580/Spooked and Spookled

Spooked and Spookled
Date of Scene:	10 October 2023
Location:	Classroom
Synopsis:	With the Culture Festival coming in just a few weeks, Usagi, Naru, and Adrien are hard at work setting things up for their classes event - a test of courage (much to Usagi's dread). They're joined by Sayaka, Hinoiri, and Amy, and conversations ensue about Halloween, jewels, and being tall.
Cast of Characters:	Usagi Tsukino, Naru Osaka, Hinoiri Kirara, Adrien Agreste, Amanda Faust, Sayaka Miki

---

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
The Culture Festival at Radiant Heart Academy is shaping up to be a huge deal - clubs and organizations and classes were all putting in way more effort than Usagi had ever seen her old school put in, and back then, she'd thought they were nailing it as far as school spirit. But something about RHA made everyone that much more interested in trying their best, in nailing the festival, in going above and beyond -

And it was kind of driving Usagi crazy, because instead of doing a cute cafe, or selling food, or putting on a play, or anything reasonable, her class had decided to put on a test of courage. A haunted house! Of all things!

Why did the gods hate her specifically, huh?

"I'm not going to make it, I'm just not going to make it, Naru-chan!" The words are despairing, and she's been ranting about this, that, and the other Naru, complaining even as she works on cutting out paper skulls and spiders as requested - the class president had demanded that everyone do their part to help with the decorations, and paper made scary things weren't too bad - when someone creeps up behind her and puts a hand on her shoulder. A heavy, hairy hand, with claws.

"Everyone keeps trying to - AAAAAAAA!" The shriek should break glass. It's impressive that it doesn't. Anyone outside of the classroom can hear it, and everyone inside definitely can. Naru's probably the least effected, having heard that sound her whole life. Their classmates, the ones who had been headed out the door to pick up more supplies, burst out laughing.

"That's Usagi-san for you," a boy says as he walks out, "Asano-san didn't even get to start her routine!"

Miyu Asano-san, she with the enormous, heavy, hair, clawed hand, is already also laughing, but she's apologizing too - she's wearing a full werewolf-mask and gloves for her part in the scaring part of their test of courage. Her hand is no longer on Usagi's shoulder, have been withdrawn the second she screamed. She's still wearing the mask, though. "Sorry, Usagi-san, I wasn't trying to scare you - I mean, I was going to try, but I didn't think it would be that easy!"

Usagi flushes red and drops her scissors in favor of flapping her hands at As "Miyu-chan, that was not nice! I was using scissors! I could have cut myself!"

"It was an accident. I thought you'd at least have to look at me first! But, at least I know the hand on the shoulder could get someone... so thanks for your help!" And then Asano-san too is departing, leaving Naru, Usagi, and anyone else who was working on paper directions, and walking right past anyone who might be coming in - partial werewolf costume still on, of course.

"This is the worst," Usagi pouts, "Why'd we have to do a stupid test of courage, anyway?"

Naru Osaka has posed:
"You'll survive." Naru replies with the sort of world weary assurance that she's been giving approximately forever. For all sorts of experiences, mostly that look like /this/.

Naru more winces than startles at the pitch of the shriek, another reality that she's had a lifetime of getting used to, but generally with slightly less frequency.

Except for that one time they tried to watch a 'scary' movie. That was a poor life choice on so many levels.

Naru's knotting up thin threads to make the webs that the spiders that Usagi had been cutting out are going to live in.

Provided everyone survives the experience.

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara was actually DOWN THE HALL when the scream went off. What the tartarus? She blinked a few times before she decided to check it out.

Hinoiri... had never really been a big nightmare night person. She... understood the concept. But 'wanting to be scared' had never been her 'thing', as it were.

There were a few things that freaked her out, but... this... seemed... okay? Fake spiders, mice, those things weren't really the kind of thing that frightened her. When you went down into the restricted section often enough, you got used to them. And none of them even sang or danced at her!

So it wasn't long before she walked in and... oh. Okay. The werewolf costume was... "Very cute, you look... very scary," she said, giving a thumbs up. But it was the kind of thumbs up that... was more meant well than *actually* encouraging.

Then her eyes fell on Usagi and Naru. "Hey, so... was someone murdered in here a minute ago? I was down the hall and I can still feel that scream in my teeth. Might wanna turn the volume down if it's for... uhhhh... what... exactly is all this?" she asked, before picking up one of the spiders. "... You know, if you need some real spiders, I know a guy." She did not, in fact, know a guy. But how hard could it be? She couldn't NOT show off...

Also, today she was wearing something a liiiiittle different. A small little necklace with a sun on it, a geode of some kind.

Adrien Agreste has posed:
As a few students file out of the room they have to step around Adrien who was coming in with a box loaded up with a random assortment of supplies. It was filled with everything from cardboard paper tubes to bags of 'fake spiderweb' to some spray paint and stencils for decorating the area further. It wasn't particularily heavy but it was rather overfull so he's forced to peer over the top.

"I heard a scream, is everyone okay?" Adrien asks while approaching those currently working on arts and crafts. Having caught Usagi's last grump about the test of courage he finds himself chuckling. "It might be a little selfish of me, but I'm rather glad we're not doing something like a maid cafe. I'm not sure I could pull off the dress."

He could. He totally could.

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Huh. Well, that finally proves that maybe Amy's life *isn't* a manga. If it were she'd have ended up with the class doing a maid cafe.

    Halloween was always a special time in Amy's youth. But she never really was able to muster the focus to do any kind of big extensive project. But as part of a team? And with consumer-grade electronics having improved in features quite a bit over 20 years? Lights and speakers and motion sensors are easier to work with than ever before! Working on something like this... is kinda nice!

