"Oh…?" the frizzy-haired student council vice-president let out as he noticed the approach of the delinquent transfer student and his red-haired kohai. And he wasn't the only one that noticed them
Other students that were waiting in line moved out of the way, the sea of students parting as Rem simply strolled up to the cooking station that was serving lunch with Sumire looking around nervously and apologetically as she trotted behind her.
Well… that's certainly a useful way to use her status.
"I feel like I should be saying something about the abuse of power or something or the other," Akira smirked as he started to fill some cheap disposable but environmentally-friendly containers with white rice and karaage.
"Says the vice president of the student council?" Rem remarked with an amused look at him.
"Says the vice president of the student council," Akira confirmed as he moved onto a second bowl. "I see you're making finally making more friend, Sumire. Happy to see it," Akira sent a supportive smile to the girl who basked in his attention. Within the minute, the teen handed the two four bowls of curry, the smell of it making both Rem and Sumire's stomachs rumble with want.
"Four?" Yoshizawa asked, Rem raising a perplexed brow at his offering. Akira only deigned to give a small smirk in response.
"We both know only one won't be enough to fill you," was his response with a wink, Yoshizawa ducking her head in embarrassment at his action and words.
That didn't explain the four bowls though.
The two didn't get to respond, however, as Akira shooed them away with a gentle smile, reminding them that they had, in fact, pushed in front of over a hundred students and that he shouldn't technically be playing favourites as it was.
Both Rem and Yoshizawa returned back to the park bench they'd met at earlier, placing the four-plastic bowls with curry on the seat as Rem placed her bag down. Rem couldn't stop the small laugh of amusement that left her lips as she noticed Yoshizawa pouting at the four bowls of curry.
"Senpai knows I don't eat this much…" Yoshizawa pouted as she only took two of the bowls, leaving the other two for Rem.
Rem just looked at the thin girl in disbelief. Was… she seriously going to eat two of those bowls? One was the size of the mega beef bowls that Ryuji had gotten her the day they first met.
Shaking her head Rem grabbed a bowl but frowned as her hand brushed something underneath, a small green post-it note fluttering to the grown where it had been stuck to the underside of the bowl. Placing the bowl down, she picked up the paper and flipped it over, reading the neat writing scrawled onto its surface.
If you're going to bring your cat, at least make sure he has food if you're going to leave him in your bag all day.
P.S. Cats are allowed in Inokashira Park btw
P.P.S. Should technically let Makoto-senpai know but... abuse of power ;)
Akira Kurusu, Student Council Vice President
"When did he even have the time to write this?" Rem couldn't help but wonder. She almost flinched at the lock of red hair that was trying to peer over her shoulder, Yoshizawa standing on the tip of her feet to look.
"Did Senpai leave something?" Yoshizawa stepped back, curiosity overpowering the shyness that Rem had come to associate with the girl. She eventually just sighed as she handed Yoshizawa the slip of paper before moving over to her bag and opening the zipper.
"Ah, freedom-!" Morgana cheered lightly at finally being allowed free before freezing as he noticed the red-haired student. "Rem, why'd you let me out?!" he hissed in panic at being found out so brazenly.
"Seems you've gotten the permission from the Vice-President to roam around," Rem smirked while Yoshizawa just stared at Morgana stunned. Grabbing Morgana by the underside of his belly he slowly lifted him up before placing hi on the pavement, placing the bowl of curry and rice on the ground in front of him.
"This one's for you it seems," Rem smirked as she popped off the lid keeping the contents of it sealed, Morgana's tiny cat stomach rumbling as his acute senses took in the near-divine scent emanating from the bowl.
"Y-You have a cat, Amamiya-senpai?" Yoshizawa just stared as Morgana drooled over the curry bowl, surprised by the series of meowing that originated from Rem's bag the moment she opened the zipper and Morgana pouring out.
"Mhmm… were you expecting a knife or something like the rumours?" Rem asked as she picked up the remaining bowl and popping off the lid, the warm curry making her stomach rumble almost incessantly.
