[HSHC] Of Ocean, Spring and Lilies IC [Archive] - Giant in the Playground Forums

Miraqariftsky

2016-06-20, 02:23 AM

Oda Kouta

Seat Lottery:
Weak: Luck
Subtotal: -1

(Maybe a minus for snatching a tiny fraction of shuteye?)

Introduction:
Strong: Skill
Applicable Advantages?
Runner's Glow
Amateur Mangaka
Subtotal: +3

(Maybe toss in a +1 from Practiced Kata's reflex-catch? Might be a stretch.)

"Kwaaaaa... hwwuuuuu... kwaaaa... hwuuuu..." comes the gentle snoring from a certain rumpled heap who'd apparently already been in the classroom for some time even before the beginning of class. Those who had been classmates with her before might recognize her as the one who is incredibly early half the time (and snatching some sleep) or skidding to a photo finish just before roll call, showering the corridor outside with sweat.

"Kwaaaaa... hwuuuuu... SNRK... grrnnm... kwaaaa... hwuuuu..."

This morning, it so happens, in every other desk--- what? not everybody can afford good printing--- is a little handmade booklet. The front cover shows what seems to be a leather-jacketed woman roaring towards the reader on a motorcycle. The back cover has a grinning little girl standing on the bike's back seat, arms crossed over her chest, smug chin outthrust and smug, teeth clenched on a pipe... that fortunately is spouting merely bubbles. Anybody who may have snuck some reading in before class began would have seen a sometimes-funny sometimes-serious story of the mother and daughter and their motorcycle, living off of... what normal upstanding citizens would call "an anti-social and violent lifestyle".

"Cheeelleee shrimphsh... hwaaaaa kwuuuuuu..."

As the classroom cacophony courses into order at Okada-sensei's commencing, the rumpled heap of messy black hair and sweat suddenly stirs. Wait, wait... where'd I hear THAT voice before?

She stretches as she wakes, arching her back and flexing her limbs, inadvertently sweeping Lilith's story off her desk--- and almost casually catching it in reflex before it hits the floor.

The voice of the speaker then snaps her to full wakefulness. "OHHhhhh..." she lets slip before schooling face and voice to friendly neutrality. It would be a bit of a disgrace to let slip what had happened just a few days ago. "...hayyyyoooo, Kobayashi-san. Nice ta meetcha." She continues the catch into what she hopes is a seamless transition, tossing in a sunny smile and another sweaty stretch. Damn that morning run.

The voices of the classmates who came before her come trickling into her consciousness, heard and felt and seen in that half-asleep fugue. Lilith Anders, Story-san. Marcellana Ito, American-san. Someya Misato... where the hell did I hear that name before...? Kikkawa Yoshiko... PFF. Come on. Rumours are JUST rumours, right?

"Oh, wait, ah... sorry!" she says, catching herself again, then scratching her head furiously as she grins and continues. "Name's Oda Kouta. No, I don't want to conquer y'all, what-ever makes ya think that? Ha-ha-ha!"

jamieth

2016-06-20, 03:59 AM

The voice of the speaker then snaps her to full wakefulness. "OHHhhhh..." she lets slip before schooling face and voice to friendly neutrality. It would be a bit of a disgrace to let slip what had happened just a few days ago. "...hayyyyoooo, Kobayashi-san. Nice ta meetcha." She continues the catch into what she hopes is a seamless transition, tossing in a sunny smile and another sweaty stretch. Damn that morning run.

The voices of the classmates who came before her come trickling into her consciousness, heard and felt and seen in that half-asleep fugue. Lilith Anders, Story-san. Marcellana Ito, American-san. Someya Misato... where the hell did I hear that name before...? Kikkawa Yoshiko... PFF. Come on. Rumours are JUST rumours, right?

"Oh, wait, ah... sorry!" she says, catching herself again, then scratching her head furiously as she grins and continues. "Name's Oda Kouta. No, I don't want to conquer y'all, what-ever makes ya think that? Ha-ha-ha!"

Misato stands up and faces the class. Someya Misato. It's nice to meet you all!

Short and sweet. Just the way she likes it.

Chiyuri, as it happens, is in the half of the class that didn't get an example of Kouta's penmanship; nor her extravagant introduction surprises Chiyuri much - perhaps because of her already being surprised by finding out that her chance meeting of several days' past turned out to be her classmate; "Nice to meet you again, Oda-san", she smiles - and, with that, misses Misato's introduction completely. Not that it would matter in the long run; sitting next to each other, they'll surely have plenty of chances to talk to each other, right?

Feeling awkward for pausing too long, she stumbles through her introduction. "Oh, um. I-I am Kikkawa Yoshiko," she says. She smiles, but it looks off-putting with the blank expression in her eyes. "Please be nice to me and leave me alone," she says.

Yoshiko's attemps at avoiding attention - stuck in the front seat, to boot! - seem to back fire as Chiyuri gives her a long, concerned stare, as if making some mental notes.

"Good morning, Chiyuri-san! My name is Marcellana Ito. I hope that we become good friends."
Marcellana went down to sit, not being quite able to conceal the fact that she was head over heels for her, but maintaining her dignity... Somehow.

Mio's introduction, directed specificaly at her, pulls her out from that stare though as she looks at the foreign-looking girl and nods happily, "Sure, eh, Ito-san?"

Lilith holding up several newspaper articles.

Greetings class. It is I, your intrepid reporter, Lilith Anders. It is a pleasure to meet you all, I have brought several samples of writing, so that you may all know the high quality you'll be getting if you purchase the school newspaper. Lilith says passing out several short stories, as she moved through the class.

"Oh! Riri-chan!" Chiyuri smiles as she recognizes the girl sitting right in front of her from so long ago, "You actually became a jounalist? Congratulations!"

Lilith: 6-1=5; seat right in front of Chiyuri
Marcellina: 4+0=4; somewhere in the middle of class
Misato: 6+0=6; sitting right next to Chiyuri
Yoshiko: 1+1=2; stuck right in front of the teacher
Kouta: 5-1=4; somewhere in the middle of class

Lilith: 4+3=7; 2 VP
Marcellina: 2+3=5; 1 VP
Misato: 2+1=3;
Yoshiko: 6-1=5; 1 VP
Kouta: 1+3=4

The rest of the homeroom passes without much accidents; breaks provide the students with the opportunity to socialize for a bit, but until the lunch break, it's mostly small talk.

Next scene proper is lunch break; until then , feel free talk to each other and to Chiyuri - there won't be mechanical significance to it, but still.

5a Violista

2016-06-20, 04:59 AM

Kikkawa Yoshiko

If Yoshiko were more into the supernatural, she would call it fate that she was seated right in front of the teacher.
She knows better.
Clearly, the seating lottery was rigged. The Principal must've taken her name out and assigned her to the care of this homeroom teacher, to be under careful watch. She sighs in contempt for herself. It's not anything new.

She lies her head down on her desk and starts reading the article and the booklet she received. They're not bad...with her head turned sideways on her desk, Yoshiko flips through the booklet to look at the pictures of the motorcycles. Imagine, riding a motorcycle like that. Riding into the ocean without a care in the world, up towards the north pole. Zipping around all night, chasing the moon, and living alone. Hunting polar bears. Racing them on the motorcycle, with a flaming skull painted on the chassis and blood in the gas tank. Riding around with a leather jacket and knives...then, Yoshiko suddenly shuts the booklet. She knows what direction her thoughts are going, and she doesn't like it.

She blinks, and sits upright again. She needs something to change her thoughts towards. Then, she has a great idea: she turns around and looks around the room. She can see who is in the classroom with her and she can try to memorize their faces and voices. She can see who already knows her and and who doesn't avoid her gaze yet. That's a good idea.

Lentrax

2016-06-20, 05:16 AM

She... doesn't remember me. I guess it's really to be expected. After all, who remembers the people we run into on the street... But she helped me. Which means she saw me. No one else ever sees me.

But we're sitting next to each other. That can't be coincidence either...

Misato wonders to herself which of her 'source materials' would be most relevant here. It almost makes her wish she had brought some with her today.

The more she dwells on it, the more nervous she gets about saying anything. And so she doesn't say anything, and hoping she doesn't just lose it if Chiyuri does talk to her.

Chiyuri.... At least now Misato has a name to go with the memory.

Miraqariftsky

2016-06-20, 05:39 AM

"Hah, who'da thunk it, eh, Kobayashi-san?" she retorts, amused at the vagaries of chance meetings. "Same dang CLASS, even, ha-ha."

The chore of the yearly introduction done, Kouta hauls out the books for the next few subjects of the day, stacks them nicely on her desk, then slumps her head down on the pile, rumbling a tired sigh. Waking at four to prepare her younger siblings' lunches and set the home in order each day before embarking for her own day, it does take quite a toll.

While waiting for sleep, she lets her hands work, putting her hair in order with a fallen golden scrunchy. Her eyes wander the classroom, her ears taking in the various voices around her.

Just her luck... a cold voice in her grumbles. Well... right in the middle isn't too bad. Equally close to the door and the windows, in case egress is necessary.

And then she meets Yoshiko's wandering gaze. Kouta's eyes flick to the other girl's hands. Flashing a smile, she asks, "Whatschathink? Kikkawa-san?"

GM_3826

2016-06-20, 08:15 AM

Meanwhile, Marcellana is perfectly happy with the middle. It's just homeroom. Maybe she shares another class with Chiyuri and she'll sit with her, there. That's how Japanese high school works, right?

Anyways, Marcy decided.... Right now she should talk to Chiyuri! Get to know her better.

"Hey, Chiyuri-san? Given that you seem fine with being friends, do you think you could call me Marcy? I've lived in America pretty much my entire life! I don't like being so formal with others."

I'm still not sure whether this is in first name or last name order.

jamieth

2016-06-20, 01:02 PM

"Eh, OK?" Chiyuri blinks, "Marcy...-chan? Your Japanese is very good for someone who lived in America for so long."

I admit it might be unclear in some cases; here's what I was assuming - if I was wrong, please tell me (given names are in bold):
Kobayashi Chiyuri
Lilith Anders
Marcellana Ito
Someya Misato
Kikkawa Yoshiko
Oda Kouta

So everyone with a Western or half-Western name uses Western order, and everyone with Japanes name uses Japanese order

GM_3826

2016-06-20, 05:31 PM

5a Violista

2016-06-20, 06:51 PM

[Kikkawa Yoshiko]

Yoshiko's wandering gaze stops when Kouta talks to her. Eh? Someone's talking to her, and knows her name too? This is so strange. It's almost as if somebody paid attention during the introductions. And it's someone from the middle of the room, too! Maybe she was mistakenly talking to someone else? ...no?

What's she talking about, anyway? Yoshiko blinks, and then looks uncomfortable. She glances around. When she sees the booklet still in her hand, she finally puts two and two together. "O-oh. Um. Yes, I liked the motorcycles," she says. Her face is still rather emotionless. "And, I was wondering what it would be like to ride on ice. Like, how fast can you go? Can it turn sideways? What happens if you slide so the wheels are facing a different direction that you're going? And how fast do polar bears run?"

Illven

2016-06-20, 11:20 PM

"Oh! Riri-chan!" Chiyuri smiles as she recognizes the girl sitting right in front of her from so long ago, "You actually became a jounalist? Congratulations!"

Lilith smiles eagerly and waves at Chiyuri.

Yup! Well just for the school right now. But this is a stepping stone, towards one day being a intrepid reporter of a country wide newspaper!

jamieth

2016-06-21, 12:56 AM

Marcy takes the compliment.
"Thank you! You see, in my house, we spoke Japanese AND English. I had even written in Japanese. It's not like I was EVER out of practice." She smiles.

"Oh, that's nice... English lessons must be a breeze for you, right?"

Lilith smiles eagerly and waves at Chiyuri.

Yup! Well just for the school right now. But this is a stepping stone, towards one day being a intrepid reporter of a country wide newspaper!

"That's the spirit, Riri-chan!" Chiyuri giggles, "I'm envious a bit... I still have no idea what I want to do when I grow up..."

Miraqariftsky

2016-06-21, 01:22 AM

A second wind kicks in in Kouta's mind. Feedback! Woo!

She gets up from her desk and as she stands, there comes a wooden clatter from the long and stiff cloth case slung on her chair's back. Moseying over to Yoshiko up front, Kouta squats before her, seemingly indifferent to modesty. Fortunately, it's only a set of runner's shorts that shows from the squatting's apathy.

Arms crossed over her chest, she listens, then answers point by point. "Thank you kindly. Tricky, you have to manage the slipperiness. As fast as your machine is specc'd out for, well, on paper. Dangerous if you slip and fall, though."

Gesturing with one hand going forward and one hand going curve-wise, she continues. "Like that, yeah. But if ya lose traction, things go crunch-boom. Please forgive my saying so, but your face and name are kinda familiar? You done skating, right? I could be mistaken? Yeah, is something like that, but with machine an' gasoline."

The polar bear question takes her by surprise, but still she does her best to field it. She pauses for thought, closing her eyes for a while and idly drumming her fingers on Kikkawa's desk, then moving to mime a shooting. "Hmm. Polar bears. Depends on how awake an' angry ye catch 'em. Full gallop, faster'n a horse. Not faster than a... shot. Unless yer ab-so-lute-ly good, don't try it with just the good ol' YUMI. Bears'd mess you up plenty good if you don't stop 'em far away."

Suddenly, she blinks furiously, waving her hands in front of her and looking away, then looking back and grinning judiciously. "Not that I know personally, no ma'am. Uh... yeah, that was... KOFFKOFF... research, yeah."

"---what to do when I grow up---" Hearing a smatchet of conversation from the other end of class, but having it drowned out by the voices of their other classmates in between, a wistfulness and a tiredness flit through Kouta's eyes. Lucky you, Kobayashi-san. Lucky you. Hold onto that, ya hear?

Journalism! She restrains the sad smirk from her face while waiting on Yoshiko's answer. You're worth looking into as well, I reckon. Where do you draw your line? Will you let yourself bend? Will you let yourself be bought?

Illven

2016-06-21, 01:23 AM

"That's the spirit, Riri-chan!" Chiyuri giggles, "I'm envious a bit... I still have no idea what I want to do when I grow up..."

You should follow your good friend into the wonderful world of Journalism. Lilith piped up.

GM_3826

2016-06-21, 07:32 AM

"Oh, that's nice... English lessons must be a breeze for you, right?"[/B]

"Yes!", Marcellana says in English.

Lentrax

2016-06-21, 01:43 PM

Misato becomes even more embarrassed as more people come over by her desk to talk to Chiyuri. As she becomes increasingly more flustered, she opts to pull out her notebook and starts writing a new blog entry. She furiously writes in her notebook, trying not to look too interested in what is happening around her.

jamieth

2016-06-21, 01:50 PM

"Yes!", Marcellana says in English.
"Even I understood that one", Chiyuri giggles.

You should follow your good friend into the wonderful world of Journalism. Lilith piped up.
"But... I don't know, what if I'm not good at it? And... if I don't know what I want to do, I thought maybe I should try as much things as possible..." Chiyuri doesn't look sad or unsure saying that, though, but genuinely excited about all the new possibilities.

GM_3826

2016-06-21, 04:59 PM

"Even I understood that one", Chiyuri giggles.

"It doesn't need to be TOO complicated." Marcy smiles.

Illven

2016-06-21, 05:03 PM

"But... I don't know, what if I'm not good at it? And... if I don't know what I want to do, I thought maybe I should try as much things as possible..." Chiyuri doesn't look sad or unsure saying that, though, but genuinely excited about all the new possibilities.

If you're not good at it, you'll have me to help you out, remember! Lilith pointed out brightly.

5a Violista

2016-06-21, 08:16 PM

Kikkawa Yoshiko

Yoshiko nods, listening. So her plans to hunt polar bears on a motorcycle probably wouldn't work. Instead, maybe she could train the bears to be ridden? And she could train them to do what she says, and they'll make sure everybody can stay away and stop talking about others and...

She hears a giggle coming from the back of the class. A glimmer of hope flits across Yoshiko's face, and she glances around the room to find where it came from. It sounded...happy? familiar? friendly? What's the word to describe it? Regardless, she can't tell who made it; there's so many people behind the front row, so basically everybody is in that "backwards" direction. Can't really tell who exactly it came from.

The glimmer quickly leaves as quickly as it came: she returns to the default state of 'emotionless' soon enough.

"Oh, um. Yes. I do skating every day. I'm a figure skater." She answers the question. "Figure skating is nice because there's just me and the ice, with nothing else to think about." It seems like this girl doesn't completely know who she is. That's good. Yoshiko looks down at the booklet again. "So you've ridden motorcycles, right? What's it like going so fast, with the wind in your hair?" While skating, you usually have your hair up so it doesn't fly all over the place.

jamieth

2016-06-22, 01:22 AM

Finally, lunch break begins; Chiyuri rising from her seat, stertches and asks, not addressing anyone specifically, but to the class as a whole, "Excuse me! Since I'm new here, could anyone tell if there's somewthing in the cafeteria I definitely should try?"

School cafeterias are, well, school cafeterias; among the common tropes are some desirable item only being available in limited quantity, making getting one a legitimate achievement. Also, it is rather common to bring your own lunch from home; Chiyuri obviously didn't, though. Sharing is also rather common among friends.

Opposed roll; use any means to make Chiyuri join you for lunch.

Illven

2016-06-22, 01:48 AM

Lilith beckoned from her table, where all the school paper kids sat.

Chiyuri! Come over here, you should eat lunch with us! We can do a story on the new student for the paper! She calls out.

Allure, Moe enthusiasts (+1)

Lentrax

2016-06-22, 02:22 AM

This was her chance...

*Deep breath*

Time to say something...

*Deep breath*

She holds her hand out to get Chiyuri's attention.

Hey, Kobayashi-san...

No, that won't do... We need to speak up.

I... ehhh... I brought my own lunch, and it is always more than I can eat. I can share with you... If you want to.

She holds her bento up, presenting the neatly wrapped box.

Strong Skill. Good Cook. +3 total. Contingency Plan. Roll twice, take better.

Miraqariftsky

2016-06-22, 03:14 AM

"EVERY day? Great, ha-hah! Comrades in tiredness!" beams the other athlete as she bows amiably. "Do me a little running myself, and figh--- well, proper term nowadays is Shooto. "

"Ya know?" Showing a mock bob and weave and a couple of jabs, she nods and says, "Heh! Though I admit I'm a little bit envious of your side of the sporting field. That's a sort of grace I ain't got no hope of gettin', haha."

Treading dangerous ground here, Koh-chan. comes her mother's voice. If those rumours have any weight to them at all, this girl isn''t somebody to mess with. Be careful.

Uh-huh. retorts her father's voice. I-i-i-i-i know another fine little lady who by rights I shouldn't have messed with...

You're both morons!

Otosan, okasan, you're both examples of giving people another chance, right?

Well, I guess...

Besides, what would Juana-sensei say? If I can make friends with her, we'd both benefit from sharing knifework techniques!

Yeah, that's what that Shinkali-spouting gaijin-loving dirtbag would s... waaaaaiiiiitttasec...

IDIOT! Stupid girl, BE CAREFUL!

