Reading Between the Lines [Zoinks, A Gjaum!]

[Dietaku]

The day once again comes to the Labyrinth, Yivvi gazes over the inhabitants of the myriad layers, spreading her yellow light all acro--Wait, wrong RP.


Once more, morning arrives, and St. Francis Xavier's Academy is open. Waves of children come from the dorms and from the town, entering the Academy to chat, learn and play. Among them stands a pillar of morality and upright behavior, once more with his jitte and his stern expression.


Tetsuo is there, battered, bandaged, but resolute, scanning the masses of students, presumably looking for mischief.


Tatsumaki-sensei is there, conversing with Beauchene-sensei over a cup of coffee, and the kenstars are in a corner talking energetically to one another.


What will you do?

 

[Action Replay]

The morning so far had been a trip. One that almost landed her in an early grave when her senses decided to go haywire shortly after leaving the home. It was innocuous at first. Objects and sounds blurred as she made her way towards the first light. Then abruptly something reached into her brain and broke the settings lever off at the other end. Everything around her exploded into a typhoon of sensory input, nearly tilting her into the path of a cab going at approximately way too fast. Only reflexively jerking backwards kept her from resembling the pancakes she just ate.


Sights, sounds, smells, and even gravity flooded in to assail her. Looking away from the street, her eyes locked on the sun and it seemed to distort. Multiple colored suns flashed, with a transparency as if they were underwater. Figures saying things she blissfully did not understand, barring what she believed to be her name. While straining to make sense of it all, the sensory overload ended as suddenly as it began.


The lights changed and Haruna became acutely aware of the myriad stares on her. Hurrying her pace, she made her way towards a certain address. She was only walking briskly for her health, and was a bit red from the early morning chill. Definitely not blushing from her body going haywire. Stopping at Urashima's place, Haruna took time out to keep her promise and inform the family their eldest son was doing fine in the infirmary. Spending another ten minutes answering questions and putting down any strange ideas, she resumed her trip to school.


By the time she got to the gates, she had roughly figured out what had happened. Okay, not really. What she did know, was that she could fine tune her senses quite keenly compared to yesterday. Did her virus mutate after the multiple random encounters last night? Lingering at the gate, she spread out her senses observing the grounds. Unconsciously, she avoided the incoming groups of students as gravity flowed around her like a river.

Spoiler

[dice]940[/dice]


[dice]941[/dice]


To overhear the teacher's conversation, and the kenstars in a corner. 9 and 5 respectively from the +1 from perception skill. Haruna is testing out her new simple powers. Angel Halo so handy.


[dice]992[/dice]

 

[Powgow]

It has been a surprisingly mundane day for Yuuka, especially compared to the bizarre day that was yesterday. Even her late return yesterday to the family's apartment didn't cause any trouble with her mother...mainly because Fumika went home at an even more advanced hour as usual. It gave her more than enough time to tidy up her chores and cook the usual microwavable dinner before her mother returned. She has stopped and think about why she hardly feels tired even after those chores combined with the fact that she's been through a life and death battle...but decided not to dwell on it too much.


If there's one thing that's nagging at the back of her mind today it's the fact that the day's been too mundane so far, almost like everything is predictable. So predictable in fact that she feels everyone else is moving in slow motion. She definitely felt the train has been running late anyway when the railroad crossing near the apartment tacked on ten extra minutes when she waited just on the side. Of course, she spent those minutes deep in retrospect on what happened yesterday anyway so it's possible that she might just misjudged how long that was.


It took just a few seconds of her 'walking at a brisk pace' to cross the distance between that railroad crossing and the alternate entrance of her school she's so fond of. The school itself has returned to the idyllic everyday life before yesterday happened...well almost. She can definitely see Tetsuo's bandaged self, signifying that the injury yesterday wasn't just a dream or a delusion or something like that. Given how badly his condition was yesterday it's a relief that he's back to his old antics today. Suppose Akiko deserves a pat on the back for that as well.


Seeing no other urgent needs needed for her, she decided to greet her junior, even if he's really himself and not a substitute robot or something. You never know after what happened yesterday.


"Heya Himura-kun~. Glad to see you're okay now."