    Anyway, the short redhead is now walking up to Usagi. "Hey, um. So, this wasn't *my* idea," She rubs the back of her head and looks away awkwarfly, "but after hearing that the AV team want to know if they can get a scream from you to use as a sound effect. I totally understand if you don't want to, it sounds kinda freaky to me. Like how messed up would it be to hear your *own* scream coming from a haunted house? But they insisted someone ask, and I figured if I ask you won't have to deal with anyone pressuring you into it."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"But I might not," Usagi insists to Naru, in the fatalist tone of a coward who knows she's outnumbered. "This could actually be the end for me!"

And it might be the end for everyone else's ears, and also her blood pressure, because she only blushes more and more as Hinoiri and Adrien come in; Adrien with supplies - he is in their class - and Hinoiri with banter.

"I'm being murdered! It's - it's, how do the English put it, um, death by a dozen stabs?" A thousand cuts, she means, but can't remember it. Also, she means the Americans, but if people speak English, they should just all be English. "And no, no we don't need real spiders! This test of courage is bad enough without something actually crawling all over!"

She can imagine it. She doesn't want to!

"You could pull off a dress, because you're really cute. But it wouldn't have to be a crossdressing cafe, you could have just worn a suit, and been a waiter. And I could have worn a cute dress. Instead I'm - they want what?!"

Amy's request has just made it through and she's appalled. Horrified. "Isn't it bad enough that they're all scaring !?"

Naru Osaka has posed:
"Real spiders are terrible at staying on their marks." Naru notes dryly to Hinoiri, just a touch of a smirk at the suggestion. She lifts a hand to tap where Hinoiri's new necklace is. "Nice.. is it new?" She ties off another round of the web, somehow not yet tangled in all of the string.

"Adrien, you totally have the legs for a mini skirt." Naru quips over to him before adding, "I wasnt' sure where to put my coffee cup after I washed it, so if there's a cup in a weird spot in your room, it was me."

"I think recording Usagi is a great idea!" Naru grins. "I mean.. you're going to scream.. might as well just lean into that skill and embrace it."

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara glanced towards Adrien and.... oh, she couldn't help it. "I mean, I don't know. You certainly have the ankles for it," she said in a mildly teasing tone. "And you might look adorable in a little frock. But Usagi-chan's right, you'd probably be a butler then. I know you can pull that off."

Amy's request made her snort and she couldn't help but side with Naru on this. "Just imagine, Usagi-chan. A whole world of your classmates, absolutely mesmerized by the sound of your impending demise. You'd be a star! Albeit, post-humorously."

She placed one of the spiders down and.... "I mean, it's not going to be so bad, Usagi-chan. This school isn't even that old, you know. My last school? Had been around for over a century... entire wings torn down and rebuilt. Students who had vanished in the dead of the night... only for their backpacks to mysteriously appear hanging from the walls... some years we'd do a seance and we could ask them terrrrrrrible questions..." As she spoke, her tone got more and more ominous as she sloooooowly leaned in closer and closer... "Like... how they did calculus in the ollllllld days... At least there's not going to be any bodies here..."

"Well, unless those rumors about this place being built over an old abandoned gravesite were true. Eh... wait, Usagi-chan, who's hand is THAT?!" she asked, before... poking her shoulder on the side opposite she was.

And hey, they, and Hinoiri's ear drums, were about to bear witness to instant karma.

Adrien Agreste has posed:
Adrien Agreste sets the box down nearby so that any who need more supplies can easily pull from it. The mention of spiders has him snag one of the bags of fluff meant to be pulled apart to look like old fuzzy cobwebs. It's barely torn open at the corner when Usagi comes back with that compliment earning a little knowing chuckle from him. So much for getting her to laugh at the mental image! "Why thank you, you're very cute too," he offers back. A bit lamely maybe. He wasn't used to getting compliments directly from girls his age. Usually it was written on notes or message boards.

Naru's own comments garner a grin as he twists to the side attempting to peer behind him at his legs. "You think so? I know I can pull off a catwalk rather well." It's all said in jest as he straightens to grin toward his friend. "Oh, no problem, Naru-chan. It's just one cup."

Hinoiri earns a familiar nod of greeting as well. "The necklace looks nice on you Hinoiri," he agrees as he finally manages to tear the bag open a bit too quickly sending the fluffy contents POOFing up into his face in the process. Somehow he manages to catch it in one hand before it ends up mussing his hair. Skills. Do you have any idea how much mousse is in that hair? It'd take forever to get out.

"Maybe that would help to warn you when to expect something scary? If you heard your own scream. And at least you know it's your scream not something really scary... Uh! Wait, Hinoiri don't--!"

Amanda Faust has posed:
    "A thousand cuts." Amy corrects. "And yeah, when someone *actually* proposed crossdressing cafe I was like, oh no, manga is real, but no, we're doing a haunted house..." And then her request finally makes its way through Usagi's brain.

    "Right?" She turns and makes an X gesture to other students across the classroom. Someone gives a disappointed groan.

    Amy then turns back around to Usagi, though she can't help a 'pffft' at Hinoiri's 'posthumorously' pun. "You uh. You don't like being scared either, huh? I never did understand the point of it. I saw Jaws and Jurassic Park when I was little and--" she pauses, mid-sentence, as she realizes those are outdated references but also *plausible* ones, as 2010s parents might well have such movies in their collection. Or she could have caught a rerun. ...They still rerun things on TV, right? Amy may not have watched like, Actual TV On A TV since 2006.

    "...and um. Well I was pretty scared. I hate jump scares and never got into Resident Evil either. I don't *like* being scared. Roller coasters, too. Hated them. But we don't have to go through the haunted house ourselves, as long as we help make stuff that scares other people, right?"

    Hinoiri suggests scares like 'how they did calculus in the old days' and Amy nods along, "Exactly! ...Wait, they changed how we do calculus?!" F---, does she have to relearn it?!

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Naru-chan, I can't believe you'd betray me like this... that you would do this to me!" She puts a hand to her face dramatically - then pauses, glancing at Hinoiri, pulling a face. "I don't want to be famous if it means being famous for that!"

