2026-09-10: Kingdom Scouting Mission
- Log: 2026-09-10: Kingdom Scouting Mission
- Cast: Kasumi Yoshizawa, Shinobu Shimizu
- Where: Red Light District - Main, Studio 4 Kingdom
- OOC Date: September 10, 2026
- IC Date: January 07, 2013
- Summary: Kasumi and Shinobu meet at Studio 4's cafe. They decide to go on a scouting mission, as Kasumi gets the lowdown on what a kingdom even is.
(|======================== Red Light District - Main =========================|)
-===================================================== Tokyo/Shinjuku Ward ====-
It's said if you go out the wrong side of Shinjuku Station, you lose a whole
day. Go out the correct side though, and you still might find yourself on the
wrong side of town. Even walking into Shinjuku's Red Light District subjects you
to endless barkers and touts, looking for opportunities to pull tourists and
young women alike into places where they might get scammed and exploited by the
predators of this place.
Neon signs glare offering disorienting guidance to businesses stacked upon one
another. All the vices of the city are available in smoky bars where one might
forget their dreams at the bottom of a glass, or take offers of companionship in
shady host or hostesses clubs.
Be careful. As smart as you are, wiser people than you have lost everything
here.
<Pose Tracker> Kasumi Yoshizawa has posed.
A Kingdom is a strange thing. Kasumi really hasn't experienced anything like it before. If she's going to take part in scaling the castle, it might be a good idea to get a lay of the land, right?
It's for that reason Kasumi can be found in the cafe of Studio 4's kingdom right now. She's enjoying a coffee with some of the rebels, while hoping for another Persona User to arrive for a scouting mission.
<Pose Tracker> Shinobu Shimizu has posed.
This isn't Shinobu's first time in a Kingdom... but it is only her second, and this one is markedly strange compared to the last. As such, she's found it prudent to do some scouting ahead before she brings her group in. She's been speaking with the rebels to figure out what they know that might be able to help - and she's currently walking and talking with a small group of them now as she walks into the cafe.
They detach from her and to go on their own way - and Shinobu is about to do the same, before she spots someone else from the outside. She doesn't think she knows the masked girl, but she remembers her from the scramble to rescue the abducted station employees, both in and out of the Kingdom.
"Oh, hey. You were here the other day, right? Good work back there." Shinobu greets with a nod.
<Pose Tracker> Kasumi Yoshizawa has posed.
Kasumi's attention grabbed by the older woman, her red eyes widening with recognition from beneath her mask. "Ah, yes! Same to you too!" She says with a smile, as she leans back in her seat. As if sensing the power disparity, the rebels Kasumi was speaking with decide to detach as well. "You can call me Belle. It's nice to meet you."
Kasumi pauses for a second, considering how to phrase what she has in mind. "Miss, are you a Persona Users too?" She asks, politely. "I was planning on going on a scouting mission today. This is my first Kingdom, so I thought it'd be good to get an impression of the layout. Would you like to come with...?"
<Pose Tracker> Shinobu Shimizu has posed.
"Thanks." Shinobu offers with a slight smile, as Kasumi returns the compliment. The rebels detach, and now it's just the two of them. She nods again, this time in acknowledgment, as Kasumi introduces herself. "Shinobu Shimizu. Nice to meet you, too."
She catches that pause - and then, she asks.
"Yeah, I am." Shinobu confirms. She already assumed as much from her outfit, but that means they both are. She explains that she was planning on going on a scouting mission - that this is her first Kingdom.
"Oh yeah? I've been in another before this one... but there are some things about this one that are pretty weird compared to that one, so I think we've both got a lot of surprises ahead of us." Shinobu replies. She nods, though. "But, sure, I can tag along. Always better to have back-up in a place like this - no tellin' what might happen."
<Pose Tracker> Kasumi Yoshizawa has posed.
"Shimizu-san. It's good to meet you." Kasumi beams. "Shinobu is such a cute name.~"
It's pretty easy to figure, thankfully. The Will of Rebellion gives Kasumi a black leotard, a gold buttoned jacket that has shreds down her back, along with black thigh high, heeled boots. "Woah! I'm a little surprised, that adults can have Personas too..." Now, she wonders just how many people she walks by everyday, that might have a Persona too. So strange! "Have you had it for long?"
Shinobu accepts the offer, and Kasumi lets out a relieved smile. Thank goodness... She lets out relieved sigh, and starts working on draining her coffee. "That'll be a relief... And I feel similarly. Especially with how plentiful the little, adorable, legionnaires get. I doubt a solo Persona User would be able to get far."
Although... A worried look crosses over Belle's masked face. "Some strange things? Like what?" She tries to think of something that doesn't make sense. Well, other than the invasion into the real world. The only thing she can come up with... "Is it the Shadows that were fighting too?" She tilts her head, with her mug covering her chin. "Is that bit not normal?"
