2026-10-07: Friends And Editors
- Log: Friends And Editors
- Cast: Ichika Kawase, Ryuji Sakamoto
- Where: Ichika's Van, on Tokyo roads
- OOC Date: October 07, 2026
- IC Date: January 21, 2013
- Summary: Ichika and Ryuji, while in the car, have a chat about friends and a few other things.
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
Ichika Kawase has driven out to Tokyo today, with plans to get Ryuji Sakamoto. Those plans have borne fruit! They've been in the car, listening to her very good music, and now that they're out of the main traffic and onto the road proper...
The van's internals are largely gray, as has been established before; nice seats, including back seats and a removable seat behind that that can double as storage. They sit fairly high up as vehicles go, and Ichika is dressed today in green--green skirt, black top, green jacket. Thigh-highs rather than leggings, and boots. And...
"...So, Ryuji-kun," she says. "I've got some complicated feelings about something..."
"I ran into Morgana."
<Pose Tracker> Ryuji Sakamoto has posed.
Ryuji is in very good spirits. He's with his girl and being driven like someone super important. Life was pretty damn good in some ways.
The blonde reclines in his front passenger seat, folding his hands behind his head. He grins as he listens to the music...It was quite good. He taps his finger to the beat, getting into the groove.
Today Ryuji is in a light zippered hoodie in purple, some black pants, beat up sneakers.
Ryuji looks up as he is addressed, smiling. "Whats up?" He asks, raising a brow as he scans her face for a clue. Complicated feelings? Uhoh. Did he take it too easy? Crap.
Then he hears the name and his concern and joy flee his face for neutral somberness. "Tch. What did he want? Did he beg to come back? Stupid cat probably misses all the pampering Ren does for him." He lets out a sigh.
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
It's pretty good times. it might get even better later, if her plans go well. ...But it might not, too--she knows this isn't a favorite topic of Ryuji's.
"No," Ichika says. "He apologized. ...For what he said about me, I mean."
"You two..."
"You really aren't friends, huh? I always assumed you were, and that your way of getting along just wasn't my business..."
"But I shouldn't have brushed it off. You're both pretty brutal to each other."
"Since you've known each other longer... Well. That's why. But I think..."
"I don't really want him to stay away. I don't want him to keep being an ass to you, though."
Ichika glances Ryuji's way before she returns hr eyes firmly to the road.
"...You shouldn't have laughed at him, all the same. That wasn't cool--that's not the guy I like."
<Pose Tracker> Ryuji Sakamoto has posed.
Ryuji grumbles, sitting up as he crosses his arms. "I mean...He shouldn't have said that in the first place!" He sighs. Really, he's always felt kinda over that smug jerk. If he didn't say that about Ichika, he probably would've still said what he said.
"Yeah. Well, he's been kinda a dick to me since day one. I know I'm not the smartest guy but he really likes lording over me. It gets tiring."
He stops as Ichika says she should've gotten involved. He frowns, looking a little taken aback. "Yeah, well it's not like he doesn't hit me back just as hard. Pth, ca--guy really gets on his high horse about how much more of a Phantom Thief he is and how I'm just a dumb monkey thug who hits things..."
He pauses for a moment.
"I mean...I am kinda a dumb thug but seriously hurts my pride to hear myself get shot down by Morgana over every thing."
He thinks about what she says next, frowning more. "Ok, I admit that was a little over the line...but like he acts like I'm so much lesser while creeping on Ann. I get it's kinda like a kids crush but I dunno...Yeah. I messed up there."
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
"Yeah," Ichika agrees. "Thanks for defending me, too--It's... It mattered, right? I don't like being told things like that, even if it wasn't how he meant it."
But, "Mm, I see."
A dick since day one...
"That's what I mean. I should've gotten involved about both of you. We're--we were--teammates. ...I don't think you should just swallow your feelings, but if you're fighting like that, we should try to help."
"You're not dumb," Ichika says. "You're just not book-smart like Makoto or Tsubasa. And neither am I, you know? So like... It's cool."
"...Yeah, he does. That's not cool," she says. "..But that's between the two of them. I offered to get involved, but he didn't want me to--and I think that's right."
"But right or wrong, that's not the kind of guy you want to be either, right?"
