2025-12-31: What I Did on My Summer Vacation
- Log: What I Did On My Summer Vacation
- Cast: Kazusa Motojima, Hazuki Nakao, Kanae Fuyuki, Ryuji Sakamoto, Isabeau Fontaine, Katsuko Yoshinaga
- Where: Shujin Academy Front Gates, Aoyama-Itchome Ward, Tokyo
- OOC Date: December 31, 2025
- IC Date: Monday, September 03, 2012 (Before Class)
- Summary: It's the first day back from Summer Break, and certain rumors are circulating around Shujin Academy. But something much worse is in store, when a monster arrives wearing the skin of Shujin's Demon Queen, Kazusa Motojima.
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
Summer break has come and gone, a welcome respite from the daily grind of academia. But now the Fall semester is starting, and the morning is already languidly unspooling into a warm, humid affair as the feeling of summer lingers for just a little bit longer.
So it is at the front gate of Shujin Academy, where students are slowly starting to filter their way into the school. Despite the looming drudgery of classes looming ahead in the three-story building, the atmosphere is generally light: friends sharing news of trips and vacations, or perhaps buzzing about a convention or concert that happened over the break, or just plain catching up in general.
There might also be an undercurrent of new rumors being spread: word has it a student actually got attacked at the front gate ("scary!") and that Shujin's Demon Queen, Kazusa Motojima, got caught red-handed doing something embarrassing at a con ("dude, there's no way.")
And standing off to one side is a 2nd year student, a noted friend (or possibly lackey) of the school's Demon Queen, and a member of Shujin's Rhythmic Gymnastics team. It's Wakana Oosaka, standing 5'2", and dressed in her school uniform. Her hair is a short brown bob with bangs and a yellow flower hair clip. Her eyes are normally a warm brown, but today her expression is decidedly more downcast and troubled. She's mostly keeping to herself, though she keep glancing towards the gate, clearly waiting for someone.
Come to think, some of the rumors about Kazusa also mention her, too.
OOC: Feel free to pose in and socialize. Kazusa herself will show up next round!
<Pose Tracker> Hazuki Nakao has posed.
Hazuki Nakao has been thinking of that con for a while. Ever since Kazusa got pulled away by her father, she can't help but remember her anguish. A secret cosplay interest... that didn't matter as much as her pain. The girl who didn't seem happy, for once, was having a nice moment, until it got taken away...
So, clad in her summer uniform, Hazuki is a woman on a mission when she arrives at school.
She spots Wakana, alone and clearly waiting for someone... she was there with Kazusa. Hazuki puts on her game face, exhales a breath, and steps over towards her.
"Oosaka-san! Good morning," she greets. "...is everything okay?"
<Pose Tracker> Kanae Fuyuki has posed.
Kanae Fuyuki is back in school, and doesn't actually mind it as much as she thought she might. She knows people at school; school is comfortable in a way, though it does require work...
Kanae stands out among her classmates, but not for her height; 5'3", she's a little on the taller side, but emphasis on a little. More notable? The boy she's with most of the time, one Touma Okazaki. At 5'7", he's only average height, but he and Kanae usually meet up pretty quickly out from before going inside. So it is today, though...
As they meet up, kanae glances over at Wakana.
"Hm?" Touma says to Kanae, his gaze following hers over.
"Nothing," Kanae says. "Just... I don't usualy see Oosaka-san without her friend."
"Ah, yeah. The one she speaks for?"
"Right, Motojima."
"Hmmm..."
"But maybe we shouldn't get involved."
<Pose Tracker> Ryuji Sakamoto has posed.
Ryuji Sakamoto has returned to Shujin!
Dressed in the summer uniform, Ryuji is feeling pretty good in the lighter uniform. Plus he looked good in suspenders!
Actually, there are rumors going around about Ryuji too. Someone apparently saw him with a girl from the bad school. Was this a sign that Shujin's bad boy was going to get worse?