[dice]991[/dice]

 

[Dietaku]

(Haruna)


Haruna's senses expand, and she begins to hear the chirping of the birds to one another, crinkling of dead leaves tens of meters away on the Quad, and various conversations. One of them is the pair of teachers conversing.


"You don't get it. Hikari's entire character arc revolves around her desires versus her duty! This is deep material!"


"This is homosexual apologist trash, Maki, and you know it."


"CoCo! I thought you liked Carmila. Did you not? Isn't this the same thing?"


"First off, don't ever call me that in front of the children. Secondly, that book is classic literature! Stop trying to twist things to suit you!"


You decide stop listening, as Beauchene-sensei shakes her friend so hard as to spill her coffee. They both then laugh and make up, cleaning up the resulting mess.


You turn your attention to the two Kenstars, and you realize that they're holding a book between them. Titled "Bancolle," they both point to the book, and flip pages every so often.


"Nonono, you need fast support to deal with destroyers. My suggestion is a battlecruiser with..."


"Anji, you suggested a battlecruiser for forward recon. What is your obsession with battlecruisers?"


"What can I say? I like girls with big guns, high speed and little armor"


"...Alright, what's the point cost of the Scharnhorst?"


You then see Anji talk excitedly, while Anko looks askance, and cups her chest quickly, clearly in thought over something.


(Yuuka)


"Ah, Fuchigami-san. Good morning. I have a question, if it doesn't seem too bold. Do you remember anything that happened yesterday afternoon? I've talked to everyone, and I can't seem to piece anything together. Do you know anything?" Tetsuo says, crossing his arms.

 

[Varna]

Ryuu followed the carry of the student tied, pouring in past the railroad and towards the school. Besides the bright scarf wrapped around the boy, there wasn't much to distinguish him from the typical student. Indeed. One could say he was nothing more than a typical teenager amongst a sea of young adults. Just as he planned for.


Behind his thick, nigh un-seeable behind glasses the man's eyes flickered to and fo. A drop of sweat rolled down his cheek. Rummaging through his bag the young man looked for something important. A phone. He yanked it out and put it to his ear.


"It's me," he whispered into the lit screen. It hadn't even dialed before he did this, "I've examined the town security. Now moving on to the school. I'll update you more as I move. El Psy Congroo."


He bit his lip and slid the device back into his bag, eyes searching the ground for reactions. He thought this could throw off his pursuers. Stall them for at least a day. They were always watching. Always. Letting the bag return to his side, the young man adjusted his scarf and straightened his back. Head high he stepped forward into a potential trap or more.


(Lazy first post. I know)


[dice]1023[/dice]

 

[Dietaku]

(Ryuu)


As Ryuu concludes his monologue, a new message flashes on his cell phone.


"Hall of broken swords


Heroes bested, but by who?


Immortal Koschei"


However, it immediately scrambles into:


H̛̛̳̭͍̤̘͕͍a̮̦̞͈i҉̶̨̭͚l̙͇̭̣̻͎̲̖͟,̤̘̲̰̜̞̺̗̀ͅ ̸̸̙̩̦̟̙Y͏͎̫̀̕ò͍̰͢u̧̟̙̺͇̬n̼̖͉͕̖͎̬g̡͓̘ ̱͎̫̼͈̜̞̲K̷̖̝̻͟͝i̞̟͔̙̜͈͢n͕̜͇g̛̰̪͉͎͇̩͘͝ͅ!̸̙̭͖͖͘


̛̥̲̳̤S̲͕̪̟̘͟h̬͎͚͍̲̙̣̻̕é̶͖̺ ̷̘͉̦͚ͅͅw̴̺̳̬̯̯h̨̦͉̠o̰ ̧̯̟̪̪̥͔̟b̵̨̘̰̤e҉̖͇͕̜̩̜s̸͏̳̹̗t̴̞̹̱̫̫̯͜͠e̢̲d̳̘̹͕͙ ̛̥̤̱̳͟t̵̤̬̣̘̺̠̀h̷͖̬̝̙̹̲̲͚͟͡e̥̭̬͓̦ ̰̳̖̘̱͕͈͚Ş̤͎͖̺̥e҉̫̩ͅv̧̩̫̻̘e͖͈͎̱̯̱̺̯͟͠ͅn͚̠͕̥̱ ̬̘͕͉̮̻͈̗K̸̨ͅi̻̼̘̬͢͞ͅn҉̵͏͍̮͍̝̹̲̹̠g̼̤̯̖̺͓͢s͓̼̦̣͚̖̝̫͞͞!̷̴͉͖̬̘


