Shoko Komi's Ultimate Challenge

by Ulquiorra9000

Communication 14: Komi the teacher

On Sunday evening, when Shoko came downstairs for a drink of water, she found her mother seated at the dinner table with her laptop, smartphone, and more than a few cables. Once Shoko got her glass of water, she gave her mother a curious look: What are you up to, Mom?

Shuko made an embarrassed laugh. "I'm stumped, Shoko. Your father and I just can't figure out modern technology to save our lives!"

What's wrong?

Shuko tapped her phone. "I'm trying to move some songs I like from my laptop onto my phone, but I can't quite get the hang of it." Then she brightened. "Say, you're good with technology, aren't you, Shoko? Kids these days know computers inside and out!"

Shoko was no IT expert, but she did know what her mother needed to do. She gladly joined her mother and helped her move those song files, then played one of them on Shuko's phone speakers.

"Yay! My daughter is so smart!" Shuko cheered, clapping. "Thank you, Shoko."

Shoko nodded and went back upstairs with her glass of water. Then she stopped in the doorframe, an idea unfolding in her mind. A new challenge has arrived! This week, Shoko must teach five different people how to do something. Helping Shuko was nice, but that one had been pretty easy. Tomorrow, the challenge will begin.

*o*o*o*o*

Monday morning, during homeroom, Shoko scoped out the room to find anyone who might need her help, and she spotted Nokoko trying to fold a paper crane. How nice! But Nokoko was trouble, it seemed. So, Shoko got up from her seat and joined her friend at her desk.

"Ah! K-Komi. Good mornin'," Nokoko said, going red as she hid her failed paper crane. "How are ya?"

Shoko held up her notebook to say: Are you trying to fold paper cranes?

"Um..." Nokoko glanced down at her hands. "Shucks, I was sure tryin', but I can't get the hang of it. The paper ain't cooperatin' with me, ahahaha..."

This was it! Shoko borrowed a piece of paper from her friend, then carefully folded a crane so Nokoko could see how Shoko performed each step of the process. Shoko held up the finished product and showed it off from all angles.

"Wow-ee, that's a mighty fine paper crane!" Nokoko exclaimed. "Can ya show me that just one more time, please?"

Shoko nodded and folded a second crane, then stood back and let Nokoko fold one, too. Nokoko's crane wasn't perfect, but it did have all the right folds, and Nokoko seemed happy with it.

Why are you folding these? Shoko asked with her notebook.

"Well, um..." Nokoko made a timid smile. "Y'see, I got this friend in the hospital, and she's right bored out of her mind in there, so I decided to fold some paper cranes and brighten her room!"

Shoko loved the idea, and wished she had brought along some colorful origami paper for Nokoko to make some truly beautiful cranes. But for now, she was content to teach Nokoko the folding method, making her challenge 1/5th complete. She took her seat next to a curious Hitohito Tadano in high spirits.

*o*o*o*o*

No one else at school needed a tutorial or lesson, so Shoko simply went home after school let out, and practiced a bit of guitar with Shosuke in his room before turning in for the night. What would Tuesday bring?

Cooking!

Shoko generally enjoyed home economics classes, since she found them relaxing, and the boys and girls around her sure enjoyed making snacks for themselves instead of studying boring math or history. But some students were lagging behind. Shoko decided to help.

"Like, whatever! Who needs this junk, anyway?" Ren Yamai complained as she squished her badly-made riceballs. She pouted. "Convenience store food is quick and super affordable! Why bother learning any of this?"

Then Shoko approached her yandere friend, and Ren gasped, holding her face in her hands.

"K-K-Komi! My blessed queen approaches! Oh, happy day!"

Shoko winced and held up her notebook: Let's just cook, okay?
Ren, who was already salivating (and not for the food) nodded eagerly. "Teach me, O fair maiden!"

Shoko took over Ren's cooking station, and allowed Ren and her gal-pals to watch her make some perfect riceballs, and with extra ingredients for more flavor. Shoko held up a riceball and nodded once, encouraging Ren to try it, too.

"Okay! I can do that much," Ren said, and after a false start, she copied Shoko's method and made three perfect riceballs, loaded with ingredients. Then she stared at the riceballs, then at her friend, and made her move.

"Komi! Please taste the fruits of my labor! Taste me - I mean, it!" Ren cried as she seized a riceball and tried to shove it into Shoko's mouth. Alarmed, but slightly amused too, Shoko ducked the food attack and retreated to her own station, where Hitohito was watching.

"She's really something, huh?" Hitohito commented as he molded another riceball in his hands.