Once he reaches the gate, the blonde stops as he spots several people from his class just hanging out. He blinks for a moment before walking over to see what was up. "Uhhh...So is there some kind of class thing I'm not privy to or...?"
Ryuji says, looking between Hazuki and Wakana. His gaze stops on Wakana, eyes widening when he realizes who she is. "Oh...This involves Motojima-san, huh?"
Suddenly, Ryuji wants to get out of here before he gets into anymore trouble.
<Pose Tracker> Isabeau Fontaine has posed.
The Witch of Shujin, on the other hand, is always doing something embarrassing, because she's just an embarrassing girl. Fat, and foreign, and far too forward, Isabeau Fontaine of class 2-A is one of the least popular girls in her grade.
Her suspenders, to wit, are holding up a skirt with shorts beneath it, though that's hard to tell when she's not in motion. She wears a backpack rather than an over-the-shoulder bag, and it has a clasp about her belly, like camping gear. It keeps it secure when she's climbing everywhere; part of her mystique as a Witch is her apparently-effortless parkouring. For instance: the way she's walking along the top of the formidable stone walls keeping the prisoners (students) locked firmly inside the Academy.
That is, until a teacher firmly yells, "Get down from there!", and Isabeau tosses her honey-brown drill curls behind her shoulder with a huff as she leaps down, a one-two hop from the top of the wall to the border of the planters to the ground.
Of course, she landed right in front of Kanae. Of COURSE she did.
"Hmph... if you are going to gossip," she shoots over to Kanae and her boyfriend, "at least have the bravery to say it to her face. Hey! Wakana!" And she just yells her name, yobisute, despite not being her friend in the slightest. "Did you get replaced, huh? Is someone else Kazusa's emotional support punching bag, now? The crowd is dying to know!"
... and when she says the crowd, she's pointing right at Kanae and Touma...
<Pose Tracker> Katsuko Yoshinaga has posed.
There was a lot that Katsuko had yet to process - the summer break had been an eventful one, to say the least. However, rather than focussing on the mountains of information she had to sift through regarding the supernatural, strengthening her 'Persona' into something that she could wield like any weapon, and making progress on her many plans, her mind instead wandered to a certain individual at a certain event. Over and over, she replayed the events in her mind, and sifted through what she had gleaned from Wakana that one fateful day at the train station.
None of it was actionable. Much as she wished it, Katsuko had nothing to go off of. She briefly considered trying to finagle information out of others, but from what little hearsay had reached her ears on the way over, it seemed that few knew what was happening better than the people that had been there. The thought of revealing that she'd been present at the con crossed her mind, but it was discounted as quickly as it had flitted in. Her reticence towards standing up for Kazusa might have reflected poorly on her in the eyes of potential allies, and - more to the point - it risked outing her as a massive nerd.
"Nakao-san. Oosaka-san." Katsuko said curtly by way of greeting, once she'd reached the school proper. Everyone else present received a short and respectful bow. She hoped they didn't take too much offence to the impersonality of it all. Though she might have known *of* a few of them, that was not to say the third-year knew them well enough to greet them like a friend. "Is all well with you?"
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
Wakana is clearly a bit distracted, and it takes her a moment to register that Hazuki is there and also that she's speaking to her. "Hmm? Oh, Nakao-san... Um. Good morning." She tries to offer a brief smile but it's clear to even her that her heart isn't in it. She lets it fall away quickly.
At the question, she tenses. Hazuki was there, wasn't she? She's always seemed nice enough, even if she knows Kazusa doesn't really get along with her.
"... I don't know," she admits quietly. "Kazusa-chan's father was pretty mad, and I..." She hesitates a moment before continuing, her voice dropping lower. "... I haven't talked to her since..."
Saying Wakana speaks for KAzusa isn't an entirely unfair observation. It's true she's often trying to clean up for her friend, when she's around.
But Ryuki shows up, and while it's true they're all in the same class, this isn' specifically a class thing. Does he know? Wakana can only wonder. She tries to put on a smile (that still looks forced.) "Oh, Sakamoto-san. No, I'm just... waiting for her to show up, that's all."