"...I think one way or another you'll have to have it out sooner or later. Talk it out, fight it out, whatever."
<Pose Tracker> Ryuji Sakamoto has posed.
"Of course it mattered! Just...I was already pissed at him. I think thats where we were heading anyway."
Ryuji listens to her explain, looking at the road as he thinks. He nods once as he acknowledges she has a point with a slight grunt. He sighs as he looks back to her, letting his face settle into a neutral expression. "I'm pretty dumb when it comes to school. I'm a fuckin' jock. Complete opposite of Makoto and Tsubasa."
"I guess that's fair. But I don't think Morgana is mature enough for the truth here and I don't think Ann wants to hurt him. So its just frustrating to be called about for stuff and yet here's Morgana being way too much about 'Lady Ann'. Ugh...But alright I'll stay out of it."
The next comment makes Ryuji pause again. He sighs and looks away. "I also don't want to be some kind of punching bag. I don't want to be that guy but not the cost of my pride."
"Woah. I'm not fighting a Cat!" He looks kinda shocked, trying to picture how people would react to a delinquent beating on some small animal. "Then again, I don't think he's gonna talk to me."
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
"Yeah," Ichika agrees. And then, a softer, "Yeah."
"I guess," she allows, since she can't argue too hard that he's not good at school. "But it's not like that's the only thing that matters. You're good with your body--that's important, too." Running! ..Other things. But exercise, generally. That's what she means.
"He'll have to get there," she says. "If he wants to play in the big leagues of the heart... he's gonna have to deal with it." Pause. "But yeah, I get you. It's not really fair to have you be a punching bag."
"I mean, with your Persona," Ichika says. "Might do you two some good. ...But maybe not. He probably won't, no."
"...But I'm hoping he comes back, sooner or later. If he doesn't... Well, that's his business, I guess."
"But if he comes to you trying to be all mature, give it a shot, OK? That's all I ask. If he's willing to be decent to you, I mean."
"...But that's not the only thing I've been thinking about, either. Just one thing."
<Pose Tracker> Ryuji Sakamoto has posed.
Ryuji sighs and leans against the front console, laying his head on his arms. "My body is...it's not ideal with my leg as it is. Yeah I'm still fit in other ways but running was my everything and I can't do that." He knows what you mean, Ichika. He really does.
"Yeah. Well putting her up on a pedestal isn't exactly making me believe he can do it...But if he can apologize maybe I'm giving him too much shit here." Ryuji turns his head to look at Ichika, forcing a smile.
"Oh...right. Yeah that might be easier for me to handle. Like I get he's not a cat but doesn't make it feel less any awkward if I'm squaring off against him in the real world."
"Yeah. Honestly I don't think he'll be back. Guy has his pride too. Probably just as conflicted as I am." He throws away this realization, stating it casually as he considers more.
"Fine, I'll give the little jerk a shot. But the second he calls me a dumb monkey, I'm not gonna back down."
More?! Ryuji blinks and looks at her in shock. What else was wrong?! "Oh ok...What else is up?"
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
"...Yeah," Ichika says. "I know. I'm sorry." Running is something he still can't do.
But, "He did."
And then, "Yeah. ...Though, I mean. Cats are pretty scary when they get mad. If he knew how to use those claws..." She's seen animal shows! Cat claws are vicious!!
Still, "Mm, he does. And if he stays away... that's his business. But still, I don't want it to be because of that." Ryuji's also conflicted... Hm.
"OK," Ichika says. "It's gotta go both ways, after all. I don't want you being pushed around, either."
Then...
"...Would you still like me if i dyed my hair back?" Ichika wonders. "I gotta..."
"Mm. If I'm gonna go to university I can't... keep doing all the same things I was doing."
<Pose Tracker> Ryuji Sakamoto has posed.
Ryuji looks up at the road, thinking as he listens to her talk. He isn't sure what to do about Morgana. If he backs down, then Morgana will just keep pushing his buttons. Then when Ryuji gets pissed, he's suddenly the bad guy.
"Pth, Morgana is a house cat. You're talking about Lions and Panthers....I don't think---"
He feels bad again. Maybe it would be better for that idiot to come back.
"Thanks."
Ryuji just stares at Ichika when she drops the next "thing". It was the complete opposite of Morgana. "Hun...You could share your head bald and I'd stick with ya. Please don't but I mean you're more to me than a look, ya know?"