Kouta leans back, fingers laced behind her head. "Hmm? Nah. Only careless suicidal riders do that. Careful an' responsible riders wear helmets. Padding too, maybe." Waving her hands and shaking her head, she says, "Nah, it was just a couple times with... cousins... when I was a kid."

~~~~

Kouta's stomach grumbles just as the lunch break's bell rings.

"Daaaaang, lookit that..." she snorts to Yoshiko, looking over at the rear corner of the classroom. "Ya want ta go mob on Transferee-san too?"

Ha-ha. Thank you, seating lottery. Whoever controls the centre of the board, controls the game. The Merchant of Minami High strikes again.

Ambling over to her seat in the middle of the classroom, she hauls out a worn but clean wooden box. Two more smaller plastic boxes come out from inside. One contains a bevy of plastic tubes, containing frozen juices ranging all the colours of the rainbow. The other contains a series of bowls for yuzuke rice balls... except the rice was fried beforehand and inside are meat chunks and savoury vegetable fillings swimming in a fluid core of thick sauce, all come blooming to steamy life at the kiss of a thermos' hot water... only released at the customer's word and pay.

W'elp. New school term, new schoolday, same old business. Ain't the BEST of cooks, but hey, I'm still in the black. Gotta do what I can ta help with the budget.

"Come one, come all!" Kouta says with spread arms and spread smile. nyam-nyam-nyam. Munching on a bunch of jerky, then unbuttoning her blazer for a little extra effect, she continues, "Why bother going down at all? While stocks LAST. While it's still hot--- or COLD! ---against this heat, all at fair prices! You aren't a student of Minami or a citizen of Shinbuchi if you haven't tasted this yet. Don't worry, it's not meat of yeti!"

W'elp. Just the +1 from Skill.

5a Violista

2016-06-22, 04:43 AM

Kikkawa Yoshiko

Yoshiko would have been perfectly content just going alone to the cafeteria, like usual. She would've thought nothing of it. Unfortunately, Kouta drew Yoshiko's attention to the back of the class, to the new kid. She made her realize that there is a new student, even. And what can she see back there? It is clearly bullying. They're trapping her in the back, when she should be going to lunch. They're pretending to be her friend like people do all the time, just so she doesn't suspect what's going on. Yoshiko grinds her teeth.

She, of course, completely misreads the situation.

Yoshiko abruptly stands up and walks towards the windows. She pushes past everyone else straight to the back corner of the room. She doesn't care what they're saying, or what they're thinking when she shoves them out of the way. Finally, she arrives in the back where Chiyuri and the others are. "All of you, get away. Leave her alone," she tells the other girls who are too close to Chiyuri. She stares at them with her soulless gaze, giving the best murderous look she can muster. She wants...no, she needs to scare them away so they'll stop bothering the new student. Trapping a new student in the back corner when she wants to leave is despicable and makes her so... "Just go to lunch already."

Without stopping to breathe or wait for any response (she doesn't even expect a response or reaction), she turns towards Chiyuri now. "The strawberries are the best and you have to get some." She reaches out to grab Chiyuri's by the wrist, so she can forcefully pull her out of the corner away from everyone else. "So hurry before they run out."

Roll: Conflict, to try to intimidate and scare away everyone else, so they'll let her force Chiyuri with her.
Advantages:
Terrifying Presence, +2
Zone Out, +1

GM_3826

2016-06-22, 08:39 AM

'Oh my god, my first bento! I never had one of these before. We ate Eastern food, but never in one of these lunchboxes!' Marcy thought. She clearly excited about the whole thing.

"Hello, Chiyuri! Please come and sit with me; I'd LOVE to have lunch with you!"
Rolls:Strong Roll+Culture EnthusiastStand Out=+3 Allure
I'm glad we did switch, I was really running out of things to do.
And this post has been fixed.

jamieth

2016-06-23, 01:08 AM

"Come one, come all!" Kouta says with spread arms and spread smile. nyam-nyam-nyam. Munching on a bunch of jerky, then unbuttoning her blazer for a little extra effect, she continues, "Why bother going down at all? While stocks LAST. While it's still hot--- or COLD! ---against this heat, all at fair prices! You aren't a student of Minami or a citizen of Shinbuchi if you haven't tasted this yet. Don't worry, it's not meat of yeti!"

Kouta's little enterprise would likely earn her a worried look from the teacher, were one present; as is, though, it attracts a decent-sized clientele; not including Chiyuri, though - she, stormed by attention,..

Lilith beckoned from her table, where all the school paper kids sat.

Chiyuri! Come over here, you should eat lunch with us! We can do a story on the new student for the paper! She calls out.

"Sorry, Riri-chan; you probably have your club stuff to discuss, right? I'll only be a bother..."

'Oh my god, my first bento! I never had one of these before. We ate Eastern food, but never in one of these lunchboxes!' Marcy thought. She clearly excited about the whole thing.

"Hello, Chiyuri! Please come and sit with me; I'd LOVE to have lunch with you!"

"sure, Marcy-chan, I don't mind, just give me a moment to get my lunch, OK?" she smiles just before...

She holds her hand out to get Chiyuri's attention.

Hey, Kobayashi-san...

No, that won't do... We need to speak up.

I... ehhh... I brought my own lunch, and it is always more than I can eat. I can share with you... If you want to.

She holds her bento up, presenting the neatly wrapped box.

"Oh, thanks, Misato-san - let's get the tables together, to make room for Ito-san as well..."

Yoshiko abruptly stands up and walks towards the windows. She pushes past everyone else straight to the back corner of the room. She doesn't care what they're saying, or what they're thinking when she shoves them out of the way. Finally, she arrives in the back where Chiyuri and the others are. "All of you, get away. Leave her alone," she tells the other girls who are too close to Chiyuri. She stares at them with her soulless gaze, giving the best murderous look she can muster. She wants...no, she needs to scare them away so they'll stop bothering the new student. Trapping a new student in the back corner when she wants to leave is despicable and makes her so... "Just go to lunch already."

Without stopping to breathe or wait for any response (she doesn't even expect a response or reaction), she turns towards Chiyuri now. "The strawberries are the best and you have to get some." She reaches out to grab Chiyuri's by the wrist, so she can forcefully pull her out of the corner away from everyone else. "So hurry before they run out."

...that plan, however, is ruined as Yoshiko grabs her hand and drags her away. It should be noted that Chiyuri doesn't resist much, considering a chance to get closer to the strangely shut-in girl shouldn't be wasted. She doesn't seem to have many friends...

Except, as she finds out, she still holds Misato's bento box in her hand, and that would leave the girl herself lunchless, so she stops for a moment and waves to Misato, inviting her to follow, at the same time whispering "Sorry!"to Marcy.

Lilith: 1+1=2
Marcy: 4+3=7
Misato: MAX(5,6)+3=9
Yoshiko: 6+3=9
Kouta: 5+1=6

Ridiculous luck on the rolls this time around, for everyone except Lilith :-(

Misato and Yoshiko get 2 VP each; a mix of misato's bento box and Yoshoko's recommended items from the cafeteria is Chiyuri's menu for today, and everyone else is welcome to join their table in the cafeteria for RPing

5a Violista

2016-06-23, 01:56 AM

Kikkawa Yoshiko

Yoshiko hurriedly brings Chiyuri towards the cafeteria. It's convenient, though, isn't it? Having someone guide you straight to the cafeteria when you don't know where it is.

Halfway there, Yoshiko starts to feel uncomfortable, slightly. Did she really just do that? Why is she still holding on? Why couldn't she just leave the new student alone? Why isn't the new student pulling away, anyway? What's wrong with her? Doesn't she know that reaching out and helping others makes you vulnerable? Doesn't she remember?
Of course she does. Walking this far without talking is starting to feel awkward. "Er." Yoshiko can't even remember Chiyuri's name (and would rather not admit she wasn't paying attention), so she uses the term Kouta used. "Transferee-san. What's your name? Because you are in the back of the classroom, I couldn't hear."

...
Soon enough, she'll have brought Chiyuri to the cafeteria so they can grab food and get a table.

(I hope you don't mind me rushing to the cafeteria and to getting a table; that way everyone else can join in at the cafeteria too, without having to wait for a 3-post-long arc of "waiting to grab food")

Miraqariftsky

2016-06-23, 02:24 AM

Bandying smalltalk with her customers as her stocks of homemade stuffed riceballs and frozen juice-pops disappear, Kouta whistles a jaunty tune while counting her hard-earned yen--- both from the snack business and the homegrown manga business. Sure, there were a few who returned their booklets unsatisfied, but hey, she's still just a novice. For now. Nodding judiciously and folding her dough and distributing it across her body in several pockets--- four pockets in the blazer, two pockets in the blouse, two pockets in the skirt, one pocket in the shorts. You can't be too safe, of course.

She lets slip a small smile, renewing her resolve that someday, she'll actually print enough for the whole class, or more. Food-biz would likely overtake the book-biz, though. Tsk.

One brow rises in both curiousity and concern as Transferee-chan scarpers off in Yoshiko's hands.

PFFFF... comes a sighed snort. Briefly washing her hands with a spot of sanitizer from all that filthy lucre, she strides over to the back of the classroom, tossing and catching, tossing and catching one last piece of stuffed rice ball and perching her arse on whichever empty desk is closest to Misato.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/d8/ee/a5/d8eea5ddca202302f34ba6b9c141dbf9.jpg

"Ouch. Sorry... you... er... got swiped from." Brushing back her bangs for a moment, then offering Misato the remaining onigiri and a piece of jerky, Kouta says, "Someya-san. Saw what ya did back there. C'mon! Your good can't go unrewarded. Here, please, take it... Don't worry 'bout the fee, this one's on the house."

Like a wilful horse with a swishing tail, Kouta jerks her head towards the door while tapping a pocky box as if it were a cigarette pack. "Are we chewin' while walkin' an' seein' what we can be scavengin' down there once the initial rush's over, or ya gunna hang out back here, Someya-san?"

jamieth

2016-06-23, 03:22 AM

"Er." Yoshiko can't even remember Chiyuri's name (and would rather not admit she wasn't paying attention), so she uses the term Kouta used. "Transferee-san. What's your name? Because you are in the back of the classroom, I couldn't hear."

"Kobayashi Chiyuri", Chiyuri responds, "call me by first name, OK, eh, Yoshiko-san? Right?"

Lentrax

2016-06-23, 03:40 AM

Misato can only stare as her bento starts to leave without her. My lunch...

Should I go after it?

Then another girl comes over. When she offers Misato the food, she just bows.

Thank you, but I must respectfully decline. And I'll just stay here, I guess.

Miraqariftsky

2016-06-23, 04:04 AM

Kouta blinks, then stares at her quiet classmate.

Then shakes her head and grins. Or tries to. Bowing back at Misato, she carefully splits the stuffed riceball and places half on the edge of her desk, respectful of personal space.

Biting into her half and swallowing loudly, she says, "NOBODYSH SHTARVING OH MY WAHTCH."

Turning to leave, Kouta pauses just before the door and says with a smile, "Return it, if you want to, I can respect that, but please. Really. Don't deprive yourself, okay?"

Shaking her head gently, with fingers interlaced just behind her ponytail, she descends to the cafeteria and grabs whatever hearty but cheap food remains.

Illven

2016-06-23, 07:15 AM

Well I mean I guess. Do we have stuff to discuss? Lilith asked her friends.

Lentrax

2016-06-23, 08:10 AM

Once the classroom is empty, Misato slumps down in her chair. Her head falls forward, thumping against the desk. She lifts it just enough for it to thump back down again.

Baka...

GM_3826

2016-06-23, 08:11 AM

Well I mean I guess. Do we have stuff to discuss? Lilith asked her friends.

"Hmm..." Marcy just kind of absentmindedly ate. She did not talk much while she was eating.
"Maybe we could talk about... No..."
"Oh, wait, did you call me Ito-san? I told you, it's Marcy."

5a Violista

2016-06-23, 03:10 PM

jamieth

2016-06-23, 03:43 PM

[Kikkawa Yoshiko]

"Oh. Yes. Okay," Yoshiko says. She tests it out, "Chiyuri-san. Right." She blinks, completely unsure what to say now.

After some awkward moments lost in thought, she decides maybe the best thing to do is to converse about the things Kouta and her were talking about. After all, that was probably the first real conversation she'd had in a while. She has no idea what to talk about. Really out of practice, she is.

"So...do you think polar bears or motorcycles are faster?" Yoshiko asks. "See, I think motorcycles would be faster normally, but if they're both on ice, polar bears would be faster because they're used to it. And so it would probably be better to learn to ride polar bears than a motorcycle."

Chiyuri blinked. Then blinked again, with her mouth open and chopsticks held half-way to it. It certainly was a... unique question. Still, Chiyuri decided, she could at least give it a proper thought; it didn't cost her any, after all.

"But I think", she ultimately replied, "That if you put special wheels on a bike, it might help - and also, I kinda know where do they teach to ride a bike in this town, but I never saw any company that teaches riding polar bears..."

5a Violista

2016-06-23, 10:06 PM

Kikkawa Yoshiko

Between eating, Yoshiko agrees. "I haven't seen any places around here either. Maybe it's too warm around here. Do you think Russia would have somewhere that teaches that, though?" she asks. "Russia's pretty cold, and I think they have polar bears."

She smiles, and it's a genuine smile. Not forced. Talking like this is relaxing. "I think it would be nice to move to Russia," she continues. "Where would you move to if you could?"

jamieth

2016-06-24, 02:57 AM

"I already did", Chiyuri smiles, "I love this town, really - I have lived in Tokyo for some time, and, well, it's so big it's almost scary, and you can't walk anywhere - not if you want to get anywhere in time, and... it's warmer here, and the air is cleaner... but I don' think I could leave in a village, either - I still want there to be a mall somewhere nearby", she giggles, "But I'd love to see lots of places. Never thought about Russia, though... I'm even struggling with English, so I'm sure I'll never learn Russian... Yoshiko-san, you love winter, don't you? That with ice, and polar bears... and Russia is really cold, I heard*..."

Typed while staring at the thermometer that's sure to break 30C by noon

5a Violista

2016-06-24, 05:42 AM

[Kikkawa Yoshiko]

"Yes," Yoshiko says, lost in thought. "The snow is so alone and calm. Better than a mall, I think. Canada's nice, too. Maybe I could meet Tessa Virtue if I go there." Tessa Virtue is well-known as one of the best ice dancers of all time, from the 2010 Olympics. "But then I'll have to win the All-Japan Junior championships this December, so I can get into the World Juniors next spring. . ." She was actually debating whether or not she should try this year. Talking with Chiyuri seemed to rekindle her motivation, somehow. It was probably just having someone seem tangentially interested.

Realizing she hasn't taken a bite of food in a while, she shakes herself out of her thoughts. "I've never met a polar bear before, though. Do you think they like their tea cold? I've never thought about it before. I think they do. I can't imagine seeing them in Tokyo, so you probably wouldn't know." Her mind wanders almost as quickly as mine does. From cold to Canada to skating back to bears.

Miraqariftsky

2016-06-24, 05:59 AM

((Beaten to the punch, but hey. Still applicable.))

Just then, a shadow falls across their table. "Dosvidanya, tovarisch". says a husky voice just before a laden tray clacks down.

Kouta shrugs and smiles at the others and says, "What? Happened ta hear 'Russia', so, thought that was appropriate. Just happened to catch a few stuff from my mother, the few times she does speak of her travels abroad."

Bowing before the food, she intones, "Itadakimasu." Dipping chunk after chunk of karaage into the bowl of curry, she wolfs down her lunch, chopsticks clacking away in the rice bowl.

NARF klak NYAMSH klak NUMSH klak NYAFF klak NGUFF
At the mention of Tokyo, though, she pauses and remarks, working to swallow. "NYAM... Well that's... huh. Where in Tokyo? My family came from Ota Ward a few years back."

Wait, am I sure I should be telling this? Who knows if she's related to THAT unforgivable bastard? Ah, damn, it's done now.

Most of her bento now consumed, she raises a brow at the others and asks, "Anybody wantin' ta trade anything for ramen or milk?"

Hearing her fellow athlete's aspirations, Kouta thrusts a beaming thumbs up at her with a ricey grin. "YOU CAN DO IT! Cheerin' ya on!"

jamieth

2016-06-25, 10:38 AM

"Of course!" Chiyuri exclaims excitedly, "Winning Nationals - you're that good?! Of course I'll cheer for you - no, I think entire class should come! And, I'm not sure bears drink tea in first place..."

Miraqariftsky

2016-06-25, 12:31 PM

As if only just now noticing her haste, Kouta flushes, then wipes her face and mouth, spouting swiftly, "Sorry if I've dishonoured your table by eating like a dog. Just... huuuuuungrrryyyy. Er... AHEM..."

NATIONALS-level? She's already THAT good? And here am I, spread a little too damned thin. Kali, Kyudo, Shooto, haven't gotten...

Don't beat yourself up like that. Not a good example for your sisters, that.

Should I invite them to join already?
Probably. But not yet...

Hmm. Realistically, fat chance that EVERYbody'd be able to come. But it's a nice thought. And I hazard it'd be HELPful, if even a fraction of the rumours are true.

klag. WHYEEEET-HWEeeeeeeew!

She slows down, now that it's down to just drinking the soup up. Putting down her bowl, she gives an appreciative whistle and a nod and a smile. "To the Nationals and beyond."

5a Violista

2016-06-25, 05:16 PM

[Kikkawa Yoshiko]

As the conversation progresses, Yoshiko becomes increasingly uncomfortable. Unknown to herself, her smile becomes increasingly forced. It's like...how can she explain it? The conversation is focused largely on her; she hasn't talked with someone like this in a while, and she's finally realizing how easily she has been conversing.

"I haven't won yet," she says. And, really, to have a chance of getting into the Olympics before she's too old, winning the junior nationals this year is her only real opportunity.

She makes a realization, now that she has become conscious of it. She hasn't talked with anyone like this in years. She hasn't felt like this in years. She hasn't smiled like this in years. Not since...it feels sort-of like betraying Suzue.

Yoshiko lets her now-forced smile drop. She bites her lower lip and looks down at her half-finished food. She sets down her chopsticks. "Er."
She abruptly stands up. "Sorry, but I have to go meet with someone," she says. Feeling incredibly self-conscious and her cheeks burning, she steps away from her seat and runs out of the room. Maybe she could run off to the guidance counselor's room.

jamieth

2016-06-26, 02:54 PM

Yoshiko lets her now-forced smile drop. She bites her lower lip and looks down at her half-finished food. She sets down her chopsticks. "Er."
She abruptly stands up. "Sorry, but I have to go meet with someone," she says. Feeling incredibly self-conscious and her cheeks burning, she steps away from her seat and runs out of the room. Maybe she could run off to the guidance counselor's room.

"Sure, no problem", Chiyuri nods.

***

Another thing that's particular about Minami High is its approach to schedules. There are exceptions, of course, diue to teachers' availability and stuff, but generally, all the "classroom" stuff - history, lit, math, every class that's basically students listening to a teacher and writing down the notes - all of that tends to be grouped in the first half of the day, and the afternoon classes are about actually doing something, be it Home Ec, Science, PE or, in this particular case, Art.

Your Art teacher appears to be very much not giving high regards to the conventional dress code, as evidenced by the colors of her hair (mostly green, for those who care). "Divide in pairs... sketch portraits..." she whispers, looking at the lesson plan, then flips it down, "Boring. Here's what we're going to do instead... everyone, draw one most memorable thing that happened to you last year! There's going to be a presentation at the end, so get readry to explain why you chose that"

Skill DC5: Draw something actually good: +2 to the presentation roll. You can roll this one yourself before deciding on what to use on the next roll.
and
Allure DC6: make an entertaining presentation, 2 VP
You can attempt a DC 5 Conflict roll to sabotage other girl's work. Success gives your target -2 on a Skill roll; failure and being outed gives you a -2 on Allure one. You don't have to make this roll.

Illven

2016-06-26, 03:23 PM

Lilith had ideas. The most interesting thing.....

Mom and Dad took the entire family to a convention in America, that had to count right?

Drawing set after set of costumes on the ell, as she showed the banner of the convention

Strong skill (+1), Head author (+2)

[roll0]

GM_3826

2016-06-26, 06:14 PM

"Good afternoon, everyone!" Marcy arrived in the art room, and sat down. After being told off for speaking at the beginning of class at a different point in the afternoon, she expected to be told off, but apparently the teacher did not care. Ooh, and she was letting them draw something interesting?
Speaking to the friends she had sat with during lunch...
"Oh, my god, our art teacher is so cool!" They're like minded, apparently.
Now, what to draw? Marcy was not bad at drawing, but she did not draw very often. Marcy decided to talk about one of her experiences camping, with her friends back home.

"So, after catching the bear using floss, thumb tacks, and a can of soup, we turned it into the park rangers, who made sure that it would never steal any food again."
She may have exaggerated a little...
Yay for noodle incidents! I'm sorry I could not give you more of the story, if this roll succeeds it's supposed to be the kind of camping trip a stand-up comedian would tell. You kind of need experience for that.
Strong Roll+Quaint Greeting=+2
Edit: OH, I need to make a Skill roll as well? In that case, uh, there's not really any modifiers I can add to it.
Move along.

Lentrax

2016-06-26, 11:26 PM

Would it be bragging if we brought up...

Yes. It probably would. But you should! People need to know there's more to you than a quiet girl who does well on all the exams!

Yeah, but...

Oh who cares? We need to do something! We don't want to end up as one of those hikikomori, do we?

Alright. You're right.

And so, Misto pulls out a pencil and draws. After making her rough sketch, she switches to colors, and begins shading. When she is finished, she has a decent, if hurried recreation of her YouTube profile page. It shows her number of subscribed viewers, which is shown here as '1,000,000.' It was an incredible moment for her, as she found out that not only was she not, as she had always feared, universally hated, but that that many people actually liked what she had to say.

If only she could translate that talent into reality. It's easy for her to be herself behind a camera. It's hard to be the same person in front of a live audience.

Strong skill, Amatuer Novelist. [roll0]
Allure roll, just the +2 from the skill check.

Miraqariftsky

2016-06-27, 02:32 PM

Previously...

Lifting her milk carton as Yoshiko left, Kouta saluted her and said, "Ah... take care, then."

Tsk. What a waste... comes her inward sigh as she looks at her classmate's half-finished meal. She almost reaches for a plastic bag to salvage the leftovers, but catches herself, remembering that there's a little thing called "dignity" to take care of.

Presently...

Kouta crosses her arms over her chest and tilts back her chair while thinking. Rocking on those back legs while idly flourishing a pencil over and under her fingers, she looks back over the past year.

Huh. Most memorable thing from last year? Well. First Year High at Minami, and... no way I can't wave the Kali Club's flag with a question like that... besides, gotta look for fresh meat somehow. Hehe.

Hmm. Okay, how do I do this? Too little time to scratch out a half-decent manga of it. Single shot portrait, then. Hmmmmmmm... Recreation of last year's group picture, then. Do I got what it takes to give it some justice? Pff... Hnn, I think I can CHEAT a little, though...

Nodding judiciously, Kouta sets her chair back down with a clack, then begins scratching out a portrait. Just rough wire-frame guide-lines for now.

"Hwa hwa hwa hwa..." escapes a little laughter as she whips out her wallet and sets it before her. Beside the magnetic train ticket is a photo. The background is Minami High's front courtyard. Six students stand in various poses, but each carrying two rattan sticks and clad in red gi. Wearing a black shirt and red shorts, a younger Kouta stands almost at the centre of the shot, jaw outthrust but smiling, eyes shining with pride, her sticks in the iconic position of one above the shoulder and the other beneath the armpit. Almost bowling her over is the bulk of the wildly grinning stocky young woman with her right arm weighing down on Oda's head. She wears her weapons in their sheath, choosing to sling them across her back. Behind those two are three boys, clearly upperclassmen. One has a pockmarked face and a serious mien, holding his sticks before his chest in a salutary position. The second is taller and lankier than the others, but a bit more humourously-minded, choosing the camera's click to give his comrades an exaggerated whack upside the head. The third, a knife-faced mop-haired boy, is caught by the camera's click half-turned and parrying his friend's blow. To the right of the photo is a girl in glasses, her long red hair flowing in the wind, keeping the minimum distance to still be part of the group shot yet still seeming apart and aloof. She wears her sticks through her belt, one hand fondling a half-drawn baton as if it were a katana.

Returning the wallet to her pocket, Kouta pauses before putting the final touches on the piece, massaging her hands after that lot of sketching. Rough work, but passable. And done with a passel of brown coloured pencils to give the impression of an old photograph.

Dude. It's barely been a YEAR. Heh. Graduation's sure nice, eh? Miracle that they actually damn let me found a club, fresh friggin' meat though I was last year. Irony that everyone who joined were about to get out that year.

Just then, she raises her hand and asks... for a bathroom break.

What should have been just a quick trip, doesn't appear to be quite quick. Those closest to the door might hear a quick patter of footsteps away. Or the hall monitor's reprimand. If the bathroom is close enough, those at the outer edge of the art room might even hear a dull thudding and thumping in rapid cadence.

Kouta returns soon enough, though. Her blazer flapping as she strides long and strong back into the room. Her eyes burn with an untold vigour. Her ponytail swishing behind her with every deliberate step. In her hands though, is that peculiar red trim on black cloth sheath that she came to school with, that always has a wooden clatter when she shifts in her seat.

She waits for her turn with the anticipation of a warhorse. When her turn comes up, she calmly stands, walks to the front of the class--- or wherever might be a convenient open space in their art class room. She stands her peculiar case on its tip, its carry-strap slung on her wrist, and leans her sketch against it as if it were an improvised easel.

"Good afternoon, sensei, good afternoon classmates". she begins, with a gravitas that was strangely absent from her conduct in the morning. "We were asked to draw the most memorable thing from last year. I founded Minami High's Kali Club."

Letting the little portrait fall to the table, she slowly draws her two rattan batons and rests them both on her shoulders and continues, "It's a gaijin art, yes, I admit. But its study is no less worthy than that of Kendo, or Kyudo, for instance.

These guys were Mitsuhada Keniichiro, Hida Masa, Aizawa Aiko, Yamabuki Rokuro, Yamabuki Nagamasa and Kai Natsumi. Though briefly, it was an honour and a heck of a lot of fun, to have known them, taught them and fought with them."

A smirk slips in as she nods and says, "Ah, but this was supposed to be a presentation, hai?"

Slowly, she spreads her arms, making sure that nobody and nothing is within reach to lessen the chances of accidents. Right fist over her chest, left still in the air, she bows...

...and then practically disappears in a storm of strokes, her arms and weapons blurring with every strike. Half a dozen blows at more or less head-height swoosh by in a mere second. Slashes at hands and legs flow like a raging river. After a few more rounds that might set those students of lesser constitution flinching, she sheathes one of her weapons.

Continuing with the single stick in her right hand, if it were even possible, the air thrums even more than before with every stroke, her speed risen tenfold to what it was before...

...and then slowing down deliberately to better demonstrate. One blow beginning from just above her right shoulder, then striking in a diagonal arc, her right fist travelling down to her left hip and from there snapping the stick out in a fanning motion right at an imaginary foe's groin. It rises again to where it began, snaps out a blow at head-height, then whirls about Kouta's head and shoulders in a warding motion, then thrusts hard at gut-level.

She sheathes the second stick and takes out a pencil. Launching into a series of stabs and slashes, alternating between a standard grip and reversed, she makes a show halfway between a piece of Chinese opera and a reel of a backstreet shanking.

Putting down the pencil, she continues with just a blinding flurry of fists, open palms, finger strikes, elbows, and a few leg sweeps and curt kicks.

And all the while, throughout the whole performance, her whole body had never stopped moving. Always keeping the right hip-work and foot-work. Ducking, dodging and weaving. The open blazer, the swirling skirt and the hair with just the right amount of skew all added to the performance as well.

Somebody might be surprised if they found out the whole deal lasted no longer than five minutes at most. Panting, grinning, she bows once again, passes her submission and resumes her seat.

W'elp.
Strong Skill + Amateur Mangaka, +3 [roll0]
And Runner's Glow + Gorgeous Gi +4 (+2 more if the previous is successful)

5a Violista

2016-06-28, 03:26 AM

Kikkawa Yoshiko

Yoshiko enters the art classroom a couple minutes late. Her eyes are reddish and her hair is partially messed up. Also, part of her jaw is slightly swollen and flush. Somehow, something happened to her that made her slightly frustrated.

She walks to the teacher. "I apologize for being late; I slipped in the bathroom," she says.

After learning what the assignment for the day is, Yoshiko returns to her seething anger and walks towards a chair. She should've just stayed in that cafeteria. If she had, she wouldn't have run into that old classmate from last year.
Her anger boils over. She needs to take it out on something. Unfortunately, Misato is the first one she sees, on the way to a chair. Misato looks so happy and engrossed in drawing. How can somebody be like that right now? As illogical that is, it frustrates her. As she walks past, she gives a hard kick to Misato's table leg, then continues on like she didn't even notice. She realizes she's taking it off on the wrong person and it hurt her foot, but it made her feel better.

She reaches her empty chair and sits down. She stares down at the table and presses one of her palms against her eyes, pushing away what's left of tears. To disguise that action, she pushes her hands backwards into her hair, straightens her hair, and pulls out her hair clips.

What notable thing happened last year? There wasn't much of anything. Then, Yoshiko has an idea: she kept a promise. That was pretty much the only noteworthy thing she did. Or, rather, the only thing she considers noteworthy. How can she draw this, though?
She decides to draw herself lying on a hill, staring up at the stars, since that's when she thinks of her friend and the promise. The sky and heavens have a huge prominence and focus in the picture, with the stars pretty detailed and accurate. She knows the stars well enough.

When it's her turn to present, Yoshiko brings up her picture and starts to talk about it. She completely forgets what the assignment was about, that she was drawing "kept a promise". Instead, she spends the entire time talking about the stars she drew and what each of them mean. She points out the hoshi mandala and the other star clusters, the pole star, western constellations, the stars Sirius and Betelgeuse, and so on.

She's probably going to fail the assignment, but at least she's failing rambling about something she likes.

Combat, to sabotage Misato, (because Lentrax rolled high enough that it won't affect her result)...no modifiers because it doesn't involve fear or intimidation

Skill, +2 (Stargazer, involves astronomy)

Allure, -1 (weak roll), +2 (Huh? What?, uses advantage from previous roll)
*may have a -2 if Combat fails
*may also have a +2 if Skill roll succeeds

jamieth

2016-06-29, 01:49 AM

First of all, I have to say: allowing tangentially fitting advantages was kinda a thing of this scene. Don't expect to sneak in Cosplay, Gi, or Stargazer into school often :-)

Lilith: 1+5 = 6 (+2 VP; yes, technically it's "can't fail", but I rolled everything anyway)
Marcy: 2+2 = 4
Misato: 1+2 = 3
Yoshiko: 5+1 = 6 (+2 VP)
Kouta: 2+6 = 8 (+2 VP)

One would think art class would pass relatively quiet and reserved; not so in Minami High. While the drawing itself does pass mostly uneventfully - save for Yoshiko's attack of the Misato's canvas that results in some condemning stares - not that Yoshiko's a stranger to condemning stares, unfortunately - but little real damage.