At least Adrien is being sweet - it really is a shame that he likes someone else instead of Naru-chan, because they'd make for a sweet couple, both of them being calmer, and him being a little awkward. She'd much rather continue thinking about that, or glower at Amy, except that Hinoiri starts telling a story, and - "I know what you're doing! I know you're trying to scare me! No one disappeared at your old school! You didn't - did you really do seances?! Did - did they answer?!"

She's tense. She's ready. She's confident that she knows what's happened and she is expecting the scare, and yet - when a hand grabs at her other shoulder - "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA STOP!"

Again, the piercing shriek. This time, they're all at ground zero for it, and it's louder, because Usagi jumps so hard she falls right out of her chair and to the ground, where she twitches like a dead bug.

"I... hate... scares..."

When will she be freed from this hell? The rest of the conversation washes over her as she catches her breath, worn out.

Naru Osaka has posed:
"You are so not helping." Naru points out to Hinoiri as glass in this wing has to survive another onslaught of Usagi.

Naru offers a hand down to her roommate to help her back up from the ground, whenever she's recovered enough.

There's a little laugh at Adrien's comment about the catwalk. "I should hope so, all things considered." She gestures a little to the other webs that are getting knotted and stretched and spread out. "You get to be tall to hang them." She ponits out to Adrien.

"I can't say I love jump scares either." Naru comments, although there's no way to actually tell, based on her lack of general reactions.

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara did not think this through. She. She did not stand a chance. She rattled... and she dropped to the ground besides Usagi. Eyes lil swirls. "O-ow..." she whispered, shaking her head. "I-in retrospect... n-not my smartest... d-decision..." she said, slowly looking up. "And... yes... some kids had disappeared once or twice..."

"But it usually only lasted a few hours, at best. And no, nobody answered those seances," she said. There may have been some they answered... but not that one.

She reached up and rubbed her ears, lifting a hand up and lightly rubbing them like... a... dog? Or something? Well, she was used to doing it as a unicorn. "Really should have thought that one through, though. But hey, what's a bit of tendonitis between friends?" she asked. "Seriously, you could use that scream as a weapon. Or for echolocation. Sonic wave attack or something." Her ears were still ringing. And... "There are some weird movies here, aren't there? I think most 'resident evils' are just called home owner's associations where I'm from." ... Ironically, it could work on multiple levels.

However, it seemed the earlier question finally clicked. "Oh. Uh, no, it's not," she said, reaching a finger up to the necklace. "Had it since I was a fo... toddler. As far back as I can remember, at least. Used to wear it all the time when I was a kid. Haven't... worn it much here, but thought I'd pull it out again. See how it feels. It does suit me, doesn't it?" she asked with a small smirk and hair flip.

"... Seriously, though. Usagi-chan? Maybe you should like... see if you can move your desk to one in the back row, so you have a wall behind you. Nobody could sneak up on you then." She, gingerly, got to her feet and batted at her ears some more. "... So uhhhh... the... school bells aren't going off, are they?"

Sayaka Miki has posed:
When the scream echoes through the hallways, even Kyubey is almost thrown off, although in his case it's literal, and a result of Sayaka turning around abruptly towards the source. The white critter is quick to recompose himself on Sayaka's shoulder, while the bluenette is left perplexed.

"What the heck was that!?" she exclaims, looking towards Usagi's classroom. <<How would I know? Besides the obvious, of course>>, Kyubey replies. <<I don't see any particular sign to worry about. Maybe just check it out normally.>>

Sayaka nods, making her way to Usagi's classroom. Sliding the door open, she makes her way in, pointing out her presence with a single "Excuse me". She looks around: with people half in monster costumes, and props all over, a test of courage was a resonable guess.In the spirit of tests of courages, she might even take advantage of Kyubey for once. Nothing like having a ghost cat on your shoulders your classmates might not be able to see. That any mahou would have probably already been introduced to Kyubey, Sayaka doesn't consider. And then Kyubey proceeds to ruin her plans about it. <<It's better if I don't stay here, Sayaka. Too many students>>, he explains, before jumping off and going his own way. <<Wait, Kyubey, it would have been great>> Sayaka thinks after him by reflex, while for all the matter, he replies. <<I won't be too far away.>>

The bluenette sighs, before turning her attention back to the other students. "Hello", she walks up to the one she thinks is the scaredy cat. "I heard that loud scream. Are you alright?", she asks with a grin.

When Naru mentions recording Usagi's screams, the bluenette nods. "If all of them are like the one I heard down the hallway, she would have people lining up for sure wanting to use her screams for all kind of footage. I can already see people walking around in the school's woods after sunset, your friend's recorded screams playing at certain intervals." The second scream does catch her unprepared, earning her ears an instant vacation to uselessness for a few minutes. "Oww, that was a doozy", she says after mostly recovering, a bit of ringing still persisting in her ears.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"No! Recording! My! Screams!" To emphasize her point, Usagi cross her arms in an X, chopping them out emphathetically. "It's bad enough everyone's scaring me as practice for our stupid test of courage! I don't do scary things! I avoid them aaaaaall the time! No scary movies, no scary games, no scary videos sent in the middle of the night as a prank, no scary manga - and yet! Somehow! I end up in the one class doing a test of courage!"

Life is not fair! Life is not fair! She was in a real haunted house this past weekend, and she survived, only to spend every day in hell (her classroom where everyone was having the time of their lives scaring her).

At least Hinoiri regrets her actions. Even if rubbing her ears like that is pretty overdramatic. It wasn't that bad!

(It was.)

"Sitting in the back won't help; they're scaring me on purpose. To test their costumes and their skits and their pranks and everything." Huff! "And they all admit it, too! They said the scale is from me to Naru-chan."

That's right. There is a scale.