A thought comes to him. There was something on his end. "Actually while we're talking....This girl from class has been following me around. She swears it isn't anything like that but I figured I'd let you know before you get the wrong idea."
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
Housecats too!! Don't fight a cat.
But the next thing. It was indeed totally the opposite. "Haha, really?" Ichika asks. "Don't worry. No plans of that. ...But OK, cool. That's kind of a relief..."
"I mean, it's not like I'm going to stop being a Kasu girl all of a sudden. But... It's a different environment. I'm not going to have to be on my toes all the time, ready to fight."
"I can save that fighting for the important stuff we're doing."
But a thought? "...Huh. Following you around?" she wonders. "You need me to handle it?" she asks. "I know you can't hit a girl."
...
"...I probably shouldn't think of that first if I'm gonna clean up my act, huh?"
<Pose Tracker> Ryuji Sakamoto has posed.
"Yeah. I mean it's gonna be a little odd a first but if this is something you need to do, then I'm behind you 100 percent." Ryuji reaches over and puts a hand on her shoulder briefly. "Yeah. Fight for what you want cuz those dirty fucking adults are going to try to force you into whatever they want. Don't let that Kasu spirit die."
"Actually, she's now the editor on my videos. She's in my class too....Just like---ok it's Motojima. The girl who had that kinda weird dungeon despite being kinda a stuck up popular girl? Yeah well, she like told me she'd hook me up with an editor for my videos. Turns out its her. Before that she sought me out to apologize for something she did...Just stuff like that. I was up front and said I have a girlfriend. She freaks out so I don't think it's a crush or something. But I dunno. It's just weird."
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
"Cool," Ichika says. "I think it is. I need to show people I'm taking things seriously. At the same time... It's like you say. That spirit is what got me this far. I can clean up a little without pretending nothing ever happened, that I'm just another 'good girl'. ...Besides, I've still got you two, right?" She smiles.
But then she takes a moment to shift lanes, and then...
Away from the dirty adults to the editor? "Oh, huh." In his class... "I heard about her," Ichika recalls. "That's... cool, I guess?" she asks.
"I mean, it could be innocent," she says. "She could just be awkward. ...Sounds weird, but like, if she's willing to help with those videos..."
"Then that's cool?"
<Pose Tracker> Ryuji Sakamoto has posed.
"Exactly. Don't let them grind you down." Ryuji finally grins again. "Yeah you got us to keep you on track." He returns to reclining in his seat, looking up at the car's ceiling.
"Hmmm...Honestly I probably need to figure out my future soon too. I'm about at that year. Obviously, you'll be there. Tsubasa. The Phantom Thieves....but still, without running I'm kinda needing to pick something else. Not like I can't turn my grades around....Plus my record sucks."
"Yeah...I think its that too. But like I needed to tell you since I didn't want you to think anything was going on. Frankly, she's ok as a person if you get past all of the bitchiness. But her set up and skills are legit."
"Maybe I could turn the videos into something?"
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
"Heh." She does.
And, "You do," Ichika agrees. "I mean, it feels weird for me to say that to you--I don't want to put on pressure or anything. But if I can help you think about it... I'll do that. There's stuff you can do."
but, "...Hm, yeah. Well, thanks. I like to think I'm pretty secure... But not that secure, if you had some other girl you weren't telling me about."
Okay as a person...
"Heh, I don't mind a bitch," she says, switching back intot he original lane again. "I respect them. But you know..."
She thinks. "Maybe you could. That'd be something."
<Pose Tracker> Ryuji Sakamoto has posed.
Ryuji sighs and continues to stare at the ceiling. Maybe he will find his answer in the dark ceiling of his girlfriend's car. Probably not though. "I know...just my whole plan got jacked up due to...well you know." He pauses before adding. "I'd do it again for my ma but still sucks. Point is when I hit my third year, I'm gonna figure it out. Not like I can be a cosplay butler for the rest of my life."
"Heh. I know you trust me but I gotta earn that by telling you things like that. It would be weird if I kept something like that from you."
Ryuji turns his head and grins. "I guess we'll see. Maybe I could be the next best critic or something."
"Speaking of--lets get a bite when we can. I gotta treat my lady to some good food."