The Spider's Web (Shiori)

It was a pleasant enough day as the weather was clear and Rachel sat outside in her usual place. It was a solitary cherry blossom tree that was surrounded by a bench. A stone path circled around that, and then there were four flour plotters spaced along as a boarder to that. This was Rachel's spot, and she often sat here alone eating her lunch. Many might like to sit in a nice place like this, but as most people avoided her and she came here, she usually had it all to herself. Her little grove. You avoided it if you wanted to avoid her and you came here if you wanted to see her. Not many did the latter, her reputation proceeded her. She did occasionally eat lunch in the cafeteria though. It was always amusing to see everyone get nervous as she chose somewhere to sit, and then the looks from those around her when she intruded on their table. She'd politely ask for names and inquire about who she was talking with. It was amusing because she generally never did anything but be nice, however her reputation made everyone nervous they might be targeted. And sometimes they were. But you never quite knew if she was coming for you, so all you could do was worry. That alone was half the fun of it all.

Sometimes people came to her though. She'd been the subject of a dare on several occasions. That was always fun. Others were simply curious, and not fully aware of what they might be getting themselves into. Rachel was always pretty nice and sweet when talking to people. One could make a mistake on thinking the rumors were exaggeration. So they'd hover around and try to get a better idea. But the only way to know for sure was to interact. And so they would step forward, into her little grove. And like flies in a web, she'd have them. The beautiful trap luring them in, never realizing the spider that lay in wait at the center. But oh the fun that could be had once she sunk her fangs in them. Rachel munched on her sandwich, spoiling for a good time. She should do something tonight, but what?

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Words - 376 | Tag - Shiori Ishikawa | Notes - N/A

Shiori walks quickly down the sidewalk, glancing all around, but especially back where she came from. She'd just given the group of girls that had dragged her to the cafeteria the slip and she doesn't want any of them to figure out that she's not going to return. Luckily, it doesn't seem like any of them are following her. Letting go a sigh of relief, the redhead shoves her hands into her pockets, feeling the wrapped onigiri and bread in them. She'd been in such a hurry to get away from that group of girls that she'd scarfed down the food she'd grabbed from the cafeteria too quickly to even really taste it. So on the way out she'd bought the prepackaged food. Now she's searching for a place to sit down and actually enjoy what she's eating. Preferably a place that's away from other people.

Looking around, she spies a cherry blossom tree sitting out in an open area, with a bench that seems to wrap around it. The spot is a bit out of the way, the main sidewalk splitting off into a smaller stone pathway. And the best part is that there doesn't seem to be any people nearby! Grinning to herself, Shiori steps onto the stone pathway and slowly walks over to the cherry blossom tree. Her gait and posture is much more relaxed than previously, now that that she feels that she's properly escaped.

Oh man, those girls were a bit much today, she thinks ruefully to herself. Generally, she doesn't mind when people try to engage in conversion with her. But since she's still pretty new to the school, and the reason she's here is a bit of a sore subject, she'd rather not be around people trying to pry her life's story out of her. So the first chance she got, she gave them the slip.

As she approaches the tree, she decides to sit on the bench side that's not facing the school. Just in case. Footsteps clicking against the stones, she rounds the tree and immediately halts in place. For sitting there is a girl eating a sandwich. It's not anyone she knows, as far as she can recall. But that's not particularly surprising. There's a lot of people at this school, with just about as many different schedules. It's most likely that they currently don't have any shared classes.

Her pause is only for a moment, a brief look of surprise flashing across her face before her customary smile takes over.

Ah, well, I tried to get away, but at least there's only one, she muses. Tilting her head slightly to the side, her short hair swaying in the gentle breeze, she raises a hand in greeting and says,

"Yo."

Rachel heard the footsteps closing in on her little eating area. They circled around the tree and came to a stop after walking around it. Likely because they spotted Rachel. The dark haired vixin turned her head and looked up at the newcomer to her little grove. It was a tall, handsome looking girl who had stopped there. The girl smiled and waved with a simple little greeting. Rachel smiled back at the greeting. It was a sweet smile, and yet there was something off about it. As if there was something a bit deeper below the surface of friendliness. A fox like smile that was pretty on the outside but cunning on the inside.

"Hello." Rachel replied, "And what brings you to my spot, little Kohai?" she asked sweetly. Yes, Rachel was guessing at her being an underclassman, but she didn't know this girl and was pretty confidant she knew all of the forth years. Some better than others. Though Red here didn't seem too young, so she'd guess likely a third year, but she could always look older than her age. Rachel simply waited, while still smiling, for the girl's response. It wasn't often that people so voluntarily come up to her and Rachel was curious as to the reason. Likely this girl didn't know who she was, at least by appearance. If she had heard the rumors and stories would she still have stepped forward? Perhaps that was why she was here at all? Some people were too curious for their own good...

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Words - 256 | Tag - Shiori Ishikawa | Notes - N/A

Shiori approaches the other girl until she's standing in front of her. She leans forward slightly, an eyebrow raised at the return greeting.

"Well, I could be your kohai. There is a chance for that. But... " a lopsided smile tilts her lips up, her dark eyes dancing with amusement, "... I know for a fact that I'm not little."

Peering down at the other girl, she rakes her gaze quickly over the other's form. Even sitting down, she can tell that her companion is on the rather short side.

"And I can say, without a doubt, that I'm at least taller than you."

Her tone is teasing, her posture relaxed. Straightening up a bit, the plastic covering her snacks crinkles under her hands at the movement.

"As for why I'm here..." With a flourish, she pulls out the onigiri and the bread from her pockets. One item per hand, she shrugs and give a wry smile.

"I wanted to eat something in peace, so I decided to go out where there weren't so many people. This place looked pretty deserted and out of the way, so I decided to try it out. But it seems I was wrong." Tilting her head slightly to the side, she once again shrugs.

"But I don't mind the company of such a pretty lady. If you don't mind my joining you, that is?" Nodding towards the bench, she gives another one of her winning smiles, peering inquiringly into the other's violet eyes.

The breeze picks up, scattering a small storm of cherry blossoms and causing them to swirl around and rain down onto the two girls. As the breeze calms down, a few of the wayward petals settles onto Shiori's shoulders and nestles in between the waves of her hair.