2025-10-19: Loyalty

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<Pose Tracker> Ken Amada has posed.

    Though the final day of finals has completed and no doubt students through the city are living up their new freedom and/or lamenting the results of brutal testing, it is still quiet at Naganaki Shrine, at least for a little while longer. The late July heat is cut with a balmy breeze that brings some relief to those nearby--which for right now is a gray-and-white shibainu, sat at attention at the bottom of the stairs to said shrine, just inside the red torii gate.
    
    An elementary school-age boy walks down the sidewalk in the dog's attention. This one is wearing the Gekkoukan Elementary uniform, and has brown hair that curls up at the edges. As an elementary student, he doesn't have to worry about the exams that the middle school and high school section students do, but he has a concern on his mind all the same.
    
    After all, after finals, there's Sunday off, and then Monday back for everyone to receive the results of their exams, and then it's summer vacation. And summer vacation means... moving temporarily into a new dorm with a bunch of much older students.
    
    They were all very kind to Ken. He's not worried about that. A lot of them offered to spend time with him--some even offered to bring their younger siblings by so he'd have kids is own age to hang out with. A very kind if somewhat unnecessary offer, in Ken's view. It's just...
    
    It's always hard for him. He gets along with older people better than he does peers, but he always has to be careful to watch their moods and tell if he's being a burden or not. Sometimes just being a kid is enough to draw their ire...
    
    So when Ken stops in front of the torii, it's to offer a hand to the shibainu there. "Hey, Koromaru," he says with a soft, slightly sad smile. "Good boy, good boy... You want to play fetch?"
    
    Koromaru accepts pets atop his furry head with a content 'wuff!' but the offer of play only gets a steady stare and a panting tongue. He isn't sitting here in front of Naganaki Shrine to play around. He is here for a reason.
    
    "No?" Ken guesses. His eyes lower. "I guess not..." He sighs. "I hope the move tomorrow is going to go all right..."
    
    With that, he trudges up the stairs. Koromaru turns his head to watch him go with a slight whine.
    
    Ken doesn't turn back, though. Why would he? He's used to being on his own, and his problems won't go away regardless. Some of the Iwatodai Dorm folks offered to help him move, which will be a help... Ikutsuki-san said he'd help out with that too... But he still needs to finish packing up his things tonight, and he needs to make sure Hamburger will be okay with the sudden change... Ken plans on carrying his cage, but he won't be able to carry anything else if he does that... Will it really be okay if he leaves the rest of his luggage to everyone else...? Maybe they only offered to be polite...
    
    He's stopped in front of the shrine and clapped his hands twice to pray for the move to go well when he hears a bark behind him. Ken turns and looks over his shoulder to see Koromaru bounding up the stairs towards him. Koromaru races around him, then comes to a stop with head and forelegs down in the canine language for 'let's play!' Ken lights up to see it.
    
    "Oh--you want to play after all?"
    
    "Woof!" Koromaru agrees, before jumping forward to lick his face.
    
    Ken laughs in delight, rubbing his fur. "Ahahaha, easy, easy! Okay, then..." He looks around, then grabs a fallen stick that happens to be nearby. He doesn't want to trouble any other shrinegoers, so... "Fetch, boy!" he calls, throwing it towards the playground that's off to the side of the shrine grounds. When Koromaru races off after it, Ken follows so that they can play out of the way of everyone else.
    
    That's how you be conscientious! After all, right around now, the high school section is probably getting out and might be coming by for one last prayer to the gods for good grades... 

<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.

Shinjiro doesn't have finals... but he has something to pray over anyways, and something to give someone if they're there. As he steps up the stairs, he hears a bark, and a smile slowly rises on his face.

It fades when he sees Ken playing with the dog, though it shifts into neutral quickly after.

Shinjiro could go pray real quick, but he has time, unlike the finals students. He'll let them go first. He considers leaving, actually, just out of the discomfort, but...

Something about that dog always soothes him, and besides, he had something for him. He's in his nice wolf fur-lined red coat from Peacock Silk, beanie firmly snug on his head. He approaches the playground.

"Hey, Amada. You're friends with Koromaru?" Shinjiro asks coolly, also familiar with the dog. He has something under his arm... a tupperware container? "I shouldn't be surprised. He probably has a lot of those." 

<Pose Tracker> Fuuka Yamagishi has posed.

Exams are finally, finally over - that grueling ordeal that every student must face. It's been exhausting... but Fuuka is relieved to be on the other end of that, now. She is a little concerned about her grades, though... She missed a lot of school thanks to her stay in Tartarus and recovery, and while she got quite a bit of study help...

...Well, anxiety is in her nature. Things are out of her hands now, so the only thing left is to ask for help from the gods. She could use the time to relax and get some fresh air, anyway, and Naganaki Shrine is always good for that - so when a group gathers to go visit, she gladly join in.

She makes her way up the stairs starts toward the shrine proper... but stops, when Shinjiro veers off toward the playground. And playing there is...

"Oh, hello, Amada-kun, Koro-chan." Fuuka greets, approaching alongside Shinjiro. She recognizes him too, of course - she's lived in the area her whole life. 

<Pose Tracker> Minako Arisato has posed.

Minako absolutely has finals. She is near the front of the pack of some of the Gekkoukan students -- members of SEES on their way to the shrine, for a last prayer for good results. She walks backward, in an animated sort of way, one step after the other. "Those were really hard," she says. "But at least it's done, and--"

She turns her head, looking up the stairs. Then, she turns around completely, and starts up after Fuuka.

"Hey, Amada-kun! Aragaki-senpai!" she says, cheerfully. "Aw, are you playing with Koro-chan? What's he doing by the shrine, anyways...?"

She beams, hurrying up the stairs. "Koro-chan is so cute, isn't he, Yamagishi-san?"

<Pose Tracker> Reiya Aomori has posed.

Reiya did finals. They are done. That is all that needs to be said of them. The scores... will be what they are.

But he does think he did pretty well.

