2026-11-05: Striking Back
- Log: Striking Back
- Cast: Arisu Aizawa, Ririka Kawase
- Where: Gekkoukan High School - Classroom Building
- OOC Date: November 05, 2026
- IC Date: Monday, February 04, 2013
- Summary: Arisu is back and school, and... she's a lot more confident than before. Ririka finds this out when she goes to check on the formerly-missing girl, but learns the startling truth of her disappearance: a new kind of supernatural space.
- Content Warning: Threatened eye injury
(|================ Gekkoukan High School - Classroom Building ================|)
-======================================= Iwatodai City/Tatsumi Port Island ====-
Gekkoukan High School features a rich and lavish atrium which blends modern and
classical architecture, with wide-open windows welcoming students into an
entrance hall with massive Grecian pillars and an impressive stained-glass wall
at its other end. The Sword and Staff Statues displayed prominently here are a
popular meet-up point! Here, as well, one can find the event bulletin board,
various faculty and club rooms, the nurse's office... and most importantly, the
school store, where one can buy Gekkoukan's various popular breads. A classical
stone corridor outside passes by a beloved Persimmon tree in a garden where
students can relax on benches, before leading students to the gymnasium, where
one can enjoy the indoor swimming pool and running track available here.
Up the stairs, the halls are sleek and modern, with diamond- and square-tiled
flooring and traditional sliding doors. Corkboards on the hall walls are
decorated with a dozen club posters, advertising the many after-school
activities available to students here, and water fountains at the end of the
hall are available to quench one's thirst. Inside the classrooms, one finds more
of that square tiling, on which stand desks and chairs two a row. A raised
podium allows teachers to lecture behind a blackboard or a projector screen
which can be pulled down to display their slides, while a desk off to the side
at the front of the class gives them a place to seat themselves down. The
windows are wide and expansive, covering an entire wall; there are windows
leading out into the hall, as well, and they can be slid back for the curious to
peek into the classroom. The back of the room features a second blackboard,
alongside shelving for books. (And... manga? Who put those here...?)
AS: Hana Fukami has readied for combat as Lady Rokujo! She is now fully healed! AS: Ririka Kawase has readied for combat as Amphion! She is now fully healed! AS: Ririka Kawase has readied for combat as Amphion! She is now fully healed! AS: Suzume Fukura has readied for combat as Atalanta! She is now fully healed! Hana Fukami says, "suzume!"
AS: Ririka Kawase has readied for combat as Amphion! She is now fully healed! AS: Suzume Fukura has readied for combat as Atalanta! She is now fully healed! Suzume Fukura says, "I dunno, it seems fine to me this way"
AS: Suzume Fukura has readied for combat as Atalanta! She is now fully healed!
<Pose Tracker> Arisu Aizawa has posed.
It has been a few days since Arisu disappeared from Gekkoukan High School. Between the police, the school, and concerned parties, no one was able to really find the girl after when she supposedly ran away. It was just one of those things that could turn into a ghost story or urban legend if given enough time to fester.
However, Arisu Aizawa came to school today, sending an uproar throughout the campus. The girl who was supposedly spirited away just arrived to school this morning like nothing had happened. The school did call her to the office to answer for her whereabouts but nothing came of the chat, leaving more questions than answers.
But there was another mystery now.
Those who talked to Arisu found something off about the once kind, mousey girl. It was like talking to a different person for many of those who knew of Arisu. She was less high strung. She seemed chipper, confident, and a lot more relaxed than she was before.
But then again, her friend Ai Sakurai was also acting strange so maybe it was just them.
As the day comes to an end, Arisu exits her classroom and begins to head toward the club rooms. She is dressed in a brand new uniform, adding to the feeling that this was a new version of Arisu. She half smiles as she moves toward her destination, stopping in her tracks when her path is blocked by two other girls.
"So you're back, Aizawa...You get tired of people feeling sorry for you?" A-ko says, snickering as she moves to knock Arisu's things out of her hands. B-Ko, the other bully, is just grinning as she continues to block the way forward.
Arisu moves her stuff out of the way of her bully swipes. She doesn't seem to be as upset as she was before. She almost seems amused by all of this.
<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.
As it happens, Ghost stories are sort of in the remit of SEES, after a fashion. Ririka had been concerned when Arisu seemingly went missing. She'd checked Tartarus with Fuuka, of course, just in case, with no luck...
But she'd definitely heard about Arisu coming back to school today. It's a relief, though it doesn't explain where she was.
She must be going through a hard time, Ririka thinks. Would she have a lot of people fussing over her? Should Ririka add on to the pile? Maybe it'd be better to give her some space...?