Usagi sighs. She hasn't even bothered to get up. Forget her spiders. They don't deserve to inhabit this awful place. "It is a cute necklace, Hinoiri-chan. What kind of rock is it?"

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Amy jumps at the scream. "Geeze..." Hinoiri she automatically corrects, "Tinnitus." not that she can hear it right now. The weird way she rubs her ear reminds Amy of her earlies suspicion that the girl is from another world, perhaps... not human? But, Hinoiri isn't going to talk about that. "Huh? Oh sorry, right, it was called Biohazard in Japan." Move Usagi's desk to the back row? Amy points in excitement: "Oooh! That's a good idea! But then, will it be harder to see the board?"

    Usagi is adamant that her screams not be recorded, why are people torturing her? Amy tries to give her a hug. "If you scare so easily, aren't they just being mean? A hand on your shoulder wasn't even testing the scariness of the costume or anything. It doesn't prove *anything* if they can scare you, especially when you're this worked up."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"Alright, alright." Naru caves on the notion of recording Usagi's screams. "No recording. And do you need me to screen the videos you get before you watch them for the week?"

Because she'd do that for her bestie, even if she's not fond of being scared either. Then again, she's the other end of the scale from Usagi.

"At least it's only for a week?" Naru offers, as if that helps at all.

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara glanced over to Usagi and... actually... she felt a little guilty. Just a little. "Wait, really? You don't do any of that? That... honestly kind of sucks. For you, I mean. Most people seem to like being scared just a little bit. Here I figured Nightmare Night would totally be your jam, you get to dress up in something overly cute, get a bunch of candy. But, hey. The festival isn't for like... a while. So it's not like they're going to scare you all that time. I mean, that'd just be cruel."

... They were totally going to.

She glanced down to the necklace and just blinked. "I... honestly don't know. I never... really thought about it much. My mentor had a lot of jewelry, but she didn't really focus much on what type it was. Probably some crystal or other. Always makes me feel a little better when I wear it."

She then glanced back towards some of the decorations. "... Wanna see if you can swap classes with someone for a bit? Or we could always like, hide you away until all this blows over. The rooms are pretty spacious, I'm sure you can hide under a bed or something for a few days. Or maybe just get you like... a big stick. Anyone scares you? They have to face tinnitus AND bruising," she said with a light chuckle. Maybe she heard the correction. Maybe she just got it right. Who knew?

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"It's because I scare so easy. Naru-chan doesn't get scared easy at all, so if they get somewhere between me being really scared and Naru-chan being a little spooked, then they've got something the rest of the school might jump too," Usagi explains, shaking her head. "It's not that everyone in our class is like, mean, but they want this dumb idea to succeed, you know? And when you have a scaredy-cat in the class and a buuuunch of would be scarers, I'm like, catnip is to Luna to them."

She understands it. She hates it. She isn't mad at anyone (yet), but - and then she ankjfsdndsajdas's, with her face, flushing. "Miyu-chan wasn't even trying to scare me that time, yet, it was just - I didn't expect her hand! And there was fur! And claws!"

Amy, who knows that she's the Sailor Moon, who has definitely fought actual monsters, might be wondering why a fake monster glove was that scary. The answer: scaredy-cat.

"And noooo... I'm okay. It's not that many, and most of them are from Shingo-kun, so I know they're probably a prank, it's just," she sticks her tongue out. "I wish that stupid Halloween holiday stayed in America. That's why everyone is so weird. Cute costumes are nice, but most people our age like all the scary-stuff, or they're like, flirty stuff, and neither of them are about being cute - a stick? What would I do with a stick - ohhhhh."

It occurs to her what she could do with a stick, and she bursts out laughing, imagining her poor classmates terrorized by a big stick for the crime of spooking her silly.

"It's a cool stone, whatever crystal it is. Naru-chan's mom runs a jewelry store, so we've seen some pretty cool stones, but I've never seen one like that... sounds about right though. You're so cool, of course you'd have a cool and unique stone."

Hinoiri has a motorcycle. She got Good At Video Games in like two weeks. She is the coolest kid around, easy. (You know, without the magic stuff.) And then she realizes that someone - else is with them? And blinks. Cocks her head. Because she vaguely recognizes the blue-haired girl in the room - either from seeing her around the school or from the background of a monster fight, but she sure can't remember... "Are you from one of the other classes in Grade 9? Sorry if we startled you, we're ah, getting stuff ready for the Culture Festival?"

It's around now that Usagi realizes she's still been on the ground, and decides to pick herself up, returning to her seat with a little sigh.

Naru Osaka has posed:
"Big fan of sticks, really." Naru snickers softly as she goes to look in the box that Adrien brought. Curiosity finally won out, she only lasted so long before peeking.

Naru looks up and over from the box to who has arrived. "Hi Sayaka. We're decorating the classroom for spooky levels of stupid, and Usagi is trying to shatter glass, cause she spooks easily." That really does sum it up fairly easily.

"I mean.. the candy part of halloween also is pretty alright." Naru comments as she goes back into looking in the box and pulling out some bat decorations.

Sayaka Miki has posed:
Sayaka gets taken aback by the vehemency with which Usagi forbids the recording of her screams. Her friend ends up taking care of the matter for her, and Sayaka probably wasn't heard with the potency of the second scream, so she settles wonders if her classmates have been doing this to her all day. Would explain her outburst.

"Close, I am in grade 8", she corrects the bun-twintailed girl. "Miki Sayaka, part of Track and Field and Band club", the bluenette introduces herself. "I was startled, yes, didn't really expect a scream as strong as yours. It's surprising the school is still standing", she nods to Usagi. "I can see that, I haven't gotten any notice from my class on what they are doing, so how about I lend you a hand", Sayaka offers, turning around to check what they have been already doing. "Not with the scaring you silly part, of course, totally normal stuff", she specificies smiling confidently.