But Reiya makes a habit of visiting the shrine, and he does so now. ...It's an interesting coincidence, to see Ken; he was thinking again about him, and the fact that he's moving in soon. He asked his sister about him, and indeed, she does know of him... But it's not like they talk that much.

"Hello, everyone," Reiya says.

When did he get here? Don't worry about it. He's here now.

"...Excuse me."

Before chatting, he will visit the shrine, conscientiously. 

<Pose Tracker> Minato Arisato has posed.

    Final are over. Let us pray.

    Let us pray the Chairman doesn't appear to start talking about lettuce...

    Minato has come, to the shrine. Perhaps he leads his people hence, alongside his sister, though of course he walks as if he's in his own little world. Hands shoved in his pockets, in casual clothes now it's a Sunday.

    And lo, when the stick flies --

    "Yo, Amada-kun." Minato is one of those people who offered him help -- as well as the regard of a male peer, talking to him as if he were another one of the men instead of a boy.

    "Koro-chan," he adds, gravely, with an incline of his head.

    He looks to Minako, and reflects, as if only just thinking of it: "... he's always here." Koromaru, that is. Well, Ken, too...

<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.

Finals have certainly been on Ririka's mind lately--how could they not be? But she's not here, entirely to pray for her grades. Certainly that, of course, but... academic milestones always remind her of a certain someone, and this milestone in particular...

Well, it's been almost two years, now. It's hard not to have those thoughts bubble up again.

She's in her uniform, still, long-sleeved blouse with a purple ribbon, a plain vest over it, skirt, and boots. (And she's still very tall, she can't unequip that trait.)

But as she ascends the stairs she sees her fellow SEES members, "Oh, hey guys--" But as she moves to join them she sees two more people she recognizes. "Hey, Amada-kun, Koro-chan. Amada-kun, how've you been? You're moving in tomorrow, right? I'm looking forward to hitting the soccer field with you over the summer."

She'll be down to offer a hand with moving, too. 

<Pose Tracker> Moriko Kumamoto has posed.

Moriko's been a fan of the shrine ever since she discovered it as part of her attempts to figure out that bit of strangeness that is her persona. That it's also a group activity after the finals and after the last few days. Well, she's alright with it.
 
 That she's tired from last night, it's fine. She had been up late thinking on things. Her mind's in a better place now though.
 
 Still, she waves to the others, pausing for a moment to offer the three from last night a cheery, tired wave.
 
 That she came from the shrine within a shrine means she might have been here a while longer. 

<Pose Tracker> Akihiko Sanada has posed.

    Praying post-finales feels almost... belated to, Akihiko Sanada. It's like praying while you throw your last punch of the round - there's nothing left but watch the follow-through. So, the young man has spent his newfound freedom from finals doing what he always does. Training.

    He's already jogged around the block once, and on his second go around he spots a Gekkoukan group from the SEES dorms climbing up the shrine's steps. As a result, he follows them up the steps and takes the last group.

    "Good to see everyone's outside!" Akihiko greets his club mates, until he spots Ken Amada and an expecially adorable Koromaru this time around. "Yo, Amada-kun! It's good to see you again. Tomorrow's finally the day. You excited?" Akihiko beams. "Everyone, you'll help Amada-kun move, yes?" He then gives a nod towards Minako Arisato and glances back over to the shrine.

    Hm... Maybe he does have something to pray for in fact.

<Pose Tracker> Tamaki Uchida has posed.

    Tamaki's finished with her own university finals ... though, both her residence and her school are out in Sumaru City! She doesn't go here. Still, even when on school vacation, she has a job to do as an apprentice detective. Myunghon's tasked her with looking into Tartarus and the Kirijo Group. She had also spoken with Shinjiro about it previously.

    Her intent with her visit today is to get a better understanding of Iwatodai in general: walk its streets, see the sights, get a better firsthand look at the culture and history of the place. Figure out what's normal here so she'll recognize when something abnormal sticks out. While Port Island is all brand-new, relatively speaking, Iwatodai's roots stretch farther back. She figures a visit to a shrine in the area should provide her with some insight in that regard.

    After making her way up the stairs, aside from the shrine itself, she sees ... high-school students, no doubt praying for grades. Benches. A playground. The area seems keen on looking forward and cultivating the next generation.

    And she also sees a few familiar faces scattered across mostly unfamiliar ones -- namely, Shinjiro and Reiya. Not wanting to intrude, she sits on one of the nearby benches and starts writing her thoughts down on a notepad. 

<Pose Tracker> Ken Amada has posed.

    Ken looks up when he hears someone--and his eyes lay on Shinjiro Aragaki, tall and lanky in his fur-lined coat. Ken's gaze is uncertain for a second; he recognizes him, that's not the issue, but he's dressed in an even warmer-looking coat than before. Ken has his orange vest on, but otherwise he's in the summer uniform. Why's Shinjiro got such a thick layer on?
    
    The question remains in his eyes. "Aragaki-san... Yes. I come here every so often to pray, and Koromaru's here a lot, so I play with him every so often," he says, as if the game of fetch is for the dog's benefit and not his own. Koromaru brings him the stick at that moment, curly tail wagging, and Ken smiles at him as he accepts the stick.
    
    A group approaches, and Ken smiles to see them approach. "Minato-san, everyone, it's nice to see you all again. You just finished up finals, right? How did it go?" He nods to Minako in particular. "Yeah--just a little game of fetch. School's out already, and I thought it'd be nice to give him some exercise." He bows a little in greeting to Reiya in particular; seeing him head on to pray means Ken won't obstruct him with over-complicated greetings. Moriko seems to be in a similar space--at least, as far as Ken can tell.
    
    Koromaru meanwhile sits primly and gives Fuuka a happy bark. He recognizes her too! He doesn't have an explanation for Minako on why he's here specifically, though, on account of he's a dog. Minato is here for that.
    
