, and listens, and sees possibility here. He finds his chest warm, wondering where this young soul might lead himself. Even with the twists of an unknown power, of demonic forces familiar and yet not, this one had a strong will.
It wasn't often he took pupils. Perhaps, in another time. Perhaps, if he had longer to observe. Perhaps, if he hadn't just...
...
His hand withdraws with a deep sigh, a tired and complicated smile towards the younger man.]
Maybe we fall into what we know best.
It's for the better of all of us to right this situation. For now, we're all fledglings, as we must be for something outside of our comfort. But magic is something I know very, very well, where others might not have the luxury or the life that allows it.
Whatever role I decide to take, I have no intention to let us falter on the people here, nor on our own back home.
[There's that complicated look again. What's going on in that head of yours, Solomon? Akira lets him withdraw his hand without a fuss, but his own finds Solomon's forehead and playfully knocks on it. Will the homeowner come to the door? He has a half dozen unanswered questions for you.]
A very Solomon answer. You really are old.
[That a very safe answer too. Diving into the role of the hero isn't so bad every now and then, is it? At the same time, Akira wonders if it wouldn't be the worst idea to come to Solomon whenever he's struggling to learn a new spell or form of magic. Given the badass demon compendium on his skin, he definitely knows a thing or thirty.]
I wouldn't mind calling you Sensei if you'd teach me what you know. I've got a few ideas in mind, but I don't know how well they'll translate into functional magic.
[He allows the knocking, expression going dry at yet another jab at his age, but letting it drift. If Akira truly wanted to know, he would find the right way to ask.
And then he asks for teaching.
...
Visibly hesitant, Solomon straightens up in his seat and gives it some proper thought.
Potential wasn't a problem. The sass might be if it came without self-control, but that's something he could work with. Work ethic, magical compatibility, not to mention his own power levels being minimized...
It would be risky, going too far with this. But...
The Fountain wasn't here. Neither was Thirteen or Candy. Or...
...
How long had it been since he'd explored outside ████████████'s reach?
...
Akira has already made his intentions known, and yet their situation skirts close enough to repeating things once again. It digs at him in a way that hasn't hurt in a while.
Mmm. Would you trust something so important to someone so feeble and undeserving of respect? Maybe my heart might break into pieces from being called an old man, and you'd have nothing left to steal.
I wouldn't want to put such a burden on you.
[aka stop calling him old and he'll think about it]
[Talk about tonal whiplash. What is Solomon deflecting from this time? Akira doesn't need the specifics to know Solomon has some reservations about teaching him his ways when his abrupt change on tone makes that obvious.
He did think about it before getting all dramatic, didn't he? Akira saw that look on his face. It's just a matter of convincing him now or, at the least, working out why Solomon is so hesitant to take a chance on him.
Time to tackle this from a new angle. Akira reaches out a hand and sweeps Solomon's hair back behind his ear.]
Look at that beautiful, youthful face. Not a wrinkle in sight. Are those muscles just for show? I don't think so.
[Will flattery work? For the record, he's being perfectly honest.]
I'll take good care of your heart. I might even be willing to promise, but you'd have to return the favor.
[See? He doesn't make promises willy nilly. Taking care of another person's heart is a big obligation, but it's one Akira would take on with pride. Solomon has to know this by now. He's not the one with eighty million hangups here.]
[Akira can reevaluate his hangups when he lives to be a bazillion years old.]
Laying it on a little thick, there, aren't you... well, I'll pass the compliments for my skincare routine to Asmodeus when I next see him.
[He understands what comes next is meant to be light, that it's Akira trying to reinforce his persistence. But Solomon immediately shakes his head, something far more authoritative slipping in.]
Treat a promise with the fragility it holds in this space, Akira. Do not make one to me under any circumstances, whether I am your teacher or not.
[The rare, authoritative Solomon... This side of him is pretty sexy too, but now is not the time for that kind of commentary. Akira restrains a sigh, knowing full well promises hold a significant amount of weight in a world like this. They do anywhere, really.
So he'll match Solomon's tone and answer him seriously in no uncertain terms.]
Understood.
[He won't push the issue or make light of it. Satisfied?]
[He holds that look, unbudging, before letting it soften.]
Good.
[He wasn't about to take this any further without that line drawn in the sand. Were this Mika or Malice or Ithaqua or even Urianger, he wouldn't care quite so much to correct this before disaster struck.
But Akira is human. For him, the tactics can shift.]
You can leave my heart to me for now, Akira. [He brings his index finger and thumb together, a very obvious mini-heart that he brings to his lips with a wink.] If you truly think you want to learn, then why don't I offer you a test of your abilities?
[UGH, but he WANTS that heart... but Akira isn't lacking in self-awareness. If he treats Solomon like a conquest, he'll find his entertainment only in the chase and then bore himself when he's gotten what he wants. Luckily, Solomon makes it very, very hard for Akira to do that.
The notion of a challenge has him perking right up. It's not an iron-clad promise, but it's still something exciting.]
I have a ring with my belongings. The sort that changes color based on your mood.