... No, she should at least say hi. Show Arisu a friendly face.
Ririka leaves her own classroom at the end of the day, and makes for the club rooms, hoping to find Arisu along the way. She does spot Arisu, but then also spots a too-familiar pair of girls. Ririka starts to step forward, but then stops mid-stride, blinking.
The sound of a sewing machine, weaving through the background noise of the bustling hallways. And it's coming from...
Ririka stares at Arisu in confusion, forgetting to act for a moment as sh puzzles out the new Resonance.
<Pose Tracker> Arisu Aizawa has posed.
"You're in my way" Arisu says flatly as she stares at her two bullys. She doesn't seem as afraid of them. She is actually smiling, almost smugly at the two girls.
"Oh? We're in your way?" A-ko almost laughs before she shoves Arisu into a wall, glaring at her. "Listen here, Bitch. I don't know what you thought you were doing running away but you got us in trouble with your little stunt." A-Ko yanks on Arisu's hair, meeting eyes with the girl. B-Ko spots Ririka and frowns. "Hey that girl with the picture is back."
"I don't care. This bitch got us dealing with the police so she can stick her picture up her as---"
Arisu suddenly seizes her bully by her collar, leaning forward as she brandishes a sewing needle next to A-Ko's eye. Arisu uses her body and her reputation as an honor student to her advantage here. Who would believe this troublemaker on what was about to happen.
"So here's whats going to happen. We're going to go our separate ways. Smoke. Date Adults for all I care...Because if you don't I'm going to give you a scar. Nothing drastic because I'm not a monster. But you'll know who gave it to you. Every time you look in the mirror."
A-ko's eye widens, seeing the needle just centimeters from fulfilling Arisu's threat. "Y,you think you're some kinda badass? Maybe I go get a teacher!"
"And tell them the girl you've been messing with...the quiet one who follows all the rules...is threatening you?" Arisu smiles and shakes her head. "Now who is the tattle tale?" She keeps the needle steady, smiling darkly at her bully. "Go tell and I'll make sure they know you're smoking on school grounds."
"O,ok! Fine. Psycho."
Arisu pats A-ko's cheek as she lets her go and shoots a smile to B-ko.
After a few moments, the girls leave, leaving Arisu quickly. She spots Ririka and waves slightly. "Oh. Hey."
<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.
The girl with the picture. Ririka stands up a little straighter as she's spotted, ready to step in, but blinks in surprise as Arisu takes very sudden action.
A needle near the eye. "Wha--" Ririka's eyes fly open in alarm. Okay that's way too much, right!? But Arisu seems to be handling herself... and they started it??
She watches as A-Ko and B-ko run off, fingers tapping out a melody on her thigh as she hums to herself, trying to sort out what she's seen.
Her attention suddenly focuses on Arisu as she says hi. "Uh, h-hey. I was... gonna step in, but... seems like you have it handled?" She studies Arisu for a moment. "How... are you feeling? I was worried, when I'd heard you went missing."
This doesn't feel like a Homunculus situation--she remembers Taro's signature clearly. But she knows Arisu's Resonance wasn't nearly this strong hte last time they talked...
<Pose Tracker> Arisu Aizawa has posed.
Arisu tilts her head, a little confused by the reaction. Maybe she went too far. Maybe. She didn't really have it in her to care anymore. Stuff like this felt so minor when there were things out there like she had seen. "Thank you for your concern" She smiles at Ririka's offer, nodding as she leans against the wall.
"I'm fine...Yeah I'm sorry to have worried everyone but I had...something come up." She doesn't elaborate because how do you tell someone you were in a parallel dimension with demons and not deal with questions. All things considered, Arisu seems very calm and upbeat...something she wasn't last time.
"Thank you for last time though." She bows her head, unsure of what else to really tell this girl. It wasn't like she would understand this like Coin or Kanae....actually those two understood things more than she did so expecting that of Ririka was a tall ask.
<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.
Maybe a little too far. At least Arisu didn't actually, you know, follow through. So there's that? Ririka nods a little. "You're welcome." She offers a tentative smile back.
"Yeah, I... bet you've been through a lot, huh?" If her hunch was right, that was... a definite understatement. "I'm just... glad you're okay."
Last time. "Oh, of course. I'm glad I was able to help." Ririka keeps tapping at her thigh for a moment and then takes a step closer. "Actually, there's something I'd like to ask you. Do you have a moment? Maybe we can find somewhere quieter..."
<Pose Tracker> Arisu Aizawa has posed.
Would she have followed through? That is the question that Arisu is only sort of certain of. Not because of social norms, mind you. It was more the pain in the ass such an action would cause. Arisu's reputation could only carry so much.