Shoko nodded and updated her challenge counter to 2/5.

*o*o*o*o*

On Wednesday, after school let out for the day, Shoko listened carefully to the chatter of her fellow students as they scattered across the school's front grounds. Surely, someone would need Komi's help! Then, she found him.

Makoto Katai!

"I dunno if I can go fishin' this weekend," Makoto admitted to a male friend. "I can't even cast the line right. I don't wanna make a fool of myself."

That was when Shoko took a deep breath, gathered her courage (Makoto was built like a beast), and approached her massive friend. She reached up and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Huh? Who's there?" Makoto stopped and turned, then locked eyes with Shoko Komi. His eyes were narrow and tough like a delinquent's, but he did make a small smile. "Hey there, Komi. How are you?"

With trembling hands (how was Makoto so huge?!), Shoko held up a paper message: My dad showed me how to fish. I can show you, too.

Makoto stared at the message, mouthing it to himself. Then his smile widened.

"Well, hot dog! Thanks, Komi, I'll take you up on that offer. Meet me at the riverbank by that bike repair shop in 30 minutes. Let's fish!"

Shoko nodded, then and wandered around the neighboring streets a bit until she met Makoto at the appointed spot by the river. As promised, he was carrying a fishing rod and tacklebox, both of which looked small compared to him.

"Just bought these," Makoto said with another almost scary smile. "Let's do this, Komi! Show me the way."

Shoko nodded and helped Makoto get some artificial bait on the hook, then showed him how to cast the line with one graceful move. Makoto clapped when the bait splashed right into the water, the red and white bobber bouncing happily. Shoko slowly reeled in the hook, then cast it once again, this time at a different angle. She was already getting fond memories of going fishing with her father, and how pleasant it had been to be in Mother Nature's bosom. So peaceful!

"Okay. Let me try," Makoto said, and he accepted his fishing rod from Shoko once the bait was reeled in again. He scowled in concentration (so scary!), then cast the line. It was a bit awkward, but he got the bait in, and he cast the line twice as far as Shoko had, thanks to his massive strength. He could cast a line halfway across the prefecture!

"So, how was that?" Makoto asked, and Shoko held up her paper.

Wonderful! Try it a few more times to be sure.

Makoto grinned again and did just that, and after a few minutes, he announced that he felt ready for this weekend's fishing trip with his friends. He thanked Shoko for coaching him, and Shoko marked her challenge at 3/5.

*o*o*o*o*

On Thursday, Nene Onemine had an amusing problem. She had been invited to her cousins' house this weekend, but she didn't know how to play any of the games they liked, most of all Swamp Bros.! This called for action, so after school, Shoko arranged for her and Nene to meet Nakanaka at the latter's house for some practice. Nakanaka was only too happy to welcome the shadow dragon princess into her home with the normie Nene, and Nakanaka watched, clearly impressed, as Shoko wordlessly showed Nene how to play this wild game.

"Oh, so that's how you do the smash attack! Right on!" Nene cried with joy when she followed Komi's directions and knocked out her pink dinosaur opponent. "And I can dodge like this?" Her swordsman character leaped onto a higher platform, and the plumber's attack missed her by a wide margin.

Shoko nodded.

"Well I'll be, shadow dragon princess!" Nakanaka declared, a hand over her patched eye. "You've brought a normie into the fold and showed her our ways. There's no going back now. Mwahahahahaha!"

Nene, meanwhile, beamed widely. "Thanks for the help, Shoko. This game is actually pretty great! I'm looking forward to this weekend more than ever."

Shoko marked her challenge at 4/5.

*o*o*o*o*

Shoko listened carefully for anyone who might need her guidance on Friday, but it was no good, and no one needed her help after class let out, either. Would her challenge fizzle out at 80%? Feeling dejected, Shoko trudged her way back home and idly wondered if Shosuke might need her help figuring out some new guitar chords. But actually, it was Shoko who needed more guitar lessons.

"Oh! There you are, Shoko," came Shuko's voice from the dining table area. "Could you come here, please?"

Shoko wandered over to her mother, and stared in shock at the laptop and smartphone plugged together on the table.

"Could you..." Shuko made an embarrassed smile. "Um, could you show me one more time how to transfer song files between my phone and laptop? I forgot what you showed me last time. Oops!" She knocked on her own head.

Shoko fought a smile as she showed her mom, once again, how to perform the file transfer. This made her challenge complete at 5/5, no ifs, ands, or buts! It totally counted!

She went upstairs and did her homework in high spirits.