[open] you know what your problem is?

[baltimores]

WHO: Amos, any Kenoma
WHAT: Amos rewards himself for being cured of Innocence by going on a depression bender.
WHERE: Throughout Achamoth
WHEN: Towards the end of/after the event
WARNINGS: Depression, self-loathing, a little suicidal ideation, lots of drinking, references to brothels, discussion of domestic violence/sexual assault/prostitution/child prostitution; will update as necessary



[ So, this sucks.

Getting out of Venera as soon as possible had been the only thing on Amos' mind once Misa had forced him out of Innocence's grip. That thing had exploited his vulnerabilities, manipulated him, turned him into a puppet to spread its nonsensical, fucked up somewhat understandable agenda, and he needed to leave immediately, before he fell victim to it again.

His legacy's shrine is one of the closest to Achamoth. Easy.

He had to swim across a lake and spend days walking across farmland in waterlogged boots before he actually made it back to the city. Less easy.

Though for all of the personal discomfort and frustration that brought with it, it was readily ignored by spending that time mentally reviewing everything he did while he was fucked in the head, now that he could with proper context. All of the harm he'd caused, all of the ways he'd refused to listen to reason, being reminded of the fact that all he's really good for is ruining other people's lives. Turns out that sucks.

Then there's the fact that ever since an initial mishap during one of his first days in Achamoth, he's been careful to not go out into the city with his shard exposed — but since anything he'd used to cover it up had ended up getting destroyed in Venera, he has no choice but to subject himself to. This. When he's the last person who should be revered or admired in any way, and now he has no way to avoid it.

The first stop on Amos' list is somewhere that can get him clothed again, courtesy of I don't have any money but I am an Aion can I please just have a shirt now. All subsequent stops are, well... ]


i. so just drinking and fucking

[ Going back to the Citadel isn't even remotely on his mind, certainly not when he's got plenty of self-pity to wallow in.

Amos sticks to the seedier parts of Achamoth, weaving his way through various bars and brothels as the mood strikes him. He still doesn't have any money on him, so it's a whole lot of showing off his shard to get either free booze, comped sex, or serve as a credible IOU (and one that, to the meagre credit he has left, he'll actually fulfil once he's had the chance to get his head back on straight and reacquire finances from the Citadel). It isn't hedonism he's fully sinking into so much as I'm a bad person, I feel like shit, I'm going to do things that physically make me feel less like shit. There are worse coping mechanisms, he figures; if there actually aren't, he doesn't care.

He ignores all communion messages he feels coming through; the best anyone can hope for if they try to reach out to him directly is a tacit acknowledgment that he's still alive, combined with maybe a somewhat hazy impression of his immediate surroundings, if that latter part ends up slipping through.

That, or maybe you just so happen to run into him in some shithole dive bar or upon leaving a brothel.

Either way, there really isn't a whole lot he can do if you end up in physically the same space as him, is there. ]


ii. till they run out of one or the other

[ At some point, he actually does have to go back to the Citadel.

He's clearly worse for the wear when he finally shows back up there, rough around the edges when he finally delivers his report to Xishen — several days late, but who's counting — and then has free reign of... well, not the entire place, but the usual.

Fuck, does he need a shower. And a nap. And maybe another drink, because why the hell not. Even though he may not necessarily look it, Amos is certainly feeling better; otherwise, he wouldn't have ended up back here.

Maybe he's dishevelled, maybe he's finally had the chance to clean up; maybe he's briefly roaming the hallways, maybe he's taking advantage of having his own spacious room again. Either way, he's certainly more receptive to company, having gotten most of... that... out of his system in the city.

Though Amos isn't forgetting how easily led astray he was, all in the name of hurting people, anytime soon. That part still bothers him, but when hasn't that been a regular part of his psyche, anyway. ]


iii. wildcard

[ I'm at arii#6412 or cadiai if we need to talk specifics. ]

Comments

i + wildcardish, misa and gen retrieve amos in their get along shirt

[lifespanned]

[ When she initially reaches out for Gen's help, she's expecting a cold shoulder at best, and a reignition of their argument in Venera at worst. And because of that, when she does actually get through, she keeps her messages short and curt, seeking only information. Amos is missing, have you heard from him? Just a yes or no is fine. Any details about her knowledge of the matter were kept vague if Gen asked, with her only explaining that she was the last person to see him before he left Venera, and that she knows for certain that he's in the city. All that, along with an assurance that her asking this of Gen is for Amos's sake, not hers. She can't imagine Gen feels like doing her any favors right about now, after all. But, for Amos, maybe...