    "Ah, Ririka-san. Hello," Ken adds when he sees her ascend the stairs after everyone else. He brightens at the sight of Akihiko. "Sanada-senpai, hello! It's good to see you again!" He looks between the two of them and shyly admits, "I'm a little nervous... but I'm sure it'll go fine with Ikutsuki-san and everyone's help. I have a little bit of packing left to do, but I'm otherwise ready to go." He smiles too at Ririka when she mentions playing soccer. She remembered? "Me too," he replies.
    
    A woman Ken doesn't know walks up the steps then and sits on a bench. He looks over her way, but not knowing her, he only notes that she's there. Koromaru is meanwhile staring at the stick. He gives a soft little 'ruff' as a reminder.
    
    "Oh--sorry, Koromaru! I didn't mean to forget you," Ken says, and then raises said stick. "Fetch!" he calls, and hurls it again deeper towards the playground, past the jungle gym.
    
    Koromaru is off like a shot, bounding down the smaller set of side stairs and around the corner! There's a bench right there too--so it, and the shibainu, end up right near Tamaki. Koromaru grabs the stick in his mouth and looks up curiously at the college student, dark nose sniffing the air around her, red eyes shining with an intelligence beyond a mere animal, emitting... is that Resonance...?
    
    However, beyond that, he leaves her be, opting to run back to the others. Anyone else who wants to play with the cute dog will soon have their chance!

<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.

As the rest of SEES shows up, Shinjiro turns back, giving a lazy wave, also noting Tamaki's presence but being busy. "Hey, everyone."

But he's more focused on... the dog?! He takes the tupperware out from under his arm, moving over to Koromaru as Ken throws the stick back and forth. "He's a good boy, huh? That probably makes him happy," he says to Ken, before moving to kneel in between turns.

"Here," he says, opening the tupperware. It's homemade dog food, made out of leftover beef prepared properly for canine consumption. He used to get Koromaru other stuff, probably less healthy, but now that he's got a kitchen... well, it brings *him* comfort at least to know the dog is fed.

"All that running probably got you hungry, huh? I can set it aside if you want to keep playing though," he says to the dog, though he's less affectionate than he normally would be... people are watching! 

<Pose Tracker> Fuuka Yamagishi has posed.

"They were... I was afraid I wasn't going to make it." Fuuka laments with a sigh. She nods, though - and soon enough, they're admiring Dog.

"He is." Fuuka agrees with Minako, beaming. She looks toward Ken, then, as he addresses them all.

"It's nice to see you again, too." Fuuka greets, and then nods. "Yes, we did. I'd like to think they went well..."

She'd like to think that, but that doesn't mean she isn't worrying about it... Fortunately, Koromaru greets her, and that's quick to take her mind off of it. What a good, polite boy he is...!

"It's nice to see you, too." She greets him.

Akihiko addresses all of them, then, and Fuuka nods.

"Yes, Sanada-senpai, I'd be happy to help." Fuuka confirms then looks back toward Ken, offering him a sympathetic smile. "I was a little nervous when I first moved in, too... but everyone helped me settle in. I'm sure it'll be the same for you."

She glances briefly, toward Minato, remembering his help in particular.

Her eyes are briefly drawn toward the woman on the bench that Koromaru approaches... but she doesn't bother her, looking back toward Ken. 

<Pose Tracker> Minako Arisato has posed.

"I do see him here a lot... I hope he has somewhere to go," Minako says, with a bit of a sad expression, as she glances sideways at her brother. She looks at Reiya, Ririka, and Moriko -- and then she waves at them, with a smile.

"Hey, everyone. You come to pray too?"

Then, she looks at Akihiko -- and she brightens, before she lifts a hand to wave. "Hey, Sanada-senpai!" she says. "Count on it, I'll be ready to pitch in."

She looks back at Ken, then, and she beams. "Fetch is always fun. He--whoa!" She turns, when Ken throws the stick and Koromaru takes off. Her eyes widen -- and she lets out a whoop. "Good throw, Amada-kun! You're a natural!"

Then, she looks at Shinjiro... and stares, for just a second, at the dog food. Then, she laughs -- and spots the woman on the bench just after Fuuka does. Minako gives Tamaki a wave.

<Pose Tracker> Reiya Aomori has posed.

Reiya returns from the shrine in short order and says, "Hello, Amada-kun. How is Hamburger?"

He remembers the pet! Of course he does. Hamsters... are important. He does not comment as to being nervous about moving, but he does look over the group. Shinjiro, and the dog...

Aww.

He also nods solemnly to Koromaru. A dog with a mission.... Yes, Reiya respects this dog. Even as he fetches!

He looks curiously at Tamaki and her notepad, but does not approach for now. Instead...

"I did," Reiya confirms to Minako. "I think it's admirable," Reiya says. "That Koromaru still comes here... have you heard the story?" 

<Pose Tracker> Minato Arisato has posed.

    Yes, Shinjiro's in warm layers... and, that looks like wolf fur.

    Minato hopes Koromaru isn't offended.

    "You're looking after him," Minato nods, to Ken, when he explains the game. "Good work." Because of course Ken is playing fetch for Koromaru's benefit!

    And Shinjiro got him food, too... "We should all take care of Koro-chan," he says, with approval. "Since I've never seen him with an owner." Minato, of course, moved to Iwatodai too late to know just what happened to his owner...

    Unless his owner is that university-aged girl over there??? (No, probably not. Tamaki's clearly a cat person.) Unlike Minako, Minato just kind of stares at her with interest for a second, but that's why his sister is the personable twin.

    Minato turns to Ken, hands still in his pockets. "You're already done packing, huh," he reflects, thoughtfully, as he thinks of how some of them haven't even finished packing for their vacation. But Minato, who is a bro, would never call out his best bro Junpei about this. Bro code, man.

    "Don't worry, Sanada-senpai," he adds, nodding to him. "We'll make sure Amada-kun settles in."

    He looks to Reiya, then. (Another recipient of the Bro Code, though Reiya might well be more dutiful than poor Junpei.) "I haven't," he says, his gaze focusing intently upon him. "What's the story, Aomori-kun?"

<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.

"Of course, Sanada-senpai," Ririka says of helping. "It'll be a nice break from all that studying."

