Update 141 - Back in Black IV
EvaUnit01
Kept you waiting, huh?
Good grief, you can't help but think.
Tsukune and Kurumu step fully onto the bus, and both of their faces light up on seeing the three of you. Kurumu immediately strides toward you all with purpose, while Tsukune follows behind at a more sedate pace.
"Moka! Mizore! Senpai! It's so great to see you all again!"
"It's been a while, Moka! Senpai, Mizore. Everyone have a good summer?"
You'd tell them how it went, but you're more concerned right now about Moka.
The new arrivals promptly take a seat. You half expect them to sit in the same seat like you and Mizore are doing, but instead they opt to sit across from each other. Probably so that each can comfortably contribute to conversation.
No sooner do Tsukune's eyes fall on Moka, however, than he grows concerned. "Moka, what's wrong?"
A pained grimace flashes across his face, before he tries to suppress it. His eyes keep flickering to Moka and then away again.
That gets Kurumu's attention, who immediately turns to face her. "You look like your puppy just died, or something. What happened?"
From the look in her eyes, you infer that Kurumu strongly suspects what the problem is, but wants Moka to be honest about it.
Tears are beginning to streak down her face, but Moka's nevertheless smiling. "N-nothing's wrong," she claims. "I had to spend my summer alone, so I'm just.... really, really happy to be with my friends again!"
If you hadn't been speaking with her literally moments ago, you might have even believed her as she wipes away her tears with her sleeve.
Tsukune looks quite doubtful of Moka's claim, and so does Kurumu.
A dubious pair of first-year students glance meaningfully in your direction, wondering if you'll corroborate Moka's story or call it for the bullshit it is. At the same time, as soon as their eyes are off her, Moka silently but frantically gestures for you to keep quiet, even going so far as to mouth 'please don't tell them!'
This.... is a fucking pain.
As much as you don't like the obvious distress Moka's in, you don't really know enough about the situation to be sure of how to proceed. The last thing you want to do is make things worse, and it'd be very easy to do that right now.
Mizore's tight-lipped, evidently choosing to stay silent for now, but from the way she slightly turns toward Tsukune and Kurumu, you expect that she plans on further discussion later.
Just before you can say anything, Moka speaks up, wearing a plastic smile as if it were some manner of impregnable armor. "By the way, Kurumu, congratulations! I'm glad you and Tsukune are getting together! I'm guessing you met up during the summer?"
"....yeah," a distracted Tsukune eventually replies. "Turns out we live in different suburbs of the same city, and we bumped into each other by coincidence on the way to a magic show."
Kurumu folds her arms in front of her chest, staring at Moka critically. "It's not like we've gone and eloped or anything. We're dating," she says slowly and deliberately, as if probing her friend in an attempt to gauge the reaction. A second later, she adds, "...and you seem to be taking this a lot better than I thought you would."
Moka hesitates for a split-second, before she blinks. Like she needed to think of how she normally expresses surprise, before then trying to emulate it. "Why would I be upset? I mean, really there's no reason I should be upset. Whenever anyone's asked me or the subject's come up in conversation, haven't I always described my relationship with Tsukune as being 'friends'?"
You can't help but be shocked, and it seems like everyone else is too. Tsukune's and Kurumu's eyes are wider than you've ever seen them. More damningly, Moka couldn't bring herself to look at anyone when she said that.
"If you're sure," a very dubious Kurumu replies. Turning to you and Mizore, however, she mouths 'We'll discuss this later.'
Tsukune, for his part, seems to be holding anguish of his own. From his hesitant, furtive glances, you assume he wants to talk with you alone.
Underclassmen. ....well, you'll deal with it when circumstances permit. In the meantime, it seems you're closing in on Youkai Academy.
Stepping off the bus, there appear to be a pair of thuggish students harassing Yukari. Both young men are wearing black leather pants and jackets.
The shorter, skinnier one has a pair of sunglasses and patchy facial hair, while his taller, much bulkier partner is wearing a red bandanna. There are several washtubs laying in the vicinity, and one of the two is mockingly holding Yukari's magic wand over her head.
[]Eh, Yukari can deal with Yukari's problems.
[]Let the Newspaper Clubbers handle it. She's more their friend than yours.
