yumemigaoka | Theater Kid's March Comes in Like a Lion

Theater Kid's March Comes in Like a Lion

⭐ Who: Junna Hoshimi... and you!
⭐ When: Throughout March!
⭐ Where: In Yumemigaoka!
⭐ What: March catch-all!
⭐ Warnings: Junna's grappling with some heavy stuff, so... threads could get into parents not being great, some homophobia, and other things. There's also some implicit sleeping together (nothing NSFW though) in the Lisa and Junna thread, if that's a thing you prefer to avoid!

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

[ In contrast to what Junna thinks... Nene is honestly just relieved to see her. ]

Huh...? Oh! Don't worry about that! Seriously, I know I said a bunch of stuff about being traumatized—and I kind of am—but I'll be fine! I'll forget about it eventually!

[ Nene that. That might not be. As comforting as you think it is. ]

Are you okay to be out and about, though...?

Ah... ah, I'm sorry. About... that. [Junna looks down for a second. It isn't as comforting as Nene hopes, though she thinks about it for a moment. She looks back up at her, then she smiles a little.]

...Y-Yeah, I am. I need to get out and walk around, they said. I'm, um... trying to not lie in bed all day.

[She hesitates. She smiles, but it's a fragile thing; her confidence is still good and shot, and there's a feeling of exhaustion that she cannot yet shake.] Thank you, Nene-chan. For... for coming to save me. I really do appreciate it. I don't like to think what would have happened, if you hadn't come when you did.

Mm, learning is fun. Getting wrecked feels bad, sure, but I'm enough of an adult that I understand you're a little better than me. So I'll work on it. Everything through practice, yeah? And I get to take some time off with you as a bonus!

[She sees that initial look as Junna moves around the table, and giggles softly. But before she can throw out a quip, she sees that darker turn, and she checks a bit. It was on the nose, and now that she's looking for it, she's starting to understand the look she's seeing. Junna's thinking about it. Overthinking about it, maybe, but either way, she should probably cut that off. It's fine if the hydra of responsibility presents itself, you just need more and capable hands to slay it, right? She opens her mouth to say something to that effect-

and Junna shoots, the cue ball pops, and Lisa's startled by the solid thunk of the ball as it hits the wooden frame of the table as it rolls. She's not even thinking to catch it; instead instincts from Rhodonite assert themselves, and she jumps back lightly, gently bumping into an open patch of wall as she lands. The ball falls to the ground, not having been at risk of hitting her in the first place, but... that's not how combat reflexes work. Oops. She does see the eyebrow twitch, though, and thinks better of laughing, sympathetic smile on her face as she bends to pick it up.]

I said I would need at least one or two of those to have a fighting chance. That's one. If I keep running my mouth while you're shooting I might come back that way, but that'd feel mean. [She pauses, a more serious, worried frown on her lips for a moment.] You okay? I'm not psychoanalyzing you on purpose, I promise, but it's... kinda part of the deal. So I know it's gonna be a little hard on you.

Mm-hm. [Junna smiles and nods, her head tilted for a second; it makes her ponytail drift to the side, too, when she tilts her head. She looks happy with what Lisa said; it's something she thought too.] I was thinking that. It's another thing we can do together. And... ah, you know, my dad taught it to me. So... it's kind of important to me, too.

[But then she sends the ball flying. Lisa dodges -- not that she needed -- and Junna lets out a laugh after a second. That wasn't very skilled of her. She looks embarrassed, but not really bothered. She pulls the 9-ball out of the pocket, putting it back in the center of the table.]

I'll have to be careful. [There's a pause, though. Junna's quiet for a second, and she looks down. She's trying to be honest with herself, and the truth is that's a little hard for her to do.]

...I'm okay. [She sighs, softly, then looks back up.] It's... I can't quite shake feeling like it's my fault. I know it's not, I know it was a Disturbance feeding on me. But the way it used the things I'd think or feel... [She shakes her head, then she looks back at Lisa.] ...I want to hear, though. If I don't, I'm going to wonder.

And that's... that's worse for me, I think.

