First afterschool

[Afternoon - April 1, Mon]

As Ibuki finds a nice clearing alongside the forest road, she gladly stops there to meditate. She can't though, as the loud noise of boulders crashing and cracking distract her. With little hardship, she quickly notices it's Sumeryu training, lifting the largest boulders and tree-trunks she could find. It didn't help that she was surrounded by fans, gushing over her and taking pictures.

While at that, Luna walked haphazardly by the road, appreciating the peaceful landscape, the red Sun plummeting on the horizon, casting hues of lilac and pink on the hovering clouds, while plunging the world in twilight darkness.

Also Lín Jìng was there, following rumors that the hideout from the terrible thief that's haunting the school grounds is around there, or at least where he stores his 'gains'.

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As these people all meet by fate, at the same crossroads, a shriek interrupts any attempt at introductions! As everyone turn to look, half-a-dozen of Sumeryu's fans are suspended on the air, entangled in a myriad of branches, crying for help. Behind them, a large tree with a sinister look, carved in its trunk, grins at them, and five little mushroom creatures come out of its mouth, hasting towards the other girls, with mischievous grins.

As this scene unwraps, Hanami and her captives approach, seeing the commotion.

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Two of the Kinoko will attack Sumeryu and Ibuki each, them being the only two who are in the combat zone. If no one interferes, the other 3 will target the fans still unscathed.

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kanako finally got her break, idling happily in the deserted library, reading her fanservice-ridden doushin to her heart's content. Her peace doesn't last long though.

She suddenly is startled by a chuckle, coming out of nowhere. "Oh my... What's that? What an interesting book!" And then, a small figure, the size of her palm, jumps from the corner of the book-cover, a fairy! It seems, at least.

Her iridescent wings flap cheerfully as she gives a good look at the contents on the pages, giving Kanako a mischievous grin, "Why, I want to read this book! Would you care to borrow it to me?!" She says, daftly grabbing it and taking flight, starting a chase!

As she leaves the library, carrying the book that's twice her size, she looks ahead and sees a small girl, Konomi, studying the the sign on the culinary's club door: We are currently busy setting up the café at the mall, please come later :)

As Hanami studies the creatures on the other side of her glowing magical barrier, she concludes they're creatures of spiritual corruption, lesser spirits of the forest fallen into darkness. As for weaknesses, they should retain their natural vulnerability to fire and dryness, besides, their new nature as uncleansed spirits, make them particularly vulnerable to holy powers. Besides, it's clear that their hat is hard and armored, but the rest of their body is soft and squishy.

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As her underlings pull the scared girls away from danger, Hanami is left with a single defenseless girl at her side, protected by the barrier. The mushroom monsters, about a meter high, lower themselves, like springs, gather strength, and fling themselves with great power towards the barrier, their hats stony hard.

As they hit the barrier, it pulses at their impact, the waves dispersing the attack, as they're flung back, Hanami and the girl safe.

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Ibuki is taken completely by surprise as the one Kinoko that targeted her comes flying like a bullet at her, the impact raising a cloud of dust. But, as it's lifted, Ibuki is holding the creature close to her, she barely bruised, as the monster's attack, being square on, is absorbed by her armor, she only takes 6 damage.

Taking advantage of the position, she spins the mushroom, still carrying momentum, and then throws it away with her full force, aiming at the other one, currently targeting Sumeryu. It smashes the target, throwing it to the ground, looking stunned. The other who was thrown, stands up, seeming unscathed, but shocked by the sudden force that normal looking girl throwed him with!

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Then, Sumeryu finally throws the huge boulder she was holding, it flungs full speed at the three, but unfortunately only grazing it, yanking a chunk of its bark, the sinister face on the tree grimaces in pain and fury. The girls in its tendrils screaming and gasping at the sudden turbulence!

The boulder can be seen flying away on the horizon, leaving a trace of mayhem in its path.

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Líng Jìng goes out of hiding and grabs, with her telekinesis, one of the three Kinoko that just attacked Hanami, throwing it violently at the big tree! Despite having less impact than the boulder that was just hurled at it, this unfortunate kinoko kit square on the tree! Passing through it and leaving a whole at it's trunk! The Kinoko was never seen again, going to the same realm that boulder ended up in.

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Finally, the tree doesn't move, still overwhelmed by the boulder and the kinoko hurled at it. If only swings the girls in its branches around, while some free branches feel the damaged areas.

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Kanako runs desperately, chasing the fairy, cursing along the way; Konomi was attentively reading the sigh, the fairy pass by, chuckling. As Konomi hears the footsteps and curses, she quickly turns to her left, seeing Kanako run straight at her! They colide!

After a momentary blank, Konomi opens her eyes, to see a furious Kanako tangled with her, while the fairy runs away with her book!