[Sumi's expression is grim, nodding and then sighing.] It's...a lot. I haven't had to deal with it nearly as long as the others though, so it's them that really not the sympathetic shoulder more than me!
[She tries to sound upbeat about it, rubbing at the back of her neck.] I was the last minute member. We've already got a lot to deal with, but hopefully... Hopefully after all of this it'll be over. We can relax and just... go back to normal. Whatever that'll be.
[Kotone makes a bit of a face. That's some kind of attitude to have, for sure -- putting the feelings of others in front of herself. It's something Kotone's familiar with, anyway, even if this isn't the form hers usually takes.
So she reaches out and pokes Violet's cheek gently, trusting the familiar motion to catch her attention and startle her out of whatever thoughts are making that expression so grim.]
They're not here, [she points out, meaning literally right here in this barn to receive sympathy.] So I guess you're the only one who gets my sympathy!
[She manages another smile, resting her hands in her lap as she smiles up at her. It sounds like Violet's in the middle of whatever all their stuff was, while Kotone's already seen how the end is. She can't be certain, but maybe the right thing to say is--]
[Sumi squeaked in surprise, looking at Kotone in bafflement before she laughs.] Kotone-san! [It's not that simple!! But she can't really argue against it, even if she sort of looks like she wants to. She huffs out a breath and leans back a little.]
I guess that's true. Akira-senpai and Akechi-senpai are all ahead of me, in the timeline I mean. I'm in a completely different world from my own, meeting all sorts of people who are also from different worlds... I guess this will have to be my new normal for a little while.
[She looks at Kotone with a warm smile] But I'm really glad we got to meet.
[She's not asking for her own sake, she's asking for Shinji's, because they still haven't talked about October and everything that happened since. It just keeps getting pushed later. Her brows knit just a little bit before she forces the expression away with another smile.]
A little. [She rubs at her arm, frowning a little as she considers it] There's a lot I still don't know... Some things seem to go well, and some things... don't.
Since Akira-senpai is here, I know we must win! But there's a lot I still don't know about and that I'm a little afraid to ask. I want to know what happens to me and the others, but also I'm not sure if I should even ask.
[She sighs, but then realizes that it sounds more dramatic than it should be and waves her hand] It's not that I expect anything bad to happen, really, I'm just curious. But I had a goal I was working really hard toward, and I don't know if it'll make me feel better or not if I know what happens.
[Kotone watches her stumble around her answer, head tilted as she tries weighing what Violet is saying against her own experiences. Shinjiro... is in a coma right now, as far as she knows. He's not dead, but he might never wake up. Is it better for him to know that, or is it better than he not know what happened after October? Her brows knit together and her lips thin as she nods along.]
I think so, yeah. It's hard to know what to do with stuff that's totally outside of our experiences, right?
[She kicks her feet against the hay bale again thoughtfully.]
I think... you should talk to my friend Aragaki-senpai. You talked about timelines? He's... I guess you could say he's behind in mine. We haven't talked about what's happened since the last thing he remembers. I don't know if he's waiting for me to bring it up, or if he doesn't want to know. I think you two have that in common.
[She listens, nodding slowly] Is he a persona-user too?
[She assumes so, but wanted to make sure before she went saying anything she shouldn't.] I wouldn't mind talking to him though. I think it'd be nice just to talk to others who understand where I'm coming from. I don't mind that the others don't, it's just...
[Sumi's quiet for a moment before shrugging. It's just different, she supposes, though she's not sure how to put it into words.]
Kotone-san, you're really nice. I hope I can learn a lot from you too.
[She winces. She hasn't told anyone about Shinji's power, but if they're really all going to work together, it's better for them to know, she thinks.]
He's a really good friend of mine. Please don't talk about it with anyone else?
[It's a sore subject for him for very good reason; most of the reason she hasn't told anyone is because she doesn't want it spreading around and for people to bother him about it.
She leans back on her hands and gives Violet a smile.] I don't know what you can learn from me, but if you want to go back to calling me 'senpai,' I don't mind, Violet-san!
[A giggle scrunches up her nose. It's still funny to think about being anyone's senpai.]
[Sumi can't say she doesn't understand that though, so she nods, her expression serious.] Alright, I promise. I won't even tell Akira-senpai or Akechi-senpai. [She makes a 'sealing her lips' motion and mimes throwing away the key.
However, she takes Kotone's request completely seriously, hands balling into fists in front of her]
Yes, Kotone-senpai! I'll be the best student you've ever had!
[Gosh, she's cute. Are all first-years this cute? Fuuka was this cute, except when she was cooking. But when she was working on machines she was definitely this cute!
Kotone laughs, almost about to refuse but-- no, this is funnier. She can be senpai if Violet really wants.]
Just that? Don't worry, with me as your coach, soon you'll be able to do-- [Sumi laughs and hops down off the hay, and kicking her leg up well above her head, grabbing the arch of her foot.
She then bends entirely backwards to plant her free hand behind her, lifting herself up and over to land back on her feet and throw her hands up in a 'ta-dah!' pose]
That! Soon that'll be easy-peasy for you! [She might be teasing Kotone though as she laughs, walking back over] You'll be able to bend like a pretzel by the time I'm done with you!
