2025-09-14: Stronger Together
- Log: Stronger Together
- Cast: Shinjiro Aragaki, Fuuka Yamagishi
- Where: Iwatodai Dormitory, Iwatodai
- OOC Date: September 14, 2025
- IC Date: July 11, 2012
- Summary: Fuuka arrives at the dorms first again to find Shinjiro on his first full day as part of SEES agin. They talk about cooking, SEES, and how to support each other.
<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.
It is after school in Iwatodai. A nice warm day in the dormitory, but the air conditioning is on to keep it cool and not blazing hot.
The kitchen has finally been set up, even if not yet fully stocked. It's usable, sleek, and with state of the art appliances. It's time to break it in...
And who better than the 'new' recruit, returning after two years?
For the past half hour, Shinjiro has been making okonomiyaki, which he last had during his kitchen confessional with Myunghon. It's obvious and clear, and anyone who tried to enter the kitchen would smell it. It smells *really* good, as he finishes up his portion.
He only made enough for himself right now. He's still getting into the swing of having a kitchen *this* nice, and also isn't comfortable with just making random people food they didn't ask for or help with.
<Pose Tracker> Fuuka Yamagishi has posed.
Fuuka is the kind of person who prefers to stick close to home must of the time. As such she is, usually, one of the first to get back to the dorm on a school day. Even on a day like today when the Gekkoukan Art Club gets together, she often gets back in before the sun starts to set, giving her a good couple of hours by herself in the lobby where she greets everyone as they return from whatever they've been busying themselves with.
Except - the dorm recently received a new-old resident, so when Fuuka returns today, she's surprised to find that she isn't alone.
"Oh, good afternoon, Aragaki-san." Fuuka greets, shutting the door behind her. "...That smells good. What did you make?"
She feels just a little awkward at the moment so she continues,
"Um... have you been settling in alright...?"
<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.
Sadly, Shinjiro has unknowingly destroyed Fuuka's routine by DITCHING SCHOOL AGAIN. He will regret it over his okonomiyaki if he ever finds out.
Speaking of that... Fuuka greets him. "Yo, Yamagishi." A nod of the head.
"This? Pork okonomiyaki. I brought a bag of tenkasu I was saving, so I made it fluffier than usual." He rubs the back of his head, only slightly embarassed about his cooking...
Though, the awkwardness is noticed. "...do you got an issue with me?" he asks, before sighing. He knows she probably doesn't mean harm.
"You can sit here if you want. To answer the question, trying to. Kitchen hadn't been broken in so I had to season some stuff, but it's going to be fine. Room's how I left it, so that was easy enough. I saw you have a sign saying 'no boys allowed' and laughed my ass off, at least." He lifts a hand in the rough direction of the girls' staircase.
That wasn't there when he was there, for the reason that there were only three of them.
"What about you?"
<Pose Tracker> Fuuka Yamagishi has posed.
Pork okonomiyaki - and he even went through the trouble of doing a little extra to it.
"That's incredible... I never would have thought of that." Fuuka comments, impressed. ...She never would have thought of a lot of things, actually.
He asks if she has an issue with him, though - and she suddenly stands up a little straighter, feeling Called Out.
"Oh, no - I was just... surprised to see someone else here this early..." She admits - but when he says she can take a seat, she nods and moves to do so. He was breaking in the kitchen... She frowns just slightly, though, a thoughtful look on her face.
"A kitchen needs to be broken in...?" Fuuka comments, unsure. She nods, though - and laughs, just a little, at his comment. "I'm glad. And... Yes. Thankfully, no one's decided to test it, yet."
He asks about her, then, and she nods.
"Oh, yes. Everyone's been pretty welcoming, so it didn't take me long." Fuuka replies. ...Honestly, she feels more comfortable living here than she has in her own home in some time.
<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.
"Cooking is a lot more about creativity than it is following rules. It's an art, not a science," Shinjiro muses in response as she calls what he did incredible, still a little embarrassed but not unwilling to discuss it.
Though as she feels called out, standing up straighter... "Relax, it's fine. Yeah, I haven't been going to school, so I just spent the day doing some chores."
Though, about the kitchen, as he takes a seat... "Our pans are cast iron and carbon steel. They needed to be seasoned, so I got to it since I don't trust anyone else to do it right."
But about Fuuka herself... "That's good, yeah. There's a lot of people here, so it must be pretty intense, right? I doubt you're all as close as the three of us were." A pause. "You all do anything together for fun, or is it just a lot of individual hobbies?"
<Pose Tracker> Fuuka Yamagishi has posed.
"Oh, I see...." Fuuka remarks, consideringly. More about creativity - an art, not a science... She's good at both of those things! Or at least she'd like to think so. That means she should be good at it, right? ...If only it were that easy...
He says to relax and she nods... and she tries to relax, anyway. She's been doing better ever since moving into the dorm, but it's still difficult for her.
"I didn't know that." Fuuka replies. "I just thought you could buy them and use them as they are."
...Did anyone else know that? Maybe it's a good thing he showed up when he did...
He says that's good and she nods, listening as he continues.
"It certainly can be." She agrees with a nod. Being as close... She considers how to answer that, but decides it'd be better to just be candid. She doesn't have to call anyone out, but... "...No, we aren't. Not really."
She shakes her head.