Wakana flinches as she hears her name called, yobisute, by someone being way too familiar. "Fontaine-san... it's..." She glances around, chagrined. "It's... i-it's... not like that," she protests, voice feeble. She glances briefly at Kanae and Touma. They had and interaction that... well it wasn't great but maybe it was at least decent?
She affords them a small, hand-only wave and quickly turns her attention away.
She has Katsuko to look to, at least, although that's still complicated. Wakana knows Kazusa doesn't particularly care for Katsuko, but Katsuko had, at least, tried to ask her how she was doing. "Oh, Yoshinaga-senpai. Everythin'gs... fine. Just... waiting for people." By which she means she's waiting for one specific person.
The more sensitive of the Persona Users present might notice a subtle wrongness before it makes itself manifest.
But suddenly Kazusa Motojima appears at the front gate looking... remarkably less stern than normal, which would be enough of a shift to be remarkable. But there's little details, too: how her uniform's blouse is tucked into her skirt, how the silver bracelets are gone, or how she's traded the pink nail polish for a pink hairband. That changed appearance and demeanor are enough to send a few whispered comments rippling through the crowd.
But for the Persona Users, there's an additional, unsettling layer to her appearance that might not be as evident. Whatever it is that's wearing her skin...
... is not human.
Half a step behind her, standing taller is her younger brother, the first year Kazuhiro. His short black hair is worn in a messy coif, and as he turns the corner into the gate his expression is momentarily concerned, but he quickly schools it into a relaxed, if uneasy, smile as veryone else comes into view.
Wakana turns, staring at Kazusa in disbelief. She sees the physical changes, of course, but something prickles at the back of her neck for some reason she can't identify. "Kazusa-chan...?"
Kazusa spots Wakana, and her expression immediately brightens. "Waka-chan!" She all but runs over to her friend to envelope her in a tight hug. "I've missed you!"
Both Kazuhiro and Wakana seem taken aback, with the latter slowly wrapping her arms around her friend. "I... missed you too..." she says, her voice hesitant. "Kazu-chan," she says more softly. "Are... you okay...?"
Kazusa pulls back, giving Wakana a big smile. "I'm feeling a lot better!" Her smile fades to a deep, sympathetic frown. "I know I've been difficult, and I never should have gotten you into all that trouble with my father. It wasn't fair to you, and I promise, things are going to be better."
Wakana still looks unsettled for a moment, "I... I w-wouldn't say difficult... but... Kazu-chan, are... you sure you're feeling okay?"
The other girl took Wakana's hands in hers. "Waka-chan, I just realized what was important. You're my best friend, and I never want to take you for granted again. Please forgive me?"
"Well..." The need to be constantly on her guard, the wariness Wakana felt, all started to fracture in the face of something she'd been wanting for a long time. "... of course I forgive you!" Wakana threw her arms around Kazusa, drawing her into another hug.
Kazuhiro watched the exchange silently, his guarded smile giving way to a slight frown, but he stayed silent.
<Pose Tracker> Hazuki Nakao has posed.
Hazuki sees the group form. She nods to Katsuko, who she considers a friend, as Isabeau gets a glance as she's leaping off the wall, but that's not what get Hazuki to remark.
"Hey, I don't think that's what happened..." she says, trying to defend Wakana.
But then, she takes a step back, a hackle rising in her throat and the hair sticking up at the back of her neck.
And then it becomes a roiling wave, as she sees Kazusa. She sees the missing bracelets, the change of uniform, the bright expression towards Wakana...
And she *hates it*.
"No..." she mutters to herself from near the group, despair starting to form on her face that she's quickly trying to mask. "Motojima-san..."
She glances around, to see if anyone else is seeing what she's seeing, and sees Kazuhiro's frown. And then, she steps over to Katsuko, stepping past her with a tension that is unusual for her, and goes towards Kazusa.
"...Motojima-san, hello. I'm, uh, sorry about what happened..."
