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!

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Mm. Thank you. I'll do my best. But, ah... [She's quiet for a moment.] ...I'll remember to ask for help though.

[Then, Junna grins a bit. Sorry, Olruggio. The theater kid is gonna theater kid.]

Alas. "The play's the thing, wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king."

Edited 2025-03-13 16:15 (UTC)

Har har. [he raises his free hand in surrender] Let it not be said I didn't at least try.

[there's a smile from over the rim of his paper cup at that]

[That gets a laugh out of Junna.]

It was a noble effort.

[Ever the performer... well, she did start it, but moreover she can handle this much of a role. She sketches a short, sharp salute in return with just as little care for realism, trying very hard not to burst into giggles and mostly succeeding, besides a bright sparkle in her eyes.]

Of course, ma'am. Time is of the essence - even if we've missed the patrol, they could return at any moment. [Lisa holds out a hand to Junna.] Please, come with me, I'll escort you. The way is... [A beat.] ...neither long nor treacherous, I admit, but it's unfamiliar territory all the same. It wouldn't do to get lost.

[She is the world's worst secret agent. Luckily Agent I as a persona will cease to exist after this mission's completion in... about sixty seconds.]

[Junna spots that sparkle in her eyes and -- well -- she can tell when Lisa finds something funny and is trying to keep it under control. That gets her setting her jaw and fighting a laugh herself. Fortunately, she is a trained actress. She manages.

Then she takes Lisa's hand, with another serious nod.] We don't want to risk enemy forces spotting us. And I certainly don't want to get lost on the way.

[Then, she holds up her freshly borrowed toothbrush. All of the willpower in the world can't make it gleam meaningfully, though. But Junna holds it like it might, as if it was an object of the greatest importance.] I also have to ensure this device is properly placed. Lead the way, Agent I.

[Junna promised Lisa that they would talk about what happened in her Disturbance for Lisa. It wasn't something to do right away -- not after they'd been through so much, and not before Junna had some time to get everything straight in her brain. She didn't quite manage that; the Disturbance was a lot to process. But she was feeling better, now, and she didn't want it put off forever.

True to form, Junna put a lot of planning into how to talk to Lisa about what happened. She settled on a place: a pool hall in Yumemigaoka, where she could get a private room that would be just them. An activity -- playing pool -- so they'd have something to do besides just talk and, hopefully, keep them focused. A park nearby, so they could cry it out after all is said and done. And, the next day was White Day... and that meant they could do something together, make up for something the both of them missed out on last month, and have something to look forward to.

But, as Robert Burns said, "the best-laid schemes of mice and men." She can't know for sure any of this will work... and she's nervous. She is trying to not let it show, but being an actress can't hide everything.

She walks into the room with Lisa at the pool hall. It's a small room, with a single pool table, with balls for 8-ball laid out on the table -- already in the triangle, with a metal holder to keep them in shape -- and a rack of pool cues on the side. There are a couple of chairs, a table, and a frosted green glass overhead light hanging down. It's very classic. Junna lays her bag down on a chair, and then puts down two bottled sodas on the table. Then, she looks back at Lisa.

She smiles, and it's a genuine one. Her expression has some tension in it -- but she's determined. She made a promise to Lisa, and she aims to keep it.]

Have you ever played before?

[Lisa's... largely feeling better herself. She knows the things she did - the things she said - in the Disturbance are still there, and that she can't run away from them. She's walking toward them, strictly speaking, as she walks in with Junna; she knows what they're here for. But she's buoying her mood with her girlfriend anyway at the moment, so there's not much to be done for having to pay the piper. It helps that the piper in question is both understanding and upfront, too. If Junna had just asked her - or even just let her know ahead of time "I'd like to talk about things tonight" - she'd be more nervous. But... she trusts Lisa enough that they're going to try to have at least a little bit of a night out, interspersed with the dialogue that must occur. So she wants to return that trust with... as much stability as she can manage, although she's not sure how long she'll be able to continue to provide that. She knows that she's got a lot to answer for.

