2026-08-12: Breaking Point
- Log: Breaking Point
- Cast: Kasumi Yoshizawa, Ren Amamiya, Kazusa Motojima
- Where: Shujin Academy - Classroom Building
- OOC Date: August 12, 2026
- IC Date: Saturday, December 22, 2012
- Summary: After Kasumi's fall at Shujin's Christmas Dance, Ren and Kazusa escort her outside to get some fresh air... and learn some of the things that are really bothering her.
(|=================== Shujin Academy - Classroom Building ====================|)
-==================================================== Tokyo/Aoyama-Itchome ====-
Shujin Academy is split between its main classroom building, which faces the
back streets of Aoyama-Itchome, and its practice building out back. The
classroom building is a grim concrete building with sleek glass doors, three
stories tall, with classrooms for the third years on the ground floor, second
years on the second, and first years on the top. The faculty office is on the
second, and the student council room and the library on the third. Vending
machines dot the hallways here and there, and the bathrooms are kept clean. Its
front gates are wrought iron with a circular design, and a stylized clock on the
eastern wall informs students just how late they are.
The foyer is lined with glass cases proudly displaying trophies earned by its
top students, and just past them is the school store, though the yakisoba bread
there is almost always sold out. Billboards across the school announce various
articles and notices of interest. Past there, the walls are gray and white, the
floors are wooden, student lockers line the walls, and the sliding classroom
doors sport diamond windows. The classrooms themselves are rather more sober,
with simple desks and chairs for the students and a taller desk at front before
the chalkboard for the teacher. The windows to the outside seem simple, and even
have yellow curtains that can be pulled shut, but are lined in a diamond pattern
to prevent shattering. We wouldn't want our students to escape, now would we?
There is a fenced-in roof, but the door to it displays a sign stating students
aren't allowed. Despite this, it isn't locked, so nothing stops anyone from
hanging out there anyway--at least, not until they get caught. Oddly, there's
also several small planters there too for growing flowers and vegetables.
<Pose Tracker> Kasumi Yoshizawa has posed.
There's plenty of quiet spots in and around Shuujin if you know where to look. The strange trio of the gymnastics rising star, Demon Queen, and delinquent students find themselves cramped into the alleyway across the street.
Kasumi takes her ribbon back, and ties her hair back into a ponytail. She always feels better with it up. She still can't quite meet either of her Senpai's gazes just yet. She could apologize yet again, but... Well, she's said that more than enough already.
"Thank you, Senpai. You saved me yet again..." Kasumi says to Ren. She tries to put on a smile, but her armour is crumbling. She can't keep pretending like everything is okay.
"It's so frustrating." She blurts out. "My body just won't move like I need it to...! I'm supposed to be stronger than this!" Kasumi lets out a groan as she hugs herself, leaning against the wall. "I don't understand what I'm doing wrong... I am so useless..."
"And I'm angry. Why am I angry?" She lets go of herself for a moment, to watch her hands shake and tremble. "I wasn't even angry with Motojima-senpai. Why now? Why... Why am I angry over something I got over?" Kasumi is referring to the Will of Rebellion. Her Awakening. She thought she'd be better now, that she woke up to Cinderellion...
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
She could apologize, but Ren also already told her there's nothing to apologize for. Not that such reassurances mean much to the type who over-apologizes... It's almost like they're trying to apologize for existing in the first place.
Still, the fact that she's thanking them instead of saying she's sorry is an improvement--even if she's repeating that too. Ren gives her a quiet nod, concern shading their expression. Usually she maintains a cheerful smile, and she attempts that now too, but they can tell she's only barely holding on to the mask.
Once upon a time, they too pursued a sport with an eye towards the global stage. Kasumi's frustrations are relatable to Ren as a result. When your training isn't going the way you hope and you're just not good enough for your own standards, it's rough. In the past, Ren overcame that, only for their dreams to be smashed for totally unrelated reasons.
