Hero

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona

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The Cooking Club's room was absolutely pristine, with every countertop and stove polished and shined to the point where if the sun pointed into the room, it could potentially blind a person. Its size was impressive and it boasted several top-of-the-line stoves, ovens, and a variety of different mixers. Pots and pans hung from above, almost making the place feel like a restaurant's kitchen, and a few cabinets lined up the opposite wall. Despite its size, however, it was remarkedly empty.

Only two people currently occupied the room and were huddled together over the only stovetop that was currently turned on. One was the girl that Genki had take note of. She stood tall, a hand on her forehead as an expression of exasperation pained her. The other was a boy who looked younger and on the verge of either bursting into hysterics or a rant, it was hard to tell. But there was a passion burning in his eyes as he watched the pot eagerly, hands itching to lift the pot.

At the sound of Genki's voice, however, the two looked over at him. After properly hearing what he had to say, the boy continued to watch the stove as the girl approached him, bearing a grin. "Nice to meet you, Mori Genki-san," Her voice was light and airy as she spoke, fitting her appearance. "I'm Mizuame Rin. You can just call me Linda."

Pausing for a moment, she threw a glare over the boy's way. "That's Kaito. I'm really glad you showed up, I was starting to think Kaito forgot to put up the recruitment posters!" She told him cheerfully.

At the sound of his name, the brunet threw an offended look at the pair. "After going through all the work of making them, of course I was going to put them up!" He replied, pouting.

Linda motioned for Genki to follow her as she returned to Kaito's side. "Actually, a lot of the members of the Cooking Club graduated last year, so I was a little worried about our numbers. There were only two second years last year, and Kaito here is a first year whose brother I know," She explained. "So now it's just the two of us. Now the three of us! All we need is one or two members and we'll get funding for the year!"

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_{@Lord Orgasmo}

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The Student Council Room wasn't much different from before with the exception of a noticeable polish. There was a whiteboard set up on one wall with a projector hanging from above and desks arranged in a square. While there were nameplates with markers behind them, they had nothing on them yet. On one side of the whiteboard, however, there was a list of names and positions written down in neat handwriting.

The door of the student council room slid open and a male student slipped in. He jumped in place as he spotted Oka, letting out a small laugh as he realized how silly he looked. Taking a seat at the table, he took out a small bag from his backpack before placing it on the ground next to him. As he unzipped the bag, the shine of a camera lens poked out. Once he was satisfied, he closed the bag and pushed it over to his right, giving Oka his full attention.

"Good afternoon, senpai!" He greeted her. "I'm Kinoshita Sora, a first year. I'll be the council's secretary this year."

---

_@Entityx

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The Archery Clubroom was as active as ever, with a majority of its members fawning over the new room. A majority of the equipment was stored safely in one corner of the room, but the new targets had been laid out already. Despite the excitement, however, there was some anxiety rolling around coming from the younger members.

Standing closest to the wall was the captain that Yori addressed. There wasn't much that was remarkable appearance-wise, but everyone in the club and even some outside of it knew that she wasn't someone to trifle with. She had been the number two of the club ever since she arrived in her first year and knew how to help lead the members. It was only natural that she was gifted the title of captain, so it didn't come as much of a surprise to anyone. That said, however, even she looked a little concerned, though it was promptly shelved as she was greeted.

"Welcome back, Sasaki," She greeted her cordially, lighting up. After a few seconds, however, she let out a small sigh. "I'm not sure if you've heard, but there's been some rumors that our funding is getting cut. If it's true, we're not going to be able to support as many people as we'd like."

_@RiverMaiden

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Of Blood and Magic

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The boy assaulted who now?! Did Sunny finally break under the pressure? Eris couldn't really stop his jaw dropping from shock, but he did miraculously hold back the hollow laugh that was about to follow. Huh, the kid snapped a lot sooner than expected, Eris figured it would've been maybe at least a year. Oh wait a second, Ismene did mention he had called, didn't she? He expected that much, but he didn't think the kid would lose it like that.

"Mmm...the dedication is admirable," He replied slowly, albeit his expression wasn't too impressed. "Better than finding out he had a secret celebration, I suppose."

But he wasn't going to get into that. Unfortunately, Eris didn't have too much to offer. "My grandfather wanted to see me about exchanging some assets, but aside from confirming that Adonis' investments went down faster than a mortal with whisky, it wasn't what I had hoped for," He rolled his eyes. As fun as it was seeing his cousins try and fail to reach his own magnitude of success, he had seen that one coming from a mile away.

