Shin Megami Tensei Persona: Dissonant Strain (Private RP)

[PresqueVu]

"But you have been restraining yourselves despite it." He offered a small smile. "I must admit I lost my own restraint yesterday and thought back on what I said to you and Ishikawa. I meant it, of course, but I'm sorry for doing it in front of your classmates and friends."

He was glad this was going so well, but worried that he was never going to find out what he wanted to. "It seems you have more friends this term already. I was glad to see you taking Junsui-San under your wing as well. I'm sure it was difficult for her to start in a new and strange place."

 

[ShadowFolk]

She waved her hand saying that it was nothing. "I don't mind at all. Everyone has to let loose sooner or later. You'd go crazy if you didn't." Kumiko smiled back at Yamada. 'He should smile more often. He's so handsome.' her smile then faltered a bit at the mention of the small girl. "Ah, Junsui-san. It's rather difficult to talk to her actually. She's also the type of girl I--nevermind. I wouldn't really say she's under my wing. She more or less just follows you."

'Wait...where is this conversation going? All he wants is idle chat? Kojiro...he asked about Kojiro...No way. He can't be! Then again who hadn't heard about the disaster between me and that prick?'

"I'm sorry, I kind of trailed off there. What were we talking about?"

 

[PresqueVu]

"Either way, it was a very nice gesture. I hate to seem so nosy, but I noticed that all of you disappeared at lunch today, along with Yoshida-San. The four of you are an unlikely group, don't you think? You all seemed rather upset too. I wondered if anything had happened."

There. That was much more to the point. Not totally direct, but he felt he was getting somewhere and wondered, if this went right where they could go to continue the conversation. He felt strange talking about it in the echoing hallway.

"Each of you is very interesting. Two of you have already been offered to join student council and, to be honest, I think you should have been as well. You have very winning social skills and I can't think of anyone that would be better at understanding the needs of the students. I just wanted to speak to you to make sure that everything was alright with both you and your odd band of friends. I thought I'd heard you mentioning before you left that you were going to speak to Seiya-sempai. I thought to just ask her in cram school, but when I saw you here I thought it may be better just to ask."

He smiled again, but it was a bit uncertain, bashful almost. He ha no idea how to properly interact. He'd not spoken with many students at all on a personal level and was finding that when he did he was sort of on eggshells, always worried that he was going to say the wrong thing. It was almost funny to him that students had this effect on him, but he was just fine with adults.

 

[ShadowFolk]

She couldn't help but burst into laughter. 'Odd band of friends.' They were not her friends.
"I'm-I'm sorry," she struggled to speak through her laughing. "I'm not laughing at you." Kumiko cleared her throat and gathered herself once more. "Yeah, we all disappeared at lunch." she thought about it for a moment. There was no way letting information slip would slide by Kojiro. The last thing she wanted was his hands wrapped tightly around her throat. So she lied. "We're all doing our best to get along. What better way than in a social setting, right? You're less inclined to make a butt out of yourself that way. Unless you're Ishikawa. But we're trying." It almost made her feel bad lying to such a nice guy.

"Seiya-senpai?" She crossed her arms to think for a second. 'Time to pull another lie out of my ass. They better be thankful for this. I feel so bad.' "Oh, that!" she whispered. "Don't tell anyone, but I think Isoroku might like Seiya-senpai. He gets this goofy grin every time someone says her name. 'Seiya-senpai, this. Seiya-senpai, that.' They're probably just there for back up. It's really cute."

He had brought her to a zone of discomfort; she had to get out of there. "I have to be on my way. Spas to be pampered in and so little time. I've gotta be a knock-out by tomorrow." she bowed and took off before he could get a word in.

 

[PresqueVu]

He felt his heart sort of twist in his chest at that and wondered what he'd done wrong. He must have for her to have bolted like that. Yoshida has interest in Seiya Sempai? His teeth sort of ground for a moment, then he remembered that he hadn't gone anywhere near her! He'd been practically on the other side of the school talking with the freshmen. He had to admit that Mizushima had been very convincing, but a deep frown etched on his face realizing that she'd lied. What was it the four of them were up to that she had to protect by lying to him?

He tried to be quiet about it but went out after her, glancing around to see where she went. When most people lied, if it was serious and not only for their benefit the would call someone else to tell them of it, keep them in the loop. He wasn't sure if it was that serious, or if she was going to, but this situation was doing nothing but getting more complicated and he didn't like it one bit.

 

[Daren58]

Rin stifled a yawn at Irosoku's words. "Maybe, but I can still come if you want me to, but if not I'll probably just go back to my room and nap."

 

[ShadowFolk]

Kumiko tried to seem as natural as she could walking out of school (though her steps may have been a bit too quick). She had to make at least one thing about her lie true. Taking out her cellphone he dialed up her favorite place to pamper herself, dropped her last name and just like that was pened in for a spot. 'Relieve your stress, Kumi, then do your homework. Just think about tomorrow.'

"Sorry, Yamada-san!" she said to no one.

