2026-10-18: Getting Away
- Log: Getting Away
- Cast: Kanae Fuyuki, Kazusa Motojima
- Where: Yugawara
- OOC Date: October 18, 2026
- IC Date: Saturday, January 26, 2013
- Summary: Kazusa and Kanae have arrived in Yugaware for their overnight stay. They head for a hot spring said to have healing properties, and while there they discuss a wide range of topics.
(|================================ Okina City ================================|)
-====================================== Other Japan/Almost the Countryside ====-
An hour from the western wards of Tokyo by high speed train, Okina City is an
obvious middle ground between the extreme urbanization of the Greater Tokyo
Metropolis Area and living in the countryside.
The ultramodern shopping district of boutiques and cafes is a favorite, offering
options that you'd have no chance of seeing in small town life. Here, country
boys try their luck hitting on city girls near the 30-frame movie theater, more
often than not striking out as they're plenty familiar with this kind of
attention. For people here with more noble intentions, there are cram schools
and so many other opportunities not afforded by sticking to one's country town.
For most people from Tokyo, Okina City is merely a stop, but for people living
out in the country, it remains their only taste of escape.
<Pose Tracker> Kanae Fuyuki has posed.
A small town some distance from Tokyo, Yugawara is far enough to be out of the city but close enough to be a day trip. The JR Tokaido line for a little under two hours is enough to get there, and it's notable for its historic sites... and more to the point, for its hot springs. It has great views of the bay, but getting those on short notice would'v been more than either Kazusa or Kanae were planning to spend. But there's room for them at a small ryoukan that has an onsen, and they say that the waters are not only pleasant and smooth on the skin but promote hastened recovery from injury.
That's good for Kanae, since she did take a nasty cut in the fight--thanks to Persona healing, it looks largely healed, but it still might scar by her collarbone. She stands out in any case, even at the washing station where a few people might assume she doesn't know what to do, being an obvious foreigner..
But that's not actually true. She does!
The springs are not empty; there's some others present. But they get a corner to themselves where they can talk quietly. Right now, Kanae is just putting her long hair up in a quick bun...
"Over there," Kanae suggests to Kazusa, tilting her head toward that corner.
"...surprised you could get us a spot on such short notice at all," she comments when she finishes with her hair.
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
At the very least, it's a peaceful ride, and Kazusa has time enough to do something on the train that Kanae probably doesn't see her do very often: she's got a sketchbook in her lap. (She'll still chat with Kanae along the way, of course.)
She can't really draw landscapes in a moving train, but maybe she'll have time enough later to do some sketching.
But at the hot spring, Kazusa won't argue with with a spring with healing properties. Beyond Persona injuries, her sport is kind of brutal on her body, not that she often lets it show...
Kazusa does not look foreign, of course, as she washes up. And she's familiar with the routine, too, of course. She follows Kanae's eyes towards the corner spot. "Yeah."
There's a shrug as she puts her hair up in a bun, though it's kind of awkward. "I had to look at a few different places," she admits. "... and I still didn't find two rooms at the same place..." she grumbles. "Sorry about that."
She makes her way over to the corner. She's favoring one leg, though she tries not to let it show.
<Pose Tracker> Kanae Fuyuki has posed.
Peaceful!! That's good. Kanae for her part mostly just relaxes on the trip over, though she does have a portable game system and some headphones that she doesn't end up needing at first. She also has her camera--and, before the springs, non-uniform clothes. Kanae's outfit for the day is a nice black dress with a pink jacket over, with flats. Now, of course, she isn't wearing that because they're in the spring.
So, Kanae is the one to get a few looks while Kazusa doesn't so much. Kanae is used to it anyway.
She keeps her towel, but obviously she'll keep it out of the water. She, perhaps unlike Kazusa with more wealth, is used to public baths.
"I'm not worried about that," Kanae says. "We're both girls, so it's cool unless you snore." Pause. "Do you snore?"
Kanae does notice Kazusa favoring one leg. "Looks like you really could use the chance to relax," she says. "Here, you sit down first." She offers a hand if Kazusa wants to steady herself getting in.
Kanae looks a little different without her makeup, as it happens.