͏̶͎̳͉̰̘͕ͅͅS̰̲̼͇͓̯͡h̸̶̺͉̰̥̪͜ͅe̯̹̼̺͓̹̬̪̰ ̡̻͕̼̭̤͉c̡̳̖͎̯̞̝͈̼͈͡o͚͚̩͚̤̻̕͘͝m̨̟͖̤̟ę̰̣̮̬̱̘̠͔s̴̡̛͚̥̜̩͓̹̠̥!̷̸̰̜̙̞͉̹̟ͅ


̧̱͓̝F̵̟̤̟̹e͖͚̲̳a̵̹̥̕͢r̴̶͇̟ ̶̩̻̞̀͞H͖̘̝̞̀ḛ̹̖̖̺ṟ̨̗͖͓͖͔̀ ̬̠͔͠a̴̯̜̞̣͖͟p҉҉̝͓͚̲̠̝͕̣p͔̟̰͙̥͉̬͘͡r̨̩͔̱͞o̧̪̣̹̳͖͙͠a͇̫̪̮̥̣̳̖͜͡c̝͔͓̬͇h̼̼̞̕͢ͅ!̧̗͓̱̯̖̲͟


̶̭͢H̪̪̗͇͕͖͇͡ͅe̝͚̮̞r̵̛̗ ̜̻͟͜s̤̹͢h҉̧̬̣̘̺̮̬̟̰ͅa̺d̤͖̼̠͚̹̰̟̀͝ͅo̧̠̝̙͘w̢̝̮̕ ̧̳̥̭̻͘t̸̼̤̬̫̤͎̺͍̖͠e̜̞̪̭a͏̡̤͎͔̹͞r̖̲ș̸͙͕̩̟̬ ̧̻̭͓̼̟͖͕̪͢a̘̥̫̖̯͖s̨̺͖͕͔̗ú͔͍̦ǹ̙d̘̤e̢̡͖̥̣r̶̯̘̣̮̀ ̳̻̳͘a͇͍͠l̦͇l͎̙͝ ̠̬p̀҉̶͚͕̥̞͖̰̜̝ͅe̛̘̲͖̬͚͔̥͠a̸̸̧̯̼͓̙͖͙ṣ̷̮̬͎͓̘͚͢͞a̼̫̮̳n̙͙͚̟̰͈͓̯͡t̢̗̣̦̕͠s͓̦!͏̧͔̱͚͚͍̫


̴̻̺̺̰S̨̟̰͙͓̯̣̳͍̕h͓͓͔̹͙͠e͖̳͈ ̢̥̥̩͔͕̱͇̬c̨̮̦̯̙̳̻o͚͉̤̺̹̕͞m̵̡̞̬̝̰̜̳̯̠e̷̱̟̠͝s͏̢̖̟!̸̧̲̘̜͡


However, this scrambled texts dissipates into "El Psy Congroo"


With this, a young girl, around thirteen walks by. Wearing a hood, with greenish-silver hair, and wearing a hood on top of her St. Xavier's unifrom, she jumps back at seeing Ryuu and stammers," D-d-don't mind me, j-j-just an ordinary s-student, right? I-I-I even have the right clothes! Right?"

 

[Action Replay]

"Haruna has heard too much and now deeply regrets it..."


Today, she had learned a harsh lesson. With great power, comes a great many things you really didn't want to know. Facing Maki Maki in class today was going to be difficult, to say the least. Putting aside the web browser game discussion and the weird atmosphere the star group had going, she decided to pretend nothing was overheard. Prying into those topics would bring nothing good to anyone involved. Besides, if you go all out on large scale construction you'll only suffer when you have to waste hours regaining resources. Not to mention you're better off farming for that particular drop.


No. Lets stop that line of thinking right there. Now is not the time for web browser games. This was school and she needed to focus on her school work that still isn't done. Actually, probably too late to even bother with that by this point. All night rumor chasing is scary...