But the fact that people take different amount of time to complete their work means that rather then being grouped all at the end, presentations actually take a significant portion of the lesson.

Misato's youtube page recreation, while technically competent even after Yoshiko's sabotage, evokes a moment of silence in the classroom, as if silently asking, this is what you care most about?

Marcy... might have exaggerated a bit more than she expected; and the topic she chose was rather ambitious one in the first place, so while her presentation evokes some laughs and whistles, most people probably just don't actually believe her.

Lilith's topic of choice some so-called "normies" might consider unworthy, but overseas trips are things that are inherently cool in the eyes of teenagers, and she recieves a good deal of cheers from all the class.

So does Yoshiko's presentation-slash-lecture-on-astronomy; the enthusiasm with which she's talking about the stars, and her obvious savvyness on the matter, win most of the class from the earlier act of sabotage - or at least make them forget about it for a minute.

And, of course, Kouta's demonstration evokes loud cheering and applause; founding a martial arts club as a freshman, and actually coaching her upperclassmen, is a feat worthy of respect, and she has skills to prove it. She's pretty sure people cheering for her on the upcoming freshman hunt.

And then there's Chiyuri's turn; she actually takes long to complete her drawing - though people sitting close might suspect she might be stalling, taking every opportunity to take a pause - and goes to present her work last.

Her painting... as some might have guessed, an ocean; an open ocean with a cruise liner on it. And, pretty much for the first time today, she doesn't exactly look enthusiastic. "We... went on a cruise this christmas", she starts explaining, "and..." her voice cuts abruptly as she takes a deep breath, "excuse me, sensei, I don't feel very well... I... have to see the nurse..."

Illven

2016-06-29, 02:06 AM

Is everything okay Chi? Lilith replied popping up from her sheet.

Lentrax

2016-06-29, 02:24 AM

I knew this was a mistake... Now they all hate me... What do I...

There is only one thing to do. Instead of sitting down, Misato runs for the door, quiet sobbing following the girl as she hurries for the restroom.

Miraqariftsky

2016-06-29, 04:02 AM

Previously...

Iwajiru! As Yoshiko came back in and kicked Misato's chair in passing, Kouta's eyes narrowed, almost rising from her seat. Her knuckles crackled but she forced herself to calm down. It's not yet time. Not. Yet. What the hell is this, bullying? And on the first day, no less!

...a YouTube page? came Kouta's thought on seeing her shy classmate's submission, sparing a small but sincere smile. Caring for others CAN get tiring or annoying, sometimes, but you're there for them when they need you. That's what sisters are for. That's what friends are for. Right? Reminds me of Kotone-chan. Maybe I should introduce them?

Wrong move, Someya-san. Kouta caught herself before clicking her tongue. The page is just the page. What is it that you DO that makes that page worthw--- waitasec... THAT username... darn it, where have I seen that before? Hmmmmmmm... Could it be?

KSHNERK!KOFF!KOFF!KOFF! Kouta hurriedly disguised her snort as a sudden coughing fit as the class' golden girl makes her attempt at stand-up comedy. Oh, and what's next? You're the miko of a mountain shrine dedicated to bear gods and you can charm them that easy? Please! This is real life, not a manga.

She frowned and nodded appreciatively at her fellow otaku's adventures abroad. Going beyond Akibahara, eh, Reporter-chan?

Recalling Yoshiko's earlier huff, Kouta's frown resumes... and then, unwittingly, she's drawn in. Yoshiko's celestial passion swirls about her, sublime and fantastic. She leans forward, arms across her chest, eyes wide open. Her lips whisper a classic she'd read a long time ago, one of Kobayashi Issa's poems... "Don't weep, insects- / Lovers, stars themselves / Must part." And then she gasps silently, driving her palms into her eyes as she tries to stifle tears. From... from... who was it... Murakami Ki-who? OTOSAN! "First autumn morning / The mirror I stare into / S-Shows my f-f-fa-father's f-face."

DAD!

Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP. You're stronger than this, you damn little bitch. Kouta grit her teeth, bowed her head and wiped her eyes behind her bangs, crumpling her hankerchief as she returned it to her pocket.

Presently...

A bit taken aback by Chiyuri's sudden exit, Kouta thrusts her seat back in surprise and concern. The worry solidifies as Misato's sobs make their way to her ears.

She frowns as she considers the situation. You can't be getting an infraction. You NEED your academic standing. And on the first day, no less...
...first day. Kasumi, damn my delinquent little sis, she's always said "You can always catch up. Be ALIVE. Do grades make you live?"

Crap-crap-CRAP!

Getting up quickly, she bows deeply to their teacher and says, "Sumimasen deshi-ta, sensei." Apology out of the way, she scarpers after the others...

Are you really going to the Infirmary, Transferee-san? Someya-san, hold on!

What the HELL are you doing? You barely know these people. Is your honour that cheap to forsake your own standing for them?
Pfft. Too late. Already committed. See the move through. Is your honour that shallow to let friends fall when they need support?

Ahhhhhh, Kouta-no-baka, don't lose them! Where are they?

5a Violista

2016-06-29, 06:01 AM

[Kikkawa Yoshiko]

During the presentations before her, Yoshiko was busy trying to finish her drawing, or trying to find the right way to frame her hair to not draw attention to anything. She only cursorily paid attention to them; enough to know that they happened. Most the people she doesn't know, anyway, so it doesn't really matter.

Kouta is pretty cool. She met that person. Very energetic.

Chiyuri, she also met. Why isn't she feeling well, Yoshiko wonders? Then she realizes it. Food poisoning? Definitely food poisoning. And it was all Yoshiko's fault. She lies her head down on the table, and groans inwardly. The blood drains from her face: she can already see it. The new girl is going to figure out whose fault it was. Then she's going to tell everyone. It's going to be terrible. Why does she even care so much? Plus, everyone saw her kick that table. These terrible realizations makes her feel a little sick inside, like she wants to vomit, and her vision starts swimming; and she can't go to the infirmary. If she does, they'll ask her how she got that bruise. No, some cold water will be enough.

Once her vision stops swimming, she sits up, then stands up. Trying to make as little commotion as possible, she walks out towards the door. Passing by the teacher, she whispers, "I forgot something important in the bathroom; I'll be right back." She leaves towards the nearest bathroom.

In there, she goes straight to the sink and lets the water run. She splashes the cold water on her face, then looks in a mirror to put up her hair again. No...that doesn't look right, it draws too much attention to the swelling. Maybe if she changed her hair so it looks like. . . .

Just then, Yoshiko notices the sobbing. She blinks once then tries to find the source. "Um..." This kind-of uncomfortable.
She's never been in this situation before.
What is she supposed to do?
She walks towards the stall Misato is in. She knocks on it. "Are – are you alright?" she asks. "Can I do anything, like, do you need anything? Like chocolate or something?" What is she supposed to say? It seems like there's literally nothing useful to say, and when there's nothing to say chocolate is usually a good fallback.

GM_3826

2016-06-29, 06:11 AM

[spoiler="OOC"]Her painting... as some might have guessed, an ocean; an open ocean with a cruise liner on it. And, pretty much for the first time today, she doesn't exactly look enthusiastic. "We... went on a cruise this christmas", she starts explaining, "and..." her voice cuts abruptly as she takes a deep breath, "excuse me, sensei, I don't feel very well... I... have to see the nurse..."

Previously
"...I feel like such an idiot now."

Currently
Marcy watches as Chiyuri gives her presentation and is shocked as she fails to do so.

"Chiyuri, is something wrong? How can I help?"

Lentrax

2016-06-29, 07:49 AM

Misato sits in the stall, her arms wrapped around her legs as she hunches over sobbing.

They all hate me. Things are never going to get better. They are just going to keep getting worse.

She is sitting there sobbing and trying to come up with any reason to be able to calm herself when there is a knock on her stall door.

Do I need anything? Would anything help?

N-n-no... More sobbing. Th-th-thank ya-you...

Miraqariftsky

2016-06-29, 12:45 PM

Just a few steps outside the art room, Kouta slows down a bit, suddenly realizing that, in her haste, her sheath is still swaying and clacking from her wrist like an oversized bracelet. Snorting despite the absurdity of the situation, she takes a few moments to sling it across her back, the strap now running diagonally over her torso.

Entering the closest bathroom, she takes the scene in at a glance. Sinks and mirrors. Rows of toilet stalls. Timid voice, sobbing. Kikkawa-san.

"Sup?" she nods at Yoshiko, then as she parks her ass on one of the sinks, reaches into her blazer pocket and brings out her pocky carton. Tapping it, she takes a piece out with her teeth and passes the rest into the other girl's hand.

Kicking the stall door in would be... bad. Someya-san might be hit on the other side. Oh, and property damage. Can't try the hairpin lockpick trick since, oh, she's there and awake and minding the door. Can't go OVER the stall. I ain't no stalking bathroom-assaulting pervert bully. Can't go UNDER the stall. What the hell, I ain't no TOILET YOKAI.

Crouching before the door of Misato's stall, Kouta pauses in thought, slowly munching on the long biscuit stick. Original flavour. Chocolate. Grumble. Ran outta strawberry. Grumble.

Holding it by two fingers she mimes blowing out some smoke. Rocking on the balls of her feet, she finally says to the faceless door, "CosmicMako, eh?"

"You utterly demolished a... n00b called 69MaetHaet quite a few times across some maps and quite some different games?" Scratching her head and snorting as she blushes at the blunders and the username, Kouta continues. "She--- 69MaetHaet--- always messaged with laughs and 'Good game. Thank you. Goodnight.'s, but there was this time that she dropped that and just disappeared after another kill at the hands of CosmicMako. There waaaaas that ONE time Mako got whittled down to that last little bit of HP. And bang! She STILL walked away from that one! Hah hah hah hah!"

"Well." Kouta coughs. "Sorry. Sorry for disappearing. Uh. Life... kinda happened. I always did kinda look up to Cosmic-dono. I don't know if I've improved a lot since then, though. Sorry I was... too shy to talk a lot, back then."

"Who'da known I'd actually see you IRL, eh? Ha-hah!" Talking, talking, connect, connect, damn you!

Kouta continues. "I... still read your blogs and listened to your other stuff, though. You do conventions too? And your art? So skilled, really! I'd ask for your contact-deets and your autograph... but you're in there... tsk..."

Have. You. No. Shame? You barefaced otaku!

Oh, shuuuuuut uuuuuuup. Already on my way to being a mangaka, so, there.

And, what, support yourself and your family with just ramen? Or just prize-fight until your body's broken? You're no Hiromu Arakawa and you're no Ronda Rousey.

Shuuuuuuut UP! The name's Oda Kouta, bitch, and GED OUTTA MAH HEAD!

A ragged hissing sigh escapes her lips as her forehead thunks against the stall's door.

"We're. Here. For. You. Please? Come? Out?"

Lentrax

2016-06-29, 07:42 PM

69, who? I don't know who that... wait... Do I...?

No. No, I don't.

I-I'm not that person. I don't get to be that way in reality.

5a Violista

2016-06-29, 11:59 PM

[Kikkawa Yoshiko]

"O-oh," Yoshiko replies to the small voice. There's nothing she can do. She just blinks and stares at the nothings she can see. What can she do? Is there anything? What is she supposed to do? If it were Yoshiko in there, she'd just want to be left alone. Maybe that's what this girl wants.

Luckily, that one girl Yoshiko met came in. Kouta's much better at this. She's got to be; she talks so much.

Yoshiko holds the chocolate pocky stick box she was given. One of them, she starts nibbling on.

She realizes they're talking about something that she doesn't understand; there's no point in trying to involve herself further. Yoshiko takes a deep breath and...wants to say something, but doesn't. Just as well. Anything she'd say could only make things worse. So she turns away from the stall and back towards the mirror. She tries to figure out what would look best, with her hair. Something asymmetrical. That would make it harder to notice the asymmetry in her face.

In her normal dead-emotionless voice, she says (a bit softer than intended), "I probably should go back to class." She doesn't want to interrupt or draw attention to herself, but just being here is probably the wrong choice. Again, if it were Yoshiko, she'd just want to be alone so that must be what this girl needs.
She doesn't leave yet, but she feels things would be better if she did leave.

Miraqariftsky

2016-06-30, 02:45 AM

Well. Fellowship among otaku doesn't work. What now?

Kouta rocks back on her heels, thinking. She casts an imploring glance towards Yoshiko, waving her over, shrugging, grimacing, and pointing towards the door, mouthing, "Come on! Help me help her."

Massaging her forehead, she whistles, shakes her head.

What the heck WORKS? What is this, trying to fish a scared little kitten out of a storm drain?!

Pursing her lips, one brow rises as she ponders furiously. And chomps down another biscuit furiously. And another.

And another.

Carrot and stick. So, stick? CAN she take it? If it weren't for this door, I'd just whip out my Onee-Chan Emergency Hug Special(TM). Grumble.

Put that off for later. Don't break the door down. It's not like it's a dire emergency yet.

"Someya-san?" Kouta begins. Then falters.

She NEEDS to cry. You can trust the honesty of crying. I know I wouldn't like it if somebody interrupted me during a cry. You NEED that sometimes, right?

Should... should we just... let her be?

Leave?

...aw faahk no. That's like, that's like, at the bottom of a hole, and they dangle a light and rope, and up and disappear on ya.

If there's somebody in need, and I can help, I will!

...the heck are you, some damn hero of justice from an anime? Get real. Get out of here. Save face. You don't need to do this.

Knuckles crackle. Teeth grind. Arrrrrrgggghhhh, I want to bash this door off its hinges and hug the sadness ouuuuuut.

"Get to be... Reality..." she growls, sighs, then says. "Girl, life can and does throw us crap. Sometimes floods of it. Knockin' down. Can't breathe. Drownin'. Almost like dyin'. May even feel like trapped inna deep dahk hole. Can't 'elp waht cards yer dealt but damn well make the MOST o' life while yer ALIVE. It mayn't be my business, but if someb'dy's hurtin' an' needin', damn me if I dun 'elp. An' while yer in yer hole, or yer flood or woteva metapho' ye prefer, an' somebody lends ye a hand, please damned take it."

Her chest heaving with the passion of frustration and grief that was thought to be laid to rest, Kouta stands. And turns. Her eyes are pits, her breathing shallow.

Totally focused on Misato's case, Kouta is oblivious of the nuances that Yoshiko is presently giving off.

Shoe heels clack on the bathroom tiles as she paces the bathroom. Once. Then turns to Yoshiko. Bows.

Then grips her by the shoulders, eyes drilling into hers and says. "Kikkawa-san. Sumimasen. Gunna ask you a favour. You CARE, right? At least enough ta give Kobayashi-san that little guided tour from earlier. 'Mma assuming she's not stupid enough ta get lost. Probably found 'er way to the Infirmary by now. We've already both cut class, let's make it actually WORTHwhile, eh? We got two classmates who need help. I'll do what I can here, you do what you can THERE, hai?"

Cranking out a smile, she breathes a sigh and says as she releases Yoshiko, "It'll be okay! We'll catch up!"

Lentrax

2016-06-30, 07:49 AM

The sobs deepen for a moment.

Why? Why does she care? Nobody cares... Nobody knows me... But she does. Enough to know Other me. To know the me I wish I could be...

Get over yourself! You're still in school!

The sobbing slows down.

How? How can you be nice? To... To someone... like me?

You don't know me. Why are you trying to help? Nobody helps. Not someone like me....

Miraqariftsky

2016-06-30, 01:07 PM

Ohcrap, ohcrap... Kouta gets brief moment of panic as the sobbing from within deepens.

hfffsss... ha... hfffschaaaa... haa... Unbidden, her own sniffling comes. ss-ss-fff-hhaa...

"Pff. Baha-baha-aha-NNNHH..." she snorts, then laughs through the sudden tears. "Come. ON. A-haw-haw... looka SSSNRRFFLLPP... hwatta you done. Pahssed... du DDSSHH... cryigg to be dow. Taek resh-pah-shi-bill-tee? Haw-haw."

Kouta closes her eyes and takes a few deep breaths. Though calmed down, she can't deny this little bit of helping is taking its toll, and in more ways than one.

She lets herself sag against the stall door, her back clacking and dragging across it. Suddenly, a ray of relief shines as Misato talks.Whoah, hey! Just as planned, ahaha! Openin' up! Goin' up and over might not be necessary.

Still, slumped, back to the door, nape thunking on the wood, she quips, "Oh, I dunno... You're NOT a murderer or rapist or bomber, or any truly BAD sorta person, so, why should I hate you? You didn't kill anybody close to me, so, why should I hate you?

Because you're an otaku? Please! We're cut of the same cloth, comrades in that cause, a-ha-ha-ha. And give 'er a few more years, one of my little sisters might be where you are now. ...Minus the fear an' heartache, hopefully.

Because you're quiet? Quiet is cute, noisy's obnoxious. PSSHT, bwa-hwa-hwa! Quiet is losing yourself in reading. Quiet is listening to the trees at dawn. Quiet is the softness of incense at the shrine. "

"And..." she begins, then pauses, and smiles crookedly through a groan, "---why not? Ask the ancestors, or the Kami, or Buddha, or Jesus, or whatever... Karma my ass. If you can help, help. If the world's cold an' dark... BE the flame. No matter how small we are, it matters to the ones we touch."

After a long pause, Kouta coughs, checks her watch and says, "I... hope you're feeling better? I reckon Transferee-san could do with a little support. Seemed suddenly sick. Scarpered for the Infirmary, dunno if you heard?"

Lentrax

2016-06-30, 09:26 PM

Misato sobs again, as she is told to take responsibility for making Kouta cry.

s-s... sorry.

Quiet is... cute? Now I know she's just making this up...

M-maybe a little.

And no, she didn't know that Chiyuri went to the nurse. She ran out before Chiyuri gave her presentation. But Misato wasn't in any state to help anyone.

Y-you don't need to stay here. I'm fine. Just... need to be... alone... for a little while...

Miraqariftsky

2016-06-30, 10:58 PM

Huff... huff... finish line ahead, I can see it. One! More! PUSH!

"Pfa-pfa-pfa, don't, aha, worry 'bout it. It's okay!" Shaking her head silently, Kouta looks up at the bathroom's lightbulbs. Sniffles once more and snorts it. SHHNRRcTLLPT-kff-kfa

Thank all the Kami I had practice at this sorta stuff with my sisters... and... my own sh... THAT TIME...

Breathing slowly, she reaches up and massages her eyeballs. Thinking. She idly reaches for her Pocky box, and is surprised to find it empty. Snorting in dismay and amusement, she flings it into the nearest trashcan. Have I been nomming THAT much? Counselling really gets to ya, huh. PFFT! I can always pick up another one at the closest combini, OH RIGHT, and work off the calories...

Reaching into another pocket, she takes out a packet of Lotte Black-Black chewing gum. While taking out a piece with her teeth, she laughs inwardly. ...Lucky I ain't a smoker or worse! Be digging my own young grave with this habit.

chw-chw-chw-chw-chw...

Fishing around in her pockets, she comes out with an almost-fresh notepad. Working quickly, she scratches out a chibi-style selfportrait with an outthrust thumbs-up and spouting "It's gonna be okay!"...
...and then snorts as she does a second panel including a chibi-Misato, back to back, toting giant pencils as if they were naginata. Then labels the names, not trusting her drawing skill. And on the other side of that page, scratches out her phone number.

Flapping the notepad in the door's lower gap, she says. "Little gift for ya. Inside. Please return the pad, though, ha-ha?"

Almost going, Kouta turns again and leans on the stall door, saying, "Someya-san. Take care, okay? You're not alone."

Just before she turns to leave, she takes out her pressed handkerchief with pink, yellow and red stripes. Finding a few rice stains, she re-folds it to present the clean side, then likewise gently flaps it beneath the door until it's received, patiently waiting even to the point of pushing politeness. "Koff! Ha-ha, this too. But polish the tears off your pretty face with that, eh?"

"See ya later!" Kouta says from the bathroom door, then slips out.

Quietly, quickly, trying to avoid any hall monitors, she manages a pace just between "brisk walk" and "sprint" and makes for the Infirmary.

Arriving there, looking through the window in the door first and checking if either Yoshiko or Chiyuri are within, or the Nurse, for that matter, she throws open the door and blurts out yet another attempt at humour---

---"Hey Doc! Has the baby come out yet?"

jamieth

2016-07-01, 03:54 PM

Scene 4

After such an... eventful ending of the art class, it's probably for the best for everyone involved that the last period for today happens to be self-study, due to the fact that the teacher supposedly in charge of it is late from the vacation.

Of course, that would usually mean the students are still expected to be either in their classroom or in the library; but at least you have a viable answer to being caught in the corridor - claiming you're heading from one to another. Or something like that.

Anyway, getting into the infirmary won't pose a problem; getting past the nurse (who, keeping to the unbroken genre rules, looks more like a model squeezed into a uniform a couple sizes too small, points at one of the beds, with the curtaints draped, and claims Kobayashi-san just needs some rest.

Those not inclined to argue - or those who decided to tackle incident from another angle - are free to try to unravel the story behind the cruise and the reason to Chiyuri's strange behaviour.

Or, of course, you can remember that it is the school, after all, and study for a bit :-)

For those who want to try getting past the nurse:
Allure DC6, unopposed, to charm you way through
Conflict DC6, unopposed, to force your way through
Either way, 2 VP and a meeting with Chiyu

For those who prefer investigation:
Skill DC6, unopposed, to hunt for rumors or search the 'Net or peek into Chiyu's file or... whatever
Luck DC6 unopposed, to stumble into some information by chance
Either way, ask one question over PM about what happened, and get a +2 to any one Allure roll targeting Chiyuri.

For those who study: no roll; once until the end of episode you can roll rwice on Skill roll and take better.

Any abilities that say "all" or "none" only apply to charactersin the same zone (infirmary, investigation or study) as you; abilities that specify a target can target anyone.

GM_3826

2016-07-01, 06:15 PM

...Marcy HAS to see her. Chiyuri is her friend. She have to help out her friend! Especially if she wants to, you know...
...She decides she has to get past the nurse.

Marcy approaches the nurse, and puts on the best puppy dog face she could.
"Good... Good afternoon, Nurse-san!" Marcy begins to pretend to sob.

"...I am so sorry about intruding on you today! I am just SO worried about my dearest friend, Chiyuri!" Now, Marcy begins to cry for real. For good or ill, she's getting into it "PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE LET ME SEE HER!" She breaks down into tears, screaming as she approaches her friend.

This could either go very well or very badly.
Roll: Strong Roll+Quaint Greeting=+2
I hope my luck shines through on this one.

5a Violista

2016-07-01, 09:43 PM

[Kikkawa Yoshiko]
Previously, on Ocean, Spring and Lilies

After Kouta's pleading, Yoshiko leaves the restroom. Rather than going to the nurse's office, she heads back to the classroom.

"That's just the thing," Yoshiko tries to tell herself, as she walks in the hallway. "I can't care. I don't care. Never have."

She reenters the classroom, lets the teacher know she's back, and sits down in her chair again. She lies her head on the table, feeling miserable for the rest of the class.

Now

Yoshiko has been in the library for nearly half of the self-study class. Honestly, she hasn't gotten over this miserable feeling in the pit of her stomach. She can't concentrate. It was all her fault that Chiyuri went to the infirmary, what with the food poisoning and all. Why does she even care? Is it just because the new girl smiles and is nice? Yoshiko hates Chiyuri for being so nice. Why does she have to be so nice: doesn't she know that it will only hurt her?
Yoshiko grumbles.

She pushes back her chair and stands up. She has decided what she needs to do. She needs to march into the infirmary—who cares if the nurse sees her bruise (what's she going to do, stop her then ask what happened and send her back to Counseling?)—and apologize to the new girl for making her get food poisoning or whatever. And then tell her off for being friendly.

So she finally gets around to leaving the library and going to the infirmary. She confidently goes through the hall, already decided on exactly what she's going to say.

She barges into the infirmary. Then, she suddenly loses confidence. The nurse is going to interrogate her. But she needs to get through and apologize. If only she had a blade or something in her hand, she'd feel so much more confident; alas, she can only squeeze her fist and let all the blood drain out of it. Oh, here comes the nurse. Any sort of protest or question that the nurse might have goes completely unnoticed and ignored. Yoshiko grinds her teeth and stares at the nurse, trying to build up confidence to say something. "You have to let me through," she says in her detached voice. "I have to apologize to the new girl for poisoning her."

Even though that sentence came out wrong, Yoshiko figures it was enough to cap her confidence. She pushes forward to get past the nurse.

Roll: Conflict
(Allure? Nah. Not really in character. Plus, she'll have a 0% chance of success, anyway.)
Bonuses, which are for some reason way too easy to apply, Zone Out +1, Terrifying Presence +2
So, x+3 = 50% chance of success.

Miraqariftsky

2016-07-01, 11:26 PM

Swiftly enough seeing no hall monitors in sight, Kouta decides to floor it and sprints from the activity building to the ac academic building. Wind rushes by her ears as she tucks into the run, legs pumping, ponytail swishing this way and that. Whenever there's a turn in the route, she tilts her body as if she were a racing machine, still keeping up the pace. If there are stairwells in the way, it's easy work to take them at speed by keeping hold of the railing with one hand, taking one step and then leaping off, arresting her fall with that guide-hand and landing on the balls of her feet with a deft thump.

ta-ta-ta-tat-at-at-at-ata-tata-KSSSSSHHHHHH

Skidding to a stop just before the door of the Infirmary--- but having too much speed to quickly bleed off--- one hand claps onto the doorframe and aids her in stopping.

haff-haaaff-haaaaaff...

Panting, gleaming with a slight sheen of sweat, she forgets to even straighten her clothes and throws the door open. Fixing the Nurse with a worried but respectful gaze, she says, "[Who The Hell Nurse's NAME]-dono, sumimsasen for the disturbance."

Huh. So the others DID get here... Jerking her head towards Chiyuri's bed, she continues. "One of... our classmates has taken ill suddenly. May we see her, even for a minute? Pass 'er some comradely support?"

W'elp. Die is cast from the text of the previous IC. Already en route. Can't back out now.

Rocking in with Runner's Glow and Gorgeous Gi. +4 total. The former from the burst of exertion, the latter from the "OR equipment" clause. Hey, still carrying, forgot to return 'em to class.

Lentrax

2016-07-02, 11:37 AM

Misato doesn't feel like sitting inclass with her so-called "peers." Academically, she is probably in the top five students. And gaming? Hah. Please. As if they could keep up with CM.

And so, she finds herself in the school library. Sitting at a computer, she has a few tabs open, keeping up with the few sites that aren't blocked by the school firewall's blacklist. She also has another window open, with several searches. She overheard a couple of other students talk about Chiyuri's sudden illnes and rushing to the nurse. She also heard about her cruise presentation. Ordinarily, she wouldn't do this kind of search, but, well, she still feels like Chiyuri has a connection to her. Red-string theory may be applicable. Or Tragic Past syndrome.

But she has to know what. So she can fill in the blanks, of course.

Strong skill. +1 total. Hoping I can roll a five...
Big money, big money, no Whammies...

Illven

2016-07-02, 01:41 PM

Lilith after being constantly ignored by all her classmates. Had no reason to go to the nurse's office, cute as the nurse was.

Chiyuri seemed to be acting strange though, so Lilith should probably figure out what was happening.

If I can apply all.

Strong skill (+1), Keen eye (+2), Genre savvy to turn it into a luck roll, and then Nostalgic memories for another +2

Otherwise
Strong skill (+1), Keen eye (+2)

jamieth

2016-07-04, 02:51 AM

In the infirmary:

"Look, I appreciate your concern for your friend..." the nurse apparently barely resists patting Marcy on the head, but remains faithful to her duty, "But really, Kobayashi-san just needs some rest, and..."

"...poisoning? Fell ill?" she looks at Kouta and Yoshiko, barging in suddenly, "Oh... kay, I see... don't know what kind of mess it's all about, but I think it has to be cleared up before it all gets out of hand..." she sighs, "Kobayashi-san, I might have agreed to help you, but you'd better explain to your friends what's it all about... I hope you're decent there", she chuckles, pulling the curtain aside.

"One... one moment..." Chiyuri's protests come late, and the three guests see the girl curled in her bed - she doesn't look ill, not really; she doesn't look fine, either, as she desperately tries to wipe off the tears from her face before anyone notice, "I'm sorry, I... I lied... I didn't want anyone to see me like that..."

***

Meanwhile, elsewhere...

Misato's search proves unsuccessful; perhaps it is the firewall's fault, blocking out everything not directly education related... while Misato can feel she just needs a bit more, that last beet just doesn't come.

Lilith, though, takes somewhat different approach; she has access to the newspaper's archives, for one hand - and, she knows things others don't. The address Chiyuri's family lived before, for example. Names of her parents...

Lentrax

2016-07-04, 03:29 AM

Misato looks, but can't seem to find anything. She eventually gives up and just goes back to her gaming news.

Ahh, well. It's not my business anyway. If she wants to tell me, she can.

Although considering our only interaction today has been me offering my lunch and her taking it, I doubt she would want to tell me anything.

....

Did she eat the lunch I made?

....

Did she like it?

Miraqariftsky

2016-07-04, 06:19 AM

Kouta's jaw drops as Yoshiko blurts her "poisoning" confession almost at the same beat as her. Brows rising incredulously, she almost draws on her classmate but restrains herself with the help of her sanity-keeping sense of humour. Anything too absurd to be true is a joke...

...then again, how much do I know of either party here? Keep frosty, Kouta.

Before she could whip out a tsukkomi--- but does something as serious as poisoning deserve a tsukkomi?--- Nurse-dono draws back the curtains, revealing yet another surprise. Kouta meets Chiyuri's eyes, then sags with relief, idly checking in any nearby mirror or reflective surface if her own eyes still bear the telltale signs of her own crying.

And then her gaze narrows and then looks away, towards the window, quickly formulating a theory, seeing a bit of herself there in the wake of her Otosan's blazing demise. And then holds her tongue on the matter. Then again, she could be mistaken. She'll talk if and when she needs to talk.

Looking back towards Chiyuri, Kouta cranks out a smile, reaches out and pats her on the head, then takes out a packet of tissue--- thank the Kami for all those tissue-men at the train and mall--- and passes it to her. "How're ya now, Kobayashi-san? If there's anything ya need... heck, ya ain't alone. KOFF. Summin' tells me though, yer current problem isn't something as simple that it can just be kicked away?"

Illven

2016-07-04, 01:42 PM

Ah ha! Ah ha! Lilith yelled from the computer next to Misato. Success! Success! Lilith adds. The best reporter of this generation, triumphs again!

Lentrax

2016-07-04, 03:38 PM

From the station next to Lilith, Misato shrinks away at her classmates outburst, tying to make herself look smaller.

Illven

2016-07-04, 04:04 PM

From the station next to Lilith, Misato shrinks away at her classmates outburst, tying to make herself look smaller.

Huh? Are you okay? Lilith asks turning to Misato and cocking her head.

Lentrax

2016-07-04, 04:07 PM

... I-It's just... this is the library.... Should you be yelling like that?

Illven

2016-07-04, 05:04 PM

... I-It's just... this is the library.... Should you be yelling like that?

That! Lilith started. Is probably a good point someone might be studying. Lilith admits. Besides that, how are you doing?

Lentrax

2016-07-04, 06:34 PM

That! Lilith started. Is probably a good point someone might be studying. Lilith admits. Besides that, how are you doing?

I am still hungry. And I am indebted to Kaouta-chan again for her continued kindness after the... Art class.

She looks wistfully to the window. At least the day is almost over. I belong to the Homegoing club, so I leave soon. Perhaps I will stop for a bubble tea on my way home. I do not know.

