Inbox & In-person meetups

[dollmaxing]

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Hiiii! You've reached Ichinose Kuon, head of AI research and development. Leave a message and I'll get back to you!

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2/2

[unit_8910_wolf]

The doors of the IT room open with a faint hiss, a heavy sigh following its onslaught with a card flicking on gloved fingers. Wolf stared down at the ID, walking past the threshold to step into a room filled with computers and display screens taking over the entirety of the four walls as he adjusts the greatsword on his shoulder in his other hand.

It's quiet. Security's lower than usual and there are CCTVs everywhere. There's no way the palace owner isn't watching him right now and he hasn't confronted him yet- not physically even after he shot down one of the cognitive clerks when the shadow told him to shed his weapons if he wants to meet him.

It's alright- it's not like he is actually in a rush.

His eyes dart over the myriad of devices, CPUs and data centres placed on other various corners of the room. He spots a small pillar display with a ball of glass hovering above it- holding a brain with wires and electrodes lining soft muscle.

Rolling his eyes behind his visor, the sword evaporates into ether and he steps into view, lips pulled in a straight line as he regards Ichinose. There's still hints of shadow gunk clinging to his clothing while he pauses, one hand resting on his pistol but not in an attempt to raise it, but to reassure.

"Took me a damn good while to find you again, Ichinose," he comments rather casually. "Can't seem to find his shadow though...wonder what the hell that means."

[dollmaxing]

"Her influence is unprecedented. If you could simply dismantle the thing, we would have dropped five nukes on it and called it a day."

That spoke a lot of EMMA in their world. The idea of Japan, of all places, desperate enough to resort to the nuclear option... and while that made Ichinose's stomach twist a bit in dread...

...There was a little spark of pride she felt. No wonder the other Ichinose stood by her creation.

She's pulled from her thoughts by the door opening, and the clench of dread in her chest tightened, even if she didn't emote any of it. Sword gone, but gun still on the hip, fresh from murdering the shadows guarding this place... not reassuring, but Takuto won't let anything happen to her. Either of them might notice a subtly shaky exhale, like she'd been holding her breath, but she stays calm and stable enough to pluck a kitsukatsu from the bag and extend it to Hasegawa as she had planned.

"I have two theories on that front," she explained, responding to his question instead of commenting on the offered sweet, "There are dungeons, Palaces and other structures in this place that are memories and don't currently have their originating Shadow in place. This could be the memory of a Palace belonging to Maruki, and it's simply responding to the presence of one, and any Maruki might be able to arrive and have this place respond to him as well if the distortions match. My other thought is simply that a Shadow would not exist if someone has a Persona, which Maruki does. It could be a combination of both possibilities, as well."

1/2

[unit_8910_wolf]

Zenkichi stared down at the bag extended to him. His expression remained even still, not letting himself give away his annoyance because the last thing he needs right now is to see this woman get triggered and do something more stupid with any of the other broken people in this world. He's learning restraint...it's the only way to make sure he keeps her on her toes.

He makes note of Ichinose's theory. In truth, Zenkichi hadn't seen any palaces in question. From what he's read about one's heart being changed through the means of a calling card (whatever the hell that means) who'sto say palaces didn't linger. The TV dungeons, however, lingered like jails.

"You really call that thing a persona...? Then again, maybe I am not the right person to judge that," he muttered before rolling his eyes at the fact that Ichinose still had the snacks out. The multiverse sure had its way of boggling his mind, given there were way too many possibilities to keep up with the changes.

"This cognitive mumbo jumbo always gives me a headache, I swear." He inquisitively glances at the snacks in suspicion before looking back up at Ichinose.

2/2

[unit_8910_wolf]

So weird.

"Are you seriously trying to bribe me right now?"

[dollmaxing]

"It's just candy," Ichinose chuckled, shaking the bag a little. Everything inside was still sealed...

"It's a limited flavor from the cherry blossom week! Cherry blossom and sake. It's tasty."

[unit_8910_wolf]

Sealed huh...that does feel less suspicious but with a guy around who can simply create things on the go without much of a sweat, it was only momentary.

He sighs and relents since she can't seem to take the hint that he's not interested. Even if the flavours she mentioned did sound tasty. Wordlessly, he holds his hand up and snatches the whole bag- staring at its inside with the LED mounted on his forehead blinking, as if it were scanning the bag of snacks Ichinose was having.