Maybe she's imagining it. Or maybe... that was the worst moment of her life, and now Kazusa is in danger.
<Pose Tracker> Kanae Fuyuki has posed.
"Ugh," Kanae says to Isabeau as she lands nearby. "First you can't show up like a normal person, now you're going to be rude about it? I just noticed she wasn't with her friend." She rolls her eyes. "Only you would treat basic questions as some ridiculous gossip."
She makes a point of smiling at Wakana in the next moment, while Touma lifts an eyebrow. He nods a moment later though, waving. He's pretty good at adapting on the fly.
They both notice Ryuji, though. Kanae's heard of those rumors about his Kasugayama girlfriend!! ...But mysteriously she's avoided the subject.
"Don't let her get to you," Kanae advises of Isabeau. "Maybe she'll find another wall to walk off on and leave us alone."
But Kazusa appears, and Touma glances her way--only to look at Kanae, instead, as she visibly recoils. "What the--"
"...?" Touma says, reaching out to touch her arm. "Hey..."
Kanae stares outright at Kazusa for a long few moments--and then looks confused at Touma. "You don't...?"
Kanae is absolutely sensing it, Hazuki. But--
"...It's good, right?" Touma says to Kanae. "Looks like she finally learned to apprecaite what Oosaki-san was doing for her."
"..Y-Yeah," Kanae says. "Right. Super... good."
<Pose Tracker> Ryuji Sakamoto has posed.
Ryuji looks at Wakana, forcing an equally fake smile. "Ah...That's cool." His smile slips a few degrees since he can almost hear Kazusa's voice cutting through the crowd. She would likely scream at him to not hit on her friend or something.
He could mention Ichika but that might backfire.
Instead, the delinquent smiles and tries to exit this conversation as quickly as possible.
And then Kazusa shows up. Ryuji grits his teeth for a second....wait, what was up with the rich girl? He squints at her, feeling a weird energy off of Kazusa.
Ryuji takes a moment to look around if anyone else is feeling anything. Like was this a Persona thing or...? It wasn't normal that was for sure.
Well, time to see if this is in my head.
"Hey Motojima, you good?" Ryuji forces a smile, remembering their last encounter.
Ryuji also notices Kanae and her friend looking at him for a second. He flashes a thumbs up.
<Pose Tracker> Katsuko Yoshinaga has posed.
The physical changes did not escape Katsuko's notice. The very moment that she was aware of Kazusa's presence, she examined her like a hawk, gaze sharp and attentive despite the impassive, stone-faced silence she maintained. The assessment was finished in but a few moments, and the information was filed away into the archives of her mind, but Katsuko made no attempt to draw conclusions or press for further information. Not because she was not curious, and certainly not because nothing warranted her attention. The fact of the matter was that there was something far more pressing that required her attention.
Her stomach twisted itself into knots at Kazusa's very presence, while every hair on every inch of her skin pricked up. Something in her - something deep and primal - screamed at her to step away. To leave before Kazusa inflicted harm upon her.
No.
It wasn't Kazusa.
It wore her face, it used her voice, it looked out at the world from her eyes, but that *thing* that paraded around in Kazusa's skin was not her. She couldn't place what it was that had set off her instincts in such a manner, but it felt as though every fibre of every muscle wanted to move her from that thing's presence.
She glanced at Hazuki first, her eyes very slightly narrowed, her brow creasing just a little. Not much, but enough that the change was visible. Enough, she hoped, to silently tell Hazuki that something was terribly, terribly, wrong, and she could not speak of it in the open.
"Motojima-san." Katsuko said, forcing herself to remain steadfast and inscrutable. Whatever petty squabbles the rest of the student body had, and whatever rumours floated around them, could wait to be investigated. Kazusa held her attention in a vicelike grip now. "A pleasure. I hope you're well?"
<Pose Tracker> Isabeau Fontaine has posed.
"It is not like that, you say," Isabeau repeats, without a shred of belief. "Does that help you sleep at night? Do you feel better when these girls," she looks Hazuki dead in the eyes, "lie to your face about it?"