"I'm more interested in the meeting tonight," He stole a glance at his watch, trying not to grin. "It'll be the first time Malek and Ismene interact without us around. I'm very interested to hear how that goes." He was all too aware that Ismene was essentially losing her seat at the top, and no amount of smartassery or lying was going to convince him that she was just okay with the changes. But he was extremely interested to see how she would handle it, that much was for sure.

He took the blindfold and wrapped it around his eyes. "I can take solace with knowing I have a lot in the pipeline. I'm going to end up making that debut sooner than later, too," He may or may not have already set out the rumor that the two were going out in preparation for his next hunt, but that was something for later. For now, he'd pop in the earbuds, smoothing his shirt as he readied himself.

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@Achronum

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Lilie was glad Esi was just as excited and ready to go as she was. She had no idea that there would be two teachers this time around, however. What interested her the most, however, was the mention of resonance research--her eyebrows shot up so quickly they probably looked like they were going to fly off her face. For some reason she had always thought of researchers being the type of people to get locked away in labs, or placed in cities--she honestly never imagined she'd get the chance to actually meet one! He wasn't exactly what she was expecting, either, but that wasn't really so much as a bad thing as it was, again, surprising.

Once the time came for the class to start, however, she shelved all those thoughts. The girl practically bounced into place, her heart racing with anticipation as she listened intently. Manipulating an element with another person sounded a little tricky, but it was still a challenge she was eager to step up to. She still felt like she had something to prove, so she made sure to mentally go over everything she had learned so far as she approached the barrel.

"Let's do our best!" She told Johnathan as she decided to take the lead. He already had practice, so it was up to her to catch up. She didn't want to come off as too cautious, but she did dip her fingers into the barrel, pulling up a handful's worth. The sooner she tested their limits, the better, right? With that in mind, she took in a deep breath and sent it over.

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Heiseina: Memories Long Forgotten

wow this crowd is poppin'

Fire Emblem: The Slumbering Goddess

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As the students moved and made their decisions, Michail was already reining in the horses back to the carriages. One, in particular, seemed grumpy about cutting their break short, but it couldn't be helped. If whoever was responsible for the explosion had decided to use that much force, than pillaging the village wasn't their goal. It was likely to be a slaughter of some sorts. The only thing he couldn't really figure out was why, though; aside from the farmlands nearby, Luin wasn't exactly a booming village. Even its name had been borrowed from the hero that had saved it, nothing of importance originated from there.

As he tightened the strap of the bar connecting horse to the carriage, he noticed Tomai nearby doing the complete opposite. They were going in with one carriage and leaving the other two behind as they needed to be as mobile as possible. He was still surprised the guy was doing as much, but he supposed everyone would put their dislikes aside when it came to something important. What was more, aside from Euphemia's initial protest, Tomai hadn't uttered a word to the contrary. He was so sure he would've been called reckless or suicidal, but nope. Tomai noticed Michail's stare, offering a shrug as if he already knew what he was thinking.

"I'm surprised," Michail ended up outright admitting as Tomai brought the freed horse over.

"As funny as it would be to watch you try to singlehandedly take on an entire army of bandits on your own, this is as good an opportunity as any," Tomai replied. "We can only shield them for so long."

That did seem more like a Tomai response. "To be honest, I just thought it would be easier this way," Michail said, adjusting the saddle. "Some of these kids would've been reckless and followed me. At least this way, it'll be safer."

Tomai nodded in agreement. "It's smart. I forget sometimes that you're an actual knight," He mused, ignoring Michail's strained smile as he looked over at the students. He watched Isolde pull herself up, raising his eyebrows. "All but two. You really have a way with words."

"That's not it," Michail corrected him, lifting himself up and over the horse. "They're ready to see the world outside theirs. That's all."

Tomai looked over to Kaira, who was handing the reins to Euphemia. Two free horses, one carriage, one knight, one archer, two mages, eight students going to the village. That much barely qualified as a brigade, but it couldn't be helped. Closing his eyes for a moment, he listened intently as the wind blew past them. Once he opened his eyes, he looked back up at Michail.

"We're up against two dozen bandits. A majority of them are already inside the village, but there are some lingering at the edge. I think they're looking to raze the village to the ground," He stated. "I suggest we take a few seconds to go over a formation."

Michail chewed on the corner of his lip as he listened. That many, huh? As he looked around, however, he had to put a pause to that thought. "It looks like they've all made their decisions," He noted out loud. "Get yourselves ready, once I finish talking to this pair, we're going."

