lillian_academy | Welcome to the New Year

"Gokigenyou."

"Gokigenyou."

The clear morning greeting travels through the serene, blue sky.

Today, once again, the maidens that gather in the Virgin Mary's garden smile purely to one another as they pass under the tall gateway.
Wrapping their innocent bodies and souls is a deep-coloured school uniform.

Walking slowly as to not disturb the plaits in their skirts, so as to not toss their white sailor scarves into disarray... such is the standard of modesty here. Running because one is in danger of missing class, for instance, is too undignified a sight for students to wish upon themselves here.

Lillian Private Academy for Women.

Founded in Meiji 34, this academy was originally intended for the young women of nobility, and is now a Catholic academy of prestigious tradition. Placed in downtown Tokyo, where you can still see traces of Musashi Field's greenery, it is protected by God, a garden where maidens can receive tutelage from pre-school to university.

Time passes, and even now, in Heisei, three era-names past Meiji, it is a valuable academy, where nurtured ladies raised in greenhouses are shipped out in carefully packaged boxes after 18 years of schooling - an arrangement that continues to survive.
As the last note of Maria-sama's Soul rings through the chapel, echoing into the high rafters, the Yamayurikai stands tall at the front of the procession, ready to give out the gifts of rosaries to their newest arrivals.

The respective classes of each first-year are called, and each one receives their gift from the Yamayurikai members. The second and third year students are sitting by, simply watching, perhaps commenting quietly to each other whenever a particularly interesting first-year passes by, but they are quick to silence when the stern gazes of the nuns passes over them.

A new year has come to Lillian Academy, and the students are ready to start their adventures in life, love, and everything else.

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[Open post for the welcoming ceremony and the beginning of the year! Feel free to use this for the actual ceremony, shortly thereafter, or the general first day of school. Welcome!]

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[Ceremony:]

[Has it really been a year since her own entrance ceremony? It doesn't feel like it, Riko thinks as she watches the nervous first-years. It's nostalgic, in a good way.

Rosa Foetida en bouton she may be, but she doesn't need to say anything. She tries her best to be reassuring, giving every girl a warm smile as she receives her rosary. Once everything is finished, she can be found just outside, ready to direct new students or just say a friendly hello.]

[Later:]

[It's a lovely day, and the windows to the music room are open. The sounds of piano music can be heard, and if you peek inside, you'll see Riko at the piano. School may be in session, but she has a piano competition coming up and isn't going to skip out on practice. She might not be happy to be interrupted, but she certainly doesn't mind if someone listens.]

[The wonderful advantages of being a first year - and one without a Soeur, in fact - is that Kumiko gets stuck doing all the gofer work. The wind ensemble band had their first little meeting, and it would've been just her luck that she left one of her notebooks behind in the music room. Not one for any class she has coming up today, but she heads out to grab it just before lunch is over.

What she is not expecting is someone at the piano, and someone that seems like they've been there for a while. She knows people don't like being interrupted when practicing... she doesn't much either, when she bothers to actually do it.

Wait, she knows this face... right? Maybe... ohhh, she was up there during the welcoming ceremony with the Yamayurikai.

... Uhh mmmmaybe she should come back later to get that notebook, it's not that important.

Or she could sit there, indecisive, and stare into the room like a deer lost in the headlights. The music's very good, and she'll always have a musical affiliation.]

[It's either a good thing or a terrible thing when Riko finishes playing and looks up from her sheet music. She doesn't seem upset or worried at all when she spots Kumiko.]

Ah, good afternoon! I'm sorry I didn't notice you were here. You're from the wind instruments club, no? I've heard the club play.

[She closes the piano lid, getting to her feet.]

Is there something I can help with?

[... Caught staring. She stiffens, suddenly. Ooooops.] A-ah, yeah, I just joined! [Even though she kind of didn't want to, she thought she was tired of band from before, but she sort of... accidentally fell back into it, even if she didn't-

Well, whatever, her thought process is interrupted by the question.]