She sniffs, haughtily, as she turns back to Kanae -- and Kanae might be a little tall but Isabeau is three inches taller, putting her closer to the heights of the boys than the girls here. "Why would I want to be a normal person? You are so desperate to blend in, you pretend not to hear the things they say about your skin. You cannot even hear gossip on your mouth. How sad."
But then --
Ryuji might respect the way Isabeau's envy-green eyes narrow, as she finally leaves Kanae alone to stride closer to Kazusa and Wakana. "Hey," she says, behind the girl who's just appeared to hug her best friend.
"I hate your vibe."
Blunt. Straight to the point.
"What is your play, your game, now? You will pretend you always loved her until she lets you eat her heart?" Isabeau's lip curls, in a sneer. "Congratulations, Kazusa. I think this is your finest act of bullying yet. I really did not think you had this in you, to turn on the one girl who tolerated you."
Why is she just... saying it straight like that...?
Some girls are so cruel...
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
Hazuki tries to defend her from Isabaeu, and Wakana just gives her a quiet look. "It's... you don't have to..." She just wants to make as little trouble as possible right now.
Wakana does try to hesitantly return Kanae's smile. And at her advice... "I'lll... try to keep that in mind." Not that she wants to say ill of Isabeau when she's still right there.
Because Isabeau, apparently, won't give up. Wakana cringes. "Th-that's not..." She has a hard enough standing up to Kazusa sometimes. How does this feel so much harder? Thankfully she's got Kazusa to distract her moments later.
Kazusa--or the thing that is wearing her skin, look sto Hazuki as she expresses her own sympathy, and... smiles. "Nakao-san! Thank you, but you don't have to do that. What happened was all my fault."
Hazuki would know Kazusa's never looked kindly at her.
Ryuki would also know that, especially after their last encounter in the movie theater. And yet, Kazusa has a warm, even cheerful smile for him. "I'm great, Sakamoto-san! Did you have a good Summer Break?"
Does... does she not remember that incident? Or is she just pretending like it never happened?
"Oh, Yoshinaga-senpai." Oh god now Kazusa is looking at her that will surely make things better. "I'm great. And yourself?" She taps her chin for a moment, thinking, before her expression brightens. "Oh! You wanted to talk to me, right? Why don't we set up a time for that sometime?"
That's entirely way too straightforward and sincere an offer for all Kazusa has practically yanked Katsuko's chain about trading information before.
Kazusa turns when Isabeau stalks up behind her and... insults her vibe. There's a crack in her relentlessly cheerful energy, as she looks downright puzzled at Isabeau.
And then she looks shocked. "I would never eat Waka-chan's heart!" She reaches over to give Wakana a side hug. "I don't have some... 'play' except that I want to be a better friend for Waka-chan." She regards Isabeau for a moment and then leans in a little, lowering her voice, and seeming to show some sincere concern. "You know, Fontaine-san, if you ever want some help dressing in a way that is more... flattering to your figure, feel free to ask me anytime, okay?"
<Pose Tracker> Hazuki Nakao has posed.
Hazuki notices Kanae struggling first, recoiling. She frowns, before turning over to Isabeau, incapable of challenging what she said.
Katsuko sees too, and gets a nod. Ryuji is confused, too...
Kazusa's words are listened to carefully. That smile towards her only gets Hazuki to frown even deeper.
"You're..." Hazuki can't get the words out. If she says 'Homunculus', that may put it on edge, if it really is one. And if not... it's a slip of her hand anyways, as much as she normally doesn't care about that. The frustration wells, as Hazuki shakes her head. "It wasn't your fault! That was awful what happened to you,..."
For every Persona user in the vicinity, there's a feeling of *light*. A bright flash, not quite a flashbang but potent even so, on the edge of their senses. Warm. Secure. Strong. The light fades as quickly as it came, as Hazuki resonates on accident, staring straight ahead.
"Motojima-san..." she says, but still can't come to words. "...everything will be okay."