Thus, it's a welcome surprise when she actually manages to get him to agree to look around the few areas that the pair have frequented, especially given that she almost never ventures that far into the seedier parts of Achamoth. Only her inexperience and desperation to locate their companion allow her to surrender her pride like this, and to control herself from acting out to intentionally worsen things between herself and her fellow teenaged Aion.

When Gen comes upon their agreed meeting spot, he'll see that Misa is in markedly different condition than her usual flair: dressed down to simple clothes, hair not styled, her makeup understated and doing little to hide how exhausted she is. On any given normal day, she gives off the impression of someone who is simply not paying attention to anything about her surroundings, but at present, she seems remarkably focused, honed in on the situation at hand, her gaze sharp as a new razor. She's waiting there, with her arms crossed tight, impatient looking - but she mercifully doesn't offer a took you long enough, or hurry up when she actually sees him. ]

There you are. [ She even takes a few steps to meet him half way, in a hurry already. ] I haven't been to this area a lot, so I need you to show me where you were talking about...

[epiprocta]

[ That makes the two of them who don't seem quite like their usual selves. And not just because the brand-new white streaks in his hair accentuate just how long and scruffy Gen's hair has grown since their arrival to Achamoth, either. Gen's evidently given up all pretense at making himself presentable for this excursion, dressed in the sort of utilitarian clothes he usually wears during training sessions and looking notably tired. Forcing himself to train for hours to distract himself from his own thoughts, on top of nights of phenomenally shitty sleep, probably have something to do with it.

Still, as tired as he is, and as desperately as he wants to collapse in bed and sleep the evening away, Gen shows up to the promised meeting place as quickly as possible. And he only gives Misa a brief once-over, just long enough to vaguely note the change from her usual demeanor and appearance and file away that information at the back of his mind ... before stepping past her with a jerk of the head, indicating for her to follow. ]

This way.

[ It's obvious he hasn't forgotten their last conversation while they were both in Venera -- how could he? The ugly words they'd exchanged are part of the reason why he's been running himself ragged with training, trying not to think. But Amos is a third party in that fight, and though he doesn't know what Amos' deal is ... given how obviously fucked up the guy is, he can imagine the Innocence hadn't been kind to him. He's willing to call a truce with Misa for now, just to make sure their mutual ally is okay. He'd sounded listless during their brief conversation through their shards, and he still sounds listless now. ]

You said you were the last one to see him before he left Venera, right. [ There's no anger in his voice for now. Gen speaks at brusque deadpan as he gestures for Misa to follow him down a side-alley, towards the area he'd last gone drinking with Amos. ] What happened --

[ No. He visibly catches himself, pauses, then switches his question. (Because he can guess that whatever happened between them, there in Venera with at least one of them affected by Innocence, isn't something he should be prying at so casually.) ]

... d'you think he'd wanna be around people right now or not. [ He looks to Misa as he points down the street. ] Last time we drank, he showed me a few different places he liked. But if you can narrow down the kind of atmosphere he'd be looking for, we might find him quicker. Crowded, or fancy, or shitty. That kind of thing.

ii - In the Citadel Hallways

[lachtara]

[ It is time to take a break from reading. So Emet-Selch has taken a cup of tea and excused himself to the hallway just outside the library. There is fresh air and a view of the outside from this vantage point. A much-welcomed change of scenery after hours of intensive reading.

Though, it seems there is quite the different view striding down the hall in his direction. One of his "unintentional" students who looks as ramshackle as they come strides in his direction. Emet-Selch finishes the sip of tea and sets the cup on the saucer as Amos' passes. ]

Having a difficult morning, are we?

