After putting on her hoodie, Lorraine led Prince Akechi out into the backyard. She sat on the porch and waited and as the polite, princely facade on Akechi's face became a calculating gaze directed solely at her, Lorraine was fairly certain the universe was taking the piss.
"I expected Wild Card's "guardian angel" to be a little less... mortal." Akechi said after a moment.
"I dunno what you expected, I'm just me," Lorraine replied casually. "Are you here to scope me out or what?"
The prince straightened up. "My apologies, there is a matter I'd like to discuss with you," the detective prince reached into his metal saddlebags, pulled out a folder and handed it to her. "As I'm sure you know, there is an imbalance of power within the forces that govern this world and it is steadily growing worse. I've been gathering evidence of this imbalance but, when I present it to the proper authorities, I am ignored."
"What about the princesses?" Lorraine asked as she examined the meticulously detailed notes and a sketch of a wrought iron gate with an image of a full moon decorating the middle of it.
"Not a single person will hear what I have to say, it's as if they're willfully ignoring the problem," Akechi scoffed. "Even The Phantom Thieves haven't grasped the reality of the situation. Dreams aren't just being distorted, people aren't just acting irrationally due those distortions, something is deliberately influencing the way the different realms interact with one another. Even Tartarus is affected."
Akechi looked at Lorraine knowingly. "Don't you find it odd that after a thousand years of absence, the natural lunar cycle has only just now been restored? Or that during all this time, no one even knew Princess Luna or The Nightmare even existed? I believe someone or something wanted them swept under the rug and brainwashed the entire world to make it happen."
Lorraine looked up at him. "...It wouldn't surprise me, I've been looking for similarities between events here and stuff from the persona games."
"Which is why I sought you out," Akechi stated cooly. "After the Phantom Thieves regained their memories, I tried to warn them. But they seem to believe that all they have to do is play hero with you at their side like some sort of guide."
"You got any better ideas?" Lorraine asked. "They're helping, aren't they?"
"Admittedly yes but let's be honest here, they don't need you, it's true that their leader is fond of you but ultimately they already have everything they need to do their job," Akechi said. "I however, cannot simply work from the shadows as I did in my human life, as both a prince of Equestria and a stallion, my options for handling this situation are rather limited."
"What do you expect me to do about it? I'm not sure what you want from me." Lorraine admitted.
"If I had a woman by my side to vouch for me during my investigation into all of this, I'd have a lot more room to maneuver," Akechi explained. "It wouldn't be strange for the charming detective prince to take a sudden interest in a trusted friend of his dear aunt, nor would anyone bat an eye if we were to be seen together under the pretense of working together for the equal rights movement you're pioneering."
"People are going to jump to conclusions you know," Lorraine pointed out. "You're better off finding someone else."
"And just who should I go to? We've only just met and you're taking all of this at face value," the prince mused as he held his chin in one wing and peered at her. "I know you from somewhere, I'm certain of it..."
Lorraine sighed. "Probably a side effect of your human life, I- God knows how- interacted with that world via a video game."
A lull fell between them as Akechi tried to puzzle her out and Lorraine tried to keep her composure and steadfastly ignore the mix of joy and regret that clawing at her mind. Seconds ticked by and Lorraine looked over towards the mini forest in an attempt to distract herself.
It wasn't helping.
"Tell me about this game you played," Akechi said. "Your experience with it may shed some light on our situation."
"You think it'll help figure out who's behind the imbalance?" Lorraine asked, unable to look at him.
"The possibility did cross my mind," the prince agreed. "Wild Card explained the basics of course, snippets of his life as the leader of The Phantom Thieves turned into a game which you became engrossed in. But, I'd like to hear your take on it."
"I'll do my best," Lorraine said and took a moment to gather her thoughts. "It was a turn based JRPG, I got invested in the story and the characters, I cared about them as you do when you immerse yourself in fiction and... got upset when a character died," Lorraine glanced at Akechi, who nodded in a gesture to continue. "That wasn't the end of it, I got to a point in the game where I beat a major boss and suddenly, the character that died came back and then the game's story progressed towards the final boss."
"I had hoped that you would be more specific." Akechi said calmly. "There's no need to be vague on my account."
"How else am I supposed to word it?" Lorraine grumbled as she finally focused on him. "You were fictional character that died, then came back and the game's ending hinged on whether I accept the final boss' ultimatum involving your life or kick his arse! The game made me choose- I didn't wanna choose!" the doe looked torn as she wrestled with her emotions. "So I did both! An' now you're real and here and I'm sorry... I think this might be my fault..."
Akechi looked at her eerily calm for a moment. "So you really did accept that bastards offer..."
"It was fiction, you were my favorite character and I felt like you didn't deserve to die!" Lorraine explained. "I just reset my save and kicked Maruki's arse anyway. Besides, I know you- you fictional counterpart, whatever, didn't die. I maxed out your social link in my first run and you survived... How the hell is this even helpful?"
"Because while we can't know for certain who is pulling the strings, I do know that they are using us as a pawns for their own 'game", a retelling of The Phantom Thieves' exploits with you right in the middle of it," Akechi explained. "I've been observing the way this world reacts to you and your... boyfriend was it? for some time and something seems rather insistent on forcing the two of into dangerous or unwanted situations. You are living alongside a demon, you have the ear of two princesses and already the two of you have sparked change in this society that is sorely needed. Someone or something deems the two of you important so if I can't expose this force to others, then I will jeopardize it at every chance I get and you are going to help me."
"You're okay with wanting my help? After what I just said?" Lorraine asked, confused. "I thought you wouldn't want anything to do with me since I'm, you know, not Joker."
"To be frank, I am confused as to why you would care about me considering how I was and what I did in my former life," Akechi replied. "But times change, I had my memories of my old life for longer than the others and I've had time to adjust. I get the feeling I don't have to worry about how I act around you, your casual demeanor with Aunt Luna is proof you take people at face value and I would appreciate working with someone who doesn't have an ulterior motive for once."
"Does friendship count?" Lorraine asked and looked almost vulnerable as she smiled sheepishly. "This may just be the um, fangirlly-ness but I'd like to be your friend."
The prince contemplated the idea. "I... suppose I can see how we can benefit from such an arrangement. I'm not quite sure how we'll go about things but I don't see any harm in... being your friend."
"Really? Cool!" the doe said, and grinned enthusiastically.
Akechi nodded. "It's a deal then."