They don't try to offer unsolicited advice, though. They simply listen to Kasumi vent. It concerns them that she describes herself as useless, but unfortunately, they relate to that a little too. For highly competitive sports, winning is all that matters; accordingly, Shujin's made it clear that to them, 'second best' is just 'first loser.'
Why is she angry? It's a good question. Ren glances at Kazusa, who followed the two of them out; they pretend not to spot Morgana in the background, slinking over to hide around the corner, to avoid making her notice him. They look back at Kasumi.
"Is it just about falling back there?" they wonder quietly. "Or do you think there's something more to it?"
To them, the answer feels obvious. They're trying to prompt Kasumi to think about it herself, though, because surely she knows herself best. That's what a psychologist like Dr. Maruki would do, right?
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
Kazusa is concerned about Kasumi.
Well, she's also a bit upset at her for doing something so blatantly reckless, but she's trying to temper that feeling. She keeps a sharp eye on Kasumi as they relocate, looking for any signs of further injury. (Which is happening as she, herself, is walking a bit stiffly.)
But despite the real concern, she's still frowning. There's an arched eyebrow at 'again' and a quick glance at Ren.
"Your body is fine, you're the one who overextended herself," she says, matter-of-factly. "... and it won't stay fine if you keep doing that."
'I wasn't even angry with Motojima-senpai.' Kazusa looks away, silent, and a flash of guilt reading on her face.
She also, unfortunately, understands the stress and pressure of high-level competition all too well. Unlike the others, though, she never wanted to make it her core ambition. Her father (and her Homunculus) have decidedly different views, though.
She glances to Ren as they ask that question, and then look back to Kasumi. She waits for the answer.
<Pose Tracker> Kasumi Yoshizawa has posed.
Kasumi's okay physically. Kazusa can definitely spot her rubbing her back a little, but it's only stinging. She's really lucky, that it's nothing.
"I should've been able to do it." Kasumi fires back. "I have before. It was a favourite from last year. So, why...? What changed?!" She might still be adjusting from her growth spurt, but... The other girls in her grade are doing fine.
While it is true that Kasumi overextended herself, this has been the issue she's been struggling with all year. Her body simply just not moving the way she wants to. "You don't understand, Senpai... It isn't just anything. I keep practicing and practicing, I'm...just not making any progress..."
Ren should know about this. After all, it was some of the first things Kasumi has opened up to them about. They ask whether there's something more to it, and Kasumi lets out a tired little giggle. She could see the image of Dr. Maruki flash in front of her eyes. "You know I've been struggling with my slump, Senpai..." She looks down with her arms crossed. "But... I'm supposed to be entering my most important years of competition pretty soon. At this rate, I'll never be able to catch up..."
Kasumi pauses for a beat. Then, quietly. "I had a meeting with Dr. Maruki and my advisor right before exams. My honour student might be revoked if I don't get first place in the big competition next month."
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Ren does know that it's more than that. However, they were also there for the moment when she Awakened, and they know this has been an ongoing thing for a long while. If she's asking why she's still angry about something she should be over, then in their view, it might be worth going back to the basics--especially if she's still not over her slump, still not made the progress she wants, after all this time and all this practice.
"I do," they thus reply. They consider the rest of what she says before that beat, and wonder, "Who are you trying to catch up to?" She might just mean in general after how she's been struggling after her growth spurt, but it feels like it might be deeper than that.
Their eyebrows furrow when she gives that news about her honor student status. They glance at Kazusa when she points out that Kasumi did over-extended herself, and so catch that guilty look that flashes across her face. (They have also noted that she's still walking stiffly, but they already knew about that, too.) However, they don't remark on it; they already know from the other day that she really is trying to change.
"That really sucks. That can't make this any easier on you," they murmur to Kasumi.
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
Rhythmic Gymnastics is incredibly demanding, and incredibly focused on aesthetics. Kazusa's got a sharp eye, to boot. "Make sure you ice your back when you get home."