[lifespanned]

[ Her expression shifts, brow tensing, lips pursing together. She's glad Gen corrects himself, because she almost spat out a big fat none of your business, before mentally restraining herself from doing so. She doesn't want to reveal too much of what happened between them, simply for Amos's sake, yet she also knows she can't give Gen nothing - not without seeming weird or suspicious. She keeps her eyes moving as they walk, scanning the crowds as they amble by. ]

I don't know? I guess he probably wouldn't. He left Venera in such a hurry...

[ Like he'd been running from something. That doesn't strike her as behavior from someone who will be living it up in the club - Amos has never shown himself to be very social, either. She can understand the merit in narrowing what kind of place he might be at— it's honestly not something she thought of, as she's the obsessive type that would rather check under every rock, starting impulsively with whichever one seemed the most likely. So, at last, she relents, spilling what little information she can muster of what his mental state is like, at least from her perspective. ]

I really don't think he'd be somewhere fancy or anywhere he'd stick out like a sore thumb. He doesn't want to be found. I mean, he told me he was gonna hurt me if I tried to stop him from leaving. That's how much he wanted to get away from everything.

[ The words are bitter and blunt. They serve both as context for where Amos might have receded to post fleeing, as well as warning to Gen as to what they might be walking into— she has no idea what he'll be like after a few days of slinking around, but she can only go off of what she saw of him last. ]

If I had to guess, he's probably somewhere... kinda broken down?

[epiprocta]

[ Gen hesitates in place for a moment, brow furrowed deep in thought as he considers his option. Honestly, they're lucky he hadn't gotten himself too wasted that night he'd gone drinking with Amos; his sense of direction is pretty good, but the streets here are far more complicated than anything he's used to back home, and he's not sure he would have been able to remember anything if he'd had even a little more to drink. But for better or for worse (hopefully for better), he does remember his way around this area. So after another second or two of ruminating, he gives a vague grunt in response and gestures for Misa to follow him. Not down the street he'd pointed towards, but off down a side-alley towards the seedier parts of town.

Nowhere fancy, but someplace not too crowded. Somewhere he doesn't want to stick out. A threat of violence. -- so if Amos is somewhere here in this district, he's almost certainly in one of those shitty dive bars, either getting himself wasted or maybe venting his stress on whatever hapless drunks might be picking random fights.

Great. ]

Stick close to me. [ Gen doesn't look back as he mutters that comment, almost an order. At least he clarifies it immediately afterward. ] We're headed into the sketchy part of the city, and it'll be a pain if we get caught up in something. We wanna get this done fast and quiet.

[ Read: 'I'm just doing what I have to do to make this task go smoothly.' After all, something tells him Misa doesn't spend a lot of time around the shitty parts of Tokyo, learning how to conduct herself around ne'er-do-well types. He leads the way in silence for a few moments afterwards, before jerking his head towards the block ahead. ]

He said he liked a few of the bars 'round here, they're all on the same block. We can split up to see if he's in any of'em, to start.

[lifespanned]

Ugh. Duh, I know that...

[ She mutters under her breath, sounding a bit more like her usual self— complaining for complaining's sake. It's true. It's obvious that they should try to not draw attention to themselves, but she feels the need to say something if only to cover up her nervousness over coming into this part of the city, because the last thing she wants to do is make it seem like she wants to hide behind him.

That being said, she does obediently stick close despite her quiet protests, picking up the pace so she can keep in stride with him. As the two come upon the block, her eyes become increasingly owlish, struggling to get a good look at all the faces they pass by - and, more than that, struggling to process how... out in the open all the hedonism is down here. The deeper they go into the city, the more bustling it seems, with the obscene pleasures of the depths of Achamoth laid bare. People drunk in the streets, the sounds of brawls and brothels alike heard from the string of open doors that line the streets. ]

If you really want to split up, then... I'm taking this side. [ Out of place as she's acting, she's still doesn't seem willing to back out or back away from her responsibility, even being the first to break away from him. ] But you better contact me if you find him.

[baltimores]

[ Yeah, time to ruin that fresh air, sorry.

Amos spares a glance at the tea as Emet-Selch's movement catches his eye. Looks back at him at the question, and shrugs. ]

I've had worse.

