[Adjusting back to day-to-day life takes some time, admittedly. Going from purgatory to normalcy as if nothing had ever happened is jarring, but--
--somehow, he makes it work.
Even if he's six weeks out of practice in ballet, and Rui arches an eyebrow at that, because he was there doing ballet yesterday--
It's fine. He's not ready to tell even Rui about everything that happened, even if he thinks if anyone would believe him, it would be WxS. He'll get around to it... maybe.
But once he's properly adjusted, there's something important he has to do. Which is why!! He is somehow managing to text across space and time to send Yosuke a text message:]
YOSUKE!!! Did you make it back home okay? How is everything?
[ The thing about making friends and then leaving friends is the inevitable crashout when those friends are suddenly very far away. It was one thing to have Yu leave (and that was a completely separate crashout, when they got back home and Yu had to board the train back to Tokyo, again), but to lose all of the friends he'd made over the last several weeks and be literal worlds apart from some was depressing. He used to be a person who could handle goodbyes gracefully, but then he started actually letting himself make attachments and grow to love people.
So suffice to say, adjusting to life after Purgatory is a lot harder than adjusting to life after beating a literal goddess and saving the world. Who knew?
His friends have noticed he's slightly more subdued than usual, but trying to explain what happened never really came up. How could he? There was never time or the mood wasn't right or there was always something going on? Not to mention... well. There were just some things he really wasn't ready to explain, as it turns out.
It's why he doesn't think too much about his phone buzzing in his pocket as he goes on break at Junes, because he knows Yu's schedule and it's too early for him to be reaching out. But he's also just far enough on this side of lonely that he's eager enough to grab the phone anyway just to see who it is.
Huh? Huh?????? Okay, sure, he should not be surprised to hear from Tsukasa, but still. (There was a very small part of him that had wondered, but of course that was silly.) ]
dude! hey!! things r fine here we made it back wats up, r u guys good? wats new?
[ "Tell me everything because I've missed talking to you", he thinks without sending. ]
It does not tell Tsukasa about how hard of a time he's having adjusting to no longer being able to be in contact with all of his friends from purgatory (and what a sentence that is, really). At least Tsukasa has Mafuyu--he has someone who knows and understands what it was like, without having to have it be explained.
Yosuke... has been on his own, hasn't he? And there's Yu, but Saki barely remembers any of what she'd seen, and mostly thinks it was a dream, he's sure--
Either way, Tsukasa tilts his head at the response, pleased to at least know his messages are going through to Yosuke properly (and maybe that's why he waited a few days, not that he'll admit to it--maybe he was a little afraid that the message wouldn't go through, that he'd never get a response). But... even so... he stares at it as if trying to divine Yosuke's mental state from so few words.
(It isn't working.)]
Yes, everything is fine here for both me and Mafuyu!! I've just been trying to adjust to being back home. It is very strange to suddenly go back to everything being normal. Though!! Don't get me wrong! I'm grateful no time has passed.
[ Perhaps that is by design. Despite the fact he likes Tsukasa a lot and trusts him, there are still moments in which Yosuke decides it's still better to withhold his feelings. After all, at least they know now that their messages are able to reach each other. Does it matter how he's felt for the last little while being alone and unable to really explain what happened?
Text is the best medium, if only so he doesn't give away too much too soon. ]
good i was gonna ask u if u guys were still sticking 2gether its rly weird tho right? no time passed except all the time passed and now im expected to still remember everything about world history i learned months ago bc everyone else learned it 2 weeks ago i wont lie and say im not half-expecting another maze 2 open up tho lol hows training?
[ It reveals a little of his own unease and worries, but he loops right around to focusing on Tsukasa again. ]
It's subtle, but he thinks he's starting to get used to this coming from Yosuke. So Tsukasa frowns, staring at his phone as he walks home (even though that is quite rude, honestly).]
I encountered much the same thing with ballet as you did with world history!! Unfortunately, the instructors were very unimpressed... but of course, I will improve quickly!!
Regardless. Has that been on your mind a lot? Worrying about another maze appearing, I mean.
[He does in fact almost collide with a few people on his way home.
But eventually, he makes it there, shuffling into the kitchen to make himself a small dinner so he can do his homework. Someday, his time at the opera academy will end and he can breathe again--]
It's really not dumb at all!! Of course you've gotten used to it. It was our reality for what felt like such a long time. Does it bother you?
there is but were not gonna get into that again man
[ Mostly because he knows exactly how Tsukasa feels. He knows he should probably head back to work, but... in a minute. ]
bother isnt really the right word but it still feels like somethings meant 2 happen & i dont know how 2 prepare 4 it not that i can tell any of the others that much so its easier 2 ignore it most of the time plus its not like u & mafuyu feel that way right?
