(Inno & TK) Shinjuku Spirits (Leave us to our work, peoples =D)

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Around the time of the Fall Festivals
Saturday
3:33 PM

Rachael Victoria Ashley Elizabeth Gertrude Stephanie Ailene Enya Elspeth Luka Ashwood (or affectionately / formally called "Lulu-rin / Lulu-Chan") ran full speed down the hall of Sakurabi High, heading for the room that the Tea Ceremony Club was holding a TEA CEREMONY, in celebration of TEA, of course! But also, this meeting was important due to the fact that for this one day of the year, the Tea Ceremony Club met with Kendo Club. Which, Lulu wouldn't miss for anything in the world, due to the fact that most of the guys in the Kendo club were the male idols of the school, imbued with the general male expectations, and living up to them as best they could. Likewise, the Tea Ceremony Club was generally known for the young women who best exemplifies the expectations of the female gender. Simply put, they were the most attractive and popular kids on campus.

Speeding through the doorway, she was stopped suddenly as a hand came out to stop her with ease. A girl glared, seething as Lulu ran through the halls, clearly without poise or grace, and obviously without a care. It was obvious that the bounding, excited Lulu was now the target of Riiko Nene Nekozawa's ("Nini-pon") irritation. Lulu then tried to wrap her arms around Nini-pon in a friendly manner, only to be rebuked yet again. She kept this up for quite some time, much to everyone's annoyance.

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[Robot Unicorn]

"Get the hell away from me Lulu" Nina said bluntly, dropping the formality, not caring what anyone else thought of it. At this point, they didn't really seem to care, since Lulu was annoying EVERYONE THERE.

"Seriously. Calm the fuck down....This is a FORMAL TEA CEREMONY. Realize your surroundings. IMPULSE CONTROL. You might want to act with a little class in japan if you actually want to get a guy."

Again, she said all this, not giving a rat's ass about what her "Friends" thought of it. They could shove it for all she cared, her popularity wasn't even something she wanted anyways. In fact, she constantly tried to dispel it. That's the main reason she originally befriended that nutter attempting to tackle her face first into a cup of boiling hot tea, which would no doubt permanently scar her face, and forever end her on and off career as a model. She really did think she should end that, it's half to blame for her popularity that was constantly being crammed down her throat. So superficial and petty. She hated it.

"......So.....Lulu...."

She took a few breaths and calmed herself down a bit.

"What the he--....What did you come here for? Really? I mean, surely attacking me with your obnoxious foreign clingy syndrome isn't your true intent for barging in on this PRIVATE ceremony..."

She frowned slightly at her friend, but then, almost as if an instant switch, let out an exasperated chuckle at just how ridiculous the whole damn situation was. Her friend was most likely insane in some way, as far as she knew. It fits though, as introverted as she was, she might as well be herself.

"Really, Lulu-chan...What brings you here? Please tell me this isn't your idea of attracting a boyfriend..."

She giggled slightly, having relaxed a bit with her one friend here, and finally offered up a hug, but ONLY ONE. After that, she would go back to her sour mood, due to it being 3:33, the time she hates most in the day. God she hated the number three. It was like the satan of numbers to her. Alongside 6 and 9....and 7. Though it was mostly just 3.....3 was a horrible horrible number. It should be removed from existance. then 6 and 9. The decimal system should go 1 2 4 5 7 8 as far as she was concerned. Really. What horrid people invented these things....

She realized she was probably ocd, if not a few other things, but shrugged it off, trying not to let this intolerable side of her show in front of her one friend she actually didn't hate secretly. Even though she acted like she hated that one friend on the surface more than her fake friends who she really did hate. Was this a form of affection? She pondered that to herself for a moment, wondering how she got so messed up.

"I really should work on that..."

She thought to herself, mumbling it beneath her breath.

"Eh, oh sorry everyone, this is Lulu-Chan...she's....a little bit of everything really. Aside from Asian. A pretty face I know, but it's sort of off set by her insanity, though she is technically a nice person I think. If you get past the crazy. I think. I'm not sure. Entirely...."