'Favorite from last year.' So this is about more than the dance, then. Kazusa crosses her arms. "... You placed second in that meet a few months ago. I watched the video. You're improving."
That's about as rare and unguarded a compliment as she ever gives. Even if she's not terribly effusive in how she delivers it.
She doesn't know as much about Kasumi's Awakening other than the little tidbits she got told--something about a Palace. She considers the growth spurt--the only real cure for that is more practice, which Kasumi has been putting in. "Look. I know this sport puts a lot of pressure on us. Getting frustrated or angry is bound to happen. But... don't take it out on yourself, okay?" Her voice is softer, for a moment, like this is something she's thought about before.
And then she pinches the bridge of her nose for a moment. "Right before finals. They couldn't have picked a better time?"
She doesn't quite bring herself to look at Ren again. This is already awkward, and she has questions for them, but she doesn't want to ask them right now.
<Pose Tracker> Kasumi Yoshizawa has posed.
It's true, and it's that eye that makes Kasumi often frustrated, usually with herself. "Yes, Senpai..."
"Not enough." Kasumi shakes her head. "It was a smaller meet. It's not enough..."
Then, Ren asks a poignant question. She could say 'everyone else', who are leaping in front of her while she stalls desperately in repairs. It would be true! But it wasn't the full story.
Once again, images flash in Kasumi's mind. Overshone with a sickly yellow glow, she sees a figure who's movements are bold and beautiful. The figure she's been chasing this entire time. Then, it's blocked out, with warnings of HAPPINESS DOES NOT FOLLOW THIS PATH.
"It's my sister." Kasumi says, quietly. "It was our dream to stand at the top of the world together. But... I'm just not good enough..." She slides down the wall of the alleyway with a groan. "I keep hoping and practicing, but..." She makes a gesture. Look at where it's brought her.
Kasumi lets out a half-laugh, half scoff. "Thank you, Senpai." She says to Ren, genuinely. Then, more snidely, "Shuujin loves it's pressure," she says to Kazusa. That's her will of rebellion poking through.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Icing her back is good advice. Good thing that Kazusa's a current athlete; she's a lot more aware of sports injuries than Ren is right now. She brings up the silver medal Kasumi got at a recent meet and comments that she's improving, which is also good feedback, since she sees Kasumi practice a lot more regularly than Ren does. But if even that's not good enough for the school...
They hope that it didn't ruin her concentration for finals too much. As Kazusa remarks, it's really atrocious timing.
Kasumi admits that it's her sister she wants to catch up to. Ren knows some of this, too; they saw those posters in Kobayakawa's Palace. And... thanks to that same Palace, they know she passed away. The Cognitive Vice-Principal made that agonizingly clear. Any dream where the two of them stand on the top together thus can never come true. They purse their lips, holding back a more outright grimace.
What does one say to this? Ren doesn't have any siblings; they've never had a loved one die on them. It's clearly taken a toll on her, but if her grief is still affecting her this badly, anything they could say would be an empty platitude. "...What did Dr. Maruki have to say? It doesn't seem like him to be part of that pressure, but if he was there too..."
They rub a lock of their bangs between their fingers as they think further. "And you've got a coach, right? What kind of feedback have they been giving you?" If they know that much, maybe they can support her better.
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
Kazusa is at least trying to channel that critical eye differently, towards more practical, actionable advice, (as Ren notices.) But when Kasumi says it wasn't enough, Kazusa frowns. "Hey. Don't discount the progress you've made."
There's a soft blink, and the slightly stern, concerned frown breaks for genuine surprise. "Your sister...? I didn't know you had..."
If this sister is so good that Kasumi is chasing her, it's not someone currently at Shujin or she should know about them. Does she go to a different school, then? Or...
"... I've never heard you mention her before." She has a younger brother, herself, though they've only recently started strengthening their bond.