"N-No…" Yoshizawa ducked her head with a flush, embarrassed since that had been exactly what she'd been thinking. Quietly she sat down next to Rem, prying open the lid of one of her own bowls, almost digging in immediately from the scent before she remembered that she was in the company of someone else.
Looking over at Rem who only smirked in response, she clapped her hand together, Rem doing the same. "Itadakimasu!" the two intoned together before the two Shujin students and cat dug in.
Rem lifted a plastic spoon hefting a generous portion of white rice, karaage and curry to her lips
The moment the curry hit her taste buds Rem could've sworn she saw the answers of the very cosmos itself.
Ghostly arms wrapped themselves around Rem, the warmth of her mother even with their estranged relationship at the moment ensconced her, whispering that everything would work out. The fresh spring breeze broke through the many people to invade her nostrils and invigorate her, the sound of anything around her disappearing as if it was only her in the world.
The lively and breath-taking chirping of songbirds in the trees reached her ears, trilling a lovely song from their nest in the branches and brambles above, a strange but exquisite inner peace filling her. It was as if she'd found the meaning of life in a world so full of besmirched beauty, blocking out all distractions. No worries about the concerns of the future or the past, only the beauty of the present.
A tear of happiness pooled in the corner of her eye at the peacefulness, the droplet of saline liquid trailing down her cheek in a single rivulet before dropping from her chin.
The peacefulness was shattered into millions of tiny little fragments as her plastic spoon scraped the bottom of the now-empty bowl.
"…Huh?" Rem let out unintelligibly as she stared at her empty rice bowl, the lingering taste of divine curry still on her tongue and lips as she returned back to reality.
What in the hell had Akira put in the curry?
As she slowly came back to her senses, she noticed every other student eating robotically with different emotions splayed across their face, and a strange peacefulness surrounding the park as everyone ate.
Or at least the student, every other public citizen that was in the park sent strange looks to the dining students who seemed as if they'd achieved a state of Nirvana simply from eating some delicious but now dubious curry. The sound of plastic scrapping against the ground caught Rem's attention, causing her to look down at Morgana.
She felt a pang of pity for Morgana who was still trying to eat from his empty container. If Rem had felt as if she'd achieved an understanding of the cosmos and life itself, she could only imagine what Morgana was feeling. While Morgana's sense of taste as a was only a sixth of a human, a cat's average sense of smell was averaging around 12.5 times as powerful as a human.
Actually… she now felt slightly envious since he was still trapped in a state of euphoria. She smoothly picked him up and placed him on her lap, Morgana just sitting there blankly as she did so.
"Huh?" an unintelligible voice resounded beside her causing Rem to look over at Yoshizawa who'd somehow managed to demolish both mega-sized bowls. Rem's own stomach already felt like it was about to burst with its contents now full so she didn't know how the much more petite girl wasn't requiring her stomach to be pumped immediately.
Yoshizawa looked at her empty bowls mournfully, Rem feeling a small sense of kinship as she looked down at her own in a similar manner. "Do you think we could go get another?" Rem gave a small hopeful chuckle as Yoshizawa looked at her, the two giggling only to let out a sound of despair as they looked at the cooking station which was now being cleaned up and packed away.
"I suppose not…" Yoshizawa murmured glumly as the two simply reclined into the wooden bench.
It was around ten minutes later that Morgana came back to the world of the living with a small yowl, the small feline looking around indignantly as he was broken from his divine reverie. "Wh-Who took my curry?!" he hissed, tiny little claws unsheathing from his toe-beans and piercing through Rem's gym jacket.
Thankfully they hadn't been able to pierce her skin. Nonetheless, Rem had to quieten him down. A dainty finger flicked forward at Morgana's nose, the feline recoiling as he was brought back to reality on her lap. "You ate all your food already, remember?" Rem hushed Morgana before he could attract too much attention from the other students.
A light giggle caused Morgana to freeze, his head craning to the Yoshizawa slowly as he realised he was in front of another Shujin student. "He's quite lively isn't he," Yoshizawa let out a small laugh before motioning towards Morgana, "May I?"
Rem nodded as Yoshizawa extended a hand slowly to Morgana, small dainty fingers scratching at the sweet spot behind Morgana's ear causing him to melt on Rem's lap.