And yet... once the nightmare ended, it's been a largely pleasant month. Setting a course for her future together with Junna did a lot to keep her positive, and the simple fact that nothing's exploded in the week since then has kept her from spiraling too much. More evenings with Junna are... admittedly also helping.

So as they walk in, Junna carrying drinks for them both, Lisa's eyes aren't quite clear but her face is calm enough. She takes in the room for a long moment, gaze locking on the cues briefly, before she sets her own things down and turns back to Junna.]

Nah. I kinda-sorta know the rules, but I haven't played before. I don't think I even knew this place was here. What about you?

Mm-hm. My dad taught me to play when I was about eleven. We... both got pretty competitive about it. [She looks sideways at Lisa, and then Junna cracks a smile -- and she laughs sheepishly. She knows she can get competitive; it's not quite a character flaw, but it comes with taking things seriously.] Don't worry, I'll keep it in check.

[She walks over, then she takes a pool cue. There's a second where she's checking the balance of it. Then, she nods with satisfaction. She puts a little chalk on the tip, before handing it over to Lisa. She starts preparing her own, after.]

I've played since then. In middle school and after I moved. I've played here a few times and I know the owner. [She tilts her head to the side.] It's... I guess, I just feel relaxed when I do. It's good for getting me to not think of things. I... well, I hadn't come since December, though.

[Which is its own admission: this was a way she takes care of herself, and she'd stopped.]

[This is new information for Lisa, and she files it away for later. She... wouldn't have expected to hear about Junna's parents right now? So it's interesting, even besides wanting to know more about her anyway. But she nods, grinning.] I'd hope so! I won't be a very good match at first, so give me a bit to figure out what I'm doing. At least one, no, two games before you try to take me seriously. [She holds out the relevant number of fingers, laughing.

But she watches as Junna examines the cue before bringing it to her, then returns for another; Lisa takes the one she's offered and examines it herself, not that she knows what she's looking for. Yeah, it's a lacquered wood stick, but... oh, it's. Oddly heavy for something you hold this way? Not imposingly so, she plays the bass and that thing's got some weight to it, but it's noticeable. She shifts her attention back to Junna as she starts talking again.]

If I'm any good at all, let's see if we can make time to come more, yeah? I mean, if I'm not any good, you can wipe the floor with me every once in a while, but... I'm hoping I can give you at least a little bit of a challenge, with some practice. And either way, it'll be nice to get out somewhere we don't go all the time.

Don't worry! Don't worry, I want to be sure you're a challenge before I really go all out. [That might not be the most comforting thing to say, Junna... but she laughs a little too. She nods, then she starts over towards the table. She puts the cue ball at the small, black circle where it belongs. Then, she looks at Lisa.]

This one's called 8-ball pool. The first thing we have to do is break the rack -- one of us shoots the cue ball-- [She taps the white ball with a finger.] --at the balls in the rack, here. They're a triangle. Then, we take turns. One of us will take stripes, one of us will take solids. Half the balls have a colored stripe, half are solid, except for the number. Whoever gets all of their balls in the pocket first can try to get the eight ball-- [She taps the black ball in the triangle, with an eight on it.] --into a pocket.

And that person wins. [And that concludes Junna's explanation of the rules. She... perks up and looks a little proud. Because she likes to explain things. She is Dreamer Sage, after all.]

Does that make sense?

Oh, thanks. Definitely feeling like I'm going to learn comfortably and without getting rolled over. [But she's smiling; even if it's true because Junna can probably only do so much to stall on purpose, she's certain Junna will try to give her a fighting chance.] We'll get there though.

[The rules... seem simple enough, in the way of a game that's being distilled to its core tenets. Who gets stripes or solids? What happens if she hits the eight in early? What if you sink the cue ball? But those are probably all edge cases, meaning she should just try it first and let Junna explain whatever comes up. Hit white ball into colored balls but not the black one, sink colored balls, sink black one last.]

More or less! We'll try a game and see how it goes and how badly I end up mangling the rules along the way. How do I... hmm.

[She looks at the cue stick again, seeming to consider it in a new light. "Hit ball with stick" implies she needs to impact the ball with the part with chalk on it. How does she get the best power and control? Spear it with one hand on the end? Smoothly slide it? Can it rest on the table- no, probably not, it'd slide on the felt, wouldn't it?]

