2023-06-04 - VICTORY LUCK AIZAWA 1
| VICTORY LUCK AIZAWA 1 | |
|---|---|
| Summary: The final exams between Ren and Endo and graduation loom. A study session is called. A brother is met. Signum and Shamal realize that the kids are likely to be interrupted. | |
| Who: Ren Aizawa, Fate Testarossa, Lera Camry, Setsuna Higashi, Signum Yagami, Kyouka Okazaki, Endo Naoki, Shamal Yagami GM: Pink Moon Stick | |
| Where: Aizawa House | |
| OOC - IC Date: 6/4/2023 - 3/15/2016 | |
<Pose Tracker> Pink Moon Stick [Admin] has posed.
It is the night before the beginning of finals week; the end of the school year is on rapid approach. Like an oncoming train.
What are you doing? And where are you doing it?
<Pose Tracker> Ren Aizawa [Infinity Institute (12)] has posed.
To say that Ren has been nervous about the upcoming week of final exams would be selling things short. Way short. Which is why tonight she's offered to host a final, last-minute group study session for those who need it.
Of course, she's certainly including herself in that category of "those who need it". Cough.
Playing hostess is thankfully something she seems to be well-suited for, at least. Various snacks and other foods have been painstakingly prepared and laid out in both the kitchen and living room area. Also, she's laid out comfortable floor pillows for people to sit upon. And she's provided plenty of pencils just in case! Ren personally has been known to go through many writing instruments, brough on by much writing, and erasing, then writing, then erasing again.
Forever.
Ok. Maybe not forever, but you get the gist.
"Thank you for coming!" She greets those who have assembled, bowing graciously with a smile. "Let's all try our best!" Some of the nervousness has dissipated, though there's still a slight pit in her stomach as her brain begins to race over everything she's sure she hasn't remembered to study up until now...
<Pose Tracker> Fate Testarossa [Infinity Institute (5)] has posed.
"One-two-three-four. One-two-three-four."
Fate marches evenly along the sidewalk, balancing her precious payload. Dressed in a yellow and white striped sleeved shirt, white skirt, tennis shoes and white ribbons in her hair.
"This is my mission." She tells herself as if to keep herself focused, before moving to a count again, "One-two-three-four."
She can't fly. And dimensional transfers would risk startling people. She must, march it there on foot. For someone used to moving fast, she regarded even moving as a normal pace as a form of training.
Until she arrives at destination. One arming her payload cautiously, to knock at the door. When she's finally let in, she gives Ren a serious look. "Ren. Mission complete."
And hands over the Starbooks cup carrier tray with both hands. For what high-stakes study session for high schoolers would be complete, without caffeination?
Fate then offers a wave to all of them, "I know you can do it!"
<Pose Tracker> Lera Camry [Infinity Institute (11)] has posed.
Lera is nervous, herself. After she graduates from high school, what comes next?
Problems to puzzle out later.
She has been over to Ren's house many times before -- it comes with being her best friend! -- and she shows up now with a backpack and a shopping bag, with snacks. "I wouldn't miss it, y'know?"
Then, she looks down at Fate. She blinks her eyes once.
Then, Lera grins. "Good job, Fate!" she says. She looks confident for about 30 seconds, before her shoulders slump, and she sighs. "I-I hope I can, y'know?"
<Pose Tracker> Setsuna Higashi [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
Setsuna is of course there to study as well! She may or may not 'need' it but she's not going to pass up the chance to pad her chances at good grades; hard work is an imporant part of doing your best!
She is seated at the moment on one of those pillows, working at her own work. SHe's not the same age as all of the others of course, so she has her own work to consider...
And then she is abrubtly not seated because she stands up brightly and approaches Fate. "Thank you, Fate!!"
She accepts coffee. Mmmmm, coffee. She's very cheerful about this; one can imagine her face, the bright smile...
And then--
"Oh, Lera," she says, "You can definitely do it!"
"Just because you had the wrong chapter last time doesn't mean you have the wrong chapter this time!"
<Pose Tracker> Fate Testarossa [Infinity Institute (5)] has posed.
Fate beams at Lera and Setsuna, before giving Lera a determined look, "I know you can!" Fate tells Lera, adding after Setsuna gives her advice, "Also remember to actually study up on America this time! You sometimes forget you're not really from there!"