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
Kazusa opted for a stylish dark green dress, a cream-colored sweater, tights, and ankle boots--though obviously, she's not wearing those now either.
Kazusa doesn't do them as often, no, but 'not as often' doesn't mean 'never.'
Kanae says it's cool, since they're both girls, and Kazusa nods. "Alright." But at the question she lets out a small huff. "And how would I know that? Besides I'm way too refined for that."
That's not a no.
The leg Kazusa is favoring, until earlier, had some tape wrapped around the ankle. Obviously, she took it off for the bath. "It'll be okay, it's just... practice."
She stares at the offered hand for a moment before sharply turning away. "It's fine," she says a little too quickly. "I can manage."
And she does, though she's gritting her teeht as she slips into the water, and she lets out a little hiss when she sits back.
<Pose Tracker> Kanae Fuyuki has posed.
Kanae laughs softly. "Sure, sure," she says of the snoring. "I guess I'll just have to find out." She is not worried about it, really. Sharing a room with another girl is if anything kind of welcome, considering.
But... Practice. "Practice is rough," Kanae reflects then. "I don't usually have to get taped up after Tennis Club."
Still... Kazusa of course is not willing to accpt help. So, "All right."
Kanae steps into the water next. Probably she should've gotten herself used to it first, but...
"Aaah," she says instead, immediately relieved by the heat and the water. "That is so much better," she says, and leans back against the wall of the spring.
"..."
"...So, how's 'getting away from things' going for you so far?"
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
By the same token, just spending time with someone is welcome for Kazuas, even if she'll never say it outright. Kazusa arches an eyebrow. "Do you snore?"
"... yeah," Kazusa says quietly. "... but that's just how rhythmic gymnastics is. If you want to be at the top, you have to drill every little thing." She sighs a moment later. "... can I be honest with you?"
Kazusa is willing to accept help, just not... help that involves holding another girl's hand. Not that it means anything, obviously.
She took a little slower, but soon she's finally relaxing. The tension melts out of her shoulders as she closes her eyes for a moment. "... I really needed this..."
She considers that for a moment. "... pretty good, honestly. Just the chance to be away from everybody staring, or gossiping..." She looks up to the sky. "... what about you?"
<Pose Tracker> Kanae Fuyuki has posed.
"No," Kanae says with some amusement. "I'm apparently a dream to sleep near."
But it's how it is... "You might as well be," honest that is, "Considering. That's the sort of friend you go out to a bath with." But of course, it doesn't mean anything--well, it doesn't for Kanae, though she suspects it might for Kazusa. She's being delicate about things for that reason.
"Me, too."
But? "...Mm, yeah." Kanae's not entirely away from the gossiping wherever she goes, but...
"I feel good about it. I like going places. And I like hot springs. I just get to go to the regular baths, usually."
"...I'm still gtting used to the idea that we're done with all that drama."
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
Kazusa gives Kanae a funny look. "'A dream to sleep near'? What?" What a weird way to phrase it, in Kazusa's mind.
But the type of friend... Well, Kazusa did pitch 'a weekend trip' on awfully short notice, huh? She reflects on that a moment and then nods. "Right, well... If I'm being honest.... I kind of hate it." Rhytmic gymnastics, that is.
Kazusa doesn't really know what it means to her, which is kind of the problem.
Kazusa's only considering the school rumors, at the moment. Sorry, Kanae.
"Going places is nice, yeah... I spend a lot of time in my studio, but... it's nice to spend some time outside of it, too..."
"Tell me about it... I know the..." Her eyes flick over to the other people in the spring before lowering her voice. "... I know there's always more 'work' in the future, but I really just want a chance to worry about other things for a while..."
<Pose Tracker> Kanae Fuyuki has posed.
"Yeah. I don't steal blankets or anything."
Kanae powers through. It was short notice, but Kanae didn't have much else to do this weekend, really. And now, she's learning things! "...Ah," she says. "Well, that sucks. Having to put that much work into something you don't even like doing..."
"You should get out more," Kanae opines. "Having a studio is nice, but getting out into the world is a good thing."
'Work'. "mm-hm," Kanae says. "Well, in that case... Let's worry about normal things, instead."
