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I'm trying to make my way back to the dojo...assuming it's still there. I'll find you on the way.

[Yu feels a wave of simultaneous relief and confusion at the way Yosuke words the rest of it.]

Izanami? No, I... [... meant the business with Namatame. Or was it Adachi? He falls quiet for a moment, trying to sort things out. He pushed Namatame into the TV. Nanako died. They all died. Shadows and fog--

No. Wait. Izanami. It comes back to him, jumbled and tentative.] ... Maybe. Yeah.

[...]

Something's wrong with my memories.

Hopefully you can. This place is massive now.

[... there's a long silence as Yu tries to puzzle out his memories. before Yosuke could stop himself, he mutters:]

Geez, this place really likes screwing with your memories. [but he adds lightly, or at least tries to:] At least you remember me this time.

Working on it. ... and yeah, it is. I wonder why it got so much bigger.

[There has to be a reason...right? As for that particular observation, he huffs out a sound that's just shy of a snort. He'd probably find it funny, in a way, if not for how messed up his head is right now.]

Small miracles. Yosuke... [His breath hitches for a second, layers of memories --both correct and incorrect-- stacking on top of each other like some sort of messed-up collage. He's got to sort it out. His head feels like it might explode if he doesn't.]

I know this probably seems a bit random, but-- Namatame. Did we... [No. He can't word it like that.] ... We didn't really push him in, right?

Who knows.

[but then Yu brings up Namatame. it's so weird that it makes him pause for a moment, but then he has to think about it too.

...]

Namatame... ?

[he rubs at his face a little bit. he still feels like there must be cobwebs and mothballs in his brain, but he can remember this much he thinks.]

No, we didn't. You stopped us... stopped me.

[The exhale he breathes at having that confirmed is nothing short of relieved. It doesn't help, exactly -- Yu can still see it in his mind, advancing on the pitiful man, his hands bunching in the hospital gown as he shoved Namatame in... But at least he knows it's not real. That...that has to be a start.]

And no one else died.

[Not Nanako -- not Naoto, or any of the others. He doesn't sound totally convinced; or rather, he sounds like he's trying to convince himself.]

Thanks. For confirming that.

I don't... think so.

[he's not 100% sure on that, because his mind is still foggy. he's still kind of sorting out his memories between Namatame and Izanami too.]

You're good. Where are you? I think we need to meet up.

[because he's a little concerned about Yu.]

[You're good. He knows what Yosuke means by that, of course, but he can't shake the feeling that he's objectively not good right now.]

Near City Hall. I'm heading for some buildings that look like houses.

[In hopes of finding the dojo...and in hopes of finding Yosuke, too.]

Where are you?

I'm... by some business buildings, or something.

[he'd been walking around for a while... and got hopelessly lost.]

Y'know, like restaurants and stuff.

Restaurants... [Hmm. He glances around, looking at a few signs and streets.]

Send me a picture? I'll come find you.

[he's going to take a picture of some the buildings, and send it over to Yu.]

Maybe we can meet in the middle. I don't wanna just wait around here.

[because he's going to get fidgety, especially not knowing what exactly is going to be around the corner. after all that mess with the different memories, who fucking knew what was coming out and about now.]

So send me a picture too.

[Of course he doesn't. Yu exhales, just short of a fond chuckle.]

Deal. We can meet in the middle.

[It's very like Yosuke, that response, and after a moment he sends a photo as well. The location has changed since last time: there are a few businesses, some of which look vaguely futuristic, but there are also some buildings that look like houses.]

See you soon.

[Ever the optimist. He continues to check his phone as he walks, occasionally sending a new photo to see if they can match up their locations. Eventually, he ends up in an area that seems to be a mix of both of their descriptions, and that's where he starts looking for Yosuke.]

[sooo... Yosuke might've gotten lost a few times. it might take him a little bit longer than Yu to get to the midpoint, but he finally does. when he sees Yu unharmed, he feels a rush of relief as he comes jogging up.]