He made sure to be as gentle with the horse as possible--even it seemed to sense the unrest nearby. He stopped in front of Lienna, looking the girl up and down. Resisting the urge to smile, he made sure she was looking at him before he would speak. "I'm leaving the two carriages to you," He stated, motioning to the nearly empty weapon carriage and the one the professors had previously occupied. "Remember what I said: don't assume you're safe here. We don't know what their objective is or what they're looking for. Stay on your guard and watch each other's backs."

Digging around in his satchel, he pulled out a small, silver wand adorned with a white crystal on top. "If trouble comes looking for you, concentrate into it, it'll release a minor cloaking spell in the form of a fog," He explained. "You can use it to run to us, or hide, or whatever you'd like."

Looking up, he let out a shrill whistle at Veronica, who had already decided to take a seat on a nearby log. She looked wholly disinterested in the entire situation, not even having bothered speaking to anyone. She briefly looked up from her nails to raise an eyebrow at Michail, waving her free hand. "I heard you," She muttered.

"Good," Michail looked back down at Lienna, giving her one last nod before riding over to the carriages. At this point, everyone had been squished back in fully equipped. He wished they had armor, but it was too late for that. Euphemia came over on her own horse, an ornate longbow slung around her chest. Tomai was already seated at the front of the carriage, stifling a yawn but clearly ready to go. The only one left was Kaira, who had still been rummaging through the carriage of the weapons.

"Ah! Michail!" She called, waving her arm for attention. "I'm not sure which role I should fill."

Michail looked back at the students, hastily putting together what he remembered. Imogen, Kellen, and the prince were all sword users, though he didn't doubt Clarissa would have her sword at the ready as well despite playing more of a support role. Auberon and Derec were also front line fighters with an axe and lance respectively, then there was Jorah with his bow. He would be with the front liners, Euphemia would be joining Jorah in the backlines, and Tomai was their only mage.

"Grab a staff of some sort, we're gonna need more firepower," He called. He waited as she did what she was told, offering her his hand. Once she was settled behind him, he let out another whistle. "Let's go!" He called.

"Roger," Tomai replied, taking a second to look back at the carriage. "Don't fall out." He suggested, lifting his arms and whipping the reins down harshly. The horses and carriage charged off, with the Kalonic duo hastily charging forward. Kaira hung onto Michail's armor, giving the village a nervous look.

"Our first goal is driving back the bandits!" Michail called out, his voice somehow heard clearly despite the movement. "We're splitting into three teams to accomplish this: Auberon, Derec, and Isolde will be on the offensive. You're joining me in the front and we're going to focus on getting the bandits' attention the best we can. Clarissa, Jorah, and Tomai will take center and make sure to cover any holes in our lineup--Clarissa, you're going to be taking up a majority of the support role, so we're going to be counting on you. Imogen, Kellen, and Kayden will be our backups and make sure to push back anyone that'd be dumb enough to try to surround us while making sure any villagers can get out."

Kaira's grip tightened on Michail, frowning at him. "Should I--"

"Euphemia is going to find the leader. As soon as the leader is found, we're going to bumrush them--once you get them out of the way, the rest should scatter," He cut her off. "No one do anything reckless. Stick to the plan, and we'll be fine."

Euphemia nodded, riding close to Michail. "Understood. I'm going off solo, then," She told him.

"Do it," He said, taking a second to look back at Kaira. She looked up at him, uncertain, but he shook his head, focusing instead on the village ahead. "Here we are! Get out and get moving!"

The carriage's halt was less than ideal, though the adrenaline was starting to rush through everyone. Euphemia followed suit, only looking back to shout, "Stay sharp!" before disappearing into the chaos.

Kaira hopped off Michail's horse, looking around at the destruction. The screams were somehow covered by the explosion, with a majority of people running around trying to flee and save themselves. A multitude of thugs in mismatched clothing and hackneyed weapons littered the area, breaking into homes and eagerly setting anything aflame as quickly as they could. Scorch marks surrounded the edge of one village--it had been where the initial explosion had happened.

Looking back at the students dropping out of the carriage, she felt like she should say something. As she opened her mouth to speak, however, the hairs on the back of her neck stood, and she turned back around to see what looked like half a dozen bandits looking right at them.

"They're here already?!" She gasped, backing up.

"Don't let your guard down!" Michail called. "The battle's already started!"

