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

[illrested]

[ Makoto has started to get used to taking the train to school after a month of it. Walk to the station, get on the train, wait a few stops, get off... it's all turning into something routine now.

The first day back from Golden Week, though, the routine changes. There's a quiet girl who gets onto the train that he hasn't seen before, dressed in the Promised Morning uniform. He glances towards her, not quite sure what to say for a moment, then steps across the train car to grab hold of the overhead handle. ]

...Are you transferring?

[ He asks after a moment, feeling awkward. ]

I just mean I haven't seen you on the train before.

[nmc0204]

[ It takes Ryoko half a second to realise she's being addressed - there's so many people on the train, after all - and then she blinks at Makoto with the slightly deer in headlights expression of ah a stranger is talking to me unexpectedly. But she nods and gives a little huff through her nose. ]

Mm. As of today. The timing isn't perfect but...

[ It was here or stay at her old school... and presented like that, it isn't even really a choice at all. ]

[illrested]

[ Makoto feels a rush of embarrassment. Talking to a relative stranger on the train feels kinda shitty, but... well, he's curious and it's gotten the better of him for once. ]

Ah. Yeah. I just started this term, too.

[ He shifts his weight, the awkwardness of the moment settling more fully. ]

Ah, I'm Amanaka Makoto. Second Year. Class 2-A.

[nmc0204]

[ She dips her head in greeting – she's sat down, arms wrapped tight around her bag for something to grip onto, so it's the best she can do. ]

Shinonome Ryoko – I'm also a second year. Though I won't know what class it actually is until I get to the school...

[ Which is just fine by her. One more thing to keep track of today might've made her head go pop. ]

Which school did you go to before transferring? If you don't mind me asking.

[illrested]

Ah... Nakakita Senior High School, in Koubai. It's practically in Akabeni, close enough to where I live that I could walk. Now I have to take the train.

[ Bleh. He clearly doesn't enjoy that part of moving to a new school. ]

What about you?

[nmc0204]

[ Another dip of the head, but this time it's in agreement. ]

I was at Asagao High School in Akabeni. It wasn't too far so I used to walk but...

[ She trails off then gives a little shrug. Even if she'd stayed at Asagao after moving in with her stepfamily, it would've necessitated a train ride anyway but that's a piece of information she's not going to drop on a stranger on her first day of school. ]

It's going to take a little getting used to – I was really shocked when I saw how busy the main station gets in the morning. Is it always that bad?

[illrested]

Yeah, it's always like that. People commuting and stuff. I try to just squeeze myself into a corner and not be in the way. Or get a seat, if I'm lucky. BUt... uh. If there's someone who needs it more I'll give up...

[ Thoughtful one, this Makoto. ]

Oh I know Asagao. My friend Taichi is on the soccer team and they played Asagao last year. I think you guys won though...

[nmc0204]

[ Last year, huh? Ryoko wonders what she'd thought of it when it happened. Had she been excited? Had she watched the match? She doesn't think so - sports aren't her thing at all and it's hard to imagine that having been different back then.

Still. The not knowing for certain is what bothers her. Rather than let on with any of that, though, she gives Makoto a bland smile. ]

I think we got a trophy from that, didn't we? Or from some tournament match or other. They had it displayed in the entryway while I was there, so I guess they were really proud of it.

[ Then, as smooth of a subject change as she can manage; ]

Are you on a sports team at Promised Morning, then?

[illrested]

Ehhh, no. I stopped playing sports after I got into middle school. I didn't really want to do all the extra training and stuff that they did...

[ He admits that much, sheepishly. ]

Honestly, I haven't really been sure what to do with myself. Maybe find a music club?

[mnemon]

If it makes you feel any better, I was in the going-home club back at Asagao. I don't see any reason to change that at Promised Morning.

[ Or at least, she was once she went back to Asagao. There had been a club – clubmates, even – but the one meeting she'd been to had felt so suffocating that she dropped out as soon as she could with a little guilt and a lot of relief. ]

Are you thinking about joining the school band, maybe? ... assuming they even have one...

[illrested]

Heh. Yeah, same here. I don't know...

[ Sigh. It seems like a good school, but making friends has so far eluded him. ]

Mm. Maybe? I'm more into rock music and stuff.

[ A pause, then: ]

Sorry if this is too forward but if you're going to Promised Morning does that mean you're also...?

