2025-09-10: The Reports of My Death are Greatly Exaggerated
- Log: 2025-09-10 The Reports of My Death are Greatly Exaggerated
- Cast: Ren Amamiya, Kasumi Yoshizawa, Kazusa Motojima
- Where: Shujin Academy - Classroom Building
- OOC Date: September 10, 2025
- IC Date: Monday, July 09, 2012
- Summary: After Ren comes to school in only somewhat better shape after their run-in with a terrible foe, Kasumi comes up to them to check in on them--and Kazusa too, if for less kindly reasons.
IC News And Rumors Message 7/8: New Gossip at Shujin Academy
Whispers are spreading around Shujin Academy about one Ren Amamiya again.
"Hey... Did you see the delinquent transfer student today?"
"No, what happened?"
"He came in this morning with half his face practically in a cast... Ms. Kawakami said he banged his head in a door yesterday and got bad bruises because of it, but how would she know that? That'd just be what he told her, right?"
"Omigosh... You think he was fighting?"
"Yeah, yeah! He probably got in a fistfight with someone and that's why he's so black and blue..."
"That's scary... I hope he finally gets expelled..."
"I don't think he will... Ms. Kawakami was really vouching for him..."
"Then... do you think maybe he really did just hit his face on a door or whatever? She wouldn't go to bat if she weren't sure of it, right?"
"No way! He had to've been fighting... I mean, I couldn't check if he had bruises on his knuckles since he always keeps his hands in his pockets, but that's suspicious, right? Someone with a reputation like that, there's no way it was that innocent... He must've tricked the teacher somehow."
"Either way, I guess there's nothing we can do about it... I'll just steer clear of him like usual..."
"Yeah... I wish I could too, but we're in the same class... You know, someone drew Akechi-kun's face on the blackboard in the back of our classroom recently. He's so handsome! Do you think if I tagged him on social media somewhere, he'd take the case? That'd make me feel so much better..."
"That would be amazing, but he's gotta be too busy with actual murderers and the Phantom Thieves and stuff to deal with our school's problems..."
"I guess so..."
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Ren showed up to school early this morning so he could pull Ms. Kawakami aside and tell her he walked into a door and that's why he's got these bandaged bruises on his face. When she asked how a door got him to limp and favor his left arm even though his face is bruised on the right, he emphasized that a) it was a really bad walk b) he is calling in a favor please don't press this please.
Ms. Kawakami fortunately left it at that and announced this accordingly to the class. This is good for Ren, because the rumors are already flying, and having a teacher on his side means that there's enough doubt among the students and other teachers that no one's doing anything. Seeing Kobayakawa's Palace has made Ren sure of one thing: there is a culture of cowardice at Shujin Academy. Besides, if Akechi can make plausible deniability work for him, they can do it for themself, too.
Lunch period is a needed break all the same. They go to the boys' bathroom (it's fine, it still counts) to check their face. It's about the same as it was this morning. They gingerly peel off the bandages, wash their face like they did this morning, and reapply fresh bandages from their bag. It's hard to do with one arm mostly useless, but they manage.
Afterwards, they head for the stairs leading to the third floor. Their destination is the roof, which is technically off-limits, but they've been helping Haru Okumura, who does have permission to be there, with her gardening, so it's fine. Their lunch is sparse--a vegetable cup, a sandwich, and a bottled water they bought from the Triple Seven the other day and brought in with them to avoid the line at the school store--but it'll get them through the day.
Most importantly, it's low in salt. Ren isn't sure if that'll help get the bruising to go away sooner, but it'll keep the swelling down, at least.
Now if only that would keep him from getting noticed while they pass, however briefly, through the third floor...
<Pose Tracker> Kasumi Yoshizawa has posed.
"Senpai!" A familiar voice echoes down the hall on the third floor. Looks like Ren got noticed!
Kasumi quickly runs up to Ren, then gasps at the sight of their injuries, "Oh no! I heard the rumours that you'd been injured..." As expected of school culture, the rumours spread fast. "Is it true you got hit by a truck!?" Apparently not accurately though.
Still, whether it's a truck, or a door, Kasumi has doubts about the truth of it all after what she recently learned about Ren. It's been a few days since everything that happened in Kobayakawa's Palace. With Kasumi needing to take some time to absorb the events, and otherwise busy with school and her training, she hasn't actually had a chance to speak to Ren or the others about all that happened and was revealed. But she knows enough to suspect there's more to the story about how Ren was injured.
But regardless of recent events, Kasumi is still obviously concerned that a friend of hers was hurt, "Are you alright?"
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
Kazusa, of course, kept her finger on the pulse of Shujin's gossip. After all, you have to stay up to date on all the goings on, who to avoid, who to associate with (a group that always includes her, of course), or when a particularly strange incident occurs...
