Shiro Academy

Roleplay Library
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101

Matt raised an eyebrow as he heard the pounding on the door. “Erm…hold on a second,” he said into the phone, setting it down on the counter.

Walking across the room, Terrus opened the door, only to have Nei jump on him the second she could. Before he knew what was happening, she was tying a tie around his neck, and then stepping back. “Perfect!” She cried.

“Urm…what…” Matt looked down, and then laughed as the tie began playing the national anthem. “Wow! That’s really cool!” He looked up. “Where’d you find it? I’ve never seen anything like it in my life!”

102

“He’s with Damis, she’s with Honist. Except they’re related through…” Anna made a series of complicated hand gestures. "Sorry. I shouldn’t make you sit through that story again. I know Rachel made you listen to it already. You know, maybe one of these days I should just map out a family tree to explain it all. I mean, if you’d accept a map that’s about ninety percent “Here There Be Dragonnes”.

Anna realized she’d trailed off. “Sorry”, she said. “I shouldn’t have any problems. I have a box for my dress, and the rest are just playclothes anyhow, I can stuff them in a backpack…I mean, I only need one formal thing, right? I guess I’m just in a hurry to get out the door.”

103

— Begin quote from ____

Nöêl sat there with Vicent for a few seconds.  She looked around for a bit then accidentely hit his shoes with her foot.  «I’m sorry» she said, blushing.  «I don’t know if I’m going to have enough money to go on this trip, what about you?» she then asked Vincent.  This wasn’t her biggest problem, but she did wonder where she’d get funding.

— End quote

Vincent felt Noel’s foot hit against his. He looked at her as she apologized.

“It’s alright.”

He then heard Noel ask about funding himself for the trip he did not decide about going on yet.

“I might… I’d have to check.”

He knew he had no money, but his funders probably had some.

Yeah, but I’m not sure they’d give it for a vacation…

He then felt his necklace’s jewel hit his chest. It was inside his robe so no one else could see it.

Ah, yes. My Xastrikan necklace. Made from the Xastrikan blue jewel… I wonder how much that would sell for…

It wasn’t as if he could sell it; it was a very important thing in his homeland. He realized one thing: If he were to go on the trip, only his funders could give him the cash.

104

“Sometime I’ll take you up on that diagram, but not today, kiddo. I’m really looking forward to getting away, too. I do remember Rachel trying to explain, but she has a way sometimes of making the simplest of things seem convoluted.” Seeing the look on Anna’s face Karen hastened to add, “It was probably just the mood I was in when I was in Kandarin.”

Adding a few more things to the suitcase, Karen sat down on the side of the bed and grinned at Anna. “Well, other than toiletries and the dress, I’m done. And Matt only mentioned one formal function, so I’m assuming that’s all we need. Kinda wish it was already tomorrow. Now that I’m packed, I’m ready to go!”

105

Nöêl looked at Vicent fondling his necklace. «Hey, that’s pretty cool» she said, making conversation. There were two miliseconds of silence before Nöêl asked «You wanna go get a lottery ticket and some coffee or something?». She gave a bit of a wry smile, wondering what the chances were she could get vacation money from that…

106

She begins to tie it on him in a motherly fasion, “I got it online” she says
“you know you can buy anythign online, I almost bought a Russian Bride,”
Matt just looks at her quizically as he muses the legitimacy of the word “Quizically”
Nei continues to tie it on, "but then I realized where would I keep her, and how would I explain it to my dead Father or one of the myriad clones of him, and, , " she pauses, “You know this would be a lot easier if you wore a shirt with a collar”

107

— Begin quote from ____

Nöêl looked at Vicent fondling his necklace.  «Hey, that’s pretty cool» she said, making conversation.  There were two miliseconds of silence before Nöêl asked «You wanna go get a lottery ticket and some coffee or something?».  She gave a bit of a wry smile, wondering what the chances were she could get vacation money from that…

— End quote

Vincent had been a bit startled by Noel noticing his necklace.

“What? This? Oh, it’s… nothing.”

He stuffed the necklace back in his robe and looked away for a moment. When she had asked him about going for some coffee, he didn’t know whether he should go or not. He didn’t want to, but her smile had thrown him off. He then remembered he had an exam paper to turn into his history class. Lucky for him his professor didn’t start class until 10 AM. He looked at the clock and it was about 9:50 AM.

