- Zodiac - [Inactive]

[Kal]

[fancy icon]


-in her dorm/with self-

​

Adonna sat on the floor of her dorm, papers spread all around her. The past two days had been dominated by a massive headache that wouldn't seem to let up. It'd gotten to the point that she wasn't able to do much more than stagnate in her bed which was only interrupted by trips to the bathroom or food runs when hunger pains reached the level of the headache. She wasn't sure why the headache was happening, maybe it was that fall she'd had, but really didn't know. By the time the lunch hour had come around today, she felt it finally let up a bit. Enough so that she managed to get out of bed and do some cleaning. After running out for a meal, she returned to begin her homework, specifically that assigned science project. That was what she was in the midst of doing at the moment. At some point she'd finally noticed that the project was indeed a group project. After a moment's thought, she decided this was how it should be, soloing the project. Consider it long due penance for sophomore year's group project, where come due day her group pridefully slapped down on the teacher's desk a dead fish with their names sharpied on its body.


The headache had improved massively from before. If it remained this way at the least, she'd be able to make it to class on Friday. Until then, she could work on the project.

 

[TerraBooma]

ASH, The Gym


With the Security Team.

​

Sam helps the others set up the course, its set up of a bunch of smaller obstacles with three major ones causing the most trouble for anybody in the group. The first of the three is a series of vaults, set up so that if you lose any momentum the time quickly takes it toll for you to climb over each left over one because there just wasn't enough room to get a good run up in between vaults. The Second obstacle is a series of rope swings 3 long, and while they aren't hard to keep a hold of the transition proves exceptionally tricky for the members who go before Sam. The final major obstacle in the course is a tangled corridor of ropes and string, its what took them the longest to set up and is by far the most complex of all the obstacles. It requires you to navigate your way through a tight corridor with ropes and the like strewn in between, it slows many of the club members down, even stopping them in some cases.

First Major obstacle: Vaults


Sam bolts from the start, and the minor obstacles feel like nothing to him, while not the most athletic he's a strong teen, and his dad used to show him a few things when he got home from work with the police. However his lack of strength training becomes apparent when he hits the vaults, even though he makes it over the first half perfectly fine, his momentum soon stops and he's forced to crawl his way over the last quarter or so of the set. It's not the end but it more or less shows everyone he's not the strongest person, far from it. He manages to get over the last vault, breaking into a sprint through the minor obstacles to try and make up for a lot of missed time.


Second major obstacle: Rope Swings


Sam has much less trouble on the ropes, he's quite skinny and light, especially when compared to the heavier and stronger members who completed the vaults with ease. Sam manages to swing from one rope to the other, making it all the way in one go. While he's still far behind the leaders in time he's managed to bring himself back into it, if he can make great time on the rope corridor he might be able to place in the top 10.


Final Major Obstacle: String Hall


Sam finally makes it to the most difficult and possibly most complicated of all the obstacles, Sam had seen member after member get caught in the strings, killing their time and slowing them immensely. The best of the class had managed to speed through without much troubles, some even just breaking string as they went through but Sam knows he doesn't have the strength or the speed to do that. He thinks for a few seconds before grinning and snapping his fingers. He runs forwards, jumping onto the strings and pulling himself up, climbing as quickly as he can OVER the obstacle, and even though its time consuming its probably a lot better then going through, at least for Sam's physical condition, a few seconds later he scrambles over the top and through the finish line, sweat on his face. He looks up, a grin on his face, nobody else had thought to climb over the string and when he looks at his time he discovers he's gotten a great fourth place.


(This good Enzo?)

​

 

[Crystalline]

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~{At Armstrong High ---> Rooftop}~


~{With Dominic/Cecilia ---> Cecilia}~




​

Hoshino listened as Dominic spoke, showing his logical and down-to-earth mind as he did so. Hoshino found this comforting, so with a smile, she decided to go with his lead. "Fine by me," she responded simply, and she contently awaited for the answers of everyone else in the group. Hoshino also watched as Cecilia, her ever-so beloved Zodiac, made her way back into Gom to observe her situation. With a raised brow of curiosity, she decided to just go with it and shrugged. She kept getting the urge to hug Gom, but she decided against it due to the fact that she knew Cecilia was watching from inside. Instead, she gently held the teddy bear in front of her torso, giving her a view of whatever Hoshino could see.


With that, Hoshino went on with the rest of her day. She went to class, paid attention, took neat notes, and did all of the things a decent student would do. She's always been a pretty smart cookie academically - having gotten straight A's since elementary school - so, if anything, she could handle school with flying colors. Eventually, though, the afternoon rolled on by, and it was time for Hoshino to head off to her clubs. Being that the swimming club wasn't quite open, due to the pool being closed, Hoshino had no idea what to do in her free time. Therefore, she simply roamed about the halls, deciding to give Cecilia a little idea of how the world was.


You could see some couples in the hallways holding hands, other people struggling to hold all of their text books in their arms, and some others were rushing off to their clubs. Meanwhile, Hoshino walked with ease, having nothing to do until her time in the art club was over and her shift at Café Maria began. The evening's were to be pretty dead, due to the fact that the rush normally came in the mornings, so Hoshino figured her time there would be easy enough to manage. She couldn't help but wonder what closing the store would be like. She wasn't a huge fan of cleaning and whatnot, but she was sure those things would be involved. Still, she wouldn't complain; it was her job, after all.


I wonder what my first paycheck will be like, she thought with enthusiasm as she made her way over to the rooftop to think about everything. It'd also give the wandering Cecilia a nice view of Brookfield, being high enough to see afar and wide. I know dad won't need any help with his medical bills, so.. What kind of things should I use it for? Perhaps I'll save it all up for college or something, she thought, even though she knew her dad would want to pay for it all. Hoshino wanted to achieve independence, for she was quite a headstrong girl. With those wondering thoughts in mind, she eventually reached the rooftop. The view to her was equally amazing, for now.. She saw more than buildings and trees.


She saw a gorgeous array of crimson threads.


Her blood red eyes shimmered with delight as she looked upon the beauty before her. In a weird way, she found herself wanting to sketch it out and paint it later. I have some time to kill, she thought, and took out her sketchbook and sat down on the bench beside the gate. She kept Gom in one arm as she perched up her sketchbook on her lap, beginning to draw with her free hand. Her snow white hair cascaded over one side of her angelic face as she drew out the scene - with much more skill than she possessed before. Lately, she was noticing that she even had some skill enhancements along with seeing the threads. Is this all Cecilia's doing? My memorization and creative ability? Hoshino wondered.


She decided not to question it, and instead she continued to sketch out the scene she could see before her.


Later on in the club, or just at home if she couldn't sleep, she was definitely painting this picture out on a canvas.


