Scene #499: Cafeteria Hours -- Makoto

Owner	Pose
Kyouka Inai	It's a sunny September afternoon, just after lunchtime. The cafeteria plaza is emptying out as students finish up eating and begin to head back to the dorms or classroom buildings, although some still sit at tables working on classwork or finishing up meals. Kyouka is coming down the steps from the upper levels, where the staff-only dining rooms and meeting room are. She's wearing her usual 'at work' attire of a button-down white woman's dress shirt and black slacks, and her nearly-omnipresent narrow rectangular-lensed sunglasses are perched on her face. She ''is'' inside but the massive windows do let in a ton of afternoon sunlight, so at least it doesn't look totally crazy. She has one hand in her pocket, and with the other she waves to some students who call out a greeting to her, flashing a lopsided grin though she doesn't call back, as she heads across the massive open space and towards the doors herself.
Makoto Kino	One of the students who's still finishing up is doing so at a table by herself: a tall girl, with reddish-brown hair in a ponytail and an out-of-place uniform that marks her as either a stray visitor or a relatively recent transfer student. She'd been focused more or less exclusively on her tray, but when that greeting called out from across the way catches her ear, her head lifts, green eyes scanning the cafeteria. It doesn't take her long to home in on Kyouka, and she quickly rises from her seat. Making only the briefest detour to dispose properly of her tray, she crosses the cafeteria with long, purposeful strides. "Hi, sorry - are you Inai-sensei?"
Kyouka Inai	Kyouka is not that difficult to catch up to, as she's not in any kind of hurry. One might even accuse her of dawdling, perhaps not the most eager to return to her office and the afternoon workload, though she hasn't actually stopped walking. She's just taking her time. She ''does'' stop when she hears her name called though, turning to find herself approached by a tall transfer-student. She offers a smile to Makoto as she walks up, turning to face her and raising her eyebrows above her sunglasses in an inquisitive expression. "That's me. Can I do something for you, Ms.-" She trails off, waiting for a name to be supplied.
Makoto Kino	"Makoto Kino," the tall girl supplies, and belatedly dips into a polite bow. There's a certain tension of expectation to her demeanor when she straightens back up; she's watching Kyouka a little warily, like she's half expecting - or fearing - that the guidance counselor might have heard her name. Despite this, she presses on with her purpose without needing further prompting. "I can come by your office or something if it's a bad time," she says. "I just wanted to find out if there's still a chance to sign up for the self-defense class?" A beat, before she adds, "Um, I was meaning to find out anyway, but Darien Shields said I should definitely ask you about it." She's absolutely butchering the pronunciation of his name, and she obviously knows it from her suddenly abashed look.
Kyouka Inai	Kyouka seems to have not heard this girl's name. Or at least, if there's any recognition in her eyes, it is not accompanied by judgement. Believe it or not, she does not spend her spare time perusing the school's files to find the troublesome students- despite what some rumors may have you believe. "Kino-san, a pleasure to meet you." Is all she says, with a crooked smile. At the question of self-defense class, Kyouka nods and says, "Oh, sure. It's not closed or anything. I mean, it might be too late for you to sign up and actually get credit as a PE option... there's not much I can do about that, although you could inquire and see if you can transfer in officially. Even if not though, I won't chase off anyone who wants to come, work out, and learn. If they're a student of the school, anyway." At the mention of Darien's name, she gets a weird look on her face, something between mild annoyance and affection. "He did, did he? Well, in this particular case, he was right. Do you know Mr. Shields?" Her pronunciation is better, if still definitely in 'doesn't speak English' territory.
Makoto Kino	The hint of tension ebbs when Kyouka shows no particular recognition of her name, though Makoto still looks a bit awkward. "Kind of?" is her uncertain reply. "I don't know him very well or anything, but we went to the same school a couple of years ago. I was pretty surprised to run into him again here." A quick shake of her head dismisses the thought, and she smiles. "It's okay if I can't get the PE credit," she says. "It'd still save me from needing to find a dojo off-campus, you know?"