[ He has. Like... yesterday. And the day before that. And you could probably stretch it throughout the past week, plus a number of times back home, and at no point would he consider this bad or unhealthy. Just his way of coping sometimes.

But as far as he's concerned he's on pretty decent terms with Emet-Selch now, so Amos almost-smirks, decides to go for a half-serious half-equally snarky question in response. ]

Why, you got any magic I don't know about that cures hangovers?

[lachtara]

Healing magic may help with what ails.

[ In other words, it could help but may not cure it. This is something he hasn't explicitly tried to cure since arriving. He sets the teacup aside and gestures with a flourish of his hand. It causes a refreshing burst of green healing magic. Hopefully, that would do something to help.

Emet-Selch looks at Amos flatly, knowing of the possible downfalls saying 'yes' to such a thing could entail. ]

I expect that you will not make a habit of showing up on my doorstep every time you have an excess of drinks.

[epiprocta]

Same goes to you.

[ Duh. Why the hell wouldn't he contact her to get this whole thing done and over with? And yes, he's serious that they should split up. Gen gives a noncommittal grunt as he moves to cross the street to check out the bars on the other side.

-- but he does pause right before walking away. ]

Misa. [ His tone of voice is sharp, and he makes sure he has her attention before continuing. ] If you're not back here in ten minutes I'm assuming something happened.

[ It's not a 'be careful' or even a 'stay safe,' but it's ... well, it's something. A minimum acknowledgement that, Aion or not, Misa's a pretty young girl about to go wandering into sketchy dive bars. And while it's not like he really expects anything to happen in the span of a few minutes ... he'll at least keep an eye out for anything amiss and take action if she's late. Regardless of the grudge he's harboring against Misa, they're still allies, so he should try to make some effort to keep her safe. And he'd guess it won't do much to improve Amos' mood if he hears something happened to Misa while looking for him.

With that cursory warning given, Gen promptly crosses the street, shoving up the door to the nearest bar with zero hesitation to start looking for the man of the hour. Hopefully they'll find him soon. ]

i

[hundredpower]

[For all that he carries himself like a high-class celebrity, and for all that he's avoided most of the seedier parts of the city so far since his arrival, Barnaby is more street-smart than he looks. He'd frittered away countless evenings when he was a teenager in the worst parts of Sternbild's Bronze Stage, armed with little more than a drawing and a name-- Ouroboros. He'd demand answers people didn't have or wouldn't share and get into bar fights. He'd return home empty-handed and angrier than ever.

Achamoth's entertainment district reminds him of those dark days, but it's at least an escape from the Citadel, if only to explore and acquaint himself with. With his shard concealed, too, it grants almost complete anonymity... or it would, but he spots a familiar figure unsteadily weaving his way down the street. Drunk, undoubtedly, and when he gets closer, the reek of alcohol is unmistakable.]

Amos. [He approaches, trying to get his attention, but it doesn't seem to work, so he raises his voice.] Amos!

[lifespanned]

[ That... makes her freeze up, and just for a moment, sociable, graceful Misa actually looks awkward for once. The hell? She was really under the impression he didn't give a damn if she ended up walking into something unsavory, given his nasty comment about how she was stupid enough to get caught by one of her stalkers. Which was fine, it's not like it mattered in relation to their mission. But now she's left giving him a confused, exasperated look, more bothered by the fact that he's making some level of base effort to play nice than the prospect of going into these seedy bars. Perhaps stupidly, she doesn't seem all that worried for her own safety. It's just the weirdness of this place that creeps her out, not the potential for danger. ]

Oooo...kay?

[ Is all she can really offer as a response as he walks away, not really sure what else she can say, because she's certainly not going to say thanks. At least she doesn't brush him off entirely, giving a small wave of acknowledgement before wandering off to start her search.

Minutes go by, and Misa makes quick work of her side of the street, easily sifting through the names and faces of each person in each bar with little effort. Not there, not there, not there. As the ten minute limit approaches, Gen will find she's finishing chatting up some stranger on the corner of the block, playfully hitting them in the shoulder with a ditzy, airheaded laugh as the random citizen recedes back into the bar they'd stepped out of.

