meadowlarklogs

Entry tags:

persona: ren amamiya

OPEN.

WHO: Ren Amamiya & confidants
WHERE: Around NA
WHEN: September into October
WHAT: Open! Stuff!
NOTES OR WARNINGS: Nothing offhand, but there might be CW in the comment titles.

NEW AMSTERDAM

[ during the hours in the day when he isn't working, he's either running errands or indulging himself in some of his hobbies around New Amsterdam. Ren likes to keep himself busy, either with chores, friends, or sharpening some of his own skills. he can be found around the city in sporadic schedule that fits his own personal routine.

(sometimes he misses his cat. the one he used to keep in the bag who would make commentary at everything that he's done. it's been months, but he still misses his cat.)

A • there's a gym down the street from his apartment that he frequents, either running on the treadmill or building strength. while he's not running around in the Metaverse anymore, there are still reasons to keep in shape.

B • to blow off steam he'll go to the arcade. some of his favorite games include the baseball simulator and the shooters. it keeps his aim on point. besides, if there's a score to beat, then he'll be on it. that doesn't mean that he keeps himself limited to those two, if someone needs a partner for something, he's more than willing to oblige.

C • other times he's just running errands. either he's grabbing something from the local market, grabbing food from a food truck, or wrestling large bags of vegetables from his second job as a high-rise gardener. ]

RED WINGS

[ the hours that he works really depends on the need. he still goes to work, puts curry on the menu, and then carries out the checklist for the day. he's either behind the bar or in the kitchen, and with Kyna's input, adds curry fries to the menu (as well as a "secret loaded curry fries" which isn't on the menu, but he'll whip it up for whoever asks).

on his breaks he's either eating or running a game of darts. he's got pretty good game on 700, for whoever's hanging around and wants to join him. ]

DREAMING & WILDCARDS

[ I don't have much for dreaming, but I'm open to individual dreams! Ren started some dream stuff about a month ago, so lmk if there's anything anyone wants to expand on there, or I'm willing to dive in if it comes up naturally. ]

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( they had been talking about dream things on the network but a lot of it is -- difficult to explain in person and things adam doesn't really want to have down in writing, in case he has to quickly take back any statements he makes.

because they've always been secretive about it. this place makes keeping those secrets a little pointless, but it doesn't mean adam wants to put them out for the world to find them either.

so he meets ren at redwings during his off hours, sits himself down at a table a bit away from the bar and raises a hand to wave towards ren when he spots him. )

Hey.

[ Ren's there in his apron, hands busy cleaning off the top of the bar. it's rather sparse right now (and has been since the Aerie), so finding a time when there's not a lot of people is easier than it's been in the past.

when Adam flags him down he heads over.

the first thing that comes out of his mouth is this: ]

I made curry fries.

[ said like a boy who just realized you can put curry on fries. ]

Curry fries?

( as a young college student he's seen pretty much everything you could ever want on fries put on fries. people get creative when they're living off an allowance in dorms. )

There any left back in the kitchen? I've got funds.

[ there's a slight smile that passes his face. ]

They could be gone. [ don't give him an opening to sass, Adam. ] I'll have to check.

[ they're not gone, but he's going to be this way about it anyway. with a slow turn and hands tucked into his apron, he heads back into the kitchen. a little bit later he emerges with food.

it's better to chat over snacks, anyway. ]

Lucky day.

Nice, thanks.

( look he's hungry and also who wouldn't want curry fries? ren comes back out with food and adam reaches forward to grab hold of one of the fries more towards the top, smothered in curry. shoves it into his mouth. actually makes sure he's swallowed it before opening his mouth like a monster. )

So, dreaming.

[ he just likes helping and being hospitable. when Adam starts, Ren sits at the table across from him. he's still in his apron, but there's no one there right now to disturb them. ]

Right.

[ he begins. ]

You said you had some experience.

I have a fair amount of second-hand experience.