-She mumbled cursing under her breath for describing her one real friend in such a cruel way when she really knew what she meant-

"Lulu...Everyone. Everyone. Lulu....There you've met. Now Lu-pon, calm the hell down and sit with us, like a civilized human being, tea is sacred, it should be enjoyed in peace, not a chaotic state of abyss...."

-She patted the seat next to her for her friend to sit-

 

[Hydronine]

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Lulu's smile seemed to only grow with every insult or negative sentence that was thrown her way. She knew that she was mostly annoying everyone there. Her hug was rebuked, and Nini was obviously very irritated with her, but yet, she only grinned wider.

Then she calmed down considerably when Nini had started up again with "......So.....Lulu...."
, taking that as a sign to perhaps actually listen to her friend.

"What the he--....What did you come here for? Really? I mean, surely attacking me with your obnoxious foreign clingy syndrome isn't your true intent for barging in on this PRIVATE ceremony..."

Lulu frowned slightly at that. Nini knew that she was being good, after all, when they had first met, Lulu had tried to hug her every five seconds; she had improved GREATLY.... because now it was just every hour. She was still working on that. It would be handled in the end!


"Really, Lulu-chan...What brings you here? Please tell me this isn't your idea of attracting a boyfriend..."

Lulu glowered slightly at Nini, obviously her friend had struck a chord, but she let it pass and kept listening, all the while nodding her head and rolling her eyes. She thought of interupting her for a moment, then thought better of it when Nini started giggling, which was cause for a confused and puzzled look on Lulu's face for a moment.

"Eh, oh sorry everyone, this is Lulu-Chan...she's....a little bit of everything really. Aside from Asian. A pretty face I know, but it's sort of off set by her insanity, though she is technically a nice person I think. If you get past the crazy. I think. I'm not sure. Entirely...."

Lulu frowned again, not hurt at all, but more than just slightly annoyed with Nini now. She rolled her eyes again and twisted a finger in the air near her head, the universal sign that everyone used for "crazy". She knew she was a little bonkers, but Nini had to be worse if she couldn't acknowledge her own insanity too.

"Lulu...Everyone. Everyone. Lulu....There you've met. Now Lu-pon, calm the hell down and sit with us, like a civilized human being, tea is sacred, it should be enjoyed in peace, not a chaotic state of abyss...."


Lulu looked to where Nini had gestured for her to sit and sighed before following request, noting that she hadn't even said anything yet, and even so, people already thought of her as crazy. Was it her customs that were so different from their own that sparked these dirty looks she now received? She didn't care, but it DID bother her that Nini spoke in this sour manner. She turned to her friend, leaning in close for a moment and uttered one thing before moving away again.

"What the hell's got you so fired up, Nini-pon.... did your fluffy little adorable red panda shit in your sushi or something?" She spat with a smile. She hated when Nini was irate like she was now, and didn't know how else to break the ice.

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[Robot Unicorn]

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Nini noted her friend's changing facial expressions and eye rolls, getting slightly irked at that.

Though, she did recognize how it might be awkward for Lulu on some level. She was a foreigner, and she was a bit insane, if not a lot so, and that made people in Japan turn a blind eye to her unless they were just giving her dirty looks. Nini didn't exactly like that about everyone. She sorta figured she may be able to use her popularity a bit to change it, but she wanted Lulu to have real friends, not fake ones that she had to 'convince' of Lulu's kindness.

"What the hell's got you so fired up Nini-pon....."

Lulu whispered to her

Nini sighed and said bluntly, for everyone to hear.

"It was 3:33. That rant took all of a minute. Now it's 3:34. Not quite as bad as 3:33, but still pretty damn awful."

It's true, if there was one thing Nini was a pro at socially, it was speaking in unreal speeds, and making it understandable. What could be an hour long tirade for the average human being, would take her all of 5 minutes, tops.