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
Kazusa nods. "Well, good then." And now that's something Kazusa is worried she might do. Also potential snoring.
... that's just what she needs, to invite Kanae on a trip and then treat her horribly while she's not even awake enough to realize it.
"I used to like it... but it's just... work. Something always hurts, and I hate having to watch what I eat all the time..." She closes her eyes for a moment. "But I can't quit, so..."
"I should," she agrees, of getting out more. "I just... need all the time I can get to work on my art."
"Normal things. Right. Like..." she trails off a bit.
So much of her life doesn't feel normal, sometimes, she's struggling to pick a topic.
<Pose Tracker> Kanae Fuyuki has posed.
They'll have separate blankets Kanae's pretty sure. But she has to joke about relationship stuff if she's going to keep feeling lighthearted about it. ...Well, somewaht lighthearted.
"Mm," Kanae says. "Sport... is supposed to be something you enjoy. It's supposed to be a passion, not an obligation. I'm sorry you're stuck with it."
Working on her art... "Your art's good," she says. "It's worth focusing on."
But normal things...
"Heheh, we haven't had a chance to focus on those in a while, huh? I dunno. Grades. Exams. School." Pause. "...Relationships that are with actual people."
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
Nobody said Kazusa's worries all had to be rational. But relationships are... something Kazusa (and her Homunculus) have admitted she doesn't ahve a lot of experience with.
Kazusa is quiet for a long moment. "... thanks,"she says after a long moment. "I... I appreciate it." It feels weird having someone be sympathetic to her concerns. Good, but weird. "How's Tennis Club treating you? With... everything that's happened?"
'Your art's good. It's worth focusing on.'
o/~ o/~ o/~
There's actually a small little smile, and Kazusa looks off at something else for a moment. "... thanks."
"I dunno. I could do with less school, honestly." But she's silent when Kanae mentions relationships. "... mmm." She keeps her voice neutral. "... so, you're thinking about looking for another boyfriend?"
<Pose Tracker> Kanae Fuyuki has posed.
"You're welcome," Kanae says, though it admittedly feels strange to say about a thing as small as caring that Kazusa is having a rough time. It's not something she's going to press too far on at the moment, anyway. Instead she says, "It's good. Isabeau and I are almost back to normal, even."
That is to say, fighting.
But Kanae smiles when Kazusa seems happy. It's good.
"I guess," Kanae says. "But school's what got me out to Tokyo. I... appreciate it a lot."
Is she? "I mean, probably letting one find me," she muses, "But yeah. One way or another, I'm thinking I'll dip my toes back into dating."
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
Sometimes it's the small things that make a differeence. But she and Isabeau are almost back to normal. "Ahh. Well, then I'll hope for you two not getting tossed out of practice."
Yes, both of them. Not just Kanae.
"Really?" Kazusa looks at Kanae curiously. "... how'd it do that?" After a moment she asks, "... where were you before?"
If she chastised herself for not knowing Shinichi any better when that information would've helped, maybe... she can rectify tht by taking an interest now.
Letting someone find her. "Ah. Well... good luck, I guess." Is that a thing you wish luck for? Probably after... everything with Shinichi's Homunculus it is, right?
The last time Kazusa--or at least, something piloting her body--brought up dating it was... very awkward. Kazusa looks up again, feeling a bit pensive. She's not sure how to broach the topic.
<Pose Tracker> Kanae Fuyuki has posed.
"Ha, yeah. Hopefully." Kanae catchse taht it's both of them.
"I applied to Shujin," Kanae explains, "And came out here for school. ...I was in a small town called Inaba, before, living with my aunt and uncle. That's where I ended up after my parnets died when I was little."
She quiets after that, shaking her head. "...Anyway," she says. "Thanks! I might need it to end up with somebody decent."
But Kazusa... Is pensive. "Hm?" Kanae asks. "...If there's something you're wondering, you can ask me. Like I said, not hiding much right now."
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
"Ahh." Kazusa looks to Kanae. "What made you pick Shujin? Just... curious." It's not her favorite school, but, she's trying to keep an open mind. Inaba... "Oh, yeah, I think I've heard of that place. What's it like?"
