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4 yrs ago
starting off 2022 with COVID LESSGOOOOOOOOOOOOO
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8 yrs ago
Whoever says "the customer is always right" has not worked with atual customers.
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Be not Defeated by the Rain

Be not defeated by the rain, Nor let the wind prove your better.
Succumb not to the snows of winter. Nor be bested by the heat of summer.

Be strong in body. Unfettered by desire. Not enticed to anger. Cultivate a quiet joy.
Count yourself last in everything. Put others before you.
Watch well and listen closely. Hold the learned lessons dear.

A thatch-roof house, in a meadow, nestled in a pine grove's shade.

A handful of rice, some miso, and a few vegetables to suffice for the day.

If, to the East, a child lies sick: Go forth and nurse him to health.
If, to the West, an old lady stands exhausted: Go forth, and relieve her of burden.
If, to the South, a man lies dying: Go forth with words of courage to dispel his fear.
If, to the North, an argument or fight ensues:
Go forth and beg them stop such a waste of effort and of spirit.

In times of drought, shed tears of sympathy.
In summers cold, walk in concern and empathy.

Stand aloof of the unknowing masses:
Better dismissed as useless than flattered as a "Great Man".

This is my goal, the person I strive to become.




Where It Always Rains

湖のほとりの街




Kazuki was relieved to hear Kazuma's agreement, taking a half-step back to give him space. He almost lifted his hand to pat his little brother's head, but he figured he had probably embarrassed the both of them enough. He didn't know what it was about the situation that made him feel so off--probably the ale, honestly--but hit was almost enough to sober him up. He watched as the other brunet decided to walk after Rael, taking a second to take in a deep breath. Alright, he was fine, he didn't need to walk in a straight line to go...wherever it was they were going.

The bard was surprisingly fine as he did the smallest jog to catch up, though he was surprised to hear his brother say something about Mystic Prophecy. While he didn't stop, Kazuki's steps were noticeably slower, and an uneasiness bubbled in his chest. Whatever relief he previously felt quickly turned into dread at the thought of running into Luci, and he was deaf to the rest of the conversation. No, he didn't want to go there.

The thought occurred to him that he could easily just...not continue walking. That thought, however, came to a halt as Alja suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Logically, she likely chased them down, but from his perspective, the woman came straight out of nowhere. The surprise climbed on top of the rest of his troublesome emotions, causing Kazuki to outright stop.

To his credit, he opened his mouth to protest, but the words never came. Instead, he simply turned around and began to walk back to the tavern.




Smart? Talented? What the hell was Kazuma going on about? The last one didn't make sense either--they were brothers, every time they went out together people thought they were twins. He was only 'smart' because he got good grades, any schmuck could do that if they put their nose to the grind. And even then, it was only because of how pathetic Kazuki was. He had all the time in the world to study and play piano because he didn't have anyone to hang out with, no one to talk to. That was just the logical conclusion.

But Kazuki's blood boiled nonetheless. He wasn't sure if it was the alcohol, truthfully; he genuinely hated anything coming out of his mother's mouth. But hearing Kazuma put himself down just flipped a switch in him.

"Don't you ever talk like that!" Kazuki's response was so fast that he surprised himself. He took a second to focus on standing up, ignoring the swaying world as he marched up to his brother. "The only thing that's left to do is survive. It doesn't matter how you do it, you use everything at your disposal to look out for yourself. If you don't have the skill, then you do everything to get it."

He didn't intend to go on a ramble, but it came out anyway. "If there is any saving grace in this godforsaken world, it's that we don't have to deal with that woman while we're in here. Nothing she says matters; we deal with her when we get out, and until then, you forget everything she says."




Kazuki had no idea why he was being taken outside, only making a weak grab for the mug of water before getting dragged out. Admittedly, the fresh air did do him a little good as he took in a deep breath, and it was only then that he realized it was his brother that had been the one to take him outside. He was sincerely grateful for the help, figuring that if he was the one that took him outside, it was probably for the better. He definitely should have taken the water, though.

"私はあなたを愛しています、弟..." He mumbled.

He half-listened to the conversation, brow furrowing at the mention of Mystic Prophecy. If that was where the group wanted to go, he'd rather put his energy elsewhere. He was more than happy to continue his self-appointed studies and practice his magic. Brushing up on his skills and spells was much more time-worthy than going somewhere and awkwardly standing around and avoiding Luci.

His frown deepened as he caught his name, though it was like a splash of cold water hit his face as he stared at his brother. "Don't say that," He couldn't help but scoff as he leaned back against the building. He hated it when his parents compared him, he hated it when their relatives did it--he wasn't about to accept it hearing it from Kazuma, either. "Plenty of things you can do that I can't."

