scaling: (Default)
joker. ([personal profile] scaling) wrote in [community profile] norvrandt2021-06-21 09:19 pm

( for [personal profile] skulleon )


skulleon: (for as long as you can keep going)

[personal profile] skulleon 2022-03-17 06:28 am (UTC)(link)

[ akira isn't the only one who's got a shit ton of things on his mind around here. compared to him, though, ryuji doesn't have very much room for anything else past finding a way to get back at one suguru kamoshida. yeah, he's interested as hell about these new powers of his—ones which match akira's, from the sound of it, something he still doesn't fully understand—and this so-called other world they can access now, not to mention the guy who's gotten him caught up in it in the first place. but none of it's going to make much of a difference if they're not able to topple the king from his throne, so to speak. what else can they do if none of shujin's student body is going to cooperate with them?

it's frustrating, to say the least. more so since ryuji's vowed he'd keep searching for another alternative to what few options they have at hand. is what that damn cat said for real, anyway? getting rid of his distorted desires, whatever that's supposed to mean...would taking the risk of endangering shujin academy's celebrity coach, and themselves to boot, really be the right call here? ryuji's practically always seeing red at the sight of him, more than he can say for most people, yet even he's got to draw the line somewhere, right? he's had no shortage of mistaken labels heaped onto him without his consent nowadays, and he doesn't plan on adding scumbag to the list anytime soon. hopefully not ever, if he's got anything to say about it.

unfortunately he's coming up short every single time. there's one last lead he's on the fence of throwing out there or not, equally at odds over whether or not it's worth shooting in akira's direction. for someone with a supposed criminal record, he doesn't seem like a bad dude at all. if he's true to his word, he's gotten set up from the start. what a load of bullshit; they really are in the same boat in that regard, set up by rotten adults who were ready and waiting to take them down as soon as they spied an opportunity.

opportunities... hell, ryuji may as well fish out his phone and offer up his final theory, then. either it'll get them nowhere and they'll be back to the drawing board once again, or they'll finally carve out an opportunity of their own, a chance to strike back (and outsmart morgana in one fell swoop, take that, you furball).

that's the plan, but akira's already beaten him to it. sort of. ]


Huh?

[ ryuji squints at his phone screen, hardly paying attention to whatever the teacher at the front of the classroom's going on about. what's akira got to say that's so important he can't just put it in the chat right away? he hasn't come across as much of the talkative type, no, but he hasn't pulled his punches yet either. guy's got courage, a real lion's heart, something ryuji can't help to respect, all things considered.

better get a reply out while he can. asap is serious business, isn't it? ]


For real?
Don't tell me you're thinking of ditching class too!


[ not that ryuji's one to talk, nor somebody's example to follow. regardless, he's got to think fast, got to come up with a way on short notice to get out of class and into the hallways, fast. ]

Just gimme five minutes, tops.

[ here comes the tricky part: talking the teacher into being let loose. it takes a solid two minutes of convincing, and so long as ryuji hustles, it definitely won't take him three more to leap each stair two at a time and sneak his way up onto the roof.

if it's off limits, how come you can get up here so easily, anyway? ]

skulleon: (come on and raise your flag)

[personal profile] skulleon 2022-03-18 06:21 am (UTC)(link)

[ to be fair, bits and pieces of this don't quite add up for ryuji, if only because he's stumped on what possibly could've coerced akira into this sudden change of heart. just yesterday he spoke of his probation, the honest student life he aspired to maintain. the wry manner of his deliver and the small upward quirk to his lips made it all sound like a joke which sailed straight over ryuji's head. better to laugh in the face of danger than bend to it, he supposes, but it's beyond him what's so funny about this entire situation.

here, it's no different. ryuji's looking around, hands wedged deep into his pockets. nothing at first glance appears out of the ordinary, and it was the same story on his way up here. it's just another school day, minus the secrets the two of them have shared so far.

is that what this is about? something about personas akira doesn't want anyone to see in case their phones end up in the wrong hands? it figures that he's overly cautious; ryuji can't fault him for it, given the thin ice he's treading on. plus, he's got no family here, no friends, no one else he can trust yet. like it or not, ryuji's all akira has, at least for the time being.

no pressure. ]


Yo. I can't focus, either...