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona

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The sudden slam threw Sakuya off guard, eyes widening a touch. What was with this reaction? Was Hoshino really this averse to being told to do the bare minimum and keep out of trouble? A part of her thought that maybe there was some unknown misunderstanding or something. The rational thing to do would be to have a calm conversation and get to the bottom of it. However, even if that was the case, she didn't appreciate his action or his word. If he was trying to intimidate her, he was going to have to do a better job than that. She absolutely refused to back down, her glare matching his in intensity as her violet eyes locked onto his blue ones.

The tension all but evaporated as a third person joined the conversation--actually, he didn't so much join as he did barrel through, going so far as to sling an arm around Hoshino. Asakura Kazuyoshi was his name if she remembered correctly, though she couldn't say his face was one of comfort, especially with that stupid line. Who in their right mind would think she was trying to flirt? Was he that dense? It was absolutely ridiculous, further fueling the flames of her temper, but she managed to bite down the first response that came to mind. Even so, however, if looks could kill, she was pretty sure they'd both be on the floor.

"Your service is appreciated," Sakuya replied dryly, eyeing the other boy warily. "I expect you'll be on your best behavior this year, too, Asakura." She wasn't a stranger to his recklessness, either.

A tiny beep put a stop to anything else she wanted to say as she glanced down at her watch. Right, the meeting. The reminder actually served to calm her down greatly, albeit she wasn't going to just walk away without saying anything. Straightening up, Sakuya leveled a stern look on the pair. "Regardless of your guidance, it wouldn't do to abandon a new student. I'll be checking up on you once in a while to make sure you're acclimating properly. If there is any indication of the contrary, I'll make sure to step in," She reiterated, eyes landing on Hoshino again.

_@Asura@WXer

RWBY: Chasing Shadows

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The return of silence wasn't exactly comforting--Fiona half expected something else to jump out at them if they dropped their guard for even a second. Fiona backed away from the black smoke, double-checking her ammo. She did her best to be as efficient as possible, but she'd be lying if she said she hadn't wasted a few shots. The Grimm moved faster than she anticipated; she wasn't going to make the same mistake twice. The last thing she wanted was to end up being a burden on the team. Or worse--she'd end up being the weak point.

She was snapped out of her thoughts as a strong guest of wind blew away the smoke. Letting out a sigh of relief, she figured she should get her head back in the game. "Thank you, Kohaku," Fiona thanked her first and foremost. At least that was one less thing to worry about. Rio was eager to take point again, with his semblance revealing that there were, of course, more Grimm. She seemed to have the same thought as Saffron as the girl expressed curiosity on how big the bunker was.

"Regardless of the distance, it's best to stay on guard," She decided to remind them, taking her spot after Saffron. "This bunker seems to have been built some time ago, so there should still be a distance before reaching the depths of where the Grimm would house themselves."

After a brief pause of thought, she added, "Whatever Rio senses is likely a wandering group. Let's stay in formation as we proceed."

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Shin Megami Tensei: Persona

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The new student was certainly guarded. Sakuya could've been amused if she wasn't already in a bad mood, but her patience was already wearing thin. Was he testing her? She had no way of knowing what the source of the hostility could be. Perhaps he had issues with authority and Taniguchi thought she would be the best one to approach him. That sounded reasonable, but she wasn't sure, she was never good at guessing what people were like without knowing anything about them. Alternatively, he had already heard of her and decided that he wanted nothing to do with her following him around.

Would word have spread that quickly, though? He didn't seem that sociable--unless her classmates were determined to make sure everyone heard about that writing. It'd be impressive if it was put to some actual good use instead of being used for slander. Sakuya tried to see what she could get out of his expression, but aside from a very strong feeling of disdain, she was clueless. How did Natsuhime just walk up to anyone? Then again, the girl was much more charming and charismatic. Being charming and cute and nice was not one of Sakuya's strong points.

So be it.

The third year did let out a tiny sigh as she placed her hand on her hip. "Fair enough. I don't necessarily have the time to babysit anyone," She replied cooly, deciding to keep a level head as she brushed her hair off her shoulders. "I'll make sure to check up on you periodically to make sure you're adjusting properly. Hinotori is a place for learning and becoming a proper member of society, so I expect you'll do the same and not cause any trouble for anyone."

_@Asura

Fire Emblem: The Slumbering Goddess

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The announcement felt so sudden. Everything felt like it was happening fast, too fast for Derec to properly digest. Sixty seconds to confront the fact that they were going to an actual fight?! Michail was a madman taking them along--he was convinced that they were be left behind or that they would retreat somewhere else, he never dreamed they would be the ones to play hero and save a village. Nerve-wrecking couldn't even scratch the surface to describe what was going on right now. The fact that some people took this calmly also worried Derec immensely--to him, it felt like they had no idea what was in store for them.

