Hero

Where It Always Rains

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Shiori's eyes followed Totsuka as he sat across from her. Probably for the better, she might've gotten crushed if he had chosen to sit with her. She was fully wary of the other girl now, but she didn't understand what she was trying to play at. There was some bizarre thought in her head that she was ultimately trying to make Shiori jealous--of God knows what, who knew--but that would imply that Harumi had some sort of interest in the transfer. Maybe that's what all this was? Shiori squinted at the girl's pleasant smile and demeanor. She couldn't read her or guess what she was thinking.

Harumi herself took a seat next to Shiori, glancing between the two. "You two don't look too happy," She commented.

The redhead had to outright bite down on her tongue to quell her initial response. That said, however, maybe a direct approach was better. She sat up and gave Harumi an unamused look. "Probably because of you," She replied.

Harumi finally frowned, looking concerned. "Oh...I'm sorry, I do tend to tease incessantly..." She admitted with a small sigh. "I'll make sure not to do it again."

Shiori held back her sigh of relief, though she had to push down that slight amount of guilt she had. Stupid Harumi looking so sad. Her fingers tapped the table as she eyed Harumi, but true to her word, she said nothing, instead looking at one of the doors presumably leading to the kitchen.

"What?"

"Mmm...the tea should have come out by now..." She mused, getting up. "I'll go check on it and get your boba while I'm at it. I'll be right back!"

Shiori pursed her lips as she watched Harumi, examining her actions closely. She was probably up to something else, but she had no idea what. She outright pouted, frustrated as she put her chin back on the palm of her hand. Well, at least she'd get to be grumpy with boba. Totsuka probably had a bad impression on Ariyoshi, now that she thought about it. The girl wasn't all bad, she was just being really weird today.

"...she's not usually like this," She muttered out something resembling an explanation. "She's more into tarot cards and fortunetelling."

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Where It Always Rains

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Alright, good, that was an adequate and polite response. Shiori made sure to let out the quietest sigh of relief that she could manage, relaxing immensely. Harumi was going to make this day more difficult than she had anticipated. To think, all she wanted was to have some boba and a snack. Was that the problem? Was she hoping for too much? She blamed Harumi--to think the so-called 'helper' of their grade was this devious. Why was she doing this? What was her angle?

Harumi, on the other hand, was pleased with Ryusei's response, positively beaming at the change of subject. While she had nothing more to say at the moment, she did, however, still possess the smallest hint of mischievousness still in her eyes. The brunette scanned the cafe and decided on a spot, pointing to a booth.

"Let's sit there, I'll have them bring your food to you," She suggested kindly.

Shiori managed to push herself away from the counter, now calm, cool, and collected--she made a mental note to keep her guard up going forward. She nodded at Harumi's suggestion, warily walking past her and glaring at the other girl's smile. She was onto her, there was no way she was getting flustered or embarrassed or any of that. So long as she had that in mind, things would be fine.

The booth was a little on the smaller side, but that wasn't suspect. Shiori settled on one side, her hand on her chin as she watched Harumi like a hawk.

"Is something the matter, Himawari-san?" She asked.

"Nope. I just want some boba," Shiori replied.

"They'll bring it over as soon as it's ready," Harumi assured her. She then looked up at Ryusei. "Did you want to sit next to Himawari-san? Or would you rather sit with me?"

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Pokémon Showdown! [Invite Only]

Where It Always Rains

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Shiori went from relatively neutral to outright deadpan at Harumi's comment. She supposed she wasn't too surprised at the assumption considering they were out together outside of school hours and in a place that was--by Harumi's own words--'romantic'. Still, it was a pretty big leap to make. They had basically just met and didn't know each other very well and were just going somewhere together and--fuck, okay, it wasn't as big a leap as she initially thought. She simply nodded to confirm that she agreed with Totsuka.

Harumi, on the other hand, seemed disappointed. "That's too bad, I thought you looked good together," She admitted. "Well, as an apology, I'll buy your drinks. And if that is the case, then you wouldn't mind if I joined, would you?"

Shiori minded.