Ken asks about finals, and Ririka laughs a bit nervously. "Wellll... everyone studied a lot so I'm sure they're fine..." She won't cop to coming here to pray for her grades, but... it's pretty transparent, isn't it?

"Well, it's okay to be nervous," Ririka says as she steps closer and kneels down. She gives him a cheerful smile. "I was nervous moving into the dorm, too. But we'll be looking out for you, okay?"

She grins at the matter of soccer. "Good! I bet you'll be able to show me a thing or two, right?" She's channeling her stage persona just a little bit. Cheerful, but not false.

But she looks to see Shinjiro with... dog food? "Did you make that, Aragaki-senpai? I didn't know people made dog food from scratch like that..." Table scraps are one thing.

She nods to Minako. "Yeaaahhh, I guess we all had the same idea, huh?" About praying, that is.

"Well, we'll have more time now that it's summer break," she says to Minato's statement they should all take care of Koromaru. But as to the lack of owner, she stays silent. 

<Pose Tracker> Moriko Kumamoto has posed.

taking a moment longer, Moriko holds a finger up and disappears. When she returns, she's got her pack on again. She's not wearing her biker gear right now. Thankfully. Too hot for that if you ask her. She's opted for a fairly simple shift dress in light green. Though the effect is somewhat diminished by the boots present. At least the worst of the fight has faded for now.
 
 She's instead wandering towards the gathering with the dog, crouching down, hand out just in case. She's not skittish around dogs, but she hasn't spent as much time around them either.
 
 A nod's given to Ken, "Been a bit. We never did get to take you down to the shop did we?" She doesn't specify which. It has been a bit. And she was in a uniform last time!
 
 Standing up, smoothing her dress out briefly, "I can help out too>" agreeing with the others in taking care of Koromaru. Or she can try at least.
 
 Reiya's given a funny, brief look. "Luck this time?" She doesn't explain .
 
 "Thankfully." Replying this time to Ririka's comment on break. "Needed it. Got to find a way to save up." 

<Pose Tracker> Tamaki Uchida has posed.

    Initially, Tamaki is wholly lost in her thoughts. Gears are turning in her head as she tries to put together the pieces.

    Cultivating the next generation ... the idea sounds benign on its own. Still, Myunghon's specific concern was that the adults in charge may have ill intentions, and there's a possibility they're using the image of the area's general vibe as cover. The culprits, should Myunghon's suspicions have any basis in reality, would have to be adults, given the timeline of events she's aware of. Today, she won't glean any idea of who those adults are as none seem to be present in the nearby gathering of students (of which at least a nonzero amount are members of SEES, she figures) and their dog --

    Speaking of their dog, Koromaru comes bounding up towards Tamaki to sniff her. Moments ago, Tamaki had a train of thought, but this dog has thoroughly derailed it. For one, Koromaru is a very cute dog by Tamaki's estimation and despite what Minato's impressions are, she loves both cats and dogs equally. Before he runs back to return the stick to Ken, she coos, "Aww, who's a good boy?" in Koromaru's direction.

    Secondly, she's reeling from the realization that a dog might have Resonance, or her senses are otherwise cooked in some manner. Maybe she shouldn't have had that pretzel from the carnival last night after all. Either scenario means there's something highly unusual going on!

    But showing any external hint to all of the alarms going off within her mind would draw undue attention. That's the last thing she wants right now. No, just smile and blend in ...

    She waves back -- mainly at Minako, who had waved at her first! -- though the gesture could be taken to mean the group in general. She calls out, "Cute dog!" Her attention's off of her notebook, now.

<Pose Tracker> Akihiko Sanada has posed.

    Akihiko wouldn't have questioned it for a second. SEES is filled with a bunch of good kids. "Good. I'll be pulling my fair share too, naturally. It'll be a good chance to get some weightlifting in." At the end of it all, he's pretty one minded.

    He does have some depth at least! He notices that the shrine open and decides to take his chance. He prays, clapping his hands twice, bowing, and ringing the bell.

    Please let Yukari and Minako not be too mad at me. Please let our co-leader be happy in her new relationship. Let our next forays into Tartarus be fortuitous.

    He's allowed to pray for multiple things, right?~ 

<Pose Tracker> Ken Amada has posed.

    Don't worry, Koromaru isn't offended by the wolf fur. One sniff tells him it's fake.
    
    Tamaki asks Koromaru who is the good boy. "Woof!" he woofs cheerfully, which translates into, 'I am!' in dog-ese. Koromaru knows his worth.
    
    Koromaru returns with the stick and sets it down just in time. He perks when Shinjiro brings out the tupperware--and barks excitedly when he opens it up. His nose immediately goes into the bowl, but as Shinjiro points out--he's in the middle of playing right now! Koromaru is a good boy who can keep himself from immediately gorging, so while he doesn't yet eat, he looks back up at Shinjiro and barks again, tail wagging, to let him know he'll take him up on setting it aside for now.
    
    Ken watches this exchange with widened eyes--and, a moment later, a muted smile. Shinjiro's intimidating, but he's actually a kind person, huh... That's actually really reassuring to him.
    
    "Oh? I hope they went well too, then," Ken tells Fuuka. Ririka's response is... significantly more dubious, considering she doesn't talk about how it went for her, only everyone else. Ken kindly does not call her out on this, only giving her--and, increasingly, everyone else, as it dawns on him what they must be here to do--a concerned look. Moriko's comment on not taking him out to the shop gets her a polite shake of the head. "It's okay. I haven't moved in yet, after all. Maybe we'll get a chance soon."
    
    He looks a little reassured to hear Fuuka and Ririka talk about their own move into the dorm. "So you're all used to it by now? Hopefully it'll be fine, then. I don't have a lot of things anyway, but I know I'll have to move out again at the end of the summer, and that might be a pain." Minako and the others sound eager to help now, but it might be annoying to get reminded that they'll have to help him move out in just another month. Better to remind them now than later, though.
    