[Karen's historically pretty cagey with the secret of her identity on the other side, so Lisa doesn't supply an answer there; it isn't hers to give, especially not with the young woman herself there to decide. Instead, she's watching Junna. Leaving her with the hard admission feels bad, but... better to give her that choice, and the fact that Junna looks over to her first suggests she was right to do it, as Lisa gives her an encouraging smile. She feels a little bit like a heel having to just sit here and watch, but... it needs saying. She does look back to Karen too, trying to gauge her reaction. But... polite, dark-haired wall there. No dice. So she waits the girl out while Junna finishes.

The response, then, is... both better than she'd hoped and dramatically less worrying. Lisa lets out a long, shaky breath, smiling truthfully.]

I'm... really relieved to hear you say that. I think you're expecting a little too much of yourself, but I'm not one to talk there, so I'll leave it at that. And I really, really appreciate your faith in me. I'd been a little worried about, well, not just overstaying my welcome but causing you trouble, so I'm happy to have been overreacting, I guess. And happy to have been to help to you earlier. Even if... I'm not entirely sure I'm out of the woods for one of those things, either.

[But she recognizes most of that is directed at Junna - indeed, a bit of it is stuff Lisa already knows - so she holds her peace. But she does offer her hand on the table in front of Junna, intending to signpost it so Karen doesn't wonder what she's missing, if they're exchanging notes or somehing. She's being told she doesn't need to sneak around or be concerned, but at the same time... Still feels weird. Like she's still waiting for the other shoe to drop.]

It's... [Junna shakes her head.] It's okay. Really. You were out of town. That kind of thing happens. And I... well, I certainly wasn't in a good state to check everyone's calendar for the ideal meeting time.

[She smiles a little weakly. It's a lame joke and she knows it.]

But... thank you. I--I, um. I really appreciate it, Kohiruimaki-san. I--I'd have done whatever you felt was best, but... I'm glad I can come visit. [She looks sideways at Lisa. Her cheeks color a little, when she does. But she sees the hand on the table, and it's like a lifeline. She takes Lisa's hand, squeezing gently. Then, she looks back at Karen. She smiles.

Then, her smile fades; it's a thoughtful look. You can practically see the gears turning in her head, then.

And Junna's eyes finally widen, as she recalls. She pieces it together from who was there; who she recognizes, who seems terribly unlikely, and who--oh.] ...LLENN? But she's--you're--not the same height in the slightest!

[for all that Keiwa's usually meek and shy, he's moving around with the same sort of quiet confidence he does when he's Tycoon. Maybe because he has a goal in mind and that's helping him keep focus... More likely, it's because he's worrying about someone else and that is more important than his own nerves]

... Oh, that's useful...! Let's go then.

[and if they cut through staff parking, there will probably be security there. Their Sandglasses should be enough to confirm who they are too. Hopefully, anyway]

[It's good to see that Keiwa's got some of that confidence. It keeps Junna's up; she starts through the parking lot, with the card out, and looking at the back entrance.

They should be able to get inside. Then... see what's happening. She doesn't see any reporters around here. Maybe because it would be trespassing.]

Then I'm here for you, anytime. Whether or not I'm a challenge, I can still be practice, along with a chance to unwind and keep ties to the things that matter to you.

[Then there's a ball there and she reacts without thinking. Junna seems to have noticed, going off the laugh, and Lisa scratches her head, understanding that reaction was heavy but needing a moment herself to figure out why. She'll... come back to that.]

I think the truth is somewhere in the middle. Your Disturbance can't create feelings that aren't somewhere in your heart, right? That's the whole point. In there, there's nothing filtering them or holding them back. It's just... you. Undiluted, 100% you, except with all the happy thoughts locked away somewhere and everything amplified into distortion. At your lowest point, you're going to think and do some things you'd never consider in even a little happier a place. [Lisa's smile turns harsh for just a moment, like she's bitten into a lemon whole (or maybe her lip), seemingly aimed inside.] Remember that. It's gonna be important in a couple minutes.