Only when that obvious act is over does she return to the spot, interjecting before he can say anything. ]

Well, I didn't find him, but I was able to convince someone to give me a hint. He was there not long ago... [ She points at the bar she'd just left. ] What about you?

[epiprocta]

[ ... how much of her usual stupidity is an act, Gen finds himself wondering as he watches Misa banter with that stranger.

He'd conducted his own search through the bars in a brusque but effective fashion, scanning the crowd, poking into any corner booths and hiding spots, and speaking briefly with each bartender asking if they'd seen someone matching Amos' description. (Then leaving rudely, ignoring any calls asking if he actually wanted to stay for a drink.) Which meant he'd arrived at the tail end of Misa's little encounter with the man, giving him a few seconds to marvel at just how quickly her demeanor flips.

It ... kind of makes his skin crawl, to be honest. Reminds him a bit too much of a certain somebody. But -- whatever. On a rational level, he also understands the need for acting like that. Though his gaze had briefly fixed on Misa in skeptical fashion for a moment, his lips parted as if words were playing at the tip of his tongue, Gen shelves it all for now when Misa offers forth that sliver of information. ]

There, huh. [ A low noise in thought before Gen jerks a hand down his shoulder, towards one of the first bars he'd searched. ] Bartender there said he was there real early in the afternoon. Said it was easy to remember, since he drank until they kicked him out. -- so he's wandering in this direction.

[ Said as he points past the bar Misa had just indicated. He has to be, right? If Amos really is feeling so shitty he's just wandering from bar to bar, getting himself as wasted as possible, then surely he's just working his way down the street, right? ]

C'mon, let's go. Skip anywhere that looks too empty, he'll probably avoid'em if he's trying not to stick out.

[ Gen doesn't wait for Misa's response before surging forth -- and maybe he doesn't have to. Maybe she's even ahead of him, now that they've gotten some hint of how to proceed. ]

[lifespanned]

[ Funnily enough, she thinks nothing of the interaction, nor does she suspect Gen will think anything of it, himself. She takes his look of skepticism as him being unsure of whether her information is accurate— pretty par for the course based on her current impression of how he feels towards her. It's just, sometimes, acting cute or affectionate or promising men things is just the easiest way for her to get them to do what she wants. Misa could accept that, and she's not above utilizing such a method, especially not when she's in a hurry like this. It likely doesn't help her image that she seems so grave at present, her expression returning to a tense neutral as he pushes them on to their next target. ]

So, then, not that one... or that one.... ummm....

[ She rambles aloud aimlessly to them both, peering in to the mostly empty establishments that they pass first. Several moments drag on where there's only the sounds of their footsteps, and the combined white noise of the streets around them. If there's one thing she's grateful for in the moment, it's that he's treating this all with a quick, efficient hand. A bit of hope rises in her, sure that with the two of them working together, they'll find him very soon— with their proximity, a faint trace of it undoubtedly transfers to him, as well. ]

Let's go in here, [ Without really consulting him, she breaks off impulsively and suddenly to press her elbow against an aged wooden door, pushing to shove it open. ] I have a good feeling about this one.

i

[zauneyete]

[ Like Amos, Silco also finds comfort in the dingiest, worst bars in Achamoth. Unlike Amos, he isn't keen on the over-indulgence, but like Amos, seeking out the comfortable and familiar is what one does after... all of that.

The bar is slightly dim, the drinks cheap, and it isn't Silco's usual haunt, but he doesn't want to be found, so he slips in and out of the seedier establishments with ease, reaching out a finger to order a bar, when out of the corner of his eye -- the good one -- he caught sight of Amos. He wasn't sure, but he could have sworn it looked like he was trying to beg up a drink -- or maybe that was his imagination.

He hadn't paid attention much to the fact that he'd been gone -- beyond the fact that he hadn't arrived with the rest of them -- but he doubled his order, before he moved through the crowd like a comfortable, old snake, and shook the drink in front of Amos, in greeting. ]

You know... there are likely better ways to get a drink.

[baltimores]

[ Amos blinks in surprise as the effects hit him; he wasn't actually expecting Emet-Selch to do anything. The flat look and the warning to not come to him often are in direct contrast to the actual action he'd performed — and he does feel a little better. More alert.

