HSHC: Of Spring, Onions and Smoke [IC]

[Miraqariftsky]

Yuki's face tilted as she heard her friend. Her eyes darted to the door then her gaze narrowed as she nodded .

The first boy she asked didn't seem to have noticed anything. The second looked at her askance, then looked away, eyes closed as if trying to remember as he replied, "Oh, THOSE girls? The laid-back geek-o one, she's my classmate in 1-3. I saw and heard the crazy one through the windows. You're looking for the long-haired hime-sama one? She went for the stairs, I think. Running. Fast. Sorry, I'm not sure if she went UP or DOWN. Are you her friend?"

Aware that her target areas were places where people go to be alone, she dashed upstairs, making for the rooftop...

~~~~

It was already the Lunch Break and Misaki's progress was made slow by her having to go against the general flow of foot traffic.

Her worry made her blurt her lines even on just opening the door to classroom 1-2, their neighbour section...
...hardly had she opened the door, her words already tumbling, she felt her head glance off from something hard. Something hard that reeled back and growls a sudden "Watch where yer goin', punk!"

A fraction of a second later, a callus-encrusted hand closed on hers. Deep brown eyes bored into her own. "Wait. Slow down. Wha'd ye just say? Yeah, I'm Oda. Whatcha want?"

~~~~

The first person that Alex came across happened to be a girl with double-bunned hair, clutching a stack of books to her chest and seemed to be hurrying along for the nearest stairwell.

The moment Alex' finger lit upon the girl's shoulder to get her attention, the latter pivoted fluidly, stepping a polite pace back, very swiftly casting a glance behind her and leaning against the nearest wall. She turned her bespectacled gaze back to Alex, squinting as she replied, "Yyyyyes? Who are you and what do you want with my sister?"

~~~~

By their myriad ways, the three classmates from 1-1 met up again at the stairs. The two other sisters had nodded to each other, exchanged knowing, worried glances.

The bob-cut delinquent's brow rose as she saw Alex again and nodded. She looked across the others and said, "Huh. You again. And... Friends of Kaori, are y'all?"

Beside them, the other sister adjusted her glasses as she muttered, "As foretold, the prophesied three. The doom that was seen is come to pass. "

Up ahead, talking as they proceed upstairs, Kasumi leading the way two steps at a stride, came the snapped retort, "SHADDUP, Crazy-hime. Ri-chan's in trouble and you still can't pull your head out of your... your games! You three! Thanks fer tellin' an' thanks fer comin'! Introductions later! Help now!"

Barely heard was the reply from behind, the so-called Crazy keeping pace easily enough. "Not a game. Shoulda listened. Needed help. Ace too perfect, was bound to break, sooner or later."

~~~~

Upon reaching the top, they find the door opening to the rooftop slightly ajar. From beyond are heard heard raspy breathing and metallic clinking. Kaori leans against the chainlink fence at the roof's edge, back turned towards the door.

Her shoulders stiffen on hearing the door open and people coming. Her eyes widen and her hands drop as she croaks, "W-What are all of you doing here?"

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SCOREBOARD, TOTALS SO FAR: (Updated as of the latest!)

Mami: 6
Misaki: 6
Nina: 3
Alex: 6

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Rolls: (arranged with bonus/malus first, then die roll, then result.)

Mami:
Allure +4
---Passed the mark, no need for roll.
---Success. Passersby/Bystanders render decent clues on the hunt.
Allure +2
---2+3=5
---Success.
Luck? Forgone?
---+0+4=4
---Success.

Misaki:
Allure +0
---0+4=4
---Success. Passersby/Bystanders render decent clues on the hunt.
Luck Skill +3 +2 (from previous asking)
---Passed the mark, no need for roll.

Alex:
Allure +5
---Passed the mark, no need for roll.
Luck +4
---Passed the mark, no need for roll.


GM's note:
Holy sunnovamonkey. Mighta made some mistakes there, but within margin of error, thanks for making this round EASY! Ha ha ha.

Sorry for the delays. Heck of a lotta crap here.
Thank you for the patience and patronage.

Next few updates will be no rolls necessary. Fire at will.

[Lentrax]

Yes. No. Maybe? I hope to be...

Mami runs for the stairs.

Arigatou!~

Mami meets with everyone else on the stairs. Since they are still walking, Mami decides to simply incline her head as she introduces herself.

Misawa Mami. And no, I am not... really... a friend. But we, she indicates Alex and Misaki. are all fellow students in her class. And I know she was upset over earlier, and when she left in such a hurry, that I hoped we could... you, know... help.


