ic Late Admissions

[Heritage]

Rita Kord Dormitory, Claremont Academy. Saturday, October 18th, 2014, 4:05 pm

 

Casey Blankenship stood in the third floor hallway, surrounded by three suitcases and hefting a huge backpack; her blonde hair was practically up and out of the way, and she wore a red flannel shirt, jeans and light hiking boots. She adjusted her glasses out of habit as she looked up and down the hallway; each door looked exactly like the next, other than the cork-boards used for leaving notes or adding decoration. She fidgeted with her brand-new school ID with its magnetic stripe; the RA had been very specific about the rules if you ever lost your ID.

 

Just get it over with, Case; you'll be fine.

 

She swiped the card through the lock, the little light went green and she pushed the door open; inside, the room looked comfortable but quite barren without any personal belongings in it yet. Without any real preference, she unslung her pack and dropped it on the left-hand bed as she pulled in her wheeled suitcase, leaving the rest out in the hall for now. A quick peek out the window revealed a view to the northwest; the back of the Carter Dorm, a few trees and the athletic field off in the distance.

 

I guess when I'm bored, I could always watch a game from here...assuming we actually get to play any sports...

Edited October 19, 2014 by Heritage

[horngeek]

"Eto... Kon-"

 

The voice from the door cut off for a moment, before resuming, with a slight but noticeable accent.  "Sorry.  Hello?  Are you my roommate?"

 

Standing in the door was a girl with very Japanese features- long, black hair, brown eyes, and fair skin.  Quite short, she was fairly pretty, and had a sense of... grace.  Weight, almost, although not in the physical sense.  Her movements seemed measured as much as anything else- while she didn't move slowly, there was a sense that each movement was thought-out carefully well beforehand.  The girl's clothing was well-suited to the weather- a long-sleeved, plain shirt and a long skirt.  

 

The girl looked around the room before walking in, smiling hesitantly.  "My name is Mi- Haruko Miyamoto.  I just arrived, and I was told this is where I will be staying..."

 

Haruko hoisted her bags on the right-side bed, placing a book with several Japanese symbols on the cover, next to a strange symbol.  "What is your name?"

[Heritage]

Casey turned around, smiled and raised a hand in greeting. "Yeah, hi, I'm Casey Blankenship. Just got here myself." Physically she was bigger than the new arrival, in terms of height, weight, and overall build; she smelled vaguely of some sort of piney natural soap, definitely the outdoorsy type. She stepped over to the bed and waved vaguely at her pack. "I hope the left side's okay; either one is fine by me."

 

She paused, looked out towards the hallway and fidgeted with her glasses. "Uh, would you mind if I...used my 'powers' to unpack? It would take like two seconds, and then I'd be out of your way."

[horngeek]

Haruko looked up.  The other girl was... not huge, but still rather tall.  At least compared to her.  That may not be much of an achievement, but still.  And she was fit.  Haruko found herself starting to imagine what sort of outfits might look good on Casey for a moment before stopping herself.  "Ah, no, I have no problem with that."

 

She found herself slightly interested now, as she stepped clear, giving the other girl some room.  What were the other girl's powers?  In fact, it seemed like Casey was, at least, familiar with her own powers... or at least, had had them more than a couple of weeks.  "If I may ask... how long have you had your powers?"

[Heritage]

The blonde squinted a bit as she zipped open a side pocket on her backpack. "Uh, about a month, I guess? No, closer to two months; definitely before school started, though." She fished out an athletic stopwatch on a lanyard, peered at it for a few seconds, and then looked up at Haruko. "Yeah, stand right there, that's perfect. Aaaaaaaand, go!"

 

Suddenly there was a flurry of movement and a great deal of wind whipping around the small dorm room that only lasted for a few seconds; when it was over, Casey was sitting cross-legged in the middle of a made bed, wearing a pair of pajama pants and a big comfy Colorado Rockies sweatshirt. The wall on her side of the room was covered in pictures of airplanes (most small civilian craft and a few fighter jets), pictures of natural scenes probably cut from old calendars, and lots of maps: road maps, topographic maps, and a large aeronautical map of the Freedom City area. The desk had a laptop and was covered in personal photos and Girl Scout badges. There was no sign of any of her luggage.

 

Casey clicked the button on top of the stopwatch and grimaced. "Darn it, four point three seconds! That took way too long; sorry!"

Edited October 15, 2014 by Heritage

[horngeek]

Haruko blinked at the... quick change.  Her roommate was fast.  The change in the middle was what really surprised the Japanese teenager- she hadn't even seen Casey.  Which was, to a degree, to be expected, given how fast the rest of the change had been.  "I may take a little longer than that, I am afraid."  She smiled.  "I only received my powers a few weeks ago.  As for what mine are..."

