24 September 2009
Gekkoukan High, Classroom 1-B
Lunch

Picking at her food, Midori just didn't feel like eating. While she was still hungry, the words of Shinjiro came back to her, reminding her that one of the best ways for a cook to improve is to eat their own food. It was a lesson taken hard by her, as she stared down at the horrible food in front of her, wishing she could just go to the cafeteria for some bread.

But apparently Fuuka had missed that memo, as she kept trying to stuff her food down Minato's throat despite it being currently worse than her own cooking and Yukari practically breathing down their necks when Fuuka tried to get her and Minato alone for the latest round of taste testing.

It was painfully obvious what the Archery team member felt for the Kendo club member.

Thinking about sports clubs, she had to remind herself that there was a meeting after class today. True to Chihiro's word, Rio-senpai was a hard taskmaster. She drove Midori through her paces without a single break. While the (former) Demon tamer felt she could handle the load, she did notice that many of the other girls in the club were on the edge of their patience.

While her first impulse was to try and fix things herself, she forced herself to slow down and consider what options she had. Love and Justice didn't exactly cover High School Tennis, and so more things needed to be thought of.

She explained the outlines of her predicament to Chihiro, and her classmate could offer no real help. "Perhaps if you talked to the President? She might be able to put some pressure on Rio to calm down?"

Midori thought this over. "I don't think that'll work. Mitsuru-senpai can be very strict, and she could just make things worse."

Chihiro had to nod in agreement. She had seen first hand just how hard President Kirijo can be on people who didn't meet her personal standards for what they should be doing, and Rio was supposed to be in a leadership position. "It would be better if you could fix that within the club" she finally had to admit.

Mindor nodded before forcing herself to finish off the last of her food. No sense in trying to save anything on an empty stomach. Well, not again, anyways.

Home Economics Room
After School

Bebe, the French exchange student, sighed. While Minato was certainly a help in the crafting of his kimono, he missed the skills of Midori. Now there was a girl who knew her way around a sewing machine!

But she had agreed to focus her club efforts on her sports club for now, her membership in the Fashion Club more casual. That didn't mean she had abandoned them in the time since she had joined, just the opposite. Every time she came by, she was a bundle of energy, doing a great many things at once.

So when she asked of him a small favour, he could only agree. It made sense, really, to get Minato's measurements. How else would he make a kimono for him as well, let alone whatever mysterious purpose Midori wanted them for?

Tartarus
The Dark Hour

With a sickening crack, Midori cried out in shock. "you. you! You! YOU! YOU MONSTER!" She yelled out as she viciously attacked the source of her current anguish. In very short order, the Shadow was defeated and released back into the aether. Minato, Junpei and Aigis stood around the fallen Midori as she cradled her arms against her chest.

Tears welling up in her eyes, she barely resisted as Minato pulled open her embrace to confirm for himself that, yes indeed, Midori had broken her weapon completely. "It was my friend" she whimpered as the wooden slivers fell through her fingers. "I've beaten up so many things with this, it's like there's a hole in my heart."

Junpei gave her a consoling pat on the back. "To be fair, it was pretty beat up when you started."

Aigis nodded. "I concur. The structural integrity of your weapon has been compromised for some time. I am surprised it lasted this long."

Before Midori could retort to Aigis' comment, Minato stepped up. "I think we should press on to find a teleporter back down to the Lobby. Midori, without a weapon, I'm going to have to rotate you off the team, so be sure to go see Officer Kurosawa tomorrow for a replacement."

Nodding, Midori stood. Looking lovingly at the shattered weapon, she shrugged then threw it over her shoulder, discarding it completely. "So I get to punch things for a little while. Won't be the first time!" Her voice conveyed a pleasure at using her fists that set the others back just a bit.

25 September 2009
Paulowina Mall, Police Station
Afternoon

Midori bounced in, waiting patiently while Officer Kurosawa finished helping some people who actually needed his help with the lost and found, rather than utilizing his skills as a black marketeer. Once the room was clear, he ushered Midori into the back where he presented her with a replacement weapon for her use.