There's no time like the present! With her cup drained, Kasumi hops off her stool and places the mug back onto the table. Then, she wonders if she should pay... Mmm, she places some coins on the counter. Then, she taps the rapier on her side to make sure it's still with her. "Alright. Let's head off.~"
<Pose Tracker> Shinobu Shimizu has posed.
A cute name... Shinobu is surprised by the compliment, and it gets a good-natured laugh out of her.
"Don't think I've heard that one before... Thanks." She replies. "'Belle's a good one, too. I like it."
She assumes 'Belle' is a code name, and that she picked it for herself - but that's just as good. It's good to have a name that you like.
Kasumi expresses surprise that adults can have Personas, too.
"Yeah, I bet you've mostly run into other kids... But we have 'em, too." She replies with a nod. The question of if she's had it for longer, though, gets a 'hm' out of her. A thoughtful expression crosses her face as she thinks back. "Let's see... It's been a couple of years by now, maybe three? ...And I know some who've had theirs for longer."
She sees the relief crossing her face, at least what she can see around the mask - and she can't blame her for that. A solo mission is always daunting. She chuckles slightly at the way she refers to the legionnaires.
"Yeah. It's rough. You can do some work if you keep to the outskirts... But you're not gonna get in very far without oepning yourself up to some big risks." She replies with a nod. Which leads to the question - what strange things?
"Yeah, those little goopy guys, like the ones in Tartarus? They weren't in the last one." Shinobu confirms with a nod. "The demons weren't there, either. If this were Sumaru I could assume they just wandered in, but... you don't usually see 'em here in Tokyo. Makes me think there's something else going on here besides the trouble with Fukami-san."
She shrugs.
"...Not that I know what it means yet - but it's somethin' to keep an eye on." She concludes.
Kasumi pays for her drink and confirms her weapon's still there, and Shinobu nods.
"Right behind you." She replies.
<Pose Tracker> Kasumi Yoshizawa has posed.
"Eheh.~" Kasumi replies, letting out a cheerful laugh. "If you have a name, you might as well like it, right?"
Belle is indeed a codename.~ It's cute, like that movie!
"Ehehe." Kasumi lets out a little, awkward laugh, this time. "When I get to meet any, yeah." She confesses. Having the Will of Rebellion is a sort of awkward, in between of Persona Users. It's worse for Kasumi, without a group she's in. "A couple years, huh? That's interesting... I thought it'd be longer." How long has this existed fo- "Longer?!" The shock is clear on her face. "Jeez! How long have people had this power...?"
A solo mission is always daunting, and Kasumi is very inexperienced. "I'll be in your care then, Shimizu-san." She offers a bow.
Kasumi nods, mentally taking notes. "That's pretty reasonable... That's about what I was thinking of doing too." She smiles.
"Tartar...sauce?" Kasumi tilts her head. Clearly, she's never been to Tatami Port Island during the Dark Hour. "I see... So, they have different classifications? I didn't know..." She nods. "I'm used to Shadows, from Palaces. I'm guessing they're pretty similar to Sumaru's demons?"
More trouble than just Fukami-san... "Is this Kingdom related to Fukami-san, in some way?" Kasumi asks. "I'm sorry, you must think I'm so ignorant..." She follows up, bashfully. She's really not used to this sort of thing...
Off they go!
<Pose Tracker> Shinobu Shimizu has posed.
"That's definitely true." Shinobu agrees with a nod and a smile.
From that awkward laugh... She guesses it doesn't happen often.
"...Must be rough." She offers sympathetically. She nods, when Kasumi remarks that she thought it'd be longer. "Yeah. So there's still things I'm learning, too."
Her surprise, though, gets a small laugh out of her.
"Wild, right? Good question. No one really knows." She replies with a shrug. Kasumi bows, and Shinobu massages the back of her neck awkwardly. She's not used to that...
"Glad to have you along." She offers. It looks like they're on the same wavelength on how to approach it, too.
"'Tartarus'." Shinobu clarifies, without judgment. Seems like this is her first time hearing about it. "It's this tower that shows up on Port Island in the Dark Hour, in place the high school. Shadows like those ones show up there, and there's all sorts of different kinds."
She seems to get it, though.
"Yeah. Like, the goopy guys, and other Shadows with those numbered masks... you can't talk with 'em like Palace or Mementos Shadows." She explains. As for Palace shadows and demons... She nods. "Similar, but different. It's like... They act the same in a lot of ways, and can even look the same, but they're different enough that it's worth figuring out which you're dealing with. ...Not very helpful, I know - but it's hard to tell with 'em sometimes."
She considers her question about Hana, then - and smiles, shaking her head with a casual dismissive wave.
"Nah, it's cool." She assures. "Everyone's gotta start somewhere, right? I know what it's like to leap into this stuff blind."
She starts off, figuring they can walk and talk.
"Anyway, as for Fukami-san... These Kingdoms seem to fixate on someone in particular. Since she seems to have lost her memory... we're guessin' that's her." Shinobu explains. "While we're helping the rebels, we've gotta figure out a way to help her, too..."