The redhead raised a hand to her temple as she held back a groan. The thought came instantaneously--she didn't even think it, it just popped up in her head! What was wrong with her today?! It was Totsuka, he had the hair and the cologne and the everything and now she couldn't think straight! She did audibly scoff, crossing her arms as she leveled a look at Harumi.

"Whatever," She muttered in annoyance, turning her attention to the cashier. "Wagashi and an okonomiyaki. And an almond boba tea."

Harumi watched her for a second, seemingly amused, though she looked up at Ryusei. "I have to say, I like seeing classmates outside of school. And you look good, Totsuka-kun," She complimented him politely, though her eyes looked over at Shiori, who had whipped around to glare at her. Harumi didn't seem too fazed by it. "I didn't think you were the type to dress up, Himawari-san, so I'm pleasantly surprised. But you agree with me, don't you? That Totsuka-kun looks good?"

This was probably the first time Shiori wanted to throttle Ariyoshi. What kind of game was she playing at?! Was she trying to make her jealous? There wasn't anything to be jealous, of, idiot. If Ariyoshi wanted him, she could have him! No, wait, maybe she was overthinking again. The way Ariyoshi complimented him so casually sounded completely sincere; if she could do it, Shiori could, too, right?

Shiori turned back to the cashier, looking down determinedly at a spot on the counter. Actually saying it was another matter, though. "...yeah. I agree," She said it as clearly as possible, though she outright refused to look back at the two of them.

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Where It Always Rains

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Shiori rocked back and forth on her heels, mind buzzing with the plethora of possibilities. She could follow Totsuka's lead and get an actual lunch, but boba always tasted better with sweets. She tapped her chin as she contemplated her decision, though she remembered that she likely didn't have enough for lunch and dessert. The Wagashi would tragically have to wait until another day, she supposed. Eh, maybe for the better, she'd probably end up starving all day if she just had sweets to eat. Okay, she could be responsible for once.

Totsuka had made up his mind, deciding on two sandwiches. Well, he was a growing boy--actually, if he grew any taller, he wouldn't be able to fit into any buildings. Hm, if she could get him to buy her lunch, she could eat and get her Wagashi. He did owe her, after all.

The cashier patiently waited for Shiori to give her order. Out of the corner of her eye, though she noticed someone looking. Fortunately, they weren't trying to be sneaky, and the girl openly approached the pair. It took longer than it should have to notice, but she was pretty sure that was one of their classmates. She was dressed in a frilly-looking dress, her heels clicking on the floor as she walked over to them.

"Oh, Ariyoshi-san," Shiori said. "Not working today?"

She shook her head, looking at the pair. "I did help out during the rush, but I'm free now," She explained before giving Totsuka a warm smile. "Totsuka-kun, right? I'm so glad you decided to come here!"

Despite it being obvious if one were to connect Ariyoshi Cafe to the Ariyoshi standing in front of them, Shiori decided to elaborate. "Yeah. Uh, this is Totsuka Ryusei, the transfer," She introduced him. "And this is Ariyoshi Harumi-san."

Harumi nodded slowly, looking between the two. She clapped her hands together, smiling. "It's nice to see the two of you out together," She commented airily. "I've always thought this place was perfect for a first date."

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Where It Always Rains

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Oh boy, Shiori was in trouble. Nice. He said she looked nice. She felt nice, too. For whatever reason, the compliment went to her head. It definitely went to her face, too, if only briefly. Maybe it was just knowing that all her indecision and overthinking had actually resulted in something good for once. Fuck it, she would take the win, even if she had to keep her satisfaction to herself. Should she return the compliment? Or maybe thank him for it? Ah, shit, there was the overthinking again.

Fortunately, Totsuka never failed to disappoint as he tilted his head to...wait, what was he doing? Shiori nearly followed, though it didn't take a rocket scientist to see what he was looking at. She shifted her weight from one leg to the other, crossing her arms as she threw him an unamused look. She should've known it was too good to be true. He would ruin this for her. To think she actually let her heart go aflutter getting a compliment from this absolute horndog.

The worst part had to be how red her face was, though.

Welp, there went her good mood. "Yeah, yeah, follow me, then," She grumbled, sulking a little as she led the way. "And try not to look down at my legs too much, I don't want you walking into a pole."

