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[Dermonster]

Ryo's day had been fairly normal up to this point. Walk here from home, attend classes, memorize the faces of those who had decided to torment her today with name calling. A minor curse for them, perhaps a rash? A rash sounded good. Nothing big had happened for a week now, thankfully. No stolen lunches, no drinks spilled on her in the bathroom. Or maybe not. Paranoia was a bitch in that regard, so high alert was the name of the game today.

Which is why she happened to notice three particular students seemed to be rather... disheveled. Droopy eyed, slightly singed... What would cause that? She didn't know their names, and she didn't particularly care, but these three as far as she remembered hadn't done anything in particular to her. They had, however, ignored her plight like every other 'innocent bystander' so that didn't account for much. Was this a plot?

She took another glance and yep they were looking at her. Tensing, she looked away and tried to focus on her food. Something was definitely going to happen. Tired, smelling of smoke... did they hide homemade smokebombs in her locker overnight? Firecrackers? There had to be something. They had to have stayed up all night, constructing an elaborate series of wires and signals, maybe getting caught once in their own scheme. That would explain the hair. She was so tired of this. If anything happened, she swore she would consign their homes to the darkness.  Her hands vibrated with anticipating energy. Yes, their houses would be swallowed up by a demonic vortex, their voices crying for mercy. She would stand there and laugh and laugh and stop, halting herself mid-stand.

She had almost cackled in the middle of the lunchroom again. Twitching, she turned away from that table and sat back down. She fiddled with a tiny pouch of herbs and ground bone. This combination was said to ward off malicious intent. Hopefully she got the ratio's right, she wasn't feeling very safe right now.

[Empiricist]

Purple eyes. Staring at her.
Briefly.
Only briefly, but troublesome nonetheless.

Her hair was messy, which is to say that she cared little for appearances.
Her table was empty, which is to say that she lacked friends.
And she had just tried to bolt upright, which is to say that her name was Ryo Kamimoto.

A pull. A tug.
Like what she felt prior. What had guided her to that anomaly. To Kanade.
That girl was important. She had to be. That, or she lacked sleep.

Probably both.

In popular media, it is generally accepted that if someone has to fight crime or monstrosities at night, they are able to function come day as if they had had a good night's sleep. It's just something that comes with the package. Well, guess those standards her package must be pretty terrible then. Singed hair, burnt clothes, and possibly stumbling into traffic. No information, save for that inexplicable, ineffable pull.

And perhaps that, was the most troublesome of the lot, what had rendered her tired and restless as opposed to just plain tired. What was that world? Who was that girl? What is the shade's purpose? And why, did they have those, those things. The Personae. And, what, lies ahead? There was more right? They had been given robes, and books, and- there to be more right? It, it had felt like a dream, or a nightmare. When she awoke she was inclined to dismiss it as one... and yet, her clothes were missing, her hair was singed, and she had a new entry in her call log. There, had- No, of course there was more. She could feel that pull. There was a reason.

Probably.

If she was important, then- then...

Kanade wasn't talking for once and, Miji was, Miji. She sighed, or wished she could've, wouldn't be the best start to a conversation. A second passes, then another, and- here goes nothing then.
"I-is s-something the matter?"

[IamanElfCollaborator]

"Well, Kamimoto is staring at us like we're wolves waiting to pounce on her, I'm still exhausted from being kidnapped by evil shadow things despite having chugged two cups of coffee this morning and my hair's ruined. I'd say I'm good."

[Empiricist]

Oh. Just going to say it? Where does that leave her then? Just casually accept that everyone's talking about shadows and persona and being set on fire at lunch? Aoi gingerly nudges Kanade and makes a cursory casual glance at the people around the group, surveying if anyone noticed and cared much about what had been said.

[IamanElfCollaborator]

"They won't care. They're too busy looking at me, not hearing what I'm saying. You know how the rumour mill goes."
Kanade's voice is low anyway, mostly from exhaustion. Still, she lowers it further.
"Still......do you think Kamimoto's next?"

[Powder Miner]

It looks like Aoi and the group are in luck; with the sole potential exception of Ryo, it looks like no one in the lunchroom is actually paying them any attention, except for the occasional glance.

[Empiricist]

"I-I mean, we've just sat down next t-to her, s-sprouted some crazy sounding s-stuff and t-talking a-about if s-she's next! T-that sounds sketchy and m-maybe a bit insulting no matter how you put it!"

[IamanElfCollaborator]

"Aoi, calm yourself down. Think about what I just said, tell me if you think she's next. We need to know so we don't end up like this next time, yes?"

[Empiricist]

"Right _{right sorry}, Um... I can't tell. I o-only felt a pull a-at night t-to the portal outside my house, i-it didn't lead to you. W-what do we do? Show her the stuff we found and t-try and tell her what m-might happen?"

[IamanElfCollaborator]

"No way. That never works; they either never believe you or call the police. No, I say we make friends with her."

[Dermonster]

They were muttering among themselves. Were they still looking? Ryo risked a half glance and yes they were stil looking shit shit damn them to nine seperate hells _{did they just say her name.} Her fingers were shaking. Something was definitely going to happen.

Maybe she should just start eating on the roof. They couldn't do anything here, right? Witnesses? But, she thought as she glanced around at the other, apathetic students, they probably wouldn't do anything. Hadn't before. She examined her nails. Long and sharp, perfect for a good, blood drawing scratch if they tried anything too hard. Then maybe she could- don't think about that breath breath ok.

Plan, needed a plan. Run? Too attention grabbing. The last thing she needed was more attention. Being isolated was likely to be worse than being in a crowded area. Report? Teachers didn't care. No proof, ever. Of course, nobody ever came out to back up her words. Can't be seen defending the weirdo, can they? So just... ignore them, finish lunch and make a break for the next class. It was the only option she had stop shaking. Calm. Be calm. In, out, in out. Recite the mantra.

Empty your mind. I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.

Everything will be fine. It will be fine. She would be... fine.

[Sl4cker]

"Befriend her?" There's something strange in Mijimeki's voice when he says his first bit of dialogue today - Aoi and Kanade might not notice it. He leans backwards a little bit in his chair, probably to get comfortable. He doesn't look at Ryo.

[Empiricist]

"S-should we go try now? If we wait, she might get the wrong idea _{we are staring at her...}"

[IamanElfCollaborator]

"Well, go on!"

[Empiricist]

"W-wha? B-but I-I, uh _okay..." Sputtering and stumbling forth, Aoi moves to the adjacent table, greeting Ryo with a nervous smile and half-hearted wave, all while making quick glances behind herself "_Hi..."