may catchall

[nmc0204]

⭐ Who: Ryoko and y'all
⭐ When: All through May, with prompts specifically during Golden Week and her first day of school at Promised Morning
⭐ Where: Primarily Yumemigaoka tho I might add a Dream Sphere prompt or two down the line
⭐ What: Ryoko's life has flip turned upside down and now she's getting used to it. Between starting as a new student at Promised Morning and suddenly having another Dreamer to feel responsible for, she's got a busy month ahead. I'll also put closed starters here if requested!
⭐ Warnings: Keepin this to edit them in if it comes up

Comments

[mnemon]

[ She hesitates just for a beat, just in case it leads to further awkward questions but... well, she was the one who went and brought it up in the first place. ]

Somewhere new – once Golden Week wraps up. I'm transferring over to Promised Morning.

[ She says it pretty evenly but there's a yeah?? you got somethin to say??? sort of look in her eyes... ]

[traceofeffort]

[She blinks. Slowly, once, twice, pulling the things in her arms closer to her unconcsiouly.]

Huh. Small world. You're transferring into Promised Morning too? I didn't think I'd meet anyone else.

[Mind blown.]

[mnemon]

... Huh. [ At that, Ryoko visibly eases a bit and the (let's be real, entirely unnecessary) sightly aggro energy dissapates. ] I guess with how many of us there are, it's not uncommon, but...

[ It still feels like a weird coincidence. At the same time, knowing there's at least one other person apart from her brother who'll be going into this whole thing just as fresh faced and confused as she is makes her feel just a little better. ]

What year are you in? We might end up being classmates. [ ... Then realizing she's getting a little bit ahead of herself; ] And, and - I'm Shinonome Ryoko, by the way.

[traceofeffort]

It shouldn't be, but it's still surprising. Even on the outside, it's a fancy private school, right? Then there's who it's a private school for...

Ah! Imai Lisa. Third-year, so I'll only be there for a little while, but, well. I'll take any friends I can make. And even if we're not in the same year, it'll be nice to know a few kouhai. I have a feeling I'm not going to have a lot of friends that just happen to be going to Promised Morning. [Her grip on the notebooks in her hand tightens, though she notices before she starts to crease them and forces herself to relax.] Nice to meet you, Shinonome-chan.

[mnemon]

You're in the year above me, then. [ Said with a little nod to herself more than Lisa as she commits that to memory. ] Somehow, it makes me feel a little better knowing that even some of the senpai there are going to be newbies as well.

[ The more people who have no clue what's going on, the less Ryoko's particular brand of having no clue what's going on will stand out. ]

It's just our luck that we're just in time for exams, though.

[ if she's noticed the comment about friends, it looks like she's gone and smoothed it over so neatly you could fail to realise she's done it at all. ]

[traceofeffort]

Yeah, that part I'm not as excited for. I love Golden Week on principle but exams being right after sucks. But hey, we'll all be suffering together, yeah? [Lisa grins.] I'd like to pretend I'll be a wonderful, reliable senpai, but fitting into a new place is a trial on the best of days, so... best of luck to both of us, mm?

[mnemon]

Mm.

[ Ryoko's got a bit of a sour resting face even at the best of times – but after a moment, it breaks and she gives Lisa a little smile. ]

Especially to you. Third years have it even worse than the rest of us – so good luck.

[traceofeffort]

Ahaha... I'm trying not to think about it too much. Not yet, at least. If I can get through first semester without too much trouble, I'll worry about the rest. But thanks, all the same. I hope you can make a lot of friends and fit in in your new class. [A cat-like grin.] And that you get to use your new stationery.

[mnemon]

[ She huffs a bit through her nose, but with the smile she's still wearing it has the air of a laugh rather than any annoyance. ]

After the amount I'm buying? I'd better.

[traceofeffort]

[Lisa grins at her, but after a moment she lets out a sigh herself.]

I just wish the reason we were going to Promised Morning in the first place was as easy to prepare for as this. I'm still not used to Dreaming. I don't know if people get used to it, but... it kinda makes me nervous. I don't want to be the weakest link in the whole school, you know?

[mnemon]

If it makes you feel any better, me and my brother don't really know what we're doing at all and we're both attending. The way I see it, if you have even the slightest bit of experience, you're probably doing better than us.

[ Not that Ryoko likes the idea of anyone being a weakest leak, but that's not quite as easy an argument to make. ]

[traceofeffort]

I certainly don't feel like it. I fought when I Awakened in the first place, but that's more or less it. I've been running from it, honestly, and that's probably not the right way to look at it. Not something like this.

But... thanks for trying to cheer me up, at least. And hey, there's nowhere to go but up from here, right?

[mnemon]

Exactly. ... and if you managed to dig any further down, I think I'd just be impressed on principal.

[ dream logic jokes! ]

[traceofeffort]

Hey, if I keep on digging myself deeper, eventually I'll come out on the other side of the planet or something, right? And then it's a net positive!

[A beat. Then, she laughs, only a little self-consciously.] Or something.