"Yeah...it was a lot." Arisu says flatly, still smiling at the other girl. She watches the other girl with amusement. If she only knew the hell that Arisu had been through.
"Hmm? Sure. I don't think Bebe will be in the club room today so it will just be us." Arisu gestures for Ririka to follow her down the stairs and to the Fashion Club room. After a leisurely stroll, Arisu opens the door for Ririka before moving to her mannequin, which has a costume currently pinned to it. As the girl begins to work, she looks up at Ririka. "So what can I help you with?" She moves around the costume, pinning pieces of fabric into place as she occasionally looks up.
<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.
Ririka would be oh so worried if she knew that was the reason holding Arisu back from following through on her threat. (She's already somewhat concerned.)
She might understand more than you think, Arisu.
"If that works for you, then, sure..." She'll follow along, and take a look around the Fashion Club room to make sure they're actually alone.
Arisu offers to help her and Ririka lets out a small, nervous laugh. "A-actually, I was going to ask you that. Aizawa-san, does the word 'Persona' mean anything to you?"
<Pose Tracker> Arisu Aizawa has posed.
Arisu pauses when she hears the word, looking up at Ririka. It takes her a moment but she repeats the word as she sets a pin into the costume.
That word....Arisu knew it from a few places. First there were Coin and Fuyuki, who seemed to know a lot about the world she had found herself into. Next was the mysterious voice that said the word just before Arisu summoned Van Helsing for the first time.
So when Ririka mentions it, Arisu stops finally and considers the other girl.
It takes her a moment but a cool smile creeps onto Arisu's face as she meets eyes with the other girl. "Oh ho....I guess you know about it too. Well that makes things easy." Arisu says as she sets her pin cushion down and further considers the question.
"I don't really know much but I met a couple of people after I got out of the...place I was. I don't have the words memorized yet but Persona...yeah that's what they called that power I manifested. Hmmm, so I guess that means I can talk freely about this, yes?"
<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.
Ririka can be patient, waiting as Arisu considers the word. (Okay, not exactly patient. She's still drumming on her thigh some. But that's fine for a musician, right?
"Yeeep. I do," Ririka confirms. "I... well, I can sense something is different about you, so... I'm guessing you didn't exactly run away from home."
A couple of people... "Oh yeah? Who? If you don't mind me asking." But the place... Ririka frowns. "What was it like? Was it a tall tower, or... a weird subway system?" She's thinking of Tartarus and Mementos. It could be an Atelier, but she doesn't know of an open one at the moment.
"You can talk about it with me, though, I'd be careful not to talk about it with other people who aren't Awakened--that is, someone who's able to summon a Persona."
<Pose Tracker> Arisu Aizawa has posed.
"I never left school." Arisu adds, sitting down across from Ririka. "I just sort of ended up there...at this place."
"They called themselves Fuyuki and Coin and they filled me in on some of it. Granted, it was a lot to take in so I'm still not very clear on a lot of it." Arisu taps the side of her head, noting the tapping by Ririka finally.
She considers the next question. "No. It wasn't like that at all....It was a convention. A very dark, messed up one filled with these creatures who held me captive." She tilts her head as she stares at Ririka. "They made me sew and handle costumes....usually I'd be in my element but they worked me to the bone."
"Hmmm...So don't tell the normies about the hell convention that I got teleported to....actually not far from where you're sitting." Arisu smiles at the thought. "No I think I'll just keep it to myself unless someone comes up to me like you did. I'm guessing you have a way to detect the power?"
<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.
'I never left school.' "Wha--" Ririka straightens up, looking alarmed. "W-wait, really?" Ririka frowns, muttering to herself. "... but we checked Tartarus..." Out loud she says, "Can you describe it?"
Ririka's just keeping time to a melody, it's fine. But Arisu hasn't retained a lot, it seems. "That's... understandable. Supernatural experiences can be pretty overwhelming..." Fuyuki and Coin, though...
"A messed-up convention..." That's... puzzling. Definitely not Tartarus, then. A palace, maybe? No, but they couldn't have missed a palace at Gekkoukan...
"... that sounds terrible. I'm sorry they put you through that."
"Pretty much," Ririka confirms. "Normal people normally forget about the supernatural when they've been exposed to it anyway, so... it's better not to tell them about it, i case that stops being true."
Not far from-- Ririka jumps a little, whirling around and looking as she reaches out with what little of her senses she can access right now. "Is--is it still here? Could someone else get drawn inside like you were...?"
"... Yeah. It might be a bit much to get into right now, but... my abilities help me sense supernatural things. But I'm not sensing..."