Kasumi heard that Ren got hit by a truck. A voice from just around a corner says, "The way I heard it, he walked into a door." There's Kazusa, with long straight black hair and purple eyes, and a smirk on her features. "Which is honestly kind of sad. What'd the door do, sneak up on you?"
(Kazusa has no idea about Palaces or Cognitions, or how she might intersect with those two ideas she knows nothing about.)
She walks closer, looking between the two. "Hello, Yoshizawa-san. You'd better be careful around this one. I'd hate to see a fellow team member associating with someone like him." It's performative concern, to a degree. Or at least, a self-serving concern.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
The sound of Kasumi's voice echoing through the hallway is a welcome one.
The sound of Kazusa's, not so much. But we'll get to that in a moment.
Hearing their friend call out to them, they turn to face Kasumi as she dashes up with a faint but sincere smile, hands in their pockets as usual. Their glasses are a bit of an odd fit with the bandages on their face, but it's fine--though they give Kasumi a slightly awkward laugh at her question.
"Not a truck. A door," they say, because they're still at school and need to maintain their cover story. But since it is Kasumi, they add, "Felt like a truck, though..." And lower their voice and lean in to add further, "I'll tell you the details later. It's related to that place you stumbled into..."
They lean back into their usual slouch, dark eyes soft. "But I'm okay. Just kinda sore." Thanks to Dr. Takemi's medicine, granted, but still.
This is when Kazusa weighs in. Ren's kind expression fades into stony neutrality when they lift their gaze to Kazusa, a person they don't know but--their eyes flicker--realize they recognize. They shrug with their good right shoulder. "Something like that." It's always easier to let people say and think what they want.
The temptation to just walk away is strong; they were on their way to lunch anyway. But they'd head to the roof for that, and they don't want to do that in front of someone who's liable to cause them trouble for it. Maybe they can just head downstairs to the courtyard instead, and invite Kasumi along...
Of course, that's when Kazusa gives Kasumi shit for associating with him. Ren's stony mien doesn't shift, but they do glance at Kasumi. A few weeks back, when they were jogging together, they asked her if anyone gives her trouble for training with him, and she said 'no,' but also 'not really,' which means less 'no' and more 'not much.'
But also, Ren recognizes Kazusa from her cognition in Kobayakawa's Palace and the way it was treating Kasumi--and that might or might not be a reflection of how she actually acts, considering how Kobayakawa also perceived Kawakami as the advisor to the archery club when that's plain not true--so for now, they keep their mouth shut and wait to see how Kasumi handles this.
<Pose Tracker> Kasumi Yoshizawa has posed.
"A-Ah, Motojima-senpai..." There's a subtle tightening of Kasumi's posture as the second-year walks up to the two of them. No doubt any conversation about any potential truth of the matter of Ren's injuries is going to be forestalled. Then again, discussing such things openly at school probably isn't smart to begin with...
... Unless Kazusa is a Persona user too and Kasumi isn't aware?
Just who else can do those weird things?
But Ren mentions that they'll discuss it later, so Kasumi briefly nods along. Another thing they have to talk about, it seems! Though Kasumi has to admit, the truck story would probably make more sense than a door, which seems confirmed as Kazusa makes her quip about it.
When Kazusa also suggests that Kasumi shouldn't associate with the likes of Ren, Kasumi is a little slow on the uptake. Primarily because her thoughts are filled with memories of the events within the Palace. Though unlike Ren, Kasumi doesn't have the advantage of knowing the specifics of what a cognition is and how connected, or separate, they are from the real thing.
Still, Kasumi does eventually speak up again in Ren's defense, "Those rumours are exaggerated! And who I am friends with has nothing to do with my performance or our club." It's one thing to criticise Kasumi for her performance. But it's another to speak ill of a friend based on overblown rumours.
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
Something like that, Ren says, and Kazusa arches an eyebrow at them. "Who lets a door sneak up on them?" she asks, with a mixture of skepticism and disapproval in her voice. "And how'd you get a teacher to go along with you, anyway?"
Kazusa might not be as bad with Kasumi as the Cognitive version of her... but the real Kazusa can certainly be a bit short-tempered and demanding, especially when it comes to the club activities. Everyone's gotta pull their weight, after all.
She turns her attention to Kasumi next. Kazusa is not, in fact, a Persona user, just a girl from a wealthy family.
All she has to go on for Ren is rumors, mostly. First, about their leaked criminal record, then the way they confronted Kamoshida, which... well, Kazusa would rather not think about that in particular.
There's a very mild look of surprise as Kasumi speaks up to her, but it quickly vanishes. "Just make sure you're not picking up any bad habits from him, hmm? Someone who gets ambushed by doors isn't doing to do you any favors."
