1p


Entering the cafe there was a wonderful rush of warmth, the heated cafe had somehow managed to keep the large glass windows from fogging as students wandered here and there going to sit with coffees and teas of various flavors.

"Two Hot Cocoa's please." She said casually to the girl behind the counter, she then led the girl to a cozy lookign table in the back.

She sat down, shrugging off her shawl and placing her hand warmer aside. "Le Rim is the most feminie of the schools," she began, "Teaching future wives and free sprited women. They have more clubs than any other school, such as cooking, costume, drama, and arts and crafts. They are the only school that specifically teaches culinary arts." She smiled politely as a girl delivered their drinks. She politely took a sip, careful not to let the whipped cream on top leave anthing on her face. "It's also the newest of the three schools on campus."

She then thought of the previous Etoiles, but could seem to muster a comment about the girl's mother as she was distraced by a briuse on the girl's face. "Did you hurt yourself when you fell? Are you alright?" As she asked this her gentle hands were already caressing the girls chin just beneath the discolored skin. "Would you like to visit the infirmary?"

The girl gazed at the other and then into her hot coco "Its nothing really! I've had worse!" She realized when she said that how bad it sounded. Rina sighed "Its really nothing" she said not sure of weather she was reassuring herself or the older girl. "I wasn't born a Sonomi....I was sold for 50 million yen...by my birth father Ryu Mizumiya in a business loan from my adoptive father." Rina didn't know why she was sharing this "At first I hated it there...the air it tainted me...." she paused "So I joined a street gang...got into fight after fight." Rina gazed at the older girl before her "I just wanted someone anyone...to beat me until I couldn't feel anymore."
Rina went silent as tears started to spill "I haven't seen my mother in 5 years....." she couldn't look at the girl now. "Last night I decided to change myself...I quit my gang....but got beaten up by everyone in the gang first...." She sipped her coco tasting the chocolate flavored cream. "I want to be like my mother.....I want to be an Etoile someday..." she murmured quietly.

(oh my this character should meet my character Azriella, they would be fun together.)

A creamy white hand slipped down to touch the other girl's hand, "Then do it." She said, not commenting on the girl's dark past, "Become an Etoile, nothing can stop you. Why don't you try and run for next year? Start a club, being a club leader will get others to notice how nice you are and then you would get their vote. Maybe you'll find a partner to run with along the way." She smiled still, releasing the girls hand to go back to sipping her cocoa.

Rin was remined of her run in with a dislikeable student, Azriella VanDrey, the first time in her life she'd ever felt the touch of anothr meant to harm her. The corner of her own jaw still hurt, though the other girls had done everything to keep it from bruising. She wondered what would happen if this flower ever met such a...weed. Rin couldn't help disliking the girl for having laid a hand on her for no apparent reason. She distracted herself with anothr polite sip. "Just be yourself," she said finally, "you'll be fine."

"Just be yourself and you'll be fine" a dark shadow passed over her eyes as she thought of her mother saying that all the time. A smile appeared on her delicate bruised face. Rina thought of all the bad times but then gasped as she finally realized why her adoptive mother had sent her here. To start anew, she was a wilting flower that would bloom again this time would be even more beautiful. She took off her glasses and gazed at the older girl her brown eyes locking with the other girl's.
"My mother told me about the Etoile and how she's an example to the students, how she waters the first year buds and helps them bloom into flowers that are gems in the sea of people outside the school walls." she paused "My mother in school was Saiyuri, Saiyuri Hanamiya, the Etoile with her partner Ren Kuzahara representing St. Le Rim." Rina frowned "But would people really accept a former Yanki as Etoile?" she asked softly.
Continuing her coco the girl got whipped cream on her upper lip which made her look cute somehow.
Could she really be an Etoile someday? Was the dream just a pointless delusion of grandeur? Could she really find a person that would be wanting to stand with her in the elections? Rina bit lip lightly. "Who is the current Etoile?" she asked.

As if on cue two Spica girls approached their table giggling nervously and then bowing to Rin.
"Excuse us Etoile-Sama," they said blushing, "on behalf of the Spica cafe, we'd like to give you these." They presented a very neat tray full of delicious cookies, "Since this is your first visit to the cafe, we'd like to refill your cocoa as well if you like." They bowed again.

Rin didn't look at them, she sipped her cocoa again and then as the sweets were placed on the table, she gave ehr usual polite smile to the girls, which seems to make them giddly. "Thank you ladies, these look wonderful. Yes, I would love a refill."

One girl presented a new cup of cocoa and placed it on the table beside Rin's nearly finished one. She blushed even brighter as she took the near empty cup, her hands shaking. "It's amazing how thin you can stay, eating sweets all the time!" said the girl in awe, the other one stomped on her foot. "Thank you Etoile-sama, if you need anything, please let us know and we will personally take care of it."

"Of course," replied Rin, the girls bowed and scurried away, obsessing over the discarded cup. Rin turned back to the girl before her and took another sip from the new cup, calmly she said, "Help yourself." She placed her cup down and took a napkin so she could politely enjoy a sweet as well.

She seemed to have forgotten the girl's question as to who the Etoile was, of course it was obvious now. She only hoped the girl did not inquire about her missing partner.