((I hope this is okay! Sorry if I missed some details or anything. I kinda just winged this post. x3))

 

[storm3510]

♦♥♣♠Halls of Armstrong High♠♣♥♦

​

The petulant reminder of this field trip was the last thing Akira needed. She was rather tired at the moment and glancing every so often at the paper she still carried within her right hand made things all the more tiresome for her. Seeing how excited Sam was for it made it clear that one didn’t need friends to enjoy this trip. Be that as it may, however, they made it all the more enjoyable. Shortly into her stroll through the halls, she approached the window where she sat amidst the school blackout. Within all the commotion uproar and distraction caused by the blackout, Akira hadn’t noticed that the 3rd floor’s window view contained a beautiful view of Brookfield’s downtown area. Seeing the sunlight’s array of magnificence reign on Brookfield brought a smile to the girl’s face. The alignment of the clouds made things all the more appealing to her. Eventually, she smiled upon the sight. Maybe enjoying some time in the sun amidst the trees… the sheer beauty of the earth’s natural wonders could bring a joy to her that friends didn’t have to. Looking at her paper once more, she grinned a little and began walking toward her dorm.


“I guess that’s it, then…” She thought, “I’m going.”

 

[IAmEnzo]

<--


| Afternoon |


| Thursday |


| September 26, 2014 |


| ASH |


| First Floor |


| Hallways |

​

Embarrassed wouldn't have been the right word for what Dominic was feeling when he saw the contents of the box. Ben had taken upon himself to craft each of the hosts known to him a costume complete with it's own group name, like the justice league or something. For now, Ben stowed away said box within his own locker, where he'd keep them until the time was right. "I made some of the parts myself." He stated with a hint of pride in his words. "I don't think anyone would ever wear those, though. We're not-.. you know." "Superheroes?"


Dominic groaned with a nod. "That's exactly what a Superhero-to-be would say." Eventually, the two would have exchanged amused smiles. That was when Dominic noticed the sunset through one of the windows. "What the.. how did it get so late..?" Time completely lost meaning when Dominic departed from Mutton's class. He didn't know how, or why, but it was almost night time already. "I should be heading home. See you, Dominic." Dominic nodded as Ben took his leave.

| ASH |


| First Floor |


| The Gym |




​

One by one, the members blasted through the course, by their feet or by their face. Nevertheless, everyone got the job done. At the end of it all, the students returned to their previous formation in a line. From there, a single member examined the time and performance results of each person. Sam ranked fourth, of course. Out of the fifteen or so bodies, fourth wasn't bad at all.


"What an interesting result.." The boy muttered after receiving the scores.


Everyone was praised for their athleticism, and eventually a leader was chosen, his name not important. Soon after that, the meeting came to a close. Now, the Committee had a leader to guide them through the camp out, which would no doubt bring out the wilder side of the classes.

| ASH |


| First Floor |


| Front Entrance |




​

Eventually, Dominic had to run into someone on his way out. That 'someone' was Akira, who had the same idea in mind about leaving. "Oh, it's you!" Dominic grinned upon running into her, almost literally at the pace the two were going. "Akira, was it? I haven't seen you in a while. Did you ever find a study group?"

​

 

[Kiosk]

|ASH|Hallways 3rd floor|

​

The creature darted left to right, sniffing and eyeballing its surroundings and what she deemed worth her time. Though nothing seemed to grab its attention for long because as soon as an interesting scent or sight came around Yazhi was soon to pursue it. The ferret scampered across the halls of the school, it was vast and large never seeming to have an end; from above, lights shined down on the little one, it was almost blinding. Her ears twitched to the sound of footsteps behind it. Looking back, she saw a red-headed human approaching her. If Yazhi could express herself she would've been grinning; her eyes sparked with the taste for a challenge. She picked up her speed and darted down the hallway, probably leaving her pursuer in the dust. She had managed to evade her owner for this long it would be just as easy to avoid the redhead.


The little one glanced backwards, feeling satisfied and safe she carried on with her original path. As she did so another pair of footsteps were heard, instead, coming from in front of her. The ferret ducked into an open, empty classroom, desks were scattered about the room. From below, this gave the room an ominous look. As she explored she spotted a black cat perched at the windowsill grooming itself. Yazhi had never seen a creature like it before so she cautiously approached it tilting her head to the side quizzically.

"...?"

​

|ASH|Empty classroom|


Love, Tapatalk

 

[AiDee]

• Hotaru Nakamura
• Khoshekh

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  • Inventory

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    ????????????????
    
    
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    ??????????????????
    
    
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    ??????????????????
    
    
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    ?????????
    
    
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    ??????????????????
    
    
    
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    Backpack
    
    
    Phone
    
    
    Notebooks
    
    
    Marker
    
    
    Slate
    
    
    Voodoo doll
    
    
    $10.00
    
    
    
  
  
  
  
• 
  
  
  
  • Appearance
  • Health
  • Inventory

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    ???????????????????????
    
    
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  • 
    
    
    A big "rat"
    
    
    
  
  
  
  

| Exiting the school |


| Hotaru |

​

Hotaru left the classroom in a hurry. She just wanted to leave the school and sleep. Feeling emotionally drained. The girl proposed to just lay in bed all day. What was she doing? She needed to apologize to everyone. She was such a sour puss. She should have mustered a smile and went on with her day. Now everyone had mixed thoughts about her.


The girl covered her face with the slate and shuffled her way in the isolated hallways. She should stop acting like this. She sported a smile and brought the slate to her side. A smile seemed to have brought her mood up. The girl walked around with a cheerful atmosphere and soon she was skipping in the empty halls. Slowing down, she took on the stairs one step at a time.

| ASH Classroom 3rd floor |


| Khoshekh |

​

A black feline has filled up his day with lazy antics. He had slipped away from his pet by exiting the balcony. Dropping upon a branch of a tree the cat usually ran down the tree and would bathe himself in the golden rays of the sun. The grass was wet. Like a picky male he is, Khoshekh was headed for inside. His pet should help him up, right? If his pet was like the last one, he was surely going to leave her. Though this pet was different, she would share emotions with him and allow him to enter the room with the big bowl of water while she created steam behind a closed plastic covering. His pet was also strange, her long fur would often change colors. She would sometimes hold shiny metal blades and ponder on whether she should cut her mane.


His pet was his responsibility, he had to hide the scissors under the bed. He couldn't risk her growing cold and dying because she made the mistake of cutting her fur right before a winter. Though she made it looked like she will cut it, she never did. His pet was so fussy.


The cat ran back up a different tree and headed up to a window. More pets were inside following and looking like mindless droids. The cat would have rolled his eyes if he could. The feline walked on the slim portion of land he had. From there he jumped up and landed himself to an open window.


The cat peered in, no humans were in there. Lovely, he sat upon the windowsill and licked his fur. The cat was in the middle of grooming his back when another animal appeared. His first instinct was to hiss at it, but he decided not to. Instead he tilted his head looking at the animal in the eyes. Such a large plump rat. He jumped onto a desk and squinted his eyes. The ferret was keeping her gaze on him. The feline jumped onto the ground and looked down upon it. The large rat should have been cowering in fear, instead it was just staring at him. Strange.