“Umm… Sorry, Noel, but I gotta turn in a history paper in my history class. It’s due in 10 minutes.”

He then got up and prepared to go get his paper, his cloak dragging behind him.

108

Nöêl pouted for a little bit about what she felt was the non-sucess of her flirting scheme. With no men to drag along with her, she tromped down alone to the local convenience store to get a lottery ticket and a new phone card. She was a little smug about the idiocy of playing this unwinnable game and set to scratching at her ticket with a Dovakhanese coin that she still had in her pocket.

The first number that appeared was 10 000 credits. The second was 2000. Then, there was 10 000 again. She scratched the whole card but one number. Finally, she did that one, and it was 10 000 too! AHHH!!! What are the odds?!

Nöêl ran to the cashier, who was filing her nails, and showed her the three matching numbers. The cashier then took out her glasses to examine it, pulling out a blacklight as well to make sure it was genuine. She called in the win and went to the bank nearby to claim her prize. The man at the teller machine looked at Nöêl, and pulled out a large calculator.

«So, are you taking half now or the whole prize in monthly increments» he asked

«Half now» she said

«Okay, so we’ve got 5000 credits, minus territorial income tax, federal gambling tax, interstate banking tax, tourist tax, goods and services tax (…). That comes out to 2036.45 credits, Ma’am»

Nöêl got the man to transfer it to her bank card for, conviently, the amount of 36.45 credits. With her 2000 credits in hand, sort of, Nöêl skipped back to the dorms. Now she and Vicent (sigh) could go to Liberty City!

Meanwhile, Cyril finished his packing and showered properly for the first time since he left for Krechzianko.

109

Vincent picked up his history paper and headed to the professor’s room. He walked in.

“Professor?”

He looked up at Vincent.

“Yes?”

“I came to turn in my history paper.” Vincent handed the professor his paper. He looked through the paper quickly then set it down next to his gradebook.

“Mr. Senovare, can I say something for a second?”

“Sure.”

“Your knowledge of the lands to the east [of TEP] is extraordinary. You know their governments, religions, and cultures to a level beyond what could be required of a 16 year old. However, you seem to lack an equivalent understanding of the EP governments, which will probably carry much more relevance in your career. Your records say that you have enlisted with FPS’s military.”

“Yes, that is true.” He was about to ask how he knew but he then remembered that his records were open to the school for some reason. It was some sort of stipulation.

“Well, the only way you’ll have a chance to succeed in that military is to understand their bureaucracy. I’d suggest that you look over that over the break, as our next unit is Contemporary History.”

“OK. Thank you for the advice, Professor.” He left the room and headed back to the dorm.

Contemporary governments?

Well, I bet I’d learn something on Matt’s ‘subsidized’ trip. Maybe I should go after all…

He walked back to the dorms and sat back in his room.

I guess I don’t have to pack. I guess I’m going to go then… After all, there is no other way to study the FPS Bureaucracy…

sigh I just hope they don’t try anything on the way…

He laid down on his bed and looked at the ceiling. He began to sing in his native tongue, a language sounding similar to Elvish.

“De zhu fe, se ne xia, yao me sle…
Ten zhou ah, me le nen, te re lia…”

110

(OOC: I’m presuming here that everyone is now packed, now that Vincent is prepared)

The next day

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEE-

That can’t be my alarm. Anna thought weakly. It’s too early. 7-something. I reset it to 10 last night. Didn’t I? I thought I did… She considered perhaps tuning it out, or putting up with it, or…just something that didn’t involve moving. It seemed to get louder. Anna suspected the thing was designed to do that; it always got more and more annoying as it went on. She figured that, if left alone for long enough, it would break into the sounds of a six-car pileup or babies crying. Why do I get up at these hours, anyway?

The alarm clock, in a fit of pique, began beeping to the tune of the Battle Hymn of the Republic. Anna, in a similar fit of pique, snaked a hand over and pulled the plug out of the wall. Oh, right. I don’t.

111

Vincent had awakened at around 5:30 AM. Not wanting to face the day yet, he tried to go back to sleep for about half an hour and then went and made some coffee in the Commons, using a pack that he had for some long-forgotten reason.

How is it that they can all sleep this late?

He sat and waited for the stuff to be finished, wondering about the day ahead. When the coffee was done, he sat and slowly drank it, waiting for the others to get up. He muttered that same song.