Hearing a familiar voice, Haruna glanced curiously over her shoulder at Ryuu-kun. It was strangely reassuring to know she had classmates more paranoid than she was feeling. Still fiddling with his cellphone, although she can't remember the last time he actually used it for the intended purpose. Moving away from the gate, she walked over cheerfully. For the time being, she should just enjoy the time she had at school. At the speed events were going, her afternoon looked cloudy with a chance of chaos.


"Yo Ryuu-kun, you're as lively as ever this morning. What's got you so worked up?" Freezing mid wave, she tilted her head at the sudden passerby. She was stammering worse than a corrupt politician being audited. "Um miss, you're stammering. Calm down before you end up biting your tongue. Is she an acquaintance of yours, Ryuu-kun?" With slight trepidation, she warily moved her gaze over to miss hoodie.

Spoiler

 

[Varna]

A beep had sounded off on Ryuu's phone, signalling a new message as he slipped it into his bag. Must have been his friend sending him a mail in the morning. He'd check it when he was in a secure location.


Ryuu was too busy at the moment staring down the new arrival. A young girl declaring her innocence as an ordinary highschool student. But as Ryuu would tell you, there were no innocents. Only varying levels of guilt and complacency. Sleeper agents were everywhere. Sleepy agents more so at this time in the morning, yawning over their coffees and drifting back asleep on their desks. With feminist hug pillows. With bright and cheery eyes and highschool girl outfits.


Their lack of dedication to the enemy cause was admirable. But they were the ones he couldn't trust the most.


Except for the few that had cleared their trust, all were considered dangerous. But he nodded, slowly, calculating the correct angle he would need to be 'just' enough to confirm his agreement. "Yes," he said mechanically, "You are a perfectly normal student."


Everyone had green-silver hair, right? Right.


The first had been on his radar, having peered into his perception range and sinking through to her spot in his vision. The second had completely caught him off. He jumped at being called out to, eye's dilating behind his glasses. Nigh reflexively he nearly called him-self to arms but restrained. Such shows of power were unneeded. He...He didn't need to hurt anyone. Not right now.


He gave the gave the new arrival a look over and slowly relaxed his position. "Oh," Ryuu said, trying not to sound suspicious at all, "Hello Haruna-san. No, I don't know her." he gave a stoic reply. A mental click gave off. He forgot to act like he didn't know her despite being classmates.


He, naturally, had a list of every woman's name within the his grade and above. Teachers included. Ryuu had tiny hand written files and pictures of each loaded up in a notebook in his room for security reasons. When he got the chance, he'd get recordings of all the men too. And those in the lesser grades. Some might call that an invasion of personal space and, indeed, possibly even sexual harassment. They would all thank him when he'd repelled the feminist invasion.

 

[Genkidu]

It was bright and early in the morning as Kotori made her way past the school gates into the realm of hell collectively known as "school". The morning had been disappointing as when she had opened the strange box she had put her figure in nothing had been out of the ordinary. Kotori had been sure that some sort of magic in the box would have brought her aika Kurdyavka figma to life.


Ah Kurdyavka-sama, why must I exist in this world without your presence! Kotori lamented to herself as she happily waved at Tetsuo, smiling slightly at him and acting ever the perfect oujo-sama. When Kotori noticed her childhood freind's injuries, she frowned minutely, not letting herself show exactly how concerned she was for him. Taking a moment to stop, Kotori looked around discretely for Ketrin and when she saw no hide nor hair of the ketchup-loving tanuki, she made her way over to Tetsuo. It wouldn't do to let the magical creature know how close she was to him after all.


"Tetsuo-kun what happened to you?" Kotori queried, starting to look rather worried now that she saw his injuries up close. Kotori knew Tetsuo was a fairly capable fighter and it would have to be something powerful or supernatural to keep him down for long.


Looking over to Yuuka, Kotori gave the other girl a suspicious glance before quickly smoothing out her expression and giving a quick bow to Yuuka in greeting. "Ah, I'm terribly sorry if I interrupted your conversation. I am Shimazu Kotori, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."


((fairly sure they don't know each other but I"ll edit it if they're in the same class or something >_>))

Spoiler

[dice]1062[/dice]

 

[Dietaku]

(Ryuu & Haruna)


"O-of course we don't k-know each other! We just met! This is a large school!" the girl says, adjusting her hood, clearly looking uncomfortable with this much attention. She inches her way away slowly, looking this way and that.