How delightful, he needed to show this to his pet! The cat picked the ferret up from the back of her neck. The ferret swayed left to right as Khoshekh trotted away with his new prize.


Heading out of the classroom, a loud high pitched shrill was heard, "There it is! The rat!" A human edged away as the cat came closer. More humans with animal control uniforms came out and held out a metal cage and a stick. The stick beckoned to come closer. Khoshekh, not wanting to get touched by the stick, moved forward to the cage.


The cat was trapped in the cage. While he was distracted by the stick, a human grabbed his prize and placed it in a cage.

 

[storm3510]

♦♥♣♠Halls of Armstrong High (1st Floor)♠♣♥♦

​

The thoughts at present were peaceful. Akira began to warm up to the idea of seeing the naturist side of Brookfield’s people. Perhaps they had a better sense of land than the people amidst whom she grew into a young woman. Friends from all girl’s schools were never fans of the classic woods scenes. If the pathways to be walked weren’t paved, then there was a near 0% chance that it was a path they’d tread; a trail they’d blaze. Akira forever loved to blaze unknown trails. Perhaps it’s the reason why she was beginning to warm up to the idea of living in Brookfield, should this small incursion of nature be successful for her. It’d give her a place to escape the looming hatred she bore toward her father for separating her from the home she cherished, despite that she knew that a change was needed on both their parts.


“Things can’t be the same forever…” She spoke aloud before passing by the intersection into another hall. During her solemn and lonely walk back towards the dorm, nearing the exit of the halls of Armstrong High, Akira was stopped by a familiar face turning the corner, which, not to mention, nearly bumped into her in the force of his walk. Akira’s thoughts were once those of acceptance toward that which has transpired in her time between home and Brookfield, and now, lo and behold, of all times, she saw the face that instantly reminded her of the foreboding nature of the place in which she resided. Dominic appeared. The one whom she wanted to question so badly about the events that had occurred two days prior was now right in front of her, and acting as though not a thing had happened. Strangely, he was alone now of all times when he usually bore a flock of associates around him. He spoke just as soon as the two were in each other’s line of sight, her looking up at him once near:


"Oh, it's you!" Even stranger, was the fact that this boy was grinning upon seeing her.


“He barely knows me…” She thought. She then recalled his help at the library and his actions the day of the blackout. Perhaps this boy just had a penchant for kindness that was foreign to her.


"Akira, was it? I haven't seen you in a while. Did you ever find a study group?" He continued. She looked at him for a moment and absentmindedly returned a smile. He couldn’t be all that bad if he was so casual now after having known she was present during the blackout.


“Wait a minute!” Her thoughts began to race, “He was there! There at the scene of all that destruction in the school! He was with Alice and that other boy, and was in such a hurry to leave that there’s a good chance that he hadn’t even noticed I was there! Rude… but nonetheless an opportunity for me…” Her thoughts then began to subside. She returned to him in speech, prefaced by a small giggle: “Yeah, I haven’t seen you in quite the while, either. And no, I didn’t find a group. Mr. Mutton left groups as an option, and since I’m still fairly new here, I figured I’d best just go it alone this time!” Simply feigning ignorance for the time being felt the best route. For if she simply bombarded him with questions, there was a good chance she wouldn’t receive answers… especially if he had no reason to. In the midst of her thoughts, it dawned on her that she was speaking while using the hand which contained her paper for the camping trip to emit gestures. She quickly swung said hand behind her back with a nervous giggle. What a hypocrite she’d appear to be if she claimed to want to go it alone one second, and then to participate in a campout with the class the next. “Although you’ve likely got the group and the entire project itself done, I bet! You seem to be rather on top of things, here.” Yes, play it simple and play it friendly. The best of things always come to those who wait…

 

[Kiosk]

|ASH| The front of the school|

​

The girl stood outside the entrance of Armstrong high with her arms folded across her chest, to the untrained eye she would appear stoic and maybe even annoyed. But if anyone could read body language or knew her long enough they'd know the highschool student was silently worrying herself to death. It was apparent as she bit at her nails, an old habit that would never really die.


She considered going back in and searching for her pet some more. Was she really considering this? She shook her head making up her mind; just as she was going to enter, a few men dressed in white animal control uniforms walked out. They carried two cages, one of them holding a black cat. The creature looked up at her with it's feline eyes, a piercing stare that then disappeared as the men pushed past her to load the cages into their van. It was printed with 'Animal control' as well just like on their uniforms. She wasn't able to get a good look inside the other cage. A teacher watched them go, perched at the top of the steps to Armstrong like a hawk. A sour look was stuck on her face as she observed them.


"Good riddens," she huffed, "I've had just about enough of this foolishness."


"Uh, what happened?"


Though Nikky had a feeling what she was going to say.


The old teacher looked at the girl as if she just noticed her presence.


"They managed to catch that disgusting rat, and a cat too."


Just as she thought, Nikky nodded realizing that her aunt is going to be really excited to hear this wonderful news. Great...


"Now, you go off home or whatever you go. I'm not going to stay here and babysit you."


With that, the woman disappeared back into the school. I'm seventeen, I don't need you to, she thought to herself bitterly. Let's just say Nikky was not a fan of that woman's attitude. She let out a sigh and threw away those thoughts before she got carried away and started blabbering. She knew what she would probably have to do next and she was not looking forward to the results.


The front doors opened and closed behind her and for some reason, this caught the girl's attention. The door creaks a bit then slams shut behind you. This wasn't anything new considering how long Nikky had been attending the school. And people exiting the building was a normal thing to hear after school, certainly not enough to draw her attention like it did. But still, in that moment Nikky decided to look back and see Hotaru. She had spent a good portion of the morning looking for her and now she was walking right up to her. She stopped and turned to face her fellow peer, as she looked upon her, guilt started to well up in her throat making it hard to speak,


"H-Hotaru!" She finally forced herself to say, she tried to make it up with a forced smile.


Love, Tapatalk

 

[AiDee]

• Hotaru Nakamura

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    ??????????????????
    
    
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| Exiting the school |


| Hotaru |

​

Hotaru's eyes wondered as she took stairs down, she took the liberty of taking the most isolated stairways. Once in a while a student would pass her by and she would smile and give them a nod. They would stare at her bright outfit and proceed to go down the stairs as if they need to catch a bus or a train. Hotaru would quickly adjust the turtleneck sweater with her left hand or she would snuggle her head into her shoulders. It felt too strange. Hiding a secret in plain sight kept her mind aware and busy. The girl kept her right side busy by holding her slate tucked safely under her arm and a teal maker in hand.


