Mato Kuroi (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
kotoritori) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
pti2018-01-12 06:02 pm
kotoritori) wrote in pti2018-01-12 06:02 pm
Entry tags:
Action - West Burbank Middle School Gymnasium - Jan 10th (backdated)
[Mato may have Phantom Thief business coming up soon, but she's still got her other responsibilities in the meantime. Middle school students are busy, okay? So tonight, she's out with the girls' basketball team trying to help them qualify for the finals. She wears lucky number 13, which might be an omen for the way the night is going to go. The team does well enough in the first half, holding a slim lead over the visiting team, but it's after halftime that things start to look a little concerning.
Mato's been hustling pretty hard out there, and despite being the shortest member on the team, she's quick and accurate. Besides the other students sitting in the home section, there's also a small gathering of the faculty that have come out to cheer for the team. Phantom Thieves in attendance may or may not notice an extra attendee sitting with the other teachers near the beginning of the second half - a young, unassuming woman with a soft smile. She's watching Mato rather intently as she plays, and as she dribbles the ball down the court and past her field of vision, she lets out a loud cheer followed by the slightest sinister smile.
It's very easy to miss for someone who isn't watching for it, her cheer blending in with the rest of the crowd, but Mato turns her head for just a split second. And as soon as she sees that smile, her eyes go wide and she misses the dribble and trips over her own feet, taking a hard spill on the gym floor. It doesn't look like any bones are broken, but she's limping enough when she stands up that the coach calls for a substitution. Mato is helped to the bench by her fellow players, and while she waves it off with a smile, she's clearly looking a little disturbed as she ices and rests her ankle.
For anyone who missed it earlier, the same woman - only several rows back - leans forward to call down to her.]
What a shame, Mato. Come by tomorrow if you want to talk about it.
[Mato simply shrinks into herself even further, staring at the floor. She remains like that for most of the rest of the game, glancing up only occasionally to watch. Her team loses by a single point.
After the final whistle blows, she does her best to smile for her teammates as they tell her it wasn't her fault. The woman from earlier walks by and places a brief comforting hand on her shoulder, echoing the sentiment. Finally, her parents come down to check on her, but she tells them - again with the same smile - that she needs a minute, but she'll catch up.
If any of her fellow Phantom Thieves want to check on Mato as the crowd finishes filing out, now is probably the time.]
Mato's been hustling pretty hard out there, and despite being the shortest member on the team, she's quick and accurate. Besides the other students sitting in the home section, there's also a small gathering of the faculty that have come out to cheer for the team. Phantom Thieves in attendance may or may not notice an extra attendee sitting with the other teachers near the beginning of the second half - a young, unassuming woman with a soft smile. She's watching Mato rather intently as she plays, and as she dribbles the ball down the court and past her field of vision, she lets out a loud cheer followed by the slightest sinister smile.
It's very easy to miss for someone who isn't watching for it, her cheer blending in with the rest of the crowd, but Mato turns her head for just a split second. And as soon as she sees that smile, her eyes go wide and she misses the dribble and trips over her own feet, taking a hard spill on the gym floor. It doesn't look like any bones are broken, but she's limping enough when she stands up that the coach calls for a substitution. Mato is helped to the bench by her fellow players, and while she waves it off with a smile, she's clearly looking a little disturbed as she ices and rests her ankle.
For anyone who missed it earlier, the same woman - only several rows back - leans forward to call down to her.]
What a shame, Mato. Come by tomorrow if you want to talk about it.
[Mato simply shrinks into herself even further, staring at the floor. She remains like that for most of the rest of the game, glancing up only occasionally to watch. Her team loses by a single point.
After the final whistle blows, she does her best to smile for her teammates as they tell her it wasn't her fault. The woman from earlier walks by and places a brief comforting hand on her shoulder, echoing the sentiment. Finally, her parents come down to check on her, but she tells them - again with the same smile - that she needs a minute, but she'll catch up.
If any of her fellow Phantom Thieves want to check on Mato as the crowd finishes filing out, now is probably the time.]
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"Hey kid. Uh... nice hustle?"
Nailed it.
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[She doesn't want to cry in front of anyone tonight, but there are definitely frustrated tears welling up in her eyes.]
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Anyway, looks like you took a pretty bad hit. It's not too safe so I can make sure you make it to The House good, if you want to go that way. I can get you back home too if that's what you prefer. Or, shit, we can hit Cold Stone. After that BS you look like you could use it.
There's a slight emphasis on the words "the house". Nothing major, but enough to make sure she knows she's among friends.