<Pose Tracker> Signum Yagami [None] has posed.
In a room, several read intensely.
A calculator is consulted.
Coffee is sipped into the later reaches of the night.
Because there is an urgent deadline coming up.
A day when fates (and perhaps, indirectly, Fate) will be decided.
"I don't understand this problem at all."
"It's quite simple. Here, let me show you --"
Some pencilled figures.
"Ah. Aha," Signum muses. "Then, if that's the case..."
"Yes," says Shamal. "If we cite the reconstruction of the koi pond as a repair rather than an improvement..."
"Then it's more favorable," Signum muses further. "And we will preserve over eighty thousand yen, if it will extend through the next twelve months."
"Indeed."
"Indeed."
Signum is not present. She is doing her taxes. But she is only a strong thought away for most of those present!
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
Kyouka is finding herself in a novel situation.
She has never actually had final exams before. Sure she's taken lots of tests and exams and assessments and so forth during her homeschooling, but there's something different about taking some standardized tests under your mother's supervision versus taking them in a large group in a classroom setting. She is both nervous and, paradoxically, a little excited. It's something new, it's a challenge. And it's...
Well, it's something to keep her mind off of other things for a bit.
But study group! Another new thing! A chance to enjoy the company of her fellow friends, to help and be helped, and a way to share the burden of the impending exams. And when she found out Ren was hosting, she jumped for it.
She also arrived early, to help Ren set up. She remembers Ren mentioning she was graduating when they met, so figured this final exam must be extra stressful for her. And she couldn't help but bring her own contribution to snacks--homemade granola bars, with dried berries. One of her favorites.
The seasons are changing, so she's swapped out the long-sleeved flannel for short-sleeved one, but is still wearing black jeans and t-shirt with it. Casual, as always. Her right wrist is conspicuously bare, though.
She smiles as Ren thanks them for coming, and offers her own polite bow in return. "Thanks for having us, Aizawa-san!" Then she gives Fate a grin when she arrives. "Hey, Fate! Thanks a bunch for that."
She is in Setsuna's class, so at the very least they can help each other with their shared material. But Fate makes that comment... And Kyouka chuckles. "Yeaaah, I can help out with stuff about the States, at least..."
<Pose Tracker> Ren Aizawa [Infinity Institute (12)] has posed.
Fate's arrival is met with unbridled enthusiasm. Especially since she brought coffee! Something that Ren realizes she completely forgot about!
"Fate! You're amazing!" She clasps her hands together and laughs, accepting the coffee carrier from the small girl graciously to set it down in the center of the coffee table so everyone else can grab a cup at their leisure.
She turns to beam at Lera, nodding and joining Setsuna and Fate in reassuring her. "Yeah! You've gotta stay positive! We can do this together!" Although Ren understands Lera's feelings completely at the same time. What if she forgets something vital in the middle of one of her exams? Oh no! But she'll just have to make sure that doesn't happen!
"Ah, Okazaki-san, thank you so much for volunteering to help set things up! I hadn't realized how much there was to get in order..." Yeah. As Kyouka likely found out fairly quickly, Ren had gone quite overboard with everything she's purchased for tonight's study session. Having an extra set of hands helped greatly!
<Pose Tracker> Pink Moon Stick [Admin] has posed.
Ren has an older brother who's already in college. He's visiting the family home though tonight, and may or may not have been asked back to help slash spy on their younger daughter's Ultimate High School Finals preparation. This is all from a very good place, surely. Surely... they're very well-meaning in their concern for their daughter/little sister. But it is concern. And they are meddling.
At least the parental Aizawas aren't barging in every five minutes. But Yuu keeps popping up... offering water and otherwise stepping on Ren's toes as a hostess; offering study tips to anyone who asks for them and some who don't; offering outright tutoring, which is honestly pretty generous if anyone is desperate enough to take him up on it. He is, you see, A Genius, and though he doesn't SAY so in so many words, he's got a certain vibe of academic air superiority.
"Unless it's about the postwar reconstruction period," he sniffs a little, "I doubt very much there's much of the United States on your exams. Unless someone is taking some sort of..."
Another sniff.
"...pop culture elective."
He pronounces it like 'toilet'.
<Pose Tracker> Endo Naoki [Juuban Public School (12)] has posed.