She could hear gasps and students quickly looking out of a window between floors. Curious and just a floor above the entrance, she joined the crowd of students as they chattered among themselves before dispersing. Hotaru uncapped the marker with her thumb and index finger. She quickly wrote a message for the students to read and answer, "What's happening...?" A student looked at Hotaru and then the slate before sneering out a reply, "A big rat got in and a cat came in and caught it." That's it?


Hotaru felt her heart race a bit, was Khoshekh the cat who caught the rat? So much for keeping him a secret. She's going to have to check the cat out before leaving the school. Catching sight of the 'Animal control' van, Hotaru fidgeted. Without thanking her peer for the information, she darted for the stairs. Now she was the busy student about to go catch a vehicle.


Jumping at the last three steps her pink outfit fluttered, the girl caught quick images of men walking away with metal cages. Frowning, she opened the front doors, the door quickly swung close due to the slight wind. She locked eyes with Nikky.


Just looking at her gave her small flashbacks of the time that they desperately needed help. The classroom had haunted her every moment. She couldn't look at Nikky the same anymore. Each glance meant that she would plunge into a deep well of memories. She felt so guilty for not being able to keep her safe. Hotaru quickly examined Nikky, it seemed like she wasn't hurt. That was good at least.


"H-Hotaru!" The girl gave her a smile. Hotaru looked away. If this kept up she wouldn't be able to control herself. Hotaru looked down at the ground. Her slate glimmered in the setting sun. She couldn't do this. Without having to think about it, Hotaru wrote on her slate and showed it to Nikky. She was shaking, scared or even upset at what she was going to do, "I'm sorry, but I can't be your partner anymore."


She didn't do anything wrong, yet as soon as she counted to five, Hotaru held the slate close to her body and ran off not wanting to face her friend.

 

[TerraBooma]

ASH, School Gym


Interacting with Nobody

​

Sam watches as the other members of security leave after they all clean up the obstacle course, he's seating pretty hard from all the work, but he has a happy grin on his face. He managed to get fourth among people who were clearly better athletes then him by using his brain, his tactic was used towards the end but he was the only person to use it successfully He grabs his bag and takes the slip. Sighing as he forgot about it, he takes it to the office, handing it in there and hoping it gets to Mutton. It should, as almost everything goes through the office anyway. With that he thinks for a bit on what to do next, Cafe Maria SHOULD still be open for a little bit, and they might need a janitor, plus Sam loved taht hot chocolate he picked up the other day, so another one of those would be a nice little treat for his hard work. He leaves the school through one of the side doors which is closer to the office, which means he misses Dom and Akira and any conversation they might have.

Cafe Maria


Interacting with no one

​

It doesn't take long for Sam's steady feet to arrive to the lights of Cafe Maria, a soft smile on his face, he loved the food he bought last time, and he's hoping for a repeat experience, although a job would be a great bonus, not that he expects to get one. He takes a seat, knowing how the cafe's waiting system works, and waits for somebody to come to him.


Up to crystal if Hoshino is working, I think you said she has an evening shift?)

 

[IAmEnzo]

->


| Evening |


| Thursday |


| September 26, 2014 |


| ASH |


| First Floor |


| Front Entrance |

​

“Yeah, I haven’t seen you in quite the while, either. And no, I didn’t find a group. Mr. Mutton left groups as an option, and since I’m still fairly new here, I figured I’d best just go it alone this time!”


The fact that groups were optional totally slipped past his mind. Dominic was so worried over picking a set group of people that he hadn't even considered tackling it alone. If he had to guess, lone-wolf students often received more credit than groups. Perhaps it was a better move to simply do it by yourself.


“Although you’ve likely got the group and the entire project itself done, I bet! You seem to be rather on top of things, here.”


The sudden movement of paper being hidden behind her back probably meant there was something not ready for Dominic's eyes. Shrugging off that wondering thought, he spoke. "I really wouldn't say that-.." On top was an overstatement. It was a miracle he could even form a group. "We're still working on it, but we've finally set ourselves a goal on plants." Again, time had found it's way out of Dominic's way of thinking. The sun had well been over the horizon, and the time of locking up the school approached. Eventually, the two would have been ushered outside along with everyone still remaining in the school.

| In front of ASH |


| School Grounds |




​

"Hmph, well it's getting late pretty quickly today. I take it you're heading to your home, or something. I'll be going too."

 

[storm3510]

The two students were readying to begin a full on conversation before being escorted from the premises. It hadn’t dawned on Akira that, although she had a good start to her project, she still had yet to complete it. And because of this, the return home needed to be posthaste.

♦♥♣♠Outside of Armstrong High♠♣♥♦

​

Once outside the building, the appealingly kind Dominic turned to Akira and resumed speaking to her once their walk outside the school doors was complete:


"Hmph, well it's getting late pretty quickly today. I take it you're heading to your home, or something. I'll be going too." He said. Akira looked at him and smiled, looking up at the sky and noticing the night’s approach was swift coming. It was then that she was reminded of the umbrella, but resolved not to speak on it and to simply return it to him the following day.


“Right…” She began, “I… suppose I’ll be seeing you, Dominic.” In the orange tint of the skylight, Akira’s pitch black hair appeared to have a subtle glow to it as she turned and began walking away toward her dorm. Her thoughts resumed as she trod on. If this boy was to have played a part in the damage done to the school, and to a greater extent, the events surrounding Armstrong High, she wouldn’t have guessed it simply by speaking to him. For if he seemed genuinely kind and rather thoughtful of other peoples’ afflictions, why yet was he so modest? Perhaps it was his nature. Perhaps it was but a façade to cleave any suspicions Akira may have had of him. Regardless, as fate would have it, she’d obviously come across the boy for a reason. That reason was to remind her that she still had yet to achieve the task set upon her by her own self. In this case, her resolve remained the same: To discover, for her own safety, the events behind the blackout, and to a greater extent, determine whether or not Brookfield was a place she would accept as a home or should she turn tail and head back from whence she came. But... that never meant that she couldn't make a friend or two along the way.