[Lisa sighs. There's... going to still be a fair bit to work out, and this isn't going to be as simple as a few games of pool and late-night chats. They're going to have to work at it. A Disturbance, she's coming to realize, is not a panic button that marks a turning point. It's an intervention, by force and with everything on the line. They've never failed a rescue yet. She never wants to, and she'll give everything to make sure it never comes to pass. But... there has to be a consequence for failure. That Night Terror isn't there for show and to be a set piece battle like in some RPG. What... would have happened? If they hadn't- no, her mind butts in, forcibly kicking her off the topic before she can spiral and slamming the door to the train of thought behind her. She jerks, realizing where her thoughts were going, shaking her head hard. Gotta cover that up before Junna notices and calls her on it-]

It's worse for me too. I- I haven't let anyone tell me what happened, down there. Nobody else has context. Nobody else understands. I want to know, but I refuse to push you to tell me before you're ready. And that's why I'm telling you this now, even if it hurts you. Even if it hurts me. Yeah, I really need closure, and I have some things to get off my chest, but this is your heart and... I dunno, I guess I'm hoping some of this will help you. If all it does is help me sleep at night because I'm not hiding things from you, great. But if it were just that I wouldn't unload it on you, I have a therapist for that. You don't deserve that.

[That tall, dark haired wall was keeping herself under control for one simple reason. She didn't want to make things worse in any way. She isn't a mind reader, though, so doesn't realize how her efforts are having the opposite effect.]

I definitely do expect too much from myself. I don't want to make this conversation about me, but allow me to say this one thing. Everyone in my family is successful in what they do. If I am going to a Dreamer at all, I will be an exceptional one that does good for other people. That is why I regret not being here to help. Next time, please try not to schedule while I am out of town.

[She lets her carefully controlled mask soften just a little, a faint smile touching her lips. She is allowed bad jokes, too.]

But, Lisa-san, you are definitely not overstaying your welcome. This apartment felt so large and empty living by myself. I see my sister and niece every now and then, but other then that I used to come home to a place where I had only my television, computer, and phone to keep me company. I don't feel any regrets at all for sharing this space with you. We did not speak very often. But simply knowing I was not entirely alone was comforting.

[The handholding is, of course, noticed, but she politely does not stare. She does, however, give Junna a nod.]

I know its probably hard to believe, but that is correct. I had...well, let us say various reasons for keeping it a secret before, but I already said I don't want to make this conversation about me. You don't need my worries heaped on top of your own. I will tell you about her another time.

[Her little smile becomes a full on grin.]

Just know that GGO's infamous 'Pink Devil' is on your side and will give you the help you need, in and out of the Dream Sphere.

Thanks. I'll wanna do this again. More than once, too. [She's thought about whether they could afford a pool table in their apartment. If they could fit one. It's an idle thought, for after they get a place. Junna can't get too far ahead of herself yet, after all. Besides... there's something heavier to think about.

The Disturbance is, ultimately, her. As Lisa says: it's undiluted, it's Junna without hope and happiness, it's all of her fears and worries magnified. It's a sobering thought, but Junna nods her head. A similar thought goes through her mind: this isn't something they can talk about once. It'll take a lot of time to work through, both with the help of therapists and a lot more talks to come. And more than that; they need to be a reason for each other to keep working. A reason to be happy.

She does spot the way Lisa looks upset. She doesn't know why -- but she has a few good guesses. She walks over, and takes her hand.] I... I think I understand. It's somewhere in the middle. I'm... [She smiles, a little.] It might hurt and help at the same time. I want the closure, too, though. And I want to hear what happened, and... I don't want to say I'm ready for it in the sense that I'm completely prepared. But--

[She squeezes Lisa's hand.] I'm ready because I want to know. And it... it does help to hear it, instead of imagine it, make it worse in my head, and then react to that instead. And I--I mean... [Her expression turns more fragile, for a second, and she looks at Lisa.] ...My imagination can say a lot of terrible things that aren't true, Lisa. It's helping. I promise.

Why..

[ Illya starts on the question almost instinctively.