You'll probably need to show me how to shoot at least once, before I break something other than the rack.

[Junna grins sheepishly at that. She's trying!] We'll get there.

[She nods her head, then, at the request. Even if she's seen how to shoot pool on TV, it's different to hold a cue and do it. So Junna pulls the rack off the balls, setting aside. Then, she leans over the table, lining up behind the cue ball. She does it slowly -- fingers cradling it just so, and she runs the pool cue between them.] Hold it like this. And the first shot is to break the rack.

[She sucks a breath in. It'd be silly to miss the shot, here. So, she takes some care -- and then hits it. The white ball goes rolling into the triangle of balls. That sends them flying about the table. Junna stands back up, then she smiles.]

So... now the field is open. That means either of us can hit the white ball into stripes and solids, until one of us sinks a ball into a pocket. If you sink a solid ball into a pocket, you can only do solids after that, and I do stripes. Or vice versa, or any other combination. [She breathes out, then, and stands back.]

So... take your shot, Imai-san!

[Lisa watches Junna intently, trying to analyze her form. She only gets a little distracted because her girlfriend is cute when she's focusing like this; this is important to Junna, so it's important to her. It doesn't seem overly complicated, but that just means there's nuance she's not seeing. She can see Junna flexing her arm and shifting her fingers just so...

The solid thunk of the stick hitting the cue ball seems satisfying; she jumps when it strikes the rack and a dozen hard objects clack against each other. Nothing goes in, but it doesn't seem like it would. So from here, how would she sink a ball? This blue one's probably at a good angle, if she hit it just so-]

This is a math game. [It's slightly deadpan; it'll still be fun, but she understands now. She giggles, before she absorbs the rest and nods a few times.] Okay, got it. So I should look for the ones I'd have the easier time shooting several balls in of... hmm. [She studies the table, before shrugging; she doesn't see a better shot than the one she already looked at, and so she bends forward a bit over the table.] Oh, this gets hard when the other balls are in the way. Let's see... what if I... [This particular angle isn't too rough, and she manages to sketch a reasonable approximation of what Junna did, holding the stick in her right hand and cradling the end between her knuckles. But now she needs to figure out power... well, nothing for it but to try, right? It's not a long shot, so she'll juice it a little. Here goes-

The 2-ball rattles in the pocket before resting on the lip, where a stiff breeze really should push it in. The cue flies away across the table, contacting a few more balls before coming to rest. Lisa frowns at the ball defying gravity before looking back to Junna.]

Ah. I think I understand where the skill comes in.

Guilty as charged. [Junna laughs a little bit, with a sheepish smile. She is a nerd, and she plays a game that is secretly nerdy. Such is the way of 8-ball pool. She watches as Lisa leans in angles up her shot. She watches the cue fly across the table -- the 2-ball stopping short of getting into the pocket, and the other balls scattered.

Junna nods.] They're... a little hard to get in the pocket. You probably need a little more force behind it. Hm...

[She crouches over the table. She puts her stick down, lining up a shot on the 10-ball. Junna squints -- and that puts Lisa in her sights, too. She waits a moment as she considers. And while they're playing... there's something else she should ask too. So Junna exhales.] ...Can you tell me about it? About what you went through in my Disturbance?

[She takes her shoot. The cue hits the 10-ball, and then it flies across the table, towards the pocket on the center on the other side. But it just misses, and bounces off the edge.]

Ah, darn...

[ She shakes her head.

At least she's not telling Junna that she doesn't have to be sorry, but-- you know, with the way Illya shakes her head so quickly and seemingly instinctively, it's like that is exactly what she is saying here. That Junna shouldn't have to feel bad, shouldn't have to be guilty. ]

If anyone should apologize, it's me..! I mean, I didn't even get far enough to help you.. [ Unlike some people. But it's a good thing they made it. Illya can't even imagine how terrible she would have felt if Junna would have been stuck in that Disturbance forever.. ] You must have endured a lot.

