Spending Time Outdoors

Shizumi's light azure blue eyes narrowed as she stared down at her algebra homework, stuck on the last few. She kept looking at it, twirling her pencil in her hand, trying to make sense of it, but she was met with the same problem over and over again. She just didn't understand. She sighed, leaning back against the tree she was sitting under, looking at all of the people who passed by as she moved the top of her hair back so that her cat ears were visible. She went back to staring at her homework, determined to find a way to solve the last five problems, but soon gave up with a sigh, placing it back in the algebra binder on her lap. "Its just five problems." She muttered to herself. She thought of stopping by Michis house and asking if she had the answers, but remembered that she probably wasn't even doing her homework. She couldn't help but give an affectionate, amused smile at the thought of her care-free, hyper, stubborn friend. Michi hated school and every piece of work that came with it. Shizumi placed her binder in her little messenger bag that she had been carrying with her on her way to the park. She had wanted to spend some time outdoors since it was Friday, and had brought her algebra homework to work on it since she had already finished her other work. 'Stupid algebra...' she thought, giving a small frown of irritation before walking over to the bridge in the park, walking to the middle and then looking over the railing at the water below, a small giggle escaping her lips as she spotted some coy fish swimming together.

Blackstar runs across the railing of the bridge and looks at Shizumi. in the distance she could hear nina yelling for her to slow down. blackstar hops down and waits for her. Nina runs and trips over a rock and falls into Shizumi. she blinks and looks at her, she jumps up and bows "i'm sorry! i'm sorry! I was after my cat! please forgive me.." she hides her face with her hat. blackstar chuckles lightly and hops back up on the railing.

Shizumi blinked as she spotted Blackstar and she stared a bit in wonder, her neko ears twitching. She opened her mouth about to ask a question but all that came out was a squeal of surprise as she was suddenly jolted to the side and she fell back onto the bridge. She sat up, eyes wide in alarm, looking at the girl who had bumped into her, feeling a hint of amusement as she apologized. Shizumi smiled, getting to her feet and dusting herself off. "Don't worry about it. I'm okay." She said with a small laugh, looking at her. "Are you alright?" She asked the girl. She smiled at Blackstar as she jumped back onto the rail before turning back to face Nina again.

Nina blushes lightly "yea am ok..." she looks over at blackstar "you planned this didnt you?!" blackstar looks at her and nods "yes I did we came to the park for you to met someone and you werent doing a good job so i helped you." nina blushes lightly and looks at the ground. "uh this is blackstar and i'm nina... uh...um whats your name?"

Shizumi blinked her eyes as the two talked, slightly tipping her head to the side in curiosity. She blushed pink a bit as Blackstar explained and she gave Nina a small smile. She gave a small bow, and introduced herself. "Nice to meet both of you. I'm Shizumi. But if you want, you can call me Shizu or Shi-chan." She said, nodding her head in greeting to Blackstar.

nina peeks up from under her hat and smiles lightly. blackstar sighs and hops up "nina be nice and take off your hat dont hide behind it." nina blushes and shakes her head. blackstar looks at shizum "am so sorry shizumi shes just very shy.." she hops over and takes the hat from nina. nina sqeaks and covers her face. blakstar sighs more "nina talk to shizumi dont make me change into big blackstar!"

Shizumi gave a small laugh as she watched the two and gave them both and understanding smile. "Its alright. I'm usually pretty shy as well." She said, her neko ears twitching sheepishly as her cheeks gave a slight blush of pink. She looked at Nina again and smiled. "I used to hide myself too. I would always hide my neko ears under my hair and tuck my tail in so that people wouldn't see. My friend who works at the pet store gave me confidence in letting my true race be shown." She explained, smiling from blackstar to nina. "Maybe if we become friends, I can teach you the same thing, if you'll let me." She offered, doing a small bow.

nina blushes lightly and smiles softly. "you really want to be my friend even though am a witch?" she twirls a small strand of hair on her finger.

Shizumi smiled and nodded, giving a small chuckle. "Of course. I think all people should have the chance to be able to make friends, despite their race. In fact, this town is filled with many creatures that are thought of to be fictional. I'm a neko, for example...there are kitsune, vampires...and witches like you." She said gesturing to Nina. "If you're looking for friends, this is a good place to find them because most of us are different from regular human beings." She said with a smile.

Nina looks up and smiles lightly, "really?" she blushes lightly. blackstar smiles and hops on ninas shoulders "look nina see you dont have to worry about being different. I told you wouldnt have to be nervous forever what happened at your hometown means nothing. not everyone thinks like that." nina smiles happily and nods.

Shizumi nodded with a shy smile. "The people here are really accepting." She explained, agreeing with Blackstar. "They won't judge you for who you are." She said. She blushed a bit with a friendly laugh. "If it makes you feel any better, it took me a while to understand that too...and I still get nervous." She said. "But if you have the right friends, you'll be supported." She reasured.

nina smiles happily and giggles lightly "this place is really nice then." she looks around with a sparkle in her eyes. nina looks at shizumi "are you my friend?"

Shizumi nodded in agreement with a small laugh as Nina spoke. "It really is." She agreed. She gave a small pink blush as Nina asked if she was her friend and she smiled. "Yes, if you want me to be." She said.

nina smiles widely and nods "i would like that very much." blackstar smiles happily "oh nina am so proud of you!"

Shizumi smiled in delight as nina spoke. "Great." She said with a small laugh. She smiled at blackstar as she spoke and then turned to nina. "Is there anything you want to do?" She asked.

Nina blinks and looks at blackstar then shizumi she thinks it over for a moment. "uh i dont know... what do you want to do?"