<Pose Tracker> Kasumi Yoshizawa has posed.
Kasumi lets out another awkward little chuckle. "It's a bit awkward with the Will of Rebellion." At least learning something is something she understands! Kasumi nods. "All this stuff really is confusing. I really wonder if there's any science to all this..."
"I guess it really is difficult to know." Kasumi replies. She sees Shinobu feel awkward for being bowed to, and... Well, she wonders briefly if she isn't used to someone's respect.
As Shinobu speaks actually, Kasumi is picking up more and more on a certain... speech pattern? (For her part, Kasumi is exceedingly polite.) "Tar-tar-us. Tartarus!" She repeats, beaming as she seems to get it. "In Port Island? That's...really strange!" Kasumi nods though, understanding. What a fascinating place! "Thank you, Shimizu-san, I learened something today.~" Maybe she should go for a visit sometime?
"Ooh..." Kasumi nods similarly, remembering about the cowardly Maya's scattered around. It's a relief actually that she doesn't have to try to explain Palace Shadows either. "I see... There's so many different types! It's seriously impressive."
Kasumi certainly lets out a little awkward, relieved sigh. "Thank you, Shimizu-san." The most she can do at least too, is being a quick learner!
Off they go! Walking and talking through the sets of Studio 4. "So it is sort of like a palace..." Kasumi makes a connection. "Poor Fukami-san... Do you know her at all? In the real world, I mean." She asks, very carefully. "I know her show. I've watched a couple recordings here and there."
<Pose Tracker> Shinobu Shimizu has posed.
"Yeah, I bet..." Shinobu replies with a sympathetic nod. That's the price of security, she supposes - it keeps you safe from those who might want to do you harm, but it makes it riskier to get to know others. Confusing, though... "You said it. All this stuff goes over my head sometimes."
She nods. It's difficult, indeed.
She listens as Kasumi sounds out Tartarus - and when she gets it right, Shinobu smile.
"Yeah, you got it. But yeah, 'Strange' is right. Place is creepy as hell, too." She says, and nods. "Hey, no problem."
She sees that understanding, in regards to the various foes they face...
"Right? There's a lot to keep track of." She agrees, and smiles as she thanks her again. "No problem."
Shinobu keeps half of her attention on Kasumi and the other half on their surroundings. Now that they've left the safety of the cafe, they open themselves up to risk. As long as they don't stray too close to the Producer's place of power they should be fine, but it pays to be careful.
"Yeah, kind of. Just with the positions all shuffled around." She says about Palaces and Kingdoms. Kasumi asks a question, and Shinobu considers it for a moment.
"We haven't known each other very long, but... I'd like to think we're friends, at least." She replies with a nod. As for her show... "I've seen it. I don't think it's my kinda show, but I can tell she's got a lot of passion for showbiz."
<Pose Tracker> Kasumi Yoshizawa has posed.
It is the price of security... Sometimes, Kasumi is a little jealous of the people who's able to share their true selves properly with others. "Ehehe, honestly.. I'm fine in school, but they don't really cover this sort of thing."
"Creepy, huh? Sounds like a good place to tell ghost stories..." However, a shiver goes through her body. "Maybe not, actually... That sounds like I'll be looking over my shoulder constantly."
Just as Shinobu keeps her head on a swivel, Kasumni does the same too, keeping a hand on her rapier. Just in case!
Kasumi nods in agreement. "That makes sense." Though, now she wonders what the difference between palace shadows and demons are now. Maybe, she'll be able to visit Sumeru sometime!
Kasumi does chuckle a little bit with Shinobu's analysis of the show. "It is mostly for housewives, isn't it?" For some reason, she's not sure if she can see Shinobu as a 'housewife'. "My dad directs a similar show too." The highly successful Good Morning Japan, naturally. "So, it makes for good competition." She says with a laugh.
<Pose Tracker> Shinobu Shimizu has posed.
"I bet not." Shinobu replies with a sympathetic laugh. "Just as long as you're makin' time for others outside of all this stuff."
She grins as Belle makes a comment on ghost stories - and then immediately takes it back.
"Oh yeah. That kinda storytelling might be a little too immersive, huh?" She comments. "It feels a little different when the bump in the night's got real teeth."
Shinobu definitely isn't the housewife type.
"For sure. But hey, I'm not knockin' it." She replies with a nod, and looks on with interest when she mentions that her dad directs a similar show. ...She doesn't ask her which one, though - she doesn't want to put her on the spot. "Competition's good. If you don't have somethin' to test yourself against you end up gettin' complacent. I bet it's good for both shows."
She pauses in her tracks for a moment, looking up. They're nearby one of the studio buildings now.
"...Oh, here we go." She says, drawing her staff from her duffel bag. She swings it overhead, knocking a fire escape ladder down to their level. "We can get some good spying done from up there, I bet."
The roof of the building has a pretty good vantage point of the area - and when it's finally time to head back, they'll have gathered some useful information on enemy movements!