((previously... ))

[He walks forward a little bit, listens to the crunch of the ground beneath his shoes, spies the walls that shift about as they please. Undeniably, he is still in Somnius.

And undeniably, this is the same person he knows he can look to for help, just as he can easily open his hand to help her.]

It's me. I'm really here.

[Against all odds. In spite of all the impossibilities of this world.]

I didn't expect to see you. [He didn't know if he'd get to see her again at all after he left Tokyo. It's wrong, but part of him is glad. A familiar face he's on good terms with, no complicated strings attached... But it's also just nice to see someone he considers a friend.] I've been here for only a week, but... A lot's happened.

[It feels like a distinct understatement, but he doesn't know how much he should say. How much he can say; there's still things Akira doesn't know, and there's still things Akira knows are better not to reveal to a normal person like Chihaya. Things like the power of a Persona, or the extent of what happened on Christmas Eve... they're things he spoke of with Maruki if not Akechi, but those types of things would only be a burden to her. She has enough to contend with ending up here in Somnius.]

I don't know everything about this place, but I can try to catch you up to speed. Let's see if we get out of here while we're at it.