 

[Father Voltaire]

|High School Auditorium|


|Working by himself|




​

It was getting late. The blue sky captured by the lengthy auditorium windows were now a sunset orange. The clouds were darker, and you could see the Moon faintly appearing into position. With his mound of books and other stationary Damian had been slaving away as his homework for today. Literature, Personal Finance, Geography, and Art History. Tolerable work, but it took some time. Far too focused on his work, he had let time completely slip from him. When he looked up and peered out the window he saw how late it was getting, and how empty the auditorium was. "Ah.. Shoot.." He began shuffling his books and stationary together in a hurry. He managed to miss out on a few targeted tasks he wanted to get to today. Find Dominic about the project and find Cecelia's host. It looks like Damian will have to just contact Dominic via Skype when he gets in again about the project. As far as Cecelia's host he wasn't sure where to begin. It didn't help that neither him nor Lance was 100% certain she even had a host to begin with. Damian blew out an exasperated sigh that turned into a disappointed raspberry. "Whatever." He muttered. He stuffed his text into his bag and decided to leave the school...

|School entrance|


|Leaving by himself|




​

Damian pushed open the entrance doors that lead out to the campus grounds and out to freedom. The sky was a captivating shade of orange, and a few small businesses had been pulling down their metal shutters, closing for the evening. There were a few straggling students lurking about the campus. With the lessened population the campus was at a peaceful quiet. Though in the quiet he heard a familiar voice that pulled him back to earth. Twas Dominic speaking to another student he wasn't aware of but it looked like thier conversation had just ended. She was trailing off, heading to wherever she may needed. Damian didn't decide to bother with it. At least Dom' was here. Now he could tell him about his findings. He sulked over to the basketball player sized boy and tapped him with his elbow. "Ey'. So I have some things to tell you..." Damian said with a curved lip.

|Back in her tranquil Limbo from her little journey|


|About to make her presence known|




​

Marabel has spun on her toe back to her lovely, lovely Limbo. Feeling at home she let herself fall into her warm, soothing water and let herself get drenched in the pool. Feeling as if her home was welcoming her back with a watery hug. "Oooo~oooh!!! I love you so Limbo!" She said tossing and turning herself in the ankle high pool. Holding herself tightly with her petite arms. She quickly rose up, realizing that she could see her wonderful host again now that she was free from the others. Excitement ran through her little body as she started vibrating and shimmying her torso. She had a little hop off the ground before disappearing in a torrent of spilling red...





...She reappeared, popping into reality with a small outward burst of red liquid. Questionable if it was actually blood or not. She threw her arms out around Hotaru's neck and locked them around her host. Marabel's body dangled in the air before falling to gravity as she latched herself to Hotaru. "Hooootaaaaaaaruuuuuuu~!" Marabel chanted erratically. "I miiiiissssed yooouuuu!!"

​

 

[Flabbysaurus]

Brookfield library


By himself

​

Clark had eventually gotten the assistance of a librarian to help navigate the large selection of books the library had to offer. The librarian, an older woman who was quite short, seemed quite chuffed to show Clark the wide array that the library had to offer in the section of flora and other biological books. Clark tried his best to bare through it with a fake smile plastered on his face as the woman rambled on. By the time he finally managed to get a book containing the information needed the sun was already setting and the library had now emptied out. Only a few students remained. Clark let out a sigh of relief once he finally made out outside with the book in handed. He had hoped to write down everything from the book earlier but he never expected to be trapped in their by the rambling librarian. Just my luck. Clark thought to himself as he began to walk home.

Walking home


By himself




​

Clark followed the same route he took to get back home. He looked up to the sky which had turned to a beautiful and calming orange, fitting how tranquil the streets of Brookfield had become now that most, if not all of them were home now. Clark held the hardback book in his hand and read the title once more. 'The beautiful Alabama flora' was it's title and was apparently written by a popular English author who had written many other books about flora and even fauna. It was one of the few facts that Clark had remembered from the many told to him by the librarian. He opened the book and took a look at the first few pages. He noticed each chapter consisted of town and city names. It seemed that each chapter had a town or city name and had a list of flowers and other greenery which grew around that area. Clark noticed Brookfield among the many names and folded the corner of the page at where the chapter started. Clark glanced back up to see the dorm rooms in sight. He put the somewhat heavy book in his bag and quickened his pace.

 

[AiDee]

• Hotaru Nakamura

• 
  
  
  
  • Appearance
  • Health
  • Inventory

  • 
    
    
    
    
    

    

    
    ​
    
    
    
    
  • 
    
    
    Happiness
    
    
    ????????????????
    
    
    Health
    
    
    ??????????????????
    
    
    Strength
    
    
    ??????????????????
    
    
    Emotional
    
    
    ?????????
    
    
    Mental
    
    
    ??????????????????
    
    
    
  • 
    
    
    Backpack
    
    
    Phone
    
    
    Marker
    
    
    Slate
    
    
    Voodoo doll
    
    
    $10.00
    
    
    
  
  
  
  

| On the path to her room |


| Talking with the equally derpy mushroom |

​

Slowing down from her run, Hotaru stared at her feet as she took choppy steps towards her room. She was surrounded by nearly nothing except for a tree or two. The girl bit her bottom lip as she kept her gaze to the ground. The setting sun gave the sky a bright orange and red glare. The trees seemed to be more brighter than usual. It didn't fit her mood.


Out of nowhere, a small burst of red liquid appeared in front of her. Hotaru took a step back, a bit. Marabel appeared and wrapped her thin arms around her neck. She was floating in the air. Hotaru gasped and took another step back. Marabel held on and pulled Hotaru down. Marabel was either very heavy or Hotaru was just too weak. Immediately Hotaru held her ground and brought her hands out to keep Marabel steady. Her high pitched voice broke through the air and called Hotaru out. Hotaru could have been trembling, she didn't really know because Marabel was holding Hotaru tightly. With only her Zodiac and Hotaru around, she spoke with her. Her voice was lower and quieter than when she had first spoke with her, "Marabel! I missed you too! Where were you? What did you do? Is your mushroom hat an actual mushroom? Can you make me one? Your hair is much more prettier than usual. We had an attack, Nikky could have been hurt. I froze up when trying to save her. I need help." She clamped her hand over her mouth and let Marabel go. She had shot another chain of questions as she did on her first meeting.

 

[Crystalline]

Spoiler

Mental Health: 16/20


Low = She's going insane.


High = Feeling sharp and witty.


████████████████


Physical Health: 20/20


Low = Feeling ill and sickly.


High = Feeling nice and healthy.


████████████████████


Emotional Health: 12/20


Low = Feeling sad and depressed.


High = Feeling happy and chipper.


████████████


Energy & Strength: 18/20


Low = Feeling weak and tired.


High = Feeling strong and resilient.


██████████████████

​

<p><a href="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2014_06/57a8bf6a3f5eb_HoshinosSecondNewPowerIcon.png.c817e5a58453dab5a7469a610d8868c9.png" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="20237" src="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2014_06/57a8bf6a3f5eb_HoshinosSecondNewPowerIcon.png.c817e5a58453dab5a7469a610d8868c9.png" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p>


~{At Armstrong High ---> Café Maria}~


~{With Cecilia, Technically}~




​

Hoshino eventually finished sketching out the scenery of the beautiful crimson threads before her, and, once she did so, she decided it was about time to head over to Café Maria. She knew she'd be a bit early, being that she had the evening shift and it was still the afternoon, but she had nothing else to do. Shun wasn't there today, so she saw no point in visiting the art club, and the time for her not exactly open swimming club had passed, as well. "Ready to head to work, Cecilia?" she spoke to the bear, feeling as though Cecilia could hear her. Hoshino couldn't help but wonder why she wanted to view the world today, but Hoshino figured that Limbo could be a scary, boring place from time to time. Hell, when she visited, she felt like she was close to death multiple times. Just the thought of it made her want to shiver.