Edited (no proper texting.) 2026-01-07 15:26 (UTC)
[ He's not an idiot. He gets exactly what Tsukasa is doing because this is a song and dance they've done a few times back in the maze. He's torn between being annoyed and appreciative of it though, because it does make things a little easier in a way. ]
i couldnt sleep the first couple of nights bc it was weird not having a cat stepping all over me i keep thinking about how i could be sparring with elysium and thinking about the look on medea-sans face if i told her some of the stuff my friends said i meant to txt u earlier but i wasnt sure i was ready to deal with the possibility none of it was real but i would have
Which is why he sort of stares at the screen for a few moments before he replies. ]
it wuldve just rly sucked lol so im glad ur still around and we can still talk i havent forgotten our plans! u just have 2 tell me when things r appreciate it tho even if i have noooo idea where 2 even start
[ Which is always the problem. ]
hows saki? how r U actually? besides also having issues adjusting
[What a very Yosuke thing to say. "It would've just really sucked lol" to describe. All Of That.
Tsukasa polishes off his meal contentedly, leaning back in his chair and inspecting Yosuke's text more carefully.
Hmmm...]
I'm fine!! So is Saki. She seems to think it was all a strange dream, and honestly, I don't intend on shattering that for her.
And speaking of our plans! After we finish up with our time here in Morinomiya, we are going to have the opportunity to intern and perhaps perform at Arcland Tokyo! If we do get the chance to act on the Center Stage, you absolutely must come see!
[Arcland is Proseka's knock off Tokyo Disney....... but Yosuke's probably never heard of it.]
[ He really needs to get back to work, but he decides his job can be walking the sales floor and pretending to be busy while texting. ]
ya yu sort of understood what was going on but i havent gone into detail figured that was a conversation for later that sounds great but whats arcland? theme park??
[Perhaps there is. Tsukasa's brain cells are not making these connections just yet.]
????
It is so pervasive I'm not certain how to remind you any further... Largest theme park in Tokyo, home to the largest stage in Tokyo... it is known for its incredibly high expectations of its staff and actors.
[ This is all very much familiar, but the name is not.
He is not sure he wants to explain this though when clearly their messages are getting across, so it can't be anything too deeply weird. ]
oh ya that sounds about right guess i kinda blanked on the name a little haha wait tho how did u end up maybe possibly interning at this place?? thats a whole themepark
[Yosuke choosing to simply not address it is so relatable.]
They have one of the most impressive stages in the country! And a very impressive acting program alongside that. They are holding an internship of sorts for invited blossoming actors and directors from outside Arcland as well as those already employed by the park, and we were lucky enough to be able to also gain an invite!
[ Listen he has enough experience to realize that when something is weird it's fine to ignore it until you can't anymore. ]
dude i knew u were talented but this is like rly impressive u guys must have beat out a bunch of other troupes 2 secure a slot thats huge! obviously i wanna come watch
[Ah... the praise warms his heart, though as much as he'd like to accept it full-heartedly, he really can't let Yosuke think it's all on their own merits...]
Yes, we have made many connections lately in the theater industry! Even so, I imagine the real reason we were able to attend is because we once did an Ambassadorial Performance in collaboration with Arcland's actors.
Still!! It is an opportunity I am determined to make the most of!! We will be an entirely new theater troupe when we're finished with this internship, just watch us!
i have no idea what that is but it sounds important is it important? at least it means ur foot was already in the door so that makes it easier to perform anyway stop downplaying it. even if u did a performance b4 they didnt have to invite u back its still skill how long is it? the internship i mean
Ah, yes, they were very important performances! We acted as ambassadors for Phoenix Wonderland, the amusement park where I used to work. We would travel around Japan and put on special performances to attract more guests to the park. And it worked excellently, of course!!
But you are right, of course. They didn't have to invite us back, so I'm grateful to all of them for that as well.
The internship is a month long. It sounds as though they will be putting on a contest of sorts after it wraps up, so perhaps we'll be able to take part in it!
[ He reads this and it takes every fiber in his being not to call this a traveling circus. ]
how the hell do u balance the travel and school and stuff i dont doubt it worked excellently, u kno how 2 put on a show a month isnt 2 bad but itll go by p fast contest for what tho? a permanent gig or smth? when u talk about it like this it rly does sound like ur already working and a professional...
[They are practically a traveling circus. He's right to say it.]