"Look, Lulu...."

She whispered

"I know you want a guy and all, but these guys, idols though they may be, aren't the cream of the crop if you want someone who will actually like you. Now if you want me to convince one of them to date you with no real reason but to impress me, that I can do...otherwise, I'd look to someone who might actually give a damn about you...This crowd is sorta stuck up anyways..."

She followed by pouring her friend some Gyokuro Green tea, the highest grade of green tea in the world, it didn't come cheap, nor was it available anywhere outside of japan, due to it being taken outside of the country illegal. She went through hell to get this tea just for this ceremony. It wasn't for the people though. Not at all. It was about the tea. Tea is sacred. An art that must be perfect, no matter what kind of pricks are involved, according to her own beliefs. Things were different for her during tea, she didn't see 'those'...or as some may call them, spirits....

On rare occasion, she saw things like angels, and even demons, but it was mostly just the average wandering spirits you heard about in the ancient mythology of her own country. She rarely paid mind to them anymore, because they were always there for her, since before she could remember. She didn't know why, they just were. Though, sometimes, the figures were too horrible and grotesque to look away. She affectionately called those situations... 'train wrecks'...

Simply because it's so horrid you cannot help but stare.

For being such a complicated person, she actually was rather simple.

On any note, she glanced back over to her friend, and motioned for her to drink the tea.

 

[Hydronine]

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"It was 3:33. That rant took all of a minute. Now it's 3:34. Not quite as bad as 3:33, but still pretty damn awful."

Nini had said it with such a serious and irked look that Lulu could no longer keep a straight face, she laughed loudly, a big grin on her face as she tried to calm herself and stop laughing, and in the process, noting the expressions on everyone else's faces. She felt like they had no right to make judgments on her due to her cultural behaviors. Hell, she would respect them if the tables were turned.

"Look, Lulu...." Nini began, and Lulu paid close attention due to the tone in her voice, it seemed important. "I know you want a guy and all, but these guys, idols though they may be, aren't the cream of the crop if you want someone who will actually like you. Now if you want me to convince one of them to date you with no real reason but to impress me, that I can do...otherwise, I'd look to someone who might actually give a damn about you...This crowd is sorta stuck up anyways..."

Lulu bristled at that. Not at the fact that Nini had assumed her agenda, but for how she had worded it. She knew she wasn't a model and that she certainly wasn't as popular as Nini, but... that had kind have cracked her attitude for all of two seconds. Then she was back to being the quietly smiling girl.

Everything calmed down further as her friend poured the tea for her and she sipped at it quietly. Mulling over what her friend had said with a contemplative look on her face for quite some time before she looked back over at Nini, firing a small smile at her.

"Nice try, I was just.... really working on trying to get some friends. I.... don't think it would be smart to go after a guy..... without having at least some friends... aside from being your oddity." She gave a her another curt smile before turning away again, continuing to sip at the tea for a moment longer before lowering the tea back down.

"I'm not that fuckin' stupid." She grinned again.

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[Robot Unicorn]

She smirked slyly, already knowing her next comeback to the girl, who honestly, the model didn't understand why she was working in retail instead of being a model herself, why she hadn't been scouted....everything, it didn't make sense to her, she knew her friend was prettier than her, although her friend would never hear it, from her mouth or anyone else's, as far as Nini was concerned. Her self conscious, inverted ocd was her own issue. She didn't need to make it any more public than it already was.

"So....you come to snob city for friends? Really?"

She whispered to Lulu, and then continued in the same note.

"Hell, I don't even like any of these people, their all assholes. Screw them. This isn't friend zone material hun...plus you tell me you aren't that dumb but I am lookin at a natural blondie...and you DID come HERE for FRIENDS....These people. Not so much."

She picked up in her friend's earlier change of facial expression at her implying she was after a guy, and knew what Lulu was thinking, but she didn't mention it any further.

Well. Maybe a bit.

