Chapter 41a: New Students: Nieuwe School by kirbymanx/huskynator

A sigh filled a newly filled room. This person sat down in his big comfy rotating chair, taking a look around. "We live in a new country now…" A reminder to themself, as it was still all so surreal… They looked outside of his window to the nearest mountains.

There were no mountains in the country they came from, there were meadows. And the buildings seen here are similar and therefore familiar, but at the same time… So different. The same can be said of the groceries and stuff they saw on TV.

"It is just not right…"

"Still not used to it, huh?" Someone else walked into the room.

"Are you?" It was a rhetorical rebuttal. The tone was an annoyed one.

"We'll get there. The bread here is still too sour for me though." … "We're gonna go to our new school tomorrow. Are you as cautiously excited, nervous, and preemptively embarrassed as I am?"

"Nervous, at the very least." They admitted. "But please do not tell anyone, please." They solemnly said.

"Hehehe. There's a good chance I'll say enough self-destructive stuff for the both of us." Said with a shrug with an attempt at humour.

"No shame if your sunny side does not show."

Meanwhile, in the Commons Room of Primp High...

Marvett, Sig, and Lagnus sat at a table again. Not doing much of anything besides what they usually do when they hang out but don't do much. That being writing, thinking about bugs, and being rejected respectively.

Lagnus spoke up. "So uh… we're getting a new classmate tomorrow."

"Hm... " Marvett and Rabbie looked up from their tablet. "Oh, I forgot."

"Same." Said Sig. "Wait, I thought the Freshmen were getting a new classmate?"

"Wow, you must've been sleepy to mishear that." Lagnus observed in mild disbelief. "Both Juniors and Freshmen."

"Ah."

The conversation went quiet. Which Lagnus didn't really like.

"So what are we hop-"

"Oi Marv!" Their cranky, musical classmate Peruvis interrupted Lagnus without a care. "I need your opinion on this rhyme." The devil showed the bunny-spirit possessed human and the human possessed bunny-spirit her phone's screen.

Rabbisuke adjusted Marvett's glasses so they could see better. "Fire and desire?"

"Quite. Is it trite or too trite?" Peruvis did her best not to look nervous.

"Maybe check RhymeWiki." Marvett neutrally suggested to which Rabbisuke concurred.

"I was afraid you two would say that…" The devil gritted her teeth. "Oh well, you lot get back to whatever you were babblin' on about."

"The new classmates." Marvett said before her head turned back to her friends.

"They better not be a knob! This school has too many." Peruvis quickly turned around and let her unasked for opinion known before she went back to her spot.

…

"Is your friend always this rude?" Sig scratched his head.

"Yeah." Marvett and Rabbisuke nodded. "Though I kinda agree with her… " They sheepishly admitted.

"What?" Lagnus reacted.

"I mean… It's not something we should hold against them if they are… But do you want someone you don't know to be an idiot?" The spirit-infused girl tried to defend herself.

"Hrm…" Lagnus couldn't exactly disagree. He felt mean doing so though.

"I got nothing to expect." Sig said. "Do we know anything about them?"

"Besides that they're foreign?" Lagnus tried to think. "Nothing, I think."

"Same. I think they're from Kaamolen?"

"The country east of-"
"West."
"West of us?"

Sig scratched his head. "I know nothing about it… I know more about Spagonia than I do Kaamolen."

"I know somethings about it." Marvett said. "But not much."

"I don't think it's a popular tourist place." Lagnus assumed. "I know more about how it looks than its people."

"That's every country." Sig commented.

No one really had expectations for the new students.

The next day, at the Auditorium…

Principal Akuma and Vice-Principal Accord had summoned the Freshmen and the Junior students to get introduced to their new classmates.

Panotty was there. Hoping to maybe get a new friend for Yoko. If he got to them first before the rumors did they might wanna shake hands. If not, they're someone to prank.

Vampire is assessing them how toilet-dunkable they are. He needs a lot of brownie points before he can finally officially join the SchezCo.

Fellow Freshmen pest, Pumpkin, is also looking for a prank victim.