We just had to make it work, of course. It isn't as bad as when we were putting on five to six shows a day at Phoenix Wonderland. At least when we were traveling, it was usually only two or three showings.
Anyway!! The prize is a two week long run of our personally written show at the Center Theatre! It is an incredible opportunity to have a show we've written and created be on one of the biggest stages in Japan!
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realpolitik2026-01-05 03:29 pm
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--somehow, he makes it work.
Even if he's six weeks out of practice in ballet, and Rui arches an eyebrow at that, because he was there doing ballet yesterday--
It's fine. He's not ready to tell even Rui about everything that happened, even if he thinks if anyone would believe him, it would be WxS. He'll get around to it... maybe.
But once he's properly adjusted, there's something important he has to do. Which is why!! He is somehow managing to text across space and time to send Yosuke a text message:]
YOSUKE!!! Did you make it back home okay? How is everything?
no subject
So suffice to say, adjusting to life after Purgatory is a lot harder than adjusting to life after beating a literal goddess and saving the world. Who knew?
His friends have noticed he's slightly more subdued than usual, but trying to explain what happened never really came up. How could he? There was never time or the mood wasn't right or there was always something going on? Not to mention... well. There were just some things he really wasn't ready to explain, as it turns out.
It's why he doesn't think too much about his phone buzzing in his pocket as he goes on break at Junes, because he knows Yu's schedule and it's too early for him to be reaching out. But he's also just far enough on this side of lonely that he's eager enough to grab the phone anyway just to see who it is.
Huh? Huh?????? Okay, sure, he should not be surprised to hear from Tsukasa, but still. (There was a very small part of him that had wondered, but of course that was silly.) ]
dude! hey!!
things r fine here we made it back
wats up, r u guys good? wats new?
[ "Tell me everything because I've missed talking to you", he thinks without sending. ]
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It does not tell Tsukasa about how hard of a time he's having adjusting to no longer being able to be in contact with all of his friends from purgatory (and what a sentence that is, really). At least Tsukasa has Mafuyu--he has someone who knows and understands what it was like, without having to have it be explained.
Yosuke... has been on his own, hasn't he? And there's Yu, but Saki barely remembers any of what she'd seen, and mostly thinks it was a dream, he's sure--
Either way, Tsukasa tilts his head at the response, pleased to at least know his messages are going through to Yosuke properly (and maybe that's why he waited a few days, not that he'll admit to it--maybe he was a little afraid that the message wouldn't go through, that he'd never get a response). But... even so... he stares at it as if trying to divine Yosuke's mental state from so few words.
(It isn't working.)]
Yes, everything is fine here for both me and Mafuyu!! I've just been trying to adjust to being back home. It is very strange to suddenly go back to everything being normal. Though!! Don't get me wrong! I'm grateful no time has passed.
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Text is the best medium, if only so he doesn't give away too much too soon. ]
good i was gonna ask u if u guys were still sticking 2gether
its rly weird tho right? no time passed except all the time passed and now im expected to still remember everything about world history i learned months ago bc everyone else learned it 2 weeks ago
i wont lie and say im not half-expecting another maze 2 open up tho lol
hows training?
[ It reveals a little of his own unease and worries, but he loops right around to focusing on Tsukasa again. ]
no subject
It's subtle, but he thinks he's starting to get used to this coming from Yosuke. So Tsukasa frowns, staring at his phone as he walks home (even though that is quite rude, honestly).]
I encountered much the same thing with ballet as you did with world history!! Unfortunately, the instructors were very unimpressed... but of course, I will improve quickly!!
Regardless. Has that been on your mind a lot? Worrying about another maze appearing, I mean.
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1 of those is probably a lil more interesting dude
but i dont doubt it
ur u and u practice 2 much
[ It's easy to be casual and tease a little, saying things without thought and sidestepping the real question for a moment. ]
i wuldnt say a lot
just thinking about it
dumb
but guess i got used 2 it every week even if nobody else is
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[He does in fact almost collide with a few people on his way home.
But eventually, he makes it there, shuffling into the kitchen to make himself a small dinner so he can do his homework. Someday, his time at the opera academy will end and he can breathe again--]
It's really not dumb at all!! Of course you've gotten used to it. It was our reality for what felt like such a long time. Does it bother you?
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[ Mostly because he knows exactly how Tsukasa feels. He knows he should probably head back to work, but... in a minute. ]
bother isnt really the right word but it still feels like somethings meant 2 happen & i dont know how 2 prepare 4 it
not that i can tell any of the others that much so its easier 2 ignore it most of the time
plus its not like u & mafuyu feel that way right?