<Pose Tracker> Kanae Fuyuki has posed.
How sad, Isabeau says, and Kanae narrows her eyes. "`Bitch`," she pronounces in French, and while the idea of saying her mean words in another language might be a clever-sounding one, it is not hard to judge from her tone the kind of thing she just said.
But Ryuji flashes her and Touma a thumbs-up, and Kanae looks a little surprised--and then stricken by something entirely unrelated. It makes her think of Ren...
But Touma instead just gives him a thumbs-up back. Why not? He's a friendly guy.
Katsuko even remains calm about it. But Isabeau...
Kanae is entirely willing to speak ill of Isabeau while she's right there. She does it with a smile! The fact that they hate each other is not a secret.
But Kazusa is acting strangely. And Isabeau? Isabeau says what she's thinking. Right up until--
'flattering to your figure' and Kanae scowls. "Hmph," she says, and one could be forgiven if they thought she was offended on Isabeau's behalf.
"Whatever," Kanae says, and turns to her boyfriend Touma. Even as she starts to say something, there is--light.
...Light...?
Kanae frowns thoughtfully, and looks around, her eyes settling on Hazuki. "..."
Igor's voice echoes in her mind, the same thing of which Henry reminded her. 'The coming war can only be won through the cultivation of Allies. ...To stand alone is to fall.'
"..."
She reaches out for Touma's hand and curls her fingers in his. "...Come on," she says. "We're going to be late."
<Pose Tracker> Ryuji Sakamoto has posed.
Ryuji is just kinda quiet when Isabeau rips into Kazusa verbally. He isn't really sure if he wants to break up a fight between two of the biggest bullies in school...let alone two girls! Sakamoto can see the rumors about how he hates women now.
Instead he just sighs and looks toward Hazuki for a moment. Does she know whats going on? Ryuji crosses his arms and looks between everyone before turning back to Kazusa.
The response almost makes Ryuji trip forward. This was like...no it couldn't be a Change of Heart but it was like one. The blonde smiles nervously, backing up some as his mind is struggling to deal with the strange vibe Kazusa is emitting. "Okaaaaay...Did you hit your head or something?"
<Pose Tracker> Katsuko Yoshinaga has posed.
Isabeau's reaction left Katsuko stunned. She did not show it - she had plenty of practice with keeping her reactions subdued or even nonexistent - but a sharp glance was nevertheless cast her way. Whatever the situation was, Katsuko was almost certain it would not be resolved through brute force, and considered any attempts to do so as foolish at best. She was tempted to even throw a disapproving frown Isabeau's way, but managed to restrain herself, instead just deciding to level a brief look of displeasure her way. Would it achieve much? Unlikely. But it was a little cathartic, at least.
Then, a feeling that chased away the dark, even if for a moment. It was warm. It was secure. It was strong. In other words, it was a beacon... One that, Katsuko thought, drew unnecessary attention when they were venturing into what could have been an extremely precarious situation. She shot a glare at Hazuki too, though that one lingered for a little while longer, with Katsuko hoping that Hazuki would catch it before anyone else had a chance to notice that sudden shift in her gaze. She shifted back before Kazusa spoke, however, and her mood lifted just a little.
"Of course. I would be happy to." The words stung like bile on Katsuko's tongue, and she had to force them out before she hesitated long enough that the will to say them faded. But Kazusa - or, rather, whatever lurked in Kazusa's skin - had given her an in to dig deeper into what had happened, and she did not wish to squander the golden opportunity. "We should meet later and discuss the details." She wondered if giving such a straightforward answer to a straightforward offer was akin to wandering into the lion's den, but her curiosity had been piqued.
Not to mention the fact that whatever had taken Kazusa's place had had the temerity to steal away a potential informant for her schemes. That would simply not do.
<Pose Tracker> Isabeau Fontaine has posed.
OST: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lr-POR2Ho1E New Model Army - Stupid Questions
"`Skank,`" Isabeau issues back to Kanae, acerbic, and also in French. This, too, needs no translation.
