1861/Exploring the Campus

Exploring the Campus
Date of Scene:	14 August 2024
Location:	Cafeteria Plaza
Synopsis:	While exploring the Campus, and getting hungry, Miho heads to the Cafeteria where she meets Laura. Laura and Miho discuss several things, and Laura suspects Miho of being more then a student. That and possibly a Spa-napping!
Cast of Characters:	Miho Inada, Laura La Mer

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Miho Inada has posed:
    Its been a few days since Miho has transferred to her new school. The young woman has come to the cafeteria to grab some food, after changing into a tank top and some cargos. Adjusting to the school life has been a bit rough for her as she has come from the Kyoto area. As Miho grabs a bowl of curry rice as she looks around for a place to sit. She brushes the magatama hairpin she has before wincing a bit. Great, another headache is about to happen.

    After a few seconds, the young woman sits down at a table by herself, taking a deep breath, and focusing on her breathing. After a few deep breathes, the headache seems to go away. She sighs a bit. That was much sharper then normal. Miho shakes her head a bit as she takes a small bite of the rice. At least this school has some good food....

Laura La Mer has posed:
It has been a normal school day, in so far as there was certainly nothing special to report on. There has been no sighting of a Layabout, and she doing well academically, despite the several different ways they did things here. But Laura had been adapting really well, as expected of herself. Even so, her unease had only been growing and she couldn't still reach a conclusion on the reason.

Is it due to those runaway X-Charas? Certainly that was a problem, but she has had this persistent nagging in the back of her mind for longer than that. Hasn't she been having fun here? Maybe she needs dinner to reach a breakthrough, she probably shouldn't keep going on an empty stomach.

Heading into the cafeteria, she ignores the noise of the widespread chatting. At least Kururun is sleeping soundly, so this chatter shouldn't wake her up. After tsking for herself a plate of sauteed mushrooms and white rice, Laura approaches Miho's table. "Is it ok to sit here?", she asks with a tired smile.

Miho Inada has posed:
    Miho nods her head a bit. "Sure. Nobody's sitting there.", she says. The woman takes a few more bites of her rice as she looks around. "Do you mind if I ask you a question or two?", the young woman asks. "Nothing personal. Just trying to figure this school out a little bit, since I'm from Kyoto.", she comments. Miho takes out a small pill bottle, and takes some headache meds.

    Miho has been reading up a little bit about the school, but there's a lot of questions she wants to ask, but avoids asking staff. Mostly cause something is nagging her a little bit. Who invited her to this school? Why was she invited? "You don't have to answer if you don't wanted to. Or if you want to eat in peace.", Miho says. Her eyes to wander a little bit, seemingly scanning things a little bit as she tries to make herself comfortable here.

Laura La Mer has posed:
"Of course", Laura gets suddenly livelier, welcoming the distraction. "I can answer anything, doesn't sweat it", she replies taking her spot, smiling friendly at the other girl. "I have learnt all sort of things about this school, so have at it", she nods, not really making any effort to hide her usual eagerness to show off.

"What's your name? My name is Laura Apollodoros Hyginus La Mer, I am in grade 7", the pinkette introduces herself after bringing a piece of rice to her mouth with the chopsticks. "So, what is it you want to know?"

Miho Inada has posed:
    Miho nods her head a bit as she pushes her bowl to the side. "Miho Inada, grade 10. Were you..invited to the school?", she asks. "Like, did you apply? I don't remember applying for this school, nor did I do anything of note to get me noticed by this Academy. Just in the middle of the semster, I got a letter saying that I would be welcomed here at this school, and I don't recall applying. And my parents, while happy, don't recall placing an application.", she tells.

    Miho watches the younger girl's reaction a bit. "Just...seems out of place. My mother loves the idea of me coming here. And my dad thinks it'll help with my headaches, but lately, they feel a bit...worse. Doctors just say its stress.", she says. The young woman coughs a bit. "Sorry. A bit nervious.", she explains.

    "I'm just curious as to how I got picked for this school when I tried not to stand out.", Miho says. She looks at the rice a bit. Not that she's complaining with the food being pretty good, and a lot of her supplies came with her transfer, but seems like a lot of trouble to transfer in the middle of the year for somebody who really has nothing to offer the school.

Laura La Mer has posed:
'Invited to the school?' Is that really the subject? While she knows what the typical method of entry is, her own admission was anything but typical. And the fact Miho had been sent here without any signal was, while not unexpected, certainly slightly unsettling. "Inada-san, could you hold this for a second?", she says, rummaging through her bag and handing the other girl a very ornate compact. That is a good first indicator of how Laura ought to behave here.

"My admission to the school was a bit unusual. I got it done in a rush after I transferred here to Tokyo", she explains, keeping up the cheerfulness despite having to reduce her situation to the barest essentials. "I really needed to get in because... my mother said she needed me to make friends with some people here", she pauses slightly.

"As for how you got in, I believe they select gifted people that could make a positive contribution for this school, or that could best thrive here", the mermaid moistens her lips, taking a good look at Miho. She seems normal, the pinkette thinks, but so does Laura, at least while she is not in her natural form. And if those pills earlier were for her headache, it is really not normal for it to be progressing. And if she has been invited here... "But don't worry about any of it, I am here now, so just tell me anything unusual, and I will be on the case", she announces with a forced return to her proud demeanor.