[ who knows what the real answer is? ryuji's just going to keep running with the assumption that he and akira are of one mind, playing the parts they've been pinned as to turn into bona fide troublemakers. may as well start by cutting class early and working their way up. here's hoping ms. sakamoto won't find out about it, anyway. ]

I keep thinkin' about what that furball told us. I know there's only so much we can do about Kamoshida and all, but do we really gotta go along with what he's planning? How are you even suppose to steal someone's—

[ ryuji trails off. he's not sure what's stopped him in his tracks exactly, but the way akira is looking at him is a little...ah... ]

—hey, uh. You good?

skulleon: (depends on your intention)

[personal profile] skulleon 2022-03-21 08:10 pm (UTC)(link)

[ from ryuji's perspective, akira's quickly becoming a man of many faces, yet another thing he isn't entirely sure how to field.

it won't stop him from trying, though. to the untrained eye akira looks outwardly nervous, exceedingly so, and who better to give him a healthy dose of reassurance than his newfound partner in crime? how's that saying go, you have to fake it until you make it? they'll both be a couple of fakers here, then. ]


Relax, man. No one's gonna know we're here. The roof's the last place they'll ever look once they figure out we're playing hooky.

[ for good measure, ryuji slaps akira across the shoulder. the stumbling, wobbling should probably faze him more than it does. looks like somebody doesn't know their own strength. ]

Guess you're right, though. We'll just have to do whatever it takes.

[ ryuji'd be lying if he said he wasn't still on the fence about it, just a little. but it is what it is; they're short on options and short on time. dragging this out will just make matters worse than they are, and ryuji's both seen and suffered enough as it is. the last thing he wants is someone who's finally on his side to get dragged and pulled under too. whether or not they're the only ones struggling against the current, they'll have to fight. ]

skulleon: (i punch my walls)

[personal profile] skulleon 2022-04-05 10:02 pm (UTC)(link)

[ it's a little of column a, a little of column b. when it comes down to it, how can ryuji not have at least a basic level of trust towards the guy who quite literally pulled his fat out of the fire? with no questions asked, his resolve firm and steel in his eyes (which should probably freak ryuji out more than it has so far), this frightening and notorious transfer student's done a lot more for shujin already in the last couple of days than ryuji's seen his whole time here. that's worth something, a hell of a lot.

chances are that no one's ever going to know the real story, though. then again, no one'll know them about akira, either, so it's just as well. there's no way these rumors are all true...anyone willing to stick their necks out like this can't possibly be a genuine criminal.

there's nothing for it right now. they can both worry about things like reputation and societal standing once they've gotten their business out of the way. business, a mission, a real and solid goal to work towards and bring this king of his not-so-metaphorical castle down. ryuji's getting jumpy just thinking about it, all puffed up while akira's ready to lead the way. he can't possibly concentrate in class for the rest of the day any more than he has. once the bell's rung and everyone's packed up, cleaned up and dispersed, maybe they can track down that cat and get around to— ]


Woah—

[ shit! it's mid-morning and ryuji completely forgot how much higher the odds are of the staff snooping up here than when it's after hours. they should have blocked the door, not been so out in the open, or something. someone's on their way to bust them for sure; the boys shouldn't have wasted so much time when they're expected back in their regular classrooms.

should they run? ryuji's rusty, still, but he's made his mind up long before the door opens all the way. it takes a faintly-familiar voice to throw off his clumsy stride, stumbling in what hopefully looks like surprise. without akira here he'd fall flat on his face for sure. ]


Eh? [ looking for someone? he blinks at akira, then back to...what was her name again? takamaki's friend, right? ] Whaddya me—

[ akira beats him to it, though not in how ryuji ever expected. what's the deal with inviting a girl into their manly private affair? they shouldn't just brush her off, no, but if she's up here for a reason, maybe one of them should at least— ]

—?

[ crap. akira's looking at him. really looking at him, as if expecting him to play along with...what, exactly? does he know something ryuji doesn't? that'd be business as usual on a normal day, but the tension in the air's gotten awfully thick all of a sudden.

actually... ]


... [ oh. now that ryuji's getting a better look at her, he can see why he couldn't really recognize suzui at first glance. her face, and her swollen eye especially is, well... ] Holy shit, dude, what happened to you...?