Illven

2016-07-04, 07:37 PM

I am still hungry. And I am indebted to Kaouta-chan again for her continued kindness after the... Art class.

She looks wistfully to the window. At least the day is almost over. I belong to the Homegoing club, so I leave soon. Perhaps I will stop for a bubble tea on my way home. I do not know.

Did someone take your lunch? Lilith asks seeming to perk up.

Lentrax

2016-07-05, 12:11 AM

Did someone take your lunch? Lilith asks seeming to perk up.

Y-yes. It's okay though... I kind of... offered to share it...

Illven

2016-07-05, 12:32 AM

Y-yes. It's okay though... I kind of... offered to share it...

Oh.... Who did you share with? Lilith asks settling re down.

Lentrax

2016-07-05, 12:46 AM

I offered part of it to Chiyuri-sama, but before anything else happened, she was running out of the room with Yoshiko and my lunch...

Illven

2016-07-05, 01:10 AM

I offered part of it to Chiyuri-sama, but before anything else happened, she was running out of the room with Yoshiko and my lunch...

All of it? Lilith whispers eyes wide.

Lentrax

2016-07-05, 08:43 AM

All of it? Lilith whispers eyes wide.

I hadn't even unwrapped the box yet...

Illven

2016-07-05, 02:02 PM

I hadn't even unwrapped the box yet...

We need to get you food then! Lilith replied quietly.

Lentrax

2016-07-05, 02:09 PM

Misato shakes her head.

Uh-uh. School is almost over. I can get something on my way home, and then I still have dinner as well.

Illven

2016-07-05, 02:45 PM

Misato shakes her head.

Uh-uh. School is almost over. I can get something on my way home, and then I still have dinner as well.

Are you sure you'll be okay till then? Sometimes I get weak and shaky if I don't eat... Lilith questions.

Lentrax

2016-07-05, 03:04 PM

It's already the end of the day anyway.

Illven

2016-07-05, 03:37 PM

It's already the end of the day anyway.

Well if you're sure. Lilith whispers.

5a Violista

2016-07-05, 05:55 PM

[Kikkawa Yoshiko]
In the infirmary

Yoshiko runs up to the bed, and prostrates herself before Chiyuri. If she does notice Chiyuri's tears, she must be misinterpreting what caused them: she is so convinced that it's her fault that she fails to put together the true meaning behind things. "I'm so sorry," she says. "It was all because of me."

Is Yoshiko even listening to what Chiyuri said?

She takes a deep breath. Okay, now's the time to tell Chiyuri off for being too friendly, that she'll only get hurt by being friendly and nice. She needs to tell her that being friendly will only lead to her being sad. That there's no point in it. "You need to stop being so nice," she says.

jamieth

2016-07-08, 12:53 AM

"Don't be silly, Kikkawa-san", Chiyuri shakes her head, "It's not your fault... it isn't anyone's fault, I just... I didn't want you - anyone - to see me like that... I didn't want you to be worried... really, I'll be fine soon, so... could you not tell anyone? It was just exhaustion, OK? I just sneaked away to have a nap..."

Miraqariftsky

2016-07-08, 01:26 PM

Kouta stares agog at her prostrated classmate. Why. Are. You. In. A. Dogeza?

She looks on in shock once again as Yoshiko tells Chiyuri to... stop being so nice. What the hell... Where did THAT come from?

At Chiyuri's obvious attempt at saving face, Kouta cranks out a strained smile, then looks away while massaging her temple. She briefly makes eye contact with the Nurse--- while out of Chiyuri's field of view, hopefully--- and flashes an expression of concern and worry.

And then, her shoulders deflating, she turns back to Chiyuri, meeting her eyes, giving her a beaming smile as she pats-pats-pats the crying girl on the head. "Things'll be OOOOKAAAAYYYY!

...Tell? Tell whaaaaaaaaaat, hmm?"

5a Violista

2016-07-09, 10:16 PM

[Kikkawa Yoshiko]
In the infirmary

Yes. Yoshiko should probably get better at explaining her thought process. Things would make more sense to everyone else, then.

Having been acknowledged but not blamed, Yoshiko stands up. She takes a deep breath, as if she's about to start off saying something again. However, she then closes her mouth, stopping herself. Why is Yoshiko even here? Being here is just now starting to make her feel out-of-place. Chiyuri looks vulnerable and if that's not a sign that she wants to be alone, Yoshiko doesn't know what is. "D-don't worry," she reassures. "We won't tell anyone you couldn't sleep last night. I usually can't sleep when I'm somewhere new, either."

The skater looks down at her own hands. They're playing with the material of her skirt, evidencing how being here is beginning to feel uncomfortable and new. She starts wondering if she should leave now and go back to trying to study. Maybe that's for best. "Maybe you need to try a new pillow," she suggests, starting to back out of the infirmary.

jamieth

2016-07-10, 09:31 AM

"Thanks, girls", Chiyuri manages a smile, "Maybe I'll try that... anyway, I'll lie here for a bit more, OK? Don't worry, I'll be fine by the end of the day."

Sorry for the delay! Next scene is tomorrow... hopefully.

jamieth

2016-07-11, 01:27 AM

Lentrax

2016-07-11, 02:37 AM

Misato is hungry. The day is finally over, and she can finally go home. But first, she needs to get her box back from Chiyuri. Walking up to the girl, Misato and bows slightly to her. And if she is going to try to talk to Chiyuri, the time is now. Pulling in a deep breath, she gives herself over to her inner gamer, and CosmicMako, sniper extraordinaire walks over to Chiyuri's locker.

Excuse me. I believe you still have my bento box. Could I have it back please? I also happened to overhear your list. There is a store nearby that happens to have a few of those things on sale. I could show you where it is, if you'd like. And, if you enjoyed the lunch I prepared earlier, I would be more than happy to give you advice on better ingredients to make cheap, good lunches yourself.

Genre Savvy. Strong roll, Deep Freeze (1/3), Good Cook(?) +3 or +5 if Good Cook applies.

GM_3826

2016-07-11, 09:10 AM

Eventually, that first day draws to a close and, with clubs aren't on yet, no one has a good reason to stay late; certainly not Chiyuri, who didn't exactly have the easiest first day.

She did recover, though; there's no telltale signs of earlier tears as she changes her shoes, whispering to herself as she does - those who happen to be close would easily realise it's a shopping list, nothing special, mostly food and some small household items. Perhaps it might be a good chance to get closer in the informal setting...

Semi-opposed roll: Everyone who beats DC gets a VP; highest roll gets 1 more and a special bonus. Treat as both opposed and unopposed as to which advantages apply; "auto-succeed" advantages set your result to the minimum value needed to pass the Unopposed DC

Luck, DC5: happen to live in the same general direction and naturally accompany Chiyu
Skill, DC6: offer to happen with the shopping, suggest good stores, discounts or something - or just help with carrying stuff.
Allure, DC6: convince taking a small detour to visit a cafe / arcade / something interesting

"Oh, good evening, Chiyuri!" Marcy is starting to think she should look at greetings in languages besides English. Maybe she'll work on that tonight.

"...Hey, do you think maybe we could come with me to the shrine? I'd love to show you around!"

So, even when I think about what I'm writing (perhaps overly so-I'm having a bit of writer's block today), I still manage to forget the obvious. Namely, the fact that we still have not done anything at the shrine! Pretend I never edited this.

Strong Roll+Quaint Greeting+Stand Out=+3

5a Violista

2016-07-11, 07:27 PM

[Kikkawa Yoshiko]
Earlier

Yoshiko left the infirmary confident that leaving the new student alone was the best decision, and that there's no reason to bother her any more. Being alone is the best thing usually. She gives a smile and a really fast wave before leaving: she's got to get out before the nurse notices any bruising.

It's interesting how motion is injected into only half of her face: Yoshiko's smile is wide enough this time, which is pretty nice.

She quickly leaves and goes back to the library to finish, or rather, start studying.

Now that school is out

If clubs had been today, Yoshiko would have been content with using her slightly-cheaper Risport dance skates that she has always used for club, but since she's on the way to the city's rink anyway she had better pick up her Edea Flamenco Ice skates from home. They're the ones she'll compete in anyway, so she practices in them more intensely. She'll warm up with waltz jumps and Biellmann spins, and then that mohawk turn.
Then, when her partner arrives they'll need to practice the death spiral and Besti squats when her partner arrives. Maybe a polar bear will also show up, that would be pretty cool. Then she can ask what temperature of tea he likes best.
Maybe she'll smile and be happy.

Completely absorbed in her own thoughts, Yoshiko walks towards her home, to grab the skates.
She notices Transferee-san, but she wants to be left alone, right?

Roll type: Luck (DC 5)
Advantages: none
Strong Roll: +1
Total: +1

Miraqariftsky

2016-07-12, 12:09 PM

In the aftermath of the Infirmary Incident...

Kouta's smile at Chiyuri turned into a thin, worried line as she turned around and headed for the door. Making sure she wasn't seen by the patient, she conveyed her intentions with a meaningful look and nod at the Nurse as she passed her by.

Just outside the Infirmary, Kouta leaned against the wall and let out a long, silent sigh, then shook her head while massaging her temples. Taking out her pack of Lotte Black gum, she slipped a stick out and began chewing.

The heck. Ehhhh... Might as well. Gotta do it SOMEtime. Be good to do it early.

When Yoshiko exited, Kouta was still there, waiting. Chewing. She nodded amicably enough at the other girl, flipped out a notebook and ballpen and offered them to her, saying, "Kikkawa-san, hey. Mind if I ask for your autograph? Ha-ha-ha, old joke! But, really. We never know when we might get sick or whatever and miss class, eh? May I ask for your cellphone number? Here's mine..."

In the remainder of the first day's self-study period

kwaaaaaaaa... hwuuu... kwaaaaaaaa... hwuuu...

A few of Kouta's workbooks and textbooks, from all subjects, lay piled on her desk...
...serving as the girl's pillow as she catches some snores after the extraordinary events of this first day of the term. Sure, some mistakes were inevitable in blazing ahead and getting the first couple of chapters of selections and exercises done from each book, but that's a bit less work for when the class actually GETS to them. Okay, probably a quite a few mistakes, but hey, you can't get better without getting smacked around first, eh?

"Hnnnngghh..."

Blearily blinking as she stirred, she slowly stretched, idly bit her lip, then pulled the "Autograph Joke" with those other classmates who happened to be closest by her seat. Quietly, of course. Via several Post-It slips and chibi-autocaricatures. Why? It's fun to make, and fun to go fishing for smiles.

Obviously OOC, but feel free to laugh, chief:
Hallooooooo NPCs! How ya doin'? Whassa yo names-a? Gimme yo numbahs?

Turning around in her seat, she flashed Marcellana a smirk then passed her a note. On it was a golden-maned dancer beneath the arc of a torii... in the first panel. In the second panel, an arrow struck the miko's wand. In the third, a message that had been tied to said arrow unfurled and formed the fourth panel:
Your phone number
Is it same as from last year?
If new, please tell? Mine's same.

During the course of afterclass cleaning duties

Out of a thirty-student class, it did stand to reason that six of them pull cleaning duties each schoolday. This day, however, there were seven staying behind after the last bell of the day had struck. Well... skirmishing with some sweeping and picking up litter, here and there. It's only polite, after all, if you're going to use that as an excuse to bother certain people. While there was a moment when she'd frowned at her little donation earlier having gone the way of litter, she'd simply then shrugged, scooped it up with a handy tissue and pocketed it, resolving to toss it to some birds or stray cats or dogs later.

While wiping the windows and chatting up her other classmates, Kouta spotted Lilith already about to exit the classroom and then realized that she deserved something more appropriate than just another caricature. A right proper commentary-and-critique is what she needs. Fishing around in her bag, she snaps out her copy of the stories Lilith had distributed that morning. Frowning as she looks over them again, and then back at her fellow aspiring author, then back again. Quickly bowing to Mori Itsuki who at that moment was making an old ninja smoke joke while vigourously cleaning the blackboard erasers, Kouta dashed to catch up with Lilith.

Grumbling as she was delayed by the press of the chattering throng of students on their exodus, Kouta tried to abbreviate her chase by making short dashes up any straight-aways in the crowd whenever they cleared up, but it was still slow going. Along the way, she felt somebody moving in towards her, glanced over her shoulder, then lit up as she met an incoming fist with her own, smacking knuckles with a towering tanned redhead. Her soles skidded on the linoleum floor as she was driven backwards by the sheer strength of her friend. Grinning and thrusting forward a thumbs-up, before the other girl could say anything, she bowed and said "Gomen! Gotta go, catch ya later!" Thanking the Kami for a fortunate straightaway in the crowd, she dashed off once again.

Dodging a couple of boys roughousing in the opposite direction as the crowd, Kouta finally caught up with Lilith at the next flight of stairs. Tapping her on the shoulder with the rolled up sheaf of writings, she unrolls them, flashed Lilith a crooked grin and said, "Hey! Mind if I ask for your autograph?"

Presently...

Sauntering out the main door, her now-empty merchant's box clattering on her bag, Kouta happens to hear a couple of familiar voices, then spares a moment to turn and look, her ponytail whipping about as she does so.

Spotting Misato and Chiyuri through the press, she slips towards them, and gives them both an affectionate shoulder-clap from opposite ends--- inadvertently, or intentionally?--- knocking them into each other. (And catching them before they fall or if the harmless gesture turned out to hurt them and apologizing profusely if it happened to be that she used too much force.)

Catching only part of Misato's words, Kouta nevertheless inwardly grins while nodding sagely and telling Chiyuri, "Ah, THAT sale over there? Good stuff. Mmmmnice little district thattaway, lots of great stuff to visit there..."

Whipping out her notebook once again, she says to both of them, "Maaaaaaaaaaaaay I ask for your autographs?
Psh, old joke, eh? Here's mine--- I mean, ha-ha, my number. We never know when crap might happen, right? Always pays off to have a classmate to call upon, eh?"

Are Gorgeous Gi and Runner's Glow still both applicable? If so, rocking a +4.
And just for kicks, yo chief! Is it possible to slap a +1 or something like that onto Misato's effort there? HAR HAR, hope the "affectionate" slamming together wasn't too obnoxious.
SLICE SLICE SLICE

Skill it up, then! Poppin' in at a mere +1.

GM_3826

2016-07-12, 12:50 PM

Turning around in her seat, she flashed Marcellana a smirk then passed her a note. On it was a golden-maned dancer beneath the arc of a torii... in the first panel. In the second panel, an arrow struck the miko's wand. In the third, a message that had been tied to said arrow unfurled and formed the fourth panel:
Your phone number
Is it same as from last year?
If new, please tell? Mine's same.
At the end of the first day's self study period
Marcellana... At this point, the tears had already gone away. The girl was optimistic; she knew that she'd win over Chiyuri eventually. She even smiled at the little comic that Kouta had made.
"Yes, my number is still the same!" She drew a neat picture of Kouta in the meantime before writing one more thing.
"Why don't we just text each other next time?" Marcy drew a picture of herself laughing.

Illven

2016-07-15, 01:44 AM

Lilith quickly changed outfits now that school was over, she hated that detestable uniform. Currently dressed as Samus she approached Chiyuri.

C'mon Chiyuri there's no time like the present to go to the arcade, I'm already dressed for it, and well. You can go shopping later, let's hang out like old times. She pleaded.

Allure, Cosplay enthusiast, Moe enthusiast, cashing in my +2 bonus.

jamieth

2016-07-15, 03:15 PM

Lilith: 1+5 = 6; success, +1 VP
Marcy: 1+3 = 4; failure
Misato: 1+5 = 6; success, +1 VP
Yoshiko: 6+1 = 7; victory, +2 VP
Kouta: 3+1 = 4; failure

"I'm sorry, Marcy-san", Chiyuri shakes her head, "I really need to visit a shrine, I know, just... not today, OK? I just want to rest and relax today... arcade seems nice", she smiles, "do they still have any of the old games I'd remember? I wonder if..." she stops abruptly, hearing Misato's declaration, and turns to her, moving strangely stiffly, "I'm... I'm... I'm sorry, Someya-san!" she exclaims, bowing really low in front of Misato, "I would be happy to recieve your guidance! Eh, Riri-chan, that cafe at the arcade - it still exists, right? Someya-san, if you want, please come with us - it's only fair that I'll have to treat you! And... you too, Kouta-san - after all the trouble I caused for you today..."

Illven

2016-07-15, 03:30 PM

Unless they took it down in the past week, of course! Lilith replied eagerly. C'mon let's go!

Lentrax

2016-07-15, 03:35 PM

She will see me. I will make sure of it.

Very well. I accept your offer.

GM_3826

2016-07-15, 06:56 PM

Marcy frowns a bit after finding out that Chiyuri did not want to go with her to the shrine, but she's more than willing to hang out with her friends.
"That sounds fun! It's not like I have to be at the shrine right now, anyhow."

5a Violista

2016-07-16, 08:12 PM

[Kikkawa Yoshiko]
Earlier...

"No, I don't think..." Yoshiko starts off, before realizing Kouta is just asking for her number. "Oh." She sounds kind-of surprised. "I-I...okay. Yes, of course." she says. Nobody's really asked for her number before, except for skating partners. They're clearly not on ice, which makes this even more surprising. "Here it is." She writes down her number in the notebook, alongside her name.

Now

The skater just heads straight home, so she spend the rest of the day on ice. The sooner this day ends, the better; it was just too weird. She believes she acted really out of character. She grabs her skates' bag, a sweater, gloves, and skaters' pants and takes them into the bathroom to change.

Does she have a fever, or something? She must have one. Why else would she go out and talk to people she doesn't know? She knows what happens when you do that sort of thing. You just end up getting hurt. First, there was that Motorcycle-san. Then, the new girl, Transferee-san. Then Bathroom-chan. Then Transferee-san again, in the infirmary. What made her want to do all that? Why does she even care about what the new girl thinks, anyway? She checks her temperature and looks at herself in the mirror. She looks fine. She finishes changing, leaving the skates in the bag.

On her way out of the building, she remembers something random, probably prompted by the skates in hand: the hours on the ice with Suzue, her smile, her laugh, and even the way she hid her tears when she was hurt. Sort of like Transferee-san, Chiyuri, who acted that way today.
That's funny. That must be why she's been acting so weird today, being reminded of these things. Makes sense now. That's good; being sick would be bad.

She leaves the building heading to practice, until . . .

jamieth

2016-07-18, 03:25 AM

Lentrax

2016-07-18, 04:48 AM

"You girls might want to let the men to show you how it's really done".

Oh, really? You'll show us how it's done? Well it's a good thing that you men are here to show me how to play... Misato's voice trails off as she looks around until she finds what she is looking for...

Super Street Fighter IV Ultra: Tournament Edition.

...that.

Misato drops a thousand yen into the machine, and gestures for her first opponent victim to take his place at the controls. She is even generous and lets the boy take the 1P controls. Best of three work for you?

Moments later, Chun Li is ready to fight.

Skill, Deep Freeze(2/3), Contingency Plan (2nd use) +3 total, roll twice.

GM_3826

2016-07-18, 09:20 AM

Illven

2016-07-18, 02:07 PM

Hey hey Chiyuri this is just like the time we were gently talked to by those older boys near the pond 10 years ago. Lilith started musing up into the sky.

I remember it like it was yesterday. How we all made up and agreed to share the pond..... Lilith started, getting into memories.

Allure, Moe enthusiasts (+1), Nostalgic memories (+2) =+3

5a Violista

2016-07-19, 02:11 AM

Some time passes, with everyone present stuffing their tummies and having a go at the arcade alternatively - Chiyu, as a note, is up to any game, but isn't particularly good at any. She likes DDR, though, and actually has a pretty good balance and reflexes - what she lacks is basic technique. Fighting's as well - too much reliance on fancy specials, lack of tanctical awareness.

But, mostly everyone has a good time - until, that is, a group of rather delinquent-y chracters approach and suggest, in the less-polite words, that "You girls might want to let the men to show you how it's really done". Do you...
...prove their muscles and outfits don't automatically make them top dogs around? (Conflict DC 6)
Also, that's just a moment Yoshiko happens to walk by

[Kikkawa Yoshiko]

Perhaps by chance, Yoshiko happens upon the arcade at just the wrong moment: she sees the delinquents trying to intimidate the other girls.

First, she notices the transfer.
Oh, what was her name, again? She knows she asked it, earlier today. Shirayuri? Sayuri? Suzuran? It was one of those. Something to do with flowers.
Yoshiko looks down at her skates' bag. Well...putting off practice for a couple of hours wouldn't hurt that much. . . .

Then, she sees the delinquents. What are they doing? Clearly some kind of bullying; that is exactly the thing that she despises the most. It makes her so angry...she has no choice but to walk in there and give them a piece of her mind.
Might she be misreading the situation? Eh, probably. It happens. Not her problem if she does.

In her frumpy sweater and with her scarred and bruised face, she walks into the arcade and towards one of the possible delinquents. She just needs to spook them enough to figure it's not worth it to stick around. This'll be a whole lot easier if they somehow recognize her from the news, or something. Maybe she'll get lucky. So anyway, she walks up to one of the likely-delinquents. "Excuse me," she says, grabbing onto his upper arm. She looks up to him and smiles, showing her teeth, but both her smile and eyes remain as cold as ever. "I was wondering. Do you know where they keep their knives around here? I kind-of really need another one." If asked further about it, she just stresses the importance of having them while keeping vague the purpose of them. She obviously won't use them, but she wants to imply she will without outright stating it: that would just get her under more careful watch and counseling if she was too direct about it.
Not something she wants.

Conflict Roll, to scare them away.
Advantages:
Terrifying Presence, +2
Zone Out, +1

total, +3

Miraqariftsky

2016-07-20, 02:10 PM

Previously, at that last smidgen of not-quite-class...

Kouta tilted her head at Marcy on receiving the golden-maned maiden's return note. Shrugging and shooting back a smile, she said, "Because we're still teeeeeeechnically in class and nobody likes confiscations?"

Previously, while changing...

"Dwa---!" came her surprise at the already costumed Lilith. Giving the shoulderpads a good knock, she whistled and beamed admiringly, "---Lookin' good!"

Turning to her own prep for leaving school, the stuffy old blazer was the first to go, folded away into her bag. Popping a couple of buttons--- the topmost and the lowest--- should have given her a litte extra cool without dropping too much modesty, what with hot and hotter days just around the corner. Cricking her neck, then shouldering her schoolbag, business bag and gym bag with only a mere huff, she nodded to the others...

...then her eyes almost boggled out of her face at Chiyuri's words.

Free! FREE! freefreefreefreefree FREEEEEEE! WHOOOOOHHHHOOOOOOOO!

The ponytailed penny-pincher barely holding her sudden elation, and suddenly hoping she didn't come off as, oh, shallow or materialistic or taking advantage of Transferee-dono, she bit her cheeks' insides to hold herself back when she realized, Treating Someya-san. RIGHT, OF COURSE, THAT MAKES SENSE. Lunch lost is worth more'n a mere mouthful lost.

Just before setting off with the others, a stray doubt streaked across her mind. The heck'm I doing? Going out with classmates, going out with friends? TRAINING is up soon, dammit! Hmm. Well, a couple hours won't hurt. I hope.

Along the way...

Along the way, true to her earlier promise, Kouta had popped off towards the first stray animal she came across and tossed it the half-trampled half-an-onigiri that was discarded from earlier. Waste not, want not... toss in having helped, and briefly petting a cute criter (with her foot, for safety's sake) and that little encounter, she counted as a profit.

At the eateries they stopped at, well, nothing beat the simple and down to earth goodness of piping hot okonomiyaki. During pauses to let her tongue cool off, she was checking her phone every so often, and had sent a standard check on her younger sisters.

And then she saw a strangely familiar head in the distance. Getting closer, through the crowd, she squinted, still unsure. On the off-chance that it was her... well, it's only friendly to send a wave, right? Smashing out a quick "Kikkawa-san. Arcade at your left. Might want to drop by? ~O.K. to... she fished out her notebook, not having properly input this term's new contacts yet, looked for Yoshiko's number, then sent the text. But by the time that she was done, she had a little bit of catch-up to play with the others.

Presently...

At the arcade, Kouta cheers on the apparently deft and graceful Chiyuri... and demonstrates quite ably that dancing is not one of her strong points, her dancing rhythm being all out of whack. The fighting games? If this were a more adult field, somebody might flag her as being a poor gambler who plays only for the sake of playing. As it is, she coasts along, laughing crazily through a bevy of button-smashing and filthy casual-ing.

And then the little gang of bullies stroll in, oozing overconfidence and machismo. Catching whiff of them from the corner of her eye, Kouta eases up on the two light-guns from two adjacent machines which she'd taken, just for the challenge of it. Distracted enough with now three things, she gets booted off by a double GAME OVER soon enough. Another of her guffaws rocks the place.

Surreptitiously, she wanders the aisles, keeping an eye on both her friends and the potential bogeys. No obvious weapons or overt hostility, good. No obvious gang-marks, good.

Idly, though her face bears the look of someone who'd merely run out of tokens and is just looking over others' shoulders, she sidles behind Misato when she wheels out her challenge, knowing that some people might be sore losers. So too, with Chiyuri, Marcy and Lilith, the... uh, softer, members of their party. Bullies are... scum.

One of the advantages of a skirt? It isn't as transparent as pants at telling others that one's legs are bracing for trouble. Though Kouta is watching, and smiling and laughing still, one hand is at her scabbard's mouth, the other is already holding it at hip level.

And then Yoshiko enters the picture...

W"ELP.

...sidling over, Kouta reaches into one of her pockets and drops a couple of things. A pencil. And a cutter. Conveniently close to Yoshiko. "OH MY. I dropped my PENCIL SHARPENER."

Blood thumps in her ears, the adrenaline pumping. She eyes the doors and the street. Then the... her friends. And the arcade machines and other fellow gamers who might be... collateral damage. If need be... blitz, groin then face to Bandana-kun and knock him towards Kikkawa-san, then kick Fatso towards the gang like a bowling ball.

She glares at the gang, then unsheathes a handspan of wood. And grins at them. "GAMES, guys. Please. Return to HAVING FUN."

Third option. Strong Skill and Athletic, clocking in at +3

GM_3826

2016-07-20, 03:30 PM

Miraqariftsky

2016-07-20, 11:33 PM

Not if you can get away with it. ...HEY! I'm tryna be a law-abidin' citizen here!

Notes can more easily be excused, and can be shown that they're just for contacts purposes and not just faffing around?

Beeeecause you can't DRAW with a cellphone.

Because I'm tiiiiiired and kiiiiinda running on fumes?

Kouta gave Marcy a slow facepalm, a shrug and a silent laugh in answer as several potential answers ran through her mind.

jamieth

2016-07-21, 01:38 AM

Lilith: 2+1 = 5, failure
Marcy: 3+3 = 6, Success Nr.1
Misato: Max(1,2) + 3 = 5, failure
Yoshiko: 3+3 = 6, Success Nr.2
Kouta: 3+3 = 6, Success Nr.3

For a total of 3 successes, giving victory to Team Girls

Marcy, Misato and Kouta gain 2 VP each

The "gang"'s leader looks at Misato with a mix of curiosity and contempt before selecting Ryu himself. Pretty soon it appears he knows his way around the control stick - but not as well as he thinks he does. Were Misato a bit more flexible in her tactics, she would probably trounce him - unfortunately, her cold rage forced her to overextend on the offence, and by spending more time blocking than actually doing anything, he manages to scrape wins in second and third rounds.

The fatty, meanwhile, gets towards the DDR machine - except he isn't really interested in playing himself, it appears, as in watching Marcy does so. Still, it effectively takes him out of the picture, and forces some sneers from the others - they don't particularly like him, it appears.

Still, with Lilith lost in memories and effectively removing herself from the scene, it's up to Kouta nad Yoshiko to take two and three for the team; though it doesn't get to actual fight. One of the uniformed students approaches the leader and whispers something to his ear, pointing at Kouta's nunchucks - and then at Yoshiko as she asks for a knife, with obvious fear on his face.

"Damn, fine", the leader declares, "Not that I really wanted to play these kiddie games..." but it's pretty obvious he's mostly saving face here.

"Thank you, girls..." Chiyu lets out a sigh of relief and blushes, "Why... why can't I do anything on my own... it's so frusrating!"

5a Violista

2016-07-21, 03:50 AM

[Kikkawa Yoshiko]

Yoshiko stands her ground for the passing moments, thankful to have been recognized for the first time in forever. Finally, something good came out of it.

When the bullies leave, her face goes back to its neutral emotion. Yoshiko sighs and collapses down to her knees. She's so glad she didn't have to do anything that would get her in trouble. She exhales. With the pencil and sharpener right there, she probably would have. As comforting as it would be to just lose herself, she's glad she didn't. Especially not here, in front of the transfer student.

She feels incredibly lucky. She got the message from Kouta, but she didn't respond...it really is fortunate she noticed the phone message when she did and decided to come right at that moment. What would have happened if she decided to just mind her own business and go skating? she wonders. She grabs Kouta's dropped things and caresses them. They're somewhat comforting. She then holds them out, for the other girl to grab. "Thanks," she says quietly.

Yoshiko holds her bag of skates close to her body as she thinks. What was the new girl's name, again? Which flower name should she go with? She still can't remember. She'll go with..."Sayuri," she says to Chiyuri, deciding on that flower for a name, "doing things on your own is overrated. If you do everything on your own, nobody will like you in the end."
...well, it sounded cooler in her mind.

jamieth

2016-07-21, 07:41 AM

"It's not that I'm not trying to do everything on my own, but... Today, you all been helping me all day, and I can't do anything for you in return..."

Miraqariftsky

2016-07-21, 09:21 AM

Previously...

Kouta gulped back the whistle that threatened to come forth as Misato was trounced. Huh. Looks like Mako-dono isn't actually infallible... Wincing, she gave her comrade a good, warm squeeze on the shoulder.

While watching Marcy's back as she worked her magic on the DDR machine, Kouta's countenance darkened as she saw the whale-like hentai leering at her. Meeting his gaze, she smirked, wagged her eyebrows as she flicked her sheath's mouth and drew a handspan of wood, and flexed her fingers, hand on hilt. "You gettin' hard, boy? Mine's bigger."

And when the banchou rousted his mates for their undignified exit, it may have been unwise, but Kouta couldn't hold back from a parting shot, "Says he,who proved his overwhelming manliness by bravely running away. Tch!"

Presently...

When Yoshiko returns Kouta's pencil and cutter, she couldn't help but notice the... caress. The Merchant of Minami pounces, striding swiftly towards the other girl as she makes to return the items, then holds her hands, gently but firmly.

Smiling, almost hungrily, Kouta says, "You like this blade? I'm sorry it's but a humble piece, but I couldn't help but notice, ah, how you lit up just now. You also appreciate well-crafted weapons and tools, yes? Ha-ha! I call my boxcutters 'sharpeners' and my sharpeners, well, psh, if you already have a cutter, why bother with a sharpener? Yours now for... thirty yen! Take the deal and I toss in the pencil for free! Whaddayasay, Kikkawa-san?"

A brow rises at the 'Sayuri', and for a moment, Kouta doubts her ears. Seeing as Chiyuri has yet to correct the girl right in front of her who messed up her name, she merely shrugs, chalking it up as a nickname between the two.

Gratitude and repayment? Mwu-hwa-hwa-hwa!

Reining in--- and internally punching her unsaid discourtesy--- Kouta shakes her head, grins and drapes an arm about Chiyuri's shoulders. "DON"T WORRY ABOUT IT!"

Letting go, she lounges against the nearest arcade machine and nods, smiles and says... blithely, "And really, don't worry. Isn't yer graceful presence and mysterious beauty enough to sate the thirsts of your nakama and yojinbo? Ha-ha-ha! And if you INSIST on THAT kinda talk... well... ha-ha-ha, why not put that off as a favour to repay another day? Or hell, PSH, well, uh, it'd be nice if ya could buy my stuff in the coming days?"

