[center][img]https://i.postimg.cc/2S3gNgPd/Shuuko-Banner.png[/img] [color=#D8CD9F]”Now that I’ve hijacked the GM post, I can have cool text under my banner.”[/color] [color=teal]"Don’t you mean [i]our[/i] banner?"[/color] [color=red]”Don’t you mean [i]memetastic[/i] text?”[/color] [color=888888]— The Triplets[/color][/center] [color=red]”Am I seeing the whole picture?”[/color] This was Ember’s sole focus for the day. She had been thinking on what happened a while ago with Tsubomi, on how it shifted their dynamic and why. If she were honest with herself, there were very few days she did not ask this question of herself. It seemed significant, somehow, that they now possessed bodies in Shuuko’s mental scape; perhaps they were becoming different people? No, they still shared their links. It puzzled the schemer, for while the red-haired woman had many areas of expertise, magic and its strange, seemingly non-sensical interaction was not one of them. But who could she ask about it, when her best avenue of investigation might be the biggest threat to the Detention Club as a whole, not to mention completely untrustworthy? No, she would have to try getting to the bottom of it on her own. First, however, she needed to figure out what to do about the recent incident with Sylvia so she coul- Shuuko’s body reeled from the impact. Ember could barely keep her reaction in check as the protector almost seized control by instinct, followed by a foul feeling bubbling up from the bottom of her consciousness. She should have paid more attention to her surroundings. Bumping into another classmate just because Shuuko had some troubles that were visible even to those without a keen eye did not suit a member of the detention club. Fortunately, Ember knew what to reply. Frowning her brows, she had Shuuko’s eyes examine Misoka from top to bottom before she opened her mouth. [color=red]”Thank you very much for asking, however, there is nothing that troubles me.”[/color] She bowed her head at precisely polite incline,then she looked up and frowned her brows. [color=red]”What about yourself, though? Forgive me if I overstep, but you look like you have been dragged through mud.”[/color] Worry coloured her voice, the implied question clear in the undertones of her question: Did someone do this to you? [color=90EE90]”Wha-”[/color] Misoka looked at herself over. [color=90EE90]”Dragged through the mud? That’s hyperbole I take it?”[/color] It had to be. Her uniform was dry, if just a bit dirty. Though this was uncommon for a girl with Misoka’s qualities to look like a tomboy. She pinched the bridge of her nose. [color=90EE90]”I see how it is. Very well.”[/color] Misoka turned around to depart when Roche greeted both of them. [color=90EE90]”O-oh!”[/color] She fixed a smile on her face before answering the track captain. [color=90EE90]”We’ve just met, actually.”[/color] She glanced over her shoulder at Shuuko before looking back ahead. [color=90EE90]”And you’re the second person to comment on my appearance since my run-in here. I must really look horrible… If you think stretching can help me, I’m all for learning more about it. We can eat too, right? Or are you sustained by your training?”[/color] [hr] [center][img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/aef3087a-5b67-4c7a-b700-3c45c3052f60.png[/img] [color=tomato]"Maybe I’ll save the chadette thing for later…”[/color] [color=888888]— Suki Oyama[/color][/center] Suki continued to watch the transfer student and Tsubomi interact. She had her head propped up on her fist and her eyebrows were high on her head. Not a lot had happened yet, but it felt like something was going to happen. A normal girl would have gotten bored or irritated with Tsubomi’s Tsubominess by now. Yet she seemed determined to help the strange student no matter what. It would be fruitless, of course. No normal girl could help Tsubomi with her problems, but seeing her work so hard with Tsubomi did give Suki some hope that maybe, when they finally met, she’d be just as patient. The delinquent was a little too absorbed in the display and hadn’t noticed Kiyo’s arrival. She continued to stare off until Kiyo dropped her fist into the table. She did not hit the table hard, but that hardly mattered. From Suki’s perspective, [i]someone[/i] teleported into the seat across from her, and was now filling her vision. With a yelp, she swatted her lunch box towards Kiyo. But halfway through the action she realized who was seated with her, and promptly attempted to smack it off course. She clipped the bottom of it, and the lunch box spun in the air.Suki continued to frantically bat the thing, juggling it to and fro without letting it hit Kiyo. Eventually, she was able to catch her lunch box and set it down in front of herself. She closed her eyes. A sigh escaped Suki’s lips. Though when her eyes opened up again, she looked inside her empty lunch box and realized that something was amiss. She had brought Endless Eclipse in a black and red plastic bowl, which was no longer inside the box. When she looked up, Suki saw that the empty bowl had landed on Kiyo’s head. She stared at Kiyo for a moment. Then, Suki took her lunchbox and placed it over her own head. One corner of the box rested on her forehead while her pigtails came out at either side. [color=tomato]"Now nobody can read our thoughts.”[/color] This was untrue though. The metal lunchbox on Suki’s head was far better at repelling mind reading than Kiyo’s plastic bowl. [hr] [b]”...Hello?”[/b] The man called out, but Norika didn’t answer. She had the advantage of being up a floor and not in a place anyone could reach without a ladder or some extreme parkour skills. He wouldn’t be able to tell if she was even there as long as she stayed silent. She could hear him sigh, but he hadn’t left. If he had, she would have heard that truck of his start up again. Instead, he rang the doorbell. Again. Before long, a servant came to the door. Norika couldn’t place the name, but it was one of the voices that belittled her every time she heard it. [b]”Who are you?”[/b] [b]”I was told by mister Tsukishima to get in touch with him directly.”[/b] [b]”Who are you?”[/b] The servant repeated. [b]”Mister Tsukishima told me not to say. I’m to get in touch with him directly.”[/b] [b]”When I go fetch Mister Tsukishima for you, and he asks me who’s bothering him, what should I tell him?”[/b] The man hummed in thought. [b]”Tell Mister Tsukishima that a man wishes to see him, and that he says the numbers were very helpful.”[/b] The servant excused themselves with a grunt, and the front door swung shut. [b]”[i]Fuck[/i] your mother.”[/b] He said it loud enough to be heard through the door. Things were quiet for a time, but the truck didn’t start back up. The door opened again, this time the voice was far more familiar. It was Norika’s father. [b]”Apologies for that. Good help is hard to come by.”[/b] He laughed. Norika knew it was fake. [b]”I trust you bring good tidings?”[/b] [b]”I know who has your money.”[/b] [b]”...Ah, that [i]is[/i] most fortunate.”[/b] He laughed. Norika knew it was genuine. [b]”The front step is no place to talk about such things. My wife and I are enjoying a meal, perhaps you’d like to join us?”[/b] [b]”Sure, but one thing. There was a girl by the-”[/b] [b]”Oh! Put her out of your mind…”[/b] He clicked his tongue. [b]”She knows the sun is bad for her, but she’ll stare at strangers instead of tending to her homework.”[/b] [b]”Whatever you say. What’s for lunch?”[/b] [b]”What would you like?”[/b] They continued to talk as they passed the threshold of the door, but it was getting harder to hear them from her room.