DECEMBER EVENT/TDM
bulletin board updates
✽ There are several new points of interest at the bulletin board this month, most prominently a wooden box with the slit on the top just large enough to drop a sheet of paper inside. Above is an explanation of Secret Santa and a form to fill out for those interested in participating to write down their name, homeroom, and locker number. Sign-ups close on 12/5, and following assignments, gifts may be given in person or through one of the student council members if anonymous gifting is preferred (contact the mod to hire a stuco elf).
✽ Right next to this box is a poster with a large orange giraffe painted on it. The contents of the poster has nothing to do with giraffes, but rather, is an advertisement for student store commissions featuring quality work with quick turnarounds and a special discount for the month of December if you buy five or more commissions, or bring the shopkeep a warm drink and maybe a snack while they're working.
✽ To the side of the class roster and current ranks is a digital countdown, and scrawled on the bulletin board itself is the message "You're almost there! You can do it! One more push!" but it's unclear whether this message refers to the countdown to the new year, or to the long glass tube situated along the edge of the bulletin board next to it. Maybe both. The tube looks similar to a graduated cylinder, holding a total volume of 5000 ml and currently containing 4850 ml of dark red (presumably) blood, hot to the touch. It can not be broken or removed. The mod will be in contact if any character action this month causes the volume to change.
✽ A neatly typed notice, half buried under all the other announcements, contains a reminder that tuition will be due soon for those students continuing to study at Yogen. If tuition is not paid in full by the end of February, "compensation" will be taken instead.
✽ And finally, there is a notice from the student council that proof of club activity is once again due for submission to the student council by 12/24, otherwise the club will be dissolved and resources taken back. Please submit activity proof to the toplevel below.
✽ Right next to this box is a poster with a large orange giraffe painted on it. The contents of the poster has nothing to do with giraffes, but rather, is an advertisement for student store commissions featuring quality work with quick turnarounds and a special discount for the month of December if you buy five or more commissions, or bring the shopkeep a warm drink and maybe a snack while they're working.
✽ To the side of the class roster and current ranks is a digital countdown, and scrawled on the bulletin board itself is the message "You're almost there! You can do it! One more push!" but it's unclear whether this message refers to the countdown to the new year, or to the long glass tube situated along the edge of the bulletin board next to it. Maybe both. The tube looks similar to a graduated cylinder, holding a total volume of 5000 ml and currently containing 4850 ml of dark red (presumably) blood, hot to the touch. It can not be broken or removed. The mod will be in contact if any character action this month causes the volume to change.
✽ A neatly typed notice, half buried under all the other announcements, contains a reminder that tuition will be due soon for those students continuing to study at Yogen. If tuition is not paid in full by the end of February, "compensation" will be taken instead.
✽ And finally, there is a notice from the student council that proof of club activity is once again due for submission to the student council by 12/24, otherwise the club will be dissolved and resources taken back. Please submit activity proof to the toplevel below.
12/20 - 12/24 finals week
✽ The week before winter break is finals, with many students cramming as many math formulas and foreign country leaders into their heads as possible without it all spilling over, while other students have decided to chance the practicum instead. Those who have signed up for the practicum are asked to meet inside the auditorium after homeroom at the start of the day while test takers begin their written exams. Students are allowed to change their minds on which to take, up until the end of homeroom on Monday, after the bell rings and the doors close.
✽ For the test takers, finals last for five days, from 8AM until noon each day, after which students are allowed to go home, or have lunch and continue studying in their homerooms or in the library. At the end of finals on Friday, students are asked to remain in their homerooms over lunch break while their exams finish being graded, after which homeroom teachers will return and ask certain students to go with them to the faculty office. These are the failing students. Which the homeroom teachers themselves have the pleasure of executing for their failures. All other students are dismissed and wished a happy winter break.
✽ For those opting for the practicum, finals last for two days, from 8AM until noon on Monday and Tuesday. All students from all grades meet in the auditorium the first day and are told the very simple rules for this semester's practicum: in order to raise your failing grade, all you have to do is kill another student, upon which you take their points for yourself. At the start of both days, students first gather in the auditorium for a headcount and then are given a half hour no-killing grace period during which they are allowed to scatter and find the best sniping/ambushing/hiding spots. The hunt is limited to four hours each day and kills must be done on campus; any kills done outside of these parameters are just for fun and do not count towards their final grade. Points are given for kills involving students in the same grade level of different homerooms (e.g. third years only benefit from killing other third years) and points are revoked for kills involving other grade levels or test takers not participating in the practicum. They studied hard, leave them alone. Most students need only one or two kills to pass, but multiple kills stack and earn them extra credit that will carry over to the next semester. Students who end the second day with a still failing grade will be called to the faculty office. ... All remaining students are dismissed and wished a happy (early!) winter break.
✽ A winter storm starts to whip up around noon on the 24th, raging through the night before settling down come morning, blanketing the entire campus with several feet of snow.
✽ For the test takers, finals last for five days, from 8AM until noon each day, after which students are allowed to go home, or have lunch and continue studying in their homerooms or in the library. At the end of finals on Friday, students are asked to remain in their homerooms over lunch break while their exams finish being graded, after which homeroom teachers will return and ask certain students to go with them to the faculty office. These are the failing students. Which the homeroom teachers themselves have the pleasure of executing for their failures. All other students are dismissed and wished a happy winter break.