Between magical boy work, school work, and work work, Endo is usually pretty busy. And, accordingly, some sacrifices have to be made.
Which means, in so many words, that he has barely done any actual studying.
Thankfully, he can count on Ren. So when she arranged a study session he arrived early with a few books and several pages of half-completed homework. The boy has taken a seat on one of the cushion, smiling and waving thankfully at Fate's offering before he turns his attention back toward the task at hand.
"Okay so two boats, on opposite banks of the river start moving toward each other-"
<ARE THEY FIGHTING?>
"What? No. So they pass each other 1400 meters from one bank, then-
<WHICH BOAT IS MORE POWERFUL.>
"It doesn't say. Listen, they continue to the opposite bank and then turn around...
<WHY.>
"Why are you like this? I don't want your help anymore. I'll do the math myself."
<Pose Tracker> Lera Camry [Infinity Institute (11)] has posed.
Lera looks at Setsuna for a moment -- smiles -- and then the smile fades, and then sighs, before she puts her face in her hands at Fate's words. "Oh," she says. "Oh, no. I'm doomed, y'know? Doooooooomed..."
Then, she looks at Ren, and she smiles a little lifting her chin -- and she nods once. Then, she looks at Kyouka, and she waves. "I-I'd appreciate that. Ren-chan is right, though... gotta keep a positive outlook!"
She nods her head; then, she glances at Yuu, and blinks. Smart...
She looks at Endo. Then at Stern. Then, she bites her lip. "You know... Sky actually helped me with the research on America, before I came over from Midchilda."
<Treason! She is speaking treason!>
<Pose Tracker> Setsuna Higashi [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
Setsuna is quiet when the older brother comes around. She's quiet most of the time, so that may not be particularly notable, though. She watches, but.... Says little.
"Fate," Setsuna says, "Sometimes saying true things is 'rude'."
She has been eating a lot of snacks, naturally. She smiles at Kyouka--and then considers Stern's problem, and then--
"I can help with math, but--" Pause. "...Aha..."
She thinks about saying something. But instead she says, "Sky looked after you a lot, didn't he?"
Someone else can say the mean thing. Setsuna is making soft eyes at Lera.
<Pose Tracker> Signum Yagami [None] has posed.
MEANWHILE, IN ADULTHOOD --
"We could use those savings and increase our earthquake insurance coverage," Signum muses. "It's quite generous. At these prices, it would almost be beneficial if there were an Earthquake... though I would not wish to disturb Hayate's residence, of course. There is more than finances."
"But perhaps we could keep our earthquake coverage there and cut back on some of the reserve fund and implement a rooftop solar array," Shamal says, sliding forwards a brochure. "The neighborhood goals are looking rather lackluster, and if I'm reading the small print correctly, next year we would be able to deduct seventy percent of the total install cost."
"Hmmm," Signum muses.
"Hmmm," Shamal muses.
<Pose Tracker> Fate Testarossa [Infinity Institute (5)] has posed.
"You're welcome!" She tells Kyouka. As Setsuna tells her that sometimes saying true things is rude, Fate looks surprised, then thoughtful, and eventually settles on, "I don't want her to fail." Yuu however points out that it's very unlikely there's anything of it on the exams, and Fate nods. "I see."
Blink blink. Faint Head tilt.
She's wondering what pop culture means. Does America have a thriving soda culture? Either way she doesn't ask Ren's brother, she doesn't want to bother him.
Fate gives Soaring Sky a sympathetic look as she snaps out of it. And then walks over to Endo, looking at the textbook and the homework. There's a certain intensity in her stare, until-
"I feel like the second boat is more powerful."
Did she just decide that arbitrarily?!
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
"Hey, no problem, Aizawa-san! Figured finals have gotta be hard enough without having to play hostss to everyone, you know?" She had seen the... considerable amount of things to prepare when she arrived, considered it... and then simply nodded and metaphorically rolled up her sleeves and dived right in.
She's not sure she likes Yuu, though. She arches an eyebrow at how he pronounces 'pop culture elective.' "Hey, watch it. That's my home country you're talking about there." She's... mostly jovial in her tone. Mostly.
She sees Fate's contemplative face and takes a guess, leaning over and whispering, "'Popular culture.' It's stuff that's popular, like... anime, manga, video games, movies, stuff like that."
