It was a beautiful April day. The grounds for the Academy were decorated in a rather appealing manner, the road leading to the doors lined with cherry trees in full bloom. Naturally, as it was the first day of the first semester, it was at least a very nice introduction to the school that new students would attend for the next three years. It was here that they would learn not only conventional lessons, but also matters that were unique to Akiyama-Kreuz Academy. For there were no other schools in the world that specialized in the education of Tuners and Receivers, pairing individuals together to perform feats impossible for other humans. Needless to say, such a school had a very interesting curriculum. It was not only a school, of course, but a facility for the research of Tuners and Receivers, the perfect strategy for both allowing the pairs to develop and to research their development. Naturally, this meant that it was not only students and faculty in attendance, but also researchers from the scientifically-devoted portion of the school. Today's entrance ceremony was near its close. [hr] "-Like any other school. You will learn, make lifelong friends, and be prepared for life ahead of you. Welcome to Akiyama-Kreuz Academy!" The speech was at its end. As was the ceremony itself, for that matter. For the most part, there was applause across the audience, before students steadily began departing their seats. One girl in particular, though, remained in her seat, arms firmly folded across her slight chest. Her red-purple eyes fixed firmly ahead at the Principal, a composed, older man with dark hair in a rather immaculate suit. She wore an expression of mild irritation. As she rose to her feet, her silky, straight hair waved. Her hands transferred from folded across her chest to her hips, and she... proceeded to be completely invisible in the crowd, as nearly every single other student was taller then she was. Irritation mounting, she glanced back at her now-vacated seat. Normally doing such a thing would be demeaning, but Maki Rika's growing irritation was too much. She took one step onto the seat and hopped up onto the chair. To her dismay, even this elevation did not lead her to an answer. The short girl's impatience was mounting exponentially with every second. Were they going to announce it before everyone left, or what?! What were they waiting for?! "... What's with this?" she complained, folding her arms across her chest once more. "This isn't a normal school, what's the point in waiting so long!?" Anyone near her would almost be able to see the irritation mounting, in what some would call an aura of pure annoyance. Rika was, to put it simply, not in the best mood. There was only one reason she was here. she wasn't here to make lifelong friends, or whatever else that the principal had said. That wasn't her purpose at Akiyama-Kreuz Academy. There was one thing she strove for, and everything else was secondary. Or below, in fact. What did she care about making life-long friends? It'd just get in the way of what her real focus was! She was here to become the best Tuner she could be. Why else would anyone be at Akiyama-Kreuz? [hr] "Haah, I wonder what the new students will be like..." The short-pigtailed girl's hands were placed firmly in her pockets, as she leaned against the wall near the exit to the gym. Strictly speaking, she could have left by now. She wasn't a new student. Though, really, she had to wonder where the woman in charge of the whole 'new student' stuff was. Then again, she tended to be late, didn't she? Besides, Kudou Chie wanted to see where things went from here, for a little while longer. The new students were milling about and talked with one another, some heading to the exits already. "Ah, wait a little while longer! All new students, please remain within the gym until our head researcher for Partnership development arrives!" called the principal. He looked somewhat flustered. What, did he not remember she was late every year by now? Chie shrugged her shoulders slightly. Well, whatever the case was, it gave her some time to look over the new students. Maybe chat with a few, that could be nice... it was always interesting to see what the new people around the school would be like. On top of that, she could make some new friends, and be a good upperclassmen to them. That sounded pretty nice, right? [hr] "Haah... haah..." It was bad enough that she had to be in front of... in front of all of them... But that she was late... there was that terrible feeling of her doing a bad job, on top of the fact that she had to show up in front of all of them! It was like some terrible combination, contradictory worried clashing to make an even more enormous worry. The rather unathletic woman, her dark messy brown hair trailing behind her, was really no longer able to run. Really, running was on her list of things that tended to make her pass out. Or fall down. Or both. Passing out tended to involve falling down, after all. And all of it was bad. But... she was already late! Clad in her labcoat, white shirt, and long dark skirt, Tomoe Miki shoved open the side door to the gym. gasping for breath, she managed to make her way up to the podium, or rather next to it, and turned to face the crowd of new students... Rather promptly, the dark-haired woman froze where she stood, her cheeks now flushed from both exertion and embarrassment. They were all looking at her. All of them. At the same time. Well, that wasn't entirely true, but Miki didn't really think about that right now. All she could think about was... well... this never, ever got any easier. Ever. Why was this her job? The despair at having such a duty was palpable. She never thought she'd have to address the students like this at first... This was just cruel. "... U-um. N-new, um... n-n-new students! P-please, um... I'm, um, the researcher for... pairings, er, um... P-p-please go to the, um, room 4B downstairs and um ah-hah yeah!" This wasn't the most impressive start. Not one bit.