Natsuki's touch was gentle, but it was her voice in Pia's ear that did it, really. So close, a new level of intimacy. Her mouth so close to Pia, her voice.. what was it with her voice? It was kind of like it held a level of hidden promises underneath the audible words. Suddenly, Pia's appreciation of Natsuki as a woman, a desirable woman, peaked. A mild infatuation became a little pang of desire, not lessened by the coy, yet almost mischievous glance she gave Pia.

Natsuki's play had succeeded, she had slipped right by Pia's guard. This moment Pia would remember, and the memory would nest in Pia's imagination, then hatch a multitude of imagined scenarios.

"Yeah, they are pretty..", Pia mumbled lamely, trying to regain her mental footing. She had no knowledge of the hidden symbolism of the flowers, and now she was afraid to ask, as if she would ruin the secret by probing it.

And then the moment was gone, Natsuki almost dancing away on swift feet. A modern day nymph playing on the meadows, to Pia's mind. Suddenly, Pia could not help but laugh. Surely, any innuendo was in Pia's mind. Natsuki was a playful and free spirit, a rare thing, and Pia found herself a bit happier just to be in her company.

Pia hurried after her, still mindful of the basket.

Natsuki had prepared quite some breakfast. Honey, muffins, even sushi. To Pia, breakfast usually meant yoghurt. Nutritious, easily digested, easily forgotten. This was a meal, meant to be enjoyed.
"If you.. if you don't mind me saying.. You seem like a.. uh..a person who knows how to enjoy the good life", said Pia, It was meant to be a compliment, but now she felt stupid compared to Natsuki's effortless grace.

Pia did indeed notice the reference to Ms. Saika, but did narrowly miss some of the implications. Apparently, she had access to wealth, she was a woman of means. She did not think a temporary position such as hers would yield so much in material wealth, but perhaps she had money from elsewhere. Indeed, is she was both competent enough and rich, her teaching here could merely be a diversion. Then again.. what would make someone like Natsuki wish to be here? Did she even know the purpose of this place? Now Pia was confused..

She snapped back when her own life was addressed. It stuck home. Shokushu did not seem so bad. It had brilliant beaches, people Pia had learned to know.. Pia would not say she had been bored here. Far from it, a little less excitement would be welcome at times. But even if one did try to take away the monster attacks from the equation, Pia was unable to enjoy the tropical paradise. She knew it was a prison she could never leave.

"This place.. it is so beautiful. And I guess I have no right to complain.. but I do wish I could go somewhere else. I really do.."

Pia clammed shut. This was for two reasons. One was that she was about to blab, almost revealing that she knew returning home would not be allowed, and that this was not Earth. She was pretty sure she was not supposed to know. Natsuki seemed kind enough, but there were risk she was not willing to take.

"I guess.. I am mostly a bookworm", Pia said "I mean, I like reading and studying. But sometimes.. I wish I was a bit more of the spontaneous type, maybe the type who makes a bit more of a splash. I guess I am a bit boring, by some standards."

Pia did not quite know why she said that, it just dropped out for some reason.

"Swimming is nice..", Pia said, her voice trailing off. For a second, just a few heartbeats, she seemed to stare off into nothing, and darker emotions seemed to play out on her face. Pia was a very good swimmer, one of the few athletic pursuits she enjoyed. She liked beaches the most, indoor pools always seemed a bit sterile to her. The beaches in the brochure was really one of the reasons she went here. She had bought a new swimsuit, one with a more daring cut and a bolder display of colours. More than a year ago, it had been lost. Shredded on a sand dune, no doubt washed away with the next tide.. She did not venture to the beach much after that. The uniform swimsuit would do..

The moment passed. Pia snapped back, not wanting to let that particular memory drag her down. She smiled nervously, and fidgeted a little with her food, averting her face. Natsuki had actually managed to strike home several times in the last sentence. One was the trauma of the beach, but that was long ago. Then there was Pia's lack of a social network, and her wish to be someone better, prettier and more confident than herself.

"Y-you are very kind. You really are, but you do not have to lend me anything, really." Pia stammered. She then hesitated. Was the refusal rude, perhaps? Too dismissing? Besides, what she wanted was not what she was saying. "I mean.. I would love to, but.."

"But perhaps you have a few words of advice?", she said, reeling herself in. "I am afraid you rather outclass me in style and fashion sense. I am a bit of a nerd, after all."

Both Natsuki's compliments and her sudden closeness took Pia completely by surprise, and she could not come up with a sensible reply, but perhaps her body language was reply enough. She blushed, not a full tomato blush, but with a definite reddening of the cheeks, and her eyes wee suddenly downcast, half hidden under her eyelashes. Yet there was a shy little smile on her lips, quietly defying her own embarrassment. Pia was not used to having her looks praised, yet who can resist a compliment such as the one Ms.Saika had just given her?