    Ken's smile grows a bit at Minako's praise, though. "Oh, thank you, but it was nothing," he tells her modestly--but it's clear he's happy to be praised. To Reiya, he says, "Hamburger's doing well, thank you. I hope he won't be too bothered by the moves... He's so small, it must be stressful. I want to do my best to make sure he does okay."
    
    Minato comments on the packing, and Ken shakes his head. "Only mostly. But don't worry, I'll be done by tonight." He smiles too, however, when Minato tells him 'good work' for the care he's taking for Koromaru--and when Ririka indicates excitement for playing soccer with him later.
    
    Koromaru, however, pants when Minato says they should all take care of him--and there's something neutral about his breath. As much as he appreciates Shinjiro's lovingly home-cooked meals, he is a dog with a mission. He can't let these well-meaning humans start thinking they ought to take him away. He sniffs Moriko's hand politely, but whines slightly as she adds that she'll help take care of him too. He looks at Ken at the others, then grabs the stick and runs off with it--but only a short distance. Once he's a few feet away from the crowd, he turns to them and gives them another little bark, tail wagging. 'Chase me, chase me!' he seems to say.
    
    Fortunately or unfortunately, Koromaru runs off in time for Reiya to bring up Koromaru's story, and Minato to ask after it. Ken looks at them both with troubled eyes, but doesn't interrupt. Instead, he turns to the dog and calls, "Ahh! Koromaru! Wait up!" He starts to hurry after him! Though as he does, he slows a few steps, watching Akihiko walk off and pray at the shrine. It's also reassuring to know he'll be helping out with the move, but what's he praying for? Ken can only wonder.

<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.

As everyone says they'll help care for Koromaru, Shinjiro does notice the dog's slight agitation. He turns from setting the container on a bench, to turn to the others. "I'll let Aomori explain the story... but he's a stray for a reason. I doubt we'd be the first to attempt to change that."

Then, he's stretching a bit, before moving to do two things. One, he waves to Tamaki. He'll talk to her in a moment.

Two, he goes to pray himself. As he does so, he approaches Akihiko! "Praying to get stronger, or just for more meat on your head?" he teases his basically-brother, not *actually* asking, before moving to pray himself.

Please give me the strength I need to continue on this new path. ...please keep the others safe. 

<Pose Tracker> Fuuka Yamagishi has posed.

It looks like most of them came here for the same reason...

"I did, too. Maybe I'm worrying over nothing, but after my absence..." Fuuka shakes her head, as Minako asks if they all came to pray.

"Thank you." Fuuka replies as Ken says he hopes the exams went well, too. "Did you have any tests, Amada-kun? I hope they went well, too."

She nods, then.

"I'm sure it will be." She assures, as he hopes it'll be fine. She doesn't comment on him not having a lot of things. It's a little sad to think about... though she does admit to herself that will make it easier come the end of summer, too...

Tamaki waves back to Minako, though - so Fuuka offers her a small polite wave, too.

"Yes, he is... He isn't ours, though - he lives here." She explains. Reiya asks if Minako's heard the story. Shinjiro has, though.

"Koro-chan..." Fuuka murmurs. From the sounds of it, she has, too - but since Reiya brought it up, she'll let him be the one to tell it.

And speaking of Koromaru himself, he grabs the stick and runs off, and barks. Fuuka laughs, just a little - and Ken hurries after him.

"Wait for us, Koro-chan." Fuuka says. She starts after him at a slightly more leisurely pace.

...Prayer can wait just a little bit longer. It's time to play with a dog. 

<Pose Tracker> Minako Arisato has posed.

Minako shakes her head. "I haven't," she tolds Reiya, with a worried glance in Koromaru's direction. There's a brief nod at Minato; her brother has the same question she does. "I'd like to hear it."

Then, she looks at Ririka and smiles. "Yeah," she says. "It can't hurt, right? All the insurance we can get!"

She looks sideways at Fuuka. Minako smiles, then, and she nods at her. "Yeah. It'll be okay, Yamagishi-san. You're a hard worker, and... I'm sure it'll pay off."

She grins at Akihiko. "Mm-hm," she says. "It'll be a workout, but that's okay." She watches as he starts off for the shrine, then -- wonders for a moment -- before she looks at Ken. She nods at him. "I'm glad."

Then, the girl on the bench!

"Isn't he just?" Minako says to Tamaki. She smiles. "And--um--he's not ours! But he's still a really good boy. I mean, all dogs are good dogs, but... you know what I mean."

<Pose Tracker> Reiya Aomori has posed.

Reiya of course recognizes Tamaki, but it's still surprising to see her here. That's fine, though. But Reiya will also not call out Junpei...

Some others know the story already, but Reiya is content to be the one to tell it. He nods in greeting to Moriko in her cute dress, and does not look at those praying at the shrine.

Instead, when Koromaru and Ken run off, Reiya hangs back for now, to tell the story. He nods to Fuuka, then. He isn't 'ours'.

but Minako hasn't heard it, so...

"He belongs to the priest of this shrine," Reiya explains. "A monk. ...But that man died in an accident some months ago. But Koromaru continues to protect the shrine, and wait for his master's return."

"...He's a very dutiful animal," Reiya says. "We should respect his mission... Though playing fetch and taking walks might be fine."

"But that story stuck with me..." 

<Pose Tracker> Minato Arisato has posed.

    "It won't be a pain," Minato assures Ken. "Sanada-sensei has been urging me to practice with weights more, after all."

    See? He's helping him! Thanks, Akihiko, for the opening.

    "I'm sure you did well," he adds, to Fuuka, on the heels of his sister's reassurance. Did Minako remind him that he ought to reassure her? Maybe.

    But Koromaru is a good boy!! And Minato listens to Reiya's telling, thoughtfully watching Koromaru as he beckons them to come play.

    "Even so... his master won't return here," Minato reflects, gravely. (And quietly. He wouldn't want Koromaru to hear.) "Koromaru's alone in his task, now... it's a heavy weight for a dog to carry."