“De zhu fe, se ne xia, yao me sle…
Ten zhou ah, me le nen, te re lia…
Si sudne fle, do naru mi-ah, sel oo xia…”

112

OOC: Lol, someone who likes waking up at 5:30 in the morning? Boy is the military gonne love him.
IC:
“…the holiday season, (the holiday season),
with the whoop-de-do and hickory dock,
and don’t forget to hang up your sock,
'cause just exactly at 12 o’clock,
he’ll be coming down the chimney, down.
Coming down the chimney,
coming down the chimney, down!”

Rolling over, Matt flipped his radio-alarm clock off, groaning to see that it was already ten o’clock…and, as always, promising himself he’d get to sleep earlier the next night. Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, Terrus Jr. yawned and stretched out his arms, before finally shaking his head a little to bring himself awake.

Glancing across the room, Matt spoke…more like croaked, his roommate’s name. “You up yet, man?”

113

Cyril fretted over the fact that his vegetable soup that he’d made for dinner wasn’t gone and reluctantly threw it out. He then set to making PAX FRUIT pancakes with carrots, a favourite Hanukkah and Solstice treat in Dovakhan. He put the plate of PAX FRUIT pancakes on the breakfast table and went to go see if he’d gotton any letters from yesterday.

He had in fact gotten a card from his aunt. It was a hand-painted affair with «Solstice Greetings» and a picture of Ûtöpsâgân (Grandfather Frost) next to a solstice tree.* There was also an enclosed photo of his adoptive guardians holding the painting he’d done and given to them for the Solstice and 20 000 Lîröt note ($50).

  • Dovakhanese celebrate the two solstices and equinoxes by displaying trees from each season. Each solar period also has an allegory, a baby girl for spring, an adolescent boy for summer, an adult woman for autumn, and an elderly man for winter. The exchange of small gifts at these times is common.

Meanwhile, Nöêl stumbled down the stairs in a morning daze. She grabbed a PAX FRUIT pancake and sat down next to Vincent. «Hey Vicent, did I tell you I won the lottery?! We’ll definately have enough for the both of us to go to Liberty City!» she exclaimed.

Nöêl then glanced at Cyril who was looking at his card and realised what day it was. «Oh crap… I’d guess I’d better call mom and dad» she wondered allowed. «Will you excuse me?» she asked as she dashed to the phones. She stopped herself before she called the number, thinking to herself she should probably send some money back to Azur, since her mother was sick and it WAS Solstice.

114

— Begin quote from ____

Nöêl stumbled down the stairs in a morning daze. She grabbed a PAX FRUIT pancake and sat down next to Vincent. «Hey Vincent, did I tell you I won the lottery?! We’ll definitely have enough for the both of us to go to Liberty City!» she exclaimed.

Nöêl then glanced at Cyril who was looking at his card and realized what day it was. «Oh crap… I’d guess I’d better call mom and dad» she wondered allowed. «Will you excuse me?» she asked as she dashed to the phones. She stopped herself before she called the number, thinking to herself she should probably send some money back to Azur, since her mother was sick and it WAS Solstice.

— End quote

Vincent was still sitting and drinking his Eastern coffee when Noel had come in. She seemed excited for some reason She told him why: she had won the lottery.

“The… lottery? Well… congratulations.”

She then said that she needed to call her parents. He was briefly reminded of his but pushed the thought out of his mind.

“Go ahead…”

Noel then left the room and Vincent finished his coffee, trying to put his mind off of Xastrikanus Aquanus.

115

No. It can’t be. Karen reached up behind her head and felt for her snooze button, pressing it as soon as she found it.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

I’m going to kill her. Love her, but kill her anyway. Too early.

Pulling her second pillow over her head, Karen tried to muffle the noise of Anna’s alarm clock. Just as the “Battle Hymn of the Republic” was getting to be a bit too much, and Karen’s pillow was about to go sailing across the room to land on Anna’s head, the blasted Republic finally lost the battle. Groggily, Karen willed herself to go back to sleep, swearing that if she couldn’t, she was going to make sure Anna took a very, very cold shower.

116

Katara heard the alarm clock, noticing the other two girls were trying to go back to sleep, she made her way to her clothes, grabbed them and went to the showers. Once she was dressed, Lyndale met her outside of the school. “Here I was thinking that I would have to wake you up Miss Katara. I hope you slept well, it is going to be a couple of hours before we return.”