"Ooooooh… that feels so gooooood…" Morgana mewled in content, his stomach full with celestial curry and now his sweet-spots being scratched.
"You're… not at all like the rumours describe you, Amamiya-san," Yoshizawa commented as she continued to scratch behind Morgana's ears. "You're much more normal compared to what people say about you… then again… you never seemed like the person they described anyway…" she said.
Rem cocked her head at that. "What do you mean?" she questioned curiously.
Yoshizawa only gave her a reminiscent smile. "On the train a month ago… when I tried to give the lady my seat… you stood up for me when that man tried to feign sleep," she explained quietly, a slightly sad look in her eyes.
"I'd… forgotten about that," Rem admitted. That'd been well over a month ago, just a few days after she transferred and she'd completely forgotten about the incident.
Yoshizawa seemed to return to the present as she looked at Rem. "Even with the rumours that spread about you when I transferred… I could never reconcile that you were a delinquent…" she explained before giggling as Morgana's leg twitched. "Some were so outlandish they had to be lies… um… right?" she looked at Rem inclining her head to the side.
Rem just sat there, staring at the red-haired first-year honour student. "What rumours are there about me?" she probed intrigued.
Yoshizawa seemed slightly stumped for a moment as she thought about it, pausing in her scratching. "Um… there was… burglary, murder, and… elephant tusk trafficking?" she listed, her face scrunching in confusion causing Rem to snort derisively at the rumours.
"If I'd been caught for any three of those, I'd be in jail," Rem shook her head as she realised that perhaps at least ninety percent of the students at Shujin were morons. "I imagine that there's probably me driving without a license somewhere in there as well," Rem tacked on, however…
She looked down at Morgana.
That one was technically true.
Yoshizawa nodded understandingly. "Y-Yes… that's why I couldn't reconcile those rumours with you… Akira-senpai seems to trust you after all…" she said.
Rem hummed in thought about the frizzy-haired teen. "Actually… how do you know Akira?" Rem asked, their closeness bothering her for a bit. If she remembered correctly there was a first-year transfer student that transferred in at the start of the year at the same time as she and Akira had.
But why were they so close if they'd only transferred at the same time? Their closeness seemed like people who'd known each other for longer.
"O-Oh, um… I…" Yoshizawa stammered, her eyes falling downcast.
Rem knew at the moment she'd stepped on a landmine. "Actually, there's no need to tell me," she scrambled quickly to salvage the situation, Yoshizawa sending her a small but sad smile that she'd backed off for now.
"Thank you for not prying…" Yoshizawa who'd over the course of their conversation had seemed to almost come out of her shell had quickly withdrawn back in, Rem wincing as she noticed. "I'm… I don't think I'm ready just yet to-"
"Ah!" a little girl cried out as she passed the two of them, the red balloon in her hand slipping from her grasp for a moment. It must've been a helium balloon Rem realised with how quickly it was ascending.
"That's a shame-" Morgana murmured as he looked up at the ascending red balloon.
Or at least it was until Rem felt the bench beneath her give the slightest bit as a red-clad figure used the bench like a springboard to lift herself high into the air, her legs splitting to give her the slightest bit more height. Yoshizawa's hand managed to just clutch the string tied to the end of the balloon before the slim first year quickly fell to the ground.
In an impressive feat of flexibility, Rem and Morgana both watched as she curled into a ball, her back rolling along the cement ground smoothly before uncoiling herself with nary a hair out of place and the slightest huff from the sudden physical exertion. As she rolled to her feet, she slowly stood up before slowly crouching down to give the girl the balloon with a shy smile.
"Wh-What the hell just happened?!" Morgana sputtered on Rem's lap.
"Make sure you don't let go… okay?" she whispered gently at the captivated little girl who gave a brilliant smile as she accepted the red balloon. With the little girl happily trotting away Yoshizawa turned to find both Rem and Morgana staring at her blankly.
"You…" Rem began trying to find the words for what just happened.