She turns to Naru, nodding along. "I might have had an inkling or two about it, Osaka-san. Just an inkling or two", she repeats for emphasis. "Decorations aside, have you decided on what you are going to go as?"

Amanda Faust has posed:
    "Nightmare Night?" wonders Amy curiously.

    She's not going to judge Usagi for this. Things are scary in different ways, and getting spooked does not imply a lack of bravery or courage.

    Usagi mentioning her favorite holiday makes her think, and speak quietly: "...Honestly, what I liked about Halloween was it was the one time a year I could cosplay and it was okay. And I think there's something in the idea, in the celebration of the weird and monstrous, that, like... When you don't fit in with other people very well, the idea of a Halloweentown, or a world of monsters -- but not, like, emphasizing the scary and terrible aspects of monsters hunting people for food or whatever, but just, this idea of the friendly neighborhood vampire or werewolf, or ghost, or a whole bunch of people who aren't human, but are weird in some way, don't quite fit in, as harmless friendly folk who at worst only want to give you a scare and maybe even not that... seeing people imagine weirdos among them *positively*, instead of as freaks to be shunned, is... kind of heartwarming. Especially as such a society's existence presupposes that it's willing to meet a wide variety of special needs. Accomodations for unique diets, or for people who might suddenly turn into a wolf and be unable to use doorknobs, or who can't go about during the day, or who lack flesh or even any kind of corporeal body at all... a society *that* kind is, indeed, far more accomodating than our own is towards actual disabilities."

    The foreigner smiles. "I'm sure many of us feel like we'd probably fare better in some sort of Halloweentown than among humans. What's our own weirdness when most of the denizens aren't even human?" And then the smile fades to concern. "...But, I suppose for some of us, living in such a place would be a constant fright. To each their own."

    This year, at least, she's unaware that she's now a Lich and thus, indeed, one who would be expected to reside in such a hypothetical monster town. Are magical girls typically residents?

Adrien Agreste has posed:
Adrien Agreste had been pulled aside for a few by a couple of other students. Some who wanted to ask if he was *really* a model (yes he was), some who wanted to ask if he had a girlfriend (ah that's such a personal question!) one who actually needed the help of someone taller to fix a prop, and another who was just curious if the 'coffee situation' they'd heard about was accurate.

Done now he comes back to the gaggle of girls looking a little out of breath from being pulled in so many directions at once. "I think I need a break. Or another coffee," he reasons with a hopeful glance toward Naru. "I don't suppose you have a thermos with you?" If anyone would have a thermos of coffee besides himself, it would be his fellow coffee addict friend. It was worth a shot.

Reaching up to rub at the back of his neck he clues into the conversation a few moments late. "Oh, are we talking about Halloween in other countries? We don't really have Halloween but we do celebrate 'La Toussaint.' All Saints Day. It's the day after."

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara couldn't help feeling just... a little guilty for her teasing now. Especially as Usagi praised her a bit more and she blossomed under it. "Well, I guess when you put it like that, it does make sense... though, admittedly, 'good at video games' might have been a bit... of an over estimation. She was passable. But yeah, she was pretty awesome if you asked anyone who mattered. And anyone who said she wasn't obviously didn't matter.

She then glanced back towards Sayaka and smirked. "Seems like your scream is getting a reputation all its own. Before long it could go on tour," Hinoiri said with a small, playful wink.

Of course, the commentary from Amy made Hinoiri pause before shrugging. "Oh, yeah, just a nickname for it that a lot of people at my old school used to call it, heh."

She then side eyed Amy. That girl REALLY put a ton of thought into all of this. A whole society of monsters. And oh my gosh... sooooo cheesy. Not that she'd say that. Well. Not in front of Usagi. Cause Usagi was sensitive. Until... well... she went a bit too far. "I doubt it'd be all its cracked up to be. It'd probably be like normal school with just a bit more chance of being eaten by a dragon or something," she said with a shrug.

She then hmmed, looking down at the geode around her neck. She then reached back and.... undid it. "Here, Naru-chan," she said, holding it out. "If your mom does these kinds of things, can you tell what kind of stone it is? Now I'm curious."

It was... a geode. Kind of hard to identify. But... if Naru touched it? It'd definitely feel... warm. And soft, and... good. Comforting. And the stone was odd, how the orange had... almost formed a little sun, while the red stone in the back was so smooth. It looked natural, but... amazingly fortunate way for it to form.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Nice to meet you, Sayaka-chan! Usagi Tsukino, Grade 9! I'm in the Go Home Club," a little laugh, because it's definitely not a club, "But I hang out with a few clubs sometimes; the ones my friends are in, mostly."

Grade 8! She's starting to get to know people from all the different grade levels, huh? Pretty cool, actually.

"Okay, the candy part of Halloween is great. I do like candy. Candy is wonderful," Usagi concedes instantly, glancing at Naru who has definitely seen Usagi tear her way through more than a little candy.

Amy, on the other hand, clearly has a lot of big feelings about Halloween, and she blinks, staring in surprise. She's not sure she's ever heard the other girl say that much at one time, but - "Cosplay is cool? But I think you can do that at a con, instead of a night where everyone's all spooky. I definitely wouldn't want to live in a Halloweentown... but if you would, that's alright. You could send a postcard. As long as it wasn't a jumpscare card."

No spooky! Adrien comes back - freed from his labor for the class - and Usagi giggles. "If you wanted a break, you shouldn't have been so tall. Instead, everyone needs to take advantage of it to hang stuff up!" and then she pauses, hesitant for a moment - "What's 'La Toussaint' like?" she absolutely does mangle the pronunciation, by the way.

Naru Osaka has posed:
"In my satchel." Naru replies to Adrien. "Tucked inside. Feel free to grab it. Although it might be cold by now." She gestures with a crankle bat towards where her satchel has been set aside.

She doesn't bother to wait for someone taller, instead just dragging a desk over to where she is about to hang that bat and just climbs up on the desk to be able to reach. Almost. Tip toe gets closer.