"If you mean everyone as group, then... No, we haven't - at least not since I've gotten here." She replies. They'll do things together individually, but other than that... "Everyone tends to gather in the lobby after they get back and we chat sometimes, but... other than that, we're doing our own things."
<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.
Fuuka relaxes a bit, or tries to, and Shinjiro nods, relaxing himself as he eats between conversation. About the pans... "Only if they're non-stick, but I wouldn't say they're as good. Can't handle the same level of heat, shorter lifespan..."
About the group, though... "Tch. There's so many here, I'd expect people to spend time together, not be a bunch of lone wolves. Can't win every battle, though. Maybe someone needs to organize something." He's not volunteering.
"...you know, your Persona was pretty helpful. You're the Navigator, right? Along with Kawase. You've got any way of defending yourself, should that little sphere break with you inside it?" He means it well. He's trying to make sure she's not going to be a liability without her Persona.
<Pose Tracker> Fuuka Yamagishi has posed.
"I didn't realize the difference was that significant..." Fuuka replies thoughtfully. Is that something that needs to be done every time? How much of a difference does it make? "We have a lot of people here, so it's important for our tools to be able to weather a lot of use..."
He seems surprised to hear that they don't really spend time together - or maybe just disappointed.
"We do individually, just..." She trails off. There are people here she would consider friends, but just as many people here who wouldn't be seen under the same roof if they didn't have SEES in common. "...Maybe..."
...It's a good idea, honestly. A part of her even wants to. It's just... intimidating, trying to get so many people together. It's different when she's Navigating.
But maybe it shouldn't be.
And speaking of Navigation, he comments on how her Persona was helpful.
"Oh, thank you... Yes, that's correct - Kawase-san and I rotate combat and field Navigation duties so that we both have plenty of experience in either role, should either of us be unavailable." Fuuka explains. He asks her, then, if he has any way of defending herself. She hesitates for a moment...
...But, it is important combat information, so she should speak plainly.
"I don't have any formal training, but I know a few moves for creating space and halting an attacker. But... they're ultimately tactics for buying time. If that does happen, I'll need help." She explains. And that, she owes to her link with Lucia.
<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.
"Cookware is a big deal. Can't half ass it," Shinjiro finishes on that front.
"...tch." Shinjiro is indeed disappointed, not because he necessarily wants to befriend everyone but because he thinks they should be good to each other more than just sharing a roof. "What a pain."
But about the Persona, at least he's more in his element there. "Good. That's the way to do it. Back in the day, it was just Kirijo, and hers isn't as focused."
But about the combat training... she'll need help if that's a problem. "I usually am in the heat of it, but you ever need help in a fight, call out to me. I'll bullrush whoever's in your way."
He nods to her, though. "You're strong for sticking it through. Good work."
<Pose Tracker> Fuuka Yamagishi has posed.
"That makes sense..." Fuuka replies consideringly. She'll definitely keep that in mind. ...She might get the wrong idea at first, but it's at least a good start.
...She doesn't comment on it being a pain or not. It is a little, but... There's only so much she can do. She can't make everyone get along. She's thankful, too, for a topic she can speak on a bit more easily.
She nods.
"Yes, I think so, too. It's been valuable experience for both of us." Fuuka agrees. Mitsuru's Persona... "It must have been difficult with just the three of you..."
Shinjiro says she can call out to him if there's something in her way, and Fuuka offers her a grateful nod.
"Thank you... I'll be counting on you, Aragaki-san." She replies.
...And he says she's strong. She looks sheepish for a moment.
"I don't know about that... I couldn't do anything alone. I'm just doing what I can with what I have. But... Thank you."
<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.
"We never got past the first floor," Shinjiro sheepishly admits. "But we were also middle schoolers. Who knows what we could have done if we started now with these powers?"
A nod to counting on him. "Likewise. If we're to be a team..." As hard as that hurts to be back, he has to accept he needs to work with the others.
But Fuuka denies she's strong. "We're stronger together than we are alone. I was told that by some friends." Even if he still pushes people away... it's better for Fuuka to understand she doesn't need to *be* able to do anything alone. "Don't beat yourself up. Maybe you're the type that works best in a team."
<Pose Tracker> Fuuka Yamagishi has posed.
They were middle schoolers... It's a little hard to think of, honestly, having only gotten to know them now. And just a little worrying - but it's a little too late for that to help at all.
"In that case, you did pretty well for yourselves. Doing any scouting at all at that age is impressive. Even the Shadows on the first floor are dangerous if you take them lightly." Fuuka comments. Who knows, indeed.
She'll count on him - and he'll count on her, too. She nods - and listens as he recounts something he was told.
They're stronger together than alone... She considers that. ...A part of her does feel the need to be able to handle herself, to contribute, do something to justify her being here...
"You might be right... Thank you, Aragaki-san. I'll remember that." She says, offering him a small smile. Internalizing it is another thing, but she'll try.
<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.
"I've never met a non-dangerous Shadow," Shinjiro muses, nodding. "Well, that I can think of. I've met weird things that might not be dangerous, but you get me."
As she thanks him, though, he nods. "No problem. Glad to have given you something to chew on." He finishes his plate, making sure it's done before standing up.
"I'll go put this away. Take care, Yamagishi."
And then, he's off back to the kitchen.