[]Good grief, it's always something around here.... give your errant schoolmates a quick tutoring and then be on your way.
Tsukune and Kurumu step fully onto the bus, and both of their faces light up on seeing the three of you. Kurumu immediately strides toward you all with purpose, while Tsukune follows behind at a more sedate pace.
"Moka! Mizore! Senpai! It's so great to see you all again!"
"It's been a while, Moka! Senpai, Mizore. Everyone have a good summer?"
You'd tell them how it went, but you're more concerned right now about Moka.
The new arrivals promptly take a seat. You half expect them to sit in the same seat like you and Mizore are doing, but instead they opt to sit across from each other. Probably so that each can comfortably contribute to conversation.
No sooner do Tsukune's eyes fall on Moka, however, than he grows concerned. "Moka, what's wrong?"
A pained grimace flashes across his face, before he tries to suppress it. His eyes keep flickering to Moka and then away again.
That gets Kurumu's attention, who immediately turns to face her. "You look like your puppy just died, or something. What happened?"
From the look in her eyes, you infer that Kurumu strongly suspects what the problem is, but wants Moka to be honest about it.
Tears are beginning to streak down her face, but Moka's nevertheless smiling. "N-nothing's wrong," she claims. "I had to spend my summer alone, so I'm just.... really, really happy to be with my friends again!"
If you hadn't been speaking with her literally moments ago, you might have even believed her as she wipes away her tears with her sleeve.
Tsukune looks quite doubtful of Moka's claim, and so does Kurumu.
A dubious pair of first-year students glance meaningfully in your direction, wondering if you'll corroborate Moka's story or call it for the bullshit it is. At the same time, as soon as their eyes are off her, Moka silently but frantically gestures for you to keep quiet, even going so far as to mouth 'please don't tell them!'
This.... is a fucking pain.
As much as you don't like the obvious distress Moka's in, you don't really know enough about the situation to be sure of how to proceed. The last thing you want to do is make things worse, and it'd be very easy to do that right now.
Mizore's tight-lipped, evidently choosing to stay silent for now, but from the way she slightly turns toward Tsukune and Kurumu, you expect that she plans on further discussion later.
Just before you can say anything, Moka speaks up, wearing a plastic smile as if it were some manner of impregnable armor. "By the way, Kurumu, congratulations! I'm glad you and Tsukune are getting together! I'm guessing you met up during the summer?"
"....yeah," a distracted Tsukune eventually replies. "Turns out we live in different suburbs of the same city, and we bumped into each other by coincidence on the way to a magic show."
Kurumu folds her arms in front of her chest, staring at Moka critically. "It's not like we've gone and eloped or anything. We're dating," she says slowly and deliberately, as if probing her friend in an attempt to gauge the reaction. A second later, she adds, "...and you seem to be taking this a lot better than I thought you would."
Moka hesitates for a split-second, before she blinks. Like she needed to think of how she normally expresses surprise, before then trying to emulate it. "Why would I be upset? I mean, really there's no reason I should be upset. Whenever anyone's asked me or the subject's come up in conversation, haven't I always described my relationship with Tsukune as being 'friends'?"
You can't help but be shocked, and it seems like everyone else is too. Tsukune's and Kurumu's eyes are wider than you've ever seen them. More damningly, Moka couldn't bring herself to look at anyone when she said that.
"If you're sure," a very dubious Kurumu replies. Turning to you and Mizore, however, she mouths 'We'll discuss this later.'
Tsukune, for his part, seems to be holding anguish of his own. From his hesitant, furtive glances, you assume he wants to talk with you alone.
Underclassmen. ....well, you'll deal with it when circumstances permit. In the meantime, it seems you're closing in on Youkai Academy.
Stepping off the bus, there appear to be a pair of thuggish students harassing Yukari. Both young men are wearing black leather pants and jackets.
The shorter, skinnier one has a pair of sunglasses and patchy facial hair, while his taller, much bulkier partner is wearing a red bandanna. There are several washtubs laying in the vicinity, and one of the two is mockingly holding Yukari's magic wand over her head.
[]Eh, Yukari can deal with Yukari's problems.
[]Let the Newspaper Clubbers handle it. She's more their friend than yours.
[]Good grief, it's always something around here.... give your errant schoolmates a quick tutoring and then be on your way.
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