That balloon had risen well over four metres before Yoshizawa had plucked it out of the air like it was nothing. Even taking into the fact that she'd used a solid wooden bench like a springboard Rem also considered that she was able to react fast enough to accurately grasp a thin string in mid-air before landing in a ball on solid cement and coming out of the whole ordeal unharmed.
Eventually, Rem just gave up as she sent Yoshizawa a wry smile as she returned to her seat. "That was pretty impressive," Rem said truthfully, her words causing Yoshizawa to flush and preen under the compliment.
"I-It was nothing," the transfer honour student shook her head bashfully. "That was just some simple gymnastics really…" she tried to deflect not that Rem really believed her.
There was a difference between basic gymnastics and using a wooden bench to springboard yourself thirteen feet into the air and landing on cement ground safely. A very big difference since most gymnastics weren't done in urban areas but inside specialised training or testing grounds.
Yoshizawa noticed Rem's disbelieving look and tried to dissuade her further. "I-It's n-not that difficult really! Once you get the hang of it, it's just a hop, skip and jump… really…" she trailed off as she realised her words weren't having any effect in dissuading the disbelieving eyes of her senior.
"Gymnastics… that's an idea…" Morgana murmured in Rem's lap only to receive a scratch under his chin for what most likely seemed like a plea for more scratches from Yoshizawa.
"Your cat is quite friendly, isn't he?" Yoshizawa giggled only for Morgana to scowl slightly.
"Not a cat…" Morgana grumbled as he was placed under the caring ministrations of Yoshizawa.
Rem rolled her eyes at the façade Morgana tried to put up but she was still able to understand what he'd been implying.
Gymnastics was generally quite a physical sport despite how relatively flashy and simple it was. Being as flexible and limber as Yoshizawa might be what saves the Phantom Thieves from being skewered by a fractal of ice or dodge bolts of lightning.
Her red-headed kohai seemed to notice the look of contemplation on her face as Yoshizawa tilted her head in an inquisitive manner. "Is something wrong, Amamiya-senpai?" she asked, no small amount of concern noticeable in her eyes.
Guess it wouldn't hurt to ask.
"Would you be willing to teach me some gymnastics?" Rem asked straightforward. It was easier to be blunt rather than dancing around the subject.
"H-Hwah?" Yoshizawa actually recoiled in surprise at the sudden request. "Y-You want me to teach you gymnastics?" she stuttered slightly baffled at the abrupt nature of Rem's appeal.
Yoshizawa seemed to mull it over for a bit, weighing pros and cons in her mind as her long red hear flickered and fluttered in the spring breeze. She was mulling over so much that she'd stopped scratching Morgana's chin much to his disappointment.
"You… really want to learn gymnastics?" Yoshizawa broached shyly as she sent Rem a hesitant look, confirming that was what she wanted.
Rem nodded seriously.
"If you sure…" Yoshizawa seemed to make up her mind as she gained some measure of confidence in herself. "I-If you want to learn gymnastics I-I'd be honoured if you'd let me teach you," Yoshizawa managed to stammer out in acceptance causing Rem to chuckle at her nature.
"I'd be honoured to be your student," Rem smiled comfortingly, more than well aware that this must have been something new and out of the comfort zone of the normally demure girl. She was actually happy that she'd managed to bring her out of her shell again.
Yoshizawa flushed at being told that Rem would be her student but a flash of consternation appeared across her face for the briefest of moments. "A-Actually… I have a favour I'd like to ask of you as well- I-if you wouldn't mind, of course!" she waved frantically downplaying her request as if it was nothing.
"I'd be more than happy," Rem nodded feeling as if it was only fair for a favour to be returned with a favour.
Yoshizawa bit her lip in thought, her ruby red eyes belying the inner thoughts that warred within. "Akira-senpai… he's my only friend…" she said haltingly still trying to think of a way to convey her words.
Rem stayed silent as she listened, Morgana doing the same as he laid down quietly in her lap no wanting to intrude.
"He… he was the one to tell me to l-look for people that would be friends with me because I'm me… because I'm Sumire…" Yoshizawa looked at her with hopeful but hesitant eyes. "Wh-what I'm trying to say is… w-would you be my friend?"