Rina blushed and shot out of her chair and bowed deeply "Forgive my rudeness Etoile-sama!" she exclaimed. She was nervous now. Rina had been talking to the Etoile....the Etoile thought she could become like her...Rina stood up straight and put a hand to her face. "I'm sorry...." she mumbled "I"m sorry!" she moved her arm. She gazed at the floor her pink boots suddenly really interesting. "Etoile-sama...why do you think i'd make a good Etoile...i'm tainted i'm no longer of a prestigious family... I no longer walk a path of light." she sighed "Why would anyone girl even look at me...there's nothing beautiful about a former juvenile delinquent...." she was about to say more when a picture fell out of her pocket. It was of her mother and her partner when they were students. This was the one picture she had been given by her mother before she was given away. Her mother was gorgeous with her long raspberry pink tresses lovingly holding her partner in her arms. Both girls were smiling at the camera. Rina gazed down at it as she said "I'm not like her at all....I'm nothing like my mother....whom I idolize."

Calm, Rin hardly reacted as the girl shot up and seemed to make a fuss,

"Please, sit down." She said as sweetly as she could. "You remind me of an Etoile I knew. You may not see it, but you have her innocence." Her smile turned a bit sad, but only for a moment, like a glimmer in a pond. "There are," she said putting down the cocoa and taking the girls hand in both of hers, "Many beautiful things about you, eyes like honey and hair like rasberry, skin creamy and pink," She paused, "I too am tainted, I'm no stranger to pain or loss. No Etoile is perfect, but that's the secret." she squeezed the other girls hands and then placed them in her lap, giving her a chance to notice the photo.

She retrieved it, causing a gasp from a few girls to watched her reach for something that had actually fallen on the floor. "You dropped this ma chere," She said, returning the photo, "You look just like her you know."

The former Yanki gazed at the Etoile in awe and she blushed red as she was complimented. Rina removed her coat revealing her St. Le Rim uniform completing the look were pink lace up knee high boots and light pink thigh highs. Her creamy skin seemed more porcelain like with all the pink. Sitting down but straitening her skirt as she did so Rina slowly pushed herself closer to the table and said "Forgive me for my outburst Etoile-sama" she gazed at her and then at the picture "Maybe I can be like mom....if I try." she smiled and said "I Can't let this get me down! After all, Hard work is pointless if you don't believe in yourself!" She giggled suddenly a hand moving to her mouth to stop it. "I should be cheerful so people can get close to me!" she said softly. "I knew from the start i'd have to start from the bottom!"
Sipping her coco again she looked at the wonderful tray of cookies "May I have Etoile-sama?" she asked cutely. For the bad girl loved sweets. She couldn't resist them. Especially strawberries. Brushing hair out of her face Rina pushed her glasses up her face and murmured "Thank you for cheering me Etoile-sama" She paused "I guess I was so nervous about coming here...I just kept it all in and it all came out to you." Rina smiled her dazzling smile again "I hope that if I do become Etoile one day I can be as kind as you" She sounded sincere "I want my three years here to be joyful and maybe...just maybe I can be the kind of person my mom can be proud to tell the world I'm her mom!" she laughed out loud her bell like laughter peeling from her strawberry colored lips. "Mom always told me to never give up!" Her aura had become strangely warm and vibrant with just talking.

It was easy to feel the warmth that now eminated from the rasberry-haired girl. It reminded her of Chibiru's way of beaming so suddenly, and her own heart warmed a bit.

"Of course you may," said Rin in response to her inquiry about the sweets, "help yourself. Like she said, I stay thin only because I don't eat them all. But hush, they don't have to know that." Rin took another happy sip, "I'm sure you'll be Etoile one day. And good luck to you." Rin gave her best smile, she meant what she said, but was suddenly overwhelmed wither her bittersweet loss of her partner, mixed with her feelings for both Rachel and Akari all at once.

She was able to hide the emotional rush very well and took another sip followed by a bite of cookie. She kept herself busy chewing, life sure was interesting, but somehow she felt as if she would never again be satisfied. But her Chibiru had wished it, and so she must try.

"Let's never give up, okay?" She said, her voice rather serious, only to smile again after, she held out her pinky finger-a habit from her dear Chibiru, and there the creamy, manicured digit waited for the pinky-swear to become finite.

Extending her pinkie finger she joined the Etoile in the pinkie swear "Yes" she said "Yes lets do our best" Her brown eyes were shining with tears that she didn't want to spill. The raspberry haired girl felt at peace with herself. The girl felt happy "I may have been sold for 50 million yen but that doesn't matter! I'm going to try my best!"
Rina took a cookie with her other hand and began munching on it looking all the more cute with a cookie in her mouth. Her curls seemed to shine in the suns rays. It formed a halo of light around her head making her seem angelic. She thought of her mother and how maybe one day....One day they may meet again and on that day she wanted to be an Etoile standing proudly with her partner. Then and there she made a silent vow. She would get better at being around people she would become the kind of person that was worthy of being Etoile. She remembered another saying of her mother "Nan Kuru Nai Sa, It will be alright, Live for Today, look foreword to tomorrow and don't forget to smile"