The walk back to the avenue was relatively peaceful, her face clearing up by the time they reached the cafe. It was relatively rustic all things considered, though it was obvious it was by design and not due to age like many of the other buildings around. The inside brought to mind a cozy warmth with plenty of tables and booths. For the time it was, the place was surprisingly empty; it looked like they had arrived after the lunch rush.

Shiori didn't hesitate to walk over to the counter, eyeing the menu. It looked like the new flavor was almond flavored. Hm, that sounded good. "Mmm...I'm in the mood for some Wagashi," She mused out loud. She looked up at Totsuka. "The stuff here is really good, so don't be afraid to order whatever."

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Fire Emblem: The Slumbering Goddess

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First Bell, 26th Day of the Great tree Moon

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Bidding the gardener goodnight, Kaira departed from the Greenhouse. It was quite late and she had an early start, but so long as she went straight to bed, she figured she would be alright. A few shadows zipped across the grounds, their broad wings signaling the presence of the pegasi flying through the sky. They usually spooked her whenever she didn't pay attention, but she was glad they were in the skies tonight. She treated their shadows as guidance, making sure to walk where the sky could see her clearly. While she wasn't normally the type to be paranoid, she liked to be on the side of caution.

As soon as that thought crossed her mind, however, there was an ominous presence approaching her. Every hair on the back of her neck stood and she was overwhelmed with a sense of dread. She stopped in her tracks, feeling it get closer. An intruder? If so, they had somehow slipped past all the guards. But that was what happened that other night, wasn't it? A shadow had suddenly come out of nowhere and spirited a student away. A foolish part of her thought that perhaps this was a chance to face the would-be kidnapper, but could she really take them on one-on-one without a weapon?

She could feel a hand hover over her shoulder. Making up her mind, Kaira whipped around, ready to fire a spell. To her surprise, however, there was no one around and the grounds were completely silent to boot. The sensation was now completely gone, replaced by the breeze of the night. Her hand absentmindedly touched her shoulder as she looked around. She was so sure someone was about to grab her, but she appeared to be mistaken.

A large shadow suddenly swarmed around her, and she would have screamed had it not been for the pegasus descending in front of her. Chionne hopped off the beast, her face full of concern. "Are you alright, Kaira?" She asked.

She nodded, though not before sighing in relief. So much for not being afraid! "Yes, I am," She replied. "Did you...see anything around me?"

"I saw you stop walking so I thought that you might've gotten hurt and descended," Chionne admitted. "I didn't see anyone else, though."

Kaira was unsure. She trusted her gut, but if she was jumping at every shadow, maybe she was off. Still, it wouldn't do to worry over nothing if nothing had happened. "If it isn't too much trouble, could you walk with me to the Cathedral?"

"It's no trouble at all. You are pleasant company," She immediately assured her, taking the reins of her mount.

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Sixth Bell, 26th Day of the Great tree Moon

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The knock on the dormitory door had startled Lavender awake, the woman jolting up from her desk. She let out a small groan as her neck throbbed in pain--once again, she had fallen asleep pouring over some literature. It took her a second to realize someone was at the door, and she hastily walked over to answer it. Smoothing out any stray hairs, she made sure her posture was rigid and her expression was pleasant as she opened the door. Tragically, it was only that stupid blond Knight of Seiros waiting for her, perched against the frame like he was ready to greet some floozy.

"Good morning, beautiful--hey, hey, hey, wait!" Michail's greeting was nearly cut off by Lavender immediately closing the door on him. "Open up! I need your help today!"

She opened the door once again, unamused. "If you ask me to help you with 'that ache in your heart', I will bruise you up appropriately," She warned him.

Michail opened his mouth, though he immediately closed it, choosing not to joke. "Okay, I originally came here to borrow some manpower. We're going to be heading to Magdred Way today, but my sources tell me something funny is up. Think I could borrow a few of your students?"

Lavender gave him an incredulous look. "This isn't like borrowing a whetstone, you are asking for my students to take them on an incursion where you'll likely endanger them," She said. "Didn't you just receive a disciplinary for endangering your students? And now you want to take my own! You are unbelievable!"

