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 Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 6:02 pm
Before the semester was over and the children were sent home, every year Nao Academy would hold a special Christmas event for all students and faculty to attend.
The school rents out a convention room in one of the fanciest hotels in town and decorates it with beautiful lights and ornaments, along with festive culinary delights compliments of the hotel staff.
Students are encouraged to exchange gifts with all their friends or participate in secret santas. All forms of the Christmas spirit are welcome... But be careful, because faculty is watching carefully for any conflict. Nobody likes a scrooge during the holidays, after all.
So before the end of year tests, get your santa hats on and spread a little Christmas cheer!
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Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 6:56 pm
The moment December had come rolling around, Blade grew quieter and more distant towards others than usual. He was always like this around this time of year, though whether anyone that had been at the school the previous years took note of this was a good question. The special event that the school held each year was one he could do without, but he was there anyway.
The thief wasn't necessarily a 'scrooge', he didn't care if others enjoyed their time, he just found it hard to really be happy. Generally, he never received nor did he give anyone anything. Everywhere he went, the message of spending love and joy with friends and family was around. Having neither, it left him feeling rather bitter and alone. Soon the school will be emptied too as everyone else went to their homes to spend the holidays with their family.
So he just sat against the wall, staring out into space and not really paying attention to anything going on. Too many things were swirling in his head, enough that he had temporarily forgotten about the small object in his pocket that he had been thinking of giving Riyo.
Shun wasn't entirely thrilled either, but for different reasons. It was another big party in his eyes and there were just way too many people. Some people were overly festive as well, which tended to grated his nerves. Several times some random girls had tried to catch him under mistletoe which made him keep an eye out for what's above. Moving on about the room, he tried to seek out Mitsu with Bent-Tail at his side. The rat was more cheerful as could be expected and he enjoyed this time of year a fair amount. He just made sure to keep his enthusiasm down so as to not get on his friend's nerves.
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Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 7:22 pm
Mitsu hadn't entirely planned on going to the Christmas party, but it was better than sulking in her room. She had been doing far too much of that lately. It was like a deep hole she just couldn't seem to dig her way out of. Coming in from outside, she brushed away some of the fresh fallen snow off her coat and out of her hair. The hotel the event was in was rather expansive so it took her a little while to finally find the area the school had rented out for the occasion.
Klyde had thought about going to the party, if only to catch a glimpse of Riyo for a little while. But the hotel had him a bit on edge and he wasn't sure she would honestly come back here or not....since it was the same place they had come once before. With a sigh he continued to stand outside mulling it over, the snow collecting in his lightly gelled hair. Giving off no body heat the snow stuck rather well and didn't melt away so more than likely he would be covered soon.
Since the Halloween party had ended with a bit of a brawl, Neko had been asked to help watch the students for the Christmas party. It was a super delightful thought when all he wanted to do was sit and home and do nothing but drink. Holidays just weren't his thing. They were too over done and full of petty greed.
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Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 8:17 pm
Riyo didn't like Christmas. Much like Blade, it had never really held much value to her... If anything, she felt envy for the people who took joy in giving and receiving gifts to their loved ones; a pleasure she'd never really had.
But... She had something to give to somebody. The small item took up residence in her black coat pocket, a gloved hand wrapped around it. Her head and ears were covered with a black cap that had cute little cat ears, though they really hadn't done much to pick up her mood.
Not realizing that the hotel was one she was very familiar with, Riyo followed the directions in her free hand, only looking up when she seemed to arrive. Across the street from her destination, her eyes widened.
They had... In that room... They...
All at once, the memories she once thought were beautiful struck her heart like little daggers, that feeling of devastation revisiting her already cold mind.
Eyes falling to the snow covered ground, she found herself no longer wanting to stand on her trembling legs. A nearby bench would cure that...
She didn't even bother dusting off the snow. Her body met the cold wood with a quiet thud, picking her feet off the ground to hug her knees to her. It.. Wasn't the most appropriate place for a breakdown... But right now she didn't have much of a choice in the matter.