Backstage of the auditorium Accord asked if the new students were ready.

"No." A feminine voice snapped. "I had a 50% percent chance to be in a fun mood and I'm not." The girl's eyes widened as she suddenly got a supportive hug from behind. "Thank you." Her tone shifted to a more relaxed tone. But just a little.

Accord smiled a little at this supportive family. The vice-principal giggled. "Feeling better?"

"Yeah, still gonna say something self-destructive though..."

"Please don't." The masculine voice holding her discouraged.

"'Prolly still gonna…"

Akuma and Accord looked at each other, both equipped with the knowledge of how this girl works. They can't really delay it… But first impressions are everything…

"Can we just get this over with?" The girl said. "Sooner it's over with, the better."

"She is right." The boy agreed.

That made it easy. Regardless Accord walked towards the girl and put her hand on her shoulder. "Please remember that this school offers counseling should you need it." She also looked at the boy, silently telling the same thing.

"You'll make it through, young one." Akuma said in a little fatherly tone. "Take it from me, kumamama!" He suddenly flipped.

Accord giggled. "He's right you know. Do you think Akuma wouldn't have been principal for almost 200 years if his shouting was that big a hindrance?" She said both to encourage these kids and to tease Akuma.

"..." The girl looked at the two in charge and felt some sincerity come from them. "Can we get this over with?" She said aloofly. The other one concurred, he wants to get to scouting the school ASAP as well.

"Very well."

The lights dimmed and the Principals moved onto the stage. Akuma cleared his phantomly throat: "Welcome one and all. We're here today to introDUCE THE TWO NEW STUDENTS TO THE FRESHMAN AND JUNIORS, KUMAMAMA!"

Accord took over as Akuma was shouty now. "They're from the country to the west of ours; Kaamolen as some of you may've heard." The audience let their prior knowledge known. "No need to worry, these wonderful kiddies are fluent in German. So no need to worry about that. Please come up and introduce yourselves, dears."

Some edges of some seats were sat upon in anticipation. What they saw was a girl that looked about as old as a Junior and a very tall handsome boy who also looked like a Junior. Both of them have something that can be described as some kind of stink-face. The girl looked more frustrated than the boy.

Strangely the girl was wearing some kind of apron, beret, and holding a brush. The boy had glasses and was dressed more conventionally.

"Think that boy is gonna join our class, Arle?"

"He's hot."

"Looks like a killjoy."

"She's a painter?"
"Must be the frustrated artist type."

The girl already wished she wasn't at this school.

"Shall I go first?" The boy offered.

"Please."

The tall boy nodded. He stepped up to the microphone. "Salutations. My name is Squares Ro-." The crowd laughed at that name. Squares groaned. It wouldn't be the first time…

Squares
Self-Righteous Fun Police

His sister stomped to the edge of the podium and shouted. "How dare you make fun of my brother! When did he ever make fun of your name? He's a really pol-"

"Marle!" Squares shouted to make her stop. "Please… You're embarrassing me more." He whispered off-mic.

She realized she did it again... "I'm always making it worse like this…"

Marle
In Search of Fun

"Don't say things like this please…" Her brother pleaded. Both siblings felt awful.

Panotty, Vampire, and Pumpkin collectively thought Marle looked too much like a debbie downer to pick on (or try to make Yoko's friend in Panotty's case). Squares on the other hand they've yet to assess.

Akuma and Accord cooled the siblings down and made them resume the introduction.

"As I was saying, my name is Squares Rondehol." There was still snickering at his first name. "I am 14-years-old and-"

There was more laughter. Squares has to be one of the tallest people in this building and he's WHAT? A Freshman?

Skipping over Squares', Marle's, Akuma's, and some others' annoyances at the constant interruptions and to skip ahead to the uninterrupted introduction:

"My name is Squares Rondehol, I am 14-years-old. I like things going as planned and running things smoothly. (Clearly, I got a lot of work to do.)" He grinned with earnest but frustrated intent. "I am still figuring out a hobby but I am still young (as you have all had a good laugh at)..." He mumbled. "My hope here is that I shall receive a decent education here and a serviceable time."