[He'd rather not wear it in a situation where he'd like his mood to be more of a secret - thus, it is absent. No cheat cards for Akira.]
I'd like you to take your time to explore your creativity. Enchant the ring so that its color changes are affected by something else. It doesn't matter what that "something else" is, but its new effect has to be replicable. You can change its shape, but you cannot destroy it.
I'd recommend tapping into something familiar to your previous powers, but I won't require it.
[That's a first. It's a shame Solomon isn't wearing it, because truly, Akira would love nothing more than to understand what this man is thinking and feeling at a glance. Unfortunately, part of his charm is also that mysterious air about him, so Akira can live without him wearing the mood ring.
Still... Hm. Recontextualizing the mood ring, eh? Akira already has an idea in mind.]
Sounds like a plan. And what will my reward be for a job well done?
Edited (removes a sentence) 2024-04-26 05:22 (UTC)
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
no subject
1/2
/2
[Oddly, he relaxes a little more under Akira's grip as soon as his conclusion is off his lips, letting his arm slip away easily.]
I wasn't expecting you to reach that conclusion so quickly. But I'm glad to see you did.
Did you recognize something?
no subject
Unless...
No, just kidding. Akira sighs, returning to his slump against the side of the bath.]
You could say that. [No easy hints for you either, Solomon.] So what are you, some kind of summoner commanding demons to fight on your side?
no subject
If you had ties, one of us would be able to sense the other the day we got here, so I know that's not going to be it.
I think most of them would be pretty offended if I said yes to that. It's not quite that simple. [While he wishes he could just summon a whole army at once, the amount of effort and bitching he'd have to put up with wouldn't quite be worth it outside extreme circumstances.] I'd call myself a sorcerer, though. Not a summoner.
no subject
Guess we've got even more common ground, don't we? I wouldn't call myself a summoner either, but I've had a demon or two lend me their power before.
[Far more than one or two, but don't sweat the details. He's trying to be dodgy here.]
But they're not quite demons. In my world, they're called Shadows.
no subject
Shadows, huh. Pretty generic name, but at least it fits the general vibe.]
Lend you their power, hm? Is that the same power you would usually use for those cards?
no subject
It's all interconnected. The Shadows wouldn't work on my behalf if I didn't have the strength to command them, which means the source of my power comes from something else.
[If Solomon wants the answer, he'll have to puzzle it together himself. That's only fair, no?]
So if you had to guess, where does that power come from?
no subject
[He hums quietly as he drifts over to tap a finger against that mark on his forehead. Cute spot.]
That world inside you, powered by your feelings and bonds with others, not unlike our magic here. Though I can't begin to think how literal that might be for you.
[Magic worked in strange ways like that. Hearts that became stories, curses that transported you into a world that wasn't a world, alternate timelines... why not have a power that could keep something contained in the depths of one's soul?
He lifts that finger, only to press it right beneath Akira's collarbone, the ring on his middle finger reflecting the red of the water underneath.]
Is this where you keep your stolen hearts? Or is it where you descend to steal and change them in the first place?
no subject
[Now there's a question. Akira's "destiny" was fulfilled, his tale concluded. While he's mindful who he shares such details of his life with, how he went about rewriting society at its very core is a different matter. Knowing how Mementos, the very core of society, functions... That's enough to rewrite it. That's enough to do some real, serious damage. Can he trust Solomon with the key to the heart of human consciousness itself?
In his own heart, the answer is already crystal clear. Akira's hand layers over Solomon's, warm in a way the water isn't. There's that familiar spark of connection, but it's a thin, frail thing. His magic is weak, but it won't remain that way for long.]
I wonder how you catch on so quickly? Age? Experience? It's all moot now anyway. I can't "change" people in the way I could before. My days of stealing hearts are behind me, so don't think about it too hard.
no subject
There's still a heart that beats for a purpose in that chest of yours. You wouldn't have such a fire in your words or your eyes otherwise if that cause didn't mean quite a lot to you.
[AKA his passion leaks out of every pore in the heat of the moment.
He lets his hand pull naturally under the weight of Akira's, the heat of his palm pressed against his sternum with the cool snap of the ring like the light of a star against the skin.]
Maybe you just need to find another world still unknown to you, Thief of Hearts. Don't leave yourself closed to possibility.
no subject
What an interesting life. Those who don't believe in fate should really think twice. Solomon's touch is warm and grounding, a northern star shining bright in an inky black sky. Let him hold onto it for just a moment longer.]
Maybe that's why I'm here. It'd suck if I peaked this early into my life.
[He catches Solomon's gaze, smile curling at the edges.]
And what about you? Content to sit back and take on a guiding role? This could be a new start for you too.
no subject
Brassy eyes study Akira with something far heavier weighing in their depths. He looks, and listens, and sees possibility here. He finds his chest warm, wondering where this young soul might lead himself. Even with the twists of an unknown power, of demonic forces familiar and yet not, this one had a strong will.
It wasn't often he took pupils. Perhaps, in another time. Perhaps, if he had longer to observe. Perhaps, if he hadn't just...