Desmond hadn't wanted to go. He hadn't wanted to risk seeing Mitsu... Her pain filled face...
But at the same time... He couldn't hide from her forever. Eventually, he'd have to realize that there was every chance she'd have something to say to him, and maybe if she was able to get that off her chest, they could both move on.
In case that didn't happen, though... He'd gotten something for her.
Desmond knew no single item would make up for the damage he'd caused... But he'd thought long and hard about this. It could only hurt him more if she refused to take it, right?
Quietly making his way through the door, winter trench coat and hair covered in snow, his eyes searched the room nervously before spotting her... When would be a good time? Now? A little later? He seemed to become lost in thought as he stared at the girl, wondering the best way to approach her... If he could get up the courage to approach her.
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Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 8:34 pm
With a fairly dead look in his eyes, Blade watched listlessly as people mingled about, laughing and just having a good time altogether. In a sense, he felt like he was nothing more than a ghost in the room, unable to really reach out to anyone. He normally tried to not let memories of the past haunt him like this, but it was hard when everything was shoved into his face like this.
Years ago, he was like the rest, full of joy and festivities during the Christmas season. That part of him was long dead.
Moving on through the crowd, Shun eventually spotted a flash of white hair off in the distance. There were few others in the school with that color so it wasn't too hard to notice. He cast a glance at his rodent friend to follow along then went off to approach the girl.
"Mitsu?" he asked to try and get her attention once he was near her. Lately, whenever looking or addressing her, his expression seemed a little softer. It wasn't all that noticeable, but those who were familiar with him could see it relatively easily.
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Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 10:25 pm
"Freezing...cold...Gah" Poke walked through the falling snow and rubbed her arms to get more feeling into them. While she loved Christmas, she did not like the cold that came with it. Though, she had to admit the snow flakes looked beautiful. As she rounded a corner, she looked ahead to see the hotel, and sighed in relief. Soon she would be inside the warm area, and all would be well.
Well, almost. She hadn't spoke much to mitsu in the past few weeks, not sure as to how to approach her. Knowing her she would say something stupid and make her feel 10 times worse. At least she hadn't seen much of Tessa or Nami. As for the hive...she beat up enough of those guys to last her for ages, so they better be staying low!
It was then she spied a figure huddled up on a seat, and once she got closer she could recognize the black ears and tail. "..Riyo?" Tentatively she approached the seat, but still kept her distance. She wasn't what was wrong with her, but she did not want to go messing with her if she didn't want to be messed with.
Meanwhile, Ken had already made it to the hotel, having gotten here a little earlier, and was quietly waiting for poke to turn up. He was also a fan of Christmas, and was looking forward to being able to return home to his family. It would be nice to not have to worry about bullies and vampires and overzealous friends for a while.
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Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2010 12:43 am
Taking off her long coat, Mitsu folded it up to hold it in her arms. Her eyes scanned the room quickly but apparently in the wrong direction because she didn't immediately see anyone she knew....all except a familiar blonde vampire. Casting her eyes back to the floor Mitsu started to turn but Shun had spoken up as he started to approach. Glancing back in Desmond's direction Mitsu quickly moved to approach Shun.
As she approached she noted the softer look that Shun held and she tried to smile for it, but she was hard pressed to keep it up. "Hey, guys. Um...Merry Christmas?" The slight question made her seem hesitant on the thought that it might be merry, but she smiled again wanting to give them a warm holiday greeting. It wouldn't be fair to make them feel bad on Christmas too.
"I...I actually have something for the both of you," Reaching into one of the large pockets of her coat, Mitsu produced two small boxes. "I...Its not much. It's just cookies and candy I made." She hadn't been sure what to get anyone.