No bomb. No funny stuff.

He takes one and hands the rest of the pack over. "Soo hospitable," he rolls his eyes and pockets the candy in his back pocket. "When did Maruki tell you I was coming here?"

[dollmaxing]

"He let me know when you came through the front doors, of course," she replied, not bothered that he yanked the whole bag from her. First steps in building a positive association.

"If he hadn't I would've run for the hills."

[unit_8910_wolf]

"Damn...then again, the place is crawling with CCTV cameras so I suppose I shouldn't be surprised," he shrugs neutrally at the explanation while looking at the other top corner of the room. There's a CCTV right there...he could shoot it but man she would get so dramatic about it, wouldn't she? Miss heartless doll here would actually have a genuine reaction for once, go figure.

That said- good call for not lying.

Why is she so stingy and terrified of him anyway? She has Maruki's protection. He's in her territory; if anything, he should be the one terrified.

"Uhh...I wasn't planning to attack you," he tries and removes his hat, tossing it over on the table next to Ichinose's computer. He scratches the back of his head and looks around. "Akane, what are the updates?"

The AI sighs as she can already make out the tracker attached to the hat. It was microscopic, even the size of a small nail's depth. He's probably going to place it when he goes to retrieve his hat.

"Her program just eviscerated the beta version, so she's ready for the real deal. Even the Maruki in our world managed to make it this far, right? With the others."

"Not like he's that proficient with computers," he sighs as turns to glance back at Kuon.

"Is he, actually?"

[dollmaxing]

"I can't read your mind, I don't know that," Ichinose rebuffed, but left her objection there at least. She rolled her chair to the side a bit so he could look into the screen, even though he was likely wirelessly connected and watching anyway.

"I asked him to conjure a computer based on what he knows - the cognitive PC he gave me was almost completely jam packed with circuit boards, wires and strange black boxes that it hardly had room for a fan. It was funny - is that really the layman's assumption of how a PC tower is built? I suppose it doesn't matter quite so much since it's cognition, so it works as expected like any other computer in here besides what I've picked up."

[unit_8910_wolf]

Zenkichi was getting clear updates about what was happening on the screen, given Akane’s surveillance.

Really he doesn't find any reason to come here in person. He could do this digitally and yet, his old heart can't bear it without being there.

Also it was too early to call back on it. If Ichinose pulled some shit with Akane, her safety was his top priority.

"...yeah, sounds like him, alright," he muttered- hesitantly staring off into the distance. "...do you have the past monarchs and their testing data, Akane?"

"Yepp..!" she chirps behind the screen. "We should be able to simulate EMMA through my parent code, then use the usual name and keyword."

"You've monitored a dead monarch's situation before, right? Like Okinawa?" He glances back at her, daring her to lie to his face. He's seen the records between Futaba and her, monitoring their encrypted emails.

[dollmaxing]

Tapping the bugged phone, her original phone, Ichinose nodded. "I still have access to that data from the Thieves, even, and that can be used to compare."

She hadn't been able to actively track the situation in progress the way she did the other Monarchs, thanks to the security and secrecy of the lab in Okinawa, but she now had the backlog of information available to her anyway.

"Is there something in particular that a dead Monarch's Jail has that you find interesting?"

[counterfeitphantom]

"They make for the perfect testing grounds," The AI behind the screen speaks up- heard by both the shadow weapon and Ichinose. "When a monarch dies, a jail lingers due to the influence of EMMA. Things were probably different back when the cognitive world and the real world were on two seperate planes of existence but due to- well Miss Gaslight.exe back home we now have a whole dead jail covering a town. In that case, the Kirijo Group dismantles the place, collects and records all data while...shadow weapons go around and clear any and all lingering shadows left."

"That way its easier for us to contain EMMA's power in an already dead environment."

"Hm...I am not sure about a few things but-" Zenkichi cuts himself off with a quick heave. "-doesn't hurt to try."

With that, Wolf steps back and away- now tapping his gloved fingers against the PC towers, overlaying wires, brains swimming in electrodes on full display, a large panel with buttons and a disarray of programs and machines.

[dollmaxing]

Miss Gaslight.exe? Ichinose laughs a little, at that, surprised at it. Was it funny? Was she supposed to be offended? Honestly, she had no idea what her reaction was 'supposed' to be, but it caught her off guard.

