Power levels dangerously low... please seek out the nearest recharge station...

[gorobo]

 It would've been too much to ask for infinite battery life in this dimension, wouldn't it?

He lets out a curse as his shot misses a Preta, distracted by the warning that's been sitting in his HUD for days, which has finally started blinking on and off, a sign that he's dangerously close to running out of battery. Even his backup power supply is running out, as the ever-blaring alarm in his head ever so graciously informs him every other hour, with increasing frequency as he continues to avoid charging up.

2.47% left, a quick internal scan reveals. 

God. Fuck.

He's... where would he even find a charging station, in this place? Since one of his sisters is here too, she must have a place to charge as well, but he's loathe to ask where, involved with Kirijo as she still is. 

There's always the possibility that his usual station has appeared in this Tokyo, but...

With growl, he throws off the Preta when it charges at him, before vaporizing the thing with a quick Megidolaon from Loki. Mikage-cho has been a great way to both blow off steam and hide away from the others, even if the constant barrage of demons only drains him all the more. Despite that conversation with Morgana and Renée having been... enlightening, in some regards, and texting those who deigned to check up on him, he still doesn't want to see anyone right now.

The files in his head stand out as always. He's given up on trying to remove them himself, especially when power is becoming such a precious resource.

He senses another horde of demons approaching- more powerful ones, this time. He should probably get out of here.

His internal alarms still blare at him when he arrives at the nearby shrine- a place that demons seem to avoid, and he's so... tired isnt the right word, but he feels sluggish. His systems aren't working at their best performance, one by one cutting their own useage in order to keep his body running a little longer in general. A scan outside the shrine reveals that the demons are still hanging around.

... Well. No use in using up more power than he needs just twiddling his thumbs while he waits for them to leave. He can't exactly afford that right now.

2.13% left. 

He settles himself against one of the internal walls- out of sight, so people looking in don't see him immediately, and allows his thoughts to drift.

Entering sleep mode...

His eyes lose their glow as he powers down, head slumping forwards, and in less than a second, he's gone.

Comments

[gorobo]

Falcon continues to practically vibrate in his chair, face pulled tight with anger even as Elizabeth leaves. He wants to scream, to yell, he wants to kill something he wants-

He wants to be anywhere but here. He wants to wake up, and realize it was all just a bad dream. He wants to stop feeling so- so-

He wants his mom. He misses his mom so goddamn much.

He barks out a morose laugh, his eyes falling closed as he grits his teeth.

"Fuck," he says. "God. Fuck."

[fogboundcrow]

"...I'm sorry." Raven deflates, sinking back down to the floor. "I shouldn't have mentioned any of that, especially when you're still recovering."

It's obviously still a sore spot. It certainly hasn't helped.

[gorobo]

Raven's voice causes his eyes to snap open again, and he glances at the boy on the floor. He still feels like quivering, even if he doesn't actually. Anger and guilt mix in the most horrible way, and he lets out a low, mechanical noise.

"No, it's good that you did. I needed to know," he says, trying to keep his voice steady (keyword: trying). "I shouldn't have take it out on you. You're not the one deserving of my ire- not for this."

Even if he's still angry about the whole hacking thing, about a lot of things, this is not one of the things Raven deserves to shoulder. One thing is becoming more and more clear:

"I need to find a way to leave."

[fogboundcrow]

"You have important business back home, I presume? Then again, I suppose that goes for all of us."

A hefty sigh squeezes out of him. At least Falcon has calmed down. "I wish I could offer meaningful encouragement, but I suspect it'd just feel patronizing after all of that."

[gorobo]

Falcon's face pulls into a sneer. "Shido has to die," is all he says.

There's a small pause, and he looks away from Raven.

"You're correct. I appreciate the sentiment, but I don't need pity."

[fogboundcrow]

That's... blunt, but considering everything that Shido seems to have done to him...

"Just be careful. From what I understand, his Palace is highly dangerous. You may need backup."

[gorobo]

Falcon's eyes narrow. He knows. He fucking knows, but now, he also knows what's coming, so-

"I'll be fine," he says, "I don't need the Metaverse, if it comes down to it."

Wait, fuck, Raven's a kid, he probably shouldn't have-

... Too late, he guesses. This day has been a shitshow and a half, so this might as well happen too.

[fogboundcrow]

"...Ah. I suppose there are... other ways to contend with him."

Though he stares, at least he... doesn't seem too horrified? Just quiet and wide-eyed, if anything.

[gorobo]

Falcon doesn't reply immediately, keeping his eyes off Raven. This is...

So uncomfortable.

The anger lingers, but he mostly feels bad about upsetting a kid.

"... You don't have to stay," he says, after a moment, "I can manage."

[fogboundcrow]

"Are you sure? You shouldn't have to be alone in a place like this."

He won't force it, of course. But he needs to ask. He needs certainty.

[gorobo]

No, I'm not sure- I don't WANT to be alone here.

"I'm asking you," he shoots back, dismissivly. "This isn't a pleasant place to begin with, and I'd understand if you'd rather leave after... All that."

[fogboundcrow]

"Believe me when I say that I've seen and heard worse." He shrugs, still seated on the floor. "If you genuinely want me to go, I can respect that, but if you're simply saying that out of guilt, I'm not that offended."

[gorobo]

"Fine," his tone is clipped, "I don't want to be alone. I hate this place, and I want to leave, but I can't yet. Happy?"

