Outside the Academy

...

Mitsukai ran up and started trying to climb a tree. But soon she had fallen on her butt and frowned, deciding to hide behind the tree rather than in it.

Varen silently follows Mitsukai's tracks, not knowing where she was hiding. She pushed her glasses up her nose when she saw that there was a clearing of open space, where anyone could see her. Varen crouched behind a tree and set Doru on the ground. She used her chakra to form strings, and clumsily led Doru out into the clearing. He stumbled around, falling every now and again.

Mitsukai peeked out from behind the tree to see Doru, and her eyes widened. This was the perfect bait for one such as Mitsukai, for she adored Varen's little bunny doll. "Doru-san!!!" She ran out and grabbed him, only to feel a slight tug because of the chakra strings. Confused, she gave a big pull on the bunny doll, trying to figure out what was going on.

(lol xD Innocence can be hilarious sometimes! :D)

"W-Wah~!" Varen flew from behind the tree, sprawled out on the ground. Doru sweatdropped, then went limp in Mitsukai's hand. Varen sat up, so she was on all fours, moving her hand over the ground, looking for her glasses which had fallen off.

"Var-chan...?" Mitsukai sweatdropped, looking from Doru to Varen. She laughed a little, "Sorry about that." She walked over and picked up Varen's glasses and handed them to her. She did not, however, hand over Doru.

"Th-Thank you..." Varen gratefully accepted her glasses, and took note of how Mitsuaki didn't hand over Doru. She seemed to like her little puppet. An idea began hatching in her mind. "You...you like Doru?" Varen questioned.

Mitsukai grinned and nodded with a giggle, hugging little Doru.

Varen thinks for a little. "Would you.....like to....uhm..." Varen looks away, blushing a little, quieter than normal. "Come....have...a-a tea party with us?"

Mitsukai frowned in a very serious manner, "Will there be riceballs?" She watched her skeptically. She would only attend the best tea parties, and she wouldn't be caught dead anywhere else. (xD)

(serious lolz)"W-well, if you want some. Mr. Usagi is very good at making food..." She mumbled. Varen would now have to invite Kiara, so that she wouldn't feel left out. She was positive Raiden wouldn't want to come.

"Perfect!" Mitsukai chirped, taking Varen by the arm and holding Doru with her other arm, "Lets go find Kia-chan first though!" She giggled, "But you have to find her, so you lead!"

Varen nodded, and led the way.

Varen walks back under the trees, Doru in one hand, and random puppet pieces in the other. She sets all of her load on the ground, a little ways away from the swing. The brunette runs over to the academy, slipping inside its doors for a brief moment. She comes back out carrying her puppet, Mr. Usagi, which easily dwarfed her. His legs dragged on the ground as she placed him under the tree with her other things. Grabbing a tool from Mr. Usagi's pocket, Varen began to work on his shoulder joint, taking his arm off.

Varen picked up Mr.Usagi's arm and began to place the metal pieces into it, appearing to be just a guard. As she worked on connecting the metal pieces, a small group of kids from her class ran by. They were throwing paper shurikens at each other, and laughing whenever anyone played dead. Varen paused to watch them for a bit. Suddenly, a shuriken flew at her, hitting her shoulder. The kids stared at her. "Would....you like it back?" Varen asked, offering them the toy. They turned and whispered to each other, then looked over their shoulders at her. One of them replied, "No, you're gross, so you can keep it." They all snickered and ran away. Varen stared at the plaything in her hand, then threw it at a nearby tree. She silently continued work on Mr. Usagi.

Tsukiko walked out from the other side of the tree and grabbed the paper shuriken before looking up and gazing at the girl ahead. Now wearing a leaf headband instead of her own, stepped forward and spoke, "People like that grow up to be gross themselves. Know what I mean?"

Varen looked up at the woman, pausing her work on her puppet. "R-Really?" That must mean that Varen's parents were like that as kids. Not that it mattered. Placing Mr. Usagi aside, Varen absently fiddled with an elbow joint she had bought.

Tsukiko fainted a smile and nodded, "Yeah. That's why people pay them no mind sometimes." She then kneeled down near the object the girl had set down. "Well, this is an interesting little guy," she said as she looked back over her shoulder at her, "Oh, I'm Akiha by the way."

Varen put her fists on her knees and bowed the best she could. "N-Nice to meet you. My name is Varen...." A small smirk played on her lips as she looked to Mr. Usagi. "And he's Mr. Usagi, one of my puppets."

Tsukiko smiled and looked over at the puppet, "A puppeteer? My,my what a facinating talent for one your age." She looked back at Varen and nodded, "You do nice work."

Varen's face blushed profusely at the praise. "Th-Thank you! However...." The blush faded as she looked at the ground. "Mr. Usagi breaks quite a bit, and most everyone thinks I'm weird..."

She kneeled there holding the paper shuriken, "Well,I wouldn't worry about him breaking. Most of the best works in history took practice, but eventually," she said turning and throwing it, making it hit the center of the tree trunk, "you get the hang of it." Tsukiko smirked and looked back at Varen, "Besides,wierd is just another way of saying unique, which is a good thing." She then walked over and patted Varen's head, "So just know,you're never wierd,just unique."

Varen looked up at the woman, thankful for the praise. But in the back of her mind, she wondered. Why did this woman care? Varen had never seen her around before. "Ms.... Why are you telling me this?"

Tsukiko smirked and looked up, "When I was younger, my sister and I used to only play with each other. People called us wierd whenever they saw us, so we didn't have alot of other friends." She then looked back at Varen, "I guess you could say you reminded me of those days."

Varen nodded. "Okay....then..." It was good to have an answer, but this woman was still confusing to her. She seemed.... Varen couldn't put her finger on it. "Can I... help you somehow?"