Kyouka offers Lera a grin. "Hey, no problem. Glad to help out."
"I'll leave the math tutoring to you, Setsuna-chan..." She's not terrible but it's not her favorite subject, either. She does give a little chuckle as Fallen Stern tries to assist in his own way.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Aizawa [Infinity Institute (12)] has posed.
Yuu's presence is certainly felt by his younger sister. Ren smiles placidly at him as he pops in and out, obviously taking his assigned duties from their parents very seriously. It isn't so bad -- and he does know quite a lot about the subjects they'd be working on. It'd be silly not to take whatever nuggets of knowledge he offers!
...Still, she hopes he doesn't come off as too overbearing to her friends...
Endo's tussle with Stern over boat-related math problems makes Ren giggle a bit. "I'm not sure you're understanding it, Stern..." She tells the device, giving Endo an apologetic look. "I can help you as well!" She chimes in after Setsuna's offer. "I'm pretty good at Math..." It's by far her best subject other than Magic... though she doesn't say that aloud lest Yuu come in at the moment and give her funny looks.
<Soaring Sky was your tutor in such matters?> Heraut decides to speak up just then, directing his question towards Lera. <It all makes sense now.>
BURN!
"Heraut!" Ren exclaims, cheeks turning scarlet. "That's rude!"
<Apologies. I could not help myself.>
If Intelligent Devices could smirk, you can be assured that Heraut would be doing so right about now. Cheeky!
Kyouka's comment in response to Yuu's own comment earns a brief moment of worried pause, though she relaxes when she quickly realizes Kyouka is mostly jovial. Oh Yuu...
<Pose Tracker> Endo Naoki [Juuban Public School (12)] has posed.
"Well, now that Kyouka-chan is here you can learn about America for real, Lera-chan." Endo notes helpfully. "I'm sure you'll get it right eventually." A somber nod follows.
Then, back to the topic at hand. "Thanks, Setsuna-chan." Endo offers to the girl when she offers to help with the math. He nods at Ren as well, smiling toward the girl and scooting over to plant his book next to her.
The boy frowns when Fate makes her assessment of the boats. He scans the text again, just to make sure he didn't miss anything. "Ah..." Endo sighs, hanging his head in defeat.
He reaches for one of the cups of coffee for solace.
<Pose Tracker> Pink Moon Stick [Admin] has posed.
Yuu looks between the group, his brow furrowing slightly.
"Apologies," he says unapologetically to Kyouka. "Just, you must know... Japanese studies are not as Americanocentric as some might be accustomed to... elsewhere. As for our nation's obsession with American pop culture, that's just a fact. It speaks more of us than of America. And why you would take offense to any of that is beyond me, miss."
Then he pauses in what is working itself into a good-sized speech to gaze around a second time.
"Who is it that's talking?"
There have been quite a few comments from the Intelligent Devices, and sometimes the humans have been talking back.
"Is it a tutor over speakerphone? Or some kind of app? A smart... ring?"
He wanders over to his little sister and stares at it curiously.
---
MEANWHILE: AT THE YAGAMI HOUSE
Klarwind chimes an alert, and Shamal's head shoots up from where it was bent over the books. Her eyes unfocus, dreamily, as she gazes through the crystalline wards she set up over...
"...Aizawa House. A very powerful presence is approaching," she informs Signum. "Multiple contacts."
She brushes off her knees and stands.
"If we hurry, maybe we can intercept so that they can keep studying in peace..."
Is this... true adulting...??
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
Kyouka makes eye contact with Ren and just shakes her head in a way to suggest, 'Don't worry about it.'
Kyouka isn't about to start a fight with Ren's older brother.
Probably.
A single knockout punch doesn't constitute a fight, right?
And then he attempts to apologize.
She closes her eyes, takes a deliberate, slow breath, and tries to find her calm. Ignore him, don't make a fuss in the study group, don't kill the atmosphere...
And then he notices the devices.
Crap.
"Uh... Hey!" she speaks up, trying to snag Yuu's attention. "In case you hadn't noticed, I'm speaking Japanese the same as the rest of you, which means that I can hear your tone perfectly fine. And you don't see me coming here and making snide remarks about your culture, do you?" It's mostly rhetorical, because she hasn't met him before, but that's not the point.