Unfortunately, Isabeau is trouble. And she's still right here! Why is she still right here!!
Kazusa is all cheerful and approachable, though, and Isabeau wears a disgusted expression throughout it -- her sneer only growing when she addresses her. Her mouth opens; there is a short delay as she realises she does not know how to translate the word 'bullshit'. She'd ask papa, but, you know, she's sure he wouldn't approve of a young lady swearing...
... maybe she can ask Viv, later. Viv would certainly approve of young ladies swearing, they swear in all the best movies.
"Ugh," she settles on, instead, as if she's landed in something she wished she hadn't. (Occupational hazard.) "I look great as I am! You, you are looking like the demon they say you are. I am fascinated, though, that you would remember your bad nature in time to whisper to me. Tch... have fun with your new tactics."
As she turns away, though, she sees that flash of light -- or -- no, she didn't see anything; though they will feel a distinctly waspish response to it, from Isabeau, buzzing and annoying. She meets Hazuki's eyes -- and she's glaring.
"Do not lie to her," she says, to Hazuki, who assured Kazusa that everything will be okay.
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
If Kazusa is bothered by any of the reactions she's receiving (well, aside from Isabeau's rather blunt accusations), she doesn't seem to show any indication of noticing.
'You're...'
"Hmm?" says Kazusa curiously, looking to Hazuki. "Were you saying something, Nakao-san?" Not her fault... and everything will be okay. Kazusa just smiles. "Well of course it will, silly! Now that I have my head on right."
She doesn't seem to notice Hazuki's resonance. Neither do Kazuhiro (who is still watching the proceedings with a silent frown) or Wakana (who seems to be pleased with how Kazusa is treating her so far.)
Kazusa utterly misses the offense Kanae takes on Isabeau's behalf. Wakana, however, tries to give Kane and Touma a small wave as they start to leave, this one a little bit more cheerful.
Kazusa seems very much less like the bully she used to be. (Though she might still accidentally be one based on what she said to Isabeau.) But still... yeah, it might be best not to get in between the two.
She does, however, look to Ryuji with a questioning look. "Hit my head...?" She lifts a hand to feel her own head. "I don't think so... does it look like I did?"
But Katsuko wants to talk, and Kazusa gives her a cheerful smile. "Great! We might not have enough time before class, but.... maybe I can come find you at lunch? Would that be okay?"
Kazusa doesn't act much like the lion she used to... though that unnverving feeling of her presence simply will not quit.
If Kazusa were asked, she'd say it's definitely a good idea to listen to what your father wants, Isabeau.
Isabeau insists she looks great as-is. "Of course, of course!" Kazusa says, in a way that might suggest she's trying to placate the other girl. "And I love how you've styled your hair." Her bad nature... "Oh I was just trying to be considerate--I wouldn't want to try to embarrass you in front of everyone!"
<Pose Tracker> Hazuki Nakao has posed.
Hazuki looks between Kanae, Ryuji, Isabeau, and Katsuko. Of them, she only knows Katsuko as a Persona User, but she's feeling Isabeau resonate as well... oh dear.
Katsuko's glare gets a sheepish glance, before she looks back to Isabeau as she says not to lie to her, and Kazusa as she says everything WILL be fine now that her 'head is on straight'.
"...I'm not lying," Hazuki says uncomfortably, what with Isabeau basically threatening Kazusa, her body shifting as if to leave. She moves to pass by Isabeau, speaking quietly as she does.
"...I'm going to save her."
<Pose Tracker> Ryuji Sakamoto has posed.
"Heh..heh..no?" Ryuji laughs nervously upon hearing Kazusa's next answer. Just something about her was really weirding him out. From what he knew of Kazusa from class and the incident, this definitely wasn't 'her'.
But it was her right? Like this wasn't a copy or something.
He looks over to Hazuki again as she declares she will save Kazusa again. The blonde raises a brow but ultimately nods in approval. "Sure thing! Uh, lemme know if I can help." He admits the last part is an offer he isn't really thrilled about pitching. That said, this was clearly something...not normal.