Looking down at his knees, he realized that he no longer felt the soothing of Isolde's magic. As he looked up, he felt a pang of guilt as the girl looked completely petrified. Well, not everyone was on board with going along, it seemed. He could probably stay behind with her, it was the least he could do to repay her kindness. But as the thought crossed his mind, Auberon gave him that look. Clearly, their house leader expected them to step up now. Out of duty, probably--the man had already shown he was exemplary in attitude, it would've honestly be a shock if he didn't want to go.

Still, one person managed to surprise Derec more than Auberon: Kellen was going. No way Derec was going to let Kellen carry the brunt of accompanying Auberon alone, that'd be too mean. He gave Isolde what he hoped was a comforting smile before he stood up, stretching himself out. Good as new, and just in time.

"Right, then. Thank you, Isolde," Derec thanked her first and foremost.

"Are you going?" She asked him nervously.

He nodded, scratching the back of his head. "Yeah. Unfortunately, this wouldn't be the first time I've gone to a town that's been raided," He said, trying not to sound too bitter. "But like the professor said, don't go unless you really think you have what it takes."

Making his way to the carriage, he noticed Lienna had stayed in place. Was she choosing to stay, too? He stopped next to her, figuring he should say something. It wasn't like they were close or anything, but leaving her like this felt weird. "Hey, um..." Anything he could've said sounded stupid, but he ended up settling on something. "Don't worry too much about those two, I'll make sure to keep them safe. Be sure to take care of yourself while we're gone, okay?"

_{@Obscene Symphony}

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona

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Coming to a halt, there was a tiny gasp as the blonde girl fell to her knees. As she struggled to catch her breath, she looked back at her companion. Somehow, Reiji still stood strong, unphased by the numerous injuries peppering his skin. Granted, the bags under his eyes were much worse than hers, but he looked much more alert than she was. And of course, he wasn't the one currently on the ground.

He knelt down to Mineri, offering her a hand. She took it gratefully, making an effort to pull herself up, but her legs wouldn't budge. She let go of his hand, shaking her head. "I think--I think this is where you leave me," She told him. "My legs won't move anymore. I can maybe buy you a little time, but...this is it for me."

His eyes widened considerably, though he made sure to take her hand again as he stood. "We're getting out of here," He said firmly, pulling her up. "Come on, Ikeru. Lean on me."

"I can't," Her voice cracked as she shook her head. "I couldn't save anyone else, but...you can go find Emi and that boy. If you just drag me along, she's going to catch up to us."

Reiji ignored her as he heaved her up as best as he could. "And if Lilith catches you, she's going to get stronger," He muttered, forcing the girl to go along with him. "Come on, stop it with that sort of thinking. You have to fight it."

"Reiji--" Her protest died in her throat as her eye turned yellow, letting out a cry of pain as she clutched her head.

As Reiji was about to pull her up again, a haunting melody filled the halls, causing the pair to freeze. Without a moment's hesitation, the boy knelt down and scooped the girl up, breaking into a sprint. He ignored her protests as he ran, following the thin, glowing white line on the floor. The girl's vision was swimming, the pain in her eye spreading to her head. Was this how it felt like for Hanami, too? They didn't know what to do for her at the time, their spells useless. Admittedly, her guilt wasn't helping things, and she could feel her body slowly losing what little energy she had left.

They came to a halt, with Reiji buckling down and hitting the floor. Before she could question it, she noticed the tendril wrapped around his leg. "No--no--no--Reiji!" She tried to get up, her arms shaking. However, before she could do anything, her body froze as both her eyes shined yellow, causing her to clutch her head.

Reiji slammed his sword into the ground, hanging on to prevent himself from getting dragged away. "Ikeru! Ikeru, can you hear me?!" He yelled, unable to reach the writhing girl. Unfortunately, he knew it was over now--his own grip was weakening, and even if he miraculously held on, he was pretty sure the demon would catch up with them any moment now.

He looked over to his left, the mirror shining at him. He couldn't help but feel it was mocking them at this point. But he'd be damned if he was going to let Makoto's sacrifice be in vain. With his free hand, he held his palm out, a flame forming a blue card in his hand. "Masamune!" He called, a figure clad in samurai armor appearing. "Get her through the mirror!"