Nice. ]

Don't think I'll need that too often.

[ He says it with a casual drawl as he tilts his head at him, really looking him over, as though he can parse his motivations. All Amos can come up with, combined with previous interactions, is that he really does care about his fellow Kenoma. So... it's good to know they're on the same page there. ]

It's cool you have that in your back pocket. [ A pause as he turns an idea over in his head; he feels better, but there's still something of a receding headache there. ] That kind of thing hard to learn?

[baltimores]

[ That second attempt reaches him, albeit with a delayed reaction time. Amos blinks, squeezing his eyes shut like that'll help reorient himself, opens them again to look up at Barnaby proper. Another few seconds, and then recognition dawns in his gaze. ]

Hey.

[ He's dishevelled and only partially alert, hair mussed up and eyes still a little glassy, but at least he knows who Barnaby is. ... Where he is. Amos blinks again, then cants his head as though to confirm it's actually Barnaby here with him, making the scratches on his neck all the more visible if Barnaby's gaze so happens to land there. ]

What're you doing here? Didn't know you...

[ And there's the slight slur to his words, though it's not as bad as it probably should be. He half-heartedly gestures at their surroundings, Didn't know you came to places like this, but hell, he's not objecting. ]

[baltimores]

[ Amos has all of the delayed reaction time and pleasant grace of someone truly well inebriated. Silco hadn't been seeing things, though; this was a new bar for Amos — stop whatever of whatever number it ends up being — so he had, indeed, been showing off his shard. Considering the fresh liquor he's got his hand hovering around now, it's been a good strategy.

When Amos did figure out it was Silco, though — the movement of that drink sure helped catch his attention properly — he just reached out, took it, and downed it all in one surprisingly smooth motion. He set the now-empty glass down on the bar top, patted the seat next to him for Silco to sit, missing the first time but getting it right on the second. ]

If you're buying, then sure. [ His words were slurred, but he was also intelligible enough. Amos blinked a few times, trying to reset his vision. ] Don't got anything on me though. So showing 'em what I am is doing the trick.

[ Was he going to regret this later, having outed himself as an Aion to who knows how many members of the general public now? Yes. Who cares? ]

[hundredpower]

Hey. [He looks him over worriedly, noting the scratches on his neck, though Amos is at least not so drunk that he doesn't recognise him. For Barnaby's own part, there's a trace of recent events in the fading bruise on his cheek, but nothing else visibly obvious.]

I just needed to take a walk. [And maybe find a quiet bar on the way back he could actually relax in, but nothing in this part of town appeals at all.] How long have you been out here?

[Drinking, that is.]

[baltimores]

[ The worry goes right over Amos' head. He doesn't deserve to have anyone worrying over him; he doesn't need it, either. He can more than look out for himself, despite all evidence to the contrary.

Barnaby's bruise doesn't really register, either, though his words do. Amos raises his eyebrows at the idea of someone being out here for a mere walk — really? This part of the city? Sure man, whatever floats your boat — before furrowing them at the question. ]

Not sure. Gotta be a couple days now, I think. 's all kinda blending together.

[ That's kinda part of the point, isn't it?? Just let everything fade away into nothingness, including the passage of time, and he's certainly drunk enough to be doing that. ]

I was just going— was ready to go to the next place. [ Did he get kicked out of the last place? Did his Aion clout finally dry up when it came to getting comped drinks? Did he just get bored and want to go somewhere new? Who even knows. Probably some combination of the three, really. ] That what you're doing on your walk here? Trying to find somewhere good. There's lots of spots...

[ His voice trails off aimlessly, but judging by the way he's still slurring his words, can't really stand without swaying slightly, and is definitely not what one could even remotely consider sober, there are lots of appropriate spots here. Good ones, even, if he says so himself. ]

[epiprocta]

[ On his end, as much as it kind of bothers him to think that Misa's whole shtick was fabricated, Gen decides to ignore the matter for now; he's always been decent at compartmentalizing, and he can address that subject later. In the moment, he instead focuses on squinting at the bars across the street, scanning the silhouettes he can see through the windows to gauge for the level of activity in each one. They're headed deeper into sketchy territory and the bars are growing accordingly quiet -- most only seem to have a tiny handful of patrons if that, and he's not sure if Amos is in the mood to be stuck one-on-one with a nosy bartender.