"... yeah. I bet."
But when Kanae presses, Kazusa shrugs a little. "... I dunno. Dating's not... well, you know. I've never been on one. I've thought about it but it just never... seems to click into place, I guess."
<Pose Tracker> Kanae Fuyuki has posed.
"Good school, not too far from the French district around here..." She looks wry, "Had an Olympian on staff. I regretted that one."
But Inaba. "It's small," Kanae says. "Not all bad, but the kids didn't have a lot of time for the dark-skinned hafu."
5rIt's more fun to talk about dating! for her, at least. "That's OK," Kanae says. "Not everybody's into it at this age, right? If you just haven't met anybody you're into, that's not even unusual."
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
"Yeaaah, that one..." Kazusa makes a face. "... the French district is at least nice, right?"
"Ah." And there's the hafu thing again. Kazusa can't say she hasn't noticed, of course, but... it's not something she's considered all that much. "... guess that makes things kinda hard sometimes, huh?"
Not everybody... Kazusa sinks into the water a little bit more. "It kind of feels that way, though..." That everybody is into it. "Waka-chan loves going and seeing romance movies..."
It might be easy to infer that Kazusa doesn't, given how she reacted the last time, or how she's bringing it up now.
<Pose Tracker> Kanae Fuyuki has posed.
"Oh, it's great. Really nice. I get to practice my French a lot, too."
"A lot of the time," Kanae says. "People just... don't like people who are 'different'. And I'm visibly different."
"...Your friends do," she says. "That's OK."
Kanae looks up. "But you don't. ...That's OK."
"You don't have to."
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
Kazusa blinks. "Oh, yeah. I guess you'd want someone to practice that with, huh..." You know, when it doesn't coincide with fighting with Isabeau. Kazusa lets her gaze drift away a little. "... I've been thinking about learning French," she admits, quietly. "So if I did, maybe we could... practice together?"
"... I wasn't that much different from them," Kazusa admits, though the truth of it makes her uncomfortable. "If it hadn't been for... you know."
Nearly losing her life to a supernatural doppleganger of her. What does that say about hre, that it took something that serious to start taking a serious look at herself?
Kanae reassures her it's okay, but... "... I still kind of want to, though... I just... I dunno."
<Pose Tracker> Kanae Fuyuki has posed.
"Have you?" Kanae says. "Sure. I can help you," she says, since to her mind that's more of what it is to start, at least. "And once you get good, we can talk more in it."
"What draws you to it?"
Then, "No, you weren't." Kanae can be blunt sometimes. This is one of those times. "But now you are. I'm more interested in who you are now than who you used to be--the girl in front of me."
"Hmm..."
"Well, if you figure out what you don't know," Kanae says, "Let me know, OK?"
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
"Thanks. Or, uh... Merci, I guess?" Her pronunciation needs some work, but she's trying. She looks sheepish. "I... might've started with an app already..."
A small shrug. "I mean..." There's a quiet huff, although this one is more performative, trying to sound dismissive. "... if you and Fontaine-san are going to spend half your time yelling at each other in French you can at least do us the courtesy of translating."
There are actually other reasons, though. But some of them feel too embarrassing to day.
Kazusa nods silently. Ann basically said the same thing to her, not so long ago. "Thanks. Just... call me out if I slip out, okay? I don't... want to go back to being that way."
Which means she's scared she might.
"Mmm... I will." She thinks for a moment. "Can... I ask you something? You don't have to answer, if you don't want to."
<Pose Tracker> Kanae Fuyuki has posed.
"Thanks is cool," Kanae answrs. "But 'Merci' is nice too." Her pronunciation is obviously better, but it's meant to be helpful rather than rub Kazusa's nose in it. "Oh yeah? I guess you start wherever you start. That's cool."
"Heheheh. Don't count on that one," Kanae laughs back.
But the other...? Hmmm.
"I will," Kanae says. "Trust me. I don't like that kind of person--I used to contribute to that kind of thing, too. ...I'd just let it go, so I wouldn't rock the boat, become the next target."
"Well, no more."
Then, "Sure," she says. "I'll tell you if it's something I don't want to say."