Rem felt as if there was something more to this request but… Yoshizawa- no… Sumire seemed lonely. Not lonely but… as if she was looking for people to trust in and believe in.
Sort of like when she herself had when she arrived in Tokyo on her first day, or on her first day at Shujin Academy. Sumire only had Akira… but Rem had Ryuji, Ann, Morgana, Yusuke… and was still building her group of friends.
Rem didn't see this as a transaction any longer.
"I'd love to Sumire," Rem smiled extending a hand, Sumire giving a small but beautiful smile at her words.
Sumire grasped Rem's hand in her own, two dainty hands giving a firm shake as the two smiled. "It's a deal…" Sumire whispered with glistening eyes.
The world froze.
The familiar voice of a young girl resounded in her mind, the sound of chains shattering accompanying her as Rem felt her soul make way for a new Arcana.
I am thou, thou art I…
Thou hast acquired a new vow.
It shall become the wings of rebellion
that breaketh thy chains of captivity.
With the birth of the Faith Persona,
I have obtained the winds of blessing that
shall lead to freedom and new power…
The Faith Persona… huh…
As far as Rem was aware, most of her social links had followed the same pattern as that of the Major Arcana found in Tarot Cards, with Doctor Maruki and Sumire being the sole exceptions to that rule.
"W-Would you mind if we exchanged contact information?" Sumire asked with a small happy smile spread across her face as she took out her phone. Rem was a bit surprised to see her pull out a fairly dinged up smartphone, but from the otherwise surface-damage it was still working by how Sumire opened it up and quickly flicked to her contact list.
Rem pulled out her own phone, scrolling to through her contact list-
"Oh, that looks exactly like Akira-senpai's phone," Sumire murmured, looking at Rem's phone, the backside looking akin to old floor steel. Rem rose a brow at that strange and sudden comment. It wasn't like it was a rare phone, uncommon to see but not all that rare.
Sumire noticed Rem's raised brow and shook her head before extending her phone, the two devices tapping against each other and exchanging contact information via Bluetooth.
"Let me know when you'd like to learn about some gymnastics or if you'd just like to spend some time together," Sumire smiled as she tucked away her phone, Rem doing the same thing.
"Sure thing," Rem nodded.
Attention Shujin Academy students: the clean-up event will be ending momentarily.
Their time together was eventually cut short as the Student Council President's voice came from over the microphone. Morgana took that as his cue to return to Rem's bag, quickly clambering inside before Rem zipped it closed. Noticing the question look that Sumire was sending her, she lifted a finger to her lips before miming silence.
Sumire was still confused but no longer sent Rem a questioning look.
Please do not discard your trash in the waste bins here. Even though utensils and bowls are environmentally friendly, please bring your waste to the predetermined waste disposal location.
After that has been dealt with, we shall officially be releasing everyone for the day. Thank you all for your hard work.
"Oh finally," Rem gave a groan of relief as she stretched up at that announcement.
"Um… Rem-senpai…" Sumire murmured, Rem looking down at her questioningly. Actually, now that she noticed, she was actually half a head taller than her. Shaking her head she paid attention to what Sumire was saying.
"Since we're already in our gym clothes… would you mind if I taught you some basic exercises and training before heading home…?" Sumire asked with a slight fidget. "I'm… actually still waiting for Akira-senpai to finish up with his duties as well.
Rem thought about it for a moment before shrugging. "That doesn't seem like all that bad of an idea," she eventually admitted before turning and giving Sumire her full attention.
Sumire clasped her hands in front of her in delight. "Wonderful! Um… what can I teach you though…" she tittered around in thought, her head tilting. "Ah! How about some core exercises…? That's what I first started with," Sumire suggested, a mix between passionate enthusiasm and her normal demure self.
Rem shrugged, not all that familiar with any basic gymnastics so this seemed a goof a place as any to start. "Let's do it," she agreed.
As Rem trained with Sumire, she felt as if it may have been a bit of a bad idea to have done it on a full stomach, the heavenly but heavy curry that Akira had made was sloshing around dangerously in her stomach.
+5 Health
She was thankful she didn't end up vomiting by the end of the day.