Kazusa doesn't know what a Will of Rebellion is. "... Yes. It does." And she knows she's been a aprt of that pressure, now. She lets out a short, tense huff as Ren asks about the coach's advice. She's most likely heard a lot of it so far, but clearly she doens't know everything the staff are saying toKasumi, so she listens for the answer, too.
Though she does cast a concerned glance back in the direction of the school's auditorium.
<Pose Tracker> Kasumi Yoshizawa has posed.
Kasumi shakes her head. It's easy to say that, but the sticking points stick in her head far more. She just can't accept it. "It's not enough, Senpai! It's just not enough..."
"... She died in a car accident before the school year started." Kasumi says softly, as she looks down. "It was our dream to be at the top of the world together. We did everything together. And if I can't achieve that dream for her..." She lets that hang, as she buries her face into her arms. The fear of not living up to that dream is weighing heavily on her. Useless. She is so useless.
Ren asks what Dr. Maruki said, and Kasumi takes an shaky breath. "Dr. Maruki tried to defend me, and said the pressure would be negative, but, you know how the teachers are like..." She lets out a scoff. "My advisor said he was just trying to 'support me'." Kasumi rolls her eyes. "Like I don't know I'm struggling."
On her coach... "I haven't seen my coach in a while. I'm...supposed to be taking a break. Not from gymnastics, I mean. She said that I need to 'think about who I really am'..." What is that supposed to even mean? Kasumi's been thinking about it extensively, but she hasn't come to any conclusions yet.
A beat. "She isn't all that bad... I've heard my coach praising me before. She says, 'Kasumi's greatest weapon has always been her boldness'." She lets that sink in for a moment. "It shouldn't have failed me today..."
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
So Kasumi hasn't told Kazusa--or, presumably, the rest of the rhythmic gymnastics team--about her sister... That doesn't surprise Ren. They'd never heard of her before Kobayakawa's Palace either. It must be too painful for her to talk about, even now. They don't interrupt Kazusa, but they don't offer their own questions or observations on the topic. They'll let Kasumi say what she wants of her own accord.
So Maruki tried to stick up for her... That sounds more like the man Ren knows. Unfortunately, they do know how the teachers are--some of them, anyway. Certainly the top brass of the administration. Ren nods slowly.
There's something a little odd about how Kasumi phrases her coach's feedback and praise. However, their suspicions about what's been feeding Kasumi's slump are confirmed when she talks about her sister. If I can't achieve that dream for her... In other words, it's not just pressure from the teachers or the team; it's pressure from her grief. Maybe what her coach meant was who she is now that she no longer has her sister around. Since Kasumi doesn't voice her lack of understanding of the question aloud, though, they keep that thought to themself.
They don't ask if she's seen a mental health professional. Obviously she has, they know that. They rub their forelock more in thought. "Boldness isn't the same as recklessness," they muse aloud. "It sounds like you're feeling desperate about this, and you have been for a long time. That's probably what's tripping you up." They slip their hand into their pocket. "I know this is easier said than done, but maybe you need to figure out how to let go of that tension you've been carrying with you."
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
Kasumi insists it's not enough,and Kazusa frowns, her tone growing sharper for a moment. But it's underlaid with concern. "Don't talk like that. You've been putting in an a lot of work."
But she's caught off guard a moment later, and she's not quite sure how to respond at the revelation. Her expression softens. "--oh. Yoshizawa-san... I..."
She can think of a number of things to say, but they all sound kind of hollow in her ears even before she can voice them. But suddenly her struggles all seem to make sense. She glances towards Ren, of all peopl, a little bit lost for words for a moment. (But they're also the only other person present.)
She snorts quietly. "... yeah. The kind of 'support' we could do without sometimes." But that question... she can't answer that for Kasumi, obviously.
But she nods, as Ren comments on boldness versus recklessness. She steps over to the wall, bracing herself against it as she knees to try and bring herself closer to Kasumi's level. (She's gritting her teeth a little on the way down.) "That sounds like a pretty heavyburden to carry." The dream and the grief both. "... and I know Shujin hasn't made carrying it easier. And I know that I've been part of the problem." This isn't about her, but it feels unfair not to admit that, in this moment.