"What am I going as? For halloween, or the masquerade ball, or for somethign else entirely?" Naru asks Sayaka, just to clarify. "Cause I hadn't planned on doing Halloween and I havne't decided about the masquerade yet."

Naru climbs back down from the desk, perching on the edge of it to take the necklace from Hinoiri and hold it gently. "Wow, it's really lovely." She looks down at it. "And super unique, I'm not sure I've ever seen anything like it before." She is quiet a moment, just watching it. "It feels lovely." She offers it back to Hinoiri. "But I don't know what stone it is. I wish I did."

Amanda Faust has posed:
> Just don't send a jumpscare card!
    Amy smiles. n_n "Well of course not. Humans will never know the joy of a danmaku birthday card." What. Is she quoting something?

> It'd be like normal school with a chance to be eaten by a dragon.
    "...Well, yeah, I guess, if all these monsters really existed. Although if they let dragons eat people, then they probably don't have a working society, do they? Then the monster world would indeed be a hellish place." Beat. She slumps a bit more. "Not that humans are any better."

    She sighs, and then stands up straight again. "But that's the draw of silly, lighthearted fantasy, right? And I think that's part of why all the excitement over Halloween..." She glances at Hinoiri. "...Or Nightmare Night."

> You shouldn't have chosen to be so tall!
    Amy turns to Usagi with a bit of a =_= expression, and quietly notes, "People didn't exactly *choose* to be tall. If random genetic chance shook out differently, that could be you."

> I hadn't planned on doing Halloween
    Amy turns to Naru, astonished. "You *don't like Halloween*?! But there's costumes! And candy!"

Adrien Agreste has posed:
Adrien Agreste sighs, "You're a lifesaver, Naru!" It didn't matter to him if the coffee was cold or not, he needed a drink. The bag is opened, carefully, so that he doesn't accidentally reveal any grave secrets in her satchel. The thermos is found and a small capfull poured to sip from. Cold or not it was coffee.

When Usagi asks about All Saints Day he's happy to explain. "Oh, it's the ..." He pauses a moment to look among them. "Day of honoring the dead. Those of us that are religious generally meet to gather in prayer, and we bring flowers to decorate graves. Usually it's family graves but the flowers are often placed on all of them that can be found. The ones with living family still are just usually decorated more intricately. We use chrysathemums of all colors so it ends up being very bright and colorful by the time we're finished."

He turns then to start rummaging in the box of stuff to pull out a few fake pumpkins with faces carved into them, and fake flickering candles that likely had dead batteries by now. One is placed on a tabletop.

"I don't know what I'd dress up as for Halloween, and the ball--" He cuts off abruptly while standing up straight looking as if he'd just had a HORRIBLE REALIZATION. "Oh no. Oooh no. I forgot. About that." Urk. URK. Looking a bit panicked, maybe even worried, he nods around to all. "Sorry I should go. Good to meet you Miki-chan." He starts to clean up after himself in a rush putting away Naru's thermos back into her satchel before turning to Naru herself to grasp by her shoulders. He leans in giving her cheek a kiss, and then darts out to give her opposite cheek a kiss absently forgetting in his haste that he's not in France right now, darnit. "Thank you for the coffee Naru I should go I need to make sure I have everything ready for that I'll talk to you later!"

He turns to rush out, but Hinoiri is right near Naru having handed over the necklace for examination, so he dips in to peck at her cheek as well while slinging his messenger bag over his shoulder. "I'll help more later if we still need it for the festival!" He had to go make sure his roommate didn't end up wearing something completely bizarre to the masquerade. Another step has him passing by Usagi who also gets a quick dip-kiss to the cheek with an apologetic, "Sorry to leave you to their tender mercies!" And off he dashes.

Sayaka Miki has posed:
Amy's sudden speech is weird to Sayaka, to say the least. Amy does make the part about a Halloweentown where everyone's uniqueness is accepted sound awesome, but the way she phrases it obviously comes comes from a personal space. "Hmmm", the sounds excapes the bluenette's lips. "That was quite a lot of thoughts. Are you an assiduous cosplayer?" she asks. Let's tackle that for now.

"If she doesn't want to do anything with it, she doesn't need to", the bluenette switches tracks quickly in her reply to Hinoiri. "About Halloween, Nightmare Night is quirky, I like it! Your school had interesting choices", she replies, holding back a wide smile. Sayaka peeks at the stone when Hinoiri shows her to Naru. "Is that part of your costume for Nightmare Night?"

"The Go Home club, of course. I am told despite the huge number of attendees, they never have problem scheduling activities" she nods, going along with the joke. "What do you do, Tsukino-senpai? A full afternoon cooped up in your room reading manga?"

Adrien is looked at when Usagi mentions his height. "Hello there, guess they are pushing lots of work on you? Miki Sayaka, Grade 8." But then he run offs before she can get anything else from him. She looks back to Usagi. "Anyway, I don't have anything to do, so I can lend a hand too."

"That's a shame, Osaka-san. Halloween can be quite fun, you should give it a try. I would go as a Yuki-Onna myself", she shakes her head in mock disapproval. "The elegance of masquerade balls has won you over, such a sad thing." She chuckles before adding "What have you chosen for the ball then?"

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara probably... should introduce herself, huh? "Hinoiri Kirara, grade 9. Yearbook and motorcycle club," she said. Really, she needed to remember that. Good thing Usagi was on the ball! One of them should be.

"Oh right, there's a ball thing going on soon, isn't there? I keep forgetting about that," Hinoiri mumbled. She wondered if she should even attend. Normally she didn't really... like those. But that was more because she was always Sora's student and it was... useless. Detracted from her studies. She basically just stood there as Sora went 'Hi, hi, hi' allllll night. Boring. On the other hand, sounded like the kind of thing you were supposed to be seen at... Eh. She'd worry about it later.