Kyouka Inai	"Yeah, it's kinda funny how this place seems to attract people from all over the place." Kyouka says, with a mild laugh, as if its a coincidence she's noticed before. "Well, I'm familiar with Mr. Shields, and I tend to think he has a good eye for people, so if he recommended you come talk to me than I'm glad that you did." She nods her head in understanding of the girl's need for a dojo. "You do martial arts then?" She asks, her tone politely curious. It's not very unusual for a student to be into some form of martial arts, though its usually in the form of a school club.
Makoto Kino	"Mmhm." Makoto bobs her head in a nod of confirmation. "Aikido, mostly, and judo. Though I'm out of training since I transferred earlier this summer." She says it with a note of wistful regret. "It's been a couple months already, but it feels like I'm still settling in. From what Darien-kun said, I do know a few of the people who attend the self-defense classes already, though, at least a little. So that's another reason I wanted to sign up, instead of hunting for a dojo I can afford. I don't care about competition or anything like that, not really."
Kyouka Inai	Kyouka nods her head, smiling a little bit wider. "Well, it'll be nice to have someone in the class with some real training. I've been pretty impressed with the students I've gotten so far, but most of them are just there for the PE credit, or because they ''don't'' know how to defend themselves and want to learn. Now, it's not like I'm teaching actual combat skills-" (that's for the after-class mahou session) "-it's mostly breaking holds, the best methods to escape and find help, that sort of thing. So I don't know if it will be the workout you want it to be, precisely. But I still trust the skills involved would be of value to you, and I can guarantee it's a decent workout, if nothing else."
Makoto Kino	"That'll work fine," comes Makoto's cheerful reply. "I just need a way to stay in condition, more than anything. Thank you, Inai-sensei." She bows again, a little bit less flustered and slightly more formally this time. "Sorry to have ambushed you on your lunch break."
Kyouka Inai	"Hold on, before you go." Kyouka reaches into her pocket and pulls out a business card. On the front it has her name, office phone number, and position scripted over an embossed RHA logo. She produces a pen from somewhere and leans down to write on her thigh, scrawling the time and place of the self-defense class on the back of the card. She then holds it out to Makoto, with a grin. "There you go. Hope to see you at the next class. And hey, if you need help with anything else, figuring out the school or adjusting or anything like that, feel free to contact me. That is kinda my job you know, helping with that sorta stuff." Technically, anyway.
Makoto Kino	Makoto's eyebrows lift in curiosity, until Kyouka holds out the card. She moves readily to accept it, giving the front and back a cursory glance over before her eyes return to Kyouka's and she smiles again. "I think I'm actually okay for right now... but I'll definitely keep it in mind. I, um, had a little trouble at my last school--" she ducks her head, glancing down and away, "--and I'd rather not have it happen again."
Kyouka Inai	Kyouka quirks her lips upwards in a small smile. "Well, that's the right attitude to have, I suppose. Sometimes trouble finds us, whether we want it to or not. But the first step to avoiding it is to want to avoid it, rather than simply ploughing on ahead and paying no mind. I'm sure you'll do fine Kino-san. But if you ''do'' find yourself in need of any kind of help," She gestures to the card. "Feel free to give me a call, or to drop by my office. I'm usually around when school is in session."
Makoto Kino	At this, Makoto lets out an awkward little laugh. "I'm not so great at that," she admits. "Not just charging ahead. But I am trying to stay out of trouble. Just, you know... like you said." She rolls her shoulders in a shrug, and dips her head again. "Anyway - I will. Talk to you, if I need help. Thanks again." She lifts a hand absently to rub at the back of her neck. "I should probably stop taking up your break."
Kyouka Inai	"Well, the very fact that you acknowledge that and that you're here talking to me proves your heart is in the right place, at least," Kyouka says, "And that's important. So for what it's worth, I think you're on the right track." She shrugs at the assertion that Makoto is somehow taking up her break, as she glances at the clock on the wall. "Actually you're taking up my afternoon work period," She says, with a grin, "But don't worry, I have plenty of time to make my next appointment. Regardless, I'm glad you stopped me. I hope to see you at the next self-defense class." So saying, she turns to head off on her original route back to the offices.