"This is a weapon normally issued to special forces for silent combat," he introduced it without preamble. "Carbon-fibre core, reinforced exterior." He offered the weapon to Midori and she gave it a couple practice swings.

"Feel's heavy."

"You were using a police-issue weapon previously, not meant for serious work. This is, and the extra weight is justified."

"How much?"

He told her, and she arranged for the payment, walking out with her new weapon in her bag. She couldn't wait to try it out.

27 September 2009
Tartarus, Fourth Block
The Dark Hour

Midori had her first look at the top of a block. It was boring. "So, why can't we just jump the fence here?"

Minato sighed. "We tried that the first couple times. There's actually nothing up those stairs there until after the next full moon, and before you ask, we've even tried throwing things over the top. They just bounce off a force field of some sort."

Midori pouted, unhappy with this turn of events. But they had a week to go before the next Full moon. Then she would really shine!

29 September 2009
Tatami Port Island, Back Alleyways
Morning

"Where the hell is it?" Shinjiro looked around the alleys he frequented, hoping some dumbass hadn't pawned off his pocket watch. He'd hate to have to buy a new one. That would cut into monies spent to buy groceries.

30 September 2009
Kirijo Memorial Hospital, VIP Wing
Afternoon

Junpei opened the door with his back, causing Chidori to look up from her sketchbook. "You're early" she said, the tone somewhere between curiosity and annoyance. "And what is that thing for?"

Once clear, Junpei spun around, revealing a simple wheelchair. "Tah-dah! I talked to some of the nurses, and they said it was alright if you left your room while supervised. Well, I turned on the old Iori charm, and they agreed to let me roll you around."

Chidori turned away from him. "I don't want to go out."

His voice becoming more serious, Junpei shook his head. "Look, you can't just lay in bed all day. It's not healthy for your body or your mind. So I'm taking you outside where you can get some sunlight."

"Not going."

Junpei groaned. "Look, you can either get in the wheelchair under your own power, or I come over there, lift you up and carry you myself. Now, which do you think I'd prefer?"

A small blush crept across Chidori's cheeks, well hidden from Junpei. "Fine. But I'm bringing my stuff with me."

"Hell yes!" Junpei grinned like the idiot he was as she slid out of the bed and placed herself in the chair with as much dignity as anyone wearing a hospital gown was capable of doing. Once she was in place, Junpei practically ran down the halls towards the elevator and the roof-top garden reserved for patient use.

01 October 2009
Minatodai Dorm, 3rd Floor, Midori's Room
Evening

Her room was crowded. That was the only word that could be said. Every inch of space was being used for something, and yet for all the clutter, there was little in the way of litter. Cloth hung from knobs and poles, a re-sizable mannequin without arms head or legs was currently dressed in a damaged purple costume. Burn marks, slashes and the like all gave rise to the thought that it had been worn through a war zone. That was the truth. A camera peeked around the back of a screen that shielded whatever was before it from the door, where she made her video recordings.

Even Junpei was impressed that there was someone with more stuff than him.

She had dragged the four of them upstairs to her room without telling them why. Junpei, Fuuka, Yukari and Minato all lined up by her door as she reorganized things. "When Mitsuru said we weren't allowed to dress like we wanted because we were a school group, I went looking at the rules." She went behind her privacy screen, and flipped off her blouse, letting it land over the top. Instantly Junpei and Minato turned around and inspected the wall very closely.

"Now, the rules state that Sports or other physical activity clubs may have a uniform that deviates from the school dress code on the condition that they match the primary colours – urgh that's tight – and that the school name and symbol are displayed on the upper body. Chest, shoulders, back, that sort of thing."

Junpei agreed, having discovered a very interesting shade about three inches from his nose. "But only Mitsuru and Akihiko-senpai wear the uniform properly!"

