(fourteenth miracle) BBS + action

[bunnypassingby]

In my country, Japan, we used to have a star festival called Tanabata, celebrating the meeting of two stars (Vega and Altair) which represented the two lovers Orihime and Hikoboshi meeting for the one time they could every year. People write down wishes on pieces of paper and hang them on bamboo trees. It's said that if you burn them by a river after the night of Tanabata (July 7th), the wishes would come true.

Last year some other people and I helped Japan-sama write down people's wishes on paper and hang them on small trees. I'd like to do that again this year. If anyone would like to join me, I'll be in the quad with some pens and paper for you to write your wishes on, or if you're busy, you can post your wishes here and we can write them down for you.

- Mikuru

[As promised (or perhaps you saw her before the BBS post), Mikuru is in the quad with pens, paper, and string for tying the wishes up. As most of her resources at the moment are going into homecoming, she doesn't have little trees this year and has strung up her wish on one of the quad's trees nearby instead.

[Her wish on the tree, written in Japanese, is to Stay safe, Itsuki-kun.]

Comments

[bunnypassingby]

[Mikuru is not about to judge her for giggling! Mikuru is, generally, a judgment-free zone.]

Well, we can talk about it if there's a next time. [She's grinning, but tries to get more serious.] But, um - really: Thank you. For... believing in me, for everything you said.

[gunbladegrrl]

[Maria judges herself! She's a gunblade girl, not a giggling girl!]

You're not allowed to stay a cadet when I graduate. That just means at the NEXT ball, we'll both be out there in our uniforms, right?

[bunnypassingby]

["I'll do my best!" ... is what she wants to say, her first instinct. But that's not good enough for Maria and her faith. Instead, Mikuru makes a fist.] Right!

[... sound a little more convincing, honey.]

[gunbladegrrl]

[Maria just gives her a look that's partly exasperated, mostly fond.]

If I can do it, you can do it.

And I can do it. So you can do it.

[bunnypassingby]

[Mikuru thinks about it for a moment, and then nods, extending a pinky.]

Let's do this.

[Pinky promise her we'll do this!!]

[gunbladegrrl]

[She hooks her pinky around Mikuru's immediately, with a grin.] End of this quarter, that ball is for both of us.

[bunnypassingby]

[And shake.] I guess I'll only get a new dress for Homecoming instead of one for the graduation ball as well...

[... Mikuru, was that a joke?]

[gunbladegrrl]

And then we can both spend the entire ball wondering why the female uniforms are so short.

[bunnypassingby]

[She wrinkles her nose.] I heard it was for ease of movement. But that's ["ridiculous"] - I can move easier in a midi skirt than my Miracle costume. [Partially because she doesn't spend half her time trying to pull a midi skirt down so as not to show the world what she had for breakfast.]

[gunbladegrrl]

I'd rather just wear pants. I swear the uniform designer has got to be a leg-loving man. But it's not like I even have anything to ogle. Unlike some girls. [She playfully nudges Mikuru.]

[bunnypassingby]

[As much as she knows it's in jest, Mikuru blushes anyway.] No way, you've got longer legs than me. [Partially because Maria is taller, but hey.]

[gunbladegrrl]

Only because I'm taller. Trust me. We both know which one of us a certain mutual acquaintance of ours is doe-eyed over.

[She winks playfully]

this is now officially after the Zak thread

[bunnypassingby]

[Confusion.

[Lightbulb moment.

[Blush.

[Mortified face in hands.]

[gunbladegrrl]

Now what's THAT expression for?

[bunnypassingby]

I think Zak was trying to ask me out! [It comes out fast, in one breath. What has she done.]

[gunbladegrrl]

Really?

[Maria grins broadly.]

Well, I guess Galbadia taught him to go for what he wants while he can. Really, it's about time he asked you.

[bunnypassingby]

I didn't know what to say - I told him I'd think about it - he looked so upset -

[Mikuru wants to bury herself, because she cannot cover her face with her hands any more than she already is.]

[gunbladegrrl]

Panicked?

[She puts a comforting arm around Mikuru's shoulders... trying not to smile. She DOES feel for Mikuru, but this is just... sadly funny.]

[bunnypassingby]

Yeah... I was so surprised I didn't know what to do... No one's really asked me out before.

[gunbladegrrl]

So do you actually want to date him?

[This is only going to get worse before it gets better, Mikuru.]

[bunnypassingby]

I... [She starts cutting up another piece of paper for wish slips, just to do something with her hands besides fidget.] I don't know...

[gunbladegrrl]

Why's that?

[But she puts a comforting arm around her friend, to try and help ease her through this conversation.]

[bunnypassingby]

I just... never really thought about him that way before... I'm not saying I couldn't, but...

[She sets down the paper and scissors with a sigh.] This is really confusing.

[gunbladegrrl]

Really, never?

I don't know if it has to be too confusing. Out of all the guys in this school, if you were gonna pick, who WOULD you pick to date?

[bunnypassingby]

I haven't thought about dating or anything in ages! And some guys I would have thought of are SeeDs now and the outranking thing would be weird, fraternization and everything...

[Oh, Mikuru, you're like the only one who cares about that; Garden is supportive of SeeD/client relations.]

Zak, yeah... Russell Drake [some native NPC]... [Shrug.]