"Aw, don't say it like that, that makes it sound sketchy."

"I don't know how to tell you this, but you're sketchy."

Michail sighed, though he produced a scroll for her. "Look, I made an official request and everything. Nothing sketchy, just an honest plea for more manpower," He said as she opened the scroll.

She skimmed through it quickly, her eyes flickering back to him. He wasn't lying, but she didn't like it, either. "Fine. I'll get my best students to assist. And I'll be coming along as well to make sure you stay in line," She said, jabbing him with the scroll.

Michail sighed, holding his hand to his heart. "It hurts that you don't trust me, Lav," He admitted. "I don't know what you've heard, but I can promise you, I value everyone's life on the battlefield. And I'm actually glad you're coming, too."

Lavender raised an eyebrow at him. "...really?"

He took her hand and patted it. "Yeah. You always keep me grounded," He told her softly. "Your swordsmanship puts mine to shame, your tactical mind sharp, and if I ride behind you, I can watch that sweet bottom of yours bou--ARGH!" By the time he finished, Lavender had taken a firm hold of his hand and twisted it.

"You are so predictable, you know that?"

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Seventh Bell, 26th Day of the Great tree Moon

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While most classrooms wouldn't fill until the eighth bell, the students had been called to the Blue Lions' classroom just a little earlier than usual. Michail stood at the front of the classroom, waiting patiently for her students to arrive. Lavender stood in front of the board, using chalk to draw up an accurate map of the Magdred Way, a path through the mountains and forest that lead to the city of Magdred. Tomai sat at Michail's desk, more interested in his book than whatever anyone else was up to.

The students would recognize Lavender as their geographics professor. Why she was with their main professors was anyone's guess. And there would be four new faces that would enter the classroom as well...

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Where It Always Rains

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Ichika was the one to hear Ryusei's knock first. The voice certainly sounded familiar, though she was surprised to hear a male voice. She initially hesitated, though as she heard some footsteps upstairs, she figured it was the polite thing to answer the door. That, and now she was curious. She had initially assumed Shiori was just going out to hang with whatever friends she had, but she naively assumed it would be a female voice. Unless it was actually a date. There was really only one way to find out.

The girl abandoned the dishes in the sink and hopped her way over to the front door. She quickly unlocked and whipped the door open, looking up and up and up and--oh my goodness, it was the transfer student! "Totsuka-kun?" Ichika was in complete shock at this revelation. How did he know where they lived? She couldn't help the quick scan of his outfit, always finding a delight in seeing how people dressed outside of their uniforms. He looked about the same as what she would expect, too. The curiosity quickly turned back to shock, however; was Shi-Shi getting a boyfriend before she did?! She swallowed hard at the thought. No, maybe it was just a hang-out. Just because a boy and a girl were going somewhere didn't necessarily make it romantic, right? Right?!

"Ah...I will get Shi-Shi for you!" She suddenly remembered herself, slowly sliding the door closed so she could quietly freak out without him seeing.

By the time she recovered, however, Shiori had descended the steps. She could see Ichika flailing her arms around, too. What was up with her? She rolled her eyes as she approached her, placing a hand on her hip. "The hell is wrong with you?" She asked her.

Ichika stopped long enough to give her a sad smile. "The world can truly be unjust sometimes..." She stated. "Totsuka-kun is waiting for you."

Did he tell her off or something? She stared as Ichika shuffled over to the side, wary as she opened the door. Just as Ichika said, Totsuka was there and looking as grumpy as ever. It was surprising to see him in something outside of their uniform, but he looked good. Casual. Not too dressed up, but not looking like a bum, either. His shirt was cute with the cat and dog having an arm around each other, though she had to take a second to read it since it was in English. Born to die and...fuck? What? Was she reading that right? Maybe she'd ask him later, she didn't want to stare for too long and give him any weird ideas.

The only problem was that she couldn't tell if he made the effort to look good or if this was how he always looked, making her a little nervous. It didn't take knowing her for too long to know that she was not the type to dress up--she was pretty sure she barely qualified--and she could feel Ichika staring at the back of her head from a distance. Well, whatever the case, he was good to look at, so she wouldn't complain too much.