( he's already asked ronan, so it's not as if he's digging into anything secret. adam reaches for another curry-covered fry and starts: )

Back home, there are people called Dreamers. Joseph Kavinsky is one of them. ( you know, that kid on the network asking for a sugar daddy. ) Not a very put together one but one of them. There are ley lines--metaphysical connections between important places all throughout the world, right? And Kavinsky used the one we went to school close to as an endless battery pack, basically. He'd go to sleep, and could build whatever he wanted inside his own dreamscape--then pull it out of his dream. Like lucid dreaming, with the added bonus of being able to make whatever he wanted and make it real. Except sometimes things Dreamers don't want getting out can push their way out of them, too. Night terrors and the like.

( but obviously- )

It doesn't work here though.

Dreaming and producing products of cognition.

[ Ren listens quietly, setting his elbows on the table and folding his fingers in front of his chin. there's a little nod in response to Kavinsky—yeah, he remembers him. ]

Is a night terror what it sounds like? Like a cognitive abomination.

[ "abomination" might be too loose of terms—Shadows, whether a reflection of a specific person or those that were born from the Sea of Souls, still manifested in that realm of cognition. the Metaverse.

he has a few more thoughts, but he'll start there. ]

Night terrors match the person they belong to. What they can do, how they look.

( he's very purposefully not mentioning anything specific to ronan, so it's. a little hard to describe something that he's only familiar with coming directly from ronan. )

When you have nightmares, what is it that scares you?

[ that's a good question. Ren rests his arm on the table top, draw back into his thoughts. there was plenty in the Metaverse that was scary: Shadows warped by people's cognition, hatred, spite and vengeance brewing in the depth of the public's heart, and the very nature of the Metaverse with its nameless graves and bottomless tracks. despite that he hadn't been afraid of it.

the nightmares had come with Akechi's sacrifice. after they had invaded the cognitive Palace of the soon-to-be Prime Minister, and he had tried to kill them. that sat with him a different way, a victim he couldn't save, powerless to stop the cascade of events that happened after that. ]

...

Helplessness.

[ that's why the loss of autonomy had hit him so hard here. no matter who he tried to help, or what direction that he tried to focus, someone was always there to use them. to use him. ]

( not exactly a helpful way to fill in the blanks here, but he gets it. understands where ren is coming from, because adam--has had several nightmares full of the same. an inability to pull himself forward, to get out from under his parents, growing up into the very thing he's always, always been afraid of becoming.

still doesn't really work here though, so. )

So, let's say in your dream, that's personified as something--monstrous, scary. Like. . I don't know, a giant mutated tiger? Something. And you're dreaming of that tiger attacking you, tearing you to shreds, pulling you apart piece by piece. If you were a dreamer, you might wake up covered in your own blood, welts covering where it had scratched at you, and that same tiger just parading around your place intent on destroying all of the things that it wanted to in your dream.

So it reflects back on the real world.

[ at least Adam could reason something out of his answer. nightmares for him were always about what he couldn't do, no matter how hard he strived to do it, were never really tangible. it was what kept him up. ]

Something that was thought of, a piece of cognition, becomes real. It's kind of like here in some sense.

[ he speaks quietly. ]

There was something here like that too. It wasn't a nightmare, but what happened reflected back on the real world through a dream.

It does. For near everything.

( can't bring back the dead via dreaming, but you can use something whose form was created through a dream as a sacrifice to bring someone back. but that also goes into--significantly more detail than he really wants to get into here. they're sharing secrets, but some of them aren't adam's to tell. and he doesn't want to say it too clearly because--who knows when someone else is going to show up here. )

Could you tell me more about when it happened here?

[ he doesn't press, but it's nice to know that there's some level of understanding when it comes to dreamwalking. while Ren had experience with the cognitive world and the Velvet Room, they felt like different beasts, and any experience was welcome. they still had a lot of work to do if they were going to take control of their dreams.

he starts quietly: ]

I wasn't here for it, I've just heard about it. I can tell you what I know.

[ it deserves a forewarning. ]

There was a monster attack in different cities, and while everyone was deciding what to do to help, they fell asleep. All of the Displaced. There was a big, collective dream, with a merged city and an underwater laboratory. There was something shaped like a spear there. [ he can go more into that later, it's been something that he's been chasing for a while. ] People defeated a giant monster in the dream. More things happened, too, that affected the real world. When everyone woke up, all of reality had been changed. The monster attacks never happened. People had new political positions. Some people had other things that they sought after in the dreams.

So the concept is similar even if it functions differently in practice.

( but this does bring up a good point, too. if dreaming can function like this, they might have a direction they can try to shove kavinsky in to regardless. which. might help him be a little less of a stupid asshole, which ronan would be happy with. and. well. this also gives ronan a leg up with this place, too. but he'll leave how much ronan wants to get involved up to him. )

I used to scry into a Dreamer's dreams, but I didn't have the same kind of control over them that they did. Kavinsky might be a good resource, if he can stay sober and keep his mouth shut long enough.

[ for him, it's a way not to be used. he's so sick of being used. ]

If you're touching someone before you both go to sleep, you can share dreams. It could help with that.

[ then, quietly: ]

If we have intention, and then make a bigger dream, we might be able to take control of our own abilities for ourselves.

[ he hopes, anyway. ]

[ despite the heat, jyn has a jacket on over her usual long sleeves, which looks extra stupid with her shorts but it isn't as if she is seeking anyone's fashion advice. especially since her live in fashion consultant illya kuryakin has gone home to soviet whatever.

she knocks on ren's door, five sharp raps in quick succession. ]

Ren, it's Jyn!

[ maybe she is here for that hug she threatened him with! ]

[ maybe she's arriving from Jurassic Park? jk Ren doesn't know what Jurassic Park is. Ren can hear her before he gets to the door, so he gives her an access key before he even steps through the apartment to greet her. she managed to catch him after his morning high-rise gardening shift. ]

Hey. [ his normal greeting, but something seems a little funky. ] Something up?

[ given that she beelined here without a message that she'd be arriving (but honestly, Jyn was just sort of like that, anyway). ]

[ she strides in, shoving back her hair which has fallen from her typical bun. it looks like it's been brushed recently so that's new and exciting. ]

Do you know basic first aid?

[ maybe she is only asking so she can teach him out of the goodness of her heart because she cares about his and akechi's well-being. she does, but this is not the case, but maybe it is! that could also be new and exciting!

this is a new and exciting day! ]

[ he'll go along with this. he's got it.

there's a tilt of his head and then a sharp nod that yes, he does. there have been plenty of times in the Metaverse where either him or the rest of the Phantom Thieves have needed medicine or first aid. there are some things a cognitive plate of curry or a good Dia spell can't really fix.

he's also hung around Takemi's clinic enough to pick up some basics from her. given the state of the world with the monster fights and possible UNA invasions, Ren and Akechi have their own little basic first aid stash. ]

Are you going somewhere with this?

[ just to be cheeky. ]

[ at the affirmation, jyn shrugs out of the jacket, revealing her long sleeved tee shirt, under her department of wildlife protection and services khaki shirt, the left sleeve of which is torn from some kind of claws and sticky damp with mostly congealed blood. ]

Can you clean this? I'd go to the clinic but they're still swamped and this is stupid.

[ and she is left handed, her right hand is clumsy on its own. on top of that, medical care generally involves touching and there are few people she considers letting touch her on purpose. on top of that, she doesn't think ren will blink at the now very faint bracelet-like scars around her wrists and the pollack-esque splatter of tiny burns on her forearms from her time in prison. ]

[ okay, well. not expected. Ren looks a little surprised, but he knows when to get down to business. ]

Let me get the first aid kit. Go ahead and sit down.

[ and he heads into one of the other rooms to come back with a couple towels, and a small case where the rest of the supplies are kept. he offers her a towel to sit on, in hopes not to get too much blood on the couch. then he goes to warm up some water. ]

What happened?

[ when he gets close enough to notice the details, he will. he's more observant than he lets on, but he normally knows when not to talk about it. he's had his own run ins with the law, and he wasn't too fond of authority in general. ]

[ while ren putters around, jyn manages to get the long sleeves mostly off, shirt dangling from her wounded forearm because the idea of peeling the shirt off her cuts makes her want to scream or cry or both and she refuses to do either. ]

I got a new job. [ she taps the little badge on her askew uniform shirt. ] There was an animal that had wandered into one the clubs in the red light district, it was not very keen on being relocated.

[ it made its displeasure known, hissing and spitting and scratching at jyn before she could get a decent enough grip on the scruff of its lil' raccoony neck. it was so angry and annoyed with her jyn almost wanted to keep it for the sheer novelty of seeing her personality in an animal.

and then it scratched her again. ]

[ the focus is partly on her, and partly on the water just before it boils. some fancy features of this world made sure that there was hardly any wait time for water boiling, go fig. ]

Did you get it?

[ he asks quietly, bringing over the cloth and the warm water to do some primary cleaning of the ... big gash in her shoulder. gosh, Jyn.

he begins carefully, making sure that skin doesn't touch skin to cause any more discomfort. ]

Of course I did.

[ somewhat snippily, a habit to defend her usefulness and adequacy. i'm sure that means nothing about her upbringing. she pulls a face, a petulant moue before she pushes out a breath and looks up at ren. ]

I'm not fragile, do what you have to do.

[ of course I did in that tone makes it a little hard not for his lips to quirk up into a little smile. it doesn't seem to dissuade him at all—he's used to dealing with Akechi's sharp comments 24/7. ]

I don't like hurting people.

[ he says quietly, keeping his steady hand. ]

This isn't hurting.

[ she thinks ren is probably capable of it, if there was a reason, but it isn't as if his nature screams cruelty. she isn't expecting him to jam his thumb into the gashes until she passes out from the pain, he's going to clean it and it's going to suck, end of story. ]

Do you know how to swim?

[ despite her protests, he keeps his pace cleaning. his hand is steady, focused, and purposeful. it's clear he's putting his focus into it. he clears the blood around the wound until he can see the ring of inflammation around the tear.

he doesn't answer until he reaches for the antiseptic. ]

Yeah. I've gone to the beach.

[ with his friends. (that brings back memories.) ]

Why?

If someone is drowning, sometimes they fight being rescued because they're panicked. Sometimes you have to punch them in the face so they'll stop struggling.

[ she looks from her arm, up at ren. ] Sometimes first aid has to hurt.

[ saw had taught jyn first aid as a supplement to her more offensive lessons; if you know how to heal, you know how to harm. her perception of first aid may be skewed in that sense. ]

[In his time exploring New Amsterdam, which to be fair, is typically limited to daylight hours as he does not trust what lurks within the darkness, Simon has noted that there are several spots around the city that are indeed empty, whether they are spaces between buildings or areas that had previously been damaged for whatever reason. Ren may pass Simon inflicting his Adolescent Turmoil on whatever has been left in the alleyway outside of the arcade building, and this involves simply kicking or punching whatever it is that is standing upright. The blond lands one particularly ferocious kick at what appears to be a container of supplies, direct and intentional, and notices something strange.

As his foot draws back, there's a spark between himself and that particular surface.]

Huh?

[Simon focuses his energy again, gaze zeroing in on the same spot he had hit before, and repeats the notion. Once again, there is a spark.]

But, my shoes, they're not...

[Here.

He is discussing a pair of his typical antigravity metal sandals, useful for darting about surfaces on the Infinity Train. While some parts of the train may appear to mimic various landscapes, such as jungles and deserts, they are in fact parts of the train, which means that the forces that allow a passenger to stick to metal surfaces apply to most parts of the vehicle. This is a different case entirely.

