[It's why Akechi loathes Akira more than anyone. There's an equal degree of cunning intent in his actions that rivals his own.
But Akechi is patient - far more than the leader of the Phantom Thieves. There's years of proof behind it. Only months under Joker's heel.
And he is patient
So patient.
And he has always been perceived as prey
So he watches a predator tread the earth around him, looking for an opening, a way to trap and-
It doesn't matter when a web has weaved around Joker's body from the moment they met. Little strands, small loops - Akira's bonds are his weakness. The way he looks at Akechi is a weakness. The shared wish to fight, to meet sooner, to remain allies-
Akechi can throw it away. Akira can't. Won't. The festering wound covers Akira in the form of every single person he's ever known. It makes him exploitable. Easy to ruin -
So why isn't he ruined?
Akechi doesn't take a single step forward to attack. No persona manifests. The waves of brilliant blue lap around his ankles.]
It's obvious, isn't it?
[He won't attack, but he'll warn. He won't start - will only raise a hand with a blade that's seen as much battle as the weapons he used in the Metaverse. They're close - so close. Akechi could take two, three, four steps and slide a dirty blade into flesh that should be marred beyond recognition.]
There's a theory - thesis, antithesis. I told you they can't exist without the other - that for one form to occur, the other must be in its shadow, but this isn't because they're opposites. Far from it, rather.
It's because the failure of one requires the other to exist. The weakness of one mandates the other appear. They can't exist alone because their flaws are too grand. Isn't that funny?
Or some scholars believe - who can truly say. My point is it's poetic in a way, don't you think? The scum of society must have a reflection. A pristine image must have a shadow.
[A prince and a thief.]
Whether it's fate or will - it'll always end up the same way. So I'll tell you this, Joker -
[Blade back to side, fingers pressed to forehead.]
No matter how many times you come back, I won't stop.
stares at the sun. cw: violent thoughts, violence, idk don't ready this if u dont wanna see a fight
But Akechi is patient - far more than the leader of the Phantom Thieves. There's years of proof behind it. Only months under Joker's heel.
And he is patient
So patient.
And he has always been perceived as preySo he watches a predator tread the earth around him, looking for an opening, a way to trap and-
It doesn't matter when a web has weaved around Joker's body from the moment they met. Little strands, small loops - Akira's bonds are his weakness. The way he looks at Akechi is a weakness. The shared wish to fight, to meet sooner, to remain allies-Akechi can throw it away. Akira can't. Won't. The festering wound covers Akira in the form of every single person he's ever known. It makes him exploitable. Easy to ruin -
So why isn't he ruined?
Akechi doesn't take a single step forward to attack. No persona manifests. The waves of brilliant blue lap around his ankles.]
It's obvious, isn't it?
[He won't attack, but he'll warn. He won't start - will only raise a hand with a blade that's seen as much battle as the weapons he used in the Metaverse. They're close - so close. Akechi could take two, three, four steps and slide a dirty blade into flesh that should be marred beyond recognition.]
There's a theory - thesis, antithesis. I told you they can't exist without the other - that for one form to occur, the other must be in its shadow, but this isn't because they're opposites. Far from it, rather.
It's because the failure of one requires the other to exist. The weakness of one mandates the other appear. They can't exist alone because their flaws are too grand. Isn't that funny?
Or some scholars believe - who can truly say. My point is it's poetic in a way, don't you think? The scum of society must have a reflection. A pristine image must have a shadow.
[A prince and a thief.]
Whether it's fate or will - it'll always end up the same way. So I'll tell you this, Joker -
[Blade back to side, fingers pressed to forehead.]
No matter how many times you come back, I won't stop.