"W-What are all of you doing here?"

Oda-san! What do you mean, what are we doing here? We are here because we are worried about you! When you just ran out like that, well, I knew I couldn't just sit by and do nothing!

[GM_3826]

Alex smiled at the bookworm who was apparently one of Oda-san's sisters.
"My name is Akiyama Alex. I'm one of your sister's classmates. Recently she stormed off during the middle of class, so I was worried about her, and I went to go and find her..."

---

So this was where Kaori-san went... Alex was visibly shocked. After Misawa-san spoke, she continued.
"That's exactly what I'm doing, too! Today has been so stressful for you, I know, but you can't just storm off like that and expect that no one will care!"

[jamieth]

"Eh, you see", Misaki explains hastily, "I'm Kaori's... that is, Oda Kaori's... classmate, and I was wondering... as her sister, would you perhaps know where she might go if she wants to hide from everyone? Well... something happened, and I'm... worried for her..."

~~~

"I'm-sorry, Kaori-chan!" Misaki exclaims, "I should've keep a better watch on Nina-chan... I guess I kinda got used to her antics..."

[Lentrax]

See, Oda-San? We all just want to help.

Mami holds out her hand to Kaori. What do you say? Wanna go back inside?

[Miraqariftsky]

Kaori sags back against the clinking fence. Her bangs fall across her face as she droops, but the corners of her lips curl in a quivering smile.

She draws a deep breath and lets out a sigh. Stepping forward a little unsteadily, she takes Mami's hand and squeezes it.

Bowing deeply to everybody, she breathes, "Thank you. Thank you, really."

A grimace steals across her face as she says, to Alex first, and to the rest, "...and uh, s-sorry for w-worrying you."

Sniffling a little, she tilts her head slightly, bangs' shadow still obscuring her face. Her lips flash into something halfway between a snarl and a groan. Her hands flash to her swiftly reddening face.

She asks Misaki, "Better watch? Antics? Her? What do you mean?"

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It's a little. But it's SOMETHING!

Thank you for sticking by so far, y'all.

Sorry I got sick and buggered with unwellnesses as well as buggered by business, these past few weeks.

[Lentrax]

Don't worry your pretty little head over trying to make us feel better, Oda-san. After all, Mami says with a smile.

We came so you know you're not alone.

[jamieth]

She asks Misaki, "Better watch? Antics? Her? What do you mean?"

"Well, I know Nina-chan since junior high, you see", Misaki says, "and... well, shew never really means harm, but... it's like she sometimes forgets she's dealing with real people and not manga characters... I try to remind her every now and then, but... it seems she really lost her head after meeting you?" Misaki blushes a little, but ends with a smile, "Well, no surprise here, honestly..."

[Miraqariftsky]

For many long moments, she'd stared at the sky, listening to her friends. Kaori disentangles from the fence, chest heaving as she staggers towards them, then stumbles, hands bracing on her knees before she crumples. Slow tears stain the rooftop cement.

"T-Thanks f-for j-just... c-coming."

Back shuddering, now under the rubsbing of Kasumi, she staggers forward still and grabs both Mami and Misaki and Alex into a hug.

Snorting, sniffling, she asks through a rumble, "I'm sorry? Do you gals want to eat? We... might still have... some lunch left? S-sorry for taking you way out of the way."

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Sorry for the decline in quality. I just need to get my feet back up. I ain't givin' up yet, nor have I given up on y'all. If y'all are still game, then so am I.

Acads, acads, acads, work, sick, storms, family stuff, personal stuff.

[Lentrax]

Mami didn't even realize she was still holding Kaori's hand until she was pulled down with the girl.

It also meant there wasn't much distance between them when Kaori moved to hug her. As she did so, Mami felt her heart start to race, but this time it wasn't fear that caused it. Hesitantly, Mami put her arm around Kaori, returning the hug.

When she broke off the hug, Mami gave Kaori a smile.

Call me Mami, Oda-san.

[jamieth]

"Ehh, skipping a lunch every now and then to help a friend is no big deal", Misaki giggles, "I'm on a diet pretty much constantly anyway, you know? Let's go, Kaori-chan", she helps Kaori to her feet, "We need to get to class - and you'd better wash your face first. No need for others to see..."

[GM_3826]

Smiling as they break out into a hug, Alex laughs. "Yeah! No need to worry, Oda-san. It's no big deal."