 

[PresqueVu]

Yamada was very excited at first that it seemed his assumption was totally correct, but then he heard her making an appointment with a spa and sighed heavily. He stood there, upset, in front of the school for a few minutes, trying to decide what he was going to do next. He could let this go and go to cram school like he should, or he could go inside and spy on the others again and maybe get some answers. He watched Mizushima's retreating form, squared his jaw and walked back inside the building, heading right for their classroom again. If they weren't there he'd try that Freshmen class, though he was worried that it was going to be too risky after Freidman notice him earlier.

 

[duckflesh]

Isoroku nodded to Mizushima. "All right. We'll let you know how it goes."

He finished packing his things and slung his bag over his shoulder, by which time she was gone. He had to compose what he wanted to say a few times in his head-- the others seemed to get upset when her referred to Seiya as if she were their prey. He didn't really understand it-- people were always saying that it was important to be goal-oriented, after all.

He shrugged to Rin.

"I feel like the smaller the group is, the better, to keep her from feeling uncomfortable. But I'm sure you don't intimidate her or anything, so it's your decision. Let's go; we should still have time, but we don't want to miss her. Maybe we can wait by the bench over by those flower-beds. She'll almost certainly take that path."

He began heading for the door.

"What's the plan? She told me a few days ago that I should have been skipped ahead a year, so I can argue that she should treat me like an equal, and tell me everything she knows."

He was reasonably confident that there wasn't much either of the others could contribute to this, but he also knew better than to try to shoo them off.

 

[Rosen2012]

Kojiro pat Rin on the shoulder as he was waiting for Isoroku, "You better rest up. If this goes well, we're gonna back. And we need our energy. One of us will call you later ok?" Kojiro waved to Rin as he followed Isoroku out the door. He listened to his idea about forming a plan, and was a little startled.

"She said you should have skipped a year? Holy shit! Can I copy off you next test!?" he ran his fingers through his hair, if it wasn't money it was brains, there was just always something separating from the kids at this school. "But yeah, I think we should take a direct approach...Rin probably tried to be polite about it. But I think if we tell her we want- no deserve help over this, she'll cave. She can't honestly expect us to ignore a part of yourselves right?"

 

[duckflesh]

"We'll see what she expects," Isoroku said, leading the way through the halls and eventually out to the grounds. "Hey, maybe we can just have our Personas-- Personi?-- eat her."

 

[Rosen2012]

Kojiro resisted the urge to punch Isoroku in the shoulder again. "What and cause a scene!" He shook his head. "Let's keep it to words only ok?"

 

[Daren58]

Rin watched them go, and only briefly fought the urge to follow. As time went on she was feeling more and more sleepy. Giving another slight yawn, she left the room and headed back for her dorm room. 'Maybe a quick nap before they call. Hopefully I'll feel more like myself after wards.' She gave a small nod to herself and felt her mood brightened slightly.

 

[Cinnonym]

Hikaru eventually came out of the door just as Isoroku predicted, talking with a friend and fellow member of the volunteer club and carrying her bookbag hugged to her chest.

------

Eber assisted with the clean-up, taking care of the blackboards, desks, and windows. He finished all three easily, occasionally jumping up onto a piece of furniture to get out of Akinari's way, and tossed the cleaning supplies into the janitorial closet. While he was there he wondered where the second year had gone who'd been using the place. After another moment, he shrugged and went to find Akinari.

"Are you finished?"

 

[Rosen2012]

Kojiro looked over to see Seiya coming, he cursed slightly when he saw she had a friend. He turned to Isoroku, "You want me to distract the friend?" He asked not really knowing how he was going to pull that off...He'd probably get smacked in the face again.

 

[ShadowFolk]

Kumiko spent her time resting and getting beauty treatment in a high class spa.

-----

"Yup! All done." Akinari put his blazer back on, not bothering to button it up again. "I just have to go back to my room to change and then we can start training again. I can't believe I forgot swim team starts next week." he bopped himself on the head. "Let's get out of here." he slung his backpack over his shoulders.

 

[PresqueVu]

When Yamada did reach the room again they were gone. He frowned when he didn't see them and hurried toward the freshmen class they'd been in front of during lunch, figuring they may be there to have words with the young German again, or even his energetic friend. He wondered if he'd fall in with them too. His mind ran through question after question trying to find any clue to what was going on. He slowed some as he approached the classroom and glanced up and down the hall, then paused, trying to hear who was speaking.

 

[Cinnonym]

Eber led the way out of the school building and across campus to the boys' dormitories. He pointed out the sports fields on the way there, "Since you are so interested in baseball, we should try to organize a casual game. I am sure the others will be very happy." He spoke at length about his schedules for sports and how he wished he would be allowed to skip homework in their favor.

As he approached the dorms, he groaned his disapproval at the new, and highly secure, doors. It was propped open for today, but inside were small cards, one for each student.

 

[ShadowFolk]

"Really? I'd love to play a game or two." he was already working out a schedule in his head to fit in all his play and work.

Akinari looked at bit lost at the gates. "What's going on here? I guess they weren't kidding about all that security. But that's ok. It's for our protection."

 

[duckflesh]

Isoroku smiled. This was working out perfectly. Plus, there was something like a 50/50 chance that Kojiro would somehow manage to turn the "distraction" into a physical confrontation, which would yield hilarity.

He nodded to Kojiro.

"Please do."