 

She closed her eyes, and suddenly, the shadows in the room shifted as Haruko began to glow gently.  "I woke up in the middle of the night, glowing like this- actually, a lot more brightly, then.  It was a shock to me and my parents."

 

Opening her suitcase, she pulled out a small sowing kit, placing it on top of her desk, before starting to pull out various items of already-folded clothing and putting them away.  "We had only just arrived in America from Japan, as well, so we had to... scramble?  Is that the right word?  To find some help."

 

It seemed almost like Haruko was leaving something out of the story- the pause just before she said scramble was a little too long just to try and figure out what word was appropriate.  

[Heritage]

Casey nodded and grinned as the light flowed out of the Japanese girl. "Coooooool!" As Haruko continued, Casey reached over and set the stopwatch on her desk, exchanging it for a bright pink Slinky that she rhythmically passed from hand to hand as listened to the other girl's story. She was sympathetic to whatever misfortunes might have befallen her new roommate over her new abilities; after all, there were parts of her own story she couldn't reveal.
 
The tall blonde girl chuckled at her question. "Yeah, that's the right word; don't worry, your English is much better than my Japanese!" Then a thought struck her. "Hey, maybe you could teach me? Not like the whole language obviously, but maybe common words and phrases, stuff like that? I want to be a journalist, and knowing other languages is a really big help in that field."
 
Suddenly she was sitting on the edge of her bed, a reporter's notebook and pen in hand, the very picture of the attentive student. "Like I know konichiwa means 'hello' and domo arigato means 'thanks', but that's pretty much it." Her pronunciation was pretty terrible, but at least she was interested.

Edited October 15, 2014 by Heritage

[horngeek]

"Thank you.  That is not the only thing I can do... but there are no injuries I can demonstrate on, and the other things I can do would either damage your eyes, or the room."

 

Haruko placed a heavy... well, tome was the only way to describe it... on a shelf.  From what Casey could see, it seemed to be a book on magical theory.  "It certainly is not a mutant ability, I think.  That would not give me the power to heal.  And for a number of reasons apart from that, I suspect my powers are of some mystical or spiritual source."

 

She nodded.  "I would be pleased to teach you, Casey-san.  It's konichiwa-"  Haruko pronounced the words clearly, allowing Casey the opportunity to listen to how it was pronounced- "and domo arigatou.  Those are the most general ways of saying those things, but Japanese is very dependant on who is speaking it, and to who they are speaking.  Among friends, arigatou is generally sufficient, for example."

[Heritage]

Casey took careful notes as Haruko continued unpacking and shared her language, always making sure to write the words out phonetically as well. She asked lots of questions, especially about grammar and exactly what the words meant, recalling how her Hispanic friends back home would laugh at her earnest textbook Spanish.

 

After about an hour, she sighed and set her notebook aside. "Well arigatou, Haruko-san!" She grinned and bowed very slightly. "Hey, do you feel like taking a break? I'd like to stretch my legs a bit and wander the campus, maybe check out the cafeteria?" She patted her stomach slightly. "I'm not gonna lie, I eat like a horse!" The blonde pulled back the sleeve of her sweatshirt and flexed an impressive bicep, revealing that underneath she was pretty cut. "See that? Guns like these need fuel!"

[horngeek]

"That is very good, Casey-san.  Iie- I mean, it was no problem."

 

Haruko wasn't just being polite- Casey had learnt quite quickly, being rather attentive.  She'd do rather well at learning further, from what the Japanese girl saw.  "And I am a bit hungry, I must admit... seeing the rest of the school would also be nice.  I remember hearing that there is a Zen garden here, and a place like that is always nice to relax in..."

 

She stood back, looking at her room- which compared to Casey's side of the room, was decorated much more with a focus towards artistry, with a few shelves of books, a laptop of Haruko's own, and some sowing supplies- along with a few photos of some paintings.  "Especially now that I am done.  Where would you like to go first?"

[Heritage]

Casey nodded. "Oh, that's sounds cool; let me get some pants on." Another blur and rush of air, and she was standing by the door in matching Rockies sweatpants and a well-worn pair of Teva sandals, looking at a map in one of the school brochures. "Yeah, we can do that, sort of swing by the cafeteria afterwards."

 

She dropped the brochure on the bed next to her notebook, then chewed on her lip for a few seconds as she looked around the room, as though she was trying to work something out.