<Pose Tracker> Setsuna Higashi [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
"...Yes, I don't want her to fail, either." Setsuna will not argue it too hard with Fate. After all, they want the same thing. But arbirary decisions about boats aside...
"Yes!" Setsuna say when Ren says she's good at math too. As it happens, the main reason Setsuna is willing to offer to help with math with an older student is that math is one of the fields she is rather good at, and didn't have to play catchup on when it came to living on Earth.
She does not quite laugh at Sky but at least someone will. ...When Endo happens to slide his book next to Ren Setsuna tilts her head for a moment, smles, and seems to get something.
Then there's the question from Yuu about the devices! "...Kyouka," Setsuna says with a frown. "Be nice."
She might have noticed what Kyouka is doing. Maybe.
<Pose Tracker> Lera Camry [Infinity Institute (11)] has posed.
"Mm-hm. He sure did..." Lera says, trailing off, and smiling back at Setsuna. "Even if he maybe didn't want to call it that."
<H-Hmph! Now see here!> Soaring Sky chimes, indignantly, at Heraut. <I did the best I could with the very limited information available to me! I should like to see you do better!>
"E-Easy there, buddy," Lera says, with a smile. She looks at Kyouka. "Endo-kun is right. We've got an expert to help us, now!"
<I suppose...>
Then Yuu speaks up about the Devices (which ends up distracting her from the argument with Kyouka). Lera jerks upright. "Erk--!" she stammers. "A-ah, it's... it's a prototype phone, y'know? S-Super amazing! Very advanced! Wow!"
<Wow.>
Then, Broken Ground adds: <Wow.>
<Pose Tracker> Signum Yagami [None] has posed.
"The Aizawa house? A powerful presence..."
Signum frowns, already closing the laptop after her hand forks in to control-S to save current progress. (Even if it's supposed to be automatic. Signum learned that it wasn't always, not on Earth.)
"Yes," she says, looking towards the window. "I think that I can sense it as well." The charm at her neck twinkles, Laevetein validating Klarwind's findings.
Laptop closed.
Coffee finished.
The last bite of the small plate of fruit-filled cookies taken. Signum rises towards the window, opening it to let the fresh cool air of an early spring evening waft inside.
"Let us hurry," she says, as she clasps Laevetein. With a lavender-pink sparkle, it expands - the familiar magical device assuming the rightful form. Raise it up and --
Soon enough, lights rise into the sky.
<Pose Tracker> Fate Testarossa [Infinity Institute (5)] has posed.
Endo sighs, Fate gives him a sidelong look. "Well, Stern was asking, and two is greater than one." And at least Setsuna and her are united in solidarity! Lera must not fail!
But then Yuu brings up the talking Devices, and Fate looks up with a severe look. She of course had this covered in magic classes. What to do if a person unaware of magic's existence was clued in to something being off.
So many roleplaying scenarios they each had to craft and maintain.
"It's part of a cell phone game I got a lot of us into. We're- the Youma Watch."
Bardiche chimes at that moment from her pocket, <Yes Sir.>
"We use magic, and defeat evil with our Devices."
She says, super seriously, to Yuu, as a child playing a game might. The seriousness is not, in fact her playing a game, she was exceptionally serious in these roleplaying scenarios in class.
Her teacher gave her an A+ for expert roleplaying.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Aizawa [Infinity Institute (12)] has posed.
Ren scoots closer to Endo when offered, peering down at the problem that is giving him such grief. If it would be as easy as Fate makes it by arbitrarily picking one of the boats then there would be a lot less headaches! "Hmm... I think-"
And then Yuu comes over inquiring about the voices that are clearly from the Intelligent Devices in the room. But of course he doesn't know anything about magic! Ren's face goes pale as she snaps her head to look up at her older brother who is curiously studying the ring on her finger. Oh no!
"Ahh..." She starts nervously, throwing her gaze at everyone else in the room quickly before returning to Yuu. "It's just... Well you see..."
...And then Kyouka butts in, her tone quite testy. Ren blinks, shrinking back a bit... though she thinks she sees what the girl is doing, even if it a bit much. And Lera follows up with a hasty-explanation that "confirms" Yuu's suspicions about some new prototype technology.
"Ahh... yes?"
<Wow.> Heraut mimics Sky and Ground because obviously that's the best idea right now. Yes.