The Freshman pests all decided he's a fun target for a prank/beating. He's tall and uptight, always fun. 'He's not what Yoko needs…'

"Well said, Mister Squares." Akuma complimented. "We hope you have the most pleasant time here, mamakuuumma!" The possessed teddy flailed.

"Thank you as well, Mr. Akuma." The boy looked at his older sister. He gentlemanly pointed the way to the microphone. She giggled a little at that. "Your turn."

Marle took a deep sigh and a deep breath. She looked at the crowd and just knew she's gonna undermine everything she wants. Her nerves were rising just looking at them.

Similarly, the crowd kinda gotta an unwelcome aura.

"I'm Marle Rondehol, I'm 17. Uhhmmm… I like fun. And… I wanna have fun. I do about everything to have fun." Marle paused. 'Just rip the bandaid off, Marle…' She looked nervously around before she was ready to say it. "I suffer from a split personality," The crowd made a few noises. "That hinders me having fun. Don't ask me more than that! I hate it, I don't wanna talk about it, I'm not much fun like this, best not to make friends with me. I will inevitably become this lacking in fun…"

Marle sent a wave of uncomfortability flooded the room. The message has been sent to her classmates.

'Uh, Yoko doesn't need that bundle of issues.' Panotty thought.

"Oh yeah, my split personality isn't a different person with her own wants and needs. So don't bother talking to my fun side like she is."

"Do you wanna talk about your sunny side, dear?" Accord asked off-mic.

"No." Marle shot that down. "That always makes me feel worse."

"If it helps." Accord got onto the mic. "Have something to say to your classmates or wanna talk about your interests?"

"I like painting, I'm a painter, even sold a few paintings. I'm not always having fun with it but it curbs my boredom. I've seen your art class. I'll be trying to have fun there with this school's generous free time."

Marle stepped away from the mic and Akuma stepped up. "Thank you, Miss Marle. You have MY SYMPHATIES, MAMAKUMAMA!" Marle winched at the yelling but Accord assured her he meant it. "We hope you soon treat them as if they've been here since the BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, KUUUUMAAA!" The Principal addressed the crowd.

Accord gently pushed Akuma's floating body aside and cleared her throat in front of the mic. "Enjoy your Friday stay, everyone~" She said in a sing-songy tone. "You're all dismissed." Accord turned the mic off and coerced the Rondehol siblings backstage.

Marle wasted no time getting a comfort hug from her little brother. "I hate talking about it…" She said probably not even knowing she said it. Squares clung onto his sister with as much passion.

The Principals gave them their moment and waited for it to pass.

"I'll be holding my art class in a moment, Miss Marle." Accord spoke. "Want me to show you the way?"

"Hmm… I'd like to… But I wanna walk around the school learning my way around and maaaaaaybeeeee trying to get to know more people in case my personality finally flips again…"

"Do what you need to do." Accord said in a gentle tone. She didn't wanna pressure her. "I must say if you wanted to make friends perhaps you shouldn't have said what you said."

Marle moaned. "Current me is better at making enemi-"

"Please stop making Marle feel sad." Squares stood up for his big sister. "Especially when positive feelings come so hard to her right now."

"Alright."

"Thanks, Squares."

"What about you Mister Squares?" Akuma asked. "Are you joining your SISTER, KUMA!?"

"I have to use the bathroom."

"Oh, see ya later, Squares." Marle and Squares parted ways free to wander on the joker card of a school day, Friday.

Authors' Notes:

HUSK: This Marle was based on what I think she was gonna be playing through PPT2 for the first time as I was piecing things together. Ask Ware, I basically knew what I wanted to do with her within 8 hours of PPT2's release. We hope you enjoy this different take on Marle, DMarle, and Squares.

Also, I wanna note that long before PPT2's release we agreed to leave a spot open for her (and by extension Squares, any new characters basically) if we liked her enough. We did a lot. If a new character came along from a retail Puyo game, chances are gonna be minimal that we're adding them. We don't wanna add characters all willy nilly, believe it or not, very few of the characters were haven't been planned out.