"That girl has a powerful aura, most definitely a magician," Adapa's voice says behind Haruna. If she looks behind her, she can see Adapa's silhouette in her shadow.


"Hello, Ha-Roo-Nah. I thought it would be easier if I rode back here. If this displeases you, I have other means to interact discreetly," Adapa-shadow says, waving lazily.


(Yuuka & Kotori)


"Ah, Shimazu-san. This is Fuchigami Yuuka, one of my classmates. She's a courier, if I remember right. We were actually just talking about that. I, no, no one I've talked to, has any recollection of what happened yesterday after-school. I just awoke at home with these injuries, and apparently, I had done the rest of my work for my math assignment. For the rest of the year. And then I had done Suzuka-oneesan's nursing homework, too. I don't even know organic chemistry! Tell me, has something happened?" Tetsuo asks, clearly very confused.

 

[Powgow]

"Umm...weeeelll...y'see..."


Thankfully for Yuuka, the timely arrival of Himura-kun's lady friend seems have diverted the attention from her awkward recollection and allowed her some precious leeway on the conversation in order to think up some kind of truth-bending on the side. She's not kidding about the 'lady' part either. The newcomer seems like a proper lady with the proper intonation and etiquette and everything, the kind of person that Yuuka's most probably not. She can't possibly handle both of them at the same time! Perhaps she should just drag the venerable Princess Mackintosh here to explain everything...


"Ah...Fuchigami Yuuka, my name is. Nice to meet'cha and everything." She nervously replied to the quick bow with her own waves of the hand. No, that's probably not the proper way to return your formal bows, but to be honest she hasn't had any practice with that since...well...ever.


"As for what happened to you, Himura-kun..." She switches her attention back towards the boy, "...don't think I can help you about the mysterious solve-itself-assignment, that seems more like Suzu's area of expertise, not mine. I can tell you what happened yesterday though. I returned to the school late in the afternoon and I found you unconscious and injured on the ground. No one else was around, so I took you to the infirmary to get treated. I have no idea what happened to you either. Did you get into an altercation with the Jacks?"

 

[Dietaku]

"I see," Tetsuo says, as a procession walks by carrying Airi herself. However, as the usual hullabaloo around Princess Mackintosh dies down, a new shout out occurs, as a regal young man walks in with supreme confidence. With royal countenance and an air of irrepressible charisma, this surely must be a high-powered or influential student in the school.


"BENIMARU-SAN! WE LOVE YOU!" a cadre of girls in matching head and armbands shout in unison, brandhsihing wooden swords and polearms.


"Oh, boy, Benimaru's shieldmaidens are out in force today," a nearby student sighs, and Tetsuo's face becomes a mask of barely disguised disgust.

 

[Genkidu]

Fuchigami Yuuka....Kotori didn't know what was up with that girl but something about her set the secret otaku on edge. Perhaps it was that she just so "happened" to pick up Kotori's childhood friend after he suffered multiple injuries or that after they had interacted he had suddenly done a year's worth of homework in one night? Whatever it was, it didn't sit well with the young heiress...not that she would ever reveal that short of thing.


With carefully calculated courtesy, Kotori gave another slightly lower bow to Yuuka in gratitude. "Thank you for looking after Tetsuo-kun hen he was injured. I know he doesn't look after himself often despite all the good he does keeping the delinquents in line here."


As she was about to say more though the resident Princess came through with her usual fanfare. Kotori couldn't understand how Mackintosh could stand all the attention she received from the school. Having all those eyes upon her...Kotori shuddered slightly. She wasn't the type who enjoyed being the center of attention. At least in her human persona.


Turning back to Tetsuo and the mysterious Yuuka, Kotori froze as the cry of simpering fangirls rang out in the courtyard. With a pained expression on her face, Kotori turned to confirm who was causing all the fuss.


It was HIM. Benimaru Tenzin. The "Prince" of the school and the number one gentleman who was wanted as everyone's boyfriend. And Kotori's secret fiance.


Kotori did the mental calculations to see where she had messed up. Normally, Kotori had an exact schedule where, if she stuck to it, she would have zero percent change of meeting Tenzin. By her usual actions Kotori would be in her homeroom right now away from the "Prince" and his fangirls. With a sigh Kotori realized that her concern for Tetsuo held her up long enough for Tenzin to make his usual entrance.