[There's a Gleam in her eye... Danger approaches...]
[Kotone's jaw drops. She just- put her leg up? All the way up there?? The human body can do that?!]
You must've put in a lot of work to be able to do that! [she says when she can manage to find the words, eyes wide with astonishment. Wow! Just. Wow!!] I didn't do anything like that in tennis! I was mostly just there to hang out with my friend, anyway.
[But! She hops gamely off the bale, clenching both fists in front of her. Maybe danger, but she wants to get to know Violet, and engaging in her interests seems to be the best way to do it.]
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[She tries to sound upbeat about it, rubbing at the back of her neck.] I was the last minute member. We've already got a lot to deal with, but hopefully... Hopefully after all of this it'll be over. We can relax and just... go back to normal. Whatever that'll be.
[She chews on her bottom lip, looking uncertain]
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So she reaches out and pokes Violet's cheek gently, trusting the familiar motion to catch her attention and startle her out of whatever thoughts are making that expression so grim.]
They're not here, [she points out, meaning literally right here in this barn to receive sympathy.] So I guess you're the only one who gets my sympathy!
[She manages another smile, resting her hands in her lap as she smiles up at her. It sounds like Violet's in the middle of whatever all their stuff was, while Kotone's already seen how the end is. She can't be certain, but maybe the right thing to say is--]
I think "normal" is whatever you decide it to be.
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I guess that's true. Akira-senpai and Akechi-senpai are all ahead of me, in the timeline I mean. I'm in a completely different world from my own, meeting all sorts of people who are also from different worlds... I guess this will have to be my new normal for a little while.
[She looks at Kotone with a warm smile] But I'm really glad we got to meet.
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[She's not asking for her own sake, she's asking for Shinji's, because they still haven't talked about October and everything that happened since. It just keeps getting pushed later. Her brows knit just a little bit before she forces the expression away with another smile.]
I'm glad we met too, Violet-san.
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Since Akira-senpai is here, I know we must win! But there's a lot I still don't know about and that I'm a little afraid to ask. I want to know what happens to me and the others, but also I'm not sure if I should even ask.
[She sighs, but then realizes that it sounds more dramatic than it should be and waves her hand] It's not that I expect anything bad to happen, really, I'm just curious. But I had a goal I was working really hard toward, and I don't know if it'll make me feel better or not if I know what happens.
Does that make sense?
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I think so, yeah. It's hard to know what to do with stuff that's totally outside of our experiences, right?
[She kicks her feet against the hay bale again thoughtfully.]
I think... you should talk to my friend Aragaki-senpai. You talked about timelines? He's... I guess you could say he's behind in mine. We haven't talked about what's happened since the last thing he remembers. I don't know if he's waiting for me to bring it up, or if he doesn't want to know. I think you two have that in common.
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[She assumes so, but wanted to make sure before she went saying anything she shouldn't.] I wouldn't mind talking to him though. I think it'd be nice just to talk to others who understand where I'm coming from. I don't mind that the others don't, it's just...
[Sumi's quiet for a moment before shrugging. It's just different, she supposes, though she's not sure how to put it into words.]
Kotone-san, you're really nice. I hope I can learn a lot from you too.
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He's a really good friend of mine. Please don't talk about it with anyone else?
[It's a sore subject for him for very good reason; most of the reason she hasn't told anyone is because she doesn't want it spreading around and for people to bother him about it.
She leans back on her hands and gives Violet a smile.] I don't know what you can learn from me, but if you want to go back to calling me 'senpai,' I don't mind, Violet-san!
[A giggle scrunches up her nose. It's still funny to think about being anyone's senpai.]
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However, she takes Kotone's request completely seriously, hands balling into fists in front of her]
Yes, Kotone-senpai! I'll be the best student you've ever had!
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Kotone laughs, almost about to refuse but-- no, this is funnier. She can be senpai if Violet really wants.]
Alright! Well, what do you want to learn first?
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Oh! Um... Hm. Well, I haven't played many sports before, besides gymnastics. Maybe you could teach me something you know?
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[Oh, she wasn't expecting that... is Violet the Chariot? Kotone blinks, then shrugs and nods.]
Yeah, sure! I was in the Tennis Club in school. In exchange, can you show me some gymnastics? I want to be able to bend like-
[She sticks her legs straight out in front of her and bends down as if trying to touch her toes. She makes it partway there, at least!]
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She then bends entirely backwards to plant her free hand behind her, lifting herself up and over to land back on her feet and throw her hands up in a 'ta-dah!' pose]
That! Soon that'll be easy-peasy for you! [She might be teasing Kotone though as she laughs, walking back over] You'll be able to bend like a pretzel by the time I'm done with you!
[There's a Gleam in her eye... Danger approaches...]
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You must've put in a lot of work to be able to do that! [she says when she can manage to find the words, eyes wide with astonishment. Wow! Just. Wow!!] I didn't do anything like that in tennis! I was mostly just there to hang out with my friend, anyway.
[But! She hops gamely off the bale, clenching both fists in front of her. Maybe danger, but she wants to get to know Violet, and engaging in her interests seems to be the best way to do it.]
Alright! How should we start?