Illven

2016-07-21, 06:52 PM

Because most people can't fight an armed group on their own. Lilith replies obviously.

GM_3826

2016-07-22, 10:21 AM

Previously
Well, that was not exactly what Marcy expected. The boy...

He was hopeless. If that was his idea of a good time, Marcy wondered what else made him tick. As for the rest of the scene, seeing her friends brandish knives and threaten delinquents made Marcy somewhat nervous. She wondered what would happen if she made them angry...

Oh, and Yoshiko is as socially awkward as always.

Currently
Seeing the opportunity to support Chiyuri today, Marcy stepped in, as well.
"Oh, it's fine, Chiyuri!" Marcy smiled. "It's just as the others say! Say 'Thank you!', not 'I'm sorry!'"

5a Violista

2016-07-23, 04:19 PM

[Kikkawa Yoshiko]

Chiyuri didn't react to the name "Sayuri" so...it must be right? It's possible she just doesn't care, but it's probably the right name.

Yoshiko, after taking enough deep breathing to get back into her zone, stands herself up. As she stands, she lets her skate bag drop to her hip. In response to Kouta, she shakes her head. "I-I probably shouldn't," she says. "In case something happens, it would probably be better if I didn't have one on me."

Really, she could run into problems if she was caught with a blade but no reason to have one, especially if something happened nearby. She laughs away this thought. "Well, it's really hot around here," she says to herself aloud. Makes sense; she's wearing a sweater even though it's summer.

jamieth

2016-07-25, 12:40 AM

Because most people can't fight an armed group on their own. Lilith replies obviously.
"But I wasn't alone..." Chiyuri shakes her head, "You were with me, right? Anyway..."

Seeing the opportunity to support Chiyuri today, Marcy stepped in, as well.
"Oh, it's fine, Chiyuri!" Marcy smiled. "It's just as the others say! Say 'Thank you!', not 'I'm sorry!'"
"...That's true, I guess. Thank you, everyone!" Chiyu smiles, calming down apparently, "Guess it is a good first day, after all, meeting you all!"

Letting go, she lounges against the nearest arcade machine and nods, smiles and says... blithely, "And really, don't worry. Isn't yer graceful presence and mysterious beauty enough to sate the thirsts of your nakama and yojinbo? Ha-ha-ha! And if you INSIST on THAT kinda talk... well... ha-ha-ha, why not put that off as a favour to repay another day? Or hell, PSH, well, uh, it'd be nice if ya could buy my stuff in the coming days?"

"Sure, sure", Chiyu giggles - she's not sure just how serious Kouta is about that request, and therefore doesn't commin either way until figuring it out. Her mood, however, has definitely turned to the better.

Really, she could run into problems if she was caught with a blade but no reason to have one, especially if something happened nearby. She laughs away this though. "Well, it's really hot around here," she says to herself aloud. Makes sense; she's wearing a sweater even though it's summer.
"What a coincidence, Kikkawa-san! Eh, it is pretty hot, isn't it? I can't wait for them to allow us to wear summer uniforms..." she doesn't mention Yoshiko's attire even if obviously noticing it, judging by her look. "meanwhile... Ice cream?"

Illven

2016-07-25, 01:05 AM

"But I wasn't alone..." Chiyuri shakes her head, "You were with me, right? Anyway..."

Well it's not like I did much either. Lilith replied.

GM_3826

2016-07-25, 04:16 PM

[B]"What a coincidence, Kikkawa-san! Eh, it is pretty hot, isn't it? I can't wait for them to allow us to wear summer uniforms..." she doesn't mention Yoshiko's attire even if obviously noticing it, judging by her look. "meanwhile... Ice cream?"

'...She's gorgeous...'

Somewhat distracted, Marcy begins thinking to herself about Chiyuri's beautiful smile before she hears Chiyuri's last two words and immediately perks up.

"...Ooh! Sounds great!" Marcy tilts her head and smiles, eyes closed.

Miraqariftsky

2016-07-27, 02:51 AM

Because most people can't fight an armed group on their own. At Lilith's comment, Kouta does her best to remain oh so politely nonchalant, knowing that, if she is called out on the matter, she's got no defence. Then again... all she set about were... counter-aggressive posturing and didn't outright instigate further conflict, only dissuaded the delinquents from moving on her friends.

"What, uh, well, alrighty. If you ever need any other odds and ends, just ask me, okay?" A brow rises as Yoshiko declines her offer. She scratches her head, then nods to the other girl in acknowledgement as she pockets the pencil and its alleged sharpener. Is this about those... rumours?

Throwing an arm around Yoshiko and patting her sweater, Kouta smirks and says, "So hot... and yet you're wearing that! What, are you a YUKI-ONNA? Ha-ha!"

"Oh? ICECREAM? Let's hope the only screams are screams of delight, then!" Quickly letting go but smirking as she grabs Chiyuri and Marcy and grinning as she WHAMS them together, side-to-side... though while keeping ready to catch them if they fall. There's such a thing as being TOO affectionate, after all. "DAMNED RIGHT she's gorgeous!"

"Hah! Sorry! Can't help it!" Hopping ahead a couple of steps, Kouta grins as she says as she points, "Yer all beautiful!"

And Imma gorram blockhead. Tch. Snrk.

5a Violista

2016-07-27, 04:21 PM

[Kikkawa Yoshiko]

"Okay," she acknowledges, in response to Kouta. She'll remember that: that if she needs something, she can probably get it from Motorcycle-san.

When Chiyuri suggests ice cream, Yoshiko bites her lower lip trying to decide: it's tempting. She needs to go skating, but she has already decided to put it off for a little bit and maybe a little longer won't hurt and she wants to spend time with the new transfer anyway. . . "Ice cream is delicious," she decides.

Finally, she responds to Kouta again, pretty much ignoring Marcy and Chiyuri being slammed together: doesn't really affect her, right? So might as well not pay attention to it. With the same straight face as always (her dry humor has got to be on point), she replies, "Yes. Four centuries ago I died in a snowstorm not far from here and I'll stay here freezing lost travelers until my purpose is accomplished and someone performs my funeral rites." She blinks. Must be a signal that she's finished with that line of thought. Humor? Whatever.

jamieth

2016-08-01, 01:27 AM

"Then shouldn't you be even more hot in this weather?" Chiyu tilts her head, "but sure, please do join us, Kikkawa-san - eh, it's not my place to tell, of course, but... it doesn't look like you have many friends at school, do you? Oh..." she blushes deeply, "I don't mean..."

5a Violista

2016-08-01, 03:52 AM

[Kikkawa Yoshiko]

Chiyuri's logic is impeccable. She would be even hotter. Well, then, maybe... "Eh? I...I, well, I..." Maybe she should say she died in a desert instead? No, that won't sound good. A firestorm, maybe? What even is a firestorm? Maybe she should say it was sunburns instead. No, that's lame.

Even as Yoshiko tried to think up the perfect response, the other girl continued talking. Yoshiko's mind returns to reality in time to hear the second question. "I...I don't need friends," she says. Yoshiko looks down at her feet. "I already had too many. I don't need any more."

There's a pause. Yoshiko swallows. She takes a breath, looks back up at Chiyuri. "But, yes, I will join you."

Miraqariftsky

2016-08-01, 11:31 AM

Kouta scratches her head while perched idly on a pedestrian railing. Just as she is about to pounce on the quip-bait from the other two girls, the atmosphere shifts from one of jests to a suddenly serious air.

I may be a stupid brute, but even I can see SOME-thing's up here... Her negatives just now don't add up with what we'd seen before. And those pauses... that swallowing... pain? Nervousness? Kobayashi-san's almost certainly stumbled onto SOME-thing, here...

There IS the temptation to just wham them together and be done with it. It's fun to see people's reactions when they get slammed into each other.

But NOT with this kind of air.

"Like she said... ain't our place ta tell, but... Who'll catch ya when ya fall? Who'll have your back when trouble comes?" She lets herself down just as they pass by, then resumes walking with the group, her hands clasped behind her head. She coughs and says while looking up at the clouds, "We all have our pride ta take care of, an' sometimes a spot of quiet by yourself is just best... but hey, 'daheck're friends for, eh?"

5a Violista

2016-08-02, 07:22 PM

[Kikkawa Yoshiko]

As they walk, Yoshiko's got her skating competition song running through her head. She suddenly quickly pulls ahead of everyone else then stops walking and just stands: Stands, leaning slightly forward with only one leg on the ground, and the other one straight back (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/Yukina_Ota_2003_NHK_Trophy_2.jpg). Her hands are out for balance. "Then," she responds, dragging out the word as if she's thinking. She might be thinking about it, but she's probably just waiting for the right beat in the song.

Then,s he leans on her toes, twists around backwards, and makes a backwards hop. Upon landing, she continues, "I'll just have to not fall."

She puts on a smile to show she's fine with that. Falling's not a fun experience.

Standing back upright, she tucks her leg and spins around forwards again. She starts walking again. "I'm really good at not falling," she adds. She changes the subject to a tangent. "I've been practicing a lot. The trick is to have good balance and make sure you always land right. If you land wrong, you'll get bruised and sprain your ankle, and then everybody looks at you funny until you stop limping."

jamieth

2016-08-03, 12:37 AM

"Wow, you're really good, Kikkawa-san!" Chiyu bursts into applause, "And you, Kouta-san, you-re so strong... and all the rest... I wonder if I have any such talents, myself... anyway, again, thanks for spending this day with me - see you all tomorrow, I guess? Eh, unless - Misato-san, if your offer of lunch advice still stands?"

Lentrax

2016-08-03, 01:47 AM

There is an odd sort of glimmer in Misato's eye. Anyone who knows her (which, of course, none of these girls did) would know this meant a long night of training. To lose so stupidly. And because she was trying to show off... She couldn't let it happen again. The virtual world was the only one that mattered. She wasn't some little girl that nobody noticed there. In that world, she was somebody. And she couldn't be shown up. Not by some punk.

Not realizinh that Chiyuri asked her a question, she blinks as she hears her name. Coming out of her cold fury, Missto pauses to process the question that was posed to her.

Yeah. Sure. No problem.

GM_3826

2016-08-03, 09:51 AM

...

"Hey, I was supposed to pick up the groceries today, too!" If Marcy were any smarter she'd probably be floored right now. Literally.

"Why don't we go together?"

5a Violista

2016-08-05, 04:11 AM

[Kikkawa Yoshiko]

Yoshiko's smile turns genuine at Chiyuri's applause.

So, she continues walking along with them, just listening now. She starts thinking: as long as she's going to be late to skating practice, she might as well go the whole way and skip entirely. She could have more time to think of an excuse, as well. So, she decides: "I'll come too." Not that anyone was asking her.

jamieth

2016-08-05, 05:05 AM

Illven

2016-08-05, 12:52 PM

What happened? Lilith asked confused.

5a Violista

2016-08-05, 01:45 PM

[Kikkawa Yoshiko]

On the whole, Yoshiko kept mostly to herself during the shopping and when they got ice cream together.

As they walk down her street towards her own house, Yoshiko's mind gets filled with a growing sense of dread. She shouldn't have agreed to come with them; she should have just gone to the rink. How does the new girl know where she lives? Someone must've told her. Which one of these girls knew where she lived? She already knows what they're going to do. They're going to stop in front of her apartment, and only then the big reveal happens. Kouta's going to hold her in place, while the others reveal their big plan. She really shouldn't have come. Is there still time to get away? The paranoid Yoshiko eyes the other girls, trying to piece together which one of them betrayed her and which one organized this whole thing. . .Yoshiko tenses her free hand, just in case.

She audibly sighs in relief when they stop in front of a different building. "Oh. I-I know this street," Yoshiko says. She was so nervous, and the situation is so different that the irony of it all almost makes her want to laugh. To prove that she wasn't expecting something dreadful to happen at all, she adds, "I live nearby."

The skater follows Chiyuri into the apartment and tries to convince herself that she was being stupid for being so paranoid.

GM_3826

2016-08-05, 02:37 PM

"But, won't you be..." Chiyu starts, but stops herself immediately, "Of course, it's more fun together! And the offer of ice cram stands, we can grab it on the way..."

Lilith would notice immediately Chiyu isn't heading to where her family lived previously, but to the - well, cheaper part of the town, away from the coast, filled with more apartment complexes than small personal houses.. Yoshiko would notice it's exactly the road she just walked herself, from her house to the arcade. Shopping itself doesn't take long, and soon Chiyu points at the two-story building, "Well, here we are. Come in, please, and - sorry, there's not much for now..."

"Oh, don't worry about it!" Marcellana beams. Apparently Chiyuri's apartment is kinda empty? Marcy doesn't mind.

[Kikkawa Yoshiko]

On the whole, Yoshiko kept mostly to herself during the shopping and when they got ice cream together.

As they walk down her street towards her own house, Yoshiko's mind gets filled with a growing sense of dread. She shouldn't have agreed to come with them; she should have just gone to the rink. How does the new girl know where she lives? Someone must've told her. Which one of these girls knew where she lived? She already knows what they're going to do. They're going to stop in front of her apartment, and only then the big reveal happens. Kouta's going to hold her in place, while the others reveal their big plan. She really shouldn't have come. Is there still time to get away? The paranoid Yoshiko eyes the other girls, trying to piece together which one of them betrayed her and which one organized this whole thing. . .Yoshiko tenses her free hand, just in case.

She audibly sighs in relief when they stop in front of a different building. "Oh. I-I know this street," Yoshiko says. She was so nervous, and the situation is so different that the irony of it all almost makes her want to laugh. To prove that she wasn't expecting something dreadful to happen at all, she adds, "I live nearby."

The skater follows Chiyuri into the apartment and tries to convince herself that she was being stupid for being so paranoid.

"...Well, I'm glad you're not nervous anymore!" Marcy grins a bit anxiously. She hoped that Yoshiko did not see her as an enemy.

What happened? Lilith asked confused.

"Oh, we went out for groceries!" The tension from just a moment previously is still there, but it begins to erode away as Marcy's smile becomes a bit more genuine again.

jamieth

2016-08-06, 03:54 PM

"Well then, come in, come in", Chiyu beckons you inside. The apartment isn't as much empry, as... bare. All the necessities are there, a bed, a desk, small kitchen... what it lacks is much signs of being lived in, though perhaps several cardboard boxes in the corner would change that once unpacked. Oh, and the apartment is quite obviously designed for one.

Lentrax

2016-08-06, 04:25 PM

Kobayashi-Sama. Misato either does not register the lack of size or care to cause embarrassment by pointing it out. You have a rice cooker, yes? Knives, yes?

5a Violista

2016-08-08, 04:18 AM

[Kikkawa Yoshiko]

So, Yoshiko enters the apartment.

She looks around. It's...pretty bare. Does she just live here alone? It's still all packed up, but that's fairly reasonable because Transferee-san just moved here.

Yoshiko states aloud what she's thinking: "There's not very much space in here." Even though her thoughts are going around, she listens to Misato's question and for Chiyuri's response: After all, Yoshiko knows how to cook. Especially with knives.

GM_3826

2016-08-08, 09:44 AM

"Oh, wow, Chiyuri! You live alone?" Marcy, always thinking on the bright side of things. She does not have the best understanding of Japanese law.

After hearing Misato and Yoshiko respond, she decides that maybe she could cook... Something. Marcy was not really sure of what to cook! I mean, she's not really good at cooking anything...

jamieth

2016-08-09, 01:16 AM

"Eh, sure, Misato-sensei!" Chiyu almost snaps to attention, "Here..." cooking utensils happen to be among the things that are unpacked already, in fact. "Eh, one moment - girls, eh, there's no much to do here, so... maybe you all could help? Only if you want to, of course - and, yes, I live alone, so it's not like I need much space..."

Skill roll to aid with cooking, opposed; 2 and 1 VP for two winners, and sorry for dragging the ending to the episode.

5a Violista

2016-08-09, 02:39 AM

[Kikkawa Yoshiko]

Yoshiko sets down her skates' bag leaning against the wall then walks over to the unpacked kitchen things and looks over at the kitchen utensils. She looks around...and immediately locates the sharpest knife. Her hand darts out to grab it.

Then, with her hand hovering above the knife, she pauses. Can she do this? Can she really do it? Yoshiko's breathing starts to accelerate temporarily...until she finally snatches the knife's handle. Then, she's all calm, or rather, normal: holding this knife is like holding the hand of an old friend.

She grabs some of the vegetables and brings them over to the sink, to rinse them off as well as the knife. "I'll cut the vegetables," she announces, in case it wasn't obvious enough already.

The girl expertly slices, dices, and cuts the vegetables into whatever shape she feels will taste best.

Skill roll
+2, from Knife Nut

Lentrax

2016-08-09, 02:58 AM

Misato looks across the utensils, and at what is available for cooking space. She directs Chiyuri on a better method of using the rice cooker, then brings the girl over to where she is starting to cut the meat she had bought at the store. She tells the girl to start cooking, then she gives direction on how to improve.

No, hold the knife this way. It will give you better control of slicing the meat just right.

She spoons out excess oil from the pan. Too much oil will make your fried food turn out greasy and soggy.

She stops Chiyuri as she starts turning the meat in the pan. Turning the meat too often keeps it from heating up inside and doesn't cook it properly.

Skill. Deep Freeze (3/3). Good Cook. +5 total.

GM_3826

2016-08-09, 09:26 AM

Marcy's eyes lit up.

"Ooh, I should cook a Japanese dish! I've never done that before."

Marcy considers her options before noticing that they seem to have bought miso paste. She decides to make miso soup.

Culture Enthusiast=+1

Miraqariftsky

2016-08-09, 12:11 PM

Previously, on the street...

As Yoshiko sprang her impromptu performance, while the artist and athlete in Kouta observed with a keen eye and keener applause...

For a brief moment, she gazed at her, a lotus suspended on the last motes of sunset. She looked upon her and smiled in appreciation of such grace, seemingly lost in the dancer's spell.

...suddenly her face flushed and she abruptly averted her gaze. On hearing the other girl's footfalls on the pavement with both feet once more, she opened her mouth to say something, then closed it again, realizing if she said it then, Yoshiko still ran the risk of losing face.

And then, silently, internally, slapped herself. And then realized... Good technique. Good legs. What's the harm in looking?

Turning to Chiyuri, a brow rose, just as her shoulders and a disarming smile. "Strong?" she began. "Thanks, but... ya just gotta do what ya gotta do."

Getting to the Kobayashi Residence...

Along the way, Kouta had been increasingly agitated, checking her watch every so often. Glancing at certain streets and convenience stores and trees and other landmarks.

Again, she checked her watch and groaned. Too late, now. Shooto session'd already begun. Damn! Travel time'll frak me up worse, from this part of town.

While having lagged behind the group but still keeping an eye about them, in case there might be stalkers, she fished out her phone. Scratching her head with it before beginning to type, she scratched out a couple of messages. One was a letter of apology to her coach. The other was to her sisters, checking up on them, and telling them they should go ahead and have dinner without her.

Are you KIDDING? Hell, literally. You're supposed to be RESPONSIBLE! Ugh...

Presently...

di-riririri-DIDING!

Just after having settled her bag(s!) down on a hopefully out of the way corner of the apartment, but hopefully close enough to the door, should the need arise, Kouta's phone rings.

Whipping it out, she nods respectfully at the others, and at their hostess, then steps out the door before answering. Even through the wall, some words are heard... "---WHAT?!" "ISSHEOKAY?!" "IMSORRYIWASN"T..."

The Kouta who walked back in shortly after that call has eyes that seem to have a long, hollow gaze. Her pace seems slack, her arms hanging almost limp, her legs merely shuffling along. A quivering hand runs through her hair.

OSU! Focus, dammit.

Finding the girls inside already a-bustle, she slaps herself across the face to snap herself back to reality, no use crying over spilled milk and all that. She gazes admiringly at Yoshiko's blade skill and Misato's deft command of the kitchen, then looks at her hand again as its shivers refuse to die down.

KSH-KSH-KSH-KSH!

Taking a deep breath while washing her hands, she waits for her turn at the chopping board. Diced onions and peppers join some ground beef in a wok, a lake of rice churning in a quick and classic stir fry.

Come on! Who the hell can frak up a Chao Fan?

Oh, right!
Almost forgot this stuff!
Almost nothin', hah! Just a +1 from Strong Skill.

jamieth

2016-08-10, 01:53 AM

Marcy: 1+1 = 2
Misato: 4+5 = 9, 2 VP
Yoshiko: 4+2 = 6, 1 VP
Kouta: 5+1 = 6, 1 VP
Trying to fit five people at the tiny kictchen corner (with Lilith deciding to explore the room instead, with Chiyu's blessings) is a challenge, but a solvable one when the aim is to have fun primarily, rather than achieve maximum effectivess (even though Misato might disagree with that last one). Still, with her guidance, and Kouta's and Yoshiko's skills - with Marcy contributing enthusiasm, at least, even though she ends up as much a student here as Chiyu does.

Somewhere in the middle of that, Lilith looks at her watch and excuses herself, saying she has some articles to edit for the tomorrow's newspaper. Giving her a parting hug, Chiyu whispers, "It can't really be the way it was then anymore, can it, Riri-chan? I'm sorry..."

"It really can't be like it was..." she repeats, as the door closes after her childhood friend, "I'll have to learn how to live on my own now... to realise my promise... I know I can't do that myself, so... will you help me? Please?"

GM_3826

2016-08-10, 09:38 AM

Miraqariftsky

2016-08-13, 01:06 PM

"Itadakimasu..." The anger and frustration have mostly bled off by the time they get done with cooking. The guilt over not just missing her Shooto session, but more importantly, having failed to be there for her her sister Kasumi when she got in over her head with stepping in against her school's bullies and had to take a trip to the Infirmary... with a good half dozen having warmed the Nurse up beforehand.

Goddammit. I shoulda been there for her. Acquitted herself well, but still! What the hell kinda older sister am I?

She'd already been sent home by the time Kouta got the call from her other sister, Kaori, in a straight-up report, with minimal dramatics and embellishment, making any rushing off to be quite moot. Surprising her further was that Kotone, the sister who was usually the most carefree was the one who cooked up dinner for them in her absence.

...Good job, sis. I'm proud. Really. KOUTA-SAN. GUILTY!

Kouta trudges through the teriyaki rice bowl and slurps at some miso, trying not to spill as her hand shakes. She sighs into her cup of tea and tries not to leave any leftovers.

Well. Looks like I =do= need to drop by somewhere for a little something special for my three little demons. Wonder what I'll get 'em?

Adding to the over-dinner chatter, Kouta coughs, blushes and asks in general, "Do y'all got any ideas for three liiiiiiiiittle gifts that can be given to triplets as a... reward...?"

And a token of apology. KOFF. Um. I ain't ready to... uh, slice my pride that way yet, though.

Standing as is polite when Lilith leaves, Kouta smirks and says over her classmate's spacesuit, after , "Don't let the airlock hit you on the way out! But, seriously, take care on yer going home!"

Brow rising at Chiyuri's words, and getting reminded of her own three younger sisters, Kouta smiles warmly and thrusts a thumb-up at her and says, "Don't worry! It'll be okay!"

5a Violista

2016-08-17, 12:44 AM

[Kikkawa Yoshiko]

As Yoshiko eats, she can't stop thinking about missing skating practice. She really should've been there. What will her partner say? What will her parents say? She has got a fresh bruise, so she could probably use that as her excuse for showing up late. She starts to formulate an excuse: Got into a fight at school. A teacher she doesn't know the name of yet held her after, and she had to do extra chores as a result. And the counseling. That, too. She did meet with the counselor today, so that should check out as long as she keeps it vague enough. Then, upon leaving, she ran into....
This excuse is formulating itself pretty nicely. Luckily, Yoshiko silenced her phone before the food was all ready, so she can safely ignore any messages she receives.

Responding to Kouta's question, Yoshiko suggests the thing she would enjoy: "Could you just take them out to look at the stars and constellations?" she asks. Simple enough, right? Just spending time with someone staring at the stars is probably the best gift ever.

So, she checks her phone. She has more than one message and a missed call. Looking up from her phone, she replies to Sayuri(? that's still her name, right? Somehow, Yoshiko still hasn't remembered/figured out Chiyuri's actual name): "Yes, of course. I live just a couple buildings that way." She points, and then describes the building her family lives in. "So if I'm around you can come over."

She looks down at her phone again, and starts to read the messages. "But I have to go," she says. "It was fun." Yoshiko smiles, and stands up. "But I need to leave now. Goodbye!" She grabs her skates' bag, and rushes out the door.

Well, at least, now that it's later, the air is cooler and wearing that sweater isn't quite so sweaty and hot.

jamieth

2016-08-17, 03:02 AM

"That's actually a good idea", Chiyu nods, "Not necessarily the night sky, but taking them somewhere? And thank you, Kikkawa-san, I don't want to bother you, but..."

Eventually, the evening comes to a close, and everyone heads to their respective homes. Thus ends the first day of the new year...

Episode 2

...and the second begins, then the third, and the life gradually settles into the usual school routine. After a week, school authorities finally authorize switch to summer uniforms, and some of the girls start pushing the boundaries of the regulations on skirt length - with the weather being what it is, it might be the matter of comfort as much as of appeal.

And, to coincide with the weather, one of the hottest periods of the year starts in the after-school life, the season of club-hunting, as the popular and successful clubs scout for talent among the first years, while the less popular ones are doing all they can to attract at least someone to prolong the clubs' very existance (while Shinbuchi High has a rather lenient requirements on to what can be considered an official club, they aren't that lenient to allow the clubs with zero active members to exist).

So, on a hot Monday morning, every student heading to the school has to pass through a corridor of club representatives handing out fliers - "Come check the softball team! We really have a shot at making it to the nationals this year!" "Join the lacross club, and you're guaranteed a starting place on the team!" "Want to try gymnastics? I'm sure you'll look great in a leotard!" "Come to the painting club, we have tea and cookies!" and so on and so on.

Granted, most of the effort is concentrated on the first years - since everyone in second and third year is likely either in the club already, or unlikely to join one ever, so Chiyu in her green skirt and green-trimmed shirt (color-coding for Shinbuchi High is orange for the first year, green for the second, blue for the third) is mostly free from attention - exceptions being her classmates, aware of her status as a transferee, and those desperate enough to try to attract literally every passing student, regardless of percieved chances of success.

So, to make sure I remember it right...
Yoshiko's in Skating (primarily) and Cooking
Oda's in... what have we settled on, Kali?
Marcy's... we never settled it, did we? You asked for "Earth Club", but never replied as to what it entails. Something to do with agriculture? There is a gardening club almost certainly if that's what you want. Alternatively, feel free to explain what your club is about IC :-)
Misato... is a tough one. I would suppose since you refused the offer of making an online gaming club, you won't have a cchance to recruit openly, but there are options - advertisement posters for your guild and such, perhaps anonimous ones is Misato doesn't want to come out publicly?

Anyway, attracting attention to your club would be either Skill if you focus on your character's - and her club's - achievements past and future in your chosen fiend, or Allure if you're about attitude and atmosphere. Opposed, +2/+1 for two winners; also, throughout this episode there's a separate tracking of points with fluff-related bonuses as a result.

GM_3826

2016-08-17, 10:29 AM

Looks like I'm in the gardening club.
"Good morning!" Marcy's energy was infectious, or at least that was what she was hoped. This concept of a club as a guide to a career path was new to her, and she loved gardening so much. She was sure that she would attract as many new members as possible.
"Hey, if you enjoy the sun as much as I do, why not join the gardening club?" She winked.
Culture Enthusiast+Quaint Greeting+Stand Out=+3 Allure

Lentrax

2016-08-17, 12:29 PM

Misato glances back and forth through the halls. Once she is sure that no one else is in the corridor, she pulls the poster from her bag. On the face of the glossy poster, a golden mempo glared out from beneath the jet black kabuto. Words were embossed under the picture.

"The Secret Shadow Samurai, a collection of the best gamers in Japan, are looking to recruit new guild members. Members must be able to pass the tryout, held online through the SSS server. Many will apply, most will fall. One, more or none may rise."

Details about how to access the server for the tryout follow, as well as the official email addresses for the Guild Leaders. On that list, labeled as "Co-founder," is the address for CosmicMako.

Strong Skill. +1 total.

5a Violista

2016-08-18, 10:10 PM

[Kikkawa Yoshiko]

Yoshiko, as a primary member of the ice skating club, is fulfilling her obligation to be there handing out fliers to first-years. Fortunately, she's not the only member there (if she were, nobody would hear about the skating club, due to abruptly avoiding eye contact with her). A third-year male skater, Akio, is the one calling all the first-year girls to come over and hear about the skaters and their successes: that they've had regional championship winners, and that Yoshiko ("this scary girl right here with the fliers") got third in nationals and several skaters will win first this year. New skaters are obviously welcome, he says, and there's not a better chance than to learn from national-level skaters.

Yoshiko is mainly handing out the fliers to the people roped in by the other skater, with a forced smile. She nods to agree with all the things the other skater is saying. One of the pictures on the flier is of when she received the third place award in junior nationals last year, and the rest of the flier shows more of these accomplishments by other skaters.

Suddenly, Yoshiko sees Chiyuri out in the stream of people. "Sayuri," she says, still not having gotten her name right. "Hey, Sayuri-chan!" she yells out, before running away from her place on the wall, towards Chiyuri. "Y-you need to join the Skating club," she says. She hands a flier to the new girl, then she tries to remember the speech that Akio-senpai is giving to all the first-years. Obviously, she butchers it but people don't really join clubs for fancy speeches. "Our club has won lots of awards, so you can maybe learn from really good skaters. And then you can come watch me at junior nationals and maybe internationals later, and it will be fun."

Realizing that she completely messed up that invitation, she quickly apologizes and bows, saying to Chiyuri, "Sorry, I need to get back to Akio-senpai to hand out fliers."
As abruptly as she ran out, she returns to the wall to hand fliers to the the latest girls the other skater has enticed to converse with.

Since rolling a daytime Allure would practically be an auto-fail...

Skill Roll, focusing on past and future achievements
+2 for Athletic, skating

Miraqariftsky

2016-09-18, 02:55 AM

Due to... certain factors that even Kouta herself didn't want to dwell on, the day of Club Recruitment came and she barely had any prep done. Trying her best to keep her cool...

...she came to school that morning with a monstrous contraption slung across her shoulders. It is ALMOST a steel crucifix, with four triangular brace-legs on one end and a T-spar with a pair of used tyres on the other end.

Huffing, puffing, panting, drenched in sweat but grinning insanely through a rictus grimace, she finally clanks the rattletrap down into her Kali Club's allotted space. Along the way, she makes a few calls to a few people she knows...

Coming back to her space from a water break, something makes her almost choke out her hydration in sheer surprise. There, beside her iron-and-rubber striking dummy, now stands a banner. The message in elegant and menacing kanji reads, large and bold, "PEERLESS ODA. WE ARE HERE! KALI! JOIN. NOW."