"If you would look around a bit and find someone who doesn't suck then a boyfriend might actually be good for you, seeing as how clingy you are...I mean, really...though I'm not one to talk, I turn 20 guys down a day...My only love interest lives overseas"

She sighed to herself, unable to fill the gap that had formed in her heart since her lover had returned to his homeland. Long distance did work on some level, but that void was always there. She missed him. ALOT. She never really showed it though, as much as she hated her popularity, she had to keep it on some level to make her job work enough to afford living on her own...

"Lulu, there ARE some nice people who I don't hate ENTIRELY. around I mean...."

 

[Hydronine]

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"So....you come to snob city for friends? Really?"

Lulu nodded.

"Hell, I don't even like any of these people, their all assholes. Screw them. This isn't friend zone material hun...plus you tell me you aren't that dumb but I am lookin at a natural blondie...and you DID come HERE for FRIENDS....These people. Not so much."

Lulu gave Nini a look of irritation. Could the topic get any more angering for her?

Apparently...

It could.

"If you would look around a bit and find someone who doesn't suck then a boyfriend might actually be good for you, seeing as how clingy you are...I mean, really...though I'm not one to talk, I turn 20 guys down a day...My only love interest lives overseas"


Lulu released the cup of tea that she had been holding onto unneededly while it rested on the table. Her hands balled into small, bony, pale fists, her knuckles turning somehow even whiter. She did not want to talk about this at all. This was off-limits.

"Lulu, there ARE some nice people who I don't hate ENTIRELY. around I mean...."

"That's nice to know." She replied curtly, anger clearly audible in her voice as she took s deep breath, attempting to stay calm. They were at a Tea Ceremony.

A.

Fucking.

Tea.

CEREMONY.

And somehow, she didn't believe that people would think of it as appropriate for her to punch one of their most popular classmates in the middle of a ceremony such as this.

"Nini-pon, I apologize, but lets change subjects before I show you the custom of "bitch slapping" from my "foreign land".... You know I dislike being angry."

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[Robot Unicorn]

Nini got slightly irked at the attitude her friend was taking when her only intent was to be helpful. In fact, more than irked, she was downright fucking pissed off, she get's her good intentions shoved in her face by almost everyone around her, she didn't need that shit from someone who was supposedly a good friend. She was a bit too pissed off to take everything she thought seriously, but it was enough that she knew if one of them didn't leave, the tea ceremony would be ruined. And Tea was sacred. Nothing can corrupt tea. Not even Nini herself.

"Aah. Sumimasen everyone, I really am not feeling well all of the sudden...I am going to go lay down in the nurses office...I'm going to sleep for a while...I truly apologize I could not entertain the ceremony I was supposed to host any longer. However, I'm sure one of you can pick up my slack, neh?"

She didn't glance Lulu's way. Not a once. She was as pissed as she had been in a long time. People don't talk like that to her without shit happening. She was trying to be nice, Lulu couldn't even give her credit for her good intentions. That's sick from a "best friend"...especially with what she's been through..

She made her way down to the nurses office and promptly told them she was sick and needed to return home, from where she was completely allowed such, being such a major donor to the school and all.... She headed home, through the regular Shibuya haunts, paying mind to a couple of spirits she was particular to....rather fond of honestly, some she felt a deeper connection with than humans. She noted one of her favorites was a small, weak overall, but strong spirited lantern spirit, who often got picked on for it's position and differences. She really loved this one. She actually kept it by her side at all times, even tea time. It was like a second pet...no....best friend to her. She could talk to it about anything without judgement, because they were the same.

She began to head way for home with it, along with a couple others that didn't tend to start shit, and just began to ramble on about the shit that went down with Lulu and the whole damn day to them, only to have them gather around her head, attempting to comfort her, with what she could at most feel like a warm, comforting light...she really did love them dearly. The little darlings. They never misunderstood. She was calming a bit now, and she arrived at home, where she was happily greeted by Sa-tan, her adorable red panda. She curled up on bed with the her darling little panda, and the comforting spirits. She slowly dozed off with them by her side, not really expecting anything to interrupt her nap time until the school day was over.