[ You know. A Dreamer? ]

[mnemon]

[ ... mm. ]

That's right. [ She lifts her bag a bit – dangling where you might attach a keychain is her Sandglass, in cool golds and dusty purples. It has a washed out, almost sleepy look to it that seems to match the girl it's attached to. ] ... I actually Awakened a while ago, but I wasn't sure if I was going to pursue it. But I decided to give it a try and Promised Morning looks good on college transcripts, so...

[ She settles her bag back onto her lap. ]

Here I am. ... I'm guessing you're the same?

[illrested]

[ Makoto looks down to his own schoolbag. Like her, he has his Sandglass. His is rose golds and warm peach pinks. It's... girly. Not much like the boy carrying it at all, honestly. It makes his stomach clench up and he's not sure why. ]

Yeah. My parents thought that I should go to Promised Morning once I had my whole awakening thing. I... kind of wanted to stay at my old school, but...

[ He shrugs and puts on a smile. ]

I want to do right by my folks.

[mnemon]

[ Hm... something about that strikes her as a little sad. She'd had the opposite problem – she'd wanted to get away from her old school as quick as possible and convincing her mother had been the real hurdle to jump. Adjusting somewhere new is hard enough when you actually want to be there and it must be even harder when you'd prefer to be somewhere else. ]

Mm. I guess I can understand that. [ Even if she doesn't necessarily agree. ] What's it been like so far? I'm not really sure what to expect.

[illrested]

I mean, it's school? The hours are kind of weird--they start at 10:30 instead of 8:30, which I'm not quite used to yet. And the rule son hair dye and stuff are really relaxed, so I'm still not really used to it. Otherwise classes are pretty much the usual, though homeroom also has stuff about being a Dreamer and the Dream Sphere.

[ He says with a shrug. ]

So. Mostly normal.

[mnemon]

Mm.

[ She rolls that thoughtfully around in her head for a moment before letting out a hard huff through her nose. ]

Is it weird that I was sort of hoping for it to be... less normal?

[illrested]

No, I get what you mean. You kind of... expect more of it to be all the flashy magical stuff, I guess?

[ He'd sort of been expecting that himself, he has to admit. ]

But except for some people who come to school with their hair dyed weird colors it feels like every other school I've been to. Mostly.

[mnemon]

I won't lie, I can't decide if I'm relieved or disappointed. On the one hand, it's probably better for our futures to have normal classes, but...

[ The slightest hint of a smile twitches the corners of her lips up. ]

Can you imagine trying to explain what you do in Dreamer education during a college interview?

[ for the bit ]

[illrested]

"Ah yes, I spent most of my school time sleeping, actually..."

[ Makoto says, imitating a professional sort of interview voice. ]

I don't know how well that would go over on the interview.

[mnemon]

From what I've heard, that's what a lot of students spend most of their time doing anyway so you'd really just be getting ahead of the game.

[ maybe it wouldn't get you an acceptance letter, but still. ]

I guess they have to leave the Mentors over at the DU something to do. [ She wrinkles her nose, just to really get the disdain across. ] Have you been assigned one yet?

[illrested]

Ha! I guess. I couldn't do that though. Slacking off at school isn't really my thing.

[ Makoto scratches awkwardly at his cheek. His embarrassment is becoming more acute as the conversation continues. ]

Not yet. I think it might be my homeroom teacher, but... we'll see? I dunno how I feel about the whole thing still...

[mnemon]

[ Ryoko wrinkles up her nose again though this time it's with an expression immediately recognisable as a Sympathy Cringe. ]

Your homeroom teacher, really? That's just cruel. You'd never get a break from being nagged.

[ You can take tell how enthused she is for the whole thing, huh............ ]

I've been able to dodge getting assigned one so far but I've got a horrible feeling it's just a matter of time.

[illrested]

Not at home or at school, right? Ehhh...

[ Sigh. He's okay, really. He promises. ]

It is. They're really big on making sure you stay safe out there. Which is weird because if it's not safe why do they let kids do it in the first place...?

[mnemon]

[ Dryly; ] Makes you feel really confident about our prospects, doesn't it?

[ Maybe she's just inclined to be cynical because the worst has already happened. Or, you know, because she's a grouchy and suspicious person by nature. Either or. ]

Maybe they just figured if they tried to stop us, it'd just encourage the people who don't know any better to go for it even harder.

[illrested]

Heh. Really confident.

[ He smiles weakly. ]

That's true. Some kid who wants to be the main character of a sentai show or a comic book or something might get hurt...

[ Or did, but he doesn't say that. ]