“I am not awake because I want to be Lyndale. I’m awake because Anna’s alarm went off. What’s for breakfast?” Katara walked drowsily towards Lyndale’s car, the night of packing, getting the dress and extra studying threw her for a loop.

Lyndale rose an eyebrow at Katara, “Please do not tell me that you have not eaten breakfast yet. I have been awake for a couple of hours already. I awoke at…” Katara was quick to cut him off.

“Lyndale, you are up that early every single morning, I’m a teenager, I like my sleep.” Katara closed the car door, buckled her seatbelt and then leaned her seat back, closing her eyes. The next time she opened them, they were at a beauty salon and Lyndale shook her awake, “Rise and shine Miss Katara, we are here. Now, you will be getting your hair, nails and make up done. I also took the liberty of having a hair stylist waiting for you when we arrive to freshen up your hair and make up.”

Katara put her finger up to her mouth to signal him to be quiet, “Whatever, Lyndale just don’t wake me up while they are fussing with my hair and nails in here, ok?”

117

10:00

Anna awoke rather abruptly. She’d managed to get back to sleep after the alarm incident, and had managed to get some decent rest, even if the dreams were best left forgotten. They usually were.

Katara had already left, and the usual puddle of sun fell over the Moon Child girl’s bed. Not checking Karen’s top bunk, Anna grabbed a fresh change of clothes from the closet and headed for the shower.

About a minute later, there was a ear-splitting scream on a frequency well outside the human vocal spectrum.

Anna staggered out of the bathroom, having hastily dressed, hair still dripping, and noticed Karen, long since dressed, sitting atop the bunk reading a book and smiling like the Cheshire Cat.

118

“Had a nice sleep-in, did you? Even after letting your alarm go off in the middle of the night? Must be nice.”

Only then did Karen look up from her book and actually look at the bedraggled and dripping figure standing in front of the bunks. “Your … ah … hair still looks a wee bit damp, kiddo. You might want to grab another towel. You certainly look a little more awake now!” With that last comment, Karen put down her book, and the Cheshire Cat grin turned into helpless gales of laughter.

119

Nee’la woke up with a rather startled look. She thought she heard a muffled scream from one of the other rooms down the corridor. Somewhat disgruntled, she sat up in her bed and gave a confused expression to herself in the mirror. She noticed through the makeshift partition they had put up that Sha’la was already up in the other bed, reading a magazine.

“I see you are wearing something for a change,” Nee’la said in a slightly mocking tone. Sha’la was wearing a rather revealing negligee that left little to the imagination.
“Hmm? Oh you are up…” Sha’la turned away from the magazine briefly but then quickly returned to it, “You aren’t a conservative are you? If you are I’ll get something else.”
“No, I’m not. But aren’t you the slightest bit cold?”
“I’ve been colder on my training courses, and that was in full bad weather gear,” Sha’la seemed to be distracted by an article in the magazine.
“What are you reading this time?” Nee’la finally got up from the bed and moved the partition, a heavy blanket hung from a rope, aside.
“Some fashion mag from back home.”
“Heh…seeing if you got this months ‘in’ thing?”
“Something like that.”
“I’m going to the commons to get some tea. You following?”
“Might as well…”

The two nekomimi exited their room and headed for the commons and dug around for a kettle and a teapot and started brewing some tea.

120

— Begin quote from ____

Glancing across the room, Matt spoke…more like croaked, his roommate’s name. “You up yet, man?”

— End quote

Hearing the song, followed immediately after by Matt’s… voice…, Arian chuckled quietly, nodding.

«Uh… yes. I’ve just come back… and I was waiting for you to wake up by yourself. You know… I’ve finally phoned home. My commander wasn’t too happy of this thing, as it seems he had planned a couple of weeks of intensive training, but… oh, well. In the end, they agreed. It seems I’ll have to visit our Embassy in Liberty City, but aside that, I’ve their ok»

Rising on his feet, the Rezielan cadet moved near the window. Laughing softly, he turned towards the young FPSian.

«Ok… take care of your eyes, guy. Three… two… one… light!»

As he opened the window and the sun enlightened the room, the third student moaned with complaint, tucking himself under the blankets. Shaking his head, Arian winked at young Terrus, who chuckled back, leaving the bed and moving inside the bathroom.

«So… did you manage to arrange everything, Matt? I mean… the airplane and everything else. Are we really going to leave, today?»