 

[Hydronine]

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Lulu watched as Nini excused herself and left, immediately feeling like a jerk for what she had said, and didn't even need to look up to know that the others in the room weren't exactly happy with her being there, as a foreigner, she probably wasn't all that welcome to this event, and she had been lucky that Nini had even helped her in.... and yet.... she had hoped.... however stupid it was, to have a friend somewhere in this group, besides Nini...

Lulu looked down at the tea, then bit her lip, trying to figure out what to do.

She knew she needed to work this out with Nini.... but was unsure of when to try and attempt to talk to her friend. Did she.... should she wait until tomorrow to talk to her? But.... if she waited.... what would happen?

All of a sudden, all she wanted was to go. She wasn't welcome much here, anyways, so she quietly excused herself, saying that she must have caught the same bug that Nini had, and that she felt sick as well, and left as quickly.

She could almost tangibly feel their scowls as she left. If collective feelings could talk, she had a sense that theirs would be saying "Good riddance."

Lulu immediately headed for the nurse's office, but the second that she didn't see Nini, she knew that her friend had gone home, and immediately pulled out a trick she had used in her schools at home, using a method to make her feel like she had to throw up and proceeded to tell one of the nurses that she truly did not feel well, and to emphasis her point, she vomited into the nearest trashcan.

They, of course, sent her home.

So now she walked home, arms crossed over her chest, head lowered as she made her way home, planning to try and think things through before disturbing Nini. It wasn't a terribly long walk, there wasn't a huge distance between her home ad the school, but still, it gave her enough time to plan out a general idea of how to work with the time she now had.

A small, young fennec fox by the name of Whiskey Quartz greeted her as she entered her home, yipping, yowling and running around, hyper and excited. It brought a small smile to her face as she closed the door and changed into clothes that were more comfortable as the little fox followed her around.

Lulu moved to the kitchen finally, making a small dish of fettuccine alfredo for herself to eat while she tried to figure out how to deal with this odd mess. Finally she decided to go visit Nini, and coaxed Whiskey into a harness and clipped a leash on before heading out for Nini's house, planning to do all that she could to work this out. They were friends, and this was truly something not worth fighting over.

But, coming upon Nini's home, she knocked quietly, but with no answer. She waited a little more, then walked with Whiskey. She stopped by home for a bit and wrote out a small, quick note, and walked back over to Nini's house, taping the note to her door. She knocked twice more, then left for home. She made Whiskey some food and ate another small meal, then played with her little fox a bit.

The note:

Hey Nini-pon!

Look, I apologize for the what I said.... I don't know what the hell I was thinking.... I'm sorry for what happened today. I guess... I just got a little frustrated at not being well received no matter where I go.... I'm thankful to have you as a friend... I guess it's just a huge switch to me.... back where I used to live, I had plenty of friends... You know this... I guess the fact that I'm so different is finally getting to me... It's no excuse for how I treated you, and I am sorry....

I'll talk to you later or something. I can understand if you're angry with me. TTYL <3 U!

Luka

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[Robot Unicorn]

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[GLOW="Green"]Towards the end of the school day, Nini woke up, and noticed that her panda immediately ran over to the door. Figuring it needed to use the bathroom, she opened the door and took it out, then saw it turn back towards the door, which confused her until she looked up and saw the note. She took it down and read it...at this she felt a bit more relaxed, realizing her friend did have a hard time here, and she probably had said things poorly herself, plus, leaving Lulu there was sort of cruel, even for her...

Prior to leaving, she got fixed up a bit after sleeping around messily, habit out of modeling... her hair was in loose curls, a black top with sleeves that were cut open on the outside down her arm, that hung off her shoulders, and a pair of designer blue jeans, ripped around the knees and shins. Her makeup was basic, eyeliner, mascara, blush, and a light pink lipstick with no gloss. With this, she was ready to leave.