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
"Merci," Kazusa repeats, obviously just trying to imitate Kanae's pronunciation. "I'll... keep working on it." She nods. "It was easier to fit into my schedule than finding a class," she admits, of the app.
A roll of her eyes. "I figured. So I'll just do it myself."
Kazusa looks skeptical for a moment when Kanae says she used to contribute--but then thoughtful as she explains. "Oh. Huh. Well... that's what you're 'supposed' to do, isn't it? To not stand out? Though I guess in your case that's... harder... um, no offense. Sorry." She's actively trying to work through it, even if it comes out awkwardly sometimes.
But questions... it takes Kazusa a moment to figure out how to formulate things. "... how do you know... um..." She frowns. "... if it's a good match I guess? Or... how do you go about, you know, finding someone?"
<Pose Tracker> Kanae Fuyuki has posed.
"Cool." Kanae takes the admission in stride since, "No, that's fine. Doing stuff on your phone is cool."
But indeed. No such luck.
"It is," Kanae says. "And... you're right. It's harder. ...It's OK; I just... don't talk about it that much. Most people don't understand. But since we're friends, I'd like it if you could."
"...Honestly?" Kanae says. "You kinda don't. You just... find somebody you like, and start going out with them. Then, as you get to know them better, you find out whether it's going to work."
"There's no way to just know at the outset."
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
"Cool. And... you can correct me on all the things the app gets wrong, now."
Kazusa nods slowly. "I'd... like to understand, if you're willing to talk about it. If I'm trying to become a better person, then... I should understand my friend better, right?"
You just find somebody you like. "I don't even know what I like," Kazusa admits. She'd sink into the water more but she's already sunk as low as she can while keeping her head above the water. "... well, whatever. After everything at school, I'm not sure anybody would be interested in me anyway."
Or she's skeptical of those that might be, like Yasushi, but Kazusa won't mention him for now.
"... So what are you looking for?" Maybe discussing someone else's love life instead of her own will be better.
<Pose Tracker> Kanae Fuyuki has posed.
"Sure."
But Kazusa wants to understand... Kanae reaches up to tap at her own cheek, thinking. "OK," she says. "Then, I'll remember that."
"That's OK," Kanae says. "You kind of... Well, for me, I just know it when I see it. From there I can say what it is."
"...Maybe," Kanae says. "You have to wtch out, though--just because they're interested in you doesn't mean they've got good intentions."
Still, "...I want a guy who isn't afraid to stand up for what he thinks. Somebody athletic, and strong. ...Somebody who's willing to be on the 'other side' from somebody, but cares about my feelings."
"...Tall doesn't hurt. But it's not really a hard requirement."
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
"Cool." Kazusa already compromised on dinner, so... she's learning!
There's just kind of a long, silent frown as Kanae says you just know it when you see it. That both is and isn't helpful to Kazusa.
"... yeah, I know." Given her (lack) of popularity and what the kids were saying when the Homunculus pressed her up against the wall...
But, Kanae knows what she likes. "Mmm. That sounds nice, I guess." Even if it isn't quite resonating with her.
She watches the horizon for a long while. "... what if... I never find a guy I like..." Shje seems really worried about that possibility.
For some reason.
<Pose Tracker> Kanae Fuyuki has posed.
It's all there is! Kanae doesn't have a more scientific method to offer. Still...
"Should be. I might get surprised, too. You never know what's there in somebody. ...You just take a chance, I guess."
But what if...?
Kanae looks out for a while, too. "..."
"...Then I guess you save yourself a big set of headaches."
"...It's fine. Maybe we can talk more about it later.. I think we're starting to get funny looks."
"I could stand to just relax a little..."
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
"mmm... I guess..." Kazusa sounds dubious, but she also has no experience.
"... yeah." She has enough headaches to worry about, so that's probably fine.
She glances over at the rest of the hot spring participants before looking back to Kanae. "... yeah, later."
She shifts around to reposition herself. "... yeah. It's too bad we only have the one night here..."
... Maybe there's somethign to be done about that. But that's something to worry about later. For now, Kazusa will focus on trying to soak up all the healing minerals.