Taking a step back, Kotori tried to make herself as small as possible so that Tenzin wouldn't notice her. She would hate to have to deal with his "shieldmaidens" again.

 

[Dietaku]

(Yuuka & Kotori)


"Tenzin-kun!" Airi roars, flipping over midari and landing with a flourish, "You messed up my introduction! Pay with your life!"


"You bitch! How dare you talk to Tenzin-sama like that! Come! Even you can't beat us all!" one of the taller shieldmaidens yells back, as they all charge forward, swords drawn. However, Airi merely stares at them with a fierce expression, and they stop in their tracks, falling to their knees, crying about "That monster." All of them, save a small, mousy girl, knees shaking, and sword barely held in her quivering hands.


"Oho, you have one cheerleader with spirit, Tenzin-kun," Airi says, walking over and looking over the lone survivor of her ferocious "attack."


"I like this one I may have to keep h--" she said, reaching out to her just as Arika slapped her friend over the head with a newspaper.


"If I have to wait after-class again because of you molesting another student..." she threatens, clenching her newspaper .


"Right, right. Oh, Shimazu-chan, you're here, too. It looks like all of the Xavier Bourgeoisie is present," Airi said, folding her arms.


"Rightly so," Tenzin said, walking around his blubbering fans," I heard there was an altercation or something yesterday, but I can't get any definite answers. Such a shame. Soemthing interesting happens and I'm in Kagoshima on business. Just my luck," the Prince says, running his hand through his hair.


"Well, Arika, Yuuka-san, and I were there, but..." Airi says, as Tenzin lights up.


"Really? Tell me what happened!"


Well, what will you do, gang?

 

[Action Replay]

"Ah, truly (did you think that one would work)? I offer my sincerest apologies then (for your ill luck). To make up for it, this upperclassman will show you around this large school (so you can't escape)." Putting one hand on the hoodie's shoulder, Haruna's smile radiated warmth and compassion for the uncomfortable and clearly lost new student. Now that she had a better look, it was that chuunibyo kid from the other night. Offering to guide her around, Haruna added in solely mental additions to the end of her sentences.


"Let's talk while we walk since it seems to be getting a bit noisy. It would be inconvenient for you to stay here too, right? My name is Kobayashi Haruna. Might I hear your name, miss? We can head over to your class while avoiding the brawl." Steering her around the fringes of the excitement, Haruna waved at Ryuu-kun over her shoulder. Through sheer willpower, she avoided looking down at her own shadow. It was easy enough to hear Adapa, and she could roughly feel the added weight in her own shadow from the presence. A bit weird, but this was actually rather convenient so long as nobody stared at her shadow for too long.


"Now, don't be shy and tell me where you need to go. I'll make sure you get there with no problems. Right, miss maou shoujo? Don't go causing trouble here and I'll overlook what you do if it doesn't bring harm." Leaning down slightly, Haruna whispered the last bit letting the roar of the crowd muffle it.

 

[Powgow]

"A-ah, that's really nothing at all~. I was just passing along, you see." Yuuka's misguided attempt at politeness has really taken the conversation to an awkward direction. It's not helped that she can feel a particular kind of scrutiny coming from the Shimazu heiress. While she didn't know what the Shimazu family represents, Kotori's classical ojou etiquette and the way she carries herself in social situation it's not hard to guess that the family should be one of those old money influential noble thingamajig. But to be fair, all she needs to do is to take care not to proverbially trip around the conversation...which is easier said than done.


Thankfully (or not), the arrival of the other aristocracies of the school seems to have diverted attention once again from her failings at social situation. Not for long though, as a stray comment from Airi has shifted lots of attention back to her. Most importantly, the inquisitive look from the Prince and the scorn glares of his shieldmaidens.


"Err...well...I didn't see much really. Think I arrived when the actual altercations have already taken place." She tries her best to make obfuscate her presence as much as possible while shooting her own death glare at Airi's direction.

 

[solyrflair]

Sleep had come quickly. She was exhausted by the time she had gotten home. But that sleep wasn't restful. First it was the shadows, from the corners of her dreams, they pushed their way into her dreams. They morphed into flaming beasts raging giants, tearing apart her home, then her school and her city. She woke numerous times only to sleep again, and dream even worse dreams.