Like many people, Pia had a bit of a blind spot when it came to herself. Her late preadolescence and puberty had not been gentle with her, and she had gotten so used to seeing herself as the short, pudgy one that the image had somehow stuck. Not that Pia was terribly short now, just a few centimetres below the average for a Scandinavian woman, and she certainly was not fat. Indeed, her body tending towards the rare hourglass shape, a genetic gift from her mother, Pia could probably gain a few kilos and still be considered rather well shaped. But her self image had somehow ended up being considerably less flattering.

Pia was well aware that Natsuki was quite attractive, though, very much so when she was so close. This did not help Pia's blush at all. She fidgeted a little with the food, daring a coy glance at Natsuki from the corner of her eyes.

"Uh.. thank you!" Pia said, attempting recovery. "You are much too kind, but thanks.."

"I am a nerd, though, and have been since way before it was trendy." She had no problem with that. Pia was the bookish one, nothing could change that. "But.. uh.. I guess I could work on the self confidence thing. That is true. I mean, no law says I can't be self assured just because I know the Dewey system, right?"

Pia quickly took a small bite of the food, allowing herself some reprieve as she did not quite know how to go with the conversation further than this.

Pia felt the approach of the bad weather as a pricking feeling on her neck and an oppressive feeling, even before the first gust of wind swept across the scene, stroking hair and rusting leaves.
Until then she had been content with sampling the lovely food, offering the occasional comment on it, and otherwise enjoying the morning in silence.

The air seemed heavier, somehow, like the sky harboured future rain, weighing it down. The wind seemed to have a certain impatient energy, like it was building up to something larger. To Pia, it felt like everything was humming with anticipation, waiting for the storm to decide if it was going to spill it's fury over the island, or if it should pass by.

Nervously, Pia got up. "Yes, that is a good idea.. It will probably be some heavy weather before too long."
Unbidden, she started to gather dishes and food.

Their narrow escape from the rain had Pia giggling, giddy from adrenaline. The growling approach of thunder, the electric tingle in the air and the near imperceptible shift of air pressure as the cloud released their load of water on the earth bellow triggered something deep inside her. It had something to do with survival insticts, she had read somewhere. Earthquakes, thunderstorms and stampeding animals all resonated on the same wavelenght, or something.

But while primal woman might have fled in terror, Pia was not in physical danger, and the sprint for shelter was as much fun as nothing else, especially because they made it in time. Her company made it more fun, obviously. "Wow! You can even run in heels?", she laughed, part in jest, part real admiration, as they dodged the rain.

Pia quickly calmed down though, as they set upon their task. Now it was time to learn, and she followed Ms.Saika's instructions carefully. Eager not to make a fool of herself, Pia gave it her full attention.

---

Adrenaline gave way to concentration, and with the arrival of the students, concentration gave way to awkwardness. She was the odd one out here, she realized. The other students knew what they were doing, had their roles. She was here not as a regular member of the class, but as an assistant to the teacher. Surely, she would in the end establish her place in the group, but not yet. She missed the comfort of fading into the background.

A few students glanced her way, perhaps curious about who she was. Pia smiled weakly. Luckily, Ms.Saika seemed to draw more glances than her, testimony to her personal charisma.

Pia waited for things to proceed, ready to leap to Natsuki's assistance, should she as much as indicate she was needed.

Uh-uh.. I hate this moment..

The possibility that Pia would stand out and have to face the group had been a concern tucked neatly away behind others and, with the relief of being accepted and her dawning fascination with Ms.Saika, forgotten. Now it hit her in the face, head on.

There was a few things Pia hated. One was having to face larger groups. It was not an uncommon fear, she knew. She also knew it was a fear it was possible to overcome, but it had never been easy on her. Then there was the fact that she was the inexperienced one here, the 'n00b' to use a cruel internet expression. The other ones knew the routines, knew the teacher, knew what would happen when. Pia did not. She hated being clueless, it made her feel vulnerable in ways she could not properly describe.

Yeah, it is awful now, but in a short time, you'll be used to it. Just wait and see..

"Uh.. Hi everyone!", she started. Was it just her, or did her voice suddenly sound.. small all of a sudden? She felt very much like a little girl on her first day of school, desperately wanting the other kids to like her. Pia smiled, but with a touch of uncertainty, like she hoped a friendly expression would somehow fill the silence that had fallen over the other girls.

"My name is Pia. Pia Marie. Hov. And I.. I am to be Ms. Saika's assistant."

Pia had no idea what else to add, and she would rather not give a lengthy biography if she could avoid it.
"Pleased to meet you all!", she added, unwittingly doing a tiny half curtsey,then taking a half step back, like she was inviting the class to ignore her and focus on the teacher, so she could await the proceedings.