So when Misa abruptly gestures for them to enter a bar they're passing by, Gen automatically glances through the window first. It does seem a bit more crowded without looking too cramped, a modest scattering of people seated around the bar and at tables. It's probably the level of activity that gave Misa the 'good feeling,' isn't it.

But most notably -- through the dirty glass he can see the bartender animatedly pouring a drink for a large silhouette in the far, shadowy corner. A silhouette that he thinks looks vaguely familiar. ]

-- Misa.

[ Gen catches the door before it can close behind Misa, following right behind her and nudging at her to catch her attention. A jerk of the head towards that far corner. ]

There. S'that him?

[ The lighting here's dim, he'd only gotten a quick glimpse from the outside, and it's hard to tell at a glance. Not to mention, he's not sure if it's too optimistic to think they'd be able to find him this (relatively) easily. But maybe it's that glimmer of hope he'd felt radiating from Misa at his side -- he thinks that might actually be Amos. ]

[lifespanned]

[ Her eyes dart to where he motions to, and— the most immediate feeling that comes off of her is a freezing, bitter wave of dread. Where Gen makes out his silhouette in the corner, Misa sees him clearly, easily making out his face, and then his name, those seven letters above his head.

And it's like a dam breaks. ]

—He's there.

[ There's a sharp intake of breath when she realizes it, really realizes it. All this time trying to search for him, she hasn't thought once about what state he would actually be in when they found him, as she thought only of the actual mechanics of locating him. She hadn't tried to think of what she saw, what it would all do to Amos in the end. But now her heart bleeds freely, and wretchedly. In a way, she's completely emotionally unprepared to actually find him, dire as her efforts have been throughout the night and the nights previous. Her face contorts, lips pressing together tightly, and a stubborn sniffle coming from her - as if fighting the urge to cry with every fiber of her being.

Perhaps that's why what she says next is so unfitting for the gravity of the situation, the words reminiscent of the exasperated sort of fed up that a parent might be if they lost their child in the supermarket. But her tone— it's strained with the effort to sound less wrecked than she feels. Misa doesn't take her eyes off Amos for a second - she wouldn't dare now that they've come this close - but she does give Gen a nudge back in acknowledgement, knuckles brushing the side of his arm, seeking whatever small comfort she could take from not being alone coming into this. She'll realize just how grateful she is for his help, when it's all said and done. ]

I'm going to go give him a kick...

[ For all their trouble, for all their worry, for all the sick relief she's feeling at actually having found him. The threats of violence she'd talked about before - none of that matters to her, anymore. All that matters making her way to Amos's side, and driving home that the she and Gen had been looking for him everywhere. That she cared, that she was beside herself after Venera. He needs to know that they've come here for him - so Misa makes a beeline right for him, and not stealthily in the least. ]

[hundredpower]

Howl said he knew a few good spots... [Barnaby trails off noncommittally. Not that he'd asked for directions to any of them yet; he really had just wanted to be alone, and asking around for recommendations might have been considered an invite.

That aside, though, his concern only increases when Amos mentions a couple days.]

Are you hungry? Why don't we get something to eat together? [He's trying not to nag him outright about his current state, especially when he's too drunk to take any notice, so this seems like the next best option.]

[baltimores]

[ He's not at his best, that's for damn sure.

Amos couldn't say how many days it's been since he got back to Achamoth, or, hell, since he left Venera to begin with. Days of miserable walking across the countryside would've done their number on him alone, but combine that with all the time he'd had to think along the way — about how he'd left Misa, first and foremost, kicking himself after over the fact that he had made it clear he would have hurt her so soon after her having seen him kill people with his bare hands; later, tracing back all of his actions, how he'd purposefully infected Gen, refusing to leave his side until he knew he'd gotten as much Innocence in him as possible — and it's not been great.

At first, he'd just known he'd needed to get out of Venera, away from all of that and what it was doing to him. But with every single thing he'd done reanalyzed with a sober mind, by the time he'd made it back to Achamoth, all he'd wanted to do was drown it out. Not like it happens all that often, but it also isn't the first time Amos has had to do something like this, and he'd fallen back into the rhythm spectacularly. It's done its job, at least.