I never want another nightmare like that again.


She thought, shrugging it off as she gathered her things and made her way back downstairs. She left the school and began on the slightly long walk to the small, quaint restaurant, though she made a quick stop by the settlements to change into her uniform and drop off her things before setting out on her journey. As the sky was just beginning to darken, hinting that the evening was on the horizon, Hoshino finally made it there a few minutes before her shift was to begin. "Hey~! Welcome back!" Called out Cassandra happily as she was wiping down a table. "You're here early." Hoshino flashed her a friendly smile, nodding over at her in acknowledgement. "Hey, Cassandra," Hoshino began, "I'm ready for work~!" She stated, and Cassandra made a gesture to a couple customers that had just dropped on in. "Okay, have at it!"


With that, Hoshino made her way over to a familiar face. "Sam?" She questioned his name. She remembered him slightly from the first day she was here, being that they both waited for Alice to awaken. Hoshino had to take her leave before she did, though. With a soft and welcoming smile, she spoke to him. "Welcome to Café Maria," she began, "My name is Hoshino, and I'll be your server this evening." She handed him a menu before continuing. "Is there anything you'd like to order? I'd recommend the hot chocolate, especially in this nice autumn weather," she stated, maintaining a soothing aura and poise composure. She simply smiled over at him with her glistening blood red eyes, awaiting his response. In the meantime, one couldn't tell where her thoughts were wandering off to. She kept it all locked away deep inside, unable to be seen from her exterior.


I hope my father is okay... Still, he's probably already back at work. That idiot. He should be taking it easy.. Ugh, I know that man too well. I'm going to call him later and make sure he's eating properly. Perhaps I can bring him home some things from here? I should be getting discounts now that I'm an employee. Yeah, I'll do that. But, in the meantime, I've gotta keep working. Keep your head in the game, Hoshino. Just keep your head in the game.








<p><a href="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2014_06/Vintage.png.9bf00dd68fad4f4a3c36cd81bc617b7c.png" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="20238" src="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2014_06/Vintage.png.9bf00dd68fad4f4a3c36cd81bc617b7c.png" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p>


Wallet ($89.67) x 1


Caramel Candy x 5


Juicy Fruit Gum x 10


Gom the Teddy Bear x 1

 

[TerraBooma]

Cafe Maria


Talking to Hoshino

​

Sam grins, both that she'd remembered him, and that she recommended the hot chocolate. "Nice to see you again Hoshino. Yah sure, I'll take one of those that'd be great." He laughs. "To be honest it's what I was planning to get when I came, but thanks for the recommendation!" He looks around then sighs. "I take it you got a job here, so I'm guessing they don't need someone like me." He shrugs. "No harm in asking though, you guys got a position for a janitor or something?" However when he returns his gaze he gets a feeling that something...is off with her, he only met her on the tour but she seemed so upbeat and happy, there's something about the look in her eyes that seems sad, so he speaks up. "Hey, you alright? you don't look as cheery as you did last time we met." Sam's always been good at reading people, especially when it comes to figuring out when something is wrong. While he probably would never see somebody trying to pull something on him he's good at sensing and seeing all the cues of someone who's sad and stressed, mostly because he knows those feelings better then anybody.


(As long as its okay with Crystal Sam will see soemthing's off, if you don't want him to I can edit.)

 

[Crystalline]

Spoiler

Mental Health: 15/20


Low = She's going insane.


High = Feeling sharp and witty.


███████████████


Physical Health: 20/20


Low = Feeling ill and sickly.


High = Feeling nice and healthy.


████████████████████


Emotional Health: 12/20


Low = Feeling sad and depressed.


High = Feeling happy and chipper.


████████████


Energy & Strength: 17/20


Low = Feeling weak and tired.


High = Feeling strong and resilient.


█████████████████

<p><a href="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2014_06/57a8bf6a5a624_HoshinosSecondNewPowerIcon.png.77f7a8082dcd765c985b01fff2dcf7e2.png" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="20243" src="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2014_06/57a8bf6a5a624_HoshinosSecondNewPowerIcon.png.77f7a8082dcd765c985b01fff2dcf7e2.png" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p>


~{Café Maria}~


~{With Cecilia & Sam}~




​

Hoshino nodded as he stated his order. "You got it," she stated, and then listened as he asked about any job openings. With a shrug, Hoshino wasn't sure how to respond. She had just started working here, after all. "The waitresses normally do everything, including the cleaning. I remember them really needing help when I came along, so perhaps you could be a waiter or work at the register for the folks who take things to-go," she stated, and then motioned over to Cassandra. "She's the girl to talk to, not me. Perhaps they need someone to wash dishes in the back or something, if you only want to do the cleaning," Hoshino stated, and then she decided she should go call in his order.


Before she could turn around to take her leave, however, she listened as he asked her if anything was wrong. She's always prided herself in maintaining a good facade, but perhaps it was beginning to crumble. Her only true family member was suffering from a possibly fatal condition, so of course she couldn't keep it entirely hidden, she supposed. With a smile that spread up to her shimmering eyes, she nodded again at him. "I'm fine, Sam. Thank you for asking," she stated, not really being one to put her feelings on the line for someone she just met. What she was dealing with was her problem, and her problem alone. She knew and realized that.


With that, she flashed him one more smile. "I'll go put your order in," she stated, finally turning around and heading over to the counter. "One cup of hot chocolate, please!" She spoke, and with a thumbs up, the people in the back began working on it. Being that it was an easy to prepare beverage, it was done in no time at all, and she brought it back to Sam swiftly. "Here you go," she stated as she handed him the warm and soothing drink. "It's a little hot, so I wouldn't drink it too quickly," she spoke, that being the basic warning all waitresses give to customers. With that, Hoshino looked over at him with questioning eyes. "Is there anything else you'd like to order?"

 

[IAmEnzo]

<-


| Evening |


| Thursday |


| September 26, 2014 |

​

Seeing Akira off safely, Dominic let out a breath of air and turned towards the gates. At the time, he wasn't so worried about their current predicament. A week ago he would have figured his entire life was on a different path in life, but here he was, where everyone was - enjoying the day-to-day tasks that any normal teenager would endure. Dominic had to be grateful for the outcome they were given despite being arrested over suspicion of murder.


And speaking of murder.


"Ey'."


Hearing a familiar voice to his side and a prod on his arm, Dominic turned to see Damian coming from apparently nowhere.


"So I have some things to tell you..."


The smile Dominic bore whenever he greeted someone simply dropped. Damian wasn't one to be the bearer of bad news, but when it had to come to Dominic's attention, it never boded well. "..What's wrong?" He asked with a worried tone. In his mind, he was prepared for the worst. Something told him that he wasn't about to win the lottery.