    He closes his eyes, for a moment. "Let's support Koromaru as much as we can," he decides, which at least isn't an order to kidnap him away.

<Pose Tracker> Akihiko Sanada has posed.

    Akihiko will back off the shrine with a laugh as Shinji ribs into him. "For progress into Tartarus, actually." He says, a bit quieter than usual. Ken's not aware yet, after all. "We're on a good pace, after all. Though, more strength would be appreciated." He laughs once more at that. It really is nice to have his brother back.

    Akihiko then shifts back over towards the crowd. "You're exactly right, Aomori-san. Koromaru's a smart dog. We can let him self-regulate." As heartbreaking as it may be. Poor pup. He sees Koromaru constantly around the neighbourhood. Honestly, he wonders if dogs feel a need to grow stronger too.

    Akihiko laughs a little with Minato. "I knew you'd come around eventually, Arisato-san. Let's see about getting some more protein into you, ya hear?" 

<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.

Ririka is guessing Moriko means saving up for the tire. "Good luck, Kumamoto-san. I know how much work you put into your bike..."

Weightlifting. "Well, that's one way to do it, senpai," Ririka admits. She idly wonders just how much there might be to actually move.

Ririka might be utterly embarrassed if Ken were to call her out on that... but thankfully he does not. (She does feel better that she's not the only one here to pray, though.)

"Yeah, I only moved in..." She pauses to think about it, counting the months off in her head. "... near the start of June? Wow..." she says to herself quietly. "... it's already been two months, huh?" And Fuuka moved in after her and Suzume did, even, as did some others. "I can't speak for everyone else, but it gets a little easier, eventually."

"And don't worry, I'm ready to help you move out, too. But we don't have to worry about that yet, right?"

But she laughs as Koromaru runs off with the stick. "Is he playing fetch in rverse, now? Or... is this more like tag, do you think?"

"You said it, Arisato-san," Ririka says to Minako. "Even with all the studying..."

She's been to this shrine a lot over the past nearly two years, both with and without the rest of her family, so she's seen Koromaru before. She listens to Reiya's story, looking off after where Koromaru has run to. "It's hard to let go of something like that, isn't it..." she remarks, softly. She nods to Minato, though. "We can't take his dity from him, but... maybe we can make shouldering it a little easier."

<Pose Tracker> Moriko Kumamoto has posed.

Moriko stands, smoothing her dress out as the dog runs off before she can scratch its ears. Instead she looks to Ken, "When we have time I can take you down there. My brother needs to get out more anyway." She offers a faint smile, "Kicking and screaming maybe."
 
 The others are playing with the dog, which at least gets something of a smile from Moriko, her stance relaxing a bit. Probably for the first time in a few days.
 
 She does look between Shinjiro and Reiya though, having missed part of the conversation, looking briefly confused. She's about to comment on it, but catches herself and listens instead. She might have already prayed prior. The nod from Reiya's met with a curtsy. Probably partially ruined by the heavy boots, but oh well.
 
 Her thought process does get shrot circuited briefly by Akihiko suggesting stuffing protein though. "What?" Why?
 
 Ririka gets to the heart of the matter though, "Thanks." Maybe only a little sullen. She does add on to the other comment though, "Not long after Kawase did. And keep away's probably right."
 
 "It is a sad story. Kinda like Hachiko.." She finally agrees with Reiya, briefly glancing back.
 
 Tamaki is greeted though, an unfamiliar face with a wave. "Let us know if we're in the way." Trying to be polite even! She doesn't really catch the look she's giving. She'd been focused towards her friends.

<Pose Tracker> Tamaki Uchida has posed.

    Fuuka and Minako's explanations about how the dog isn't theirs intrigue Tamaki, so she stows her notepad back in her purse, stands up from the bench, and walks towards the group ...

    ... and as she does, she hears Reiya's story regarding Koromaru.

    Well, there's some of that local cultural insight she was here for in the first place, as much of a downer as it is. Proximity to death of some sort is a common element in Awakened individuals who haven't played the Persona Game, she's found. It's true in her case, too. She briefly looks off in the direction Koromaru ran off to as she wanders closer to the group.

    In reply to Moriko, she smiles and responds, "You're not in the way at all, don't worry!" She stands next to Reiya and gives him a nod. "Aomori-san, good to see you again. I'm just investigating a case in the area." After a beat, she flashes him a grin adds, "... Or at least I was. Maybe we can trade tips, I do need to be a bit stealthy when it comes to two other cases."

    On the subject of protein, she nods at Akihiko and adds, "Proper nutrition is important. Adequate protein intake prevents muscle loss, at least, and consuming it after resistance training has been shown to increase muscle mass ..." Tamaki's bare forearms have some definition to their muscles. 

<Pose Tracker> Ken Amada has posed.

    "Oh--really?" Ken says to Minato thoughtfully. Akihiko had talked about moving boxes as good weight-lifting, so if he's been encouraging Minato to do the same... "Then you must be glad for all the chances to help people move, huh?"
    
    ...Certainly Minato would have plenty of experience with it. Not that Ken knows about that. He simply smiles and continues, "I'm glad too, then, Minato-san." He gives Ririka a mildly surprised look when she says she moved into the dorm in June. "Huh... It seems like it's pretty common for people to move into the Iwatodai Dorm mid-year." The question of 'why?' is on the tip of his tongue, but he ultimately chooses not to ask. It's probably none of his business. People have their own circumstances, just like he does. Instead, he just says, "Right. Thank you, Ririka-san."
    
    As for if he had any tests of his own: "No--nothing all that major, anyway," Ken tells Fuuka. "Nothing like what all you all have to deal with." He gives Moriko an uncertain look when she mentions her brother 'kicking and screaming,' but offers her a polite smile back. "Okay." She's probably just joking, right...? At least Minako continues to be a bright and reassuring presence.
    
    Ken laughs a little as Fuuka chases after Koromaru with him. The others seem to be content to talk amongst themselves and/or pray at the shrine, and considering it's about Koromaru's sad past, Ken is okay with leaving that behind for now. Koromaru, for his part, jumps up a bit with a 'ruff!' as the two of them give chase, then--throws the stick to Fuuka with a toss of his head?? Clearly this is a dog who knows what he wants!
    