Okaaaaaaa-saaaaaaaaaamaaaaa! MUM! Hwy do you do thiiiiiiiiiis?
...okay, and thank you!

Looking side to side at various bystanders, they bear the faces of people who would rather NOT look, or who have SEEN something usually associated with... what was the polite term... unsavoury elements of society.

She slowly sets up her weapons rack, stretching and groaning as her back protests, but shaking her head or brightly smiling at passersby. A few sets of rattan or bamboo or hardwood sticks... a few sets of padded clubs... a few sets of wooden knives... and behind a locked glass box, several blades lie gleaming like tantalizing dreams.

Several young adults arrive, people whom faculty and staff greet surprisedly but fondly. One is already in college on an athletic scholarship. One has succeeded a dojo's heirship. A couple of them are beating down, no, are trading blows with, are sparring with, Kouta. Soon enough, her little space is filled with wooden clacks and hearty banter.

Wonder when they'll collect on THOSE favours, hmm...?

Da Chief used a +4 modifier, eh? Looks like it's up to the Allure department, eh?
Skill department would exceed +4.

jamieth

2016-09-18, 10:40 AM

Marcy's enthusiasm draws some people in, as does Yoshiko's and Akio's psesentation; however, it's Kouta's show that gathers the largest crowd, with whipers going around, "What happens?" "Are they shooting a movie here?"

Chiyu takes her time getting every flyer she's offered; and, passing the Kali club's show, she hesitates, then turns around. "Kouta-san, you know, I've been thinking... if anything like, you know, when we met the first time, it happens again... it would be nice to know how to defend myself... do you have practice today? And... do you mind if I come to watch?"

Miraqariftsky

2016-09-18, 01:32 PM

Paid off my "debt" this week to the Goto Dump Shooto Gym. With this. Will I? Be able to? Walk tomorrow? Whole body feels. Like burger. And pretzel.

Bowing deeply towards two older men, both of them clad in rippling muscle yet moving with a pantherine grace, Kouta sees them off as they leave. She groans as she reaches for an ice cold bottled water, drinks half of it, then pours the rest over her head, letting it cascade across her face and neck and down her shirt.

"Ahhhhhhhhh... whew..." comes the breath as she cools down.

WHAP! A paper fan in the hand of a redheaded older girl strikes Kouta across the back of the head just before a towel is thrown on her. "You are STILL doing this? Fool! Wipe yourself down and be aware that you are a lady." Before Kouta could respond, her rebuker has already stomped off, seeing to another spot of pamphlets to other students. Meanwhile, an alumnus with a greasy face and an impressively flowing mustache for a young man busies himself by setting up a video on a laptop that he brought.

Presently, Kouta waves at Chiyuri as she comes along. A chill goes down her spine at being reminded of what had happened. On an impulse, she reaches for her hands and gives them a warm, firm squeeze.

She looks Chiyuri straight in the eyes, nods gravely and says, "Every day for at least 30-60 minutes. An' nah, o'course ye'd be welcome..."

"...tell ya what." she continues, then chucks her water bottle into the nearest trashcan. Ambling over to a bin of staves, she picks out three paired sets. The first two are thinnest and lightest. The second set isn't entirely smooth, with minute knobs, bumps and imperfections in the wood. The third pair seem to be thicker, with just a little more heft than the others in the bin.

Kouta offers the three selections to Chiyuri and asks, "Which pair do ya want? An' if ya got a little bit o' time, just a minute or two would do, ya wanna take a little... test? See Honda-sama there? HAHAHA, no, I mean, the hittin' dummy made o' tyres an' metal. Hit 'im four times. However way ya like, as long as yer givin' it the strongest an' fastest that ya bestest can. It's fer you ta get a feel fer it an' have fun. It's fer me ta get a feel of where yer comin' from an' how much ye hafta learn."

jamieth

2016-09-22, 09:35 AM

"I'm sorry, Kouta-san, but I really have to run now... see you after school - oh, I mean, we'll meet in class, of course..."

After classes, Chiyuri, after wandering around the school for about ten minutes, heads to - whereever it is Kali club meeting, to the dismay of the others - surely you can't allow her to spend all her evenings doing martial arts instead of... whatever's your afterschool pastime of choice, can you?

For Kouta: make Chiyu decide to join your club. Skill or Allure, base DC 4 for 1 VP, 1 extra VP for every 2 points over.

Everyone else: Sabotage Kouta's efforts, by any means! DC 7, any roll to reduce Kouta's gains by 1 VP.
OR
Skill DC 4 to increase other girl's roll by 2.
Feel free to conspire.

And before you accuse me of unfair play, you'll all get similar scenes to your advantage as well.

Miraqariftsky

2016-09-24, 01:37 PM

Previously...

Last night had been a shocker. Early morning was gruelling. The... normality... of school was an unexpected comfort.

As they day progressed, observant people might have noted some subtle groans coming from Kouta. As well as the repeated applications of Salonpas and the strong scent of Tiger Balm to not just aching muscles but bruises beneath her uniform. Here and there as well were spots of bandaged wounds.

Beyond that, though, she paid them little heed but smiled through the studies of the day. During lunch, she seemed more gregarious than usual and even sprang for a round of drinks for her new friends.

During Art Class, she took advantage of that time to scratch up a few fresh pamphlets for the Kali Club. One in kanji, as she'd been taught by her mother, calling people in. One in kawaii, as she'd been taught by Ida-sama from the Manga Club, with a few 4-koma strips, showing how easy the basic patterns are and how practical Kali is in real life. Once these were done, she hopped over to the Xerox machine to copy them out.

The first strip... if seen by the wrong eyes... might get its creator in trouble. It showed caricatures of Imperial Japanese soldiers conquering a certain archipelago south of the Home Islands and... receiving stiff resistance from rebels with mere sticks and knives. The second strip showed a chibi-style schoolgirl with two sticks over her shoulders in its first panel, and in the second panel, she swung them in an X-pattern, traversing from above the shoulder to beside the hips, then back again. The third panel had her flick them out low at the groin area. The fourth panel was a grin and a thumbs-up as she says "Easy!" The third little strip showed that same girl again, in a crowded train, being leched upon by a dirty old man. The second panel shed her pain and embarassment, then a reminder that "Life becomes simple when you just keep on striking". The third panel had her use her schoolbag as a weapon, striking the groin on the opener, then the head on the follow-up. The fourth panel had her walking away with a smile, the perp led away by cops in the background.

At dismissal, while humming through the hallways towards the gym and her setup, together with the rest of the athletics-oriented clubs, she idly stared at the letter of challenge she received in her locker. Tsk. THOSE guys again. And so damn public, too.

...just before making it to the gym, she stopped, her senses prickling. Then she kept on going right past two kendoka coming in from both sides, sliding into the gym like a batter with a home-run.

Behind her, the letter of challenge fluttered in the air, whirling past two irate faces, roaring a river of slurs, among which were "Traitor!", "Gaijin-lover!" and "COWARD!". The two pursuers rushed forwards in a torrent of hot-bloodedness, and...

...curses of surprise and pain as they flopped onto the hardwood floor.

The letter's fluttering was arrested in the hands of a petite figure in hakama and armour. A bamboo-ended naginata rose in acknowledgement of Kouta as the other girl said, "Oda-dono. We meet again. I take these out of your hair, we'll be square for last year's help to the Naginata Club?"

Kouta dusted herself off from her slide, tilted her head towards the rest of the ill-tempered bokken-slinging hooligans coming in to reinforce their tripped comrades. "Mori-dono. Toss the others into the bargain, and we meet again on a clean slate. Thaaaanks!", she said over her shoulder as she calmly strode off to the Kali Club's allotted space, to the tune of crashing bamboo and cries of pain.

Presently...

Currently clad in a set of red track pants and red gi over a simple white T-shirt, Kouta stands watching her new pupils file in, giving each a curt nod and smile. It might be conspicuous to those with an eye for it that, only the redhead out of her older assistants from earlier in the day remains.

At Chiyuri's (and Marcy's?) entrance, Kouta's greeting extends into a brow-wag and friendly smirk.

Keeping an eye on the gym's clock, once the time officially begins, the two senpai salute them, holding both sticks, the right hand over their chests, the left arms outstretched to the side, then bow deeply to the new batch of pupils. After bowing to each other, they launch into a barrage of blows so fast that the air thrums with sheer speed of their passing, every crack and thwack a relentless cadence. They throw their whole bodies into every blow yet retain enough control to not lose their balance. One with their weapons, their limbs are mere blurs, every strike a block and every block a strike. There are spins and whirls yet these aren't flagrant, serving as feints and set-ups and disarms. Ducks and dodges, sweeps and punches serve the bout its spacing. After what seems a typhoon blazes through but was actually just a little over a minute, the two disengage, bow again to each other and bow once more to their rapt pupils.

Sweating, smiling, panting, Kouta says, "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming to the Kali Club. I am Oda Kouta and this is Kai Natsumi." The other waves and winks, "Count on me, but don't expect me around too much. I graduated last year. And don't worry, that was just a demo! First days are always easy. I know it looks cool and fun, but please don't fool around because nobody wants to get hurt in an accident. Is this understood?"

While sheathing and uncapping a water bottle, Kouta says, "To be clear, as long as we're in this matter together, please listen to my, our, instructions. This is for your improvement as well as for your safety."

She takes a drink and then tosses the bottle to Natsumi, then spreads her arms, smiles and says, "Alright! Could you all introduce yourselves and say just a little bit about yourselves, and why you decided to join? Alrighty..."

Kouta contents herself to listen to the pupils' introductions, but on the other side of things, Natsumi groans exasperatedly while jotting down their details. Spotting one of the pupils doing the same note-taking, she sidles over and pats his shoulder approvingly.

When the last of them has said their piece, Kouta's face cracks in a wicked smirk as she jerks a thumb towards the striking dummy made of a scrap metal frame with tyres hanging from its cross-arms. "Okaaayyyy! Nice ta meet y'all! Who the heck here wants an extra dose of history lessons right now? Who now wants to have some FUN, eh?"

"HA-HA." she continues, the smirk evening out into a serious smile. "Line up, please. Take a pair of sticks. Hit the tyres ten times as hard as and as fast as you can. However way you want to hit them, just give it your best shot. If you have an accident, pick 'em up and go finish your ten. Wait for the command to begin, then go-go-go. Pass 'em to the next person in line when you're done. Got it? Okay!"

She watches them line up and calms her own heart. She gives the order for each set, punctuated with a clack, and stands ready to intercept, in case somebody trips, or their stick slips and it doesn't cross into the spaces provided for the other clubs.

She opens her eyes. Watching, listening, observing. She looks at how they use their hands, their arms, shoulders, hips, legs, feet. She watches how their bodies move, how they deliver their strikes, as beginners, so that she knows who to watch for, and how to teach better. She watches their breath and their eyes, how they deal with exertion and excitement, with focus and coordination.

Rock it if ya got it. Using almost everything Skill-based, except Outdoorswoman.

Strong Skill + Amateur Mangaka + Athletic + Martial Expert = +7.

GM_3826

2016-09-24, 03:48 PM

Earlier today
Aww. Looks like Chiyuri is not joining my club. Marcy frowns for a brief moment before class starts.

After school that day, Marcy went to the Gardening Club. The activities ended pretty quick. Marcy was still happy that she got to meet some new friends.

[B]Now[/U]
Satisfied, Marcy decided to head over to Kali Club.

"Good afternoon!"

As she entered the club, she was amazed by how cool everything seemed to be. How exotic!

"Wait, can I switch clubs?"

One of the kohai, likely a second year, was about to open their mouth, but one of the sempai stopped them before bowing. "We can tell them that later."

"Not yet. But you're free to try out Kali. You're not quite dressed for it, though. Change out of those clothes into these and pick up one of the sticks over there. Stand in line, and when it's your turn, whack the tires as fast you can." The sempai directed Marcy to the equipment.

Marcy changed her clothes into what seemed to be a leftover gym uniform and took out a stick.

She got in line. Eventually, Marcy's turn came up.

There was no reason as to why things should go wrong, but knowing Marcy...

Culture Enthusiast+Quaint Greeting=+2 Luck

jamieth

2016-10-08, 09:26 AM

I know I delayed on this update past all reasonable deadlines, but, well, first I was giving MV every posible benefit of the doubt, and then... I've really no excuse. Hopeful to pick the pace up here...

Meanwhile, results:

Kouta: 3+7 = 10; base gain of 4 VP
Marcy: 4+3 = 7, success
Misato: pass

For a total of 3 VP for Kouta

For a while, introducing the newbies to the basics of Kali techniques works like a charm; while not everyone displays much - or, indeed, any - talent, at least the enthusiasm is there. In Chiyu's case, in particular, she overestimates herself on the first hit and, surprised by the rubber's bounciness, lets go of the weapon - luckily, harming no one in the process as the girl quickly turns around and grabs the stick mid-flight (not that turning her back to the target would ever be a good idea in the actual fight) and, adjusting her grip, launches a series of - widely telegraphed, to be honest, and not particularly strong, but remarkably precise and rhythmed strikes, obviously enjoying herself and, it seems, giving up the sticks not without a bit of hesitation once her turn is over.

Everything goes like a charm... until, that is, it comes to Marcy's turn. After a couple of first, obviously hesitant strikes, she finally decides to apply herself... and replicates Chiyuri's feat - or, at least, the letting go part. Catching part doesn't go nearly as well as her leg slides on the floor and she falls, with a stick landing on top of her knee moment later. Marcy manages to get up after a bit, but still - her knee hurts, and Natsumi insists her to visit the nurse. Chiyu, despite enjoying herself so far, immediately volunteers to accompany her.

Next day, Chiyu seems a bit worried - it appears Marcy's injury wasn't anything serious, and still, Chiyu can't help but throw a concerned glance at the girl every now and then and, after school, heads right into the garden for the Gardening Club's meeting.
Same drill as last time; Marcy gets a chance to earn VPs, others get a chance to sabotage

GM_3826

2016-10-08, 09:57 AM

So, the nurse had informed her that it was taboo to switch classes. Darn.

Marcy is pretty much fine by the next day-although the bruise remains, it will wear off in time. The pain is gone and Marcy is plucky enough that it never really bothered her anyhow.

Once she gets to Gardening Club, she notices that Chiyuri is there and immediately calls out to her.

"Chiyuri!" Marcy smiles for a moment before beginning to frown, noticing that she seems upset. "Are you OK?."

"OH!" It occurs to Marcy that Chiyuri might be worried about her, and she decides to try and lighten the mood in order to prove that she's OK. Maybe helping her out could be the ticket.

"If you're all worked up, why don't you partner up with me? Trust me, we'll have a lot of fun!"

It's disappointing that Violinist seems to have disappeared, but hopefully we'll be able to find someone to replace the players that are currently missing. That is, if that's an option. I've only played a couple of games before; that might not be how this works.

Outdoorswoman=+2 Skill

Miraqariftsky

2016-10-15, 02:23 AM

Previously...

Kouta brow rose as she watched and she allowed herself a small smile at Chiyuri's go. So, she CAN, wossamacallit, intuition, to know that it's wise not to hold it by just the very end. 'Sgood she can tell without being told. Need space on the grip. "Nice fire ya got going there, Kobayashi-san."

At Marcy's fumble, she came in to catch her classmate as she fell, icepack already in hand. It wasn't her first rodeo. Her face was creased with concern as she held Marcy up on one side while Chiyuri took the other on the way to the Infirmary.

Earlier that morning...

On meeting Marcy once again, her rookie's fumble having been one of yesterday's worse cases, Kouta had gone straight to her and asked, "Hey. How ya feelin'?"

Fishing around in her pack, she took out another icepack, apparently pre-prepared, and deftly tied it about Marcy's knee. "There. It was your first time, right? Sorry if that was rough on ya."

Presently...

A black-clad blur streaks across the Gardening Club's space, skipping nimbly around and over various agricultural enthusiasts and their plots. In his hands is a suspicious bundle that should be intimately familiar to any decent, pure-hearted maiden...

"Thief!" "Damn bullies!" "STOP HIIIIIIM!" "Scum!" "Pervert!" "Ninja my ass!" "Get back here!" "PRINCE OF PERVERTS!" Myriad curses and yells hound the acrobatic burglar.

A flushed, panting Kouta, running decidedly slower than usual, clad in a hastily rebuttoned uniform and leads a pack of various girls from various athletics clubs in various states of undress. Katsumi from the Karate Club, parting from the main pursuit pack, cuts across a couple of flowerbeds and pounces on the lingerie-licking larcenist with a flurry of mirror-step blows. Dodging deftly, he slips in under a kick, grabs her leg and throws her, sending her carooming into the bulk of his pursuers.

As she lies there, stunned for a moment, he looms, muttering and gloating about how the almighty gi isn't going to protect her modesty. A couple of Kendoka rush in with rakes, but get are swiftly laid low in a tangled mess of helplessly lascivious positions.

Suddenly, the thief leaps away from his victims as a volley of vegetables comes pelting in from multiple angles. Baseballers, Softballers, Dodgeballers, even a few delinquents, come pitching in, in the name of maiden's purity and vengeance.

And then, Kouta notices a pattern. Through all the dodging, the thief keeps his loot-bag flung behind him, choosing to protect the lingerie haul more than his own body. Acting on a hunch, she seizes an open bag of fertilizer, slits it all the way down its side and hurls it, sending the dirt within spewing out, inevitably staining the loot-bag. He collapses, clawing through fouled underwear, weeping.

The mob closes in, preparing to beat him into a pulp. He hurls a pellet to the concrete and then disappears in a cloud of smoke.

The enraged posse collect their fallen, collect the remains of their stolen underwear and then disperse, dejected, various voices loudly plotting revenge.

"COME ON! ...At least help with cleaning up? AGH! Sorry we couldn't catch 'im!"

Deflated, Kouta sags against the nearest structure...
...which happens to be a growing peach sapling. She catches herself just as the young tree bends a little, lets go and falls to her haunches, shrugging, grimacing and throwing her hands up in disgust.

Composing herself, she bows low before the Gardeners and says, "Sumimasen deshi-ta. My apologies for the disturbance. Please pardon me as well for taking the liberty of, ah, making amends."

Without further ado, she takes the nearest broom and dustpan, cleaning up soil, fertilizer, and tools that had come undone in the brief struggle. Once that is done, she takes a trowel and tidies up the plant plots that had been disturbed.

Once she's exerted all she could to make restitution to Marcy and the Garden Clubbers, she bows again and says, "Once more, my apologies."

Okay! Rolls! Let's see...

"FIRE EVERYTHING!" ...oh, wait, I can't. Ha-ha.

FOR Marcy: (Yeah, I asked if I could do a voluntary boost FOR a rival. Just for fun.)
Strong Skill + Outdoorswoman: +3

GM_3826

2016-10-15, 07:42 AM

Earlier that morning...

On meeting Marcy once again, her rookie's fumble having been one of yesterday's worse cases, Kouta had gone straight to her and asked, "Hey. How ya feelin'?"

Fishing around in her pack, she took out another icepack, apparently pre-prepared, and deftly tied it about Marcy's knee. "There. It was your first time, right? Sorry if that was rough on ya."

"...It's fine. You don't need to apologize, honestly." Marcy is clearly in pain, but she seems to be handling the situation. Makes sense for someone who prefers playing outside. She's had worse bruises before..

Presently...

A black-clad blur streaks across the Gardening Club's space, skipping nimbly around and over various agricultural enthusiasts and their plots. In his hands is a suspicious bundle that should be intimately familiar to any decent, pure-hearted maiden...

"Thief!" "Damn bullies!" "STOP HIIIIIIM!" "Scum!" "Pervert!" "Ninja my ass!" "Get back here!" "PRINCE OF PERVERTS!" Myriad curses and yells hound the acrobatic burglar.

A flushed, panting Kouta, running decidedly slower than usual, clad in a hastily rebuttoned uniform and leads a pack of various girls from various athletics clubs in various states of undress. Katsumi from the Karate Club, parting from the main pursuit pack, cuts across a couple of flowerbeds and pounces on the lingerie-licking larcenist with a flurry of mirror-step blows. Dodging deftly, he slips in under a kick, grabs her leg and throws her, sending her carooming into the bulk of his pursuers.

As she lies there, stunned for a moment, he looms, muttering and gloating about how the almighty gi isn't going to protect her modesty. A couple of Kendoka rush in with rakes, but get are swiftly laid low in a tangled mess of helplessly lascivious positions.

Suddenly, the thief leaps away from his victims as a volley of vegetables comes pelting in from multiple angles. Baseballers, Softballers, Dodgeballers, even a few delinquents, come pitching in, in the name of maiden's purity and vengeance.

And then, Kouta notices a pattern. Through all the dodging, the thief keeps his loot-bag flung behind him, choosing to protect the lingerie haul more than his own body. Acting on a hunch, she seizes an open bag of fertilizer, slits it all the way down its side and hurls it, sending the dirt within spewing out, inevitably staining the loot-bag. He collapses, clawing through fouled underwear, weeping.

The mob closes in, preparing to beat him into a pulp. He hurls a pellet to the concrete and then disappears in a cloud of smoke.

The enraged posse collect their fallen, collect the remains of their stolen underwear and then disperse, dejected, various voices loudly plotting revenge.

"COME ON! ...At least help with cleaning up? AGH! Sorry we couldn't catch 'im!"

Deflated, Kouta sags against the nearest structure...
...which happens to be a growing peach sapling. She catches herself just as the young tree bends a little, lets go and falls to her haunches, shrugging, grimacing and throwing her hands up in disgust.

Composing herself, she bows low before the Gardeners and says, "Sumimasen deshi-ta. My apologies for the disturbance. Please pardon me as well for taking the liberty of, ah, making amends."

Without further ado, she takes the nearest broom and dustpan, cleaning up soil, fertilizer, and tools that had come undone in the brief struggle. Once that is done, she takes a trowel and tidies up the plant plots that had been disturbed.

Once she's exerted all she could to make restitution to Marcy and the Garden Clubbers, she bows again and says, "Once more, my apologies."

...Marcy is speechless.

Who the hell does that?! This was as much an admission of disbelief as distress. She had no idea what just happened. Her appearance did not betray these feelings, but upon hearing Kouta apologize again Marcy turned her head and did a complete 180.

"It's fine, it's fine! How many times do I need to tell you: you do not need to apologize to me for this sort of thing! No one does!" She sighs. She knew it was out of Kouta's control, although she appreciated that Kouta was taking the time to clean up.

"...Chiyuri, I don't know what to say. Please, forget this ever happened. I want you to make the best choice that you can, and this sort of thing does not happen. Ever."
As long as Chiyuri promised to forget this, Marcy would smile for the rest of the day. Knowing that Chiyuri would not treat this as a strike against her was all Marcy needed.

jamieth

2016-10-21, 03:07 PM

"It's OK, Marcy", Chiyuri smiles, "this school is really... lively, isn't it? But that's what makes it so interesting. Anyway, that's really impressive what you have here... thanks for showing me all that, and I promise I'll think about everything - see you tomorrow?"
Next IC tomorrow, hopefully

jamieth

2016-10-24, 04:28 AM

Same day, evening

It is too early to get to bed, too late to go outside; and after two days straight of physical effort after school, Chiyu's a bit sore to much of anything - like, for example, finish unpacking already. So, why not spend some time laziny browsing the Internet? And while she does so, an address that she vaguely remembers seeing yesterday appears in her mind. "Well, I decided I should try everything that gets my attention, right?" whispering to herself, she enters the address of the SSS site into her laptop, "I wonder what's that trial is about..."

No roll so far, want to make sure if Len's still here first :-)

jamieth

2016-10-27, 12:51 PM

After wrestling with the unfamiliar interface for a while, Chiyuri manages to finally make a character - a healer, if that's relevant - looking rather similar to herself. After that, though, she's a bit lost - luckily, the note included an e-mail for such cases. On her phone, Chiyu starts composing a message.

CosmicMako-san? I saw your notice at the school earlier, and though I'm inexperienced, and likely won't pass your trial, I'm still curious about your guild. If you could please find a minute to show me around?

Usual fare for Misato; but, given the circumstances, the only way others can realistically hinder her is through sheer Luck.

Lentrax

2016-10-27, 03:30 PM

Misato sighs as she reads the email. Great. A noob.

But things are slow. So far, like, three people have tried out. One of them was a PKer, who lasted about five seconds when he tried to stab Misato in the back.

Well, what the heck. Showing noobs the ropes was just good sportsmanship, right? Besides, it may be worth a laugh or two later. Misato raises her hands up in front of her, and a virtual keyboard appears in her vision. She sends out a message detailing how to get to where to meet her in the starting city.

When she arrives, Misato does a double take, and decides the player can't be Chiyuri, since her avatar looks nothing like her. (A tall amazon-looking woman in heavy chain armor and wielding a daisho at her side.) and so she begins talking. She delivers an overview of the beginner's area, and a basic intro to controls. Then she waits to see if, unknown to her, Chiyuri is ready to go.

Strong skill. +1 total.

GM_3826

2016-10-28, 08:10 AM

...Well, Marcy was home now! She kind of had to be. Her parents were getting worried about her.

...Of course, Marcy still wanted to talk to Chiyuri... They did talk a little today, but not to Marcy's liking...

"Ah!" She'll call her.

Marcy took out a phonebook (how frequently do people use things)? She then took out her cell phone and dialed Chiyuri's number...

"Elllo!" Marcy had the strangest habits sometimes...

Quaint Greeting=+1 Luck

jamieth

2016-10-31, 04:52 AM

Marcy: 5+1 = 6; failure.
Misato: 5+1 = 6; 2 VP

The trial goes... well, more or less as well as one can expect it to go, for a newbie - there are, of course, mistakes, and just sheer lack of what counts as "common sense" among the experienced players... but it seems she has a decent grasp on basics at least, not to mention a good enough reflexes to react to situations more experienced players siply predict. All in all, given the other potential recruits? Training the new healer would take time, but it seems it won't be time wasted.
"In that case... you won't mind if I log again, say, on the weekend? Not sure if I'll have the time before... But anyway, thank you for your time, Mako-san, it was fun..."
"It was fun", Chiyuri repeats, leaning back in her chair just as her phone rings, "Oh, hello, Marcy-chan! Did something happen? Not that I would mind to just chat for a bit..."

GM_3826

2016-10-31, 05:59 AM

jamieth

2016-11-01, 01:54 PM

GM_3826

2016-11-01, 02:35 PM

"Eh, nothing much - just keep thinking which club to join... I narrowed it down to three, I guess, but I just don't know... I'll definitely pick one before the weekend, though", Chiyu makes a declaration, mostly to herself.

"Ah, that's great! Hope you pick the Gardening Club! Love you!"

...Oh, wait, yeah, those words aren't really thrown so easily in Japan.

...Well, I do love her, anyhow. :x

Lentrax

2016-11-02, 02:21 AM

Miraqariftsky

2016-11-02, 11:20 PM

"Aaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiyyyyyyaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh ..." comes the long, contented groan as Kouta relaxes beneath the waters of her tub. Only the top half of her head is visible above the surface. Her long hair, now unbound, splays across the waves in an unruly mass, like black tentacles of some unspeakable monster of the deep.

Leaning back against the edge of the tub, she stares at the moths dumbly donking themselves against the lightbulb and listens to the rumbling of the coming storm, watching ominous clouds in the window.

"Whaaaaaaaattadaaaaayyyyy..." she sighs into the ceiling, idly scrubbing at an aching body.

Wonder if I should pop by Mako-dono's and go smash some mooks? Hmm... nah. Fwuuuuuuuu. Still got homework and personnel paperwork organizational crap to catch up on. Sheeeeeeeeesssshhh.

Fwuuuuuuuuu. Better not fall asleep in the tub. Dun wanna drown.

jamieth

2016-11-08, 02:41 AM

Misato wonders how to respond for a moment, then types again.

My guild activities keep me pretty busy. Now, that doesn't mean we won't take you, but it will take some time and effort to get you to where you need to be. It'll be fun, but also very difficult work.

"I suppose so... it'll take all my after-school time to get anywhere near good enough, won't it?" Which, of course, means it can't really be combined with any kind of club activities. But then, since Chiyu considered club as "something fun to do after school" anyway...

"Ah, that's great! Hope you pick the Gardening Club! Love you!"

...Oh, wait, yeah, those words aren't really thrown so easily in Japan.

...Well, I do love her, anyhow. :x

"Thanks", Chiyu smiles, missing the implication beyond word-choice.

Lentrax

2016-11-08, 04:50 PM

"I suppose so... it'll take all my after-school time to get anywhere near good enough, won't it?" Which, of course, means it can't really be combined with any kind of club activities. But then, since Chiyu considered club as "something fun to do after school" anyway...

Mmm, probably just a couple of hours a day. More you do the better you get, but you're already a good player. Just not a high level yet.

Miraqariftsky

2016-11-09, 01:02 PM

Clad in just an overlarge shirt, Kouta yawns, shuffling to her tatami. Hauling a thick blanket over herself, she tries to sleep.

Yet despite the tiredness of the day and the comfort of the bath, her mind refuses to sink into slumber. A quick check on her phone and its clock shows she only has a little bit to go before she eats into too much of the night's crucial sleep.

Groaning, she tosses and turns. Her mind wanders in strange places.

An evening rain patters on the roof its calming cadence...

...the last thing she remembers before drifting off into slumber is a certain warmth beneath an umbrella on a rainy day.

jamieth

2016-11-22, 04:14 PM

The decision doesn't come easily; indeed, it causes Chiyu a good deal of a sleepless night - until, eventually, she decides that she won't be able to sleep anyway until it's done. So the next morning, she hands Kouta a folded sheet of paper, "Please take care of me, Kouta-san!" - paper being, quite obviously, a club application form. "Sorry, Misato-san, it's not like I didn't like gardening, just... I live alone, you know, and I thought I have to learn to defend myself... just in case..."

***

The days go by and, as it ought to, April is followed by May - and the beginning of May is, of course, Golden Week*.

"So", Chiyu asks as the last day of school comes to a close, "do you all have any plans for the GW?"

*Golden Week: period in the beginning of May when, due to a combination of several national holydays and the ajourning weekend, school's out for a week. Popular time for trips of various kinds.

So, to little surprise, Kouta won and got Chiyu into the club. It won't feature much, due to it being unfair to other players, but still. Also... let's see if change of setting would help.

Lentrax

2016-11-23, 03:14 PM

Why would you apologize to me for that? I am not in the Gardening Club.

Miraqariftsky

2016-11-24, 12:47 PM

Previously...

Receiving Chiyuri's application, Kouta had bowed in turn, gave her a smile and said, "Don't worry, things'll be better'n okay!"

At the brief moment their fingers brushed each other beneath the proffered paper, there was a flash of warmth behind her ears, a strange little twinge that passes quickly.

Huh. What the heck? Nah. She's just the same as any other learner, right?

Overhearing Chiyuri's mistake, Kouta suppresses a groan. One finger rubs at her own eyebags, sympathizing with the need for sleep.