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[Mato sniffles, rubbing her eyes and forcing the tears back. Phantom Thieves have to be tough.]
U-um... I probably shouldn't stay out too late tonight. Just let me call my parents.
[Taking out her cell phone, she has a short conversation that amounts to 'one of the older girls is dropping me off,' punctuated with lots of 'uh huh' and 'I know' and 'I will' and 'don't worry.' Locke can probably imagine the other half.]
Anyway, thanks. It was my fault, though. I'm the one who fell.
[It's obvious she doesn't believe that, though. Mato isn't a very good liar.]
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"Right. So what does the bitch in the audience have on you? You need us to take care of her?"
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[Again: bad liar.]
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[She shuffles her legs awkwardly.]
...you saw that?
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[There's only a liiiiittle implication that she should probably be able to pick up on that stuff too]
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[She's spilling it, but slowly.]
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[Mato rubs her arm, letting out a sigh. It takes a little while before she continues.]
...She causes fights between the students.
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[Right, middle-schooler]
Are you kidding me? She sounds like a pretty bad counselor. What's her angle?
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I don't know. But she's got a Palace.
[Which should fill in a lot of the rest of the story here.]
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[Another sigh. Another pause.]
...there's so many worse people out there. Like that white supremacist guy. People have been hurt at his rallies. People have had their houses burned. People might even be killed. How...
[And now the tears flow in earnest.]
...How can I ask the Phantom Thieves to help me with this when there's people like that out there?
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[There's the faint glimmer of a smile forming.]
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Anyway I think I promised you Cold Stone, c'mon. No point in letting that lady get to you. We'll take care of it.
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[And theeere's the smile. Ice cream is always a good bet.]
And thanks, Locke. For everything.
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rolls in a week late
Though she resists the impulse to run over to her friend's side and eventually forces herself back into her seat, Misora is barely cognizant of the remainder of the game. Once things have quieted down and the coast is clear, she jumps down to approach Mato.
She leans in to try and meet the other girl's downcast eyes.]
Hey...
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[Mato blinks, lifting her head slightly to meet the other girl's gaze. If she was watching closely enough, she would definitely have recognized the woman who caused Mato's fall as the school counselor. Coincidentally, someone Mato had cautioned Misora to avoid very shortly after she transferred in.]
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...How are you feeling?
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[They did lose the game, after all. But she's definitely looking more upset than just that. It's a few seconds more before she continues.]
...Did you see? What happened right before I fell?
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She didn't really think about it at the time, but Mato had reacted oddly to something, hadn't she? She tries to visualize that moment. It was near the teachers' area... Wait. There had been someone there that she didn't remember having entered at the game's start. The same person whose words shortly after the accident had seemed to only upset Mato further...
She recalls Mato's warnings about the counselor, and suddenly everything clicks. Her eyes snap back to her friend, and a finger is pressed to her lip in trepidation.]
Mato... Did Miss Saya... do something to you?
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[Of course, that's a lie, and it collapses under its own weight in fairly short order amid a frown.]
Well... that's not really true either.
[Mato shakes her head, closing her eyes for a moment before looking back at her friend.]
Miss Saya... she uses her position to cause problems and start fights between the students.
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[The exclamation is... a little louder than is strictly necessary.]
Why?
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[Mato waves her hand, ducking her head a little. She wants to be sure nobody else overhears this.]
I don't know. But she's got a Palace. I was there once, when I got my Persona.
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Why didn't you tell me about this before? We should steal her heart!
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[Mato dips her head slightly in shame, but still maintains eye contact.]
I just felt like it wasn't as big a deal compared to some of the other awful people out there. Like I'd be selfish asking for help.
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[She pauses, her expression softening.]
It doesn't sound like you're the only person she's hurting. It's not selfish, and even if it was? I don't care. You deserve to be happy, Mato.
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[Mato's eyes widen at that, and she looks up fully. She's surprised at first, but eventually gives an embarrassed little smile back.]
Yeah, you're right. It's not just me. That's why I warned you before, but that's not gonna be enough. We need to fix the problem.
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That's better! We'll take care of it as soon as we have the time.
[She bounces energetically to her feet, but a moment later her expression settles back down into something more subdued yet at the same time more heartfelt. She reaches out to take one of Mato's hands into her own.]
Cheer up, all right? I'm here for you, and I'm sure that the other Thieves are too.
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[Mato smiles, placing her other hand around Misora's and squeezing gently.]
Thanks, Misora. I'm glad we're friends.
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Ehe... I'm glad we're friends too.
[There's a note of wonder in the way she says that, as if she's still unused to the idea.]
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Whew... feels good to get that off my mind.