"... but Amamiya-san's right. I know this goal is important to you, but... I don't want to see you destroy yourself trying to reach for it."
<Pose Tracker> Kasumi Yoshizawa has posed.
Kasumi certainly hasn't shared anything about her sister. She's only mentioned it to Wakana. It isn't like she's particularly close to any of her clubmates, and she's been trying so hard to focus on the future...!
Kazusa is caught off guard, and Kasumi really...doesn't have anything to say. She doesn't even really want someone else's condolences.
She does, however, snort alongside Kazusa. "Took the words right out of my mouth, Senpai."
Kasumi has seen a mental health professional. She saw Dr. Maruki after all, even before he started at Shuujin. He really helped her move past her grief, but there's still questions on how to move forward. 'Boldness isn't the same thing as recklessness'...? But, she is desperate. She's been desperate for a long time. "Let go that tension...?" She repeats. How is she supposed to do that...? Then, Kazusa apologizes. "...It's okay, Senpai... I've already forgiven you."
Trying to get Kasumi not to destroy herself is like trying to keep the world from turning, or Shuujin to not be awful. Still. "Thank you, Senpais." She says to both of them. "You've given me a lot to think about. I guess I could take it easier during the break...?"
A beat. "School again, next year. Oooggghhh..." She buries her head back into her hands. The embarrassment is coming back.
However, this too, shall pass.
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
And Kazusa hasn't really talked to Wakana lately, either, so there was no way for her to learn. She doesn't know what to say to that, but... in the end she doesn't offer empty condolences, so... maybe that's for the best?
Getting that snort from Kasumi gets a brief smirk from Kazusa though. For some reason, she just likes that they can agree on that.
Kasumi's already forgiven her, though. "... I know." But she's still trying to hold herself accountable.
"You could," Kazusa agrees, of taking it easier during the break. "Worry about next here when it gets here."
"Look, I..." She's suddenly pensive as she looks back to the school. "... I need to get back tothe dance." There's a wince as Kazusa forces herself upright again. "Let's talk again later." She starts to go, but she pauses qand looks at Ren. "Can you...?" She tilts her head towards Kasumi.
And then she turns and heads back to the dance to keep an eye on the Homunculus.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
It's sort of interesting to see Kasumi be so casual with Kazusa--snorting and being wry and so on. She isn't even like that with them. Ren already thought Kazusa was making genuine efforts to be a better person, but it's clear to them that she and Kasumi are comfortable with each other in a way only real friends--or those on the path to it--could be. They smile to see it. It's a relief to see that Kasumi has a relationship like that. Now that Kazusa knows about the pain behind her usual bright smiles, maybe she can support her that much better.
After all, as they said, letting go of the tension of her desperation is easier said than done. They can hear in Kasumi's voice that she doesn't know how to do as they suggest, and no wonder. That probably involves more self-reflection than she might be willing to do right now. "Something to talk about with Dr. Maruki sometime, maybe," they suggest. They're sure he could guide her better than they could.
For now, they offer her a sympathetic look when she buries her face in her hands. They won't tell her that everyone will have forgotten about it by the time they all come back from break, because it's Shujin. "Try to do some fun things that make you happy, and /not/ worry about school. We've all got a couple of weeks for that, at least."
That advice echoes Kazusa's own, and Ren nods at her when she stands. Right. No doubt she's trying to keep an eye on Shinichi's Homunculus. They're glad Kanae's not tanking him all by herself. Isabeau... is also there, but... as much as they continue to dislike her, after seeing her with her "boyfriend," they're worried about her all over again. "I can," they reply. "Take it easy in there, Motojima-san."
They flash a glance at Morgana, who slips away. After Ren and Kasumi fetch Ren's bag, which Morgana at least dragged out of the auditorium into an empty hall, they'll both be able to escort her wherever she wants or needs to go.