And while he was pretty sure there were Persona users in this school, he wasn't sure if the girl proclaiming to rescue the rich mean girl had one.
No, Ryuji had to keep an eye on this to make sure something screwy wasn't happening on the Phantom Thieves' backyard. It was going to be a real pain navigating his alter ego and this but it was probably necessary.
<Pose Tracker> Katsuko Yoshinaga has posed.
Katsuko was not ignorant to everything going on around her, and all the separate sentiments expressed. Indeed, though it did not seem as though she cared to pay much attention to them, everything she heard she logged, hoping that some of it - any of it, even - might shed some light on what had happened. But, much as she hated to admit it, Hazuki was perhaps her best lead for the time being. Her stomach turned again, though that time it was at the thought of having to try and balance extracting information from Hazuki whilst trying to lecture her on not blowing their cover next time.
"Perhaps another day?" Katsuko replied, still stern-faced and inscrutable, refusing to manifest anything close to an expression. "I'm sure we both have plenty of other people to catch up with first." Despite her expression, Katsuko's tone was the closest thing to hopeful one could expect from the human embodiment of a block of ice. Even if her motives were less than friendly, she did seem to hope to chat later. "Perhaps we may speak a little at lunch, though. Just to arrange a date. She glanced away, pretending like she hadn't noticed all the departing students, before giving a short bow and nod to those gathered. "If you will excuse me."
Katsuko didn't wait for a response. She left the moment she'd finished speaking, sharp eyes forward, her pace quick as her mind. She would address Kazusa and Wakana and other relevant parties in due course, but Hazuki - or, at the very least, someone knowledgeable about the supernatural - had to be her first port of call.
If she was to walk into the lion's den, she wished to at least be prepared for it.
<Pose Tracker> Isabeau Fontaine has posed.
Isabeau is used to people making 'helpful' comments about her weight; the fit of her clothes is a remarkably common way for them to slide on by. 'You'd look good, if only you dressed differently'... that is, if only she hid her bulges and obscured her hips more.
"I am sure they believe you," she issues, over her shoulder, when Kazusa insists she's trying to be considerate.
'They', she says, as if she doesn't.
(But does Katsuko, disengaging from them like she is...?)
Hazuki says she's really going to save her -- and Ryuji wants to know if he can help -- and Isabeau just turns her baleful gaze to Hazuki, and tells her, quite simply:
"You will see me again."
With that, she shoulders past her, into school.
What could a jerk like her be planning...?
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
Luckily, Kazusa and Wakana are talking amongst themselves for a moment, and Kazusa seems to entirely miss Hazuki's quiet declaration.
Ruuki reassures her that she does not, in fact, look like she hit her head, and she drops her hands from where she'd been inspeting her head. "Oh, good! Thanks for checking!"
Wakana hesitates for a moment. "Kazu-chan," she says quietly, "He wasn't... nevermind."
Katsuko suggests another day, and Kazusa nods. "Sure! It'll probably be busy with it being the first day back from break, so, you're right, let's wait." But maybe lunch. "Sure!" And she's going to leave. "Have a good first day back, senpai!"
Isabeau is sure the others believe her, and Kazusa just looks at her curiously again, tilting her head a little. "Well, why wouldn't they?"
But everyone seems to be making their way inside the building, and Wakana quietly comments, "We should... probably get to class, right Kazu-chan?"
Kazusa whirls around to face Wakana, eyes lighting up. "Good idea!" She looks back over her shoulder at her brother, who is still lingering, watching everything go down.
Kazuhiro quickly schools his face into a grin. "Hey, what's up Kazusa-nee?"
"I'll see you after clubs to walk home, okay?" Kazusa calls.
"Uh, sure, sounds... good," says Kazuhiro with a slow nod.
Kazusa turns to Wakana, "Oh! I know, since we're all going the same way..." She starts to walk into the building, causing Wakana to follow after her. "Nakao-san! Wait up! Let's walk to class together!"
This can only go well.