[Junna hesitates just a second at the shake of Illya's head. Then, she looks down; she gets the message. To not apologize. Which... she supposes, she shouldn't. But when Illya says that she's the one who owes an apology, that gives Junna a start. Her eyes widen.

Then it's her turn to shake her head.] N-No, that's... that's not something you have to apologize for. You came to help me. That's what matters. I...

[She hesitates a second.] ...It was a lot. A whole lot. I... really let things build up too much.

[There may be a line but Tsukasa sees a friendly face and he's immediately siding up to her, no hellos or anything as he's going through her box of books. Yes he should say hello, yes he should not just go through her things, but it's obvious she's getting rid of it so it should be fine, right?

It's what he's going with!]

Ah, you've got a lot of stuff here!

[She watches as Junna lines her shot up, the brief look up at her making smile, before the gentle reminder of why they're here comes across, and Lisa nods slowly, cautiously.] Sure. There's kind of a lot, so... please be patient with me? And stop me any time if you have questions. [Stop me any time if you think I need to, she doesn't say but seems... clear in the briefly hesitant look on her face, and the unease in her stance, hands tight on the cue. But both pass, and she relaxes a little. She's already chosen to trust Junna. She just needs to stop worrying and immerse herself in it, right?] From the outside, the Disturbance was set in Promised Morning - we came in through the front gate, and the entrance proper was the front doors. Outside was the only safe place.

[Hmm. Junna hit that kind of hard, didn't she? Then distant shots- oh.] Math and physics game. [-she grumbles good-naturedly, shaking her head as she analyzes. The fact Junna didn't aim at the ball she left sitting in the pocket seems significant... oh. Maybe it's there to be an easier shot for later. Does that mean she ought to aim for solids...? She starts to walk around the table to assess as she continues to talk.]

I... tended to rest sitting under a big tree, on a blanket, like I was having the world's lamest picnic, and I ended up in my school uniform while I was out there. Like I belonged. It felt... really weird with Rhodonite's hair, but eh. [Her eyes unfocus, briefly, and she stops moving; it takes a second before she comes back to herself, with a slight, tender smile.] Amane-kun and I talked at one point, a little while through it. He's... he's a good kid, Junna. I'm a little envious you had someone like that guiding you. But I was having a bad day and I really needed a pick-me-up, and he just... let me vent for a bit.

[Lisa pauses; what about that orange one? That seems easy enough. She moves to take her shot, focusing quietly and lining it up, aiming for finesse over power this time. There's a solid sound as her cue strikes, and this time the 5-ball drops into the pocket, the cue ball bouncing gently away and stopping shortly away.] Oh! That's good, right?

[Sometimes, Junna can't tell the difference between Amane and Tsukasa. But sometimes... sometimes, she's pretty sure.

Like when he comes up without so much as a "how do you do" and starts rooting through her box of books. There's a whole lot of textbooks; several old novels -- two copies of Dracula, some old science fiction, one with a large bearded pirate on the cover; a number of old, well-worn plays; and some manga .]

...Hi, Tsukasa-kun. [She laughs.] Yeah, I'm... trying to downsize before I move out of the dorms. See anything you like?

Sure. I will. [And that agreement... that's both for Lisa's stated request and the unspoken one. If she thinks Lisa needs to stop for a break, she will. She looks at her thoughtfully for a moment and then she listens, and she's quiet for a second. It takes Junna a moment to steel her resolve, hearing the Disturbance described. She knew it would be difficult to do so, but it's another thing to hear it. But... she's had a therapy appointment already. She's started talking about it. She wants to focus on Lisa -- and she needs to hear, so she stops imagining it.

So she nods, encouraging her to go on. Though, at Lia's remark, she cracks a smile. She is a nerd.] Also guilty as charged. [She doesn't mention she left Lisa's shot alone so she could finish it later. Taking an easy set-up would just discourage her.

Then, she looks up, and blinks as she hears what Lisa describes. "Like I belonged."] I... I see. I'm glad you found a spot to rest. And I'm glad Amane-kun was there for you, too. He... really is. I'm lucky, too. I worry I let him down or--or that he thinks he might have messed up, as a Mentor. But... [She glances to the side, and then looks back at Lisa. No, focus on her.] ...Ah, no, let's hold on that thought. What... um. What did you talk about? If you don't mind saying?