The Persona sheathed its blade, following its command without hesitation. As it picked up the writhing girl, the tendril wrapped itself around Reiji's chest, pulling him harder. That demon really did love to play with its prey, didn't it? He wasn't going to go down without a fight, but he made sure to keep all his focus on Masamune. As it stopped before the mirror, he could see Mineri open her eyes, looking at him. She said something he couldn't catch, but there wasn't time for clarification as Masamune dropped her through.

The white line on the floor faded as the mirror blackened, and with a flash, it disappeared. Masamune came and cut him loose, waiting as Reiji got to his feet. The mirror disappeared just like it did when Ueno was pushed through. The rules must change whenever Lilith was around. That, or she had some sort of power that prevented them from leaving. Either way, Mineri was through, and he had nothing that would slow him down. He beckoned to his Persona, and together, the pair left the way they came.

---

Clapping her hands as she walked into the classroom, the homeroom teacher of class 2-A had presented herself. A soft, kind woman, she dressed conservatively with a yellow turtleneck and a pair of slacks, her brown hair in two braids. She stopped at the side of the smartboard, turning it on and revealing a name already written in.

"Good morning and welcome, everyone," She greeted them all warmly, placing a laptop on the small podium. "I am Momoji Aya, and I'll be your homeroom teacher this morning. I'm very excited to meet each and every one of you today. Now, I know we have a new transfer student here, so we'll give him a chance to introduce himself once I take attendance. Today will be easy, but tomorrow the real work begins!"

---

The chattering in the third year classroom all but died down the second a clicking pair of heels was heard. The teacher strode in without looking at anyone, focused more on settling herself in first. Her long, wavy hair pointed in nearly every direction but she didn't seem to care. She was sharply dressed, a pair of glasses adorning her face. Once she deemed herself ready, she turned on the smartboard and took a dry erase marker in hand, writing her name down.

"I'm Suzuki Keiko. As you are all third years, I expect few issues here," She stated, leveling a look on the class. "Don't go tripping over the finish line."

---

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The first day of class went off without a hitch. Considering a majority of the material was introductory, it was easy to let the mind wander. Once the dismissal bell rang, however, the school's mood quickly turned lively. Students were eager to catch up with one another, already changing out of their shoes and leaving. The more dedicated club members had decided to get a jump on recruitment, and an assortment of flyers already hanging on the school's bulletin board with promises of fun. Principal Wada stood near the board, his usual grouchy scowl on his face, though he returned most students' greetings cordially enough.

Sakuya herself already had a task, choosing to keep her head down for most of the day. She was still in disbelief that people actually believed that writing--if she was a self-conscious person, the constant staring might have actually bothered her. But she wasn't about to let some dumb rumor get in the way of her duties. While she had already informed both Naomi and Ueno of the meeting, she ended up enlisting the help of another student to find Kinoshita for her while she hurried to the transfer student's homeroom. An introduction and casual offer for help would be satisfactory; it wasn't like he was some helpless child. Unless he was, then that would make things more complicated.

Among the class of second years, only one stood out as unknown to her. This would make her job easier at least. Approaching the second year, Sakuya stopped next to his desk. "Are you Hoshino?" She asked him. "My name is Nakano Sakuya, I'm a third-year here. I thought it'd be a good idea to introduce myself to you just in case you had any questions or needed help with anything."

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Midnight Sun: Last Song Over the Horizon

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A what?

Slowly blinking her eyes, Aurora was a little confused. For one, the comparison was less than flattering--cows weren't exactly cute or nice to look at. She opened her mouth to ask before the realization hit her: he was comparing her unfavorably. But why? Was he blind? No, he wasn't if he knew what a cow looked like, but why would he say that? Every hair of hers was perfectly in place, her skin was smooth, and while the uniform wasn't the best, she didn't think it was that bad. It must have been a misunderstanding of some sorts--unless he was from some backwater planet that revered cows?

Either way, the brunette wasn't amused. She tried not to show it, but it wasn't often that she was handed an insult right off the bat like this. Was there something she had done to unintentionally insult him? Considering this was the first time they were interacting, no. She supposed the best thing to do would be to take her leave, but that would be too boring, wouldn't it? The best thing to do would be to brush it off; his type probably reveled from the attention.

Pursing her lips, Aurora made a small hum as she closed her eyes. "I suppose missing real food can do that to anyone," She mused out loud, placing her hands on the table as she thought of a way to recover. "I hope you'll forgive the intrusion, I just couldn't help myself. I think it'd be nice if we got to know each other a little better."

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