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Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2010 8:29 am
"What?" Riyo asked simply, a hurt tone under the harshness of her voice. It was more than a little obvious something was wrong, but what was hard to answer. There were so many things that had happened in the past weeks.. Who could really say which one was the cherry on top at that moment. "I don't celebrate Christmas." She quickly made an excuse to cover the real reason for her distress. "It's just an excuse for little shits to beg their parents for the most expensive trend on the shelf."
Shoving both hands deeper in her pockets, she stood and glanced at the hotel with narrow eyes... Spotting Klyde outside the doorway. She hadn't noticed him before.
For a single moment, her eyes softened, and subconsciously she wanted to brush the snow out of his hair... But that thought snapped in half rather quickly. "I realized that on the way here. So I'll be taking my leave."
Desmond caught Mitsu's eyes for only a moment before they fell to the ground... And then moved away. Surrounded by her friends who obviously hated him. Shun had proven that rather thoroughly. Not that he really blamed the guy...
But... He really wanted to say something to Mitsu.
What if she shoved him away? What if she didn't want to listen? It was a reality Desmond had to face... But couldn't seem to accept. With a defeated sigh, the vampire moved over to a free chair, digging into his pocket and pulling out a small wrapped box. You could tell he wrapped it himself because it was covered in tape and the blue wrapping paper looked wrinkled to hell. Even if she didn't want to see him again, it was something he had to give her.
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Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2010 8:51 am
With one hand in his pocket, Blade was just idly holding onto something in there. He hadn't really seen anyone he recognized just yet, but then again, he was just sitting against the wall and wasn't out searching for them. Too much was just going through his mind.
It was nice to see Mitsu smile, but Shun had to wonder how long it'd last. He knew well enough she hadn't been faring that well as of late. Focused on her, he didn't notice Desmond off to the distance just yet, but that was probably for the better. The guy only got angry whenever they were in the same area it seemed.
Blinking for a moment, he took the box she gave him. There was nothing wrong with the gift, he just didn't really expect anything.
"Thank you Mitsu.." he said softly before reaching into his own pocket and offering a small box to her in return, "Ah.. here... this is for you.."
He hadn't been really certain what to get her, but.. he wanted to get her something. In a sense, he didn't think that the gift would really do all that much for her, but he was still trying his damn hardest to make her happy.
"Tanks Mitsu," beamed Bent-Tail as he happily took the gift. He too produced something out for her, "ere ya go, Merry Christmas."
After giving it to her, he shot a glance at Shun, having noticed a subtle change or two in the guy when it came to the girl, such as the expression shift. It was hard to say what was going on in his mind, but he could tell that he was at least worried about the wolf-girl.
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Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2010 9:12 pm
"ah..er..." Poke scratched the back of her head and wondered what else she could say. "of...of course! I mean christmas is full of cold snow and to much singing that sounds stupid and it's really childish half the time. Plus you get to many socks" She was struggling to find things she could complain about for such a fun time of year.
as she got up, she stood back at bit and watched her glance at someone, but before she could see herself she began to leave. "Ahh.wait! riyo are you sure you don't wanna come?" she asked, then faulted. "i mean..just because you don't celebrate it...umm...theres still food, and everyone else is gonna be there to!"
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Posted: Wed Dec 22, 2010 7:19 am
"Morgan, the owner of the cafe, helped me make the cookies. So they should taste pretty good. He made me promise to give something to Blade though." Ever since the manager had seen Blade in the cafe he was a storm of questions. Mitsu didn't know what to tell him, while she claimed Blade as a friend....she honestly didn't know him that well. Which only seemed to spark Morgan's interest all the more. Producing another small box, Mitsu looked around for a moment trying to spot the individual in question.
The box itself was rather normal, red being a color for the holiday. The only thing that was off was the tag on the box was heart shaped leaving an impression that it wasn't Christmas Morgan had in mind. Mitsu didn't think much of it, maybe it had been the only tags he had? She tried not to waste things if she could use them after all. The contents of the box were a mystery to her, though she assumed it was chocolates like he had been helping her make.