He knows he's somewhere along the first half of the day part of his cycle, having slept off the worst of the previous day in a brothel, only getting back up once the bars started opening again. The last place, he'd gotten some greasy food in him; here, it's alcohol only. His hair is thoroughly dishevelled and there are scratches and bruises visible on his neck — and elsewhere, were it not covered up by clothing, not because he cares to hide it but because it just so happens to be there.

He's been showing his shard to people throughout Achamoth over the past several days since he can't actually pay for anything; he's thoroughly out of fucks to give regarding what people see about him.

It's also clear that Amos is exhausted and hungover, even as he gets a new drink before him, hand loosely wrapped around the glass and just kind of staring blankly at it. He's on autopilot now. Will probably work himself back up into something more active later in the day, getting himself ready to complete another round of whatever the hell this is.

After all the shit he'd pulled, it's better than being himself.

So it takes him a few moments to recognize that blonde head from his peripheral vision, reaction time delayed as he actually turns to look out into the rest of the bar from the corner he's holed himself up in, confirm that it's Misa. Well, shit.

And then he looks past her, sees Gen. For a moment, it's just the familiar exhaustion in his expression, but then he blinks. Registers the white in Gen's hair. And Amos freezes up, eyes widening slightly as his face blanches. The exhaustion's gone, replaced by an attempt at blankness, but he can't exactly wipe away the horror and self-loathing he feels.

Amos' grip around his drink tightens as he downs the entire glass' contents in one go, already lifting his arm back up to signal the bartender for another one. He can't fucking deal with this right now. ]

[epiprocta]

[ Gen's always been a bit more observant than people would assume, given his appearances. So he notices everything. Even in the dim lighting of the bar, he notices the way Misa's eyes turn a little glossy with barely-held-back tears, the way her lips press together thinly, the way her movements are a touch stiff when she nudges back at him. The way her next breath escapes shaky before she storms off in Amos' direction. And for Amos -- the odd look in the mans's eyes before he pointedly looks away, both from Misa and from him, a look that's difficult to read but definitely looks weighty.

Ugh. He just knows whatever conversation the two of them are going to have is going to be a huge pain in the ass, he can feel it. ]

Hey, Amos.

[ Is it wise blurting out Amos' name in public when Aions already draw too much attention to themselves here? Probably not. But he's hoping most of the patrons are here too drunk for it to matter. Gen's voice is sharpened to a point in a guttural yakuza snarl, easily carrying above the low murmur of the bar crowd, growled out with just enough force to ensure that he has Amos' attention regardless of whether the other will actually look at him or not. Then it's back to his listless deadpan, though he does speak a little loudly -- so that Amos won't have the excuse of pretending he didn't hear -- as he (rudely) points at Misa. ]

You're in charge of walking her back home. Bet she doesn't remember the way back from here.

[ Yeah, Amos looks like shit right now, but ... maybe having that concrete burden placed upon his shoulders will force him to get his shit together at least a little bit, Gen thinks. Doubly so if it's for Misa's sake, given how he can just smell the complicated baggage hanging in the air between them. Which he is absolutely not going to stand here and just watch unfold, of course. Gen turns away as soon as that point is made, pausing only to call out to Amos, ]

I'm leaving. Be here tomorrow, same time. We gotta talk.

[ There's no upset or anger in his voice, but there's no leniency, either. It's a demand, a statement. Amos will be here tomorrow if he gives a shit about whatever sort of fucked-up relationship exists between them. And Gen thinks he can count on it.

-- so with his part said, he promptly turns and leaves. (Fuck, he needs a drink of his own.) ]

[lachtara]

[ Emet-Selch looks none too impressed at the look of assessment he's getting. Although, it doesn't seem to bother him either. He simply retrieves his tea from where it has been set and takes another sip. His fellow Kenoma can assess whatever he feels the need to. ]

It depends on the person. Some have the aptitude for it whereas others do not.

[ Emet-Selch arches an eyebrow. ]

Are you intending to learn?