    And that includes a want to grow stronger, too, as Akihiko muses--but this time of day, there won't be any Shadows about. It's okay to take a break to help support the hearts of these wandering children. 

<Pose Tracker> Fuuka Yamagishi has posed.

Ririka says it gets a little easier, and Fuuka nods.

"Yes, it does... Don't worry." She assures. ...She doesn't comment on why it might be so common for people to move into the dorm mid-year. He's a pretty sharp kid to have noticed that...

Minako and Minato both reassure her! Fuuka offers them a small but grateful smile.

"Thank you... I hope so." She replies. Even in the dorm, away from the direct source of it, she still feels that pressure to perform well... But they believe in her, so for now, she'll just trust that.

"I see..." She replies with a nod, when Ken explains that it isn't as major as what they have to deal with. It must not have changed that much since her own elementary school days, then...

Reiya explains Koromaru's story - about his master who died, and Koromaru's dedication to protecting the shrine as he waits for him. ...It's very sad. There is a surprise, though, as Tamaki acknowledges Reiya. She looks between the two of them briefly.

"You know her, Aomori-san?" She asks, then looks toward Tamaki. She's investigating... "I see..." She considers for a moment. If Reiya trusts her, it's probably alright.

"I'm Fuuka Yamagishi. It's nice to meet you." She offers. That name might be familiar to her - Fuuka Yamagishi's disappearance into Tartarus made the rounds in the Rumormonger circuit a while back.

Ken laughs a little - and that gets Fuuka laughing a bit, too. It's good to see him having fun. And! A stick lands near her feet! Koromaru does indeed seem to know what he wants... She bends down to pick it up... and tosses it, for Koromaru to fetch! It's the perfect way to get her mind off of exams. 

<Pose Tracker> Minako Arisato has posed.

"Oh no, poor Koromaru-chan... he's very dutiful. Still... we better make sure he has food and time to play, too," Minako says, looking from Reiya to Koromaru. She looks sideways at Minato and nods at her brother.

Then she looks at Akihiko, and she flashes a grin at him. "Might take a bit of work, though."

"Minako Arisato," she says, looking at Tamaki. "It's nice to meet you! You're... a detective?"

She looks at Ken, her head tilting to the side. "You really like Koromaru, don't you, Amada-kun? He's an amazing dog." She looks at Fuuka, watching her throw the stick -- then she smiles and crosses her arms.

"I want a turn when you're ready, Yamagishi-san!"

<Pose Tracker> Reiya Aomori has posed.

"Yes," Reiya agrees with Ririka. "Duty is not a thing to trade simply." He looks to Minato, next--and nods. "It is heavy," he agrees. "But he bears it well."

Self-regulate! That's a good term. As for protein though, Reiya indicates, "I could go for some more muscle..."

Reiya nods to Tamaki. "Likewise," he agrees. "I'd be glad to do that," he says of trading stealth tips. "You could tell me a bit about how you deal with people," he says, by way of trade. He's much less good at the social engineering aspect of investigation than he is raw stealth and athleticism.

"I do," Fuuka's confirmation is given, know Tamaki. As usual for him, he doesn't elaborate. It's just the case.

"Moriko-chan is kidding," Reiya supplies for Ken. "He would not kick or scream."

he doesn't answer 'why', either though. The dorm will remain a mystery... 

<Pose Tracker> Minato Arisato has posed.

    "For building muscle mass, that's lean chicken... right?" Minato asks Akihiko, searching for confirmation.

    Has he seen his efforts in the kitchen?!

    He wonders whether Moriko will be able to fix her bike over the holidays; the only other person he knows who has one is Mitsuru, after all, and it's hard for him to imagine the formidable Kojiros ever being waylaid by something like repair costs.

    (He doesn't seem to worry that much about her dragging her sibling kicking and screaming anywhere, for some mysterious reason. What? He's never given Minako a hard time in their lives.)

    ... he notices Ririka's position on letting go, too.

    "Still... you're an investigator," Minato turns to Tamaki, then. "I suppose I shouldn't ask what you're investigating. Minako-chan will tell me I'm being rude." Shh, Minako, he's speaking for you. When Fuuka introduces himself, though, he remembers to add: "... I'm Minato Arisato. Second-year at Gekkoukan." And apparently he's been socialised.

    "Moving is like an exam in and of itself," he supposes, looking to Ken. "Since you're examining the place where you live. It can be surprisingly difficult... but you'll be fine, Amada-kun."

    Still... duty can't be traded. "That's right," Minato nods, to Reiya. "Actually... excuse me a moment."

    He steps to the shrine, and claps his hands together, bowing his head.

    What does Minato pray for...?

    Please protect the girl who plays here when she's home for the holidays. Maiko-chan's parents are arguing quite a lot... I know she'll find it harder to escape that, now.

    ... he's probably praying for getting some sick loot in Innocent Sin Online or something, it's fine.

<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.

Ririka nods to Moriko as she brings up Hachiko. "I was thinking of that, too..."

Ken points out that a lot of people moved mid-year. "Oh, yeah... I guess you're right," she says, as if she hadn't thought of that until just now. Of course, she knows what the common thread is... now, at least. But she's not about to share that with Ken. "I guess it just worked out that way."

Though that does remind her of what the Chairman said... that Kenhad 'potential.' She still worries about that.

But she leaves, and takes a moment to pray (and maybe wipe away a tear that definitely didn't spontaneously show up), and when she's done she's back with the group, noting that Tamaki has joined them. "Oh, hello."

Fuuka introduces herself, and so Ririka does, too, by habit. "Ririka Kawase. I'm also a second-year at Gekkoukan." That name might be familiar to someone living in Sumaru, as Ririka was on TV a while back, with her band, on a Sumaru talk show.

... though they had to delay their appearance by a week due to a weird blackout issue that definitely wasn't a supernatural event.