Gaslighting... that really is a word that's been slowly getting thrown around a lot, lately. She'll have to ask Takuto later what it actually means.

"Right, and a theoretically detached environment, too. I see the merits, now - less influence from the psychology of the Monarch so more focus can be put on EMMA's functionality."

[unit_8910_wolf]

Zenkichi's heard that one before back at home. He's laughed at it a good few times when Akane decided to be very creative with addressing the heartless doll nestling inside a god. Still, the random nickname makes the corner of his lip quirk up and Ichinose just laughs at it. She's the one they are talking about. There's nothing against Akane's humor after all.

"If we started taking a ruler's psychology into account we will be here all day, considering there are thousands of monarchs still prevalent with a new one popping up almost everyday." Akane practically grizzled out those words like they personally hurt her. "Anyways I will load in the data now. My space isn't powered with the usual equipment so it will take time. You can take a break if you want."

So much to do here and yet...now that he's standing in front of a sleek terminal with a myriad buttons and switches, one flick of the power button sets the screens alight. The monitors lining up the adjacent wall oversee various parts of the palace.

His eyes scan the details, searching for various openings and exits.

Meanwhile on Ichinose's side, another text pops up:

Takuto: Seems like he really owes up to his codename. Is this how its like to be put on probation :'

[dollmaxing]

Kuon: He's snooping in your Palace's computers btw. I'm sure you can sense it but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

"A break sounds fine. I'll go get coffee," Ichinose stood and stretched her arms up, tucking both phones in her pocket and taking off her headphones, laying them on the desk.

"Don't worry - I knew better than to hide anything interesting in the Palace where you could find it," she taunted a bit, walking towards the door.

[unit_8910_wolf]

Takuto: Would you really call it snooping though?

There was a shift in the screens, catching Zenkichi's attention right away. One of the screens flickered, giving way to a red-haired woman flashing in it. It only occurs in a flash before it comes to an image of the same overview of the Reception's north side. He stops, not taking note of Ichinose's taunting. "..uh huh."

He pauses, logging in that memory his visor just caught. He should be able to review it when he makes it back home, but...surely that must be-

"Dunno about that," he asks instead, turning away from the feed as he keeps a prepared stance- hands crossing while leaning against the terminal. Acting as if he weren't mentally connecting the dots. "You are not the biggest headache assigned to me today. As for Maruki...he wouldn't mind if I got some coffee too, surely."

"And perhaps you won't either, considering you were so insistent on sharing snacks with me."

[dollmaxing]

"Aww, you really must have missed me," Ichinose bit back, giving Zenkichi a tight smile. "I'll make sure you have decaf... the caffeine is bad for an old dog's heart. You'll have a heart attack."

Flippantly, she opened the door and walked through, leaving him to get the door for himself as she slid her hands into her pockets.

"Maybe I'll give you a bowl of water instead. That's probably better for you."

[unit_8910_wolf]

"Aww, how cute. Delusional as always, aren't you?" Zenkichi throws his leg in between before the doors could close on him. He does a quick status check for Akane, finding her logged in safely in her hub so there was no need to worry about it now. At this point he's just curious on how functional can a cognitive space like this really get.

As he walks past the two automatic doors he looks around still, noticing and observing little details. It's so white in here, especially in areas like this, that it almost makes him blind.

He stays behind, one hand resting on his pistol for comfort. "No need for decaf though, if I wanted something artificial and flavorless, I'd just keep listening to you talk."

Ah, this passageway seems familiar. Isn't this where he had a kerfuffle with one of Maruki's minions?

[dollmaxing]

"If I'm such bad company, you shouldn't be so insistent at nipping at my heels. I know my humor is dry, but surely even you can tell what a joke is," she snipped, heels clacking across the impeccably polished floor in a way that felt so satisfying to Ichinose's ears.

Knowing that Takuto had eyes on Zenkichi made her feel like she didn't have to constantly watch over her shoulder. However violent he wanted to get, she would be able to get away and get to safety.

She was so confident about being monitored, in fact, that she didn't get her card out for the security elevator - she stood and waited for the Palace to open for her, not letting on that she had a physical object that could be pilfered. Wordlessly, the elevator dinged and opened, allowing Kuon entry.