A-ah, I didn't mean to listen in if you didn't want me to! You play really well. [Too many trains of thought, not enough mental filter: Kumiko Oumae.]

Er, what I mean is... is there a notebook in here?

I'm sure you're going to have a good time with them.

[The musically inclined people stick together, at least to an extent.]

There's no need to worry about that, and thank you. I'm practicing for a competition in about two weeks, so I'm glad the piece is shaping up so well.

[She hums.]

I think I saw one towards the back.

I hope so... [She knows about their history. They're a consistently good band, though not always at the top of the charts, so maybe she'll make some nice memories while she's here, and not have to take competition quite so seriously like in Middle School.

... Except it seems like, in this whole school, she's surrounded by people that are exceptional at something and destined for success. And things can change very quickly.]

Well, I hope you do well. [That is actually honest. She can seem very passive and uncaring, but this doesn't concern her, so she can at least do some well-wishing.

With that, she nods, firmly, and very stiffly walks into the room, well aware she's probably being watched as she goes to see if she can find her notebook. Because she's acting weird.]

Thank you. Here, let me give you a hand.

[Riko isn't going to comment on how nervous Kumiko seems to be. She knows the feeling all too well from her first year in the high school. Being told to relax or calm down only makes things worse, and the best course of action is to let it pass on its own.]

What color is your notebook?

[Help is unexpected... but help is welcome!]

It's... um, it should just be black. Just says "Notes" on the front. [Because she is A+ at organizing her stuff.]

... It should be right about here... [She makes a motion to a part of the room where she usually sits.] But... it must've been moved...

[ Standing at the doorway is one redheaded girl who wears a smile on her face as well as the rest of her uniform. Maki couldn't help but peek her head in when she heard her soeur playing from down the hall. Maki's a third year after all, and given both girl's interest in piano and music in general, it was no wonder they had become friends and grown closer. Both girls had different aspirations with their music, but they had so much in common still.

For now, she waits until Riko is finished and quietly claps for her when she strikes the last note. ]

[It's a good thing Maki waited until the last note. Riko jumps a little when she hears the clapping, then blushes and smiles.]

Onee-sama? I didn't see you there, I'm sorry. How do I sound?

[ It's still weird to hear Riko say that, especially when it's just the two of them alone, but she doesn't tell her to stop either. Instead Maki gently closes the door behind her, to walk to the piano. ]

Not bad. You've really come a long way. You were already skilled when I met you last year, but I'm almost worried now you might surpass me.

[ Maki is smiling slightly, as she leans over onto the beautifully lacquered piano. ]

But you missed a note, in the second stanza.

I don't think you have to worry about that at all. You're three times the pianist I am.

[Riko frowns, picking up the sheet music and going back to the second stanza. There's a portion that she's highlighted, and she sighs - it's clear that this has been a trouble spot for a while.]

I just can't seem to get the hang of this part...

Th-Three times?!

[ That catches Maki a little by surprise. She knows she's better, but she doesn't believe it to be talent or anything like that that separates the two of them. Given how good Riko is herself, Maki still practices every day just so she doesn't let that gap between them get too small! If she did, what kind of onee-san would she be?! ]

I-It's only natural I guess, since I've been doing it longer than you have... [ She's twirling idly at her hair, failing to hide her real feelings at all, but by now Riko must be used to that. ]

Slide over and I'll show you how to play it.

[ interrupt, no— listening idly by the the doorway, haruki somehow manages to wait until the girl finishes. "somehow" is a bit deceitful, though: she'd be annoyed, personally, if someone else had interrupted the piece. it's beautiful, and distorting it would be a shame.

but when riko does finish, she enters. and once close enough, in likely too casual of a manner, she leans an arm against the piano's lid, peering curiously at the second year. ]

Well, well. Looks like we got some skill here, eh? [ a lopsided grin. ] You always practice during class?

Welcome to the New Year

Riko Sakurauchi | Second Year

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later.