When she finally woke, her father was yelling that she was going to be late for school. It took her too long to get herself dressed. To get out the door. She ran part of the way. Then she walked when she couldn't run any more.


She walked through the front gate of the school with her bag over her shoulder, her breath short. And things were going crazy inside. A parade of girls escorting some boy. She would have to find out who that boy was and why he got his own escort. Then the entourage was attacked and scattered.


Standing there at the entrance she wanted to walk over and say hello to someone, but she didn't know anyone. She made sure that her katana was safely tucked away before walking into the school yard. She just hoped she could avoid the chaos that the school elite managed to convey.


[dice]1191[/dice]

 

[Dietaku]

(Haruna)


"What! How did you know?" the hooded girl yelps, as the hood wiggles and a small cute dragon emerges.


"Excel, you idiot! You're supposed to find the Original Mutation! Why are you screwing around?" the dragon complains, as Excel looks up and down, from her familiar to the girls.


"Puzu, now is not the time!" she mumbles.


(Kotori and Yuuka)


"Oh? That's a shame. Have you heard of this neat fellow, Super Striker? He's this superhero that's appeared in town recently. He's super-fast, and saves perople. I think he's pretty neat that out of all the weird things in town right now, there's something fighting for right. I thought maybe he was there," Tenzin sighed, as Airi rolled her eyes.


"No one cares about your superhero fantasy self-inserts," Airi said coolly, as Tenzin doubles over coughing at these accusations.


"Airi! Look what you did to him! I'm sorry, Tenzin-kun. Airi doesn't really mean it, I'm sure!" Arika said, patting him on the back.


(Akiko)





As Akiko looks on at the spectacle of the rich and fabulous famous, she hears a familiar voice call, and sees a familiar pair.


"Aki~! I'm glad you came to school! Everything got really weird when I left you yesterday! Riiko here said she saw something weird. Like, you got into a kendo match with the Blues Brothers?" Hinata asked, as the tall, mottled white haired girl from before nods beside her, munching on some toast.

 

[solyrflair]

"Hinata-San," Akiko bowed to her rival as well as the new girl she had not met. "I don't entirely know what you mean. There wasn't a fight, really. Some punks from the streets came onto campus and tried to cause damage. Once I threatened to draw the katana, they ran away."


She couldn't admit that two musical instruments came to life and she had cut them in half to make them disappear. She wasn't sure she could explain how that happened even if it was true.


"Riiko-San, pleased to meet you." She bowed again. To make new friends she couldn't afford to insult anyone. Especially upperclassmen. "I am sorry, I don't remember a kendo contest. It would be interesting if one had happened." In actuality, it had been one strike. Just one. And that had ended it all.

 

[Dietaku]

(Akiko)


" Pleased t' meetcha, too, Akiko-chyan!" Riiko says, bowing with a flourish,"Really, though? That's odd. I was about here, perched on the statue, getting a good look at the sunset when everybody fell over, and these three people came into the gate. One of them ran off, with this weird heat mirage, and then Akiko here fought the others. It was really neat!" Riiko said, pumping the air with enthusiasm,


Clearly, Riiko and Akiko are not on the same page.

 

[Action Replay]

"That sounds interesting, Excel chan. Lets here more about that on the way over. We'll have plenty of time to discuss those details in the infirmary." Steering around the crowd, Haruna made her way to the infirmary making sure to keep her voice low.


"Since it seems you've forgotten, we met last night. Your speech style is really distinctive and you act really overtly. So I don't have to be a great detective to make that guess. What exactly is this original mutation thing? By chance would it have something to do with the renegade virus?"

 

[solyrflair]

Akiko gave the new girl a surprised look. She was giving away secrets. She had been awake for the battle and not just spreading rumors. She had been the girl perched on the statue.


"It was not much of a fight. I swung the sword once. It was all over so fast." She acted like she was being modest. It was the best she could think of in such short notice. She had to try to pretend nothing had really happened, because if it did happen, then she might have to tell people she was a monster.


"No need to exaggerate what happened." Worse, no need to tell people that she was using magic. And worse, if she used too much they would have to kill her.