She nods to Reiya. "No, it isn't," she says of Duty.

But gaining muscle seems to be a topic of contention for some of the SEES members. "You guys are really thinking a lot about that, huh...? I feel like I have enough from exercising, but..." Maybe she might need more for missions?

... Bleh. She doesn't want too much muscle, though. 

<Pose Tracker> Moriko Kumamoto has posed.

Moriko scratches the back of her head at the look from Ken, then raises her hands reassuringly, "Nonono, it was a joke. A joke! He gets hooked on games and doesn't go out as often." Which she thinks is funny. Probably less so if you're not used to that sense of humor.
 
 Moriko glances over as Fuuka introduces herself, particularly with Tamaki knowing Reiya. "Uh. Hi. Moriko Kumamoto." She offers. Somewhat curious in tone. Offering a smile at least to Tamaki in turn, "Uh. Glad we're not in the way at least. What kind of case?" Her hand somewhat subconsciously raising halfway to her neck before she drops it again.
 
 She glances back at Reiya and says, "Usually." Sticking her tongue out at him briefly, "Ruining the fun." Even if she had done so already.
 
 Glancing to Minato, she grins, "Beat you to it anyway." Though she settles back on her heels again when he steps away to pray.
 
 If Tamaki's been working with Myunghon at all, Moriko might be familiar. She's a regular. She just hates admitting it! Though her thoughts are split, looking to Ririka instead, "Definitely should bring treats more often while out here at least."
 
 There is a slight look of confusion when Ririka mentions the muscle focus though, "Weren't you wanting to work out more too?" 

<Pose Tracker> Tamaki Uchida has posed.

    Minako and Minato had it right on the money, so Tamaki gives them both a nod before gives the group a slight bow as she introduces herself. "Tamaki Uchida, apprentice private detective of the Kuzunoha Detective Agency down in Sumaru City. It's a pleasure to meet those of you whom I don't already know."

    She might have picked up bits and pieces of Fuuka's situation a while back, but not the whole story. A dim light of recognition flickers in her mind, but only to serve as a reminder to check her notes back in her office, maybe check some old Dark Side of Sumaru threads that she had only skimmed through before. She is, however, absolutely delighted to witness the game of fetch between Ken, Koromaru, and Fuuka!
    
    Ririka's introduction hits somewhere closer to home, Sumaru TV is right in Aoba Ward! The agency's just nearby..! "Ah! I hope the blackout issue didn't impact your band's well-being too much?"
    
    She waves off Minato's concern of being rude and holds a hand over her mouth as she smiles. "You may ask, I just can't openly tell. At least not right now." That answer goes for Moriko, too.
    
    Now that she's closer, she does recognize Moriko. Tamaki visits the Cardboard Dragon semi-regularly, partially for her sincere interest in their book selection, partially to exchange rumors with Myunghon. She is here so far from her usual haunt because she's working a case entirely at Myunghon's behest, too.

    To Reiya, she clasps her hands together and grins. "It's a deal, then. We can arrange that over e-mail, just shoot me a message about when you'd like to talk more about that!" 

<Pose Tracker> Ken Amada has posed.

    Ken is a little surprised when Minato describes a move like an exam, because you're examining the place where you live. "Huh... I never thought of it like that before. Maybe it'll be good practice for when I'm in middle school," he muses. That, for some reason, also makes him feel better.
    
    The mystery of why there are so many mid-year moves will just have to stay a mystery, though. Moriko at least explains the joke, and Ken nods, a little relieved. "Right! I figured it was a joke," he says, because he doesn't want to seem like he hadn't figured.
    
    Fuuka is a clever girl! She knows exactly what to do with a stick. When it flies overhead, Koromaru reverses and chases after it at TOP speed, then JUMPS to catch it in mid-air before it can land! He trots back to her and Ken--and, by the time he's back, Minako--looking very pleased with himself. Look at that self-confident tail wag!
    
    "Wow! That was incredible!" Ken utters, lighting up. He smiles broadly at Minako, looking much happier now than when the crowd showed up. "He really is! I come here a lot, so I see him around a lot, too. He knows so many tricks! Try one with him--I bet you he'll know it!" he adds, for when Minako gets her turn in playing with Koromaru.
    
    Minako and Koromaru might well have fun with that for a good while, too--then it's Ken's turn to encourage him to do tricks, and then perhaps Fuuka's again. After a while, though, Koromaru will get sufficiently tired to head over to the bench where Shinjiro left his home-cooked meal and monch. He needs to build his energy back up to watch over the shrine!
    
    Ken, for his part, will feel more reassured when he heads back to his dorm to finish packing. He really doesn't have that much, so with everyone at the Iwatodai Dorm's help, he'll get moved in in no time at all Sunday morning. After that, it'll just be a matter of him un-packing... 

SEES
Message: 15/14
Title: Amada in the Dorm
Date: Sun Oct 19
Author: Naganaki Shrine

As of Sunday morning, IC July 29, Gekkoukan elementary student and Potential-haver Ken Amada has been moved into the SEES dorm for summer vacation! This was done with the help of SEES members, and you are free to determine how much (or how little) your character contributed. Ken, for his part, attended to his pet hamster and its things, and once all the boxes were moved into his room, focused on getting himself unpacked and settled in.

For those unfamiliar, this is what Ken looks like:
 https://static.zerochan.net/Amada.Ken.full.779431.jpg

He and his fluffy brown hair and comfy shorts will be an occasional sight in the SEES lounge through the end of IC August, though he is not yet awakened and therefore not yet a member or involved in SEES's more clandestine activities. SEES members are ICly encouraged to keep an eye on him, both in a normal social way and otherwise. OOCly, since he's only being temped and not played, feel free to establish that your character has been hanging out with him off-screen if you're so inclined, though let Naganaki Shrine know if you want to say they did something specific so I can take that into account for future scenes.

An important note: Ken will not be going on the Yakushima trip with everyone else! He will stay at the dorm, as per canon. If anyone were to bring him a souvenir, he would be most grateful.

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