[IC] This Ain't No Place for Animals (WitchHunter X Latino)

[X Fiendfyre X]

It could be said with some certainty that this was the first morning where Oliver Selwyn didn't feel strange for waking up in this particular room. Alas, it seemed he may have finally started becoming used to the environment he now found himself in. It was with this sentiment that he rose from his bed, intentionally earlier than Michi or either of her brothers. After a quick shower, Oliver returned to his room, shut the door, and began preparing for the day. The sounds of the Ueda family stirring, both beneath his room in the restaurant and outside his door, became more evident as time went by.

Oliver put on an undershirt, a light blue blazer, and a pair of skinny jeans before standing in front of the mirror and attempting to fight with his unkempt white hair. He was always one to attempt a presentable appearance, and it usually succeeded quite well. As he considered the mirror, his thoughts wandered towards the coming day. What would be in store for them at the Academy today? Would they have combat training again? Or would Professor Albarn decide for a less intensive lesson? What about Dr . Stein's class? Would his seemingly insane experiments cause someone to get sick again? In the back of his mind, Oliver hoped some sort of clue would be given as to when he and Michi would embark on their first mission. Walking past the bounty board every morning, knowing that people were claiming missions left and right without them, was rather frustrating. He and Michi were beyond ready, but they couldn't claim missions until they had been given their first one and were reviewed favorably by Lord Death.

He had, of course, discussed this point with Michi over many a cup of tea on some nights. Usually she was difficult to get sitting still, but whenever he actually did manage to convince her, the talks they had were very interesting. She had a lot on her mind, just as he did, but neither of them seemed willing to let any of it out unless the fancy took them. Professor Albarn always told the class that the most important thing a weapon-meister pairing could do was talk. The more they conversed, the more they understood each other. The more they understood each other, the better their soul wavelengths worked together. Oliver, studious as always, did his best to take this advice to heart.

Once Oliver was fully satisfied with how everything looked, he slung a plain black messenger bag across one of his shoulders and exited his room. Out in the hallway, the sounds of movement all around the building seeped through the walls. Michi's door was still closed, so Oliver stood patiently near the end of the corridor, waiting for her. Just another day of class stood ahead of them... or did it?

[Latino]

The comfort of her bed was rudely interrupted by her alarm clock on her bedside table. It was set slightly later than it should have been to let Michi know that she couldn't stay in bed any longer. She gave it a quick smack and hopped up from bed. Moving straight to her dresser she took out some denim shorts, a blue V-neck shirt, and a change of underwear. She left her room, in only her boy shorts and a bra, with her change of clothes and headed for the bathroom. She spotted Oliver waiting patiently as always for her to get ready. "Ohayo (Good Morning) Oliver-Kun, I won't be long. I Promise!"

She picked up her pace a bit as she didn't want to keep him waiting, although it seemed as if this had become the norm for them. Michi quickly tossed her old underwear in the laundry basket and showered up as quickly as she could. It was a shame that she never had time for a hot bath after cleaning up in the morning but it would have to do. They would be heading to the Academy shortly for another day of what she assumed would be more boring classes, Oliver might enjoy studying but Michi wanted to get out there and make a difference. The urge to bust out and serve up justice had been eating at her for a while. She knew they were ready and all the teachers always said "When it's you're time we'll let you know.", which she knew was their way of getting her off their back about it.

Once she got dressed again Michi noticed a note by the laundry attached to a small bottle of perfume. It read, Michi, I bought this just for you! Boys like it when you smell nice! It was signed, Kissu!!! which meant it was from her mother. She snatched the note and tossed it in the trash while trying to hide the perfume bottle in her tiny pocket. "Why are girl's pockets so small?" she said to herself before leaving the bathroom and heading back to her room to grab her bag, some knee-high socks, and the grey warm up jacket that she wore most days. She couldn't help but notice that Oliver had still been waiting on her the entire time.

[X Fiendfyre X]

Oliver nodded in response to Michi as she scurried into the bathroom. He didn't mind having to wait. It was pretty common for him to be up and ready way before her. Mornings were pretty easy for him to bear, even if he stayed up late the night before. Oliver barely even noticed her state of dress, or rather, undress. It had been pretty clear from day one how comfortable she was around him. Indeed, her entire family seemed extremely close, and it was as if he was just another member. Still, it wasn't like he was going to start walking around in his boxers all the time. As the shower water began to run, Oliver took his phone from his messenger and consulted it. There weren't any outstanding messages or otherwise for him to respond to.

Oliver reflected as she showered. He had certainly learned a lot about Japanese language and culture, even in the short time he'd been living here. Moving to America had been quite the culture shock, but moving in with a tightly-knit family with far-eastern heritage was even more so. They were incredibly accepting of his eccentricities, it seemed. Also, they weren't harsh on him for doing things differently. Indeed, it had turned out to be quite the positive experience so far.

Michi exited the bathroom in a haze of steam, fully dressed and seemingly ready for the day. "Lookin' smart today, Mi," he observed with a smile, using his personal nickname for her, "You about ready?" His accent wasn't showing any sign of leaving, and it wasn't likely to no matter how long he lived here. It drew odd looks every now and then, but most people at the Academy had learned to get used to it, along with his unusual words and expressions. One such example was his use of the word 'smart' just then. It wasn't meant to be an observation of intelligence. No, it was more a way to compliment her appearance without being overtly awkward.