Like talk to people, for one. He thought as he let himself slide down to the ground, readjusting so that he had his arms resting on his knees. "I dunno where you've been looking, Rael, but there's resentment there. They lost more than we did while we made it out alive. Even if they don't admit it, there are feelings to be had over that."

Bad feelings, of course.




The boys were full of ideas, though at the very least the consensus was to avoid the shadows. Probably for the better; there was this strange tension radiating from them as they hyperfocused on their tasks. The entire dungeon gave her some really bad vibes, but she couldn't figure out why. Well, seeing it completely formed was unsettling, so that could be it. But there was something else to this, she just couldn't put her finger on it.

The new player spoke up, indicating that the shadows indeed didn't want to be disturbed. Oh, right, there was another person in the bathroom, wasn't there? Perfect, then the way to go was to sneak around and dodge them as best as they could. She also confirmed that the dungeon was already formed--Mira was hoping she was wrong about that--and the blonde sighed. Welp, they wouldn't get answers just standing around.

As Mira stepped forward, however, she was surprised to suddenly get grabbed from behind. Well, not grabbed--hugged, more like. She was entirely confused, the girl's words not really making any sense. She wriggled slightly, uncomfortable with the close contact.

"Who's alive?" Mira couldn't really get out of her grip without being rude, unfortunately. "This isn't the time to play around. We need to hurry up and clear the corruption."

Looking back at the shadows, she watched the ones running around the 'track'. "If we time it right, we can just run through."




Graves didn't seem all too happy. Kazuki wasn't really surprised at that, though he wasn't going to argue on it any longer. He would never uphold a real, actual life over some data, but he recognized when he needed not to cause a fuss. They had to be practical, but the overly emotional Graves acted on...well, emotion, and often without thinking. He let out a small sigh at the thought; he'd rather avoid any future fights, but if Graves was going to be stubborn, it'd likely present a problem. He should've just gone with Robin, this was giving him a headache.

The mug Seele offered him went ignored as Kazuki shuffled to the bar. He fished out some coin, placing it gently on the bar. "One ale, please," He requested politely, giving the man a bow once he got the mug. Shuffling back to his seat, Kazuki took an eager swig, letting out a hiccup as he plopped down into his seat. His eyes landed on the mug of water, and he gently pushed it back with the other mug.

"I'm okay, thank you," Kazuki said (likely to Seele, but it seems more like outloud), tilting his head back as he drank the rest of the mug. It tasted terrible, it smelled terrible, but he was really, really feeling good after the matter. He watched Alex for a second, lightly swaying in his seat with a frown on his face.

"Missing wayfarers...it would be bad if other wayfarers were behind that," He mumbled. "Not that I'd be surprised. Griefers are the worst."

He had a solemn silence after that, although he leaned to his right. He kept leaning, and leaning, and leaning, and then he slowly lowered his head to the table. The brunet slid right off, remaining on the floor and staring up at the ceiling. "ゼーレさん、もう一杯必要です。" He grumbled, closing his eyes. "天井が回転している…エールだったと思う。気が変わったので、エールはもうやめてください。" He hiccuped.

At Siegfried's words, Kazuki rolled his eyes. カズマ、なぜ私たちは別の見知らぬ人をサポートしなければならないのですか?人々はあまりにも信頼しています。." He muttered in displeasure, shooting 'Artemis' a look resembling disdain. "女の子は迷惑です。でもグレイブスさんは私が何か言うと怒鳴りますので、これを処理させていただきます..."




The room was entirely cloaked in darkness when Celeste first stirred. It was nice and warm under the blankets and she was all too happy to hide away from the sun. Ah, to have a day where she could blissfully sleep in without concern was surely a time to be treasured. She closed her eyes, ready to let sleep lull her back to its embrace. Alas, like many a star-struck lover and endless protagonists of romance novels, she would soon be parted from that which she held most dear to her.

The door to her room opened and closed shortly after. The sound of a pair of footsteps was accompanied by something rolling, coming to a stop next to the bed. She let out a tiny sigh as she heard the footsteps approach the window, the curtains whipped back in one, swift motion. Sunlight poured in and illuminated the room in its entirety; quaint, homey, and above all, terribly small for her taste. She was forced to leave behind her ensemble and could only bring some of her essentials and had to choose her clothing the night before, like some kind of farmhand.