"Well.....Sa-tan....Ready to go visit Lu-pon?"

She let the young panda go and do it's business before leaving, then picked it up, attached it's leash, though it prefer being held, and took it on it's way to Lulu's house.

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On arrival to Lulu's house, the panda promptly began scratching on the door, before Nini even had a chance to knock.

"Well....I hope this goes well.." [/GLOW] [/DASH]

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[Zypher]

It had been a ridiculously long day for Niigaki Aika. School had been giving her headaches lately and all the drama around the girls at school wasn't helping it. Kyudo practice had at least calmed Aika down enough to walk home without much worry.

As she headed towards her home her phone chirped in her pocket and she quickly pulled it out. It appeared that her friend Nini-San had gone home sick from the tea ceremony. I should go visit her, she is on the way after all. She adjusted her skirt and tie and turned the corner, heading to her friend's house.

As she arrived she noticed that the house seemed completely empty. With a frown she knocked on the door a couple of times, again no response.

If she's so sick why isn't she home? That's so strange... Aika shook her head and pulled out her cellphone, figuring it'd just be easier to text her.

Nini-San? Are you okay? Kameko-san texted me and said you'd left tea ceremony club early. I'm at your house so if you want me to wait just let me know. (^-^) And with a quick send she was left waiting for a response. She sighed and sat down on the step, wondering where her friend was.

 

[Robot Unicorn]

[DASH="pink"][BG="Violet"][GLOW="turqoise"]Nini's phone buzzed, also playing a little beeping tune of Saftey Dance by Men with Hats as her ringtone. She did love music from the west for some reason. On any note, she saw Aika-chan's text, and quickly replied.

"Oh, sorry, I sorta left cause I was upset, faked sick, bad habit...Sorry for worrying you, I am going to go make up with the person in question over the upset right now.. @ Lulu's house, or about to be. I can backtrack a bit and come get you and bring you with? It would sorta be good, Lulu needs more kind friends here anyways."

Nini sent a hell of a long text message. She was meticulous in grammar and spelling almost always, and said everything that she wanted to say, even on a tiny texting keyboard. However, her cellphone only called others, it did not receive calls, too troubling. Anyways, she started heading back for Aika-chan without awaiting a reply.[/GLOW]
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[Hydronine]

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Lulu played with Whiskey for a bit more, then watched a few programs on TV for a bit, the small fox nestled into a furry ball in her lap while she scratched it behind the ears, smiling as it made noises that always seemed to brighten her day. She then checked the clock and sighed as she figured that Nini wasn't in a mood to talk. It saddened her, but there was nothing she could do, she had done enough, and surely if she did more, Nini would be annoyed.

Whiskey scampered off around the room, hiding behind chairs and then running out and around Lulu before jumping up onto a couch, then jumped off. It ran to the kitchen and jumped, trying to reach the counters, then it zoomed back towards her, yipping happily before running around more. It made her smile a little more and she eventually picked the little fox up and snuggled it. Whiskey may not have been human, but to Lulu, she always knew she could count on the little fox to brighten her day.

"Thank you, Whiskey..." She murmured to the fennec before going to get it a treat from the kitchen, merely happy to have something that she knew would never leave her side at all.

"I wonder what Nini's doing..." Lulu pondered aloud.

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[Zypher]

Aika glanced at the overly long text message Nini had sent back and she nodded to herself, flipping it shut, if she was going to return to get her she might as well just wait, knowing Nini she was already on her way back without any provocation from Aika. With a sigh she adjusted the skirt of her uniform with a frown. She had only gone to the school she picked because that's where all her friends were going to go, but just before they all went to high school all of them randomly picked other schools and split off. Luckily Aika met Nini and even though the other girl was a bit rough around the edges but she meant well.

Aika flipped open her phone again and tapped out another text this time to home, letting her mother know that she was spending time with Nini-San today and she would make sure to be home before dinner. With a sigh she looked up, waiting for Nini to return and collect her.