 

[Powgow]

"Super fast...Super-Striker?" Fair enough, she saved people from traffic accidents once or twice, or even cats from trees and such. Her abilities also took care of the whole secret identity thing since not a lot of people is going to be able to make out her features anyway...but a man? It's either someone else with an ability similar to hers...or the one spreading the rumors intentionally made it that way.


She's not yet completely sure who it is, but she thinks she has a lead.


"Y-yeah! Probably! I mean if he's a superhero or something like that he'd be able to, like, detect trouble and such and then intercepts them right?"


As the conversation goes even more back and forth between the ojous (and one bishonen), Yuuka took the opportunity to slip into the background and make a call with her cell to her favorite underclassman. Before the one in the other side has even had a chance to greet her, she fires away with the question.


"What the hell's a Super-Striker? Oi!"

 

[Genkidu]

Kotori fought the urge to scratch her head in confusion as the topic suddenly turned to involve crazy super speed superheroes. It was a strange topic for the financial elite of the school to suddenly turn to but who was she to complain? If they wanted to play out this kind of 4koma-like existence, they were more than welcome to.


So Kotori remained quiet, as benefited her current persona of a traditional ojou-sama. There was a demure smile on her face as she listened to the other talking that she had to fight to keep from growing as she heard Tenzin-kun speak. She hadn't known Tenzin was some kind of superhero otaku. It was a tidbit of information that pleased her to no end. Maybe she could get him to join her on her magical adventure? Or better yet, if he intended to be the hero, she would play the villain. It would be just like one of her shoujo romance manga....except without the romance.


Kotori mentally shook her head of that sort of imagery and focused on Yuuka surreptitiously slipping away, the girl had been acting somewhat strangely as they talked about Super-Striker and it raised all sorts of flags in Kotori's mind. So after the other girl slipped away, Kotori managed to give a near silent goodbye to Tenzin and stepped back respectfully towards the background so she could follow the suddenly suspicious girl. As she neared Yuuka, Kotori tried to stay hidden and listen to what the other girl was saying, trying to figure out if somehow she had tripped some other kind of flag in this adventure.


[dice]1265[/dice]

 

[Dietaku]

(Ryuu & Haruna)


"I..WHAT? Oh, no! You're that girl! Oh, Princess! I've blown it now! Errr, I don't know what you mean, though, "Excel says," Really! I don't! The Apostate is what I'm looking for!"


"What are you talking about? Renegade? Is that an emanation of the river of death?" Adapa asks.


(Akiko)


"Seeeee? That sounds pretty cool, Aki! How'd you get so strong? Did Sensei give you extra lessons?" Hinata says, her eyes shining with excitement.


"See, didn't I tellya?" Riiko says, as a younger boy, no more than thirteen runs over.


"Riiko! Here you are! I was looking all over for you! I--wait, you have friends? When did this happen?" the boy says, "Erm, Hello! I'm Arakawa Hiro. I'm Riiko's boyfriend! How do you do?"


(Yuuka (& Sneaky Kotori, sneaky sneaky))


(Unless Yuuka does some Hanuman shenanigans to disrupt the waves of speech, Kotori can hear what is being said)


"Mweh? Oh, Yuuka! Hi! You still want those Tenzin nudes? I got those! Oh, not your thing? How about Airi nudes? I got those, too! She even posed! Richies, I tell ya. Wha? Super Striker? Not you, too? This guy shows up a few week ago. He's done some odd heroics. He saved a few kids, got a kitten out of a tree, and even stopped a bank robbery. Now, he's all people talk about. "Oh, Suzu, do a piece on Super Striker!" God, Mom! He's not even on campus! Sister Beauchene says he's not school news because of that!" Suzu says, getting increasingly into her own thoughts, apparently.


"Anyhoo, anything else you need, there, Oneechan?" Suzu asks.


(Kotori)


"Oh, Airi! Didn't you remember! We have that assembly today! The Senator is coming over today!" Arika says, patting Tenzin, who is looking genuinely unwell.


"Who?" Airi asks.


"Harry Schneider! He's a US Senator! He came over to Duwang on diplomatic business, and he agreed to speak for our school today! We were supposed to help organize things! I got flier ready! I was wondering if you made any announcements to the students?" Arika replied.


"Um, I must have forgot," Airi said.


"I swear! What's happened to you?" Arika grumbles.