 

[Father Voltaire]

|Armstrong High Entrance|


|Spilling the beans|




​

Damian took a second to let out a huge sigh. This information bothered him just as much as it disheartened Dominic. "Well... We have two new Zodiacs now. Farra and Nikky. They both have some sort of Zodiac. Farra mentioned something like... Nexus? Nikky's actually got all up close and personal with me. What's bothering me is, I'm unsure of Farra's intention with a Zodiac. We don't need another me, or something worse than I walking around. Nikky, I'm sure she's going to try and help but that's just one more life we have to put into priority. So, we've got that to worry about... Plus, Lance met another Zodiac by the name of Cecelia who promises to cure his hollowing. But we don't know what the cost is, nor how she would do it... If my hunch is right we may even have more Zodiac lurking about. These new faces seem to appear in groups. Just like the first number of hosts did. Specifically, everyone in Limbo. They all seemed to have a Zodiac, possibly just as long as me it seems. And so coincidentally as well... So, we may have to keep our eyes open." Damian ran his hand through his jet black hair. Quite a mouthful he just admit to Dominic but it was preferable if he was warned now. Last thing he needs is to see more bodies out on the battlefield uninvited. Damian slouched his shoulders and looked off into the street, where that girl Dominic was speaking with had been walking down. Oddly enough, seeing her reminding him of the group project he also meant to approach him about. His eyes perked open and it almost looked like his hair jumped up from the shock. "Oh yeah, the group project. What are we even doing? I've been so wrapped up in Zodiac stuff I didn't get much done there." Damian asked with a ping of worry in his voice.

|Beside her host|


|Being volleyed upon by curious artillery|




​

Just like when they first met, Hotaru slung a maelstrom of questions her way. Marabel never really minded it as she liked the attention and being able to answer Hotaru's questions. She felt like she had some keep to her. Pondering on where to begin Marabel tapped her bottom lip and started thinking about her little adventure with the other Zodiacs. "Hummm, well... I was visited by Tyrik! I think she's your friends Zodiac! The one with the big ole' axe. She was asking me about Hollows and how they've been so scarce. So we all went on an adventure to go see other Zodiacs and if they've been having the same problem! I saw Lance, Bastion, and someone new named Cecelia? She was adorable and had a bear head! I want a bear head now... Oh! My mushroom? It's not real! I sew it together a loooong time ago and I could make you one! I just need more thread and stuff. Oh? My hair! Thank you! It's all wet though... I like it!" Marabel's cheery disposition died when she got to Hotaru's last statement about being attacked. Her brow furrowed and her tiny grin fell to a mortified frown. "You were attacked...? I'm... I'm sorry. I was so busy with Tyrik and I-- Oh no... I'm a bad Zodiac. Does this mean what the others say is true?" Marabel's eyes started to well up and stream tears from their sides. She began silently weeping, holding herself and facing the ground to hide her shame from Hotaru. "I'll try to be more helpful from now on..."

​

 

[TerraBooma]

Café Maria


Talking to Hoshino

​

Sam smiles softly as Hoshino denies nothing is wrong, and then gets him a hot chocolate, he's surprised however when she asks if he wants anything more. "Anything more for me?" He thinks. "No thanks, I'm good." But instead of sending her off he speaks up again. "You want anything? He sighs. "I guess that was a bit of a personal question considering we don't know each other very well, and I'm going to assume your off your shift soon." He shrugs. "Take this as a peace offering?" Sam knows that Hoshino probably won't talk to him about whatever is bugging her, and he probably stepped inside her personal space doing so. This is a way he feels he can make it up to her in a way that she'll like. On the first day he came here she seemed to eat one of everything in the cafe's stock, not that he can afford it. That aside he does want to become friends with Hoshino, and this seems like a pretty decent place to start.

 

[IAmEnzo]

<-


| Evening |


| Thursday |


| September 26, 2014 |


| In front of ASH |


| School Grounds |




​

Dominic's expression worsened upon hearing what's been happening these last few days. While he was living in ignorant bliss, more Zodiac had shown up and claimed their hosts. Strangely enough, more students from the school. Dominic shoved his hands into his pocket and focused on the ground in front of him, contemplating what he had just heard. "Farra and Nikky, huh?" That left a bitter ting to it. While he didn't know the two very well, he could bet his life that he would soon enough. "And Cecilia? I'll ask Kenshi to check her out." If it was one thing he knew about the wolf, it's that he was nosy.


Dominic groaned after a period of silence. "This is getting out of hand, Damian. I thought we were done with all of that, but why do I suddenly have the feeling that we aren't?"

 

[storm3510]

The cut-short images of small actions were seen briefly on screen: A foot dressed in a glossy and black laced shoe, covering a snow white sock above a tan and smooth leg, stepped in the doorway unto a dark brown carpet. Cut. A figure swung through the door and closed it behind her, the face not being seen but the hair having fallen out of the bun and swinging behind her as she moved. Cut. The tan hand of hers, grasping the door handle and closing the door shut while the free hand twisted the lower lock and inserted the chain lock above into its slot and sliding it to the right to prevent entry. Cut. Finally, the girl, Akira, turned her back to the door and looked at the dorm in front of her.

♦♥♣♠Dormitory Unit #416 (Akira’s Dorm)♠♣♥♦

​

The lights weren’t on. They didn’t need to be. The warm light of the setting sun in the distance was providing enough for her. And soon enough, the light of the sky’s crescent moon would achieve the same feat. She’d forgotten to turn off her automatic in the morning, despite the fact that it shut off automatically when another source of light was present, hence why it wasn’t on, now and nor was it earlier. She quickly flipped of the automatic light switch nearest her bed and walked over to her dresser. Cautiously, she dropped her things to the floor without making too much noise. She then looked about the dorm, examining the temporary home. It looked the same as she’d left it in the morning; the same as when she’d looked not even a whole thirty seconds ago. She then sighed, unbuttoning the grey jacket she wore over her undershirt as her school uniform. She then unraveled the tie around her neck, snatching it off and throwing it to the floor, and then afterward unbuttoned the first three holdings of her fitted ecru-colored dress shirt, revealing a dangling black stone tied to a small assortment of black string around her neck.

​

It was the small black onyx stone that she and Hannah had found when they were younger.


“I haven’t taken this off since that day, Hannah… Not since I left. And I pray you haven’t taken yours off, either.” She thought, touching the necklace with her index and middle fingers, softly. She immediately thought of Hannah’s would-be response to her words while she walked over to her bed:


“B-but you have to take it off to shower, right!? You’ll make yourself uncomfortable! And you’ll damage the string a-and then you won’t be able to wear it ever again! I’ll have to make you a new one!” The familiar voice rang loudly and clearly in her head.