Whatever the case was, she threw up her hand to greet him. "Yo," She said. Should she compliment him? Say nothing? Oh, God, there was that overthinking again. She could hear Ichika shuffle in place. "Sorry for her, she's uh...excitable."

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Where It Always Rains

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April 12th, 20xx
2:45 a.m.
Weather: Scattered Clouds

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The walk back had been quiet for the most part. She wished she could say that she enjoyed it, but she just felt tired. The rest of the night was dull and uneventful; she had dinner, Ichika chatted her ear off about some girl she befriended, and then she showered and went to bed. Her hand felt less sore by the time she curled up in her blankets, but despite being tired, she couldn't fall asleep right away. She kept remembering Totsuka ripping Nakano a new one and the girl's lack of a response. Was that gonna end up being what the rest of the year was like? She was already sick of Boxing Club, if she got volunteered for any other bullshit she was going to drop out.

Letting out a sigh, she fished for her phone, wincing at the brightness as she opened it. Tomorrow was Saturday and there wouldn't be any classes, at least, so one less thing to worry about. Ariyoshi would probably premiere the new flavor of the week. She hoped it would have coconut in it. As the thought crossed her mind, her fingers were already at work, tapping out a text to 'Hot Ass':

Meet me at my place tomorrow @ 1
We're going for some boba

Short, sweet, and to the point. She closed her phone screen and drifted off, letting herself get swathed by the blankets. Maybe her aunt would let her keep it whenever Ichika would move back. Dozing off, she fell asleep for some hours before she heard her phone beep. Despite the grogginess, she could tell someone was trying to call her. She kept her eyes closed as she brought the phone to her ear.?

"Hello?" She mumbled out a greeting.

"Ah, Shiori-chan! Good, good, you're awake!" Her mother's cheerful and heavily drunk voice blasted through the speaker. "I'm going to pass by, I can't find my keys to the house...so I'll borrow yours, okay?"

Ugh. Shiori let out a heavy sigh as she sat up, rubbing her eyes. "Did you check your purse?" She asked.

"Do you think I'm that stupid? Just get your keys and wait for me at your door," She huffed, ending the call before Shiori could protest.

She did let out about a dozen swears before dragging herself out of bed. Taking a second to try to wake up some, she shuffled over to her desk, rummaging through the drawers for her old keys. Fortunately, she was somewhat organized, finding them quickly. She wished she could say she was quiet enough so that she wouldn't wake up Ichika, but she was so sleepy that she was probably louder than she thought. Oh well, she would apologize if Ichika complained about it.

Plopping herself on the floor with keys in hand, she stifled a yawn as she rested against the wall. Whether she had dozed off and time passed or it was some form of mercy from the universe, a loud bang against the door told her that her mother had arrived. There was an intruding thought that told her to ignore it and go back to bed, but she'd bet it would make things worse. So she clumsily got to her feet, unlocking the door and sliding it open, blinking at the woman swaying in front of her.

The woman was dressed to the nines, her little black dress hugging her tight and leaving little to the imagination. The amount of cleavage it had was shocking, if only because it left people wondering if her assets were going to pop out of the straps any moment now. Her stockings had a small hole in them--likely from walking too close to a bush--and her too-high heels sparkled from the hallway light. The makeup she wore looked like it belonged to a single woman rather than the wife and mother she was, her expression light and cheery.

"Ah, sorry, sorry, I'm bothering you at a bad hour, hm?" She commented, words barely slurring together.

Shiori couldn't help but stare. So she was outright just going out and leaving her dad home alone, eh? Not that she was surprised; Himawari Chisuzu loved to party it up and was more than happy to pretend to be a single woman. Shiori would be disappointed if she actually cared. For now, her goal was to get her to leave as quickly as possible. "Yeah. I was asleep," She couldn't help her irritated response.

She pouted. "You should be happy to see your Mama," She whined. "It's already been two weeks!"

"Yeah, well, I'm busy."

At that, the woman laughed. "Busy? Busy with what, lounging around the house doin' nuthin'?" She asked, giggling.

