Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[SeriousConcentrate]

"....I figured it was something like that."

"I just....it's been on my mind, that day. I should've been there with Aki-kun. He and I go way back and....I know you're tough, but....it should've been my job to protect him. It's not your fault, don't worry about it, I just feel like I should've.....you know, done something."

"No disrespect meant, but if you'd been there, you probably would have just gotten in the way. I can tell from one look you've never thrown a punch in your life, not even for practice, and from what I've heard about your reputation you don't have even the thinnest streak of meanness in you."

"That's a good thing for a girl, though. You'll go far in society. Unless... you're not asking me to train you, are you?"

[Chevaleresse]

Shiro shrugged.
"Not a problem for me. Sometimes quiet is better." She wasn't really sure what to be doing with these two at this rate. Ingratiating herself with them, she supposed? Petty or not, they did hold positions of power, and connections were important. It would be good practice, or something. Shiro rubbed idly at the back of her neck. Today was starting to get weird.

[Smoke Mirrors]

Mori's eyes screwed shut and he breathed in sharply through his clenched teeth as he slapped the back of his neck. He shuddered backwards, his back slamming into one of the walls with a dull thud, but thankfully his arm had kept his head from following. He stood there for a bit, back pressed to the wall, breathing in and out. It felt like he'd just been stabbed with an icicle, but that was of course impossible. The only people in the room had been himself, Sakurajima, and Otoya, and they hadn't touched him. A bug? If so, it had to have moved fast enough that he hadn't felt it when he smacked his neck. When the cold and pain had faded, he called out.


"Veep" *huh* Mori called, still not fully having caught his breath "can you" *huh* "come in here. Please."

[IamanElfCollaborator]

"....I guess? I don't know anymore."

Saya rubs the back of her neck, slightly cringing.
"....I still can't help but...no, I had to have done something. It's...well, you'd understand, right? You don't leave behind those closest to them. I know I couldn't have done anything then, I know, but....I should've. I can't...."
"You always eat lunch alone, Akari? You don't seem used to company."
The pain rapidly fades as Veep runs into the room.

For a brief second, Mori swears he heard something speak, or someone. A voice much like his own; no, identical. The voice says nothing coherent, nothing sensical, a brief whisper, almost mistaken for the sound of a breeze if not for the fact it sounded almost exactly like him.

Indeed, there is no bug to be found, and if there was anything for Kanna or Otoya to have hit him with, it's nowhere in sight.

[Unlurking Sentinel]

Still tense from the interruption, Masaru turned behind him the instant he felt the cold shock in his back. But no one was sitting near him, and nothing from a distance could've gotten a good angle through the back of his deskchair, so a prank was impossible. Is there a draft in this room? Or is it some illness? It didn't *quite* feel like a fever or a breeze, though... He'd need to look into this if it persisted.

[SirAston]

The girls looked after Sasanuma before staring at the envelope.

"Well, I'll be damned! What's the secret behind your skyrocketing popularity?! Even more important, what's in there?"
"Oh, let her be, Mino-chan. He probably had to do an errant for someone, might not be something he wrote."
"Pooey! He even said to read it in private, he knows what it must be! Definitely a love letter!"
"He just said..."
"Why say something isn't something when it's not that something in the first place? Captain's just a shy man I'll bet, ehehehe~"

The sudden pain in her nape made Yui's backside flinch before she freezes her posture, visibly confused and with a strained expression. Her friends were just as confused by that reaction.

"... Err... Maybe it's not a love letter after all...? Everything's alright?"
"I... I don't know... Something weird happened just now... Can you check the back of my neck, just to make sure?"
"Eeeh?"
"Sounds strange... but of course, Yui-chan."

Mino and Hisa started to examine her neck as promped.

[Smoke Mirrors]

"I felt a cold, sharp pain run down my back, with no evidence of what caused it. I want you to record this. It may be nothing, regardless, if a cause can not be discerned, it may be a good idea to investigate. With all that has happened recently, I don't think anything can be discarded without some looking into."

Veep pulled out a piece of paper and wrote down what Mori had said. Mori pulled himself off the wall and checked the time on his phone.

"Now, it looks like we don't have much time until lunch is over. We did a good amount of work so far, let's meet up after school for a bit to coordinate again. Also, if you hear anything about a similar experience to mine, let me know as soon as you can do so. Besides that, it would be a bother if either of us were late for class. Let's head out."

The two returned to the theater room to collect their things, then split in the hallway, heading for separate classes.

[SeriousConcentrate]

"....I guess? I don't know anymore."

"....I still can't help but...no, I had to have done something. It's...well, you'd understand, right? You don't leave behind those closest to them. I know I couldn't have done anything then, I know, but....I should've. I can't...."

"I get it, I do, but you can't worry about everyone. No one is capable of helping everyone - especially people like you and me, who ain't even 18 yet. Sounds to me like what you want to do is go into politics and try to figure out how to make things better with that kind of power. Me, I'll keep doing it my way."

That is, free from all rules and regulations trying to hold her down, and having fun beating the living hell out of anyone trying to ruin the lives of those weaker than them.

"What do you plan to do once you're out of here, anyway?"

[Lucus Casius]

As Aika and Naoki flee, they suddenly find themselves in the path of an elegant-seeming young woman. She manages to stop herself from colliding into them.
"...I'm sorry."

She would be known by reputation, of course, if not personally. Fujimura Ayaka, one of the alleged three Yagami Fuukas, manager of the Tennis Club. If she was a musician, of course, she didn't let on, but then, not much was really known about the circumstances of Yagami's retirement.