And she immediately stops talking for a moment when she realizes what she was about to ask. It feels.. cruel, almost, to ask Junna that. But at the same time-- She's so curious. She's so worried. Will she be able to put this situation to rest until she knows?

... ]

Junna-san, why.. Why didn't you talk to anyone..? [ The girl looks guilty as she's asking it. But she has to know. ]

I...

[The billion yen question. Junna hesitates, looking downward, and she feels her face getting hot. She thought she was all cried out, but it's a lot. She manages to keep her composure for the moment, though.]

...I knew I should. But I--I kept thinking... thinking I'd burden people with it. That I needed to handle it myself. And then I... I wouldn't speak up until it was too late. Or I'd downplay it, and I...

Look where that got me.

Bunch of plays!

[Indeed, he’s got several scripts! It doesn’t seem that he’s picky about genre, though they are mostly in Japanese with maybe one or two from the English section.]

I don't know most of these, they've probably never been translated.

Ah, those look fun! Let me see--

[She peers at them, looking over the covers.

She recognizes quite a few. But, that's the power of Theater Kid.]

That's a good selection! The one in the middle there, The Three Musketeers, is a great adaptation. And you've got Hamlet, always a classic.

It sure wasn't. Everything just crashed, huh? [that is not a very sympathetic way of wording what she went through but listen, he's not known for his gentle words. still, he means it all nicely. he thinks Junna is very nice. she should always feel good.]

When do you rest? I know you're supposed to be all grown up now but even grown ups take naps or watch something they like, yeah?

Mm... yeah. Everything just crashed. [Junna nods her head, her eyes glancing downward. It's a little harshly said, maybe, but it stings to think of. How did she let things get that bad?

She looks up at the question.] Back then... I didn't, really. I would go most of the day. I only stopped working when I had plans, went to see someone. Or when I came back to sleep.

There were other things, too. But... [She sighs.] It burnt me out enough that the other problems in my life hit me harder.

[He removes the hand from her head to wiggle his fingers a bit teasingly her way, aimed straight at her glasses.]

Ooooh~? But it worked so well before...!

[Not that he knew of Nene's threats during their Night Terror battle-- but then, maybe it spoke to how much they matched their respective freaks that she even had the same idea to begin with!

His hands drop a little as his expression sobers up in turn, the rest of what she had said finally catching up with him. It wasn't as if he had been furious with her over what she did-- he'd be a hypocrite if he was-- but...]

... I'll be honest though, I can't say it didn't hurt a little to know you were dealing with all of this on your own. I mean... I'm supposed to be your Mentor, y'know? You were always a fast learner and a super dedicated Dreamer, so I sorta... stepped back and didn't fuss as much over you, since I thought you had it all under control.

[Or more under control than Nene did, anyway, although he can't deny that Junna seemed to teach herself more than he ever taught her...]

But if I would've just paid more attention and saw how much you were really pushing yourself... I could've tried to get you to chill out a bit, at least. Our Dreamer duties are important, but so's taking a break once in a while, too. We can't fight at full power if we don't recharge our batteries once in a while, right?

[A pause, as he's trying to figure out where he's going with all of this--]

... I just don't want you to think you need to be anything more than the Junna-san you already are-- at least not for my sake.

Edited 2025-03-24 01:34 (UTC)

Nene-chan threatened to do that, too, you know.

[They really are alike, sometimes. She looks sideways at him, and she's quiet for a moment when he admits that it hurt. Junna looks down, and she can't deny that she feels a flicker of guilt at that. Then she reaches over, patting him on the shoulder.]

...I know. I... I should have told you. I'm sorry. You didn't let me down, though, okay? You... you've been a great Mentor. You have taught me a lot, looked out for me when I was getting started, and you've helped me not take everything so seriously. Which isn't easy.

[She looks down again, her hand falling back by her side.] I... I know I need to relax more. I'm going to try, really. A-and I'll try to talk to you more, too.

[Though when he says that last line, there's a moment where Junna falls quiet. She pointedly looks away from him for a second -- but then there's a sniffle, and she wipes at her eyes with the back of her hand.]