“Yes…” She thought, “That’s definitely something that girl would say…” She smiled, softly. For the first time in a matter of almost a week, she reached her hands behind her neck and began to unravel the necklace’s tied knot. She never intended on taking it off, so it was a struggle to remove the tight knot that it was in for a short moment. After a while, she managed to remove it and placed the onyx jewel on the table nearby, slowly removing the crimson ribbon from her hair that held the bun in its tight placement and placing it next to the necklace. She walked over to her dresser once more, which now held her clothes in them, and began taking out her undergarments and some pajamas as she walked into the bathroom and changed. After exiting, she sat on her bed, looking at the necklace for a short moment.


“That boy… Sam… I’d swear you both were twins from different parents based on how he acts. And Dominic, you’d probably like him, too. He’s a little strange, but… you’d like him. It’s a little hard to do this while I’m here without you but I think things are working themselves out.” She thought, turning her attention to the small flow of light coming from her window. She then reached over and grabbed her bag, taking out books from her classes, laying papers out in front of her and beginning to work, though it didn’t take long for her thoughts to begin roaming again:


“I suppose… I’ll be seeing you, Dominic.” Her memories emerged from earlier... “Hmph… I’ll be seeing you, huh? If I didn’t know any better… I’d swear that I—…” The sound of her phone vibrating loudly in her bag suddenly shut off the roaming conjectures. She reached in her bag and grabbed it, seeing the caller I.D. belonged to none other than her father, whose name she still had yet to register as “Dad” for more reasons than she was willing to admit. The phone vibrated a few more times as she stared blankly at it. This wasn’t the first time he’d called and she didn’t answer. She hadn’t spoken to him ever since the unexpected drop off at the gates of the Armstrong High School Dormitories that day. The fact that he’d long since learned how to text, and continuously lectured her via said consecutive texts didn’t make it any better. She’d put it off for long enough, and after the final vibration, she pressed the area of the touch screen occupied by the green “Answer” button.


“Hello?” She spoke, quietly but clearly.


“Ki-Ki baby? Is that you!? Is that my baby!?” The voice was most definitely not her father’s… but it was someone else’s that she knew for sure.


“M-mother?” Akira's voice quivered. It was a lousy guess. For her mother was always the proper toned one. And there was an entire assortment of others' voices to choose from, that term was just the first to come to mind!


“Naw, baby! This is your Grandmama talking! How you been? Still mad at ya daddy, I see!”


“G--… I’ve… been fine. It’s just--…”


“You don’t gotta explain it to me, honey! I’m STILL pissed about the move! Do you know how many good lookin men I had to say goodbye to when that stuck up daddy of yours brought up that “better move for a better life” plan of his? Pssh! I ain’t seen so many men cry in my life! You know they loved them some Big Mama! Ahahaha!!” Akira couldn’t help but giggle along with her, eventually allowing it to turn into a soft laughter. “But anyway, baby, I know you still mad at that man, but he only did what he did because he loves ya. You’re a beautiful and bright little girl, and he only wants what’s best for you, just like we all do!”


“… Thank you. And… and I know. I just wish he’d have told me earlier than what he did.”


“Girl, I understand. But listen to me, now. If you bout to fire a bullet through a man’s heart, it won’t matter if you tell him a day earlier, an hour earlier, or a second earlier. A bullet’s a bullet and a heart’s a heart. Whether or not you gone survive is up to how strong yo heart is!”


“B-but Gran—“


“Girl, I know can’t nobody survive a bullet to the heart, but you get my point!” She laughed heartily. Akira knew the logic behind her analogy was a mess, but it still made sense. She could either confront her future, or remain stuck in her past. The choices available were obvious to her. Which to take was the question.


“Thank you, Grandmother… I love you.”


“Oh, I know you do! Hell, I love me some ME, baby!” The two laughed for a moment before the woman on the other end sighed. “And I love you too, Akira. You been collecting any of those pretty rocks like the one you found for me when you were little? You know you always would make a good archeolologistical person thing!”


“An archeologist?”


“Girl, that’s what I said! Armadillo! Anyway, ya daddy trippin about me leavin my clothes in the ceiling fan to dry for too long like he can’t afford ten more! I’ll talk to you later, boo!”


“I’ll talk to you later, too.”


“Bye bye, babe!”


“Bye!” There was a short click on the other end as Akira looked at her phone and then at her notes, placing the phone on her nearby dresser and returning to her studies. That woman had a strange way of lifting her spirits. And she loved it.

Spoiler

 

[Kiosk]

"I'm sorry, but I can't be your partner anymore."

​

And then she was gone, just like that. Nikky stood there for a moment trying to correctly piece together what had happened. A smile formed on her face and the girl chuckled to herself, her laughter was bitter and mixed with sadness. She wrapped her arms around herself, while trying to hold herself back from full blown sobbing. The girl took a deep breath attempting to ease and steady herself. Her mind raced, realizing that maybe she really was a horrible person and even Hotaru could see it. She could've broken down and cried right there, but that kind of attention isn't what she liked. So she decided to go home.


She slung her totebag on the ground as she walked into her humble abode. Her dorm was messy with clothes and school things scattered about, she couldn't even see her desk anymore underneathe the clutter. As much as she loved a clean room, she was just too lazy sometimes. And she certainly wasn't in the mood for picking up after herself now. The girl didn't even bother going to the bed and just collapsed onto her floor, she felt awful, and she was awful. she deserved to feel this way after all, she didn't think Hotaru would hate her and now that she did, she really didn't know. Nikky reached over and fished out the potato in her bag, which she had intended to give to Hotaru. She turned it over in her hands and plucked off the note on it, it read-

"Will you be the mash to my potatoes?"




​

Or something goofy like that, she figured if it was corny enough- or rather, starchy enough- they'd make up and everything would be better in the end. It was a dream that was even more highly unlikely to happen now that she knew the girl hated her. She stared down at the root in her hands; Nikky had already gotten some of the project done but now wasn't a matter of being partners. She had to apologize, one way or another. Even if in the end, Nakamura still hated her guts; it would atleast ease her own mind.


Her stomach churned at the thought of facing her again.


To take her mind off things Nikky turned on her laptop and checked her messages, one was from a boy named James. Nikky tilted her head and a quizzical look on her face. it was apparent she didn't know a James. He had wanted to be science partners, that was a bit off putting. She couldn't even remember what the boy looked like if she did meet him. She decided not to worry about it. And moved on to her other emails, many of them from her father. The girl smiled and rolled her eyes as she read through the many messages left by her parental unit. But then as he asked about her pet ferret; the guilt started to well up and she bit her lip. She needed to message her aunt to go pick up Yazhi, she rubbed her temples imagining how much fun this was going to be trying to explain to Emilia. She clicked compose and began typing up the message that would likely be her death sentence.

Spoiler

Lint, laziness, don't look here Ifeelsooutofit