Miho Inada has posed:
    The young woman nods her head as she holds the compact. "I could just be overthinking things. Maybe the doctors were right, and I'm just stressing myself out. Like I said, it just came out of the blue, and surprised me. Probably what you said about I could thrive here. Maybe just being a new school, and being the new girl is stressing me out a bit more. Maybe after settling in, they'll go away. And anything unusual? I mean, this is a very good academy, what would be unusual?", she asks.

    Miho picks at her curry rice a bit as she watches Laura. "Sorry if I put you in a spot. Just been a long couple of weeks with lots of questions, and little in answers. Just feels a little weird being new around.", she admits. Miho looks at her wrist with the old prayer beads. "I guess its just my imagination. Sorry if I dumped my issues on you. God...for somebody whose dad is an MMA fighter, I feel like I'm apologizing a lot.", she laughs a little. "Just my nerves, I guess."

Laura La Mer has posed:
Either Miho's potential is already taken up by something, or she is completely unexceptional, the mermaid thinks, looking at the complete lack of reactions from the Tropical Pact. She is still not convinced about the latter, but she would have known for sure it wasn't the case had it reacted, and she would have been further in on her mission. That's really a shame. Well, at least the Queen is satisfied by the effort she is putting in.

"Who knows, maybe what you need is to mingle with others. The cafeteria is a good step forward for this, but there is the Club Building. Have a talent? Bring it out there! The chance there are no people that like the same things as you is next to 0. What are those things that make you shine?" Laura points the chopsticks at a mushroom, sending it flying before trying and failing to catch it in midair.

The pinkette stares at it for one second in her plate before clearing her throat. "Anything unusual could be people fainting, either here or in the city. There is an unusually high amount of such accidents, even if the people are otherwise healthy", she nods assuredly. So far, 10/10 marks.

A smile is offered to Miho when she starts apologising. "There is nothing to worry about, it's good practise, and you are always welcome for more." She looks at her bag, where her phone to be, thinking to look that up. But she can ask Miho then. "What's an MMA fighter, though?"

Miho Inada has posed:
    Miho nods her head a little bit. "Mixed Martial Arts. He doesn't study just one martial art, but several in which he competes with other MMA fighters. Dad retired, and Mom still part times as a miko. I guess since he trained me, I'm alright in it. I don't really...compete persay.", she says. The young woman kinda makes a face. "I just kinda do it for exercise. Keep in shape and all that.", she tells.

    "There has to be like a gas leak or something then.", Miho says. "For people to just suddenly faint like that. In that case, might be better to tell a teacher or something.", she says. "No offense. Just that there has to be something making them faint.", the young woman says as she eats a bit more of her curry rice. "Just as long as I don't have to enter competitions, I'm fine with looking at clubs. Especially if there's a cute boy or two in the clubs.", she says.

    Miho laughs a little. "Just joking. Just a joke.", she says with a small wink. "I just really don't want to compete since well, people start thinking about what you should be doing and all that. Its such a bother."

Laura La Mer has posed:
"Why not?", Laura inquires at Miho's desire not to join the fray of MMA. "If you have been trying as well as you say, you will surely excel. Don't you find that gratifying?" She picks the elusive mushroom back up. "Though, as long as you yourself are aware of it, that's all you really need."

She shakes her head when she points out calling a teacher would be better. "That happens in the city mostly. Not really here. Teachers can't help with that, and I know people that are better at it than even ambulances", Laura smiles in a comforting way.

"Well, nobody is going to blame you if you want to get to dating", she laughs, replying earnestly at the joke. "It's a good show of confidence on your part, joking about it. I was almost thinking I would have to help you with being bolder", the mermaid grins. You will be in good company here, though. I have seen nobody pressuring others into competitions."

Miho Inada has posed:
    Miho shakes her head. "When your dad was a somebody, people kinda put an expectation on you. It brings...pressure to excel I guess. I just don't like people putting their expectations on me to meet. Just not my thing.", she says. Miho looks at the time. "Oh, crap, I got homework, and some make up papers for class. Trying to catch up a little bit.", she tells. The woman finishes her rice quickly. "Thank you for the conversation, Laura. Probably catch you around a bit.", she tells.

    Miho gets up. "Like I said, nerves. Once I get over them, I'll be fine.", she tells. The young woman blinks a little bit. "Well, I guess, I'll let you know if I see anything. This place is a lot...different then the schools in Kyoto. Anyways, I do need to run.", she says, bowing a little bit.

Laura La Mer has posed:
"It doesn't really sound like a nice environment. I would so show them if somebody tried to bother me like that", Laura agrees decisively. Little wonder she is so stressed. Maybe she should see if she can "kidnap" Miho for a relaxing spa session one of these days. She is quite sure Pretty Holic offers that too.

"My phone number is XXX-XXXXXXX if there is an emergency or you have more questions, don't worry about it, ok?. I should get going too, not too long till curfew", the pinkette says, recovering the Tropical Pact and getting up from her chair. "It has been nice meeting you, Miho-san. Let's meet again", she says, waving in the other girl's direction and heading to her dorm.