Fate speaks up and talks about cellphone games and youmas, which causes Ren to nod up at Yuu wordlessly, eyes wide. Under the table she reaches for Endo's hand and squeezes it tight.
<Pose Tracker> Endo Naoki [Juuban Public School (12)] has posed.
Endo, rather than adding to the pile of subterfuge, elects to not think of a new excuse for the mysterious voices. And to instead conspicuously pocket the purple gem that he was talking to earlier. His other hand squeezes Ren's, giving the girl a helpless smile.
"Uh huh." He merely agrees. "Fate-chan got everyone to play. It's fun." Endo pauses, adding: "But you probably wouldn't like it. And it's full. If you were going to ask."
<Pose Tracker> Pink Moon Stick [Admin] has posed.
Yuu looks completely nonplussed by Kyouka's reaction, especially after Ren shrinks back and Setsuna frowns. Maybe he thinks Kyouka is Ren's bully or something? Or just a scary, entitled American. His instinct is to placate her so as to not cause trouble for his little sister. He shuffles his feet and looks down, turning a little bit pink.
And then, in very good English, he says:
"<Ah, miss, I'm sorry, but I don't think your Japanese is perfect yet... I am criticizing Japan's obsession with American culture, not American culture itself... unless you really feel that America has the absolute right to be the center of all world culture... in which case, we would be in disagreement after all...>"
Having suffered through this explanation awkwardly, he's already ninety-five percent forgot the phone slash phone game. But he blinks a little, still nervous.
"Well... don't let our folks catch you playing a game during finals, Ren. They're really worried for you... but we all just want you to succeed."
And out of his pocket he pulls a piece of white fabric, thrusts it blindly into Ren's hands, and escapes the room.
It transpires that it is a headband. Yuu is a genius at many things but he is not a particularly good sewer; the words embroidered into the interior are clumsy, even cute.
They read:
VICTORY
LUCK
AIZAWA
---
ABOVE TOKYO
"Oh dear," Shamal exhales, concerned.
A one a two a three black-cowled figures are accelerating towards Ren's neighborhood. The three of them haven't acted all together in months; and the last time the group fought just one, it was a costly, almost pyrrhic, battle.
"I can slow them with mirror magic," she suggests, in a voice that expects that honor-bound Signum will object to this tactic. "Illusion... hide the house for a time..."
She obviously thinks their chances of standing up to them in a three on two fight are less than nil.
"...or I could cast a barrier now, alerting them that we are in pursuit, while you warn the others. Do you think... that would be for the best...?"
Inclining her head, she defers to her General.
<Pose Tracker> Signum Yagami [None] has posed.
"Against one we suffered greatly, and it was good fortune that it was not worse," Signum replies to Shamal as she flies through the high altitude air. Her tone is rueful, almost bitter; it is crushing something precious.
But it is better for the hopeful tree to lose a sprig or a leaf than to be destroyed in a single bolt.
"Delay them," Signum says, with an added, slightly softer, "and be cautious, Shamal," even as she sweeps to break off from where Shamal is. With flight and with the vast empyrean reaches of the night-time sky, it is easy enough to end up far away from Shamal, quite quickly...
... but they have the same target.
<<Fate,>> Signum transmits abruptly, perhaps brusquely, following after with: <<Naoki. Camry. The others who may not hear. The enemy is approaching your position - three of them! Prepare yourselves!!>>
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
Kyouka... is not convinced. Even a little bit. And she is actually a little upset, but to look at her... she's a bit more embarassed than truly angry. She might've overcorrected on the distraction, and when he offers an apology, in English no less... she decides to take it.
Even so, it still kind of galls her to play along. "<Ahhh... my apologies for the misunderstanding,>" she replies back in English. "<And I don't think that at all, to be honest. I've lived all around the world and seen plenty of amazing cultures..>" A beat, and then she bows, deeply, switching back to Japanese. "I apologize again for the misunderstanding on my part."
She sits, watches him leave the room without much further curiosity on the devices, and releases a tense sigh. "Sorry, Setsuna-chan. I was just... trying to distract him. Guess I overdid it." And to Ren she offers an embarassed smile. "Hey, uh, sorry about going off on your brother, Aizawa-san. I wasn't going to say anything but then he noticed, and..." And then she kind of made an ass of herself. Oh well.