However, Naru's summarization of the stone... made her give a light 'huh' when she took it back. "I guess it's pretty rare then. Maybe I should wear it more often. It's always felt kind of like a good luck charm to me more than anything."

She then gave Amy another side glance. "You know, you put way too much thought into this. Not everything has to have a whole thought out poliical and socioeconomic plan behind it. Try and relax... also... I'm pretty sure Usagi-chan was teasing. Because I don't think she asked to be armrest height," Hinoiri said with a playful little teasing tone of her own. "I wouldn't take a halloween dislike so personally. Costumes are a lot of work, if you really want candy you can buy it at the store and personally? I never found all the ghosts and spider things that scary. Unless they're starting their own mafia or something, they're generally pretty harmless. So I've gotta side with Naru on that one." Besides, they had a date or something later. So she should at least somewhat side with her on this.

"Still surprised it's not Usagi-chan's favorite time of the year. But yeah, I imagine being a big scaredy cat makes it a little rough. But hey. At least monsters aren't real here," she said in a teasing tone.

And then kiss. On the cheek. She blinked. Once. Twice. Three times. Then to Naru. Then to Usagi. Blink blink. Blink.

"... So, not all up to date on... japanese... things. That wasn't like... I didn't just get invited to like... a big 4 person date thing, did I?" she asked. "Cause I'll be honest, I think I'd prefer to start my education in dating with like... just the one on one thing we had set for later. Also, I kind of thought you two were like. Cousins or something," she said, eying Usagi and Naru. She was so not ready to go into the deep end.

Of course, Sayaka's commentary made her chuckle and she shook her head. "Nah, not really. I don't even know what I'd go for halloween. Maybe just go the lazy choice and get a bandana, a fake tattoo and some sunglasses, go as some weird biker thing I saw on TV. But honestly, I'll probably spend it chilling out in my room. And yeah, my last school was... pretty great," Hinoiri mumbled softly. "RHA has its charms, though. So... not so bad being here."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
As Sayaka jokes along with her, Usagi smiles and laughs a little. "Sometimes! I read manga, or I play games, or sometimesI run, errands? And hang out with my friends! And my boyfriend. <3"

Yes, she did manage to express that heart verbally, without saying the word Heart. It's just - something she did, with her face and the power of her spirit, conveying the pure emotion of heart eyes <3 <3. As Naru and Hinoiri discuss the necklace, she glances at it, but refrains from being a grabby hands - even if she wants to.

And quietly, she's very glad that no one's asked her what she's being for Halloween, because she has zero plans, and she's already been enough of a hater for one day. Besides, what Adrien is saying is way more interesting -

"Like Obon! Or Sh?bun no Hi! I guess it makes sense that people in other countries don't celebrate those and do their own thing," she taps at her chin, humming a little in thought. She'd been pretty busy around Obon, what with all the changes in her life with magic, but she'd still made time to go back home and visit their ancestors. It was Important. "That's a lot of the same stuff we would do for those days... I guess people everywhere feel the same way, when it comes to our loved ones, huh?"

But then, Amy is sounding a little - bothered? And Hinoiri is speaking up in her defense, before Usagi even thinks to need a defense, busy blinking. "It was just a joke, Amy-chan. I know people don't actually get to choose to be tall; Hinoiri-chan is right, 'cause if I could pick, I'd be like a whole hand taller, and Naru-chan would probably be more, so we could use the top shelf in our closet."

The struggle is real for short people!

But then, Adrien is departing in a rush - and she's getting kissed on the cheek - and Usagi is blinking, eyes wide, staring after him - and then Hinoiri says that and Usagi bursts out laughing. "Darien would not be happy about that. But! I don't think so - I saw someone do that in a movie, once, I think it's something people from Europe do. Adrien's from Paris, right? I bet he was just saying goodbye."

She's pretty positive, because if it meant something more, he probably would be saving it for the girl he likes.

Naru Osaka has posed:
"I have no fondness for Halloween." Naru gives a shrug at Amy's astonishment at her reality. "I have no desire to get dressed up in a costume and as Hinoiri commented, I can just go buy my own candy. It just isn't something that I get super excited over. I'm sure there's things that are meaningful to me that you don't have any real love for, and that's okay too."

Naru arches at brow at Adrien's fluster over the upcoming ball and she absently leans into the cheek kissies! "I'll talk to you later." She promises him, possibly a threat. Either way.

"You should totally wear it more often." Naru agrees with Hinoiri. "It's lovely and I think it suits you well. Good luck is just a bonus, really." She giggles softly at the assumptions. "He's French.. it's a /thing/ in France. So not even Japanese.. no four person date.. and Usagi and I aren't cousins either." She grins to Hinoiri. "One on one seems like plenty, yeah." She hops down off the desk she's sitting on.

"I should also get going, I've got a bunch of homework to finish off." Naru goes to retrieve her satchel, tucking the thermos back in more securely after Adrien put it back away before she heads off, likely back to her 'cousin' and her dorm room.

Sayaka Miki has posed:
Sayaka nods along to Hinoiri's introduction. "Nice to meet you, Kirara-senpai. So you are in the same grade as Tsukino-senpai. Are you her classmate?" At the mention of the yearbook, Sayaka "oohhs" in recognition. "That means you are in charge of gathering pictures and stuff for the Cultural Festival, right? I guess it's going to be a pretty important part of the Yearbook."

A small laugh escapes Sayaka as she envisions Hinoiri's costume. "I could see you as one of those though bikers with their own gang in tow. You just give off that impression, especially if there is wind and you let your hair flow free." She did have a lot of hair for the image. "You just need to wait for sunset then."

The verbal heart from Usagi gets a cheerful reaction from Sayaka. "Glad your boyfriend is so nice! Have you been together for long?" Usagi's beaming appearance is textbook 'happy relationship' example. She thinks back to Kyousuke, her gaze becoming distant. She hopes she can be like that too one day. No, that's unfair for her to think of when he is still struggling with his own matters. She needs to be there for him, not to indulge her own fantasies.

