Twenty-Second Strike - [Action]

[not_klonoa]

[End of classes usually signals happy, excited chatter and the footsteps of many different students, young and old, as they exit the school building to head home for the day and begin homework or other daily activities like work, chores, or just other hobbies. One student, however, lingers in the playground as the last of the people trickle out

Comments

[filmtrail]

[Alice is hesitant to approach, not wanting to bother the young girl, but she isn't willing to leave someone seeming so sad and alone alone. Alice takes up the swing next to Presea]

Swings are only fun if you're swinging, you know.

[not_klonoa]

[Slightly startled by the sudden voice and presence beside her, Presea pulls her head up, the swing jerking with her movement. Thankfully, though, she's braced on the ground, and doesn't fall.]

Huh? Oh...yes, I suppose you are correct. [Yet she makes no motion to begin swinging.]

[filmtrail]

[Alice casts a soft smile, fingering the chains before pushing off slightly, feet brushing the ground]

They're fun things, you know, swings. I used to play on them all the time as a child. Really brings back fond memories.

[not_klonoa]

[Swings...Presea couldn't remember if she ever played on them as a child, but she did recall faintly that she'd swing off her father's arms when she was much younger. She and Alicia both would... Presea smiled, but it looked more sad than happy.]

I...never had anything like this. My daddy was my swing...my sister and I, when we were children.

[fonon_professor]

[Half an hour after the classes have ended, a certain teacher leaves the school building as well. She's dressed warmly and is clutching a small pile of books to her chest. As she surveys her surroundings, her gaze falls on Presea. It hadn't escaped her attention just how absent the girl's been, lately. Even moreso than usual.

She strides towards Presea without hesitation. Whenever she'd offered to spend some time with her, the girl did genuinely seem interested. What kind of person would she be if she just left Presea out in the cold like this, now? Gelda's voice is soft, so as not to startle her.]

Presea.

[not_klonoa]

[Thankfully, Gelda's approach was slow and quiet and, much like a small animal, Presea looked up, only just surprised. She hadn't thought anyone would really pay much attention to her out here. Or perhaps she hoped they wouldn't. Presea's surprise faded in a moment, however, and she just looked down again, avoiding Gelda's line of sight.]

Professor...Gelda. I-I apologize for my lack of...attentiveness in my studies recently. I have no excuse for that kind of behavior...

[fonon_professor]

[Even if Presea isn't directly looking at her, Gelda shakes her head softly anyway.] That isn't something you need to apologize for. I wasn't searching for any sort of excuse, either.

Would you mind if I take a seat? [She gestures to the empty swing next to Presea's. If there's something bothering her, it's best to simply discuss it. Otherwise, Presea's condition may only worsen.]

[not_klonoa]

[She's not in trouble? That's a little odd, considering how lackluster she was in just about everything for the past couple of days now. She was sure she was going to be called out on it, or punished in some way. Presea blinked, confused, and nodded as her eyes traveled from the spot beside her person back to Gelda.]

No...no, of course not.

[She nodded towards the opposite swing, beginning to sway very slowly in hers.]

[corrinesbell]

[Sheena is slowly making her way home today. She feels well enough to stand a move around, and she figured the walk home would be juuuust enough to allow her to put up with a few more days spent mostly in bed. Plus Zelos brought her proper clothes for winter, so it's not like she's going to freeze, this time.

She may not spot Presea right away, since she's focusing on the walk.]

[not_klonoa]

[Presea can hear Sheena rather than see her, and though she, too, is so deep in thought and trying to think of just what it is she could possibly do, Presea does quickly glance out of the corner of her eye. It's a quick glance, one that doesn't register the young ninja at that moment, but once it does, Presea turns her head and looks up, mild surprise on her face.]

Sheena? You have been returned!

[corrinesbell]

[she looks up kind of quickly, smiling when she sees who it is]

Hey Presea. ...Yeah, it was a couple days ago.

[is that an open adjacent swing? Also known as a seat? She's going to come and sit in it, weary already. She's still got some fading bruises]

Figures Zelos didn't tell anybody.

[not_klonoa]

[Presea was about to just go over and assist her friend, eyes already zeroing in on the blackened skin. Just a couple of days ago? And she was still in this condition? Sheena shouldn't be walking.]

You are injured...

[generalflirt]

[You know, it's really hard to miss a depressed looking little girl on the swings... particularly when you out of class yourself (and yes, he does go sometimes) have just, you know... gotten out. It's not his usual hang out, the playground, but today he FOLLOWED HER HOHOHO no really just was here by chance. Probably.

The point is, seeing her there, he considers how best to ham it up. He decides on the obvious- that swing next to her is leaped on and, impressively, he lands on it, and thus stands on the swing, his hands on the chains to support himself.

Plus a grin. That said, he had to time that jump and such so he was probably apparent beforehand]

[not_klonoa]

[Presea does notice Kida, and she almost calls out to him, when memory recalls that she had met him once before. He wouldn't know her like this, though. It was during an experiment that they talked, where she was much...older. Ugh, that's not something she needs to be thinking of right now, either, her stunted growth and lost time.

Watching Kida carefully, she blinks when he does his little acrobatic stunt. What was he trying to achieve by doing that? If he wanted to swing over the bar, he needed much more speed, and a greater distance to run from, first. And the trajectory was all wrong...plus, with his height and weight... Well, he at least seemed pleased.]

I, uh... You are very nimble.

[generalflirt]

Thank you, thank you!! I'll give some autographs when I'm finished, and maybe I'll seal them with a kiss instead of a stamp? [A pause and then he laughs]

No- that's too forward!

[As he's still singing. That is.

Seriously]

[not_klonoa]

[Presea blinks again, and just looks more and more confused. What was he doing, and why? Autographs...k-kisses? ...Singing? What in the world is going on right now?!]

I do not...require anything of that sort, th-thank you.

/never saw this apparently

[wise_maiden]

[Raine had noticed that Presea had seemed distracted lately, given the girl was in her more primary classes, though was giving her some time-- if there was anything Presea wanted to speak to her about, of course she was available.

Especially when it seems that nearly everyone else has left the area, but one has not.]

no worries!

[not_klonoa]

[Presea was just staring absently at the ground, but her senses were still alert to everything around her. She could feel the presence of another, a little farther off, and looked up after some time. Who would still be here, when everyone else had trailed away by now?

Her eyes focused on the person in question, and immediately, Presea felt a little apprehensive. She hadn't talked to anyone else from home about what she found out, and though she believed Sheena (why shouldn't she?), Presea wanted to make sure. So, slowly, she slides off the swing and approaches the woman.]

...Raine?

[Action]

[wise_maiden]

[Raine's not in any real rush to get back to her house, given the tension lately. She's a little distracted herself, but focuses her attention once Presea steps forward to acknowledge her presence.]

Hello, Presea. You seemed pensive, so I didn't want to interrupt you.

[Action]

[not_klonoa]

[Presea looks down, feeling guilty once her mood seemed to have been pointed out to her so obviously. She hadn't meant to be that way, it was just bad circumstances and poor timing. She had been so excited to attend classes, too...what a horrible student she was.]

I was merely...thinking. I apologize for my behavior these past few days. I assume it had negatively impacted my studies as well... I-I...just--