 

"Um, hey Haruko, by any chance do you..fly?"

Edited October 16, 2014 by Heritage

[horngeek]

Haruko smiled.  "That sounds like a good plan to me as well.  I am not so hungry that I need to eat immediately..."

 

She tilted her head as Casey used her speed to change again.  "That is an interesting use of your powers... I suppose, if I needed to, I could obscure myself with my light, but otherwise... and to answer your question, no, I cannot fly."

 

The thought for a moment.  "Ah.  I remember we were expected to stay... what was the expression... under the radar?  Will that be a problem?"

[Heritage]

The blonde sighed and shook her head. "No, not at all, I was just..well, I can fly, and I was hoping at some point to find a 'flying buddy'. Which now sounds stupid when I say it out loud..." She grabbed a wrist bag from her bureau and twirled it around a few times. "Ready when you are!"

 

Once they were outside, Casey closed her eyes and took a deep breath as they walked. "Mmm, I love the fall out here! You get all these colors in the trees; back in Colorado where I'm from, we've got mostly pines." She paused and gave her roommate a concerned look. "Does my speed changing thing bother you? I can stop, if it makes you uncomfortable."

Edited October 16, 2014 by Heritage

[horngeek]

Haruko smiled.  "I suspect you will find someone here to fly with, considering the school we are at.  I am ready."

 

As they started to walk, her smile grew, almost lighting herself up- actually, it did light the Japanese girl up, as she started to glow gently.  "Fall... you mean Autumn?  It can be pretty, but in Japan, Spring is when the trees are truly breathtaking.  Sometime you should come to a spring festival to see the cherry blossoms in bloom."

 

She returned Casey's look with an almost... teasing smile.  "It is more surprising than anything, I suppose?  It does not make me uncomfortable, no, and it is a novel solution.  As long as you are not uncomfortable with me potentially catching a glimpse of you if you slip up, I am fine with you continuing."  The smile became an almost-grin.

[Heritage]

Casey nodded and smiled. "Oh yeah, the cherry blossoms! I've seen them in DC a few times when my dad took me, but I'm sure it's much nicer back home in Japan."

 

When Haruko started glowing, her roommate cocked her head to one side. "Y'know, it's funny, I kind of glow, too, sometimes, when-" She stopped suddenly when the tone of some of the Japanese girl's words started to sink in.

 

"Wait a sec; uh, forgive me for being rude, Haruko, but...where do you stand on the whole..." She held her hands out to each side, and sort of rocked back and forth. "Dating spectrum." And then she got a little pink in the cheeks. "Because I'm fine wherever you stand, but I am straight." She moved her hand up and down in a sort of chopping motion. "And I hope that's not a problem." She started chewing on her lip again, clearly concerned but also hopeful.

Edited October 16, 2014 by Heritage

[horngeek]

Haruko paused, before she started laughing- a pure, happy sound.  "Iie, Casey-san, it is not a problem.  While I... suspect I might be attracted to both, I also do not think I would take a relationship with you beyond that of friends.  You are... what is the term... not my type."

 

She chuckled a bit more.  "I hope that is all right.  And-"

 

The Japanese girl looked down.  "Ah.  I wondered why you commented on my glow."  She muttered in Japanese.  "I need to get this under control..."

[Heritage]

Casey looked very relived. "Oh okay, that's cool." But then she folded her arms, cocked her hip and raised an eyebrow. "Wait a sec, I'm not 'your type'? I think I'm offended by that!" But then she laughed, stuck out her tongue and continued walking. "Probably for the best, really. Also it's always nice to hear that blondes don't really rule the world..."

For a while, the taller girl said nothing, seemingly happy to just be in the moment, but then her earlier train of thought returned. "Oh, about the glow thing; I was about to say I glow sometimes, too! Watch this!" Casey pulled off her glasses, undid her hair and shook it out, then held out her arms as she rose into the air. Motes of golden light winked in her long blonde hair as it billowed around her face, and more hovered around her body like glowing drops of honey; she was beaming, clearly happy to give her powers free reign. "Pretty cool, huh? I glow even more when I pick up something heavy, like a truck!" Then she dropped lightly back to the ground, replaced her glasses and began to twist her hair back up on her head as she resumed walking. "So yeah, that's a thing..."

Soon they reached the Zen garden, which was indeed a lovely tranquil place. "Oh wow; looks like I found a new favorite reading spot!"

Edited October 16, 2014 by Heritage

[horngeek]

Haruko giggled, lifting a hand to her mouth.  "Indeed.  You probably would attract a large amount of attention in Japan with that hair color..."