...th-thanks, Amane-kun. I-- [She sniffles again, and her embarrassment about getting emotional is proving almost impossible for her to hide.] Th-that means a lot to me.

[Karen is allowed bad jokes, which is good because that was terrible. Lisa suppresses the urge to audibly boo, instead settling for a sudden cough. That comes with a bit of an awkward silence on her end; she's touched that her mere presence was good for Karen, but that means her and Junna's discussion a short time ago now has an unfortunate side effect. Then again... they didn't make that decision for anyone but themselves, so there's a limit to how bad she feels. Karen can probably sense Lisa's still stressed, although she's calming down with Junna's hand in hers.]

I'm glad I could be here for you then, even just a little. And hey - talk to me anytime, yeah? I know I have badbrain days sometimes and hide out, but it's good to hear another person's voice for me, too. [A beat.] Which is why Junna's here in the first place. But I needed a lot more than her voice, because I was coming off a badbrain month. So... she's going to be here sometimes. [Not a request, just a statement of fact, as if she'd said the sky is blue. Given Karen had already said that was okay, though, she's not expecting to meet resistance.] I'd just been afraid I'd have to advocate for myself more, which is part of why I was so tense when I realized you were here. I... it's going to sound underwhelming now, but I didn't want to rock the boat, you know? I was- well, afraid.

[It does sound underwhelming to her ears. No less true for that, but underwhelming. Definitely moreso than Karen offering LLENN's assistance - her assistance - to Junna at a time when she's more likely to need it than ever. Lisa still doesn't want to run her mouth about the tall girl's secrets, but she'll probably share the couple of relevant stories that will make more sense now that Junna can connect the dots.]

[Junna laughs a little -- and then she nods. She understands wanting to help. She does glance sideways at Lisa again, as Karen speaks. She feels a little bad about their plan for the future, but... but, that's still one that she wants. Her resolve has only increased since earlier this morning.

She looks back at Karen, then she nods, with a thoughtful look. But then she smiles a little bit more.] I understand keeping secrets, and... a-ah, I'm grateful for the Pink Devil's support.

[She looks sideways at Lisa as she explains, then. Junna is quiet while she listens to her explain some. And she squeezes her hand, after all of that; there's a warm feeling of gratitude that Lisa said Junna would be here, sometimes. She wasn't sure what Lisa would think.

But... it's something she wanted, she realizes.]

[threats of trespassing charges seems like as good a reason as any to keep those unrelated to the DU away. Not that Keiwa's going to complain. His own nerves were ever present... If they were getting ignored for the time being because the well-being of someone else was much more important.

Keiwa goes first, and the security guard closest to the entrance looks like he was ready to stop the two of them before he seems to recognize them. With a nod, he let's the two Dreamers pass before going back to standing and making sure no reporters or nosy civilians slip past...]

... They look worried too. Maybe we got here before anyone else thought to look for a different entrance? [he looks at Junna before gesturing for her to go first. She's the one with the key card after all]

...Yeah. We might have. Dreamer Ai-Doll is -- she's famous. I'm sure they're getting slammed. Still... I don't like how they're treating it.

[She nods her thanks back at the security guard. Then, she walks up and swipes her card. There's a little chime, and the click of the door unlocking. She opens it up, holding it open for Keiwa.]

We might want to mention how we got in. In case they need to send out more security guards or cordon that area off.

Oh, yeah, of course! Never read it in - anything other than Spanish, actually. I'm curious to see how it's different!

[Presumably it isn't significantly so, but Bruno knows well enough that translation is never exactly 100% identical.]

How about you, anything good?

I'm curious! I can't speak or read Spanish, unfortunately. Enough English for some plays, though.

[She nods. She's seen some differences in translation to get by.

Then, Junna holds up a few plays herself -- a couple more modern Japanese plays, a copy of A Midsummer Night's Dream, and a translated Tennessee Williams play -- and then a shoujo manga and a travel guide to Okinawa.]

...It might be about as much as I sold, to be honest.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Page 10 of 17

Theater Kid's March Comes in Like a Lion

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject