Pre game omake 1 - Hotaru, Mako and Ami.

[Anastasia]

Omake episode 1! New transfer students! Ami-chan makes friends?

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[13:03] <@Anastasia> Class starts as usual for Ami, as she arrives early enough to get some reading in before the lecture begins. Your homeroom teacher, an stern if fair older man with a tall, broad shouldered manner and firm gaze, arrives early as well today, minutes after you sit. He glances at the nearly empty classroom, before setting eyes on you. "Mizuno," he says, voice quiet yet carrying in the pre student stillness of the school.
[13:07] * @Ami-chan pulls her hand away from the book she was planning to get in her bookbag and looks up after hearing her name. Recognizing the man, she greets him politely, "Good morning, Mr. Hino. How are you doing today?"
[13:09] <@Anastasia> A nod of acknowledgement, as he stands in front of his desk. "Our class has a new student coming today. Would you go to the front and bring her here?"
[13:13] <@Ami-chan> "Of course, I'll be there in a moment," Ami says with a smile as she stands up and begins to walk to the door. Stopping briefly, she looks back at Mr. Hino and asks, "What's the new student's name?"
[13:13] <@Anastasia> "Makoto Kino," he replies, nodding once.
[13:15] <@Ami-chan> "Alright," Ami replies before she turns around and continues out of the classroom and towards the school's front entrance.
[13:17] <@Anastasia> Students begin to pass you as you get closer to the entrace, most of the population arriving in little groups as you head alone to the front area. Once there and a few questions asked, you find that the new student is in the headmaster's office.
[13:21] <@Anastasia> On arriving there, you find the door is slightly cracked, the hard wooden chairs outside the wall of the office having one guest, a brunette. Conversation trickles outside from the office, faint.  (Mako, describe yourself. Ami, too, to the other girl.)
[13:26] <@Ami-chan> Making a throat clearing noise, Ami leans over slightly in front of the brunette, her hands held behind her back. Her wavy blue hair bounces a bit forward, but is short enough that the bangs do nothing to cover her eyes. Smiling she politely asks, "Would you be Kino-san by any chance?"
[13:27] * @Makoto sighs, idly leaning the chair she's sitting in slightly back, the front legs rising into the air slightly as she frowns at the floor. A tall girl, with chestnut colored brown hair, and dark green eyes, and her arms folded under her breasts in contemplation of the carpeting, she wears a slightly perturbed expression as she waits for her turn, blinking and looking up as she's addressed by the newcomer. "Hmm? Oh. Yeah, that's me."
[13:29] <@Ami-chan> "Oh, hello, I'm Ami Mizuno from class 3B. Mr. Hino said you'd be joining our class and asked me to come look for you," Ami explained. "How are you finding school so far?"
[13:33] <@Makoto> Makoto gave the blue haired girl a measuring glance, then weighed her response carefully. 'Hmm...Looks like the scholar type.' "Um, It seems like a nice enough place." She answers, semi-gruffly, trying to be as polite as possible.
[13:36] <@Ami-chan> "Oh it is, Kino-san. Trust me, the math classes can be quite challenging if you ask for more, and the science classes have a lot of onhand work for the students," Ami says trying to put in a good word for the school. Absently noting the fairly fit state of the brunette, she adds as an afterthought, "We have a decent physical education system too."
[13:39] <@Makoto> 'DEFINTELY a scholar-type.' Makoto chuckles nervously. "Well, that's good to hear." she murmurs, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. 'What to say, what to say...' "Not much for academics, though."
[13:40] <@Anastasia> As you chat, you see the door to the headmaster's office open. Poking his head out, you see the headmaster in the flesh. A rotund man in a brown suit, his face has a faintly grating, satisfied smirk to it. "Miss Mizuno, our resident genious," he smirks again. "You and Miss Kino should come in."
[13:42] <@Makoto> Makoto sighs softly and stands, unfolding to her full height from the little wooden chair, the perturbed expression returning to her face. Without a word, she turns to the door, and starts moving for it.
[13:44] * @Ami-chan blinks as Makoto stands up and passes by her, briefly thinking, 'Oh my, she's taller than I thought...' before following after her.
[13:45] <@Anastasia> Inside the office is a wide desk along with a few somewhat more friendly to sit in chairs, cushioned lightly. In one chair sits a meek younger girl(Hotaru, describe yourself), whom the principal nods to as he sits back down. "
[13:49] <@Hotaru> Hotaru looks back as people enter the room, pushing errant strays of bloack hair away from her face. Her eyes track upwards to look at the two elder girls, before she relaxes again, seeming to try and draw into herself.
[13:50] * @Ami-chan blinks briefly at the reaction from the younger girl, before turning to the headmaster with some curiosity. "Sir? Might I ask why you wanted me here? Mr. Hino just asked that I look for Kino-san..." she asks slightly bewildered.
[13:51] <@Makoto> Makoto just held her breath, a slightly resigned look on her face as she stood near the chairs, but not sitting until she was invited to.
[13:54] <@Anastasia> "It's good timing," he nods, as if sitting on some great revelation or secret that pleases him. "This is Hotaru Tomoe, another transfer student. She's a few grades under you, but she did very well on her entrance exam. We'd like to try skipping her ahead a few grades. Your class would be ideal, Ami." That's news to Hotaru, too. So far, he'd just gone through some basics about the school, yet now...oi.
[13:56] <@Makoto> Makoto blinks, and looks down on the younger girl with raised eyebrows. 'Wow, not too shabby. Now I feel old AND dumb.' Still, she manages a smile at the kid.
[13:58] * @Ami-chan nods comprehending the situation now, and turning to the younger girl, greets her. "Good morning Tomoe-san, my name is Ami Mizuno, I'll be in you class it seems, along with Kino-san too." Ami briefly turns to look at Makoto while mentioning her.
[14:00] <@Makoto> "Hiya." Makoto adds, smiling a little wider. "Guess we'll be the new kids together."
[14:01] <@Hotaru> Hotaru perks up, her eyes moving with surprising speed to the headmaster, and then the two elder girls in mild shock. 'Skipping ahead? Well...I guess.' Not quite afraid, but more than a little tentative seeming, she stands, bowing. "N-Nice to meet you," she says quietly, one hand clutching the other.
[14:03] <@Anastasia> Nodding half to himself, "Good. Ami, would you make sure both of these students adapt to your class well," he asks, rising and fishing out a sheet of paper from a little pile on his desk. PAssing it to Ami, "I'm certain someone with such an intellect will be a wonderful mentor for the both of them, especially Miss Kino."
[14:04] <@Makoto> Makoto sighs, stifling the urge to roll her eyes. 'Kami, enough with the hints. Why not just come out and say it? Do all headmasters have the same book of veiled jabs at the ego?'
[14:04] * @Ami-chan blinks at the emphasis on Kino-san and awkwardly replies, "Uh, of course, sir..." before taking a look at what's written on the paper.
[14:06] <@Hotaru> Hotaru blinks at the added commentary, turning her eyes to Kino-san, observing her inquisitively. 'Why her? I'm the young one, even if...'
[14:08] * @Makoto catches the look from the younger girl out of the corner of her eye and blushes. 'Well. New to the school, and already, I'm branded. Wait until they find out about the fighting.'
[14:14] <@Hotaru> Hotaru's eyes slowly move away, rather intentionally it seems, towards the floor as Kino-san reacts to her gaze, trying to not reveal her sudden embarrassment at being noticed.
[14:16] <@Anastasia> It's a handwritten note, telling Mr. Hino about a second student coming and signed by the headmaster. Nothing special, really. "Good, Ami. I'm counting on you," he adds, his smirk returning as he sits back down. "Class starts soon, so show them around the campus during lunch," he adds afterwards.
[14:23] * @Ami-chan nods at the suggestion and looking at the two girls, she says, "Tomoe-san? Kino-san? Would you follow me?", before moving back towards the classroom at a leisurely pace, the note in her hand.
[14:28] * @Makoto nods and follows the blue haired girl, pausing just a moment to make sure the smallest girl is following them...
[14:29] <@Hotaru> Hotaru nods, following Ami quietly out the door. 'Wow...this will be interesting. Maybe, but it might be bad. Have to wait and see.' She pauses as Kino-san stops in front of her, looking up, and waiting to continue after her and Mizuno-san.
[14:31] <@Anastasia> It's not a terribly long walk, at least, to room 3B. It' s afairly typical Japanese school, carpetless hallways and bright tube lights shining down. Students are heading to class as you go, the last trickles as a chime sounds. Moments later, Ami stops in front of room 3B.
[14:34] <@Ami-chan> "Well, here we are," she says while turning her head to look at her companions before walking in and greeting Mr. Hino again.
[14:34] <@Ami-chan> Handing the paper to the teacher, she summarizes quickly that there's a second student now while waiting for the two to enter.
[14:36] <@Anastasia> Inside is the normal arraignment of seats with a teacher's desk afront. A gaggle of uniformed boys and girls of Ami's age sit there, watching both you and the teacher. Mr. Hino takes the note, scanning it briefly before looking up and nodding. "Kino and Tomoe," he says, turning to the class. "Students, we have a two new students today," he says, to them. "Would you come and introduce yourself to the class first," he says, eyes on Makoto.
[14:39] <@Makoto> Makoto steps forward, her 'I don't care' mask firmly in place as she looks around warily. 'Don't let them see you nervous.' "Makoto Kino." she begins, at least marginally politely, though cautiously, and not particularly warmly. "I'm thirteen, and transferring from Jindou Middle School, and I practice kempo. Nice to meet you."
[14:41] <@Anastasia> The class watches, the normal array of half interested and half grateful for class to be stalled looks. A few nods, and a couple of smiles. About par for the course, even if you notice most the boys gawking at your height - or something, but what else on you is there to look at?
[14:42] <@Anastasia> Nodding, "Now, Tomoe," he says to her, turning to nod. "You'll sit on one side of Mizuno, and Tomoe the other," he says, as two students between an empty desk grumble, rising to resituate.
[14:45] <@Hotaru> Hotaru nods, stepping up close to where Kino-san had stood. "Hotaru Tomoe," she began thinking over the formula her elder had just used, and modifying it for her own use, casting a distracted tone on her voice. "I'm twelve, transferring from Arakawa Elementary. I like to read," she offers tentatively, trying to not pay attention to the number of students, and how many might be looking in her direction.
[14:46] <@Anastasia> "Good," Mr Hino says in his deep baritone. Sitting, "Mizuno, if you would show them to their desks," he finishes, which are now vacated.
[14:49] <@Makoto> Makoto hangs back, letting the smaller girl go first, feeling a stab of sympathy at the timid little girl. Just before they're shown to their desks, she leans down and whispers in the smaller girl's ear. "Come see me if anyone pushes you around, Tomoe-san." she offers quietly, then straightens up, prentending she hadn't spoken.
[14:50] * @Ami-chan nods quietly as she walks towards her own desk. Once besides her desk, she turns around and speaks to the two girls. "I hope you two enjoy your new school," she says warmly. Sitting down, she digs into her schoolbag and pulls out a pencil case and a notebook. "If either of you needs school supplies I'll be happy to lend you some," she also offers.
[14:52] <@Makoto> Makoto blinks at Ami, a little suprised at the offer. "Uh...thanks." she responds uncertainly. "I'll let you know."
[14:56] <@Hotaru> Hotaru looks up sharply in surprise as the much taller girl's voice echoes in her ears. Noticing the change of expression, she looks away again, smiling at the offer. Sitting down at her assigned seat, she nods to Ami, her smile warming a bit. "Thank you," she replies, looking back towards the front of the class. 'Doesn't seem so bad, right now at least.'
[14:58] <@Anastasia> From there, the first half of the day winds on. Maths, science, history, all such classes pass by thans to various teachers. Finally, relief comes, the chimes for lunch sounding. Students rise, going to take advantage of the warm spring day.
[15:02] * @Ami-chan puts away her notebook and pencil case, and after placing her bookbag on top of her desk, she looks at the two new girls. "Well, would you guys want to see the school now or would you prefer to eat first?"
[15:05] <@Makoto> Makoto blinked. She was rather used to being turned loose by her assigned guide at the first opportunity. "Either is fine." she replied, glancing at the other new kid.
[15:09] <@Hotaru> Hotaru nods, finishing packing her satchel, and focusing her attention on Mizuno-san. "I'm fine with whatever you'd like to do, Mizuno-san," she says politely. 'Sound like an echo.'
[15:11] <@Ami-chan> "Well then, if you don't mind, I'd like to eat first. I'm afraid I skipped breakfast this morning," Ami says in an apologetic tone. "If either of you needs to buy lunches, I can at least start by showing you the cafeteria."
[15:13] <@Makoto> Makoto shakes her head, smiling a little. The two girls made it awfully hard to be standoffish. "I'm fine, I made my own." she replies, then glances at Hotaru. "You?"
[15:19] <@Hotaru> "Ah, I made my own," Hotaru agrees quietly, looking out the classroom window to gauge the weather. "I don't like crowds," she offered tentatively, glancing between her elders.
[15:19] <@Anastasia> As you do so...huh, odd. Did you see a wiggle in the tree branches outside, the flash of something reflecting the sunlight?
[15:21] * @Makoto blinks as something moves outside the window, and turns to look, distracted from the other girls for a moment.
[15:23] <@Hotaru> Hotaru turns as Makoto does, having noticed the flash in her weather checking. She blinks as Kino-san turns as well, and looks over at her. "Did you see...?" she trails off quietly, looking back out the window.
[15:24] <@Ami-chan> "Hmm? Did the two of you see something?" Ami asks, having originally not been paying much attention to outside.
[15:25] <@Anastasia> Looking, the branches wiggle again, as...leaves flutter as a glasses wearing boy leaps slightly, startled. Landing badly on the branch, the nerdy looking fellow and his shock of brown hair  go flying, as he takes a short but rattling fall. A notepad and camera fall with him. Ami - Mind check.
[15:25] <@Makoto> Makoto nods to Hotaru, then shrugs. "I saw a flash, or something." she replies. "It look- hey! Who is that?"  
[15:26] * Anastasia sets mode: +v Hatbot
[15:27] <@Ami-chan> roll 2d6
[15:27] * +Hatbot --> "Ami-chan rolls 2d6 and gets 11."
[15:28] <@Anastasia> AMi catches the face, but it draws a blank in her mind. A loud THUMP sounds a moment later, then a breaking sound, likely his camera.
[15:28] <@Ami-chan> "I...don't know. He looked familiar though!" she says as she rushes to the window to check outside.
[15:29] <@Ami-chan> "Hey, are you alright?" she shouts as she opens the window and leans to look down.
[15:29] <@Makoto> Makoto moves to the window, eyeing the ground for a body. 'What was he up to?'
[15:33] <@Hotaru> Hotaru follows the other two girls, though at a slower pace.  'Kino-san seems friendly enough.' "Do you think he'll be alright?" she asks no one in particular, curiousity taking over as she looks out the window.
[15:34] <@Anastasia> Sitting up quickly and rubbing his head despite the rather nasty fall, you see a uniformed student with now bent and cracked glasses, moaning. "Owwww!" he says, his camera a cracked wreck and notepad face down and open.  Ami...that face...it's someone in school, you think. The name escapes you offhand.
[15:35] <@Makoto> "He looks like he'll be okay." Makoto observes.
[15:35] * @Ami-chan frowns. "Are you sure? He seems a bit hurt. It might be best to get him to the nurse's office."
[15:37] <@Hotaru> "What was he doing in the tree, though?" Hotaru asks quietly, her eyes moving over the notebook and camera. "He looks like a reporter, maybe."
[15:37] <@Makoto> "Maybe. And he sat up pretty quick. Probably not hurt seriously." Makoto replies with a shrug.
[15:38] <@Anastasia> Looking up, he yelps as he sees the three of you. "Gah! Spotted," he frets aloud, rising and rushing to gather up his damaged camera and notebook.
[15:38] <@Ami-chan> "I don't think that's what he was doing given that response," Ami says slowly as she wracks her brain trying to recall who the fellow was while focusing on his face.
[15:39] * @Makoto frowns. "Okay, THAT doesn't fill me with warmth." she grimaces. "No idea what he was up to, Mizuno-san?"
[15:39] <@Anastasia> OOC - Mind check again, Ami.
[15:39] <@Ami-chan> roll 2d6
[15:39] * +Queen_Serenity --> "Ami-chan rolls 2d6 and gets 6."
