Collaboration Across School Years
Cast: Cure Marine, Kurumi Erika - age 17
Cure Berry, Aono Miki - age 18
Hyuuga Minori - Cure Bloom's sister - age 17
April, 2013
Minori has only been a member of the Occult Club for a couple of weeks, but she has already been appointed as the club's photographer. This is not because of any particular interest or talent for photography, but rather because she was the only one who could figure out the expensive camera left behind by a former club member. She is carrying it through the halls of Nine Muses High School when suddenly-
"Photographer spotted!"
A wild blunette grabs Minori and shoves her into a nearby club room. The room is laid out like a photography studio, and another blunette, taller and prettier than the first, is standing by wearing an odd school uniform.
Minori can tell that it's meant to be the school's uniform, since the school crest is sewn onto the shoulders, but it doesn't look quite like any of the uniforms the school actually uses. For one thing, it's a one piece dress, which only the third year girls uniform is. But the third year uniform is indigo with lavender trim and embroidery.
This uniform is powder blue and lacks embroidery. Instead, it is decorated with three stripes of yellow, pink, and aquamarine cloth that run diagonally across the front of the skirt, starting from the hem near her knees on the left and ending at the waist at her right. Similar sets of stripes circle the cuff of her right sleeve and run vertically up the left sleeve from the cuff to her elbow.
"Isn't her equipment kind of old?" the tall girl asks.
"Hm... now that you mention it, it is kind of- But we need a photographer. The lady who was going to come was in an accident. Smartphone cameras won't do for this, and if we don't get the photos taken today, I won't make it in time to enter the contest!"
Minori hugs the camera protectively. "What's going on? Who are you people?!"
"Kurumi Erika, Fashion Club president."
"Aono Miki, fashion model."
"I need you to take photos of Miki wearing this uniform so I can enter it into the contest."
"I'm Hyuuga Minori, but I don't know if I can help you. I only started taking pictures recently and- and... What kind of contest is it?"
Erika facepalms. "You haven't heard? It's the reason your uniform, mine, and the third years like Miki are so different: The student council runs a fashion contest at the start of each year to design the uniforms for the next year's incoming class."
Minori gasps. "So that's why- I did think that looked almost like one of our uniforms, but I thought they just rotated every year! Still... I don't know if I can help you. I haven't ever taken pictures of people."
"It's okay," Miki says, smiling. "We've got a deadline and we're desperate. All you have to do is snap lots of pictures and tell me that I'm perfect!"
"Please? I promise, Minori, I'll make it up to you!"
Minori takes a deep breath. There are so many ways that this could go wrong, but-
"I'll do it!"