Hey!! Sorry about all that...

[Yu can probably surmise that Yosuke got lost, tbh.]

This place is a lot bigger than it used to be.

[It's hard not to get lost when everything is so new, but how is it that Yosuke manages to get this extra-lost? Yu will never understand his luck. But his expression brightens as soon as he sees him; he's just that relieved that the other boy is alright. That they're both here.]

You're telling me, [he agrees, his tone hovering between mystified and exasperated.] Feels like it took forever just to get this far.

[Which leaves a lot of questions he's not willing to ask aloud yet -- why did this happen? Does it have anything to do with what they just went through? Rather than ask those, he looks Yosuke over for a second.]

You alright?

[He looks it, but still -- better safe than sorry.]

[as Yu is looking Yosuke over, Yosuke is doing the same to his ""person"". when he considers that obviously the both of them are mostly okay, he looks a bit relieved.]

Yeah, it's crazy. They really need to bring on more transportation here if they're gonna be like that. And yeah, I'm fine. You?

[NOT THE ""PERSON"" IN QUOTES DFSHGKJSD]

[Yosuke seems like he's adjusting pretty well from...whatever that was, and honestly, the relief Yu feels about that sets his mind at ease about his own situation, too. Just knowing they didn't both come out of it all addled...

He nods at the question.]

More or less. [It's not a lie -- technically, he's totally unharmed. Everything else, he can deal with later.] We might have our work cut out for us trying to find the dojo, though. You haven't seen it, have you?

[yeah, Elise is giving Yosuke a break for a bit. the poor dude's been through Some Shit lately.

he considers Yu's question... and then shakes his head.]

I think I would've seen it. [maybe.] But then again, I was more invested in finding you.

[because he's gay AF and Yu is his top priority. always.]

[... Of course he was.

Not that Yu was any different.]

I missed it, too, [he admits easily, slipping a hand into his pocket.]

But, now you found me. [He nudges Yosuke's shoulder lightly.] So next, we should find home.

[he nudges Yu's shoulder back, and then nods.]

Yeah. If either one of us missed it, then we suck.

[eloquence at his finest...

he's going to let them walk for a few moments before starting:]

So...

[The quiet is helpful, in this case -- it gives Yu a second to focus, to try to figure out where to start. How to say it all. How to sort everything out in his head... His eyes slide in Yosuke's direction as the other boy speaks up.]

My memories came back wrong. I remember things that happened...but also things I don't think really did.

[It's not unreasonable to think he means the alternate memories they all just experienced, so he clarifies:] Things from home. People dying who didn't actually die, leaving Inaba without confronting Izanami...

[A grimace.] That...probably sounds pretty crazy, I know.

[Yosuke's frown deepens as Yu starts to speak. it would sound really crazy, and he'd probably be more concerned if his... ???? person was speaking like this.

but--]

Yeah well, there's a lot of crazy shit that happens here. Maybe I can help you sort out your memories, or something. Or... they'll realign themselves on their own.

[maybe????]

Not everything's permanent here, either.

You've already helped.

[He admits that with ease, but it's not a lie. Just by confirming a few things...Yosuke has helped set his mind at ease. Maybe he needed to hear some of that optimism, too. It certainly has his shoulders relaxing a bit, just thinking about it.]

I hope you're right. Right now...even things that didn't happen feel so real that it's hard to tell.

Oh.

[he hadn't exactly realized it... but there's a bit of a relieved grin at the words. he's glad he was able to help with something, at least.]

Maybe you need to sleep it off? C'mon, let's go get some rest. 'Kay?

[A faint smile works its way through the concern he's feeling, the trepidation, the confusion. It's uncanny, the way Yosuke can just be like that without even knowing he does it.]

Hm, [he feels himself relaxing a bit as he says it.] Maybe you're right. Hopefully we won't have to map the whole city to do it.

[But even if they did, he feels more confident knowing they'd be doing it together.]

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