~~~~

Presently...

Kouta stares into the clouds above, her hands clasped behind her head. She scratches her ear as she thinks about the question.

Every step comes with a bit of a limp. Both arms are swathed in bandages. Her left eye is still a bit swollen. Her typical grin still shines.

Training trip in the mountains? A string of meditation days at the shrine? Trip to Kyoto and drink in the culture?Arrgghh... Or just grab a damn onsen somewhere and friggin' MELT.

Speaking of melt, huh. Too bad Skater-san ain't comin'.

"Well..." she begins, shrugs, and smiles. "...I've got a little leftover from the prize of that last Shooto tourney. And Okaa-sama did give me a bit of leave. Mountains and onsen? Or a beach trip? Or we could just loiter at the local shrine, KOFFKOFFAHEM and toss in some helping, eh?"

"But it ain't nuthin'. If ya gots ta sweat the work days, why worry about the holiday?" Nodding to the others, she asks, "Any ideas from y'all?"

GM_3826

2016-11-24, 03:56 PM

Previously...
...Ah, well it's really too bad. Still, it's her choice. If she wants to learn to defend herself, she can.
Marcy then realizes that Chiyuri did not use her name and giggles a little.
"Chiyuri, get some sleep. I don't mind what you do or where you're going. Just know I'll be there for you."

Currently...
"...Kouta, I'm not working today! If they needed volunteers then they have enough already." Marcy smiles. She was so glad that she got this time to spend with them.

"Spending some time outside sounds fun. Of course, I'm pretty much always willing to do that..." Marcy props her finger on her chin, clearly thinking about what they could do.

"...The mountains and the beach both sound fun. Is there like, a forest somewhere around here? We could go camping, too, if you're up for that.."

Miraqariftsky

2016-11-25, 02:23 PM

For a moment, Kouta reels. Then shakes her head. Been a month now, and she still catches me by surprise when she goes so... easy... with people's given names. Huh.

She shrugs, then winces as pain lances through her shoulders. Grumble, grumble, GRAPPLER, grumble.

A brow rises and she smiles with a nod. She and her family had been here a few years already, and part of their stock comes from the land itself. Damned right she should know her way around. "Forest, eh? Yaba-Hita-Hikosan and Yabegawa National Parks would be that. Koff, they're right mountainous, too. They aren't the only places we've got thattaways, though."

"Beaches---" she says with a bit of a spin, letting her uniform's skirt flare. "---they're kinda everywhere. Shinbuchi's a bit of a coastal town, and Fukuoka Prefecture has a lot of waterways other than its coasts, too."

Lentrax

2016-11-25, 04:27 PM

I was planning on staying home. There are a couple new raids, and I have some more Street Fighter training to do. Besides. Outside is overrated.

GM_3826

2016-11-25, 04:51 PM

Miraqariftsky

2016-11-26, 05:29 AM

Kouta's brow furrows at the sudden sigh. She stops in her walk and looks at Marcy with concern. Rusty gears grind within her head. Whoa, huh, first time to be in this situation!

Bareface it? Or joke it?

Who IS Marcy to me, other than a friend and classmate? HAHA, definitely not -hime or -sama. She's not a sister, so -chan isn't automatically appropriate and... ARE we close enough for THAT meaning of -chan?

And... =CAN= I really just tell her to stick to JUST -san? I mean...
...gahdemmet, lookit that face! Nnngh...

Am I going at it wrong? Who am I to her, other than a friend and classmate?

Kouta shakes her head and smiles disarmingly while trying to wave her bandaged arms in a gesture of reassurance. "No-no, it's OK! Sorry, I was just tired! Tired! Call me anything...!"

"...as long as it's decent! Ha-ha!" she segues into with a smirk. "Besides! Why the heck would you call me anything lewd, eh? Eh? Ha-ha-ha!"

With Kouta's arm beneath her chest and a finger on her chin, she turns to Misato and says, "I-i-i-i-is that totally closed to negotiation, Mako-dono? Are mobile devices far too ---'casual'--- for you? Or heck, maybe we can crash at your place? Well... would that be fine with your family?"

Leaning against a nearby electric post, she then looks at Chiyuri with a tilted glance and asks, "Well, Chiyuri-san, what do you think? Do you trust your neighbours enough to pop off for some fun with friends? Which way would you swing, eh?"

jamieth

2016-11-28, 04:36 AM

"Beach, eh? Well, it's Shinbuchi, right?" Chiyuri smiles, "so it has to be -" though there's some uncertinty in her voice, and she visibly cheers up when Kouta mentions other options, "But I mean, we'll have all summer, right? But, really, I'm fine with everything, I just want to spend some time together... and, sure, some kind of trip would be nice - and thanks for your concern, Kouta-san, but my neighbours seem to be nice people - and it's not like I've something really valuable to be worth stealing", she smiles. And, Misato-san, it'll be really nice if you could join us as well, after all... not that I insist..."

Waiting on Len before deciding; feel free to state your preferred options OOC and/or IC

Miraqariftsky

2016-11-29, 12:41 PM

At certain words that Chiyuri drops, something wicked mischievous sparks in Kouta's eyes.

She beams at her friend as she says, "You're fine with everything? Heck, YOU are mmmm, FINE iiiiiiinnn anything!"

Annnnnd even in nothing at all. Waitwaitwait, stop thinking perverted thoughts, me!

And then she smirks and quips, "...nothing worth stealing? But there's YOU! Certainly most valuable! Ehhhh?"

...Trafficking. And organs selli--- STAHP DAHT! No! You! Are! NOT! Yakuza! And even as a joke, that is BAD! Boo, booooo!

Kouta shakes her head, tufts of her clipped-up hair fluttering as she does so. She throws up her hands and says, "Ha-ha, sorry I'm horrible, eh!"

jamieth

2016-12-01, 09:07 AM

"But if I'm on a trip with you, that means there'll be nothing left in the apartment to steal", Chiyu giggles at Kouta's objection.

And so, the plans are ultimately drafted for a two-day, one-night hiking trip, spending the night in the local ryokan*.

Two days later, 9 AM

All the preparations and shopping done, four girls meet at the bus stop nearest to the woods. Chiyuri, sporting bright orange shorts and a newly-bought backpack, is positively beaming with enthhusiasm - and gets to the place with a good half an hour to spare.

(Stealing the technique from Ninja_Prawn:

Location: bus stop near the woods
Time: 9AM
Dresscode: none; something outdoor-worthy recommended :-)

Morning Person: ON
Quiant Greeting: ON
Runner's Glow: OFF

Luck D5 - get to place early and catch some private time with Chiyu; 1VP
-OR-
Allure D5 - don't let all that shopping go to waste; look good for the trip! 1 VP

*Ryokan (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryokan_(inn)): traditional Japanese inn, often with hot springs

GM_3826

2016-12-01, 01:04 PM

Marcy heads over to the bus stop, so excited to be outside camping with her friends.
"Good morning!" She quite literally bumps into Chiyuri, and quickly apologizes. Marcy is wearing fairly practical clothing-shirt, jeans, hiking shoes-and carrying a backpack, as well.
Quaint Greeting=+1 Luck

Miraqariftsky

2016-12-05, 07:28 AM

Though heavily laden with a well-stocked backpack, having set out from home at her customary 2-3 hours in advance, Kouta arrives at the rendezvous still fresh. On one side of her backpack, opposite a well-worn water bottle is her black scabbard, held in place by the bag's straps.

The gnarly and spready trees at Ishiyama Municipal Park... the Shinbuchi** hill shrines the family goes to... the forests, the waters, heck, the school... I look forward to all these...
Like, friggin' normal, right?

But 'daheck'm I goin' doki-doki for? This is... just... a holiday with friends, right? Oda-no-baka, don't be crazy.

A quirking smile twitches across her face as she sees her friends' silhouettes at the bus-stop.

If so... Why the heck did you put in that extra bit for the shopping? What the heck's the importance of getting prettied up? Psh, there aren't even any BOYS on this trip, eh? PSH, are you serious? Really? THIS is all you're bringing to bear, you poor, mangy MUTT? And... Come. ON. You're trying to SAVE, aren't you? Your family NEEDS that money.

The smile twitches, fades for a moment as she claws at her face with both hands. She pauses, leaning against a tree, trying to bring the blushing and the breathing under control.

What. The. Heck. Is. Going. On. With. Me?

It's! Just! A! Friendly! Holiday!

She flips her Pocky pack up and takes a couple of chews to calm herself down. Once that's done, she tucks it back away, then glances back up towards her friends. She brushes away crumbs from her jacket and a spaghetti strap tank top--- the former being crisp black on the outside and red on the inside, the latter a flaming yellow hue.

She reaches up and scratches at a slight itch beneath her new red sports bra... Then shakes her head and chuckles lightly to herself. Checking her yellow bloom hairpin, she nods to the nearby friendly tree and smiles. Completing her ensemble is a pair of weathered jeans with a good couple years of use.

Seeing that they don't seem to have seen her yet, she tries to maneuver towards their rear...

...seeing Chiyuri however, almost brings a stutter to her stealthy step. Once she's close enough, Kouta lunges in and throws a friendly slap at the twintailed girl's backpack. "HEY! Did the Sun descend, or are you just THAT hot?" she quips with a grin.

Leaning against the bus-stop's posts, she beams and waves at the other two girls and says, "Grrrreeaaat mornin', eh?"

Tapping her scabbard, she nods to her new kouhai and asks, "Ahem. Hope you brought yours?"

*Fictitious name(s). Any resemblance to actual place or person is coincidental.

**THE shrine that Marcy serves at, HAS that been NAMED?

Wa-ha-ha. FAT chance for THAT Luck roll. Between those two options, only logical one is the Allure one. Using
Gorgeous Gi, the "equipment" clause. +2.

Lentrax

2016-12-05, 04:11 PM

Laden with her laptop, a 3DS, several volumes of manga, her own bedding (hypoallergenic), what appears to be several volumes of assorted manga, and drawing supplies, Misato arrives at the bus stop looking almost overburdened. When she arrives, she almost smiles at everyone, and idly wonders just what the heck she is doing. Going outside.... Going outside was for others, not her. Not her kind. The otaku. But still, Misato was admitting to herself that she was becoming obsessed with being noticed by Chiyuri. Even if she hadn't managed to do so yet.

Rummaging in one of her bags, Misato pulls out a hand bound book consisting of several dozen pages of what turns out to be survival advice. Being the daughter of tomb exploring archaeologists has one advantage, it turns out.

Here. she says, handing the book to Chiyuri. Hope you don't have to use it.

It even has pictures. All done by hand, by Misato.

Genre savvy. Strong skill, Amatuer novelist. +3 total.

jamieth

2016-12-06, 02:12 AM

Marcy 3+1=4; fail
Misato 6+3 = 9; success
Kouta: 3+0 = 3, fail

"You, you sure you need all this stuff, Misato-chan?" Chiyu's eyes widen as she sees all the equipmet Misato deemed fitting to bring, "Here, let me help..." she grabs one of the Misato's begs, leeaving her free to fish for a book among her baggage, "Wow, did you write all that yourself?"
While inwardly, Chiyu might doubt whether all that advice would be much useful in just a two-day-trip, which at no point would bring them over ten miles away from the nearest dwelling, she clearly appreciates the effort.

"Hi, Marcy-chan, hi, Kouta-san - eh, sorry, I didn't... you're going to practice, even on out day off?" she looks at Kouta with surprise, but also some admiration.

Miraqariftsky

2016-12-06, 03:55 AM

"Eh?" Kouta replies with a raised brow and a pat. "Well... yes, yes of course. It's not just a club, it's a way of life. Passed down from my parents, and their parents before them... Never miss a day... unless sick or with obvious emergency."

A squint and a smirk follow as she says, "Will you be borrowing one and joining me on those sessions, Kobayashi-san? Not longer'n the usual sesh's of course." Then follows up with a smile and both hands waving in a placating gesture. "Ain't forcin' ye, of course."

In the same motion that Chiyuri moves to help Misato with her bags, so too does Kouta filch some of the burden off of the diminutive dame, with an appreciative huff at its heftiness. Whistling, she says, "Whiiiiiiiiiiiiww, THICK! What's this, bullet resistant? Or are ya gunnin' ta branch out inta weight-liftin'? Joking, joking, sorry. Mmmmmm... Your reading speed is THAT good... or are ya plannin' on sharin' yer treasures?"

Her fingers click furiously as she tries to remember something. She purses her lips, then shakes her head, smiles and nods as she asks, "...Hmm. ...Hmm. ...Hmmmmmmmmmm. Ya got any... mmm... genre focus here, or do ya got a little somethin' from everything?"

Lentrax

2016-12-06, 08:48 AM

Misato answers Kouta in a quiet almost monotone. I'm already going outside, Misato says. Please don't take my means of keeping myself occupied away from me.

To Chiyuri, Misato shrugs, and a few volumes of comics shift inside the bag, causing a slightly disconcerting budge to form in the fabric of the bag. She continues speaking with that same monotonous voice.

Can't take credit for the words. My parents are the explorers not me. I just wrote what I remember them telling me when they dragged me on their adventures.

Miraqariftsky

2016-12-08, 12:17 PM

Kouta's eye twitches with concern and worry. She immediately lets go and returns her "help" with a bow and an immediate "Gomennasai, I meant nothing of the sort, please pardon my improper humour."

"Eto..." she stammers, for once, robbed of words. "Sorry that you... don't get along with your... family, Misato-san."

She shakes her head and perches on the bus-stop's bench. Taking out her Pocky pack, she offers it to the others, passing it around with a smile and a nod.

She then shrugs and asks everybody, "Well, tossing some talk... anything y'all are lookin' forward to on this trip?"

GM_3826

2016-12-08, 12:51 PM

Marcy chuckles a little at the sheer number of bags Misato is carrying.

"Part of me wonders whether any of you were here to camp at all..." She smiles somewhat mischievously at the others before stopping to think about what she would like to do.
"...Maybe we could fish! I packed a couple of fishing rods."

Miraqariftsky

2016-12-08, 01:43 PM

"HAHAHAHA!" The backpack thuds at the foot of the bench in answer to Marcy's question. She taps it with her heel as she leans back against the waiting shed's post and says, "Pack. Bedroll. Tent. Stuff."

Closing her eyes, she nods in the shrine maiden's direction. "Fishin'? Mm. Sounds good. Trout, hmm?"

Lentrax

2016-12-09, 12:40 AM

Told you. Don't like outside.

jamieth

2016-12-09, 02:55 AM

"Well then, let's go", Chiyu nods, "Just, Misato-chan, tell us if you get tired... we're not really in a hurry, so taking a little break now and then won't hurt."

And so they're off; it's warm spring day, would be even somewhat hot - but the shade from the trees makes it just right for walking - still, it's mostly uphill, and, when it nears lunchtime, it's pretty clear Chity mostly holds on her enthusiasm. Still... there's something sparkling between the trees, and, taking a short aside, the girs see a river running through a clearing. It isn't wide, only about fifteen feet, and looks barely over knee-deep - but the water is clear, fast-running, and pleasantly cool.

"Let's stop here!" Chiyu calls out, dropping her bag and sitting on the grass, quickly pulling her sneakers and socks off with obvious relief. "Did everyone bring snacks?"

Skill roll, opposed and DC 5, 1 VP: Organize a meal; before you ask, yes, fishing explicitely is an option, and there's a place to start a fire nearby.

~OR~

Skill roll, Opposed and DC 5, 1 VP: Chiyu's hiding it, but she has struggled walking for the last half an hour or so; find out the cause and try to help.