✽ For those opting for the practicum, finals last for two days, from 8AM until noon on Monday and Tuesday. All students from all grades meet in the auditorium the first day and are told the very simple rules for this semester's practicum: in order to raise your failing grade, all you have to do is kill another student, upon which you take their points for yourself. At the start of both days, students first gather in the auditorium for a headcount and then are given a half hour no-killing grace period during which they are allowed to scatter and find the best sniping/ambushing/hiding spots. The hunt is limited to four hours each day and kills must be done on campus; any kills done outside of these parameters are just for fun and do not count towards their final grade. Points are given for kills involving students in the same grade level of different homerooms (e.g. third years only benefit from killing other third years) and points are revoked for kills involving other grade levels or test takers not participating in the practicum. They studied hard, leave them alone. Most students need only one or two kills to pass, but multiple kills stack and earn them extra credit that will carry over to the next semester. Students who end the second day with a still failing grade will be called to the faculty office. ... All remaining students are dismissed and wished a happy (early!) winter break.
✽ A winter storm starts to whip up around noon on the 24th, raging through the night before settling down come morning, blanketing the entire campus with several feet of snow.
OOC
✽ PC faculty still have finals: they will either take written exams excluding that of their own subject, or they can take the practicum. Players with faculty characters are asked to reply to the toplevel below to indicate the number of failed students per class, but characters do NOT have to ICly be responsible for killing failed students. Unless they're cool with that, and if so, please let me know.
✽ This is a reminder that for any character that murders (again, please let me know), they will experience the same pain the following night and lose powers/abilities for one week. Two weeks after the murder, +1 tally and +100 merit points will be awarded for each kill.
✽ The void in the auditorium continues to grow, and (pending character interaction) by the end of the month will encompass the entire right wing of all floors, including the locker area but not the rooftop. Please mind the void, murderers.
✽ This is a reminder that for any character that murders (again, please let me know), they will experience the same pain the following night and lose powers/abilities for one week. Two weeks after the murder, +1 tally and +100 merit points will be awarded for each kill.
✽ The void in the auditorium continues to grow, and (pending character interaction) by the end of the month will encompass the entire right wing of all floors, including the locker area but not the rooftop. Please mind the void, murderers.
c!!!
As quietly as he can, he wedges the door open and finds the girl responsible for creating the melody. He doesn't say a word as she plays, only mentally notes how wrapped up in playing she appears. Like it's the most natural place in the world for her to be.
As soon as she finishes, Hinata immediately begins clapping, light but appreciative.]
That was... amazing. The way you play the piano is incredible, you're really talented.
[Part of him almost wants to flinch, saying that, but it's different here - this is not Hope's Peak. People here are not completely dependent on talent.]
no subject
Thanks. I've been playing ever since I was a little girl, but I'm really nothing too special. Just someone who likes piano a little too much.
[a totally average high school girl with an obsession.]
Are you a fan of classical music?
no subject
I wouldn't call myself a fan, necessarily... I don't hate it or anything, it's just not the first type of music I go for.
[What does Hinata listen to... looks at hand, Kodaka gave me the answer for Naegi but not for this one. Shakes fist.]
But it's hard not to be moved when someone plays so well, you know? Even if I'm not an expert in music, even I could tell how much you put into your playing.
[Liking something, being passionate about something... It's a wonderful thing, Hinata thinks. He can't help but feel a little envious, because it must be nice to know what it is that you're best at, what you're passionate about. But it isn't a feeling he can really hold onto; it isn't fair of him, really, when he's only just met this girl and she's sweet besides.]
Ah sorry, I've been talking and I almost forgot to introduce myself... I'm Hinata, Hinata Hajime. You?
no subject
I'm Akamatsu Kaede. It's nice to meet you, Hinata-kun, and I really don't mind -- every pianist wants to hear what their audience has to say, though I wasn't really expecting to have one.
[it is clear she doesn't mind though, smile warm and reassuring.]
If I did, I would've picked a peppier piece, like Lizst's Grand Gallop Chromatique. It always gets my heart racing!
[mostly because it looks like a piano form of an anxiety attack but that's fine]
no subject
Nice to meet you, Akamatsu. I didn't expect to be an audience, either, but... I'm glad that I was if I got to hear it.
[He's still smiling even as confusion bleeds into it because. He has to assume that's a song, that can't be anything other than a song, right...? But it seems like something he's happy about, so Hinata is just ?:)]
I don't think I've ever heard of that before, but... It sounds pretty cool, at least.
no subject
It's very cool. [...] Would you like to hear it?
[hopeful...!]
no subject
Oh-! [Hinata's eyes go wide with surprise before he grins even wider.] I didn't know if you'd be up for it so soon, but definitely! I'd love to.
[Even if he isn't a music buff, the chance to hear her play again is pretty exciting. Hinata can't help but feel a little honored.]
no subject
Great! Take a seat -- it doesn't matter to me where, but I don't mind if you sit next to me.
[she'll scoot over a little, unbothered by the company, and once he's chosen wherever he's decided to be...
kaede's hands will perform a class trial all their own against the piano, unbothered by the apparent difficulty that goes into such an extraordinarily energetic piece.]
no subject
Then... [Hinata takes a quick glance around. The closest is the piano bench, so... It's a little embarrassing, but he slides into place beside her.] Here is fine.
[Hinata is smiling innocently, completely unaware of what he's about to witness, but then - his jaw is dropping because oh. Oh. Her hands??? Her hands.]
Holy shit.
[He doesn't mean for that to slip out mid-song but it sure does anyway.]