Shiori crossed her arms. She didn't really have any interest in continuing this conversation. "Just busy. Here," She offered the keys. "Go home."

Clicking her tongue, her mother snatched the keys away. "I can't believe you're pushing me out already. You didn't even offer me the couch!" She snapped, angry as she raised her voice. "Are you forgetting who raised you all these years? All the things I sacrificed for you?!"

There it was, the alcohol fueling whatever bullshit thoughts she had. Unfortunately, Chisuzu was also practically screaming at this point and was causing a mess. "Fucking--Ma, shut it!" Shiori hissed. "It's late and people are sleeping!"

"So?! If I want to be loud, I can!" She continued yelling. "Do you think people would be happy to hear you treating your mother this way, huh?! I didn't raise you to be this disrespectful! I should wake up the whole neighborhood and tell them how my own daughter is treating me! They'd all agree with me, too!"

Shiori glared at her mother. "Then go tell them and let me sleep!" She snapped.

"Fine! See if I come see you again!" Chisuzu huffed, stomping off.

Shiori didn't bother watching her leave, instead seizing the chance to close and lock the door while she could. A headache was slowly forming, but she just couldn't care anymore. If she got herself riled up every time her mom tried to start some shit, she'd have gone crazy a long time ago. Then again, her anger issues were probably rooted in that. But that was everyone else's problem. Her only solace was that all was quiet as she dragged herself back to bed, all too happy to let herself drop back into the softness. She fell asleep quickly, ignoring the thought in the back of her head wondering why her mom bothered to come see her if all she did was scream at her back home.

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April 12th, 20xx
11:52 a.m.
Weather: Scattered Clouds

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Inhaling sharply, Shiori let out a groan. Part of her thought last night was some sort of nightmare, but her skewed blankets told her that it very much happened. Whatever, it was morning, and she needed to get up and get dressed. She reminded herself of the boba tea waiting for her later on as she dragged herself to the bathroom, yawning loudly. Brush teeth, shower, get dressed. A cold shower would definitely wake her up. Once her feet hit the floor, though, the warmth of her bed beckoned to her like a siren's song, tempting her, reminding her that it was the weekend and she could sleep in some more.

Alas, if she wanted boba, she'd have to get ready.

Fortunately, the shower woke her up, and she went from sleepy to relatively neutral by the time she stood by her closet. Yesterday's events had basically erased her memory of the fact that she essentially told Totsuka they were going out. But not like that. They were just...going out. Together. Alone. They had basically hung out together all week, so it definitely wasn't like that at all. And yet, as she eyed her options, she found herself second-guessing her choices. If she put too much effort, Totsuka would definitely notice and definitely get the wrong idea. But if she didn't put enough effort, then...then what? He'd get the wrong idea anyway?! And then?!

Realizing she was working herself up, Shiori took in a deep breath. Okay, she was overthinking. But it's fine, a shirt and some jeans on a temperate day was fine. She nodded to herself as she searched through her clothes, laying out her choices on her bed. A blouse was probably better than a t-shirt for where they were going. The cafe was a little on the bougie side, so dressing up a little was a good compromise. Her good jeans were there, ready and inviting, but her eyes kept returning to the skirt she plucked out. It was something her aunt had bought her some time ago, girly and lacey and flowy. But it wasn't something she really wore, so it kinda got buried in her closet. But this was a good chance to wear it, right? A skirt and blouse were fine. She was a young teenage girl, it wasn't that weird, right?

But as she went with her gut and tried on the outfit, she realized that it was weird. She looked like she was dressed for a date! It was too bad, too, she actually kinda liked the frilly skirt. She pursed her lips in dissatisfaction, crossing her arms. Ugh, why was she overthinking this?

"You look cute!" Ichika squealed.

The sudden arrival of her cousin caused Shiori to jump, completely forgetting about her housemate. She whirled around, her hands covering her chest as if she was exposed. "I--What?!" She stuttered out a response. "No, this is--ugh, never mind." She gave up, immediately ripping off the skirt.

"Oh, noooo, don't change!" She insisted. "It looks good, I promise!"