[15:39] <@Anastasia> That's right...Gurio Umino, in a class a few rooms down. You remember that he asked questions about you when you did so well on the last exams.
[15:40] <@Hotaru> Hotaru falls silent as the other two girls talk, listening attentatively. Blinking at Kino-san's statement, she opens her mouth, and then shuts it as the other girl moves past it.
[15:42] * @Ami-chan frowns at that. "Oh right...Umino-san," she says loudly as she recalls his name. Sighing, she turns to the girls besides her. "Calling him a reporter might be the kind way of referring to him, now that I think about it."
[15:43] <@Makoto> Makoto inclines her head, not saying anything, but making an unspoken gesture for Ami to elaborate.
[15:43] <@Ami-chan> "Gossip," Ami puts simply.
[15:44] <@Anastasia> Dashing off now, Umino makes a pretty good pace as he sprints away, completely a wreck.
[15:45] <@Hotaru> Hotaru's expression scrambles in confusion for a second, before she quickly smothers the expression. "That's...big in middle school?" she asks curiously, wishing she didn't sound so immature.
[15:48] <@Ami-chan> "Surprising, isn't it?" Ami says with a shake of her head.
[15:48] <@Makoto> "Hm." Makoto sighs. "Well, it's not like we were doing anything secret." she says finally, and smiles slightly at Hotaru's question.
[15:51] <@Ami-chan> "How right you are Kino-san. I guess we should find someplace to eat quickly so we'll still have time for a small tour of the school facilities."
[15:53] <@Anastasia> As you head out to find such a place, you see Umino dazedly staggering past you, heading to a classroom a few down. His camera is indeed cracked and probably a goner. Oh well.
[15:55] <@Makoto> Makoto cracks a slight grin at the boy, but declines getting offended. He seems to have suffered enough.
[15:56] <@Anastasia> Still rubbing the back of his head as a fine lump rises and b its of dirt and grass fall from his outfit, he happens to glance and jumps in surprise. "Gah," he says, eyeing you.
[15:59] <@Ami-chan> hough a bit annoyed at the boy given that he was hunting for gossip, Ami feels some worry at the sight of the hurt boy. "Umino-san, are you alright? Do you need help to the nurse's office?" she asks, realizing the possibility of a concussion or some such having occured for Umino.
[16:00] <@Makoto> Makoto just smiles and waves, and trying not to laugh. 'Jumpy, isn't he?'
[16:01] <@Anastasia> "No, no," he waves quickly, the notepad flapping. "Er, um...I'm just going back to class," he laughs nerviously, hands still holding his accessories as he dashes off. Left in his dust is his notebook, settling as he makes haste.
[16:02] <@Ami-chan> "I hope he really is alright," Ami says worriedly. "That bump didn't look too good."
[16:03] <@Makoto> Makoto smiles a little, bending down to pick up the notebook, having noticed it falling from Umino's arms. "He should be fine. He was walking all right."
[16:04] <@Anastasia> It's a 100 page one, and reasonably new. Looks to be written in, bits of ink see on page edges sticking out.
[16:05] <@Anastasia> The red cover has has a warning, rubbed in with an eraser - Top Secret, stay out!
[16:05] <@Ami-chan> Noticing Makoto pick up the notebook, Ami notes, "Oh, he dropped his notebook? Well, I suppose we can return it to him after we have lunch. If we keep getting distracted by him, we'll never get to eat or show you where everything is."
[16:06] <@Makoto> Makoto hums, and nods to Ami. "Sure. I'd like to flip through and see what he wrote about me, but that can wait." she decides.
[16:06] <@Hotaru> Hotaru blinks, nodding to Ami and beginning to reach for the notebook, before noticing Makoto's hands had already swept it away. Looking embarrassed as she straightens, she nods to Ami.
[16:07] * @Ami-chan resists rolling her eyes at that. Like there could be anything interesting in there.
[16:08] <@Anastasia> Ending up back in the classroom, which is mostly empty thanks to the nice day, you have your lunches out. Makoto's is quite large and smells wonderful, as the notebook sits on the desk the three of you are using for a table.

To be continued in a few days, as our busy December schedules permit.