Before she managed to spot the thief, Shun and Bent had both produced a gift in return. Eyes a lit with sudden curiosity, Mitsu carefully took each box. "Y..you really didn't have to get me anything." She smiled warmly at the thought that they had picked something out for her. "S..should I open them now?"
Klyde sighed. He just couldn't bring himself to go inside. Riyo wouldn't be there after all. With a sense of disappointment his hand brushed against the box he held in his pocket, a gift he had gotten for the girl he liked....who no doubt hated him. He honestly expected the gift to be thrown back in his face...maybe it would be better if he gave it to Mitsu to give to Riyo instead? But then he was just being a coward wasn't he?
A little defeated he turned away from the hotel and started down the street, never the wiser that the one he was seeking for was so close by. No, now he was intent on drowning out his misery with the taste of fresh blood...and maybe some alcohol to follow. If he could find a drunk he'd have it all taken care of in one go. How convenient that would be.
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Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2010 7:38 am
"Why's it so important for me to be there?" Riyo asked, frustrated that Poke wouldn't let it go. "Nobody is going to have less fun if I'm absent from the crowd." She'd wanted to give Blade something, but he'd be around during the break too so she was sure there would be ample opportunities...
"Y'know what I want to do, Poke? I want to go get drunk somewhere. I would like that more than anything in the world right now." Riyo said in a matter-of-fact tone as she continued walking away. Maybe she could convince some lonely schmuck to buy her liquor like she did last time.
"I'm gonna drink some vodka straight from the bottle and get smashed so I can forget about anything and everything. Worked for mother, works for me."
(Desmond's off in his corner sulking, so I'll skip him for now.)
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Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2010 7:51 am
Furrowing his brow, Shun wondered why her boss promised her to give something to Blade. He never really saw the guy hanging around Mitsu so it confused him a bit there. The heart shaped tag made him a little more confused, but whatever. Generally speaking he didn't give a damn about anything that had to do with the thief as long as he stayed out of his way.
Ignoring that bit, he watched she took the two boxes he and Bent-Tail had produced. The warm smile of hers was a rather welcome sight.
"Go on ahead," he said quietly.
"Yeah, go a'ead Mitsu," Bent-Tail added.
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Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2010 4:06 pm
"O...okay." Placing Blade's box back in her pocket for now, Mitsu turned to her two presents. It was hard to choose which to open first. Carefully she set down Shun's gift and started to unwrap Bent-tail's. The paper was removed with care and set aside. When she opened the box her smiled broadened when she pulled out a little wolf plush. "Aww, he's so cute. Thank you, Ben."
Cuddling the plushie close, Mitsu moved to Shun's box. She turned it a few times, curious as to what it held. It had an odd weight so it was hard to guess. Finally removing the paper, Mitsu opened the box, her eyes lighting up the moment she spotted what was inside. Her smile faded slightly but her face was filled with wonder as she pulled the small piano shaped item free from the box.
Her fingers traced over the item for a moment before she opened the lid, her eyes even more surprised to hear a tune start to play. Smile broadening again she listened to the little music box play the piano tune to 'Mad World.' It was such a thoughtful gift.
"I love it. Thank you, Shun." Closing the lid she placed the little piano back in its box for safe keeping. Once it was secured and in her pocket she stepped forward to give Shun a hug. Trying not to linger and make him uncomfortable she moved to also give Bent a hug as well. "Thank you both."
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Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2010 7:43 pm
"You...want to go drink?!" Poke repeated numbly as she watched her go off. Okay, she understood why she would want to do that, but it was still a pretty stupid idea. She was a minor after all, and drinking herself stupid wasn't going to help anything.
Though, she doubted she could stop riyo from doing something like this. the cat girl always had that aura of 'don't mess with me cause I'ma ******** you up', and even she didn't want to press her buttons. But still, the idea of riyo ending up drunk on a sidewalk was not appealing. And it would be on her conscience if she let the girl do that.
"Dammit, wait up!" she ran after the girl, wondering if she was ever going to get warm this evening.
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