Sayaka waves at Naru when she leaves the classroom. "See you another time, Osaka-san."

Amanda Faust has posed:
    A cosplayer? "I... used to be. I'd like to be again." You can just buy candy. "But... but then you don't get to go out in costume!" Amy's eyes are wide, incredulous. But, after a moment, she nods, solemnly. "But... costumes are a lot of work, and if... If you don't like, um... If you feel like you wouldn't look good in them, they lose the appeal."

    A four-person date thing? "...What?"

    And my boyfriend <3 Amy can somehow hear the heart. It sounds kind of like an echo in her head. "Happy for you!" Amy smiles, earnestly.

    Usagi and Naru would be taller if they could. Amy cocks her head slightly to one side as she looks (slightly) up at them. "...People *oughtta* be able to choose how tall they are. Maybe technology will get there in like another generation..."

    Not everyone likes halloween! There's stuff important to one that isn't to others. Amy sighs and nods. "Yeah..."

    "Well... good talk. I should really be talking with my classmates more. Don't be strangers, feel free to talk to me anytime! I guess I'll get back to coding..." She heads back over to where light and sound effects are being prepared.

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara blinked. Wait. Usagi had a boyfriend?! Wow. She wouldn't have thought. Made sense, though. He was probably pretty cool. After all, the girl had great tastes.

Hinoiri based this judgment ENTIRELY on the fact Usagi constantly praised her.

And then, fortunately, both Naru and Usagi confirmed it was just friendship things. Wait, shit. Was he friends with Adrien? Eh. He was mallable. So long as she could use it to her advantage, it worked she supposed.

She eyed the necklace. "Yeah. When I was a kid I wore it all the time. My mentor said it suited me." ... But in the end, it was just something else that she disappointed her with. "See you later, Naru-chan."

She then nodded to Sayaka. "Yeah, me and some others. We hold the power over alllll of your pictures, woooooo. We decide if you end up with the good picture... or the one with toilet paper on your shoeeeee," she said in a playful, haunting tone. "But it's a lot less exciting than it sounds. Lots of busy work."

She snickered at the idea of herself in the biker gang. "Yeah. Running my own biker gang would be pretty rad. Maybe I could get a chain and everything. The pipe seems a bit much."

She eyed Amy for a moment, more bewilderment. The girl... was... intense. Definitely needed someone to like. Take her out for something relaxing. Or get her some muscle relaxers. Not that Hinoiri has any room to talk, mind. She was just lucky to not be saying 'hoof' all the time anymore... "You know, kid, maybe you should throw a big costume party at your dorm room or something, run into other cosplayers and stuff," she called out to her.

She then glanced to Usagi... most of her support network had to go, it seemed. And she still felt a little bad. Then, after a moment, a smirk formed on her lips. "Here," he said before reaching out and... putting the geode around her neck, clasping it. "Only during class, however. And only until this whole 'scare master' thing is over, got it? It'll bring you good luck and protect you from eviiiiiiiil spirits. I'd keep it... but frankly, any monster out there would be wayyyyyyy more scared of me than I ever would it. Just don't let anything happen to it, okay? If you do, well... they only found MOST of the kids who 'disappeared' back at my last school," she said in a teasing tone... "But seriously, protect it with your life. It means a lot to me."

Sayaka Miki has posed:
<<Sayaka, it's time to go, you don't want to be late for Kamijou>> Kyubey calls from outside the classroom. <<Oh, right, thanks, Kyubey>>.

"Let's meet again, Tsukino-senpai, Kirara-senpai", she says, bowing at the two of them before heading out the room.

As soon as she is far enough away from the classroom, Kyubey goes back up onto her shoulder, accompanying her to the hospital.

Amanda Faust has posed:
> Hinoiri as a biker
    Amy looks her over. "Yeah, I could see it."

> Host a costume party
    "Have you seen our dorm rooms? I couldn't really host a party... but... having one somewhere..." and if anyone would know where's good to host a party, it's Hannah! "That could be cool..."

> Any monster out there would be more scared of me than I ever would it.
    Just what *is* Hinoiri, really? Could she be another kaiju, like Kaori? What if they *know* eachother? What if they're *rivals* like in that one comic? Will they end up fighting?

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Not that long at all, but it feels like forever," Usagi tells Sayaka, smiling with that same 'happy relationship' cheer. Usually people say things feel like forever as a bad thing, but it's clear that Usagi means this in the most positive way possible. It feels like she's dated Darien forever. It's not true - she can pinpoint the exact day they met. But still, despite the rocky start (it's funny now, the way he teased her), she can't really picture not being with him.

That's just how it is, when you're young and in love! She beams when Amy wishes her well, pleased as punch.

"Oh! Naru-chan, you're abandoning me? For homework? Woe is me... and lemme check out your math notes later, okay? I'll see you!" For all her brief dramatics, she's cheerful as she waves goodbye.

"See you around! Tell the AV Club I meant it, I'm not letting them record me, okay? Bye!" She waves to Amy too, reaching for her scissors - she really is supposed to get those paper skulls and spiders done - only to stop, when Hinoiri reaches out, blinking as her hands go to her neck, to pull away - "Your necklace? But that's important to you! You just said you've had it forever... but, if you really think it will help, that - " she was about to say spell, but she'd promised to keep quiet and so she shuts her mouth quickly. "Alright. I'll keep it safe! And I'll make sure you get it back at the end of every class day! You can count on me." She laughs, at the statement about monsters. She doesn't take it seriously - Hinoiri-chan is just confident like that. It doesn't mean anything else.

"Oh! Bye Sayaka-chan!"

She's content to get back to work with the rest of their class (poor, nameless NPCs that they are.)