[Latino]

In her passing Oliver's comments practically flew right past her. She responded with a nod as she hurried on. Michi was about to leave the perfume on her desk when she noticed herself in the mirror. She inspected herself a few times and looked over at the perfume her mother had bought. At the very least she could have left it somewhere Oliver might not have seen it. She considered using it for a moment. The label read, Essence of Spring and smelled of some kind of exotic flower. She sprayed once over her face and neck, letting the mist fall over her. She had never really used perfume before so she thought only once would be enough as it was a fairly potent scent. Satisfied, she left her room to join Oliver and head out to the Academy.

Downstairs they were assaulted by the noise and smells of the restaurant. Her mother was busy handling several dishes and her father was attending the customers. It was a sight to see, Michi's parents worked together so well they rarely had to communicate, having been together since they themselves joined the Academy years ago. Her mother would often tease that Michi would end up marrying Oliver as if it were a family tradition and her father went along with it as well. Michi always got flustered when they brought it up. Who says that has to be the case? She shook the thoughts from her head as she made her way through the kitchen with Oliver in tow only to be stopped by her mother who called over her shoulder.

"Mi-Chan!"

"Hai, Okasan?" (Yes, Mom?)

"Choshoku ga arimasu." (Breakfast is over there.) She pointed with a hot spatula at a plate of onigiri (rice balls) freshly made and still hot.

"Arigato, Okasan!" (Thanks, Mom!)

"Have fun kids!"

Michi took one, holding it in her mouth, and handed the other to Oliver. Snaking through the tables at a brisk pace she scarfed down the rice ball in only a few bites before making out the door and on their way to the Academy. All the while she was humming a tune to herself.

[X Fiendfyre X]

Oliver couldn't help but notice the wonderful scent that trailed behind Michi as they made their way through the building. He thought it was rather strange for a moment. It was most unlike Michi to wear anything like that. She typically strayed away from overtly feminine things like that. It wasn't that Oliver didn't like it; it was rather exhilarating as a matter of fact. It was just a little out of the ordinary.

Michi and her mother had a short exchange in Japanese, which Oliver didn't quite follow. Sure he'd been living with them a few months now, but he couldn't pretend to be an expert in the language just because of that. Taking the offered rice ball, Oliver devoured it rather quickly whilst following her outside. It was their customary weekday breakfast, of sorts. They were always fresh and hot, and they did much to disperse any of the remaining cobwebs left from sleep. "Thanks!" he was sure to call out before they departed.

Once outside, they were greeted by the looming oddity that was the DWMA. Impossibly massive, it dominated the view in this part of town. The absurdly large front steps of the Academy were just a couple short blocks' walk from the Ueda's residence/restaurant. As it were, it was almost impossible to be late for class living this close. As the pair made their way towards the steps, Oliver turned to consult with his meister. "So... whaddya reckon? Think we get that first mission today?" he asked, looking rather hopeful. It had to be only a matter of time.

[Latino]

"We've been waiting long enough." Michi started to skip as they reached the steps holding the straps of her bag. "I can't wait to kick some butt for real! What's the point of all our training if we don't put it to good use?" She stopped just short of the next step. She suddenly became much more somber, if only for a moment. "One day we'll be great. Like my dad..." As if nothing had happened she continued humming to herself as she bounded up the steps once more. "Hurry up Oli-Kun!

[X Fiendfyre X]

Oliver obliged, trying his best to keep up with her. She was so quick, bounding up the steps without any trouble at all. It wasn't that Oliver was clumsy or anything; he just liked to take his time with a lot of things. Michi, on the other hand, was always such a fountain of energy. It was quite the relief that she was the meister and he was the weapon, because he tired out far too easily and couldn't move very fast.

"We'll be better!" he assured her loudly, "Better than anyone!" They were nearly to the front doors now. Plenty of students became visible, milling about in front of the Academy or entering through the doors. None of them really seemed to pay he or Michi any mind, as they were mostly more experienced students. That would all change one day. Everyone would know their name soon.

[Latino]

Michi kept her pace steady so that Oliver could keep up as she jogged through the halls. She was careful to avoid any other students, bouncing gracefully between crowds. Finally, they reached their first class of the day. Dr. Stein's class, like all the others, was practically a lecture hall with tiered desks along one side and the Teacher's desk centered on the other side. Dr. Stein was behind his desk ruffling through some papers as she entered. "Good Morning Dr. Stein!" Michi entered with a boom as she approached him. Despite his somewhat grotesque sensibility, Dr. Stein was one of the more lax Teachers and didn't really mind her up-beat energy. He turned away from his papers for a moment to greet her. "Hello dear, are you ready for some interesting experiments today?" Michi nodded with a smile. "That's good. I have something special in mind for you and Oliver today." This piqued her interest. "Really? What is it?" Dr. Stein put on a mischievous grin. "You'll find out soon enough little one don't you worry. Class is about to start so head on over to your desk." Michi pretended to pout as she took her seat. She genuinely wanted to know what she would be getting into but Dr. Stein rarely explained himself before he had put his students to the test.