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To be entirely honest, I keep finding myself feeling very distracted.
Like I should be checking in with Fiammetta or making sure that Edamura-san hasn't gotten into some trouble.
Sometimes, I pause before picking up something unknown, just in case it inflicts some strange, mysterious behavior on me.
[So no... it isn't just Yosuke at all. He hopes that being honest will help Yosuke do the same in return.]
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i couldnt sleep the first couple of nights bc it was weird not having a cat stepping all over me
i keep thinking about how i could be sparring with elysium and thinking about the look on medea-sans face if i told her some of the stuff my friends said
i meant to txt u earlier but i wasnt sure i was ready to deal with the possibility none of it was real
but i would have
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I understand that! I also put it off for as long as I did because I wasn't sure what I would do if the message didn't go through.
And truly, I'm so relieved that it did!! We have too many plans!! Not being able to speak again would just be too unfair!
[That's one way to put it.]
But Yosuke, you can always reach out any time to talk about any of this. I understand exactly what you mean by all of this.
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Which is why he sort of stares at the screen for a few moments before he replies. ]
it wuldve just rly sucked lol
so im glad ur still around and we can still talk
i havent forgotten our plans! u just have 2 tell me when things r
appreciate it tho
even if i have noooo idea where 2 even start
[ Which is always the problem. ]
hows saki? how r U actually?
besides also having issues adjusting
no subject
Tsukasa polishes off his meal contentedly, leaning back in his chair and inspecting Yosuke's text more carefully.
Hmmm...]
I'm fine!! So is Saki. She seems to think it was all a strange dream, and honestly, I don't intend on shattering that for her.
And speaking of our plans! After we finish up with our time here in Morinomiya, we are going to have the opportunity to intern and perhaps perform at Arcland Tokyo! If we do get the chance to act on the Center Stage, you absolutely must come see!
[Arcland is Proseka's knock off Tokyo Disney....... but Yosuke's probably never heard of it.]
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ya yu sort of understood what was going on but i havent gone into detail
figured that was a conversation for later
that sounds great but whats arcland?
theme park??
[ He has not heard of it but he can guess. ]
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???]
What do you mean "whats arcland"? It is only the biggest theme park in Tokyo!! Surely you've heard of it?
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sure maybe
but remind me anyway?
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????
It is so pervasive I'm not certain how to remind you any further... Largest theme park in Tokyo, home to the largest stage in Tokyo... it is known for its incredibly high expectations of its staff and actors.
There is a mouse mascot?
[didney]
no subject
He is not sure he wants to explain this though when clearly their messages are getting across, so it can't be anything too deeply weird. ]
oh
ya that sounds about right guess i kinda blanked on the name a little haha
wait tho how did u end up maybe possibly interning at this place??
thats a whole themepark
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They have one of the most impressive stages in the country! And a very impressive acting program alongside that. They are holding an internship of sorts for invited blossoming actors and directors from outside Arcland as well as those already employed by the park, and we were lucky enough to be able to also gain an invite!
no subject
dude i knew u were talented but this is like
rly impressive
u guys must have beat out a bunch of other troupes 2 secure a slot
thats huge!
obviously i wanna come watch
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Yes, we have made many connections lately in the theater industry! Even so, I imagine the real reason we were able to attend is because we once did an Ambassadorial Performance in collaboration with Arcland's actors.
Still!! It is an opportunity I am determined to make the most of!! We will be an entirely new theater troupe when we're finished with this internship, just watch us!
no subject
is it important?
at least it means ur foot was already in the door so that makes it easier to perform
anyway stop downplaying it. even if u did a performance b4 they didnt have to invite u back
its still skill
how long is it? the internship i mean
no subject
But you are right, of course. They didn't have to invite us back, so I'm grateful to all of them for that as well.
The internship is a month long. It sounds as though they will be putting on a contest of sorts after it wraps up, so perhaps we'll be able to take part in it!
no subject
how the hell do u balance the travel and school and stuff
i dont doubt it worked excellently, u kno how 2 put on a show
a month isnt 2 bad but itll go by p fast
contest for what tho? a permanent gig or smth?
when u talk about it like this it rly does sound like ur already working and a professional...
1/2
We just had to make it work, of course. It isn't as bad as when we were putting on five to six shows a day at Phoenix Wonderland. At least when we were traveling, it was usually only two or three showings.
Anyway!! The prize is a two week long run of our personally written show at the Center Theatre! It is an incredible opportunity to have a show we've written and created be on one of the biggest stages in Japan!
2/2
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