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
The tension that appears in Kasumi's posture, however slight, is nonetheless instantly recognizable when combined with that brief tremor in her voice. It helps that Ren was on guard for something like that already. As far as they can tell, Kazusa isn't a Persona User, but they know well that not everyone who is one radiates Resonance. Their meager extrasensory abilities aren't something to rely on when it comes to that. They'd reassure Kasumi that this isn't who she saw in Kobayakawa's Palace, but... neither the time nor the place.
Kasumi at least nods her understanding on that mark, and doesn't seem too discombobulated about it, even if she is slow to speak. It speaks well to her ability to go with the flow.
"I don't know what you mean," Ren tells Kazusa blandly, both of door ambushes and teachers.
Then Kasumi speaks up in his defense, and he smiles very slightly to see it--and also see her defend herself too. Kazusa seems snooty about it either way, even if she also looks like she didn't expect to get spoken back to. That's an Awakening for you.
<Pose Tracker> Kasumi Yoshizawa has posed.
"Why can't it be the other way? Maybe with my help he'll be able to avoid any doors in the future." It sounds like an absurd thing to say, yet Kasumi doesn't seem to notice as she says it with a completely straight face.
"So did you have something to talk about with Amamiya-senpai or did you just decide to step into our conversation?" Kasumi can't be sure, but she's got the impression that the two don't really know each other.
So why else would Kazusa be here?
Not really waiting for an answer though, Kasumi turns to Ren and smiles, "Should we go somewhere and eat lunch?"
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
Ren says they don't know what Kazusa means. Kazusa gives the other 2nd year a level look. "... Uh huh. I'm sure you don't." She's staring at them with a critical (and disbelieving) eye.
And it's a look that she turns on Kasumi as she suggests... helping Ren avoid doors in the future. There's a long pause as she tries to judge just how earnest Kasumi is being in the moment. "... I don't think you can help Amamiya-san with the kinds of 'doors' he's dealing with."
Kazusa pushes a long lock of hair back behind her shoulder with a flick of her wrist, the silver bracelets on her wrist jangling. "Not really. I just wanted to check out the rumor for myself."
She's got her own lunch to eat, too. Kazusa turns and takes a step to leave, and then stops. "... I'll see you at practice, Yoshizawa-san." It's the only good-bye she gives. Ren gets a look, but nothing else as Kazusa turns and walks away.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
It does sound absurd, but the fact that Kasumi says it with a completely straight face gets Ren to chuff a quiet laugh. Whether it was a joke or she meant it, it's endearing. Besides--
"That's right," they chime in, straight face reasserted.
--she kind of is helping them with that.
Kazusa's critical and unbelieving eye continues to be met with Ren's stonewalling poker face. They of course do know what she's insinuating--she makes it especially clear with her snide comment to Kasumi--but as long as she doesn't say anything outright: plausible deniability! Akechi has taught them well.
Of course, then Kasumi decides to not only sass Kazusa but completely ignore her response in favor of asking them to lunch. They outright grin, eyes sparkling with mischief and delight. Never mind their sore cheek. This is more than worth it.
"That sounds great. Down to the courtyard sound good?" they suggest. They'll head down with her imminently, but once Kazusa has walked off, they add sotto voce, "She's going to give you hell at practice, you know. But I'm guessing that doesn't bother you, huh?"
<Pose Tracker> Kasumi Yoshizawa has posed.
Kasumi frowns a little as Kazusa just admits to wanting to see if the rumours were true. Like it's some spectacle for people's amusement... Though then she herself did go to find Ren after she heard about it herself. But her reasons came from a good place!
When Kazusa says 'good-bye' in not exactly those words, Kasumi is a bit more quiet as she replies, "Right... Motojima-senpai."
To Ren, Kasumi nods at the suggestion and starts to walk with them. She looks a little down as he points out that she's going to find herself in a little trouble because of this. Both because it's true, and now, thanks to what they witnessed in the Palace, they're a bit more aware of the kinds of things Kasumi endures. Something she tries to do quietly and without complaint so as to not bother others... Which is no doubt why her response is, "Yes, it's nothing I'm not used to..."
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
They do come from a good place. Ren trusts that about Kasumi, and that's why they don't mind when it comes to her.
When it comes to Kazusa... actually, although they don't have a good impression of her, they are somewhat impressed that she came to see for herself rather than sending a lackey or peering from a distance or something like that. Most of the other students are too scared of him to be that bold. But maybe Kasumi's presence had something to do with that...
Especially when, once they part, Kasumi starts looking down. Ren's smile fades as they observe this and consider her answer. "...Right. Just like how I'm used to rumors being spread about me," they reply--their oblique way of saying, It sucks and I know it sucks; you're not alone even if you're trying not to talk about it.
Hopefully that comes across.
"But it'll be nice to have lunch together," they add. They gesture with their good hand--a little awkward since that's the shoulder their bag is on too right now, but they manage. "This isn't a good place to talk about serious things, but we'll do that soon. I promise. 'Til then, let's both do our best. All right?"