Maybe she needs to summon Amphion? But she can't do that until the Dark Hour, and by then the school doesn't... exist.
<Pose Tracker> Arisu Aizawa has posed.
Arisu doesn't react when Ririka seems confused by what she's saying. She takes in a sharp breath as she considers what she is learning. While Kawase seems to know some of what Arisu went through, she doesn't know everything. "Tartarus?" Arisu repeats, not recognizing the word in the slightest.
"Hmmm it was like a night club but it was definitely a cosplay convention... a weird one but..."
Arisu shrugs at the sympathy, smiling darkly at her friend. "I dunno...while the experience was terrible, it was...eye opening."
"So people forget about this...I'm guessing if they "awaken" then it is different?"
Arisu doesn't react when Ririka jumps. She just continues to watch the other girl. "I don't know....my friend who was with me. I checked on her when I got back and she didn't fall into there so I have no idea."
Arisu recalls Coin asking if her friend was acting weird. Today, Arisu confirmed that she was....way too chipper. Almost manic.
When Ririka mentions not sensing anything, Arisu sighs and taps her fingers on a table. "I guess Fuyuki and Coin might be the experts here....Hunters."
<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.
Ririka blinks and looks a bit embarrassed at letting the word slip. "Uh... let... me... circle back to that. I don't want to ovewhelm you with too much at once. Did Fuyuki and Coin warn you about something called the Dark Hour?"
"Night club and cosplay convention... okay, that's definitely not any place I'm familiar with."
Ririka might miss social cues sometimes. But she's not sure what to make of that smile. She's pretty confident that's not a normal thing to not understand.
... she hopes it's not a normal thing to not understand.
"I'll. bet," she says of eye opening, a little uncertain.
"Your friend didn't fall in... that's good." Maybe whatever it is only wants certain people, or... certain kinds of people? She has nowhere near enough information to make a conjecture.
Ririka frowns thoughtfully. "Hunters... hmm. Do you have a way to contact them? I actually know a number of other Persona Users at this school, if there's something happening at Gekkoukan, I'm sure the others would like to help."
<Pose Tracker> Arisu Aizawa has posed.
Arisu smiles at Ririka slipping up. It was kinda cute that she was slipping up this much. She nods when the Dark Hour is mentioned. "Yeah. They mentioned it was dangerous to be without a Persona during the Dark Hour."
There is something dark about Arisu. It didn't seem particularly dangerous but it was definitely a feeling she was generating in people. Honestly, Arisu couldn't really care less about freaking out people with her new outlook. That said, she was trying not to put off Ririka since she had helped Arisu before.
She nods in agreement when her friend is mentioned. "Yes. Though I'm told that this might have something to do with her. I won't know until I meet them again."
"I do. Fuyuki-san gave me her number to discuss things when I was feeling better. I can see if they don't mind if you tag along. I was told there would be others coming too."
<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.
Ririka's puzzled and trying to figure out a new thing!
... Also she's talking with a girl who just threatened to stick a needle in another girl's eye.
"Yeah, they're right about that. Just... don't be at the school in the Dark Hour either." Though the school is usually pretty good about getting things locked up after hours, at least.
"Something to do with her... can I ask your friend's name, then?" Might be worth keeping an eye out.
Ririka nods. "That's good... and it's good to get some rest, too. Can I swap phone numbers with you so you can keep in touch? And I'll let my friends know about what's going on, so they can help."
<Pose Tracker> Arisu Aizawa has posed.
Arisu considers what she's being told. Something happens at school during the Dark Hour. The girl can't help but feel tempted to check that out. That was a later thing though. Right now, they needed to figure out what was up with Ai-chan...Doing that would get Arisu to the excitement she now craved.
"Ai Sakurai...2nd Year like me." Arisu responds, tapping her fingers on the table as she thinks about everything. While she seemed nonchalant about all of this, her expression was somewhat concerned when talking about Ai. It was clear that despite the front she put up, Arisu was concerned about her friend.
"Sure." Arisu takes out her phone and offers it to Ririka. "Not every day some girl gives me her phone number." Arisu jokes, laughing to herself.
<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.
It's a good thing Ririka can't read thoughts. (The Navigator link doesn't count.)
"Ai Sakurai... alright. Thanks." Ririka nods. She considers for a moment... "If she's involved in this somehow, we'll do everything we can to make sure she's okay."
Ririka puts her phone number in for Arisu, texts herself, and hands the phone back. Her own phone chimes a moment later, and sh pulls it out to add Arisu as a contact. She laughs a little at Arisu's comment. "... yeah? I guess today's your lucky day, then."