[ and this is why ryuji can't pick up girls. crass language aside, he doesn't mean to stare at the girl, mouth agape, but this is beyond vile. even he can put two and two together now on both the causes and the culprit of how she's gotten so beaten and battered. it's turning his restless energy sour, and before everyone else can get another word in, he's got a fist balling up.

ryuji doesn't need to hear a real explanation. all signs point to kamoshida. ]

skulleon: (if you're mean to bugs)

[personal profile] skulleon 2022-04-10 04:12 am (UTC)(link)

[ ryuji knows these cues, these subtle signs like the back of his hand. he's more perceptive than his peers tend to give him credit for, and for as much as he wants to hurtle downstairs and clobber the volleyball coach senseless, he also doesn't want to subject suzui to any of that, no matter how small of a glimpse into his rage it may be. akira too, really, though he's had a front-row seat already to how low the depths of his new friend's anger can go.

still, he was raised better than this. to cause a scene now would prove everyone right, prove he's turned out just like—

no, never mind. there's bigger issues at hand here, and ryuji's got to focus.

akira has the right idea, anyway, full of gestures of goodwill ryuji never would have thought of. it turns out he's full of a lot of things, actually; although it's there and gone in a second, ryuji swears he's seeing more in akira's schoolbag than all his books and daily essentials. he's not stocking up for the palace, is he? was his mind made up long before this was brought to his attention today?

as expected of a leader. all these and more leave ryuji's mouth clamped shut, and he blinks stupidly at the exchange while his mind catches up. he's only half-listening, jerking upright once he's the center of attention again. sorry, akira. he'll catch on. ]


Er, yeah...

[ the sweaty palm rubbing the back of his own neck is nothing short of sheepish, but ryuji's following along. mostly. he really is staking it all on charging through this castle of kamoshida's, huh...

if their minds weren't otherwise made up, it would be now. for suzui, the rest of the volleyball team, for all of shujin, they've got to do it. this can't get any more widespread than it has. ]

skulleon: ((Going on the road))

[personal profile] skulleon 2022-04-25 04:56 am (UTC)(link)

[ all or nothing, then. not only is akira's determination contagious, but it's one of the core tenets that'll help to keep his ragtag group going and growing alike in the weeks to come.

and come they do: the impulsive leap into kamoshida's castle quickly snowballs into a full-blown heist. between everyone's extensive planning and akira's—well, joker's—seemingly bottomless well of supplies, this too plays out in what practically feels like no time at all. on paper it's fantastic news, an outcome more than worthy of celebration, but it leaves ryuji feeling...antsy, anxious, ready for more action that morgana constantly chides him isn't around the corner just yet.

he can't help it! this phantom thief thing is a blast, and kamoshida's confession has helped to clear the names of shujin academy's star athletes, suzui, even ann, to name a few. why stop at their school and leave this as a one-time thing when there's so much more they could be doing? thinking of the good their team can do and the uses they can be put to brings such a huge spring to ryuji's step, he doesn't need to blame his clumsiness on his bum leg anymore.

now's not the time to worry about any of those, though. golden week is wrapping up, shujin's unsung saviors have just become thirty-thousand yen richer (supposedly; ann said their fearless leader has everything well-in-hand, and there's no reason for ryuji to doubt that one), and they've got every excuse to party hard, as it were.

he knows he's probably killing ann's vibe while they both lie in wait for the man of the hour to arrive. it's not as if he skipped breakfast on purpose, or anything...or is itching just to be out, to be active, to be close again with the guy who's dragged them all into and through this. it's not something ryuji can really put into words, a gut feeling which has only just begun to bloom since the mission's over and the dust has settled.

akira's just...for lack of a better way to phrase it...a really likable dude.

look, it's a work in progress, there's been a lot going on, cut ryuji some slack.

speaking of the devil, ryuji's up on his feet and rushing over to greet him the instant he spies that frizzy mop of hair out in the crowd. any and all of ann's complaints as she lags behind him sail straight through one ear and out the other. once he eventually realizes it he'll make it up to her later on. teammate or no, she's not the stuck-up and strange girl everyone else (used to) say she is, and ryuji does kind-of-sort-of owe her. on a technicality. from middle school. nothing to worry about. ]


All right—! Now the party's really gettin' started in here!

[ a sliver of shibuya now knows it, too. no apologies. ryuji's pumped, beaming brighter than sunshine, which might be a bit of a stark contrast to his next move, considering: ]

Hey, so like...you've got it, right? [ not suspicious at all, the way he crowds in next to akira in front of ann, the shibuya crossing, god and everyone— ] You know...

[ the money. he's talking about the money, their actual meal ticket, the fruits of their labor, of course. never mind ann rolling her eyes next to them, the muttered oh my god underneath her breath. it's cool. everything's cool! ryuji just wants to make sure everything's on the level. ]