He's not looking at Raven as he speaks.

[fogboundcrow]

"I understand."

He pauses, looking down at his phone again. "I wish I had one of those smartphones. At least then I could offer something more entertaining until you're finished charging."

it's me boy I'm the ps4

[gorobo]

Stop being such a dick to the kid, he scolds himself. The anger is slowly subsiding, and he can think a little more clearly again.

Raven laments not having anything to do, and he pauses for a second, gears spinning inside his head. It... is kind of unfair to make him sit here and do nothing, isn't it?

"... Unfortunately, I don't have a built-in ps4 yet," he says, awkwardly trying to lighten the mood (both his own and the general mood). Still, despite himself, the scowl remains on his face, letting out a mechanical noise that could almost be described as a robotic sigh. "It's fine, Raven. I should thank you for keeping me company at all."

[fogboundcrow]

"...Right. PS4's exist and aren't just a fabrication of this world." Then again, Nontnedo Flops apparently didn't exist during Crow's time either, so it wouldn't surprise Raven if a PS5 existed by then.

Still, amusing as the comment is, Raven's face still scrunches up at the suggestion. "But even if you had gaming features, it'd be weird using you as a tool for my own amusement. The lack of autonomy alone..."

[gorobo]

Falcon hums. "I suppose they wouldn't exist yet, in your time."

Raven's words are... kind. Too understanding. He's been nothing but nasty to this kid, and yet... why? He's being pitied- he doesn't want to be pitied. His eyes narrow, and he swallows down some of the angrier words he wants to say.

"I'd rather you not pity me," he says, "I'm not some- wretch who's deserving of it, nor do I want it."

He's killed people, for god's sake. Is planning to kill multiple more, at that.

[fogboundcrow]

"Sympathy isn't always pity, but I suppose I can't say you're wrong to feel that way." To his credit, he takes it with another shrug. "But yes. We had PS3 and a few portables, but nothing so advanced as some of the machines the stores carry here."

[gorobo]

He scoffs, "If you say so."

No use on lingering on it, he supposes. He'll only make himself feel worse. Instead, he latches onto the topic of video games.

"I haven't taken a look, personally," he says, still sounding somewhat gruff, "I remember being fascinated by consoles, but I never ended up owning one. No need to entertain the machine when it's not needed, after all. Isshiki briefly tried to introduce me, but-"

He pauses briefly. The implication is clear as his face just barely avoids scrunching up completely. Way to make such a lighthearted topic delve into depressing shit.

Still, he continues, "And before... we didn't have the money, and by the time we did, I had other things I was more interested in doing. I guess I don't know anything about video games, after all."

[fogboundcrow]

"To be fair, you aren't alone in that respect. I never got the opportunity to play video games before coming here. I never even had my own personal computer until Dojima-san gave me one for my birthday."

He stares down at the phone in his hands, frowning faintly. "It's also why I've yet to replace this phone. It was another gift."

[gorobo]

"..."

Falcon understands; he refused to replace the first gift his mother ever got him (beyond making him and setting him free): a secondhand book about the adventures of Robin Hood. Even when it started falling apart from sheer use, he didn't want to get rid of it, or replace it. He sometimes wonders if it influenced the fact that one of his Personas is Robin Hood...

It's long gone, though, alongside everything else he and his mother had, thanks to Shido. Just remembering it strengthens his resolve to kill the man.

He catches himself frowning, and wipes it off his face, realizing he's been quiet for a while now. Raven is fiddling with his phone.

"... That Dojima-san must care about you a lot, huh," he murmurs. The name sounds familiar vaguely familiar. "Sounds like you care about him, too."

[fogboundcrow]

"He took me in despite already being a single father with a demanding job." There's a hint of remorse in Raven's voice as he cradles his phone. "I'm grateful, of course. He's been so understanding and accommodating despite the inconvenience of taking on an additional child. And now his nephew is staying with us, too."

[gorobo]

Falcon frowns at Raven's tone- why does he sound like he's sorry?

"Don't call yourself an inconvenience. You're a child," he huffs out. Seriously. "Adults are supposed to care for you. It's the bare minimum- though, I'm sure not many can even manage that much, from what I've seen."

The Shadows roaming the Metaverse certainly don't inspire confidence. He's seen plenty while triapsing through it and being a sentient personal weapon, thanks.

The way Raven talks about Dojima, it reminds him of...

"I don't know what kind of person Dojima-san is, but drop the guilt. I'm sure he wouldn't appreciate it."

... his mother wouldn't appreciate it. She wouldn't want it, in any case.

[fogboundcrow]

"Dojima-san's more of an exception, if anything. The years I spent cycling through foster care did not inspire confidence." He growls a little at the memories, but just as quickly shakes them off.

"But no, I doubt he'd appreciate it. He's reaffirmed to me several times that he cares and that I'm a part of his family. And I am grateful, but sometimes it's still difficult to comprehend."

[gorobo]

That's... understandable, he supposes. He doesn't know what to do with the idea that people aren't trying to control him. It feels wrong, and he can't trust it. Trust is the killer of loved ones. Trust is the killer of control.

But Raven is a child, and Dojima seems like a good enough man, from Raven's own words. If nothing else, he's very good at pretending, and though his interaction with Crow was brief... he didn't seem any worse off than Raven.

"Crow himself is proof enough, isn't he."

It's not a question.