These count as two different rolls, despite both being Skill, so you only need to beat others attempting the same roll to win; and advantages that depend on everyone/no one attempting the same roll trigger accordingly.

GM_3826

2016-12-09, 06:46 AM

Marcy stops and takes out her fishing rod. She then goes and sits down by the river.

"Hopefully I manage to catch something..."

Marcy is not aware of Chiyuri's current condition... yet. If she did know, that would be her primary concern.

Outdoorswoman=+2 Skill

Miraqariftsky

2016-12-09, 02:25 PM

Kouta brings up the rear of their merry band. She holds herself back, in part out of concern for her friends. She keeps her eyes open for any signs of greater than normal fatigue or other unwellnesses. She watches their bearing, their gait, their breathing, if their cheer seems forced... All the more so with Misato.

Though she watches over them from behind as they march, she tries to not let it show. Knowing a friend is concerned and stands ready to help is one thing, but it's another to drop an inadvertent insult to pride.

Along the way, she whistles a tune just pulled from the air, its melody the mere whims of her tongue as she walks along. The song picks up into a wha-whumm-hwa-hwuuuum as they come upon the river up ahead.

At the mention of snacks, she tumbles a tupperware container, large enough for out from one of her bag's side pockets. Seen through the plastic are two layers of 4x5 rice balls. Flicking her finger at its cover, she says, "Sorry it ain't much. Just salted onigiri. Got Pocky and KitKat too, if y'all want something... snackier...?"

"OR", not "AND", eh?

Alright. Choosing the latter option. +4 from Strong Skill, Outdoorswoman and Athletic.

Yeah... doing BOTH options, but only rolling for the second, since you said it's an "~OR~" roll, chief.

Lentrax

2016-12-11, 03:47 PM

Misato really dislikes being outside. It was a surprise to her parents when she asked if she could stop going on trips here, or digs there. But they acquiesced to her decision, and let her do as she wished.

Of course, that doesn't in the least mean that Misato was terrible at being outside. She just doesn't like it much. But when the idea of food comes around, and the others display a terrible ineptness at fresh food, well...

Her pants, which until now had appeared to be regular cargo pants, revealed their secrets when Misato removed the bottom half via a concealed zipper. Now in shorts, Misato reaches into her bag, and unerringly pulls out a knife that borders on the edge of being a machete. Using it to cut off a branch from one of the nearby trees, Misato deftly cuts the end off in an angle.

So equipped, she kicks off her shoes and steps into the water. She then goes dead still. With a flash of speed, the spear strikes into the water and when she pulls the tip out of the river, a fish lands next to her bag. Three times more, Misato repeats this process. And three more fish land next to the first.

Minutes later, the fish are prepared, and are cooking on a portable camp stove she also produced from her enormous bag.

Strong Skill. Good Cook. Deep Freeze. +5 total.

jamieth

2016-12-13, 01:11 AM

As Kouta sits down next to Chiyuri, she notices the latter's feet are red and somewhat swollen; catching her eyes, Chiyu waves her hand, giving Kouta a reassuring smile, "Oh, this... no, it's OK, just... it seems my new sneakers are a bit tight... i-it was fine when I tried them on, but when we walked for so long... I'll be fine, just need a bit of rest..."

In the river, meanwhile, Marcy's efforts sadly prove fruitless - maybe it's that fish in this river have different eating habits, or something else, but it doesn't seem particularly interested in a bait. Misato's more hands-on approach surprisingly proves more successful - water's so clear that she has a clearly visible target for her spear.

"Wow, Misato-chan!" Chiyu exclaims, "Where did you learn that?!"

Lentrax

2016-12-13, 02:51 AM

Misato calmly turns the fish over on the grill she has set over the stoves flame.

My parents are field archaeologists. Until recently, I had to go with them when they left the country on expeditions. I learned this on an expedition to the Amazon when I was seven.

Miraqariftsky

2016-12-13, 04:59 AM

Wheeeeeet-HWIW! Kouta whistles in appreciation as Misato brings out her blade... and as she sets about her sterling woodcraft. "A beautiful blade for a beautiful lady!"

MMMMM! Not bad, not bad at all!

Kouta sits herself before Chiyuri and reaches for the latter's feet. Pausing, she asks, "May I...?"

(Assuming that she acquiesces) "Alright, lean back, if ye please. Dunwurreh, I'm an old hand at this with my family." She says as, knowing it's going to take a while, she takes off her jacket it preparation, then settles her friend's feet on her knees, laves her own hands with rubbing alcohol, and gives those feet a preliminary wash.

"Feel free to tell me if any point's painful, hokay?" Once that's done, she rubs the tops, the sides and the bottoms with broad, lateral strokes. She then progresses to the swollen parts, using the tips of her fingers for a more in-depth massage, squeezing over and under the affected areas and rubbing with circular motions, sector by sector. She works on the heels, one hand cupping and squeezing from below, the other holding the foot firm from above. She proceeds to the arches, one hand pressing its knuckles into the well of the arch, rubbing across the grain, then round, across, and round, while the other hand holds the foot firm from above. She doesn't neglect the outside edge of the feet, pinching and rolling the flesh there. She goes to the balls of the feet, pressing them together between her hands, then using fingers gentle but firm, works on the general musculature, and then softly kneading the toe knuckles. She gives particular attention to the muscle group connecting the big toes to the rest of the feet, smoothing out their soreness.

Hearing Misato, Kouta's jaw drops and she goes, "WHOA! That's... WHOA!
Okay... Uh... If... if you don't mind my asking, was there some point that was a... uh... turning point for you, Misato-san?Or... or was it just that they were TOO... pressing?"

After a moment, she blinks, but bites her lip, holding herself back from saying her thoughts aloud. ParentS. Well... lucky you, you still have 'em BOTH.

Though at first it doesn't seem so, if Chiyuri is perceptive, or if she notices a sense of count and rhythm to the massage strokes from Club, she might notice that each stage is done at either a count of twenty strokes per stage or up to sixty if she shows particular relief at certain bits.

Pausing for a moment, she tells Chiyuri, "Toes coming. Watch out." Going ahead, she takes each toe of the feet, starting with the little toe. She takes these and wiggles then around for a while, then pulls to give a refreshing pop. After the pop--- though sometimes, some toes don't--- she presses them into the feet once again, while rubbing and wiggling them. Again, she gives particular attention to the big toes, and of course to any obvious swollen or sore spots.

"Ankles... and a bit of calves..." Going back to the back of the feet, she presses parallel fingers to the undersides of the ankle bone, rubbing there, then soothes the topside of that joint where the foot connects to the shin with her thumbs. She then switches to gently but firmly pinch-squeezing and pumping the Achilles tendons with her fingers.

If, after those are done, she still needs more, Kouta obliges, doing another set, doing it all over again. That done, she looks up at Chiyuri and asks, "W'elp. Rest of the legs needing any work?"

Looking at the other two girls, she asks as well, "You two want some of this, too?"

Having worked up a bit of a sweat while doing the foot massage, Kouta sits up, stretches her back, then shakes her head like a dog, flinging the sweat away, her hair whipping about. "Ahhh, fwuuu! Immhungry."

By the way, just noticed this now. GOOD that you put in that Chiyu's got SOCKS. Been noticing lately that many people've been forgoing that. Dem's a bit o' extra laundry, yeah, but they help pad the feet and soak up sweat.

GM_3826

2016-12-13, 06:59 AM

...Ah!

...I really should have known that the fish would prefer other types of bait...

Marcy whistles as she puts away her fishing supplies, happy that someone, at least, got food.

Marcy, after Misato and Kouta are done speaking to each other, gasps.

"Wow, that's amazing! I didn't expect that of you, Misato."

After Kouta is done massaging Chiyuri, she wonders as to whether or not she should ask.

...Nah, my feet are not really that sore.

...I feel like my luck in another game I'm playing is sapping away from my luck here. Like that one episode of Gumball. Of course, this is the first time recently that I've really had bad luck, so it could just be a coincidence. Or it could be that the first game had ended and it was not until recently that I ended up playing a test, of sorts, for the second game...

Lentrax

2016-12-14, 05:01 PM

In response to Kouta: Yes. There was.

Misato takes the fish off her grill and sets them on plastic trail plates for everyone. She then goes to clean her equipment before putting it away.

Amazing? Not really. I expect anyone whose parents dragged their kids all over would have roughly the same level of knowledge about these things. But most don't. Most kids get to live lives going to school, and having friends their own age, and living some semblance of a normal life.

jamieth

2016-12-15, 02:21 AM

"Ah, thanks, Kouta-san..." Chiyu sighs in relief, "I feel much better already... Oh, it seems Misato-chan's all ready with the dinner - let's go!"
"Misato-chan, is that why you don't like going outsiede that much? Because you alredy had too much of it? But, you know, I am living a normal life - or, well, I try to, so we could get at it together? All together?"

Lentrax

2016-12-15, 05:35 PM

I don't like going outside, because I can't stand the danger and constant slog into the unknown my parents out themselves through. And because when I asked to stay home and go to school, I got labelled an outcast. I was rejected by the outside world, and so I went to a new one. A world where I am more than a nobody, where I don't have to be the scared little girl anymore.

Misato snorts as another thought flits into her brain.

You know, talking me into going on this trip probably scored you some serious points with my parents.

jamieth

2016-12-17, 12:55 PM

"Well, we're not exactly going into the unknown here..." Chiyu smiles, "and to put it another way, doesn't it mean you can earn points with your parents for agreeing?" At the same time, somthing catches her attention, "wait, you were labeled an outcast for wanting to go to school? That's... weird?"

Miraqariftsky

2016-12-17, 01:53 PM

"Itadakimasu." Kouta intones with a somewhat more sombre voice than usual.

She pauses halfway through flensing a fish with her teeth. Certain little things just chipping away...

Normal...

Together...

Parents...

The tanned girl smiles thinly and says, "Misato-dono, at least you still have ...both... of your parents."

She shakes her head and lets her old warmth ignite her face once again, though still there is a twinge about the brow that remains. She says after a cough and smiles, "You ain't alone anymore, ya know. We're here for ye. Ain't that right, girls?"

She nods at Chiyu's observation, agreeing. She coughs and hazards a guess, "If ya don't mind my guessin'? Izzit because... in some families... heck, many families, conformity an' tradition are big things. Brings... uh, disgrace if we don't follow our family's footsteps. Is it sumthin' like that, Misato?"

Passing the box of rice balls around and popping one into her mouth, she chews, then sits back. Kouta idly gestures with her used skewer and asks, "Marcy-chan, Chiyu-san, what do your parents do?"

She shakes her head, then looks up at the sky. She speaks slowly, as if measuring each word. "Mm. My Okaa-sama? I'll tell ye in her own words... "Business."" Kouta opens her mouth again, as if to say something, but closes it again.

GM_3826

2016-12-17, 04:31 PM

...These kinds of conversations, they always come out of nowhere...

Marcy sighs. Why couldn't everyone just be happy all the time?

"Oh, uh, my family? They're very... hands off? They mostly just work on their own and leave me to do my own thing." Marcy says, making a mental note of the other connotation of green.

Miraqariftsky

2016-12-20, 09:54 AM

Hands off? Are you guys THAT rich, or are you euphemizing a criminal family too? Or are my eyes too clouded by stuff at home?

Kouta stares intently at Marcy, blinking ever so slowly.

My mother can beat up your... Wait. No, no, WAYYYYY bad joke. And an OLD joke, too, SHEESH!

And then she pauses, right hand halfway to the box of rice balls. Her eyes focus on a point near Marcy's neck. Her left hand suddenly darts forward, snatching a big fat mosquito out of the air just before it lands on her friend's flesh. She crushes it between her fingers, then washes off with a quick drop of alcohol.

"Sorry... and sorry." she mutters, both to Marcy and to the mosquito.

jamieth

2016-12-20, 02:57 PM

Chiyu visibly twitches when Kouta asks about her parents, then says, "Oh... must be tough - being expected to follow the family's line of work, even if you don't want to... My... my mom and dad always said I have to do what I want to do... so I've been tring to decide... but then, we still have almost two years for that, right? Misato-chan, how's the water - not too cold?" she changes the topic, without actually answering the question, as she carefully toucjes the water with her foot before stepping into the water, "Actually quite nice... Come here, everyone, it's so refrashing -"

Allure D5: Look extra good in the reflected lights from the water surface; 1 VP OR
Luck D5: cause an accident giving you extra chance for bonding time; 2 VP

Miraqariftsky

2016-12-21, 12:58 PM

Line of work... the heck do I wanna get into, eventually? It'd be sweet to be able to keep writing stories, drawing portraits and making manga, go pro and earn a living with that. Wouldn't say no to cooking and restaurant-ing. Go pro as well with being a Shooto fighter, make it to the some MMA world championship? Keep on dreaming, girl, but hey. why not? Go pro with TEACHING martial arts, too, heck yeah. Being a cop is nice, but... can I do that without upsetting the balance with the mother's side? Sportsmanship'd be better than... criminal stuff.

Kouta files down a fish with her teeth, then munches slowly on a rice ball while pondering Chiyuri's words.

Wait... SAID. And... did you see that, on her face? I'm so sorry to hear that, friend. Something stops her from saying that aloud, though. As well as holds her back from whamming Chiyuri in a hug for comfort. Apparently, she'd already taken the initiative with something fluffy and not an issue that's apparently so heavy for most of them.

Kouta's face cracks into a grin at Chiyuri leading the way into the water. She takes off her shoes and socks, as well as her pants, setting the lot beside where she'd put her jacket earlier. "What? Less stuff that'd need drying, this way."

Down below just clad in a pair of black cycling shorts, striding into the river shallows, she stands with arms akimbo, flips her hair and smiles as she says, "Well, glorious leader? Pretty sure your idea ain't just meditation while in flowing water. Wha'd ya have in mind, Chiyuri-chan?"

Taking the first option, chief.

+0 to Allure, I hasten to add.

GM_3826

2016-12-21, 02:28 PM

Marcy briefly spaces out, not quite aware of the fact that there was a mosquito on her neck. Kouta's bug squashing wakes her up, though. "Thank you!"

Soon enough, Marcy hears conversation about the water being cold and smiles briefly.

"I'll be right there!" Humming to herself, she proceeds to change out of her hiking gear into a practical (but still attractive) one-piece swimsuit.

Stand Out=+1 Allure

Lentrax

2016-12-21, 03:00 PM

The water is fine. Enjoy your- Oh, you already have.

Neutral Allure. Moe enthusiast. Deep Freeze. -1 total.

Miraqariftsky

2016-12-22, 11:36 PM

While waiting on the word of their glorious leader...

...Kouta moves to intercept Marcy at the riverbank. She throws an arm about her shoulders and grins as they wade into the water together. "WELL! Ain't you prepared! Hmm. Though, gotta say... you like our school's swim uniform THAT much?"

Waving at Misato, she spreads her arms wide and asks, "Misato-chan. We're respectin' if ya really don't wants ta come, but... HMMM. Can you... draw us up right good? Ha-ha, pretty damn sure I bow to yer skill in that respect! I'm far too much a haggard little noob there."

jamieth

2016-12-23, 03:58 PM

"No, no, it's not like I planned anything -" Chiyu starts explaining, but then, "Eh? Leader? But, Kouta-bucho*..."

"Oh, you're also prepared for anything, Marcy-chan", she giggles, looking at Marcy's new outfit, "But that means it will be fine if I..."

Without finishing, she reaches down and splashes Marcy, laughing, "Do this!"

~~~
*literally, "club leader"

GM_3826

2016-12-23, 05:42 PM

Marcy giggles.

"That's fine..." She says, before splashing back.

"If I can do that, too!"

Miraqariftsky

2016-12-24, 03:09 PM

Kouta smirks wide, arms crossed beneath her chest as she replies, "Ah! But were ya not the one who led our hike here? And just now, the one who led us into the---"

"---water?" At this, she punctuates her retort by bringing her foot high and stomping hard, splashing both of the other girls in the shallows.

Smirking even wider and crookeder, she anticipates where Chiyuri's and Marcy's next throws will go, then wade-slides there, getting herself double-blasted. Squealing a little, swaying a little, she throws her head back with a whip and a swoosh of sodden hair, then laughs.

Waving at Misato, once again, she asks, "Comin', stayin'?"

jamieth

2016-12-26, 02:04 PM

Whether Chiyu actually expected a retaliation or not, it comes swiftly - and, seeing as the "leader" didn't think of bringing a swimsuit, apparently, deals more damage... though at least her shirt proves solid enough to save her from embarrassment. Upon which she decides to stop worrying and launches another attack... only for it to be interrupted by Kouta. "Sorry, sorry!" she laughs, "I just got in a little silly mood, you know!"

Lentrax

2016-12-26, 02:41 PM

Misato rolls her eyes at the display the three girls are making. Then she opens her bag, pulls out a volume of manga, and starts to read.

She looks up as Kouta asks if she was joining them.

Staying. Obviously.

Then she goes back to her comic.

Miraqariftsky

2016-12-31, 12:35 PM

If there's anything I'd learned from Kotone-chan... Forced fun isn't fun at all.

"Caught up?" says Kouta as she stalks around Chiyuri and Marcy. "...well you DID get swept up in something!"

Really. Classic splishy-splashy, or, ah, heck!

"Well, it'd be silly..." she whirls in with a couple of bombastically caught handfuls of river. "...to not! Live! How! You! FEEL!"

jamieth

2017-01-01, 07:45 AM

"Sure", Chiyuri nods, shielding herself from another splash with her hands with little effect, "So let's try not to bother those who prefer calmer way of having fun, OK?"

OK, we're stalling a bit here, so I'll move things forward with a next scene tomorrow

Miraqariftsky

2017-01-03, 12:05 AM

Kouta's face flushes at the rebuke but she takes it in stride. "Of course, O fearless leader."

She continues with the play of splashing, but with a bit less ardour than before.

Fwoo... You dun goofed, Kouta.

jamieth

2017-01-03, 12:50 PM

A bit later, after the food had settled, and the girls' clothes dried up enough, it was time for another leg of the trek to the inn. The sun already starts setting when they finally reach the place.

It's a rather old - and rather traditional - place... which, nevertheless, does make a number of allowances for the modern times - like, for example, a WiFi password given to the guests.

After settling in, and having changed into the inn-issued robes, the group heads to the bath - because what's the point of staing in a ryokan if you don't use the baths, after all?

Allure d6: Engage in some skinship for 2 VP

GM_3826

2017-01-03, 03:28 PM

A little while before
"Good evening!" Marcy greets the innkeeper soon after she entered. Although her voice is jubilant it's a good deal quieter than usual, probably out of respect. This is a rather traditional place, after all.

"...OOH..." Marcy clearly finds this place quite exciting and refreshing. "I've never actually been to an inn like this before!" She smiles, clearly excited to be at such a place.
In the present
Marcy has changed into her inn-issued robes and continues to be excited. After heading down to the baths, she sits down and relaxes.
"Ahh..." She is quite clearly enjoying the bath.
Strong Allure+Culture Enthusiast+Quaint Greeting+Stand Out=+4

Lentrax

2017-01-03, 03:39 PM

I think I will just wait. It seems very crowded. Enjoy yourselves. I will come back later, when fewer people are around.

Deep Freeze 3/3. -2 total. Cannot pass.

Miraqariftsky

2017-01-04, 01:25 PM

((If there are no trees that would match the desired description, one of those large boulders in ryokan rock gardens would suffice (with permission from the innkeeper, of course?) If this, then minus the blade dodging exercise.))

Kouta comes to the baths a little later than the others. The sunup and sundown exercise sessions are not to be missed.

After having secured their stay with the innkeeper, she slips off to find a good tree in the vicinity. Of course if it's obviously part of the courtyard or the garden, she stays away from that. Once a suitable tree is found, she claps twice, then bows to the tree out of respect to its spirit...

...then gets to punching. She mentally counts out sets up to one hundred, each syllable in each count is a smack on the trunk. She moves around, bobs and weaves as she goes, still striking. The first lot are one-two jabs, straights and hooks. The next lot are palm strikes, with varying angles of attack. The next lot are elbow strikes. The next consists of palms and elbows. The next is a straight lot of Chain Fist punches. The next are low shin kicks, and then knee strikes, and then push kicks.

At the end of that routine, she is a ragged, sweat-sodden wretch, but one with a stupid grin upon her panting face. She snatches a glance at her watch, and sees only around 45 minutes have passed, so she fishes around her bag and comes up with a ball of twine, a roll of tape and a pair of "alleged pencil sharpeners". She attaches the cutters to one of her Kali sticks, ties one end of the twine to the stick's centre, then jigs up the other end to a low enough tree branch.

She snorts at her improvised bladed pendulum and checks her watch again. Five minutes until the hour. She gives it a good push, setting it spinning, swaying, slashing. She sways along with it in a deadly dance, deftly dodging or parrying with either her hands or her other stick, all along she tries to do the routine as smoothly and gracefully as possible, keeping her calm, keeping her balance, despite the raised danger, despite the speed of the swaying steel.

When she finishes, she makes sure to leave no clutter behind and give respect to the tree once again.

Finally arriving at the ryokan's bath, she sheds her robe at the edge and practically dissolves into the hot spring bath with a long burbling moan.

Before anybody says "Are you doing this JUST to get the Advantage fired up?" Nope! This IS in-character for her. Exercise session once in the morning and once in the evening, never miss it, unless sick or other emergency.

Rolls? W'elp. Allure... Runner's Glow, if possible. If not, then no problemo. Let's have fun with the ONE IN SIX chance of success on this round.

Funny little thing? By my calculations, on this round, Marcy's got exactly that, JUST a ONE IN SIX chance of failure.

jamieth

2017-01-08, 02:00 PM

"I'm, I'm sorry, okuyaku-sama*", Kouta hears just as she starts going through her routine, "But I'm afraid you're bothering the other customers..."

Turning around, she sees a girl, hardly older than herself, wearing a uniform kimono of the inn staff; she's blushing and is obviously nervous. "If-if I could ask you to stop, please..."

So, Kouta's practice cut short, girls - sans Misato, for a while - soon gather in the bath. "Ah... it's really so relaxing..." Chiyu whispers blissfully, stepping into the water, towel neatly folded on top of her head, seemingly not bothered by her nudity, nor particularly caring about the others'. "And the view's nice as well..."

*Traditional form of staff addressing a customer; highly formal and polite. Approx. translation "most honourable customer"

Miraqariftsky

2017-01-09, 03:21 PM

Never Give Insult To Your Host.

Blushed, apologized
Kouta stiffened immediately
Bowed, apologized

Ahg. Well. I suppose I can just double it, next time.

Slipped into the bath
Spread arms 'cross stone and water
Basked in the soft warmth.

"No objection, your honour."

Inspiration struck
Suddenly...
...Hope it's okay?
Dawn comes. I need sleep.

jamieth

2017-01-10, 02:36 AM

"Thank you for your understanding, okuaku-sama", the girl visibly relaxes and even gives a smile, though she's still visibly shy.

After everyone - including Misato - is properly wet and warm, and all the scenery is properly appreciated, and the first stars start appearing in the sky - but, of course, it's way to early to go to bed yet, or even to retreat to the rooms, so... "Of course! You're supposed to play ping pong after a bath, right? Let's go make a tournament! Here, I've the sticks to determine who plays whom - oh, and I've a special prize preparede for the winner!"

So, here's how it'll work mechanics-wise: Everyone (including Chiyu, who gets a barebones character sheet for such a case) makes a claim for a:
Luck roll to determine their opponent; character with weakest Luck result plays the opponent with the highest Skill modifier
2 Skill rolls - first for the semifinal, second for the final should you advance into it. Limited use advantages are expended separately for the two matches, but all advantages spent on the final will be refunded if you don't actually get there.

Prizes are as follows: for the finalist, 2 VP.
For the winner, 3 VP and a special prize!

Miraqariftsky

2017-01-11, 01:05 PM

"I-i-i-is that so? How thoughtful and cunning of our glorious general!"

She flaps her yukata.
Ping Pong table, they set.
Kouta draws her straw...

"So it's you, huh? Goooood luuuuck to ya!"

Smooths, straightens her robe.
Kouta ties the belt tighter.
She takes a deep breath.

"W'elp. Let's do this, eh?"

How'd it go again?
"Paddle like handling a girl---"
---The heck teaching's THAT?

Kouta glares, glowers.
Concealing a sudden blush.
Knows not whence it came.

No, no, no. Sensei Ping meant, treat it gently. Don't be rough, hold the strength. Use finesse. Handle Like Girl... DAHECK? But... I... AM A GIRL. Gorram misogynist teacher. Was he saying I'm not ladylike? ARGH!

Almost distracted,
Almost slips before settling
Into--- Penhold Grip.

Okay. Frak. LET"S DO THIS.

Luck? Weak. -1.

Strong Skill and Athletic: +2

=BUT=

Like was discussed, chief... if the opponent isn't holding back, I won't, either.

Also... PENNNNHOOOLLLLDDD GRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIPPP!

GM_3826

2017-01-11, 02:24 PM

...Wait, has ping-pong been Japanese this entire time?! Marcy is taken aback by Chiyuri's comment that you are supposed to play the game after the bath. Is that how it works at a ryokan? She takes a moment to think about this before quietly accepting it. Could be like how KFC is apparently popular during Christmastime here.

"...OK, sweet! I'll be great at this." She does not seem to realize that she was never really all that good at ping pong. Either way she's played it before, so she can't be that bad. She smirks and takes out a racket and ball, sizing up her opponent.

+0 on everything. Unless the GM says I can apply a roll, but I don't think I can.

Lentrax

2017-01-11, 04:56 PM

Not a video game, but...

Misato picks up the paddle, closes her eyes, and takes a deep breath.

When she opens them, there is something there that you don't often see.

A fire. Not much of one, but its there.

Genre Savvy. +1 for the luck roll.

Skill rolls, +1 for each.

jamieth

2017-01-14, 04:26 PM

So, after drawing lots begins the group's ping pong tournament - kicking off with the first semifinal between Chiyu and Marcy. And, though Chiyu seemingly isn't exactly new at this, and is able to handlr the ball, Marcy's play is inspired indeed, earning her an 11-8 victory and a heartfelt congratulatory handshake from the graceful loser - and an offer of a can of juice while they wait for the other game to finish.

Then, starts a game that some would think of as "advance final" of a kind - and Misato's putting one hell of a resistance, her gamer's instincts not letting her to take it with the same passivily she exhibited lately.

In fact, the game goes completely equal, with neither gatting more than a couple of points' worth of lead until getting to the 10-10. After that, it's 2 points to win - and for a while, it seems an unlikely event. 11-10. 11-11. 11-12. 12-12. 12-13. 13-13. 14-13... and finally, after an exchange that lasts almost a minute, 15-13, making Misato the second finalist.

After that, the actual final turns out less exciting - Marcy shows not a bad game at all once more, but Misato plays tight, exploiting every mistake and gradually leading the game to a victory.

Grabbing both finalists' hands, Chiyu, taking the role of a referee, raises Misato's hand and smiles, "and now for a special prize..." she hands Misato a plain thin white envelope.

A single sheet of paper, with a line printed in the middle, "A coupon for one wish to be granted to the limit of my abilities"

Below, in smaller print, "P.S. Please don't make it too expensive.
P.P.S. Or illegal.
P.P.P.S. And most importantly nothing that would hurt my friends."

So, feel free to post IC, commenting on the games, reacting, adding fluff...