Though... playing a phone game with all of her friends does sound kind of fun, actually.
Then she leans over to look at the inside of the hedband. "Huh... Cute."
She tries to go back to her textbook, and then--a message.
She looks up, and gazes around the room, her heart rate suddenly tripled. "Uh..." She looks to Endo, who already knows, and then to the others. "I'm benched. I can't explain now but I don't have Strike Wolf. I can't fight right now."
Stupid, stupid timing...
"... Sorry."
<Pose Tracker> Setsuna Higashi [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
Setsuna looks between Kyouka and Yuu, but when she sees Kyouka's reaction... "I see. I was also distracted by it."
She smiles. "But isn't Lera clever?" she says. "Prototype phones..."
"Wow."
She doesn't comment on Fate's game as much because she's BIASED but she does smile briefly at Fate before she loks down and--
A message.
"...Very well," Setsuna says, and is suddenly all business again, squaring her shoulders and starting to stand.
"...Then we'll protect you," Setsuna assures Kyouka. "I will want to hear about it later, if..."
If there's later. "Later." There will be.
<Pose Tracker> Lera Camry [Infinity Institute (11)] has posed.
"You don't have--" Lera repeats, before she looks at Setsuna. She makes eye contact with her, hears what she says, and then Lera nods. It is that simple.
"Yeah. We've got you, don't worry," Lera says, before she looks back out the window.
<Got it, Signum,> she sends back. <We'll be ready.>
She looks at Endo and Ren, then, with a bit of nervousness. Three incoming, on their position. She can guess who that might be.
And she knows to be worried, if she is right.
<Pose Tracker> Endo Naoki [Juuban Public School (12)] has posed.
Endo glances at the headband Ren receives, a small chuckle coming from the boy before he notes: "It'll look good on you." A somber nod follows.
His good cheer doesn't last long, though. His head tilts upward, a frown quickly settling on his face when news of approaching danger comes through.
"It's okay," He says to Kyouka. "We'll handle it." A nod is given toward the others.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Aizawa [Infinity Institute (12)] has posed.
Ren watches Yuu carefully as he... stands down, so to speak. Not that he was being aggressive or anything. Her eyes dart between him and Kyouka as he addresses the girl in English, sounding quite sorry. When he turns to her and mentions their parents, she nods. "Of course!" Then he pulls something out of his pocket and hands it to her, causing her to blink and look down at it as he departs.
"Oh...!" She studies the headband, face softening as she feels tears start to prickle at the corner of her eyes. "Yuu..." Ren smiles, then takes the headband and ties it around her head snugly. "He made this for me..." She tells everyone, wiping some of her tears away as she turns to look at Endo. "Y-Yeah, it does look good, huh?" And shortly after she turns to Kyouka.
"It's ok! I know you were just trying to help! He won't take it too personally. I'll talk to him, too. No worries!" She tries to reassure the girl, waving her hands around. She grins at Setsuna and Lera next. "At least he didn't poke into the strange voices any further than-"
And that's when the mental communication for Signum breaks in, warning of an imminent attack. Ren stops, eyes going wide. No. Please no. Not here. Not now. Not with Yuu here!
Sadly, something like this has always been a possibility. Though at least they were all here -- gathered together and forewarned. Taking the headband off, she holds and stares down at it.
"Victory. Luck. Aizawa." She repeats softly, then sets it down on the table before standing up, a look of determination present on her face now as she locks eyes with Lera and nods curtly. She looks to Kyouka next when she admits being unable to fight. Ren smiles at her. "Don't worry. We've got this."
<Pose Tracker> Fate Testarossa [Infinity Institute (5)] has posed.
Fate appreciates the back up from Endo, thankfully Yuu seems pretty distracted. And despite his arrogance, not a bad brother?
She's seen way worse, at least he's supporting her. "Oh! To raise her fighting spirit!" She says of the head band. "Thoughtful!"
Signum transmits however that they have bogeys incoming, and her expression darkens, as she looks off as if trying to sense them. "We'll make ready." She hears what Kyouka has to say and- "As Setsuna says, we'll protect you. Please don't take any unnecessary risks."
She too wants to hear about this later. For now though, they must ready themselves for what is coming, as she reaches for Bardiche, bearing his standby form within his hands.