"Wearing the jacket over a shirt like you, Fuuka and Minato is within the rules, as is Yukari's sweater. Shinjiro, Ken and Koro-chan all don't count as they are considered to be volunteers and team mascot." She poked her head out from behind her screen. "Did you know there are rules concerning the registration and use of mascots for club activities? Koro-chan is ours!"

People shook their heads and Midori returned to her privacy. "Well, anyways, technically SEES is registered as a physical activity club that doesn't do sports, not as a culture club. And because of that, I get to do this!

She emerged from behind the screen to the gasps of the other girls in the room. The guys, taking this as their cue to turn around, did so as well. "Well, damn." Junpei spoke for the both of them as they took in what Midori now wore.

The blue haired girl now wore black leggings and a dark crimson pleated skirt that came down to her knees. The holster for her Evoker poked out from the bottom of the skirt where it would be easy to draw. A white blouse with the school logo stitched over the breast pocket over her heart while a black mantle rested over her shoulders, buttoned down the front. A picture of Black Frost, trimmed in white adorned her right shoulder while a dark blue beret with the letters S.E.E.S written on it completed the ensemble.

"Tah-dah!" Midori gave a small twirl to show off her design. "It's not much, but I had to make five in the past couple weeks. Call it version one of the SEES Club Activity Uniform!"

"Um... what?" Yukari asked, only for Junpei to skip right over her.

"Suh-weet! I assume the guys don't have to wear the skirt, right?" His eyes went up and down the proposed uniform, not seeing the model for the modelled.

Midori reached back behind her screen to grab two bags, tossing them at Minato and Junpei. Put these on, and meet up back here. I need to make sure that Yukari and Fuuka get theirs perfect. NOW GO!"

1st Floor, Dining Room

Midori appeared at the foot of the stairs, and gained everyone's attention. "Thank you! Now, ladies and gentlemen, tonight I would like to introduce you all to my proposed SEES Uniforms!" Mitsuru tried to question just what was going on when Midori put a small folder of papers in her hands. "Here's the paperwork. It's all in order."

The others came down single file, the guys with pants the same colour as the girl's skirts, only trimmed in black along the sides and around the ankles and waist. Midori launched into a spiel about why she chose these colours and that pattern and all she needed was for Mitsuru as President of SEES to approve and for two other members of the Student Council (although she had already secured the approval of the Treasurer thanks to her crushing on Minato – pictures forthcoming) and she could get to work on the rest!

"No."

"What?!" Midori leaned over the table as the others stood around uncomfortably.

"Simple, SEES needs no uniform, and if we register one, then that will raise questions about what we do, and I can't have that." Mitsuru turned her attention away from Midori by passing back the papers.

02 October 2009
1st Floor, Kitchen
Early Morning

Shinjiro found himself in the unique position of trying to console Midori as she came down for her cooking lessons. She had no where near the usual amount of energy she would put into her efforts, and when she mismeasured the rice for the third time, he sat her down in the kitchen to talk. "Mitsuru really got to you, didn't she?"

Midori nodded.

"Well, she can be a bit of a hard case. I think her reaction was because you tried to dump all this on her all at once." He sat down, careful to keep his removed jacket clean. "Did you talk to her about this before hand?"

Midori shook her head. "I wanted it to be a surprise."

"Oh, she doesn't like surprises. Not one bit. Let me tell you about the time Aki and I tried to give her a surprise birthday party..."

Gekkoukan High, Student Council Room
After School

"I apologize for my behaviour last night!" Midori's bow was very deep as she uttered the words to Mitsuru.

"I accept your apology." The President was formal as well before shifting back to her work, dismissing Midori to return to the Fashion Club with her silence.

SEES Dormitory
04 October 2009
The Dark Hour

Frosty safe in her pocket, Midori left the Dorm with everyone else, leaving Ikutsuki behind in case Shinji or Ken came back from whatever it was they were doing. She hoped they would show up, she wanted her first Full Moon Arcana Hunt to be the greatest thing ever!