Shiori scowled at her. "Yeah, that's the problem," She muttered. "It's just not my style. I don't really like lacey stuff like this."

Ichika paused, staring at Shiori for a second. Before she could ask what she was staring at, however, Ichika threw her hands forward. "Wait! I have just the thing!" She said, speeding out of her bedroom. She came back in almost record time, brandishing some kind of jeans--wait, no, it was a jean skirt? "I think it might be a little big on you, but you can wear a belt."

Shiori's shoulders slumped in defeat as she looked at Ichika's sparkling expression. She really, really wanted her to try it on, didn't she? The redhead reluctantly took her up on her offer, hoisting the skirt on. Admittedly, Ichika was right; she didn't look nearly as girly as before and felt a lot more comfortable. She was, however, miffed at their size difference. Ichika must have been carrying a secret dump truck back there. Ugh, she had a chest and a butt? Here Shiori was, actually confident in her own hips, but apparently, Miss Hourglass over here was living it up, having the sort of body other girls would kill for. There truly was no justice in the world.

The brunette didn't seem to notice Shiori's glare, instead of busying herself with looping a belt through the loops. "Perfect! Oh, I love it!" She sighed happily. "Okay, I think a ponytail would look good, it'll reveal a little bit of nape and everything!"

"Wh--nape, are you--wait--ow!"

Ichika was stronger than she looked as she promptly manhandled Shiori's hair, happily humming to herself. By the time she was finished, she added a pair of braids going up into the ponytail. Shiori stared at her reflection, horrified. Oh God, she looked like their date was--their not date was definitely like that.

"And now, for makeup," Ichika announced.

"No," Shiori immediately shut that down. There was absolutely no way she could get away with wearing makeup without Totsuka calling her a clown or something.

"Just a little! Here, look," She whipped out a tube from her pocket. "It'll make your lips pop!"

Shiori let out a sigh, waving her away. "Listen, I appreciate everything else, but I'm not wearing makeup," She dismissed her.

Ichika pouted, though she placed the tube in Shiori's hand. "Just a little bit. Trust me, you won't regret it~" She sang, skipping out of the room.

The redhead let her leave, though she stared down at the tube. Just a little bit, she said. But if she wore makeup, then it was like that. And he would notice. And make fun of her. Or worse, he'd get the wrong idea. Or even worse, he'd have no reaction and then all this was for nothing. Honestly, she couldn't believe how worked up she was getting over all this. It was just boba! She loved boba! Why did it have to get so complicated?!

As she went to place the tube down, however, an impulse took over. She unscrewed the top, pulling out a brush covered in glitter. Oh God, no, there was no way she could put this on and not get laughed at. Well, Ichika said a little, right? Just a little bit. Despite her better judgment, she dabbled a little on her lower lip, trying to remember how her mother did it. That thought alone nearly made her vomit, but the end result was a pair of glossy, shimmery lips. And it looked exactly how she thought it would.

"This was a mistake," She muttered, hastily wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

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The Shattering of Aegis

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What a curious crew indeed.

Eila had expected to encounter a variety of people, but she was a little too fascinated by the others. They looked as organized as Ermes--which is to say not very--and they had this wariness about them. She could sympathize with having a need to keep up their guard, but surely they didn't believe her to be a threat? Perhaps she should take that as some sort of compliment as she would rather be seen as something to be wary of instead of being seen as a target. And to think, Mother said she should expect people to see her as weak! Her ego did inflate just a touch at the thought.

That said, Ermes was thoroughly confused about what was rude and what wasn't. The poor thing clearly lacked in manner and etiquette. Nonetheless, Eila was a light of guidance first and a warrior second as she would make sure to correct this behavior in the future. A litte push in the right direction would do wonders for all that energy he carried. The others trailing behind the one warrior seemed rather shy. Poor things, she wondered if they simply followed the strongest voice. No matter, they were all children of the Goddess and deserved to be treated as such.

The Bounty House was rustic and charming in its own way. The guard that had been mentioned was fast asleep. How curious. If he was a guard, was it not best that he be alert? Well, she supposed that was no trouble for them.

"I believe this is...Jenson," She noted out loud to the group. "Shall we carry on without disturbing him?"

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