Regardless, there she stands, giving Aika and Naoki a look, her expression unreadable. She looks back at the crowd being valiantly held back by Kaede.

"Ah, Fujimura-senpai..."

The red-haired idol somehow managed to stop on a dime before colliding with the third-year, her still-flummoxed groupmate skidding to a halt beside her.  Aika blinked twice at the older student before giving a smile, a little laugh, and rubbing the back of her neck in embarrassment.  She'd heard the rumors about Ayaka, of course.  She'd followed those sorts of things closely.  But interested as she was, she'd never had too much cause to speak with any of the alleged ex-idols directly--partially because all of them were older than her, and seeking them out to assuage her curiosity and track down her childhood hero would be rude to someone who vanished for a reason.  Even if she really wanted to know what that reason was.

And partially because the few times she did speak to them, with that rumor in the back of her mind, it always ended up feeling painfully awkward.

"No, no!  It's our fault for running, after all.  We were just off to find a quiet place to finish lunch break, since we wanted to relax a little before class, but-"

She glanced back at Kaede, who was less 'bravely holding the crowd back' now and more 'bravely making inroads on all of their offered snacks.'  WHILE holding them back.  It was a bit impressive, really.

"Ehehe.  Things got a bit exciting in the cafeteria..."

[Chevaleresse]

". . . Typically, yes." She gave a small shrug. "Most people are either only interested in speaking to me because of my status or disinterested for that same reason." That and my attitude, she added silently. She'd never admit she had an attitude problem outright, but she couldn't help but think she might have a few more friends if she were better at acting the part.

[Happerry]

...huh....you seem like a dreaming type, don't you? Someone like your heroes, who can always get out of trouble.
A voice pierces through Misa's mind, drawing her attention. The voice, clearly female, has an echoing quality to it.
You won't...you won't turn into a monster. I believe in you.

A girl enters Misa's vision.
"Are you okay?"
She looks....familiar, despite not wearing a Hermelin uniform. Her voice sounds identical to the one she'd just heard, but it isn't echoing at all; it sounds normal, like any other student.
"Did something hit you in the back? Do I need to get a nurse?"

Misa hesitates in the face of a stranger, before glacing to the side.

"It felt like someone jabbed me in the back of the neck... but... I didn't see anyone or anything nearby?"

"And then... I thought I heard someone say... no, it probably doesn't matter."

..."Ah... have we met before? I could swear I know you, but you're not wearing a Hermelin uniform?"

[IamanElfCollaborator]

Saya nods slowly at Mildred.
"....I...I don't know."

Saya suddenly hisses loudly, hand on her temple.
"Ack! Headache....I think I might need to see the nurse. Could you get Aki-kun? I'm really sorry, Honda, I wasn't....hoping to disrupt your lunch like this..."
Mino and Hisa find absolutely nothing to indicate anything out of the ordinary on the back of Yui's neck. If Sasanuma had intended to do something to Yui, this wasn't it.
The girl looks around, before she shakes her head. She frowns slightly.
"I didn't see anyone nearby...not here, I don't think."
"I don't think we've met yet, no. People call me Chiyo. Is there a....nurse? Is that the right word? Yes, nurse. Is there a nurse we need to take you to?"
Rise lifts an eyebrow.
"It might also be because you scare people off with your presence. No offense meant."
Rise sighs.
"Sorry. I know I'm being blunt. You remind of Demura sometimes, and....he can be somewhat of a handful. But then, I sense you're a person who prefers that kind of approach. No sugarcoating, but no hate either. Would I be wrong?"

As Rise speaks, Shiro catches a glimpse, just a brief glimpse of something strolling past them for a mere second. Something not quite human....but also....familiar. Like looking in the mirror.
"......"

The moment Shiro blinks or moves to approach or signal that it exists, it disappears from her vision.

Ayaka takes one look at the gaggle of people, then back at Aika.
"If you would allow me. I understand the feeling."

She strolls past Aika and Naoki, before, in her loudest voice....

"I THINK I SAW MISHIMA KANADE OUTSIDE!"
Almost immediately, the vast majority of the crowd hounding Kaede dissipates, sprinting towards the window. Aika, of course, was a big name, but Kanade Mishima was about as famous locally. After all, she was the heiress of the man who had revived the city. Ayaka smiles lightly at Aika.

"That should buy you some time."

Suddenly, a cold, painful sensation shoots through the back of Aika's neck.

[SeriousConcentrate]

"No need to bother Kasuga, I'll take you. I already ate anyway. C'mere."

Mildred picked Saya up in a princess carry and started off toward the nurse's office.

"Outta my way, got a patient here!"

[Chevaleresse]

Shiro's response was interrupted by the appearance of. . . something. She blinked and shook her head, and it was gone as if it'd never existed.
_{"I must be getting sick or something. . ."} She refocused her gaze on Rise.
"You'd be correct. An Akari doesn't shy away from a little criticism."

[Happerry]

The girl looks around, before she shakes her head. She frowns slightly.
"I didn't see anyone nearby...not here, I don't think."
"I don't think we've met yet, no. People call me Chiyo. Is there a....nurse? Is that the right word? Yes, nurse. Is there a nurse we need to take you to?"

Misa hesitates for a second before nodding, one hand still rubbing the back of her neck.

"The nurse, that makes sense. The nurse's office would be... this way.."

And hopefully the nurse would give her a note to explain being late to class and a headache slash pain pill.