 

The Japanese girl watched, smiling.  Casey seemed to her to be a very... free spirit.  Unreserved.  It was nice to watch, in its own way.  "Hmmm... the problem is that my powers are expressing themselves simply in response to my emotions.  And combined with the fact that I do not know where, exactly, they come from..."

 

She folded her arms, her eyes closing slightly as she thought.  "Dou kashira... you, at least, know what your powers are from.  I have no real answers, apart from that they are mystically valuable.  The events of the past few days have made that clear, at least."

 

As they arrived at the gardens, Haruko's smile grew.  "I would agree with that, at least.  This is... wonderful.  A small portion of home."

[Heritage]

Casey found a bench and indicated Haruko should join her. "So you just woke up one day with you powers? That's odd." She gazed at the ripples in the koi pond, and the bright orange fish darting about under the lily pads. She started to say something, stopped herself, then frowned and continued anyway.

 

"Look, I don't mean to pry, but I'd like to help you find out how you got your powers; I mean, not only would that be just one less thing for you to worry about, but it might also help you learn to control them, right?" She turned to face Haruko more directly. "You said you thought they might be mystical or spiritual in nature; where either of those things a major part of your life before you started glowing? Like do you go to church, or maybe a Buddhist temple a lot?"

[horngeek]

"No, not that I can think of.  I mean, we visit shrines rather regularly, yes, but..."

 

Haruko frowned.  "The list of kami that would fit are rather small, and the one I can think of... it would be far less uncertain, believe me."

 

She shook her head.  "Besides, this happened in America, not Japan.  So, Amaterasu deciding to grant some of her power to someone here is even less likely.  It might not be a kami at all."

 

The Japanese girl looked at Casey, smiling.  "That being said, I appreciate the offer of assistance, Casey-san.  Right now, I am mostly doing research into mystical areas- a lot of the books you saw are like that, but if I find out anything that I need to investigate, I will be sure to let you know."

[Heritage]

Casey frowned slightly, unfamiliar with a few of the words her new roommate had used; she pulled out her smartphone and began furiously tapping and swiping the screen; a few seconds later she stopped, blinked a few times and carefully put her phone back into her small bag.

 

"Sooooo, Shinto is way more complicated than I imagined..." Clearing her throat, she continued. "So why wouldn't Amaterasu bless you when you were in America? There are Shinto shrines here, or at least there are in Hawaii, and the Sun shines down everywhere." She shrugged. "I mean, assuming it was her; there could be other stuff going on, I suppose."

[horngeek]

Haruko started laughing again.  "The term is not ten million kami for nothing, no.  And I am assuming it is not related to the Kami for that last reason, Casey-san.  Besides, if she were to place her blessing on anyone, it would be someone wiser, older, with more experience... most likely someone connected to Tenno Heika by blood."

 

She cleared her throat, slightly uncomfortable.  "The main reason I have discounted her is that... I cannot believe she would not make it known.  That it was her, I mean.  It would be... more obvious."

 

With a sigh, she looked over the zen garden... before blushing as a growl came from her stomach.  "Perhaps we might continue this conversation over dinner, however?"

[Heritage]

Casey grimaced sheepishly. "Yeah, about that; while I was speed-reading through the Wikipedia entry on Shinto, I double-checked the school website to see what the cafeteria specials were today. Turns out it's closed on weekends." But then she grinned. "Which means we get to eat at the staff restaurant! It's over that way." She pointed towards the garden gate.

 

Then she got a mischievous look in her eye. "Would you like a quick flying demonstration? I won't go very high; strictly nap-of-the-earth, under the radar stuff."

[horngeek]

"Oh... if you wish."  Shranui grinned.  "It will be a new experience for me.  Are the offerings at the staff restaurant different from the student cafeteria?"

[Heritage]

Casey shook her head. "I have no idea, but it's open and we're both starving, so let's do it." She rose up in the air and very gently picked up Haruko and cradled her in her arms. "You ready? I won't go too fast the first time, I promise."

 

And with that, they took off, never going much more than twenty feet off the ground; the wind whipped past their faces and golden motes of light trailed behind them as they flew, and at one point the young flyer spontaneously whooped for joy.

 

"Woo-hoo! God, I love this so much!"

 

Casey kept her speed well under fifty miles an hour, though it often felt much faster; she sailed in a wide loop around the back of the dorms, then arrived at the front of the Scoble Building, gracefully landing as soft as a cloud.

 

"There we go, back on terra firma! Let's eat!" She held the door open for Haruko, grinning like a happy fool.

Edited October 19, 2014 by Heritage