[She's quiet, though, as Lisa lines up her shot. Then Junna beams when the 5-ball drops into the pocket. She does a little fist pump.] Great shot! That's very good. So, now, you're only doing solids and I'm doing stripes. So I can't go after the 5-ball that you set up earlier.

[She tilts her head, then she smiles.] And you keep taking shots until you don't pocket a ball. So... you get to go again. Just remember, solid balls only.

Ehe, thanks. And solids only, got it. [She's happy Junna is happy for her, but she doesn't feel like she knows what she's doing enough to be excited quite yet; she'll probably get a little more competitive as she understands what she's doing, but for now she's not a total failure at this, and that's a start.] And me again. [Blink, blink.] Which makes the expression "running the table" make sense. Eep. I guess I should be happy I got another turn.

[Which... feels like a metaphor for her life at the moment, as she looks for another shot. Not the 2, she'll save that for an emergency. Maybe the- no, not the 8, that one doesn't count, right, right. Hmm.]

We... well, honestly, those text messages right before you disappeared really, really messed with us. With me especially. The moment you stopped answering me, I ran off to your dorm room, and when you weren't there, I... um, I was already panicking, but I freaked out. I ended up calling him to see if he'd talked to you, and we called Senpai- [no, he called Senpai, she wouldn't have been able to understand me-] and then we went in after you, even before your Disturbance actually... formed?

[She takes aim at a red ball across the table, to put in a corner pocket; she's not confident since it's so long a shot, but she doesn't see anything else she wants to risk right now. With a long, only slightly shaky breath out, she taps the cue, and it hits but the 3 doesn't quite get there, stopping short and resting against the wall. She shakes her head slightly and backs up, heading back toward the table Junna had set the drinks on to take a sip. If she's going to be running her mouth all night, she should. Probably take care of her voice.]

Mm, nope. Ah, so when I caught up with him in the courtyard, we... kinda talked about some of the stuff that was bothering you. He felt like there was more we could have done for you before everything went bad, which... you already know how I feel about that. But, um... he had to remind me again that I'm. That I'm enough as I am. That you chose me, and if anyone has a problem with that, they can stuff it. [Her smile is... a little more fragile for a moment.] And then you had to remind me again two weeks later, so. I, um, don't learn very well in a crisis.

Mm-hm. It means you're doing a good job! [And -- well -- if Junna's going easy on her, it's only so she doesn't get discouraged. Junna knows a game of 8-ball that goes badly can end up feeling like you got stomped on; the only way that Lisa is going to get better is getting to progress. And she wants it to be a distraction. And, really, she wants Lisa to have a chance to like it. Something they can do together -- another thing they can do together -- would be really nice.

She looks up, though, at the mention of the text messages. She remembers those; it's a little... distant, still, because of how panicked she was. There's a brief glance to the side. Then, Junna nods, and looks back at Lisa.] I... I can imagine. I wasn't... um... I wasn't doing very well, when I sent those. And I--um. I guess I'm not... surprised that you got there before it formed, fully. When I was inside...

...I don't know. It felt like time wasn't working right, for me. I remember it, but it's like remembering a dream until people got inside. [She gets quieter.] I'm sorry I worried both of you so much. But... um. It's okay to need to hear something twice. Or ten times. I need to hear things multiple times, too. It doesn't reflect badly on you. And I did choose you. And... you did come for me, too.

[She watches the 3-ball roll and come to a stop. Then, she nods, and takes stock. Her eyes settle on the 10-ball she hit before. She considers -- then she shakes her head.] ...Mm, no. I think... ah-ha. [She spots where the 13-ball rolled. Junna brightens up, then she hurries over towards it. She leans over the table -- and lines the cue up, sucks in a breath... and takes her shot. It hits the 13-ball, with that satisfying clack.

And the 13-ball rolls off towards a pocket, and lands inside it. That makes Junna perk up, smiling, and she stands up straighter.] I'm glad I've still got it.

