Into The Tunnels (Joshua/Phalanx/Azami/Simon Travel Topic To Lunapa)

There weren't a lot of ways of getting off Standasen island. They didn't have airplanes or even a boat to get across the body of water between the islands. Yet, it seems that they could make their way through the train's inert tunnels somehow. It seemed that Analee wasn't coming with them, or perhaps she was meeting up with them later? Either didn't make much of a difference for him. They had something to do and they had to get there.

As they traversed through the tunnels, he kept looking back towards Azami wondering what her exact nature was. But it looked like Joshua wouldn't know until she wakes up soon.


There was a slight tinge of worry drawn on his face. Just this afternoon he had summoned a completely different Persona. It wasn't Bedivere like two years ago, yet it was Yamato-Takeru that came out. Something was changing and he wanted to know. The inaudible whispers in his head continued to proliferate within the confines of his cranium.


He ignored these sayings, but to what extent and how long can he do this?

"YumiAmi☆♡ said earlier that we lost protection once the Angels were gone. Did you know this from the start?" Joshua asked his friend. He didn't care what his answer was at this point, but it was curiosity in his part to know what Simon knew or didn't know. Since this is directly tied with the Angels, he must've had some idea.

This was going to be yet another long trek... even longer than the walk he had taken to Standasen... Lunapa was quite the distance away from the slums of this island. He hadn't been on Lunapa for over two years now... interestingly enough. And now, he was going back there. Unlike last time, he wasn't alone. He had Joshua, Azami and Simon with him this time around, and with a purpose.

The Android himself walked a couple of paces behind his two compatriots, giving them some space to talk while he was carrying the unconscious Azami. Her powers... had been something he had never seen before. Someone with the capacity of holding multiple personas within their own soul was incredible. If she just got used to her new abilities and honed them, there was no telling how powerful she could become... And that strange occurance when they fought that Zodiac girl was even stranger... what had caused that in the first place?

The unconscious girl's rythmic breathing was the only thing aside from the footsteps of himself and his comrades that could be heard. Azami seemed to be doing a little bit better than she was when he had picked her up after Joshua's intervention. Should she wake up now, he'd carefully set her down back on her feet with a faint smile, asking: "Feeling better?"

He made a tired smile at Simon as he was remembering what he went through two years ago. His eyes seemed rather vacant. Two good people dear to him were killed. Yes, they expected a lot from him, but he knew they loved him no matter what. It made him regret a lot of things, stuff that he should've done for them. The fact the perpetrator could get off scotch-free added even more salt to the wound. It was... maddening. There was so much injustice in this world. Joshua couldn't believe he was so blind to it for so long. So much boiled inside that he struggled to keep down. And that was going to be difficult with Yamato-Takeru egging him on.


"It took me one bad day and a court trial," he cryptically answered as Joshua stared up ahead in the tunnel, "...just a single day. Yeah. That was all it took."

It was all he could bear to say to him. Joshua trusted Simon, yes. But it wasn't something he could try to tell him right away. He hurt. And that was going to take time. Yet, it weighed even more heavily that his change was because of his loss. The uncertainty scared him, as much as he tried to not show on his stoic and tired face.

Joshua sighed at Simon's response, "So we trade in one problem for another. Wonderful. Guess it's too much to ask from life to have some long-lasting peace and quiet, huh? I wonder where Rinna is? She has to be involved in all of this. Her disappearing and showing up to Zachary maybe six months earlier from now? I don't like any of this. We're running around blind, but not that we really have a choice, right? What do you think?"

They were essentially given a few pieces and not enough to fit together for a complete puzzle. There were agendas swirling around out in the open. But with these "people" pretending to be defenders of worlds going around the islands? It just complicated things even more. There had to be something bigger than this. Yet, they just can't see it. Where did Rinna fit in all of this?

"Speaking of Rinna... did she have any problems of her own? I remember back when we fought the Primordials together, her eyes turned... gold? Her Persona felt different from the others."

There was Sharaku, but he was a completely different person. Being. Or whatever he was. Everyone else surely had an azure aura upon summoning their Personas, except maybe that Blaez guy from earlier. Rinna was the most peculiar from what he witnessed from their battles together. Maybe Simon would know something about this?

Joshua would notice Analee was following them. Joshua narrowed his eyes in annoyance and confusion. What in the hell is she doing?


"If you're going to hide, at least do a better job at it. C'mon out. I want to talk to you." Joshua called out towards her as he stopped.

Strength:

Phalanx kept on walking at a somewhat brisk pace, listening to the conversation his two now "partners in crime" held. Not that he paticularly cared much for what they were saying, but more or less because... well, there was nothing else going on around them, now was there? Besides, he got some insight into the relationship between Joshua and Simon, which was helpful in it's own way. Now he had a good idea of what he was working with...

Analee hadn't really been making a good effort in stalking them un-noticed. Joshua had been rather quick to notice her, and Phalanx did shortly after. It was almost like she intended on being found... Had she really wanted to hide, she could've done so probably. Then again, this was a tunnel, not some street, but it had it's fair share of hiding places. Just not very many of 'em.

He nodded in agreement and just continued to walk as he thought to himself. What Simon said made sense. He was confident, or rather cocky in that regard. There was a lot that Joshua and the others didn't know about Zachary. If there was a way to peek into any kind of advantage over him, it would be great. Yet, they were still at a disadvantage right now either way. For now they would just have to grit their teeth and get the job done.


"Probably. If you're who I think you are, then it's just going to complicate shit," he muttered back at her while rubbing the back of his neck with uncertainty, "If you're just as interested as I am on what this whole thing is about, you can start with telling me what you are. Where you're from and who you are. It can get us somewhere at least while we're walking over to Lunapa."

Joshua wasn't sure how to deal with this one. Was she really Ananke or not? He wasn't sure. And Naomi had promised that the Primordial God wasn't going to be an issue. So much for that. He continued to walk while gesturing her to follow as they would converse in person.


He turned back to Phalanx to allow him to introduce himself.

Now he was being adressed? Well, not that he really minded it, honestly. Walking endlessly, only listening to their talk and Azami breathing in and out every three seconds did get dull after a little while. He'd give her a half-hearted shrug as he introduced himself.


He wouldn't give much more elaboration on what he was and who he was really working for unless directly asked. No need to overload people with information they probably didn't give a flying fuck about. They all had a common goal here, after all. That's all... with the exception of Joshua. He probably had something else in mind. This "Rinna" person seemed awfully important to him... and the android actually had gotten somewhat curious as to why that was... who in their right mind would challenge the biggest crime-lord on the islands for some random girl? Love was something he never really understood, nor wanted to understand, if it lead to making stupid decisions.

He blinked at what she had said. If Analee was Ananke, did that imply the Primordials used to be human? Joshua gave a side glance to Simon and returned his attention to the girl. But he noticed her demeanor shifted. Was Ananke's influence still there? Joshua pursed his lips and then sighed. He remembered back when he fought Ananke with others.

Flashback:

"I hope you know what you're getting yourself into. It probably won't be pretty. You don't have to keep looking back at the past to understand and become comfortable with who you are. What you do now establishes what you are today," he shrugged his shoulders at her. "But if you insist... Ever heard of the phrase, "Be careful what you ask for?" Yeah, that. Just keep what I said in mind and don't get in my way. That's all I want from you."

It was really starting to get obvious that she was Ananke. And it was really worrying. At this point, he didn't feel they were equipped to deal with it right now. With Azami unconscious and with just Phalanx, Simon, and Joshua? Simon might be strong and all, but they can't afford to fight here and now when they have a job to do.

Joshua stepped near Azami just in case the former Primordial tried to take her, "No idea why he just let me and I don't care enough about it. Though enough about her. What about you? Why are you working for that guy?"

"Well, you're not the only one." Phalanx replied with a light shrug, looking down at Azami's peaceful face. "She's special, I'll give you that. Zachary's certainly strong enough to take her by force if he really wanted to. And there's no denying that he understands how valuable she is... so why he didn't seize his opportunity right then and there's beyond me... Unless of course, he has other plans." And well... Joshua had done him a service by knocking her out. He couldn't let Nyarlathotep's chosen face a premature death, now could he? Joshua himself probably didn't realise just how important it was that Azami stayed alive... or at least, not the full picture. As for the man's doubts about his own powers... he chose not to speak up on the matter... not with Simon and Analee around anyway. "Well, so long as you don't get hostile, I see no problem. But make sure to keep up. Once this girl wakes up, we're not waiting for anyone. I want this stuff done as fast as possible."

Joshua scoffed at her. He was at the point where he didn't really care about being an idiot anymore. It was a point that kept being thrust at him over and over again. But when she commented on about him having a heart, he had to roll his amber eyes. "Please. You act as if being a softie is a good thing. It fucking isn't. It's a pain in the ass."

Back then, they should've killed the weird girl with stockings. With her in Zachary's hands, he can only wonder how she was going to be used for his own purposes. Joshua had little doubt that he was up to no good. Speaking of that, he stepped close enough to Analee to force her to back off and also giving Phalanx some space. It was a subtle message for her to keep her distance from Azami while also forcing her attention back to him.

"I'm just looking for someone, that's all," he replied and then gave another question of his own, "Zachary mentioned that some random person introduced you to him. Who's that?"

What was it with people squabbling wherever they went? It was starting to be a bit annoying, even to the android. First the stuff back on Standasen with that rich kid and Azami, and now this? Why couldn't they just focus on the task at hand? "There's a distinct difference between being soft and being smart. Sure, I wouldn't have minded that YumiAmi would've died by Azami's hands, but at the cost of making obvious enemies as a result? Tactful is probably a better word, since the intentions were certainly there."

"What I'm fighting for is none of your concern." He'd answer coldly back at Analee, moving along, not even looking at her. So long as her agenda wasn't directly opposing his, he couldn't give a rats ass about it. If it was, on the other hand, then he'd find out in due time, now wouldn't he?