...
His hand withdraws with a deep sigh, a tired and complicated smile towards the younger man.]
Maybe we fall into what we know best.
It's for the better of all of us to right this situation. For now, we're all fledglings, as we must be for something outside of our comfort. But magic is something I know very, very well, where others might not have the luxury or the life that allows it.
Whatever role I decide to take, I have no intention to let us falter on the people here, nor on our own back home.
no subject
A very Solomon answer. You really are old.
[That a very safe answer too. Diving into the role of the hero isn't so bad every now and then, is it? At the same time, Akira wonders if it wouldn't be the worst idea to come to Solomon whenever he's struggling to learn a new spell or form of magic. Given the badass demon compendium on his skin, he definitely knows a thing or thirty.]
I wouldn't mind calling you Sensei if you'd teach me what you know. I've got a few ideas in mind, but I don't know how well they'll translate into functional magic.
1/2
And then he asks for teaching.
...
Visibly hesitant, Solomon straightens up in his seat and gives it some proper thought.
Potential wasn't a problem. The sass might be if it came without self-control, but that's something he could work with. Work ethic, magical compatibility, not to mention his own power levels being minimized...
It would be risky, going too far with this. But...
The Fountain wasn't here. Neither was Thirteen or Candy. Or...
...
How long had it been since he'd explored outside ████████████'s reach?
...
Akira has already made his intentions known, and yet their situation skirts close enough to repeating things once again. It digs at him in a way that hasn't hurt in a while.
"I don't know about you, but I keep my promises."
Can he set up another for loss so soon?]
/2
Mmm. Would you trust something so important to someone so feeble and undeserving of respect? Maybe my heart might break into pieces from being called an old man, and you'd have nothing left to steal.
I wouldn't want to put such a burden on you.
[aka stop calling him old and he'll think about it]
no subject
He did think about it before getting all dramatic, didn't he? Akira saw that look on his face. It's just a matter of convincing him now or, at the least, working out why Solomon is so hesitant to take a chance on him.
Time to tackle this from a new angle. Akira reaches out a hand and sweeps Solomon's hair back behind his ear.]
Look at that beautiful, youthful face. Not a wrinkle in sight. Are those muscles just for show? I don't think so.
[Will flattery work? For the record, he's being perfectly honest.]
I'll take good care of your heart. I might even be willing to promise, but you'd have to return the favor.
[See? He doesn't make promises willy nilly. Taking care of another person's heart is a big obligation, but it's one Akira would take on with pride. Solomon has to know this by now. He's not the one with eighty million hangups here.]
no subject
Laying it on a little thick, there, aren't you... well, I'll pass the compliments for my skincare routine to Asmodeus when I next see him.
[He understands what comes next is meant to be light, that it's Akira trying to reinforce his persistence. But Solomon immediately shakes his head, something far more authoritative slipping in.]
Treat a promise with the fragility it holds in this space, Akira. Do not make one to me under any circumstances, whether I am your teacher or not.
Are we clear?
no subject
So he'll match Solomon's tone and answer him seriously in no uncertain terms.]
Understood.
[He won't push the issue or make light of it. Satisfied?]
no subject
Good.
[He wasn't about to take this any further without that line drawn in the sand. Were this Mika or Malice or Ithaqua or even Urianger, he wouldn't care quite so much to correct this before disaster struck.
But Akira is human. For him, the tactics can shift.]
You can leave my heart to me for now, Akira. [He brings his index finger and thumb together, a very obvious mini-heart that he brings to his lips with a wink.] If you truly think you want to learn, then why don't I offer you a test of your abilities?
no subject
The notion of a challenge has him perking right up. It's not an iron-clad promise, but it's still something exciting.]
Sure. Let's hear it.
no subject
[He'd rather not wear it in a situation where he'd like his mood to be more of a secret - thus, it is absent. No cheat cards for Akira.]
I'd like you to take your time to explore your creativity. Enchant the ring so that its color changes are affected by something else. It doesn't matter what that "something else" is, but its new effect has to be replicable. You can change its shape, but you cannot destroy it.
I'd recommend tapping into something familiar to your previous powers, but I won't require it.
no subject
[That's a first. It's a shame Solomon isn't wearing it, because truly, Akira would love nothing more than to understand what this man is thinking and feeling at a glance. Unfortunately, part of his charm is also that mysterious air about him, so Akira can live without him wearing the mood ring.
Still... Hm. Recontextualizing the mood ring, eh? Akira already has an idea in mind.]
Sounds like a plan. And what will my reward be for a job well done?
no subject
[Do some testing, see if it's temperature based or if it really is off your mood! (Hint: yes it is off mood.)]
You'll find out. If you show promise, maybe I'll let you ask me something you're truly dying to know.
no subject
[He isn't hinging his decisions off of maybes here, Solomon. Akira leans in, looking Solomon in the eye.]
I'm not asking you to make any promises, but I want a guarantee that you'll answer my question. You've teased me enough.
[But at the same time, not nearly enough. Never stop teasing him.]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)