[She has a feeling that Junna is going easy on her, but... not actively throwing going easy, just. Working harder for it. So she's not complaining. She's still giving her a fighting chance, but it's fair enough that it's fine.]

No. No, you weren't. [It's a gentle statement, but with the weight of three weeks of stress on top of it.] You don't need to apologize for that, though. You were stressed literally out of your mind. And... I'm still a little disappointed in myself, but it'll get better. I'll get better. [Lisa smiles more naturally.] I did come for you, even if it took me a while. That. I'll come back to that, I have... feelings about that, and I haven't even gotten into the school yet.

[She collects her thoughts while Junna thinks about her shot. What's next... yeah, the hallway, but that's boring. But after that is... the elevator. Hnn. But she's pulled from her planning by Junna running over to the other side of the table and quickly planning and taking her shot... oh, and it went in.]

Oh, nice shot! I guess I'm going to have to push myself, huh?

Edited (forgot half my tag, oops) 2025-03-16 23:03 (UTC)

I know. I'm... trying to stop apologizing for it so much. [Junna admits that, quietly. It's asking Lisa to call her on it, because it's not healthy for her to keep doing that. She knows that, too. She looks at her girlfriend -- and she smiles, when Lisa smiles more naturally at her. She nods, then, and looks at Lisa. She considers for a second.

Then, back down at the pool table. She starts to move around -- actually closer to Lisa, though it's to line up another shot. This one's on the 10-ball, and she considers it for a second.] We'll both get better. Together. And you just might have to push yourself. I don't want to make it easy for you!

[She looks sideways at her girlfriend and smiles, before she leans over the table and lines her shot up. She could go for an easier one, but with this being against the rail, it gives her a challenge. She probably can't do this in one shot. It'll give Lisa another turn. She squints, as she starts to consider the best angle -- doing a half-dozen little adjustments with her stick.]

...What came after the school?

[She takes her shot. The 10-ball goes alongside the rim of the table, before it flies into the opposite rail. It bounces off it, knocks a couple of balls that roll across the table, and then comes to a stop. The 10-ball is now in the clear, at least, for a future shot.]

That's all I can ask, then. [She nods.] We'll get there. And I'll get better at this, too. You're not going to take me down without a fight!

[Lisa watches with a grin; Junna says that, but is pushing for it anyway. But it looks like she's about out of time to woolgather, and she tilts her head, as Junna sets up for later. She takes up her stick again, but she doesn't hurry to take her shot.]

An endless hallway, that eventually looped in on itself. Students lugging stuff around forever. But... no real danger. Everything's okay on the surface, even if you can tell things are stretched to breaking. I don't remember where we found it, but there was a door somewhere. It... went to an elevator. Longest ride of my life, and of course there were Torments... A Torment I swear was Zeke-san, and another that I'm pretty sure was Hibiki-chan. And one I'm thinking was Nikki. They... they weren't super dangerous, but they surprised me. Chaosbringer-san showed up once, and...

[She's got her next shot in mind, on the purple ball, but she can feel her anxiety surging. Maybe... maybe it'll be fine. Lisa takes a deep breath to steady both her heart and her hands, before leaning in front of the table. The shot won't be easy but it shouldn't be too bad either-] ...and the Torments turned into me, and Amane-kun, and Senpai. And the one of me said- [She adjusts her grip, slides the stick through her fingers experimentally a couple times.] -"I made a mistake once, and I've ruined my self worth because of it," like a statement of my issues distilled down to a handy one-liner. [She twitches, but she shoots anyway. Instead of the smooth thunk as she strikes the ball, there's a dull sound as the tip strikes off-kilter and the cue lists sideways, drifting to a stop after a short trip. She stares at it blankly.] I- I shot her. I was so pissed off, not only did this random Torment start spreading rumors, but it wasn't even right. I told her, "I trusted the wrong people and they glued my self-worth to my desk, flushed it down the toilet, shoved tacks in it, and cut it to ribbons before setting it on fire and letting it burn for eighteen months."

[The butt of her stick falls to the floor with a small bounce.] Then I shot her again.

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Page 7 of 17

Theater Kid's March Comes in Like a Lion

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Evening of 3/13 | Closed to Lisa

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