Her ever-faithful servant Kaitlyn stood at the window, walking back to the cart she had brought in. Celeste always thought that she was much too prompt, but she supposed there was no fighting it. "It is time to rise, my lady." Kaitlyn announced as she gave her a curtsy. "I have brought you your breakfast. You'll find it humble yet satisfying."

Forcing herself to sit up, Celeste untangled herself from the mess of blanket and red hair. Letting out a yawn as she stretched her arms above her head, she looked over to her servant. "So it would seem," She replied, still sleepy as she scooted backward until she hit the headboard. Once Kaitlyn lifted the tray and placed it on her lap, Celeste decided to eat quickly and quietly. Humble yet satisfying, indeed, but Kailtyn would never let her accept any less.

"What will be on the agenda on this day?" She asked, dabbing the corners of her mouth with a napkin.

"We could make an appearance at the Keller Estate, if it pleases you," Kaitlyn suggested, taking back the tray. "Alternatively, we could simply wander around until something catches your interest."

The Keller Estate, huh? That would be the responsible thing to do, but that didn't sound like a lot of fun. She didn't respond to Kaitlyn right away, choosing to clean and change out of her nightgown first. The process was quick as the water was terribly cold, but she wasn't looking to dawdle too much longer. The inn was adorably quaint but suffocating in how close all the walls were. Of course, going out in the cold wasn't appealing, either, but she was no stranger to the weather here.

Stepping outside, Celeste let out a breath, tapping her cheek with her fan. With bags in hand, Kaitlyn raised an eyebrow at her. "A bit chilly for a fan, isn't it?" She asked.

"It's an accessory, darling," Celeste replied.

"Of course. And have you decided on our course?"

"Take my bag to the encampment and then find me, I'll be sure to make up my mind by then," Celeste ordered.

With a small bow, Kaitlyn departed. Celeste watched her leave, waiting until the maid was out of sight before she gave the street a good look around. What she wanted was some mischief, but where was she to find it at this time of day? A nagging feeling told her that she really should consider the Keller Estate. Well, fun first, then responsibility. With that in mind, she began her stroll, quietly humming to herself as she hunted for her next target.

Fortunately for her, she locked onto someone.

"Good morning, Sanji~" She greeted the man with too much enthusiasm and an overly excited wave, immediately running up to him. "Look at you, out and about already! Do you never rest?"


CLASS 2-C

TEACHERS
Touga Aki [Homeroom & Japanese II (Literature)]
Yokoyama Iwoa [Mathematics]
Sugimoto Katsumi [Science]
Eto Mitsuo [Physical Education]
Inaba Kotone [Social Studies]
Shinsato Hisashi [History]

STUDENTS OF 2-C
Takano Junko
One of the school's delinquents. Anytime she and Shiori run into one another, there ends up being a fight, though whether it's verbal or physical is a toss-up. Supposedly, the two were friends in middle school, though you wouldn't guess by how much they hate one another.

Akarino Kei
Junko's best friend and often one of the few people who can talk her down. He's a member of the boxing club, but he isn't a big fan of violence.

Ariyoshi Harumi - Advice Guru
A friendly, gentle girl whose father owns the Ariyoshi Cafe. She is one of the few members of the Tea Club, often inviting people to visit, though she is also a part of the volleyball team. She's always open to giving advice and is more than happy to help others when asked.


OTHER STUDENTS
Student Council President Hatsu Orihime 3rd Year - Class 3-A
Quiet yet driven, Orihime is all business. Considering her goal is Tokyo U, it isn't strange to see why. That said, her focus is split between studying and preparing her Vice President before graduation.

Vice President Nakanishi Sakura 2nd Year - Class 2-B
A fashionable girl, Sakura often skirts the line when it comes to the dress code. Eager to gossip, she is all too happy to share information that she has learned.

Secretary Sayaka Umeko 1st Year - Class 1-C
One of the few first years on the council, she answers to her senpais all too eagerly. She is also a member of the Newspaper Club.

Boxing Captain Uemura Akihiko 3rd Year - 3-A
An incredibly popular athlete, Akihiko is a charismatic young man with ambition. His desire to leave behind a legacy is strong, as he already has plans to leave Utsubyo. That said, there has been the occasional rumor about him hanging around a less-than-desirable crowd, but few believe it.

Volleyball Captain Mizuno Tomoyo 3rd Year - 3-C
Class leader of 3-C and captain of the volleyball club. Tomoyo has been going through a streak of bad luck lately, though she keeps a chipper attitude.

Newspaper Club Member Imai Shoichi 2nd Year - Class 2-A
A member of the Newspaper Club. Generally conflict-avoidant, he finds himself bemoaning his strange luck of running into weird situations.

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