He sits in silence, nostrils suddenly tinged with the smell of something burning. As he turns over his shoe, he sees that there is a hole in the center, tthough the sole of his foot remains unharmed. Finally, Simon puts two and two together.]

Well, whaddya know.

Can't say I don't love the smell of that.

[ Ren notices Simon before Simon notices him. he's coming out of the arcade, hands tucked in his pockets as he plans on heading home for the day. there were a few high scores that he had to beat, and keeping himself sharp in case Akechi decides to challenge him is always higher on his list than most people expect.

he's turning a corner around one of the alleyways to get home when he sees him. for a moment he lingers just in view, not hiding his presence. ]

Burning some rubber?

[ quiet and low, and also a joke. hard to tell it's a joke, considering the serious look on his face. ]

Gyaaa-ah-ahhh!

[Like a scared cat, Simon jumps in the opposite direction of Ren's gesture, accidentally stepping on something that is now touching bare skin. While the ability to shoot electricity from his feet is pretty awesome, the fact that his shoes are just gonna constantly get destroyed is not. The other guy has such a calm demeanor, it's like he's not even there. Sneaky sneaky.]

Ren? Oh, hey! Uh-

[Simon may have very poor social skills, but he recognizes that Megalomania is probably not the best quality to put forward at present time. Not with how friendly and helpful Ren seems to be. And so, Simon struggles to plan his next move. Act natural, appear friendly, like a Normal Teenage boy...]

O-ooh...

[Every single one of the Displaced has abilities. It should be okay! Right? Nothing weird to see here...]

How's it hangin' mister... Smangin'? No. No, that's not right. That's not what you say to people...

Edited 2021-03-16 02:48 (UTC)

...

[ Simon is definitely jumpy, and in contrast, Ren seems to take it all in stride. there's a quick look over his shoulder, brief and indiscreet, to make sure that no one else is coming around the corner and the two would have to make a run for it. when he's sure, he tucks his hands in his pockets and looks at Simon again. ]

What's bonkin' Mister Walkin'?

[ he can just steal Ryuji's phrase and repurpose it and make it sound cool, that's fine. ]

You got this?

[ he takes a few step closer to the source of the smell of burning rubber. ]

[Simon, unsure of what to do, is actually comforted by that empty platitude. Ren's intense stare and lack of facial expression is also hard to work with, so the Apex's second in command just remains wide-eyed. Since he can't think of anything else to say, he just imitates Ren's gesture, mimicking the peace sign with his own right hand.]

Uhhhh, honestly?

I dunno if I'll be able to do much walkin' in these.

[He lifts up his foot to reveal the hole in his shoe and while Simon's skin may not be charred, there's definitely residue on his sole from whatever did burn.]

Since I just bore a hole through one of 'em.

[ oh, well that's a little ... troubling. not the power itself, but its ability to burn through shoes. Ren's expression remains the same, if not a little softened around the edges in thought. ]

You might need something sturdier if you keep doing that.

[ but he's at a loss of what. ]

Hm.

[He rubs his 6 chin ~~hairs~~ thoughtfully. Simon is good at fixing things that are broken and learning how to use gadgets he has just picked up, but invention? Oh no, he's nowhere near that brilliant.

Because that's just how it always is, isn't it? He is handy, but not an innovator. He is resourceful, but not charming. He can jump and do a backflip in the air, but never stick the landing. And last but not least, he can hold his own in a fight, but has yet to deliver the finishing blow.

It's maddening.]

I'm pretty sure I'm gonna need somethin' like a conductive in-sole?

Then again, I don't wanna end up zapping myself. I'm not to keen on endin' up like whatever it is in that refried swarm jerky. Ugh, that was gnarly.

[He must've been really hungry back then, in the safehouse.

In all honesty, Simon had just wanted to share a bite of something with John.]

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OPEN.

Kon

red wings.

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cw um violence, i guess, property destruction; wildcard

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